bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prodrug Strategy in Drug Development
Authors: Hajnal Kelemen , Gabriel Hancu , Aura Rusu , Erzsébet Varga , Blanka Székely Szentmiklósi 
Published: October 2016

AbstractProdrugs are chemically modified derivatives introduced in therapy due to their advantageous physico-chemical properties (greater stability, improved solubility, increased permeability), used in inactive form. Biological effect is exerted by the active derivatives formed in organism through chemical transformation (biotransformation). Currently, 10% of pharmaceutical products are used as prodrugs, nearly half of them being converted to active form by hydrolysis, mainly by ester hydrolysis. The use of prodrugs aims to improve the bioavailability of compounds in order to resolve some unfavorable characteristics and to reduce first-pass metabolism. Other objectives are to increase drug absorption, to extend duration of action or to achieve a better tissue/organ selective transport in case of non-oral drug delivery forms. Prodrugs can be characterized by chemical structure, activation mechanism or through the presence of certain functional groups suitable for their preparation. Currently we distinguish in therapy traditional prodrugs prepared by chemical derivatisation, bioprecursors and targeted delivery systems. The present article is a review regarding the introduction and applications of prodrug design in various areas of drug development.
The Incidence and Risk Factors of Nosocomial Infections in ICU
Authors: Mihaly Veres , Orsolya Benedek , Monica Orlandea , Anna Perenyi Anett , Hajna Katona , Maria Copotoiu Sanda , Judit Kovacs 
Published: October 2016

AbstractIntroduction: The increased incidence of nosocomial infections in intensive care units, with frequent occurrence of multiresistant pathogens increase mortality and often raises therapeutic problems.Objectives: to assess the incidence of nosocomial infections, and risk factors.Methods: The study includes 125 patients hospitalized in the Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intesive Care in the Emergency County Hospital and Cardiovascular Surgery Targu Mures. The patients were divided into two groups: the control group (n = 99), patients who did not develop infections during hospitalization in the ICU and the group with infection (n = 26).Results: The incidence of nosocomial infections in our intensive care unit was 19.1%, the most common pathogen being Acinetobacter baumanii. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding demographic data, the most important risk factor was chronic alcohol consumption. SAPS II. and SOFA scores showed higher values in the group with infection on the day of admission. This group showed lower levels of arterial blood oxygen (Horowitz index), lower sodium level, and higher number of platelets compared to the control group. The mortality in the group with infection was 47.65% compared to the control.Conclusions: Nosocomial infections in critically ill patients are associated with hypoxemia, thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia and a bad outcome.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring – Clinical Practice Recommendations
Authors: Katalin Mako , Corina Ureche , Zsuzsanna Jeremias 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) became a subject of considerable scientific interest. Due to the increasing use of the ABPM in everyday clinical practice it is important that all the users have a correct knowledge on the clinical indications, the methodology of using the device including some technical issues and the interpretation of results. In the last years several guidelines and position papers have been published with recommendations for the monitoring process, reference values, for clinical practice and research. This paper represents a summary of the most important aspects related to the use of ABPM in daily practice, being a synthesis of recommendations from the recent published guidelines and position papers. This reference article presents the practical and technical issues of ABPM, the use of this method in special situations, the clinical interpretation of measured values including the presentation of different ABPM patterns, derived parameters, the prognostic significance and the limitations of this method.
The Value of a Simplified Lung Ultrasound Protocol in the Pre-Discharge Evaluation of Patients Hospitalized with Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Attila Frigy , Ildikó Kocsis , Lajos Fehérvári , Adorján Szabó István 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Optimal timing of hospital discharge in patient with acute heart failure (AHF) is an important factor of preventing rehospitalizations.

Aim. To evaluate the value of a simplified lung ultrasound (LUS) protocol in assessing pre-discharge status of patients with AHF, correlating the US findings with the values of NT-proBNP levels.

