bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypervascular Soft Tissue Tumor of the Skull Suspicious for Hemangiopericytoma
Authors: Hall Joanna
Published: October 2015

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare mesenchymal tumor that is predominantly found in the pelvis, retroperitoneum, and lower extremities, occasionally occurring in the larynx, spleen, bones of the thorax, or the meninges. A case is presented of a hypervascular soft tissue mass of the skull suggesting a diagnosis of hemangiopericytoma. Imaging modalities including computed tomography and sonography were used to help characterize this soft tissue lesion of the skull to aid in the proper course of diagnosis and treatment. The characteristics of hemangiopericytoma are described, and note is made that because of the vascular nature of these lesions, surgical intervention is used as a final resort when there are multiple reoccurrences following radiation therapy.
Comorbidities in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients: a systematic literature review
Authors: Raghu Ganesh , Amatto Valeria C. , Behr Jürgen , Stowasser Susanne
Published: October 2015

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated with a fatal prognosis and manifests in patients over 60 years old who may have comorbidities. The prevalence and impact of comorbidities on the clinical course of IPF is unclear.

This systematic literature review examined the prevalence of comorbidities and mortality associated with comorbidities in IPF patients. Relevant observational studies published in English from January 1990 to January 2015 identifiedviaMEDLINE and EMBASE were included; bibliographies of articles were also searched.

Among the 126 studies included, prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) was 3–86%, 6–91% for obstructive sleep apnoea, 3–48% for lung cancer and 6–67% for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nonrespiratory comorbidities included ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (3–68%) and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) (0–94%). Mortality was highest among patients with IPF and lung cancer. Most studies assessed relatively small samples of patients with IPF.

PH, COPD, lung cancer, GER and IHD are significant comorbidities; differences in IPF severity, case definitions and patient characteristics limited the comparability of findings. The identification and prompt treatment of comorbidities may have a clinically significant impact on overall outcome that is meaningful for patients with IPF.
Vulnerability of Brazilian municipalities to hantavirus infections based on multi-criteria decision analysis
Authors: de Oliveira Stefan Vilges , Fonseca Lidsy Ximenes , de Araújo Vilges Keline Medeiros , Maniglia Fernanda Voietta Pinna , Pereira Simone Valéria Costa , de Caldas Eduardo Pacheco , Tauil Pedro Luiz , Gurgel-Gonçalves Rodrigo
Published: October 2015

Background

Hantavirus infection is an emerging zoonosis transmitted by wild rodents. In Brazil, high case-fatality rates among humans infected with hantavirus are of serious concern to public health authorities. Appropriate preventive measures partly depend on reliable knowledge about the geographical distribution of this disease.

Methods

Incidence of hantavirus infections in Brazil (1993–2013) was analyzed. Epidemiological, socioeconomic, and demographic indicators were also used to classify cities’ vulnerability to disease by means of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).

Results

From 1993 to 2013, 1752 cases of hantavirus were registered in 16 Brazilian states. The highest incidence of hantavirus was observed in the states of Mato Grosso (0.57/100,000) and Santa Catarina (0.13/100,000). Based on MCDA analysis, municipalities in the southern, southeastern, and midwestern regions of Brazil can be classified as highly vulnerable. Most municipalities in northern and northeastern Brazil were classified as having low vulnerability to hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome.

Conclusions

Although most human infections by hantavirus registered in Brazil occurred in the southern region of the country, a greater vulnerability to hantavirus was found in the Brazilian Midwest. This result reflects the need to strengthen surveillance where the disease has thus far gone unreported.
From the Editor's desk
Authors: Bhui Kamaldeep
Published: October 2015

Apples, refugees & emotions

The Syrian refugee crisis is a reminder that conflict and war have
consequences of immense public health importance. Professor Hans Rosling
has produced a simple but incisive account of the scale of the problem
facing Europe
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uljFaRuJ68&spfreload=10). If an
apple represents 1 million Syrian people, 20 apples represent the Syrian
population, 12 apples represent displaced populations, 4 of which are
external to Syria. A quarter of an apple represents asylum seekers coming
to the EU. The disproportionate burden of immediate and long-term health
consequences falls on Syria and surrounding nations such as Lebanon and
Turkey. Not only is there loss of life due to war and direct actions and
injuries, political persecution by state or non-state forces leads to
mass migrations of people seeking safety, security, and a future for
themselves and their children. The tragic images of a 3-year-old boy,
Alan Kurdi, lying on a Turkish beach after failing to survive a sea
crossing, have sparked a rethink among world leaders. What should be
their response to humanitarian crises and asylum seekers?
Psychological treatments for depression and anxiety in dementia and mild cognitive impairment: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Orgeta Vasiliki , Qazi Afifa , Spector Aimee , Orrell Martin
Published: October 2015

Background

Anxiety and depression are common in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of both pharmacological and psychological therapies.

Aims

To evaluate the evidence of effectiveness of psychological treatments in treating depression and anxiety in people with dementia and MCI.

Method

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological treatment versus usual care in people with dementia and MCI. Primary outcomes were symptoms of anxiety and depression. Secondary outcomes were quality of life, ability to perform daily activities, neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognition and caregivers' self-rated depressive symptoms.

