bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term use of adalimumab as monotherapy after attainment of low disease activity with adalimumab plus methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Keystone Edward C , Breedveld Ferdinand C , Kupper Hartmut , Li Yihan , Florentinus Stefan , Sainsbury Iain
Published: June 2018

Objective

To evaluate long-term clinical, functional and radiographic outcomes in an open-label extension (OLE) study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving adalimumab monotherapy or adalimumab+methotrexate following attainment of low disease activity (LDA) with adalimumab+methotrexate.

Methods

Methotrexate-naive patients with early RA were randomised to adalimumab, methotrexate or adalimumab +methotrexate in a double-blind, 2-year study. Patients who completed the study and achieved LDA (28-joint Disease Activity Score using C reactive protein (DAS28(CRP)<3.2) could receive adalimumab monotherapy for up to 8 additional years in the OLE; open-label methotrexate could be added per investigator’s discretion. This post hoc analysis included data up to OLE year 3 (study year 5) from patients receiving adalimumab+methotrexate who achieved LDA at year 2 followed by adalimumab monotherapy or methotrexate reinitiation. Normal physical function was defined as Disability Index of the Health Assessment Questionnaire <0.5 and radiographic non-progression as change in modified total Sharp score ≤0.5.

Results

Of 140 patients initiating adalimumab monotherapy, 84 (60%) received adalimumab only (methotrexate non-use) and 56 (40%) reinitiated methotrexate (methotrexate use) during OLE treatment. Median (IQR) time to first methotrexate use was 5.1 (0.1–31.4) weeks. Among methotrexate users, 61% retained LDA, 48% achieved DAS28(CRP) <2.6, 45% had normal physical function and 46% had no radiographic progression at year 5; for non-users, 63%, 50%, 58% and 50%, respectively, achieved these milestones. Adverse event rates were similar between methotrexate non-use and use patients.

Conclusions

Adalimumab monotherapy effectively maintained good clinical, functional and radiographic outcomes for up to 3 additional years in ≥50% of patients who attained LDA after 2 years of adalimumab+methotrexate therapy.

Trial registration number

NCT00195663; Post-results.
Survey of dry cow management on UK commercial dairy farms
Authors: Fujiwara Mayumi , Haskell Marie J , Macrae Alastair I , Rutherford Kenneth M D
Published: June 2018

Dry period management of the dairy cow focuses on maximising milk production during the subsequent lactation but may include procedures that negatively affect dry cow health and welfare. A survey of dairy farmers in the UK was conducted to investigate dry cow management procedures. The questionnaire was completed by 148 farmers. Most farms (84 per cent) kept dry cows in dynamic social groups. The median length of the dry period was 56 days, and 83 per cent of farms stopped milking abruptly, regardless of milk production level at dry‐off. Twenty‐seven per cent of cows from respondent farms produced more than 20 kg of milk per day at dry‐off. The majority of farms (78 per cent) used antibiotic dry cow intramammary tubes at dry‐off, in combination with internal or external teat sealants. Procedures that were commonly practised and potentially stressful for dry cows included abrupt cessation of milking of high yielding cows and frequent changes in diet and social environment.
Searching for a Single Community in a Graph
Authors: Ray Avik , Sanghavi Sujay , Shakkottai Sanjay
Published: June 2018

In standard graph clustering/community detection, one is interested in partitioning the graph into more densely connected subsets of nodes. In contrast, the
search
problem of this article aims to only find the nodes in a
single
such community, the target, out of the many communities that may exist. To do so, we are given suitable side information about the target; for example, a very small number of nodes from the target are labeled as such.

We consider a general yet simple notion of side information: all nodes are assumed to have random weights, with nodes in the target having higher weights on average. Given these weights and the graph, we develop a variant of the method of moments that identifies nodes in the target more reliably, and with lower computation, than generic community detection methods that do not use side information and partition the entire graph. Our empirical results show significant gains in runtime, and also gains in accuracy over other graph clustering algorithms.
High salt intake shifts the mechanisms of flow-induced dilation in the middle cerebral arteries of Sprague-Dawley rats
Authors: Matic Anita , Jukic Ivana , Stupin Ana , Baric Lidija , Mihaljevic Zrinka , Unfirer Sanela , Tartaro Bujak Ivana , Mihaljevic Branka , Lombard Julian H. , Drenjancevic Ines
Published: June 2018

The goal of the present study was to examine the effect of 1 wk of high salt (HS) intake and the role of oxidative stress in changing the mechanisms of flow-induced dilation (FID) in isolated pressurized middle cerebral arteries of male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 15–16 rats/group). Reduced FID in the HS group was restored by intake of the superoxide scavenger tempol (HS + tempol in vivo group). The nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin, and selective inhibitor of microsomal cytochrome P-450 epoxidase activity N-(methylsulfonyl)-2-(2-propynyloxy)-benzenehexanamide significantly reduced FID in the low salt diet-fed group, whereas FID in the HS group was mediated by NO only. Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA (but not protein) expression was decreased in the HS and HS + tempol in vivo groups. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and VEGF protein levels were increased in the HS group but decreased in the HS + tempol in vivo group. Assessment by direct fluorescence of middle cerebral arteries under flow revealed significantly reduced vascular NO levels and increased superoxide/reactive oxygen species levels in the HS group. These results suggest that HS intake impairs FID and changes FID mechanisms to entirely NO dependent, in contrast to the low-salt diet-fed group, where FID is NO, prostanoid, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acid dependent. These changes were accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation products in the plasma of HS diet-fed rats, increased vascular superoxide/reactive oxygen species levels, and decreased NO levels, together with increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and VEGF.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY High-salt (HS) diet changes the mechanisms of flow-induced dilation in rat middle cerebral arteries from a combination of nitric oxide-, prostanoid-, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acid-dependent mechanisms to, albeit reduced, a solely nitric oxide-dependent dilation. In vivo reactive oxygen species scavenging restores flow-induced dilation in HS diet-fed rats and ameliorates HS-induced increases in the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and expression of its downstream target genes.
Germline Variation and Breast Cancer Incidence: A Gene-Based Association Study and Whole-Genome Prediction of Early-Onset Breast Cancer
Authors: Scannell Bryan Molly , Argos Maria , Andrulis Irene L. , Hopper John L. , Chang-Claude Jenny , Malone Kathleen E. , John Esther M. , Gammon Marilie D. , Daly Mary B. , Terry Mary Beth , Buys Saundra S. , Huo Dezheng , Olopade Olofunmilayo I. , Genkinger Jeanine M. , Whittemore Alice S. , Jasmine Farzana , Kibriya Muhammad G. , Chen Lin S. , Ahsan Habibul
Published: June 2018

