bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
15-lncRNAs-based classifier-clinicopathologic nomogram improves the prediction of recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Qiong , Ning Gang , Jiang Hongye , Huang Yanlin , Piao Jinsong , Zhen Chen , Tan Xiaojun , Liu Genglong
Published: October 2019

Background: Our study aims to develop an lncRNAs-based classifier and a nomogram incorporating the genomic signature and clinicopathologic factors to help to improve the accuracy of recurrence prediction for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients.Methods: The lncRNAs profiling data of 374 HCC patients and 50 normal healthy controls were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Using univariable Cox regression and Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis, we developed 15-lncRNAs-based classifier and compared our classifier to existing six-lncRNAs signature. Besides, a nomogram incorporating the genomic classifier and clinicopathologic factors was also developed. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the genomic-clinicopathologic nomogram were determined by a concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve and were compared with TNM staging system by C-index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to estimate clinical value of our nomogram.Results: Fifteen relapse-free survival (RFS) -related lncRNAs were identified and the classifer, consisting of the identified15 lncRNAs, could effectively classify patients into high-risk and low-risk subgroup. The prediction accuracy of the 15-lncRNAs-based classifier for predicting 2- year and 5-year RFS were 0.791 and 0.834 in the training set and 0.684 and 0.747 in the validation set, which was better than the existing six-lncRNAs signature. Moreover, the AUC of genomic-clinicopathologic nomogram in predicting RFS were 0.837 in the training set and 0.753 in the validation set, and the C-index of the genomic-clinicopathologic nomogram was 0.78 (0.72-0.83) in the training set and 0.71 (0.65-0.76) in the validation set, which was better than traditional TNM stage and 15-lncRNAs-based classifier. Decision curve analysis further demonstrated that our nomogram had larger net benefit than TNM stage and 15-lncRNAs-based classifier. Conclusion: Compared to TNM stage, the 15-lncRNAs-based classifier-clinicopathologic nomogram is a more effective and valuable tool to identify HCC recurrence and may aid in clinical decision-making.
Serum levels of the chemokine CCL2 are elevated in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients
Authors: Kishimoto Takumi , Fujimoto Nobukazu , Ebara Takeshi , Omori Toyonori , Oguri Tetsuya , Niimi Akio , Yokoyama Takako , Kato Munehiro , Usami Ikuji , Nishio Masayuki , Yoshikawa Kosho , Tokuyama Takeshi , Tamura Mouka , Yokoyama Yoshifumi , Tsuboi Ken , Matsuo Yoichi , Xu Jiegou , Takahashi Satoru , Abdelgied Mohamed , Alexander William T. , Alexander David B , Tsuda Hiroyuki
Published: October 2019

Background Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a debilitating disease of the pleural cavity. It is primarily associated with previous inhalation of asbestos fibers. These fibers initiate an oxidant coupled inflammatory response. Repeated exposure to asbestos fibers results in a prolonged inflammatory response and cycles of tissue damage and repair. The inflammation-associated cycles of tissue damage and repair are intimately involved in the development of asbestos-associated cancers. Macrophages are a key component of asbestos-associated inflammation and play essential roles in the etiology of a variety of cancers. Macrophages are also a source of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), and a variety of tumor-types express CCL2. High levels of CCL2 are present in the pleural effusions of mesothelioma patients, however, CCL2 has not been examined in the serum of mesothelioma patients.Methods The present study was carried out with 50 MPM patients and 356 subjects who were possibly exposed to asbestos but did not have disease symptoms and 41 healthy volunteers without a history of exposure to asbestos. The levels of CCL2 in the serum of the study participants was determined using ELISA.Results Levels of CCL2 were significantly elevated in the serum of the MPM patients, and the increase was dependent on the stage of the disease.Conclusions Our findings are consistent with the premise that the CCL2/CCR2 axis and myeloid-derived cells play an important role in MPM and disease progression. Several, but not all, studies of serum CCL2 levels in patients with other types of cancer also report elevated serum CCL2, and many of these studies report that the increased levels of serum CCL2 are associated with the stage of the disease. Therapies are being developed that target CCL2/CCR2 and tumor resident myeloid cells, and clinical trials are being pursued that use these therapies as part of the treatment regimen. The results of trials with patients with a similar serum CCL2 pattern as MPM patients will have important implications for the treatment of MPM.
Role of high-dose salvage radiotherapy for oligometastases of the localised abdominal/pelvic lymph nodes: A retrospective study
Authors: Ito Makoto , Kodaira Takeshi , Koide Yutaro , Okuda Takahito , Mizumatsu Shinichiro , Oshima Yukihiko , Takeuchi Arisa , Mori Toshie , Abe Souichirou , Asai Ayumi , Suzuki Kojiro
Published: October 2019

