bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvement of Refractory Peripheral Edema With Multilayered Compression Bandaging: A Case Report
Authors: Tennison Jegy M , Fu Jack B , Bruera Eduardo
Published: June 2018

Background and Purpose

Lower extremity edema, which can be caused by several factors, is often poorly managed with commonly prescribed compression stockings and diuretics. Diuretics are often erroneously given in all forms of edema and may cause problems because their long-term application may induce chronicity of the edema due to disturbance of the renin-angiotensin relationship. Compression therapy, although effective against venous edema, is widely underused.

Case Description

A 64-year-old man with a history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, psoriasis, and multiple myeloma was admitted to the hospital for neutropenic fever, right lower extremity (RLE) cellulitis, bilateral lower extremity (BLE) weakness, RLE pain, and significant BLE edema. The patient was referred to a lymphedema-certified therapist to apply lower extremity multilayered compression bandaging and document serial limb circumference measurements.

Outcomes

The patient's weight decreased from 94.5 kg on day 1 of compression bandaging to 86.3 kg on day 7. The circumferences of the affected limbs also decreased.

Discussion

This case demonstrates the utility of multilayered compression bandaging, typically used in the management of lymphedema, in the control of peripheral edema that is refractory to diuretic therapy.
Miniature Negative Pressure Dressings on Forearm Donor Sites after Radial Forearm Flap Harvest
Authors: Ray Edward , Mitchell Stuart L. , Cordeiro Peter G.
Published: June 2018

Management of radial forearm donor sites following free flap reconstruction of head and neck tumor defects typically requires split-thickness skin grafting. Tendon exposure and delayed healing are occasional problems associated with skin grafting over the distal forearm musculature. Others have reported the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices to bolster split-thickness grafts and improve graft take. Although this approach works well, these devices are not always approved by third-party payers for outpatient use, requiring patients to remain in the hospital or have these devices removed before discharge. The authors report outcomes using a miniaturized NPWT device to bolster the skin graft on radial forearm free flap donor sites in 10 consecutive patients compared with 10 consecutive control patients managed with traditional bolster dressings. The 2 groups of patients were similar in terms of demographics, indication for reconstruction, and size of donor site. There was less skin graft loss and a lower rate of tendon exposure and infection in the miniaturized NPWT device group, though these results did not reach statistical significance. Recently developed miniaturized, single-use NPWT devices can be reliably used as bolsters for skin grafts with some notable advantages over reusable NPWT devices.
Do Antiepileptic Drugs Used During Electroconvulsive Therapy Impact Treatment Process?
Authors: Ak Sertaç , Yalçin Nadir
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Whether the antiepileptic agents used by patients before the treatment should be discontinued after the initiation of the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is one of the most effective treatment options in psychiatry, is a dilemma frequently faced by clinicians. Recently, there has been an increased interest in this subject. This study aimed to determine the impact of antiepileptic agents on ECT process in the event of continued use in the course of the therapy.

Methods

From among the patients on an ECT therapy in the Psychiatry Clinic of Hacettepe University Hospital since 2010, a total of 39 patients who continued to use the antiepileptic agent they were taking prior to the ECT therapy were determined and included in the study. As for the control group, on the list of ECT patients, the 39 patients coming immediately after the patients using antiepileptics were taken up in the study. The patients using antiepileptics were compared with the control subjects on the basis of their sociodemographic characteristics, number of active sessions, energy levels of the past seizures, seizure durations, some clinical outcomes, and characteristics of the first and the last seizures.

Results

There were no differences between the control subjects and those using the antiepileptics in terms of average age, body mass index, Clinical Global Impression scores, and sex distribution. Energy levels required to induce the first and the last seizures and total amounts of energy used in active seizures were significantly higher in patients taking the antiepileptics than the control group. Besides, the durations of the first peripheral and central seizures were significantly less in patients using the antiepileptics as compared with the control subjects. When sociodemographic variables and numeric data about the seizures were brought into the equation in the binary logistic regression analysis for determination of being included in either the group of patients taking antiepileptics or the control group, the only meaningful variable was found to be “duration of the first central seizure.”

Conclusions

Continued use of the antiepileptics during ECT by the patients to undergo ECT may lead to an increased dose of energy to be used during the therapy. When all variables are taken into consideration, it was determined that the use of antiepileptic significantly shortened purely the duration of the first seizure. In the light of the present results, it does not seem meaningful to suggest as a conclusive requirement to discontinue the antiepileptics used before ECT prior to the commencement thereof.
Comparison of Postoperative Pain in Patients Following Transcanal Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Ear Surgery
Authors: Kakehata Seiji , Furukawa Takatoshi , Ito Tsukasa , Kubota Toshinori , Futai Kazunori , Watanabe Tomoo
Published: June 2018

Objective:

To compare levels and causes of postoperative pain after cholesteatoma removal by transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) versus microscopic ear surgery (MES).

