bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A boil-off gas utilization for improved performance of heavy duty gas turbines in combined cycle
Authors: Mazzoni Stefano , Rajoo Srithar , Romagnoli Alessandro
Published: May 2018

The storage of the natural gas under liquid phase is widely adopted and one of the intrinsic phenomena occurring in liquefied natural gas is the so-called boil-off gas; this consists of the regasification of the natural gas due to the ambient temperature and loss of adiabacity in the storage tank. As the boil-off occurs, the so-called cold energy is released to the surrounding environment; such a cold energy could potentially be recovered for several end-uses such as cooling power generation, air separation, air conditioning, dry-ice manufacturing and conditioning of inlet air at the compressor of gas turbine engines. This paper deals with the benefit corresponding to the cooling down of the inlet air temperature to the compressor, by means of internal heat transfer recovery from the liquefied natural gas boil-off gas cold energy availability. The lower the compressor inlet temperature, the higher the gas turbine performance (power and efficiency); the exploitation of the liquefied natural gas boil-off gas cold energy also corresponds to a higher amount of air flow rate entering the cycle which plays in favour of the bottoming heat recovery steam generator and the related steam cycle. Benefit of this solution, in terms of yearly work and gain increase have been established by means of ad hoc developed component models representing heat transfer device (air/boil-off gas) and heavy duty 300 MW gas turbine. For a given ambient temperature variability over a year, the results of the analysis have proven that the increase of electricity production and efficiency due to the boil-off gas cold energy recovery has finally yield a revenue increase of 600,000€/year.
Numerical investigation on flow mechanisms of a squirrel cage fan
Authors: Wang Ke , Ju Yaping , Zhang Chuhua
Published: May 2018

Squirrel cage fan has found wide applications in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning as well as other cooling systems. Although many studies have been conducted to investigate the performance of the squirrel cage fan, the complex flows and the associated flow mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed for a comprehensive analysis of the flow throughout a whole squirrel cage fan. A novel representation technique is proposed for a vivid and quantitative description of the flow velocity distributions at the impeller inlet and outlet to aid a heuristic analysis of the complex flows in squirrel cage fan. The pressure gradient distributions, together with the pressure itself, along the volute wall are also extracted and analyzed to explore the local flow conditions of the volute profile with four segmental arcs. The results show that the proposed representation technique is capable of effectively measuring the circumferentially nonuniform flow conditions at both the impeller inlet and outlet. The strong interaction between the impeller and the volute tongue induces reversed flows at both the impeller inlet and outlet, which further aggravates the circumferential nonuniformity of inactive zone and the upstream impeller flow field. Despite the first-order continuity of the volute profile itself, there are strong variations of tangential pressure gradients and sudden diffusion-expansion effects at the junctions of adjacent arcs. These findings benefit a deep understanding of the complex flow mechanisms within the squirrel cage fan.
Mechanical properties and characteristics of wheat straw and pellets
Authors: El-Sayed Saad A , Elsaid Mohamed Mohammed Khairy
Published: May 2018

Wheat straw pellets can be easily handled, transported and stored with reduced costs as compared with the raw material. The effect of pelletization process and densification parameters on the properties of the mixture of wheat straw powder and 40% epoxy 1092 as a binder was investigated. The samples were compressed into pellets using the lab-scale hydraulic press under various compacting pressures of 10, 12 and 15 bars and different die shapes and sizes (two cylindrical dies with diameters 10 and 18 mm (S1, S2), respectively, and a new hexagonal die of side length (s) = 6 mm (S3)). It was found that the pelleting process increased the fixed carbon content from 7.14% to 17.36%, the heating value from 15,600 kJ kg−1 to 27,800 kJ kg−1 and the bulk density 10 times when compared to a raw wheat straw powder. It was also found that type S2 at pressure 15 bar is the densest pellet and it had the maximum compression stress that reached 2798.54 kg m−3 and 70.02 MPa, respectively. The cylindrical pellet (type S1) of D = 18 mm at a pressure of 15 bar had the lowest water permeability of 2.35%. Pelletizing process had improved combustion characteristic parameters compared to raw biomass where combustion temperature ranges became higher, maximum weight loss rates and residues became lower that led to a higher combustion efficiency. Thermogravimetric analysis of wheat straw before and after pelleting process was analyzed to evaluate the combustion properties. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the particle bonding was formed mainly from solid bridges, areas of cohesive failure due to lignin flow, and inter-diffusion between neighboring biomass particles. Images were investigated to explore the importance of compaction process. The images also showed that as the pressure decreases, the gap between the particles increases and produces the less durable pellet. It was found that the slagging index equals 0.38, which indicates that the pellet has a medium slagging inclination and for the fouling inclination (1.79), the wheat straw pellet has a relatively high fouling inclination.
Distributional impact of taxes and social transfers in Russia over the downturn
Authors: Popova Daria , Matytsin Mikhail , Sinnot Emily
Published: May 2018