Results

We included six RCTs, involving 439 participants with dementia, which used cognitive–behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, counselling or multimodal interventions including a specific psychological therapy. We found beneficial effects for both depression and anxiety. Overall, the quality of the evidence was moderate for depression and low for anxiety, due to the methodological limitations of the studies we identified and the limited number of trials.

Conclusions

The evidence from six RCTs suggests that psychological treatments are effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety for people with dementia. There is a need for high-quality, multicentre trials including standardised, well-defined interventions.

Declarations of interest

A.Q., A.S. and M.O. are investigators in one of the included studies.
Mood instability: Significance, definition and
measurement
Authors: Broome M. R. , Saunders K. E. A. , Harrison P. J. , Marwaha S.
Published: October 2015

Mood instability is common, and an important feature of several psychiatric
disorders. We discuss the definition and measurement of mood instability,
and review its prevalence, characteristics, neurobiological correlates and
clinical implications. We suggest that mood instability has underappreciated
transdiagnostic potential as an investigational and therapeutic target.
Serotonin syndrome – 100 words
Authors: Ellahi Rabia
Published: October 2015

Numerous food and drug combinations, also ‘legal highs', may precipitate
serotonin syndrome, yet it appears to be rarely diagnosed. This may be
explained by diagnostic overshadowing when physical symptoms are
misattributed to mental illness. Some symptoms of serotonin syndrome
(agitation, tremor and rigidity) overlap with presentations in mental
illness. Diagnostic confusion may occur in patients receiving polypharmacy,
those receiving medications with previously unknown serotonergic properties
or where unforeseen drug interactions occur. Acute medical presentations
with hyperthermia and clonus should prompt holistic review to exclude other
possible aetiologies. Discontinuation of the suspected agent may avert an
array of possible serious outcomes.
Psychological treatment for depression and anxiety associated
with dementia and mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Ford Andrew H. , Almeida Osvaldo P.
Published: October 2015

Depression and anxiety are commonly associated with cognitive impairment. A
systematic review of psychological treatments that appears in this issue of
the Journal highlights the current paucity of good-quality data, but
suggests these interventions hold promise. Given the increasing burden of
dementia in our community, novel adequately powered randomised controlled
trials in this area are urgently needed.
Single-Molecule Sequencing Reveals Estrogen-Regulated Clinically Relevant lncRNAs in Breast Cancer
Authors: Jonsson Philip , Coarfa Cristian , Mesmar Fahmi , Raz Tal , Rajapakshe Kimal , Thompson John F. , Gunaratne Preethi H. , Williams Cecilia
Published: October 2015

Estrogen receptor (ER)α-positive tumors are commonly treated with ERα antagonists or inhibitors of estrogen synthesis, but most tumors develop resistance, and we need to better understand the pathways that underlie the proliferative and tumorigenic role of this estrogen-activated transcription factor. We here present the first single-molecule sequencing of the estradiol-induced ERα transcriptome in the luminal A-type human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and T47D. Sequencing libraries were prepared from the polyadenylated RNA fraction after 8 hours of estrogen or vehicle treatment. Single-molecule sequencing was carried out in biological and technical replicates and differentially expressed genes were defined and analyzed for enriched processes. Correlation analysis with clinical expression and survival were performed, and follow-up experiments carried out using time series, chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative real-time PCR. We uncovered that ERα in addition to regulating approximately 2000 protein-coding genes, also regulated up to 1000 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Most of these were up-regulated, and 178 lncRNAs were regulated in both cell lines. We demonstrate that Long Intergenic Non-protein Coding RNA 1016 (LINC01016) and LINC00160 are direct transcriptional targets of ERα, correlate with ERα expression in clinical samples, and show prognostic significance in relation to breast cancer survival. We show that silencing of LINC00160 results in reduced proliferation, demonstrating that lncRNA expression have functional consequences. Our findings suggest that ERα regulation of lncRNAs is clinically relevant and that their functions and potential use as biomarkers for endocrine response are important to explore.
Anti-dsDNA Antibodies are one of the many autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Fu Shu Man , Dai Chao , Zhao Zhenhuan , Gaskin Felicia
Published: October 2015

Anti-dsDNA antibodies are the most studied antibodies of the lupus-related autoantibodies. The dogma is that these are the most important autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. In this review, evidence is presented to show that these antibodies (as measured by modern clinical laboratories) are not the most important autoantibodies in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, and are of limited value in clinical correlation and in predicting disease flares. In addition, they are not likely to be the initiating autoantibodies in lupus nephritis. Thus, several pervasively held beliefs on anti-dsDNA antibodies are not valid. We suggest that anti-dsDNA antibodies should be considered as just one of the many autoantibodies associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Antenatal parenting support for vulnerable women
Authors: White Jane , Thompson Lucy , Puckering Christine , Waugh Harriet , Henderson Marion , MacBeth Angus , Wilson Philip
Published: October 2015

Background:

Social adversity and poor maternal mental health during pregnancy can have long-term adverse effects on the infant's health, social and educational outcomes. Stress in pregnancy may have direct physiological effects on the fetus, as well as impairing development of maternal sensitivity to the infant. Improved antenatal support and more effective engagement with ‘high-risk’ expectant mothers is needed.