Methods. 24 patients (18 men, 6 women, mean age 68,2 years) hospitalized with acute heart failure underwent LUS examination in the afternoon of the day before hospital discharge, applying a simplified LUS protocol, using three basal examination areas on the right side (anterior, lateral and posterior) and two basal examination areas on the left side (lateral and posterior). The LUS score was represented by the sum of B lines. In the next morning the value of NT-proBNP was also determined. The correlation between LUS findings and NT-proBNP values was analyzed using Fisher's exact test (significant if alpha<0,05).

Results. 6 patients had <15 B lines, 16 patients had >15 B lines and 2 patients had pleural effusion on LUS, while 16 patients had the value of NT-proBNP >1000pg/ml at discharge. The results of LUS examination correlated significantly (p=0.0013) with the NT-proBNP values – only one patient not having increased NT-proBNP in the group with >15 B lines.

Conclusions. Despite a relatively good clinical status, the majority of patients had high NT-proBNP values at the time of hospital discharge. LUS proved to be a useful tool in identifying patients with subclinical congestion reflected also by the high NT-proBNP levels. These patients may need a prolongation of hospitalization and/or a more careful follow-up to prevent early readmission.
Influence of General Anesthesia on Impulsivity and Learning Ability-Experimental Study
Authors: Carmen Sircuţa , Mihaly Veres , Leonard Azamfirei 
Published: October 2016

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of anesthesia on rats’ ability of learning and over their impulsivity.

Material and Methods: We studied eight Wistar adult male rats, test and drug naive subjects. Animals were separated in two groups, group A and B with four members each. Group A included the anesthetized animals. The combination of ketamine, xylazine and piplophen in 2ml/kg body weight dosage was used and testing was done 24 hours after anesthesia. Group B was taken as control. The study was conducted using the ”Delay discounting” apparatus. Experiments assessing impulsive behavior were conducted using automated operant chambers, equipped with two nose-poke holes (holes where pellets of food were released). Rat’s answer was considered touching the nose-poke hole. One answer was rewarded with pellets of food of 45 mg each (small reward), while another hole released five pellets of 45 mg each (high reward). Both types of rewards were presented immediately after rat’s answer and were followed for a period of 25 seconds timeout. During the training phase, rats were placed in operant chambers 30 minutes per day, 5 consecutive days. The growing percent of preference for greater reward indicates learning. For the testing phase the procedure was similar, but a delay was introduced before the release of the big reward. During this phase, the preference for higher reward was indicative for non-impulsive behaviour.

Results: The results didn’t show significant statistically differences between the two groups.

Conclusions: Anesthesia had no effect on learning ability nor on impulsivity.
Attitudes Towards Immigrants, Immigration Policies and Labour Market Outcomes: Comparing Croatia with Hungary and Slovenia
Authors: Botrić Valerija 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The paper provides comparative evidence on attitudes towards immigrants, their labour market outcomes and policies in Croatia and two neighbouring countries – Slovenia and Hungary. Three different data sources have been used: the European Social Survey, an ad-hoc Labour Force Survey module for the year 2014, and the MIPEX index. Although immigrants have a disadvantaged position on the Croatian labour market, most analysed indicators do not imply that they are in a worse position than in other European economies. Migrant integration policies related to the labour market are assessed as being relatively favourable for Croatia. Judging by the comparable indicators for the native population in Croatia, immigrants’ adverse labour market outcomes seem to be more related to the unfavourable general economic situation, and particularly by the deep and long recession.
Den Finanzmarkt im Visier. Zivilgesellschaftliche Impulse für sozialen Wandel
Authors: Nagel Sebastian , Hiß Stefanie , Teufel Bernd 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Die jüngste Finanzkrise hat die Einbettung der Finanzmärkte in soziale Strukturen offengelegt und damit eine Debatte über den Sinn und Zweck von Finanzmärkten ermöglicht. In diesem Beitrag zeigen wir auf, wie zivilgesellschaftliche Akteure den Finanzmarkt ins Visier nehmen, um sozialen Wandel anzustoßen. Wir beleuchten die Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede zwischen Occupy Wall Street, dem nachhaltigen Investieren und der Divestment-Bewegung. Während Occupy Wall Street die herrschende soziale Ungleichheit und den Einfluss der Finanzmärkte kritisierte, versucht das nachhaltige Investieren die Entscheidungsmöglichkeiten auf den Finanzmärkten dauerhaft zu verändern. Die Divestment-Bewegung zielt dagegen darauf ab, über zahlreiche Kampagnen die Aufmerksamkeit der Märkte sowie der Politik für den Klimawandel und dessen Folgen zu gewinnen.
Debatten über die Gestaltbarkeit des Kapitalismus 1900-1933
Authors: Plumpe Werner 
Published: October 2016

