bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Osteochondroma Fracture at the Distal Medial Femur
Authors: Henry Nathan E. , Carow Scott D. , Kocher Bradley L.
Published: June 2014

The patient was a 27-year-old man currently serving in the military who was evaluated by a physical therapist in a direct-access mode of care for a chief complaint of worsening left distal medial thigh pain. Given the traumatic mechanism of injury, worsening symptoms, and the presence of a painful, firm mass in the left distal medial thigh region, the physical therapist ordered radiographs of the left femur, which demonstrated a fracture at the base of an 8.5-cm osteochondroma located at the distal medial femur. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014;44(6):457. doi:10.2519/jospt.2014.0407
Variations in cost calculations in spine surgery cost-effectiveness research
Authors: Alvin Matthew D. , Miller Jacob A. , Lubelski Daniel , Rosenbaum Benjamin P. , Abdullah Kalil G. , Whitmore Robert G. , Benzel Edward C. , Mroz Thomas E.
Published: June 2014

Object

Cost-effectiveness research in spine surgery has been a prominent focus over the last decade. However, there has yet to be a standardized method developed for calculation of costs in such studies. This lack of a standardized costing methodology may lead to conflicting conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of an intervention for a specific diagnosis. The primary objective of this study was to systematically review all cost-effectiveness studies published on spine surgery and compare and contrast various costing methodologies used.

Methods

The authors performed a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness literature related to spine surgery. All cost-effectiveness analyses pertaining to spine surgery were identified using the cost-effectiveness analysis registry database of the Tufts Medical Center Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy, and the MEDLINE database. Each article was reviewed to determine the study subject, methodology, and results. Data were collected from each study, including costs, interventions, cost calculation method, perspective of cost calculation, and definitions of direct and indirect costs if available.

Results

Thirty-seven cost-effectiveness studies on spine surgery were included in the present study. Twenty-seven (73%) of the studies involved the lumbar spine and the remaining 10 (27%) involved the cervical spine. Of the 37 studies, 13 (35%) used Medicare reimbursements, 12 (32%) used a case-costing database, 3 (8%) used cost-to-charge ratios (CCRs), 2 (5%) used a combination of Medicare reimbursements and CCRs, 3 (8%) used the United Kingdom National Health Service reimbursement system, 2 (5%) used a Dutch reimbursement system, 1 (3%) used the United Kingdom Department of Health data, and 1 (3%) used the Tricare Military Reimbursement system. Nineteen (51%) studies completed their cost analysis from the societal perspective, 11 (30%) from the hospital perspective, and 7 (19%) from the payer perspective. Of those studies with a societal perspective, 14 (38%) reported actual indirect costs.

Conclusions

Changes in cost have a direct impact on the value equation for concluding whether an intervention is cost-effective. It is essential to develop a standardized, accurate means of calculating costs. Comparability and transparency are essential, such that studies can be compared properly and policy makers can be appropriately informed when making decisions for our health care system based on the results of these studies.
Cost-effectiveness of lumbar discectomy and single-level fusion for spondylolisthesis: experience with the NeuroPoint-SD registry
Authors: Mummaneni Praveen V. , Whitmore Robert G. , Curran Jill N. , Ziewacz John E. , Wadhwa Rishi , Shaffrey Christopher I. , Asher Anthony L. , Heary Robert F. , Cheng Joseph S. , Hurlbert R. John , Douglas Andrea F. , Smith Justin S. , Malhotra Neil R. , Dante Stephen J. , Magge Subu N. , Kaiser Michael G. , Abbed Khalid M. , Resnick Daniel K. , Ghogawala Zoher
Published: June 2014

Object

There is significant practice variation and uncertainty as to the value of surgical treatments for lumbar spine disorders. The authors' aim was to establish a multicenter registry to assess the efficacy and costs of common lumbar spinal procedures by using prospectively collected outcomes.

Methods

An observational prospective cohort study was completed at 13 academic and community sites. Patients undergoing single-level fusion for spondylolisthesis or single-level lumbar discectomy were included. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) data were obtained preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Power analysis estimated a sample size of 160 patients: lumbar disc (125 patients) and lumbar listhesis (35 patients). The quality-adjusted life year (QALY) data were calculated using 6-dimension utility index scores. Direct costs and complication costs were estimated using Medicare reimbursement values from 2011, and indirect costs were estimated using the human capital approach with the 2011 US national wage index. Total costs equaled $14,980 for lumbar discectomy and $43,852 for surgery for lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Results

There were 198 patients enrolled over 1 year. The mean age was 46 years (49% female) for lumbar discectomy (n = 148) and 58.1 years (60% female) for lumbar spondylolisthesis (n = 50). Ten patients with disc herniation (6.8%) and 1 with listhesis (2%) required repeat operation at 1 year. The overall 1-year follow-up rate was 88%. At 30 days, both lumbar discectomy and single-level fusion procedures were associated with significant improvements in ODI, visual analog scale, and SF-36 scores (p = 0.0002), which persisted at the 1-year evaluation (p < 0.0001). By 1 year, more than 80% of patients in each cohort who were working preoperatively had returned to work. Lumbar discectomy was associated with a gain of 0.225 QALYs over the 1-year study period ($66,578/QALY gained). Lumbar spinal fusion for Grade I listhesis was associated with a gain of 0.195 QALYs over the 1-year study period ($224,420/QALY gained).

