bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Input Costs for a Markov Model in a German Health Economic Evaluation of Newer Antidepressants
Authors: Seidl Astrid , Danner Marion , Wagner Christoph J. , Sandmann Frank G. , Sroczynski Gaby , Stürzlinger Heidi , Zsifkovits Johannes , Schwalm Anja , Lhachimi Stefan K. , Siebert Uwe , Gerber-Grote Andreas
Published: January 2018

Background: Estimating input costs for Markov models in health economic evaluations requires health state–specific costing. This is a challenge in mental illnesses such as depression, as interventions are not clearly related to health states. We present a hybrid approach to health state–specific cost estimation for a German health economic evaluation of antidepressants. Methods: Costs were determined from the perspective of the community of persons insured by statutory health insurance (“SHI insuree perspective”) and included costs for outpatient care, inpatient care, drugs, and psychotherapy. In an additional step, costs for rehabilitation and productivity losses were calculated from the societal perspective. We collected resource use data in a stepwise hierarchical approach using SHI claims data, where available, followed by data from clinical guidelines and expert surveys. Bottom-up and top-down costing approaches were combined. Results: Depending on the drug strategy and health state, the average input costs varied per patient per 8-week Markov cycle. The highest costs occurred for agomelatine in the health state first-line treatment (FT) (“FT relapse”) with €506 from the SHI insuree perspective and €724 from the societal perspective. From both perspectives, the lowest costs (excluding placebo) were €55 for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the health state “FT remission.” Conclusion: To estimate costs in health economic evaluations of treatments for depression, it can be necessary to link different data sources and costing approaches systematically to meet the requirements of the decision-analytic model. As this can increase complexity, the corresponding calculations should be presented transparently. The approach presented could provide useful input for future models.
The Perils of Published Missionary Letters
Authors: Duffy Mervyn
Published: January 2018

Contemporaneous publications of missionary letters often include material written for publicity purposes. These can be letters written by the missionaries themselves, or even fictional letters composed for the purpose and presented as genuine. By analyzing one such fiction and the genuine letter on which it is based, this article identifies criteria for distinguishing actual correspondence from its imitation. The example is drawn from a minor incident in New Zealand in 1840 involving the meeting of a Catholic missionary with a Methodist missionary, both of whom subsequently wrote about the encounter.
Long-term health-related quality of life, survival and costs by different levels of functional outcome six months after stroke
Authors: Rudberg Ann-Sofie , Berge Eivind , Gustavsson Anders , Näsman Per , Lundström Erik
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Information about the impact of functional outcome after stroke is currently missing on health-related quality of life, survival and costs. This information would be valuable for health economic evaluations and for allocation of resources in stroke health care.

Patients and methods

Data on 297 Swedish patients included in the Third International Stroke Trial were analysed including functional outcome at six months (measured by Oxford Handicap Scale), health-related quality of life up to 18 months (EQ-5D-3L) and survival up to 36 months. We used record linkage to collect data on costs up to 36 months, using national patient registers.

Results

Patients with a better functional outcome level at six months had a significantly better health-related quality of life at 18 months ( p < 0.05), better long-term survival ( p < 0.05) and lower costs ( p < 0.001), for all time points up to 36 months. The difference in costs was mainly due to differences in days spent in hospital ( p < 0.005).

Discussion

This study showed an association between functional outcome at six months and health-related quality of life up to 18 months, and costs up to 36 months.

Conclusion

Functional outcome six months after stroke is an important determinant of health-related quality of life, survival and costs over 36 months. Effective interventions aimed at reducing short-term disability levels are therefore also expected to reduce the overall burden of stroke.
Program of Integrated Care for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Multiple Comorbidities (PIC COPD+): a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Rose Louise , Istanboulian Laura , Carriere Lise , Thomas Anna , Lee Han-Byul , Rezaie Shaghayegh , Shafai Roshan , Fraser Ian
Published: January 2018

We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component, case manager-led exacerbation prevention/management model for reducing emergency department visits. Secondary outcomes included hospitalisation, mortality, health-related quality of life, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity, COPD self-efficacy, anxiety and depression.

Two-centre randomised controlled trial recruiting patients with ≥2 prognostically important COPD-associated comorbidities. We compared our multi-component intervention including individualised care/action plans and telephone consults (12-weekly then 9-monthly) with usual care (both groups). We used zero-inflated Poisson models to examine emergency department visits and hospitalisation; Cox proportional hazard model for mortality.

We randomised 470 participants (236 intervention, 234 control). There were no differences in number of emergency department visits or hospital admissions between groups. We detected difference in emergency department visit risk, for those that visited the emergency department, favouring the intervention (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63–0.86). Similarly, risk of hospital admission was lower in the intervention group for those requiring hospital admission (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.54–0.88). Fewer intervention patients died (21versus36) (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32–0.95). No differences were detected in other secondary outcomes.