Background: Abdominal/pelvic lymph node (LN) oligometastasis is a pattern of failure that is observed occasionally. Although radiotherapy may be useful for salvage therapy, the optimal prescription dose has not yet been clarified. This study assessed the efficacy of high-dose radiotherapy.
Methods: Between 2008 and 2018, the medical records of 113 patients with 1–5 abdominal/pelvic LN oligometastases treated with definitive radiotherapy at 4 institutes were retrospectively analysed. The exclusion criteria were non-epithelial tumours, uncontrolled primary lesions, palliative intent, and re-irradiation. The prescription dose was evaluated by using the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2); patients with EQD2 ≥60 Gy were the high-dose group. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the endpoints of overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and progression-free survival (PFS). Univariate log-rank and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model analyses were performed to clarify predictive factors for each endpoint. Toxicity rates were compared between the high-dose and low-dose groups.
Results: The primary tumour sites included the colorectum (n = 28), uterine cervix (n = 27), endometrium (n = 15), and ovaries (n = 10). The 2-year OS, LC, and PFS rates were 63.1%, 59.7%, and 19.4%, respectively. On multivariate analyses, solitary oligometastasis, high-dose radiotherapy, and long disease-free interval were associated with significantly favourable OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.48, p = 0.02), LC (HR: 0.93, p < 0.001), and PFS (HR: 0.59, p = 0.01), respectively. Although high-dose radiotherapy did not significantly improve the 2-year OS of the entire cohort (74.8% vs. 52.7% in the high-dose vs. low-dose group; p = 0.08), it showed a significant difference on subgroup analysis for solitary oligometastasis (88.8% vs. 56.3%; p = 0.009). Late grade ≥3 toxicity included ileus in 7 cases (6%) and gastrointestinal bleeding in 4 (4%). There was no significant association between the irradiation dose and toxicity incidence.
Conclusions: Salvage radiotherapy was feasible for oligometastasis of the abdominal/pelvic LNs. For solitary oligometastasis, the high-dose group showed favourable results considering LC and OS.
Earth Catastrophes and their Impact on the Carbon Cycle
Authors: Suarez Celina A. , Edmonds Marie , Jones Adrian P.
Published: October 2019

Carbon is one of the most important elements on Earth. It is the basis of life, it is stored and mobilized throughout the Earth from core to crust and it is the basis of the energy sources that are vital to human civilization. This issue will focus on the origins of carbon on Earth, the roles played by large-scale catastrophic carbon perturbations in mass extinctions, the movement and distribution of carbon in large igneous provinces, and the role carbon plays in icehouse–greenhouse climate transitions in deep time. Present-day carbon fluxes on Earth are changing rapidly, and it is of utmost importance that scientists understand Earth's carbon cycle to secure a sustainable future.
On the Origin(s) and Evolution of Earth's Carbon
Authors: Mikhail Sami , Füri Evelyn
Published: October 2019

The isotopic “flavor” of Earth's major volatiles, including carbon, can be compared to the known reservoirs of volatiles in the solar system and so determine the source of Earth's carbon. This requires knowing Earth's bulk carbon isotope value, which is not straightforward to determine. During Earth's differentiation, carbon was partitioned into the core, mantle, crust, and atmosphere. Therefore, although carbon is omnipresent within the Earth system, scientists have yet to determine its distribution and relative abundances. This article addresses what we know of the processes involved in the formation of Earth's carbon reservoirs, and, by deduction, what we know about the possible origins of Earth's carbon.
The Influence of Large Bolide Impacts on Earth's Carbon Cycle
Authors: Kamber Balz S. , Petrus Joseph A.
Published: October 2019

Human society's rapid release of vast quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere is a significant planetary experiment. An obvious natural process capable of similar emissions over geologically short time spans are very large bolide impacts. When striking a carbon-rich target, bolides significantly, and potentially catastrophically, disrupt the global biogeochemical carbon cycle. Independent factors, such as sulfur-rich targets, redox state of the oceans or encountering ecosystems already close to a tipping point, dictated the magnitude of further consequences and determined which large bolide strikes shaped Earth's evolution. On the early Earth, where carbon-rich sedimentary targets were rare, impacts may not have been purely destructive. Instead, enclosed subaqueous impact structures may have contributed to initiating Earth's unique carbon cycle.
Deep Carbon and the Life Cycle of Large Igneous Provinces
Authors: Black Benjamin A. , Gibson Sally A.
Published: October 2019

Carbon is central to the formation and environmental impact of large igneous provinces (LIPs). These vast magmatic events occur over geologically short timescales and include voluminous flood basalts, along with silicic and low-volume alkaline magmas. Surface outgassing of CO2 from flood basalts may average up to 3,000 Mt per year during LIP emplacement and is subsidized by fractionating magmas deep in the crust. The large quantities of carbon mobilized in LIPs may be sourced from the convecting mantle, lithospheric mantle and crust. The relative significance of each potential carbon source is poorly known and probably varies between LIPs. Because LIPs draw on mantle reservoirs typically untapped during plate boundary magmatism, they are integral to Earth's long-term carbon cycle.
Earth's Outgassing and Climatic Transitions: The Slow Burn Towards Environmental “Catastrophes”?
Authors: McKenzie N. Ryan , Jiang Hehe
Published: October 2019

