bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Host Mediators in Gingival Crevicular Fluid: Implications for the Pathogenesis of Periodontal Disease
Authors: Lamster Ira B. , Novak M. John
Published: January 2017

During the past few years, a considerable number of studies have examined different aspects of the host response in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), including the relationship of specific markers to the active phases of periodontal disease. Various indicators of the acute inflammatory response (the lysosomal enzymes P-glucuronidase and collagenase, the cytoplasmic enzyme aspartate aminotransferase, and the arachidonic acid metabolite PGE2) have been shown to be associated with clinical attachment loss in chronic adult periodontitis in man and experimental periodontitis in animal models. In contrast, the relationship of indicators of the humoral immune response in GCF to active periodontal disease is equivocal. Furthermore, a number of indicators of the cellular immune response have been identified recently in GCF (i.e., Interleukin-la, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-a), but their relationship to active phases of periodontal disease have not been studied.

The polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) is the cellular hallmark of acute inflammation. Evidence from the GCF studies suggests that hyperreactivity of these cells plays a critical role in the active phases of some forms of periodontal disease. Metabolic activation of PMN can be associated with a number of potentially destructive reactions. The major effector mechanism for tissue destruction that can be specifically identified with the PMN is the synergistic effect of the release of PMN proteases and the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites by these cells. Priming of the PMN, where the PMN response is enhanced by agents that do not initiate the response, may be an important mechanism for PMN activation in the crevicular environment; for example, cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-a, and lipopolysaccharides released from subgingival Gram-negative bacteria, can serve this function. The hypothesis proposed here argues that in addition to the severe forms of periodontal disease that have been associated with qualitative or quantitative PMN defects, tissue destruction in the periodontum can be observed with hyperreactivity of these cells. These differing conclusions do not create a dilemma, but may represent opposite ends of a balance that is no longer in equilibrium.
Current Concepts of the Biology of Tooth Eruption
Authors: Gorski Jeffrey P. , Marks Sandy C.
Published: January 2017

Tooth eruption is defined as the movement of a tooth from its site of development within the jaws to its position of function within the oral cavity. We present a critical review of evidence for the mechanisms and regulation of the intraosseous and supraosseous phases of eruption, with an emphasis upon the canine premolar model studied by the authors. Analyses at different stages of premolar eruption indicate that selective fragmentation of dental follicle protein DF-95 correlates with the presence of elevated levels of follicular collagenase and stromelysin, and with the onset of premolar movement. A dramatic decrease in these metalloproteinases followed initiation of movement. A biochemical and cell biological model for regulation of tooth eruption is proposed based upon these new and existing data.
The Sense of Taste: Neurobiology, Aging, and Medication Effects
Authors: Frank Marion E. , Hettinger Thomas P. , Mott April E.
Published: January 2017

The sense of taste is an oral chemical sense in mammals that is involved in the choice of foods. Initial transduction of taste stimuli occurs in taste buds, which are distributed in four discrete fields in the oral cavity. Medications can affect the taste buds and ion channels in taste-bud cell membranes involved in stimulus transduction. The sense of taste gradually declines with aging, with bitter taste most affected. Neural circuits that mediate taste in primates include cranial nerves VII, IX, and X, the solitary nucleus in the brain stem, the ventroposteromedial nucleus of the thalamus, and the insular-opercular cortex. The central taste pathways process taste information about sweet, salty, sour, and bitter stimuli serially and in parallel. Medications associated with "metallic" dysgeusia and taste losses affect the taste system via unknown mechanisms.
Mesoderm and Jaw Development in Vertebrates: The Role of Growth Factors
Authors: Milos Nadine C.
Published: January 2017

The head and neck arise during development as the result of a complex series of cellular and molecular interactions that begin in the fertilized egg. In this article, the role of an important class of molecules, growth factors, is examined in two main steps of the developmental sequence: the initial induction of mesoderm and the later induction of jaw cartilage and bone. The article focuses particularly on the roles of members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and epithelial growth factor (EGF) families in these processes and current models of growth factor involvement. Possible experiments for the future are discussed.
Dentinogenesis
Authors: Linde Anders , Goldberg Michel
Published: January 2017

The formation of dentin, dentinogenesis, comprises a sophisticated interplay between several factors in the tissue, cellular as well as extracellular. Dentin may be regarded as a calcified connective tissue. In this respect, as well as in its mode of formation, it is closely related to bone. Using dentinogenesis as an experimental model to study biomineralization provides several practical advantages, and the results may be extrapolated to understand similar processes in other tissues, primarily bone. After describing dentin structure and composition, this review discusses items such as the morphology of dentinogenesis; the dentinogenically active odontoblast, transport, and concentrations of mineral ions; the constituents of the dentin organic matrix; and the presumed mechanisms involved in mineral formation.
Editorial and Commentary Coverage of Foreign News Issues in Malaysian Newspapers: Variation and Consistency
Authors: Ch’ng Huck Ying
Published: January 2017

