bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The treatment of schizophrenia: Can we raise the standard of care?
Authors: Catts Stanley Victor , O’Toole Brian Ignatius 
Published: November 2016

Objective: There is evidence that over time health outcomes of people with schizophrenia are deteriorating rather than improving both in terms of mortality rate and levels of morbidity, even in Australia where service resourcing is substantial. Our objective was to examine the evidence of whether poor outcomes reflect decreases in treatment effectiveness and, if so, what are the barriers to improving standards of care. This review will argue that the confidence of clinicians to diagnose schizophrenia early, and provide assertive and long-term care, may be being undermined by a series of controversies in the published literature and discrepancies in clinical practice guidelines. Method: A critical review was conducted of the evidence regarding six issues of high clinical relevance to the treatment of schizophrenia formulated as questions: (1) Is schizophrenia a progressive disease? (2) Does relapse contribute to disease progression and treatment resistance? (3) When should the diagnosis of schizophrenia be made? (4) Should maintenance antipsychotic medication be discontinued in fully remitted first-episode patients? (5) Do antipsychotic medications cause deleterious reductions in cortical grey matter volumes? and (6) Are long-acting injectable antipsychotics more effective in reducing relapse rate compared to oral formulations? Results: There is reliable evidence for schizophrenia being a progressive disease with emergent treatment resistance in most cases, that relapse contributes to this treatment resistance, that maintenance antipsychotic medication should not be discontinued in remitted first-episode patients, that antipsychotic medication does not appear to cause deleterious grey matter volume changes, that maintenance antipsychotic medication reduces the mortality rate in schizophrenia and that long-acting injectable antipsychotics are more effective in preventing relapse than oral formulations. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to re-engineer the early management of schizophrenia and to routinely evaluate this type of innovation within practice-based research networks. A proposal for an assertive treatment algorithm is included.
The Double Parallel Curriculum in Palliative Care: Teaching Learners to Teach End-of-Life Care at the Bedside
Authors: Healy Jennifer , Chappell Phylliss , Lee Shuko , Ross Jeanette , Sanchez-Reilly Sandra 
Published: November 2016

Context:Dying is a natural process, yet physicians are often uncomfortable caring for dying patients. Learners have limited exposure to curriculum on caring for dying patients and often navigate these encounters without appropriate skills and confidence. We developed and implemented the Double Parallel Curriculum in Palliative Care (DP-PC): End-of-Life (EOL) module. The DP-PC focuses on teaching third-year medical students (MS3) to not only take care of patients in their last hours of life but give learners the confidence to teach patient’s families what to expect as they hold vigil at their loved one’s bedside.Objectives:To develop and implement an educational intervention that improves learners’ knowledge and confidence in EOL patient and family care. To expand learner confidence to a dual level (learners become teachers) with a simplified and culturally sensitive electronic bedside teaching tool designed to guide learners and patients/families conversations.Methods:Curriculum was completed during MS3 ambulatory rotation and included pre-/posttests, an online case-based module, faculty demonstration, and learner role-play using the bedside teaching tool.Results:A total of 247 participants took the pretest, 222 participants took the posttest, and 222 participants matched the pre-/posttest surveys. Students’ knowledge of EOL care and the confidence to teach other learners and families about EOL care significantly improved after completing the curriculum.Conclusion:The DP-PC is a technology-savvy educational intervention that improves learner confidence and knowledge toward caring for dying patients and their families. Easy access, technology-based teaching tools may enhance bedside teaching of health-care learners and improve the care of patients and their families at the end of life.
Chronic graft-versus-host disease: biological insights from preclinical and clinical studies
Authors: MacDonald Kelli P. A. , Hill Geoffrey R. , Blazar Bruce R. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWith the increasing use of mismatched, unrelated, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor–mobilized peripheral blood stem cell donor grafts and successful treatment of older recipients, chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) has emerged as the major cause of nonrelapse mortality and morbidity. cGVHD is characterized by lichenoid changes and fibrosis that affects a multitude of tissues, compromising organ function. Beyond steroids, effective treatment options are limited. Thus, new strategies to both prevent and treat disease are urgently required. Over the last 5 years, our understanding of cGVHD pathogenesis and basic biology, born out of a combination of mouse models and correlative clinical studies, has radically improved. We now understand that cGVHD is initiated by naive T cells, differentiating predominantly within highly inflammatory T-helper 17/T-cytotoxic 17 and T-follicular helper paradigms with consequent thymic damage and impaired donor antigen presentation in the periphery. This leads to aberrant T- and B-cell activation and differentiation, which cooperate to generate antibody-secreting cells that cause the deposition of antibodies to polymorphic recipient antigens (ie, alloantibody) or nonpolymorphic antigens common to both recipient and donor (ie, autoantibody). It is now clear that alloantibody can, in concert with colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)-dependent donor macrophages, induce a transforming growth factor β–high environment locally within target tissue that results in scleroderma and bronchiolitis obliterans, diagnostic features of cGVHD. These findings have yielded a raft of potential new therapeutics, centered on naive T-cell depletion, interleukin-17/21 inhibition, kinase inhibition, regulatory T-cell restoration, and CSF-1 inhibition. This new understanding of cGVHD finally gives hope that effective therapies are imminent for this devastating transplant complication.
Classification systems for chronic graft-versus-host disease
Authors: Lee Stephanie J. 
Published: November 2016

