bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can biomarkers help us to better diagnose and manage sepsis?
Authors: Schuetz Philipp , Plebani Mario
Published: March 2015

The recognition over 25 years ago that the host response plays an exquisite role in sepsis, led to the today still-standard sepsis definition. Unfortunately, the inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria turned out to be less useful than anticipated, lacking sensitivity, specificity and ease of clinical application. Had novel host-response biomarkers been available by that time, it arguably would have been preferable to white blood cell count as an unspecific and not-sensitive laboratory-based SIRS criterion. Several novel markers have been put forward as sepsis markers with better diagnostic and/or prognostic potential in sepsis including inflammatory markers such as procalcitonin (PCT), presepsin, proadrenomedullin (ProADM), endothelial dysfunction markers such as P-selectin, E-selectin, intercellular cell adhesion molecule [ICAM]-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule [VCAM]-1 and genetic markers among others. The limitations to using clinical parameters and conventional diagnostic markers for patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis may directly lead to both, under treatment of patients with severe disease needing urgent antibiotic and fluid therapy, and unnecessary and prolonged exposure to antimicrobial agents adversely affecting patient outcomes and increasing antibiotic resistance. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence for emerging diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic-response sepsis biomarkers in different infections and clinical settings, and discuss the reliability, potential benefit and limitations of these marker when used in clinical routine for sepsis management.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 2-(1H-imidazol-2-ylmethylidene)hydrazinyl- 1,3-thiazoles as potential antimicrobial agents
Authors: Łączkowski Krzysztof Z. , Jachowicz Katarzyna , Misiura Konrad , Biernasiuk Anna , Malm Anna
Published: March 2015

Synthesis, characterization, and investigation of antimicrobial activities of nine novel imidazolylthiazoles are presented. Their structures were determined using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. Compounds 3e and 3i show very strong or strong bacteriostatic or bactericidal activity [minimal bactericidal concentration/minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)=2–64] against Staphylococcus spp. (MIC=7.81–15.62 μg/mL), Micrococcus luteus ATCC 10240 (MIC=1.95–3.91 μg/mL), and Bacillus spp. (MIC=3.91–15.62 μg/mL). Compounds 3e and 3i also show the highest fungicidal effect (minimal fungicidal concentration/MIC=2–4) against reference strains of fungi belonging to Candida spp. with MIC ranging from 3.91 to 31.25 μg/mL.
Performance Analysis of Fault Detection and Identification for Multiple Faults in GNSS and GNSS/INS Integration
Authors: Alqurashi Muwaffaq , Wang Jinling
Published: March 2015

For positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) purposes, GNSS or GNSS/INS integration is utilised to provide real-time solutions. However, any potential sensor failures or faulty measurements due to malfunctions of sensor components or harsh operating environments may cause unsatisfactory estimation for PNT parameters. The inability for immediate detecting faulty measurements or sensor component failures will reduce the overall performance of the system. So, real time detection and identification of faulty measurements is required to make the system more accurate and reliable for different applications that need real time solutions such as real time mapping for safety or emergency purposes. Consequently, it is necessary to implement an online fault detection and isolation (FDI) algorithm which is a statistic-based approach to detect and identify multiple faults.However, further investigations on the performance of the FDI for multiple fault scenarios is still required. In this paper, the performance of the FDI method under multiple fault scenarios is evaluated, e.g., for two, three and four faults in the GNSS and GNSS/INS measurements under different conditions of visible satellites and satellites geometry. Besides, the reliability (e.g., MDB) and separability (correlation coefficients between faults detection statistics) measures are also investigated to measure the capability of the FDI method. A performance analysis of the FDI method is conducted under the geometric constraints, to show the importance of the FDI method in terms of fault detectability and separability for robust positioning and navigation for real time applications.
Ancillary Studies of Experiments: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Baldwin Kate , Bhavnani Rikhil R.
Published: March 2015

“Ancillary studies of experiments” are a technique whereby researchers use an experiment conducted by others to recover causal estimates of a randomized intervention on new outcomes. The method requires pairing randomized treatments the researchers did not oversee with data on outcomes that were not the focus of the original experiment. Since ancillary studies rely on interventions that have already been undertaken, oftentimes by governments, they can provide a low-cost method with which to identify effects on a wide variety of outcomes. We define this technique, identify the small but growing universe of papers that employ ancillary studies of experiments in political science and economics, and assess the benefits and limitations of the method.
Reflections on the Ethics of Social Experimentation
Authors: Humphreys Macartan
Published: March 2015

Social scientists are increasingly engaging in experimental research projects of importance for public policy in developing areas. While this research holds the possibility of producing major social benefits, it may also involve manipulating populations, often without consent, sometimes with potentially adverse effects, and often in settings with obvious power differentials between researcher and subject. Such research is currently conducted with few clear ethical guidelines. In this paper I discuss research ethics as currently understood in this field, highlighting the limitations of standard procedures and the need for the construction of appropriate ethics, focusing on the problems of determining responsibility for interventions and assessing appropriate forms of consent.
A Two-level Agent-Based Model for Hurricane Evacuation in New Orleans
Authors: Liang Wei , Lam Nina S.-N. , Qin Xiaojun , Ju Wenxue
Published: March 2015

