bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regression From Prediabetes to Normal Glucose Regulation Is Associated With Reduction in Cardiovascular Risk: Results From the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study
Authors: Perreault Leigh , Temprosa Marinella , Mather Kieren J. , Horton Ed , Kitabchi Abbas , Larkin Mary , Montez Maria G. , Thayer Debra , Orchard Trevor J. , Hamman Richard F. , Goldberg Ronald B. ,   for the Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group
Published: June 2014

OBJECTIVE
Restoration of normal glucose regulation (NGR) in people with prediabetes significantly decreases the risk of future diabetes. We sought to examine whether regression to NGR is also associated with a long-term decrease in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The Framingham (2008) score (as an estimate of the global 10-year CVD risk) and individual CVD risk factors were calculated annually for the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study years 1–10 among those patients who returned to NGR at least once during the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) compared with those who remained with prediabetes or those in whom diabetes developed during DPP (N = 2,775).

RESULTS
The Framingham scores by glycemic exposure did not differ among the treatment groups; therefore, pooled estimates were stratified by glycemic status and were adjusted for differences in risk factors at DPP baseline and in the treatment arm. During 10 years of follow-up, the mean Framingham 10-year CVD risk scores were highest in the prediabetes group (16.2%), intermediate in the NGR group (15.5%), and 14.4% in people with diabetes (all pairwise comparisons P &lt; 0.05), but scores decreased over time for those people with prediabetes (18.6% in year 1 vs. 15.9% in year 10, P &lt; 0.01). The lower score in the diabetes group versus other groups, a declining score in the prediabetes group, and favorable changes in each individual risk factor in all groups were explained, in part, by higher or increasing medication use for lipids and blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS
Prediabetes represents a high-risk state for CVD. Restoration of NGR and/or medical treatment of CVD risk factors can significantly reduce the estimated CVD risk in people with prediabetes.
Epidemiological Characteristics of Carrying Viral Hepatitis B Antigen in the Population of the Nišava District
Authors: Kostić Marina , Kocić Biljana , Rančić Nataša 
Published: June 2014

Summary
The aim of this paper was to determine the trend of diseases and epidemiological characteristics of viral antigen carrying of hepatitis B for better implementation of prevention and control of the disease activity. The annual reports, reports of diseases - deaths from infectious diseases, epidemiological survey of the Public Health Institute (IPH) Niš were used as the material. The period from 2002 to 2011 in the Nišava District was considered. A descriptive method was used. HBsAg carrying shows an upward trend (y=15+3.27 x). Most carriers are males (57.27%), live in urban areas (98.16/ 100.000 population), average age 41.92 years old ±SD 18.59, pensioners (22.42%). 54.05% are nephrology patients (almost all retirees under the age of 60 years old). Only 15.76% were hospitalized. The data on the vaccination status are insufficient. In 5.45%, co-infection with hepatitis C virus was found. 63.33% belong to the group of patients for whom there were no data on the mode of transmission. Hemodialysis patients make 16.67%, blood donors 9.39%, 6.36% pregnant women and injecting drug users 1.21%. The upward trend of carrying, the presence of all known risk groups in the population of carrying in the Nišava District points to the need for improved epidemiological surveillance, strict application of protective measures, conducting of statutory vaccination of all categories of people exposed to particular risk of infection as well as continuing education on preventive measures of both population and health care providers.
Reparation of Traumatic Injury of Anal Sphincter: Case Report and Review of Surgical Treatment
Authors: Stošić Momčilo 
Published: June 2014

