bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory neutrophils retain susceptibility to apoptosis mediated via the Fas death receptor
Authors: Renshaw Stephen A , Timmons Samantha J , Eaton Vanessa , Usher Lynne R , Akil Mohammed , Bingle Colin D , Whyte Moira K B
Published: January 2018

Apoptosis and clearance of neutrophils is essential for successful resolution of inflammation. Altered signaling via the Fas receptor could explain the observed prolongation of neutrophil lifespan and associated tissue injury at inflammatory sites. We therefore compared inflammatory neutrophils extracted from joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients, with peripheral blood neutrophils. Inflammatory neutrophils underwent constitutive apoptosis in culture more rapidly than peripheral blood neutrophils; this was not explained by changes in surface expression of Fas or by induction of Fas ligand. Inflammatory neutrophils remained sensitive to Fas-induced death, at levels comparable to those seen in peripheral blood neutrophils. Similarly, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor reduced apoptosis but did not abolish signaling via Fas. These data provide evidence for the rate of apoptosis in inflammatory neutrophils being continually modulated by death and survival signals in the inflammatory milieu. This allows for rapid resolution of inflammation as levels of survival factors fall, and suggests new strategies for inducing resolution of inflammation. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 662–668; 2000.
Expression of genes involved in initiation, regulation, and execution of apoptosis in human neutrophils and during neutrophil differentiation of HL-60 cells
Authors: Santos-Beneit Antonio M , Mollinedo Faustino
Published: January 2018

Neutrophils possess a very short lifespan, dying by apoptosis. HL-60 cells undergo apoptosis after neutrophil differentiation with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). We have found that the onset of apoptosis in neutrophil-differentiating HL-60 cells correlates with the achievement of an apoptosis-related gene expression pattern similar to that of peripheral blood mature neutrophils. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, cloning, and sequencing techniques, we have found that HL-60 cells express bak, bik, bax, bad, bcl-2, bcl-xL, bcl-w, bfl-1, fas, and caspases 1–4 and 7–10. After DMSO treatment, bak, bcl-w, bfl-1, fas, and caspases 1 and 9 were up-regulated, whereas bik, bcl-2, and caspases 2, 3, and 10 were down-regulated at different degrees, achieving mRNA expression levels that correlated with those detected in peripheral blood neutrophils. Caspase-2 mRNA and protein expression was drastically reduced after HL-60 cell differentiation, being absent in both HL-60-differentiated neutrophils and mature neutrophils, whereas caspase-3 and -10 mRNA and protein expression were diminished upon HL-60 cell differentiation until achieving the respective levels found in mature neutrophils. Bak and bfl-1 mRNA levels were largely increased during DMSO-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells, and these genes were the bcl-2 family members that were expressed most abundantly in mature neutrophils. Bcl-2 overexpression or caspase inhibition prevented differentiation-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells, but not their differentiation capability. Neutrophil spontaneous apoptosis was also blocked by the caspase inhibitor z-Asp-2, 6-dichlorobenzoyloxymethylketone. Peripheral blood neutrophils expressed bak, bad, bcl-w, bfl-1, fas, and caspases 1, 3, 4, and 7–10, but hardly expressed bcl-2, bcl-xL, bik, bax, and caspase-2. These results suggest that the above gene expression changes in neutrophil-differentiating HL-60 cells may play a role in the acquisition of the neutrophil apoptotic features. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67:712–724; 2000.
Dexamethasone promotes phagocytosis and bacterial killing by human monocytes/macrophages in vitro
Authors: van der Goes Annette , Hoekstra Karin , van den Berg Timo K , Dijkstra Christine D
Published: January 2018

One of the actions of glucocorticoids (GC) in multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inhibitory effect on demyelination. This can be caused by a reduction in the number of infiltrating macrophages and/or by an effect on the phagocytosis of myelin. Here we investigate the effect of GC on the phagocytosis of myelin. Contrary to what was expected, we found that incubation of human monocytes with dexamethasone (DEX) for 48 h augmented (approximately threefold) the phagocytosis of myelin. This enhancement of phagocytosis by human monocytes was not restricted to myelin. Phagocytosis of various particles mediated by different macrophage receptors was increased by DEX. We found that not only the phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was augmented, but also the killing of these bacteria was at least twice as effective after culture with DEX. Tumor necrosis factor α production of human monocyte-derived macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide and S. aureus was suppressed by DEX. Together our results show that DEX promotes the phagocytosis of particles by human monocytes and thereby may contribute to tissue repair after immune-mediated tissue damage or infection. These data shed a new light on the clinical application of GC. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 801–807; 2000.
Involvement of glutamine, arginine, and polyamines in the action of ornithine α-ketoglutarate on macrophage functions in stressed rats
Authors: Moinard Christophe , Caldefie Florence , Walrand Stephane , Felgines Catherine , Vasson Marie-Paule , Cynober Luc
Published: January 2018