Study Design:

Prospective case series.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center.

Patients:

One-hundred-and-sixty-one patients who had undergone middle ear surgery between February 2013 and April 2016.

Interventions:

Comparison of postoperative pain between TEES and MES groups and among TEES and MES subgroups divided by range of bone removal.

Main Outcome Measures:

Two parameters were used to assess postoperative pain: a pain numeric rating scale (NRS) and number of times a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) was taken from postoperative days (PODs) 1 to 7. We also examined the primary factor behind postoperative pain looking at: 1) the surgical incision; 2) bone removal; and 3) number of involved middle ear regions.

Results:

One-hundred-and-six patients underwent TEES and 55 underwent MES. The mean pain NRS for the 7-day postoperative period was significantly lower for the TEES group (1.1) than the MES group (2.8) (p < 0.001, Mann–Whitney U test). The number of times a NSAID was taken was lower for the TEES group (1.3 pills/wk) than the MES group (5.5 pills/wk) (p < 0.001, Mann–Whitney U test). The mean pain NRS of the TEES and MES subgroups also suggests that extent of bone removal or number of involved middle regions was less important in causing postoperative pain than presence or absence of the retroauricular incision.

Conclusions:

TEES is associated with lower postoperative pain and lower use of NSAIDs compared with MES patients.
Spexin Modulates Functions of Rat Endocrine Pancreatic Cells
Authors: Sassek Maciej , Kolodziejski Pawel A. , Strowski Mathias Z. , Nogowski Leszek , Nowak Krzysztof W. , Mackowiak Pawel
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Spexin is a peptide whose action is poorly understood but which is expressed in many tissues. This encouraged us to investigate the potential role of spexin in the regulation of pancreatic secretion.

Methods

Cells/islets were incubated with different concentrations of glucose and spexin to measure insulin secretion. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays and BrdU (5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine) tests were performed to assess the viability and proliferation of pancreatic islets after spexin treatment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect messenger RNA expression for insulin, insulin receptor, and Pdx (pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1).

Results

Insulin secretion from cultured cells and isolated islets was reduced by spexin at 16 mM glucose level. In obese rats, insulin secretion was decreased after injection with spexin. Spexin treatment showed an increase in cultured cells and pancreatic islets cell viability and proliferation as well as an increase in proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein level. In contrast, a decrease in insulin and Pdx gene expression was found.

Conclusions

The effects of spexin on insulin secretion in vitro and in vivo and also on cells viability and proliferation confirm that this peptide may be strongly involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes or its recovery.
Mental health assessment in rehabilitation: a descriptive study through an international internet survey
Authors: Juengst Shannon , Nordvik Jan E. , Junttila Ilkka S. , Smith Jason , Kew Chung L. , Laukkala Tanja
Published: June 2018

This cross-sectional study assessed international rehabilitation practitioners’ views of mental health assessment (MHA), related specifically to assessment tools and needs in the field. We delivered an anonymous web-based survey capturing rehabilitation practioners’ perspectives on MHA practices, assessment tools, and needs through the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine in the USA and through national rehabilitation networks in Finland and Norway. Altogether, 355 rehabilitation professionals answered the survey. Unmet MHA needs, most often attributed to insufficient time (112/269 responders), were recognized among rehabilitation professionals irrespective of the country of practice. When professional experience was weighed against barriers to conducting MHA, cost was statistically significantly linked to professional experience, with those with less experience viewing cost more as a barrier (P=0.019). Rehabilitation professionals from different professions, in different countries, and working with a variety of clinical populations recognize defined barriers to MHA in rehabilitation.
Improvement on Image Edge Detection Using a Novel Variant of the Ant Colony System
Authors: Benhamza Karima , Seridi Hamid
Published: June 2018

In this paper, an improved Ant Colony System algorithm applied to image edge detection is presented. During their movement on image, artificial ants establish pheromone graph which represents the image edge information. The ant movement is directed by the local variation of the image’s intensity values. To improve this method, supplementary behaviors are added to each ant in response to its local stimuli, i.e., the ant self-reproduces and directs its progenitors to an appropriate direction to explore more suitable areas. Moreover, it dies if it exceeds a specific iteration age and so the ineffective searches are eliminated. These additional behaviors allow diversifying the exploration performed by ants and also reinforcing the exploitation of these ants’ search experience. Proposed approach allows having more accurate and more complete edges. The performance is tested visually with various images and empirically with evaluation parameters.
Transport and Turmoil: The turbulent racial history of transport in New Orleans
Authors: McLaughlin-Stonham Hilary
Published: June 2018