Abstract
Chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Clinically, chronic GVHD is a pleiotropic, multiorgan syndrome involving tissue inflammation and fibrosis that often results in permanent organ dysfunction. Chronic GVHD is fundamentally caused by replacement of the host’s immune system with donor cells, although the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations suggests that patient, donor, and transplant factors modulate the phenotype. The diagnosis of chronic GVHD and determination of treatment response largely rely on clinical examination and patient interview. The 2005 and 2014 National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Projects on Criteria for Clinical Trials in Chronic GVHD standardized the terminology around chronic GVHD classification systems to ensure that a common language and procedures are being used in clinical research. This review provides a summary of these recommendations and illustrates how they are being used in clinical research and the potential for their use in clinical care.
Market Exit Through Divestment—The Effect of Accounting Bias on Competition
Authors: Chen Hui , Jorgensen Bjorn N. 
Published: November 2016

We analyze the effect of accounting bias on the competition and market structure of an industry. In our model, firms’ interim accounting reports on investment projects may contain bias introduced by the mandatory accounting system. We find that this bias strictly decreases firms’ profits when investors do not have an abandonment option, but different results emerge when we allow the investors to divest in the interim. Specifically, a conservative accounting regime may increase the likelihood of projects being discontinued, inducing some firms to exit from the product market and leaving rivals to capture their market share. A conservative regime can thus soften market competition and result in ex ante higher investment payoff, higher consumer surplus, and higher total social welfare. Since industries often have common reporting standards, we also identify the degrees of industry-wide accounting bias that maximize the expected investor payoffs. Finally, we allow for investors to coordinate their divestment decisions when both firms report unfavorable costs and show an improvement to both firm profits and consumer surplus. This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE EFFECTIVENESS IN THE REAL ECONOMY
Authors: Suleymankadieva Alzhanat 
Published: November 2016

In the present investigation, we created a methodology for the evaluation of knowledge effectiveness of Russian economy. It helps us to assess the real level of readiness of Russian real economy to move to the Knowledge Economy. We evaluated the innovative development of the Russian economy using the following indices: the growth of inventive activity, the share of modern manufacturing and service sector in the GDP, the changes in the nature of social behaviour, and the well functioning of the market mechanism. The objective of the analysis was to evaluate the conformance of the Russian economy, in a special reference, to the European Knowledge Economy. We have defined sub indexes which were normalized between zero and one. We evaluated the knowledge effectiveness of Russian economy using European approach for Knowledge Economy. In order to obtain the complex Index of Knowledge Effectiveness, we used the statistical methods to summarize weighted knowledge effectiveness sub indexes by formula Vm = Sφieim. Results showed that this index totaled 0.28 at the maximum possible value of 1. This indicates significant need to create a new effective economic model with different management.
CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMINAL GROUPS
Authors: Romanova Natalia 
Published: November 2016

New types of criminal groups are emerging in modern society. These types have their special criminal subculture. The research objective is to develop new parameters of classification of modern criminal groups, create a new typology of criminal groups and identify some features of their subculture. Research methodology is based on the system approach that includes using the method of analysis of documentary sources (materials of a criminal case), method of conversations with themembers of the criminal group, method of testing the members of the criminal group and method of observation. As a result of the conducted research, we have created a new classification of criminal groups. The first type is a lawful group in its form and criminal according to its content (i.e., its target is criminal enrichment). The second type is a criminal organization which is run by so-called "white-collars" that "remain in the shadow". The third type is traditional criminal groups. The fourth type is the criminal group, which openly demonstrates its criminal activity.
STOMATOLOGIC STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS OF MAXILLOFACIAL REGION UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY
Authors: Shpulina Olga , Dorofeeva Natalia 
Published: November 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early acute side effects following radiation and chemotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), namely: to ascertain main patient complaints; to investigate saliva properties and to determine the microecology of the oral cavity in patient with HNC before and after radiation and chemotherapy. Eighteen patients with HNC which were prescribed gamma therapy on two buccal submandibular fields combined with close-focus roentgenotherapy and methotrexate as a cytostatic were examined. It was established that 3 weeks after the radio- and chemotherapy 100 % of patients pointed at xerostomia, dysgeusia, disturbances during speech, burning, pricking and itching in oral cavity. After cancer treatment the speed of salivation decreased two times and pH was 15 % lower than before radio and chemotherapy. Anti-cancer treatment caused significant decrease of lysozyme level (34 % lower) and secretory immunoglobulin A (1,5 times lower) in patients with HNC. After radio and chemotherapy different fungi of Candida genus from oral cavity were inoculated in high concentrations (from 4,0 ± 0.07 to 6,9 ± 0.07 lg CFU/ml), such as С. Аlbicans, C. Kruzei, С. Tropicalis, C. Stellatoidea.Thus significant negative changes from the side of speed and character of salivation, decrease of saliva pH, depression of both non-specific and specific components of immune defense and high contamination of oral mucosa with fungi of Candida genus considerably worsenpost-cancer rehabilitation.
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES OF THYROTROPIC CELLS IN THE DYNAMICS OF EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOSTIMULATION
Authors: Bobrysheva Inessa , Kashchenko Svetlana 
Published: November 2016