The ability of ornithine α-ketoglutarate (OKG) to enhance macrophage cytotoxicity in stress situations has been described, but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. It is known that OKG administration generates glutamine (GLN), arginine (ARG), and polyamines. This study will (1) evaluate the effect of OKG on tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) secretion and nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages from glucocorticoid (DEX)-treated rats, and determine whether these effects can be reproduced by GLN or ARG supplementations, and (2) use in vivo metabolic inhibitors methionine sulfoximine (inhibitor of GLN synthetase), S-methylthiourea (inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase), and difluoromethylornithine (inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase) to assess the roles of GLN, ARG, and polyamines in OKG action. Controls a mixture of nonessential amino acids (NEAA). GLN, ARG, and OKG all restored TNF-α secretion by macrophages of glucocorticoid-treated rats. The same results were obtained with GLN and ARG supplementation. However, the use of inhibitors clearly showed that OKG does not modulate TNF-α secretion by GLN, ARG, or polyamine pathways. We also observed that OKG enhanced NO release by stimulated macrophages (DEX-OKG, 1.77 ± 0.64 vs. DEX-NEAA, 0.29 ± 0.29 nmol/106 cells, P < 0.05). Using inhibitors, it appears that this action of OKG is probably mediated via polyamine synthesis and GLN. However, an oral administration of an equimolar amount of GLN failed to reproduce the OKG-mediated effect, possibly because OKG generates more GLN in the systemic circulation than GLN itself when these substances are given orally. Our results underline the complexity of the mechanism of action of OKG, which can differ according to the functions of even a single cell type. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 834–840; 2000.
Positive Psychology Factors as Predictors of Latina/o College Students’ Psychological Grit
Authors: Vela Javier Cavazos , Smith Wayne D. , Whittenberg James F. , Guardiola Rebekah , Savage Miranda
Published: January 2018

Latina/o college students (N= 130) provided perceptions of psychological grit, presence of meaning in life, search for meaning in life, hope, life satisfaction, and mindfulness. Hope and mindfulness were significant predictors of psychological grit. A discussion regarding the importance of these findings and implications for counselors are presented.

Un grupo de estudiantes universitarios latinos (N= 130) aportó sus percepciones de perseverancia psicológica, presencia de sentido en la vida, búsqueda de sentido en la vida, esperanza, satisfacción vital y atención plena. Se presenta una discusión sobre la importancia de estos hallazgos y sus implicaciones para los consejeros.
Early detection of myocardial involvement by T1 mapping of cardiac MRI in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy
Authors: Yu Liuyu , Sun Jianhong , Sun Jiayu , Li Jiangbo , Dong Yang , Zhou Xiaoyue , Greiser Andreas , Han Yuchi , Zhang Qing , Xie Qibing , Chen Yucheng
Published: January 2018

Background

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are common types of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM), wherein patients are prone to adverse cardiovascular events.

Purpose

To explore the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting cardiac involvement in PM/DM patients using a T1 mapping technique.

Study Type

Prospective observational study.

Population

In all, 25 PM/DM patients free of cardiovascular symptoms and preserved ventricular systolic function and 25 healthy volunteers matched for age and sex served as controls.

Field Strength/Sequence

Cardiac MRI at 3T, including steady‐state free precession (SSFP) cine imaging, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and T1 mapping with modified Look–Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI).

Assessment

Myocardial native T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) of the left ventricle as well as the correlations with disease activity were analyzed.

Statistical Tests

Independent sample's t‐test, Fisher's exact test, or chi‐square test, Pearson's correlation (r) were applied. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Left ventricular end‐diastolic/end‐systolic volume index (P = 0.643, P = 0.325, respectively), mass index (P = 0.719), and ejection fraction (P = 0.144) were not significantly different between PM/DM patients and controls. LGE was found in 19% of PM/DM patients and none of the control subjects. PM/DM patients showed significantly higher native T1 values (1263.7 ± 84.0 msec vs. 1200.6 ± 43.0 msec, P = 0.002) and expanded extracellular volume (ECV) (32.6 ± 3.7% vs. 26.7 ± 2.3%, P < 0.001) compared with control subjects. ECV values in PM/DM patients had a high proportion (60%) over the 95% percentile of normal controls. Meanwhile, there was a significant correlation between native T1 (r = 0.710, P = 0.0001) or ECV (r = 0.508, P = 0.01) and N‐terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP).

Data Conclusion

T1 mapping of cardiac MRI is valuable to detect subclinical myocardial involvement in PM/DM patients, and both myocardial native T1 and ECV could serve as early imaging markers for myocardial impairment in PM/DM.