Race and transportation have long been interwoven in New Orleans. Yet while other states across the south responded to growing white supremacist ideology by passing Jim Crow segregation laws, Louisiana did not legislate against its black population until 1890. Conflict arising from segregated transit ensured that transport has always held a contentious place in race relations in Louisiana particularly in its largest city of New Orleans. In 2014 the advocacy group Ride New Orleans published a startling analysis of transport since Hurricane Katrina devastated the streetcar and bus network. The results identified a significant racial disparity in the level of transport provided for white and non-white residential areas in the city. Such reports echo the city’s discriminative past and are indicative of a return to racially motivated transport policies placing African Americans in a position of conflict with the state. This article explores past policies and motivation for segregated transport in late nineteenth-century Louisiana and the environment in which the Separate Car Act (1890) became lasting legislation. With a particular focus on New Orleans the growth of white supremacy is examined to show how it garnered support for legal segregation in a city that was previously integrated de jure.
Reviews
Authors: Brauner David , Case Emalani , Cran Rona , Docherty Michael , Earle Harriet , Green Fiona , Phillips Ruth , Porter Joy , Speers Laura
Published: June 2018

States of Trial: Manhood in Philip Roth’s Post-War America, Ann Basu (2015) New York and London: Bloomsbury, 198 pp., ISBN: 9781501320422, p/bk, £28.79

The Power of the Steel-Tipped Pen: Reconstructing Native Hawaiian Intellectual History, Noenoe K. Silva (2017) Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press, 270 pp., ISBN: 9780822363682, p/bk, $25.95, £19.99

Life and Death on the New York Dancefloor, 1980–1983, Tim Lawrence (2016) Durham: Duke University Press, 578 pp., ISBN: 9780822362029, p/bk, £20.99

Postmodern Suburban Spaces: Philosophy, Ethics, and Community in post-war American Fiction, Joseph George (2016) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 206 pp., ISBN: 9783319410050, h/bk, £67.99

Disability in Comic Books and Graphic Narratives, Zach Whalen, Chris Foss and Jonat han Grey (eds) (2016) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 236 pp., ISBN: 9781137501103, h/bk, £79.99

Our Emily Dickinsons: American Women Poets and the Intimacies of Difference, Vivian R. Pollak (2017) Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 355 pp., ISBN: 978-0-8122-4844-9, h/bk, $55.00

Art for an Undivided Earth: The American Indian Movement Generation, Jessica L. Horton (2017) Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 296 pp., ISBN: 9780822369547, p/bk, $26.95

Thundersticks: Firearms and the Violent Transformation of Native America, David J. Silverman (2016) Cambridge, MA and London: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, ix + 354 pp., ISBN: 9780674737471, h/bk, $29.95

Hip-Hop Headphones: A Scholar’s Critical Playlist, James Braxton Peterson (2016) New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic, 224 pp., ISBN: 9781501308260, p/bk, £23.99
‘The Beast Below’: Doctor Who and the popular negotiation of constitutional values
Authors: Yuratich David
Published: June 2018

The Doctor’s adventures frequently see him explore worlds with problems that are not dissimilar to those facing contemporary society. As a result, Doctor Who (1963–89, 1996, 2005–present) often provides and invites political critique. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to how the programme provides and invites legal discussion, even though the law is rarely absent from the Doctor’s adventures. This article seeks to close this gap by examining the constitutional law message contained within the 2010 episode ‘The Beast Below’. In this episode, the Doctor and Amy Pond must solve a dilemma which involves secretive and state-sponsored torture; this evokes broader constitutional law debates around the roles of law and politics in securing and enforcing human rights. By showing the limits of the Doctor’s interventions, the episode casts doubt on the appropriateness of the judiciary in establishing the scope of human rights. It endorses a political model of constitutionalism directing that citizens must play an active role in the contestation of executive power, so that constitutional constraints are ultimately negotiated and articulated by the public rather than by elites. By offering this reading, it is hoped that Doctor Who, and science fiction television more widely, can be appreciated as a constitutional text and a forum for constitutional discussion.
Issues of Legal Regulation of the Executive Authority in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Foreign Countries
Authors: KOZHAKHMETOV Galym , KUANALEEVA Guldana , NURZHAN Saulen
Published: June 2018

This article consecrates topical issues of executive power, which points to one of the most acute problems of world society. The executive branch is recognized as one of the three branches of the unified state power by the current constitutional doctrine and practice of the Republic of Kazakhstan - a unitary state with a presidential form of government. The process of management constant development has a direct impact on the system of executive power and the structure of individual executive bodies, generates the demand for an in-depth analysis of this influence, its consideration in the creation and functioning of an integral, rational, effective state mechanism.

