bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Access to Electronic Personal Health Records Among Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Secondary Data Analysis
Authors: Greenberg Alexandra J , Falisi Angela L , Finney Rutten Lila J , Chou Wen-Ying Sylvia , Patel Vaishali , Moser Richard P , Hesse Bradford W
Published: June 2017

Background

In the United States, national incentives for offering access to electronic personal health records (ePHRs) through electronic means are geared toward creating a culture of patient engagement. One group of patients who stand to benefit from online access to ePHRs is the growing population with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). However, little is known about the current availability and use of ePHRs and patient portals among those managing MCC.

Objective

The aim was to determine the associations between number of chronic conditions and sociodemographic characteristics and usage of ePHRs, and to assess how the public’s use of ePHRs varies across subpopulations, including those with MCC.

Methods

This study used data collected from the 2014 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), and assessed differences in use of ePHRs between those with and without MCC (N=3497) using multiple logistic regression techniques. Variables associated with health care systems (insurance status, having a regular provider) and patient-reported self-efficacy were included in the statistical models.

Results

Those with MCC (n=1555) had significantly higher odds of accessing their records three or more times in the past year compared to those reporting no chronic conditions (n=1050; OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.37-4.45), but the overall percentage of those with MCC using ePHRs remained low (371 of 1529 item respondents, 25.63% weighted). No difference in odds of accessing their records was found between those reporting one chronic condition (n=892) and those reporting none (n=1050; OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.66-1.58). Significant differences in odds of accessing ePHRs were seen between income and age groups (P<.001 and P=.05, respectively), and by whether respondents had a regular provider (P=.03).

Conclusions

We conclude that ePHRs provide a unique opportunity to enhance MCC patient self-management, but additional effort is needed to ensure that these patients are able to access their ePHRs. An increase in availability of patient access to their ePHRs may provide an opportunity to increase patient engagement and support self-management for all patients and especially those with MCC.
Ciudadanía y democracia cultural. Los desafíos de la culturalidad política en Chiapas
Authors: Solís Jesús
Published: June 2017

Una serie de sucesos políticos en Chiapas ha reabierto el debate en torno a los derechos culturales y su reconocimiento en la entidad. Ocurridos en un ambiente de júbilo de la clase política gobernante por el afianzamiento de la democracia procedimental en el estado, estos sucesos aparecen como perturbaciones de un marco de realidad política modelo. Recogiendo la figuración discursiva que sobre los hechos se han elaborado, que los sitúa como rupturas de una normalidad democrática, ensayo en este escrito, apoyado en la idea de Acontecimiento, una reflexión y análisis sobre las reclamaciones de derechos culturales, en un sentido general, para mostrar su contenido, posibilidades e inconsistencias en una realidad como la chiapaneca.
«Ni pobres ni ricos, vivimos bien». La lógica del desarrollo y el buen vivir en Ek Balam, Yucatán
Authors: Martínez Yassir Jesús Rodríguez
Published: June 2017

El objetivo de este artículo es presentar una crítica al desarrollo desde una investigación realizada en Ek Balam, Yucatán. En primera instancia se aborda cómo la lógica del desarrollo, a través de una serie de representaciones sobre el otro, desvaloriza a los sujetos locales. Seguidamente, se abordan las concepciones locales sobre el vivir bien que posibilitan pensar en alternativas al desarrollo. En conjunto, se plantea la necesidad de mirar más allá del desarrollo y recuperar las voces locales para posibilitar la construcción de diálogos interculturales.
La diabetes como metáfora de vulnerabilidad. El caso de los ikojts de Oaxaca
Authors: Pérez Vázquez José Cándido , Montesi Laura
Published: June 2017

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación etnográfica de corte fenomenológico (2013/2014), que exploró las representaciones socioculturales de la diabetes y las experiencias de vida de los afligidos en una comunidad ikojts en Oaxaca. El estudio sugiere que para muchos miembros de ese grupo la diabetes es una expresión de la vulnerabilidad, síntoma y metáfora de cambios sufridos por ellos recientemente. Se describe cómo la diabetes permite a los afligidos articular la experiencia de la vulnerabilidad en múltiples niveles y se invita a incluir la etnicidad en el entendimiento de las epidemiologías desiguales del país, evitando nuevas formas de esencialización racial y cultural.
¿Quién se beneficia de las certificaciones de café orgánico? El caso de los campesinos de La Sepultura, Chiapas
Authors: Cruz-Morales Juana , Soleto Polanco Iván Tlaloc
Published: June 2017

El objetivo de esta investigación es valorar si la participación en programas de certificación orgánica es una herramienta exitosa para sacar de la pobreza a los pequeños productores del sur mediante la mejora de sus medios de vida y la reducción de su vulnerabilidad. Los métodos de investigación consisten en una amplia revisión de la literatura pertinente y en un estudio de caso. Los hallazgos muestran que los productores siguen siendo el eslabón más débil de la cadena de valor, al igual que ocurre con las cadenas comerciales de café convencional y, por lo tanto, no están obteniendo los beneficios esperados.
Imaginario universitario: ¿Qué significa la universidad para los jóvenes estudiantes en Guadalajara?
Authors: Hidalgo Villegas Liliana Natali
Published: June 2017

