bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Distributed Biological Observatory: Linking Physics to Biology in the Pacific Arctic Region + Supplementary File (See Article Tools)
Authors: Moore Sue E. , Grebmeier Jacqueline M.
Published: May 2018

In response to dramatic seasonal sea ice loss and other physical changes influencing biological communities, a Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) was proposed in 2009 as a “change detection array” to measure biological responses to physical variability along a latitudinal gradient extending from the northern Bering Sea to the Beaufort Sea in the Pacific Arctic sector. In 2010, the Pacific Arctic Group (PAG) initiated a pilot program, focused on developing standardized sampling protocols in five regions of high productivity, biodiversity, and rates of change. In 2012, an academic team received funding to sample all five DBO regions, with collateral support from the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) DBO Collaboration Team. The IARPC team met monthly from 2012 to 2016 and advanced the DBO from a pilot phase to an implementation phase, including 1) the addition of three new sampling regions in the Beaufort Sea, 2) the goal of linking the observatory to existing community-based observation programs, and 3) the development of a plan for a periodic Pacific Arctic Regional Marine Assessment (PARMA) beginning in 2018. The long-term future of the DBO will depend on active involvement of international and national partners focused on the common goal of improved pan-Arctic assessments of regional marine ecosystems in an era of rapid change.
Sustained Observations of Changing Arctic Coastal and Marine Environments and Their Potential Contribution to Arctic Maritime Domain Awareness: A Case Study in Northern Alaska
Authors: Eicken Hajo , Mahoney Andrew , Jones Joshua , Heinrichs Thomas , Broderson Dayne , Statscewich Hank , Weingartner Thomas , Stuefer Martin , Ravens Tom , Ivey Mark , Merten Amy , Zhang Jinlun
Published: May 2018

Increased maritime activities and rapid environmental change pose significant hazards, both natural and technological, to Arctic maritime operators and coastal communities. Currently, U.S. and foreign research activities account for more than half of the sustained hazard-relevant observations in the U.S. maritime Arctic, but hazard assessment and emergency response are hampered by a lack of dedicated hazard monitoring installations in the Arctic. In the present study, we consider a number of different sustained environmental observations associated with research into atmosphere-ice-ocean processes, and discuss how they can help support the toolkit of emergency responders. Building on a case study at Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, we investigate potential hazards in the seasonally ice-covered coastal zone. Guided by recent incidents requiring emergency response, we analyze data from coastal radar and other observing assets, such as an ice mass balance site and oceanographic moorings, in order to outline a framework for coastal maritime hazard assessments that builds on diverse observing systems infrastructure. This approach links Arctic system science research to operational information needs in the context of the development of a Common Operational Picture (COP) for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) relevant for Arctic coastal and offshore regions. A COP in these regions needs to consider threats not typically part of the classic MDA framework, including sea ice or slow-onset hazards. An environmental security and MDA testbed is proposed for northern Alaska, building on research and community assets to help guide a hybrid research-operational framework that supports effective emergency response in Arctic regions.
Retención y Abandono Estudiantil en la Educación Superior Universitaria en América Latina y el Caribe: Una Revisión Sistemática
Authors: Munizaga Mellado Felipe René , Cifuentes Orellana María Beatriz , Beltrán Gabrie Andrés Jacob
Published: May 2018

El fenómeno de la retención y el abandono estudiantil en la región de América Latina y el Caribe conlleva importantes repercusiones sociales y económicas, tanto para los estudiantes, como para la sociedad en su conjunto. A pesar de la importancia que ha adquirido durante el último tiempo, aún no se cuenta con una revisión bibliográfica de metodología sistemática y replicable que permita comprender los principales resultados y conclusiones de las diversas investigaciones dentro de la región. Por esta razón, el presente estudio tuvo por objetivo describir variables y factores que se han asociado a la retención y el abandono estudiantil en la Educación Superior Universitaria en América Latina y el Caribe. Se encontraron y analizaron 81 artículos en español y portugués publicados entre los años 1990 y 2016, distribuidos en 10 países e indexados en siete bases de datos. Se utilizó un protocolo aplicado por dos investigadores independientes para organizar la información. Se encontraron 111 variables diferentes asociadas al fenómeno. Estas fueron agrupadas en los cinco factores propuestos por el Proyecto ALFA-GUIA: “Individual”, “Académico”, “Económico”, “Institucional” y “Cultural”. Entre los factores, el que más predomina es el “Individual”, lo que hace necesario mejorar la medición de variables latentes y la adaptación de instrumentos. La presencia de los factores “Académico” e “Institucional” demandan cambios a nivel de Instituciones de Educación Superior atendiendo a los nuevos estudiantes que ingresan. Por último el factor “Económico” demanda asegurar el financiamiento de los estudios. Junto a lo anterior, gran parte de las investigaciones se concentran en la caracterización de los estudiantes y muy pocos analizan el resultado de intervenciones para disminuir el abandono. Existe a su vez una importante discordancia a la hora de definir y medir este fenómeno. Es por ello que se hace necesario establecer parámetros comunes para el concepto central y su medición, además de redefinir los factores ALFA-GUIA específicamente los “Individual”, “Académico” y “Cultural”.
Die Erschließung orientalischer Handschriften an der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin: Historische Entwicklung und aktuelle Perspektiven im nationalen Kontext
Authors: Rauch Christoph
Published: May 2018

