bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The analgesic effect of early hyperbaric oxygen treatment in chronic constriction injury rats and its influence on nNOS and iNOS expression and inflammatory factor production
Authors: Ding Yuanyuan , Yao Peng , Hong Tao , Li Hongxi , Zhu Yongqiang , Han Zhenkai , Zhou Guangyu
Published: March 2018

Objective

To observe the analgesic effect of early hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats, and to analyze the influence of HBO on the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase and on the levels of inflammatory factors.

Methods

Rats were assigned into three groups randomly: sham, CCI, and HBO groups. The CCI rat model was established, and HBO treatment at 2.5 ATA (60 min) was given one day after surgery, lasting for five consecutive days. The pain behaviors of the rats were observed at predetermined time points, and the activation of astrocytes at dorsal horns as well as the changes of the synaptic ultrastructures were observed. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were detected by Western blot, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR.

Results

Rats in the CCI group developed hyperalgesia when compared with the sham group. Mechanical withdrawal threshold decreased and thermal withdrawal latency shortened in CCI group. Also, astrocytes at the dorsal horn were activated, the synaptic structure was disordered, the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were increased significantly, and the release of inflammatory factor (TNF-α and IL-1β) was up-regulated. However, with early initiation of HBO treatment, rats in the HBO group showed significantly alleviated hyperalgesia, increased mechanical withdrawal threshold, and prolonged thermal withdrawal latency. HBO treatment inhibited astrocyte expression and maintained normal synaptic structure. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase were decreased in the dorsal horn, and the release of inflammatory factor (TNF-α and IL-1β) was reduced.

Conclusions

Early HBO treatment significantly improves hyperalgesia in rats with neuropathic pain. The decreased expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase and reduced levels of inflammatory factors are important mechanisms by which early HBO helps to alleviate neuropathic pain.
Attenuation of offset analgesia is associated with suppression of descending pain modulatory and reward systems in patients with chronic pain
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Li Tianjiao , Kobinata Hiroyuki , Ikeda Eri , Ota Takashi , Kurata Jiro
Published: March 2018

Background

Offset analgesia is a disproportionate decrease of pain perception following a slight decrease of noxious thermal stimulus and attenuated in patients with neuropathic pain. We examined offset analgesia in patients with heterogeneous chronic pain disorders and used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore modification of cerebral analgesic responses in comparison with healthy controls.

Results

We recruited seventeen patients with chronic pain and seventeen age-, sex-matched healthy controls. We gave a noxious thermal stimulation paradigm including offset analgesia and control stimuli on the left volar forearm, while we obtained a real-time continuous pain rating and a whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging. Baseline, first plateau (5 s), increment (5 s), and second plateau (20 s) temperatures of offset analgesia stimulus were set at 32°C, 46°C, 47°C, and 46°C, respectively. Control stimulus included 30-s 46°C stimulus or only the first 10 s of offset analgesia stimulus. We evaluated magnitude of offset analgesia, analyzed cerebral activation by thermal stimulation, and further compared offset analgesia-related activation between the groups. Magnitude of offset analgesia was larger in controls than in patients (median: 28.9% (interquartile range: 11.0–56.0%) vs. 19.0% (4.2–48.7%), p = 0.047). During the second plateau, controls showed a larger blood oxygenation level-dependent activation than patients at the putamen, anterior cingulate, dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, nucleus accumbens, brainstem, and medial prefrontal cortex ( p < 0.05), which are known to mediate either of descending pain modulation or reward responses. Offset analgesia-related activity at the anterior cingulate cortex was negatively correlated with neuropathic component of pain in patients with chronic pain ( p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Attenuation of offset analgesia was associated with suppressed activation of the descending pain modulatory and reward systems in patients with chronic pain, at least in the studied cohort. The present findings might implicate both behavioral and cerebral plastic alterations contributing to chronification of pain. Clinical trial registry: The Japanese clinical trials registry (UMIN-CTR, No. UMIN000011253; http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr /)
False-Positive Citations
Authors: Simmons Joseph P. , Nelson Leif D. , Simonsohn Uri
Published: March 2018

We describe why we wrote “False-Positive Psychology,” analyze how it has been cited, and explain why the integrity of experimental psychology hinges on the full disclosure of methods, the sharing of materials and data, and, especially, the preregistration of analyses.
To Have Seen or Not to Have Seen: A Look at Rensink, O’Regan, and Clark (1997)
Authors: Rensink Ronald A.
Published: March 2018

Rensink, O’Regan, and Clark drew attention to the phenomenon of change blindness, in which even large changes can be difficult to notice if made during the appearance of motion transients elsewhere in the image. This article provides a sketch of the events that inspired that article as well as its subsequent impact on psychological science and on society at large.
The Error-Related Negativity
Authors: Gehring William J. , Goss Brian , Coles Michael G. H. , Meyer David E. , Donchin Emanuel
Published: March 2018