Background: Although germline genetics influences breast cancer incidence, published research only explains approximately half of the expected association. Moreover, the accuracy of prediction models remains low. For women who develop breast cancer early, the genetic architecture is less established.

Methods: To identify loci associated with early-onset breast cancer, gene-based tests were carried out using exome array data from 3,479 women with breast cancer diagnosed before age 50 and 973 age-matched controls. Replication was undertaken in a population that developed breast cancer at all ages of onset.

Results: Three gene regions were associated with breast cancer incidence: FGFR2 (P = 1.23 × 10−5; replication P < 1.00 × 10−6), NEK10 (P = 3.57 × 10−4; replication P < 1.00 × 10−6), and SIVA1 (P = 5.49 × 10−4; replication P < 1.00 × 10−6). Of the 151 gene regions reported in previous literature, 19 (12.5%) showed evidence of association (P < 0.05) with the risk of early-onset breast cancer in the early-onset population. To predict incidence, whole-genome prediction was implemented on a subset of 3,076 participants who were additionally genotyped on a genome wide array. The whole-genome prediction outperformed a polygenic risk score [AUC, 0.636; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.614–0.659 compared with 0.601; 95% CI, 0.578–0.623], and when combined with known epidemiologic risk factors, the AUC rose to 0.662 (95% CI, 0.640–0.684).

Conclusions: This research supports a role for variation within FGFR2 and NEK10 in breast cancer incidence, and suggests SIVA1 as a novel risk locus.

Impact: This analysis supports a shared genetic etiology between women with early- and late-onset breast cancer, and suggests whole-genome data can improve risk assessment. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(9); 1057–64. ©2018 AACR.
ПРОФЕСОРУ ВОЛОДИМИРУ МИКОЛАЙОВИЧУ КОЗЬКУ – 70
Authors: Andreychyn M. A.
Published: June 2018

Стисло висвітлено основні біографічні віхи й творчий доробок професора В.І. Козька – відомого лікаря-інфекціоніста, педагога, науковця, завідувача кафедри інфекційних хвороб Харківського національного медичного університету.
Docentes médicos e internos do curso de medicina estão preparados para uma boa prática médica no atendimento aos portadores de doença falciforme?
Authors: Carlos Marjorie Orquisa , Brigatte Patrícia , Loterio Helio Alvimar
Published: June 2018

Doença falciforme é uma denominação dada ao conjunto de hemoglobinopatias. Estima-se que existam no Brasil de 25 mil a 30 mil portadores de doença falciforme e que surjam, anualmente, 3.500 novos casos. No estado de São Paulo, temos uma incidência de 1:4000 nascidos vivos. Ainda não há dados consistentes sobre a mortalidade e a letalidade da doença falciforme no Brasil. É importante ressaltar que os profissionais de saúde sejam devidamente treinados para que as taxas de mortalidade continuem a decrescer. Para tanto, este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a capacitação de estudantes internos de medicina, bem como seus docentes em relação a doença falciforme. Materiais e métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal quantitativo, com alunos do 5º e 6º ano e docentes médicos da Universidade Cidade de São Paulo. Foi aplicado um questionário com 5 perguntas. Resultados e discussão: Os resultados mostraram que os alunos e os docentes sabiam o que era doença falciforme; com relação ao diagnóstico a maioria dos estudantes tinha este conhecimento e todos os docentes saberiam diagnosticá-la; com relação as manifestações clínicas, a maioria dos alunos souberam responder à pergunta e 100% dos docentes responderam que sim; com relação a quarta pergunta tanto os alunos quanto os docentes conheciam com maior frequência as manifestações gerais observadas. E com relação ao tratamento, foi observado que os alunos das etapas 9ª e 12ª, bem como os docentes médicos tinham o devido conhecimento do tratamento das manifestações agudas da doença falciforme, ao contrário dos alunos da 10ª e 11ª etapas, que relataram desconhecer o tratamento destas manifestações. Nossos estudos apontam para a importância do adequado conhecimento da doença, seu diagnóstico, suas manifestações clínicas e tratamento no meio acadêmico para melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes com esta doença, bem como diminuir significativamente a taxa de mortalidade de pacientes portadores de doença falciforme.
Cancer chemotherapy failure: a synthetic view
Authors: Junqueira Matheus Zanelatto , Chammas Roger
Published: June 2018

