bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Employing smartphone as on-board navigator in unmanned aerial vehicles: implementation and experiments
Authors: Zhao Boxin , Hellwich Olaf , Hu Tianjiang , Zhou Dianle , Niu Yifeng , Shen Lincheng
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to investigate if smartphone sensors can be used in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) localization system. With the development of technology, smartphones have been tentatively used in micro-UAVs due to their lightweight, inexpensiveness and flexibility. In this study, a Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone is selected as an on-board sensor platform for UAV localization in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments and two main issues are investigated: Are the phone sensors appropriate for UAV localization? If yes, what are the boundary conditions of employing them?

Design/methodology/approach

– Efficient accuracy estimation methodologies for the phone sensors are proposed without using any expensive instruments. Using these methods, one can estimate his phone sensors accuracy at any time without special instruments. Then, a visual-inertial odometry scheme is introduced to evaluate the phone sensors-based path estimation performance.

Findings

– Boundary conditions of using smartphone in a UAV navigation system are found. Both indoor and outdoor localization experiments are carried out and experimental results validate the effectiveness of the boundary conditions and the corresponding implemented scheme.

Originality/value

– With the phone as a payload, UAVs can be further realized in smaller scale at lower cost, which will be used widely in the field of industrial robots.
Sweeping it under the carpet: the role of legislators in corrupt practice in Nigeria
Authors: Otusanya Olatunde Julius , Lauwo Sarah , Ige Oluwaseun Joseph , Adelaja Olunlade Samuel
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to contribute to the emerging discourse on elite financial crime, with particular attention devoted to the role played by the legislature in corrupt practices in Nigeria. Separations of power, watchdog role of legislature and ideologies have become a major influence in democratic system. Legislative power has developed as a means of providing oversight functions over the executives, thereby inhibiting fraudulent practices in governments.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper argues that the political institutional structures embedded with monopoly, discretion and little or no accountability facilitate financial corrupt practices within the legislature. The paper uses publicly available evidence to show that the legislators in developing countries are actively engaged in corrupt practices.

Findings

– The evidence provided in this paper shows that separation of power and representative democracy had not brought about transparency and accountability in government activities in Nigeria. Legislature often trade-off their constitutional power and their claim of service to the public interest by engaging in financial criminal practices.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper does not set out to provide a comprehensive analysis of political corruption. Instead, it considers the “dark” side of legislative practice by examining the involvement of legislature in facilitating corrupt financial practices in Nigeria.

Practical implications

– The inability of the regulators to effectively sanction legislators implicated in corrupt practices suggests that the current institutional and regulatory apparatus are not fully equipped in dealing with the financial criminal activities of legislators.

Social implications

– Despite the arrest and prosecution of some legislators, a number of cases are swept under the carpet. Therefore, this paper suggests that Nigeria need to reform its political system and institutions to promote transparency and accountability in government and to build trust in the legislative process.

Originality/value

– This paper considers the “dark” side of legislative practice by examining the involvement of legislature in facilitating corrupt financial practices in Nigeria.
Cutting fraud losses in Canadian organizations
Authors: Peltier-Rivest Dominic , Lanoue Nicole
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of various internal controls (i.e. hotlines, regular ethics (fraud) training, surprise audits, internal and external audits and background checks) on reducing occupational fraud losses by victim organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper, based on data from an occupational fraud report co-authored by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and Peltier-Rivest (2007), uses a multivariate regression analysis to analyze the effect of various internal controls on preventing fraud losses.

Findings

– The authors’ analyses demonstrate that hotlines, regular ethics (fraud) training, surprise audits and internal audits all decrease fraud losses when used separately. However, hotlines and surprise audits are the only statistically significant controls when controlling for the potential correlation among all internal controls. Hotlines are associated with a reduction of 54 per cent in median fraud losses, while surprise audits cut median losses by 69 per cent.

Research limitations/implications

– This study contributes to academia and the anti-fraud profession by assessing the statistical effect of six internal controls on preventing fraud losses, while controlling for the potential correlation among these controls.

Practical implications

– This study discusses the relative benefits (loss savings) of various internal controls to organizations, governments, managers and anti-fraud professionals. This information may help determine investment priorities in the context of scarce resources.

Originality/value

– This paper is based on proprietary data owned by the ACFE and is the first to analyze the statistical significance of various internal controls on the reduction of fraud losses in Canada.
The micro-processes during repatriate knowledge transfer: the repatriates’ perspective
Authors: Burmeister Anne , Deller Jürgen , Osland Joyce , Szkudlarek Betina , Oddou Gary , Blakeney Roger
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to add a process perspective to the literature on repatriate knowledge transfer (RKT) and to understand how the knowledge transfer process unfolds in the repatriation context. Thus, this qualitative study uses existing knowledge transfer process models to assess their applicability to the context of repatriation and explain the micro-processes during RKT.