Este trabajo aborda las significaciones imaginarias sociales de los jóvenes con respecto a la universidad. Mediante el análisis de 48 entrevistas se delimitaron aspectos puntuales en forma de esquemas interpretativos que los universitarios crean para dar sentido a su realidad. La revisión del concepto imaginario implicó una mirada hacia la exploración y reconstrucción de significados como parte de acervos de conocimiento instituidos socialmente; asimismo, dentro de los principales resultados: la universidad es construida a partir de su valoración positiva y negativa, su condición espacio-temporal y el papel que los universitarios tienen en la educación en México. Esta reflexión sirve como contexto para debatir acerca de la formación profesional y las realidades sustantivas de la vida universitaria.
Opinions of school counselors about bullying in Turkish high schools
Authors: Uzunboylu Huseyin , Baglama Basak , özer Nadide , Kucuktamer Tugba , Kuimova Marina Valeryevna
Published: June 2017

The aim of the study was to determine the opinions about school bullying of 25 school counselors working in 6 high schools in Osmaniye, Turkey. Using a qualitative method, we collected data through semistructured interviews. We used a content analysis method to perform an interpretive
exploration of the counselors' opinions on reasons for, and types of, bullying, precautions taken, and their recommendations for preventing bullying behaviors. Results showed that the school counselors encountered three main types of bullying; verbal insults, hitting others, and provoking
others. We also found that the counselors needed to take precautions against bullying, to take steps to prevent it, and to develop intervention strategies for dealing with bullying behaviors. Implications are discussed, including practices to improve policies and to reduce and prevent bullying
at high schools, and recommendations are made for further research.
El distrito de la Puna y su primer subdelegado. Intendencia de Salta del Tucumán, 1784-1795
Authors: Aramendi Bárbara
Published: June 2017

En el presente trabajo analizamos el accionar, las relaciones y los conflictos del primer subdelegado nombrado para la jurisdicción de la Puna, con el objetivo de comprender el funcionamiento de la administración hispana en un espacio de características particulares en la Gobernación Intendencia de Salta del Tucumán. Para ello centramos nuestra mirada sobre el funcionario Juan Bautista Villegas, cuyo desempeño estuvo atravesado por la importancia de la actividad comercial y por la fuerza de los vínculos que ligaban al espacio puneño con el Alto Perú.
Sobre el uso del término mestizo en la historiografía de la historia de las imágenes en Chile. Una propuesta crítica
Authors: Schenke Josefina
Published: June 2017

Este trabajo problematiza la calificación de mestizo que reciben las imágenes coloniales que no fueron producidas en Santiago de Chile durante la Colonia, sino que provienen de los principales centros de producción visual de la zona andina (Lima, Cuzco, Alto Perú y Quito). Se discuten las oscilaciones del término mestizo en la historiografía del arte, con énfasis en las miradas sobre el “Barroco andino”. Se da cuenta también de la importación hacia Chile de tales objetos y su comercio en Santiago; y se revisan los errores más comunes a la hora de calificarlos como mestizos y relacionarlos sumariamente con la realidad racial local. Se proponen otros modos alternativos de interpretar las dinámicas mestizas, ancladas en la recepción, el uso de los objetos, así como en un mestizaje relacional.
Gilberto López Castillo. "Composición de tierras y tendencias de poblamiento hispano en la franja costera. Culiacán y Chiametla, siglos XVII y XVIII"
Authors: Padilla Calderón Esther
Published: June 2017

Culiacán: inah, Centro inah Sinaloa-H. Ayuntamiento de Culiacán, Instituto Municipal de Cultura de Culiacán,
Produkcja w rolnictwie w kontekście ochrony środowiska
Authors: Góral Justyna , Rembisz Włodzimierz
Published: June 2017

Głównym celem pracy było pokazanie konieczności wkomponowania aspektów środowiskowych do teorii produkcji w rolnictwie i pomiaru produktywności. Opracowanie ma charakter metodyczny i przeglądowy. Odnosi się do jednego z problemów współczesnej ekonomii – dylematu pomiędzy skalą gospodarowania zasobami środowiska a efektywnością alokacyjną w gospodarowaniu środowiskiem. W trosce o stan dóbr publicznych konieczny staje się wybór między industrialnym modelem rolnictwa a modelem rolnictwa społecznie zrównoważonego, przy czym ten ostatni staje się modelem wzorcowym. Autorzy przybliżyli zagadnienie produkcji integrowanej oraz zrównoważonej intensyfikacji. W pracy omówiono też nowsze podejście do dotychczasowych miar produktywności gospodarstw rolnych. Przedstawiono indeks produktywności uwzględniający aspekty środowiskowe (tzw. Environmentally Adjusted Total Factor Productivity). Obecnie rolnictwo europejskie kształtowane przez wspólną politykę rolną najpełniej w skali globalnej realizuje koncepcję intensyfikacji i zrównoważonego rozwoju. Jednocześnie znajduje się na ścieżce rozwojowej pozwalającej na konwergencję obu tych koncepcji. Pożądane jest, aby na tę samą ścieżkę wkroczyło również rolnictwo USA i Chin.
Regulatory thresholds of household deposit stability in the euro area - neglected factors and omissions made
Authors: Kochaniak Katarzyna
Published: June 2017