O Câncer é uma doença de alta prevalência e letalidade, sendo uma das principais causas de morte no Brasil e no mundo. Nas últimas décadas, grandes avanços foram alcançados na luta contra o câncer, com alguma tradução em curabilidade. Contudo, esses avanços ainda não são suficientes, de modo que o prognóstico do paciente com câncer ainda é, geralmente, desfavorável. De fato, há ainda diversas lacunas em nosso conhecimento a respeito dessa complexa e heterogênea doença. Diversos tratamentos contra o câncer já estão disponíveis à prática clínica - e outros ainda estão sendo desenvolvidos - uma delas a quimioterapia, tanto a tradicional quando a alvo dirigida, utilizada, sobretudo, como tratamento primário contra doença metastática ou secundário contra doença local ou localmente avançada. Diversos fatores podem atuar, através de vários mecanismos, de modo a determinar a falha do tratamento quimioterápico. Esses fatores estão distribuídos ao longo de diversas escalas biológicas, do nível molecular ao socioeconômico, tornando uma visão holística do tratamento um grande desafio, prejudicando a compreensão acerca do que pode dar errado. O objetivo deste trabalho é ser uma leitura compreensiva - mas não superficial - dos muitos fatores que influenciam o sucesso de quimioterapia. Deste modo, o resultado foi a presente discussão, na qual foram expostos avanços recentes, desafios a serem superados e novos caminhos a serem explorados na área.
Cirurgia fetal no contexto atual
Authors: Rocha Luana Sarmento Neves da , Amorim Filho Antônio Gomes de , Bunduki Victor , Carvalho Mario Henrique Burlacchini de , Lopes Marco Antônio Borges , Zugaib Marcelo , Francisco Rossana Pulcineli Vieira , Bernardes Lisandra Stein
Published: June 2018

A cirurgia fetal é, hoje, uma realidade em grandes centros especializados na área da medicina fetal. Surgiu por volta da década de 1960, inicialmente atrelada à necessidade de melhor conhecer e entender as patologias fetais, e teve desenvolvimento exponencial impulsionado pelo aprimoramento das técnicas diagnósticas pré-natais. Foi aos poucos se consolidando e tornando-se o tratamento de escolha para algumas patologias específicas, mudando definitivamente o curso dessas doenças. Nesse estudo, encontra-se um breve histórico das cirurgias fetais mais comumente realizadas em todo o mundo, como elas surgiram e como foram evoluindo com o passar do tempo, os principais estudos que as validaram e a técnica cirúrgica mais amplamente utilizada em cada caso. Entre as principais cirurgias, são citadas a fotocoagulação a laser de anastomoses placentárias na síndrome de transfusão feto-fetal, a correção intrauterina a céu aberto da mielomeningocele fetal e a oclusão endotraqueal fetal por balão nos casos de hérnia diafragmática congênita. Também são abordados cirurgias e procedimentos cujos benefícios são menos evidentes e os resultados ainda um tanto controversos, como as intervenções urinárias nos casos de obstrução ao trato urinário inferior, procedimentos cardíacos em casos de estenose aórtica crítica, derivações tóracoamnióticas para tratamento de derrames pleurais compressivos, além de ressecções intrauterinas de teratomas sacrococcígeos e de massas pulmonares. Também é feita uma avaliação a respeito do futuro da cirurgia fetal.
Acute rheumatic fever in a 61-year-old patient
Authors: Bertollo Leandro Pedro Goloni , Vieira Vanessa Lopes , Carvalho Guilherme Henrique Ribeiro de , D'Angelo Giovanna Ferrari , Da Silva Mateus Henrique Fernandes Martins , Soares Júnior José , Spina Guilherme Sobreira
Published: June 2018

O estudo e a descrição da febre reumática aguda (FRA) em adultos é escasso, dado que sua ocorrência é rara acima dos 40 anos de idade. Descrevemos um episódio de FRA em paciente feminina de 61 anos com uma história de um mês de dor retrosternal, dispnéia, ortopnéia e tosse não-produtiva. Dopplerecocardiograma revelou achados novos de espessamento da valva mitral, calcificação, mobilidade reduzida e regurgitação significativa, além de uma fração de ejeção de 39% e aumento dos diâmetros do ventrículo esquerdo e do átrio esquerdo. Ressonância magnética cardíaca confirmou importante disfunção e aumento de diamêtro sistólico do ventrículo esquerdo, com insuficiência mitral grave e ausência de realce tardio ou edema miocárdico. PET/CT com 18F-FDG mostrou aumento de captação na parede ventricular esquerda e na musculatura papilar. A biópsia endomiocárdica confirmou miocardite linfohistiocitária leve. Tratada com prednisona e azatioprina, além de profilaxia secundária com penicilina G e otimização da prescrição, a paciente apresentou melhora clínica significativa no seguimento.
Preparações do olhar: leituras sobre terras estrangeiras nos relatos de viagem de latino-americanos à Europa e aos Estados Unidos no século XIX
Authors: Madeira Graziela Mazzeo
Published: June 2018

Neste artigo apresenta-se a análise de apropriações específicas de leituras realizada antes e durante os périplos dos viajantes latino-americanos com destino à Europa e aos Estados Unidos ao longo do século XIX. Dentre os diferentes materiais lidos e citados por estes autores em seus relatos destacam-se os guias de viagem, devido ao fato da maioria deles ter feito um amplo uso destas publicações, que serviam para preparar seus olhares no decorrer de suas andanças. Assim, objetiva-se compreender os diferentes usos dos guias empreendidos pelos viajantes. Considera-se que, ao fazerem uso desses materiais, os viajantes buscavam obter informações sobre os locais visitados; ao mesmo tempo, é possível afirmar que esse tipo de leitura não se restringia apenas a isso, pois a leitura é uma atividade dinâmica, em que o leitor é afetado pelas obras que lê e, simultaneamente, interage com ela, podendo negar ou assimilar o conteúdo veiculado. É nessa chave que analisamos as menções feitas aos guias de viagem no interior dos relatos de viagem de latino-americanos à Europa e aos Estados Unidos.
As alteridades em Cetshwayo: um estudo sobre representações em disputa
Authors: Oliveira Isabel Filier de
Published: June 2018