This is a comparative framing analysis of editorial and commentary pieces on foreign news issues in three major Malaysian newspapers—in Malay, Chinese and English languages. The multicultural and multiethnic mix of Malaysian society and its media as well as the long-standing connection between the mainstream media and the ruling coalition government in Malaysia provides a valuable context for such a study. The results reveal significant variation in the framing of foreign news issues across the three newspapers, corresponding to their respective target audiences, while a consistency in alignment with the government policy is also evident in all three. The study challenges the idea of a ‘national’ media and identity in international and foreign news studies (i.e. the idea that there is such a thing as a single, e.g. ‘Malaysian’ media or associated world view). It demonstrates how an analysis of foreign news coverage in a country such as Malaysia needs to account for the multifaceted ethnic, linguistic, political and cultural demographic influences on its newspapers.
Learning to Labour on the Reality Talent Show
Authors: Redden Guy
Published: January 2017

From Idol and So You Think You Can Dance to the Got Talent franchise, light entertainment has returned to screens in a form that is globally popular. This article examines this new genre (which is, of course, a revival of an old one) in the light of recent hybridisations of television programs, and proposes that the particular configurations in which the new shows present singing, dancing and specialty acts are indicative of broader interrelated changes in TV and society. With reference mainly to Australian shows, it is argued that the new variants both depict and enact the commodification of precarious labour in line with exigencies of the contemporary cultural industries and imperatives of the new economy. The genre's pleasures are directed into commodifiable value in strictly controlled, competitive formats of celebrity-creation, resulting in a mode of accumulation that capitalises on the largely gifted labour of the enthusiastic participants who co-create the entertainment spectacle with little guaranteed return.
Above the Bottom Line: Understanding Australian Screen Content Producers
Authors: Cameron Allan , Verhoeven Deb , Court David
Published: January 2017

The recently completed Australian Screen Producer Survey provides the most current and detailed picture of the culture, motivations and aspirations of a highly influential sector of the content production industries. Drawing upon the results of the survey, this article reflects on the historical and theoretical difficulties entailed in defining the producer as a professional category, before outlining some of the survey's key findings. In particular, it examines producers' demographic and sectoral profile, analyses their attitudes towards the relative importance of education and experience, and explores their underlying motivations. Amongst other findings, the survey reveals a tendency towards idealism among Australian producers that would appear to be at odds with the financial realities of the business. It therefore offers a variety of stakeholders (including government and educational institutions, as well as producers themselves) with the opportunity to reflect upon the future shape and direction of the Australian media industry.
Seismic expression of delta to deep-lake transition and its control on lithology, total organic content, brittleness, and shale-gas sweet spots in Triassic Yanchang Formation, southern Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Zeng Hongliu , Wang Wei , Liang Quansheng
Published: January 2017

The Triassic Yanchang Formation is currently a hot spot for lacustrine shale-gas exploration in the Ordos Basin, China. A seismic-sedimentological study using a newly acquired 3D survey was conducted to advance the interpretation and prediction of the shale-gas reservoirs. The seismic volume was converted into a log-lithology volume at the thin-bed level. The inverted acoustic impedance volume was stratal sliced to extract seismic geomorphologic information. Deltaic facies and depositional history were interpreted using lithologic and planform morphology of seismic attributes on stratal slices. Detailed core analysis data including total organic content (TOC), mineral composition, and mechanical properties of sandstones and shales were correlated with seismic-derived lithology and facies. Microseismic data were evaluated for reservoir performance in production wells. Finally, shale-gas sweet spots, or optimal drilling targets, were predicted by mapping relatively high-brittleness lithofacies in 3D using seismic attributes. In the three submembers of the Chang 7 member of the Yanchang Formation, the high-TOC Ch7-1 shale unit is not ideal for shale-gas development because of its ductile nature and tunnel effect when fracturing. Ch7-2 prodelta sediments are shale-gas sweet spots because they are thick, relatively brittle, and in close proximity to high-TOC Ch7-1.
Proletarianization, Deproletarianization, and the Rise of the Amateur
Authors: Dillet Benoît
Published: January 2017

In this article, I present the three forms of proletarianization found in Bernard Stiegler's work: the proletarianization of the producer, the proletarianization of the consumer, and generalized proletarianization. In the lectures included in this special issue, Stiegler refers to the proletarianization of sensibility, which belongs to this last form of proletarianization. I attempt to contextualize this new work in relation to Stiegler's past work on political economy, as well as some of his political positions about capitalism as a social organization. I explain where the notion of proletarianization gets muddled, and I also compare his position on new forms of capitalism to the influential work of André Gorz. Following Stiegler, I call the underlying political project of deproletarianization that he has developed “protentional politics.” I turn more specifically to the underdiscussed notion of “tertiary protention” and question its place in Stiegler's thought. Finally, I also explain why Stiegler's turn to the figure of the amateur, especially in the third lecture in this issue, is strategic in thinking of deproletarianizing practices.
Arche-Cinema and the Politics of Extinction
Authors: Cohen Tom
Published: January 2017