The paper investigates the occurrence of three categories of household deposits in 15 euro area countries - guaranteed, high value, and very high value - which, according to the European Banking Authority, differ in terms of their sensitivity to outflows under stress. The analysis is based on household-level data and applies a logit model. Its main finding is that the impact of wealth and socio-demographic features of households on their propensity to possess the deposits was opposite regarding guaranteed and unguaranteed deposits. It proves two separate profiles of households who declared deposits in the euro area. For selected member states, the adoption of the single limit within guarantee schemes was assessed as an incentive which may strengthen the deposits? resilience on withdrawals, and thus positively influence the funding stability of credit institutions.
Cardiopulmonary metastrongyloidosis of dogs and cats contribution to diagnose
Authors: Ilic Tamara , Mandic Maja , Stepanovic Predrag , Obrenovic Sonja , Dimitrijevic Sanda
Published: June 2017

Background. In the last fifteen years on the European continent and also worldwide, the prevalence of cardiopulmonary metastrongyloidosis in dogs and cats has increased significantly, especially cases involving those parasites which are the most important for veterinary practice (Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Crenosoma vulpis). Scope and Approach. The aim of this study is to present a detailed clinical-parasitological approach to highlight the importance of these helminths, and to display the newest findings concerning the diagnostic possibilities in dogs and cats Key Findings and Conclusions. The effects of global warming, vector range shift, the frequent transportation and movement of animals to other epizootic areas, as well as the intensification of merchandise transportation and movement of people are just some of the potential factors which could impact the dynamics of incidence, upkeep and spread of cardiopulmonary nematodoses in carnivores. For the timely implementation of effective treatment of sick animals, it essential to accurately diagnose these parasitoses. Accurate, timely diagnosis can, in the end, significantly contribute to the prognostic course of disease in infected carnivores. Cardiopulmonary metastrongyloidoses in dogs and cats have great clinical-parasitological significance because of their high degree of pathogenicity, their spread outside endemic areas, the difficulties encountered in establishing their diagnosis, and the fact that they represent a potential danger to human health.
Coloso fragmentado: The “intermestic” agenda and Latin American foreign policy
Authors: Long Tom
Published: June 2017

“Intermestic” issues, including trade, migration, and drug-trafficking, dominate contemporary U.S.-Latin American relations and matter deeply to Latin American and Caribbean states. The differing dynamics these create within the U.S. foreign policy process have been broadly explored. However, this article asks what effects the dynamics of U.S. intermesticity have on Latin American and Caribbean foreign policy towards the United States. Building on work by Robert Putnam and Helen Milner, it argues that intermestic issues have narrower win-sets and more veto players than traditional foreign policy issues. This complicates attempts at influencing U.S. policies, putting Latin American and Caribbean states at a disadvantage. Intermestic diplomacy demands different strategies. The argument is examined against the case of the U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking dispute.
Tan lejos de Dios... la religión entre el poder y la disidencia
Authors: Gayol Víctor
Published: June 2017

El aspecto sobrenatural del fenómeno religioso, y que lo define como tal según la antropología o la sociología clásicas, ha sido inseparable del fenómeno de lo político en diversas sociedades a lo largo de la historia.
Alicia Civera Cerecedo, Juan Alfonseca Giner de los Ríos, Carlos Escalante Fernández, coords., Campesinos y escolares, la construcción de la escuela en el campo latinoamericano, siglos xix y xx, México, El Colegio Mexiquense, Miguel Ángel Porrúa, 2011, 536 p.
Authors: Torres Septién Torres Valentina
Published: June 2017

Todavía en nuestros tiempos, como bien lo señala Alicia Civera en la introducción al texto titulado Campesinos y escolares, la construcción de la escuela en el campo latino- americano, siglos XIX y XX, “todavía existe un déficit en este asunto para que la educación [...] la escuela deje de ser [...] un tema marginal dentro de la historiografía”. Esta reflexión nos sitúa en un presente, en el que, a pesar de los esfuerzos incuestionables realizados en casi todos los países latinoamericanos, la tarea sigue aún inconclusa no sólo en los avances educativos en el medio rural, sino también en el conocimiento de su desarrollo, como lo señala Civera.
Norma Ojeda de la Peña y María Eugenia Zavala-Cosío, coords., Jovenes fronterizos/Border Youth. Expectativas de vida familiar, educación y trabajo hacia la adultez, Mexicali, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Conacyt, 2011, 397 p.
Authors: Mummert Gail
Published: June 2017

En el cierre del siglo XX y comienzo del XXI, el interés de gobiernos, la academia y el público en general se volcó sobre dos grupos extremos de edad: los adultos mayores y los niños y adolescentes. Generalmente considerados dependientes de los adultos trabajadores, las personas de la tercera edad y los jóvenes han alcanzado, sin duda, mayor visibilidad y peso político alrededor del mundo.
Gaming for Respondents: A Test of the Impact of Gamification on Completion Rates
Authors: Warnock Susanna , Gantz J. Sumner
Published: June 2017