Mass evacuation of urban areas due to hurricanes is a critical problem in emergency management that requires extensive basic and applied research. Previous research uses agent-based models to simulate individual vehicle and driver behavior, and is limited mostly to a small study area due to the complexity of the models and the computational time needed. To better understand evacuation behavior, simulating the evacuation traffic in a larger region is needed. This paper develops a two-level regional disaster evacuation model by coupling two agent-based models. The first model uses each census block centroid, weighted with its corresponding number of vehicles, as an agent to simulate the local road network traffic. The second model, developed on the platform of a commercial software program called VISSIM, treats each vehicle as an agent to simulate the interstate highway traffic. This two-level agent-based model was used to simulate hurricane evacuation traffic in New Orleans. Validation results with the real Hurricane Katrina’s evacuation data confirm that the proposed model performs well in terms of high model accuracy (i.e., close agreement between the real and simulated traffic patterns) and short model running time. The modeling results show that the average root-mean-square error (RMSE) for the three major evacuation directions was 347.58. Under a simultaneous evacuation strategy, and with 240,251 vehicles in 17,744 agents (census blocks), it would take at least 46.3 hours to evacuate all residents from the New Orleans metropolitan area. This two-level modeling approach could serve as a practical tool for evaluating mass evacuation strategies in New Orleans and other similar urban areas.
Performance Evaluation of N × 80 Gb/s DWDM Optical System over SSMF for CSRZ-DPSK and RZ-DPSK Signals with Optimized Alternate Polarization
Authors: Bhatia Richa , Sharma Ajay K. , Saxena Jyoti
Published: March 2015

In this paper, the performance of N
Lipoprotein(a): wann messen, wie behandeln?
Authors: Chennamsetty Indumathi , Scharnagl Hubert , Kleber Marcus E. , März Winfried , Kostner Gert M.
Published: March 2015

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] ist eines der atherogensten Lipoproteine. Es besteht aus einem low density lipoprotein (LDL)-Partikel und dem spezifischen Glykoprotein Apo(a). Apo(a) ist homolog zu Plasminogen, weist jedoch im Gegensatz dazu einen spezifischen Größenpolymorphismus auf. Er beruht darauf, dass die Anzahl von Kringle-IV (K-IV) Domänen zwischen zwei und etwa 50 schwankt. Apo(a) wird fast nur in der Leber synthetisiert, wobei bis heute noch nicht eindeutig geklärt ist, ob Apo(a) und LDL intrazellulär oder im zirkulierenden Blut verknüpft werden. Die Lp(a)-Plasmakonzentration ist rechtsschief verteilt und reicht von weniger als 1 mg/dL bis mehr als 200 mg/dL. Sie ist zu 90 Prozent genetisch determiniert; die Anzahl an K-IV repeats korreliert invers mit der Konzentration von Lp(a). Im Apo(a)-Promoter befinden sich zahllose Bindungsstellen für Transkriptionsfaktoren und nukleäre Rezeptoren, wobei jene für HNF4α eine der wichtigsten ist. Die Bindung von HNF4α wird durch die Aktivierung von FXR unterdrückt, was zu einer signifikanten Reduktion der Apo(a)-Biosynthese führt. Neuere große epidemiologische Studien lassen keinen Zweifel daran, dass Lp(a) ein kausaler Risikofaktor für KHK und Herzinfarkt ist, weshalb neue Ansätze erforscht werden, erhöhte Lp(a)-Konzentrationen medikamentös zu korrigieren. Unter den zugelassenen Lipidsenkern senkt nur Nikotinsäure, dessen molekulare Wirkweise wir kürzlich aufklären konnten, in konsistentem und klinisch bedeutsamem Ausmaß das Lp(a). Neue Medikationen die sich derzeit in Klinischen Tests befinden, unter ihnen CETP-Inhibitoren, PCSK9 Antikörper, der MTP Hemmer Lomitapide und Antisense-Oligonukleotide, erscheinen vielversprechend. Das spezifisch gegen die mRNA des Apo(a) gerichtete Antisense-Oligonukleotide APO(a)Rx
® von ISIS weist die stärkste Wirkung auf. Es eröffnet die Möglichkeit, den Effekt einer selektiven Absenkung des Lp(a) auf klinische Ereignisse zu untersuchen. Lp(a) ist ein wichtiger Parameter zur Ermittlung des Risikos für Atherosklerose. Die Bestimmung im klinischen Labor war für lange Zeit nicht standardisiert. Neue Analysenmethoden, vor allem Enzymimmunoassays mit monoklonalen Antikörpern, die nur ein Epitop im Apo(a) erkennen, sowie nephelometrische und turbidimetrische Methoden, könnten jedoch potentiell vergleichbare Resultate in unterschiedlichen Laboren generieren.
Description of a new endemic species of shrew (Mammalia, Soricomorpha) from PrÍncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea)
Authors: Ceríaco Luis M.P. , Marques Mariana P. , Jacquet François , Nicolas Violaine , Colyn Marc , Denys Christiane , Sardinha Patrícia C. , Bastos-Silveira Cristiane
Published: March 2015