On multimillion-year timescales, outgassing from the Earth's interior provides the principal source of CO2 to the ocean–atmosphere system, which plays a fundamental role in shaping the Earth's baseline climate. Fluctuations in global outgassing have been linked to icehouse–greenhouse transitions, although uncertainties surround paleo-outgassing fluxes. Here, we discuss how volcanic outgassing and the carbon cycle have evolved in concert with changes in plate tectonics and biotic evolution. We describe hypotheses of driving mechanisms for the Paleozoic icehouse–greenhouse climates and explore how climatic transitions may have influenced past biotic crises and, in particular, how variable outgassing rates established the backdrop for carbon cycle perturbations to instigate prominent mass extinction events.
Interpreting the Carbon Isotope Record of Mass Extinctions
Authors: Schobben Martin , van de Schootbrugge Bas , Wignall Paul B.
Published: October 2019

Mass extinctions are global-scale environmental crises marked by the loss of numerous species from all habitats. They often coincide with rapid changes in the stable carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C) recorded in sedimentary carbonate and organic matter, ratios which can indicate substantial inputs to the surface carbon reservoirs and/or changes in the cycling of carbon. Models to explain these changes have provided much fuel for debate on the causes and consequences of mass extinctions. For example, the escape of methane from gas hydrate deposits or the emission of huge volumes of gaseous carbon from large-scale volcanic systems, known as large igneous provinces, may have been responsible for decreases of 13C/12C in sedimentary deposits. In this article, we discuss the challenges in distinguishing between these, and other, alternatives.
Development of Farming Technology as a Factor in the Formation of Cities in Southern Kazakhstan and the Semirechie
Authors: Zinyakov N. M.
Published: October 2019

The paper features the development of agricultural technology at all stages of the annual agricultural cycle as a factor that led to the formation of medieval cities of Kazakhstan. According to archaeological sources, the population of the area under study experienced an agrarian revolution from the middle of the first Millennium BC to the end of the first Millennium AD. The agrarian revolution was associated with the transition to hoe and then to arable farming. It largely determined the nature of socio-economic processes in the region. The progressive development of agricultural technology led to a significant increase in productivity, including the stages of cultivation, processing, and storage. Irrigated agriculture was the basis of crop, vegetable, and fruit farming, as well as viticulture. Cultivation on non-irrigated lands was possible only on some foothills with sufficient rainfall. Productivity growth in the agricultural sector had some economic and social consequences. In the economic sphere, an increase in acreage and volume of grain production helped to feed the growing urban population. In social terms, this fact had a positive effect on the number and density of the population, as well as on the consolidation of settlements. As a result, people concentrated in large settlements, which gradually turned into small, medium, and large cities with a new social structure and new economic ties.
Main Features and Stages of the 1st Millenium AD Hillforts in the Altai Forest-Steppe
Authors: Saibert V. O.
Published: October 2019

The paper features studies of ancient hillforts of the 1st millennium AD located in the forest-steppe of the Altai region. The research history can be divided into two stages. The first stage (late XIX – 1980s) focused on the accumulation and interpretation of materials. The second stage (1980s – to date) initiated a focused study of the monuments. Initially, the studies of the hillforts were connected with such local lore researchers as M. D. Kopytov and B. Kh. Kadikov, who were followed by archaeologists Y. F. Kiryushin, M. T. Abdulganeev, A. L. Kungurov, and A. A. Kazakov. An analysis of scientific literature revealed that 40 ancient settlements sites have been discovered and examined since the late XIX century. 11 of them were studied archaeologically. The obtained materials did not fit into the existing historical and cultural paradigm. The situation began to change in the 1980s whith the attempts to determine the relative chronology of the settlements and their cultural affiliation. As a result, two different cultural and chronological schemes were formed. The first one was based on funerary monuments and did not take into account their relationship with settlement complexes. The second approach included the materials on hillfort studies. The paper also focuses on the debatable question about the functional purpose of the ditch – shaft line. Further studies of the sites will make it possible to identify the economic and cultural characteristics of the population of the Altai forest-steppe in the 1st millennium AD.
Deformation of Properties of Identity System in the Process of Professional Burnout in Specialists of the Deontological Profile
Authors: Braun O. A. , Arkuzin M. G. , Arshinova Ye. V. , Bilan M. A.
Published: October 2019