This paper examines the challenge for marketing research companies in overcoming consumers' reluctance to participate in surveys in order to provide decision makers with quality data. On the one hand, clients are increasingly demanding more data; these clients are interested in employing and refining many of the trends in business analytics - Big Data, data-driven customer relationship management, more sophisticated customer segmentation or simply monitoring customer satisfaction. In order to do this, the clients are demanding more data, more often. On the other hand, marketing research companies are finding it increasingly difficult to get respondents to participate in quantitative studies. The cost of reaching respondents, getting them to begin a survey and, more importantly, complete the survey with thoughtful and honest answers, is decreasing the profit margin for many marketing research companies. How can marketing research companies deal with this difficult dilemma?
Are Interviews Costing £0.08 a Waste of Money? Reviewing Google Surveys for ‘Wisdom of the Crowd’ Projects
Authors: Roughton G.W. , Mackay Iain
Published: June 2017

This paper investigates whether a ‘wisdom of the crowd’ approach might offer an alternative to recent political polls that have raised questions about survey data quality. Data collection costs have become so low that, as well as the question of data quality, concerns have also been raised about low response rates, professional respondents and respondent interaction. There are also uncertainties about self-selecting ‘samples’. This paper looks at more than 100 such surveys and reports that, in five out of the six cases discussed, £0.08p interviews delivered results in line with known outcomes. The results discussed in the paper show that such interviews are not a waste of money.
Shorter Interviews, Longer Surveys: Optimising the Survey Participant Experience While Accommodating Ever Expanding Client Demands
Authors: Bansal Harvir S. , Eldridge James , Halder Avik , Knowles Roddy , Murray Michael , Sehmer Luke , Turner David
Published: June 2017

This paper explores strategies on how to best balance expanding survey length with the need for concise, relevant and engaging surveys, deployed in a device agnostic format. When designing a survey we, as an industry, are often seeking a balance between competing design challenges: clients have diverse and extensive objectives, survey participants have short attention spans and an ever increasing suite of connected devices to choose from. Survey participants are voting with their feet when surveys are not compatible with the device they want to use, whether that is the smart device in their pocket or laptop they are working on, and this is very real for online panels. We are seeing increased abandon rates, with the effects of extended fieldwork times, smaller pools of sample to draw from and the possibility of introducing bias into our data. Having spent much of 2015 working with clients to design more smart-device friendly surveys, Research Now has explored innovative ways to shorten survey length without compromising on the amount of material covered. Following on from work by Johnson et al. (2014), Research Now conducted a piece of primary research exploring survey modularisation as discussed in the current paper. The approach splits questionnaires into modules, with participants receiving only a specific module, a subset of the overall survey. It is expected that a long questionnaire can be split and – when applied appropriately, designed properly and implemented effectively – data can yield results comparable with a full non-modular survey. Building on previous industry work on this topic, and primary research conducted by Research Now, we discuss our methodology, the results and conclusions from this work, and explore opportunities to automate the approach. The overall goal of this study and resulting paper is to explore how adapting survey research in this way improves rather than complicates the lives of both researchers and research participants. If we are not able to shorten our surveys, then survey modularisation may prove to be our best hope for a complete, representative dataset and we need to ensure that this is achieved accurately, confidently and efficiently at scale.
Picking Winners: New Product Concept Testing with Item Response Theory
Authors: Li Chunyu , Peng Ling , Cui Geng
Published: June 2017

This paper describes how, based upon item response theory (IRT) and its differential item functioning (DIF), two studies were designed to address two important issues – adopting effective items or inviting proper respondents – involved in the identification of successful new concepts, to test new concepts with different levels of newness. Study One shows that some items in a multi-item scale better discriminate among concepts with low or high viability, and that tailored selections of items are necessary when testing major innovation or minor improvement concepts. Study Two pinpoints that choosing an effective source of respondents is important to identify popular movies. Although evaluations from ordinary moviegoers are generally more discriminating among movies with different popularity, those from professional critics are more effective for movies of unfamiliar genres. The implementation of IRT and DIF in both studies demonstrates an effective two-step benchmarking procedure for picking up winners for different new concepts.
Marketing Models: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Eryigit Canan
Published: June 2017

This paper reports the results of a systematic review of recent literature on the use of mathematical models in the marketing field to identify the main aims of model adoption in various functional areas of marketing. As study material, we have chosen 143 articles that used marketing models and were published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Quantitative Marketing and Economics and Quality and Quantity, from 2010–2014. Based on content analysis, these articles were assigned to consumer behaviour, product management, pricing management, distribution management, promotion management and marketing dynamics research themes in accordance with their research objectives. Some of these clusters were determined based on previous studies, while others emerged from our review. It is found that the highest (lowest) proportion of articles reviewed in this study involve research that uses marketing models in the marketing dynamics (distribution management) research theme. The next most common research theme was consumer behaviour. Articles utilising marketing models in product, pricing and promotion management themes were moderately common. We also summarise specific purposes for the use of marketing models in each research theme.
PERALIHAN PENGELOLAAN BARANG MILIK DAERAH BERUPA TANAH DALAM PENYELENGGARAAN PENDIDIKAN SMA/SMK DI PROVINSI LAMPUNG
Authors: Kahfi Syuratul
Published: June 2017