This essay places Bernard Stiegler's conception of arche-cinema in contact with the era of climate change and the impasse that it presents to the American Left today. It views Stiegler's thought as a post-anthropocene writing project yet asks whether the “proletarianization of the senses” it battles has not been irreversibly accomplished in last man culture and the disaffected society of hyperindustrial ecocide. Stiegler's foremost tool for engaging this endgame—his brilliant deployment of Gilbert Simondon (supplemented by an effaced Jacques Derrida)—might, in this case, be suspended: for the latter keeps open the promise of a “transindividuated,” adoptive community or we, which can reset care, attention, the long term, and advance new technologies of the spirit. One must turn instead to the darker side of Stiegler's thought, literally in the cave before the artifice and projection of “light,” which are the hypomnemata, or inscriptions, themselves. The progressivist and utopist styles, and weak messianism, which defined twentieth-century critical projects, themselves fueled the ecocidal trajectory. Any future war over inscriptions, the last perimeters of which bots now probe, is forecast in the two types of “climate change” cinema one finds today. At the point where “cinema” completes a trajectory that started, for Stiegler, in the cave paintings, we not only find ourselves delivered to a disarticulated biosphere and ecocidal acceleration, but return to arche-cinema to disperse how the “senses” themselves have been engineered in what can be called the cin-anthropocene era. Using Stiegler's opposition between a cinema of stereotypes and one of traumatypes, I trace how this might be applied to what I call a cinematic politics of extinction in today's “consciousness industry.”
Staging of breast cancer and the advanced applications of digital mammogram: what the physician needs to know?
Authors: Helal Maha H , Mansour Sahar M , Zaglol Mai , Salaleldin Lamia A , Nada Omniya M , Haggag Marwa A
Published: January 2017

Objective:

To study the role of advanced applications of digital mammogram, whether contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), in the “T” staging of histologically proven breast cancer before planning for treatment management.

Methods:

In this prospective analysis, we evaluated 98 proved malignant breast masses regarding their size, multiplicity and the presence of associated clusters of microcalcifications. Evaluation methods included digital mammography (DM), 3D tomosynthesis and CESM. Traditional DM was first performed then in a period of 10–14-day interval; breast tomosynthesis and contrast-based mammography were performed for the involved breast only. Views at tomosynthesis were acquired in a “step-and-shoot” tube motion mode to produce multiple (11–15), low-dose images and in contrast-enhanced study, low-energy (22–33 kVp) and high-energy (44–49 kVp) exposures were taken after the i.v. injection of the contrast agent. Operative data were the gold standard reference.

Results:

Breast tomosynthesis showed the highest accuracy in size assessment (n = 69, 70.4%) than contrast-enhanced (n = 49, 50%) and regular mammography (n = 59, 60.2%). Contrast-enhanced mammography presented the least performance in assessing calcifications, yet it was most sensitive in the detection of multiplicity (92.3%), followed by tomosynthesis (77%) and regular mammography (53.8%). The combined analysis of the three modalities provided an accuracy of 74% in the “T” staging of breast cancer.

Conclusion:

The combined application of tomosynthesis and contrast-enhanced digital mammogram enhanced the performance of the traditional DM and presented an informative method in the staging of breast cancer.

Advances in knowledge:

Staging and management planning of breast cancer can divert according to tumour size, multiplicity and the presence of microcalcifications. DBT shows sharp outlines of the tumour with no overlap tissue and spots microcalcifications. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammogram shows the extent of abnormal contrast uptake and detects multiplicity. Integrated analysis provides optimal findings for proper “T” staging of breast cancer.
The worst experiment ever
Authors: Hobby Russell
Published: January 2017

If education was an experiment, it would be the worst one ever designed, says Russell Hobby
Lateral collateral ligament injuries of the elbow – chronic posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI)
Authors: Conti Mica Megan , Caekebeke Pieter , van Riet Roger
Published: December 2016

Chronic posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) is the most common form of chronic elbow instability. PLRI usually occurs from a fall on the outstretched hand. On impact, the radial head and ulna rotate externally coupled with valgus displacement of the forearm. This leads to posterior displacement of the radial head relative to the capitellum, thus causing disruption of some or all of the lateral-sided stabilisers. PLRI is mainly a clinical diagnosis with a history of instability, clicking and lateral-sided pain, with a positive clinical examination including the pivot-shift test, push-up, chair and tabletop test. MRI can often help guide diagnosis but more commonly assists in surgical planning. Surgery is indicated in patients with persistent, symptomatic instability of the elbow causing pain or functional deficit. There are several surgical techniques to treat PLRI, often leading to good to excellent results. An open or arthroscopic technique has been successfully used in patients with symptomatic PLRI following one or more episodes of dislocation or subluxation. At the pre-operative examination under general anaesthesia, all of our patients had a positive pivot-shift test but not a frank dislocation. We prefer to perform a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) reconstruction with an allograft tendon. The outcomes after repair are good to excellent in the majority of patients. Results of acute repair are generally better compared with reconstruction. This is due to the fact that predictive factors for a poor outcome include the number of previous surgeries and the prevalence of degenerative changes at the elbow. Recurrent instability is not uncommon following repair or reconstruction and has been reported in up to 25% of patients after medium- to longer-term follow-up.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2016;1:461-468. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.160033
Chronic medial instability of the elbow
Authors: Savoie Felix H. , O’Brien Michael
Published: January 2017