São Tomé and Príncipe are unique islands off the Gulf of Guinea on account of the high degree of endemism in these areas due to isolation. These islands are known to harbor, among others, two species of shrews of the genus
Redetermination of the crystal structure of nitridodichlorido bis(triphenylphosphane) rhenium(V), at 200 K – Localization of hydrogen atoms, C36H30Cl2NP2Re
Authors: Schoultz Xandri , Gerber Thomas I. A. , Hosten Eric C. , Betz Richard
Published: March 2015

C36H30Cl2NP2Re, monoclinic, I2/a (no. 15), a = 15.5631(4) Å, b = 9.5180(3) Å, c = 22.0872(9) Å, β = 103.237(1)°, V = 3184.9 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0203, wRref(F2) = 0.0419, T = 200 K.
Crystal structure of 4-propyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one thiosemicarbazone, C15H19N5OS
Authors: Idemudia Omoruyi G. , Sadimenko Alexander P. , Hosten Eric C.
Published: March 2015

C15H19N5OS, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 12.2308(3) Å, b = 8.2628(2) Å, c = 16.3598(4) Å, β = 102.190(1)°, V = 1616.1 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0316, wRref(F2) = 0.0908, T = 200 K.
Preparation of poly(aspartic acid) superabsorbent hydrogels by solvent-free processes
Authors: Meng Hongyu , Zhang Xin , Chen Qiuchi , Wei Jun , Wang Yang , Dong An , Yang Haiyuan , Tan Tianwei , Cao Hui
Published: March 2015

Poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) hydrogel is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer with high water absorbing ability. Traditionally, the production of PASP hydrogel consumes large amounts of organic solvents, i.e., dimethylformamide (DMF) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). This traditional approach is now considered costly, complex and environmentally unfriendly due to required used solvent disposal. The present research explores two novel methods in preparing PASP hydrogel without organic solvent, by using hydrazine hydrate and ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDGE) or poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as the cross-linkers. Absorbent ability and other characteristics are determined. Preparing PASP hydrogel in aqueous solution is promising and finds its use in many applications.
Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia exacerbated by chyle leak
Authors: Alzaman Naweed , Pittas Anastassios G , O'Leary Miriam , Ceglia Lisa
Published: March 2015

Transient hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy is not uncommon and the risk increases with the extent of neck surgery. We report a case of severe and prolonged hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy complicated by thoracic duct injury. Hypoparathyroidism and thoracic duct injury are potential complications following total thyroidectomy with extensive lymph node dissection. This case suggested that having both conditions may complicate treatment of hypoparathyroid-induced hypocalcemia by way of losses of calcium and vitamin D in the chyle leak.

Learning points

This report highlights chyle leak as an uncommon cause of prolonged hypocalcemia in patients who have undergone extensive neck surgery.

Chyle has an electrolyte concentration similar to that of plasma.

Medical treatment options for a chyle leak include fat-free oral diet or parenteral nutrition without oral intake, pharmacological treatment (primarily octreotide).
Multiple Phosphatases Regulate Carbon Source-Dependent Germination and Primary Metabolism inAspergillus nidulans
Authors: de Assis Leandro José , Ries Laure Nicolas Annick , Savoldi Marcela , Dinamarco Taisa Magnani , Goldman Gustavo Henrique , Brown Neil Andrew
Published: March 2015

Aspergillus nidulans is an important mold and a model system for the study of fungal cell biology. In addition, invasive A. nidulans pulmonary infections are common in humans with chronic granulomatous disease. The morphological and biochemical transition from dormant conidia into active, growing, filamentous hyphae requires the coordination of numerous biosynthetic, developmental, and metabolic processes. The present study exhibited the diversity of roles performed by seven phosphatases in regulating cell cycle, development, and metabolism in response to glucose and alternative carbon sources. The identified phosphatases highlighted the importance of several signaling pathways regulating filamentous growth, the action of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex as a metabolic switch controlling carbon usage, and the identification of the key function performed by the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase during germination. These novel insights into the fundamental roles of numerous phosphatases in germination and carbon sensing have provided new avenues of research into the identification of inhibitors of fungal germination, with implications for the food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries.
Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of New Polythiophenes Based on Three Different Monomers
Authors: Guzmán-Rabadán Karla K. , Ramírez-Gómez Marco A. , Güizado-Rodríguez Marisol , Guerrero-Álvarez Jorge A. , Barba Víctor , Basurto-Pensado Miguel A. , Galindo Rosario , Rodríguez Mario , Maldonado José L.
Published: March 2015