Design/methodology/approach

– To provide a rich understanding of these processes from the repatriate perspective, critical incidents reported by 29 German and US American repatriates were content-analyzed.

Findings

– The findings are summarized in a proposed RKT process model, which describes the roles and knowledge transfer-related activities of repatriates, recipients and supervisors as well as their interaction during four transfer phases: assessment, initiation, execution and evaluation.

Research limitations/implications

– The experiences of repatriates from different geographic areas as well as the perspectives of knowledge recipients and supervisors were not studied but should be included in future research. In addition, future research could test the applicability of the identified micro-processes to different knowledge transfer contexts.

Practical implications

– Managers can use the findings to facilitate the RKT process more effectively because the type of organizational support offered can be aligned with the changing needs of repatriates, recipients and supervisors during the four identified phases.

Originality/value

– This is the first study that takes a process perspective to understand RKT. The integration of the current findings with the existing literature can enable a more nuanced view on RKT.
A systematic review of approaches to assessing cybersecurity awareness
Authors: Rahim Noor Hayani Abd , Hamid Suraya , Mat Kiah Miss Laiha , Shamshirband Shahaboddin , Furnell Steven
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to survey, explore and inform researchers about the previous methodologies applied, target audience and coverage of previous assessment of cybersecurity awareness by capturing, summarizing, synthesizing and critically comment on it. It is also conducted to identify the gaps in the cybersecurity awareness assessment research which warrants the future work.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used a systematic literature review technique to search the relevant online databases by using pre-defined keywords. The authors limited the search to retrieve only English language academic articles published from 2005 to 2014. Relevant information was extracted from the retrieved articles, and the ensuing discussion centres on providing the answers to the research questions.

Findings

– From the online searches, 23 studies that matched the search criteria were retrieved, and the information extracted from each study includes the authors, publication year, assessment method used, target audiences, coverage of assessment and assessment goals.

Originality/value

– The review of the retrieved articles indicates that no previous research was conducted in the assessment of the cybersecurity awareness using a programme evaluation technique. It was also found that few studies focused on youngsters and on the issue of safeguarding personal information.
Structuration theory: reflections on its further potential for management accounting research
Authors: Coad Alan , Jack Lisa , Kholeif Ahmed Othman Rashwan
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the potential of strong structuration theory in management accounting research.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper explains how the ontological perspective of strong structuration theory extends the work of Giddens and explores how the perspective overcomes a number of the limitations of existing management accounting research based on structuration theory.

Findings

– Strong structuration theory develops and extends the work of Giddens, providing greater insights into the role of agents, improves our understanding of the diffusion of accounting practices through organisational fields, adds to our knowledge of how artefacts are used in the production and reproduction of organisational life and improves research design.

Research limitations/implications

– Strong structuration theory provides clear guidance about management accounting case study research design, and suggests the potential for the accounting research community to engage more actively in debates about the development of structuration theory beyond the work of Giddens.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a clear explanation of the ontology of strong structuration theory, its implications for research design and how it holds the potential to overcome many of the limitations of earlier management accounting studies deploying structuration theory.
Nonlinear vibration-FBG sensing technique for plate detection
Authors: Cai Li , Tan Yuegang , Wei Qin
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to put forward a nonlinear vibration method for crack detection based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which is used to receive the waves in the plate.

Design/methodology/approach

– First of all, measuring principle of nonlinear vibration technique and FBG sensing principle are introduced. Then nonlinear signal spectrum is analyzed to reveal various models of nonlinear vibration, and modal analysis of the plate structure is performed to lay the foundation for the later experiment. This approach is the cross-modulation effect from a persistent excitation to the receipt signal.

Findings

– The experimental system is built and its results are in agreement with theoretical analysis, and show that this nonlinear vibration method based on FBG sensor is sensitive to crack damage.

Originality/value

– Taking the board structure as the object, a new attempt by nonlinear vibration detection with FBG sensor has been investigated.
Visual-commercial discourses of infants in direct marketing sent to first-time parents
Authors: Sjöberg Johanna
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to analyze what notions of infants parents are visually met through addressed direct marketing. Questions discussed are: How are infants visually constructed as a category? and How are they argued to be in need of consumption?

Design/methodology/approach

– Unsolicited direct marketing sent to three Swedish first-time parents during their child’s first year has been collected and analyzed. Using critical visual discourse analysis, attention is paid to recurring visual patterns and contradictions in how infants are visualized and described at the intersection of materiality, image and text.

Findings

– The analysis shows three dominant visual commercial discourses of infants, here called “the angel”, “the adventurer” and “the transformer”. These discourses are articulated in such a way and with such a strong claim to truth that it appears as if it is not the marketer that is arguing for consumption, but that it is the infant’s character that demands and drives parents toward consumption.

