bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Components of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Anda-Mihaela Cerghizan , Simona Băţagă , Cozlea L , Tarţa ID , Chibelean B , Carmen Căldăraru , G Dogaru
Published: January 2016

The aim of the current study was to find any possible associations between elements of metabolic syndrome and echocardiographic characteristics (grade of diastolic dysfunction) in normoponderal and overweight patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

A retrospective observational analytical study was performed on 130 patients presenting heart failure with documented ejection fraction over 50%. They were divided into two groups based on their body mass index. The first group included 56 normal weight patients and the second group included 74 overweight patients. Elements of the metabolic syndrome analysed in the current study were arterial hypertension, high triglyceride levels, low HDL-cholesterol and diabetes.

None of the components of metabolic syndrome alone had a role in the evolution of diastolic dysfunction in either group. Three or four elements present in obese patients were negatively associated with grade 2 diastolic dysfunction, high values of blood pressure (over 180/110 mmHg) were more often encountered in obese patients with first and second grade of diastolic dysfunction.
Capillary Electrophoresis in the Analysis of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Authors: Gabriel Hancu , Amelia Tero-Vescan , Cristina Filip , Aura Rusu
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study to inventory the main electrophoretic methods for identification and quantitative determination of fatty acids from different biological matrices. Critical analysis of electrophoretic methods reported in the literature show that the determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids can be made by: capillary zone electrophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography and microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography using different detection systems such as ultraviolet diode array detection, laser induced fluorescence or mass – spectrometry. Capillary electrophoresis is a fast, low-cost technique used for polyunsaturated fatty acids analysis although their determination is mostly based on gas chromatography.
Percutaneous Revascularization in a Case of Vasospastic Angina Associated with Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: Roxana Rudzik , Ioana Şuş , László Hadadi , Constantin Şerban Răzvan , Dan Dobreanu
Published: January 2016

Introduction: Coronary vasospasm is a possible cause of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and is frequently associated with atherosclerotic lesions. The revascularization of mild to moderate coronary artery stenosis which causes symptoms only due to associated vasospasm is still a matter of debate, as the standard treatment of Prinzmetal angina is represented by the long term administration of calcium-channel blockers.

Case presentation: We present the case of a 46 year old woman with an intermediate severity coronary artery stenosis complicated by vasospastic angina and subsequent polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Although the functional significance of the fixed coronary artery lesion was equivocal at invasive fractional flow reserve measurement, a combined pharmacologic and interventional treatment strategy was chosen with stent implantation and long acting calcium channel blocker administration with a symptom-free, good clinical outcome.

Conclusion: Patients with vasospastic angina and intermediate severity atherosclerotic coronary artery stenoses are at risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, therefore myocardial revascularization should be considered in addition to the standard medical treatment.
A Short Review of the Experience of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureş in Medical Simulation
Authors: Cosmin Moldovan , Janos Szederjesi , Leonard Azamfirei
Published: January 2016

Medical simulation is used in a growing number of medical education institutions all over the world. Since 2013, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureş has introduced a number of simulation methods into the curriculum of certain subjects, the number of which is expanding. This article sums up some of the knowledge available in the literature regarding medical simulation and presents the general framework under which it is used in medical learning in our University.
On the bifurcation of solutions of the Yamabe problem in product manifolds with minimal boundary
Authors: Cárdenas Diaz Elkin Dario , da Silva Moreira Ana Cláudia
Published: January 2016

In this paper, we study the multiplicity of solutions of the Yamabe problem on product manifolds with minimal boundary via bifurcation theory.
Older people’s beliefs on prevention and etiology of cancer in Poland. Implications for health promotion
Authors: Synowiec-Piłat Małgorzata
Published: January 2016

Introduction: Poland is among the countries with the highest mortality rates from cancer, and 75% of deaths from cancer occur after the age of 60. In the case of cancer, particular attention should be paid to beliefs people have in society. Aim of research: To learn about older people’s beliefs about the importance of preventive oncology care, individual’s responsibility for getting cancer, and the etiology of cancer. We analyzed the association between beliefs about cancer and the age of the respondents. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in 2012 with a sample of 910 adult residents of Wrocław. An interview questionnaire was used. The article presents data on older adults (aged older than 56 years) (N = 188). Results: The vast majority of respondents recognize the need to engage in preventive oncology care. Only 5% of respondents hold fatalistic beliefs, 50% of older adults believe that “if someone is sick with cancer, it does not depend on them”. An association was confirmed that the oldest adults (65 years and older) are more likely to agree with the above statement, 34% disagree with the belief that “if someone is sick with cancer it depends largely on the lifestyle and the environment”. Discussion: In developing strategies for cancer prevention aimed at older adults, special attention should be paid to raising awareness about the impact of lifestyle on cancer incidence, increasing the sense of responsibility for their health, and reducing older adult’s “external locus of control” beliefs.
On the macroeconomic effects of heterogeneous productivity shocks
Authors: Jensen Christian
Published: January 2016