Conclusions

This national spine registry demonstrated successful collection of high-quality outcomes data for spinal procedures in actual practice. These data are useful for demonstrating return to work and cost-effectiveness following surgical treatment of single-level lumbar disc herniation or spondylolisthesis. One-year cost per QALY was obtained, and this cost per QALY is expected to improve further by 2 years. This work sets the stage for real-world analysis of the value of health interventions.
Atmospheric Abundances, Trends and Emissions of CFC-216ba, CFC-216ca and HCFC-225ca
Authors: Kloss Corinna , Newland Mike , Oram David , Fraser Paul , Brenninkmeijer Carl , Röckmann Thomas , Laube Johannes
Published: June 2014

The first observations of the feedstocks, CFC-216ba (1,2-dichlorohexafluoropropane) and CFC-216ca (1,3-dichlorohexafluoropropane), as well as the CFC substitute HCFC-225ca (3,3-dichloro-1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane), are reported in air samples collected between 1978 and 2012 at Cape Grim, Tasmania. Present day (2012) mixing ratios are 37.8 ± 0.08 ppq (parts per quadrillion; 1015) and 20.2 ± 0.3 ppq for CFC-216ba and CFC-216ca, respectively. The abundance of CFC-216ba has been approximately constant for the past 20 years, whilst that of CFC-216ca is increasing, at a current rate of 0.2 ppq/year. Upper tropospheric air samples collected in 2013 suggest a further continuation of this trend. Inferred annual emissions peaked 421 at 0.18 Gg/year (CFC-216ba) and 0.05 Gg/year (CFC-216ca) in the mid-1980s and then decreased sharply as expected from the Montreal Protocol phase-out schedule for CFCs. The atmospheric trend of CFC-216ca and CFC-216ba translates into continuing emissions of around 0.01 Gg/year in 2011, indicating that significant banks still exist or that they are still being used. HCFC-225ca was not detected in air samples collected before 1992. The highest mixing ratio of 52 ± 1 ppq was observed in 2001. Increasing annual emissions were found in the 1990s (i.e., when HCFC-225ca was being introduced as a replacement for CFCs). Emissions peaked around 1999 at about 1.51 Gg/year. In accordance with the Montreal Protocol, restrictions on HCFC consumption and the short lifetime of HCFC-225ca, mixing ratios declined after 2001 to 23.3 ± 0.7 ppq by 2012.
How to Reduce the Latent Social Risk of Disease: The Determinants of Vaccination against Rabies in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Ku-Yuan , Lan Li-Chi , Wang Jiun-Hao , Fang Chen-Ling , Shiao Kun-Sun
Published: June 2014

To control the latent social risk of disease, the government usually spreads accurate information and attempts to improve the public’s attitude toward adopting prevention. However, these methods with the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) model do not always work. Therefore, we used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand dog owners’ behavior and distinguished the knowledge effect as objective knowledge (OK) and subjective knowledge (SK). A total of 310 dog owners completed a questionnaire based on our model. We employed structural equation modeling to verify the structural relationships and found three main results. First, our model was fit, and each path was significant. People with better attitudes, stronger subjective norms, and more perceptive behavioral control have stronger behavioral intention. Second, perceived behavioral control, not attitude, was the best predictive index in this model. Finally, on perceived behavioral control, subjective knowledge showed more influence than objective knowledge. We successfully extended TPB to explain the behavioral intention of dog owners and presented more workable recommendations. To reduce the latent social risk of disease, the government should not only address dog owners’ attitudes, but also their subjective norms and perceptive behavioral control. Indeed, perceptive behavioral control and SK showed the most influence in this model. It is implied that the self-efficacy of dog owners is the most important factor in such a behavior. Therefore, the government should focus on enhancing dog owners’ self-efficacy first while devoted to prevention activities.
Morphology, Composition, and Bioactivity of Strontium-Doped Brushite Coatings Deposited on Titanium Implants via Electrochemical Deposition
Authors: Liang Yongqiang , Li Haoyan , Xu Jiang , Li Xin , Qi Mengchun , Hu Min
Published: June 2014

Surface modification techniques have been applied to generate titanium implant surfaces that promote osseointegration for use in dental applications. In this study, strontium-doped brushite coatings were deposited on titanium by electrochemical deposition. The phase composition of the coating was investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The surface morphologies of the coatings were studied through scanning electron microscopy, and the cytocompatibility and bioactivity of the strontium-doped brushite coatings were evaluated using cultured osteoblasts. Osteoblast proliferation was enhanced by the addition of strontium, suggesting a possible mechanism by which strontium incorporation in brushite coatings increased bone formation surrounding the implants. Cell growth was also strongly influenced by the composition of the deposited coatings, with a 10% Sr-doped brushite coating inducing the greatest amount of bone formation among the tested materials.
Synthesis and Evaluation of a Series of Novel Asymmetrical Curcumin Analogs for the Treatment of Inflammation
Authors: Zhang Yali , Zhao Leping , Wu Jianzhang , Jiang Xin , Dong Lili , Xu Fengli , Zou Peng , Dai Yuanrong , Shan Xiaoou , Yang Shulin , Liang Guang
Published: June 2014