Method:

Pregnant women meeting high-risk criteria were invited to participate. Participants (n=35) were randomly allocated in clusters of six to either Mellow Bumps (a 6-week antenatal parenting programme that aims to decrease maternal stress levels and emphasises the importance of early interaction in enhancing brain development and attachment), Chill-out in Pregnancy (a 6-week stress reduction programme) or care-as-usual.

Results:

The interventions are promising in terms of maternal mental health. Qualitative feedback suggested that the interventions' format was acceptable. A larger trial may be justified if effect sizes can be estimated with more precision.
Welcome to class: A survival guide for commencing student midwives
Authors: Power Alison
Published: October 2015

October is a very busy month in the university calendar as, along with 104 other higher education institutions (HEIs) delivering approved midwifery courses ( Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2015a ), we welcome our new cohort of students as they begin their journey to becoming a midwife and having the privilege of being ‘with woman’. This article aims to provide commencing student midwives with some tips and information to help navigate the early stages of their course and ease the transition into a professional programme of study. Information is provided from the author's perspective as a senior lecturer with experience in teaching and supporting first-year students, combined with the reflections of three students who have recently completed the first year of their programme of study. The students share their thoughts on how they felt at the start of their programme and give suggestions for how to cope with its academic and clinical demands.
The treatment of arthritis of the wrist
Authors: Logan J. S. , Warwick D.
Published: October 2015

Arthritis of the wrist is a painful disabling condition that has various causes and presentations. The traditional treatment has been a total wrist fusion at a price of the elimination of movement. However, forms of treatment which allow the preservation of movement are now preferred. Modern arthroplasties of the wrist are still not sufficiently robust to meet the demands of many patients, nor do they restore normal kinematics of the wrist. A preferable compromise may be selective excision and partial fusion of the wrist using knowledge of the aetiology and pattern of degenerative change to identify which joints can be sacrificed and which can be preserved.

This article provides an overview of the treatment options available for patients with arthritis of the wrist and an algorithm for selecting an appropriate surgical strategy.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1303–8.
Cauda equina syndrome
Authors: Todd N. V.
Published: October 2015

There is no universally agreed definition of cauda equina syndrome (CES). Clinical signs of CES including direct rectal examination (DRE) do not reliably correlate with cauda equina (CE) compression on MRI. Clinical assessment only becomes reliable if there are symptoms/signs of late, often irreversible, CES. The only reliable way of including or excluding CES is to perform MRI on all patients with suspected CES. If the diagnosis is being considered, MRI should ideally be performed locally in the District General Hospitals within one hour of the question being raised irrespective of the hour or the day. Patients with symptoms and signs of CES and MRI confirmed CE compression should be referred to the local spinal service for emergency surgery.

CES can be subdivided by the degree of neurological deficit (bilateral radiculopathy, incomplete CES or CES with retention of urine) and also by time to surgical treatment (12, 24, 48 or 72 hour). There is increasing understanding that damage to the cauda equina nerve roots occurs in a continuous and progressive fashion which implies that there are no safe time or deficit thresholds. Neurological deterioration can occur rapidly and is often associated with longterm poor outcomes. It is not possible to predict which patients with a large central disc prolapse compressing the CE nerve roots are going to deteriorate neurologically nor how rapidly. Consensus guidelines from the Society of British Neurological Surgeons and British Association of Spinal Surgeons recommend decompressive surgery as soon as practically possible which for many patients will be urgent/emergency surgery at any hour of the day or night.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1390–4
The management of an infected total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Gehrke T. , Alijanipour P. , Parvizi J.
Published: October 2015

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is one of the most feared and challenging complications following total knee arthroplasty. We provide a detailed description of our current understanding regarding the management of PJI of the knee, including diagnostic aids, pre-operative planning, surgical treatment, and outcome.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B(10 Suppl A):20–9.
Alignment and fixation in total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Oussedik S. , Abdel M. P. , Cross M. B. , Haddad F. S.
Published: October 2015

Many aspects of total knee arthroplasty have changed since its inception. Modern prosthetic design, better fixation techniques, improved polyethylene wear characteristics and rehabilitation, have all contributed to a large change in revision rates. Arthroplasty patients now expect longevity of their prostheses and demand functional improvement to match. This has led to a re-examination of the long-held belief that mechanical alignment is instrumental to a successful outcome and a focus on restoring healthy joint kinematics. A combination of kinematic restoration and uncemented, adaptable fixation may hold the key to future advances.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B(10 Suppl A):16–19.
The difficult primary total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Baldini A. , Castellani L. , Traverso F. , Balatri A. , Balato G. , Franceschini V.
Published: October 2015

Primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a reliable procedure with reproducible long-term results. Nevertheless, there are conditions related to the type of patient or local conditions of the knee that can make it a difficult procedure. The most common scenarios that make it difficult are discussed in this review. These include patients with many previous operations and incisions, and those with severe coronal deformities, genu recurvatum, a stiff knee, extra-articular deformities and those who have previously undergone osteotomy around the knee and those with chronic dislocation of the patella.