The conventional wisdom that producer heterogeneity washes out, and is therefore irrelevant for the aggregate economy, does not apply when producers compete monopolistically. Despite this, the effects of such heterogeneity can be reproduced with an appropriately redefined representative-agent framework where the equilibrium values of aggregates are expressed in terms of the moment generating function of the distribution of heterogeneity, or its asymptotic distribution. Increased heterogeneity raises aggregate productivity and production, more so the fiercer competition is. We propose a framework where the entire distribution of heterogeneity matters, yet computationally requires no more than a representative-agent model.
The corruption-inflation nexus: evidence from developed and developing countries
Authors: Ben Ali Mohamed Sami , Sassi Seifallah
Published: January 2016

This paper analyzes the relationship between corruption and inflation for a sample of 100 developing and developed countries representing five regions (Americas, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia Pacific) over the period 2000–2012. Various model estimations are carried out using alternative techniques and two indicators of corruption. Our findings provide evidence of a significant and positive relationship between all country corruption measures and inflation. Countries with a corrupted environment and bad governance use seigniorage as a source of revenue which induces higher monetary expansion and therefore higher inflation rates. After controlling for money supply, our results suggest that corruption is affecting inflation via other channels. Our results show also that the negative effect of corruption on inflation is different across subsample countries. The lack of sound and committed institutions in developing and emerging is a key point in explaining these disparities.
Price and Inventory Dynamics in an Oligopoly Industry: A Framework for Commodity Markets
Authors: Steinmetz Alexander
Published: January 2016

This paper analyzes the interaction between price and inventory decisions in an oligopoly industry and its implications for the dynamics of prices. The work extends existing literature and especially the work of Hall and Rust (2007) to endogenous prices and strategic oligopoly competition. We show that the optimal decision rule is an$$(S, s)$$order policy and prices and inventory are strategic substitutes. Fixed ordering costs generate infrequent orders. Additionally, with strategic competition in prices,$$(S, s)$$inventory behavior together with demand uncertainty generates endogenous cyclical patterns in prices without any exogenous shocks. Hence, the developed model provides a promising framework for explaining dynamics of commodity markets and especially observed autocorrelation in price fluctuations.
Stability and existence of surfaces in symplectic 4-manifolds with b
+=1
Authors: Dorfmeister Josef G. , Li Tian-Jun , Wu Weiwei
Published: January 2016

We establish various stability results for symplectic surfaces in
symplectic 4-manifolds with

b
+

=
1

b^{+}=1

. These results are then
applied to prove the existence of representatives of Lagrangian
ADE-configurations as well as to classify negative symplectic
spheres in symplectic 4-manifolds with

κ
=

-
∞

\kappa=-\infty

. This
involves the explicit construction of spheres in rational manifolds
via a new construction technique called the tilted transport.
Impact of protective shelterbelt microclimate characteristics
Authors: Lampartová Ivana , Schneider Jiří , Vyskot Ilja , Rajnoch Milan , Litschmann Tomáš
Published: January 2016

Evaluation of microclimate characteristics of a protective shelterbelt in Obelisk enclosure in 2010. Vegetation performs indispensable functions in the landscape. Protective shelterbelts are important landscape elements. Individual interventions to these ecosystems should be made with the intention to increase the retention capacity of the landscape, the biodiversity, and the stability of individual landscape elements and the landscape as a whole. This article presents the results of the measuring of the effect of model forest vegetation in the proximity of Obelisk in the Lednice-Valtice area on the microclimate. The protective shelterbelt, declared as a forest stand, is located in the cadastral area of Lednice, Podivin and Rakvice. A set of weather stations, supplied by AMET- Litschmann and Suchy Velke Bilovice, was used for the measuring. The stations measured wind velocity (m/s), soil temperature in depths of 5 and 10 cm (°C), air temperature (°C), radiation (W.m-2) and precipitation (mm) from January 1 to December 31, 2010. The ImageTool application was used to establish optical porosity, based on photos taken in summer and winter. Optical porosity was established as a ratio of white spots to their total number in a specific section of a photograph. The optical porosity was 5% during the growing season and 23% outside the growing season. These values significantly differ from the optimum values for efficient semi-permeable PS, whose porosity is set to 40-50%.
Assessment of Representative Landscape Types of Skalica District
Authors: Šedivá Alica , Izakovičová Zita
Published: January 2016

