bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Performance of Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio versus Quantitative Flow Ratio for Detecting the Functional Significance of Coronary Stenosis
Authors: Zuo Wenjie , Yang Mingming , Chen Yifan , Xie Aiming , Chen Lijuan , Ma Genshan
Published: April 2019

Background. Fractional flow reserve (FFR), as a functional measurement of coronary stenosis, is recommended for guiding revascularization in intermediate coronary lesions. However, it still remains underutilized for potential reasons including time consumption, costs, or contraindications associated with adenosine administration. Here we performed this meta-analysis to assess the diagnostic performance of two adenosine-free indices, instantaneous wave free-ratio (iFR), and quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in evaluating coronary stenosis severity with FFR as the reference standard. Methods. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched to include relevant studies with the diagnostic accuracy of iFR or QFR referenced to FFR. A bivariate model was applied to pool diagnostic parameters. We used Cochran’s Q test and I2 index to assess heterogeneity and identify the potential source of heterogeneity by meta-regression. Results. A total of 8213 lesions from 28 studies (19 for iFR and 9 for QFR) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.83) and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.82 to 0.87) for iFR and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84 to 0.93) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.90) for QFR, respectively. Significantly higher sensitivity and specificity were observed in the bivariate analysis for QFR than for iFR (P < 0.001 for both). The area under summary receiver-operating curve of iFR and QFR was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.92) and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.89 to 0.94). Conclusion. Evidence suggests that both of the two indices have good performance in detecting functional ischemia of coronary arteries and QFR might be a promising method without requiring the pressure wire. Further application of QFR may potentially provide important information to clinicians in the assessment of coronary lesions.
Significance and Characteristics ofListeria monocytogenesin Poultry Products
Authors: Jamshidi Abdollah , Zeinali Tayebeh
Published: April 2019

Listeria monocytogenesis one of the most common foodborne pathogens. Poultry meat and products are of the main vehicles of pathogenic strains ofL. monocytogenesfor human. Poultry products are part of the regular diet of people and, due to nutrient content, more content of protein, and less content of fat, gain more attention. In comparison with red meat, poultry meat is more economical. So, it had a greater rate of consumption especially in barbecue form in which the growth of bacterium is favored. Subtyping ofL. monocytogenesisolates is essential for epidemiological investigation and for identification of the source of contamination. In the following review, the main facet of presence ofL. monocytogenesin poultry will be discussed. Most pathogenic serotypes ofL. monocytogeneswere detected in different products of poultry meat. Unfortunately, these isolated pathogens had sometimes resistance to commonly used antibiotics which were used for treatment of human infection.
Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Outpatients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Authors: Neumann K. , Arzt M. , Heid I. , Böger C. , Stadler S.
Published: April 2019

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MS) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are highly prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). The present study examined whether there is an independent association between SDB and MS in a sample of outpatients with DM2.Methods. MS was determined in 679 patients of the DIACORE-SDB substudy, a study of outpatients with DM2. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria, MS is defined by at least three of the following five criteria: waist circumference of >102 cm (men)/>88 cm (women), blood pressure of ≥130/85 mmHg, a fasting triglyceride level of >150 mg/dl, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) of <40 mg/dl (men)/<50 mg/dl (women), and a fasting glucose level of ≥110 mg/dl. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was assessed with a 2-channel ambulatory monitoring device and used to define the severity of SDB (AHI<15.0: no/mild SDB; AHI 15.0-29.9: moderate SDB;AHI≥30.0: severe SDB).Results. 228 (34%) of the 679 participants (mean age 66 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 31.2 kg/m2, and mean AHI 14/hour) had SDB. MS was significantly more frequent in patients with more severe SDB (no/mild SDB vs. moderate SDB vs. severe SDB: 72% vs. 79% vs. 85%, respectively,p=0.038). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for sex, age, obesity (BMI≥30kg/m2), and the HOMA index showed a significant association between the AHI and the presence of MS (OR95%CI=1.039(1.011; 1.068);p=0.007). Further, male sex, obesity, and the HOMA index were significantly associated with MS.Conclusion. SDB is significantly and independently associated with MS in outpatients with DM2.
The Diversity of Human Dirofilariasis in Western Sri Lanka
Authors: Chandrasena T. G. A. N. , Premaratna R. , Mallawaarachchi C. H. , Gunawardena N. K. , Gunathilaka P. A D. H. N. , Abeyewickrama W. Y. , Silva N. R. de
Published: April 2019