AbstractArticle 37 paragraph (1) states that the transfer of rights to land and property rights can only be registered if proven by deed made by PPAT authorized under the provisions of the legislation in force. However, based on Circular Letter of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of National Land Agency Number: 1855/15.1/IV/2016 dated April 22, 2016 on Implementation Guidelines for Land Registration Government Agencies, so that government agencies in this government of Lampung Province has specificity (Lex Specialist derogat legi generalist) and ease in order titling and completion certificate of land that became assets. Keywords: Transition, Regional Assets (Land), Secondary Education. AbstrakPasal 37 ayat (1) yang menyatakan bahwa peralihan hak atas tanah dan hak milik hanya dapat didaftarkan jika dibuktikan dengan akta yang dibuat oleh PPAT yang berwenang menurut ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku. Namun, berdasarkan Surat Edaran Menteri Agraria dan Tata Ruang/Kepala Badan Pertanahan Nasional Nomor: 1855/15.1/IV/2016 tanggal 22 April 2016 tentang Petunjuk Pelaksanaan Pendaftaran Tanah Instansi Pemerintah, sehingga instansi pemerintah dalam hal ini pemerintah Provinsi Lampung mempunyai kekhususan (Lex Specialis Derogat Legi Generalis) dan kemudahan dalam rangka pengurusan hak dan penyelesaian sertifikat tanah-tanah yang menjadi asetnya. Kata kunci: Peralihan, Barang Milik Daerah (tanah), Pendidikan Menengah
Informatic Labor in the Age of Computational Capital
Authors: Beller Jonathan
Published: June 2017

Jonathan Beller expands conversations about the role of the digital and the digital humanities through attention to the mechanisms by which the digital image is instrumental in neoliberal capitalist accumulation and colonialism. Beller argues that the digital image itself exploits the attentive labor of those who see it, organizes profitable patterns of spectatorship, and links communication directly to financial speculation. Through scrutiny of examples that attempt to disrupt the profitable, algorithmically-capitalized flow of data and attention through the interface of the screen, Beller's article makes a pointed critique of the ways that fascism manifests in and might be combated via digital economies.
Améliorer la proposition de valeur d’un business model innovant
Authors: Gandia Romain , Jeannot Florence , Guallino Gabriel
Published: June 2017

Concevoir un business model basé sur un produit technologique innovant n’est pas aisé, car ce type de produit peut impliquer des coûts d’apprentissage élevés qui engendrent des freins à l’achat et à l’adoption future du produit. L’enjeu stratégique réside alors dans la conception de la proposition de valeur et dans l’anticipation des freins à l’engagement du consommateur, ce qui reste un défi. À l’aide d’une étude qualitative et d’une étude expérimentale, les auteurs montrent que la simulation mentale améliore les prévisions de l’engagement du consommateur et ainsi la conception du business model.
Le pilotage des processus d’innovation amont
Authors: Charue-Duboc Florence , Gastaldi Lise
Published: June 2017

En management de l’innovation une problématique clé consiste à coupler la création de connaissances technologiques et l’exploration des valeurs d’usage. Cet article caractérise des modalités originales de couplage qui s’appuient sur des activités nouvelles – distinctes de la recherche et du développement – et qui combinent différents leviers de couplage considérés de manière éparse dans la littérature. L’analyse se base sur le cas d’une entreprise du secteur des technologies de l’information et de la communication, qui a engagé une réorganisation en profondeur de ses processus d’innovation dans le contexte actuel marqué par une concurrence très vive et par la révolution numérique.
Exosomes as a biomarker platform for detecting epidermal growth factor receptor–positive high-grade gliomas
Authors: Manda Sasidhar Venkata , Kataria Yogesh , Tatireddy Babul Reddy , Ramakrishnan Balasubramaniam , Ratnam Boola Gnana , Lath Rahul , Ranjan Alok , Ray Amitava
Published: June 2017

OBJECTIVE

High-grade glial brain tumors are often characterized by an elevated expression of the tumorigenic epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII). The authors sought to establish a clinically adaptive protocol as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for EGFRvIII detection through serum exosomes.