In order to create a modern complex theoretical vision for the scientific legal foundations of a strong and effective executive branch operating in the public system of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is established as a democratic, legal, social and secular state, the highest value of which is a human, his rights and freedoms, in this study are considered the theoretical concepts, practical aspects of the concept and executive power place as a full-fledged element of the state - the object of the constitutional, administrative and legal sanctions; system, structure, legal and organizational forms of executive bodiesactivity; as well as the main problems of legislative regulation, further construction and functioning of the executive power in Kazakhstan.Recommendations and proposals have been developed to improve a number of legal measures for the executive power enhancement. The analysis of the main historical studies that explain the nature of executive power in foreign countries and in Kazakhstan and its main role in the development of the state and law is carried out.
A várandós nő parodontalis egészségi állapota és a terhességi komplikációk közötti kapcsolat
Authors: Gera István
Published: June 2018

Abstract:

Data from epidemiological and clinical studies published in the past two decades indicate certain association between periodontal disease and increased risk for preterm birth or low birth weight. Although the strength of those observed associations is weak, periodontitis today is considered as one of the potentially modifiable risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aims of the publication are to summarize the epidemiological and clinical evidence for the impact of periodontal disease on adverse pregnancy outcomes and to make an attempt to overview the potential biological mechanism behind this association. The majority of epidemiological and clinical studies found certain negative effect of poor maternal periodontal condition on the incidence of low birth weight, preterm birth, pre-eclampsy, restricted foetal growth or even stillbirth. Two possible biological pathways have so far been identified: 1) the direct dissemination of the periodontal pathogens or their toxic by-products which reach the foetal-placental unit, and 2) an indirect mechanism when the circulating systemic inflammatory mediators induced by the periodontal inflammation can provoke secondary inflammation and foetal damage in the amnion. The periodontal therapy applied during the second or third trimesters has not been proven to reduce the incidence of any adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women. A much more prophylaxis-oriented approach in periodontal treatment is needed. The adequate periodontal therapy should be completed before the conception to provide benefit to the pregnant women and also the new born baby. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(25): 999–1007.
Study on the effect of different levels of organic and inorganic fertilizers on microbial enzymes and soil mesofauna in soybean ecosystem
Authors: Prasanthi Golive , Kumar N. G. , Raghu S. , Srinivasa N. , Gurumurthy H.
Published: June 2018

Soybean (Glycine max (L) Merril). is also called Golden bean belongs to family Fabaceae is native to China having high nutritive value and oil content. Due to usage of inorganic fertilizers the fertility of soil and yield soybean has declined. Organic manures known to increase the soil fertility, structure and also influence the microbial enzymes activity and soil mesofauna. In this context the present investigation was undertaken to study, the different doses of farm yard manure and chemical fertilizers on the soil mesofauna and microbial enzymes at GKVK, Bangalore during the year 2013-2014. The investigation revealed that higher abundance of soil mesofauna (18.53) was recorded in 20 tons of FYMha-1 compared to the treatments with recommended package of practices (12.35) and inorganic fertilizer (10.30) alone. Soil mesofauna exhibited a significant positive relation with the microbial enzymes like dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphtases and urease. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the influence of exchangeable calcium, available potassium and available phosphorous, exchangeable magnesium, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and urease on the abundance of soil mesofauna was up to 79 per cent. Higher rhizobium nodule number (64.93/plant) and yield (16.01 q/ha) of soybean found to increase with increase in farmyard manure application.
DSA 2018 Printed Programme
Authors:   The Development Studies Association (DSA)
Published: June 2018

This conference programme details the panels and papers and events that form the DSA annual conference at University of Manchester 27-29 June 2018
Sistem Pengukur Tinggi dan Berat Badan berbasis Morphological Image Processing
Authors: AULIA SUCI , SATRIA FAJRI EKA , ATMAJA RATRI DWI
Published: June 2018

ABSTRAKPengukuran tinggi dan berat badan manusia sekarang ini masih bersifat manual sehingga kurang efisien jika dilakukan untuk kebutuhan dengan jumlah objek yang banyak. Sebagai solusi, pada penelitian ini telah dirancang suatu sistem untuk mengukur Tinggi Badan (TB) dan Berat Badan (BB) manusia berbasis Morphological Image Processing (MIP). Proses dimulai dengan citra masukan berupa citra digital full body yang dapat diambil dengan smartphone kemudian dilanjutkan dengan operasi MIP terdiri dari proses dilasi, filling dan labeling. Hasil dari MIP adalah jumlah piksel tinggi objek yang dikonversi menjadi TB (cm). Sedangkan perhitungan BB (kg) diperoleh dari luas permukaan tubuh objek berbasis BSA dengan memodelkan ke bentuk tabung elips. Dari hasil pengujian, diperoleh performansi sistem maksimum yaitu Approximate Value 98.42% untuk TB dan 94.4% untuk BB. Nilai tersebut diperoleh dengan parameter nilai jarak pengambilan 306 cm dan strel (structure element) pada MIP adalah 2.Kata kunci: tinggi badan, berat badan, BSA, morphological image processing ABSTRACTMeasurement of human height and weight are still performed manual today so it have not efficiency if conducted to many objects. As a solution, this research has designed a system for measuring the human body height and weight based on morphological image processing (MIP). The process was started with an input image of a full body digital image that retrieved with a smartphone followed by a MIP operation consisting of dilation, filling, and labeling. The result of MIP is the number of high pixels of objects converted to height in cm. While weight calculation has been obtained from surface area of body object based on BSA by modelling it to ellipse tube. The system performance is obtained at maximum Approximate Value of 98.42% for height and 94.4% for weight. That value was obtained with 306 cm distance and 2 stucture element size of MIP. Keywords: height, weight, BSA, morphological image processing
Scaling analysis of core pressure drop in reduced height integral test facility
Authors: Ju P. , Long B. , Li L. , Su Q. , Wu X. , Lu D.
Published: June 2018