The endocrine and immune systems are interrelated via a bidirectional network.Thyroid-stimulating hormone plays a critical role as an endogenous mediator of immune activity. Purpose of study was to determine the dynamics of changes of thyrotropic cells ultrastructure in modeling immunostimulation in mature male rats by subcutaneous injection of imunofan in a dosage 0,7 mg/kg of body weight.The pituitary samples were taken on 1st, 7th, 15th, 30th and 60th, day after treatment and thenfixed in glutaraldehyde for electron microscope. The study showed theincrease of functional activity of the thyrotropic cells. The significant increase of areas of the cells and their nuclei, area of mitochondria and secretory granules was established since 7th day after imunofan treatment.
CONTRIBUTION OF TRANSCUTANEOUS OXYMETRY IN DIABETIC FOOT SYNDROME
Authors: Gaspar Ludovit , Bendzala Matej , Komornikova Andrea , Ocadlik Ivan , Makovnik Michal , Gavornik Peter 
Published: November 2016

Four major complications are participating in tissue damage in diabetic foot syndrome – diabetic angiopathy, neuropathy, osteoarthropathy and inflammation. Low ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) is a well-known indicator for ischemia of lower limbs, but in patients with diabetes mellitus is common also a high ABI (over 1.3) as reliable predictor of the presence of arterial calcification – medial calcinosis. Aim of the study is to determine the degree of ischemia using transcutaneous oximetry in patients with diabetic foot syndrome - with clinical manifestations of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and medial calcinosis. We investigated three groups: first consisted of 46 members in IInd stage of PAOD according to Fontaine classification, in second group were 30 members in IIIrd stage of PAOD and third had 29 members in IVth stage of PAOD. The ABI was determined with Doppler ultrasound examination. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) was measured with Oxykapnomonitor Hellige SMK Germany equipment with sensing probe – transoxode. Resting values of TcPO2 were obtained in lying patient on the foot in first metatarsal space. Subsequently leg was passively elevated into 30 degree angle for 3 minutes and then reimposed into primary position. One minute exercise – plantar and dorsal feet flexion was performed and after the TcPO2 values stabilization the patient hung his shin from the edge of the bed touching the floor. TcPO2 values were continuously recorded by analog waveform. In more severe stages of PAOD according to Fontaine stage III and IV we detected lower levels of TcPO2 under basal resting conditions: 20 respectively 5 mmHg. Patients with IInd stage of PAOD had basal TcPO2 values of 40 mmHg. Conclusions of the study are: TcPO2 values are not affected by the presence of medial calcinosis and sothis method is particularly beneficial in patients where Doppler ultrasound examination shows artificial high pressure values on lower limbs. In the third and fourth stage of PAOD passive leg elevation is as effective in determination of ischemia as working test.
POSITIVE STIGMA OF THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND BULGARIA
Authors: Kazashka Vesela , Levterova Dora , Ruseva Margarita 
Published: November 2016

Communication requires unconditional respect for the other. Acknowledging the qualities of the people is a basis for good communication. Communication starts when you accept the people the way they are. The social, economic and technical development provides opportunities for good professional realization of people with special educational needs. The resistance, striving for “survival” and successful “introduction” into the social life are a prerequisite for success. The people who are stigmatized and their families are aware that once they have been labeled, they should have to overcome this stigma and to take the maximum possible good out of this label. Positive stigma stimulates the people with disabilities seek more contacts, to become more independent and to realize themselves adequately in the social life. The survey of attitudes and motivation scale contact with people with disabilities give reliable information about what is the attitude of students towards people with disabilities and what were their contacts. The successful integration into society of people with special educational needs depends also on the perceptions and attitudes of the professionals who work with them too. Undoubtedly, the attitudes and models for the disabled people change and will continue to change. In this context the disabled people should develop social identity and public awareness, but not only in their stigmatized group, but in a broad social aspect.
COPULA BASED VaR APPROACH FOR EUROPEAN STOCKS PORTFOLIO
Authors: Bohdalová Mária , Greguš Michal 
Published: November 2016

