bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Cardiac Conduction Times, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Inflammation in Patients with Early Arthritis
Authors: Turk Samina A. , Heslinga Sjoerd C. , Dekker Jill , Britsemmer Linda , van der Lugt Véronique , Lems Willem F. , van Schaardenburg Dirkjan , Nurmohamed Michael T. 
Published: April 2017

Objective.To investigate the prevalence of conduction disorders in patients with early arthritis and the relationship with inflammation and traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.Methods.Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a 2-fold higher risk of sudden cardiac death, possibly owing to conduction disorders. This increased risk might already be present at the clinical onset of arthritis. Therefore, we assessed electrocardiography, blood pressure, 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), lipid profile, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) level in 480 patients with early arthritis at baseline and after 1 year.Results.The prevalence of conduction disorders was 12.5%. Conduction times at baseline were not associated with DAS28, ESR, or CRP levels and did not change during antirheumatic treatment. Baseline and the improvement in DAS28 (European League Against Rheumatism response), ESR, and CRP were significantly associated with heart rate, lipid profile, and blood pressure. Elevated total cholesterol and blood pressure were associated with an increased QRS time. The change in heart rate differed 7.3 bpm between patients with the least versus largest DAS improvement.Conclusion.The prevalence of conduction disorders in patients with early arthritis was 12.5%, which is similar to the general population and was not associated with changes in inflammation markers. However, a high cholesterol was associated with a prolonged QRS time. Therefore, the emphasis of CV risk management in arthritis should not be only on treatment of disease activity but also on traditional CV risk factors. The relationship between the improvement in disease activity and heart rate is remarkable because this could imply a 10-year CV mortality risk difference of 24%.
Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis in the 2000s Have Equal Disability and Pain Despite Less Disease Activity Compared with the 1990s: Data from the BARFOT Study over 8 Years
Authors: Andersson Maria L.E. , Forslind Kristina , Hafström Ingiäld 
Published: April 2017

Objective.To compare outcomes over the first 8 years in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recruited in the 1990s and the 2000s, with a special focus on functional disability and its possible predictors.Methods.Data were acquired from 1938 patients with early RA (American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria) included in the BARFOT study, who had completed the 8-year followup. The patients were divided into 2 cohorts: cohort 1 (n = 928, 68% women) included from 1992 to 1999 and cohort 2 (n = 1010, 70% women) included from 2000 to 2006. Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), visual analog scale pain, and radiographs of hands and feet scored by the van der Heijde modified Sharp method were assessed during the 8 years. Longitudinal data analyses were performed using a generalized linear model.Results.Despite more active medical treatment during the 2000s, the courses of HAQ and pain showed no difference between the cohorts during followup, in either women or in men, with significantly higher levels in women compared with men. However, as expected, disease activity decreased more over time in cohort 2 compared with cohort 1, for both sexes, and women in cohort 2 had less radiographic progression compared with cohort 1. HAQ was associated with DAS28, pain, radiological scores, and sex in both cohorts, and in cohort 2 also with age and smoking.Conclusion.Patients included in the 2000s had lower disease activity, but not less activity limitation and pain over 8 years of followup despite more active treatment. Pain, aging, and smoking might explain why patients included in the 2000s still had the same disability levels as those included in the 1990s.
Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction in Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis: A Speckle-tracking Case-control Study
Authors: Guerra Federico , Gelardi Chiara , Capucci Alessandro , Gabrielli Armando , Danieli Maria Giovanna 
Published: April 2017