Assessment of landscape quality is not possible without a good local landscape-ecological, social, economic and also political knowledge. When similar scientific researches and proposals for strategic development documents for municipalities and regions are needed, they have to come out mainly from scientific knowledge about unique and rare representative types of landscape. Implementation of a research module of the presented study entitled ‘Assessment of representative landscapes of Skalica district’ represents a complex example of a proposal on the methodical procedure of landscape-ecological analysis of Skalica district. Therefore, the core of this work lies in the detailed determination of the environmental quality of landscapes in Skalica district, which allowed us to evaluate the degree of environmental load and protection of each selected representative landscape type in the model area. This scientific knowledge is in continuation of the project complemented with opinions and attitudes of residents and key stakeholders about environmental, economic, cultural and social problems. The obtained knowledge can help towards optimal use of resources and potentials in the area and thus contribute to improving the overall quality of life in the monitored area.
Yields and Yield Components of Maize (Zea Mays L.) and Soybean (Glycine Max) as Affected by Different Tillage Methods
Authors: Kvaternjak Ivka , Kisić Ivica , Birkás Marta , Špoljar Andrija , Marenčić Dejan
Published: January 2016

At the experiment station of the Krizevci College of Agriculture, yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max) grown in rotation under five different methods of tillage were investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different tillage methods on yield and yield components of maize and soybean. The results and the determined number of plants per hectare of maize and soybean show that more favorable conditions for germination are in variants where ploughing performed in the autumn (variants C, D and E). During a four-year study, the minimum number of plants per hectare of maize and soybean was found in variant A. The dry season in panicle stage of maize in 2006 has lowered yields compared to 2008, and the drought in 2007 during the seed-filling period reduced the yield and the 1000 kernel weight of soybean compared with 2009 in all variants of tillage methods. The highest grain yield of maize was recorded in variant B. During 2006, with the unfavorable weather conditions, the lowest grain yield of maize was recorded in variant E with intensive tillage treatment. The highest yield of soybean was recorded in variant E, but there were no statistically significant differences compared to variants with the reduction of additional tillage interventions (variant B, C and D). With respect to maize grain and soybean seed yield, variant A was the lowest. Considering the achieved yields of maize grain, there is a possibility of reducing additional tillage interventions, whilst for achieving higher yield of soybean seed intensive tillage is recommended.
City and migration: a crossroads for non-institutionalized translation
Authors: Flynn Peter , van Doorslaer Luc
Published: January 2016

Research in Translation Studies has witnessed an increased interest in translation phenomena in cities as well as in links between translation and migration. Although non-institutionalized translation is not at all new, contemporary migration realities offer opportunities for innovative research in this area. Outside more immediate immigration flows, many European cities have both longer and more recent histories of translational interaction between local populations and immigrants. This paper deals with non-professional translation among such groups both within and outside the family. To do so it presents the results of a case study on forms of non-professional translation in a social housing project in Ghent (Flanders, Belgium).

The article focuses on such issues as the actors, circumstances, and the degrees of stereotyping and/or stigmatization involved in non-professional translation practices. The case study draws on qualitative and quantitative research that addresses the following questions:

– Who translates and who has translated what and under which circumstances?

– What is the exact position of translation, language and cultural transfer in the daily life of the residents of the block of flats in Ghent?

– To which extent are these translational exchanges illustrative of contemporary life in our cities?
The winner takes it all? Characteristics of adolescent at-risk/problem gamblers in Switzerland
Authors: Lehmann Susanne , Akré Christina , Berchtold André , Flatz Aline , Suris Joan-Carles
Published: January 2016

Background:

Gambling has and still entertains people in almost all societies throughout the world. Western societies have faced considerable changes in the amount and accessibility of gambling possibilities during the last decades, and the rates of both adolescent gamblers and problem gamblers have increased significantly.

Objective:

To determine the characteristics of at-risk and problem adolescent gamblers in Switzerland.

Subjects:

The study population consisted of 3134 students (1669 females) attending post-mandatory education in 15 randomly chosen centres. Participants were divided into non- (n=2207), non-problematic (n=754) and at-risk/ problematic gamblers (n=176).

Methods:

Both gambling groups were compared to non-gamblers on socio-demographic measures, substance use and Internet use. Overall, 29.6% had gambled during the past year and 5.6% had gambled in a risky or problematic way. Compared to non-gamblers and after controlling for potential confounders, non-problem gamblers were significantly more likely to be male, apprentices and to misuse alcohol. At-risk/problematic gamblers were additionally more likely to smoke cannabis, to be problematic Internet users and to be non-Swiss than non-gamblers.