Integral test plays essential role to assess the design of the emergency cooling system of nuclear reactors. Different from full height integral test facilities, reduced height integral test facilities have new problems on the pressure drop scaling. This paper mainly focuses on scaling of pressure drop across the core as it is the major pressure drop in primary loop. The analysis of pressure drop across the core has been divided into three terms and each term has been discussed separately based on two conditions: the normal operation condition and natural circulation condition. After that, the total pressure drop ratios under these two conditions have been discussed.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children-An Update
Authors: Kamruzzaman Md , Islam Mirza Md Ziaul , Sarkar Probir Kumar
Published: June 2018

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a potentially serious infection in children and often results in hospitalization.CAP symptoms are nonspecific in younger infants, but cough and tachypnea are usually present in older children. The diagnosis can be based on the history and physical examination results in children with fever plus respiratory signs and symptoms. Chest radiography and rapid viral testing may be helpful when the diagnosis is unclear. The most likely etiology depends on the age of the child. Viral and Streptococcus pneumonia infections are most common in preschoolaged children, whereas Mycoplasmapneumoniaeis common in older children.Most children can be managed empirically with oral antibiotics as outpatients without specific laboratory investigations.The decision to treat with antibiotics is challenging, especially with the increasing prevalence of viral and bacterial coinfections. Those with severe infections or with persistent or worsening symptoms need more intensive investigations and may need admission to hospital. The choice and dosage of antibiotics should be based on the age of the patient, severity of the pneumonia and knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance patterns.Bangladesh J Child Health 2018; VOL 42 (1) :38-42
Generalized Hyperpigmentation of Skin as an Atypical Presenting Feature in Wilson Disease
Authors: Amaan Abdullahel , Rukunuzzaman Md , Zahan Khainoor , Nahid Khan Lamia , Karim ASM Bazlul
Published: June 2018

Background: Wilson disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism, where excessive copper accumulation occurs in various tissues. Although hepatic and neurological symptoms predominates, it may present with some other unusual features which sometimes confuses clinicians and makes a diagnostic dilemma. We present here an 11 years old boy presented with gradual darkening of whole body over last 2 months and jaundice for 5 month. His clinical features and laboratory parameters were suggestive of Wilson disease. Being one of the common causes of chronic liver disease (CLD) in childhood, Wilson disease may present with some atypical features like darkening of complexion.Bangladesh J Child Health 2018; VOL 42 (1) :43-45
Research on the Influence Mechanism of Joint Promotion on the Loyalty of the Main Brand
Authors: Zhamilya  Sartova
Published: June 2018

As the economy of commodities continues to grow, people's living standards continue to increase, and the choice of turntables they face is also more abundant. The competition for businesses around the terminal market has become intense and fierce. The number of brands, the fierce market Jinzheng, the increase in similar product readings, and the increase in consumer choices, have also led to the continuous promotion of various promotions by various merchants.Effective control loyalty management method for a marketing manager is very important, but in the past literature I have not been able to study brand loyalty stand in the perspective of business managers. So to put it plainly that the current research on the support of brand loyalty management methods - the relationship between brand management behavior and brand loyalty - is a blank area, and few scholars have conducted in-depth research. In such a situation, it directly leads the managers of the company to have a full grasp of brand loyalty. In interviews with corporate brand managers, the authors found that brand managers really lack knowledge in this area and urgently need brand loyalty management methods. This article mainly studies the mechanism of the joint marketing promotion on the loyalty of the main brand. First of all, it summarizes the background significance of the research and the research status at home and abroad, and then explains the related theoretical concepts. Then it studies the concept, characteristics, and influencing factors of joint promotion, finally analyzes the ways of building brand loyalty, and proposes related strategies.
Federal Inland Revenue Service Tax Awareness Index: Development and Validation
Authors: Femi Akinfala Fred , Ekong Martha , Liman Abubakar M. , Tyem Pirfa , Ashu Adashu , Kam-Selem Mohammed
Published: June 2018