Level of Evidence: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 3

J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2018;48:415–422.
Influence of varying stem and metaphyseal sleeve size on the primary stability of cementless revision tibial trays used to reconstruct AORI IIA defects. A simulation study
Authors: Awadalla Maged , Al‐Dirini Rami M. A. , O'Rourke Dermot , Solomon Lucian B. , Heldreth Mark , Taylor Mark
Published: January 2018

Traditionally, diaphyseal stems have been utilized to augment the stability of revision total knee replacement (rTKR) implants. More recently metaphyseal augments, such as sleeves, have been introduced to further augment component fixation. The effect of augments such as stems and sleeves have on the primary stability of a rTKR implant is poorly understood, however it has important implications on the complexity, costs and survivorship of the procedure. Finite element analysis was used to investigate the primary stability and strain distribution of various size stems and sleeves used in conjunction with a cementless revision tibial tray. The model was built from computer tomography images of a single healthy tibia obtained from an 81‐year‐old patient to which an Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute (AORI) IIA defect was virtually added. The influences of varying body mass index (BMI) and bone modulus were also investigated. Stemless sleeves were found to provided adequate primary implant stability (average implant micro‐motion <50 μm) for the studied defect. Addition of a stem did not enhance the primary stability. Furthermore, this study found that varying BMI and bone modulus had a considerable effect on strain distribution but negligible effect on micro‐motion in the sleeve area. In conclusion, the addition of diaphyseal stem to a metaphyseal sleeve had little benefit in enhancing the primary stability of tibial trays augmented when simulating reconstructions of AORI IIA tibial defects. Additional studies are required to determine the relative benefit of the diaphyseal stem when using metaphyseal sleeves defects with more extensive bone loss. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1876–1886, 2018.
Cultural aspects of pain: A study of Indian Asian women in the UK
Authors: Holt Stephanie , Waterfield Jackie
Published: January 2018

Objectives

Culture and ethnicity are acknowledged as important factors in the context of the biopsychosocial model. They may contribute to explaining the experience of pain, therapeutic encounters within healthcare, and the strategies that individuals use to cope with pain. The present study explored these issues in a sample of Indian Asian women in the UK.

Methods

Based on a phenomenological approach, 17 women participated in five semi‐structured group interviews. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, so as to identify core themes and subthemes inductively from the data.

Results

Six themes were identified: meaning of pain; personal experience of pain; causes of pain; coping strategies; family and friends; experience of healthcare. Pain was conceptualized in both physical and mental terms, and its experience was explained largely in terms of functional consequences. The causes of pain offered suggested externalized beliefs, relating to events in participants’ lives, rather than being expressed in biomedical terms. Alongside culture‐specific therapies, the women spoke of coping strategies based on rest and activity. Although satisfaction with healthcare appeared to be high overall, problems due to communication – sometimes related to a language barrier – were voiced by some participants.

Conclusions

Greater attention to cultural aspects of the pain experience may assist health professionals in communicating with and managing patients with pain from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Myotonic dystrophy patient preferences in patient‐reported outcome measures
Authors: Heatwole Chad , Johnson Nicholas , Dekdebrun Jeanne , Dilek Nuran , Eichinger Kate , Hilbert James , Luebbe Elizabeth , Martens William , Mcdermott Michael P. , Thornton Charles , Moxley Richard
Published: January 2018

Introduction: When preparing for clinical trials in myotonic dystrophy type‐1 (DM1), it is important that researchers develop and identify patient‐reported outcome measures with good measurement properties. Methods: Fifty‐two DM1 patients enrolled in 2 clinical studies completed the Myotonic Dystrophy Health Index (MDHI), 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (version 2; SF‐36v2), Individualized Neuromuscular Quality of Life questionnaire (INQoL), and a questionnaire comparing the relevance, usability, overall preference, and perceived responsiveness of each measure. The associations between instrument scores and physical function, genetic test results, and employment status were examined. Results: The MDHI was preferred over the INQoL in 13 of 13 areas and was preferred over the SF‐36v2 in 9 of 13 areas. The MDHI was the only score that was associated with participant employment status, CTG repeat length, and the 3 measurements of clinical function. Discussion: The MDHI correlates well with physical function and is viewed favorably by participants in DM1 clinical studies. Muscle Nerve 58: 49–55, 2018
Analytical stress and displacement due to twin tunneling in an elastic semi‐infinite ground subjected to surcharge loads
Authors: Wang H.N. , Wu L. , Jiang M.J. , Song F.
Published: January 2018

The construction of twin tunnels at shallow depth has become increasingly common in urban areas. In general, twin tunnels are usually near each other, in which the interaction between tunnels is too significant to be ignored on their stability. The equivalent arbitrarily distributed loads imposed on ground surface were considered in this study, and a new analytical approach was provided to efficiently predict the elastic stresses and displacements around the twin tunnels. The interaction between 2 tunnels of different radii with various arrangements was taken into account in the analysis. We used the Schwartz alternating method in this study to reduce the twin‐tunnel problem to a series of problems where only 1 tunnel was contained in half‐plane. The convergent and highly accurate analytical solutions were achieved by superposing the solutions of the reduced single‐tunnel problems. The analytical solutions were then verified by the good agreement between analytical and numerical results. Furthermore, by the comparison on initial plastic zone and surface settlement between analytical solution and numerical/measured results of elastoplastic cases, it was proven that the analytical solution can accurately predict the initial plastic zone and its propagation direction and can qualitatively provide the reliable ground settlements. A parametric study was finally performed to investigate the influence of locations of surcharge load and the tunnel arrangement on the ground stresses and displacements. The new solution proposed in this study provides an insight into the interaction of shallow twin tunnels under surcharge loads, and it can be used as an alternative approach for the preliminary design of future shallow tunnels excavated in rock or medium/stiff clay.
Hypotension Risk Based on Vasoactive Agent Discontinuation Order in Patients in the Recovery Phase of Septic Shock
Authors: Sacha Gretchen L. , Lam Simon W. , Duggal Abhijit , Torbic Heather , Reddy Anita J. , Bauer Seth R.
Published: January 2018