Background. Human dirofilariasis is an emerging zoonosis in many countries. Dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens may present with diverse clinical manifestations in humans due to aberrant localization of worm lesions causing diagnostic dilemmas. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe and update the demography and clinical spectrum of human dirofilariasis in western Sri Lanka. Nematode or nematode fragments isolated from excision biopsies that were confirmed as D. repens at the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, between 2012 and 2018 were included. Data on age, gender, and clinical details were obtained from case files. Identity of worms was established by morphometry and cuticle characteristics on wet-mount preparation. Specimens from unusual case presentations were further analyzed by PCR with specific primers for internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA. Results. Sixteen nematode specimens isolated from subconjunctiva (n=2), subcutaneous (n=13) and intramuscular (n=1) locations were identified as D. repens by morphometry (average length 11.5 cm) and the characteristic longitudinal striations on cuticle visualized by microscopy. The age distribution of cases ranged from 1 to 65 years with a mean of 21.5. Females were more frequently affected (n=10, 62.5%) and worm locations were commonest in the orbital region (5/16) and scrotum (3/16). Imaging techniques were of use in detecting infections in deeper tissue levels. PCR analysis of DNA extracted from a worm in an intramuscular granuloma of the temporal region elicited the expected band at 484bp for D. repens. Conclusions. Human dirofilariasis is on an upward trend in incidence. Imaging techniques were of use in clinical diagnosis and molecular speciation in establishing the species identity in unusual case presentations. We suggest a more conservative approach in the management of human dirofilariasis and recommend a one health approach for control.
Downregulation of Human DAB2IP Gene Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma Results in Resistance to Ionizing Radiation
Authors: Yun Eun-Jin , Lin Chun-Jung , Dang Andrew , Hernandez Elizabeth , Guo Jiaming , Chen Wei-Min , Allison Joyce , Kim Nathan , Kapur Payal , Brugarolas James , Wu Kaijie , He Dalin , Lai Chih-Ho , Lin Ho , Saha Debabrata , Baek Seung Tae , Chen Benjamin P.C. , Hsieh Jer-Tsong
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is known to be highly radioresistant but the mechanisms associated with radioresistance have remained elusive. We found DOC-2/DAB2 interactive protein (DAB2IP) frequently downregulated in RCC, is associated with radioresistance. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanism regulating radioresistance by DAB2IP and developed appropriate treatment.

Experimental Design:

Several RCC lines with or without DAB2IP expression were irradiated with ionizing radiation (IR) for determining their radiosensitivities based on colony formation assay. To investigate the underlying regulatory mechanism of DAB2IP, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry was performed to identify DAB2IP-interactive proteins. PARP-1 expression and enzymatic activity were determined using qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and ELISA. In vivo ubiquitination assay was used to test PARP-1 degradation. Furthermore, in vivo mice xenograft model and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model were used to determine the effect of combination therapy to sensitizing tumors to IR.

Results:

We notice that DAB2IP-deficient RCC cells acquire IR-resistance. Mechanistically, DAB2IP can form a complex with PARP-1 and E3 ligases that is responsible for degrading PARP-1. Indeed, elevated PARP-1 levels are associated with the IR resistance in RCC cells. Furthermore, PARP-1 inhibitor can enhance the IR response of either RCC xenograft model or PDX model.

Conclusions:

In this study, we unveil that loss of DAB2IP resulted in elevated PARP-1 protein is associated with IR-resistance in RCC. These results provide a new targeting strategy to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy of RCC.
Independence, Intervention, and Internationalism: Angola and the International System, 1974–1975
Authors: Sobers Candace
Published: April 2019

This article explores the escalation of tensions surrounding Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975, when a protracted war of national liberation escalated sharply into an international crisis. Rather than see Angola as merely a proxy war, the article depicts the varied responses to Angolan anti-colonial nationalism as consequences of “internationalization,” or the deliberate and endogenous process of framing the struggle for Angolan independence in global terms. By establishing Angolan independence as part of a worldwide battle against imperialism, racism, and Western hegemony in the early 1960s, and by raising the issue in international forums, creating transnational support networks, and operating across borders and oceans, the Angolan national liberation movements created the ideological and political preconditions for the military interventions and Cold War political theater of the 1970s. Angola thus demonstrated how national liberation movements, as transnational actors, learned to operate within the international system to gain necessary material and moral support but also provoked the ire of more powerful external actors who had their own political and ideological reasons for opposing a pro-Soviet regime in Angola.
“The World Was Not Turning in Their Direction”: The United States and the Decolonization of Angola
Authors: de Sá Tiago Moreira
Published: April 2019

In the mid-1970s, the United States and the Soviet Union decided to export the Cold War to Angola at levels that were unprecedented on the African continent. In the case of the United States, this led to immense support for local allies—the National Liberation Front of Angola and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola—in the form of many tons of heavy weaponry, millions of dollars, and the use of mercenaries and even paramilitary operatives of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. This article explains U.S. actions in Angola from 1974 to 1976 against the backdrop of the Cold War, highlighting the decision-making process in Washington, the international context, the internal context, and the actions of both superpowers.
Aspidistra minor (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae), a tiny new species from Vietnam
Authors: VISLOBOKOV NIKOLAY A. , KUZNETSOV ANDREY N. , KUZNETSOVA SVETLANA P. , ROMANOV MIKHAIL S. , NURALIEV MAXIM S.
Published: April 2019

Aspidistra minor is described and illustrated as a new species from southern Vietnam (Gia Lai province, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve). The new species possesses very small ovate to elliptic leaf blades and very small flowers with stamens inserted at the base of the perigone. In flower structure, the new species resembles A. leucographa and A. elatior but strongly differs in shape of leaf blades and position of stamens.
A new species of Podolestes Selys, 1862 from peat swamp forest in Sarawak (Odonata: Zygoptera: Argiolestidae)
Authors: DOW RORY A. , NGIAM ROBIN. W.J.
Published: April 2019