Summary
Anal sphincter injuries are rare and usually related to obstetric injuries. Other more frequent causes of a violent injury of the anal muscles (including the rectum) are war injuries, violent civil injuries, iatrogenic injuries during surgeries, sexual injuries and accidental injuries. Accidental injuries are extremely rare and, searching Medline, Scopus and Medscape for the past five years, I have found only a few descriptions of such injuries. Almost all such articles are of “the case study type”.
This paper presents two cases of accidental anal muscle injuries which were successfully operated by using the reconstructive surgery procedure. One case is about fecal incontinence due to a major muscle injury, and the other is about a partial injury of the external anal muscle in two places. The diagnoses were made by palpation and operative exploration. The anal manometry, electromyography and transanalsonography were not used.
By presenting two accidental anal sphincter injuries and by reviewing the data from the published works, the aim of the paper was to help us determine when and how to operate and whether an additional diagnosis is always necessary. This article focuses on rare and specific but frequently very serious injuries. The reparation by primary sphincteroplasty gives excellent results.
Spatial Diversification of Selected Demographic Phenomena in Polish Communes
Authors: Bal-Domańska Beata 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Demographic potential constitutes one of the most important aspects of socioeconomic development by exerting impact on the growth potential and directions of the policy carried out at local and regional level. The areas concentrating young people, characterized by high birth rate and a positive migration balance gain growth potential not only for their current but also longterm development. The objective of the article is to present spatial diversification of the selected demographic phenomena in the crosssection of Polish communes in 2011 as well as to indicate areas presenting high and low growth potential.
Binding of Industrial Deposits of Heavy Metals and Arsenic in the Soil by 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane
Authors: Grzesiak Piotr , Łukaszyk Joanna , Schroeder Grzegorz , Kurczewska Joanna 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
The results of the research studies concerning binding of heavy metals and arsenic (HM+As), occurring in soils affected by emissions from Głogów Copper Smelter and Refinery, by silane nanomaterial have been described. The content of heavy metals and arsenic was determined by AAS and the effectiveness of heavy metals and arsenic binding by 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane was examined. The total leaching level of impurities in those fractions was 73.26% Cu, 74.7% – Pb, 79.5% Zn, 65.81% – Cd and 55.55% As. The studies demonstrated that the total binding of heavy metals and arsenic with nanomaterial in all fractions was about as follows: 20.5% Cu, 9.5% Pb, 7.1% Zn, 25.3% Cd and 10.89% As. The results presented how the safety of food can be cultivated around industrial area, as the currently used soil stabilization technique of HM by soil pH does not guarantee their stable blocking in a sorptive complex.
The Use of Ion Exchange in the Recovery of Vanadium from the Mass of a Spent Catalyst Used in the Oxidation of SO2 to SO3
Authors: Drużyński Sebastian , Mazurek Krzysztof , Białowicz Katarzyna 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
In the studies on the recovery of vanadium from vanadium catalyst extracts, three types of polymer strongly acidic ion exchangers were used. The ion exchange resins differed in terms of granularity and their ion exchange capacity. As a result, breakthrough curves were made for three main components of the test extract, i.e.: ions of vanadium, iron and potassium. On this basis the optimum conditions for the removal of iron ions from the solution were defined and the technological concept of the process in the semi-technical scale was proposed.
Infiuence of Hydrogen on the Properties of Nanostructured C-Pd Films for Sensing Applications
Authors: Kamińska Anna , Diduszko Ryszard , Krawczyk Sławomir , Czerwosz Elżbieta , Sobczak Kamil 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
In this paper we present the results of the investigations of nanostructured C-Pd films for hydrogen sensing applications. These C-Pd films were prepared by physical vapor deposition and then annealed in an argon flow at the temperature of 500°C. The structure and morphology of the prepared C-Pd films were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We studied the infiuence of hydrogen on the electrical properties and crystal structure of C-Pd films. It was shown that film resistance changes depended on hydrogen concentration. At lower hydrogen concentration (up to 2 vol.%), the films response increased proportionally to [H2], while above 2 vol.% H2, it was almost constant. This is connected with the formation of a solid solution of hydrogen in palladium at lower H2 concentration and the creation of palladium hydride at higher H2 concentration. X-ray diffraction was used to confirm the formation of Pd-H solid solution and palladium hydride.
High Pressure Synthesis versus Calcination – Different Approaches to Crystallization of Zirconium Dioxide
Authors: Kaszewski Jarosław , Yatsunenko Sergiy , Pełech Iwona , Mijowska Ewa , Narkiewicz Urszula , Godlewski Marek 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
Calcination and microwave-assisted hydrothermal processing of precipitated zirconium dioxide are compared. Characterization of synthesized products of these two technologies is presented. The infiuence of thermal treatment up to 1200oC on the structural and spectroscopic properties of the so-obtained zirconium dioxide is examined. It was found that initial crystallization of material inhibits the crystal growth up to the 800oC (by means of XRD and TEM techniques), while the material crystallized from amorphous hydroxide precursor at 400oC, exhibits 26 nm sized crystallites already. It was found using the TG technique that the temperature range 100–200oC during the calcination process is equivalent to a microwave hydrothermal process by means of water content. Mass loss is estimated to be about 18%. Based on X-ray investigations it was found that the initial hydroxide precursor is amorphous, however, its luminescence activity suggests the close range ordering in a material.
“I Understood you, but there was this Pronunciation Thing…”: L2 Pronunciation Feedback in English/French Tandem Interactions
Authors: Horgues Céline , Scheuer Sylwia 
Published: June 2014