Conclusion:

At-risk and problematic adolescent gambling is associated with other health risk behaviours. Health practitioners should include gambling in the psycho-social screening and preventive counselling of adolescents.
Bubble Trajectory in a Bubble Column Reactor using Combined Image Processing and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Chidambaram Balachandar , Seshadri Arunkumar , Muniyandi Venkatesan
Published: January 2016

The applications of Bubble column reactors in gas-liquid multiphase reactions are widely observed in process industries. Biochemical reactions such as wet oxidation and algae bio-reactions are carried out in bubble column reactors. In this article, an image processing based comprehensive algorithm is developed to identify the trajectory of bubbles in a bubble column reactor. Photographs of bubbles moving up in a bubble column reactor are recorded for different velocities using a high speed camera. An algorithm is developed to plot the trajectory of the bubble. The developed algorithm can be used with experimental and numerical results to trace the trajectory of bubbles. The algorithm is applied to the results of volume of fluids (VOF) simulation to identify the bubble path in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Based on the algorithm, numerical results obtained on Newtonian fluids are used to train an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to find the temporal position of the bubble. Superficial fluid velocities, nozzle diameter and time are the input parameters. The trained Levenberg-Marquardt based neural network can find the position of the bubble at any instant of time. The designed algorithm can study the dynamics and position of a bubble in process applications carried out in a bubble column reactor.
Editorial: Computational Creativity, Concept Invention, and General Intelligence
Authors: Besold Tarek R. , Kühnberger Kai-Uwe , Veale Tony
Published: January 2016

Over the last decade, computational creativity as a field of scientific investigation and computational systems engineering has seen growing popularity. Still, the levels of development between projects aiming at systems for artistic production or performance and endeavours addressing creative problem-solving or models of creative cognitive capacities is diverging. While the former have already seen several great successes, the latter still remain in their infancy. This volume collects reports on work trying to close the accrued gap.
Unnatural Selection: Seeing Human Intelligence in Artificial Creations
Authors: Veale Tony
Published: January 2016

As generative AI systems grow in sophistication, so too do our expectations of their outputs. For as automated systems acculturate themselves to ever larger sets of inspiring human examples, the more we expect them to produce human-quality outputs, and the greater our disappointment when they fall short. While our generative systems must embody some sense of what constitutes human creativity if their efforts are to be valued as creative by human judges, computers are not human, and need not go so far as to actively pretend to be human to be seen as creative. As discomfiting objects that reside at the boundary of two seemingly disjoint categories, creative machines arouse our sense of the uncanny, or what Freud memorably called the Unheimlich. Like a ventriloquist’s doll that finds its own voice, computers are free to blend the human and the non-human, to surprise us with their knowledge of our world and to discomfit with their detached, other-worldly perspectives on it. Nowhere is our embrace of the unnatural and the uncanny more evident than in the popularity of Twitterbots, automatic text generators on Twitter that are followed by humans precisely because they are non-human, and because their outputs so often seem meaningful yet unnatural. This paper evaluates a metaphor generator named @MetaphorMagnet, a Twitterbot that tempers the uncanny with aptness to yield results that are provocative but meaningful.
Tra-la-Lyrics 2.0: Automatic Generation of Song Lyrics on a Semantic Domain
Authors: Gonçalo Oliveira Hugo
Published: January 2016

Tra-la-Lyrics is a system that generates song lyrics automatically. In its original version, the main focus was to produce text where stresses matched the rhythm of given melodies. There were no concerns on whether the text made sense or if the selected words shared some kind of semantic association. In this article, we describe the development of a new version of Tra-la-Lyrics, where text is generated on a semantic domain, defined by one or more seed words. This effort involved the integration of the original rhythm module of Tra-la-Lyrics in PoeTryMe, a generic platform that generates poetry with semantically coherent sentences. To measure our progress, the rhythm, the rhymes, and the semantic coherence in lyrics produced by the original Tra-la-Lyrics were analysed and compared with lyrics produced by the new instantiation of this system, dubbed Tra-la-Lyrics 2.0. The analysis showed that, in the lyrics by the new system, words have higher semantic association among them and with the given seeds, while the rhythm is still matched and rhymes are present. The previous analysis was complemented with a crowdsourced evaluation, where contributors answered a survey about relevant features of lyrics produced by the previous and the current versions of Tra-la-Lyrics. Though tight, the survey results confirmed the improvements of the lyrics by Tra-la-Lyrics 2.0.
Frameworks for Guiding the Development and Improvement of Population Statistics in the United Kingdom
Authors: Raymer James , Rees Phil , Blake Ann
Published: January 2016