Study Objectives

Patients with septic shock often require vasoactive agents for hemodynamic support; however, the optimal approach to discontinuing these agents once patients reach the recovery phase is currently unknown. The objective of this evaluation was to compare the incidence of hypotension within 24 hours based on the discontinuation order of norepinephrine (NE) and vasopressin (AVP) in patients in the recovery phase of septic shock.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

The medical, surgical, and neurosciences intensive care units (ICUs) at a large tertiary care academic medical center.

Patients

A total of 585 adults in the recovery phase of septic shock who received fixed‐dose AVP for at least 6 hours as an adjunct to NE between September 2011 and August 2015 were included. Of these patients, 155 had AVP discontinued first, and 430 had NE discontinued first.

Measurements and Main Results

Hypotension was evaluated during the 24‐hour period after discontinuation of the first vasoactive agent and was defined as mean arterial pressure less than 60 mm Hg with one or more of the following interventions: increased remaining vasoactive agent dose by 25%, reinstitution of the discontinued agent, or administration of at least 1 L of fluid bolus. Time to hypotension was evaluated with survival analysis, and risk of hypotension was evaluated with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. No significant difference between groups was noted in the incidence of hypotension within 24 hours (55% in the AVP discontinued first group vs 50% in the NE discontinued first group, p=0.28) or ICU mortality (45.2% vs 40.0%, p=0.26). After adjustment for baseline factors with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, having AVP discontinued first was independently associated with an increased risk of hypotension with a time‐varying effect that decreased over time (HR(t) = e[1.16–0.08*t], p<0.001).

Conclusion

In patients recovering from septic shock treated with concomitant AVP and NE, no significant difference was noted in the incidence of hypotension based on discontinuation order of these agents.
The Characterization and Optimization of GaN Cap Layers and SiN Cap Layers on AlGaN/GaN HEMT Structures Grown on 200 mm GaN on Silicon
Authors: Charles Matthew , Baines Yannick , Bouis Renan , Papon Anne‐Marie
Published: January 2018

We have studied capping layers for AlGaN‐based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures, looking at different thicknesses of GaN, SiN, and GaN + SiN caps. SiN capping has no effect on the sheet resistance of the layers, as expected from a high quality amorphous passivation layer. GaN cap layers increase the sheet resistance whether combined with a SiN cap or not, a consequence of the polarisation charge present at the GaN/AlGaN interface. For both GaN and SiN caps on their own, we get excellent morphology from only 2 nm thickness, with no degradation for layers up to 10 nm thick. For GaN + SiN caps, we have a speckled morphology with lots of small holes, which transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed to be linked to holes created in the GaN layers before the deposition of SiN layers. We attribute this to the roughening effect of silane on GaN layers, known in the literature. Upon processing SiN capped and GaN + SiN capped layers into HEMT based heterojunction diode devices, the two have equivalent forward current, but GaN + SiN capping has greatly increased reverse current. We conclude that GaN + SiN is not an appropriate capping layer for AlGaN HEMT based diodes, compared with high quality in situ SiN passivation directly grown on the AlGaN.
Reachable set estimation for discrete‐time switched system with application to time‐delay system
Authors: Fei Zhongyang , Guan Chaoxu , Shi Peng
Published: January 2018

This paper addresses the problem of reachable set estimation and synthesis for a class of discrete‐time switched linear systems with time delay and bounded peak disturbance. Combined with the feature of mode‐dependent average dwell time switching, a new algorithm is developed to estimate the reachable set of switched system, which is both quasi‐time‐dependent and mode‐dependent. Then, the proposed method is applied to time‐delay system and a sufficient condition is presented to guarantee the asymptotic stability and estimate the bounding ellipsoid. Furthermore, the quasi‐time‐dependent controller is designed to stabilize the system and restrict the closed‐loop system states to an ellipsoidal bound. Examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the obtained theorems.
On 2 types of robust reaching laws
Authors: Chen Yuquan , Wei Yiheng , Wang Yong
Published: January 2018

The reaching law is an important part of a sliding‐mode controller, which guarantees the existence of sliding motion in finite time. Fast access to sliding motion with a weak chattering phenomenon in control input is always desired. In this paper, 2 different types of reaching laws are proposed, which guarantee finite‐time convergence to the sliding manifold. Moreover, the reaching time is robust to initial conditions and can be designed by the user. Some useful discussions on the design of parameters are also presented to weaken the chattering phenomenon. A careful simulation study is finally provided to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed methods.
Isolation of Human Photoreceptor Precursors via a Cell Surface Marker Panel from Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Organoids and Fetal Retinae
Authors: Lakowski Jörn , Welby Emily , Budinger Dimitri , Di Marco Fabiana , Di Foggia Valentina , Bainbridge James W.B. , Wallace Kyle , Gamm David M. , Ali Robin R. , Sowden Jane C.
Published: January 2018