Damage to the medial collateral ligament of the elbow from an instability episode usually heals with non-operative treatment. In some cases, residual instability may occur, leading to functional impairment. Non-operative management can be successful when bracing, taping and therapy are used to stabilise the elbow. A recent report detailing the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in effectively treating ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries in throwers has shown promise. However, there remain specific groups that should be considered for repair or reconstruction. These may include throwing athletes, wrestlers and some individuals involved in highly active physical activity which demands stability of the elbow. The results of surgical repair and reconstruction allowing a return to sports are quite good, ranging from 84% to 94%. Complications are generally low and mostly centred on ulnar nerve injuries. This report represents a review of the literature concerning valgus instability over the past five years, supplemented by selective older articles where relevant.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2:1-6. DOI:10.1302/2058-5241.2.160037.
Henoch–Schönlein purpura as a rare cause of an acute abdomen
Authors: Davies M , Nanda Kumar M , Shetty V , Mitchell P
Published: January 2017

A 52-year-old man presented with a purpuric rash affecting his legs and hypertension. He was diagnosed with Henoch–Schönlein purpura and discharged with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Three weeks later, he presented again with loss of appetite and vomiting before developing abdominal pain with pyrexia of 38.5°C and rigors. On examination, he was hypotensive with a distended abdomen and a national early warning score of 6. Computed tomography revealed enteropathy of Henoch–Schönlein purpura. The patient deteriorated and went for an emergency laparotomy, where 30cm of ischaemic small bowel was resected.
Beings of a Feather: Learning About the Lives of Birds with Amazonian Peoples
Authors: Jernigan Kevin
Published: December 2016

This article is a memoir of the author's fieldwork experiences studying traditional knowledge of bird species in the Peruvian Amazon. It describes his growth as a researcher, in light of the practical and methodological challenges of carrying out this kind of work. It also relates how the author's thinking has evolved on questions of current theoretical interest in ethnobiology. The first section outlines how the author came to be interested in this topic while pursuing an ethnobotanical dissertation project. Next, the discussion follows his work with the indigenous Aguaruna and Iquito peoples, learning about and documenting their understandings of the nesting, foraging and reproductive behavior of local avian species. On one hand, he found that local people provided details of these behaviors that match, in many ways, the counts of academic ornithologists. However, local interpretations of why these behaviors take place are often framed by some very different assumptions. The author uses Victor Toledo's tripartite framework of kosmos (overarching belief systems), corpus (cognitive categories), and praxis (set of practices) to discuss similarities and differences in Aguaruna, Iquito, and academic ornithology. He also discusses his progression of views on the topic of perspectivism and eventual preference for a theoretical framework favoring a polyontological approach to understanding Amazonian ethnoecology.
The Role of Myth in Understanding Nature
Authors: Pierotti Raymond
Published: December 2016

Use of metaphor embodies myth in Western science and Native American traditional knowledge traditions about understanding the “natural” world and the nonhuman “other.” Using personal history, I compare a myth/metaphor from each intellectual tradition that shaped my thinking. Cultural trains of thought and metaphors impacted these myths and shaped my way of thinking. From Western scientific tradition, I examine the “Balance of Nature,” which dominated ecology and conservation biology from the 1850s until the 1990s. Balance and stability underlie major models in contemporary ecology and population biology, especially in wildlife and fisheries management. Before I trained as a Western style evolutionary ecologist, the myth of Wolf as creator figure in the traditions of Numic peoples (Shoshone, Comanche, Ute, Paiute) was the Indigenous creation myth that shaped my thinking. In the Balance of Nature, hidden metaphors are rooted in Western economic thought, specifically Capitalism. Similar metaphors in Numic peoples assume that humans are related ecologically to wolves, who served as teachers and guides. Stories, rather than data, served to fix these concepts into each cultural tradition. Although Numic beliefs appear “irrational” to Western society, they are more attuned to twenty-first century ecological and evolutionary thought than balance in nature, which lay at the root of Western ecological ideas until the 1980s. I discuss how my experiences with changing environmental conditions combined with my work with Indigenous peoples. Exposure to philosophical and empirical approaches from ethnobiology led me to explore these themes.
Free for All: Foods, Landscapes, and Lives in the Paraguayan Chaco
Authors: Wyndham Felice S.
Published: December 2016