The article presents central frameworks for guiding the development and improvement of population statistics. A shared understanding between producers and users of statistics is needed with regard to the concepts, data, processes, and outputs produced. In the United Kingdom, population estimates are produced by conducting decennial censuses and by estimating intercensus populations through the addition and subtraction of the demographic components of change derived from registers of vital events and from a combination of administrative data and surveys for internal and international migration. In addition, data cleaning, imputation, and modelling may be required to produce the desired population statistics. The frameworks presented in this paper are useful for aligning the required concepts of population statistics with the various sources of available data. Taken together, they provide a general ‘recipe’ for the continued improvement and expansion of official statistics on population and demographic change.
Quality Indicators for Statistical Disclosure Methods: A Case Study on the Structure of Earnings Survey
Authors: Templ Matthias
Published: January 2016

Scientific- or public-use files are typically produced by applying anonymisation methods to the original data. Anonymised data should have both low disclosure risk and high data utility.

Data utility is often measured by comparing well-known estimates from original data and anonymised data, such as comparing their means, covariances or eigenvalues.

However, it is a fact that not every estimate can be preserved. Therefore the aim is to preserve the most important estimates, that is, instead of calculating generally defined utility measures, evaluation on context/data dependent indicators is proposed.

In this article we define such indicators and utility measures for the Structure of Earnings Survey (SES) microdata and proper guidelines for selecting indicators and models, and for evaluating the resulting estimates are given. For this purpose, hundreds of publications in journals and from national statistical agencies were reviewed to gain insight into how the SES data are used for research and which indicators are relevant for policy making.

Besides the mathematical description of the indicators and a brief description of the most common models applied to SES, four different anonymisation procedures are applied and the resulting indicators and models are compared to those obtained from the unmodified data. The disclosure risk is reported and the data utility is evaluated for each of the anonymised data sets based on the most important indicators and a model which is often used in practice.
“Metropolregionen” in Germany: The Enforcement of Global City-Regions
Authors: Eckardt Frank
Published: January 2016

Under the conditions of globalisation, economic success has been related in politics and theoretical debate to the strength of regions. The concept of the region has therefore also been strengthened in Germany. Within the architecture of a historically grown political landscape, the implementation of the new forms of so-called metropolitan governance, however, has had limited effects. While the limits of “new regionalism” in Germany – by the federal organisation of political geography – are evident, the very idea of regional governance is also to be challenged. Therefore, the article discusses whether the introduction of “Metropolitan regions” can be regarded in the light of the international research on global city-regions.
Involvement in alcohol-related verbal or physical aggression. Does social status matter?
Authors: Kraus Ludwig , Tryggvesson Kalle , Pabst Alexander , Room Robin
Published: January 2016

Introduction

–The analyses (1) assessed the association between social status variables and aggression when controlling for volume of alcohol consumption and episodic heavy drinking (EHD), (2) tested whether social status moderates the association between volume or EHD and verbal as well as physical aggression, and (3) investigated whether EHD moderates the effect of volume on aggression.

Methods

Swedish Alcohol Monitoring Survey (2003 to 2011); N=104,316 current drinkers; response rate: 51 to 38%. Alcohol-related aggression was defined as involvement in a quarrel or physical fight while drinking. Social status was defined as the highest education, monthly income and marital status.

Results

The associations between social status variables and aggression showed mixed results. Verbal aggression was associated with education in males and with marital status in both genders. Physical aggression was associated with education in both genders. No associations with aggression were found for income. With few exceptions, these associations remained significant when controlling for drinking patterns; social status did not moderate the association between drinking and aggression; EHD moderated the effect of volume on physical aggression in males.

Conclusions

Groups of lower educated and non-married individuals experience verbal or physical aggression over and above different levels of consumption. Individual differences in aggression vulnerability rather than differences in aggression predisposition account for higher risks of aggression in these groups.
Gambling, violent behaviour and attitudes towards violence among adolescent gamblers in Finland
Authors: Räsänen Tiina , Lintonen Tomi , Raisamo Susanna , Rimpelä Arja , Konu Anne
Published: January 2016

Aims

The purpose of this population-based study was to explore the relationship between gambling and violent behaviour and attitudes towards violence among 14- and 16-year-old adolescents.

Design

A national survey was conducted in Finland in 2011. The main measures in our study were gambling frequency and number of reported gambling-related harms. Their associations with violent behaviours and attitudes towards violence were studied using multinomial logistic regression and negative binomial regression.

Results

47.1% of adolescents had gambled during the past six months and 13.2% of them had experienced gambling-related harms. Both gambling frequency and the number of gambling-related harms were linked to violent behaviour as well as to positive attitudes towards violence. Adolescents who engaged in gambling on a daily basis and/or experienced gambling harms had the highest risk.