The role of corrective feedback (CF) in L2 development has been the topic of much discussion in SLA literature (see for example Sheen and Ellis 2011 for a recent overview). Researchers have focused their attention on CF provided either by language teachers or by fellow L2 learners, whereas relatively little is known about phonetic feedback offered in a non-institutional setting during peer-to-peer native/non-native interactions as is the case with tandem language learning. Tandem language exchanges represent a special learning environment, as each participant takes turns being the native and the non-native side of the dialogue. Thus, in contrast to the typical L2 learning setting, the hierarchical structure between the participants is fluid: the expert-novice power relationship evolves as the meeting progresses and the conversation switches from one language to the other. In order to see how the distinguishing characteristics of tandem learning (such as solidarity and reciprocity) shape the process of L2 phonetic development in their own specific ways, we collected an English-French Tandem Corpus as part of the SITAF project (Spécificités des Interactions verbales dans le cadre de Tandems linguistiques Anglais-Français), launched at the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3 in October 2012. We gathered linguistic data – both video and audio recorded – from face-to-face conversational exchanges held by 21 pairs of undergraduate students, with each ‘tandem’ consisting of a native speaker of English and a native speaker of French. The dialogues and reading passages were recorded on two occasions separated by a 3-month interval. The present paper offers a preliminary analysis of L2 pronunciation feedback on several renditions of the same text (The North Wind and the Sun), given to the French speakers by their English tandem partners. The passage was produced by each French participant three times: (1) during the ‘monitored’ reading, which was supervised by the English-speaking partner and which led to (2) the ‘second reading’ in the course of the first recording session, and then (3) the ‘final reading’ performed during the second recording session 3 months later. Data analysis will allow us to address the following questions relating to the study of phonetic corrective feedback:
- What is corrected by the native-speaking partner (henceforth NS)? Segmental or prosodic errors? Phonemic or allophonic deviations?- What is the corrective strategy adopted by the NS? Is it explicit correction, recast, or elicitation?- What is the learner’s uptake after receiving feedback?We hope that our data brings a valuable and fairly unique contribution to SLA research, helping to establish which errors get corrected and how it may have implications for setting priorities in L2 pronunciation teaching.
Building a 256-bit hash function on a stronger MD variant
Authors: Tiwari Harshvardhan , Asawa Krishna 
Published: June 2014

AbstractCryptographic hash functions are important cryptographic techniques and are used widely in many cryptographic applications and protocols. All the MD4 design based hash functions such as MD5, SHA-1, RIPEMD-160 and FORK-256 are built on Merkle-Damgård iterative method. Recent differential and generic attacks against these popular hash functions have shown weaknesses of both specific hash functions and their underlying Merkle-Damgård construction. In this paper we propose a hash function follows design principle of NewFORK-256 and based on HAIFA construction. Its compression function takes three inputs and generates a single output of 256-bit length. An extra input to a compression function is a 64-bit counter (number of bits hashed so far). HAIFA construction shows strong resistance against major generic and other cryptanalytic attacks. The security of proposed hash function against generic attacks, differential attack, birthday attack and statistical attack was analyzed in detail. It is shown that the proposed hash function has high sensitivity to an input message and is secure against different cryptanalytic attacks.
Morphological predictors of intraprocedural rupture during coil embolization of ruptured cerebral aneurysms: do small basal outpouchings carry higher risk?
Authors: Kang Dong-Hun , Goh Duck-Ho , Baik Seung-Kug , Park Jaechan , Kim Yong-Sun 
Published: June 2014

Object
This study aimed to investigate morphological predictors of intraprocedural rupture (IPR) during coil embolization of ruptured cerebral aneurysms.

Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted in 322 consecutive patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms who were treated with coil embolization over an 8-year period from January 2005 to December 2012. The authors analyzed all available data with emphasis on morphological characteristics of the aneurysm as shown on baseline angiography in relation to IPR. Regarding aneurysm morphology, the authors classified patients according to multilobulation, presence of a daughter sac, and presence of a small basal outpouching (SBO).

Results
The incidence of IPR was 4.8% (16 of 332). In terms of aneurysm configuration, the presence of multilobulation (100.0% [16 of 16] in the IPR group vs 89.2% [282 of 316] in the non-IPR group, p = 0.388) and daughter sac (75.0% [12 of 16] in the IPR group vs 59.2% [187 of 316] in the non-IPR group, p = 0.208) were not significantly associated with IPR. However, SBO, found in 9% (30 of 332) of the study population, was significantly associated with IPR (56.3% [9 of 16] in the IPR group vs 6.7% [21 of 316] in the non-IPR group, OR 18.06, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions
Based on the authors' data, the more general groups of multilobulation and daughter sac were not significantly associated with IPR, although the more specific subgroup with an SBO was. More confirmation studies on these results are required, but they point to the possibility that SBO (with its possible connection to basal rupture) is an important morphological risk factor for IPR during coiling. In addition, future comparison of coiling and clipping treatment for ruptured aneurysms associated with an SBO seems necessary.
Dynamic cervicomedullary cord compression and alterations in cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in children with achondroplasia: review of an 11-year surgical case series
Authors: Mukherjee Debraj , Pressman Barry D. , Krakow Deborah , Rimoin David L. , Danielpour Moise 
Published: June 2014

Object
Achondroplasia may be associated with compression at the cervicomedullary junction. Determining which patients are at greatest risk for neurological complications of cervicomedullary compression can be difficult. In the current study the authors reviewed their records to determine the incidence and clinical significance of dynamic cervicomedullary stenosis and obstruction of CSF flow along with surgical outcomes following posterior fossa decompression.

Methods
The authors reviewed 34 consecutive cases involving symptomatic children with achondroplasia undergoing cervicomedullary decompression performed by a single surgeon over 11 years. Of these patients, 29 had undergone preoperative dynamic MRI of the cervicomedullary junction with cine (cinema) CSF flow studies; 13 of these patients underwent postoperative dynamic MRI studies. Clinical outcomes included changes in polysomnography, head circumference percentile, and fontanel characteristics. Radiographic outcomes included changes in dynamic spinal cord diameter, improvement in CSF flow at the foramen magnum, and change in the Evans ratio.

Results
Patients were predominantly female, with a mean age at presentation of 6.6 years and mean follow-up of 3.7 years (range 1–10 years).
All patients had moderate to excellent improvement in postoperative polysomnography, slight decrease in average head circumference percentile (from 46.9th percentile to 45.7th percentile), and no subjective worsening of fontanel characteristics. The Evans ratio decreased by 2%, spinal cord diameter increased an average of 3.1 mm, 5.2 mm, and 0.2 mm in the neutral, flexed, and extended positions, respectively, and CSF flow improved qualitatively in all 3 positions. There were no postoperative infections, CSF leaks, or other major complications. None of the patients undergoing initial foramen magnum decompression performed at our medical center required reoperation.

Conclusions
Patients with achondroplasia and symptomatic cervicomedullary compression have increased risk of dynamic stenosis at the foramen magnum evident upon dynamic cine MRI. Operative decompression may be offered with low risk of complications or need for reoperation.
Predicting sagittal deformity after surgery for intramedullary tumors
Authors: Knafo Steven , Court Charles , Parker Fabrice 
Published: June 2014

Object
Spinal deformity after surgery for intramedullary tumors is a potentially serious complication that may require subsequent fusion. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were risk factors that could be used to predict postoperative sagittal deformity.