Low oil prices and the recession in Russia which started in 2014 are increasing pressures for fiscal consolidation, after more than a decade of prosperity. This article assesses the distributional impact of the main tax and social spending programmes in Russia in 2014 by applying a state-of-the-art incidence analysis. Overall, the Russian welfare state achieves a moderate reduction in inequality through tax-benefit policies by international standards. Most redistribution occurs through pensions. Major limits on the redistributive effect of tax-benefit policy include the large share of tax revenues that come from (regressive) indirect taxes, the neutral impact of personal income taxes and the low share of spending that goes on social assistance targeted to low-income groups. The tax-benefit policy also has an important impact on the age distribution of income, as households of working-age people (with and without children) subsidize pensioner households.
Situated and distributed cognition in artifact negotiation and trade-specific skills: A cognitive ethnography of Kashmiri carpet weaving practice
Authors: Kaur Gagan Deep
Published: May 2018

This article describes various ways actors in Kashmiri carpet weaving practice deploy a range of artifacts, from symbolic, to material, to hybrid, in order to achieve diverse cognitive accomplishments in their particular task domains: information representation, inter and intra-domain communication, distribution of cognitive labor across people and time, coordination of team activities, and carrying of cultural heritage. In this repertoire, some artifacts position themselves as naïve tools in the actors’ environment to the point of being ignored; however, their usage-in-context unfolds their cognitive involvement in the tasks. These usages-in-context are shown through artifact analysis of their routine, improvised, and opportunistic uses, where cognitive artifacts like talim—the central artifact of this practice—are shown to play not only multifunctional roles beyond representation, but are also complemented by trade-specific skills bearing strong cognitive implications in a task.
The image of the Nobel Prize
Authors: Källstrand Gustav
Published: May 2018

This article traces the origins of the Nobel Prize as a ubiquitous symbol of excellence in science. The public image of the Nobel Prize was created and became established quickly, which can be explained by it being such a useful phenomenon for the co-production of other values and ideas such as national prestige. Through being an easily recognizable symbol for excellence, the Nobel Prize is an important factor for the public image of science. And the image of the Nobel Prize is co-produced with several other sets of values and images that range from the large and thematic to the local and specific.
Nobel laureates in fiction: From La fin du monde to The Big Bang Theory
Authors: Brodesco Alberto
Published: May 2018

The history of the Nobel Prize, since its establishment, interlaces with the history of the public image of science. The aim of this article is to illustrate cinematic scientists, portrayed precisely in their moment of maximum glory. The films and television shows upon which the study is based compose a corpus of 189 media texts. The article identifies three main areas that concern the relation between the Nobel Prize and its audiovisual representations: biopics of real Nobel laureates, the presence of real or fictional Nobel laureates in the film or the show plot, and films and TV series that depict the Nobel ceremony. The article then focuses on four texts that deserve a detailed examination: La fin du monde, The Prize, The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory. The conclusion compares the representation of the Nobel scientist with general changes in the image of the scientist conveyed by cinema and television.
Incidence and predictors of clinical peripheral artery disease in asymptomatic persons with a low ankle–brachial index
Authors: Weiss Noel S , McClelland Robyn , Criqui Michael H , Wassel Christina L , Kronmal Richard
Published: May 2018

Objective

To determine the occurrence of clinical peripheral artery disease in a cohort of middle-aged and older persons who, though they initially had no symptoms of peripheral artery disease, had blood pressure levels in the arteries of their ankles and feet that were at least 10% lower than those in the arteries of their arms.

Methods

We analyzed data obtained in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, in which lower and upper extremity blood pressures were assessed in over 6000 Americans aged 45–84 and the ratio of these (the ankle–brachial index) was calculated. During a median follow-up of 13 years, the incidence of symptomatic peripheral artery disease (identified through annual questionnaires, review of hospital records, and notations of peripheral artery disease found in data obtained from the Center for Medicare Services) was compared between persons whose ankle–brachial index was ⩽9 and persons with higher ankle–brachial index values.

Results

The incidence of clinical peripheral artery disease was 23.0 per 1000 person-years among the 172 participants whose baseline ankle–brachial index was <0.9, compared with 2.0 per 1000 person-years in those with a higher ratio. The incidence of clinical peripheral artery disease rose steadily with decreasing ankle–brachial index below 0.9. The excess risk associated with a low ankle–brachial index was present in persons with and without the other measured risk factors for peripheral artery disease (cigarette smoking, hyperten sion, diabetes, and obesity).