Conclusions

Health promotion efforts among gamblers should take into account their increased risk for violent behaviour.
Sclerotherapy Of Esophageal Varices In Severe Hemophilia A Patient And High Titer Inhibitor – Case Report
Authors: Szczepanik Andrzej B. , Dąbrowski Wojciech P. , Szczepanik Anna M. , Pielaciński Konrad , Jaśkowiak Wojciech
Published: January 2016

In cirrhotic hemophilia patients bleeding from esophageal varices is a serious clinical condition due to congenital deficiency of clotting factors VIII or IX, decreased prothrombin synthesis and hypersplenic thrombocytopenia. In hemophiliac with high-titer inhibitor bypassing therapy is required with activated prothrombin complex concentrates (aPCC) or recombinant activated coagulation factor VII (rFVIIa). Doses and duration treatment with these agents following endoscopic treatment of esophageal varices have not been yet established.

Authors report the first case of a severe hemophilia A patient with high titer inhibitor (40 BU) treated with repeated injection sclerotherapy. The patient was admitted with symptoms of massive esophageal variceal hemorrhage ceased with emergency sclerotherapy. Bypassing therapy was administered with aPCC at initial dose of 72.5 U/kg and then with average daily dose of 162 U/kg through 5 days. To achieved a total eradication of esophageal varices the patient was then subjected to four elective sclerotherapy procedures. Two were covered by aPCC with daily dose of 120 U/kg and 145 U/kg for 4 and 3 days respectively and the following two procedures were covered by rFVIIa with the initial dose of 116 µg/kg and the next doses of 87 µg/kg administered every 3 hours in procedure day and every 4 hours on the next two days. During all procedures excellent hemostasis was achieved and no hemorrhagic or thromboembolic complications were observed. Bypassing regimen therapy with aPCC and rFVIIa we applied have been shown to be safe and effective in this patient subjected to sclerotherapy procedures.
Hematological parameters in Polish mixed breed rabbits with addition of meat breed blood in the annual cycle
Authors: Tokarz-Deptuła B. , Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej P. , Adamiak M. , Hukowska-Szematowicz B. , Trzeciak-Ryczek A. , Deptuła W.
Published: January 2016

In the paper we studied haematologic values, such as haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit value, thrombocytes, leucocytes: lymphocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils and monocytes in the pheral blood in Polish mixed-breeds with addition of meat breed blood in order to obtain the reference values which are until now not available for this animals. In studying this indices we took into consideration the impact of the season (spring, summer, autumn, winter), and sex of the animals. The studies have shown a high impact of the season of the year on those rabbits, but only in spring and summer. Moreover we observed that the sex has mean impact on the studied values of haematological parameters in those rabbits. According to our knowledge, this is the first paper on haematologic values in this widely used group of rabbits, so they may serve as reference values.
The Selection of Party Leaders in Poland: Democratisation of Rules and Predictability of Results
Authors: Hartliński Maciej
Published: January 2016

The objective of this analysis is to examine political party leadership with reference to the rules and results of its selection process in post-communist Poland. The exploration of these matters is based on qualitative and quantitative data concerning 16 different political parties and 80 selections they conducted in the years 1990-2013. The comprehensive research methods employed for this study ranged from in-depth analysis of particular election results to analysis of constitutional and structural party variations. This extensive investigation enables the reader to draw conclusions about Polish intra-party politics and to understand the vetting processes that Polish politicians must undergo. The findings indicate that political parties tend to address wider selectorates; and that the rules of selection are transparent, democratic, and empirically predictable.
The Character of the Polish Local and Regional Elections – Polytonality
Authors: Kubisz-Muła Łukasz
Published: January 2016

Contemporary Polish local and regional elections serve the purpose of electing the government on the level of a municipality, county, and the voivodeship, and therefore represent a particular type of elections which could be referred to as polytonal. A unique quality of polytonal elections is the fact that the separate elections for each of the levels of local/regional government that take place on a single day are quite distinctive in terms of the behaviour of voters, politicians, political parties, and other organisations participating in the elections. As a consequence, we can indeed observe differences in the results of the elections on the level of municipality, county, and voivodeship.
From the Concept to the Practice of Parliamentary Immunity1
Authors: Negoiţă Ciprian
Published: January 2016