Social implications

– As the visualizations of the age category infants, as well as of parents, are shown to be very uniform and that the marketing play on especially mothers’ fear of not providing the optimal conditions for the child, the study highlights the necessity of a critical dialogue between marketers, producers, parents and other actors in the child consumer business about their respective responsibilities and needs.

Originality/value

– The youngest children are practically invisible in childhood studies as well as in the field of consumer culture. The paper thus contributes to those fields and to the study of visualization of children.
Effects of Discrete Time Delays and Parameters Variation on Dynamical Systems
Authors: Diakite Ibrahim Oumar , Chen-Charpentier Benito
Published: June 2015

Delay Differential Equations (DDE's) have received considerable attention in recent years. В While most of these articles focused on the effects of the time delays on the stability of the equilibrium points and on the bifurcation that they may raised, В very few papers address the key roles that В system parameters В play В on if and how В the discrete delays induce stability changes of the equilibria and produce bifurcations near such equilibria. In this article we focus on that question in a general setting, that is, if you have a system of DDE's with one or multiple discrete time delays, what are the results of changing the system parameters values on the effects of the discrete time delays on the dynamic of the system. We present general results for one equation with one and two delays В and study a specific example of one equation with one delay. We then establish the procedure for n equations with multiple delays and do a specific example for two equations with two delays. We compute the steady states and analyze their stability as both chosen bifurcation parameters, the discrete time delay ...
Revision of a Fundamental Assumption in the Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Theory and Friction in Heavily Loaded Line Contacts With Notable Sliding
Authors: Kudish Ilya I.
Published: June 2015

An analysis of the classic friction modeling in lubricated contacts is conducted. Its major deficiency for soft materials (low-elastic moduli) leading to significant overstating of friction in heavily loaded isothermal and thermal lubricated contacts is revealed. An improved model of friction in a heavily loaded lubricated contact is proposed. The model is based on incorporating the tangential displacements of the solid surfaces in contact, leading to a significant reduction of the frictional stress due to the decrease of the actual sliding of lubricated surfaces. Generally, this frictional stress reduction increases with the slide-to-roll ratio, and it is extremely important for high slide-to-roll ratios for which classic approaches lead to unrealistically overestimated values of frictional stresses. The high slide-to-roll ratio values can be found in many practical applications, such as clutches. Several examples of the frictional stress calculated based on this model as well as the comparison with the classical results are given for the case of smooth solid surfaces and lubricants with Newtonian rheology. Also, the results allow to take a look at the role and the necessity of considering thermal and lubricant non-Newtonian effects on solution of various EHL problems for such heavily loaded contacts.
Large Eddy Simulation for a Deep Surge Cycle in a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor With Vaned Diffuser
Authors: Shahin Ibrahim , Gadala Mohamed , Alqaradawi Mohamed , Badr Osama
Published: June 2015

This paper presents a computational study for a high-speed centrifugal compressor stage with a design pressure ratio equal to 4, the stage consisting of a splittered unshrouded impeller and a wedged vaned diffuser. The aim of this paper is to investigate numerically the modifications of the flow structure during a surge cycle. The investigations are based on the results of unsteady three-dimensional, compressible flow simulations, using large eddy simulation (LES) model. Instantaneous and mean flow field analyses are presented in the impeller inducer and in the vaned diffuser region through one surge cycle time intervals. The computational data compare favorably with the measured data, from the literature, for the same compressor and operational point. The surge event phases are well detected inside the impeller and diffuser. The time-averaged loading on the impeller main blade is maximum near the trialing edge and near the tip. The amplitude of the unsteady pressure fluctuation is maximum for the flow reversal condition and reaches values up to 70% of the dynamic pressure. The diffuser vane exhibits high-pressure fluctuation from the vane leading edge to 50% of the chord length. High-pressure fluctuation is detected during the forward flow recovery condition as a result of the shock wave that moves toward the diffuser outlet.
Laminar Flow Through a Circular Tube Having Transverse Ribs and Twisted Tapes
Authors: Tiwari Manvendra , Saha Sujoy Kumar
Published: June 2015

The experimental friction factor and Nusselt number data for laminar flow of viscous oil through a circular duct having integral transverse rib roughness and fitted with twisted tapes with oblique teeth have been presented. Predictive friction factor and Nusselt number correlations have also been presented. The thermohydraulic performance has been evaluated. The major findings of this experimental investigation are that the twisted tapes with oblique teeth in combination with integral transverse rib roughness perform significantly better than the individual enhancement technique acting alone for laminar flow through a circular duct up to a certain value of fin parameter.
Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes and Large-Eddy Simulation Investigation of Lean Premixed Gas Turbine Combustor
Authors: Patil Sunil , Montanari Federico
Published: June 2015

Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and large-eddy simulations (LES) of a Siemens scaled combustor are compared against comprehensive experimental data. The steady RANS simulation modeled one quarter of the geometry with 8 M polyhedral cells using the shear stress transport (SST) k-ω model. Unsteady LES were performed on the quarter geometry (90 deg, 8 M cells) as well as the full geometry (360 deg, 32 M cells) using the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity (WALE) subgrid model and dynamic evaluation of model coefficients. Aside from the turbulence model, all other models are identical for the RANS and LES. Combustion was modeled with the flamelet generated manifold (FGM) model, which represents the thermochemistry by mixture fraction and reaction progress. RANS simulations are performed using Zimont and Peters turbulent flame-speed (TFS) expressions with default model constants, as well as the kinetic rate from the FGM. The flame-speed stalls near the wall with the TFS models, predicting a flame brush that extends to the combustor outlet, which is inconsistent with measurements. The FGM kinetic source model shows improved flame position predictions. The LES predictions of mean and rms axial velocity, mixture fraction, and temperature do not show improvement over the RANS. All three simulations overpredict the turbulent mixing in the inner recirculation zone, causing flatter profiles than measurements. This overmixing is exacerbated in the 90 deg case. The experiments show evidence of heat loss, and the adiabatic simulations presented here might be improved by including wall heat-loss and radiation effects.
Pressure Drop Studies on Supercritical Helium Flowing in Horizontal Tubes
Authors: Joaquim Rebelo Neville , Ghosh Parthasarathi
Published: June 2015

Supercritical helium owing to its single-phase characteristics and enhanced heat transfer near the pseudo-critical region is envisaged as a potential coolant for superconducting magnets used in particle accelerators and fusion devices. However, near the transposed critical line, there is a wide fluctuation of thermophysical properties like specific heat at constant pressure, density, thermal conductivity, viscosity, etc. As a consequence of this fluctuation, heat transfer and fluid flow studies become difficult for accurate prediction of heat transfer coefficient and friction factor. In this paper, numerical simulation of supercritical helium flowing under turbulent conditions in a horizontal heated tube is performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS FLUENT v12.0.16. It is found that results of pressure drop obtained from simulation closely match experimental data in case of fluctuation free regimes. The friction factor indicating the frictional pressure drop occurring in a horizontal tube can be matched to existing correlations within given accuracies for fluctuation regimes. A correlation for friction factor that yields better results than those in literature is proposed based on the simulation data obtained. The accurate determination of the overall pressure drop in the tubes along with the optimum flow rates gives the estimation of pumping power required for enhanced heat transfer with flow of supercritical helium.
Developing a Coach Education Course: A Bottom-Up Approach
Authors: Jacobs Frank , Knoppers Annelies , Diekstra Rene , Sklad Marcin
Published: June 2015

A frequent critique of coach education courses is that they are designed by scholars with little input from coaches about what they think they need. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and content of a coach education course that was grounded in stakeholder needs. Dutch amateur football coaches felt ill-equipped to handle conflicts and confrontational behaviors by players and/or parents. Therefore a coach education course was created to help coaches develop tools they could use to improve their interpersonal skills. The tools were drawn from the teaching strategies of Forgatch and DeGarmo (1999) and Rational-Emotive Education (REE) (Knaus, 1974).
Naturalistic Decision Making in High Performance Team Sport Coaching
Authors: Harvey Stephen , Lyle John William Baird , Muir Bob
Published: June 2015

A defining element of coaching expertise is characterised by the coach’s ability to make decisions. Recent literature has explored the potential of Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) as a useful framework for research into coaches’ in situ decision making behaviour. The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether the NDM paradigm offered a valid mechanism for exploring three high performance coaches’ decision-making behaviour in competition and training settings. The approach comprised three phases: 1) existing literature was synthesised to develop a conceptual framework of decision-making cues to guide and shape the exploration of empirical data; 2) data were generated from stimulated recall procedures to populate the framework; 3) existing theory was combined with empirical evidence to generate a set of concepts that offer explanations for the coaches’ decision-making behaviour. Findings revealed that NDM offered a suitable framework to apply to coaches’ decision-making behaviour. This behaviour was guided by the emergence of a slow, interactive script that evolves through a process of pattern recognition and/or problem framing. This revealed ‘key attractors’ that formed the initial catalyst and the potential necessity for the coach to make a decision through the breaching of a ‘threshold’. These were the critical factors for coaches’ interventions.
Draft Genome Sequence of Raoultella terrigena R1Gly, a Diazotrophic Endophyte
Authors: Schicklberger M. , Shapiro N. , Loqué D. , Woyke T. , Chakraborty R.
Published: June 2015