We look back on the events surrounding the genesis of our 1993 article on the error-related negativity (ERN), a component of the event-related brain potential that accompanies errors in the performance of speeded-response tasks. Our reminiscences focus on the personal friendships, intellectual influences, and chance occurrences that shaped the article. To put our work in historical context, we consider subsequent trends in neuroimaging, computational modeling, and psychiatry that gave the ERN high visibility and contributed to the longevity of its scientific interest.
Dabrafenib in combination with trametinib in the treatment of patients with BRAF V600-positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: clinical evidence and experience
Authors: Khunger Arjun , Khunger Monica , Velcheti Vamsidhar
Published: March 2018

Mutations in the BRAF oncogene are found in 2–4% of all non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The most common activating mutation present within the BRAF oncogene is associated with valine substitution for glutamate at position 600 (V600E) within the BRAF kinase. BRAF-targeted therapies are effective in patients with melanoma and NSCLC harboring BRAF V600E mutation. In both melanoma and NSCLC, dual inhibition of both BRAF and the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) improves response rates compared with BRAF inhibition alone. BRAF-MEK combination therapy (dabrafenib plus trametinib) demonstrated tolerability and efficacy in a recent phase II clinical trial and was approved by the European Medicines Agency and United States Food and Drug Administration for patients with stage IV NSCLC harboring BRAF V600E mutation. Here, in this review, we outline the preclinical and clinical data for BRAF and MEK inhibitor combination treatment for NSCLC patients with BRAF V600E mutation.
Top Five Physical Design Factors Contributing to Fall Initiation
Authors: Pati Debajyoti , Lee Jaehoon , Mihandoust Sahar , Kazem-Zadeh Mahshad , Oh Youngha
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

To develop a prioritized list of physical design questions/interventions to reduce patient falls by conducting expanded analysis (Phase II) of data generated from a completed study phase.

Background:

Patient falls continue to be a critical concern for healthcare providers, patients, and families. While substantial literature exist on intrinsic factors, scientific evidence on the role of the physical environment is scarce.

Method:

Expanded analysis of data from 180 videos of trials conducted in a physical mock-up of a medical–surgical inpatient room in a previously completed study phase. The odds of subject’s exhibited postures (predictors) on fall initiation (outcome) were examined in a series of generalized linear mixed effects models. Physical design elements and attributes associated with postures exhibiting statistical significance were examined.

Results:

Turning, pulling, pushing, and bending forward exhibited the highest odds of contributing to fall initiation in the bathroom. Grabbing, pushing, and sitting exhibited the highest odds of contributing to fall initiation around the patient bed. Physical design elements/attributes associated with the above postures are the (1) bathroom door; (2) bathroom spatial configuration—relative locations of door, toilet bowl, and the sink; (3) door, toilet, and sink hardware; (4) space availability/tightness inside the clinician zone; and (5) spatial configuration around patient bed—relative locations of bed, patient chair, and overbed table, in relation to bathroom door, and resulting obstructions originating from the configuration.

Conclusions:

Patient falls during unassisted ambulation may be reduced through appropriate examination of these five physical elements/attributes.
Health literacy in familial hypercholesterolemia: A cross-national study
Authors: Hagger Martin S , Hardcastle Sarah J , Hu Miao , Kwok See , Lin Jie , Nawawi Hapizah M , Pang Jing , Santos Raul D , Soran Handrean , Su Ta-Chen , Tomlinson Brian , Watts Gerald F
Published: March 2018

Background

High rates of inadequate health literacy are associated with maladaptive health outcomes in chronic disease including increased mortality and morbidity rates, poor treatment adherence and poor health. Adequate health literacy may be an important factor in the effective treatment and management of familial hypercholesterolemia, and may also be implicated in genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia among index cases. The present study examined the prevalence and predictors of health literacy in familial hypercholesterolemia patients attending clinics in seven countries.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Methods

Consecutive FH patients attending clinics in Australia, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and the UK completed measures of demographic variables (age, gender, household income and highest education level) and a brief three-item health literacy scale.

Results

Rates of inadequate health literacy were lowest in the UK (7.0%), Australia (10.0%), Hong Kong (15.7%) and Taiwan (18.0%) samples, with higher rates in the Brazil (22.0%), Malaysia (25.0%) and China (37.0%) samples. Income was an independent predictor of health literacy levels, accounting for effects of age. Health literacy was also independently related to China national group membership.

Conclusions

Findings indicate non-trivial levels of inadequate health literacy in samples of familial hypercholesterolemia patients. Consistent with previous research in chronic illness, inadequate health literacy is related to income as an index of health disparities. Chinese familial hypercholesterolemia patients are more likely to have high rates of inadequate health literacy independent of income. Current findings highlight the imperative of education interventions targeting familial hypercholesterolemia patients with inadequate health literacy.
Squamous cell carcinoma arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Huang Qi , Shen Yi , Wang Allen Y , Qiu Shijie , Li Qun , Wang Jian , Wu Zhenhua
Published: March 2018

Objectives:

Squamous cell carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct cyst is exceedingly rare with only 26 reported cases in the literature so far, which only account for 6% of the patients.