Our multi-component, case manager-led exacerbation prevention/management model resulted in no difference in emergency department visits, hospital admissions and other secondary outcomes. Estimated risk of death (intervention) was nearly half that of the control.
Management of antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinaemia
Authors: Gupta Sumeet , Lakshmanan Dev A. M. , Khastgir Udayan , Nair Rajesh
Published: January 2018

Hyperprolactinaemia is a common endocrine disorder that can be associated with significant morbidity. Antipsychotic medications are frequently linked to hyperprolactinaemia. This disorder usually presents as menstrual problems in women and sexual problems in men, which affect the patients' quality of life and adherence to antipsychotic treatment. In the past, treatment for hyperprolactinaemia was recommended only for symptomatic patients. However, it has become clear that persistent asymptomatic hyperprolactinaemia can be associated with long-term physical morbidities such as osteoporosis and possibly breast cancer. Hence, it is imperative that hyperprolactinaemia is managed even if asymptomatic when initially detected. This article discusses the various management options, such as reducing the dose of antipsychotic medication, switching to a prolactin-sparing antipsychotic and adding aripiprazole to the treatment regimen.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the physiology of the prolactin hormone

• Be able to judge when to intervene if a patient on an antipsychotic medication presents with hyperprolactinaemia

• Learn about the different treatment options
HIV infection and its psychiatric manifestations: A clinical overview
Authors: Knights Mark Jonathan , Chatziagorakis Alexandros , Kumar Buggineni Surendra
Published: January 2018

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has led to a reduction in HIV-related morbidity and mortality, and the life expectancy of HIV-positive individuals has improved significantly. It is therefore becoming more likely that clinicians will encounter patients with psychiatric manifestations of the disease. This review summarises the evidence on prevalence, manifestations and treatment of psychiatric conditions in HIV-positive adults. The most prevalent psychiatric illness in this population is depression (35.6%), followed by substance misuse, anxiety, psychosis, adjustment disorder and bipolar affective disorder. Neurocognitive impairment is also common, ranging in severity from asymptomatic (the most frequent) to dementia (the least frequent). Effective treatment of both HIV and psychiatric manifestations is essential to maximising life expectancy and quality of life.

Learning Objectives

• Comprehend the prevalence, manifestations and treatment of psychiatric conditions in HIV-positive individuals

• Learn about the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders

• Develop an understanding of the relationship between HIV infection and psychiatric symptoms
The Fish Can Sing by Halldór Laxness: Holding fast against vanity and illusion
Authors: Baldwin David S.
Published: January 2018

In his early novels, the Icelandic Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness portrayed troubled individuals beset by familial, societal and economic challenges within an unpredictable and often unforgiving landscape; his later work addressed humanistic concerns regarding a well-lived life and the harmony of individual and environment. His 1957 novel The Fish Can Sing lies at the cusp of these preoccupations. Laxness contrasts the economic privations experienced by hard-pressed Icelanders with the ostentatious displays of their Danish colonial overloads; he also portrays individuals afflicted by psychosis, alcohol use disorders and medically unexplained physical symptoms, and delineates the path towards a ‘celebrity’ suicide. The novel warns against self-deceptive vanity and community-endorsed illusions, and celebrates the persistent benefits of nurturing relationships, all within a lyric contemplation of individual adaptive resilience and quotidian domestic pleasures.
After Pool : Good practice guidelines for expert psychiatric witnesses
Authors: Rix Keith , Eastman Nigel , Haycroft Anthony
Published: January 2018

Acting as an expert psychiatric witness can be rewarding, but there are potential costs and pitfalls, such that the role should be undertaken only in an informed manner. With reference to the recent disciplinary cases of Dr Richard Pool and Dr Waney Squier, and a judgment of the Supreme Court, advice is offered to potential expert psychiatric witnesses. Suggestions are made as to training, the negotiation of instructions, the citation of published literature, the construction of expert opinion and how to ensure compliance with the ethical duties of the expert witness.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

•

Understand how psychiatric trainees can be prepared for assisting the courts and tribunals in the administration of justice

•

Appreciate the importance of engaging in a frank discussion with potential instructing solicitors, prior to instruction, regarding areas of expertise and working knowledge, providing a balanced interpretation of the psychiatric literature and giving reasoned opinions that withstand logical analysis

•

Know what processes can be used to enhance compliance with the ethical responsibilities of the expert psychiatric witness
Niemann-Pick type C disease – the tip of the iceberg? A review of neuropsychiatric presentation, diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Evans William R. H. , Hendriksz Chris J.
Published: January 2018

Niemann–Pick type C (NP-C) disease is a rare neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder. It is highly heterogeneous, and there is limited awareness of a substantial subgroup that has an attenuated adolescent/adult-onset disease. In these patients psychiatric features, often a psychosis, may dominate the initial impression, although often there is an associated ataxia and cognitive impairment. Typically, patients experience a substantial diagnostic delay. In this review we highlight the importance of early recognition and discuss the pathophysiology, neuropsychiatric presentation and recent changes in the investigation and work-up of these patients, and treatment options.
The gas bubble sign—a reliable indicator of laryngeal fractures in hanging on post-mortem CT
Authors: Schulze Katja , Ebert Lars Christian , Ruder Thomas Daniel , Fliss Barbara , Poschmann Sebastian Alexander , Gascho Dominic , Thali Michael Josef , Flach Patricia Mildred
Published: January 2018

Objective:

The purpose was to evaluate the presence of gas in the tissue adjacent to the laryngeal structures, “the gas bubble sign”, in cases of hanging as a diagnostic indicator of neck trauma.