Podolestes parvus sp. nov. is described and illustrated from both sexes from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (holotype male Maludam National Park, Betong Division, Sarawak, 10 vii 2012, deposited in RMNH). The new species is closest to P. atomarius Lieftinck, 1950 and is the smallest species yet known in its genus. A full set illustrations of P. atomarius is provided for comparison. [Species Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EE7ABAB0-8683-4D25-8A2C-76977931FD87]
Life Satisfaction and Depression in the Oldest Old: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lee Sang-Woo , Choi Jae-Sung , Lee Minhong
Published: April 2019

This study aimed to analyze the effect of individual differences and family variables on life satisfaction and depression in the oldest old compared with the young-old. A total of 1,799 cases from an 8-year period of the Korean Welfare Panel Study (2006–2013) were analyzed. A key finding was that life satisfaction significantly increased with time for the two groups of older adults while depression decreased. Moreover, family relationship satisfaction significantly affected both life satisfaction and depression in both groups. However, its impact was stronger for the oldest old. Finally, individual difference variables, that is, objective life conditions, such as gender, education, and religion, did not have a significant impact on life satisfaction or depression in the oldest old. The results suggest that the oldest old not only face death but also experience continuous growth from a gerotranscendence perspective.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea Complicating Septoplasty: A Novel Mechanism of Injury
Authors: Leong Annabelle C. , Patel Toral , Rehman Faizal , Oyarzabal Manuel , Gluckman Paul
Published: April 2019

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea after a septoplasty procedure is very rare and potentially life-threatening. We present a case of iatrogenic postseptoplasty CSF rhinorrhea. To the best of our knowledge, only 2 other cases of CSF rhinorrhea complicating septoplasty have previously been reported. However, neither resolved in the manner that our case did, when spontaneous cessation of CSF rhinorrhea unexpectedly occurred upon removal of intranasal splints. We discuss the clinical importance of anatomic variations and potential causative mechanisms of CSF rhinorrhea during septoplasty. Our experience with this case suggests a mechanism of injury to the cribiform plate during septoplasty that has not been described previously.
The diagnostic accuracy of headache measurement instruments: A systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on headaches associated with musculoskeletal symptoms
Authors: van der Meer Hedwig A , Visscher Corine M , Vredeveld Tom , Nijhuis van der Sanden Maria WG , HH Engelbert Raoul , Speksnijder Caroline M
Published: April 2019

Aim

To systematically review the available literature on the diagnostic accuracy of questionnaires and measurement instruments for headaches associated with musculoskeletal symptoms.

Design

Articles were eligible for inclusion when the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity/specificity) was established for measurement instruments for headaches associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in an adult population. The databases searched were PubMed (1966–2018), Cochrane (1898–2018) and Cinahl (1988–2018). Methodological quality was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool (QUADAS-2) and COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist for criterion validity. When possible, a meta-analysis was performed. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) recommendations were applied to establish the level of evidence per measurement instrument.

Results

From 3450 articles identified, 31 articles were included in this review. Eleven measurement instruments for migraine were identified, of which the ID-Migraine is recommended with a moderate level of evidence and a pooled sensitivity of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85–0.89) and specificity of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.72–0.78). Six measurement instruments examined both migraine and tension-type headache and only the Headache Screening Questionnaire – Dutch version has a moderate level of evidence with a sensitivity of 0.69 (95% CI 0.55–0.80) and specificity of 0.90 (95% CI 0.77–0.96) for migraine, and a sensitivity of 0.36 (95% CI 0.21–0.54) and specificity of 0.86 (95% CI 0.74–0.92) for tension-type headache. For cervicogenic headache, only the cervical flexion rotation test was identified and had a very low level of evidence with a pooled sensitivity of 0.83 (95% CI 0.72–0.94) and specificity of 0.82 (95% CI 0.73–0.91).

Discussion

The current review is the first to establish an overview of the diagnostic accuracy of measurement instruments for headaches associated with musculoskeletal factors. However, as most measurement instruments were validated in one study, pooling was not always possible. Risk of bias was a serious problem for most studies, decreasing the level of evidence. More research is needed to enhance the level of evidence for existing measurement instruments for multiple headaches.
Numerical study on pre-film atomization mechanism and characteristics by a coaxial swirl injector
Authors: Zhang Qun , Wang Xin , Kou Rui , Li Chaochao , Zhang Peng , Hai Han , Li Chenghao , Yang Fuzheng , Liu Qiang , Cao Tingting
Published: April 2019