METHODS

Purity of serum exosome/RNA was confirmed by electron microscopy and flow cytometry and through an RNA bioanalyzer profile. EGFRvIII amplification was initially established by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction in tumor tissues and exosomes. Diagnostic performance of EGFRvIII transcript in tissue versus exosome was determined using a 2 × 2 clinical table approach. Overall survival was determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

The EGFRvIII transcript was detected in 39.5% of tumor tissue samples and in 44.7% of their paired serum exosome samples; 28.1% of biopsy tumors coexpressed wild-type EGFR and EGFRvIII. Tissue EGFRvIII amplification served as the reference-positive control for its paired serum expression. The overall clinical sensitivity and specificity of semiquantitative exosome EGFRvIII polymerase chain reaction detection assay in serum were 81.58% (95% CI 65.67%–92.26%) and 79.31% (95% CI 66.65%–88.83%), respectively. Age, sex, tumor location, and side of the body on which the tumor was located had no effect on the detection rate of exosomal EGFRvIII transcript. EGFRvIII expression either in exosomes or tissue correlated with poor survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors established a serum-based method for detection of EGFRvIII in high-grade brain tumors that might serve as an optimal noninvasive method for diagnosing EGFRvIII-positive high-grade gliomas.
Effect of different expansion strategies on coronary stent deployment in a tapered artery
Authors: Shen Xiang , Ji Song , Xie Zhongmin , Deng Yongquan
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Vascular stenting has been widely used to treat vessel stenosis. However, long-term successes of the procedure are often compromised by late stent thrombosis (ST) and in-stent restenosis (ISR), especially in tapered arteries.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to choose a reasonable expansion strategy for tapered arteries. METHODS: A balloon-expandable coronary stent deployment in a tapered vessel was numerically studied fol-lowing three strategies: (i) selecting the proximal diameter of the tapered vessel as the reference diameter to expand the stent, (ii) selecting the middle diameter of the tapered vessel as the reference diameter to expand the stent, and (iii) selecting the distal diameter of the tapered vessel as the reference diameter to expand the stent.

RESULTS:

Computational results showed that the first expansion strategy resulted in the maximum vessel stress and the best stent apposition, while the third strategy resulted in the minimal vessel stress and the worst stent appo-sition. Meanwhile, the second expansion strategy achieved a trade-off between the first and third strategies, leading to acceptable vessel stress and stent apposition.

CONCLUSIONS:

The second expansion strategy is the most reasonable choice for tapered vessels, and it should be considered when implanting a stent.
Mastication noise reduction method for fully implantable hearing aid using piezo-electric sensor
Authors: Na Sung Dae , Lee Gihyoun , Wei Qun , Seong Ki Woong , Cho Jin Ho , Kim Myoung Nam
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Fully implantable hearing devices (FIHDs) can be affected by generated biomechanical noise such as mastication noise.

OBJECTIVE:

To reduce the mastication noise using a piezo-electric sensor, the mastication noise is measured with the piezo-electric sensor, and noise reduction is practiced by the energy difference.

METHODS:

For the experiment on mastication noise, a skull model was designed using artificial skull model and a piezo-electric sensor that can measure the vibration signals better than other sensors. A 1 kHz pure-tone sound through a standard speaker was applied to the model while the lower jawbone of the model was moved in a masticatory fashion.

RESULTS:

The correlation coefficients and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) before and after application of the proposed method were compared. It was found that the signal-to-noise ratio and correlation coefficients increased by 4.48 dB and 0.45, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

The mastication noise is measured by piezo-electric sensor as the mastication noise that occurred during vibration. In addition, the noise was reduced by using the proposed method in conjunction with MATLAB. In order to confirm the performance of the proposed method, the correlation coefficients and signal-to-noise ratio before and after signal processing were calculated. In the future, an implantable microphone for real-time processing will be developed.
Comparative analysis of the stress distribution in five anatomical types of maxillary central incisor
Authors: Sun Lei , Wu Xifeng , Li Yang , Lin Zhenyan , Xu Duoling , Lin Xuan , Gao Yongbo
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

The maxillary central incisor is one of the most important anatomical indicators in esthetics, and stress distribution may vary among its five anatomical views (labial, palatal, mesial, distal, and incisal).

OBJECTIVE:

To compare stress distribution among the five anatomical views of the maxillary central incisor under loading force at five angles and to observe and analyze the stress distribution in the dentin and periodontal ligament.

METHODS:

We established three-dimensional finite element models of the five different views, which simulated the bite force with a static load force at 0[Formula: see text], 30[Formula: see text], 45[Formula: see text], 60[Formula: see text], and 90[Formula: see text]. The stress and displacement values for the cementoenamel junction (CEJ)-apical labial, palatal, mesial, and distal and the equivalent stress values on the periodontal ligament of the maxillary central incisor were calculated.

RESULTS:

As the angle increased, the equivalent stress on the periodontal ligament, overall tooth displacement, equivalent stress, and displacement over the four views increased. The peaks of equivalent stress over the four views appeared within 0.8–17 mm below the CEJ, although all equivalent stress values decreased while approaching the peak. Within 1–19 mm below the CEJ, the equivalent stress over the M1 and P1 views of the maxillary central incisor decreased substantially.