Neue Nutzungsszenarien und Forschungsansätze veränderten auch die bibliothekarischen und wissenschaftlichen Anforderungen an eine Erschließung orientalischer Handschriften. In diesem Beitrag wird, mit Schwerpunkt auf den Sammlungen der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, der Weg von den historischen Katalogen des 19. Jahrhunderts über die „Katalogisierung der Orientalischen Handschriften in Deutschland“ hin zu einem elektronischen Bestandsnachweis aufgezeigt. Der Aufbau eines materialspezifischen Portals zum Nachweis aller Handschriften und Digitalisate ist der nächste Schritt.
Synthesizing selenium- and silver-substituted hydroxyapatite-based bone grafts and their effects on antibacterial efficiency and cell viability
Authors: Aksakal Bunyamin , Demirel Mehtap , Sinirlioglu Zeynep A.
Published: May 2018

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-based biografts with selenium (Se) and silver (Ag) substitutions were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The synthesized HA-based biografts at various Se and Ag quantity ratios (wt%) were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX).Escherichia coli(JM103) and Gram-positiveStaphylococcus aureus(ATCC29293) bacteria were used for the cell viability tests by performing the MTT assay. During antibacterial tests, it was determined that the synthesized biografts showed significant antimicrobial activity onE. coliandS. aureus;however, some materials were effective on Gram-negativeE. coli, but had no effect on Gram-positiveS. aureus.In vitrocell viability tests revealed that some of the synthesized biografts such as H30Ag10Se15 and H40Ag20Se10 provided the highest cell viability rates compared to those in the control group.
Metonymic Figures: Cultural Representations of Foreign Domestic Helpers and Discourses of Diversity in Hong Kong
Authors: Jayawickrama Sharanya , 扎雅卫迦玛 萨兰雅·
Published: May 2018

Foreign Domestic Helpers account for nearly half of Hong Kong’s total ethnic minority population and are therefore integral to any discussion of diversity in the postcolonial, global Chinese city. In Asia, discourses of diversity have evolved from the juncture of complex historical, political, and cultural factors including colonialism, postcoloniality, traditional and precolonial customs and values, religious and spiritual beliefs, as well as Western-derived liberal-democratic discourses of rights and citizenship. “Diversity” has been identified as one of the core values and attributes of the territory by the Hong Kong Government yet it is not a concept that is carefully interrogated and delineated. This essay examines discourses of diversity via analysis of a varied set of cultural representations of Foreign Domestic Helpers, including a television programme and advertisements, a work of short literary fiction, online erotic fiction, social media, as well as an example of multi-media artwork. Taken together, these representative forms provide insight into the cultural imaginary that shapes private and public discourse and perception. Using an approach informed by both cognitive linguistics and postcolonial studies, the essay focuses on metonymic techniques, for example, doubling and substitution to argue that representations of Foreign Domestic Helpers reveal the anxieties, fears, and desires of the dominant culture. The essay shows that the Foreign Domestic Helper becomes a critical figure around whom linked questions of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in the majority ethnic Chinese population of Hong Kong circulate.
A case of intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus and non-immune hydrops
Authors: Howell-McLean Cailly , Scheurer-Monaghan Andrea
Published: May 2018

Intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus is an abnormal occurrence with significant consequences for delivery and neonatal outcomes. We describe a case of intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus resulting in non-immune hydrops.
Early ultrasonographic follow up in neonatal pneumatocele. Two case reports
Authors: Maranella Eugenia , Mareri Arianna , Tataranno Marialuisa , Luca Luisa Di , Marciano Alessandra , Natale Cecilia Di , Nardi Valentina , Fabio Sandra Di
Published: May 2018

Pulmonary pneumatocele is a thin-walled, air-filled cyst originating spontaneously within the lungs’ parenchyma, generally after infections or prolonged mechanical respiratory support. The diagnosis of pneumatocele is usually made using both chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) scan. Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a promising technique used to investigate neonatal pulmonary diseases. We hereby present two cases of pneumatocele in newborns with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in which CXR and LUS were used to evaluate pulmonary parenchyma. LUS showed a multilobed cyst with a thin hyperechoic wall and a hypoechoic central area. Repeated LUS demonstrated a progressive reduction of the cyst’s size. After a few weeks, the small lesions were no longer detectable by ultrasound, therefore CXR was used, for follow-up, in the following months, until complete resolution. No data are available in the literature regarding ultrasonographic follow-up of neonatal pneumatocele. A larger number of patients are required to confirm our results and increase the use of LUS in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to reduce neonatal radiations exposure.
Trisomy 9 presenting in the first trimester as a fetal lateral neck cyst and increased nuchal translucency
Authors: Lazrove Emma , Janicki Mary Beth , Berry Teresa , Figueroa Reinaldo
Published: May 2018

Background

Fetal lateral neck cysts are transient fluid accumulations that result from abnormal lymphatic formations. In the first trimester, fetal lateral neck cysts accompanied by an increased nuchal translucency have been associated with aneuploidy, single-gene disorders and other malformations.