Loss of photoreceptor cells due to retinal degeneration is one of the main causes of blindness in the developed world. Although there is currently no effective treatment, cell replacement therapy using stem-cell-derived photoreceptor cells may be a feasible future treatment option. In order to ensure safety and efficacy of this approach, robust cell isolation and purification protocols must be developed. To this end, we previously developed a biomarker panel for the isolation of mouse photoreceptor precursors from the developing mouse retina and mouse embryonic stem cell cultures. In the current study we applied this approach to the human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) system, and identified novel biomarker combinations that can be leveraged for the isolation of human photoreceptors. Human retinal samples and hPSC-derived retinal organoid cultures were screened against 242 human monoclonal antibodies using a high through-put flow cytometry approach. We identified 46 biomarkers with significant expression levels in the human retina and hPSC differentiation cultures. Human retinal cell samples, either from fetal tissue or derived from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell cultures, were fluorescence-activated cell sorted (FACS) using selected candidate biomarkers that showed expression in discrete cell populations. Enrichment for photoreceptors and exclusion of mitotically active cells was demonstrated by immunocytochemical analysis with photoreceptor-specific antibodies and Ki-67. We established a biomarker combination, which enables the robust purification of viable human photoreceptors from both human retinae and hPSC-derived organoid cultures.
Distribution of strong earthquake input energy in tall buildings equipped with damped outriggers
Authors: Morales‐Beltran M. , Turan G. , Yildirim U. , Paul J.
Published: January 2018

The seismic design of optimal damped outrigger structures relies on the assumption that most of the input energy will be absorbed by the dampers, whilst the rest of the structure remains elastic. When subjected to strong earthquakes, nevertheless, the building structure may exhibit plastic hinges before the dampers begin to work. In order to determine to which extent the use of viscously damped outriggers would avoid damage, both the host structure's hysteretic behaviour and the dampers' performance need to be evaluated in parallel. This article provides a parametric study on the factors that influence the distribution of seismic energy in tall buildings equipped with damped outriggers: First, the influence of outrigger's location, damping coefficients, and rigidity ratios core‐to‐outrigger and core‐to‐column in the seismic performance of a 60‐story building with conventional and with damped outriggers is studied. In parallel, nonlinear behaviour of the outrigger with and without viscous dampers is examined under small, moderate, strong, and severe long‐period earthquakes to assess the hysteretic energy distribution through the core and outriggers. The results show that, as the ground motion becomes stronger, viscous dampers effectively reduce the potential of damage in the structure if compared to conventional outriggers. However, the use of dampers cannot entirely prevent damage under critical excitations.
Research on fault location scheme for inverter AC transmission line of AC–DC hybrid system
Authors: Deng Yujia , He Zhengyou , Fu Ling , Lin Sheng , Liu Lei , Zhang Jiayi
Published: January 2018

As the nonlinear characteristics of converters, the harmonic components of fault information hardly decays with the passage of time, which introduces an estimation error in the fault location in the inverter AC transmission line of an AC–DC hybrid system, especially under commutation failure condition. Therefore, a new fault location scheme, which combines the dynamic synchrophasor measurement algorithm and line equivalent impedance/admittance estimation algorithm, is proposed in this paper. The precision of phasor estimation under harmonic environment has been improved. Based on these, the pre‐fault data of one circle is applied to estimate the line equivalent impedance and admittance. Finally, the traditional fault location formula based on the two‐end information is employed to calculate the fault location. Evaluation results show that the proposed scheme is independent of the fault resistance, fault distance, and fault type. More importantly, it ensures a higher precision of fault location in comparison with the dynamic fault location algorithm, even under commutation failure. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A demonstration of how virtual meetings can enhance sustainability in a corporate context
Authors: F. Guerin Turlough
Published: January 2018

Video conferencing (VC) offers benefits to businesses and organizations. A three‐month trial was undertaken across a telecommunications company in Australia to evaluate the use of VC benefits monitoring software to capture data and calculate utilization and business travel savings from air and car travel for individual VC end points across the company. The results from the trial were used by the finance and administration department of the company to promote VC usage and, at the same time, to introduce a nonessential air travel ban, which led to annualized cost savings of up to 40% on business as usual.
Higher order theory of micropolar plates and shells
Authors: Zozulya V.V.
Published: January 2018