Curcumin has been reported to possess multiple bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, however the clinical application of curcumin has been significantly limited by its instability and poor metabolism. Modification of curcumin has led to discovery and development of lots of novel therapeutic candidates. In recent years acute and chronic inflammation has been the focus of numerous studies in various diseases. Here, we synthesized a series of asymmetrical curcumin analogs with high in vitro chemical stability, and their anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in LPS-stimulated macrophages. According to the bio-screening results and QSAR analysis, these analogs exhibited potent activities against LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-6 release. Among the analogs of the potent anti-inflammatory activity, compounds 3b8 and 3b9 exhibited significant protection and possess enhanced anti-inflammatory activity thereby attenuated the LPS-induced septic death in mice.
A Solution-Based Temperature Sensor Using the Organic Compound CuTsPc
Authors: Abdullah Shahino , Ahmad Zubair , Sulaiman Khaulah
Published: June 2014

An electrochemical cell using an organic compound, copper (II) phthalocyanine-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt (CuTsPc,) has been fabricated and investigated as a solution-based temperature sensor. The capacitance and resistance of the ITO/CuTsPc solution/ITO chemical cell has been characterized as a function of temperature in the temperature range of 25–80 °C. A linear response with minimal hysteresis is observed. The fabricated temperature sensor has shown high consistency and sensitive response towards a specific range of temperature values.
L'ensilage groupé et les campagnes du premier Moyen Age dans le Toulousain : quelques réflexions à l'aune de deux fouilles récentes (L'oustalou à Préserville et Clos-Montplaisir à Vieille-Toulouse)
Authors: Carme Rémi , Henry Yann
Published: June 2014

This article presents the results of two recent excavations carried out near Toulouse. The sites of L’Oustalou at Préserville and Clos-Montplaisir at Vieille-Toulouse have in common they yielded several hundred cavities that were identified as storage pits. A closer examination shows that these areas of grouped ensilage, which share an undeniable family resemblance, are in fact the expression of a single polymorphic phenomenon, both in its topographic and chronological dimensions. The confrontation of the data acquired on each of these sites allows a series of questions and hypotheses on the place of these particular deposits in the Toulousain countrysides. To them are added some reflections on the various artefacts that were collected, especially on the ceramic which is still insufficiently known in the region. All these elements could be the point of departure of an extensive regional research on these areas of ensilage and, more globally, on the population of the Toulousain countrysides in the Middle Ages.
Structurer et modifier l'espace en milieu urbain : la commanderie de l'Hôpital de Toulouse au XIIe siècle
Authors: Macé Laurent , Pousthomis-Dalle Nelly
Published: June 2014

Recent collective researches shed a new light on the occupation of a Toulouse block of houses which was progressively conquered and remodelled by the Saint-John of-Jerusalem Hospitaliers. This first approach rests on the XIth centrury practice acts which are used for graphic restitutions or “ neighbourhood schemes” between land properties. It shows at the same time the long duration of the road system inherited from Antiquity and the changes due to the installation of the brothers following an extraordinary expansion of their establishment from the inside of the block of houses to the outside. Texts and archaeological researches as well show the progressive structuration of their house around a cloister situated north of the church initially given to them and which was restored, the whole dominated by a strong tower, a symbol of their power.
Observations sur la géomorphologie du Ladakh (Geomorphology of the Ladakh)
Authors: Fort Monique
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - La région du Ladakh est située au NW de la péninsule indienne. Elle comprend le massif du Ladakh proprement dit et la chaîne du Zanskar, séparés par la haute vallée de l' Indus. L'ensemble de la région apparaît comme un bon exemple de haute montagne subtropicale sèche à affinités continentales. La morphologie est dominée par la mise en valeur vraisemblablement ancienne d'un bâti structural très différencié : granodiorite hétérogène du Ladakh, roches sédimentaires variées du Zanskar. Les épisodes froids quaternaires et actuel sont responsables d'un modelé typique de versants régularisés et de glacis d'accumulation périglaciaires, liés à l'action conjuguée de la gélifraction et de la solifluxion nivale. Dans la vallée de l'Indus, localisée le long d'un axe structural remarquable de l'édifice himalayen, l'extension considérable des formations quaternaires, leur étagement, résultent à la fois de climats plus froids, vraisemblablement plus humides que l'actuel, et de mouvements positifs, toujours actifs, affectant l'ensemble de la région considérée.
Mutations contemporaines dans les vallées des Grandes Alpes ensoleillées (Contemporary changes in the sunny great Alps valleys)
Authors: Avocat Charles
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Les vallées alpines sont désormais intégrées à des ensembles spatiaux de vastes dimensions, dans lesquelles elles perdent leurs caractéristiques et leur spécificité : les solidarités de versant, autrefois bien vivantes dans le cadre de la civilisation agro-sylvo-pastorale traditionnelle, sont dissociées au profit de complémentarités lointaines ; de même, la trame homogène des vallées qui structurait l'espace alpin fait place à une organisation qui privilégie les grands axes (voies de circulation, concentration démographique, aire de loisirs) au détriment des « vallées perdues ». Cette évolution fondamentale de l'espace alpin est étudiée à partir de l'exemple des « Grandes Alpes ensoleillées » (Briançonnais, Embrunais, Queyras, Ubaye).
Paléoclimats dans le nord-ouest du Groenland (North-western Greenland paleoclimates)
Authors: Malaurie Jean
Published: June 2014