The chemical synthesis of the copolymers poly(3-HT-co-EDOT-co-fluorene) and poly(3-HT-co-EDOT-co-TDR1) is reported. The first copolymer is derived of 3-hexylthiophene (3-HT), 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and 2,2'- (9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluorene-2,7-diyl) bisthiophene (fluorene). The second copolymer is derived of 3-hexylthiophene (3-HT), 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and (E)-2-(ethyl(4-((4-nitrophenyl)diazenyl)phenyl)amino)ethyl 2-(thiophen-3-yl)acetate (TDR1). Their physicochemical characterization by 1H NMR, FT-IR, DSC-TGA, GPC, UV-vis, cyclic voltammetry was carried out. These copolymers combine the high electron density and low oxidation potential of EDOT with the high charge mobility and processability of 3-HT. These are candidates for applications as active or barrier layer in electronic devices (bulk heterojuntion organic solar cells) or as functional membranes (e.g., sensors).
Morphological Properties of Hyperbranched Compound Containing Pyrrole Units
Authors: Fomina Lioudmila , Sánchez Jorge Godínez , Olivares José A. , Cuppo Sant´Anna Fabio L. , Sansores Luis E. , Salcedo Roberto
Published: March 2015

Hyperbranched structures containing pyrrole units were obtained from ortho-, meta- and para-diaminodiphenyldiacetylenes as AB2 type monomers by one-step polymerization.

The para-hyperbranched compound was observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Microscopy studies identify two phases. The first is the insoluble one which gives origin to flake type structures. The second is acetone soluble phase, which generated crystalline structure manifesting in optic anisotropy and rhomboids and triangles dendrimeric structures.
Influence of Core-Shell Architecture Parameters on Thermal Conductivity of Si-Ge Nanowires
Authors: Sarikurt Sevil , Sevik Cem , Kinaci Alper , Haskins Justin B. , Cagin Tahir
Published: March 2015

In this work, we investigate the influence of the core-shell architecture on nanowire (1D) thermal conductivity targeting to evaluate its validity as a strategy to achieve a better thermoelectric performance. To obtain the thermal conductivity values, equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations is applied to Si and Ge systems that are chosen to form core-shell nanostructures. To explore the parameter space, we have calculated thermal conductivity values of the Si-core/Ge-shell and Ge-core/Si-shell nanowires at different temperatures for different cross-sectional sizes and different core contents. Our results indicate that (1) increasing the cross-sectional area of pristine Si and pristine Ge nanowire increases the thermal conductivity (2) increasing the Ge core size in the Si-core/Ge-shell structure results in a decrease in the thermal conductivity values at 300 K (3) thermal conductivity of the Si-core/Ge-shell nanowires demonstrates a minima at specific core size (4) no significant variation in the thermal conductivity observed in nanowires for temperature values larger than 300 K (5) the predicted thermal conductivity around 10 W m−1K−1 for the Si and Ge core-shell architecture is still high to get desired ZT values for thermoelectric applications. On the other hand, significant decrease in thermal conductivity with respect to bulk thermal conductivity of materials and pristine nanowires proves that employing core–shell architectures for other possible thermoelectric material candidates would serve valuable opportunities to achieve a better thermoelectric performance.
MOCVD of SnSx thin films for solar cell application
Authors: Clayton Andrew J. , Irvine Stuart J. C. , Barrioz Vincent , Masciullo Alessia
Published: March 2015

An inline metal organic chemical vapor deposition system was used to deposit tin sulfide at temperatures >500 °C. Tetramethyltin was used as the tin source and diethyldisulfide as the sulfur source. An overhead injector configuration was used delivering both precursors directly over the substrate. The tin and sulfur precursors were premixed before injection to improve chemical reaction in the gas phase. Growth temperatures 500 – 540 °C were employed producing films with approximate 1:1 stoichiometry of Sn and S detected by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction showed there to be mixed phases with Sn2S3 present with SnS.
Defect engineering in AlGaN-based UV optoelectronic heterostructures grown on c-Al2O3 by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Rouvimov Sergei , Jmerik Valentin N. , Nechaev Dmitrii V. , Ratnikov Valentin V. , Toropov Alexey A. , Shevchenko Eugenii A. , Brunkov Pavel N. , Rzheutski Mikolai V. , Lutsenko Eugenii V. , Ivanov Sergey V.
Published: March 2015