Methods:

In this study, post-mortem CT (PMCT) scans and autopsies of 35 victims of hanging were examined to reveal age-dependent changes, laryngeal fracture, fracture location and the presence of gas. A matched group with cardiac arrest or intoxication was used as controls (n = 35). An autopsy was performed in each case.

Results:

Incomplete suspension was the most common method in hanging. The thyroid horns (90.5%) were identified as the most vulnerable location for fractures. Laryngeal deformity and dislocation, which was only detected on PMCT, was observed in 57.1% and was concomitant with fractures in 83.3%. Laryngeal fractures are more common with advanced age (>40 years, 88.9%) and less common in younger subjects (<40 years, 29.4%). The gas bubble sign with regard to laryngeal fractures yielded a sensitivity of 79.2%, a positive predictive value of 95%, a specificity of 90.9%, a negative predictive value of 34.5% and an accuracy of 83%.

Conclusion:

The complex evaluation of the larynx is profoundly supported by PMCT and the detection of the gas bubble sign as a diagnostic indicator of neck trauma. This relevant diagnostic finding might aid in not only post-mortem cases but also clinical cases, for patients who survive an assault to the neck.

Advances in knowledge:

(1) The gas bubble sign is a diagnostic indicator of neck trauma in not putrefied bodies. (2) PMCT supports evaluation of trauma to the neck in hanging tremendously. (3) The diagnostic finding of gas located at the laryngeal structures may not only aid in post-mortem cases but also clinical cases of people who survive an assault to the neck.
Η μεταγνωστική δεξιότητα «Σχεδιασμός» των μαθητών με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες μέσω των τεχνολογιών της πληροφορικής και της επικοινωνίας
Authors: Πολύδωρος Γεώργιος
Published: January 2018

Η εργασία διερευνά νέες μεθόδους διδασκαλίας των μαθηματικών και ιδιαίτερα των κλασμάτων σε μαθητές με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες (ΜΔ), ενσωματώνοντας τις τεχνολογίες της πληροφορικής και της επικοινωνίας (ΤΠΕ). Στην εργασία αυτή ως κριτήριο του δείγματος για τις ΜΔ θεωρήθηκε η χαμηλή επίδοση στα Μαθηματικά. Επιλέχτηκαν 120 μαθητές της ΣΤ Δημοτικού με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες, οι οποίοι χωρίστηκαν τυχαία σε τέσσερις πειραματικές ομάδες. Στις ομάδες αυτές εφαρμόστηκαν διδασκαλίες με χρήση α) ηλεκτρονικού υπολογιστή (η/υ) β) video γ) η/υ και video και δ) διάλεξης. Για την διδασκαλία χρησιμοποιήθηκαν εκπαιδευτικά σενάρια προσαρμοσμένα στα λογισμικά Μπάρες, Πίτσα/Τούρτα και Γεωπίνακας του προγράμματος του ΠΙ, Τα παιδιά κάνουν Μαθηματικά.  Διενεργήθηκαν τεστ με ασκήσεις κλασμάτων και πλήρως δομημένες συνεντεύξεις για να αξιολογηθεί η επίδοση της μεταγνωστικής δεξιότητας του «Σχεδιασμού». Τα αποτελέσματα της στατιστικής ανάλυσης έδειξαν ότι η μεταγνωστική δεξιότητα «Σχεδιασμός» βελτιώθηκε στις ομάδες «η/υ & video» και «η/υ», ενώ δεν υπήρξε καμία μεταβολή στις άλλες δύο. Επομένως, είναι αναγκαία η ενσωμάτωση των ΤΠΕ στην διδασκαλία των Μαθηματικών και ιδιαίτερα των κλασμάτων.
Ελληνικές Επιστημονικές Ενώσεις/ Εταιρίες: προς την κατεύθυνση της ενίσχυσης της ανοικτής μάθησης
Authors: Niari Maria , Kalogiannakis Michail , Lionarakis Antonis
Published: January 2018

Στο παρόν άρθρο καταγράφεται η διαδικασία και τα κύρια συμπεράσματα από τη συζήτηση που διοργανώθηκε και φιλοξενήθηκε στο πλαίσιο του 9ου Διεθνούς Συνεδρίου για την Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση, ICODL 2017, στην Αθήνα το Σάββατο 25 Νοεμβρίου 2017. Η συζήτηση-πάνελ είχε τίτλο «Ελληνικές Επιστημονικές Ενώσεις / Εταιρίες. Παρελθόν, παρόν και μέλλον». Όπως προκύπτει από τη συνοπτική παρουσίαση του προφίλ των επιστημονικών εταιρειών/ενώσεων που συμμετείχαν και των δραστηριοτήτων τους, είμαστε μπροστά σε ένα πλήθος δράσεων και δραστηριοτήτων, από τις οποίες μπορεί να ωφεληθεί πολλαπλά ο σύγχρονος Έλληνας επιστήμονας και η εκπαιδευτική κοινότητα εν γένει. Μπορεί το κοινό στο οποίο απευθύνονται να διαφέρει, ωστόσο οι βασικές αρχές και η φιλοσοφία της ανοικτότητας, η δέσμευση στην επιστημονικότητα και η προαγωγή της έρευνας και της ποιότητας στην εκπαίδευση και την επιστήμη είναι κοινός τόπος. Παράλληλα, η διαφαινόμενη δυναμική και η συνεχώς αυξανόμενη παρουσία των επιστημονικών ενώσεων/εταιρειών στα εγχώρια και διεθνή δρώμενα ενισχύει την άποψη του σημαντικού ρόλου που καλούνται να διαδραματίσουν στο χώρο της Κοινωνίας των πολιτών και της άτυπης μάθησης.
Glioma Stem Cell Niches in Human Glioblastoma Are Periarteriolar
Authors: Hira Vashendriya V.V. , Aderetti Diana A. , van Noorden Cornelis J.F.
Published: January 2018