Foods and foodscapes structure and inform our experiences as ethnobiologists and ethnographers, the way we interact with and learn from teachers in study sites, and how relations between peoples and between people and landscapes unfold over time. This short memoir essay revisits my education in foodscapes with the Ayoreo community of Jesudi in the Paraguayan Chaco through stories and experiences of food procurement and distribution. From landscapes in which food was free for all (non-monetized) to contemporary encroachments and land-grabbing in the Chaco for globally-connected markets, the transformations have been rapid and witnessed by Ayoreo and other dispossessed indigenous groups.
A Note on the Montessori of Ethnobiology, Hal Conklin
Authors: Anderson Myrdene
Published: December 2016

A Note on the Montessori of Ethnobiology, Hal Conklin
ON EVALUATION OF MOTION GAITS ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITH A HEXAPOD CRAWLING ROBOT
Authors: Černý Lukáš , Čížek Petr , Faigl Jan
Published: December 2016

In this work, we are concerning the problem of energy efficient locomotion of a hexapod crawling robot. We are emphasizing a practical verification and deployment on a real walking robot to evaluate relations between the energy consumption, motion speed, and terrain type with a particular motion gait. The tripod, tetrapod, and pentapod motion gaits are considered in the presented evaluation report.
USING ROBOT OPERATING SYSTEM FOR AUTONOMOUS CONTROL OF ROBOTS IN EUROBOT, ERC AND ROBOTOUR COMPETITIONS
Authors: Granosik Grzegorz , Andrzejczak Kacper , Kujawinski Mateusz , Bonecki Rafal , Chlebowicz Lukasz , Krysztofiak Blazej , Mirecki Konrad , Gawryszewski Marek
Published: December 2016

This paper presents application of the Navigation Stack available in Robot Operating System as a basis for the autonomous control of the mobile robots developed for a few different robot competitions. We present three case studies.
FRAMEWORK FOR AD HOC NETWORK COMMUNICATION IN MULTI-ROBOT SYSTEMS
Authors: Slyusar Khilda , Kulich Miroslav
Published: December 2016

Assume a team of mobile robots operating in environments where no communication infrastructure like routers or access points is available. The robots have to create a mobile ad hoc network, in that case, it provides communication on peer-to-peer basis. The paper gives an overview of existing solutions how to route messages in such ad hoc networks between robots that are not directly connected and introduces a design of a software framework for realization of such communication. Feasibility of the proposed framework is shown on the example of distributed multi-robot exploration of an a priori unknown environment. Testing of developed functionality in an exploration scenario is based on results of several experiments with various input conditions of the exploration process and various sizes of a team and is described herein.
MAPPING THE SURROUNDINGS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
Authors: Steininger M. , Stephan C. , Böhm C. , Sauer F. , Zink R.
Published: December 2016

Motivated by the hype around driverless cars and the challenges of the sensor integration and data processing, this paper presents a model for using a XBox One Microsoft Kinect stereo camera as sensor for mapping the surroundings. Today, the recognition of the environment of the car is mostly done by a mix of sensors like LiDAR, RADAR and cameras. In the case of the outdoor delivery challenge Robotour 2016 with model cars in scale 1:5, it is our goal to solve the task with one camera only. To this end, a three-stage approach was developed. The test results show that our approach can detect and locate objects at a range of up to eight meters in order to incorporate them as barriers in the navigation process.
SEISMIC ANALYSIS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CANNED MOTOR PUMP UNIT BASED ON INTEGRAL CALCULATION METHOD
Authors: Zhenggui Li , Muyu Li , Jiarong Zhang , Bo Li , Xiaobing Liu , Fengyu Yang
Published: January 2017

The canned motor pump is a device in one of the most important loops in the nuclear powerplant system and key technology research project, of which the seismic requirements shall bechecked by Category A. It is required that the structural integrity and electric drive assemblyperformability of the unit can be ensured during or after operating basic earthquake (OBE) or safeshutdown earthquake (SSE). The author uses Ansys software workbench module to carry outappearance-based three-dimensional modeling, finite element meshing, intrinsic mode analysis,and carry out structural overall element analysis and calculation considering dead weight load andearthquake spectrum load. The results show that the unit major structure rotary and static parts,gear system, bearing parts, bolt and screw strengths meet the requirements and the structuremaintains integrity, the relative deformation of the unit rotary and static parts shall be less than thespecified value of gap among them, so as to keep the performability and not interfere with theoperation. The appearance–based seismic analysis method not only can ensure the calculationaccuracy, but also can greatly reduce the workload in calculation and checking, has a certainlearning value.
Analysis and forecast of Turkey unemployment rate
Authors: YILDIRIM Hakan , BAŞEĞMEZ Hülya
Published: December 2016