According to the system approach, a person is considered as a multidimensional self-developing system, while identity is a reflection in the personality consciousness of its individual "dimensions". Being an element of self-consciousness, individual identities, in turn, are organized into a system reflecting the holistic view of the personality about itself, i.e. Me-concept. Professional activity is one of the most important areas of life. At the level of self-awareness, the attitude towards one’s profession and oneself as a professional is reflected in professional identity. Professional identity begins to form at the stage of vocational education and is often maintained even after retirement. Any significant contradictions that arise during the professionalization are reflected in one’s identity. The research features the changes that arise in the system of identity of the individual in the process of its professional burnout. The results of the empirical study of professional burnout of doctors substantiate the changes in the properties of the identity system, expressed in the increase of diffuse and predetermined identity. It also affects its structure and reduces the importance of professional, communicative and reflexive identity, as well as the structural deformation of the professional identity. The work with self-consciousness and identity is an important component of prevention and correction of professional burnout.
Yakut Mentality Studies in Psychology and Related Sciences
Authors: Eliseeva N. D.
Published: October 2019

The article provides an analysis of various studies conducted in the sphere of Yakut mentality within the framework of psychology and related sciences. The history of the study of Yakut mentality is divided into three periods, i.e. pre-revolutionary, Soviet, and Russian, which demonstrate a strong historical continuity. The first pre-revolutionary studies of Yakut mentality were purely ethnographic and benefited from numerous political exiles. The ethnographic essays of that period featured the structure and characteristics of the Yakut family and the attitude to the surrounding social and natural world, as well as spiritual and moral values. During the Soviet period, sociological studies of migration processes and interethnic perception became more relevant. Pre-revolutionary and soviet studies became the basis for further research in philosophy, pedagogy, and psychology after the collapse of the USSR. Modern studies revealed a change in Yakut mentality under the impact of historical and social events. In spite of these changes, the following features of traditional Yakut mentality have survived: respect for nature, an expanded understanding of the family concept, gender-role features, and inter-ethnic tolerance. However, the ethnic identity of the Chukchi, the Evens and the Evenks has changed.
Social Anxiety in Affective Personality Disorders
Authors: Kadyrov R. V. , Kapustina T. V. , Dogadina V. A. , Isaeva T. S.
Published: October 2019

The research features social anxiety in people with such affective disorders as internal tension triggered by social and interpersonal communication. The test group involved 28 individuals with various affective disorders. The control group consisted of 28 respondents without affective personality disorder or depressive symptoms. Psychological diagnostics presupposed specific methods for each selected criterion of social anxiety: 1) negative beliefs about social interaction; 2) increased physiological excitability; 3) desire to avoid social situations; fear in distress; 4) deficit of social skills. The study made it possible to describe the features of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral background of persons with affective disorders: hyperbolization of life difficulties; avoiding stressful situations; deficiency of adaptive defense mechanisms and energy resources to overcome frustration. The study also revealed a defect in the natural self-regulation of the psychoemotional state of social situations in persons with affective disorders. The results obtained are valuable for understanding the possibilities of psychological correction, aimed at reducing the intensity of negative experiences associated with social anxiety.
Value-Motivational Factors of Job Satisfaction in Public Health Care Workers
Authors: Marin E. B. , Tsoy S. Yu.
Published: October 2019

The article contains the results of an empirical study of the relationship between the aspects of the value-motivational sphere and job satisfaction in medical workers. The study was conducted on the basis of the Vladivostok Clinical and Diagnostic Center. The research revealed some factors of value-motivational sphere of personality that affect job satisfaction. Using this model of correlation, the authors describe the systems of relations between values, motivations, and job satisfaction. The paper also describes the leading role of the values of achievements and power that are reflected in the motivational sphere and job satisfaction. They, in turn, also form a self-sustaining system in the personality structure of employees. The article also features a psychological portrait of the average employee of the All-Russian Exhibition and Convention Center (generalized respondent). The results of the research are of both theoretical and applied significance. The obtained knowledge can be used to create a system of staff motivation, in the selection of personnel, as well as to create a more favorable socio-psychological climate and improve the efficiency of employees.
Substantive and Dynamic Characteristics of Professional Value Orientations in Cadets of the Educational Organizations of the Federal Penal Service of Russia
Authors: Samojlik N. A.
Published: October 2019

The paper features the structure and dynamics of professional value formation in cadets of the institution of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. The study was based on the author's questionnaire "Diagnostics of professional and valuable orientations of the personality" that tests one’s internalization and the content of professional value orientations. It was a longitudinal statistical psychodiagnostics of 180 future employees of various penitentiary organizations. The research demonstrated the dynamics of qualitative changes of professional value orientations. At the initial stage of vocational education, relations, specific knowledge and a need for achievement appeared to be the most important characteristics of the official professional activity. For the third-year cadets, these characteristics included personal qualities necessary for professional performance. Senior students gave preference to personal and professional qualities and skills. The results can be used in educational and social work of military institutions and counseling.
Imitation and Ability to Form Social Experience Based on a Mental Model in Preschoolers
Authors: Smirnova Ya. K.
Published: October 2019