Highlights

We describe a case in which a lateral neck cyst, which measured 6.7 × 4 × 6.2 mm, was detected by ultrasonography in the first trimester with the additional finding of increased nuchal translucency (3.7 mm; >95th percentile). No other abnormalities were detected at that time. Standard cell-free DNA screening resulted in no aneuploidy detected for chromosomes 21, 18, 13 and the sex chromosomes. The patient declined diagnostic testing with chorionic villus sampling. A repeat ultrasound at 16 weeks’ gestation demonstrated a normally grown fetus with persistence of the cyst, which measured 4.9 × 5 × 8.4 mm, as well as a pericardial effusion with a single outflow tract overriding the ventricular septum and vermian hypoplasia. The diagnosis of trisomy 9, 47,XX,+9, was made by amniocentesis and the patient opted for termination of the pregnancy.

Conclusions

This report illustrates the importance of identifying additional abnormalities in a fetus with lateral neck cysts, documenting the size of the cysts and obtaining diagnostic genetic testing.
Health among humorists: Susceptibility to contagious diseases among improvisational artists
Authors: Greengross Gil , Martin Rod A.
Published: May 2018

There is a widely held belief that humor contributes to better health, but the research on this topic yields mixed results. To assess the relationship between humor and health, we compared the susceptibility to various infectious diseases of 511 comedy performers (amateur improvisational artists) and a control group of 795 non-performers that were matched to the comedy performers sample in age and sex. Subjects reported the number of episodes and the total days they had had various infectious diseases. Contrary to the prevailing sentiment that humor boosts health, results showed that the comedy performer group reported more frequent contagious diseases and more days having these infections diseases, compared to the control group. Improv artists had significantly more infections and reported more days infected than the control group on respiratory infections, head colds, stomach or intestinal flu, skin infections, and autoimmune diseases. The control group had significantly more bladder infections with non-significant difference on days infected. Results held after controlling for BMI, age, number of antibiotics used and neuroticism. We found no evidence that humor positively contributes to health, and a career in a humor-related profession may be detrimental to one’s health. Our research highlights the complex relationship between humor and health outcomes.
Social Autonomy and Political Integration: Two Policy Approaches to the Government-Nonprofit Relationship since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China
Authors: Wang Jinjun , Wang Qun
Published: May 2018

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the party-state has established a number of policies on social organizations. Some policies are complementary, whereas some seem to be contradictory. These policies are associated with two policy approaches. The first is socially oriented, allowing social organizations the opportunity for autonomy and encouraging capacity-building. The second is political integration mainly through party-building in social organizations. The two approaches do not exist alone or in isolation. Intertwined they indicate that the Chinese party-state has begun to institutionalize an integrative control mechanism to maximize the utility of social organizations in prioritized fields of work.
The Role of Deterrence in a new European strategic environment
Authors: de Wijk Rob
Published: May 2018

The new Russian military doctrine from 2010, the growing international assertiveness of Russia, and eventually the annexation of the Crimea Peninsula in 2014 have forced the West to rethink deterrence strategies vis a vis Russia. Consequently, the old Cold War concept of deterrence was dusted off and the debate picked up from where it had ended in 1990. This article summarizes the end of the Cold War thinking on deterring aggression against NATO-Europe. It explains why the present Western theoretical foundation of deterrence, which still focuses on strong conventional forces backed up by nuclear weapons, no longer suffices, and argues that the new Russian concept of strategic deterrence requires a complete overhaul of the Western approach. It is not only the security of the Baltic member states of NATO or of transatlantic cables that matter, Europe has to cope with desinformation and destabilization campaigns and has to rethink its energy security strategy. Only together can NATO and EU master these challenges.
MRI Images Segmentation and 3D Reconstruction for Cerebral Cancer Detection
Authors: Zghal Nadia Smaoui , Derbel Nabil
Published: May 2018

Cancer is a dense and an abnormal rapid multiplication (proliferation) of cells in the tissues of the human body. The brain tumor is one of the most dangerous and deadly tumors. Fortunately, the evolution of science has allowed us to create very efficient medical imaging techniques in order to discover this type of cancer. Chief among these techniques is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which is a very efficient technique compared to ultrasound. In this work, we are interested in the detection of this type of cancer allowing a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of MRI images. The segmentation methods used are based primarily on the Fuzzy C-Means algorithm that classifies and isolates parts of the brain tissue, and secondly on Distance Regularized Level Set Evolution technique for tumor detection. The obtained results show the effectiveness of this approach to detect brain tumor. The 3D reconstruction is finally carried out to better visualize the tumor as a whole and to detect its expansion. It is conducted using an indirect volume rendering method, which is the Marching Cubes algorithm.
Cracking Behaviors of Rock-Like Specimens Containing Two Sets of Preexisting Cross Flaws under Uniaxial Compression
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Ping , Li Lang-Hua , Berto Filippo
Published: May 2018