Scholars have long debated the normative rationality, the temporal and legal aspects, and finally the limits and modern practices of parliamentary immunity. Therefore, this study does not insist on these classical interpretations anymore, but seeks to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the conceptual history of parliamentary immunity. Embracing two schools of thought, the Koselleckian interpretation and the Skinnerian variant, this paper aims to establish and clarify in detail the story of the concept of parliamentary immunity in order to elucidate, in a Socratic fashion, what we really mean when we say that a senator or a deputy benefits from legislative immunity. This inquiry will help us emphasise how this concept leaves behind its abstract notion and becomes an institution with strict rules and practices. In addition, considering the importance of this concept in the modern legislative and rhetoric histories and the frequency with which it is used, this study will question the meanings of parliamentary immunity in the light of different historical settings and will eventually trace out a single, coherent, and unified conceptual matrix. My contention is that once parliamentary immunity – seen as a conceptual construct only adjusting the balance of power between the executive and the legislative powers – becomes an institution with strong practices, it enforces the parliament as a unified and independent body and creates the prerequisite conditions for the democratic development.
Searching bioremediation patents through Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
Authors: Prasad Rajendra
Published: January 2016

Patent classification systems have traditionally evolved independently at each patent jurisdiction to classify patents handled by their examiners to be able to search previous patents while dealing with new patent applications. As patent databases maintained by them went online for free access to public as also for global search of prior art by examiners, the need arose for a common platform and uniform structure of patent databases. The diversity of different classification, however, posed problems of integrating and searching relevant patents across patent jurisdictions. To address this problem of comparability of data from different sources and searching patents, WIPO in the recent past developed what is known as International Patent Classification (IPC) system which most countries readily adopted to code their patents with IPC codes along with their own codes. The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) is the latest patent classification system based on IPC/European Classification (ECLA) system, developed by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which is likely to become a global standard. This paper discusses this new classification system with reference to patents on bioremediation.
Emergence of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, a Public Health Threat: a Romanian Infectious Disease Hospital Based Study / Emergenţa Enterobacteriaceaelor producătoare de carbapenemaze, o ameninţare pentru sănătatea publică: un studiu realizat într-un spital romanesc de boli infectioase
Authors: Rafila Alexandru , Talapan Daniela , Dorobăţ Olga Mihaela , Popescu Gabriel Adrian , Piţigoi Daniela , Florea Dragoş , Buicu Florin Corneliu
Published: January 2016

Introduction: Hospital-acquired infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae producing different types of carbapenem- hydrolizing enzymes are now commonly observed and represent a great limitation for antimicrobial therapy. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobaceriaceae among the strains isolated from hospitalized patients to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Bucharest (NIID) and the identification of different types of carbapenemases, using phenotypic methods.

Materials and methods: Between January - June 2014, 587 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter species and E.coli were isolated from various clinical specimens. We were included all non-susceptible strains to carbapenems, according to EUCAST 2014 clinical breakpoints, as determined by using microdilution MicroScan Panels (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics). The modified Hodge test (MHT) was performed as phenotypic confirmatory test for carbapenemase production according to CLSI guidelines and the combination disk test (KPC, MBL , OXA-48 Confirm kit, Rosco Diagnostica) according to EUCAST guidelines.

Results: A total of 45 non-repeat Enterobaceriaceae (32 strains Klebsiella pneumoniae, 5 strains E.coli, 8 strains Enterobacter spp) were identified as non-susceptibile to one or more carbapenems (93,33% ertapenem, 53,33% meropenem, 48,88% imipenem). Most strains were isolated from urine (75,55%). MHT was positive in 55,6% (25/45) of carbapenem-resistant strains; in 24 cases the carbapenem-hydrolizing enzyme was identified as: OXA-48-like (n=16), KPC (n=4), MBL (n=1), KPC + MBL (n=2) and MBL + OXA-48-like (n=1). All carbapenemase- positive strains were 100% resistant to 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins, showing less resistance to tigecycline (12,5% resistant and 25% intermediate), colistin (37,5%) and fosfomycin (41,6%).

Conclusion: During 6 months period, there were isolated 7,66% (45/587) carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (K. pneumoniae 21,47%, E. coli 1,23%). Twenty four strains were carbapenemase-producers. The most frequent carbapenemase isolated in our study was OXA-48-like.
Peculiar hyper-IgM syndrome. Case report / Sindrom hiper-IgM atipic. Prezentare de caz
Authors: Iurian Sorin Ioan , Marodi Laszlo , Picard Capucine
Published: January 2016