Methods:

We report a unique case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst in a 49-year-old male who was primarily diagnosed as a thyroglossal duct cyst with inflammation. The patient underwent Sistrunk procedure with wide local excision and radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy post-operatively and had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis for 24 months. In addition, we reviewed the relevant literatures.

Results:

Whether squamous cell carcinoma actually arises from thyroglossal duct cyst is still controversial; however, carcinoma originating from metaplasia of columnar and squamous epithelium in thyroglossal duct cyst has been well accepted. The gold-standard diagnostic method is fine needle aspiration biopsy with ultrasound guidance. Sistrunk procedure alone or with wide excision is likely to be beneficial. Neck dissection is necessary in patients with positive cervical lymphadenopathy. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have not yet been clearly defined.

Conclusion:

Squamous cell carcinoma arising from thyroglossal duct cyst is really a rare disease, whose origin, treatments and prognosis still remain uncertain. These are solely based on case reports, case series and expert opinions. Hence, more investigations about squamous cell carcinoma will be conducted in the near future.
The Imagined Audience for and Perceived Quality of News Comments: Exploring the Perceptions of Commenters on News Sites and on Facebook
Authors: Kim Jisu , Lewis Seth C. , Watson Brendan R.
Published: March 2018

A number of news organizations have begun shifting commenting from their websites to Facebook, based on the implicit assumption that commenting on Facebook is an equivalent (or preferred) substitute. Using survey data from 317 online news commenters, and drawing on the concept of imagined audience, this article examines this assumption by comparing news commenters’ perceptions of imagined audiences for comments on news organizations’ websites and on Facebook. While news commenters had mostly different imagined audiences between the two platforms, they had similar evaluations of the personal dimensions of their audiences and the quality of news comments. News commenters on Facebook, for example, did not perceive their audiences to be any more reasonable, intelligent, or responsive—or any less aggressive—than did commenters on news organizations’ websites. Facebook commenters also did not perceive comments to be of any greater quality than did commenters on news organizations’ websites. Thus, it appears that at least in the context of aiming to elevate the quality and civility of civic discourse, news commenters do not perceive Facebook to be demonstrably better than news organizations’ websites. Implications for journalism, social media, and future research are discussed.
Does Use of Oral Anticoagulants at the Time of Admission Affect Outcomes Following Hip Fracture
Authors: Lott Ariana , Haglin Jack , Belayneh Rebekah , Konda Sanjit R. , Leucht Philipp , Egol Kenneth A.
Published: March 2018

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to compare hospital quality outcomes in patients over the age of 60 undergoing fixation of hip fracture based on their anticoagulation status.

Materials and Methods:

Patients aged 60 and older with isolated hip fracture injuries treated operatively at 1 academic medical center between October 2014 and September 2016 were analyzed. Patients on the following medications were included in the anticoagulation cohort: warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin 325 mg, rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran, and dipyridamole/aspirin. We compared outcome measures including time to surgery, length of stay (LOS), transfusion rate, blood loss, procedure time, complication rate, need for intensive care unit (ICU)/step-down unit (SDU) care, discharge disposition, and cost of admission. Outcomes were controlled for age, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), and anesthesia type.

Results:

A total of 479 hip fracture patients met the inclusion criteria, with 367 (76.6%) patients in the nonanticoagulated cohort and 112 (23.4%) patients in the anticoagulated cohort. The mean LOS and time to surgery were longer in the anticoagulated cohort (8.3 vs 7.3 days, P = .033 and 1.9 vs 1.6 days, P = .010); however, after controlling for age, CCI, and anesthesia type, these differences were no longer significant. Surgical outcomes were equivalent with similar procedure times, blood loss, and need for transfusion. The mean number of complications developed and inpatient mortality rate in the 2 cohorts were similar; however, more patients in the anticoagulated cohort required ICU/SDU-level care (odds ratio = 2.364, P = .001, controlled for age, CCI, and anesthesia). There was increased utilization of post-acute care in the anticoagulated cohort, with only 10.7% of patients discharged home compared to 19.9% of the nonanticoagulated group ( P = .026). Lastly, there was no difference in cost of care.

