bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cardio-renal Correlations and Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Cernea Simona , Blendea Ciprian , Roiban Andrada Larisa , Benedek Theodora 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between renal function and heart function/echocardiographic parameters and epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT), respectively.

Material and methods: Fifty patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were included in this study. Several laboratory parameters were obtained (HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, LDL-cholesterol, creatinine) and eGFR was calculated. Anthropometric measurements were performed (weight, waist and hip circumferences, 4 skinfolds, based on which % body fat was calculated). Patients underwent echocardiographic assessment to evaluate structural and functional parameters, including EATT. Left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated and the geometric changes of the left ventricle were evaluated.

Results: Forty-six per cent of the patients had a LV ejection fraction (EF) <55% and 34% had diastolic dysfunction. There were no significant differences between the three eGFR groups with regards to metabolic parameters, but LVEF was lower (53.0 ± 0.8%, 54.4 ± 2.4%, and 55.2 ± 1.5%, respectively) and EATT was higher (11.0 ± 1.0 mm, 8.58 ± 2.2 mm, and 7.63 ± 2.6 mm, respectively) with a lower eGFR (p = 0.04). More patients with eGFR <90 mL/min/1.73 m2 had cardiac hypertrophy compared with those with eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.04). EATT correlated positively with several anthropometric parameters, e.g. weight (r = 0.309, 95% CI: 0.022 to 0.549, p = 0.03), BMI (r = 0.398, 95% CI: 0.123 to 0.616, p = 0.004), and negatively with LVEF (r = −0.496, 95% CI: −0.687 to −0.242, p = 0.0003) and eGFR (r = −0.293, 95% CI: −0.531 to −0.013, p = 0.04). In patients with LVEF <55% vs. ≥55%, the EATT was significantly higher (9.5 ± 1.99 mm vs. 7.33 ± 2.37 mm, p = 0.013).

Conclusion: In patients with T2D decreased renal function was associated with lower LVEF and higher EATT. EATT was also higher in patients with reduced LVEF.
In-stent Flow Hemodynamics and the Risk of STent Failure Following Bioresorbable Vascular ScAFFolds Implantation – the STAFF Study
Authors: Ferenț Ionuț , Benedek István , Corduneanu Alina , Mester András , Benedek Theodora , Benedek Imre 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Background: Myocardial revascularization procedures have undergone important developments over the last decades, which led to a major shift in current clinical practice and therapeutic guidelines across the world. Bare metal and drug-eluting stents present several limitations, all centered on the concept of disturbed coronary hemodynamics after implantation, which can be surpassed by bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS). BVSs are fourth-generation stents used in coronary revascularization procedures, but despite all the promising initial results published on their efficiency, several clinical trials have reported unsatisfactory results, and the main explanation was accredited to improper implantation method. Shear stress is a central element of intravascular homeostasis; it controls vascular remodeling, as well as the development, progression, and destabilization of atheromatous plaques. This study aims to assess the role of in-stent flow hemodynamics (evaluated by computational determination of shear stress via coronary CT imaging) in predicting the clinical evolution following BVS implantation.

Material and methods: This case-control observational study will include patients with BVSs implanted at least 12 months prior to randomization. Each patient will undergo a complete evaluation of the demographic and clinical characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, and imaging acquisitions via coronary CT angiography, based on which the endothelial shear stress will be calculated before and after BVS implantation. Post-processing of CT imaging data will evaluate the shear stress and the composition of the coronary plaques along the entire coronary tree. The primary endpoint will be the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with altered vs. non-altered BVS-related shear stress, and the secondary endpoints will comprise evaluating the rate of progression of stent resorption and progression of shear stress alteration.