This research develops techniques which are useful in forecasting single variable time series data. The techniques used in this study are moving averages (MA), Single Exponential Smoothing (SES), Adaptive Response Rate Exponential Smoothing (ARRES), Holt’s Linear and Holt-Winter’s Trend and Seasonality. For the purpose of this study, secondary data of Turkey Unemployment Rate covering the period 1996 up to 2015 was obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). From the result obtained, Adaptive Response Rate Exponential Smoothing (ARRES) was found to be the best method to forecast the Turkey Unemployment rate since it produces the lowest Mean Square Error (MSE) value which is 1.519.
A research about adoption of international financial reporting standard on G20 countries
Authors: Serçemeli Murat
Published: December 2016

The existence of particular accounting and reporting systems for companies operating in different countries creates a difficulty in making comparisons among these companies. One of the most important attempts to fix this problem is the enforcement of IFRS as a single standard in all countries. The aim of this research is to identify the current situation of G20 countries regarding the adoption of IFRS as a global standard. To this end, the current status of IFRS and the process of its adoption in G20 countries is examined in order to determine the extent of IFRS’s adoption as a global accounting standard. For this purpose, certain criteria are determined by analyzing the reports prepared by IASB on the IFRS applications in 143 countries and then content analysis of the country reports of the G20 countries are provided based on these criteria.According to the findings of the study, although it is possible to observe that all G20 countries except USA accept IFRS as the global accounting standard, this does not lead to the adoption of IFRS at the national level. Most G20 countries either adopted IFRS or making preparations for its adoption. However, the facts that IFRS is not applied in the world’s two biggest economies, USA and China, as well as in Indonesia and India and its only partial application in Saudi Arabia and its status of optional application in Japan are striking. As a result it is possible to claim that even though IFRS has expanded largely, there is still room for progress to become the single global accounting language. Current literature on IFRS usually focuses on single countries or comparisons of few countries. This study will provide a contribution to the field by presenting the current situation in the entire G20 countries.
Ministry of Youth and Sports’ staff perception of the organizational climate and organizational creativity
Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı personelinin örgüt iklimi algıları ile örgütsel yaratıcılık düzeyi
Authors: Yahşi Ümran , Özbek Oğuz
Published: December 2016

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between organizational climate perceptions of the staff of Ministry of Youth and Sports and their level of organizational creativity. The research is in the model of survey. The research is a study of situation determination. Population consists of 1200 people working in the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Data collection tool has been applied to 302 people. In the conclusion of research, in terms of the hierarchical and biometrical aspects of organization climate, perceptions of plain public servants’ views is proven to be higher than the perceptions of experts’ and managers’ views. The perception of the staff whose tenure of office is between 11 and 15 years  over the  relationship, job satisfaction, communication aspects of organization climate is found more positive than that of staff whose tenure of office is between 6-10 years, 5 years and lesser, and 16 years and more. Any meaningful difference was not found in the views with respect to the variables related to individual, administrational and social sub-aspects of organizational creativity. A positive and meaningful relationship was determined between organizational climate and organizational creativity. ÖzetBu araştırmanın amacı, Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı personelinin örgüt iklimi algıları ile örgütsel yaratıcılık düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktır. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modelindedir. Araştırma durum saptayıcı bir çalışmadır. Araştırma evreni Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı’nda çalışan 1200 kişiden oluşmaktadır. Veri toplama aracının örneklemini 302 kişi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma sonucunda; örgüt ikliminin hiyerarşi ve biometrik boyutuna ilişkin memur personelin görüşlerinin algısı yönetici ve uzman personelin algısından daha yüksek bulunmuştur. 11-15 yıl arasında hizmet süresi olan personelin örgüt ikliminin insan ilişkileri, iş doyumu ve iletişim boyutlarına ilişkin algısı, 16 yıl ve üzeri, 5 yıl ve daha az ve 6-10 yıl arasında hizmet süresi olan personele göre daha olumlu bulunmuştur. Örgütsel yaratıcılığın, bireysel, yönetsel ve toplumsal alt boyutlarına ilişkin değişkenlere göre görüşlerde anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır. Örgüt iklimi ile örgütsel yaratıcılık arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmıştır.
Examining superstitious behavior usage frequencies in sport
Sporda batıl davranış kullanım sıklıklarının incelenmesi
Authors: Barut Ali İlhan , Toros Turhan , Kaçay Zülbiye
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine superstitious behavior usage frequencies according to gender, sport branch, active sport life duration and sport achievement importance in athletes. The sample consists of a total of 160 athletes at basketball, football, tennis and athletics branches in the 1st, 2nd, regional league, amateur league and special sports clubs in Mersin region. In this study for gathering data “Superstitious Ritual Questionnare” were used. Mann Whitney U test is applied to compare two independent groups, Kruskall Wallis test is applied to compare more than two independent groups in the study. SPSS 20.0 for Windows package program was used in data analysis and assessment. As a result, there is a significant difference between tennis division athletes and basketball division athletes in superstitious ritual usage frequency. Furthermore it is found that female athletes use superstitious rituals more than male athletes in gender. ÖzetBu çalışmanın amacı sporcularda cinsiyet, branş, aktif spor yaşam süresine ve sportif başarının önemine göre batıl davranış kullanım sıklıklarını belirlemektir. Araştırma örneklemini Mersin bölgesindeki 1.lig, 2.lig, bölgesel lig, amatör lig ve özel spor kulüplerinde oynayan basketbol, futbol, tenis, atletizm branşlarında toplam 160 sporcu oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada veri toplamak amacıyla “Sporda Batıl İnanç ve Davranış Envanteri” kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada bağımsız iki grup karşılaştırmalarında Mann Whitney U testi, bağımsız ikiden fazla grubun karşılaştırılmasında Kruskall Wallis testi kullanılmıştır. Veri analizi ve değerlendirmesinde SPSS for Windows 20.0 paket programı kullanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak branşlara göre bakıldığında batıl davranış kullanım sıklıkları bakımından tenis branşındaki sporcularla basketbol branşındaki sporcular arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunmuştur. Ayrıca araştırmada cinsiyetler açısından kadın sporcuların erkeklere göre daha fazla batıl davranış kullandıkları gözlenmiştir.
Investigation of the relationship between athlete identity perception, courage and self-confidence
Sporcu kimlik algısı ile cesaret ve özgüven duyguları arasındaki ilişkilerin incelenmesi
Authors: Kaçay Zülbiye , Can Yusuf
Published: December 2016