Conclusion:

This study highlights that anticoagulation status alone does not independently put patients at increased risk with respect to LOS, surgical outcomes, and cost of hospitalization.
Mothers’ Education and Girls’ Achievement in Kibera: The Link With Self-Efficacy
Authors: Abuya Benta A. , Mumah Joyce , Austrian Karen , Mutisya Maurice , Kabiru Caroline
Published: March 2018

Research evidence has established the importance of mothers’ education and their children’s educational achievement. However, little has been done to establish the association between mothers’ education with girls’ literacy and numeracy scores, while linking it with self-efficacy. Using baseline data collected in Kibera informal settlement in 2015 as part of the Adolescent Girls Initiative–Kenya (AGI-K), this article tests the mother–child education achievement hypothesis while taking into account girls’ self-efficacy. Results show a significant association between parental education and numeracy and cognitive scores at the bivariate level. In addition, interaction effects of mother’s and father’s education showed that girls whose mothers had at least some secondary education significantly performed better in numeracy, while the performance increased even more with increased father’s level of education. Findings also show that on average, girls’ numeracy and cognitive scores significantly increased by half of a standard deviation for a unit increment in self-efficacy. One policy implication is that investments into the secondary education of mothers in support of their daughter’s education need to strengthen individual attributes of girls in self-efficacy.
Thein vitroeffect of nebulised hypertonic saline on human bronchial epithelium
Authors: Goralski Jennifer L. , Wu Dan , Thelin William R. , Boucher Richard C. , Button Brian
Published: March 2018

Inhaled hypertonic saline (HS) is an effective therapy for muco-obstructive lung diseases. However, the mechanism of action and principles pertinent to HS administration remain unclear.

Anin vitrosystem aerosolised HS to epithelial cells at rates comparable toin vivoconditions. Airway surface liquid (ASL) volume and cell height responses were measured by confocal microscopy under normal and hyperconcentrated mucus states.

Aerosolised HS produced a rapid increase in ASL height and decrease in cell height. Added ASL volume was quickly reabsorbed following termination of nebulisation, although cell height did not recover within the same time frame. ASL volume responses to repeated HS administrations were blunted, but could be restored by a hypotonic saline bolus interposed between HS administrations. HS-induced ASL hydration was prolonged with hyperconcentrated mucus on the airway surface, with more modest reductions in cell volume.

Aerosolised HS produced osmotically induced increases in ASL height that were limited by active sodium absorption and cell volume-induced reductions in cell water permeability. Mucus on airway surfaces prolonged the effect of HSviamucus-dependent osmotic forces, suggesting that the duration of action of HS is increased in patients with hyperconcentrated mucus.
Electrochemical polarization around metallic particles — Part 1: The role of diffuse-layer and volume-diffusion relaxation
Authors: Bücker Matthias , Orozco Adrián Flores , Kemna Andreas
Published: March 2018

We have developed an extension of the theory and mathematical description of the commonly used Wong model of electrode polarization. The full solution of the Poisson-Nernst-Planck system is provided, including three additional unknown coefficients, which describe the microscale polarization response at the surface of a perfectly conducting particle. The model involves two simultaneously acting polarization mechanisms. The first is related to the dynamic charging of diffuse layers induced over the poles of the particles, which relaxes on a time scale proportional to the particle radius and Debye length of the electrolyte solution. The second is a volume-diffusion mechanism, which is activated by reaction currents through the solid-liquid interface, i.e., faradaic currents due to charge-transfer reactions. The relaxation time of the resulting concentration polarization around the particle increases quadratically with the particle radius and the fraction of electroactive cations in the electrolyte. Although diffuse-layer polarization dominates the effective response for small particles and in the absence of reactive cations, volume-diffusion polarization only affects the macroscopic behavior if the particle size exceeds a critical value. From the closed-form analytic expressions for both relaxation times that we used, we derive a critical particle radius that depends on Debye length and reactive cation concentration. Based on the improved understanding of the underlying polarization processes, we also review some recent conceptual models of metallic polarization and correct several physical misconceptions inherent to these reinterpretations of the classic theory.
Including and using internal multiples in closed-loop imaging — Field data examples
Authors: Davydenko Mikhail , Verschuur D. J.
Published: March 2018

Nowadays, it is more widely accepted that multiple reflections should not be considered as noise, but as signal that can provide additional illumination of the subsurface. However, one of the challenges in seismic imaging is including all multiples in the migration process for field data in a reliable manner. Although including surface multiples in imaging has been demonstrated already on field data in recent years, the proper imaging of internal multiples is less established. We have determined successful field data applications on imaging that takes all internal multiples into account. This is done via so-called full-wavefield migration (FWM), an inversion-based method in which, given the migration velocity model, the angle-dependent reflectivity is iteratively estimated by minimizing the misfit between the modeled and the measured data. Its forward model is based on a multidimensional version of the so-called Bremmer series, which allows modeling of transmission effects and any type of multiple scattering in the subsurface and, thereby, is able to minimize the data misfit correctly. An application of FWM on deepwater field data from the Norwegian North Sea validates its capabilities to explain and image internal multiples. Furthermore, it is demonstrated on the same field data that the FWM framework can also be used for data interpolation and primary/multiple separation.
Multivariate linear regression of sonic logs on petrophysical logs for detailed reservoir characterization in producing fields
Authors: Lorenzen Robert
Published: March 2018