Esse artigo tem como objetivo analisar a formação de um discurso de alteridade sobre o monarca zulu Cetshwayo kaMpande, contido na obra Cetshwayo’s Dutchman, de 1880, escrita pelo comerciante holandês Cornelius Vijn e pelo bispo anglicano, John William Colenso. Pautado nos aportes teóricos de François Hartog e Tzvetan Todorov sobre a retórica da alteridade, assim como no trabalho de Roger Chartier sobre representações, a análise é realizada a partir de três temáticas principais, nomeadamente a questão fronteiriça, a relação entre Cetshwayo e seus súditos e a questão missionária. É objetivo do artigo explicitar a relação da obra com a Guerra Anglo-Zulu de 1879, verificando como o relato busca responder às críticas feitas ao monarca zulu, pelo oficial inglês Sir Bartle Frere. Também é foco do artigo comentar a fonte à luz da bibliografia sobre relatos de viagem, em especial a discussão sobre o caráter dos relatos de autoria feminina e masculina,  e quanto ao trabalho de Mary Louise Pratt sobre o olhar imperial.
Mediação Tecnológica na Educação: Os Aportes Teóricos e Práticos da Educomunicação para a Educação a Distância
Authors: Consani Marciel Aparecido
Published: June 2018

Desde que os computadores foram introduzidos na educação e, principalmente, com a disseminação da internet nas escolas, diversas abordagens teóricas e práticas passaram a orientar o trabalho dos educadores nas interfaces entre Tecnologia, Mídia e Educação. O momento atual reflete as contradições – mas também a convergência – entre várias concepções, as quais podem buscar se afirmar hegemonicamente ou estabelecer pontes interdisciplinares e transversais entre si. O Núcleo de Comunicação e Educação da Escola de Comunicação e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo (NCE-ECA/USP) – cujo objeto de estudo central é o campo da Educomunicação – tem oferecido uma contribuição substancial no desenvolvimento do conceito da Mediação Tecnológica na Educação (MTE), o qual se apoia, principalmente, no referencial teórico de autores da área da Comunicação – Martín Serrano, Jesus Martín-Barbero e Guillermo Orozco Gómez – e na pedagogia de Vygotsky e Paulo Freire. Com base em estudos acadêmicos aliados a programas de formação de professores, o NCE vem consolidando uma abordagem inovadora na gestão comunicacional das mídias e tecnologias em sala de aula. O objetivo de nossa análise é apresentar um breve apanhado desses aportes teóricos e práticos baseados no conceito da MTE em contextos educacionais da realidade brasileira, com destaque para a educação a distância na formação de educadores e de alunos da licenciatura em Educomunicação. Para embasar a lógica de nossa argumentação, recorremos à apresentação de exemplos vivenciados em primeira mão por este pesquisador e proponente, à luz dos conceitos defendidos pelo NCE-ECA/USP.
Ensino com Temas: Uma Experiência no Curso de Licenciatura em Física
Authors: Oliveira Elisabeth Andreoli de
Published: June 2018

A contextualização de conceitos científicos apresenta-se como estratégia pedagógica para tornar os conteúdos curriculares socialmente relevantes e promover maior articulação com as vivências, saberes e concepções dos alunos. Esses aspectos devem estar presentes ao longo da formação do futuro professor e é fundamental promover oportunidades de vivenciar abordagens pedagógicas que levem a atitudes e compreensões que possam vir a desenvolver com seus futuros alunos. É nesse contexto que foi proposta a incorporação de temas em uma disciplina oferecida para o curso de Licenciatura em Física-IFUSP, que trata de fenômenos oscilatórios e ondas mecânicas, uma vez que esses fenômenos são observados em outras áreas da Física, com aplicações em diversas áreas da ciência. A escolha dos temas se deu de maneira a ilustrar a aplicação dos conceitos científicos abordados na disciplina em outras áreas de conhecimento, como, por exemplo, no estudo de clima, geofísica, astronomia e economia, e devido a suas implicações sociais e ambientais. Na programação da disciplina, grupos de alunos tornaram-se responsáveis pela apresentação desses temas na forma de seminários curtos inseridos nas aulas. Abriu-se, assim, um espaço interdisciplinar, no qual os alunos prepararam o material didático, o que exigiu, por parte deles, uma reflexão sobre o processo de aprendizagem e a relação entre o conteúdo da disciplina e sua vinculação com questões atuais com dimensões sociais, econômicas e tecnológicas. O ambiente criado favoreceu o compartilhamento de saberes dos alunos, a criação de vínculos sociais mais sólidos na sala de aula e o aumento da autoestima desses estudantes, que contribuem para a permanência no curso.
Contribuição de Monitores de Graduação nas Atividades do Coral da USP Ribeirão Preto: O Trabalho nos Bastidores
Authors: Mira Paôla Caroline da Silva , Martins Jefferson Da Silva , Zambonini Gutierry José , Oliveira Sergio Alberto de , Aires Carolina Patrícia
Published: June 2018