Methods
The authors conducted a retrospective study of patients harboring an intramedullary tumor who had undergone surgery at a single center between 1985 and 2011. The main outcome of interest was the difference, at the last follow-up, between post- and preoperative measures of the Cobb angle formed by the superior and inferior limits of the laminectomy (ΔCobb).

Results
Sixty-three patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. The mean sagittal deformity, measured as described above, was 15.9° (range 0°–77°) at a mean follow-up of 85.4 months (range 4–240 months). Univariate analysis showed increased sagittal deformity in patients 30 years old or younger (21.9° vs 13.7°, p = 0.04), undergoing a laminectomy involving 4 or more levels (19.3° vs 12.1°, p = 0.04), and undergoing a laminectomy that included a spinal junction (20.8° vs 12.4°, p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis showed that only age (p = 0.01) and the number of spinal levels involved in the laminectomy (p = 0.014) were significant and independent predictors of postoperative sagittal deformity. The linear regression equation drawn from this model allows one to quantitatively predict sagittal deformity for any follow-up time point after surgery.

Conclusions
Authors of this study developed a statistical tool that could be used to plan surgery and follow-up as regards the risk of sagittal spinal deformity in patients undergoing surgery for intramedullary tumors.
Informative Simultaneous Confidence Intervals in Hierarchical Testing
Authors: Brannath W. , Schmidt S. 
Published: June 2014

SummaryBackground and Objectives: In clinical trials involving multiple tests it is often difficult to obtain informative simultaneous confidence intervals (SCIs). In particular in hierarchical testing, no quantification of effects is possible for the first tested (and most important) hypothesis after its rejection. Our goal is a construction of SCIs that are always informative.Methods: We present an approach where the level is split after rejection of each hypothesis to obtain an informative confidence bound. The splitting weights are continuous functions of the parameters. Our method is realizable by a simple algorithm and is illustrated by an intuitive graphical representation.Results: We show theoretically and by an example that the new SCIs always provide information when a hypothesis is rejected. The power to reject the first hypothesis is not smaller than for the classical fixed-sequence procedure. The price for the extra information is a small power loss in the hypotheses proceeding the most important one.Conclusions: Given the substantial gain in information, a small loss of power for the non-primary hypotheses seems often acceptable. Especially in the context of non-inferiority trials, this method is a useful alternative. The flexibility in the choice of the weight functions makes the procedure attractive for applications.
Quantitative Conjunctival Provocation Test for Controlled Clinical Trials
Authors: Sárándi I. , Claßen D. P. , Astvatsatourov A. , Pfaar O. , Klimek L. , Mösges R. , Deserno T. M. 
Published: June 2014

SummaryBackground: The conjunctival provocation test (CPT) is a diagnostic procedure for the assessment of allergic diseases. Photographs are taken before and after provocation increasing the redness of the conjunctiva due to hyperemia.Objective: We propose and evaluate an automatic image processing pipeline for objective and quantitative CPT.Method: After scale normalization based on intrinsic image features, the conjunctiva region of interest (ROI) is segmented combining thresholding, edge detection and Hough transform. Redness of the ROI is measured from 0 to 1 by the average pixel redness, which is defined by truncated projection in HSV space. In total, 92 images from an observational diagnostic study are processed for evaluation. The database contains images from two visits for assessment of the test- retest reliability (46 images per visit).Result: All images were successfully processed by the algorithm. The relative redness increment correlates between the two visits with Pearson’s r = 0.672 (p < .001). Linear correlation of the automatic measure is larger than the manual measure (r = 0.59). This indicates a higher reproducibility and stability of the automatic method.Conclusion: We presented a robust and effective way to objectify CPT. The algorithm operates on low resolution, is fast and requires no manual input. Quantitative CPT measures can now be established as surrogate endpoint in controlled clinical trials.