Conclusions

Even in persons asymptomatic for peripheral artery disease, those with a low ankle–brachial index are at an appreciable risk of the development of manifestations of peripheral arterial insufficiency.
Escape from the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice: A good reason to quit the European Union?
Authors: Nicolaides Phedon
Published: May 2018

One of the principal objectives of Brexit is to end the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) over the UK. It raises the question whether the UK has ‘suffered’ more than other Member States from judicial action. To answer this question, this paper examines statistics on judicial action and finds that i) the UK has not been embroiled in more proceedings before the Court of Justice than other large Member States; ii) fewer proceedings have been initiated against it by the Commission than other larger or medium-size Member State; and iii) the UK has won relatively more cases than other large Member States. The paper also argues that in principle judicial bias towards integration is not necessarily harmful to the interests of a relatively open economy like that of the UK. This is because such an integrationist tendency would pry open other markets which would be beneficial to UK firms. In addition, the distortion-preventing powers of other EU institutions such as the European Commission also tend to favour pro-market countries like the UK. Lastly, the paper considers alternative dispute resolution arrangements identified by the UK and suggests that they are more likely to reduce legal certainty and delay effective enforcement than the present system based on the Court of Justice.
Cross-border company migration in the EU: Transfer of registered office (conversion) – the last piece of the puzzle? Case C-106/16 Polbud, EU:C:2017:804
Authors: Rammeloo Stephan
Published: May 2018

On 25 October 2017 the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) provided for a preliminary ruling in its Polbud judgment concerning a cross-border company conversion. This conversion had to be accomplished by transferring the company’s registered office from one EU Member State to another. The Court’s ruling – first, that such a transfer, whether or not involving at the same time the company’s headquarters or economic conduct, falls within the ambit of Articles 49 and 54 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on freedom of establishment, and, second, that legislative measures imposed on the migrating company by the Member State of origin entailing the winding-up of the company on the conclusion of a liquidation procedure are precluded – deserves approval. The Polbud judgment not only provides for clarity but also further completes the options of cross-border migration operations for companies and firms. At the same time, however, the Court’s ruling demonstrates the need to establish uniform legislative standards at the EU level, safeguarding the interests of all company stakeholders under the reign of Article 52 subsection 2 litera (g) TFEU. Both the experience with Directive 2005/56/EC on cross-border mergers and, from the late eighties of last century onwards, various initiatives having resulted in consecutive ‘pre-drafts’ for a Cross-border Company Migration Directive, may serve as guideline for further harmonisation in the field related. It is now for the Commission to take action, seeking a proper balance between the potentially diverging interests of all company stakeholders.
Who Shall Investigate the Transferred Case?
Authors: Carstens C. C. , Hewins Katharine P.
Published: May 2018

In the March number of The Family a brief review was given of the Report of the Philadelphia Intake Committee.1 Our readers will recall that the Intake Committee represents the attempt of one of our largest cities—well equipped with case working agencies—to solve the intricate problems of their inter-relationship.

In this connection The Family is glad to present for consideration the following letters from two Boston correspondents. Further expressions of opinion from other cities are urgently requested. This is a subject most closely allied to the best interests of our families. In the heat of the day's work are we too prone to develop our working machinery per se, without due regard for the end which the machinery is, after all, designed to accomplish?
Do Your Christmas Planning Early
Authors: N.S.  , H. P. S.
Published: May 2018

Soon after Christmas we learned that a family society was making plans for next year's Christmas giving. Because we are convinced that long-time planning ahead is the only practicable method of approach to this difficult problem, we are glad to present herewith an outline of the plans {and the reasons therefor) of this particular agency.
Systems Concepts in Casework Theory and Practice
Authors: Janchill Mary Paul
Published: May 2018

Systems theory offers a framework for the objective, comprehensive understanding of social interaction without jeopardy to the process of individualization
Emphasis on Personal Dynamics in Treating Marital Conflict
Authors: Ferris Betty N.
Published: May 2018

Illustrations of casework treatment of the intrapsychic problems of two married couples using the modality of joint interviews
Anomie and Social Casework
Authors: Hartman Ann
Published: May 2018

The theory of anomie, translated into psychosocial terms, offers a potentially useful framework for describing a cluster of relationships between individuals and society
Long Term Treatment for the Disadvantaged
Authors: Mayer Herta , Schamess Gerald
Published: May 2018

Major difficulties of socially and economically deprived children and their parents can be overcome only by an extended investment of therapeutic time and interest
Holding Unwilling Clients in Treatment
Authors: Cowan Barbara , Currie Mary , Krol Roza , Richardson Jean
Published: May 2018

Caseworkers utilize group study and consultation to increase their treatment skills and meet the challenge of helping resistive, disordered families
Casework and Family Planning
Authors: Lipscomb Nell I.
Published: May 2018

A presentation of some of the areas for casework activity aimed not only at the prevention of social and family problems but also at rehabilitation
From ‘N’ to Ego
Authors: Kent Donald P. , Barg Sylvia K.
Published: May 2018

The provision of services to help research subjects with their problems results in additional information that is dynamic and multidimensional
Casework in a Coronary Care Unit
Authors: Ezra Julia
Published: May 2018

Early attention by caseworkers to patients’ psychological reactions and the social implications of coronary disease can be decisive in rehabilitation
A Problem Focused Model of Practice
Authors: Spitzer Kurt , Welsh Betty
Published: May 2018