The article features basic violations and absence of “mental model” as an ability to identify with another person’s actions in the process of imitation. 124 preschoolers were studied to compare the development of mental model and imitation. They were divided into three contrasting groups: normally developing children, children with special needs, and children with delayed speech development. The study revealed imitation differences in relation to the level of the mental model. The obtained data complement the understanding of the innate foundations of social cognition. Violations associated with imitation can explain the cognitive aspects of the mental development deficit in preschool children. They can be a universal symptom that disrupts early social interaction and ultimately leads to various social and communication deficits. For a productive implementation of simulation schemes, it is necessary to understand and recognize the mental states of the interlocutor and their organization into mental models (single, situational, or extra-narrative). Imitation arises when the children are able to integrate information about themselves and about others and can combine their own intentions and the intentions of others in relation to an external object (triadic relations).
Social Factors and Psychological Predictors of Life Satisfaction at Military Institutes
Authors: Sysolyatin M. V.
Published: October 2019

The research identifies the relationship between satisfaction with the way of life and various socio-psychological factors. The study involved 1–5-year male cadets of a military university (N=255, average age = 20,2 years). To identify factors that influence cadets' satisfaction with their lifestyle, the authors used proprietary techniques, a questionnaire for diagnosing the level of social frustration by L. I. Wasserman modified by V. V. Boiko, and the methodology of the study of value orientations by M. Rokich. The study showed the dependence of the factors determining the cadets' satisfaction with the way of life on the year of study. For junior students, it was the military team factors and the place of the individual in the team. For graduates, the most significant factors were those that emphasized their belonging to the military community. The most significant predictors of lifestyle satisfaction were the characteristics of a subjective assessment of one’s status in a military team, a positive assessment of professional choice, and conditions of service and prospects after graduation.
Generic Correlates as Lakunae Elimination
Authors: Akay O. M.
Published: October 2019

There is a large scatter of ideas about lacunae in modern linguistics. The lacuna phenomenon can be defined as a sign, a fixing principle of the presence / absence of an object or phenomenon; the phenomenon of absence in discourse, discursive omissions; differences, contradictions in the semantic sphere, revealed in communication, acts of misunderstanding; nonequivalent vocabulary, reality, white spots on the semantic map; zero correlate, dark holes; national specific differences between languages; virtual units, etc. If we assume that the lacuna is not a figment of imagination, but a unit that objectively exists in a language, it becomes obvious that it is impossible to mentally insert an infinite number of alien units into the language system. Thus, it would be wrong to identify the presence of lacunae in a language on this basis. The ideas of multi-level lacunarity are multiplying in works related to translation studies and intercultural communication. Particular attention should be given to grammatical lacunae, manifested in the linguistic gender. Feminine generic correlates of animated masculine names are productively analyzed as intralingual grammatical lacunae. The study of these forms in the paradigm of the theory of lacunarity makes it possible to focus on their pragmatic properties, since the systemic absence of linguistic units helps to clarify their linguistic-pragmatic characteristics. The following methods were used to study generic correlates as lacunae elimination. The method of privative oppositions was employed to study changing / unchangeable lexical units; the modeling method and the psycholinguistic method were used to study fragments of linguistic consciousness in native speakers and to detect the psychological component in the semantics of words. Based on the study of semantic-cognitive characteristics of language lacunae, their fundamental ambiguity and heterogeneity, it seems legitimate to isolate a specific area of the linguistic field called lacunology.
Word-Formation Categories of Adjectivities with the Meaning "Attribute by Action" in the Modern Russian Language
Authors: Alpeeva L. V.
Published: October 2019

In modern cognitive linguistics, the controversial matters of the definition of invariant units in derivatology still remain relevant. The selection of such a unit as a word-formation category, despite the intensification of its study in recent decades, raises many questions. The most relevant of them are the following: the correlation of onomasiological and derivational categories, the reflection of concepts in derivational categories, the type of meaning, which the identification of derivational types is based on; the scope and typology of derivational categories, their possible hierarchy, and the interaction of derivational types within one category. This article features the above-mentioned key problems and the author’s point of view on the volume of the given emic unit. The author emphasizes the redundancy of bringing to the definition a wordformational category of such formal criteria as part of speech of the generating and derived fundamentals and the method of word-formation since they are not related to the functional analysis of language units. The empirical material is relevant, since Russian linguistics know no description of derivative adjective vocabulary, neither in synchronous nor in diachronic aspects. There is but one research based on Pskov dialects. The object of study is a new layer of the vocabulary analyzed as suggested by the author. This article presents a fragment of the description of the word-formative category of adjectivities with the value "attribute by action". A careful study of the material resulted in the following conclusions. In the same word-formation category, relations of additional or free distribution between single-function word-formation types are possible, depending on the grammatical qualities of the motivating verb (its type and derivativeness). This fact an explanatory effect on adjectives with this meaning in the language and predicts the appearance of new lexemes and other changes in wordbuilding categories.
Prepositions and Case Forms of the Russian Language as a Subject of Identification Linguistics
Authors: Golev N. D. , Napreenko G. V.
Published: October 2019