Considerando que a expansão das atividades do Coral da USP Ribeirão Preto pode ser impulsionada pela modificação de aspectos organizacionais relacionados à gestão de competências e que há necessidade de permear as atividades da Cultura e Extensão com a Graduação, o objetivo deste artigo é analisar o impacto do trabalho realizado por alunos de graduação de diferentes áreas de conhecimento sobre a expansão das atividades deste coral. Selecionados onze alunos de graduação, foram-lhes designadas funções com o propósito de auxiliar o desenvolvimento das atividades do Coral da USP Ribeirão Preto durante um ano. O trabalho dos monitores viabilizou quarenta apresentações artísticas no período. Em acréscimo, houve cerca de 16 mil acessos sobre as publicações relacionadas aos grupos musicais na rede social, com um público de aproximadamente 4 mil pessoas. Cerca de oitenta candidatos se inscreveram para o processo de audição organizado pelos alunos monitores. O trabalho com os alunos de graduação apresentou impacto positivo sobre o desenvolvimento, a expansão e a respeitabilidade do Coral da USP Ribeirão Preto. Outras iniciativas devem ser estimuladas de forma a aprimorar a relação entre Graduação e atividades de Cultura e Extensão Universitária.
Wood preservation with gold hydroxyapatite system
Authors: Ion Rodica-Mariana , Nyokong Tebello , Nwahara Nnamdi , Suica-Bunghez Ioana-Raluca , Iancu Lorena , Teodorescu Sofia , Dulama Ioana Daniela , Stirbescu Raluca Maria , Gheboianu Anca , Grigorescu Ramona Marina
Published: June 2018

Over centuries, the external factors such as fire, low temperature, light or microbiological agents, act on the wood and induce some degradation processes, sometimes irreversible, identified by discoloration, fragility and unsightly appearance. Although there are numerous literature reports about different nanomaterials used for preservation and restoration of wood surfaces (calcium hydroxides, magnesium hydroxides, hydroxyapatite, or even organic resins as Paraloid B72), in this paper it is proposed a new system—gold hydroxyapatite (AuHAp), tested on the hazelnut wood samples (young and aged specimens), as a new solution for preservation of some wooden artifacts. This paper addresses a broad range of analytical methods: X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, chromatic parameters and hardness test. Also, humidity sorption/desorption measurements are used for humidity sorption and desorption evaluation. The adsorption and desorption tests determined the hydroscopic sorption properties of the wood specimens by measuring the mass of the specimens in equilibrium with air at a specific temperature and RH. All the results concluded that after the application of the new system on the hazelnut wood surface, a well distributed and uniform layer consisting from AuHAp systems with a network aspect are observed, which covers the wood vessels and fibers, filling the voids and stopping the wood weathering process, more accentuated at aged wood than at the young species.
Boron neutron capture therapy for vulvar melanoma and genital extramammary Paget's disease with curative responses
Authors: Hiratsuka Junichi , Kamitani Nobuhiko , Tanaka Ryo , Yoden Eisaku , Tokiya Ryuji , Suzuki Minoru , Barth Rolf F. , Ono Koji
Published: June 2018

Background

Although the most commonly recommended treatment for melanoma and extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) of the genital region is wide surgical excision of the lesion, the procedure is highly invasive and can lead to functional and sexual problems. Alternative treatments have been used for local control when wide local excision was not feasible. Here, we describe four patients with genital malignancies who were treated with boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT).

Methods

The four patients included one patient with vulvar melanoma (VM) and three with genital EMPD. They underwent BNCT at the Kyoto University Research Reactor between 2005 and 2014 using para‐boronophenylalanine as the boron delivery agent. They were irradiated with an epithermal neutron beam between the curative tumor dose and the tolerable skin/mucosal doses.

Results

All patients showed similar tumor and normal tissue responses following BNCT and achieved complete responses within 6 months. The most severe normal tissue response was moderate skin erosion during the first 2 months, which diminished gradually thereafter. Dysuria or contact pain persisted for 2 months and resolved completely by 4 months.

Conclusions

Treating VM and EMPD with BNCT resulted in complete local tumor control. Based on our clinical experience, we conclude that BNCT is a promising treatment for primary VM and EMPD of the genital region.

Trial registration numbers UMIN000005124
Effect of precipitation on soil respiration in a temperate broad-leaved forest
Authors: Jeong Seok-Hee , Eom Ji-Young , Park Joo-Yeon , Chun Jung-Hwa , Lee Jae-Seok
Published: June 2018

Background

For understanding and evaluating a more realistic and accurate assessment of ecosystem carbon balance related with environmental change or difference, it is necessary to analyze the various interrelationships between soil respiration and environmental factors. However, the soil temperature is mainly used for gap filling and estimation of soil respiration (Rs) under environmental change. Under the fact that changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change are expected, the effects of soil moisture content (SMC) on soil respiration have not been well studied relative to soil temperature. In this study, we attempt to analyze relationship between precipitation and soil respiration in temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest for 2 years in Gwangneung.

Results

The average soil temperature (Ts) measured at a depth of 5 cm during the full study period was 12.0 °C. The minimum value for monthly Ts was − 0.4 °C in February 2015 and 2.0 °C in January 2016. The maximum monthly Ts was 23.6 °C in August in both years. In 2015, annual precipitation was 823.4 mm and it was 1003.8 mm in 2016. The amount of precipitation increased by 21.9% in 2016 compared to 2015, but in 2015, it rained for 8 days more than in 2016. In 2015, the pattern of low precipitation was continuously shown, and there was a long dry period as well as a period of concentrated precipitation in 2016. 473.7 mm of precipitation, which accounted for about 51.8% of the precipitation during study period, was concentrated during summer (June to August) in 2016. The maximum values of daily Rs in both years were observed on the day when precipitation of 20 mm or more. From this, the maximum Rs value in 2015 was 784.3 mg CO2 m−2 h−1 in July when 26.8 mm of daily precipitation was measured. The maximum was 913.6 mg CO2 m−2 h−1 in August in 2016, when 23.8 mm of daily precipitation was measured. Rs on a rainy day was 1.5~1.6 times higher than it without precipitation. Consequently, the annual Rs in 2016 was about 12% higher than it was in 2015. It was shown a result of a 14% increase in summer precipitation from 2015.