Abstract. - Peat palynology and the Eskimese story are not contradictory with the Dansgaard curve, established on the basis of an ice-drilling, but they refine it. The pre-Little Ice Age warming has begun about the VIth century.
1er thème. Evolution des disparités régionales entre capitale, métropoles et reste du pays
Authors: Dalmasso Etienne
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Dans l'ensemble des pays méditerranéens les disparités régionales subsistent ou s'aggravent. Les métropoles régionales sont incapables d'assurer une réorganisation spatiale plus équilibrée. Leur importance diminue devant la progression rapide des villes moyennes et de la capitale. Leur rôle en tant que foyer de décisions s'affaiblit. C'est au niveau de la capitale que se concentre le pouvoir politique comme le pouvoir économique et les politiques régionales s'élaborent en fonction d'une stratégie de développement national.
2e thème. Rôle de l'investissement national et international dans la croissance économique de la région urbaine, capitale ou métropole
Authors: George Pierre
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Dans les capitales et métropoles il y a des investissements publics et privés soucieux d'imprimer une image de marque prestigieuse et des investissements de production ou de spéculation. Il en résulte de forts contrastes dans le paysage urbain, une accélération des flux migratoires, l'hypertrophie de certaines agglomérations. Il faut alors faire dans les grandes villes des investissements sociaux au détriment des investissements productifs. Ces situations sont inégalement développées selon la structure politique et économique des Etats.
3e thème. Originalités apportées dans la croissance par la présence du pouvoir politique
Authors: Gottmann Jean
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Les capitales du bassin méditerranéen présentent des situations historiques et géographiques variées. Mais leur unité vient de la consolidation politique tardive des Etats autour d'elles. Toutefois, la pérennité des plus grandes d'entre elles pourrait être un facteur de réussite urbaine. Et les relais sont multiples qui, de la présence du pouvoir politique, entraînent croissance économique et démographique.
4e thème. Montée des classes moyennes urbaines et modifications de l'espace social dans la région urbaine, capitale ou métropole
Authors: Burgel Guy
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Les relations entre l'espace et les sociétés urbaines des métropoles et des capitales méditerranéennes révèlent toutes les spécificités régionales et nationales, accumulées par les niveaux de développement économique, l'histoire, les différences de systèmes politiques et de mentalités. Toutefois, on peut se demander, si, parvenues à des stades inégaux d'évolution, elles ne suivent pas des processus d'uniformisation communs, dans la nature des activités et des consommations urbaines, la production du logement, et la division sociale de leur espace.
Propositions pour une nouvelle classification des activités économiques aux Etats-Unis (For a new classification of the U.S.A. economic activities)
Authors: Soppelsa Jacques
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - La quasi disparition de l'agriculture str.s., l'ouverture des marchés à la concurrence internationale, obligent à abandonner la classification ternaire habituelle. On propose, dans l'économie des U.S.A., les quatre secteurs suivants : concurrencé, protégé, administré, subventionné.
Les caractères originaux de la géomorphologie du Caucase oriental en Azerbaïdjan (Original patterns of the eastern caucasus geomorphology in Azerbaïdjan)
Authors: Dresch Jean
Published: June 2014

Abstract. - The eastern Caucasus is an example of correlations between morphostructure caracterized by the importance of soft rocks and neotectonic, the peculiar role of the Caspian base level, climatic changes and present day semiarid prevailing conditions. The plio-pleistocene stratigraphy and tectonic are pointed out together with the resulting landforms, the drainage patterns, the marine and continental terraces. The problems of climatic inherited forms, and their explanation by climatic changes or neotectonic is discussed.
Population et peuplement au Daghestan (Daghestan population and peopling)
Authors: Thorez Pierre
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The Daghestan is the most dwelt region in the Caucasus. The rural mountain population, with a large ethnical diversity, keeps on growing because of an important natural increase, superior to the exodus towards the towns and the villages of the lowlands., The problem set by that mountain population is that of the rational use of natural and human resources in the mountain itself.
La convergence intertropicale sur l'Océan Atlantique (The intertropical convergence on the atlantic ocean)
Authors: Vulquin Anaïk
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - A partir de la description de photographies de satellite, est posé le problème de la nature de la convergence intertropicale. Ces images étant confrontées avec la circulation méridienne déduite de radio sondages et avec des cartes de nébulosité cumulée, on peut confirmer que la convergence intertropicale est un lieu de prédilection d'interaction des processus à diverses échelles : interaction de la convection et du secteur convergent des ondes, interaction de ces deux échelles avec la circulation de Hadiey.
Notion d'année et de mois pluviométriques caractéristiques : exemple de l'isthme de Panama
Authors: Lamarre Denis
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - La partie centrale de l'isthme de Panama, voisine du canal interocéanique, bénéficie d'une série de données météorologiques exceptionnelles par leur longueur et leur densité spatiale. Depuis le début du siècle, l'année 1949 apparaît comme la plus proche de l'année pluviométrique caractéristique, définie par le régime pluviométrique le plus fréquent, avec totaux mensuels modaux. L'étude fine de l'année 1949 permet de préciser la carte pluviométrique de l'isthme ; elle permet également de suivre les effets pluvieux typiques de la convergence intertropicale qui stationne au-dessus de la région de mai à novembre.
Pluviosité et régimes pluviométriques à Sumatra
Authors: Yacono D. , Perard J.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. - The annual amount of precipitation in Sumatra varies according to the latitude, the orientation and the relief. The maximum rainfall can be observed on foothills. The drier places are the depressions situated between the mountains and the North-East of the island. November and December are the wettest months. After a general falling off in February, the rainfall increases again until May, especially in the West. Then we can observe an important decrease in June and July, at the heart of the drier season., Sumatra, an equatorial island, offers an astonishing variety of pluviométrie regimes : rhythms with two peaks can be found on two thirds of the island ; regimes characterized by one peak and one minimum are more scattered but they can be observed fairly often at both ends of the island and along the « Median Graben ».
Les régimes pluviométriques de Sumatra étudiés à l'aide d'une analyse factorielle des correspondances (Factors analysis of Sumatra pluviometrical regimes)
Authors: Durand-Dastès François
Published: June 2014