CONCLUSION:

The peaks of the equivalent stress over the M1 and P1 views of the maxillary central incisor and their stress distribution were lower than those of the other three types. Our findings provided theoretical data on the biomechanics of this esthetically important tooth, which may be useful during implantation of missing maxillary central incisors.
Numerical analysis of urine flow through the side holes of a double J stent in a ureteral stenosis
Authors: Kim Hyoung-Ho , Choi Young Ho , Lee Seung Bae , Baba Yasutaka , Kim Kyung-Wuk , Suh Sang-Ho
Published: June 2017

Ureteral stenosis presents with a narrowing in the ureter, due to an intrinsic or extrinsic ureteral disease, such as ureter cancer or retroperitoneal fibrosis. The placement of a double J stent in the upper urinary system is one of the most common treatments of ureteral stenosis, along with the insertion of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube into the renal pelvis. The effect that the side holes in a double J stent have on urine flow has been evaluated in a few studies using straight ureter models. In this study, urine flow through a double J stent’s side holes was analyzed in curved ureter models, which were based on human anatomy. In ureteral stenosis, especially in severe ureteral stenosis, a stent with side holes had a positive effect on the luminal and total flow rates, compared with the rates for a stent without side holes. The more side holes a stent has, the greater the luminal and total flow rates. However, the angular positions of the side holes did not affect flow rate. In conclusion, the side holes in a double J stent had a positive effect on ureteral stenosis, and the effect became greater as the ureteral stenosis became more severe.
Adaptive locomotor network activation during randomized walking speeds using functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Kim Ha Yeon , Kim Eun Joo , You Joshua (Sung) H.
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

An improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying locomotor networks has the potential to benefit the neurorehabilitation of patients with neurological locomotor deficits. However, the specific locomotor networks that mediate adaptive locomotor performance and changes in gait speed remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of the present study was to examine patterns of cortical activation associated with the walking speeds of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 km/h on a treadmill.

METHODS:

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was performed on a 30-year-old right-handed healthy female subject, and cerebral hemodynamic changes were observed in cortical locomotor network areas including the primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC), premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and sensory association cortex (SAC). The software package NIRS-statistical parametric mapping (NIRS-SPM) was utilized to analyze fNIRS data in the MATLAB environment. SPM t-statistic maps were computed at an uncorrected threshold of [Formula: see text] 0.00001.

RESULTS:

At faster walking speeds, oxygenated hemoglobin (OxyHb) was concentrated in the PFC and indicated globalized locomotor network activation of the SMC, PMC, SMA, and PMC; additionally, the site with the highest cortical activation ratio shifted from the SMC to the SMA.

CONCLUSIONS:

Global locomotor network recruitment, in particular PFC activation indicated by OxyHb in our study, may indicate a response to increased cognitive-locomotor demand due to simultaneous postural maintenance and leg movement coordination.
Dosimetric comparisons of IMRT planning using MCO and DMPO techniques
Authors: Liao Xiongfei , Lang Jinyi , Li Ningshan , Wang Pei , Li Jie , Yang Jack , Chen Yazheng
Published: June 2017

The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of multi-criteria optimization (MCO) in the planning and optimization of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Twenty (20) IMRT patients (ten (10) with prostate cancer and ten (10) with lung cancer) were randomly selected. The treatment plans for these patients were designed using direct machine parameter optimization (DMPO). Based on these plans, new plans were designed using multi-criteria optimization (MCO), keeping the optimization objectives and constraints unchanged. Comparisons were made between the new plans, which were based on MCO and DMPO, including the dose distribution, dose volume histogram (DVH), the optimization time and the number of monitor units (MUs). The plan designed using both optimization approaches satisfied all clinical requirements. For similar or better target coverage, the rectum, bladder and small bowel were better protected using MCO than when using DMPO. Additionally, MCO reduced the time for optimization by 58% on average, whereas the MUs increased the time for optimization by 32% on average for prostate cancer. For lung cancer cases, the entire lung, heart and spinal cord were better protected using MCO compared to DMPO. Similarly, MCO reduced the time for optimization by 59% on average, whereas the MUs increased the time for optimization by 11% on average. Compared to DMPO, MCO reduces the dose of the organs at risk (OAR) and shortens the time required for optimization.
Effect of whole body vibration on lactate level recovery and heart rate recovery in rest after intense exercise
Authors: Kang Seung Rok , Min Jin-Young , Yu Changho , Kwon Tae-Kyu
Published: June 2017

OBJECTIVE:

In this paper, we investigated the recovery of the lactate level, muscular fatigue, and heart rate recovery (HRR) with respect to whole body vibration (WBV) during the rest stage after a gait exercise.

METHODS:

A total of 24 healthy subjects with no medical history of exercise injury participated. The participants were divided into a training group with vibration during rest and a control group with the same conditions but without vibration. The subjects performed a gait exercise with a slope of 15% and velocity of 4 km/h to consume 450 kcal in 30 min. Then, they rested on a vibrating chair or on a chair without vibrations for 30 min. The vibration protocol consists of a frequency of 10 Hz and amplitude of 5 mm. To estimate the recovery effect, we measured the lactate levels in blood, spectral edge frequency (SEF) of MVIC, and HRR before, immediately after exercise, and after rest.

RESULTS:

The results showed that the lactate level in the training group decreased more (93.8%) than in the control group (32.8%). Also, HRR showed a similar trend with a recovery of 88.39% in the training group but 64.72% in the control group. We considered that whole-body vibrations during rest would help remove lactic acid by improving the level of lactic acid oxidation with stimulated blood vessels in the muscles and by helping to maintain blood flow. Also, WBV would lead to compensation to actively decrease the fast excess post-exercise oxygen consumption from blood circulation.