Conclusions: The findings of the STAFF study can be extremely useful in clinical practice for providing an answer to a key question that is still under debate: why do BVSs fail and how can we prevent this?.
A further study on ordered regular equivalence relations in ordered semihypergroups
Authors: Tang Jian , Feng Xinyang , Davvaz Bijan , Xie Xiang-Yun 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this paper, we study the ordered regular equivalence relations on ordered semihypergroups in detail. To begin with, we introduce the concept of weak pseudoorders on an ordered semihypergroup, and investigate several related properties. In particular, we construct an ordered regular equivalence relation on an ordered semihypergroup by a weak pseudoorder. As an application of the above result, we completely solve the open problem on ordered semihypergroups introduced in [B. Davvaz, P. Corsini and T. Changphas, Relationship between ordered semihypergroups and ordered semigroups by using pseuoorders, European J. Combinatorics 44 (2015), 208–217]. Furthermore, we establish the relationships between ordered regular equivalence relations and weak pseudoorders on an ordered semihypergroup, and give some homomorphism theorems of ordered semihypergroups, which are generalizations of similar results in ordered semigroups.
Stability problems and numerical integration on the Lie group SO(3) × R
3 × R
3
Authors: Pop Camelia , Ene Remus-Daniel 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The paper is dealing with stability problems for a nonlinear system on the Lie group SO(3) × R
3 × R
3. The approximate analytic solutions of the considered system via Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method are presented, too.
Rank relations between a {0, 1}-matrix and its complement
Authors: Ma Chao , Zhong Jin 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Let A be a {0, 1}-matrix and r(A) denotes its rank. The complement matrix of A is defined and denoted by Ac
= J − A, where J is the matrix with each entry being 1. In particular, when A is a square {0, 1}-matrix with each diagonal entry being 0, another kind of complement matrix of A is defined and denoted by
A
= J − I − A, where I is the identity matrix. We determine the possible values of r(A) ± r(Ac
) and r(A) ± r(
A
) in the general case and in the symmetric case. Our proof is constructive.
On some fixed point results for (s, p, α)-contractive mappings in b-metric-like spaces and applications to integral equations
Authors: Zoto Kastriot , Radenović Stojan , Ansari Arslan H. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this work, we introduce the notions of (s, p, α)-quasi-contractions and (s, p)-weak contractions and deduce some fixed point results concerning such contractions, in the setting of b-metric-like spaces. Our results extend and generalize some recent known results in literature to more general metric spaces. Moreover, some examples and applications support the results.
Influence of natural dye adsorption on the structural, morphological and optical properties of TiO2based photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cell
Authors: Hossain M. Khalid , Pervez M. F. , Uddin M. Jalal , Tayyaba S. , Mia M. N. H. , Bashar M. S. , Jewel M. K. H. , Haque M. A. S. , Hakim M. A. , Khan Mubarak A. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractPorous photoanodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can adsorb specific type of natural or organic dyes. Adsorption of the dye results in a change of the structural, morphological and optical characteristics of the photoanode. In this work, we present a comparative study on the adsorption effect of natural dye (Curcuma Longa sp.) on the structural, morphological and optical properties of mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanode on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. A number of investigations including XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, EDS, and SEM were carried out to observe the variations due to adsorbed dye on TiO2surface. XRD characterization revealed the effect of dye adsorption on specific surface area (SSA), crystallite size, and morphological index (MI). In this case, increasing SSA with decreasing particle size was found for both dye adsorbed and dye free DSSC photoanode samples. Also, the MI and SSA were found to be directly and inversely proportional to the crystallite size respectively. UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy showed that dye adsorption changes the light absorption, transmittance, and optical bandgap of the photoanode. Average atomic mass percentage of titanium (Ti) and oxygen (O) obtained from EDS analysis proved the presence of TiO2in the mesoporous photoanode. In SEM images, significant morphological changes of mesoporous TiO2 surface appeared because of dye adsorption.
Electrical properties and Mott parameters of polycrystalline diamond films synthesized by HF CVD method from hydrogen/methanol gas mixture
Authors: Banaszak-Piechowska Agnieszka , Fabisiak Kazimierz , Staryga Elżbieta , Paprocki Kazimierz 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The influence of diamond crystallinity and preferred orientation on electronic conductivity of synthetic diamond films grown by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) was investigated. The CVD diamond films of different morphologies and crystallite sizes varying from 36 nm to 67 nm, measured in h2 2 0i direction were considered. The charge transport mechanism in the diamond samples was studied using temperature dependent DC conductivity measurements. The obtained results showed that in the temperature range of 90 K to 300 K charge transport is realized via Variable Range Hopping (VRH, m = 1/4) mechanism. Using VRH model, the Mott parameters were evaluated i.e. density of states at Fermi level N(EF) (0.22 × 1015 eV-1·cm-3 to 1.7 × 1015 eV-1·cm-3), hopping energy W (43.5 meV to 142.3 meV) and average hopping distance R (1.49 × 10-5cm to 2.56 × 10-5cm). It was shown that above mentioned parameters strongly depend on diamond film preferential orientation.
Influence of doping with Co, Cu, Ce and Fe on structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2nanoparticles
Authors: Wojcieszak Damian , Mazur Michal , Kaczmarek Danuta , Domaradzki Jaroslaw 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn this paper, structural and photocatalytic properties of TiO2nanopowders doped with 1 at.% of cerium, cobalt, cooper and iron have been compared. Nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel technique and characterized by SEM, EDS and XRD methods. Moreover, their photocatalytic activity was determined based on decomposition of methyl orange. Results were compared with undoped powder. The structural investigations have revealed that all prepared nanopowders were nanocrystalline and had TiO2-anatase structure. The average size of crystallites was ca. 4 nm to 5 nm. The distribution of the dopant was homogenous in case of all manufactured powders. Moreover, for TiO2doped with Co, Ce and Cu, aggregation effect was not as large as for TiO2:Fe. The results of photocatalytic decomposition showed that self-cleaning activity of all prepared nanopowders was higher as compared to undoped one. Due to the efficiency of these reactions (after 5 hours) nanopowders can be ordered as: TiO2:Co > TiO2:Ce > TiO2:Cu > TiO2:Fe > TiO2.
Schattenkapitel – NS-Unternehmensgeschichtsschreibung in der Bundesrepublik seit 1945 zwischen Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Wissenschaft
Authors: Brünger Sebastian 
Published: March 2018