Abstract. - Thanks to factors analysis, we may distinguish twelve pluviometrical regimes in Sumatra. They are generally bi-modal.
3e thème : Le point sur la prévision des crues (Position of flood forecasting)
Authors: Davy Lucette
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - Des exemples constamment renouvelés d'inondations plus ou moins coûteuses en vies humaines et en argent, montrent que la prévision des crues doit être prise en compte dans tous les plans d'aménagement du territoire qui se définissent aujourd'hui. Cependant, le problème est rendu complexe par la diversité des niveaux de prévision : prévision à courte échéance et en temps réel, pour permettre aux populations menacées par une crue de se mettre à l'abri, prévision à longue échéance, et en terme de probabilité, en vue de la construction de barrages ou de la délimitation d'espaces non constructibles». Un arsenal de moyens de plus en plus sophistiqués permet aujourd'hui une approche de plus en plus précise de ces problèmes.
Permanence des fonds océaniques et marées (oceans bottoms permanence and tides)
Authors: Dauvillier Alexandre
Published: June 2014

Résumé. - L'auteur montre les difficultés géophysiques de la théorie des translations continentales ainsi que de celle de l'expansion de la croûte terrestre., Par contre l'origine lunaire du Pacifique, démontrée selon lui, et l'existence de marées sur le littoral jurassique du Massif central français, postulent la permanence des fonds océaniques.
L'indice de proximité automobile : vers une approche géographique de la pollution à l'échelle individuelle (The car proximity index : towards a geographical approach of pollution at individual scale)
Authors: Bridier S. , Quenol H. , Grésillon L.
Published: June 2014

Whereas measurement and modeling call upon increasingly sophisticated techniques, the perception of pollution by the population remains difficult at the individual level. The information brought by Airparif is studied from the individual point of view. The analysis of the data coming from the traffic stations (stations close to the traffic and the pedestrians) highlights the space-time variability of pollution according to the characteristics of the various sites of measurements. A study of the pollution of proximity carried out with CO sensors confirms the important space-time variability of the traffic pollution according to the site characteristics, traffic and weather conditions. This study, confronted with the perception of a sample of inhabitants from Lagrange area in the fifth district, highlights the risk of the individual appreciations and shows that the pollution of proximity is not always well evaluated by all. From these observations, proposals are advanced to combine the existing data and a method of local study in order to produce information closer to the individual.
La formation professionnelle en Allemagne : une coopération réussie avec les entreprises et un atout pour le développement local. L'exemple de la Fachhochschule Furtwangen en Forêt-Noire (Vocational training in Germany : a successful partnership with business and an asset for local development. A case study of Black Forest based-Fachhochschule Furtwangen)
Authors: Stubbe Cornelia
Published: June 2014

This paper questions the impact that training institutions can have on a region 's economic development. First, it presents three different models of German vocational training. Then the paper focuses on the Fachhochschule Furtwangen, based in the uplands of the Black Forest, a rural district of south-east Germany, which provides a good example of a positive partnership between training institutions and the world of work.

High quality training combined with a pivotal position among SMEs in research projects have made it a key factor for the location of more high tech and innovative companies than elsewhere.
Existe-t-il un exode des compétences françaises vers l'étranger ? L'exemple des migrations vers New York (Is there an exodus of the highly skilled french people to foreign countries ? The example of the flows to New York)
Authors: Valadeau Nicolas
Published: June 2014

L'augmentation conséquente des flux de travailleurs français hautement qualifiés vers les Etats-Unis durant les années 1990 suscite l'inquiétude des autorités françaises. Mobilité ou exode ? Une analyse statistique accompagnée de témoignages recueillis lors d'enquêtes menées à New York permet d'accéder à une meilleure compréhension de ce phénomène. L'étude met à la fois en évidence l'importance de la circulation migratoire et l'essor des installations durables. Attirés par un environnement dynamique, les migrants sont parfois contraints de poursuivre leur carrière aux Etats- Unis. C'est pourquoi la France doit développer des stratégies favorisant les retours.
Emergences territoriales et nouveaux rapports du pouvoir politique à l'espace (Territory outbreaks and new relationships between political power and space)
Authors: Tesson Frédéric
Published: June 2014