Raoultella terrigena
R1Gly is a diazotrophic endophyte isolated from surface-sterilized roots of
Nicotiana tabacum
. The whole-genome sequence was obtained to investigate the endophytic characteristics of this organism at the genetic level, as well as to compare this strain with its close relatives. To our knowledge, this is the first genome obtained from the
Raoultella terrigena
species and only the third genome from the
Raoultella
genus, after
Raoultella ornitholytic
and
Raoultella planticola
. This genome will provide a foundation for further comparative genomic, metagenomic, and functional studies of this genus.
Genome Sequence of Listeria monocytogenes Strain HPB5415, Collected during a 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak in Canada
Authors: Pightling Arthur W. , Pagotto Franco
Published: June 2015

Listeria monocytogenes
strain HPB5415—isolated from deli meat—was found in 2008 to have the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns as a clinical strain (08-5923). However, whether nucleotide differences (single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) exist between their genomes was not determined. We sequenced the
L. monocytogenes
strain HPB5415 genome and identified 52 SNPs relative to strain 08-5923.
Dietary restriction causing iodine-deficient goitre
Authors: Cheetham Tim , Plumb Emma , Callaghan James , Jackson Michael , Michaelis Louise
Published: June 2015

Iodine-deficient goitre was common in some parts of the UK prior to the introduction of salt iodisation. Many contemporary salt preparations do not contain much iodine, and there are renewed concerns about the iodine status of the population. We present a boy with severe allergy who developed goitre and significant thyroid dysfunction in association with an iodine-deficient ‘food-restricted’ diet. The case highlights the importance of a comprehensive nutritional assessment in all children on multiple food restrictions.
Ileal duplication: an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction in adult life
Authors: Barbosa L , Soares C , Póvoa A A , Maciel J P
Published: June 2015

Gastrointestinal duplications are rare congenital malformations seldom diagnosed in adulthood. They may vary greatly in size and location, with the small intestine being their major focus. Their clinical presentation is widely variable and unspecific, mimicking more common pathologies, thus making preoperative diagnosis very difficult. The intraoperative surgeon's experience and knowledge are crucial in recognising these lesions so that they can be correctly managed. In this report, the authors present a case of a 36-year-old man with an acute intestinal obstruction as the first presentation of ileal duplication.
The devastating effects a fire burn in a child
Authors: Istek Şeref
Published: June 2015

Burn injuries are a serious global public health concern with significant worldwide mortality and morbidity rates. Burns are among the most devastating of all injuries, with outcomes ranging from physical impairment and disability to emotional and mental consequences. Paediatric burns requiring treatment often incur significant health and opportunity costs, and frequently result in death or long-term disability. A recent systemic review showed that almost 50% of patients hospitalised with severe burns in Europe were younger than 16 years of age, and nearly 60% were male. This report discusses the case of a 2-year-old boy with second and third-degree skin burns over almost 45% of his body, including his head and arms, who presented to the eye clinic at the State Hospital in Hakkari 1 month after a fire burn accident. Both eyes had been burnt and the bilateral anterior chambers had been injured so badly that the patient was left blind.
Bilateral atherosclerotic internal carotid artery occlusion and recurrent ischaemic stroke
Authors: Amin Osama S M
Published: June 2015

Bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion (BICAO) is a rare disease that carries a gloomy prognosis. We report a case of a 52-year-old man who developed ischaemic infarction at the region of the right middle cerebral artery; he was found to have atherosclerotic occlusion of both internal carotid arteries on Doppler-duplex examination. He received medical treatment only. After 1 year, he developed a new infarction at the region of the left middle cerebral artery. Conventional angiography revealed bilateral occlusion of internal carotid arteries at their origin, approximately 50% stenosis of the common carotid bulbs and mild stenosis of the origin of external carotid arteries. The patient did not undergo any form of surgical revascularisation procedures and died of severe aspiration pneumonia approximately 2 months after the second stroke. BICAO portends a poor outcome and carries a risk of recurrent ischaemic events. The best management strategy for this vascular occlusion remains unclear.
When is pneumonia not pneumonia?
Authors: Sasegbon Ayodele
Published: June 2015

A 34-year-old man was admitted to hospital via the accident and emergency department with severe right-sided abdominal pain and raised inflammatory markers. His pain settled with analgaesia and he was discharged with a course of oral co-amoxiclav. He was readmitted to the hospital 7 days later reporting cough and shortness of breath. His chest X-ray showed a raised right hemi-diaphragm, presumed consolidation and a right-sided effusion. As a result, he was treated for pneumonia. Despite antibiotic therapy his C reactive protein remained elevated, prompting an attempt at ultrasound-guided drainage of his effusion. Finding only a small amount of fluid, a CT of the chest was performed, and this showed a subphrenic abscess and free air under the diaphragm. A CT of the abdomen was then carried out, showing a perforated appendix. An emergency laparotomy was performed, the patient's appendix was removed and the abscess drained.
Soft tissue releases, bone preservation and patient outcome following revision of the oldest total knee replacement
Authors: Marson Ben Arthur , Gleeson Robert , Majkowski Richard , Atrey Amit
Published: June 2015

