bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adult L2 Learners Need a Reading Comprehension Test: Is it a C-Test or a Cloze Test?
Authors: Rabadi Reem Ibrahim 
Published: November 2015

<p class="1"><span lang="X-NONE">Many language tests are used to measure language learners’ abilities, two of these tests are the cloze test and the C-test. However, insufficient research has done on the usefulness of these tests as reading comprehension tests. </span><span lang="X-NONE">Therefore, </span><span lang="X-NONE">this study attempts to compare the efficiency of the cloze test with the efficiency of the C-test as reading comprehension tests. It will explore the main research question if there are any significant differences between the results of the testees on the cloze test and their results on the C-test as reading comprehension tests, in addition to their performance on both tests as advanced level and intermediate level learners. A C-test and a cloze test were administered to 80 international university students at</span><span lang="X-NONE"> Otto-von-Guericke </span><span lang="X-NONE">University in Germany to answer these questions. The statistical analysis used in this study was the (t-test) to test the statistical significance of the differences between the two tests. Results revealed statistically significant differences between the scores of the testees in favour of their scores on the C-test. Furthermore, the results indicated that the cloze test correlated positively with the C-test. Contrary to the finding</span><span lang="EN-US">s</span><span lang="X-NONE"> of previous research indicating that the cloze test is more efficient reading comprehension test than the C-test. It is suggested that this study can be expanded to wider population and to be used for testing the lexical knowledge of language learners.</span></p>
Retinal Vessel Diameter Changes in Different Severities of Diabetic Retinopathy by SD-OCT
Authors: Shao Qing , Heussen Florian M. , Ouyang Yanling , Hager Annette 
Published: November 2015

Purpose To evaluate retinal vessel diameters in relation to different severity grades of diabetic retinopathy (DR) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods Patients with varying degrees of nonproliferative DR (NPDR) underwent circular OCT scans centered on the optic nerve head using a SD-OCT. These cases were retrospectively reviewed. The presence and severity of DR was assessed using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocols. The 5 largest retinal arterioles and venules were labeled and measured on OCT scans for each patient according to previously published methods. Vertical vessel inner contour diameter, vertical vessel outer contour diameter, and reflectance shadowing width were among the documented parameters. Results Of 59 eyes from 45 patients examined, 30 (50.2%) and 29 (49.8%) had mild and severe NPDR, respectively. Eyes with severe NPDR had narrower mean arteriolar vertical vessel inner diameter (87.9 ± 10.8 μm), vertical vessel outer diameter (119.1 ± 9.7 μm), and vessel shadow width (78.8 ± 10.9 μm) than eyes with mild NPDR (89.8 ± 12.1 μm, 120.9 ± 12.9 μm, 81.3 ± 15.3 μm). However, the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.53, 0.55, 0.47). No correlation was shown between the severity of NPDR and arteriolar parameters (p = 0.31, 0.59, 0.75). Wider venular diameters were associated with increasing severity of NPDR (p<0.001, <0.001, 0.007, respectively). The association remained after multivariate adjustment for age, sex, eye, and cataract surgery (p = 0.04, 0.01, 0.007, respectively). Conclusions Wider retinal venule diameter was significantly associated with the severity of NPDR by SD-OCT-assisted measurement. Prospective studies would be needed to evaluate whether change in retinal venule could be used as a clinical indicator of DR progression.
Anterior Corneal Surface Irregularity after Descemet-Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty for Bullous Keratopathy
Authors: Spadea Leopoldo , Santamaria Valentina , Vingolo Enzo Maria , Cagini Carlo 
Published: November 2015