Abstract:
The development of corporate history writing in the Federal Republic has been characterized by a striking relationship between company histories written or initialized by corporations and the slowly institutionalizing academic business history – in short: between public relations and science. Moreover, corporate history writing was closely related to the dispute over the Nazi past of major German companies. Relieving narrative patterns such as those of the «decent merchant» have determined the historical self-image of large companies for decades. By contrast, enterprise-funded contract research since the 1990s has been fundamentally different in its results from older commissioned hagiographies – the effect, however was the same: a promotional image gain for the companies. Thus, a constant remains to be recorded: From the Nuremberg economic trials (Flick, Krupp, IG Farben) and the trial Deutsche Bank vs. Czichon on the founding of the Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte to the boom of Nazi contract research – in the discourse on Nazi history of German companies, historical science has always taken an important legitimization function for the companies. By now, companies have learned that only proven independent research achieves the desired publicity effect of credibility and can counteract media scandalization dynamics.
After the Gold Rush. Ursprünge und Wirkungen der Forschungskonjunktur «Unternehmen im Nationalsozialismus»
Authors: Schanetzky Tim 
Published: March 2018

Abstract:

After the Gold Rush. Origins and Outcomes of the Research Boom «Business in the Third Reich» This article starts with a preliminary statistical reconstruction of the research boom «Business in the Third Reich». Its beginnings during the mid-90s resembled a broader change of attitudes towards the history of the Third Reich and the Holocaust in particular. While this «universalization» of Holocaust memory and the accompanying shift in U.S. foreign policy is well known, the article adds a business historian's perspective and emphasizes the changes of the corporate world of the late 90s: German big business went global and were increasingly dependent on the American market, its financial institutions and the general public of the U.S. As the origins of the research boom were mainly non-academic, the article inquires how business historians reflected on scientific autonomy and conflict of interest in a field dominated by commissioned research. Strikingly, pragmatism prevailed and academics showed little interest in the current state of research on application-oriented science. In a last step, the article discusses the scientific repercussions of the massive surge in demand for commissioned histories. Subsequently, business history tended to address the ever-same set of research questions on corporate action during the 30s and 40s, while the acquisition of corporate funding also made for a distorted choice of objects.
Convergent Spinal Circuits Facilitating Human Wrist Flexors
Authors: Aguiar Stefane A. , Baker Stuart N. 
Published: March 2018

Noninvasive assessment of spinal circuitry in humans is limited, especially for Ib pathways in the upper limb. We developed a protocol in which we evoke the H-reflex in flexor carpi radialis (FCR) by median nerve stimulation and condition it with electrical stimulation above motor threshold over the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscle belly. Eighteen healthy adults (8 male, 10 female) took part in the study. There was a clear reflex facilitation at a 30 ms interstimulus interval (ISI) and suppression at a 70 ms ISI, which was highly consistent across subjects. We investigated the following two hypotheses of the possible source of the facilitation: (1) ECR Ib afferents from Golgi tendon organs, activated by the twitch following ECR stimulation; and (2) FCR afferents, from spindles and/or Golgi tendon organs, activated by the wrist extension movement that follows ECR stimulation. Several human and monkey experiments indicated a role for both of these sets of afferents. Our results provide evidence for a spinal circuit in which flexor motoneurons receive convergent excitatory input from flexor afferents as well as from extensor Ib afferents; this circuit can be straightforwardly assessed noninvasively in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTHere we described a novel spinal circuit, which is easy to assess noninvasively in humans. Understanding this circuit in more detail could be beneficial for the design of clinical tests in neurological conditions.
Intralimb and Interlimb Cutaneous Reflexes during Locomotion in the Intact Cat
Authors: Hurteau Marie-France , Thibaudier Yann , Dambreville Charline , Danner Simon M. , Rybak Ilya A. , Frigon Alain 
Published: March 2018