An approach to social work practice is proposed that affects the determination of objectives, tasks, priorities, and levels and methods of intervention
The Professional Name Game
Authors: Dillon Carolyn
Published: May 2018

The blurring of ability to see clients as fellow human beings who are troubled is one adverse effect of using intellectually palatable labels
The Concept of Culture in the Neighborhood Center
Authors: Southwick Phyllis C. , Thackeray Milton G.
Published: May 2018

Each culture provides many inner resources and strengths— some the social worker must discover, some he must believe in, and some he must build on
Exploring the Neighborhood Family Day Care System
Authors: Collins Alice H. , Watson Eunice L.
Published: May 2018

Systematic collaboration between social workers and those who give day care through an informal system can maximize the positive results for the children
A Study of Adoptive Mothers in a Child Guidance Clinic
Authors: Walsh Ethel D. , Lewis Frances S.
Published: May 2018

Exploration of adoptive mothers' attitudes reveals an important issue in treatment is the resolution of their troubled relationships with their own parents
The Sex Distribution in Social Work: Causes and Consequences
Authors: Brager George , Michael John A.
Published: May 2018

Study of graduate students suggests that differences in the principles and practices of the three methods of social work may derive from differences between the sexes
The Family Agency as Community Educational Activist
Authors: Ortof Selma B.
Published: May 2018

The family service agency as educational activist places itself on the line in an arena where basic prevention and continuing education occupy the same corner
Measuring Movement in group Marital Counseling
Authors: Lebedun Morty
Published: May 2018

A review of the literature concerned with marital counseling in groups points up the need for objective means to assess a client's progress in treatment
A Family Service Agency in an Appalachian Community
Authors: Keith Patricia M.
Published: May 2018

Experimentation in controversial areas leads a voluntary agency to new relationships with poor clients who become participants in forming agency policies
A Conceptual Analysis of the Nixon Welfare Proposal
Authors: Hoshino George
Published: May 2018

Examination of the plan finds the focus still on the poor person and his presumed shortcomings, not on the societal and economic causes of poverty
Relevant Agency Programs for the Large Urban Community
Authors: Hush Howard , Kahle Joseph H. , Mcdonald Joseph , Watson Edwin F.
Published: May 2018

Four panelists discuss their agencies’ experiences in searching for and establishing new ways of responding to the needs of their communities
Casework and ‘The Diminished Man’
Authors: Perlman Helen Harris
Published: May 2018

Caseworkers can aid in fulfilling promises inherent in recent theories of ego psychology by producing data significantly related to common living experiences
Social Action to Influence Institutional Change
Authors: Hunter David R.
Published: May 2018

Agents of social change should be able to sense an institution's need and readiness for change and to offer practical but imaginative program suggestions
Maternal Reactions to the Birth of a Defective Baby
Authors: Kennedy James F.
Published: May 2018

Study findings suggest that mothers may need an early period of separation from the baby to resolve feelings of loss and mourning
Predominance of Male Authors in Social Work Publications
Authors: Rosenblatt Aaron , Turner Eileen M. , Patterson Adalene R. , Rollosson Clare K.
Published: May 2018

The record of leading social work journals is examined and a theory is proposed to account for the apparent greater productivity of men in publications activities
Legal Regulation of the Social Work Profession
Authors: Johnson Donald E.
Published: May 2018

The service ideal, the base of technical competence, and autonomous practice are the three basic considerations utilized in defining certification and licensure
Untangling Knots in Casework with the Experiential Approach
Authors: White Colby L.
Published: May 2018

A methodology is described that can enable both the client and the caseworker to relate to the real substance of a problematic situation
Strategies of Teaching in Corrections
Authors: Wilson Marguerite
Published: May 2018

Sixteen teaching approaches are suggested to help students resolve four conflict situations that may be encountered in their field practice
The Preparation of Boys for Puberty
Authors: Paonessa John J. , Paonessa Mary W.
Published: May 2018

Discussions with groups of high school and college students reveal ignorance and lack of parental instruction to boys of the process of their sexual maturation
Fostering Learning Potential in Preschoolers
Authors: Levenstein Phyllis , Levenstein Sidney
Published: May 2018

A family agency uses professional staff, volunteers, and clients to enhance the development of cognition of children in poor families
Locating Points for Intervention
Authors: Atherton Charles R. , Mitchell Sandra T. , Schein Edna Biehl
Published: May 2018

A further extension of role and system concepts offers an embryo classification of problems related to role and the structure of social systems
Casework Services for Mexican Americans
Authors: Knoll Faustina Ramirez
Published: May 2018

Community agencies must relate to the needs of barrio residents, who may be new immigrants, to help them cope with problems of living in an urban setting
“I Would Prefer to Be Famous”
Authors: Karstedt Susanne
Published: May 2018