The overall process and mechanism of the centrifugal pre-film atomization with double swirling flow were studied using the methods of large Eddy simulation and volume of fluid. The atomization process includes a centrifugal jet under the primary swirl and a pre-film atomization under the two-stage counter-rotating swirl at the venturi outlet. The fuel is ejected from the outlet of the centrifugal nozzle and undergoes the transient process of reaching the venturi throat. The breaking mechanism of liquid film in this process is the same as that of the formation mechanism of the mushroom-shaped tip of liquid jet. The numerical simulation results are highly consistent with the experimental results. For the formation and development of the liquid film on the venturi wall, collision and wave action promote the expansion of the liquid film. At the outlet position of the venturi tube, the short wave mode and the two-stage reverse swirling structure play major roles in the fragmentation process of the flake liquid film, which coincides with the flow characteristics given by the experiment. It is found that the spray cone angle increases as the fuel flow rate increases, and the numerical results are basically consistent with the predicted values of the empirical formula under different fuel flow rates. The droplet size distribution showed a Poisson distribution during the atomization of centrifugal jets and pre-film, and the peak position and variation trend of the droplet size distribution at the outlet of the venturi tube were basically consistent with experimental results.
Quantitative Analysis of SSEA3+ Cells from Human Umbilical Cord after Magnetic Sorting
Authors: Leng Zikuan , Sun Dongming , Huang Zihao , Tadmori Iman , Chiang Ning , Kethidi Nikhit , Sabra Ahmed , Kushida Yoshihiro , Fu Yu-Show , Dezawa Mari , He Xijing , Young Wise
Published: April 2019

Multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells are a population of pluripotent stage-specific embryonic antigen 3 (SSEA3)+ mesenchymal stem cells first described by Mari Dezawa in 2010. Although some investigators have reported SSEA3+ mesenchymal cells in umbilical cord tissues, none have quantitatively compared SSEA3+ cells isolated from Wharton’s jelly (WJ) and the cord lining (CL) of human umbilical cords (HUCs). We separated WJ and the CL from HUCs, cultured mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) isolated from these two tissues with collagenase, and quantified the percentage of SSEA3+ cells over three passages. The first passage had 5.0% ± 4.3% and 5.3% ± 5.1% SSEA3+ cells from WJ and the CL, respectively, but the percentage of SSEA3+ cells decreased significantly ( P < 0.05) between P0 and P2 in the CL group and between P0 and P1 in the WJ group. Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) markedly enriched SSEA3+ cells to 91.4% ± 3.2%. Upon culture of the sorted population, we found that the SSEA3+ percentage ranged from 62.5% to 76.0% in P2–P5 and then declined to 42.0%–54.7% between P6 and P9. At P10, the cultures contained 37.4% SSEA3+ cells. After P10, we resorted the cells and achieved 89.4% SSEA3+ cells in culture. The procedure for MACS-based enrichment of SSEA3+ cells, followed by expansion in culture and a re-enrichment step, allows the isolation of many millions of SSEA3+ cells in relatively pure culture. When cultured, the sorted SSEA3+ cells differentiated into embryoid spheres and survived 4 weeks after transplant into a contused Sprague-Dawley rat spinal cord. The transplanted SSEA3+ cells migrated into the injury area from four injection points around the contusion site and did not produce any tumors. The umbilical cord is an excellent source of fetal Muse cells, and our method allows the practical and efficient isolation and expansion of relatively pure populations of SSEA3+ Muse cells that can be matched by human leukocyte antigen for transplantation in human trials.
Vibration and handling stability analysis of articulated vehicle with hydraulically interconnected suspension
Authors: Li Hongxue , Li Shiwu , Sun Wencai
Published: April 2019

Anti-roll hydraulically interconnected suspension (HIS) due to its roll-vibration stiffness and damping performance has been studied and applied in passenger vehicles, buses, and tri-axle straight vehicles. However, very few investigations have been made on six-axle articulated vehicles with the HIS system. Moreover, rollover accidents involving articulated vehicles cause severe casualties, which have attracted wide attention in the vehicle safety field. This calls for a design of a new suspension control technique to improve the handling stability performance at a lower cost and with less energy consumption. This paper presents an anti-roll HIS system control technique to improve the handling stability of a six-axle tractor–semitrailer with nonlinear uncertain parameters. Firstly, the HIS model for leaf-spring suspension of a half semitrailer is established by means of the linear transfer matrix method. Secondly, the power spectral density function is analyzed to validate the obtained model, and equivalent stiffness and damping are computed using natural frequency. Thirdly, six-axle vehicle equations with the HIS model are established considering the equivalent stiffness and damping parameter as the medium. Finally, numerical simulation results are provided and compared with the original vehicle. Dynamic response of the proposed technique is assessed by analyzing roll stability, lateral stability, yaw stability, and articulation stability. The results show that the proposed control technique can effectively improve the handling performance of an articulated vehicle.
Use of apps for physical activity in type 1 diabetes: current status and requirements for future development
Authors: Kordonouri Olga , Riddell Michael C.
Published: April 2019

Smartphone technologies, and the applications (apps) that they host, are developing rapidly mainly with regard to communication, information processing, design, features and connectivity with other devices. Technologies used in modern treatment modalities and monitoring of type 1 diabetes are also rapidly evolving and can communicate with smartphones and apps. Therefore, numerous web-based and smartphone apps aim to provide information and various patient data metrics (e.g. caloric intake, activity levels, glucose monitoring) that can be accessed and processed for decision support by smartphone apps. In this narrative review, we highlight current information about the effectiveness of interventions through smartphone apps with a focus on apps designed to give guidance to patients with type 1 diabetes on physical activity monitoring and glucose control during and after structured exercise sessions, as these patients are experiencing huge therapeutic challenges during exercise. Furthermore, we propose a number of critical elements for future apps designed for people with type 1 diabetes.
Newer biological agents: CAR T cells, PARP inhibitors, and ALK inhibitors
Authors: Latcha Sheron
Published: April 2019