Cross flaws occur widely in rock masses and play a crucial role in the failure of rock engineering. This article first experimentally studies the cracking behaviors of rock-like specimens containing two sets of preexisting cross flaws under uniaxial compression. The effects of the flaw inclination angle and the horizontal spacing on the cracking behaviors of rock-like specimens are investigated as well as initiation stress, peak strength, peak strain, and complete stress–strain curves. The experimental results include observations of five types of cracks and seven types of coalescence. The crack initiation mode depends more strongly on the inclination angle than on the horizontal spacing. Moreover, it is found that a set of preexisting flaws coalesce not only with another set of preexisting flaws but also with the identical set of preexisting flaws. The peak strength and peak strain first increase and then decrease as the horizontal spacing increases. Meanwhile, the peak strength first increases and then decreases, and the peak strain first decreases, then increases, and finally decreases as the flaw inclination angle increases. This study provides a better understanding of the mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of rock masses, in particular those containing preexisting flaws that appear in sets or groups with similar orientation and characteristics.
Residual Stress in Selective Laser Melted Inconel 718: Influence of the Removal from Base Plate and Deposition Hatch Length
Authors: Thiede Tobias , Cabeza Sandra , Mishurova Tatiana , Nadammal Naresh , Kromm Arne , Bode Johannes , Haberland Christoph , Bruno Giovanni
Published: May 2018

The residual stress distribution in IN718 elongated prisms produced by selective laser melting was studied by means of neutron (bulk) and laboratory X-ray (surface) diffraction. Two deposition hatch lengths were considered. A horizontal plane near the top surface (perpendicular to the building direction) and a vertical plane near the lateral surface (parallel to the building direction) were investigated. Samples both in as-built (AB) condition and removed from the base plate (RE) were characterized. While surface stress fields seem constant for the AB condition, X-ray diffraction shows stress gradients along the hatch direction in the RE condition. The stress profiles correlate with the distortion maps obtained by tactile probe measurements. Neutron diffraction shows bulk stress gradients for all principal components along the main sample directions. We correlate the observed stress patterns with the hatch length, i.e., with its effect on temperature gradients and heat flow. The bulk stress gradients partially disappear after removal from the base plate.
CanonicalNotchSignaling Directs the Fate of Differentiating Neurocompetent Progenitors in the Mammalian Olfactory Epithelium
Authors: Herrick Daniel B. , Guo Zhen , Jang Woochan , Schnittke Nikolai , Schwob James E.
Published: May 2018

The adult olfactory epithelium (OE) has the remarkable capacity to regenerate fully both neurosensory and non-neuronal cell types after severe epithelial injury. Lifelong persistence of two stem cell populations supports OE regeneration when damaged: the horizontal basal cells (HBCs), dormant and held in reserve; and globose basal cells, a heterogeneous population most of which are actively dividing. Both populations regenerate all cell types of the OE after injury, but the mechanisms underlying neuronal versus non-neuronal lineage commitment after recruitment of the stem cell pools remains unknown. We used both retroviral transduction and mouse lines that permit conditional cell-specific genetic manipulation as well as the tracing of progeny to study the role of canonicalNotchsignaling in the determination of neuronal versus non-neuronal lineages in the regenerating adult OE. Excision of eitherNotch1orNotch2genes alone in HBCs did not alter progenitor fate during recovery from epithelial injury, whereas conditional knock-out of bothNotch1andNotch2together, retroviral transduction of progenitors with a dominant-negative form ofMAML(mastermind-like), or excision of the downstream cofactorRBPJcaused progeny to adopt a neuronal fate exclusively. Conversely, we show that overexpressing the Notch1-intracellular domain (N1ICD) either genetically or by transduction blocks neuronal differentiation completely. However, N1ICD overexpression requires both alleles of the canonical cofactor RBPJ to specify downstream lineage. Together, our results suggest that canonical RBPJ-dependentNotchsignaling through redundant Notch1 and Notch2 receptors is both necessary and sufficient for determining neuronal versus non-neuronal differentiation in the regenerating adult OE.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTDespite the substantial reconstitution of the olfactory epithelium and its population of sensory neurons after injury, disruption and exhaustion of neurogenesis is a consequence of aging and a cause of olfactory dysfunction. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the generation of replacement neurons and non-neuronal cells is critical to any therapeutic strategy aimed at rebuilding a functional neuroepithelium. The results shown here demonstrate that canonicalNotchsignaling determines the balance between neurons and non-neuronal cells during restoration of the epithelium after injury. Moreover, the complexities of the multiple Notch pathways impinging on that decision are dissected in detail. Finally, RBPJ, the canonical Notch transcriptional cofactor, exhibits a heretofore unreported haploinsufficiency in setting the balance among the regenerating populations.
An epidemic of bladder cancer: ten cases of bladder cancer in male Japanese workers exposed to ortho-toluidine
Authors: Nakano Makiko , Omae Kazuyuki , Takebayashi Toru , Tanaka Shigeru , Koda Shigeki
Published: May 2018

Background

ortho-Toluidine (OT) was listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2012 based on epidemiological observations of workers co-exposed to OT and aromatic amines. From 2014 to 2017, several cases of bladder cancer (BCa) secondary to occupational exposure, primarily to OT, were detected in Japan.