Each condition is analysed according to the characteristics of the patient, the pre-operative planning and the reported outcomes.

When approaching the difficult primary TKA surgeons should use a systematic approach, which begins with the review of the existing literature for each specific clinical situation.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B(10 Suppl A):30–9.
A rosehead by any other name…
Authors: Spinnbarkeit
Published: October 2015

On the curious phenomenon of ‘aptronyms’, and the case for unique names.
Clay-Mineral Transformations and Heavy-Metal Release in Paddy Soils Formed on Serpentinites in Eastern Taiwan
Authors: Hseu Zeng-Yei , Zehetner Franz , Ottner Franz , Iizuka Yoshi
Published: October 2015

Serpentinites, which contain high concentrations of Cr and Ni, weather easily into layer silicates and are therefore a possible source of metal contamination in soils. In the present study three soil profiles formed on serpentinites in a paddy field in eastern Taiwan were investigated to understand pedogenic clay-mineral transformations and to determine the relationship between the mineralogical characteristics and labile Cr and Ni in the soil. To this end, physicochemical analyses, micromorphology, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed. Serpentine and chlorite were the dominant minerals in the soil parent material, with smaller amounts of pyroxene, amphibole, and talc. Progressive weathering and the release of cations from the parent material resulted in the pedogenic formation of smectite, vermiculite, and interstratified chlorite-vermiculite, demonstrated by their presence in all Ap and AC horizons but their absence from the C horizons. Serpentine, pyroxene, amphibole, and talc are proposed to be transformed to low-charge smectite, while chlorite transformed to vermiculite through an interstratified chlorite-vermiculite phase. The surface soils were enriched in oxalate-extractable Fe relative to the subsoils, which was probably generated by the artificial flooding and draining of the paddy soils. The artificial flooding, which typically releases Fe, may also drive the observed partial hydroxyl interlayering of smectite and incomplete interlayer OH sheets of chlorite. Labile Cr and Ni (extracted with 0.1 N HCl) ranging from 4.7 to 26.8 mg kg−1 and from 56 to 365 mg kg−1, respectively, increased significantly toward the surface soil, consistent with weathering. The heavy metals released may pose a threat to the environment as well as to human health by entering the food chain.
Production of public space and everyday life in a gentrified area of Lisbon1
Authors: Pereira Patrícia
Published: October 2015

During the last decade of the twentieth century, 3.4 km2 of Lisbon’s eastern waterfront was converted from an industrial, commercial and working-class residence area into a high-end residential, office, leisure and consumption complex now called Parque das Nações. Expo ’98 constituted the occasion for implementing this publicly-funded project that is part of the global, competitive and uneven logic that characterizes contemporary urban development. Parque das Nações was envisioned to become a place where residents, workers and visitors could experience everyday life in a stressless and informal manner: its public spaces were planned to be used as relaxing, breathing spaces in the heart of a modern and busy metropolis. Building on the seminal works of Lefebvre (1974) and De Certeau (2005), this article pursues two main objectives: to describe the process of new-build gentrification, triggered by Expo ’98, that resulted in today’s Parque das Nações and to show how its public spaces, although they are excessively planned and controlled, produce and become products of multiple forms of spatial practices, experiences and social interactions.
Evaluation of the life quality in patients with Temporomandibular Disorders
Authors: Oliveira de Lima Carolina , Soares Miranda Jean , Liparini Caetano Paula , Veloso Malta Natália , Gonçalves Leite Isabel , Pêssoa Pereira Leite Fabíola
Published: October 2015

AIMS: To evaluate influence of variables gender, diagnosis and severity of types of Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) on the quality of life of the individual. METHODS: The sample consisted of one hundred one individuals seeking TMD treatment at the Faculdade de Odontologia/ Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora. The TMD diagnosis was done through the RDC/TMD: Axis I (Research Diagnostic Criteria/Temporomandibular Disorder). The severity of TMD was established by the Temporomandibular Index (TMI) and the impact on quality of life by the OHIP-14 (Oral Health Impact Profile). The data was tabulated and analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test, T student test and Spearman correlation analysis (?=0,05). RESULTS: Most patients had diagnosis of muscular disorder, followed by diagnoses of arthralgia and disk displacement, respectively. All patients had a negative impact on at least one question from OHIP-14.CONCLUSIONS: Women presented worse quality of life when compared to men. The presence of muscular disorder was related to greater impact on quality of life (p<0,05). The relationship between severity of TMD and quality of life in the muscle sub-index of TMI was observed in all domains of OHIP-14 (p<0,05). In addition, there was positive correlation between TMI and the psychological incapacity.
The effect of propolis solution on root surface treatment in replanted teeth
Authors: Vogt Beatriz Farias , Bergoli Roberta Dalmolin , De Souza Carlos Eduardo Chrzanowski Pereira , Weigert Natália Marreco , Nobre Stela Maris Wanderley , Etges Adriana , Silva Daniela Nascimento
Published: October 2015