The article features Russian vocabulary from the aspect of identification linguistics, i.e. identification function on the morphological level, e.g. in various parts of speech and word forms belonging to different grammatical categories. The analysis focuses on auxiliary parts of speech, namely prepositions, related case forms, and grammatical meanings. The research is based on Internet correspondence. The article is included in the paradigm of research aimed at identifying and describing quantitative patterns in the distribution of units, properties, and relationships in texts and patterns of the stability / variability coefficient of units, properties, and relationships. The authors assume that different units have a different coefficient: some tend to be stable while others change their coefficient depending on different characteristics of the text. The research employed the method of Pearson’s statistical criterion. The applied method determines the frequency of lexemes in texts belonging to different author profiles and reveals their identification potential.
The Informativity of Publicistic Texts of the XVIII Century in N. I. Novikov's Journals
Authors: Kornienko E. R.
Published: October 2019

The article deals with the stylistic specificity of journal text of the second half of the XVIII century, published by N. I. Novikov. The author identifies linguistic and compositional features in the comparison with the modern style model of publicism. The author analysed the dominant features of the texts: dialogicality, educational function, and the synthesis of pedagogical and publicistic discourse. The study focuses on the stylistic uniqueness of the titles and emphasizes that the specificity of N. I. Novikov’s journalistic language was determined by his linguistic personality, as well as by the target settings of informing the reader. The research method included analyses of thematic, compositional, factual, and modal types of information content of the media text. A semantic and stylistic analysis of headlines made it possible to define the following types: plot, nominative-ascertaining, genre, spatial, precedent, and address headlines, which had an informative function and penetrating boundaries. Analysing the expressive resources of the texts, the author observed the specifics and typical use of Novikov’s idiostyle. The strengthening compositional element of the analysed texts is the image of a real individual author, implemented in various textual images and actualised in the context of the stylistic effect of dialogicality. The field of application of the research results includes stylistics and rhetoric.
Internet Commentary as a Secondary Text: Semiotic Production Model
Authors: Saveleva I. V.
Published: October 2019

The phenomenon of secondary text production has become a focal point due to the integrative nature of this speech product. The possibilities of the Internet greatly enhance the creation of derivative texts, thus expanding the formats of virtual communication. The formation of new genres, as well as the modification of existing ones, brings the problem of studying the mechanisms of text generation to a new level. This paper describes the Internet comment viewed as a secondary textual activity of the individual. An analysis of the network response, posted to online news content, has been conducted from the standpoint of linguopersonological and linguosemiotic approaches to the text construction. Importantly, the iconic and discursive patterns of the event have a significant impact on the reader’s commenting activity. This makes it possible to highlight the semiotic model of secondary text generation. The analysis of text representations of this model shows that the semiotic "view" on the text stimulus can be reflected in the comments at the explicit and implicit levels. The authors propose the typology of the semiotic model including five variants, i.e. metalinguistic, simulation, cross-language, transmutational, and intertextual. The variants can be allocated on the basis of different approaches to source text decoding. The complex nature of the phenomenon of Internet commentary, determined by its secondary character and new communicative environment, provides a comprehensive approach to the study of this type of text. In the future, the study can provide a description of cognitive, axiological, and pragmatic models of text production.
"That" and "This" vs "Tot" and "Etot"
Authors: Terenin A. V.
Published: October 2019

The abstracted article summarizes the author's observations concerning the use of the English demonstrative pronouns this and that. The author focuses on the contradiction between what is prescribed by the language system, and what is accepted by the language community. The contradiction mentioned reveals itself in the tendency of the pronoun that to accept the functions of its counterparts by the oppositions of this – that and it – this / that. The speculations of the author are grounded by the theory of oppositional reduction, the fundamentals of which are shortly described after a brief review of literature devoted to the study of demonstrative pronouns. Next, the author passes to the description of the research procedure, which includes statistical, experimental and analytical components. The author's tools also involve elements of comparative analysis of English and Russian demonstrative pronouns, which was ultimately necessary for the implementation of the didactic task. The author's reasoning is accompanied by text illustrations, from which it follows that the main condition contributing to the reduction of the opposition by proximity is anaphoric reference, which is most often accompanied by the stressed position of the pronoun. In conclusion, the author notes the tendency of the pronoun that to secure the status of a universal demonstrative, capable of representing both this and it. This circumstance constitutes one of the specific features of the English demonstrative pronouns in relation to Russian ones, which, in turn, creates additional problems for Russian learners of English.
Semantics and Pragmatics of the Word in Masonic Tradition
Authors: Shuneyko A. A. , Chibisova O. V.
Published: October 2019