Objective.Subclinical heart disease occurs in up to 50% of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and is difficult to detect through conventional imaging. We investigated the usefulness of global longitudinal strain (GLS) measurement to detect a subclinical systolic ventricular dysfunction in patients with IIM.Methods.We enrolled 28 patients with IIM and 28 matched controls in a 1:1 fashion. Standard variables for the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) systolic and diastolic function were measured and compared between cases and controls, along with speckle-tracking GLS of the LV and RV. A possible correlation between GLS and muscle strength, disease activity, cardiovascular risk factors, and other organ systems involvement was searched.Results.Standard variables of systolic and diastolic dysfunction were similar between patients and controls. GLS was significantly lower in patients when compared with controls for both LV (−18.7 ± 4.2% vs −21.2 ± 2.1%, p = 0.006) and RV (−19.3 ± 6.3% vs −22.5 ± 3.8%, p = 0.033). Patients with IIM had a 4.9-fold increased risk for impaired left GLS [relative risk (RR) 4.9, 95% CI 1.5–15.8, p = 0.006], which involved usually basal and mid-segments of the anterior, anterior-septal, and lateral wall. Patients with IIM had a 3.4-fold increased risk for impaired right GLS (RR 3.4, 95% CI 1.1–11.7, p = 0.04) with the basal segment of the free RV wall most frequently involved. Muscle strength, disease activity, damage and duration, other organ system involvement, and previous treatment were not associated with reduced GLS.Conclusion.Subclinical systolic impairment is common in patients with IIM without overt LV dysfunction. In this context, GLS is a potentially useful variable.
The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Axial Spondyloarthritis: Time to Bridge the Gap Between Radiologists and Rheumatologists
Authors: Bennett Alexander N. , Marzo-Ortega Helena , Kaur-Papadakis Daljit , Rehman Amer 
Published: April 2017

Objective.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is involved in the assessment of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA); however, anecdotal evidence suggests diverse practice among radiologists. The objective of this study was to describe current practice in the use of MRI for assessment of axSpA by UK radiologists.Methods.Six hundred ninety-nine UK radiologists were invited to complete an online survey. Availability of MR scanners, familiarity with axSpA disease-specific lesions, and MRI protocols and definitions of positive sacroiliac joint (SIJ) or spinal MRI were assessed.Results.Two-hundred sixty-nine radiologists (38%) from 131/180 (73%) acute UK National Health Service trusts/health boards responded. MRI waiting times < 2 months were reported by 90% of radiologists. Twenty-nine radiologists (11%) used contrast as standard, 256 (91%) used T1 and short-tau inversion recovery, and 172 (64%) also used T2 sequences. Five percent scanned only SIJ, 33% scanned SIJ and lumbar spine, 29% scanned SIJ and thoracolumbar spine, and 30% scanned SIJ and the whole spine. Mean scan time was 34 min. Eighteen percent did not use the subchondral bone marrow edema of the SIJ to help diagnose axSpA and 18% did not use the inflammatory vertebral corner lesions to assist diagnosis. Awareness of axSpA was reported by 75% of radiologists, and awareness of definitions for positive MRI of SIJ and spine by 31% and 25%, respectively.Conclusion.These data highlight the need for better rheumatology-radiology collaboration on the identification of diagnostic axSpA MRI lesions and support the need for a consensus on the most appropriate MRI protocols for the assessment of axSpA.
Serum Levels of Interleukin 33 and Soluble ST2 Are Associated with the Extent of Disease Activity and Cutaneous Manifestations in Patients with Active Adult-onset Still’s Disease
Authors: Han Jae Ho , Suh Chang-Hee , Jung Ju-Yang , Ahn Mi-Hyun , Kwon Ji Eun , Yim Hyunee , Kim Hyoun-Ah 
Published: April 2017

Objective.Interleukin 33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 family and a ligand of the orphan receptor ST2, plays key roles in innate and adaptive immunity. We examined the associations between IL-33/ST2 levels and clinical manifestations of patients with active adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD).Methods.Blood samples were collected from 40 patients with active AOSD, 28 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 27 healthy controls (HC). The serum levels of IL-33 and soluble ST2 were determined using ELISA. Expression levels of IL-33 and ST2 in biopsy specimens obtained from 34 AOSD patients with rash were immunohistochemically investigated.Results.IL-33 levels of patients with AOSD were higher than those of patients with RA and HC. Soluble ST2 levels of patients with AOSD were higher than those of HC, but not of patients with RA. Serum IL-33 levels correlated with systemic score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ferritin levels, and aspartate transaminase levels. However, serum soluble ST2 levels correlated only with ferritin levels. The numbers of inflammatory cells expressing IL-33 and ST2 were elevated in skin lesions of patients with AOSD compared to HC, but did not differ from those of the skin lesions of eczema or psoriasis.Conclusion.We found significantly higher serum IL-33 and soluble ST2 levels in patients with active AOSD. Results indicate that the IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway may play a role in the pathogenesis of the acute inflammation and skin manifestations associated with AOSD.
Rethinking gait and motor activity in daily life: a neuroergonomic perspective of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Parry Ross , Buttelli O. , Riff J. , Roussel J. , Sellam N. , Welter M. L. , Lalo Elodie 
Published: April 2017