Purpose To evaluate irregularity of the anterior cornea before and after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) for bullous keratopathy and its effect on visual acuity. Methods Corneal data were acquired using a topographic unit before and up to 12 months after DSEK. Anterior corneal elevation data were decomposed into a set of Zernike polynomials up to the 8th order within a 6.0-mm diameter region. Total higher-order aberrations (HOAs) and root mean square from the 3rd to 8th order were calculated. The effects of anterior surface irregularity on visual acuity were evaluated. Results This clinical study comprised 20 consecutive eyes of 20 patients with bullous keratopathy. The mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was 1.00 ± 0.12 logMAR (SD) preoperatively and 0.24 ± 0.16 logMAR 12 months postoperatively. Before DSEK, corneas with bullous keratopathy had higher total HOAs compared with those in controls (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in anterior surface HOAs between preoperatively and 12 months (p>0.05). Conclusions Postoperative CDVA correlated with irregularity of the corneal anterior surface. Corneal anterior HOAs are higher in patients with bullous keratopathy than in controls, and remain higher through 12 months after DSEK. In addition to corneal transparency, regularity of the corneal anterior surface is an important factor in visual acuity after DSEK.
Bilateral Optic Disc Edema as a Presentation of an Obstructing Spinal Plasmacytoma
Authors: Grixti Andre , Bonello Michael , Silver Nicholas , Noonan Carmel , Ziahosseini Kimia 
Published: November 2015

Purpose To report a rare case of bilateral optic disc edema as presentation of an obstructing spinal plasmacytoma. Methods Case report. Results A 41-year-old healthy man presented with distortion of his peripheral vision for 9 months. He denied headaches or neurologic symptoms. Examination showed bilateral optic disc swelling, radial disc hemorrhages, and absent spontaneous venous pulsations. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance venography were unrevealing. Lumbar puncture showed a normal opening pressure of 19 cm cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF protein was significantly elevated at 3.22 g/L (0.10-0.45 g/L). Spinal MRI with contrast revealed a tumor in the T9 vertebral body extending through the disc spaces into T8 and T10, compressing the spinal cord. Computed tomography-guided biopsy confirmed a spinal plasmacytoma. He received radiotherapy to the spine T7-T11 to reduce spinal cord compression followed by a 6-month course of chemotherapy with dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, and thalidomide. Disc swelling improved on starting radiotherapy with complete resolution 8 months posttreatment. MRI spine showed reduction of tumor. Conclusions This case highlights the importance of spinal imaging in patients with normal cranial scans and raised CSF protein levels who lack the typical idiopathic intracranial hypertension phenotype.
Steroid Treatment Resolves Acute Respiratory Failure in Patient Transferred for ECMO
Authors: Koerner Michael M. , Tepolt Francis , Brehm Christoph , Bressler Sonja , Zeriouh Mohamad , Soleimani Behzad , Ruhparwar Arjang , Pae Walter E. , Loebe Matthias , Ghodsizad Ali 
Published: November 2015

Introduction Space-consuming mediastinal tumors can create respiratory failure. Methods We are reporting on a case of mediastinal lymphoma, which created respiratory failure in our patient. IV steroid therapy was used in our patient, who presented with end-stage respiratory failure. Results Conservative management of our patient was possible without the application of ECMO. Conclusions In the right patient population, IV steroid treatment can avoid further deterioration of end-stage respiratory failure.
Effect of Pulmonary Conduit Oversizing on Hemodynamics in Children
Authors: Sonntag Simon J. , Kütting Maximilan , Ghalati Pejman Farhadi , Kaufmann Tim , Vazquez-Jimenez Jaime , Steinseifer Ulrich , Vodiskar Janez 
Published: November 2015

Purpose Implanting the largest valved conduit possible – oversizing – to reconstruct an absent connection from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery in certain types of congenital heart defects has been suggested as a compensating measure for somatic outgrowth of the patient. However, one effect that has not been investigated yet is the hemodynamic consequence. For this purpose, virtual implantation and flow simulations were conducted in this study. Methods To isolate the effects of conduit oversizing on the hemodynamics observed after conduit implantation and outgrowth, calculated wall shear stresses (WSS) of image-based computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations were used as indicators. Three different sizes of valved conduits (20 mm, 22 mm, and 24 mm), including the largest possible conduit size, virtually implanted in a child-sized healthy pulmonary artery and the corresponding adult-sized model were investigated. Results The child and adult models show a decrease of the mean WSS (approx. 26%) in the whole domain with an increase of the conduit size. When looking at the mean WSS at the anastomosis, for the child model the WSS is significantly increased (approx. 40%) when oversizing (Z-score +3.21). In contrast, the stresses are decreased for the adult model (34%) when using the largest conduit (Z-score +0.25). Conclusions Based on the results of this study, it must be considered that choosing a prosthesis size that will lead to high WSS and an associated intimal reaction, possibly leading to stenosis, can defeat the benefit of having a nominally larger orifice area directly after implantation.
Improved Effect of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in Metabolic Status and Body Composition of Early Phase of Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Wu Chao , Wang Xinying , Jiang Tingting , Li Weiqin , Li Ning , Li Jieshou 
Published: November 2015