AlGaN-based SQW heterostructures grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on c-Al2O3 substrates have been studied with high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR TEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The high-temperature (780°C) synthesis of the AlN buffer layer nucleated on c-Al2O3 by a migration enhanced epitaxy and including several ultra-thin GaN interlayers grown under moderate N-rich conditions was shown to be the optimum approach for lowering the threading dislocations density down to 108-109 cm-2. HR TEM study has confirmed the fine structure of single quantum wells (SQW) formed by a sub-monolayer digital alloying technique and revealed different kinds of compositional inhomogeneities in the AlxGa1-xN barrier layers of the heterostructures, including the formation of Al-rich barriers induced by the temperature-modulated epitaxy and the spontaneous compositional disordering along the growth axis for x=0.6-0.7. The influence of these phenomena on the parameters of the mid-UV stimulated emission observed in the SQW structures has been studied as well.
Changes in selected subpopulations of lymphocytes in dogs infected with Babesia canis treated with imidocarb
Authors: Jarosz Ł. , Kalinowski M. , Staniec M. , Grądzki Z. , Salmons B. , Winiarczyk S. , Adaszek Ł.
Published: March 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study was to track changes in selected subpopulations of lymphocytes in the blood of dogs infected with Babesia (B.) canis and treated with imidocarb. Material and methods: The study included 16 dogs divided into two groups. The first group (n = 6) consisted of healthy control animals. Dogs of the second group (n = 10) were infected with B. canis and after establishment of the diagnosis each animal received a single dose of imidocarb (5 mg/kg). Flow cytometry was used to enumerate several immune cell phenotypes. Results: It was concluded that the invasion of B. canis contributes to the decreased percentage of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD21+ lymphocytes in the blood of infected animals. The decreased level of tested subpopulations of lymphocytes in group 2 persisted for the entire 12-day period of the test. After the administration of imidocarb, each tested lymphocyte fraction in the blood of the dogs with babesiosis increased, but did not reach physiological values. Conclusion: The presented results indicate that the resolution of clinical signs associated with babesiosis may be related to the stimulation and intensity of cellular immunity, dependent on the CD4+ T cells profile. After administration of imidocarb, the parasitemia is cleared which allows the recovery of the lymphocyte populations.
Magnetresonanztomographie und Laparoskopie zur Diagnose und Behandlung eines Ovarrest-Syndroms bei einer Hündin
Authors: Krauss M. , Krauss Z.
Published: March 2015

Bei einer 6-jährigen Pointer-Hündin mit periodisch auftretender Läufigkeitssymptomatik nach erfolgter Ovariohysterektomie wurde Ovarrest-Gewebe diagnostiziert. Die Diagnose basierte auf vaginoskopischer und vaginalzytologischer Befunderhebung, einer Serumprogesteronanalyse und einer magnetresonanztomographischen Untersuchung. Über eine Laparoskopie wurde das verbliebene Ovargewebe mithilfe eines Versiegelungsgeräts minimalinvasiv entfernt. Die Läufigkeitssymptomatik verschwand 14 Tage nach dem Eingriff.
The role of lipid dysregulation and vascular risk factors in glaucomatous retrobulbar circulation
Authors: Modrzejewska Monika , Grzesiak Wilhelm , Zaborski Daniel , Modrzejewska Anna
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate selected lipid-related and vascular factors and their effect on retrobulbar hemodynamics in glaucoma. Fifty-six patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) [POAG group; mean age 68.32 years (SD±0.21)] and 54 patients in control group [CG, mean age 68.1 years (SD±5.34)] were examined. Peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, mean velocity, pulsatility index, and resistive index of the ophthalmic artery, the central retinal artery and the posterior ciliary arteries were measured by Color Doppler Imaging. Selected lipid-related, systemic and local vascular parameters were evaluated. Statistical methods included Shapiro-Wilk, Student-t and Mann-Whitney U tests, and Spearman rank correlations. In POAG group systolic arterial blood pressure, diastolic arterial blood pressure, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-ch), and intraocular pressure were significantly higher; while ocular perfusion pressure, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-ch) and diastolic ocular perfusion pressure were significantly lower (p≤0.05). Color Doppler Imaging confirmed blood flow abnormalities in all investigated arteries. In addition, significant correlations of HDL-ch, LDL-ch and triglycerides (TG) with peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity and mean velocity were found in individual arteries (p≤0.05). Also, significant associations of systolic arterial blood pressure, ocular perfusion pressure, systolic oclular perfusion pressure and diastolic ocular perfusion pressure with peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, mean velocity and resistive index were revealed in the posterior ciliary arteries (p≤0.05). Dysregulation of lipid-related and vascular factors, as well as statistical correlation between the above and retrobulbar blood flow indices, might imply their role in vasoconstrictive processes during glaucomatous endotheliopathy.
Accreditation Standards for Designating Teaching Hospitals for Medical Students in Korea
Authors: Park Jonghoon , Kim Youngchang , Moon Dongseok , Park Kwihwa , Chae Sujin , Yoo Hyohyun , Ahn Ducksun
Published: March 2015

To produce well-qualified medical doctors, clinical training is a crucial part of medical education. To this end, teaching hospitals should be carefully selected and professionally managed. However, in Korea, there are no regulations or standards for training hospitals. Instead, some of the regulations that target teaching interns and residents are applied to teaching hospitals. In this study, we reviewed standards and regulations for training hospitals in other countries as a basis for proposing new standards for teaching hospitals in Korea. These new standards take into account the current environment of Korean medicine with the aim of designing appropriate educational programs for students and professional development systems for professors as well as providing educational resources and addressing the local community and international exchange opportunities.
Accelerating Change in Medical Education after the Dismantlement of the Intern Training System
Authors: Yang Eunbae , Kim Byung Soo , Shin Jwa-Seop
Published: March 2015