AbstractIm Beitrag geht es um eine im weitesten Sinne ideenhistorische Rekonstruktion der Quellen der Kapitalismuskritik aus der Zeit vor dem Ersten Weltkrieg, die – zunächst durchaus in Außenseiterstellung – durch den Krieg und seine Folgen nach 1918 in das Zentrum der Debatten um die Gestaltbarkeit des Kapitalismus rückten. Dabei zeichneten sich schon vor 1914 vier Stränge ab, die entweder auf eine soziale Gestaltung des Kapitalismus hinausliefen, wie sie sich schließlich im „Rheinischen Kapitalismus“ der Bundesrepublik Deutschland nach 1949 durchsetzte, oder auf eine radikale Änderung kapitalistischer Strukturen durch einen starken Staat bzw. eine entsprechende Diktatur des Proletariates setzten,. Diese Positionen waren in den 1920er und 1930er Jahren überaus bedeutend, führten historisch aber nicht zu dauerhaften Gestaltungen. Bemerkenswert sind dabei nicht nur die gemeinsamen Wurzeln und vielfachen Verschränkungen der jeweiligen Positionen aus der Zeit vor 1914, sondern ebenso die Tatsache, dass alle Gestaltungsvorstellungen der Zwischenkriegszeit letztlich auf den Staat bzw. staatliches Handeln als entscheidende Größe bei der Gestaltung der Wirtschaft setzten. Die vor 1914 durchaus vorhandenen zivilgesellschaftlichen Potentiale und Strömungen hingegen verblassten in der Zwischenkriegszeit angesichts der Wucht der wirtschaftlichen Probleme und konnten erst seit den 1950er Jahren, in freilich deutlich gewandelter Form, wieder an Bedeutung gewinnen.
Große und kleine Übel / Parteistrategien vor der Bundestagswahl 2017
Authors: Tils Ralf , Raschke Joachim 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Ralf Tils und Joachim Raschke fassen die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse der Debatten im diesjährigen Forum zur politischen Strategie zusammen. Anhand der drei Dimensionen Themenpriorisierung, Umgang mit der AfD und Machtperspektive zeigen sie für die verschiedenen Parteien deren Lage vor der Bundestagswahl 2017 auf. Sachthemen werden wichtiger als kulturelle Unterschiede zwischen den Parteien. Der Umgang mit der AfD stellt die Parteien vor sehr unterschiedliche Probleme. Angesichts unklarer Bündnisoptionen für alle Parteien bleibt ihnen hinsichtlich der Machtperspektive nur die Option, die eigene Position zu stärken.
Super-Wahljahr 2017 / Strategische Perspektiven der CDU in Nordrhein-Westfalen und im Bund
Authors: Laschet Armin 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Armin Laschet skizziert vor dem Hintergrund der veränderten deutschen Parteienlandschaft und der gegenwärtigen politischen Situation die strategischen Optionen der CDU in Nordrhein-Westfalen und im Bund. Da die Zeit der Lagerwahlkämpfe vorbei ist, könne es nur darum gehen, stärkste Kraft zu werden. Auf Bundesebene könne dies nur gelingen, wenn CDU und CSU gemeinsam an einem Strang ziehen.
Relation of transverse compression properties and the degree of brown rot biodeterioration of Pinus glabra in the soil block test
Authors: Janzen Steve , Nicholas Darrel D. 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Improved methods are needed for detecting and quantifying the effect of decay fungi on wood products. The focus of the present paper is a soil block decay test with exposure to the brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum
trabeum, where the changes in elasticity and strength were compared in both the radial and tangential directions as a function of the decay degree. The stress-strain analysis was employed by a transverse compression (transC) testing technique in which a load was applied over the specimen’s tangential or radial surface. It was found that early effects of decay were detected in either direction of loading, but the overall reduction in elasticity and compression strength after 7 days of exposure to the fungus was approximately two times greater in the radial direction. This difference is interpreted that decay occurs mainly in the earlywood (EW). Significant strength loss at 5% compression was detected after 2 days of exposure to the fungus. However, 3 days of exposure was required before significant strength loss was evident as a result of the reduction in modulus of elasticity (MOE) or mass loss (ML). In comparison to ML, the compression strength loss was found to be a more sensitive measure of wood decay.
The “Christian Spirit” of Capitalism and the Protestant Reformation, between Structuralist Analysis and Historical Evidence
Authors: Plopeanu Aurelian-Petruș 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
For many reasons, it is true that the Protestant Reformation unleashed the forces that lay behind the emergence of capitalism. Such a system was compatible with the emancipation of individuals, their mentalities, due to specific societal reforms and transformations. Therefore, it gave birth, in an unprecedented way, to a “new form of capitalism”. But the main idea I want to stress in this article is that the capitalist ethos was present before the Reformation, many centuries ago, in what is called now the “Christian spirit”. In this direction, I emphasize many theories which disagree with the Weber’s well-known thesis about the relation between capitalism and religion, especially when it comes to generalize a particular result that is both theologically vague and empirically disprovable.
The influence of non-stationarity in extreme hydrological events on flood frequency estimation
Authors: Šraj Mojca , Viglione Alberto , Parajka Juraj , Blöschl Günter 
Published: October 2016