Taxation is not just a means for generating revenue for the country, it is also a tool used to regulate the economy using fiscal policy, to control inflation, prices of goods and services and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. However, the awareness for this all-important component of any goal-oriented government is poor. It is against this backdrop that this study aimed at developing a Tax Awareness Index for use in the Nigerian context. The study adopted descriptive survey approach with a cross-sectional design. The sampling approach to recruit participants for the study was the convenience sampling method. Data analysis involved the use of principal component analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation. Results showed that the initially proposed 10-factor solution of 94 questionnaire items was not supported with the data gathered. However, a 5-factor solution emerged that made substantive sense for the purpose of developing a Tax. Awareness Index. A composite score on the 5-factor solution indicates the level of tax awareness for a respondent. It was concluded that this index would serve as a viable tool to measure how much the general populace is aware of tax and its components.
Corporate Social Responsibility of a Fair Trade Company: A Cross-Country Study of Taiwanese and American Business Students’ Perceptions
Authors: Chen Mei-Hua , Chen Bryan H.
Published: June 2018

This study investigated and compared Taiwanese and American business students’ perceptions of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of a fair trade (FT) company. A total of 402 and 470 questionnaires were collected in United States and Taiwan, respectively, of which 384 and 432 were usable, respectively. Nationality, gender, work experience, and religion were the four variables that affected the participants’ understanding of an FT company’s CSR in this study. The findings of this study have implications for business school curricula in Taiwan and the United States and provide useful ideas for enhancing social responsibility in business schools.
Variation in the Reducing Power of Plasma and Serum in Hypoprothrombinemia and Hemophilia
Authors: Pálos L. A
Published: June 2018

Normal plasma (or serum) reduces methylene blue into its colourless leukomethylene blue form as a result of heating. If the prothrombin complex (= prothrombin + factors VII, IX and X) of the plasma is decreased by dicoumarin treatment or removed by adsorption, the reducing time of methylene blue will be shortened significantly. The plasma (serum) of hemophilic patients (type A), similarly to hypoprothrombinemia, reduced methylene blue more rapidly than the plasma (serum) of normal individuals. Our examinations indicated a competition for H+, between the prothrombin complex and methylene blue and between the antihemophilic globulin and methylene blue. If prothrombin complex or antihemophilic globulin are absent from the plasma, more H+ will be available for the methylene blue resulting in its more rapid reduction into the colourless form of leuko-methylene blue.

The competition could be ėxplained that both prothrombin complex and antihemophilic globulin contain free -S-S bonds acting as an oxidizing—reducing system.
News and relations
Authors: Suhr Carla
Published: June 2018

This paper is a pragma-philological examination of the textual labels and visual features in the titles and title pages of 53 early modern sensationalist news pamphlets. The analysis shows that certain textual labels are favored over others, that textual labels were not highlighted until the 1640s, and that before that time the overall visual layout of the title page was a more important genre marker than textual labels. These developments in the conventionalization of textual labels can be tied in with increasing literacy and access to printed texts of the unlearned masses that were the primary readership of these pamphlets.
Spatio-temporal systems in Chaucer
Authors: Nakayasu Minako
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a systematic analysis of synchronic spatio-temporal systems in Chaucer’s language against the background of research in historical pragmatics and discourse analysis. The data consists of The Canterbury tales (fiction) and A treatise on the astrolabe (handbook). After defining spatio-temporal systems, I carry out a frequency study of the speaker’s use of spatio-temporal elements, by comparing the two registers and contrasting proximal and distal elements. A qualitative analysis then highlights typical patterns of spatio-temporal elements in discourse. It reveals how proximal or distal elements combine in conveying a proximal or distal perspective and how these perspectives change in discourse.
Common to the North of England and to New England
Authors: Ruano-García Javier
Published: June 2018

This paper examines the British English dialect material behind the compilation of John Russell Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms. It focuses on evidence furnished by six historical dialect glossaries and dictionaries quoted by Bartlett, which include John Ray’s A collection of English words not generally used (1674, 1691) and James O. Halliwell’s Dictionary of archaic and provincial words (1847). My aim is to determine the function of these works in Bartlett’s dictionary, exploring their lexicographical treatment and their geographic labels, so as to ascertain whether the transatlantic link specified between varieties of American and British English relied on any of them in particular. I also examine the four editions of Bartlett’s dictionary and study the impact of the policy concerning the admission of Americanisms on the material found in British English regional sources.
Betwixt, amongst, and amidst
Authors: Hotta Ryuichi
Published: June 2018

The purpose of the paper is to examine, using historical corpora, the diachronic development of variants of the function words between, among, and amid with emphasis on the variants with final /st/, i.e. betwixt, amongst, and amidst. In Present-day English, the variants with final /st/ have a more formal, literary, or archaic ring to them than their counterparts without it. In older English, however, the former variants were more widely used than they are today. This paper addresses how individual variants – especially ones with final /st/ – came into being, how they competed with one another in terms of frequency in each period, and how this resulted in the Present-day English distribution.
Event Structure Metaphors through the Body
Authors: Roush Daniel
Published: June 2018