In light of changes in today’s medical environment, whether to dismantle the 50-year-old internship training system in the Republic of Korea is under debate. Although the question remains open, discussions on such issues have drawn attention to the quality of the clinical clerkship and student career advisory programs in medical colleges. The purpose of this study is to analyze the experiential clerkship and career exploration issues. Ensuring excellence of the clerkship and career advisory sessions is an essential responsibility of educational institutions regardless of whether the intern training system is dismantled. Important objectives of the experimental clerkship include reinforcing prerequisites established by law, introducing a student practice license, developing a standardized clinical assessment and student portfolio requirement, and publishing a guidebook for clinical directors. For career exploration, it is necessary to broaden participants’ experiences of specialties and to manage the variety of student career guidance programs. It is imperative for the Korean Association of Medical Colleges, in collaboration with medical colleges, to play a leading role in focusing more attention and effort on such issues.
The Development of a Theoretical Model of Integrated Medical Humanity Curriculum Using Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Model
Authors: Kim Jin Hee , Lee Young Hwan , Park Won Kyun , Park Hae Jin , Chun Kyung Hee , Park Young Soon
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this study was to propose a theoretical model for an integrated medical humanities curriculum based on a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education framework and to provide a guideline for curriculum integration. Three dimensions of integrated curriculum development are competencies, core contents, and elements of integration. Competencies imply the purpose of the medical humanities of a medical school and the exit outcomes of the curriculum. Core contents imply the goals and objectives of the curriculum. We compared the goals and themes of the medical humanities with core attributes of professionalism. Four elements of integration were proposed: units (cases, problem activities, core contents, disciplines/subjects), types (multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary), contexts of integration (life cycle of patients, scope of society), and stages of student development (from student to doctor). It is expected that this theoretical model for an integrated medical humanities curriculum can be used as a guideline for curriculum development and an evaluation criterion for instructional designers and subject matter experts.
The Role of the Teaching Hospital in the Effective Clerkship
Authors: Baek Sun Yong , Yun So Jung , Kam Beesung , Lee Sang Yeoup , Woo Jae Seok , Im Sun Ju
Published: March 2015

A teaching hospital is a place where both patient care and learning occur together. To identify the role of the teaching hospital in an effective clerkship, we first determined the features of workplace learning and the factors that affect learning in the workplace, and then we proposed a role for the teaching hospital in the clinical clerkship. Features of learning in a clerkship include learning in context, and learning from patients, supervising doctors, others in the team, and colleagues. During the clerkship, medical students learn in three-way learner-patient-teacher relationships, and students’ participation in the tasks of patient care is crucial for learning. Factors that influence learning in the workplace are associated with tasks, context, and learner. Tying the three factors together, we proposed a role for the teaching hospital in the three categories: involvement in the tasks of patient care, engagement in the medical team, and engagement in the learning environment and system. Supervising doctors and team members in a teaching hospital support students’ deep participation in patient care, while improving the learning environment through organizational guidelines and systems. Gathering both qualitative and quantitative data for the evaluation of a teaching hospital is important.
IMPACT OF THE STATE SOCIAL POLICY ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE
Authors: Ryahovskaya A. N.
Published: March 2015

As a result of the global financial and economic crisis, social problems have sharpened significantly. They affect the interest of the most population of the country. The efficiency of anti-recessionary measures and their productivity in the social field are analyzed in the article. According to the adjusted estimates of the RF Government, decrease in actual income of the people will continue and only by the end of 2012 a growth by only 3% to 2008 level is projected. The degree of elaboration and scientific justification of the state turnaround policy are getting special significance.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT AS A NEW MANAGEMENT PARADIGM
Authors: Ushanov P. V.
Published: March 2015

The article discusses differences and interrelations of strategic and crisis management. Ways for further development of crisis management at the intersection of economics, psychology, physiology, law, management and other disciplines are being proposed. The conclusion is made that crisis management is a new management paradigm. The model “subject to management – mechanic system” gave place to the model “subject to management – living organism”. The new model in the frame of crisis management allows studying subject to management’s adaptation to changes as an attribute feature of any living organism.
GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS IMPACT ON SINGLE-INDUSTRY TOWNS’ ECONOMY
Authors: Kryukova O. G. , Asenova E. A.
Published: March 2015

The problem of township-forming enterprises’ functioning has acquired strategic importance not only for towns and regions separately, but for Russian Economy in whole. Steady social and economic growth of single-industry towns depends on many factors. The article discusses reasons for crisis situations, business features of township-forming enterprises, opportunities for their growth. The necessity is being justified to define growth points amid crisis as well as in the post-crisis development.
CRISIS LESSONS FOR RETAIL ELECTRICITY COMPANIES
Authors: Trachuk A. V.
Published: March 2015

Existing electric power retail market is far from the target model, supply companies are quite unstable to demand swings. The article analyses the effect of power consumption slashing and following payment failures for supply company activities. The author is suggesting a model of power supply company activities different from the existing one.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RUSSIAN INNOVATIVE ECONOMY
Authors: Krass M. S.
Published: March 2015