Every political power is linked to a space of legitimacy. This relationship obeys to a tenacious territorial logic, that can be very innovative today, but also integrates a growing number of network effects. The pressure of the social context in which local representatives' activity and power emerge forces them to deal with the spatial contradiction of territories and networks.
Contextes socio-territoriaux de la vie culturelle et de ses événements (Cultural events in social and spatial contexts)
Authors: Crozat Dominique
Published: June 2014

Cultural events imply specific relationships to time and space. Methodologically speaking, we can't study them without taking into account the social and perceptive contexts of the forms of cultural life, as well as the practices that produce them. However, cultural events seem to be more and more disconnected from daily realities. The development of certain techniques, in the fields of information and communication, the triumph of the virtual worlds tend to deconstruct artificially the concrete contexts of cultural life and to replace them by an invented, imagined "hyper-reality".
3D Plant cell architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) using focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Bhawana  , Miller Joyce L. , Cahoon A. Bruce
Published: June 2014

• Premise of the study: Focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB‐SEM) combines the ability to sequentially mill the sample surface and obtain SEM images that can be used to create 3D renderings with micron‐level resolution. We have applied FIB‐SEM to study Arabidopsis cell architecture. The goal was to determine the efficacy of this technique in plant tissue and cellular studies and to demonstrate its usefulness in studying cell and organelle architecture and distribution.

• Methods: Seed aleurone, leaf mesophyll, stem cortex, root cortex, and petal lamina from Arabidopsis were fixed and embedded for electron microscopy using protocols developed for animal tissues and modified for use with plant cells. Each sample was sectioned using the FIB and imaged with SEM. These serial images were assembled to produce 3D renderings of each cell type.

• Results: Organelles such as nuclei and chloroplasts were easily identifiable, and other structures such as endoplasmic reticula, lipid bodies, and starch grains were distinguishable in each tissue.

• Discussion: The application of FIB‐SEM produced 3D renderings of five plant cell types and offered unique views of their shapes and internal content. These results demonstrate the usefulness of FIB‐SEM for organelle distribution and cell architecture studies.
Manipulation of isolated brain nerve terminals by an external magnetic field using D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nano-sized particles and assessment of their effects on glutamate transport
Authors: Borisova Tatiana , Krisanova Natalia , Borуsov Arsenii , Sivko Roman , Ostapchenko Ludmila , Babic Michal , Horak Daniel
Published: June 2014

The manipulation of brain nerve terminals by an external magnetic field promises breakthroughs in nano-neurotechnology. D-Mannose-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) salts followed by oxidation with sodium hypochlorite and addition of D-mannose. Effects of D-mannose-coated superparamagnetic maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles on key characteristics of the glutamatergic neurotransmission were analysed. Using radiolabeled L-[14C]glutamate, it was shown that D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles did not affect high-affinity Na+-dependent uptake, tonic release and the extracellular level of L-[14C]glutamate in isolated rat brain nerve terminals (synaptosomes). Also, the membrane potential of synaptosomes and acidification of synaptic vesicles was not changed as a result of the application of D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. This was demonstrated with the potential-sensitive fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G and the pH-sensitive dye acridine orange. The study also focused on the analysis of the potential use of these nanoparticles for manipulation of nerve terminals by an external magnetic field. It was shown that more than 84.3 ± 5.0% of L-[14C]glutamate-loaded synaptosomes (1 mg of protein/mL) incubated for 5 min with D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (250 µg/mL) moved to an area, in which the magnet (250 mT, gradient 5.5 Т/m) was applied compared to 33.5 ± 3.0% of the control and 48.6 ± 3.0% of samples that were treated with uncoated nanoparticles. Therefore, isolated brain nerve terminals can be easily manipulated by an external magnetic field using D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, while the key characteristics of glutamatergic neurotransmission are not affected. In other words, functionally active synaptosomes labeled with D-mannose-coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were obtained.
RESEARCH ON RULES-BASED BUSINESS PROCESS MODELLING AND SIMULATION / TAISYKLĖMIS GRINDŽIAMŲ VERSLO PROCESŲ MODELIAVIMO IR SIMULIAVIMO TYRIMAS
Authors: Stankevičius Kęstutis , Vasilecas Olegas
Published: June 2014