How do the experiences of people who have different bodies (deaf versus hearing) shape their thoughts and metaphors? Do different linguistic modes of expression (signed versus spoken) have a shaping force as well? This book investigates the metaphorical production of culturally-Deaf translators who work from English to American Sign Language (ASL). It describes how Event Structure Metaphors are handled across languages of two different modalities. Through the use of corpus-based evidence, several specific questions are addressed: are the main branches of Event Structure Metaphors – the Location and Object branches – exhibited in ASL? Are these two branches adequate to explain the event-related linguistic metaphors identified in the translation corpus? To what extent do translators maintain, shift, add, and omit expressions of these metaphors? While answering these specific questions, this book makes a significant elaboration to the two-branch theory of Event Structure Metaphors. It raises larger questions of how bilinguals handle competing conceptualizations of events and contributes to emerging interest in how body specificity, linguistic modes, and cultural context affect metaphoric variability.
Predictors and Long-term Outcome of Sexual Function After Surgical Treatment for Single-level Lumbar Disk Herniation Among Patients in a German Spine Center
Authors: Elsharkawy Alaa E. , Lange Bettina , Caldas Fernando , Alabbasi Abdel H. , Klassen Peter D.
Published: June 2018

Study Design:

This is a retrospective, self-controlled cohort study, at a single center.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of sexual function after surgical treatment of single-level lumbar disk herniation (LDH).

Summary of Background Data:

The impact of surgical treatment on sexual activity is still unknown and not well researched.

Materials and Methods:

In total, 114 patients who underwent disk surgery for LDH between 2009 and 2015 were included in the study (mean age, 46.9 y). Two separate questionnaires evaluating general health and all aspects of sexual function were administered to all patients.

Results:

Satisfaction with the overall outcome of surgery was reported by 84.2% of patients. In total, 82 patients (71.9%) rated their current sexual life as normal with no additional pain, 22 (19.3%) reported a normal sex life with some additional pain, and 2 reported that (2.6%) pain prevents them from having any sex life at all. Compared with their state before LDH and spine surgery, 79 patients (69.3%) rated their sexual function as quantitatively and qualitatively the same as before surgery, 19 patients (16.7%) as better, and 16 patients (14.0%) as worse. The ability to experience orgasm, complete intercourse, experience sexual desire, and experience sexual arousal was reported to be the same as before surgery by 87 (76.3%), 75 (65.8%), 79 (69.3%), and 85 (74.6%) patients, respectively. After surgery, 16 patients (14%) explored new sexual positions. Sexual function receives insufficient attention from physicians. Women reported more general and sexual problems such as decreased sexual desire and interest, taking medication, and seeking regular medical attention. Predictors of the outcome were leg pain, the intensity of back and leg pain, and the professional status of the patient.

Conclusions:

Lumbar disk surgery has a positive effect on sexual function. The majority of patients returned to their normal sexual activities in long-term follow-up.
Cochlear Patency After Translabyrinthine Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery
Authors: Hill Fiona C.E. , Grenness Alasdair , Withers Shannon , Iseli Claire , Briggs Robert
Published: June 2018

Objectives:

To determine the temporal occurrence of fluid signal changes on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2MRI) that occur in the cochlear lumen after translabyrinthine surgery.

Study Design:

Retrospective case control study.

Setting:

Tertiary referral neurotology center.

Subjects and Methods:

Seventy-one patients were identified who underwent translabyrinthine removal of a vestibular schwannoma between 2010 and 2014; of these 49 were included as they had postoperative T2 MRI at 6, 18, and 48 months available postsurgery. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were scored base on fluid signal changes within the cochlea.

Results:

In total, 147 magnetic resonance imaging scans were reviewed on 49 patients. In the cohort analysis 86% of patients showed evidence of fluid signal changes 48 months postoperatively. Ninety-five percent of patients who went on to demonstrate loss of fluid signal at 48 months had already shown changes at 6 months postsurgery. The majority of cochlea signal changes identified at 6 months were minor (72% Grade 1) while at 48 months this had progressed to severe (71% Grade 2 or 3). Of the patients with a normal cochlea at 6 months 78% maintained a normal cochlea to the 48-month scan.

Conclusion:

Cochlear signal changes suggestive of fibrosis occurred in most patients following translabyrinthine removal of vestibular schwannoma. Given the early onset of cochlear fluid signal changes on T2MRI, and the progression of these changes on subsequence imaging, cochlear implantation would ideally need to be performed either simultaneous to translabyrinthine surgery or as an early second-stage procedure to maximize the chance of a successful electrode insertion, or one can consider a placeholder as well.
CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein-mediated co-editing and counterselection in the rice blast fungus
Authors: Foster Andrew J. , Martin-Urdiroz Magdalena , Yan Xia , Wright Sabrina , Soanes Darren M. , Talbot Nicholas J.
Published: June 2018