The reentry of sentenced perpetrators of atrocity crimes is part and parcel of the pursuit of international and transitional justice. As men and women sentenced for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the other tribunals return from prisons into society and communities questions arise as to the impact their reentry has on deeply divided postconflict societies, in particular on victim groups. Contemporary international tribunals and courts mostly do not have penal or correctional policies of their own, and the legacy of early release, commuting of sentences and amnesties that Nuremberg and other post-World War II tribunals have left, is a particularly problematic one. Germany’s historical experience provides an analytic blueprint for understanding in which ways contemporary perpetrators return into changed and still fragile societies. This comparative analysis between Nuremberg and the ICTY is based on two data sets including information on returning war criminals sentenced in both tribunals. The comparative analysis focuses on four themes: politics of reentry, admission of guilt and justification, memoirs, and political activism.
Point of Care Tests VerifyNow P2Y12 and INNOVANCE PFA P2Y Compared to Light Transmittance Aggregometry After Fibrinolysis
Authors: Roule Vincent , Ardouin Pierre , Repessé Yohan , Le Querrec Agnès , Blanchart Katrien , Lemaitre Adrien , Sabatier Rémi , Borel-Derlon Annie , Beygui Farzin
Published: May 2018

Detection of high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) by point-of-care tests has not been validated after successful fibrinolysis for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. We assessed the validity of the point-of-care VerifyNow P2Y12 (VN) and INNOVANCE PFA P2Y (PFA) tests on HPR compared to light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) in these patients. The HPR was identified in 10 (34.5%) patients, 15 (51.7%) patients, and 14 (50%) patients using LTA, VN, and PFA, respectively. Discrepancies were observed between the tests despite significant correlations between platelet reactivity measures by LTA and VN ( r = 0.74; P < .0001) and LTA and PFA ( r = .75; P < .0001). Compared to LTA, VN and PFA were associated with a 92% and 53% and 92% and 64% positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), respectively, in detecting HPR. When combined, VN and PFA results yielded 90% and 100% PPV and NPV values if discrepancies between the 2 tests were considered as non-HPR. The VN or PFA identify patients without HPR correctly but overestimate the proportion of HPR patients. The association of the 2 tests, in case of HPR, improves the accuracy of the detection of HPR.
A case–control study analyzing mannitol dosing for prevention of cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity
Authors: Dhillon Patwant , Amir Eitan , Lo Melissa , Kitchlu Abhijat , Chan Christopher , Cochlin Stephen , Yip Paul , Chen Eric , Lee Roy , Ng Pamela
Published: May 2018

Background

Mannitol is an osmotic diuretic given routinely as part of cisplatin regimens to prevent nephrotoxicity, but there are limited data on the ideal dosage. At our center, three different doses of mannitol are used: 12, 20, and 40 g per cycle for cisplatin doses of ≥50 mg/m2. The primary objective was to determine if variations in mannitol dosing significantly influence the incidence of cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity.

Methods

A case–control study was performed. Electronic records of 1462 consecutive outpatients who received cisplatin at ≥ 50 mg/m2 per cycle between January 2010 and December 2014 were reviewed. Patients experiencing nephrotoxicity of any grade within 30 days of last cisplatin dose, as defined by NCI CTCAE 4.0, were matched to a minimum of two and maximum of five controls based on the following criteria: age ± 5 years, baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate ± 10 ml/min/1.73 m2, cisplatin dose per cycle, and presence of diabetes. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify baseline predictors of cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity.

Results

Of the 1245 included patients, 237 had nephrotoxicity and 1008 were matched controls. Median baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate for cases and controls were 83 and 80 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively. A total of 3.8% of cases experienced ≥ grade 3 nephrotoxicity. Univariable analysis showed that diabetes, lymphoma, low baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, and low baseline magnesium level were significantly associated with nephrotoxicity, whereas mannitol dosing did not show any association (odds ratio 1.08; p = 0.29). In multivariable analysis, diabetes and lymphoma retained statistical significance, but baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate and baseline magnesium level showed nonsignificant associations with nephrotoxicity.

Conclusions

Cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity remains common in patients with good baseline renal function despite preventive measures. Diabetes and lymphoma are predictors of nephrotoxicity, whereas mannitol dosing has no significant influence, suggesting that doses may be standardized across cisplatin regimens.
A scalable and extensible checkpointing scheme for massively parallel simulations
Authors: Kohl Nils , Hötzer Johannes , Schornbaum Florian , Bauer Martin , Godenschwager Christian , Köstler Harald , Nestler Britta , Rüde Ulrich
Published: May 2018