The issue of the research is connected with the fact that the scientific way of linguistic perception and interpretation is not the only one. There are many other ways, including the interpretation of linguistic units in the esoteric tradition. Such interpretation differs significantly from the scientific one. However, this is precisely what makes it interesting. It offers a different type of understanding, which, in the long term, is capable of enriching the concept of the unit, or at least elaborating the generally accepted concepts. Hence, the research topic was the identification and description of the structure and functions of the Masonic perception of the word. From the pragmatic side of an important language category, it provides a tool not only for its in-depth perception, but also for correcting the ideas about its usage. Scientific novelty manifests itself in the discovery of verifiable characteristics of the unit, which together create a holistic view of the functioning of the communicative phenomenon. The research objective was to identify the semantic content and functional attribution of the communicative unit in the form in which it has been perceived and used by national and foreign Masons for three hundred years. The research employed semantic, communicative, and functional analyses. Specific cases of word usage were subjected to these types of analysis and were grouped according to the prevailing component of meaning or functional orientation. The Masonic typology of the word was revealed to include a number of interrelated units that perform various functions.
Taxonomic Composition and Population Level of the Prosthetic Bed Mucosa Microbiota in Case of Dentition Defects in Patients Wearing Partial Dentures
Authors: Ozhogan Zinoviy , Yasinskyi Mykola , Belikov Olexander , Levandovskyi Roman
Published: October 2019

The article considers the taxonomic composition and the population level of the oral cavity microbiota and changes in their characteristics after prosthetic rehabilitation with partial removable dentures. In the patients with partial loss of teeth wearing conventional removable dentures, the taxonomic composition of the gingiva microbiota changes due to the biotope contamination with opportunistic S. aureus and yeast-like fungi of the Candida genus, S. haemolyticus, K. pneumoniae, enterobacteria (E.coli, K.pneumoniae, E.cloacae), B.catarralis, M.lacunata and partial elimination of S. sialivarius, S.sanguis, S. mutans, S. mitis from the biota.

         The objective of the research was to study changes in the gingiva in the examined patients.

         Materials and Methods. Microbiological (bacteriological and mycotic) examination of gum mucus secretion in the patients with partial loss of teeth was performed. The control group consisted of 50 (23 men and 27 women) patients without any infectious and noncommunicable diseases, who had no problems adapting to removable denture during the last 6 months.

         Results and Discussion. In 78.72% of the patients, microorganisms isolated and identified from the surface of the prosthetic bed, were in associations that consisted of 2 (31.70%), 3 (8.51%) and 4 (8.51 %) taxons. The most numerous associations consisting of 2 taxons were: S. aureus and M. lacunata; S. aureus and N. flavescens; S. haemolyticus and B.catarrhalis as well as C. albicans and S. epidermidis. In the biotope (the surface of the gum mucosa of the prosthetic bed) of the patients wearing partial removable laminar dentures, the population level reduced in S. salivarius, S. sanguis, S. mutans, S. mitis and significantly increased in opportunistic staphylococci (S. aureus, S. haemolyties, S. epidermidis), S. pyogenes, enterobacteria (E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. clocacae), B.catarrhalis. Microorganisms S. aureus and C. albicans reached a high population level; it increased in S. haemoliticus, S. epidermidis, S. pyogenes, E. coli, E. cloacae, K. pneumoniae as well.

         Conclusions. In the patients with partial loss of teeth wearing conventional removable dentures, the taxonomic composition of the gingiva microbiota changed due to the contamination of the habitat with opportunistic S. aureus and yeast-like fungi of the Candida genus, S. haemolyticus, K. pneumoniae, enterobacteria (E .coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae), B. catarralis, M. lacunata and partial elimination of S. sialivarius, S.sanguis, S. mutans, S. mitis from the biota.
Empirical Research on Acceptance of Digital Technologies in Medicine Among Patients and Healthy Users: Questionnaire Study
Authors: Safi Sabur , Danzer Gerhard , Schmailzl Kurt JG
Published: October 2019

Background

In recent years, interest in digital technologies such as electronic health, mobile health, telemedicine, big data, and health apps has been increasing in the health care sector. Acceptance and sustainability of these technologies play a considerable role for innovative health care apps.

Objective

This study aimed to identify the spread of and experience with new digital technologies in the medical sector in Germany.

Methods

We analyzed the acceptance of new health care technologies by applying the Technology Acceptance Model to data obtained in the German ePatient Survey 2018. This survey used standardized questionnaires to gain insight into the prevalence, impact, and development of digital health applications in a study sample of 9621 patients with acute and chronic conditions and healthy users. We extracted sociodemographic data and details on the different health app types used in Germany and conducted an evaluation based on the Technology Acceptance Model.