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of propolis solution on root surface treatment in cases of delayed tooth replantation following chemical or mechanical removal of the periodontal ligament. Material and methods: Maxillary right central incisors of 36 male rats (Wistar) were extracted, kept in a dry environment for 15 minutes and then distributed into six groups, as follows: mechanical-propolis and mechanical-fluoride (mechanical removal followed by immersion in 6% propolis and 2% sodium fluoride, respectively), mechanical (mechanical removal only), chemical-propolis and chemical-fluoride (chemical removal followed byimmersion in 6% propolis and 2% sodium fluoride, respectively), and chemical (chemical removal only). Following periodontal ligament removal, root canals were filled with calcium hydroxide paste and replanted. After 60 days, histological analysis with light microscopy was carried out to detect areas of dentoalveolar ankylosis and root resorption. Results: Results revealed that chemical removal of the periodontal ligament was associated with slightly better tissue repair findings when compared with mechanical removal. Conclusions: The use of 6% propolis solution encouraged tissue repair, while the 2% sodium fluoride solution combined with chemical removal resulted in a better-organized healing process, with less destruction of dentine when compared with the 6% propolis solution.
Effects of thermomechanical and thermocycling on the shear bond strength of brackets to bovine enamel bonded with conventional and self-etching adhesive systems
Authors: Torres Luciana Sarmento , Alves Levy Anderson César , Fava Marcelo , Di Nicoló Rebeca
Published: October 2015

Several adhesive systems have been developed in the last decade. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded with conventional primers or self-etching primers, artificially aged by means of thermocycling and thermomechanical procedures.90 bovine incisors were used in the investigation. The roots were sectioned in the amelo-cementary junction. All samples were randomly divided in 2 groups ( n= 45), according to the primer used for bracket bonding. XT Group–hydrophobic conventional primer (Transbond XT, 3M unitek, Monrovia, Calif); SEP Group –self-etching primer (Transbond Plus SEP, 3 M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif). All specimens were bonded with XT Transbond resin adhesive (3 M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif). A Universal Testing Machine EMIC DL2000 (EMIC Equip. Sist. Ensaio Ltda., São José dos Pinhais, PR, Brazil) was used for the collection of the values of SBS resistance. The results of the current study were: (Prompt L-Pop 1.72±0.13 MPa; Clearfil SE Bond 1.75±0.19 MPa; FL Bond 1.71±0.22 MPa; One-Up Bond 1.77±0.14 MPa; XT Control 10.5±0.86 MPa). In conclusion: the number of cycles in thermal and thermo mechanical cycling did not influence shear bond strength values for any of the primers tested;SEP Transbond Plus showed the greatest values for bond strength of orthodontic brackets.
Sports dentistry: contributing to performance and health of athletes
Authors: Bresciani Eduardo , Caneppele Taciana Marco Ferraz
Published: October 2015

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PERFIL DAS PRESCRIÇÕES DE FITOTERÁPICOS ATENDIDAS NO CENTRO DE SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA “CLEIDE CAVALCANTE”, SOBRAL – CE, BRASIL
Authors: Pinto Jayane Darla Moreira , Nascimento Wilcare de Medeiros Cordeiro , Oliveira Maria auxiliadora silva
Published: October 2015

As plantas medicinais possuem princípios ativos capazes de fornecer cura, tratamento, prevenção e são úteis na elaboração de produtos farmacêuticos, como é o caso dos fitoterápicos. O presente trabalho visou determinar o perfil das prescrições fitoterápicas atendidas em um Centro de Saúde da Família do município de Sobral, CE. Foi um estudo do tipo observacional, retrospectivo em abordagem quantitativa com coleta de dados documental. As variáveis de análise foram os tipos de fitoterápicos, suas formas farmacêuticas, posologia, classes farmacológicas, categorias dos prescritores. Além disso, foram observados possíveis erros de prescrições. Dos fitoterápicos prescritos durante os meses de maio e junho de 2013 e 2014, foi observado que o xarope de cumaru apresentou o maior índice de prescrição com 94,6% (445). Das 470 prescrições observadas, 95,3% (448) foram prescritas por profissionais de enfermagem. Dos problemas apontados, os que se destacaram foram ausência do número de telefone do prescritor com 99,9% (470), ausência da duração do tratamento com 56,8% (267), dosagens baixas com 17,2% (81) e incompletas com 13,4% (63). Os dados deste trabalho são importantes para os profissionais de saúde, incentivando-os ao uso racional de fitoterápicos. Há necessidade de mais pesquisas sobre o assunto abordado e de definição de estratégias para educação permanente dos profissionais de saúde.
Down Syndrome with Complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, and Pulmonary Vein Stenosis
Authors: Mahadevaiah Guruprasad , Gupta Manoj , Ashwath Ravi
Published: October 2015