Cet article propose une approche neuroergonomique et sa mise en œuvre visant la caractérisation de la motricité en situation quotidienne, chez des personnes souffrant de troubles neurologiques. Sont plus particulièrement étudiées, dans le cas spécifique de la maladie de Parkinson, les activités de marche considérées ici comme des activités complexes et situées. Nous proposons, dans ce cadre, une méthodologie d’évaluation écologique intégrant observations ethnographiques, recueil de l’expérience subjective et enregistrements physiologiques et bio­mécaniques (éléctromyographie, accéléromètrie,..) déployée dans le cas d’une femme de 54 ans, dont la maladie est diagnostiquée depuis 10 ans. Les données permettent 1) d’identifier des phases motrices significatives relatives à l’expérience corporelle vécue dans la dynamique des prises médicamenteuses, 2) d’enrichir des catégories de configurations de marche émergeant dans un couplage individu/environnement, 3) de caractériser des situations de vulnérabilités spécifiques. Nous discutons ces résultats et le potentiel de cette approche neuroergonomique au regard de la cohérence et de la complémentarité des différents niveaux de données, des applications cliniques, en lien avec les enjeux actuels de l’éducation thérapeutique, de la formation des professionnels de santé et de la médecine personnalisée.
Will I be Able to Understand My Mentee? Examining the Potential Risk of the Dominant Culture Mentoring Marginalized Youth
Authors: Lindwall Jennifer 
Published: April 2017

Most people would agree they want to live in a world where every child has what he or she needs to thrive and grow into a healthy and productive adult. It is estimated that 5,000 mentoring programs serve 3,000,000 youth in the United States alone (DuBois, Portillo, Rhodes, Silverthorn, & Valentine, 2011). In many of these programs, a majority of the mentors are matched with a mentee who comes from a culture and community they know very little about. Many of the youth development programs that were founded and implemented by people of the perceived dominant culture represent their values and cultural experience. To look more deeply into this, my primary research included seven one-on-one interviews with experienced youth workers, most who currently work at a community or site-based mentoring program. This article is a summary of their responses and reflections on the potential risks invovled in matching across culture and considers how we might work together to mitigate these risks for the youth we serve.
The Comprehension of English Relative Clauses by Arabic-Speaking EFL Learners
Authors: Khan Sofia Sabahat , Al-Namer Lubaba Abdul-Salam 
Published: April 2017

This study investigates the extent to which 50 Arabic-speaking EFL learners comprehend English relative clauses (RCs). It also aims to test which relative pronoun among the seven pronouns we are investigating is the easiest to comprehend and which is the most problematic. Furthermore, it aims to measure whether the English proficiency level of the participants affects their performance on the test. Therefore, a multiple-choice test was administered in order to examine their comprehension of this complex syntactic structure. The participants were asked to choose the correct answer out of four choices. The results demonstrate that Arabic-speaking EFL learners may not be fully aware of English relative clauses (total percentage= 48.5%). The t-test shows that the English proficiency level affected the participants’ performance on the test. Consequently, there is a significant difference between the answers of the advanced learners (ALs) (61.3%) and those of the intermediate learners (ILs) (35.6%). Moreover, the results reveal that the easiest relative pronoun to comprehend is the pronoun when, and the most difficult one is the pronoun whom. This study accounts for these difficulties and concludes with pedagogical implications and recommendations for further research.
The Impact of Public Debt on the Economic Growth of Jordan: An Empirical Study (2000- 2015)
Authors: Mousa Tawfiq Ahmad , LShawareh Abudallah. M. 
Published: April 2017