Realistic simulations in engineering or in the materials sciences can consume enormous computing resources and thus require the use of massively parallel supercomputers. The probability of a failure increases both with the runtime and with the number of system components. For future exascale systems, it is therefore considered critical that strategies are developed to make software resilient against failures. In this article, we present a scalable, distributed, diskless, and resilient checkpointing scheme that can create and recover snapshots of a partitioned simulation domain. We demonstrate the efficiency and scalability of the checkpoint strategy for simulations with up to 40 billion computational cells executing on more than 400 billion floating point values. A checkpoint creation is shown to require only a few seconds and the new checkpointing scheme scales almost perfectly up to more than 260, 000 (218) processes. To recover from a diskless checkpoint during runtime, we realize the recovery algorithms using ULFM MPI. The checkpointing mechanism is fully integrated in a state-of-the-art high-performance multi-physics simulation framework. We demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the method with a realistic phase-field simulation originating in the material sciences and with a lattice Boltzmann method implementation.
New insertion support device assisted the accurate placement of tunneled cuffed catheter: First experience of 10 cases
Authors: Ohara Toshiaki , Sakurama Kazufumi , Hiramatsu Satoshi , Karai Toshimasa , Sato Toshiaki , Nishina Yuta
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

The tunneled cuffed catheter is used in hemodialysis patients for whom an arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft is not suitable or for bridging usage of them. Accurate placement of a tunneled cuffed catheter is necessary for safe hemodialysis, but placement is sometimes difficult because of individual body differences. We developed a new device to support accurate placement of the tunneled cuffed catheter. In this study, we report our first clinical experience of the device.

Methods:

We made the device by expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with some special processes. The processes enable it to maintain plasticity and temporary shape in the autoclaved condition. The device is laid on the surface of the patient’s body to mark the root of the catheter with a felt-tipped marker before catheterization. That enables us to know the accurate catheter root and tunneled cuffed catheter exit site on the body surface. Ten patients underwent tunneled cuffed catheter insertion according to the marking.

Case description:

The mean age was 71.3 ± 12.8 years. The tunneled cuffed catheter was safely placed according to the marking in all patients, and all catheter tips were placed in the right atrium. The mean verification tip location difference before and after catheterization was 0.70 ± 0.48 cm. This result indicated that the device could assist in inserting a catheter accurately within an error of 1.18 cm. The tunneled cuffed catheters were patent in all the cases, without replacement and complications until the end of bridging use or during the observation period.

Conclusion:

Our newly developed insertion support device enhances safety and prevents catheter waste during replacement.
Ultrasound-guided central venous tip confirmation via right external jugular vein using a right supraclavicular fossa view
Authors: Kosaka Mariko , Oyama Yoshimasa , Uchino Tetsuya , Ogihara Yojiro , Koga Hironori , Shingu Chihiro , Matsumoto Shigekiyo , Kitano Takaaki
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

Ultrasound-guided central venous catheter tip confirmation has a potential to precisely locate the central venous catheter, preventing its misplacement, using real-time guidance. This observational study sought to determine the accuracy of central venous catheter tip positioning via the external jugular vein via a supraclavicular fossa view under ultrasound guidance.

Methods:

In total, 77 patients scheduled for central venous catheter insertion via the right external jugular vein were enrolled. The depth of central venous catheter insertion was determined by advancing the tip of the guidewire to the junction of the superior vena cava and right pulmonary artery, using a right supraclavicular fossa view ultrasound method. We determined the reference insertion depth to the carina using a postoperative chest x-ray photograph method. We then compared insertion depths obtained by the ultrasound and x-ray photograph methods and body-height formula.

Results:

In total, 62 patients were able to advance the guidewire and underwent ultrasound-guided central venous catheter insertion. In four patients, we corrected for misplaced guidewires. According to Bland–Altman plots, the insertion depth was 0.88 cm shorter for the ultrasound method (95% limits of agreement, −1.66 to 3.41 cm) and 0.90 cm shorter for the formulaic method (95% limits of agreement, −2.77 to 4.56 cm), compared with the x-ray photograph method. The x-ray photograph method had significantly positive correlations with the ultrasound (r = 0.73) and formulaic methods (r = 0.27).

Conclusion:

A right supraclavicular fossa view improves the accuracy of central venous catheter tip positioning and prevents central venous catheter misplacement via the right external jugular vein.
Liminal politics: Performing feminine difference with Hélène Cixous
Authors: Varino Sofia
Published: May 2018