The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between courage and self-confidence together with an athlete identity perception. In the study, it was also tested whether there were differences in athlete identity perception, courage and self-esteem in terms of age, gender, sport year, sports field and education level.A total of 156 athletes (79 male and 77 female), selected by random sampling methods accepted to participate voluntarily in the research.Athletic Identity Perception Scale, Courage Scale and Self-Confidence Scale were used as a research tool.According to the results of the research, a strong positive correlation was found between sense of athlete identity, courage and inner self-esteem. However, there was no significant relationship between sense of athlete identity and external self-esteem.On the other hand, while no significant difference was determined between courageand internal self-confidence in terms of gender (p>0,05), significant difference was determined in external self-confidence in terms of gender (p <0,05). The results of the study showed that female athletes had a higher sense of external self-esteem than male athletes. ÖzetBu araştırmanın amacı, sporcu kimlik algısı ile cesaret ve özgüven duyguları arasındaki ilişkilerin incelenmesidir. Çalışmada ayrıca, sporcuların sporcu kimlik algısı, cesaret ve öz güven duygularında yaş, cinsiyet, spor yılı, spor dalı ve eğitim düzeyi açısından anlamlı farklılıkların bulunup bulunmadığı test edilmiştir.Araştırmaya, tesadüfi örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilen ve araştırmaya gönüllü olarak katılmayı kabul eden altı farklı spor dalından 79 erkek ve 77 kadın sporcu olmak üzere toplam 156 sporcu katılmıştır.Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, Sporcu Kimlik Algısı Ölçeği, Cesaret ölçeği ve Özgüven Ölçeği kullanılmıştır.Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, sporcu kimlik algısı ile cesaret ve iç özgüven duygusu arasında güçlü bir pozitif ilişki bulunmuştur. Ancak sporcu kimlik algısı ile dış özgüven duygusu arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır.Diğer taraftan, sporcuların sporcu kimlik algısı, cesaret ve iç öz güven duygularında cinsiyet açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunmazken (p>0,05), dış özgüven duygusunda cinsiyet açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunmuştur (p<0,05). Araştırma sonuçları, kadın sporcuların erkek sporculardan daha yüksek dış özgüven duygusuna sahip olduklarını göstermektedir.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor as a biomarker for malignant pleural effusions
Authors: Fafliora Eleftheria , Hatzoglou Chrissi , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Zarogiannis Sotirios G.
Published: December 2016

Conventional methods may fail to identify the cause of pleural effusion (PE), thus establishing reliable biomarkers is deemed necessary. This study aimed at examining the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a biomarker in the differentiation between malignant and benign PEs in adults. A comprehensive literature search in PubMed (Medline), Scopus (ELSEVIER), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases was conducted using keywords. We included studies that evaluated pleural and/or serum levels of VEGF among patients presenting with undiagnosed PE and the association between these levels and the final diagnosis. We performed a meta‐analysis to calculate the summary effect using the random effects model. Statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package for meta‐analysis Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis. Twenty studies were included in the systematic review, while 11 of them in the meta‐analysis. Pleural fluid VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased by 1.93 ng/mL as compared to patients with benign PE (95% CI: 1.32–2.54, Q = 173, df (Q): 10, I2 = 94.2%, P < 0.05). Serum VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased respectively by 1.90 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.93–2.88, Q = 182, df (Q): 6, I2 = 96.7%, P < 0.05). This study showed that malignant PEs were associated with higher levels of both pleural fluid and serum VEGF. VEGF appears to represent a promising biomarker for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant PEs.
Physical exercise in aging human skeletal muscle increases mitochondrial calcium uniporter expression levels and affects mitochondria dynamics
Authors: Zampieri Sandra , Mammucari Cristina , Romanello Vanina , Barberi Laura , Pietrangelo Laura , Fusella Aurora , Mosole Simone , Gherardi Gaia , Höfer Christian , Löfler Stefan , Sarabon Nejc , Cvecka Jan , Krenn Matthias , Carraro Ugo , Kern Helmut , Protasi Feliciano , Musarò Antonio , Sandri Marco , Rizzuto Rosario
Published: December 2016