The oncology world is awash with a steady flow of new and exciting biologic agents and targeted immune therapies. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells are a new class of “living drugs” that are designed to reprogram T cells to target and kill tumor cells upon contact. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell treatment has yielded impressive results with respect to overall response rates and complete remission rates in patients with multiply relapsed and resistant leukemia and lymphoma. Drugs that target and inhibit the anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor and poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitor pathways are extending progression-free survival in subsets of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian tumors who harbor these mutations, respectively.
Recommended Cancer Screening in Accountable Care Organizations: Trends in Colonoscopy and Mammography in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Authors: Cole Alexander P. , Krasnova Anna , Ramaswamy Ashwin , Fletcher Sean A. , Friedlander David F. , McNabb-Baltar Julia , Melnitchouk Nelya , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Sun Maxine , Kibel Adam S. , Golshan Mehra , Haider Adil H. , Weissman Joel S. , Trinh Quoc-Dien
Published: April 2019

PURPOSE:

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are a delivery and payment model designed to encourage integrated, high-value care. We designed a study to test the association between ACOs and two recommended cancer screening tests, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer and mammography for breast cancer.

METHODS:

Using the random 20% sample of Medicare claims, beneficiaries were attributed to ACO or non-ACO cohorts on the basis of providers’ enrollment in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. An inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance patient characteristics between ACO and non-ACO cohorts. A propensity score–weighted, difference-in-differences analysis was then performed using the same provider groups in 2010—pre-ACO—as a baseline. A secondary analysis for older—nonrecommended—age ranges was performed.

RESULTS:

Prevalence of colonoscopy in recommended age ranges in ACOs from 2010 to 2014 increased from 15.3% (95% CI, 14.9% to 15.6%) to 17.9% (95% CI, 17.3% to 18.5%). This differed significantly from the change in non-ACOs (difference in differences, 1.2%; P < .001). Among women in ACOs, mammography prevalence rose from 53.7% (95% CI, 53.0% to 54.4%) to 54.9% (95% CI, 54.2% to 55.7%). In contrast to colonoscopy, the difference in mammography prevalence was not significantly different in ACO versus non-ACOs (difference in differences, 0.49%; P < .13). A similar pattern was also observed in older—nonrecommended—age ranges with significant difference in differences (ACO v non-ACO) in colonoscopy, but not mammography.

CONCLUSION:

The impact of ACOs on cancer screening varies between screening tests. Our results are consistent with a greater effect of ACOs on high-cost, high-complexity screening services, which may be more sensitive to integrated care delivery models.
Joan Fuster y Julián Mariás : dos intelectuales frente a la transición española a la democracia
Authors: Rodríguez Milán Roberto
Published: April 2019

From autumn 1975 onwards, political change becomes a tangible possibility in Spain. In the face of a quite unpredictable scenario for the Iberian country, filled with concerns, uncertainties and expectations, many intellectuals take a step forward in what they regard as their social role, attempting to engage a dialogue with the society they belong to by proposing a personal reading of the political and social reality of the time. We highlight here the dissimilar prominence of two intellectuals, both of them veteran in their dissent versus General Franco’s dictatorship: the writer Joan Fuster and the philosopher Julián Marías. Through their constant “emergency” essays which are here under consideration, these two intellectuals intensify their effort so as to contribute to shape a public opinion informed about the past and committed with the present and the future, able to become an active subject of History once again.
Crisis de sistema(s) y transiciones del fin del siglo XX en las áreas semiperiféricas del mundo
Authors: Harsányi Iván
Published: April 2019

The nature of the transitions in these regions of the world (Southern Europe, Central Eastern Europe and Latin America) reflects their historical antecedents, the particularities of the period when they occured, and the current balance of the respective international forces. The distinctive feature of the Central-Eastern European transitions is that these changes were not limited to the transformations of their respective political regimes, but affected their entire socioeconomic structure, this is why they served as origins of tensions that lasted for various decades. In each of these countries, different types of dictatorial or authoritarian regimes were established in the first half of the 20th century, and played a different role in World War II. With the exception of Yugoslavia, they all took part in the military and economic organizations of the Eastern block (the Warsaw Pact, COMECON), within the context of the bipolar system of powers. Due to their semiperipheral character, most of them had limited opportunities to catch up with the more developed countries even after the transition, and their steps taken in this direction were hesitants. The comparison between their respective transitions is further complicated by their different political-cultural traditions and by the consequences of the globalization of societies, due to the effects of the serious global economic and financial crisis that unfolded in 2008 and is still present nowadays.
Diferencias léxicas entre Hispanoamérica y España: anglicismos vs. términos vernaculares
Authors: Ciobanu Mihaela
Published: April 2019

Los anglicismos están cada vez más presentes en casi todas las lenguas, penetrando en todos los campos y discursos. Además de los términos vernaculares que se emplean de modo general (ingeniero, profesor, etc.) y de los anglicismos generales, hay también términos vernaculares diferentes de un país a otro (contador (Arg.) vs. contable (Esp.)) como también anglicismos que tampoco son generales y que en la mayoría de los casos coexisten con los términos vernaculares, generales o específicos (jornada completa vs. full-time), lo cual no afecta a la intercomprensión. Nos centraremos para este análisis sobre todo en el campo laboral.
Chocolate, cacao, aguacate... Alimentos sin fronteras
Authors: Rózsavári Nóra
Published: April 2019