Objective

To describe 10 cases of BCa in male Japanese workers exposed primarily to OT at two plants that produce organic dye and pigment intermediates.

Methods

Details of the 10 cases were obtained from company records and through a questionnaire and interview. The surrogate level of exposure to each aromatic amine was calculated as the total job-weight/month for each process for each job-year.

Results

No quantitative exposure data were available. In most cases the surrogate level of exposure to OT was higher than to other amines. All 10 cases were exposed primarily to OT and co-exposed to paratoluidine, ortho-anisidine, aniline, 2,4-xylidine or orthochloroaniline. The age range at diagnosis was 41-71 years (mean 56). The duration of OT exposure was 7-28 years (mean 16.5) . Disease latency was 16-28 years (mean 21.9) . Eight patients were smokers. The main symptom at diagnosis was hematuria (70%).

Conclusions

The characteristics of BCa cases were associated with a high surrogate level of OT exposure and a disease latency of more than 20 years from the initial OT exposure. The main route of OT exposure was likely through the skin. It is necessary to continue health examinations in these target groups.
Association between occupational clusters and allergic rhinitis in the Korean population: analysis of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data
Authors: Park Sungjin , Jung Pil Kyun , Choi Myungsup , Seok Hongdeok , Kim Hansol , Oh Sung-Soo , Koh Sang-Baek
Published: May 2018

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the association between occupational clusters and allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods

The study was based on data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES: 2007-2015). This study included 46,965 individuals: 20,491 men and 26,474 women. AR was defined as having been diagnosed by a physician. Occupations were classified according to occupational characteristics and skill levels into white (chief executives, senior officials, legislators, managers, professionals, and technicians), pink (clerks, clerical support workers, services and sales workers), blue (craft and related trades workers, drivers, plant and machine operators, assemblers, elementary occupation workers), and green (skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers) categories. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of AR according to the occupational clusters by using the chi-squared test and logistic regression.

Results

In the study population, 10.7% of the men and 13.5% of the women had AR. The prevalence of AR was highest among white-collar workers, followed by pink, blue, and green-collar workers. Compared to green-collar workers, among men the adjusted ORs of the blue, pink, and white-collar workers were 2.00 (95% CI 1.58-2.53), 2.46 (95% CI 1.91-3.15), and 2.78 (95% CI 2.20-3.51), respectively; and among women were 2.45 (95% CI 1.99-3.02), 2.64 (95% CI 2.15-3.25), and 3.63 (95% CI 2.96-4.47), respectively.

Conclusions

This study suggests that AR prevalence is significantly associated with occupational clusters.
The Impact of European Funds on Public Expenditure in Poland
Authors: Klonowska Alina
Published: May 2018

The main purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of European funds on the level and structure of public expenditure in Poland. Basically, the research period covers the years 2000–2016. In pursuit of objectivity, the following hypothesis is put forth: EU funding has a significant impact on the amount and structure of public expenditure.The analysis of data on the amount of European funds supporting the state budget in Poland proves that the share of these funds in the financing of public tasks is high and the structure of public expenditures is significantly changed. In the period 2010–2015 these funds accounted for about 88% of public expenditure. It is clear that they have systematically, if gradually, risen. Over the period 2014–2015, funding exceeded 90% of total expenditure.
Ekonometryczna analiza produktywności kapitału w krajach Unii Europejskiej
Authors: Batóg Jacek , Dmytrów Krzysztof
Published: May 2018

The paper presents the results of an analysis of capital productivity in the member countries of the European Union in the years 2000-2014. On the basis of a one-factor production function, changes in this variable were calculated for both time series and cross-section data. This enabled the identification of regularities both in particular countries and the EU as a whole. Those regularities included the significant influence of the economic crisis which began in 2008, the attendant blow to capital productivity of capital in the Member States and the large differences in this measure in the international dimension. The paper’s conclusions can be used by investors, whose decisions are based on the analysis of returns on invested capital. More generally, they may also inform about the future directions of capital flows and, as a consequence, about changes in EU employment levels.
Analiza porównawcza sytuacji osób w wieku niemobilnym w krajach Unii Europejskiej
Authors: Załuska Urszula , Kwiatkowska-Ciotucha Dorota
Published: May 2018

The article presents the results of research aimed at objectively assessing the situation of people of a non-mobile age in the European Union (UE 27) and comparing it with the subjective feelings of respondents from that age group. The focus was on Poland, against the background of other Member States, as well as the search for good practices. The study compared two approaches to assessing the age group. The first was based on objective data illustrating the situation in areas of particular social importance. The second approach relied on subjective assessments of the satisfaction of 50–64 year‑olds. Taxonomic methods were used. The study’s results made it possible to identify those countries that may be considered the friendliest for individuals of non-mobile age and to confront the objectively assessed and subjective perceptions of these people in each country.
Porównanie kondycji rynku mieszkaniowego największych polskich miast w różnych fazach cyklu koniunkturalnego
Authors: Foryś Iwona , Batóg Barbara
Published: May 2018