New higher order models of micropolar plates and shells have been developed here. The 3‐D dynamic equations of the micropolar elasticity have been presented in an orthogonal system of coordinates using a generalized variational principle. For the creation of 2‐D models of plates and shells the curvilinear system of coordinates related to the middle surface of the shell have been used along with a special hypothesis based on assumptions that take into account the fact that the rod is thin. Higher order theory is based on a generalized variational principle and the expansion of the 3‐D equations of the micropolar theory of elasticity into Fourier series in terms of Legendre polynomials. The stress and strain tensors, as well as vectors of displacements and rotation have been expanded into Fourier series in terms of Legendre polynomials with respect to thickness. Thereby, all equations of the micropolar theory of elasticity (including generalized Hooke's law) have been transformed to the corresponding equations for the Legendre polynomials coefficients. Then, in the same way as in the classical theory of elasticity, a system of differential equations in terms of displacements and rotation with initial and boundary conditions for the Legendre polynomials coefficients have been obtained. All equations for higher order theory of micropolar plates in Cartesian and polar coordinates as well as for cylindrical and spherical shells in coordinates related to the shells geometry have been developed and presented here in detail. The obtained equations can be used for calculating the stress‐strain and for modelling thin walled structures in macro, micro and nano scale when taking into account micropolar couple stress and rotation effects.
Hydrocarbon Stapled Antimicrobial Peptides
Authors: Migoń Dorian , Neubauer Damian , Kamysz Wojciech
Published: January 2018

Antimicrobial peptides are promising candidates for anti-infective pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, because of their low proteolytic and chemical stability, their usage is generally narrowed down to topical formulations. Until now, numerous approaches to increase peptide stability have been proposed. One of them, peptide hydrocarbon stapling, a modification based on stabilizing peptide secondary structure with a side-chain covalent hydrocarbon bridge, have been successfully applied to many peptides. Moreover, constraining secondary structure of peptides have also been proven to increase their biological activity. This review article describes studies on hydrocarbon stapled antimicrobial peptides with respect to improved drug-like properties.
World War II and Brazilian Workers: Populism at the Intersections between National and Global Histories
Authors: Fortes Alexandre
Published: January 2018

This article argues that World War II played a very important, and generally underestimated role in the rise of Brazilian populism. It starts with an overview of recent trends in the debates on the use of the concept of populism in Brazil, with particular attention to works that stress the years from 1941 to 1945 as a critical juncture. Secondly, it explores the connections between war effort, changes in labor regulations, and workers’ political participation in different contexts. Finally, it summarizes how the economic and social effects produced by the involvement of Brazil in the War led to profound and accelerated changes in the nature of the regime of Getúlio Vargas and in the role of workers in Brazilian politics.
Thwarted Nationalism, Economic Counter-revolutions, and Anarcho-vassalage: Pakistan and the lineages of retardation
Authors: ALI IMRAN
Published: January 2018

There are challenging complexities in analysing both historical trends and contemporary structures in the region now comprising Pakistan. Interrelating both history and the present poses further challenges. With scholarship aligned on either side of the apparent watershed of 1947, analysts have hitherto remained negligent of a pattern of continuity and disjuncture that is explored in this article, which it is hoped will enable a deeper understanding of historical causations and outcomes. Further, we propose here that such multiple and diverse trends, while they might demand distinct empirical analyses, can coalesce within three overarching themes. Analysing these themes and their interstices, enables a more cohesive and integrated understanding of Pakistan's complex realities than has been hitherto forthcoming from the more segmented approaches that dominate discourse on the study of Pakistan's past and present. The author aims to shed light on why and how retardation in Pakistan is so resilient, and hopes that understanding these long-term outcomes will be greatly assisted by an analytical approach predicated on three themes: thwarted nationalism, economic counter-revolutions, and anarcho-vassalage.
‘We Must Send a Gift Worthy of India and the Congress!’ War and political humanitarianism in late colonial South Asia
Authors: FRAMKE MARIA
Published: January 2018

The interwar period has recently been described as a highly internationalist one in South Asia, as a series of distinct internationalisms—communist, anarchist, social scientific, socialist, literary, and aesthetic1—took shape. At the same time, it has been argued that the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 drew to a close various opportunities for international association (at least, temporarily). Taking into account both these contradistinctive developments, this article deals with another—and thus far largely overlooked—South Asian internationalism in the form of wartime Indian humanitarianism. In 1938, the Indian National Congress helped organize an Indian medical mission to China to bring relief to Chinese victims of the Second Sino-Japanese War. By focusing on this initiative, this article traces the ideas, the practices, and the motives of Indian political humanitarianism. It argues that such initiatives, as they became part of much wider global networks of humanitarianism in the late 1930s and early 1940s, created new openings for Indian nationalists to establish international alliances. This article also examines the way in which political humanitarianism enabled these same nationalists to perform as independent leaders on an international stage, and argues that humanitarianism served as a tool of anti-colonial emancipation.
Malcolm Darling and Developmentalism in Colonial Punjab
Authors: SULTAN ATIYAB
Published: January 2018