In the last two decades, Jordan’s economy has been relied on public debt in order to enhance the economic growth. As such, an understanding of the dynamics between public debt and economic growth is very important in addressing the obstacles to economic growth. The study investigates the impact of public debt on economic growth using data from 2000 to 2015. The study employs least squares method and regression model to capture the impact of public debt on economic growth. The results of the analysis indicate that there is a negative impact of total public debt, especially the external debt on economic growth.
O Jesus Ariano. O imaginário e as concepções historiográficas do Jesus Histórico na Alemanha Nazista.
Authors: Chevitarese André Leonardo , Justi Daniel Brasil 
Published: April 2017

<p class="Corpo">Este trabalho pretende discutir que os teólogos alemães, comprometidos com a ideologia nazista, inclusive através do juramento de lealdade que fizeram ao Führer, não optaram pelo “silêncio virtual” nem demonstraram “um interesse limitado” pelo Jesus histórico. Muito pelo contrário, eles não apenas potencializaram o “retrato” de Jesus como sendo um ariano, como também o popularizaram, por meio de seus escritos, de suas homilias e de suas experiências cotidianas. Deve-se ter atenção aqui: a consolidação desse novo retrato é anterior ao advento de Hitler, como se pode ler em um vasto conjunto de obras, tais como, por exemplo, as de Ernst Renan, Theodor Keim e Houston Stewart Chamberlain. No entanto, é com a ascenção de Hitler ao poder que a leitura do Jesus ariano ganhou uma dimensão até então não imaginada, já que ela culmina na efetiva colaboração de um expressivo número de teólogos cristãos com a política assassina do Estado nazista, culminando no holocausto judaico.</p><p class="Corpo"> </p>
Os catecismos de Lutero e o uso da Escritura
Authors: Artuso Vicente , Klein Carlos Jeremias 
Published: April 2017

<p>A terceira década do século XVI assinala a implantação da Reforma protestante na Alemanha e na Suíça. O artigo trata inicialmente do contexto político e eclesial e das transformações religiosas na Alemanha, sob a liderança de Martinho Lutero. Para atender a premente necessidade de instrução religiosa do povo, o reformador publicou, em 1529, o Catecismo Menor e o Catecismo Maior. Em seguida, o artigo analisa a hermenêutica bíblica empregada nos catecismos. Destaca a primazia da Escritura na catequese adotando o princípio de que a Escritura se explica por si mesma tendo Cristo como centro. Lutero retoma da Igreja primitiva a insistência na Lectio Divina, porém distancia-se do método dos quatro sentidos, literal, alegórico, moral e anagógico, da antiguidade cristã e da Idade Média. Adota métodos próprios de interpretação. Por meio dos Catecismos Lutero deu ênfase a Palavra proclamada a ser acolhida na fé, uma vez que na sua época bem poucos cristãos tinham acesso ao texto pleno das Escrituras. <strong></strong></p>
Entre o contexto e as demandas cotidianas: o imaginário como substância terapêutica na Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus
Authors: Clementino Anna Carolina Lo Bianco , Passos Paulo 
Published: April 2017

Este artigo se propõe a pensar as ofertas dos serviços religiosos da IURD a partir da incorporação das representações características do imaginário do seu tempo e contexto. Enquanto muitos se encarregaram de fundar novos caminhos, Edir Macedo vislumbrava na pedagogia já cristalizada nas imagens mentais e representações do povo o seu grande aporte discursivo/teológico. Assim foi desde a demonização da Umbanda e o manejo de simpatias, ritos, benzimentos e exorcismos convertidos em liturgias sagradas e enfrentamento aos seus feitiços, até a transformação dos seus templos e serviços em grandes espaços terapêutico-espirituais. Do imaginário místico e religioso ao imaginário psicanalítico e racionalizante, a IURD se mantém próspera e profissional, retroalimentando o imaginário da sua clientela a partir das representações presentes em seu próprio cenário temporal. De uma forma flexível, os serviços religiosos da IURD estão sempre em consonância com as demandas de certos grupos sociais, mais precisamente, aqueles mais sensíveis ao uso do arcabouço do imaginário popular como substância complementar na plausibilidade da vida cotidiana.
Variegated tropical landscapes conserve diverse dung beetle communities
Authors: Costa Cristiane , Oliveira Victor Hugo F. , Maciel Rafaella , Beiroz Wallace , Korasaki Vanesca , Louzada Julio 
Published: April 2017