The paper compares the housing markets in the 17 biggest cities in Poland according to their diversity in time. The level of diversification is analyzed by examining the distance from the Warsaw housing market, which was the benchmark. This approach enabled an evaluation of the distances between Warsaw, Poland’s capital city, and other cities. Standardised measures were applied to evaluate changes in time. In the research, the Canberra distance was applied because it depends on relative differences between the values of the variables analysed. The parameters of the trends of the distances were estimated. Additionally, dynamic development measures were calculated using the TOPSIS method.The analysis concerns the prices of apartments on the primary and secondary markets in the years 2006–2016. This period includes different phases of business cycle: the boom in 2006–2008, the fall in 2009–2012 and the slow climb out the deep crisis afterwards. Other features of the housing market were also considered. The results obtained may provide clues to how governmental housing policy will shape up in order to support the less developed housing markets in Bydgoszcz, Łódź, Katowice and Opole.
Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Sporadic Medullary Thyroid Cancer Reveals FN1 as a Potential Novel Candidate Prognostic Biomarker
Authors: Zhan Shaohua , Li Jinming , Wang Tianxiao , Ge Wei
Published: May 2018

Background

Sporadic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. Currently, although the diagnosis of sporadic MTC is relatively simple, the need to discover novel candidate prognostic biomarkers for sporadic MTC and investigate the underlying mechanism involved in this rare disease is urgent.

Materials and Methods

We employed tandem mass tag-based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify and analyze differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in sporadic MTC. Western blotting was used to validate the DEPs. Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate FN1 and RPS6KA3 in an independent set of sporadic MTC tissues. Immunohistochemical data were analyzed by different statistical methods.

Results

Three hundred eighty-eight DEPs were identified in mass spectrometry, mainly involved in the extracellular matrix, cytoskeletal remodeling, or oxidoreductase activity. Among them, THBS1, MMP9, FN1, RPS6KA3, SYT1, and carcinoembryonic antigen were successfully validated by Western blot. In addition, FN1 and RPS6KA3, enriched in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, respectively, were investigated in an independent set of sporadic MTC tissues. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis showed that FN1 and RPS6KA3 can be used for discriminating sporadic MTC tumorous tissues from paired normal thyroid tissues, and the clinical biomarker calcitonin was positively correlated with FN1 and RPS6KA3 in tumorous tissues. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical scores of FN1 in tumorous tissue showed an inverse relationship with tumor classification, lymph node classification, and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. Through univariate and multivariate analysis for progression-free survival, we also found that low FN1 expression in tumorous tissues was an independent worse prognostic factor for progression-free survival.

Conclusion

We identified that the pathophysiology of sporadic MTC involve numerous pathways, including the synaptic vesicle pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, and the ECM remodeling pathway. Furthermore, our study also identified FN1 as novel prognostic biomarkers related to the pathophysiologic changes in sporadic MTC.
Cluster Analysis Demonstrates the Need to Individualize Care for Cancer Survivors
Authors: de Rooij Belle H. , Park Elyse R. , Perez Giselle K. , Rabin Julia , Quain Katharine M. , Dizon Don S. , Post Kathryn E. , Chinn Garrett M. , McDonough Allison L. , Jimenez Rachel B. , van de Poll-Franse Lonneke V. , Peppercorn Jeffrey
Published: May 2018

Background

In efforts to inform clinical screening and development of survivorship care services, we sought to characterize patterns of health care needs among cancer survivors by (a) identifying and characterizing subgroups based on self-reported health care needs and (b) assessing sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with these subgroups.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional self-administered survey among patients presenting for routine follow-up care for early-stage cancer at our academic medical center. Latent class cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of survivors based on survivorship care needs within seven domains. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with these clusters.

Results

Among 292 respondents, the highest unmet needs were related to the domains of side effects (53%), self-care (51%), and emotional coping (43%). Our analysis identified four clusters of survivors: (a) low needs (n = 123, 42%), (b) mainly physical needs (n = 46, 16%), (c) mainly psychological needs (n = 57, 20%), and (d) both physical and psychological needs (n = 66, 23%). Compared with cluster 1, those in clusters 2, 3, and 4 were younger (p < .03), those in clusters 3 and 4 had higher levels of psychological distress (p < .05), and those in clusters 2 and 4 reported higher levels of fatigue (p < .05).

Conclusion

Unmet needs among cancer survivors are prevalent; however, a substantial group of survivors report low or no health care needs. The wide variation in health care needs among cancer survivors suggests a need to screen all patients, followed by tailored interventions in clinical care delivery and research.