Survival of primary brain tumor (glioblastoma) patients is seriously hampered by glioma stem cells (GSCs) that are distinct therapy-resistant self-replicating pluripotent cancer cells. GSCs reside in GSC niches, which are specific protective microenvironments in glioblastoma tumors. We have recently found that GSC niches are hypoxic periarteriolar, whereas in most studies, GSC niches are identified as hypoxic perivascular. The aim of this review is to critically evaluate the literature on perivascular GSC niches to establish whether these are periarteriolar, pericapillary, perivenular, and/or perilymphatic. We found six publications showing images of human glioblastoma tissue containing perivascular GSC niches without any specification of the vessel type. However, it is frequently assumed that these vessels are capillaries which are exchange vessels, whereas arterioles and venules are transport vessels. Closer inspection of the figures of these publications showed vessels that were not capillaries. Whether these vessels were arterioles or venules was difficult to determine in one case, but in the other cases, these were clearly arterioles and their perivascular niches were similar to the periarteriolar niches we have found. Therefore, we conclude that in human glioblastoma tumors, GSC niches are hypoxic periarteriolar and are structurally and functionally look-alikes of hematopoietic stem cell niches in the bone marrow.
Mantoux tests of children in household contact with adult acid fast bacilli-positive or -negative pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Wardah Wardah , Daulay Ridwan Muktar , Azlin Emil , Dalimunthe Wisman , Daulay Rini Savitri
Published: January 2018

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. In children, the major source of TB transmission is adults with pulmonary TB who have acid fast bacilli (AFB)-positive sputum. However, tuberculosis infection can also occur in children in household contact with adults who have AFB-negative pulmonary TB.Objective To compare Mantoux test results and induration diameters in children with adult pulmonary TB household contact who were either positive or negative for AFB, and to assess for possible associations between Mantoux test results with age, family income, and house ventilation in both groups.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2014. Mantoux test was performed in children aged 3 months to 18 years who had household contact with either AFB-positive or -negative adult pulmonary TB patients.Results A total of 106 children were enrolled in the study. All subjects had household contact with adult pulmonary TB patients who were either AFB-positive (54 children) or AFB-negative (52 children). Mean Mantoux test induration diameters were significantly different between groups (10.9 (SD 6.55) mm vs. 6.2 (SD 5.91) mm, respectively; P=0.001). In addition, there was significantly higher risk of positive Mantoux test in children in contact with adult AFB-positive TB patients than in the AFB-negative group (OR 5.66; 95%CI 2.36-13.59; P=0.0001). However, there were no significant differences in positive Mantoux test results in each of the AFB-positive and -negative groups, with regards to age, family income, or house ventilation.Conclusion Mean Mantoux test induration diameter in children who had household contact with AFB-positive adults is significantly larger than that of the AFB-negative group. Positive Mantoux test results in children are associated with AFB-positive adult TB in the household. There is no association between positive Mantoux test results and age, family income, or house ventilation in both groups.
K2CO3: A Mild and Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of Pyran Annulated Heterocyclic Systems by Grinding Method Under Solvent-Free Conditions
Authors: Heydari Reza , Rahimi Rohollah , Kangani Mehrnoosh , Yazdani-Elah-Abadi Afshin , Lashkari Mojtaba
Published: January 2018

The potassium carbonate was applied as a green and efficient catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of pyran annulated heterocyclic systems, via the condensation between aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile and dimedone/1-naphtole by a grinding method at room temperature and solvent-free conditions. Short reaction times, environmentally friendly procedure and excellent yields are the main advantages of this procedure which makes it more economic than other environmentally synthetic methods.
Ultrasonic diagnostics of main pipelines
Authors: Raczyński P. , Warnke K.
Published: January 2018

The main pipelines, like many engineering structures, are subject to high operational safety standards. The safety of their operation is supervised by various institutions from the operator, including supervisors such as the Office of Technical Inspection. Safe operation requires knowledge of their technical condition and trends. One of the important sources of information on the condition of pipelines is their periodic inspection carried out with so-called smart pigs. As a result of the inspection, the operator expects the following questions to be answered: what is the condition of the pipeline examined; where and what metal losses are occurring in its construction; what are the hazards causing these damages for the safety of the pipeline operation; what is the rate of increase in the size of metal losses in the pipeline wall. This article presents technical solutions and methodology to answer the above questions.
The Stress Field at an Axial Eccentrical Fatigue Loading – Influenced by the Test Temperature
Authors: Roşca Vâlcu , Miriţoiu Cosmin Mihai
Published: January 2018