Transition to innovative economy requires creating a number of new characteristics: presence of economic strategy involving infrastructure creation and reorganization; relevant aim multitude; taking legal and economical action in implementing new resource-saving and ecological technologies. Main problems requiring active solution for innovative economy formation are explained.
TOPICAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUES OF TRAINING SYSTEM FOR CRISIS AND INSOLVENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS
Authors: Ryahovskaya A. N. , Akulova N. G.
Published: March 2015

The article analyses qualitative changes in personnel training system in the field of crisis and insolvency management. Special emphasis is made on problems of higher professional education as a result of its reformation. The authors assess the existing system of insolvency officer training and show its impact on providing the efficiency of Russian insolvency institution. They develop suggestions on organizing the system of training and qualification upgrade for personnel in the field of crisis and insolvency management.
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HOUSING AND UTILITY REFORMING
Authors: Kirillova A. N.
Published: March 2015

Institutional reformation is of great importance for efficient functioning of housing and utility complex (HUC) infrastructure. The article systemizes market conditions and criteria of functioning of housing and utility service (HUS) market infrastructure taking into account identifying form of competition to compatible housing and utility services. A system model of forming market institutes in the HUC field is proposed. Criteria for assessing development level of the sector infrastructure are suggested. Special emphasis is made on improving state and private cooperation in the HUC area.
FINANCIAL STATE AND SOLVENCY MONITORING AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INSTRUMENT FOR DIAGNOSTICS HUI ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES
Authors: Kovan S. E.
Published: March 2015

The issue of rising functional efficiency and assuring solvency of HUI organizations is discussed. Systematic analysis and financial state assessment, as well as monitoring these organizations constitute an important instrument in making timely managing decisions and preventing their insolvency. The article states main tasks and principles of conducting utility enterprise monitoring.
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF INTANGIBLE ASSETS MANAGEMENT
Authors: Mokrova L.
Published: March 2015

There is an adjusted classification of intangible assets, formalized and nonformalized in terms of legislation, in the article. The methods of compatibility detection of company corporate cultures during merger and affiliation are presented, the list of economic consequences of corporate culture display is made. The methods of rebranding and the reasons of its holding are shown.
CAPITAL STRUCTURE IMPACT ON MARKET VALUE OF MERGING COMPANIES
Authors: Martynova V. S.
Published: March 2015

As a rule there are significant changes in the capital structure due to mergers and takeovers that's why the management task at the prediction stage is a correct evaluation of these changes influence on the cost of the future company. This article contains methods of evaluating the capital structure influence on the company cost within different evaluation approaches and the most detailed description of the methods used within the income approach. Here is a method of calculating a weighted average cost of capital based on the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and restrictions connected with this model use. It is defined whether there is a necessity to correct the predicted cost of attracting own or borrowed assets.
SYSTEMS AND VALUE-BASED APPROACH SYNTHESIS IN THE PROCESS OF STRUCTURAL MODERNIZATION OF ENTERPRISES
Authors: Gusev K. A.
Published: March 2015

The article analyzed the dynamics of stock prices in five years and identified the factors most market capitalization growth OJSC “AvtoVAZ” and OJSC “KamAZ”. Reviewed the concept of structural modernization of the enterprise as a tool to implement its strategy. It is the structural modernization of enterprises is an effective tool of improving their fair value and market capitalization in the medium and long term period.
The dynamics of avian influenza in Lesser Snow Geese: implications for annual and migratory infection patterns
Authors: Samuel Michael D. , Hall Jeffrey S. , Brown Justin D. , Goldberg Diana R. , Ip Hon , Baranyuk Vasily V.
Published: March 2015

Wild water birds are the natural reservoir for low‐pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIV). However, our ability to investigate the epizootiology of AIV in these migratory populations is challenging and, despite intensive worldwide surveillance, remains poorly understood. We conducted a cross‐sectional, retrospective analysis in Pacific Flyway Lesser Snow Geese, Chen caerulescens, to investigate AIV serology and infection patterns. We collected nearly 3000 sera samples from Snow Geese at two breeding colonies in Russia and Canada during 1993–1996 and swab samples from >4000 birds at wintering and migration areas in the United States during 2006–2011. We found seroprevalence and annual seroconversion varied considerably among years. Seroconversion and infection rates also differed between Snow Goose breeding colonies and wintering areas, suggesting that AIV exposure in this gregarious waterfowl species is likely occurring during several phases (migration, wintering, and potentially breeding areas) of the annual cycle. We estimated AIV antibody persistence was longer (14 months) in female geese compared to males (6 months). This relatively long period of AIV antibody persistence suggests that subtype‐specific serology may be an effective tool for detection of exposure to subtypes associated with highly pathogenic AIV. Our study provides further evidence of high seroprevalence in Arctic goose populations, and estimates of annual AIV seroconversion and antibody persistence for North American waterfowl. We suggest future AIV studies include serology to help elucidate the epizootiological dynamics of AIV in wild bird populations.
P&A on a Deepwater Compliant Tower Asset Using Hydraulic Workover (HWO): Addressing the Challenges for Successful Execution
Authors: Sinno Ralph R. , Marretta Brocke P. , Randle Bryce E.
Published: March 2015

With the current government environmental directives in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), operators are challenged to ensure that idle iron wells are correctly handled to meet regulatory requirements in the full abandonment of the wells and their platform structures. With this, there is a need to remove existing production tubulars and set the required abandonment barriers before removing the offshore structure. Because of the current operational climate, there are many challenges that operators face in the GoM with regards to their ability to secure rig set equipment and personnel to effectively perform these operations in an economic manner.