Many development wells do not have sonic logs recorded, often because of mechanical issues with deviated wellbores or high cost. Consequently, tying development wells to the seismic data covering the field becomes difficult. This issue is magnified in fields where multiple heterogeneous thin sands form thick-stacked pay packages. Multivariate linear regression is a powerful tool to analyze the interdependence of data. Well data from three producing fields in the Balingian Province, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, are used to calculate parameters relating the recorded sonic-log data to other recorded petrophysical log data. Those parameters are used next to estimate sonic logs from petrophysical log data alone. The petrophysical log data include depth, gamma ray, density, neutron porosity, and resistivity, thus reflecting the natural assumption that the formation velocity is dependent on compaction, lithology, density, pore space, and fluid content. Parameters are calculated separately for coals, gas-filled sands, and the normal shale and sand sequences, giving one set of parameters for each well. The regression is computed at log scale for every depth point. The coefficient of determination between recorded and estimated sonic logs for the same well is up to 0.96. Blind testing is applied to assess the actual reliability of the linear regression by using the parameters from each well in turn to estimate sonic logs for the other wells with only their petrophysical logs. The best set of parameters is obtained from composite wells with tens of thousands of depth points, where the data from several wells are combined. This ensures that there are multiple instances of coal layers and gas-filled sand layers at many depths, thus providing the most representative data set. Interpretation indicates that the synthetic seismic from estimated sonic logs leads to reliable observations regarding sands and coals and their seismic character.
Anesthetics Influence Mortality in a Drosophila Model of Blunt Trauma With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Fischer Julie A. , Olufs Zachariah P. G. , Katzenberger Rebeccah J. , Wassarman David A. , Perouansky Misha
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND:

Exposure to anesthetics is common in the majority of early survivors of life-threatening injuries. Whether and to what degree general anesthetics influence outcomes from major trauma is unknown. Potential confounding effects of general anesthetics on outcome measures are usually disregarded. We hypothesized that exposure to isoflurane or sevoflurane modulates the outcome from blunt trauma with traumatic brain injury (bTBI).

METHODS:

We tested the hypothesis in a novel model of bTBI implemented in Drosophila melanogaster. Fruit flies of the standard laboratory strain w

1118
were cultured under standard conditions. We titrated the severity of bTBI to a mortality index at 24 hours (MI24) of approximately 20% under control conditions. We administered standard doses of isoflurane and sevoflurane before, before and during, or after bTBI and measured the resulting MI24. We report the MI24 as mean ± standard deviation.

RESULTS:

Isoflurane or sevoflurane administered for 2 hours before bTBI reduced the MI24 from 22.3 ± 2.6 to 10.4 ± 1.8 (P < 10−9, n = 12) and from 19.3 ± 0.9 to 8.9 ± 1.1 (P < .0001, n = 8), respectively. In contrast, administration of isoflurane after bTBI increased the MI24 from 18.5% ± 4.3% to 25.3% ± 9.1% (P = .0026, n = 22), while sevoflurane had no effect (22.4 ± 7.1 and 21.5 ± 5.8, n = 22).

CONCLUSIONS:

In a whole animal model of bTBI, general anesthetics were not indifferent with respect to early mortality. Therefore, collateral effects of general anesthetics should be considered in the interpretation of results obtained in vertebrate trauma models. Invertebrate model organisms can serve as a productive platform to interrogate anesthetic targets that mediate collateral effects and to inform trauma research in higher organisms about the potential impact of anesthetics on outcomes.
Intravenous Acetaminophen Does Not Reduce Inpatient Opioid Prescription or Opioid-Related Adverse Events Among Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery
Authors: Mörwald Eva E. , Poeran Jashvant , Zubizarreta Nicole , Cozowicz Crispiana , Mazumdar Madhu , Memtsoudis Stavros G.
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND:

Having entered the US market relatively recently, the perioperative role of intravenous acetaminophen (ivAPAP) remains to be established for several surgeries. Using national data, we therefore assessed current utilization and whether it reduces inpatient opioid prescription and opioid-related side effects in a procedure with relatively high opioid utilization.

METHODS:

Patients undergoing a lumbar/lumbosacral spinal fusion (n = 117,269; 2011–2014) were retrospectively identified in a nationwide database and categorized by the amount and timing of ivAPAP administration (1 or >1 dose on postoperative day [POD] 0, 1, or 1+). Multivariable models measured associations between ivAPAP utilization categories and opioid prescription and perioperative complications; odds ratios (or % change) and 95% confidence intervals are reported.