The prevalence of congenital heart disease in infants with Down syndrome is 40%, compared with 0.3% in children who have normal chromosomes. Atrioventricular and ventricular septal defects are often associated with chromosomal aberrations, such as in trisomy 21, whereas hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is chiefly thought to be secondary to specific gene mutations. We found only one reported case of congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrioventricular septal defect in an infant with Down syndrome. Here, we report atrioventricular septal defect, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary vein stenosis in a neonate with Down syndrome—an apparently unique combination. In addition, we discuss the relevant medical literature.
Bottom-up learning of hierarchical models in a class of deterministic POMDP environments
Authors: Itoh Hideaki , Fukumoto Hisao , Wakuya Hiroshi , Furukawa Tatsuya
Published: October 2015

The theory of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) is a useful tool for developing various intelligent agents, and learning hierarchical POMDP models is one of the key approaches for building such agents when the environments of the agents are unknown and large. To learn hierarchical models, bottom-up learning methods in which learning takes place in a layer-by-layer manner from the lowest to the highest layer are already extensively used in some research fields such as hidden Markov models and neural networks. However, little attention has been paid to bottom-up approaches for learning POMDP models. In this paper, we present a novel bottom-up learning algorithm for hierarchical POMDP models and prove that, by using this algorithm, a perfect model (i.e., a model that can perfectly predict future observations) can be learned at least in a class of deterministic POMDP environments
Acoustic analysis assessment in speech pathology detection
Authors: Panek Daria , Skalski Andrzej , Gajda Janusz , Tadeusiewicz Ryszard
Published: October 2015

Automatic detection of voice pathologies enables non-invasive, low cost and objective assessments of the presence of disorders, as well as accelerating and improving the process of diagnosis and clinical treatment given to patients. In this work, a vector made up of 28 acoustic parameters is evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA), kernel principal component analysis (kPCA) and an auto-associative neural network (NLPCA) in four kinds of pathology detection (hyperfunctional dysphonia, functional dysphonia, laryngitis, vocal cord paralysis) using the a, i and u vowels, spoken at a high, low and normal pitch. The results indicate that the kPCA and NLPCA methods can be considered a step towards pathology detection of the vocal folds. The results show that such an approach provides acceptable results for this purpose, with the best efficiency levels of around 100%. The study brings the most commonly used approaches to speech signal processing together and leads to a comparison of the machine learning methods determining the health status of the patient
Building the library of RNA 3D nucleotide conformations using the clustering approach
Authors: Zok Tomasz , Antczak Maciej , Riedel Martin , Nebel David , Villmann Thomas , Lukasiak Piotr , Blazewicz Jacek , Szachniuk Marta
Published: October 2015

An increasing number of known RNA 3D structures contributes to the recognition of various RNA families and identification of their features. These tasks are based on an analysis of RNA conformations conducted at different levels of detail. On the other hand, the knowledge of native nucleotide conformations is crucial for structure prediction and understanding of RNA folding. However, this knowledge is stored in structural databases in a rather distributed form. Therefore, only automated methods for sampling the space of RNA structures can reveal plausible conformational representatives useful for further analysis. Here, we present a machine learning-based approach to inspect the dataset of RNA three-dimensional structures and to create a library of nucleotide conformers. A median neural gas algorithm is applied to cluster nucleotide structures upon their trigonometric description. The clustering procedure is two-stage: (i) backbone- and (ii) ribose-driven. We show the resulting library that contains RNA nucleotide representatives over the entire data, and we evaluate its quality by computing normal distribution measures and average RMSD between data points as well as the prototype within each cluster.
Taxonomy and distribution of little known species of the genus Xylocarpus (Meliaceae) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: Ragavan P. , Saxena Alok , Jayaraj R.S.C. , Ravichandran K. , Mohan P.M. , Saxena Mani
Published: October 2015

A recent floristic survey revealed the occurrence of three species of Xylocarpus in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Of these, Xylocarpus granatum and X. moluccensis are true mangrove species, whereas X. rumphii is a non-mangrove species. All three Xylocarpus species were recorded from the Andaman Islands, but none of them have been recorded from the Nicobar Islands. The key distinguishing characters of X. granatum, X. moluccensis and X. rumphii are described to resolve the nomenclatural ambiguity of Xylocarpus spp. in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Reaction of anhydrous zinc chloride with 2,3-thiophenedicarbaldehyde bis(semicarbazone) (2,3BSTCH2) and bis(thiosemicarbazone) (2,3BTSTCH2): Crystal structure of {[C6H5N2S]+[ZnCl3(C6H4N2S)]−} complex
Authors: Alomar Kusaï , Allain Magali , Richomme Pascal , Bouet Gilles
Published: October 2015

The reaction of anhydrous zinc chloride with 2,3-thiophenedicarbaldehyde bis(semicarbazone) or 2,3-bis(thiosemicarbazone) leads to the formation of compound {[C
Synthesis of cardanol-based photo-active SET-LRP initiator and its application to preparation of UV-cured resin
Authors: Cheng Chuan-Jie , Zhang Xu , Bai Xiong-Xiong , Li Jin , Cao Xing-Xing , Wang Jing-Lan
Published: October 2015