AbstractSubstantial evidence shows that the frequency of hydrological extremes has been changing and is likely to continue to change in the near future. Non-stationary models for flood frequency analyses are one method of accounting for these changes in estimating design values. The objective of the present study is to compare four models in terms of goodness of fit, their uncertainties, the parameter estimation methods and the implications for estimating flood quantiles. Stationary and non-stationary models using the GEV distribution were considered, with parameters dependent on time and on annual precipitation. Furthermore, in order to study the influence of the parameter estimation approach on the results, the maximum likelihood (MLE) and Bayesian Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) methods were compared. The methods were tested for two gauging stations in Slovenia that exhibit significantly increasing trends in annual maximum (AM) discharge series. The comparison of the models suggests that the stationary model tends to underestimate flood quantiles relative to the non-stationary models in recent years. The model with annual precipitation as a covariate exhibits the best goodness-of-fit performance. For a 10% increase in annual precipitation, the 10-year flood increases by 8%. Use of the model for design purposes requires scenarios of future annual precipitation. It is argued that these may be obtained more reliably than scenarios of extreme event precipitation which makes the proposed model more practically useful than alternative models.
Towards periodic and time-referenced flood risk assessment using airborne remote sensing
Authors: Brenner Claire , Meisch Claude , Apperl Benjamin , Schulz Karsten 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
Flood risk management is founded on the regular assessment of damage potential. A significant parameter for assessing damage potential is the number of at-risk objects. However, data sets on exposure are often incomplete and/or lack time-references. Airborne remote sensing data, such as orthophotos, offers a regularly-updated, time-referenced depiction of land use. As such, remote sensing data compensates for incomplete data sources (such as digital cadastral maps). Orthophotos can even be used to analyze the temporal dynamics of flood damage potential, providing that time-referenced information is available for multiple time points. This paper describes a method for integrating orthophotos into flood risk analyses. In Austria, orthophotos are updated every three years, allowing their integration into cyclical flood risk assessments. The results of a case study presented in this paper demonstrate that orthophotos are most useful where other data sources, such as digital cadastral maps, are incomplete. In such situations, orthophotos lead to a significant increase in estimated damage potential. Orthophoto analysis allows damage potentials to be re-assessed at regular intervals, another major advantage over digital cadastral maps. Orthophoto analysis thus supports the evaluation of flood risk management options.
Effect of river training on flood retention of the Bavarian Danube
Authors: Skublics Daniel , Blöschl Günter , Rutschmann Peter 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The Bavarian Danube River has experienced numerous large flood events in recent years which make flood management an urgent matter. The propagation of flood waves along the river is heavily influenced by controlled and natural flood retention. Over the past centuries, natural flood retention areas were lost due to river training, and the hydraulic characteristics of the channel-flood plain system were modified. The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of river training on the flood retention characteristics along the Bavarian Danube. Systematic two-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling shows that extreme floods are attenuated more strongly in the present state of the channel-flood plain system than they were historically. This is because the retention areas are filled later during the event, so the attenuation effect is much larger for the same magnitude of the retention volume. Natural flood retention is therefore not an effective management option for reducing extreme floods on the Bavarian Danube. Controlled flood retention measures provide a higher efficiency regarding peak attenuation to retention volume ratio. On the other hand, the delay of flood peaks due to natural retention may be beneficial for the superposition of the flood waves with contributions from downstream tributaries.