RESULTS:

Overall, ivAPAP was used in 18.9% (n = 22,208) of cases of which 1 dose on POD 0 was the most common (73.6%; n = 16,335). After covariate adjustment, use of ivAPAP on POD 0 and 1 was associated with minimal changes in opioid prescription, length and cost of hospitalization particularly favoring >1 ivAPAP dose with a modestly (−5.2%, confidence interval, −7.2% to −3.1%; P < .0001) decreased length of stay. Use of ivAPAP did not coincide with a consistent pattern of significantly reduced odds for complications. In comparison, the most commonly used nonopioid analgesic, pregabalin/gabapentin, did demonstrate reduced opioid prescription combined with lower complication risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

We could not show that perioperative ivAPAP reduces inpatient opioid prescription with subsequent reduced odds for adverse outcomes. It remains to be determined if and under what circumstances ivAPAP has a meaningful clinical role in everyday practice.
Interpreting the legacy of partition in the subcontinent: Indian and Pakistani perspectives
Authors: Chakrabarti Shantanu
Published: March 2018

The twentieth century partitions, it has been argued, have been essentially the by‑products of three interlinked global developments: (a) decolonisation; (b) democratisation and the (c) Cold War dynamics. The partition of the Indian subcontinent, in particular, bore the imprint of the maelstrom produced by the intertwining of these three forces. The process of partition in South Asia did not only involve simple division and reorganisation of territories but was accompanied by devolution and indigenisation of political institutions and governance, placing partition at the heart of the process of nation‑state formation. In this sense, the longue duree process of the partitioning of the subcontinent has continued to cast its long shadow over the nation‑building process leading to internal discrepancies and the development of regional dynamics, often competitive and conflictual in nature.
Rules for Maldivian Trading Ships Travelling Abroad (1925) and a Sojourn in Southern Ceylon
Authors: Romero-Frias Xavier
Published: March 2018

‘Rules for Maldivian Trading Ships,’ the translated document that forms the first part of the paper is a twelve‑page manual published by the Royal House on the rules that were to be followed by Maldivian oceangoing ships while on their yearly trading trip to “the continent” (kara). Kara referred primarily to the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the foreign place that Maldivian traders found most convenient to reach. This trade originated in most major islands of the archipelago in the past, including Minicoy (Maliku), but was vital for the communities living in the atolls located at the southern end of the chain. The second part of the paper includes the translation of a personal account by an old Maldivian trader about his experiences in and around Gali (Galle, Sri Lanka), the description of conditions in the harbour and an inland town in Ceylon, as well as the friendships he established there with local people.
On the road to Great India – a Program of National Revival
Authors: Kudelska Marta , Staszczyk Agnieszka , Świerzowska Agata
Published: March 2018

The paper aims at tracing the idea of the revival of Indian society and nation in the undertaking of G.D. Birla (1894‑1983) – the most influential representative of the Birla family which members, known as industrial magnates and corporate leaders, contribute since the turn of the 20th century to medicine, education and technological development of India. G.D. Birla’s overall goal, seems to have been the revitalisation and strengthening of Hinduism as “Arya dharma” and interpret it in such a way as to make this the religion as inclusive and universal as possible. One of the Birlas’ activities fully demonstrating these religious ideas is the temple foundation. Thus considering the wide range of areas in which G.D. Birla was involved, the authors have focused on one such project – the Saraswati temple in Pilani and its ideological background. The temple is located in the Birla Institute of Technology & Science campus and dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wisdom and learning. The authors hope that this analysis will succeed in showing how the individual worldview of the founder left its mark on the idea of the whole family’s endeavours, and at the same time give voice to the range of ideas which, although already expressed at the turn of the nineteenth century, are still alive and influential in India today.
Heterotopian City. Khushwant Singh and his Delhi: A Novel
Authors: Marlewicz Halina
Published: March 2018

The essay is an attempt to analyse Khushwant Singh’s Delhi: A Novel as a literary work in which topography and existence, life and literature entwine. The essay is divided into three parts, each part has a particular focus. The part entitled Indeterminate Zone concentrates on the paratext in an attempt to see how it channels reader’s anticipation with regard to the content of the book. In the second part: Zone of the City: the image of Delhi in its chosen (re)constructions within the novel is examined. Here, particular attention is paid to the reconstruction of space and time within the novel. The last section of the paper, Zone of the Body speaks of the body and the symbolic roles it plays within the novel.
Specyfika wschodniej granicy Unii Europejskiej z perspektywy bezpieczeństwa i rozwoju
Authors: Lesińska Magdalena , Stępniewski Tomasz
Published: March 2018

The specific nature of the European Union’s eastern border in view of security and development
The shape of the EU’s external policy depends upon the state of the EU itself as well. The Union struggles with several overlapping crises of various nature: 1) financial, 2) Brexit, 3) immigration, 4) Russia-Ukraine hybrid war and challenges for European security, 5) crisis of European identity. Changes emerging in the immediate and more distant surroundings of the EU exert a direct impact upon the sense and perception of EU’s security. Therefore, the security cannot be simplified to that of the individual member states, but must be considered in broader terms i.e. related to the neighboring regions – the post-Soviet states in this particular case. In view of events and developments of 2016, it can be argued that both southern and eastern neighborhood of the EU are challenged with crises, instability and internal conflicts (political, social and military in nature).
Mały ruch graniczny – konsekwencje dla regionów przygranicznych
Authors: Piekutowska Agnieszka
Published: March 2018