Debido al descubrimiento de América, varios alimentos americanos llegaron a la Península Ibérica y a Europa. Los españoles tuvieron que nombrar los nuevos productos, o comparándolos con los ya conocidos o dándoles denominaciones prestadas de las lenguas amerindias. En este artículo se analizan 3 palabras de origen amerindio: chocolate, cacao y aguacate. Se explica cómo llegaron al húngaro, se da la fecha y la fuente de las primeras documentaciones, se informa de los cambios formales, semánticos y referenciales, y también se presenta el proceso de integración en el húngaro.
Reconnecting a Fragmented Monument through Digital Mapping: The City Walls of Athens
Authors: Katsianis Markos , Lampraki Stamatina , Theocharaki Anna-Maria , Pigaki Maria , Costaki Leda , Papaefthimiou Evantia
Published: April 2019

The fortifications of Athens have been a recurrent theme of archaeological investigation. In the past two centuries, parts of the walls have been located during rescue interventions at numerous sites in the urban fabric. At present, the visibility of the entire monument remains rather low as the traces of the walls are hidden beneath the modern city, marginalized within larger archaeological sites or preserved entirely by record. Despite the high level of scholarly work devoted to synthesize the available material, the volume of information accumulated over the years requires a novel approach that would systematize different types of evidence using digital media. In this respect, we attempt to revisit the city walls of Athens through the use of geospatial technologies. We target the informed development of an efficient GIS platform to record, store, integrate, explore and eventually disseminate resources on the Athenian fortifications. Our research employs published and archival sources (e.g. excavation drawings) in combination with historical maps (e.g. early cadastral maps, first maps of modern Athens) and complementary historical evidence (e.g. writings, illustrations, photography) to locate, document and integrate in space and time available data on lost and surviving fortification remains.
Health Risk of Occupational Exposure in Welding Processes II. Immunological Effects
Authors: Borská Lenka , Fiala Zdeněk , Andrýs Ctirad , Krejsek Jan , Tejral Jaroslav
Published: April 2019

Many of epidemiological studies have certified the relationship between welding and various forms of health damages. In our study we performed an immunological research within a group of twenty men, working in the risky environment of manufacturing of stainless steel constructions (11 welders and 9 grinders, average age was 31 years, 55 % of smokers, average time period in welding occupational exposure was 8 years). The exposed group of men was compared with a group of healthy blood donors, marked as the control group (people with various types of employment, living in same locality as a people from exposed group). People within the control group were not occupationally exposed to harmful chemical compounds (from 30 to 100 men were chosen for the individual immune parameters, average age of the whole group was 38 years, 40 % of smokers). When compared with the control group, the exposed group of welders and grinders showed higher level of C3 complement (p<0.001), orosomucoid (p<0.05), beta-2–microglobulin (p<0.001), neopterin (p<0.001) and all fagocytic cells (p<0.001). On the contrary, in the group of exposed people decreased values of IgA (p<0.001), IgG (p<0.001), IgM (p<0.001), transferin (p<0.001), alpha-1–antitrypsin (p<0.001), alpha-2–macroglobulin (p<0.001), haptoglobulin (p<0.001) and ceruloplasmin (p<0.05) were found. Some of these changes were characteristic for the exposed group. They could be considered as precursors of biological markers of effect for given type of exposure.
Generalization of one method of a filter generator key recovery
Authors: Alekseev Evgeniy K. , Kuschinskaya Lyudmila A.
Published: April 2019

We describe an algorithm extending the previously proposed method of key recovery of a filter generator. The algorithm is based on an approximation of the combining function by algebraically degenerate functions. We give estimates of the computational complexity, reliability, and the amount of memory used by the method. Examples of application of the method are considered, in particular, for the analysis of the LILI-128 cipher.
Modules over strongly semiprime rings
Authors: Tuganbaev Askar A.
Published: April 2019

For a ring A, the following conditions are equivalent.

A is a right strongly semiprime ring.

Every right A-module which is injective with respect to some essential right ideal of the ring A, is an injective module.

Every quasi-injective right A-module which is injective with respect to some essential right ideal of the ring A is an injective module.
The role of context in sociolinguistic perception
Authors: Hilton Katherine , Jeong Sunwoo
Published: April 2019