Post-event analysis and flash flood hydrology in Slovakia
Authors: Hlavčová Kamila , Kohnová Silvia , Borga Marco , Horvát Oliver , Šťastný Pavel , Pekárová Pavla , Majerčáková Oľga , Danáčová Zuzana 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
This work examines the main features of the flash flood regime in Central Europe as revealed by an analysis of flash floods that have occurred in Slovakia. The work is organized into the following two parts: The first part focuses on estimating the rainfall-runoff relationships for 3 major flash flood events, which were among the most severe events since 1998 and caused a loss of lives and a large amount of damage. The selected flash floods occurred on the 20th of July, 1998, in the Malá Svinka and Dubovický Creek basins; the 24th of July, 2001, at Štrbský Creek; and the 19th of June, 2004, at Turniansky Creek. The analysis aims to assess the flash flood peaks and rainfall-runoff properties by combining post-flood surveys and the application of hydrological and hydraulic post-event analyses. Next, a spatially-distributed hydrological model based on the availability of the raster information of the landscape’s topography, soil and vegetation properties, and rainfall data was used to simulate the runoff. The results from the application of the distributed hydrological model were used to analyse the consistency of the surveyed peak discharges with respect to the estimated rainfall properties and drainage basins. In the second part these data were combined with observations from flash flood events which were observed during the last 100 years and are focused on an analysis of the relationship between the flood peaks and the catchment area. The envelope curve was shown to exhibit a more pronounced decrease with the catchment size with respect to other flash flood relationships found in the Mediterranean region. The differences between the two relationships mainly reflect changes in the coverage of the storm sizes and hydrological characteristics between the two regions.
Hydrological simulation of flood transformations in the upper Danube River: Case study of large flood events
Authors: Mitková Veronika Bačová , Pekárová Pavla , Miklánek Pavol , Pekár Ján 
Published: October 2016

Abstract
The problem of understand natural processes as factors that restrict, limit or even jeopardize the interests of human society is currently of great concern. The natural transformation of flood waves is increasingly affected and disturbed by artificial interventions in river basins. The Danube River basin is an area of high economic and water management importance. Channel training can result in changes in the transformation of flood waves and different hydrographic shapes of flood waves compared with the past. The estimation and evolution of the transformation of historical flood waves under recent river conditions is only possible by model simulations. For this purpose a nonlinear reservoir cascade model was constructed. The NLN-Danube nonlinear reservoir river model was used to simulate the transformation of flood waves in four sections of the Danube River from Kienstock (Austria) to Štúrovo (Slovakia) under relatively recent river reach conditions. The model was individually calibrated for two extreme events in August 2002 and June 2013. Some floods that occurred on the Danube during the period of 1991–2002 were used for the validation of the model. The model was used to identify changes in the transformational properties of the Danube channel in the selected river reach for some historical summer floods (1899, 1954 1965 and 1975). Finally, a simulation of flood wave propagation of the most destructive Danube flood of the last millennium (August 1501) is discussed.