Local border traffic at the Polish section of the European Union external border as a factor influencing the development of border regions

It is in the interest of the European Union and Poland to ensure that the borders with its neighbors are not a barrier to trade, social and cultural interchange or regional cooperation. Such indication was included in the preamble of the Regulation No. 1931/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules on local border traffic at the external land borders of the Member States. The institution of local border traffic is very popular among the citizens of border areas. Thus – in the light of scale of the phenomenon – numerous questions arise: whether (in the economic dimension) the balance of the consequences of the implementation of the agreements on LBT is positive? Does an asymmetry of benefits take place, ie. the implementation of the agreement is more beneficial for one of its sides? Given the above views, the purpose of this article is the assessment of the economic consequences of its implementation (on the background of the prerequisite for the establishment of the LBT).
Zagrożenie przestępczością na wschodniej granicy Polski – struktura i dynamika zjawiska
Authors: Perkowska Magdalena
Published: March 2018

Criminality on Polish eastern border – dynamics and structure

Polish eastern border is both the internal and external EU and Schengen border. Polish eastern border is so called border between East and West of Europe. It has a significant role in Europe security. Therefore the aim of article is to show the threats to border’s security and also state security. Author will present the structure and dynamics of border criminality on Polish eastern border in 2004-2013. The hypothesis is that the border criminality is strongly influenced by migration, and in case of Poland it is high on the eastern section of the state border (external EU border). The analysis of structure and dynamics of border criminality on Polish eastern border in 2004-2013 will be conducted mostly in reference to the political factors that influenced the border status. There were EU enlargement (in 2004), Schengen enlargement (in 2007) and introduction of Local Border Traffic with Ukraine (in 2009) and with Russian Federation (in 2012). Those factors include some elements of EU policy towards ex USSR countries and influenced the scale of border criminality and other threats to border security on the East of Europe. The data presented will show the scale and specific of criminality on different border sections (with Russia, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine).
Gdzie opada żelazna kurtyna? Granice i mit Europy Środkowej we współczesnej eseistyce i historiografii europejskiej
Authors: Stolarz Agata
Published: March 2018

Where the Iron Curtain fell? Borders and the myth of Central Europe in contemporary essays and European historiography

The present paper discusses the key writer’s views of the Central Europe, referring to the problem of the symbolic divisions of Europe in opinion journalism and essays. It presents three main ways (cultural, political and social) of constructing the borders of Central Europe, and thus of Europe’s eastern border. The author focuses primarily on those publications in which the authors propose a redefinition of borders in Central Europe. She refers, amongst others, to the texts of Milan Kundera, Chantal Delsol, Alain Finkielkraut, Simona Škrabec, Vittorio Strada, Andrzej Stasiuk, and Yuri Andrukhovych. She also describe and deconstructs the myth of “unique geographical location which shaping the identity of Central Europe”, emerging from the texts of the writers mentioned above.
The Union of South Africa towards the Outbreak of the Second World War
Authors: Żukowski Arkadiusz
Published: March 2018

At the outbreak of the Second World War the Union of South Africa was military unprepared and divided politically. The division into supporters and opponents of the war against Germany was clear, both in the Parliament, as well as in South African society, particularly among large parts of the Afrikaners it manifested itself as significant political support and public acceptance of the ideology of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. The moderate Afrikaners and first of all the English‑speaking population supported joining the war on the side of the Allies. In the parliament, the issue has led to a government crisis. The Union of South Africa as a British Dominion finally declared war on Nazi Germany. In a relatively short time the state was able to prepare its institutions, society and economy for participation in the war. An important role in the consolidation of the political elite and society in the fight against Nazi Germany on the side of to the Allies was played J.C. Smuts.
Peace Operations in th e Activity of th e Organisation of African Unity and th e African Union
Authors: Lizak Wiesław
Published: March 2018

The evolution of the regional system of cooperation for peace and security in Africa led to the formation of institutionalized methods and forms of cooperation within the framework of regional international organizations (Organization of African Unity, African Union) and the creation of the African Peace and Security Architecture. One of the important forms of activity within it became peacekeeping operations. Maintenance, building and peace enforcement missions have become part of the strategy to shape the international environment in which security is a prerequisite for the smooth implementation of development goals. African international forces heretofore have participated in stabilization operations in countries such as Chad, Rwanda, Burundi, the Comoros, Sudan, Somalia and the Central African Republic.
Polish‑Sub‑Saharan African economic and political relations after 1989
Authors: Polus Andrzej
Published: March 2018