A benzophenone-containing SET-LRP initiator based on renewable and abundant cardanol was synthesised in 71 % yield using the selective etherification reaction. Next, methyl methacrylate (MMA) as a monomer was polymerised under SET-LRP conditions using the newly prepared initiator to prepare cardanol-end poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The kinetic results of the polymerisation indicated that the reaction was controllable when the monomer conversion was lower than approximately 50 %, and the molecular masses of PMMA measured by GPC were higher than the theoretical values while the monomer conversion was more than 50 %. In addition, most of the carbon-carbon double bonds of the side hydrocarbon chain of the end-cardanol group in the PMMA were kept intact from
Polyphenols, radical scavenger activity, short-chain organic acids and heavy metals of several plants extracts from “Bucharest Delta”
Authors: Teodor Eugenia Dumitra , Gatea Florentina , Albu Camelia , Rădulescu Cristina Maria , Chira Ana , Radu Gabriel Lucian
Published: October 2015

Some plants collected (Mentha aquatica, Bidens tripartita and Ambrosia artemisiifolia) from an unusual habitat developed in recent years in Bucharest (the so-called “Bucharest Delta”) and the contents of polyphenolic compounds, short-chain organic acids and heavy metals, and radical scavenger activity, were determined. 12 polyphenolic compounds and 7 short-chain organic acids were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis; Mentha aq. extracts presented the highest levels of rosmarinic acid (1.58 mg g
Preparation of Pd/Al2O3@silicalite-1 core–shell beads and their application to hydrogenation reactions
Authors: Zhang Tong , Zhang Zu-Qiang , Lin Lu , Li Si , Yan Xin-Juan , Liu Hai-Ou , Zhang Xiong-Fu
Published: October 2015

Core-shell composite beads comprising a Pd-loaded Al
Comparative ESI FT-MS and MALDI-TOF structural analyses of representative human N-linked glycans
Authors: Pakanová Zuzana , Nemčovič Marek , Bystrický Peter , Matulová Mária , Pätoprstý Vladimír , Wilson Iain B. H. , Mucha Ján
Published: October 2015

Modern glycan analysis is primarily based on mass spectrometry, where instruments based on electrospray or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization are currently the most frequently used. In the present study, electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with a high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometer (LTQ Orbitrap) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) coupled with a time-of-flight (TOF/TOF) detector were used to analyze two N-glycan standards with intact free reducing ends (disialo biantennary and asialo triantennary) and representative PA-labeled human serum N-glycan structures isolated by hydrophilic interaction anion-exchange chromatography (HIAX), confirmed by
Synthesis and evaluation of a novel hydrophobically associating polymer based on acrylamide for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Sun Jin-Sheng , Du Wei-Chao , Pu Xiao-Lin , Zou Zhuan-Zheng , Zhu Bo-Bo
Published: October 2015

A novel polymerizable hydrophobic monomer 1-(4-dodecyloxy-phenyl)-propenone (DPP) was synthesized by esterification, Frise rearrangement and Williamson etherification; then, the obtained DPP was copolymerized with 2-(acrylamido)-dodecanesulfonic acid (AMC
The influence of nonlinear effects on the spectral efficiency of multiinput antenna systems
Authors: Vishniakova J. V.
Published: October 2015

The analysis technique and design algorithm are proposed for multiinput antenna systems, based on the mathematical model developed. The technique and algorithm described allow the analysis of a wide class of multiinput systems, in particular, MIMO systems, reconfigurable multiantenna systems, multiinput systems with nonlinear components and devices.
The paper presents numerical analysis results of the intermodulation interference effect on the spectral efficiency of a multiinput system with nonlinear elements in receiving antennas, obtained using the methods, algorithms and software products developed.
It is shown that in the nonlinear system intermodulation interferences appear, and the spectral efficiency of the data transmission system decays near the operating frequency due to the appearance of additional combinational components in the frequency response of the system. This effect depends on the degree of nonlinearity, radiated power, the level of interfering signals.
Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the presence of nonlinear elements and devices must be taken into account in the design and analysis processes of multiinput multiantenna systems, considering the specific types of those nonlinearities.
Investigation of the effect of noise on the operation of the charge sensitive amplifier with compensated pyroelectric interference
Authors: Starcev V. I. , Anisimov A. A. , Russu A. S.
Published: October 2015

The authors consider the problems that arise during the operation of the charge sensitive amplifier (CSA) in critical conditions. Simplified schemes and mathematical models of the CSA are presented in order to study the effect of noise of operational amplifier and high-resistance resistor of negative feedback loop. The dependence of the CSA noise level on the pyroelectric interference compensation value is studied. Mathematical analysis data is confirmed by computer circuit simulation.
Highly sensitive photodetector based on ge double-barrier punch-through structure
Authors: Abdulkhaev O. A. , Yodgorova D. M. , Karimov A. V. , Kuliyev S. M.
Published: October 2015