This article studies the career and writings of Sir Malcolm Darling to make three main claims. First, an intellectual genealogy of development studies is presented through the examination of close parallels between colonial efforts at rural welfare and post-colonial prescriptions for the same. Darling was central in the British efforts in Punjab to formulate ideas of reform from below or thrift among the peasantry, both of which remain popular in contemporary theories of community development and microfinance respectively. The similarities between colonial and post-colonial reforms are striking because the colonial experience remains largely forgotten. This intellectual amnesia serves a political end by blaming the peasant for his poverty and redemption from the same. Simultaneously, any structural or revolutionary social change is avoided. Secondly, the article probes the exaggerated focus on indebtedness and the political interests this served. Indebtedness gave the Unionists in Punjab political legitimacy, and the colonial state formulated solutions for the problem that did not tax its resources, for example the cooperative movement was designed to be self-financing. Finally, the article speaks to the themes of this issue by challenging the assumption that ‘institutions’ alone are a legacy of colonial rule and developmentalist reform is a post-colonial preoccupation of independent states. By presenting a case study of attempted economic and institutional reform during colonial rule, it allows one to appreciate the close, contemporaneous connections between colonial modes of governance and current modes of development.
PP002 Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy
Authors: Ettinger Sabine , Stanak Michal , Huic Mirjana , Hacek Romana Tandara , Ercevic Darija , Grenkovic Renata , Wild Claudia
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the most common cause of death in patients with coronary artery disease. Mostly, ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are the underlying aetiology of SCA, which is claimed to be successfully treated by a novel therapy, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD, LifeVest®).

The assessment, performed within the European Network for HTA (EUnetHTA), aimed to provide valid data on clinical effectiveness and safety of the WCD. Furthermore, the project intended to elicit patients views on aspects regarding their cardiac disease and the WCD therapy as well as to identify neglected outcomes.

METHODS:

A synthesis of evidence on the basis of a systematic literature search in Medline via Ovid, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) databases was performed. The search was complemented by citation tracking and handsearch.

A face-to-face semi-structured focus group interview was performed with five cardiac disease patients in the scoping phase.

RESULTS:

Since no prospective controlled trials were found, no assessment of effectiveness could be performed. With regard to safety, five prospective studies were included, but the quality of the body of evidence was very low. Adverse events (AEs) reported were skin rash/itching (6 percent), false alarms (14 percent), palpitations/lightheadedness/fainting (9 percent) and discontinuation due to comfort/lifestyle issues (16-22 percent). Serious adverse events (SAEs) were inappropriate shocks (0-2 percent) and unsuccessful shocks (0-.7 percent). Frequency of SAEs leading to death was 0-.3 percent.

Patients of the focus group reported that experiencing a sense of security was crucial to them. The WCD therapy was not considered an option for weeks or months, due to expected restrictions in living a ‘normal’ and secure life.

CONCLUSIONS:

No statement can be made about the device effectiveness – further research is needed. More data and more adequate reporting of AEs and SAEs are needed in order to establish the device safety. In particular, more data is needed for risk stratification of high risk patients in order to further narrow down the wide range of indications for the WCD use.
PP047 Intravenous Iron Sucrose Therapy In Real-World Anemic Patients
Authors: Alcobia Armando , Soares Ana , Delerue Maria Francisca , Mansinho Hélder , Pereira Hélder , Félix Jorge , Ferreira Diana , Plácido Madalena , Afonso-Silva Marta , Gomes Marta Vargas , Amorim Miguel , Pinto Beatriz , Moura Carlota , Rabiais Sara , Andreozzi Valeska
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:

Anemia is a major problem, frequently resulting from iron deficiency (1). Guidelines recommend the administration of intravenous (IV) iron, leaving blood transfusions for critical patients due to the potential impact in length of stay (LOS) and mortality (2,3). We aimed to characterize IV iron sucrose utilization and health resource utilization in anemic patients.

METHODS:

This is a retrospective ongoing cohort study. Patient records from a general Portuguese Hospital with an administration of iron sucrose in 2014–2015 were reviewed. Adult anemic patients with at least one hemoglobin (Hb) evaluation before and after the administration of IV iron were included. Endpoints assessed were: Hb level (baseline, 4 and 8 weeks after), anemia correction rate at weeks 4 and 8, blood transfusions, length of stay (LOS), rate of readmissions (<30 days) and inpatient mortality. Statistical analysis included non-parametric and chi-square tests to assess differences between groups and a logistic regression model, using a 5 percent significance level.

RESULTS:

Data was collected for 401 patients (63.1 percent female; mean age Standard Deviation, SD: 62.6 (21.7) years) and 431 IV iron sucrose administration episodes. Mean cumulative iron dose was 679.5 mg. Baseline Hb level was 84.5 g/l and increased to 94.3 g/l (week 4) and to 103.0 g/l (week 8). Blood transfusions were performed in 53.8 percent of the episodes. Overall 157 (36.4 percent) episodes had a >20 g/l increase in Hb level. Blood transfusions were associated with a higher proportion of Hb level increase >20 g/l (44.0 percent versus 27.9 percent, p<.001). The overall mean LOS was 15.3 days, although episodes with transfusions had a significantly longer duration (17.5 days versus 12.7 days; p<.001). Overall readmission rate was 25.8 percent, with a higher proportion in episodes with blood transfusions (29.3 percent versus 21.6 percent). A total of 36 patients (9.0 percent) died at the hospital before discharge. Transfusions performed during or after IV iron administration increased 3.1 times the risk of in-hospital death (95 percent Confidence Interval, CI: 1.3-7.0; p = .008), after adjusting for age and sex.