We report a male infant diagnosed at the age of 10 months with hyper-IgM syndrome (HIGM) in context of severe infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. In patient’s outcome, in spite of immunoglobulin therapy, he continues presenting bilateral suppurative otitis media due to both Candida and penicillin-resistant pneumococcus and forearm abscess caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The infant developed bilateral cataracts, chronic hepatitis and comminuted fracture secondary to bone demineralization. The patient didn’t develop opportunistic infections as compare to CD40 Ligand deficiency patients. In contrast with the majority of HIGM cases, the infant necessity for immunoglobulin substitution was very limited. As a particularity of immunological phenotype, the patient IgM value progressively increased at a high level.
Wistar rats with long-term streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus replicate the most relevant clinical, biochemical, and hematologic features of human diabetes / Sobolanii Wistar cu diabet zaharat tip 1 indus cu streptozotocina reproduc cele mai relevante caracteristici clinice, biochimice si hematologice ale diabetului uman
Authors: Scridon Alina , Perian Marcel , Marginean Alina , Fisca Ciprian , Vantu Adriana , Ghertescu Doina , Chevalier Philippe , Serban Razvan Constantin
Published: January 2016

Background: Experimental models are essential for clarifying the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus (DM). We aimed to provide an exhaustive description of clinical, biochemical, and hematologic features of rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM.

Methods: Wistar rats were assigned to control (n=14) or DM (n=17) groups. DM was induced using STZ (60 mg/kg, i.p.). If STZ failed to induce DM, rats were reinjected with a similar STZ dose. Bodyweight, 24-h food and water intake were measured weekly during 28 weeks. At the end of the study lipid profile, kidney function, and complete blood count were assessed.

Results: STZ induced DM in 58.82% of rats. The second STZ administration induced DM in 71.43% of the remaining rats. Diabetics presented progressive, but less significant bodyweight increase than controls, and higher food and water consumption. At the end of the study, diabetics presented higher white blood cells count, glucose, triglycerides, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lower creatinine clearance than controls (all p≤0.02). No significant difference was observed between diabetics injected once and those that were reinjected, in any of the studied parameters.

Conclusions: This study provides one of the longest follow-ups of rats with STZ-induced type 1 DM, demonstrating that the STZ-diabetic rat replicates the most relevant clinical, biochemical, and hematologic features of human diabetes. The present data also indicate, for the first time, that rats with initial unsuccessful STZ administration can be safely reinjected, with outcomes similar to those seen in rats receiving a single injection.
Platelet indices and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio predict coronary chronic total occlusion in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Hadadi Laszlo , Sus Ioana , Lakatos Eva Katalin , Serban Razvan Constantin , Scridon Alina , Demjen Zoltan , Dobreanu Dan
Published: January 2016

Coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) is caused by organized thrombi or atherosclerotic plaque progression. The presence of a CTO is an independent predictor of mortality in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Platelets have a crucial role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate platelet indices as predictors of CTO in patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). A total number of 334 patients admitted for STEMI between January 2011 and December 2013 were included and divided in two groups based on the presence of CTO (48 patients in CTO+ group, 286 patients in CTO-group). Platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), lymphocyte and neutrophil count determined on admission were analyzed. MPV was larger in patients with CTO compared with patients without CTO (p=0.02), as were PDW (p=0.03) and P-LCR (p=0.01). Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLT/LYM) was lower in patients with CTO: 105.2 (75.86-159.1) compared to 137 (97-188.1), p<0.01. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis identified an area under the curve of 0.61 (95%CI=0.57-0.67, p< 0.01) for PLT/LYM in predicting the presence of a CTO, with a cut-off value at 97.73. Lower values than this were independent predictors of a CTO in multivariate logistic regression analysis, with an Odds Ratio of 2.2 (95%CI=1.15-4.20, p=0.02). Our results support the use of platelet indices and PLT/LYM as predictors of CTO in patients presenting with STEMI.
Early changes of placenta-derived messenger RNA in maternal plasma – potential value for preeclampsia prediction?
Authors: Surugiu Sebastian , Chis Adina , Mare Codruta , Matei Horea , Stamatian Florin
Published: January 2016

Objective: the pourpose of the study was to determine if there are any differences between placenta derived plasmatic levels of messenger RNA in normal and future preeclamptic pregnancies and if these placental transcripts can predict preeclampsia long before clinical onset

Study design: we compared plasmatic expression of two placental transcripts from 12 women who ultimately developed preeclampsia with 224 controlled subjects, at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. After multiplse-of-the-median conversion of markers we developed a multivariate model using logistic regression to determine preeclampsia risk.

Results: we found lower multiples of the median values for both placental transcripts (mRNA corresponding to placental growth factor and pregnancy associated plasmatic protein A) in cases who ultimately developed preeclampsia and the multivariate model we obtained offered a preeclampsia detection rate of 75% at 10% false positive rate.

Conclusion: specific early changes of placenta-derived messenger RNA could be used as preeclampsia predictors.