BackgroundConserving biodiversity in tropical landscapes is a major challenge to scientists and conservationists. Current rates of deforestation, fragmentation, and land use intensification are producing variegated landscapes with undetermined values for the conservation of biological communities and ecosystem functioning. Here, we investigate the importance of tropical variegated landscapes to biodiversity conservation, using dung beetle as focal taxa.MethodsThe study was carried out in 12 variegated landscapes where dung beetles were sampled using six pitfall traps, 30 m apart from each other, along a transect in each studied landscape use and cover classes—LUCC (forest fragment and corridor, coffee plantation, and pasture). We baited each pitfall trap with 30 g of human feces and left open for a 48 h period. We also measured three environmental variables reflecting structural differences among the studied classes: canopy cover, local vegetation heterogeneity and soil sand content.ResultsWe collected 52 species and 2,695 individuals of dung beetles. We observed significant differences in the mean species richness, abundance and biomass among classes, with forest fragments presenting the highest values, forest corridors and coffee plantations presenting intermediate values, and pastures the lowest values. Regarding community structure, we also found significant differences among classes. Canopy cover was the only variable explaining variation in dung beetle species richness, abundance, biomass, and community structure. The relative importance of spatial turnover was greater than nestedness-resultant component in all studied landscapes.DiscussionThis study evaluated the ecological patterns of dung beetle communities in variegated tropical landscapes highlighting the importance of these landscapes for conservation of tropical biodiversity. However, we encourage variegation for the management of landscapes that have already been fragmented or as a complementary initiative of current conservation practices (e.g., protection of natural habitats and establishment of reserves).
Variation and modeling of ultraviolet auroral oval boundaries associated with interplanetary and geomagnetic parameters
Authors: Hu Ze‐Jun , Yang Qiu‐Ju , Liang Ji‐Min , Hu Hong‐Qiao , Zhang Bei‐Chen , Yang Hui‐Gen 
Published: April 2017

AbstractA large data set of auroral poleward/equatorward boundary, which are automatically identified from more than 60,000 images acquired by Polar ultraviolet imager, is used to study the variation of auroral boundaries associated with the interplanetary/geomagnetic environments and dynamic parameters of the magnetosphere. A total number of 3,805,000/1,215,000 points for poleward/equatorward boundary were identified from the data set. It is found that the poleward/equatorward boundaries show an equatorward movement with the increase of Kan‐Lee electric field. The poleward/equatorward boundaries in the nightside sector (1800–0600 magnetic local time (MLT)) show an equatorward motion with the increase of the value of IMF By and the north‐south electric field. The equatorward boundary (1800–0300 MLT) shows a quasi‐linear equatorward displacement with the increase of solar wind dynamic pressure and speed. The poleward boundary (excluding midday sector) and equatorward boundary expand equatorward with the increase of AE index. The auroral oval boundary model with input parameters of the three components of IMF, solar wind speed and density, and AE is developed by using multivariate regression method. Evaluation of the model shows that the mean absolute deviation of the model in every MLT sector is 1.3–2.1° magnetic latitude (MLAT) for the poleward boundary and 1.3–2.5° MLAT for the equatorward boundary, respectively, when input parameters are within valid value coverage (three components of IMF are each from −8 to +8 nT, and the values of solar wind speed and density, and AE are not more than 550 km/s, 20/cm−3, and 520 nT, respectively).