Implications for Practice

The characterization of patients as having few needs, predominantly physical needs, predominantly psychological needs, or substantial needs that are both physical and psychological provides a productive framework for clinical care of cancer survivors and to guide further research in this field. Further research is needed to define the tailored information and services appropriate for each group of patients and to define optimal screening tools to efficiently identify the needs of individuals in oncology practice.
Trifluridine/Tipiracil (TAS-102) in Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Register in the Frame of the Italian Compassionate Use Program
Authors: Cremolini Chiara , Rossini Daniele , Martinelli Erika , Pietrantonio Filippo , Lonardi Sara , Noventa Silvia , Tamburini Emiliano , Frassineti Giovanni Luca , Mosconi Stefania , Nichetti Federico , Murgioni Sabina , Troiani Teresa , Borelli Beatrice , Zucchelli Gemma , Dal Maso Alessandro , Sforza Vincenzo , Masi Gianluca , Antoniotti Carlotta , Di Bartolomeo Maria , Miceli Rosalba , Ciardiello Fortunato , Falcone Alfredo
Published: May 2018

Background

TAS-102 is indicated for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) previously treated with, or not considered candidates for, available therapies. Given the complete inefficacy in half of patients, the lack of predictive factors, the palliative setting, and the financial and clinical toxicity, optimizing the cost-benefit ratio is crucial. The “ColonLife” nomogram allows an estimate of the 12-week life expectancy of patients with refractory mCRC.

Materials and Methods

We collected data from patients treated at eight Italian centers in the compassionate use program. Baseline characteristics of patients who were or were not progression free at 6 months were compared. The discriminative ability of the ColonLife nomogram was assessed. Among patients who received both TAS-102 and regorafenib, clinical outcomes of the two sequences were compared.

Results

This study included 341 patients. Six (2%) and 93 (27%) patients achieved response and disease stabilization, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.4 months with an estimated 6-month PFS rate of 19%; the median overall survival (OS) was 6.2 months. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0, normal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and a time from the diagnosis of metastatic disease of >18 months were independently associated with higher chances of a patient being progression free at 6 months. The discriminative ability of ColonLife was confirmed. Among 121 patients who received both regorafenib and TAS-102, no differences in first or second PFS or OS were reported between the two sequences.

Conclusion

One out of five patients achieves clinical benefit with TAS-102. ECOG PS, LDH, and time from diagnosis of metastatic disease may help to identify these patients. Excluding patients with very short life expectancy appears a reasonable approach.

Implications for Practice

Improving the cost-efficacy ratio of TAS-102 in metastatic colorectal cancer is needed to spare useless toxicities in a definitely palliative setting. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, lactate dehydrogenase levels, and time from the diagnosis of metastatic disease may help to identify patients more likely to achieve benefit. Properly designed prognostic tools (i.e., the “ColonLife” nomogram) may enable excluding from further treatments patients with very limited life expectancy.
Karadağ florası (Yusufeli, Artvin-Türkiye)
Authors: Eminağaoğlu Özgür , Akyıldırım Beğen Hayal , Aksu Güven
Published: May 2018

Bu çalışma, Artvin ili Yusufeli
ilçesinde bulunan Karadağ Florası’nın tespit edilmesi amacıyla 2014 ve 2015
yılları arasında yapılmıştır. Araştırma alanı, Davis’in grid sistemine göre A9
karesinde yer almakta olup Holarktik bölgenin, Avrupa-Sibirya flora alanının
Öksin kesiminin Kolşik altkesiminde ve 612-2388 m yükseltiler arasında yer
almaktadır. Bu araştırmada 91 familya, 331 cinse ilişkin toplam 493 adet takson
saptanmıştır. Bunlardan 1 takson Lycopodiophyta,
18 takson Pteridophyta, 474 takson ise Magnoliophyta bölümüne
ilişkindir. Magnoliophyta bölümüne ilişkin taksonlardan 7’si Pinophytina,
467’si Magnoliophytina alt bölümünde bulunmaktadır. Araştırma alanında
en fazla takson içeren 5 familya sırasıyla; Asteraceae (60 takson), Poaceae (55 takson), Fabaceae (32
takson), Lamiaceae (28 takson) ve Rosaceae (21 takson). Bunların
fitocoğrafik bölgelere göre dağılımları ise şöyledir: 130’u (%26.4)
Avrupa-Sibirya, 93’ü (%18.9) İran-Turan, 24’ü (%4.9) Akdeniz ve coğrafi bölgesi
bilinmeyip birden fazla bölgede yayılış gösterenler 246 adettir (%49,8). 352
taksonun hayat formlarına göre dağılım ve oranları sırasıyla şöyledir: Hemikriptofitler
121 takson (%24.5), kriptofitler 87 takson (%17.6), terofitler 51 takson (%10.3),
fanerofitler 49 takson (%9.9) ve kamefitler 44 takson (%8.9) ve hayat formları
belirlenemeyen 141 adet takson bulunmaktadır. Araştırma alanında 40 adet
endemik ve 50 adet de endemik olamayan nadir bitki türü saptanmış olup
endemizim oranı %8.1’dir. IUCN tehlike kategorilerine göre endemik ve endemik
olmayan 90 adet nadir taksonun tehlike durumu değerlendirilmiştir.
BGISEQ-500 WGS library construction v1
Authors: Huang Jie , Liang Xinming , Xuan Yuankai , Geng Chunyu , Li Yuxiang , Lu Haorong , Qu Shoufang , Mei Xianglin , Chen Hongbo , Yu Ting , Sun Nan , Rao Junhua , Wang Jiahao , Zhang Wenwei , Chen Ying , Liao Sha , Jiang Hui , Liu Xin , Yang Zhaopeng , Mu Feng , Gao Shangxian
Published: May 2018