Objective To observe the metabolic changes in the early phase of acute pancreatitis (AP) patients induced by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and to investigate the correlation between the metabolic changes and outcomes of the AP patients. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary teaching hospital. A total of 169 patients diagnosed as AP were divided into 2 groups: CRRT group (n = 71) and non-CRRT group (n = 98), based on whether they received CRRT for more than 24 hours within 7 days from onset of AP. Measured energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry and predicted energy expenditure was determined by specific equations on admission and day 7 (or the closest day to day 7), respectively. Meanwhile, the body composition was measured by multiple-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Blood test, body weight and vital signs were analyzed daily for both groups. Results In this study, we found a significant improvement in the hypermetabolism and fluid distribution of the CRRT group compared with the non-CRRT group. Complications, hospital and ICU length of stays were reduced in CRRT patients. Conclusions CRRT is an effective treatment for AP patients. Patients with overhydration and hypermetabolism may get improved outcomes from CRRT.
Conjugated Bile Acids in Gallbladder Bile and Serum as Potential Biomarkers for Cholesterol Polyps and Adenomatous Polyps
Authors: Zhao Mei-Fen , Huang Peng , Ge Chun-Lin , Sun Tao , Ma Zhi-Gang , Ye Fei-Fei 
Published: November 2015

Purpose To identify conjugated bile acids in gallbladder bile and serum as possible biomarkers for cholesterol polyps (CPs) and adenomatous polyps (APs). Methods Gallbladder bile samples and serum samples were collected from 18 patients with CPs (CP group), 9 patients with APs (AP group), and 20 patients with gallstones (control group) from March to November, 2013. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay with ultraviolent detection was used to detect the concentration of 8 conjugated bile acids (glycocholic acid, GCA; taurocholic acid, TCA; glycochenodeoxycholic acid, GCDCA; taurochenodeoxycholic acid, TCDCA; glycodeoxycholic acid, GDCA; taurodeoxycholic acid, TDCA; taurolithocholic acid, TLCA; tauroursodeoxycholic acid, TUDCA) in bile samples and serum samples. The diagnostic efficacy of serum GCA, GCDCA and TCDCA was evaluated. Results These 8 conjugated bile acids in gallbladder bile and serum were completely identified within 10 minutes with good linearity (correlation coefficient: R>0.9900; linearity range: 3.91-500 µg/mL). Among these conjugated bile acids, the levels of gallbladder bile GCDCA and TCDCA in the CP group were significantly higher than those in the AP group (p<0.05). Furthermore, serum GCDCA and TCDCA as well as GCA were significantly higher in the AP group than the CP group (p<0.05). Serum GCDCA alone (≤12 µg/mL) had relatively better diagnostic efficacy than the other conjugated bile acids. Conclusions The levels of serum GCA, GCDCA and TCDCA may be valuable for differentiation of APs and CPs.
Androgen Receptor CAG Repeat Length and Estrogen Receptor Status in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Prognosis
Authors: Cogliati Patrizia , Ciniselli Chiara Maura , Agresti Roberto , Paolini Biagio , Bonini Chiara , Radice Paolo , Krogh Vittorio , Verderio Paolo , Venturelli Elisabetta 
Published: November 2015