Age‐related sarcopenia is characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass with decline in specific force, having dramatic consequences on mobility and quality of life in seniors. The etiology of sarcopenia is multifactorial and underlying mechanisms are currently not fully elucidated. Physical exercise is known to have beneficial effects on muscle trophism and force production. Alterations of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis regulated by mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) have been recently shown to affect muscle trophism in vivo in mice. To understand the relevance of MCU‐dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in aging and to investigate the effect of physical exercise on MCU expression and mitochondria dynamics, we analyzed skeletal muscle biopsies from 70‐year‐old subjects 9 weeks trained with either neuromuscular electrical stimulation (ES) or leg press. Here, we demonstrate that improved muscle function and structure induced by both trainings are linked to increased protein levels of MCU. Ultrastructural analyses by electron microscopy showed remodeling of mitochondrial apparatus in ES‐trained muscles that is consistent with an adaptation to physical exercise, a response likely mediated by an increased expression of mitochondrial fusion protein OPA1. Altogether these results indicate that the ES‐dependent physiological effects on skeletal muscle size and force are associated with changes in mitochondrial‐related proteins involved in Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial shape. These original findings in aging human skeletal muscle confirm the data obtained in mice and propose MCU and mitochondria‐related proteins as potential pharmacological targets to counteract age‐related muscle loss.
Smoking correlates with increased cytoskeletal protein‐related coding region mutations in the lung and head and neck datasets of the cancer genome atlas
Authors: Yavorski John M. , Blanck George
Published: December 2016

Cancer from smoking tobacco is considered dependent on mutagens, but significant molecular aspects of smoking‐specific, cancer development remain unknown. We defined sets of coding regions for oncoproteins, tumor suppressor proteins, and cytoskeletal‐related proteins that were compared between nonsmokers and smokers, for mutation occurrences, in the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC), bladder carcinoma (BLCA), and pancreatic adenocarcinoma ( PAAD) datasets from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). We uncovered significant differences in overall mutation rates, and in mutation rates in cytoskeletal protein‐related coding regions (CPCRs, including extracellular matrix protein coding regions), between nonsmokers and smokers in LUAD and HNSC (P < 0.001), raising the question of whether the CPCR mutation differences lead to different clinical courses for nonsmoker and smoker cancers. Another important question inspired by these results is, whether high smoker cancer mutation rates would facilitate genotoxicity or neoantigen‐based therapies. No significant, mutation‐based differences were found in the BLCA or PAAD datasets, between nonsmokers and smokers. However, a significant difference was uncovered for the average number of overall cancer mutations, in LUAD, for persons who stopped smoking more than 15 years ago, compared with more recent smokers (P < 0.032).
Internal jugular pressure increases during parabolic flight
Authors: Martin David S. , Lee Stuart M. C. , Matz Timothy P. , Westby Christian M. , Scott Jessica M. , Stenger Michael B. , Platts Steven H.
Published: December 2016

One hypothesized contributor to vision changes experienced by >75% of International Space Station astronauts is elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). While no definitive data yet exist, elevated ICP might be secondary to the microgravity‐induced cephalad fluid shift, resulting in venous congestion (overfilling and distension) and inhibition of cerebrospinal and lymphatic fluid drainage from the skull. The objective of this study was to measure internal jugular venous pressure (IJVP) during normo‐ and hypo‐gravity as an index of venous congestion. IJVP was measured noninvasively using compression sonography at rest during end‐expiration in 11 normal, healthy subjects (3 M, 8 F) during normal gravity (1G; supine) and weightlessness (0G; seated) produced by parabolic flight. IJVP also was measured in two subjects during parabolas approximating Lunar (1/6G) and Martian gravity (1/3G). Finally, IJVP was measured during increased intrathoracic pressure produced using controlled Valsalva maneuvers. IJVP was higher in 0G than 1G (23.9 ± 5.6 vs. 9.9 ± 5.1 mmHg, mean ± SD P < 0.001) in all subjects, and IJVP increased as gravity levels decreased in two subjects. Finally, IJVP was greater in 0G than 1G at all expiration pressures (P < 0.01). Taken together, these data suggest that IJVP is elevated during acute exposure to reduced gravity and may be elevated further by conditions that increase intrathoracic pressure, a strong modulator of central venous pressure and IJVP. However, whether elevated IJVP, and perhaps consequent venous congestion, observed during acute microgravity exposure contribute to vision changes during long‐duration spaceflight is yet to be determined.