By applying a cyclic eccentrically tensile loading, oscillatory positive, determines at the crack peak that exist in a plate specimen CT type a compound loading of bending with tensile. The aim of the study is to analyze the equivalent stress variation σ, when the working temperature varies, namely: T= 293K (+20°C), T= 253K (-20C) and T= 213K (-60°C). The specimens are made from a stainless steel 10TiNiCr175 type, and were loaded with the asymmetry coefficient R= 0.1. There are drawn the variation curves of stress versus the crack length variation, σ(a), versus the material durability, σ(N), and respectively versus the stress intensity factor, σ(ΔK), for the three loading temperatures.
Fatigue Analysis of Magnesium Alloys Components for Car Industry
Authors: Marsavina Liviu , Rusu Lucian , Șerban Dan Andrei , Negru Radu Marcel , Cernescu Anghel
Published: January 2018

The use of magnesium alloys in the automotive industry increased in the last decade because of their low weight and relative good mechanical properties. However, the variable loading conditions require a good fatigue behavior. This paper summaries the fatigue properties of magnesium alloys and presents new fatigue curve results for die cast AM50 magnesium alloy.
Rights-based Approach: The Hub of Sustainable Development
Authors: Choondassery Yesudas
Published: January 2018

A rights-based approach to the environmental issues has been gaining momentum since the United Nations’ Environmental Agency proposed a new rights-based agenda for sustainable development in the document, Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015). Our moral responsibility toward the environment is essential to the project of sustainable development. The Kantian ethical tradition lays the foundations of a rights-based approach to human rights and sustainable development. Human rights are essential to the flourishing of all human beings regardless of their nationality or another status. Linking human rights to environmental justice has been an arduous task, but contemporary environmental ethicists argue that giving a human face to the environment that nurtures and sustains us is a precondition for sustainable development. The concept of sustainability addresses the issue of economic growth at present and how this impacts the future generations. This paper examines the rights-based environmental ethics, which has emerged in the context of a human rights-based approach to human development and forges a link between rights-based ethics and sustainable development that could establish a solid foundation for environmental justice.
TiO2-nanowire/MWCNT composite with enhanced performance and durability for polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Authors: Selvaganesh S. Vinod , Dhanasekaran P. , Bhat Santoshkumar D.
Published: January 2018

Durability is a major issue and has been the growing focus of research for the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Corrosion of carbon support is a key parameter as it triggers the Pt catalyst degradation and affects cell performance, which in turn affects the longevity of the cells. Herein, we describe a hybrid composite support of TiO
Geochemical modeling of the Cu-Ag deposits from the Lubin-Głogów Copper District (Poland) supported by lithological modeling
Authors: Wasilewska-Błaszczyk Monika , Mucha Jacek
Published: January 2018

The most important reasons for the limited credibility of 3D geochemical models of the Cu-Ag deposits (The Lubin-Głogów Copper District) are unfavorable statistical characteristics of the main metals (Cu, Ag), and the unfavorable structure of their variability with a relatively poorly marked non-random component of variability. It is hoped that the accuracy of geochemical models can be increased by previous lithological modeling of a given deposit. This is due to significant differences in mean Cu content in both the main lithological series (carbonates, shales and sandstones) and individual lithological units within them, which justifies separate geochemical modeling of each. The paper presents the results of the comparison of the reliability of 3D modeling of Cu content carried out in both individual and main lithological units of the Cu-Ag Rudna deposit (The Lubin- Głogów Copper District). The 3D lithological models were made using ordinary kriging (main lithological units) and Plurigaussian simulation (individual lithological units). The 3D estimation of Cu content within lithological models was carried out using the ordinary kriging (OK ) and squared inverse distance (ID2) methods. The verification of the accuracy of Cu estimates in the 3D model using spot samples of the test data set has shown only a slight increase in the accuracy of the estimates of Cu content within the individual lithological units of the shale series compared to the estimates of Cu content in the whole main lithology. In most cases, 3D models of Cu content carried out using the ordinary kriging method are slightly more accurate than the analogous squared inverse distance weighting method.
Brain activity: beta wave analysis of 2D and 3D serious games using EEG
Authors: Hosťovecký M. , Babušiak B.
Published: January 2018

Neuroscience and gaming are among the most rapidly increasing research areas. Today, researchers look for a way to develop a serious game, which would improve some chosen knowledge of participants at schools or work. Therefore, it is very necessary to have some feedback whether a serious game is going to improve chosen knowledge. One of the possibilities is to use a neurofeedback using electroencephalography (EEG). Brainwaves, especially beta waves (12Hz - 30Hz), are very important if we want to evaluate the effectiveness of game methodology. Beta waves are activated just when the participant is concentrated. The main goal of our research was to measure and confirm brain activity of beta waves when playing 3D and 2D serious games and compare them. In the last part of paper, we introduce some benefits and profits of using serious games and neurofeedback.
Evaluation of Continuous Sampling Plan (CSP-5) Parameters Using GERT Technique and MATLAB
Authors: Veerakumari K. Pradeepa , Resmi R.
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we have designed the Continuous sampling plan (CSP-5) plan using GERT analysis and the software package MATLAB 2007b. The formula for finding the performance parameters such as AOQ, E(I) and the parameters i and f are found out by GERT technique and developing program for the construction of table values and plotting graph using MATLAB.
A Rare Cause of Ventricular Fibrillation Confirmed by Speckle-Tracking Imaging
Authors: Anghel Larisa , Dabija Eduard , Macovei Liviu , Prisacariu Cristina , Ivan Mihaela Viviana , Georgescu Cătălina Arsenescu
Published: January 2018

Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias caused by electrical injuries are rare among emergency service admittances. We present a case of ventricular fibrillation (VF) with a rare etiology, confirmed by speckle-tracking imaging.

Case presentation: A 38-year-old man was addressed to our hospital to evaluate the etiology of an episode of VF, promptly resuscitated in a territorial hospital. On admission, his 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed a sinus rhythm, without any ST-T changes or atrioventricular conduction disorders. Transthoracic echocardiography and coronary angiography were normal, and the electrophysiological study did not induce VF. Anamnesis showed that the arrhythmia occurred after an electrical injury, resulting from the contact with a domestic low-voltage source. Speckle-tracking imaging revealed closure of the electric arc within the heart, which could explain the absence of skin-burn injuries in this case. The patient was discharged after seven days of hospitalization, without any complication.

Conclusions: VF can occur after an unexpected electrical shock during a household accident. This case report underlines the need for a complex interdisciplinary approach in such difficult cases, when the absence of any electrical injuries on the skin makes it difficult to recognize the electrical shock that triggered the ventricular fibrillation.
SafePub: A Truthful Data Anonymization Algorithm With Strong Privacy Guarantees
Authors: Bild Raffael , Kuhn Klaus A. , Prasser Fabian
Published: January 2018

Methods for privacy-preserving data publishing and analysis trade off privacy risks for individuals against the quality of output data. In this article, we present a data publishing algorithm that satisfies the differential privacy model. The transformations performed are truthful, which means that the algorithm does not perturb input data or generate synthetic output data. Instead, records are randomly drawn from the input dataset and the uniqueness of their features is reduced. This also offers an intuitive notion of privacy protection. Moreover, the approach is generic, as it can be parameterized with different objective functions to optimize its output towards different applications. We show this by integrating six well-known data quality models. We present an extensive analytical and experimental evaluation and a comparison with prior work. The results show that our algorithm is the first practical implementation of the described approach and that it can be used with reasonable privacy parameters resulting in high degrees of protection. Moreover, when parameterizing the generic method with an objective function quantifying the suitability of data for building statistical classifiers, we measured prediction accuracies that compare very well with results obtained using state-of-the-art differentially private classification algorithms.
Coping and Sport-motivation of Adolescent Handballers in Debrecen
Authors: Kovács Karolina-Eszter , Nagy Beáta-Erika
Published: January 2018

The aim of study was to examine coping and motivation of adolescent handball players in Debrecen. Forty-six male and thirty-one female handball players completed the questionnaires, furthermore eighteen male and eighteen females were participated in focus groups. The purpose of this study was to measure gender differences in sport motivation, psychological immune system and athletic coping skills in a population of adolescent handball players. The applied psychological measure method was the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-28), four subscales of Psychological Immune System Inventory, and the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI-28). Results revealed that males have a better self-efficacy and athletic coping skills and have a higher level of intrinsic motivation too. The outcome of the survey confirm that adolescence boys have a better self-efficacy and coping which can be seen on the sport ground as well. Other way focus groups were indicated the measure anxiety on sport ground, the applied coping strategies, and the motivation viewpoints of playing handball at the beginning of the activity and currently. at the Results has showed that at the beginning of playing handball participant have extrinsic motivation (e. g. the stimulation of their parents) but currently the reason of the activity is intrinsic motivation (e. g. health, future). Additionally, during the match there is a significant difference between the perceived anxiety against hard and weak teams at the beginning, in the middle and in the end of the match; furthermore, females have a higher level of anxiety during the match, against hard and weak teams too, but the difference is not significant. Finally, there is no significant difference between males and females in the applied coping strategies and it doesn’t have any effects on anxiety.
Some aspects of school seen as a Professional Learning Community
Authors: Bradea Adela
Published: January 2018

Each school is part of the community and at the same time, a provider of education services. This makes school a Learning Community for both teachers and students. While in the case of students this is a mission accomplished, in that of teachers’ things seem to be a bit more difficult. The latter ones should see themselves as members of a Professional Learning Community (PLC), where each teacher should cooperate with the other to achieve common goals, engage in common research activities for the progress of their school, take part in evaluating school results and propose plans to improve them etc. This research aimed to identify teachers’ perception of the role of school as a Professional Learning Community, to identify how school boards support and encourage this idea through participative management and to identify lines of joint research in which teachers are involved. The instrument used was a questionnaire having 30 close-ended items, administered to pre-university teachers from Bihor county, Romania. The implementation period was January to June 2016. The results show that there is collaboration between the same subject area teachers, who form committees to discuss, analyse and propose solutions. The research has also showed that more effort is required to improve collaboration between more experienced teachers and those who are at the beginning of their career, to improve collaboration between different subject area teachers by getting them to engage in joint projects, but above all, there is a need for a greater involvement of teachers, of school boards in managing schools so that participative management is achieved.
Comparative Analysis of Newly-Built Housing Quality in Poland and Lithuania
Authors: Lepkova Natalija , Vilutienė Tatjana , Bełej Miroslaw , Putek-Szeląg Ewa , Źróbek Sabina
Published: January 2018