CONCLUSIONS:

We suggest that whole-body vibrations during rest can provide fast, efficient fatigue recovery as a cool down exercise for women, the elderly, and patients without other activity after intense exercise.
A comparative study on the mechanical behavior of intervertebral disc using hyperelastic finite element model
Authors: Xie Feng , Zhou Honghai , Zhao Wenju , Huang Lixin
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Lumbar disc herniation may result in excruciating pain due to it being one of the most common diseases related to changes of intervertebral disc (IVD). In order to find a better clinical treatment and prevention scheme for relieving the pain caused by spine degeneration, the mechanical behavior analysis of IVD must be studied.

OBJECTIVE:

A finite element method (FEM) is used in this study to analyze the mechanical behaviors of healthy and herniated IVD.

METHOD:

In order to compare the responses of IVD under different loading conditions for the annulus fibrosus of IVD, the hyperelastic and elastic constitutive FE models were used in the FEM.

RESULTS:

The comparison shows that hyperelastic FE models have a much better capability to describe the mechanical behaviors of the IVD than elastic FE models. It can be found from FE simulation that there was a higher stress concentration at the annulus fibrosus of the herniated disc than the healthy disc.

CONCLUSIONS:

Higher stress concentration resulted in more damage and ease of bringing out lumbar disc herniation. Numerical examples of FE simulation indicate that the FEM with hyperelastic constitutive model has very good capability for analyzing the mechanical behaviors of IVD.
The curvature calculation mechanism based on simple cell model
Authors: Yu Haiyang , Fan Xingyu , Song Aiqi
Published: June 2017

A conclusion has not yet been reached on how exactly the human visual system detects curvature. This paper demonstrates how orientation-selective simple cells can be used to construct curvature-detecting neural units. Through fixed arrangements, multiple plurality cells were constructed to simulate curvature cells with a proportional output to their curvature. In addition, this paper offers a solution to the problem of narrow detection range under fixed resolution by selecting an output value under multiple resolution. Curvature cells can be treated as concrete models of an end-stopped mechanism, and they can be used to further understand “curvature-selective” characteristics and to explain basic psychophysical findings and perceptual phenomena in current studies.
The force control and path planning of electromagnetic induction-based massage robot
Authors: Wang Wendong , Zhang Lei , Li Jinzhe , Yuan Xiaoqing , Shi Yikai , Jiang Qinqin , He Lijing
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Massage robot is considered as an effective physiological treatment to relieve fatigue, improve blood circulation, relax muscle tone, etc. The simple massage equipment quickly spread into market due to low cost, but they are not widely accepted due to restricted massage function. Complicated structure and high cost caused difficulties for developing multi-function massage equipment.

OBJECTIVE:

This paper presents a novel massage robot which can achieve tapping, rolling, kneading and other massage operations, and proposes an improved reciprocating path planning algorithm to improve massage effect.

METHODS:

The number of coil turns, the coil current and the distance between massage head and yoke were chosen to investigate the influence on massage force by finite element method. The control system model of the wheeled massage robot was established, including control subsystem of the motor, path algorithm control subsystem, parameter module of the massage robot and virtual reality interface module. The improved reciprocating path planning algorithm was proposed to improve regional coverage rate and massage effect.

RESULTS:

The influence caused by coil current, the number of coil turns and the distance between massage head and yoke were simulated in Maxwell. It indicated that coil current has more important influence compared to the other two factors. The path planning simulation of the massage robot was completed in Matlab, and the results show that the improved reciprocating path planning algorithm achieved higher coverage rate than the traditional algorithm.

CONCLUSIONS:

With the analysis of simulation results, it can be concluded that the number of coil turns and the distance between the moving iron core and the yoke could be determined prior to coil current, and the force can be controllable by optimizing structure parameters of massage head and adjusting coil current. Meanwhile, it demonstrates that the proposed algorithm could effectively improve path coverage rate during massage operations, therefore the massage effect can be improved.
Differential barometric-based positioning technique for indoor elevation measurement in IoT medical applications
Authors: Wang Hua , Wen Yingyou , Zhao Dazhe
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Medical applications have begun to benefit from Internet of Things (IoT) technology through the introduction of wearable devices. Several medical applications require accurate patient location as various changes affect pressure parameters inside the body.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aims to develop a system to measure indoor altitude for IoT medical applications.

METHODS:

We propose a differential barometric-based positioning system to estimate the altitude between a reference sensor and a localizing sensor connected to the human body. The differential barometric altimetry model is introduced to estimate indoor elevations and eliminate environmental artifacts. In addition, a Gaussian filter processing is adopted to remove noise from the elevation measurements. The proposed system is then investigated through extensive experiments, using various evaluation criteria.

RESULTS:

The results indicate that the proposed system yielded good accuracy with reduced implementation complexity and fewer costs.

CONCLUSIONS:

The proposed system is resilient compared to other indoor localization approaches, even when numerous environmental artifacts in indoor environments are present.