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is the most serious pathogen of cultivated rice and a significant threat to global food security. To accelerate targeted mutation and specific gene editing in this species, we have developed a rapid plasmid-free CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing method. It has previously been reported in M. oryzae that transformation with plasmids expressing Cas9 can generate specific mutations using sgRNAs, directing the endonuclease to specific genes. We show, however, that expression of Cas9 is highly toxic to M. oryzae, rendering this approach impractical. We demonstrate that using purified Cas9 pre-complexed to RNA guides to form ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), provides an alternative and very effective gene editing procedure. When used in combination with oligonucleotide or PCR-generated donor DNAs, generation of strains with specific base pair edits, in-locus gene replacements, or multiple gene edits, is very rapid and straightforward. Additionally, we report a novel counterselection strategy which allows creation of precisely edited fungal strains that contain no foreign DNA and are completely isogenic to the wild type. Together, these developments represent a scalable improvement in the precision and speed of genetic manipulation in M. oryzae and are likely to be broadly applicable to other fungal species.
Statin treatment and the risk of depression
Authors: Köhler-Forsberg Ole , Gasse Christiane , Petersen Liselotte , Nierenberg Andrew A. , Mors Ole , Østergaard Søren Dinesen
Published: June 2018

The effect of statin treatment on the risk of developing depression remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between statin treatment and depression in a nationwide register-based cohort study with up to 20 years of follow up. We identified all statin users among all individuals born in Denmark between 1920 and 1983. One non-user was matched to each statin user based on age, sex and a propensity score taking several potential confounders into account. Using Cox regression we investigated the association between statin use and: I) redemption of prescriptions for antidepressants, II) redemption of prescriptions for any other drug, III) depression diagnosed at psychiatric hospitals, IV) cardiovascular mortality and V) all-cause mortality. A total of 193,977 statin users and 193,977 non-users were followed for 2,621,282 person-years. Statin use was associated with I) increased risk of antidepressant use (hazard rate ratio (HRR)=1.33; 95% confidence interval (95%-CI)=1.31-1.36), II) increased risk of any other prescription drug use (HRR=1.33; 95%-CI=1.31-1.35), III) increased risk of receiving a depression diagnosis (HRR=1.22, 95%-CI=1.12-1.32) - but not after adjusting for antidepressant use (HRR=1.07, 95%-CI=0.99- 1.15), IV) reduced cardiovascular mortality (HRR=0.92, 95%-CI=0.87-0.97) and V) reduced all-cause mortality (HRR=0.90, 95%-CI=0.88-0.92). These results suggest that the association between statin treatment and antidepressant use was unspecific (equivalent association between statins and other drugs) and that the association between statin use and depression diagnoses was mediated by antidepressant use. Thus, statin users and non-users appear to be equally likely to develop depression, but the depression is more often detected/treated among statin users.
Systematic biases in disease forecasting - the role of behavior change
Authors: Eksin Ceyhun , Paarporn Keith , Weitz Joshua S.
Published: June 2018

In a simple susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model, the initial speed at which infected cases increase is indicative of the long-term trajectory of the outbreak. Yet during real-world outbreaks, individuals may modify their behavior and take preventative steps to reduce infection risk. As a consequence, the relationship between the initial rate of spread and the final case count may become tenuous. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis by comparing the dynamics arising from a simple SIR epidemic model with those from a modified SIR model in which individuals reduce contacts as a function of the current or cumulative number of cases. Dynamics with behavior change exhibit significantly reduced final case counts even though the initial speed of disease spread is nearly identical for both of the models. We show that this difference in final size projections depends critically in the behavior change of individuals. These results also provide a rationale for integrating behavior change into iterative forecast models. Hence, we propose to use a Kalman filter to update models with and without behavior change as part of iterative forecasts. When the ground truth outbreak includes behavior change, sequential predictions using a simple SIR model perform poorly despite repeated observations while predictions using the modified SIR model are able to correct for initial forecast errors. These findings highlight the value of incorporating behavior change into baseline epidemic and dynamic forecast models.
Cyberthreats as a Component of Threats in the Contemporary World (a Legal Aspect)
Authors: Bezzubov Dmytro , Ihonin Ruslan , Diorditsa Ihor
Published: June 2018

In their paper, the authors studied legal understanding of cyber threats in the contemporary world. The emphasis was placed on the fact thatthere is no definition of ʽcyber threatsʼ at both the international and domestic levels, which leads to adverse consequences. The authors suggested their own perception of ʽa cyber threatʼ – illegal punishable acts of subjects of information legal relations that create a danger to vital interests of man, society and the state as a whole, fulfillment of which depends on proper operation of information, telecommunication and information telecommunication systems, as well as to relations associated with information production, collection, acquisition, storage, use, dissemination, protection, and security. It is stated that the essence of cyber threatsconsists in their sources, that is, in subjects of information legal relations, while information is their direct target. Information interventions pose a major threat to cybersecurity. It was noted that threats can be both internal and external. To develop an effective mechanism able to counter cyber threatsto Ukraine, it is suggested taking current practices of foreign countries and the international community as a model and bringing them in line with the Ukrainian realities.