Conclusions

In this study, it was concluded that the precipitation pattern has a great effect on soil respiration. We confirmed that short-term but intense precipitation suppressed soil respiration due to a rapid increase in soil moisture, while sustained and adequate precipitation activated Rs. In especially, it is very important role on Rs in potential activating period such as summer high temperature season. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculated values by functional equation can be improved by considering the precipitation in addition to the soil temperature applied as the main factor for long-term prediction of soil respiration. In addition to this, we believe that the accuracy can be further improved by introducing an estimation equation based on seasonal temperature and soil moisture.
Over the counter: The potential for easing pharmacy provision of family planning in Senegal
Authors: Peterson Jill , Brunie Aurelie , Diop Ibrahima , Diop Seynabou , Stanback John , Chin-Quee Dawn
Published: June 2018

Background: This research assessed the potential for expanding access to family planning through pharmacies in Senegal, by examining the quality of the services provided through pharmacies, and pharmacy staff and client interest in pharmacy-based family planning services.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in eight urban districts in and around Dakar employing an audit of 250 pharmacies, a survey with 486 pharmacy staff and a survey with 3,569 women exiting pharmacies.

Results: Most (54%) pharmacies reported offering method-specific counseling to clients. Family planning  commodities were available in all pharmacies, and 72% had a private space available to offer counseling. Three quarters (76%) did not have any counseling materials available.

49% of pharmacists and 47% of assistant pharmacists reported receiving training on family planning during their professional studies. Half had received counseling training. Few pharmacists met pre-determined criteria to be considered highly knowledgeable of the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) and injectable contraceptive provision (0.6% and 1.1%).

Overall, 60% of women surveyed were current family planning users; of these, 11% procured their method through the pharmacy. Among non-users of family planning, and current users who did not obtain their method through a pharmacy, 47% said they would be interested in procuring a method through a pharmacy.

Conclusions: Senegal’s urban pharmacies are well-positioned to meet the country’s increasing desire for modern contraception. With proper training, pharmacy staff could better provide effective counseling and provision of OCPs and injectables, and lifting the requirement for a prescription could help support gains in contraceptive prevalence.
The neural determinants of age-related changes in fluid intelligence: a pre-registered, longitudinal analysis in UK Biobank
Authors: Kievit Rogier A. , Fuhrmann Delia , Borgeest Gesa Sophia , Simpson-Kent Ivan L. , Henson Richard N. A.
Published: June 2018

Background: Fluid intelligence declines with advancing age, starting in early adulthood. Within-subject declines in fluid intelligence are highly correlated with contemporaneous declines in the ability to live and function independently. To support healthy aging, the mechanisms underlying these declines need to be better understood.

Methods: In this pre-registered analysis, we applied latent growth curve modelling to investigate the neural determinants of longitudinal changes in fluid intelligence across three time points in 185,317 individuals (N=9,719 two waves, N=870 three waves) from the UK Biobank (age range: 39-73 years).

Results: We found a weak but significant effect of cross-sectional age on the mean fluid intelligence score, such that older individuals scored slightly lower. However, the mean longitudinal slope was positive, rather than negative, suggesting improvement across testing occasions. Despite the considerable sample size, the slope variance was non-significant, suggesting no reliable individual differences in change over time. This null-result is likely due to the nature of the cognitive test used. In a subset of individuals, we found that white matter microstructure (N=8839, as indexed by fractional anisotropy) and grey-matter volume (N=9931) in pre-defined regions-of-interest accounted for complementary and unique variance in mean fluid intelligence scores. The strongest effects were such that higher grey matter volume in the frontal pole and greater white matter microstructure in the posterior thalamic radiations were associated with higher fluid intelligence scores.

Conclusions: In a large preregistered analysis, we demonstrate a weak but significant negative association between age and fluid intelligence. However, we did not observe plausible longitudinal patterns, instead observing a weak increase across testing occasions, and no significant individual differences in rates of change, likely due to the suboptimal task design. Finally, we find support for our preregistered expectation that white- and grey matter make separate contributions to individual differences in fluid intelligence beyond age.
A set of novel CRISPR-based integrative vectors for Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Daniels Peter W , Mukherjee Anuradha , Goldman Alastair SH , Hu Bin
Published: June 2018

Integrating a desired DNA sequence into yeast genomes is a widely-used genetic manipulation in the budding yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. The conventional integration method is to use an integrative plasmid such as pRS or YIplac series as the target DNA carrier. The nature of this method risks multiple integrations of the target DNA and the potential loss of integrated DNA during cell proliferation. In this study, we developed a novel yeast integration strategy based on the widely used CRISPR-Cas9 system and created a set of plasmids for this purpose. In this system, a plasmid bearing Cas9 and gRNA expression cassettes will induce a double-strand break (DSB) inside a biosynthesis gene such as Met15 or Lys2. Repair of the DSB will be mediated by another plasmid bearing upstream and downstream sequences of the DSB and an integration sequence in between. As a result of this repair the sequence is integrated into genome by replacing the biosynthesis gene, the disruption of which leads to a new auxotrophic genotype. The newly-generated auxotroph can serve as a traceable marker for the integration. In this study, we demonstrated that a DNA fragment up to 6.3 kb can be efficiently integrated into the Met15 or Lys2 locus using this system. This novel integration strategy can be applied to various yeasts, including natural yeast isolated from wild environments or different yeast species such asCandida albicans.
An audit of chronic oedema within the care home setting
Authors: Stephen-Haynes Jackie , Callaghan Rosie
Published: June 2018