The paper gives stochastic assessments of the financial crisis and discusses the Value at Risk European stocks from the point of view of copula based approach. Copula techniques can be based on the connection between rank correlation and certain one–parameter bivariate copulas. This relation allows easy calibration of the parameters. We use more general numerical calibration techniques that are based on maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). Using this approach we want to estimate VaR of the EU stocks portfolio using Monte Carlo simulation. The focus will be on modelling the interdependence between two risk factor returns. We suppose that the risk factor returns have some assumed marginal distributions, which need not be identical, and their dependency is modelled with copulas. We find that standard parametric copula functions (such as Gaussian) are not able to provide a good fit to the data. This is especially true when one or more of the marginal distributions has fat tails. We overcome this problem by fitting a t–copula with different marginal which can approximate any possible shape for the joint density.
Screening confino: Male melodrama and exile cinema
Authors: Renga Dana 
Published: November 2016

Abstract
In a 2003 interview, Silvio Berlusconi attempted to revise fascism through explaining that Mussolini did not kill anyone, and instead sent people on island holiday. This article interrogates the formula of internal exile (confino) as vacation through examining nine films, documentaries, and made-for-television movies that depict the exile experience of four prominent Italian intellectuals (Cesare Pavese, Carlo Rosselli, Giorgio Amendola and Carlo Levi). In these texts, all of which fall under the generic classification of male melodrama, the confino event serves as a convenient backdrop to narrate stories that are more pleasant and conform to the traditional logic of desire that dominates the classical cinema. As follows, and in line with Berlusconi’s problematic statement, the distressing events surrounding the practice of confino are disavowed and political confinement is reimagined as holiday.
Léolo’s fantasized Italy: Family romance and accented cinema in Quebec
Authors: Dyer Kester 
Published: November 2016

Abstract
Although directed by a Francophone Québécois film-maker, Jean-Claude Lauzon’s Léolo (1992) presents a cinematic treatment of Italy that foregrounds exile as theorized by Hamid Naficy’s concept of ‘accented cinema’. Léolo also recasts the family romance trope, which Heinz Weinmann highlights as central to Quebec cinema. Meanwhile, commentators have stressed the deeply political dimensions of Léolo despite Lauzon’s disavowal of any nationalist intent. This film consequently provides insights into the ambivalent role of Italians in Quebec’s struggle to confront the challenges posed by immigration and by its own colonial history. The current article therefore explores Léolo through a framework combining accented cinema and the family romance, and juxtaposes this text with Caffè Italia Montréal, a film which epitomizes accentedness in the context of Quebec’s Italian community. This analysis thus reveals how, in Léolo, a cinematically unasserted Indigenous influence intertwines with overtly fantasized Italianness to complicate Lauzon’s position on national identity. In so doing, this article comes to affirm the centrality of Indigenous concerns for grasping intercultural relationships whether formed through colonialism or contemporary immigration.
A novel diet‐induced murine model of steatohepatitis with fibrosis for screening and evaluation of drug candidates for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Ejima Chieko , Kuroda Haruna , Ishizaki Sonoko 
Published: November 2016

AbstractMany animal models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis have been reported. While these models exhibit mild onset of hepatitis and fibrosis, induction is often slow. For faster screening of drug candidates, there is a compelling need for convenient animal models of steatohepatitis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in which fatty liver and hepatitis are stably induced within a short period. Here, we analyzed the hepatic lipid composition in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and used this information to successfully establish a murine model where steatohepatitis is induced within only 1 week using a novel diet (steatohepatitis‐inducing high‐fat diet, STHD‐01) high in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. After receiving STHD‐01 for 1 week, normal mice (C57BL/6J) showed elevated markers of fatty liver and hepatitis, including hepatic triglycerides and plasma alanine aminotransferase; the administration of angiotensin receptor blockers reduced these symptoms. Furthermore, we confirmed that STHD‐01 administration for 36 weeks induced not only sustained elevation of hepatic triglyceride and plasma alanine aminotransferase levels, but also fibrosis and tumor formation. Pretreatment with the carcinogen diethylnitrosamine accelerated tumor formation, and hepatic lesions were observed within 30 weeks of STHD‐01 feeding following diethylnitrosamine pretreatment. Finally, branched‐chain amino acids, known to reduce the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in preclinical models, were effective in reducing the progression of liver fibrosis induced by STHD‐01 feeding after diethylnitrosamine pretreatment. We concluded that STHD‐01 administration successfully induces steatohepatitis within a short period of time. The proposed murine model is suitable for studying the long‐term effects of pharmaceutical agents targeting steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and tumor formation.