This paper details an operational challenge of preparing for the temporary abandonment of an operator's GoM compliant tower structure, where an existing wellbore had been shut in with an annulus containing sustained casing pressure up to 3,000 psi. To facilitate the operational work scope, a hydraulic workover (HWO) rig was selected to be installed to the compliant tower structure, which allowed for the successful removal of the completion and preparation for the impending platform abandonment process, all while simultaneously working under the operational constraints of a producing facility.

This publication shows that through the application of detailed engineering and operational programming, the challenges of adapting existing equipment, restrictions on available space, reduced deck load capacity, along with crane limitations, all before HWO operations in an offshore environment with the potential for severe weather on a compliant tower, were safely overcome while performing the operations.
Simulation of Formation Test for Reservoir Characterisation
Authors: Sanni Moshood O. , Aluko Olalekan A. , John-Nwosu Ebube , Ogbechie Aisha Z. , Eze Uchenna A.
Published: March 2015

This paper presents simultaneous prediction of pressure response and sample contamination profile in formation testers. This study is based on numerical simulation of snorkel (probe) flow aperture formation testers to capture hemi-ellipsoidal pressure diffusion and saturation changes around the snorkel and wellbore during formation testing.

For this purpose, formation tests with snorkel aperture were modelled using a three-dimensional (r-θ-z), single well, radial compositional numerical simulation model. The model incorporates dynamic and static mud filtrate invasion due to mud hydrostatic pressure; static mud cake; capillary pressure; filtrate-reservoir fluid miscibility and non radial symmetrical flow that characterises a snorkel flow around a wellbore.

The model was used to determine formation permeability/mobility using steady-state pretest and formation rate analysis (FRA) methods from simulated pressure response; reservoir radial and vertical permeabilities using simulated extended snorkel pump-out; and contamination prediction for water and oil based mud using simulated fluid sampling profile.

The study shows that a robust numerical simulation model that correctly captures the phenomenon that affects the dynamics of formation testers; predicts pressure diffusion and saturation changes around the formation tester in a wellbore during formation testing. This model is required for simultaneous prediction of pressure response and sample contamination in formation testers. This model can then be used for prediction of formation permeability; prediction of reservoir fluid sample contamination; computing geometric (shape) factors for formation testers; validating formation test interpretation results; and reservoir characterisation.

Sensitivity on numerical model grid size is important to determine the optimum grid size required for simultaneous prediction of pressure response and sample contamination in formation testers.

Currently in the industry, test design and simulation of snorkel-aperture formation testers are usually carried out using analytical pressure transient models and empirical sample contamination prediction models separately. Analytical pressure prediction models, often based on single phase or single phase equivalent, cannot be used for contamination prediction. This study has used numerical simulation to predict pressure transient and sample contamination profile, simultaneously.
A New Technique for Enhancing Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment in Unconventional Reservoirs
Authors: Keshavarz Alireza , Badalyan Alexander , Johnson Ray , Bedrikovetsky Pavel
Published: March 2015

A physical model and experimental data supporting the technology and benefits of graded proppant injection into naturally fractured reservoirs to stimulate natural fracture permeability has been developed recently. In this study, the graded proppant injection has been coupled with hydraulic fracturing treatment for enhancing conductivity of micro-fractures and cleats around the hydraulically induced fractures in coal bed methane reservoirs. In this technique, placing ultra-fine proppant particles in natural fractures and cleats around hydraulically induced fractures at leak-off conditions keeps the coal cleats open during water-gas production and consequently increases the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing treatment.

Experimental studies and mathematical modelling for stimulation of natural cleat system around the main hydraulic fracture are conducted. In the laboratory study, core flooding tests are performed to inject flow of suspended particles inside the natural fractures of a coal sample. By placing different particle sizes and evaluating concentration of placed particles, an experimental coefficient is found for optimum proppant placement in which the maximum permeability is achieved after proppant placement. In the mathematical modelling study, a laboratory based mathematical model for graded peroppant placement in naturally fractured rocks around a hydraulically induced fracture is proposed. Derivations of the model include exponential form of the pressure-permeability dependence and accounts for permeability variation in the non-stimulated zone. The explicit formulae are derived for well productivity index by including the experimentally found coefficient.

Particle placement tests result in almost three times increase in coal permeability. The laboratory-based mathematical modelling as performed for the field conditions shows that the proposed method yields around 6-times increase in productivity index.