This articles outlines the important issue of chronic oedema, its definition and the physiology of the three main categories. The care delivered in the care home (nursing) sector was the subject of a printed questionnaire and the results are presented here. They are discussed and the implications for practice and an evidenced-based approach to care delivery are considered. Several conclusions can be drawn from this study but would be strengthened by a larger study. Care for patients with chronic oedema could be enhanced and this would improve clinical outcomes; significantly fewer patients would need to be referred for GP management if an appropriate and timely first-line treatment was agreed and provided by nursing staff. An educational resource should be developed, including: a resource folder; e-learning, patient information, and a patient leg exercise regime; a crib sheet and myth buster information; and clinical competencies. A further study would be required to confirm whether fewer patients experienced falls or presented with chronic oedema when lower leg swelling was managed.
Mobiderm Autofit: an adjustable sleeve that enables patients to self-manage lymphoedema
Authors: Todd Marie , Stubbs Charlotte , Pugh Stacy
Published: June 2018

Lymphoedema can result in debilitating physical and psychosocial morbidity and when combined with other chronic comorbidity, often requires holistic, specialist management that encompasses all the complex and compounding problems. Self-care is an integral component of any treatment strategy, however, the patient must be fully prepared and ongoing support should be provided. Self-care consists of managing the symptoms of lymphoedema but should include other fundamental aspects of healthy living, for example, maintaining a healthy weight and activity levels. To improve self-care, compression manufacturers have been instrumental in designing new ways of applying compression. Mobiderm Autofit armsleeves have been designed to improve the donning and wearing of compression sleeves in all patients. This product is especially useful for night-time wear and in the presence of fragile skin, or for those who only require reduced compression. The benefits of this garment are demonstrated in three case studies.
Bilingual parsing strategies in Basque and Spanish
Authors: Leeser Michael J. , Prieta Raquel
Published: June 2018

Over the last several years, one area of sentence processing research that has received considerable attention is how native speakers resolve structural ambiguities while reading, as in Someone shot the servant of the actress who was on the balcony (e.g., Cuetos & Mitchell 1988). Cross-linguistic research on this kind of ambiguous relative clause (RC) attachment has revealed that speakers of some languages prefer to attach the RC who was on the balcony to the first noun phrase (the servant), whereas speakers of other languages prefer attachment to the second noun phrase (the actress). From the perspective of bilingual sentence processing, research on RC attachment can provide insight into a number of important issues related to language transfer, language attrition, and processing efficiency. The present study, therefore, seeks to build upon some of these lines of research by examining the on-line parsing strategies among native speakers of Basque (N = 17) on two self-paced reading tasks in Basque and Spanish. Our purpose was to investigate which parsing routines these bilinguals utilized for each language in order to determine whether they maintained separate strategies or adopted one strategy for both languages. Analyses of reading times at critical regions in experimental sentences suggest that this group of bilinguals employed a single parsing strategy in Basque and Spanish. The findings are discussed within recent proposals of monolingual and bilingual sentence processing.
Polit-Serien im Fachunterricht Empirische Befunde zum Medieneinsatz aus Schüler- und Lehrerperspektive
Authors: Manzel Sabine
Published: June 2018

Serien sind bei Jugendlichen beliebt. In Umfragen zu bekannten Serien gehören auch Polit-Serien wie Breaking Bad oder House of Cards. Rufe nach einer Politischen Bildung mit mehr medialen Formaten sind nicht neu - die aktuelle Digitalisierungs-Offensive der Bundesregierung rückt sie nur erneut in den Mittelpunkt. Der Beitrag untersucht die Frage, ob der Einsatz von Polit-Serien im Politik- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Unterricht beim Aufbau politischer Kompetenzen hilfreich sein kann. Bislang sind die Potentiale für den Erwerb von Medien- und Politikkompetenz theoretisch beleuchtet, aber nicht empirisch belegt. Hier werden erstmals Befunde zu Polit-Serien im Fachunterricht aus Schüler- und Lehrerperspektive vorgestellt.
Liquid Democracy in Deutschland
Authors: Adler Anja
Published: June 2018

Dem raketenhaften Aufstieg der Piratenpartei folgte ihr ebenso schneller Niedergang. Ist das mit ihr verbundene Experiment politischer Willensbildung - Liquid Democracy - also ebenso gescheitert? Auf dem originellen Weg der Grounded Theory nähert sich Anja Adler der jüngsten deutschen Politikgeschichte, um sich mit dem ambitionierten Vorschlag zur Entwicklung eines neuen Betriebssystems für die Politik auseinanderzusetzen. Durch zahlreiche Interviews mit den Akteurinnen internet-gestützter Beratungs- und Entscheidungsverfahren zeichnet sie ein lebendiges und durchaus zukunftstaugliches Portrait sowohl der konkreten Verfahren als auch der Einstellungen und Visionen von Demokratieentwicklerinnen.
Spiegelbilder des Klimawandels
Authors: Nöthen Eva
Published: June 2018