The patient had a total knee replacement for arthritis secondary to Stills disease performed 35 years earlier, with 20 years of good function followed by 15 years of progressively worsening knee pain. A revision was completed, which improved the patient's quality of life and objective knee scores, with an increase in Oxford Knee Score from 22 to 42 and American Knee Society Score from 76 to 170. We discuss the technical aspects in revising this knee replacement, which is the oldest that we are aware of. The result has been a good recovery, which is the first available in the literature for future comparison.
Characteristics of 22q 11.2 deletion syndrome undiagnosed until adulthood: an example suggesting the importance of psychiatric manifestations
Authors: Furuya Kenta , Sasaki Yosuke , Takeuchi Taizo , Urita Yoshihisa
Published: June 2015

Patients with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) exhibit various combinations of signs and symptoms including facial dysmorphism, thymus absence, hypoparathyroidism, cellular immunodeficiency and cardiac abnormalities caused by microdeletion of chromosome 22q11.2. Most cases are diagnosed during post-natal cardiac evaluation, though some are diagnosed at later stages. We report the case of a 39-year-old man with 22q11.2DS presenting with seizure due to tardily manifested hypocalcaemia and anxiety disorder. Our experience suggests that 22q11.2DS patients lacking fatal or well-recognised manifestations such as cardiac defects, immunodeficiency and facial dysmorphism tend to survive without medical attention, and are therefore overlooked. Recognition of the age-related variance of the manifestations, and specifically of tardily manifested hypocalcaemia and psychiatric or developmental disorders as manifestations of 22q11.2DS in adulthood, is important for diagnosis and can also help us provide appropriate medical and psychosocial support for newly diagnosed 22q11.2DS patients in adolescence or adulthood and their families.
Branch portal vein pyaemia secondary to amoebic liver abscess
Authors: Kenny Conor , Sohan Oliver , Murray Lois , Fox Thomas Peter
Published: June 2015

We describe a case of a young returning traveller who contracted amoebic dysentery while visiting India. She presented to a major London Hospital several months later with features suggestive of amoebic liver abscesses, a known sequelae of amoebiasis. MRI with intravenous contrast demonstrated an area of likely occlusion of the portal vein. The patient was treated with intravenous metronidazole for 10 days followed by diloxanide furoate, an intraluminal agent. The largest abscess was drained acutely under ultrasound guidance. The portal vein occlusion was treated medically without the use of anticoagulation. A repeat ultrasound at 6 weeks post-treatment confirmed patency of the portal vein indicating spontaneous recanalisation with antimicrobial therapy alone.
Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee: a non-traumatic injury with prolonged recovery time
Authors: Gourlay Margaret L , Renner Jordan B , Spang Jeffrey T , Rubin Janet E
Published: June 2015

Subchondral insufficiency fractures are non-traumatic fractures that occur immediately below the cartilage of a joint. Although low bone density may be present concurrently, it is not the underlying cause of subchondral insufficiency fractures in the majority of patients. Patients with subchondral insufficiency fracture characteristically have unremarkable plain radiographs, while MRI examination may reveal extensive bone marrow oedema and subchondral bone collapse. This article presents a 51-year-old postmenopausal woman, a physician, who had subchondral insufficiency fractures of the knee associated with prolonged standing during clinical work. She was treated with partial weight bearing on crutches until 14 months after the injury, viscosupplementation at 4 months to treat osteoarthritis and teriparatide treatment to improve bone healing at 7 months. By 26 months after the injury, she tolerated independent walking with a fabric knee support but still experienced mild posterolateral knee pain and numbness on prolonged standing.
Significance of an isolated new right bundle branch block in a patient with chest pain
Authors: Gilliot Geraldine , Monney Pierre , Muller Olivier , Hugli Olivier
Published: June 2015

Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in emergency departments, and a typical manifestation of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recognition of ECG changes in AMI is essential for timely diagnosis and treatment. Right bundle branch block (RBBB) may be an isolated sign of AMI, and was previously considered as a criterion for fibrinolytic therapy. Since the most recent European Society of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines in 2013, RBBB alone is no longer considered a diagnostic criterion of AMI, even if it occurs in the context of acute chest pain, as RBBB does not usually interfere with the interpretation of ST-segment alteration. Our case illustrates an acute septal myocardial infarction with an isolated RBBB, and thus the importance of recognising this pattern in order to permit timely diagnosis and treatment.
Clinical and molecular characterisation of two siblings with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, from the Colombian Pacific coast (South America)
Authors: Pachajoa Harry , Ramirez Botero Andres Felipe
Published: June 2015