When the foot contacts an obstacle during locomotion, cutaneous inputs activate spinal circuits to ensure dynamic balance and forward progression. In quadrupeds, this requires coordinated reflex responses between the four limbs. Here, we investigated the patterns and phasic modulation of cutaneous reflexes in forelimb and hindlimb muscles evoked by inputs from all four limbs. Five female cats were implanted to record muscle activity and to stimulate the superficial peroneal and superficial radial nerves during locomotion. Stimulating these nerves evoked short-, mid-, and longer-latency excitatory and/or inhibitory responses in all four limbs that were phase-dependent. The largest responses were generally observed during the peak activity of the muscle. Cutaneous reflexes during mid-swing were consistent with flexion of the homonymous limb and accompanied by modification of the stance phases of the other three limbs, by coactivating flexors and extensors and/or by delaying push-off. Cutaneous reflexes during mid-stance were consistent with stabilizing the homonymous limb by delaying and then facilitating its push-off and modifying the support phases of the homolateral and diagonal limbs, characterized by coactivating flexors and extensors, reinforcing extensor activity and/or delaying push-off. The shortest latencies of homolateral and diagonal responses were consistent with fast-conducting disynaptic or trisynaptic pathways. Descending homolateral and diagonal pathways from the forelimbs to the hindlimbs had a higher probability of eliciting responses compared with ascending pathways from the hindlimbs to the forelimbs. Thus, in quadrupeds, intralimb and interlimb reflexes activated by cutaneous inputs ensure dynamic coordination of the four limbs, producing a whole-body response.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe skin contains receptors that, when activated, send inputs to spinal circuits, signaling a perturbation. Rapid responses, or reflexes, in muscles of the contacted limb and opposite homologous limb help maintain balance and forward progression. Here, we investigated reflexes during quadrupedal locomotion in the cat by electrically stimulating cutaneous nerves in each of the four limbs. Functionally, responses appear to modify the trajectory or stabilize the movement of the stimulated limb while modifying the support phase of the other limbs. Reflexes between limbs are mediated by fast-conducting pathways that involve excitatory and inhibitory circuits controlling each limb. The comparatively stronger descending pathways from cervical to lumbar circuits controlling the forelimbs and hindlimbs, respectively, could serve a protective function.
De novo HNF1 homeobox B mutation as a cause for chronic, treatment-resistant hypomagnesaemia
Authors: Stiles C E , Thuraisingham R , Bockenhauer D , Platts L , Kumar A V , Korbonits M 
Published: March 2018

Summary29-year-old female presenting with an 8-year history of unexplained hypomagnesaemia, which was severe enough to warrant intermittent inpatient admission for intravenous magnesium. Urinary magnesium was inappropriately normal in the context of hypomagnesaemia indicating magnesium wasting. Ultrasound imaging demonstrated unilateral renal cysts and computed tomography of kidneys, ureters and bladder showed a bicornuate uterus. Referral to genetic services and subsequent testing revealed ade novo HNF1Bdeletion.Learning points:HNF1Bloss-of-function mutations are one of the most common monogenic causes of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.Those withHNF1Bmutations may have some of a constellation of features (renal and hepatic cysts, deranged liver function tests, maturity onset diabetes of the young type 5 (MODY5), bicornuate uterus, hyperparathyroidism, hyperuricaemic gout, but presenting features are highly heterogeneous amongst patients and no genotype/phenotype correlation exists.HNF1Bmutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern but up to 50% of cases arede novo.HNF1Bmutations can be part of the Chr17q12 deletion syndrome, a contiguous gene deletion syndrome.Inorganic oral magnesium replacements are generally poorly tolerated with side effects of diarrhoea. Organic magnesium compounds, such as magnesium aspartate, are better absorbed oral replacement therapies.
Low carbohydrate diet and improved glycaemic control in a patient with type one diabetes
Authors: Eiswirth Mirjam , Clark Ewan , Diamond Michael 
Published: March 2018

Summary
We present the case of an adult female with type 1 diabetes, whose HbA1c was trending at 58 mmol/mol (7.5%) for the past 3 years. In August 2016, she reduced her total daily carbohydrate intake to 30–50 g and adjusted her other macronutrients to compensate for the calorific deficit. Her HbA1c fell to 34 mmol/mol (5.3%) by January 2017 and average daily blood glucose readings decreased significantly from 10.4 to 6.1 mmol/L. Moreover, she observed a marked reduction of average daily glucose variability. Notably, there were no significant episodes of hypo- or hyperglycaemia and her lipid profile remained static. Subjectively, she described an improvement in her quality of life and the dietary transition was extremely well tolerated. We discuss these findings in detail and the potential clinical benefits for patients with type 1 diabetes that can be gained by following a low carbohydrate diet.

Learning points:

A low carbohydrate diet was found to substantially reduce HbA1c values and blood glucose (BG) variability, as well as causing a significant reduction in average daily glucose values in a patient with T1DM.

Although further research is warranted, low carbohydrate diets in patients with T1DM have the potential to positively impact long-term morbidity and mortality through reduction of BG variability and average daily BG values.

The diet was well tolerated and not associated with any adverse effects within this study.