Wie kann eine umfassende Analyse von (Medien-)Bildern gelingen und (geographie-)didaktisch fruchtbar gemacht werden? Die Sensibilität für die (sozial-)raumkonstitutive Wirksamkeit visueller Medieninhalte ist in den letzten Jahren gestiegen, dennoch fehlt eine systematisch-methodische Entwicklung. Im Anschluss an Klaus Sachs-Hombachs Verständnis von Bildern als wahrnehmungsnahen Zeichen führt Eva Nöthen phänomenologische und semiotische Ansätze zu einem integrativen Analyseinstrument zusammen. In einer Fallstudie zur Klimawandel-Berichterstattung werden Erkenntnispotentiale des Analyseinstruments aufgezeigt und Perspektiven auf dessen vermittlungspraktische Adaption eröffnet.
POLITISCHE KUNST ZWISCHEN GALERIE, GERICHT UND GEFÄNGNIS
Authors: Moser Chris
Published: June 2018

Chris Moser thematisiert in seinem Beitrag neben seinen eigenen Erfahrungen mit staatlichen Repressionen auch die kunstgeschichtlichen Dimensionen von Politischer Kunst und gesetzlichen Konsequenzen. Wie unzählige Kunstschaffende vor ihm fand sich auch Moser bereits mehrmals in der Situation, seine Kunst vor Gericht verteidigen zu müssen. Für eine dreimonatige Untersuchungshaft im Zuge des berüchtigten »Wiener Neustädter Tierschützerprozesses« und eines 14-monatigen Gerichtsprozesses im Schwurgerichtssaal Wiener Neustadt wurden Chris Mosers Arbeiten als Indiz für seine »radikale Gesinnung« herangezogen. »Haben Sie in Ihrer Kunst Ihre Gedanken und Ihre Gesinnung zum Ausdruck gebracht? ... Haben Sie damit zum Ausdruck gebracht was Sie innerlich bewegt, was für Sie wichtig ist, was Sie an Änderungen haben möchten? ... kann das als eine gewisse Neigung zu einer Radikalität gesehen werden oder nicht?« (aus den Protokollen der »Strafsache 41 Hv 3/10t«)
ICH BIN NICHT FREMD. GESELLSCHAFTSKRITIK IN SLAM-POETRY UND POETRY-SLAM
Authors: Heinrich Rebecca
Published: June 2018

Rebecca Heinrich widmet sich in ihrem Beitrag der Fragestellung, inwiefern Slam-Poetry als literarische Gattung sowie Poetry Slam als Veranstaltungsformat gesellschaftskritisch sein können, und ob sie es per definitionem sind. Im ersten Teil wird gezeigt, inwiefern es bei der Rezeption und Produktion der literarischen Veranstaltung zu einem wechselseitigen Lernprozess zwischen Autor_in und Publikum, eingebettet in gesellschaftliche Prozesse, kommt und das Format dadurch zur Plattform für gesellschaftskritische Literatur wird. Im zweiten Teil wird anhand des Slam-Poetry-Textes »Ich bin nicht fremd« gezeigt, wie durch sprachliches Handeln, hier den interaktiven Vortrag auf einem Poetry Slam, subjektive sowie intersubjektive Gesellschaftskritik geübt wird. Die Verfasserin war Teil des Symposiums Kunst als gesellschaftskritisches Medium und performte dort den im Beitrag erörterten Text. Deshalb wurde in dem vorliegenden Beitrag ein explizit künstlerischer Zugang zur Fragestellung gewählt.
Formándonos para transformarnos, transformándonos para incidir
Authors: Rayo Juan Pablo
Published: June 2018

Fe y Alegría durante los últimos años ha desarrollado procesos formativos con las juventudes, con ellos y ellas ha ido desarrollando un camino de formación para la incidencia. Algunos de los principales aprendizajes han sido poder reconfigurar las maneras de participar en las comunidades, construir trabajo en red y pensar procesos formativos desde el desarrollo de capacidades con una perspectiva de la ciudadanía global.
Um modelo fuzzy-qfd para priorização de ações de gestão de resíduos de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos
Authors: Lima Junior Francisco Rodrigues , Ferreira Letícia Franciele de Faria , Seleghim Ana Paula Duarte , Carpinetti Luiz Cesar Ribeiro
Published: June 2018

Na literatura acadêmica há diversos modelos de decisão multicritério de apoio à gestão de resíduos sólidos. Contudo, não são encontrados estudos que foquem na priorização de ações de gestão de resíduos sólidos com o apoio de tais técnicas. Esse estudo propõe um modelo baseado no método fuzzy-QFD (Quality Function Deployment) para a priorização de ações de gestão de resíduos de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos (REEE). A implementação computacional foi feita usando MS Excel. O modelo foi aplicado em um centro universitário para definir a sequência de implantação de um conjunto de ações de gestão de REEE. Os resultados indicam que primeiramente a instituição deve substituir as pilhas comuns por recarregáveis. Em seguida, deve-se destinar os resíduos de pilhas aos fabricantes originais, instalar postos internos de recolhimento das mesmas, desenvolver políticas visuais de combate a desperdícios e adotar critérios ambientais no ato da compra de computadores. O modelo proposto pode ser aplicado em problemas de seleção ou de priorização de ações de gestão de resíduos que envolvam decisão em grupo sob incerteza.
Ground state solutions for the Hénon prescribed mean curvature equation
Authors: Azzollini Antonio
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we consider the analogous of the Hénon equation for the prescribed mean curvature problem in

{{\mathbb{R}^{N}}}

, both in the Euclidean and in the Minkowski spaces. Motivated by the studies of Ni and Serrin [W. M. Ni and J. Serrin,
Existence and non-existence theorems for ground states for quasilinear partial differential equations,
Att. Convegni Lincei 77 1985, 231–257], we have been interested in finding the relations between the growth of the potential and that of the local nonlinearity in order to prove the nonexistence of a radial ground state. We also present a partial result on the existence of a ground state solution in the Minkowski space.