In recent years, transmission and reception systems of optical signals are widely used. Receiving the optical signal in such systems is carried by photoreceiving modules based on a photodetector, which defines the quality of the received signal, the range and speed of the entire system. However, hitherto used p–i–n- and avalanche photodiodes do not fully meet the growing demands. The present work is devoted to investigate the photovoltaic characteristics of semiconductor thin base transistor structure based on germanium, which is superior the silicon counterparts by speed and gain. Investigated p+–n–p-structures were obtained by diffusion of antimony onto the substrate of p-type germanium to a depth of 1 micron and alloying of indium to the part of its surface which creates diffusion layer of ?+-type and with thickness of 0,5 microns. Experiments have shown that the reverse biasing of a single p+-n-emitter-base junction leads to a smooth increase in reverse current, at the same time when it is connected in series to forward biased collector p-n-junction there is a sharp increase in the current by voltage, giving properties of voltage surge suppressor. This behavior of the current-voltage characteristics can be explained by the punch-through effect when the space charge regions of the emitter junction and the space charge region of collector junction touch each other and the conditions are realized for double carrier injection into a fully depleted region of the transistor. At the same time giving small fixed voltages 0,1—0,15 V to the collector-base junction the output static characteristics can be received with an operating voltage of 3—3,5 V. A characteristic feature of the investigated transistor is that when the base region under illumination by integrated light intensity (50 and 3000 lux) light current appears, whose magnitude with the increase of operating voltage (up to 1.7 V) increases nonlinearly, resulting in increased current photosensitivity up to 17 µA/lux, which is one and a half orders of magnitude greater than photosensitivity of germanium phototransistor “OOA-5”.
Ensuring the accuracy of the approximation of R/T-characteristics of NTC-thermistor based on neural network modeling
Authors: Fedin S. S. , Zubretskya I. S.
Published: October 2015

The research is aimed at improving the accuracy of the approximation of characteristics of the semiconductor thermoresistive temperature conductor on the example of an NTC-type thermistor (B57703M series) using neural network techniques for intelligent processing of measurement information.
The objective of the study is to develop feed forward neural network models with Back Propagation and Resilient Propagation learning algorithms in order to ensure the accuracy of approximation of R/T-characteristics of NTC-thermistors in the working temperature range. It is shown that the use of the developed neural network models can provide higher accuracy of the approximation in comparison with the known Steinhart-Hart polynomial model.
Statistical estimation has shown that for the purpose of solving the problem of neural network approximation of R/T-characteristics of NTC-thermistors, the Back Propagation algorithm is preferable to the Resilient Propagation algorithm. The practical use of the developed models improves the accuracy of individual calibration of NTC-thermistor’s temperature range 218,15 ... 428,15 K.
Biomarkers of iron metabolism are independently associated with impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes: the KORA F4 study
Authors: Huth Cornelia , Beuerle Simon , Zierer Astrid , Heier Margit , Herder Christian , Kaiser Thorsten , Koenig Wolfgang , Kronenberg Florian , Oexle Konrad , Rathmann Wolfgang , Roden Michael , Schwab Sigrid , Seissler Jochen , Stöckl Doris , Meisinger Christa , Peters Annette , Thorand Barbara
Published: October 2015

Objective

Iron has been suggested to play a role in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Except for ferritin, evidence is sparse for other markers of iron metabolism that are regulated differently and might act through independent pathways. We therefore investigated the associations of serum ferritin, transferrin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), transferrin saturation (TSAT), sTfR-to-log10ferritin (sTfR-F) index, and iron with impaired glucose metabolism (IGM/‘prediabetes’), T2DM, and four continuous glucose and insulin traits.

Design and methods

Data from 2893 participants of the population-based Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) F4 study (Germany) was investigated through regression analysis. The results were adjusted for socio-demographic, life-style, and obesity measures as well as metabolic, inflammatory, and other iron biomarkers following a step-wise approach. Non-linearity was tested by adding a non-linear spline component to the model.

Results

Ferritin and transferrin were positively associated with IGM (fourth vs first sex-specific quartile: ferritin odds ratio (OR)=2.08 (95% CI 1.43–3.04) and transferrin OR=1.89 (95% CI 1.32–2.70)), T2DM (ferritin OR=1.98 (95% CI 1.22–3.22) and transferrin OR=2.42 (95% CI 1.54–3.81)), and fasting as well as 2-h glucose. TSAT (OR=0.55 (95% CI 0.34–0.88)) and iron (OR=0.61 (95% CI 0.38–0.97)) were inversely associated with T2DM, sTfR-F-index was inversely associated with IGM (OR=0.67 (95% CI 0.48–0.95)). There was no strong evidence for non-linear relationships.

Conclusions

The observed associations of several markers of iron metabolism with hyperglycemia and insulin resistance suggest that iron stores as well as iron-related metabolic pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of IGM and T2DM. Moreover, TSAT levels are decreased in T2DM patients.
Kaufmacht und Kartellrecht
Authors: Goette Wulf
Published: October 2015

Die Ausübung von Kaufmacht des Anbieters wie des Nachfragers unterliegt - wie die jüngste Judikatur des Kartellsenats des Bundesgerichtshofs deutlich gemacht hat - nach deutschem Recht auch unterhalb der Schwelle der Marktbeherrschung nicht nur theoretisch, sondern auch praktisch Restriktionen. Es geht darum zu zeigen, dass die vom Gesetzgeber getroffene Grundentscheidung zu akzeptieren ist und dass die neu gefassten Verbote auch praktisch handhabbar sind.