As one of the most influential feminist theorists in Western academic circles, Hélène Cixous is often associated with écriture feminine (feminine writing), a term she coined in 1977, and with a fluid, poetic style both in her essays and in her fiction. This article investigates how Hélène Cixous uses the concept of the ‘feminine’ in her plays as a container for heterogeneity, liminality and difference, mobilizing it to animate feminist strategies that interrupt male, white and/or hegemonic forms of subjectivity. If for Cixous the practice of feminine writing is fundamentally characterized by the desire to create a mode of expression in which (gendered, embodied, racial) difference and otherness would retain their alterity, in dramatic writing she found an especially conducive medium for the realization of that desire. This article examines Cixous’s anti-realist postdramatic works, from her first produced play Portrait of Dora (1976) to her works for Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil, in the context of a feminist aesthetics of estrangement, and considers how her plays enact feminist theory’s own movement away from the psychoanalytical discourses of the 1970s and 1980s to postcolonial and materialist critiques. The article employs a range of intersectional critical methodologies for situating Cixous’s dramatic writing within a broader feminist praxis, using the work of feminist performance scholars like Elin Diamond, Rebecca Schneider and Jill Dolan to consider the liminal Other as a precarious feminine figure that Cixous re-inscribes into discourse. Feminine writing, the progressive movement away from realism towards postdramatic theatre, and Cixous’s artistic collaboration with Mnouchkine are each considered as feminist strategies towards a rendition of the subject that can reiterate its otherness on stage. The central argument is that it is the enactment of these strategies in live performance that makes Hélène Cixous’s concept of femininity as liminal difference so relevant for feminist politics today.
Efficacy of rituximab in refractory RRMS
Authors: Durozard Pierre , Maarouf Adil , Boutiere Clémence , Ruet Aurelie , Brochet Bruno , Vukusic Sandra , Carra-Dalliere Clarisse , Labauge Pierre , Mathey Guillaume , Debouverie Marc , Papeix Caroline , Maillart Elisabeth , Lubetzki Catherine , Bensa Caroline , Gout Olivier , Giannesini Claire , Stankoff Bruno , Ciron Jonathan , Brassat David , Pelletier Jean , Rico Lamy Audrey , Audoin Bertrand
Published: May 2018

Objective:

To investigate the efficacy of rituximab as rescue therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and persistent disease activity confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) despite immunosuppressive disease-modifying therapy (DMT).

Methods:

In this observational nationwide retrospective multicenter study, we first identified 351 off-label rituximab-treated patients through a cohort of 15,984 RRMS patients. In this group, we identified patients with disease activity prior to rituximab confirmed by MRI (one or more new T2 lesion and/or gadolinium-enhancing lesion) despite immunosuppressive DMT (fingolimod, natalizumab, or mitoxantrone) with a follow-up after rituximab initiation longer than 6 months. Outcome data were collected from the French Observatory of Multiple Sclerosis (OFSEP) register and medical charts.

Results:

A total of 50 patients were identified. Median rituximab treatment duration was 1.1 (0.5–6.4) year. Mean annualized relapse rate significantly decreased from 0.8 during last immunosuppressive DMT to 0.18 after rituximab ( p < 0.0001). While 72% of patients showed gadolinium-enhancing lesions on the last MRI performed during last immunosuppressive DMT, 8% of them showed gadolinium-enhancing lesions on the first MRI performed 6.1 (range 1.4–18.4) months after rituximab ( p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

This study provides level IV evidence that rituximab reduces clinical and MRI disease activity in patients with active RRMS despite immunosuppressive DMT.
Management of post-traumatic retained hemothorax
Authors: Bozzay Joseph D , Bradley Matthew J
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Chest injuries occur in a significant portion of trauma patients and hemothorax is a common result. While the initial management of traumatic hemothorax is most commonly treated with tube thoracostomy, the management of retained hemothorax is a subject of debate. Recent literature has proposed different methods for treating or preventing retained hemothorax, yet the approach to this pathology is not straightforward.

Methods

The literature was reviewed for relevant studies regarding the prevention and management of post-traumatic retained hemothorax. What follows is a review of the recent literature and an algorithm for the approach to treating a traumatic retained hemothorax.

Results

Identifying a traumatic retained hemothorax and preventing subsequent complications such as pneumonia, empyema, and fibrothorax are significant issues faced by surgeons. Studies for preventing retained hemothorax have focused on initial chest tube size, location, and peri-procedural placement conditions, as well as thoracic lavage. Several treatment modalities exist, including second drainage procedure and intra-pleural fibrinolytic drug instillation, but video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is the most common and successful approach. Regardless of the approach to evacuation, early intervention is paramount.

Conclusion

Further studies will help characterize appropriate candidates, timing, treatment modalities, and guide therapy for retained hemothorax.
Physical Activity Intensity Among Adolescents and Association With Parent–Adolescent Relationship and Well-Being
Authors: Shennar-Golan Vered , Walter Ofra
Published: May 2018

Participation in physical activity (PA) provides young people significant health benefits, including improved well-being. However, large percentages of children and adolescents do not meet the recommendations for PA. Given that PA patterns are established during childhood and adolescence, and evolve within the context of the family, the current study explores the relationship between perceived parent–adolescent relationships and adolescents’ PA levels, body mass index (BMI), and subjective well-being. The study was conducted in Israel, and the sample included 233 participants (126 girls, 107 boys) aged 13 to 18 years.