Results

The average age of the respondents was 59.7 years, with a standard deviation of 16 years. Digital health care apps were generally accepted, but differences were observed among age groups and genders of the respondents. Men were more likely to accept digital technologies, while women preferred coaching and consultation apps. Analysis of the user typology revealed that most users were patients (n=4041, 42%), followed by patients with acute conditions (n=3175, 33%), and healthy users (n=2405, 25%). The majority (n=6542, 68%) discovered coaching or medication apps themselves on the internet, while more than half of the users faced initial difficulties operating such apps. The time of use of the same app or program ranged from a few days (n=1607, 37%) and several months (n=1694, 39%) to ≥1 year (n=1042, 24%). Most respondents (n=6927, 72%) stated that they would like to receive customized health care apps from their physician.

Conclusions

The acceptance of digital technologies in the German health care sector varies depending on age and gender. The broad acceptance of medical digital apps could potentially improve individualized health care solutions and warrants governance.
Determination of luminance distribution under tropical sky conditions
Authors: Nguyen Thi Khanh Phuong
Published: October 2019

Introduction. Natural illumination calculations depend on the sky luminance distribution. The most often used diagram of sky luminance in handbooks and guidelines is the luminance distribution in the cloudy sky proposed by Moon and Spencer. This concept actually includes the tropical areas of Vietnam, where the overcast sky and clear sky does not typically occur. To improve the calculation of natural illumination, it is necessary to determine the luminance distribution in the real sky.

Materials and methods. In solving the research problem, the real sky types for Hanoi were identified using the 15 international standard sky types with their descriptions by lighting climate, which is provided using the method by R. Kittler. The descriptions are derived from the data on diffuse horizontal illumination Dv, extraterrestrial horizontal illumination Ev and light turbidity coefficient Tv. For a specific sky type, the standard parameters were selected for calculating the luminance distribution of the real sky.

Results. The obtained results show that the typical sky type of Hanoi is the partly cloudy sky, no gradation towards zenith, with slight bleaching towards the Sun (type VI). The sky types from October to December are partly cloudy with the obscured Sun (type IX) and partly cloudy with the more luminant circumsolar area (type X). The study shows that the state of cloud coverage has a great influence on the level of diffuse horizontal illumination and luminance distribution under tropical sky conditions.

Conclusions. It is revealed that the typical sky type for Hanoi is neither overcast nor clear sky. A typical sky with statistic dominance of cirrus and stratus clouds under effect of high solar radiation of Vietnamese tropical climate gives a high level of diffuse horizontal illuminance. The results show that the difference in luminance distribution between the CIE standard overcast sky and Kittler’s intermediate sky can be resolved at the angles of sky point elevation above horizon γ is higher than 50° with the relative errors below 10 %. In other words, the luminance distribution β of the considered sky type is significant for a system of side natural illumination.
Design of reinforced concrete slabs subject to the construction joints
Authors: Deineko Andrei V. , Kurochkina Valentina A. , Yakovleva Irina Yu. , Starostin Aleksandr N.
Published: October 2019

Introduction. When erecting monolithic reinforced concrete floor slabs, a necessity of construction joints arises. The construction joints are the areas of structural weakening. The construction practice shows that the compliance with the correct technology of the construction joint arrangement is not a sufficient condition to ensure the strength balance of reinforced concrete floor slabs. As a result, the stress-deformation state calculated on the assumption of the concrete slab solidity deviates from the actual state. The relevance of the task is determined by the fact that the conformity of design and actual characteristics of the in-situ reinforced concrete structures as a whole depends on the correct calculations of construction joints.

Materials and methods. The problem of implementing the construction joints in the monolithic floor slabs was considered by way of example of a residential building under construction. In the course of construction, pre-construction land surveys were carried out at the areas of the construction joint arrangement. Calculations of reinforced concrete structures using finite element method (FEM) were also performed.

Results. As a result of the study, the actual deflections of the floor slabs were measured at the areas of the construction joints and FEM calculations were made on the same floor slabs, both those erected at once and those erected in stages subject to the construction joints. The difference between the calculated and actual deflections is conditioned upon the inaccurate conformity between the mathematical model and the real reinforced concrete structure, its erection and maintenance conditions. It should be noted that the deflection of horizontal reinforced concrete structures is only one of the stress-deformation state parameters that can be measured better than the others. It is shown that if the deflection of a real reinforced concrete structure does not correspond with the design estimation, the other stress-deformation state parameters will differ from the design estimation as well.

Conclusions. The influence of joints can be taken into account in the scope of FEM computer-aided calculations with the explicit reproduction of the structure erection by pouring concrete, using engineering approach to the consideration of nonlinearity on the basis of the introducing reduction coefficients to the reinforced concrete effective modulus of elasticity. Solid composition modeling of reinforced concrete provides the best possibilities on taking all sorts of nonlinearity manifestations into consideration.