Previous research demonstrates that listeners make social inferences about people based on how they speak, and that these inferences vary depending on the linguistic and social context. An open question is exactly how contextual enrichment (i.e. information about the speaker and speaking situation) comes to influence sociolinguistic perception. This paper addresses this question by analyzing data from 10 perception experiments investigating three different linguistic phenomena: number agreement in existential there constructions, intonation contours in declarative sentences, and overlapping speech in conversation. We observe an overall trend that increasing contextual enrichment obscures the effects of linguistic forms. In contextually impoverished stimuli, number nonagreement and rising declaratives trigger perceptions that speakers are less educated and more polite, respectively, but show no effect on listener perceptions when embedded in more contextually rich stimuli. By contrast, overlapping speech shows robust effects on perceived interruptiveness, even in contextually rich stimuli. Drawing on theories from social psychology and linguistic anthropology, we argue that if listeners are able to form sufficient impressions of speakers before encountering the target linguistic feature, they will not modify their impressions to incorporate the social meanings conveyed by the target linguistic feature, unless these social meanings are highly enregistered.
Compare fuhrman nuclear and chromophobe tumor grade on chromophobe RCC
Authors: Lin Tsu-Feng , Lin Wun-Rong , Chen Marcelo , Dai Shuen-Han , Sun Fang-Ju , Tsai Wei-Kung , Chiu Allen W.
Published: April 2019

Background

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) has a favorable prognosis. Due to irregular nuclei and nuclear pleomorphism, chRCC has a high Fuhrman nuclear grade (FNG). The chromophobe tumor grade (CTG) is a novel three-tier grading system that has been reported to be a better prognosticator than the traditional FNG. We compared the two nuclear grading systems in terms of patients’ clinical outcomes.

Patients and Method

We performed this retrospective chart review of all patients with chRCC from 2000 to 2017. All pathologic features and CTG and FNG results were re-evaluated.

Result

Eighteen patients’ records were reviewed with a mean follow-up of 70.6 months. The nuclear grading distribution was as follows: FNG 2, 56%; FNG 3, 39%; FNG 4, 5%; CTG 1, 78%; CTG 2, 17%; and CTG 3, 6%. Only one patient died. This patient had adrenal invasion, lung metastasis, sarcomatoid change and tumor necrosis, and the tumor was graded as FNG 4 and CTG 3. Overall survival was associated with both FNG and CTG.

Conclusion

Chromophobe RCC was associated with a low rate of cancer-specific death and sarcomatoid differentiation. Both FNG and CTG were associated with overall survival.
A cloud computing separation model based on information flow
Authors: Ma Wei , Li Huanqin , Witarsyah Deden
Published: April 2019

Separation is the primary consideration in cloud computing security. A series of security and safety problems would arise if a separation mechanism is not deployed appropriately, thus affecting the confidence of cloud end-users. In this paper, together with characteristics of cloud computing, the separation issue in cloud computing has been analyzed from the perspective of information flow. The process of information flow in cloud computing systems is formalized to propose corresponding separation rules. These rules have been verified in this paper and it is shown that the rules conform to non-interference security, thus ensuring the security and practicability of the proposed rules.
Metacognitive-strategy training promotes decision-making ability in older adults
Authors: Rosi Alessia , Vecchi Tomaso , Cavallini Elena
Published: April 2019

Research on decision making and aging has shown that some decision-making skills decrease with age. Despite these age-related declines, no study has yet investigated the possibility of promoting improvements in decision-making skills in older adults. The present study was designed to address this gap in literature by examining the efficacy of a metacognitive-strategy decision-making training on practiced and non-practiced tasks. The training was based on the use of specific metacognitive principles and analytical strategies for promoting an analytical mode of thinking in the decision-making process. We examined 66 older adults (Mage= 67.52 years, SD = 5.38; age range 60-81) assigned to two training groups: a metacognitive-strategy decision-making training group and an active control group involved in a strategic memory intervention. Both training groups attended four 2-hour training sessions conducted once a week. Results showed that, after intervention, the decision-making training group improved their decision-making skills significantly more than the active control training group. Crucially, the positive effect of the training was evident in both practiced and non-practiced decision-making tasks. This is the first study investigating the efficacy of a decision-making training in older adults based on metacognitive and strategic principles.
Die Selbstorganschaft in der Personengesellschaft – Wesenszug oder Anachronismus?
Authors: Osterloh-Konrad Christine
Published: April 2019

Im deutschen Recht wird die Selbstorganschaft gemeinhin als wesentliches Strukturmerkmal der Personengesellschaft angesehen. Allerdings besteht ein erhebliches praktisches Bedürfnis nach dem Einsatz Externer in der Unternehmensführung; ihm begegnet die Rechtspraxis durch die Anerkennung einer Reihe von Strukturen, welche die Selbstorganschaft zwar nicht formell durchbrechen, sie materiell jedoch weitgehend aushebeln. Auf Basis dieser Beobachtung hinterfragt der Beitrag das Prinzip, indem er die bisher dagegen vorgebrachte, beachtliche Kritik durch eine rechtsvergleichend begründete Argumentation ergänzt. Hierfür nimmt er zunächst die Haltung verschiedener anderer Rechtsordnungen zur Zulässigkeit fremdorganschaftlicher Strukturen in den Blick und analysiert die vorzufindenden Unterschiede. Sodann wendet er sich dem Nichteinmischungsgebot in der Kommanditgesellschaft zu, das dem Kommanditisten – in je nach Rechtsordnung unterschiedlich strenger Ausprägung – die Mitwirkung an der Geschäftsleitung untersagt und das häufig als argumentum a fortiori für das Verbot der Fremdorganschaft herangezogen wird. Der Rechtsvergleich weckt Zweifel an der Tragfähigkeit dieses Erst-Recht-Schlusses, weil sich keinerlei Zusammenhang zwischen zwingender Selbstorganschaft und einem strengen Nichteinmischungsgebot in der KG feststellen lässt. Eine schutzzweckorientierte Analyse untermauert diese Zweifel. Die Überlegungen münden daher in der Forderung, das Prinzip zwingender Selbstorganschaft ad acta zu legen und den Gesellschaftern einer Personengesellschaft die Möglichkeit zu geben, fremdorganschaftliche Strukturen in ihrer Gesellschaft zu etablieren.
Evaluating Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy
Authors: Black Lindsay
Published: April 2019