Googling the term “Business Process Simulation” in April 2013 yielded only 42.1 thousand hits. It is not much compared with googling the term such as “Business Process Modelling” in the same time, which yielded approx. 1.470 million hits. That is 35 times more compared to the previous search. The difference between modelling and simulation is arguable. In fact, the terms ‘simulation’ and ‘modelling’ are often used synonymously, but the authors prefer to distinguish between the terms and look at modelling as an act of building a model while simulation is considered an act or even a process of using that model for a specific purpose or study. If simulation is a manipulation process of one or more variables, which can be changed and observed, then this kind of process is best managed and controlled by business rules that can also be manipulated in the simulation process.
„Google“ paieškoje įvestas terminas „Business Process Simulation“ 2013 metų balandžio mėn. duoda tik 42,1 tūkst. paieškos rezultatų. Tai nėra daug, palyginti su kitu paieškos terminu „Business Process Modelling“. Tuo pačiu metu reikšminiai paieškos žodžiai duoda apie 1,470 milijono paieškos rezultatų. Tai 35 kartus daugiau, palyginti su prieš tai daryta paieška. Galima ginčytis, ar yra skirtumas tarp modeliavimo ir simuliavimo? Iš tiesų žodžiai „modeliavimas“ ir „simuliavimas“ dažnai vartojami kaip sinonimai, tačiau straipsnyje siūloma į modeliavimą ir simuliavimą žiūrėti skirtingai, t. y. į modeliavimą kaip į veiksmą, kuris sukuria modelį, į simuliavimą – kaip į veiksmą arba procesą, kuris sudaro sąlygas taikyti šį modelį konkrečiam tikslui arba tyrimui atlikti. Jeigu apibrėžiama, kad simuliavimas yra vieno ar daugiau kintamųjų manipuliacijos procesas, kurį galima pakeisti ir stebėti, tada taip pat galima susitarti, kad šis procesas geriausiai grindžiamas verslo taisyklėmis, kurios gali būti papildomos arba keičiamos simuliavimo proceso metu.
MANIFESTATION OF POSTMODERNIST IDEAS IN ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITIONS AND UNREALIZED DESIGN PROJECTS IN LITHUANIA OF THE 1970S AND 80S / POSTMODERNIZMO IDĖJŲ RAIŠKA XX A. 8-OJO IR 9-OJO DEŠIMTMEČIŲ LIETUVOS ARCHITEKTŪROS DARBŲ KONKURSUOSE IR NEĮGYVENDINTUOSE
Authors: Mankus Martynas
Published: June 2014

The research work analyzes the influence of the post-modernism phenomenon on Lithuanian architecture as observed since the 1970-s. This controversially estimated period in architectural history opposed the modernist tradition by its cultural and aesthetical landmarks. In the Lithuanian context it was distinguished by the raise of its expression partially overlapping with the period of post-soviet socio-cultural fractures. After short introduction of prerequisites of postmodernist idea formation in architecture, the text focuses on the main ideological concepts and characteristic features of architecture related to postmodernism. Besides the evaluation of influence of western postmodernist architecture on the soviet space, the aim of the article is to analyze the objects innovative by their aesthetics, applied symbolism and treatment of their application to the society in the sociocultural context of the time. The text focuses on unrealized projects and competition offers of the 1970-s and 80-s (from the emergence of the first examples to the reestablishment of Lithuanian independence) with most brightly reflected postmodern trends: complex composition, eclecticism, historical references and decreasing scale. The examples analyzed in the research are a part of culture of the complicated transformation time, which is underestimated.
Darbe nagrinėjama postmodernizmo fenomeno Lietuvos architektūroje įtaka, ryškėjanti nuo XX a. 8-ojo dešimtmečio. Kontroversiškai vertinamas architektūros istorijos periodas savo kultūriniais ir estetiniais orientyrais oponavo modernizmo tradicijai. Lietuvos kontekstui būdinga tai, kad jo raiškos pakilimas iš dalies sutapo su posovietinių sociokultūrinių lūžių laikotarpiu. Trumpai aptariant postmodernizmo idėjų formavimosi architektūroje prielaidas, išskiriami pagrindiniai idėjiniai su postmodernizmu siejamos architektūros konceptai ir būdingieji bruožai. Straipsnio tikslas – siekiant įvertinti Vakarų postmodernizmo architektūros diskurso sovietinėje erdvėje įtaką, išnagrinėti anuometiniame sociokultūriniame kontekste savo estetika, simbolikos vartojimu, taikymo visuomenei traktavimu inovatyvius objektus. Tekste koncentruojamasi į XX a. 8-ojo ir 9-ojo dešimtmečių (nuo pirmųjų pavyzdžių atsiradimo iki nepriklausomybės atgavimo) nerealizuotus projektus ir konkursinius pasiūlymus, kuriuose ryškiausiai atsispindi postmodernizmo tendencijos: kompozicijos sudėtingumas, eklektiškumas, istorinės referencijos, mastelio smulkėjimas. Minimi pavyzdžiai yra sudėtingų permainų laiko kultūros dalis, apie kurią kalbama nepakankamai.
The Influence of Early Menopause on Cardiovascular Risk in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Pfeifer Emily C. , Crowson Cynthia S. , Amin Shreyasee , Gabriel Sherine E. , Matteson Eric L.
Published: June 2014

Objective.

Early menopause is associated with an increased risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women increases following menopause. Because RA is associated with an increased risk of CVD, this study was undertaken to determine whether early menopause affects the risk of developing CVD in women with RA.

Methods.

A population-based inception cohort of 600 women with RA who fulfilled 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA between 1955 and 2007 and were age ≥ 45 years at diagnosis was assembled and followed. Age at menopause and duration of hormone replacement therapy, along with occurrence of CVD, was ascertained by review of medical records. Cox proportional hazard models compared women who underwent early menopause (natural or artificial menopause at age ≤ 45 yrs) to those within the cohort who did not undergo early menopause.

Results.

Of 600 women, 79 experienced early menopause. Women who underwent early menopause were at significantly higher risk for developing CVD when compared to women who did not (HR 1.56; 95% CI 1.08–2.26).

Conclusion.