The Presented research aims to analyze the Lithuanian and Polish housing markets in terms of the quality of life in new residential buildings. The article presents the concept of customer satisfaction in construction and criteria that define the quality of dwellings; the benefits, consequences, merits and demerits of the assessment of customer satisfaction are also named. A survey of customer satisfaction helps to evaluate the quality of dwellings according to their technical and functional parameters, as well as the degree of cooperation between customers and developers/contractors. The customer satisfaction index (CSI) was calculated for both countries. The results are useful for developers, contractors, facility management companies and building users.
Synthesis and crystal structures of the new ternary borides Fe3Al2B2and Ru9Al3B8and the confirmation of Ru4Al3B2and Ru9Al5B8−x(x≈2)
Authors: Hirt Sarah , Hilfinger Felix , Hillebrecht Harald
Published: January 2018

Single crystals of the new ternary borides Fe3Al2B2and Ru9Al3B8were obtained from the elements at 1900°C. Both compounds represent new structure types which combine well-known features of binary and ternary borides of transition metals in combination with aluminum. The crystal structure of Fe3Al2B2(P2/m,Z=2,a=5.724,b=2.857,c=8.723 Å, β=98.57°) contains tetramers of face-sharing trigonal prisms BFe6with a B4unit in trans-configuration. The tetrameric units are separated by Al-atoms which occupy all remaining rectangular sites of the trigonal prisms. The structure can be derived from Fe2AlB2by insertion of additional FeAl fragments in abccarrangement. The crystal structure of Ru9Al3B8(P6̅2m,Z=1,a=9.078,c=2.913 Å) combines zig-zag chains of boron atoms made of face-sharing trigonal prisms BFe6and isolated BFe6units. Three of these chains are connected by common corners to rods running in direction [001]. The rods are linked to a three-dimensional framework by isolated prisms via common edges. Again, Al occupies the capping positions of the trigonal prisms. Ru9Al3B8is the second representative for the combination of boron zig-zag chains and isolated B atoms. The existence of Ru4Al3B2(P4/mmm,Z=2,a=8.515,c=2.924 Å) and Ru9Al5B8−x(P4/m,Z=1,a=8.741,c=2.923 Å) were confirmed and the crystal structures refined. High quality data reveal a stoichiometric composition for Ru4Al3B2, while in Ru9Al5B8−xthere is a significant underoccupation (i.e. x≈2) of the central boron site within the B4units. The crystal structures of all four compounds represent examples for the combination of CsCl and AlB2fragments as they were frequently found for ternary borides of transition metals.
Ecological Validity and Reliability of an Age-Adapted Endurance Field Test in Young Male Soccer Players
Authors: Castagna Carlo , Krustrup Peter , D'Ottavio Stefano , Pollastro Carlo , Bernardini Andrea , Araújo Póvoas Susana C.
Published: January 2018

Castagna, C, Krustrup, P, D'Ottavio, S, Pollastro, C, Bernardini, A, and Araújo Póvoas, SC. Ecological validity and reliability of an age-adapted endurance field test in young male soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 33(12): 3400–3405, 2019—The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and the association with relevant match activities (ecological validity) of an age-adapted field test for intermittent high-intensity endurance known as Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C) in young male soccer players. Twenty-eight young male outfield soccer players (age 11.1 ± 0.9 years, height 142 ± 4.4 cm, body mass 37.0 ± 5.9 kg) with at least 2 years of experience in soccer competitions were tested twice using YYIR1C and an age-adapted competitive small-sided game (i.e., 9v9), 7 days apart in a random order. The YYIR1C performance showed an excellent relative (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.94) and a good absolute reliability (typical error of measurement as percentage of the coefficient of variation = 5.1%). Very large and significant associations were found between YYIR1C performance and match high-intensity activity (r
2 = 0.53). Large correlations were found between YYIR1C and match sprinting (r
2 = 0.42) and high-intensity metabolic power (r
2 = 0.46) distances. Match total distance was largely associated with YYIR1C (r
2 = 0.30). The results of this study showed that YYIR1C may be considered a valid and reliable field test for assessing intermittent high-intensity endurance in young male soccer players. Because of the relevance of aerobic fitness in youth soccer, future studies testing the sensitiveness of YYIR1C are necessary.
Activity-Dependent Inhibitory Synapse Scaling Is Determined by Gephyrin Phosphorylation and Subsequent Regulation of GABAAReceptor Diffusion
Authors: Battaglia Sereina , Renner Marianne , Russeau Marion , Côme Etienne , Tyagarajan Shiva K. , Lévi Sabine
Published: January 2018