Critiques of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s New Southbound Policy overemphasize Beijing’s ability to hinder what is essentially a rational economic move that was already underway prior to Tsai’s inauguration. China’s antagonistic stance toward the New Southbound Policy merely pushes Taiwan into the hands of Japan, China’s regional rival.
First record of Prebaetodes meridinensis Chacón, Pescador & Segnini, 2010 (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) from Colombia
Authors: Salinas J. Luis G. , Villegas A. Paola A. , Salles Frederico Falcão , Román-Valencia César
Published: April 2019

We present the first record in Colombia of Prebaetodes meridinensis Chacón, Pescador & Segnini, 2010 based on nymphs collected in Andean region. This species was previously reported from Venezuela.
Synthesizing Research on Learner Perceptions of CMC Use in EFL/ESL Writing
Authors: Aslan Erhan , Ciftci Hatime
Published: April 2019

This study presents a synthesis of empirical research reporting on learners’ perceptions about the effectiveness of CMC in EFL/ESL writing classes. Conducting a multi-stage systematic review, we analyzed 52 scholarly research articles published between 2000 and 2016. Our findings indicate that while learners perceive linguistic benefits from interacting with different interlocutors in mainly blog- and wiki-mediated writing activities, they also report challenges with respect to task demands and the quality of feedback. Learners perceive CMC-integrated writing to be authentic and interactive, thereby developing their motivation, autonomy, and identity as writers. Finally, the implications of this review and the directions for future research in the domain of CMC and EFL/ESL writing are discussed.
Learning Technology Review: Memrise
Authors: Zhang Xiaomeng
Published: April 2019

Review of an online language learning platform called Memrise.

Producer Details:Memrise3-5 Fashion StreetLondon E1 6PX United Kingdompress@memrise.comwww.memrise.com
El espacio público como eje de integración social y escenario de la vida ciudadana.
Authors: Santos-De Aguirre María del Rosario
Published: April 2019

Introducción: gracias a la Constitución Política de Colombia de 1991, se ha repensado en el país el espacio público desde la óptica jurídica. Asimismo, desde las administraciones territoriales, como es el caso de Bucaramanga, se han trazado políticas públicas para su reconocimiento, protección y recuperación. No obstante, el actuar del ejecutivo local no ha sido encauzado a criterios del todo constitucionales, ni tampoco estos responden a una valoración de la prerrogativa colectiva superior a su aspecto material. Metodología: tal propuesta surge a través del estudio acucioso de las disposiciones en Derecho que regulan el espacio público, contrastado con la valoración del mismo en tendencias de formación ciudadana desde lo público y en urbanismo, para así partir de un concepto amplio. Luego, por intermedio de encuestas, se procuró reconocer el ideario acerca del espacio público de actores fundamentales en su utilización en el municipio de Bucaramanga, evento que significó la interlocución con la autoridad administrativa a fin de reconocer la política pública en la materia y alcanzar una posición desde la academia que incluya una crítica sobre el trabajo realizado y permita valorar desde una nueva perspectiva el espacio público. Resultados y conclusiones: por lo anterior, la academia, representada por la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, propone una visión más amplia del espacio público, en la cual concurran aspectos suprajurídicos que resulten afines a la percepción social que se tiene por dicho derecho y que, además, resulte respetuosa y de un constitucionalismo con rasgos humanos.
Derechos innominados en el sistema interamericano
Authors: Garzón-Buenaventura Edgar Fabían
Published: April 2019

Introducción: el presente artículo de investigación tiene como eje temático la aplicación del control de convencionalidad ejercido por la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos y su recepción en los jueces, los funcionarios jurisdiccionales y las autoridades públicas,la aplicación de garantías en materia de derechos innominados, así como la creación del activismo judicial a través del derecho a la educación como materia jurisdiccional local dentro de los países miembros americanos, y cómo estos arremeten en grave violación colectiva. Metodología: con el fi de analizar esta temática, es necesario irradiarla en el ordenamiento jurídico mexicano y colombiano, de modo que jueguen un papel imperativo en el propósito de derivar su origen y sus causas, entre las que se encuentran: 1. Del bloque de constitucionalidad al bloque de convencionalidad; 2. La internacionalizaciónde los derechos humanos; 3. La convencionalización del Derecho; 4. Circulación judicial del precedente; y 5. Derechos innominados. Resultados: todo esto es consecuencia de las normas de textura abierta descritas en la Declaración Americana y Convención Americana de Derechos Humanos, y un fuerte compromiso en torno al Derecho internacional de los derechos humanos. Conclusiones: lo anterior exige una interpretación hermenéutica de los casos interpartes y sus efectos irradiadores en la sentencia para los países americanos.