BGISEQ-500 is a desktop sequencer developed by BGI. Using DNA nanoball and combinational probe anchor synthesis developed from Complete Genomics™ sequencing technologies, it generates short reads at a large scale. Library construction on the platform includes fragmentation, size selection, end repair and A-tailing, adaptor ligation, PCR amplification, and splint circularization.
FEED VALUE OF MAIZE (Zea mays var. indentata (Sturtev.) L.H.Bailey) GRAIN UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION LEVELS AND NITROGEN DOSES
Authors: KALE Hasan , KAPLAN Mahmut , ULGER İsmail , UNLUKARA Ali , AKAR Taner
Published: May 2018

The aim of the study was to investigate effects of different irrigation levels and nitrogen doses to chemical composition, in vitro gas and methane production of maize kernel for animal feeding. Three different nitrogen doses such as 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 N and irrigation levels such as 50%, 75% and 100% of depleted water were applied. The study was carried out under split plot for randomized complete block experimental design with three replicates during 2013-2014 seasons and irrigation levels were allocated in to main plots while nitrogen doses in to sub plots. The two-year results of the study showed that crude protein, crude ash and crude oil ratios and gas and methane production, metabolic energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were positively affected by increased level of water levels and nitrogen doses while acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and dry matter contents were negatively affected. It is clear that increased level of water and nitrogen positively contributed to quality of maize kernel for animal production but more researches are needed to explain how increased level of water and nitrogen result in higher level of gas and methane production.
Features of the melanin producer Pseudonadsoniella brunnea under the influence of nitrate lead
Authors: Kondratiuk T. , Sobko V. , Beregova T. , Ostapchenko L.
Published: May 2018

The features of Antarctic black yeast fungus Pseudonadsoniella brunnea (melanin producer) under the influence of heavy metals (lead salts) are studied. It is found that Ps. brunnea does not lose viability and developing under the conditions of nitrate content of lead concentrations of 100, 200, 500, 750 and 1000 mg / l (in terms of metal cation) in the environment. Solid and liquid culture media were used for the cultivation of Ps. brunnea. Spectrophotometric research methods were used within this study. The intensity of the synthesis of melanin by black fungi under the influence of lead nitrate was determined as a percentage relative to the control variant (media without adding metal). Indicated that Ps. brunnea undergos morphological changes under exposure to heavy metals. Increasing in pigmentation of cultures studied (melanin biosynthesis) was observed with the concentration of 500-1000 mg / l Pb2+. Increased activity endofosfataz (acidic and neutral) in Antarctic black yeast fungi Ps. brunnea in conditions of the development under the influence of toxic metals is also shown. The described parameters can be considered as significant properties that contribute to the stability of Ps. brunnea to the effects of stress factors such as toxic metals.
Autoimmune anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Authors: Amin Osama Shukir Muhammed
Published: May 2018

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Editorial
Authors: Arufe Giráldez Víctor
Published: May 2018

Editorial del número 2 volumen IV de la Revista Sportis Scientific Journal
Treating Children with ASD: The Perspective of Caregivers
Authors: Breik Noor , Kuo I fan , Bugden Shawn , Moffat Michael , Alessi-Severini Silvia
Published: May 2018

Purpose: Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is challenging. Parents/caregivers’ perspective on the effectiveness of therapies and services available to their children is important but neglected in the literature on ASD.  This study investigated such perspective through questionnaire-guided interviews with a group of parents in the province of Manitoba (Canada). A secondary objective of the study was to explore how health care professionals and specifically pharmacists can assist in providing better care to children with ASD.  Methods: Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Data on diagnoses and prescribed medications were collected from medical charts. Parents/caregivers completed questionnaires during interviews scheduled at their convenience. Specific questions were asked to gather caregivers/parents’ perspectives on the effectiveness of medications and non-pharmacological interventions in controlling symptoms experienced by their children.  Information on access to education and health services was also assessed. Common themes were identified using thematic analysis. Results: All children attended school, 88% were males, 50% experienced eating/sleeping difficulties; 69% reported Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder comorbidity. Risperidone was reported to be effective in controlling aggressive behaviours. Methylphenidate and aripiprazole were often discontinued. Melatonin and occupational therapy services were said to be very useful. Access to behavioural therapy was often limited. Parents were concerned about lack of trained professionals in schools, limited understanding of their children’s needs, and uncertainty for the future. Conclusions: Better education and awareness are necessary to help ASD children and their families. Pharmacists should explore opportunities to provide better services. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see “For Readers”) may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue’s contents page.