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP, MIM 135 100) is an uncommon genetic disease with a dominant autosomal germline transmission pattern; however, most cases are products of spontaneous individual mutations. It is a disabling condition that affects connective tissue, and it is distinguished by progressive heterotopic ossifications and congenital malformations of the great toes. The case of 2 brothers with progressive osseous deformation, along with ankylosis of the jaw, scoliosis and mental retardation, is presented. Blood samples were taken from each patient identifying in both of them a heterozygote mutation in exon 6 of the geneACVR1(c.617G>A p.Arg206His), which diagnoses the ‘classic’ form of FOP. The current medical treatment of this disease is early detection to avoid trauma and aggravating factors, prophylactic measures against infections and respiratory decline, symptomatic relief and physical therapy. There is currently no cure for the disease.
A hairy situation
Authors: Ibrahim Nader , Wooles Nicola Rachel , Elloy Marianne , Da Forno Philip
Published: June 2015

A 2-day-old neonate was transferred to a specialist paediatric otolaryngology centre with stridor at rest, feeding difficulties and an apparent mass in the oropharynx. The newborn displayed evidence of respiratory distress, however, she remained self-ventilating. MRI highlighted a fat-containing lesion in the postnasal space with no intracranial extension. A CT scan under general anaesthesia showed no underlying bony abnormality, and hence an examination of the nasopharynx, oropharynx and microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy were performed. The macroscopically hairy lesion arising from the superior aspect of the soft palate was resected. Histology displayed a benign growth measuring 28×17×12 mm in keeping with a hairy polyp. This is one of very few cases, to the best of our knowledge, in which a hairy polyp (bigerminal choristomas) has resulted in stridor in the first few days of life. Nasal masses in neonates, although a rare phenomenon, remain clinically important as they are obligate nasal breathers.
Pericardial mass in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Al-Ani Mohammad , Weber Michelle , Winchester David , Kosboth Matthew
Published: June 2015

A 65-year-old man presented with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), severe fatigue and mild arthritis of metacarpophalaneal joints. Physical examination revealed S3, II/IV decrescendo diastolic murmur and 2+ LL oedema. Anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies were >250 units. Echocardiogram showed an 8 cm pericardial mass with no atrial or ventricular collapse and mild to moderate aortic regurgitation. Cardiac MRI defined the mass as a heterogeneous entity attached to the right, anterior and inferior heart borders, with compression on right cardiac structures and the left ventricle. CT-guided biopsy demonstrated fibrinous material without granulomas or infection. Fatigue did not improve on immunosuppression with low-dose prednisone and leflunamide. Cardiac tamponade was confirmed by heart catheterisation and the mass was surgically excised with partial pericardiectomy. The patient had a dramatic improvement and, 4 years later, he remains asymptomatic cardiac wise. This case highlights the clinical significance of pericardial disease in RA and its response to therapy.
Successful application of venoarterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the reversal of severe cardiorespiratory failure
Authors: Umei Nao , Ichiba Shingo , Ujike Yoshihito , Tsukahara Kouhei
Published: June 2015

Typical configurations of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) include venovenous (VV) and venoarterial (VA) configurations; however, other configurations of ECMO may be necessary in certain situations. We performed VA ECMO for a 71-year-old man who experienced refractory hypoxaemia associated with a brief cardiac arrest after resection of the small intestine showing necrosis. As the cardiac function improved, the patient showed a complication of poor oxygenation in the upper body due to insufficient respiratory function. Therefore, we performed VA-venous ECMO, which further improved his cardiac function and allowed him to be converted to VV ECMO. It is very important to consider different configuration strategies of ECMO by adjusting the patient's cardiopulmonary conditions appropriately.
Lifestyle changes of a family caring for a 25-year-old quadriplegic man after delayed spinal cord infarction
Authors: Litwak Baila , Dobie Aaron , Safadi Wajdi
Published: June 2015

Worldwide, 110–190 million people over the age of 15 years are estimated to live with severe disability—a physical state of being defined by the WHO as “the equivalent of disability inferred for conditions such as quadriplegia, severe depression, or blindness.” Modes and qualities of disability care undoubtedly vary globally, dependent on income, health infrastructure and culture. Quadriplegia has a unique set of emotional and physical challenges that demand a great deal from care regimens and health systems. This case study examines a specific—and successful—configuration of quadriplegic care in a Druze village in the Golan and looks to the economic, geographic and sociocultural aspects of care.
A state-space stock assessment model for northern cod, including under-reported catches and variable natural mortality rates
Authors: Cadigan Noel G.
Published: June 2015