The risk of CVD in women with RA was higher in those who experienced early menopause, and like other known risk factors should increase clinician concern for development of CVD in these patients.
Prologue: 2013 Annual Meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA)
Authors: Boehncke Wolf-Henning , Gladman Dafna D.
Published: June 2014

The 2013 Annual Meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) was held in July 2013 in Toronto, Canada, and attended by rheumatologists, dermatologists, and representatives of biopharmaceutical companies and patient groups. We introduce the articles that summarize the meeting: A summary of a GRAPPA-organized Fellows Symposium adjacent to the 2013 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology meeting in Istanbul; at the GRAPPA meeting proper, proceedings of a trainee symposium, where rheumatology fellows and dermatology residents presented their research; a summary of experiences and perspectives of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) research of 8 patient research partners with PsA who were invited to participate as delegates. Other presentations and discussions included an interactive session on composite measures of disease severity and response, including voting by GRAPPA members; a 3 part update of basic/translational/clinical science, including new bone formation, enthesitis pathophysiology, and comorbidity monitoring; a 3 part dermatology update on psoriasis outcome measures, the Brigham Scalp Nail Inverse Palmoplantar Psoriasis Composite Index, and large-scale databases; a short summary of the ongoing GRAPPA effort to update treatment guidelines for PsA; updates on several GRAPPA educational and rheumatology-related projects; and a discussion of clinical criteria to identify inflammatory arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, and spondylitis as distinguished from non-inflammatory conditions.
GRAPPA Fellows Symposium Adjacent to the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress, Istanbul, 2013: A Meeting Report
Authors: Boehncke Wolf-Henning , Kirby Brian , Thaci Diamant
Published: June 2014

The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) organized its second Fellows Symposium adjacent to the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) congress in Istanbul in October 2013. Wolf-Henning Boehncke from Geneva, Brian Kirby from Dublin, and Diamant Thaci from Lübeck formed the faculty. The 9 best-ranked abstracts submitted to this symposium were presented and discussed in detail. Five abstracts focused on comorbidities in patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis; summaries of all abstracts are included herein.
GRAPPA Trainees Symposium 2013: A Report from the GRAPPA 2013 Annual Meeting
Authors: Szentpetery Agnes , Johnson Mary Ann N. , Ritchlin Christopher T.
Published: June 2014

At the 2013 annual meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 26 dermatology and rheumatology fellows engaged in psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis research were invited to present their work at the Trainees Symposium, which preceded the annual meeting and was also attended by GRAPPA members from around the world. Herein, we provide a brief overview of the 6 oral presentations and 25 posters presented, which reflect the focus and diversity of current basic and clinical research in psoriatic disease.
Composite Disease Activity and Responder Indices for Psoriatic Arthritis: A Report from the GRAPPA 2013 Meeting on Development of Cutoffs for Both Disease Activity States and Response
Authors: Helliwell Phillip S. , FitzGerald Oliver , Fransen Jaap
Published: June 2014

Objective.

There are several new composite indices for assessing disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Each may function as a disease state variable and a responder index. The aim of our study was to determine cutoffs for disease activity and response.

Methods.

Data from the Group for GRAPPA Composite Exercise (GRACE) study were used to develop cutoffs using a number of different approaches. Voting on choice of cutoff was undertaken at the 2013 GRAPPA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Results.

After voting, results for cutoffs for low/high disease activity for the Psoriatic ArthritiS Disease Activity Score (PASDAS), GRAppa Composite scorE (GRACE index), and Composite Psoriatic Disease Activity Index (CPDAI), respectively, were 3.2/5.4, 2.3/4.7, and 4/8. The measurement error for each composite score was estimated at 0.8, 1, and 2 for PASDAS, GRACE, and CPDAI, respectively.

Conclusion.

Response criteria for the new composite indices have been developed. These now require further validation and testing in other datasets.
Bone Formation in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Report from the GRAPPA 2013 Annual Meeting
Authors: Schett Georg
Published: June 2014

The simultaneous presence of bone erosions and bony spurs (osteophytes, enthesophytes) in the joints of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) suggests that the disease leads to enhanced bone resorption as well as increased bone formation, the latter of which has not been observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. At the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA), members heard an update on the current research into the cytokine signature in PsA and its effects on new bone formation.
The International Dermatology Outcome Measures Initiative as Applied to Psoriatic Disease Outcomes: A Report from the GRAPPA 2013 Meeting
Authors: Gottlieb Alice B. , Armstrong April W. , Christensen Robin , Garg Amit , Duffin Kristina Callis , Boehncke Wolf-Henning , Merola Joseph F. , Gladman Dafna D. , Mease Philip J. , Swerlick Robert A. , Rosen Cheryl F. , Abernethy April
Published: June 2014

In the United States, access to care is the number one issue facing our patients with dermatological conditions. In part, this is because we do not have outcome measures that are useful in clinical practice and available in databases where payers and governmental agencies can compare the performance of physicians and treatments. There is a growing recognition that insufficient attention has been paid to the outcomes measured in clinical trials and subsequently in clinical practice. The International Dermatology Outcome Measures group includes all willing stakeholders: patients, physicians, payers, and pharmaceutical scientists. As reported herein, the group’s goal is to develop outcome measures in dermatology that address the needs of all involved.