The main objective of this study is to examine the developments of political and economic relations between Poland and Sub‑Saharan Africa. The article is written from the Polish perspective. The author is fully aware that the perception of Sub‑Saharan Africa as a homogeneous region must result in multiple oversimplifications. However, an analysis of the Polish “African discourse” indicates that political and business elites are not aware of the heterogeneity of the continent and the latter is perceived as a “single unit”. The article demonstrates that after the eastward enlargement of the European Union in 2004 Poland realized its principal goal of foreign policy and did not attempt to redefine its role and place in international relations in terms of its potential and assets. Since 2013, the relations between Poland and Sub‑Saharan states have been intensified, but it is everything but clear whether it will become a permanent trend.
The problem of Islamic terrorism in Kenya in terms of regional Security in East Africa
Authors: Bar Joanna
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this article is to present the issue of security in the region of East Africa, particularly in Kenya, in view of the development of the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism. In the last two years it killed more than 400 people in this country and the scale of organized attacks is still increasing. In April 2015 Islamic militants from the Somali group al‑Shabaab attacked Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya. This terrorist attack confirmed that Kenyan authorities are not able to control the 700‑kilometre border with Somalia and ensure the security of citizens and tourists visiting the country. The threat of the escalation of acts of terrorism and the spread of violence to other countries in the region are becoming a major challenge to the foreign policy of Kenya and other countries in the region. In this article the author intends to present Kenya’s current actions in the fight against terrorism in Somalia and to assess the involvement of the African Union (AU) and the East African Community (EAC)– in terms of ensuring the regional security and the involvement of players from the region outside (the USA in particular) –in the context of the fight against Islamic terrorism on a global scale. Therefore the aim of the article is to attempt to evaluate the real possibility of providing effective aid to Kenya in the fight against terrorism. Despite the limited access to sources, dealing with this difficult subject of research has been justified by the fact that the awareness of the threat of Islamic terrorism against Kenya becomes necessary for the understanding of different phenomena and processes essential for the security of East African countries, and also for the fight against terrorism worldwide.
Faith‑based organizations and the state
Authors: Wilk-Mhagama Klaudia
Published: March 2018

Since Zanzibar and Tanganyika became the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964, African socialism called ujamaa spread widely in this country. The adoption of an African Socialist approach was accompanied by the nationalization of education and health facilities belonging to the religious institutions. However, since the collapse of ujamaa in the mid‑1980s, Tanzania saw the increased activity of various faith‑based organizations (FBOs) that were connected to the economic and political liberalization. The new system caused that FBOs have become part of a growing religious field which has repositioned itself toward the multiple opportunities and expectations of the established apex bodies to coordinate with each other and manage their relationships with the government. This article describes how religious actors in urban Tanzania have repositioned themselves in relation to the state as well as themselves during the liberalization era triggered by development.
Dad dad buu dugsadaa dugaagna geed – the Somali Diaspora in the United States and their Impact on the American Domestic, Social and Security Situation
Authors: Antosz Marta
Published: March 2018

The paper is dedicated to the Somali diaspora in the United States and its influence on the American domestic, social and security situation in relation to: 1) Somali cultural, historical and religious background, 2) history and patterns of U.S. Somali immigration, 3) analysis of the Somali cultural adaptation to American society, 4) analysis of the remittances sent from diaspora back home and certain associated patterns 5) potential among Somalis, especially young Somalis, when it comes to the Islamic radicalization, 6) analysis of the Somalis as part of Black African immigration. However, Somalis are not even close to being the largest migration group from Sub‑Saharan Africa, for sure they are a significant one. Settled mostly in Minnesota (mostly the Minneapolis urban area), Columbus (Ohio), Seattle (Washington), Virginia, Washington D.C. metropolitan area, New York City metropolitan area, San Diego and Georgia, they created a unique minority with significant impact on the whole picture of American society and the American domestic and security situation.
„Był sobie gender …”
Authors: Bachryj-Krzywaźnia Maciej
Published: March 2018

“Once upon a time there was a gender…” The term gender in the discourse of Gosc Niedzielny – semantic field analysis and actantial analysis

The year 2013 was a time of impressive media carrier of the term gender. From scientific niche the notion invaded fiercely the language of polish journalism and political debate. The Intensity of ideological debate, triggered by the word gender, is reflected by the semantic struggle. On the one side there is meaning worked out through years by the theoreticians, on the other, standpoint of those sceptical about gender, who refer to it as an ideology, which goals and content is fundamentally different from those declared by the theoreticians. The goal of this very paper is to reconstruct the content and the meaning of the term gender, as it appears in the discourse critical toward it. The task is carried out on the example of articles published in catholic weekly magazine Gosc Niedzielny. Two methods was applied to achieve above goal – semantic field analysis and actantial analysis, based on A.J. Greimas’ narrative grammar.