Purpose The influence of the androgen receptor (AR) CAG repeat polymorphism on breast cancer is controversial. We investigated the combined effects of CAG repeat length and estrogen receptor (ER) status on prognosis in 355 postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer. Methods CAG repeat length was determined by the HUMARA test. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) according to the X-weighted CAG repeat biallelic mean (XWBM) were investigated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results XWBM was not associated with RFS or OS, but a significant interaction between XWBM and ER status (p = 0.002) was found for OS. ER-negative patients with median XWBM <20 showed lower OS than ER-negative/XWBM ≥20 patients (HR = 0.270; 95% Cl: 0.073-0.999). ER-negative/XWBM <20 patients also had significantly lower OS than ER-positive women, irrespective of CAG repeat length (p<0.001). Accordingly, estimated OS was lowest in ER-negative patients with XWBM <20 (OS: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.79) and highest in ER-positive patients with XWBM <20 (OS: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-0.97). Conclusions Our data suggest that short CAG repeat length is associated with increased risk of death in ER-negative disease but is related to better survival when ER is expressed. These findings are in agreement with the hypothesis that AR may stimulate or inhibit breast cancer growth depending on ER status, AR transactivation, and the endocrine-metabolic environment of breast tumors. Evaluation of CAG repeat length together with ER status could help improve the estimation of the risk of death, with possible implications for the optimization of standard breast cancer treatment and implementation of prevention strategies.
Oral Etoposide in Relapsed or Refractory Ewing Sarcoma: A Monoinstitutional Experience in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Podda Marta G. , Luksch Roberto , Puma Nadia , Gandola Lorenza , Morosi Carlo , Terenziani Monica , Ferrari Andrea , Casanova Michela , Spreafico Filippo , Meazza Cristina , Catania Serena , Schiavello Elisabetta , Biassoni Veronica , Chiaravalli Stefano , Massimino Maura 
Published: November 2015

Aims To assess the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose oral etoposide (VP) 16 in relapsing/refractory Ewing sarcoma. Methods The records of all patients treated at our department between 1989 and 2012 for relapsing/refractory Ewing sarcoma who received oral VP-16 were analyzed. The dose was 40 mg/m2 daily for 21 consecutive days in every 28. Response was assessed after 2/3 cycles according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.0. Results A total of 46 of 58 patients completed at least 2 cycles; 12 suspended the treatment earlier due to rapid disease progression. The patients’ median age at diagnosis was 14 years and 25/58 had metastatic disease. All patients received intensive polychemotherapy including VP-16 IV as first- (n = 53) or second-line (n = 5) treatment; 21/58 had myeloablative regimens with peripheral blood stem cell rescue, and 1 underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Oral VP-16 was prescribed as 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-line treatment for 19, 27, and 12 patients, respectively. The cycles administered totaled 241 (median 3, mean 4 per patient; range 1-14). A total of 46 of 58 patients were evaluable: 11 responded (9 partial remission, 1 very good partial remission, 1 complete remission) and 10 were stable, the response lasting a mean of 8 months. Hematologic toxicity G3/G4 (in 164/241 evaluable cycles) occurred in 15%, 16%, and 11% of cycles for leukocytes, hemoglobin, and platelets, respectively. There were 5 cases of pneumonia. Two patients developed secondary leukemia after receiving 12 and 14 cycles. Conclusions Low-dose oral VP-16 may be suitable in a palliative setting with an acceptable toxicity. The risk of secondary leukemia is in line with reports in the literature.
Impact of Intrafractional Respiratory-Induced Prostate Mobility on PTV Size
Authors: Bodusz Dawid , Miszczyk Leszek 
Published: November 2015

Purpose Daily image-guided radiation therapy significantly reduces setup errors, but it does not minimize intrafractional target mobility; respiratory-induced target motion is one of the reasons for this. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of respiratory-induced prostate motion on the clinical target volume (CTV) margins. Methods The analysis comprised 50 videos stored in digital format and recorded in a group of 50 patients during image-guided radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Fluoroscopy time was 10 seconds. Respiratory motion of the prostate in the anterior-posterior and lateral direction was assessed on the basis of a fiducial marker (GoldAnchor) implanted into the prostate before the treatment planning procedure. Results The average values and standard deviations of respiratory-induced prostate motion in the superior-inferior and left-right (lateral) directions were 2.6 ± 2.1 mm and 0.7 ± 0.7 mm, respectively. The CTV margins calculated according to the van Herk formula based on respiratory prostate motion were 8 mm in the superior-inferior direction and 2 mm in the lateral direction. Conclusions Respiratory-induced prostate mobility during radiotherapy is significant especially in the superior-inferior direction, and can thus induce a geographical error. This confirms the need for determining CTV margins for this type of respiratory-induced mobility.
A Case Report of Mantle Cell Lymphoma Manifesting as a Foot Lesion
Authors: Samarghandi Arash , Ahuja Shradha , Gupta Sorab , Fulger Ilmana , Katava Gordana , Fang Yanan 
Published: November 2015