Participants self-reported the following measures: demographic information, BMI, the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Personal Well-Being Index, and parent–adolescent relationship. The data were analyzed using Pearson analyses, t tests, and regressions. A clear difference emerged in strenuous PA activity by sex [ t(223) = 2.1, p < .01]; the average strenuous PA was greater for boys ( M = 3.9, SD = 2.4) than for girls ( M = 1.8, SD = .2.4). Furthermore, different predictors of strenuous PA by sex were found: for boys, parent–adolescent relationship was a significant predictor; for girls, subjective well-being was a predictor. The findings can shed light on the need for different intervention programs for adolescent boys and girls to increase their involvement in PA.
Efficacy of Testosterone Treatment in Hemodialysis Patients as Assessed by Aging Males’ Symptoms Scores: A Pilot Study
Authors: Inoue Yasuyuki , Nakamura Kenzo , Kuwahara Yoshitaka , Lu Yan , Masuda Nanako , Horie Shigeo , Okada Hiroshi , Ide Hisamitsu
Published: May 2018

Numerous reports point to the beneficial effects of testosterone replacement therapy for patients with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intramuscular injection of testosterone enantholactam acid ester on Aging Males’ Symptoms (AMS) scores in hemodialysis patients with LOH. A total of 24 male patients with LOH (total AMS scores ≥27) were randomized into groups receiving intramuscular injections of either placebo or testosterone enantholactam acid ester at the dose of 250 mg for 6 months. In all, 13 and 11 participants from the active treatment and placebo groups, respectively, completed this study. An intramuscular injection of either placebo or testosterone enantholactam acid ester was given every 2 weeks. Self-administered AMS questionnaires were completed at the start, at Week 12 and at Week 24. The total AMS score was significantly more improved in the treatment group than in the placebo group ( p = .049) during the 24-week period. The change in the mean of total AMS score was +1% in the placebo group and −13.2% in the treatment group. The mean somato-vegetative domain scores decreased significantly only in the treatment group, and not in the placebo group (−1.21 vs. −2.43, p = .028). Although a large-scale study is needed, testosterone treatment may be effective in male patients with hemodialysis who have poor health-related quality of life resulting from LOH.
Association between interleukin-10 -592 A/C polymorphism and gastrointestinal tract cancer risk: A meta-analysis
Authors: Sahami-Fard Mohammad Hossein
Published: May 2018

Background:

Recent evidence suggests that -592 A/C polymorphism in the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene may influence risk of gastrointestinal tract cancer; however, individual studies have provided conflicting and inconclusive results. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association between IL-10 -592 A/C polymorphism and gastrointestinal tract cancer susceptibility.

Methods:

EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for case-control studies published before 1 May 2017. A total of 36 studies involving 8069 cases and 13,089 controls were included in the present meta-analysis according to the inclusion criteria. The random- or fixed-effect model was utilized to calculate pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and to survey the association.

Results:

By and large IL-10 -592 A/C (rs1800872) polymorphism was not associated with gastrointestinal cancer risk in five genetic models (A vs. C: OR 1.00; 95% CI 0.93, 1.08; POR = 0.960; AA vs. CC: OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.85, 1.14; POR = 0.835; CA vs. CC: OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.94, 1.08; POR = 0.776; AA+CA vs. CC: OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.94, 1.12; POR = 0.592; AA vs. CA+CC: OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.87, 1.10; POR = 0.666). Similar results were also achieved after stratification by the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, ethnicity, source of controls, and cancer type.

Conclusion:

The results of this meta-analysis indicated that there is no association between the IL-10 -592 A/C promoter polymorphism and gastrointestinal tract cancer susceptibility.
Protocol for a prospective collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials of vasoactive drugs in acute stroke: The Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration, stage-3
Authors: Sandset Else Charlotte , Sanossian Nerses , Woodhouse Lisa J , Anderson Craig , Berge Eivind , Lees Kennedy R , Potter John F , Robinson Thompson G , Sprigg Nikola , Wardlaw Joanna M , Bath Philip M ,   The Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration Investigators
Published: May 2018

Rationale

Despite several large clinical trials assessing blood pressure lowering in acute stroke, equipoise remains particularly for ischemic stroke. The “Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration” commenced in the mid-1990s focussing on systematic reviews and meta-analysis of blood pressure lowering in acute stroke. From the start, Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration planned to assess safety and efficacy of blood pressure lowering in acute stroke using individual patient data.

Aims

To determine the optimal management of blood pressure in patients with acute stroke, including both intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. Secondary aims are to assess which clinical and therapeutic factors may alter the optimal management of high blood pressure in patients with acute stroke and to assess the effect of vasoactive treatments on hemodynamic variables.

Methods and design

Individual patient data from randomized controlled trials of blood pressure management in participants with ischemic stroke and/or intracerebral hemorrhage enrolled during the ultra-acute (pre-hospital), hyper-acute (<6 h), acute (<48 h), and sub-acute (<168 h) phases of stroke.

Study outcomes

The primary effect variable will be functional outcome defined by the ordinal distribution of the modified Rankin Scale; analyses will also be carried out in pre-specified subgroups to assess the modifying effects of stroke-related and pre-stroke patient characteristics. Key secondary variables will include clinical, hemodynamic and neuroradiological variables; safety variables will comprise death and serious adverse events.

Discussion

Study questions will be addressed in stages, according to the protocol, before integrating these into a final overreaching analysis. We invite eligible trials to join the collaboration.