A state-space assessment model for the northern cod (Gadus morhua) stock off southern Labrador and eastern Newfoundland is developed here. The model utilizes information from offshore trawl surveys, inshore acoustic surveys, fishery catch age compositions, partial fishery landings, and tagging. This is done using an approach that avoids the use of subjective data-weighting. Estimates of fishing mortality rates (F) are usually conditional on assumptions about natural mortality rates (M) in stock assessment models. However, by integrating much of the information on northern cod, it is possible to estimate F and M separately. It is also possible to estimate a change in the offshore survey catchability by including inshore acoustic biomass estimates. The proposed model also accounts for biased total catch statistics, which is a common problem in stock assessments. The main goal of the model is to provide realistic projections of the impacts of various levels of future fishery catches on the recovery of this stock. The projections incorporate uncertainty about M and catch. This is vital information for successful future fisheries. The model has been developed for the specific data sources available for northern cod, but it could be adapted to other stocks with similar data sources.
Thermal and magnetic properties of cylindrical quantum dot with asymmetric confinement
Authors: Gumber Sukirti , Kumar Manoj , Gambhir Monica , Mohan Man , Jha Pradip Kumar
Published: June 2015

We studied the thermal and magnetic properties of a cylindrical quantum dot in the presence of external electric and magnetic fields. The energy spectrum and wave functions for the quantum dot of asymmetric confinement are obtained by solving the Schrödinger wave equation analytically. The energy levels are employed to calculate the canonical partition function, which in turn is used to obtain specific heat, entropy, magnetization, and susceptibility. These thermal and magnetic quantities are found to have direct dependence on confinement length, magnetic field, and temperature, thus the parameters of the system can be tuned to fit into more than one application.
On Covering Points with Minimum Turns
Authors: Jiang Minghui
Published: June 2015

We study the problem of finding a polygonal chain of line segments to cover a set of points in ℝd, d≥2, with the goal of minimizing the number of links or turns in the chain. A chain of line segments that covers all points in the given set is called a covering tour if the chain is closed, and is called a covering path if the chain is open. A covering tour or a covering path is rectilinear if all segments in the chain are axis-parallel. We prove that the two problems Minimum-Link Rectilinear Covering Tour and Minimum-Link Rectilinear Covering Path are both NP-hard in ℝ10.
Optimization of Subdivision Invariant Tetrahedra
Authors: Liu David J. T. , Du Qiang
Published: June 2015

While two-dimensional triangles are always subdivision invariant, the same does not always hold for their three-dimensional counterparts. We consider several interesting properties of those three-dimensional tetrahedra which are subdivision invariant and offer them a new classification. Moreover, we study the optimization of these tetrahedra, arguing that the second Sommerville tetrahedra are the closest to being regular and are optimal by many measures. Anisotropic subdivision invariant tetrahedra with high aspect ratios are characterized. Potential implications and applications of our findings are also discussed.
Scaphoid Fracture - Overview and Conservative Treatment
Authors: Tada Kaoru , Ikeda Kazuo , Okamoto Shunro , Hachinota Ai , Yamamoto Daiki , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: June 2015

Scaphoid fracture is the most common fracture in carpal bones. Although the reported union rate of conservatively-treated fractures is more than 90%, there is a controversy over the most appropriate treatment. In recent years, many reports have compared the clinical outcomes of conservatively-treated scaphoid fractures with the results of operatively treated ones using randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment. In this paper, based on literature review, we provide an overview of the management of the acute scaphoid fractures particularly focusing on the issues related to conservative treatment.
Arthroscopic Management of Scaphoid Nonunions
Authors: Jegal Midum , Kim Jeong Sang , Kim Jong Pil
Published: June 2015

The difficulty in healing scaphoid nonunions is challenged further by the dynamic, unstable nature of the fracture-fragment interface. Recently, several investigators have introduced a minimally invasive technique for scaphoid nonunion repair, which has the advantages of minimal morbidity and accurate articular reduction, resulting in less postoperative stiffness and increased functional outcomes. However, failure to recognize the critical steps during minimally invasive surgery can result in incorrect treatment or limit any chances for successful bone repair. We reviewed the selected literature pertinent to arthroscopic techniques in the treatment of scaphoid nonunions. Furthermore, we presented a new arthroscopic approach that can be used in place of traditional formal open exposures in challenging cases of nonunion.
Simultaneous Regional Fasciectomy, Skin Grafting, and Distraction Arthrolysis of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint for Dupuytren’s Contracture of the Little Finger
Authors: Kawakatsu Motohisa , Saito Susumu
Published: June 2015

We present a 58-year-old right-handed man, who consulted us with an 11-year history of Dupuytren’s disease. To correct contracture of the little finger, we performed regional fasciectomy, skin grafting, and distraction arthrolysis of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint using an external fixator. Preoperative or postoperative skeletal traction has been advocated to treat potential or residual stiffness of the PIP joint in Dupuytren’s contracture, but its intraoperative use has not been reported before. Our method has the advantage of treating each problem caused by Dupuytren’s disease. A good range of painless PIP joint motion is achieved by our intraoperative distraction technique without interfering with the skin graft and without reducing extensor tone, while the healing period is shortened by performing all procedures simultaneously.