Synaptic plasticity relies on the rapid changes in neurotransmitter receptor number at postsynaptic sites. Using superresolution photoactivatable localization microscopy imaging and quantum dot–based single-particle tracking in rat hippocampal cultured neurons, we investigated whether the phosphorylation status of the main scaffolding protein gephyrin influenced the organization of the gephyrin scaffold and GABAAreceptor (GABAAR) membrane dynamics. We found that gephyrin phosphorylation regulates gephyrin microdomain compaction. Extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) signaling alter the gephyrin scaffold mesh differentially. Differences in scaffold organization similarly affected the diffusion of synaptic GABAARs, suggesting reduced gephyrin receptor–binding properties. In the context of synaptic scaling, our results identify a novel role of the GSK3β signaling pathway in the activity-dependent regulation of extrasynaptic receptor surface trafficking and GSK3β, protein kinase A, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα pathways in facilitating adaptations of synaptic receptors.
Neural Correlates of Temporal Complexity and Synchrony during Audiovisual Correspondence Detection
Authors: Baumann Oliver , Vromen Joyce M. G. , Cheung Allen , McFadyen Jessica , Ren Yudan , Guo Christine C.
Published: January 2018

We often perceive real-life objects as multisensory cues through space and time. A key challenge for audiovisual integration is to match neural signals that not only originate from different sensory modalities but also that typically reach the observer at slightly different times. In humans, complex, unpredictable audiovisual streams lead to higher levels of perceptual coherence than predictable, rhythmic streams. In addition, perceptual coherence for complex signals seems less affected by increased asynchrony between visual and auditory modalities than for simple signals. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine the human neural correlates of audiovisual signals with different levels of temporal complexity and synchrony. Our study demonstrated that greater perceptual asynchrony and lower signal complexity impaired performance in an audiovisual coherence-matching task. Differences in asynchrony and complexity were also underpinned by a partially different set of brain regions. In particular, our results suggest that, while regions in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were modulated by differences in memory load due to stimulus asynchrony, areas traditionally thought to be involved in speech production and recognition, such as the inferior frontal and superior temporal cortex, were modulated by the temporal complexity of the audiovisual signals. Our results, therefore, indicate specific processing roles for different subregions of the fronto-temporal cortex during audiovisual coherence detection.
In the Name of the Emperor
Authors: Glatthorn Austin
Published: January 2018

In July 1786 Prince Carl Anselm of Thurn und Taxis concluded that he had no choice but to dissolve his Italian court opera. This owed in part to the success of the German theater, which had been established in 1784 to rival the Prince’s Hoftheater and contest his position as the Holy Roman Emperor’s representative to the Reichstag in Regensburg. New evidence challenges the prevailing view that the dissolution of the Taxis’s court opera marked the end of the family’s musical patronage and involvement in Regensburg’s cultural life. In the face of opposition from other Reichstag officials, the Thurn und Taxis continued their investment in music and theatrics, appropriating outdoor spectacles of a kind popular earlier in the century to project imperial power. The prince affirmed his position as the emperor’s representative in such older displays of affluence and standing but updated them to suit contemporary tastes. Carl Anselm’s musico-political theatrics around 1789 demonstrate that although Italian opera failed to articulate the legitimacy he intended to project, his culture of political representation conducted in the name of the emperor endured well into the twilight years of the eighteenth century. To understand the continued musical patronage of this contested and middling prince is to appreciate more fully the methods by which music, spectacle, and politics were negotiated during a transformative period in European history.
Hans von Bülow and the Confessionalization of Kunstreligion
Authors: Leistra-Jones Karen
Published: January 2018

Hans von Bülow often used pointedly religious rhetoric in his statements about music: “I believe in Bach the Father, Beethoven the Son, and in Brahms the Holy Ghost of music,” he famously proclaimed. Elsewhere, he called Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier the “Old Testament” and Beethoven’s sonatas the “New Testament” of piano music. Beginning in the 1870s, these types of pronouncements became a central aspect of Bülow’s public image. This occurred as he began to position himself as a Beethoven specialist, with his celebrated edition of Beethoven’s piano sonatas (1871) and his new practice of performing “cycles” of Beethoven’s sonatas and (beginning in the 1880s) symphonies. Critical responses to Bülow as both pianist and conductor began to mirror his religious rhetoric: critics described his concerts as a kind of preaching, a proclaiming of the musical “gospel,” or a scriptural exegesis, and his audiences as a devout congregation.

Such accounts participated in the well-documented elevation of instrumental music as a Kunstreligion in the nineteenth century. Yet they moved beyond the mysticism and religious pluralism characteristic of early-Romantic Kunstreligion, and avoided calling the performer a “priest,” an epithet common in mid-century music criticism. Instead, Bülow and his critics positioned his activities within a more traditional German Protestantism by emphasizing the didactic nature of his performances, their focus on a strict “gospel” of canonic works, and their affinity with preaching and biblical interpretation. This article situates these developments within attempts to create a national culture in the new Kaiserreich of the 1870s and 1880s. This period saw numerous calls for new forms of religious experience free from the dogmas of organized religion, yet consistent with the Protestantism that was increasingly touted as a unifying force. In this context, Bülow was able to invest his role as performer with a prestige that drew on the interpretive practices and modes of authority associated with the Protestant church.