CONCLUSIONS:

We observed a high rate of blood transfusions in this cohort treated with intravenous iron sucrose for anemia. Transfusions were associated with substantial burden of resource consumption and in-hospital mortality.
VP135 Clustering Surgical Indicators And Predictors Of Catastrophic Expenses
Authors: Cinaroglu Songul , Baser Onur
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:

Increasing access to surgical care is crucial in improving the general health status of a population. Despite studies indicating the cross-country differences of general health indicators, there is a scarcity of knowledge focusing on the cross-country differences of surgical indicators. This study aims to classify countries according to surgical care indicators and identify risk predictors of catastrophic surgical care expenditures.

METHODS:

For this study, data were used from the World Health Organization and the World Bank on 177 countries. The following variable groups were chosen: total density of medical imaging technologies, surgical workforce distribution, number of surgical procedures, and risk of catastrophic surgical care expenditures. The k-means clustering algorithm was used to classify countries according to the surgical indicators. The optimal number of clusters was determined with a within-cluster sum of squares and a scree plot. A Silhouette index was used to examine clustering performance, and a random forest decision tree approach was used to determine risk predictors of catastrophic surgical care expenditures.

RESULTS:

The surgical care indicator results delineated the countries into four groups according to each country's income level. The cluster plot indicated that most high-income countries (for example, United States, United Kingdom, Norway) are in the first cluster. The second cluster consisted of four countries: Japan, San Marino, Marshall Islands, and Monaco. Low-income countries (for example, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya) and middle-income countries (for example, Brazil, Turkey, Hungary) are represented in the third and fourth clusters, respectively. The third cluster had a high Silhouette index value (.75). The densities of both surgeons and medical imaging technology were risk determiners of catastrophic surgical care expenditures (Area Under Curve = .82).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results demonstrate a need for more effective health plans if the differences between countries surgical care indicators are to be overcome. We recommend that health policymakers reconsider distribution strategies for the surgical workforce and medical imaging technology in the interest of accessibility and equality.
VP164 Applying Health Technology Assessment To Pharmacy: The Italian-Medicine-Use-Review-Health Technology Assessment
Authors: Tinelli Michela , Manfrin Andrea , Knapp Martin , Cicchetti Americo , Mandelli Andrea
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION:

There is a lack of Health-Technology-Assessment (HTA) tools in pharmacy practice and the collection of real-world-evidence (RWE) in community pharmacy to populate longer-term-disease-progression-modelling (1). This project is looking at the development and application of a novel Patient-Reported-Outcome- Measure (PROM) in community pharmacy that can enable: the evaluation of the quality of care delivered from the patient perspective in terms of economic impact, patient health outcomes and ‘utilities’; the collection of RWE and evaluate long-term effect of care; to provide different stakeholders with unique evidence-based information that help formulate health policies in community pharmacy that are safe, effective, patient-focused and cost-effective, balancing access to innovation and cost containment.

METHODS:

Evidence from the Italian-Medicine-Use-Review (I-MUR) trial (2) showed that the I-MUR intervention provided by community pharmacists to asthma patients is effective, cost-saving and cost-effective (3). The trial allowed to model a framework (I-MUR-HTA) that would enable to routinely deliver the intervention, but also collect and analyse PROM data on its clinical-effectiveness, quality-of-life and cost-effectiveness. I-MUR-HTA was discussed within three expert-panel discussions including policy-makers, commissioners, academics, healthcare-professionals and patient-representatives in Italy, United Kingdom and Europe. Current plan include testing the use of the tool in the real world environment.

RESULTS:

Evidence collected from the panel discussions confirmed that I-MUR-HTA evidence-based information is relevant to meet current National-Health-Care-System plans and this is what is needed to support the evaluation of innovative effective and cost-effective health policies and promote their implementation across nations. Current Italian law on pharmacy services provides the appropriate institutional framework to regulate the introduction of I-MUR-HTA across the territory. Its implementation is underway and a real-world pilot is planned to take place in Italy.

CONCLUSIONS:

I-MUR-HTA appears to be an innovative tool to promote active patient involvement into policy-decision-making and pharmacy-service.
First-Person Experiments in Thinking
Authors: Ziegler Renatus , Weger Ulrich
Published: January 2018

Abstract. In psychology, thinking is typically studied in terms of a range of behavioral or physiological parameters, focusing, for instance, on the mental contents or the neuronal correlates of the thinking process proper. In the current article, by contrast, we seek to complement this approach with an exploration into the experiential or inner dimensions of thinking. These are subtle and elusive and hence easily escape a mode of inquiry that focuses on externally measurable outcomes. We illustrate how a sufficiently trained introspective approach can become a radar for facets of thinking that have found hardly any recognition in the literature so far. We consider this an important complement to third-person research because these introspective observations not only allow for new insights into the nature of thinking proper but also cast other psychological phenomena in a new light, for instance, attention and the self. We outline and discuss our findings and also present a roadmap for the reader interested in studying these phenomena in detail.