Introduction Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that most commonly affects men above the age of 60 years. The disease is called MCL because the tumor cells originate from the mantle zone of the lymph node. The most commonly affected sites are the lymph nodes, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, Waldeyer's ring and rarely the skin, breast and central nervous system. Only 22 cases with skin manifestation of MCL have been reported so far. Case We report the case of a 73-year-old woman who was diagnosed with MCL and underwent treatment, but later relapsed and presented with an ulcerated mass over her right foot. She underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy with bendamustine plus rituximab and responded with resolution of the foot lesion. Discussion and conclusions MCL is an aggressive lymphoma with a median overall survival of 3-5 years for advanced disease, while early-stage disease has a better prognosis. It rarely involves the skin. Since cutaneous lesions can be the first manifestation of MCL, awareness of this less common presentation is crucial to establish an early diagnosis and pursue treatment as early as possible, as it significantly impacts the survival rate.
Making It Fit: The Appropriation of Poe in Boy's Own Magazine
Authors: Petzold Jochen 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
The essay examines how short stories and the beginning of The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym were changed for the inclusion in the first three volumes of Samuel Beeton's Boy's Own Magazine (1855–57), and is hence a contribution to the study of the early reception of Poe's fiction in Britain. It is argued that the changes reflect Beeton's editorial policy of providing “healthy” and useful reading for boys. Hence, some texts were selected for their didactic value, others were edited for greater propriety. This editorial policy becomes particularly clear in the case of “Pym's Narrative,” with regard to alcohol, violence and “horror.”
“That Name'll Never Be Worth Anything”: Poe's Image on Film
Authors: Peeples Scott 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
The well-traveled pun on “Poe” and “poor” is a lens through which the author views depictions of Poe in films ranging from D. W. Griffith's 1909 short to James McTeigue's The Raven (2012). Both early biopics and later films in which Poe is written into a fictional plot rely on the “meme” of Poe being underestimated and unappreciated in his own time, only to be valued highly by later generations of readers. This simplified image of Poe's character and genius corresponds with the great value placed on his literary remains (such as copies of Tamerlane and Other Poems), items valued more highly for having once been overlooked or underestimated.
Edgar Allan Poe's Marian Consecration: Catholic Eschatology, Mariology, and Liturgy in “Morella,” “The Raven,” and “Hymn”
Authors: Mirarchi Stephen 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
Recent scholarly attempts to place Edgar Allan Poe in the nineteenth-century American mainstream have resulted in a renewed discussion of the religious in his works. While a recent article depicts Poe's aesthetics as moderately Anglican, this study shows how Poe used Catholic eschatology, the study of the four last things; Mariology, teachings on the Virgin Mary; and liturgy, the rite of the Roman Catholic Mass and its extended prayers, in precise ways. While “Morella” and “The Raven” exhibit Poe's reliance on Catholic elements to show the horror of inverting them, “Hymn” expresses the speaker's hope that anyone could be brought by Mary to God. These conspicuous elements confirm Poe's interest in Catholicism and call for a fresh valuation of Catholic aesthetics in his works.
“Never Bet the Devil Your Head”: Fuseli's The Nightmare and Collapsing Masculinity in Poe's “The Black Cat”
Authors: Moreland Clark T. , Rodriguez Karime 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
We contend that the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's “The Black Cat” is horrified not only by the way his reason degenerates over the course of the tale but also by the increasingly passive, feminized figure that he feels he has become. In short, we argue that his terror develops not only from a perceived loss of mind but also of manhood. An allusion in the tale to Henry Fuseli's The Nightmare, which Poe almost certainly knew about, is a cipher of sorts, an important clue to help readers understand the terror the narrator experiences in “The Black Cat.” Fuseli's painting depicts an incubus sitting on the chest of a sleeping woman, filling the spectator with a sense of terror. A similar reaction occurs when reading “The Black Cat.” Like the narrator, who believes an innocent cat is actually a demon sent to torture him, readers are horrified by the gender reversal which Poe portrays. Poe exploits masculine gender constructs which claim that the distinguishing characteristic of men is their heightened ability to reason by showing a man completely at the mercy of his passions and instincts, just as the sleeping woman in Fuseli's painting is held captive by the perverse imp. If the reader is unaware of Fuseli's painting, or does not grasp Poe's clever reversal of gender roles in the story, then this horror remains shrouded in mystery.