bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of heart rate turbulence and heart rate variability in the assessment of autonomic regulation and circadian rhythm in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus without apparent heart disease
Authors: Poliwczak A R , Waszczykowska E , Dziankowska-Bartkowiak B , Koziróg M , Dworniak K
Published: August 2017

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a progressive autoimmune disease. There are reports suggesting that patients even without overt signs of cardiovascular complications have impaired autonomic function. The aim of this study was to assess autonomic function using heart rate turbulence and heart rate variability parameters indicated in 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring.

Methods

Twenty-six women with systemic lupus erythematosus and 30 healthy women were included. Twenty-four hour ambulatory ECG-Holter was performed in home conditions. The basic parameters of heart rate turbulence and heart rate variability were calculated. The analyses were performed for the entire day and separately for daytime activity and night time rest.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in the basic anthropometric parameters. The mean duration of disease was 11.52 ± 7.42. There was a statistically significant higher turbulence onset (To) value in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, median To = –0.17% (minimum –1.47, maximum 3.0) versus To = –1.36% (minimum –4.53, maximum –0.41), P < 0.001. There were no such differences for turbulence slope (Ts). In the 24-hour analysis almost all heart rate variability parameters were significantly lower in the systemic lupus erythematosus group than in the healthy controls, including SDANN and r-MSSD and p50NN. Concerning the morning activity and night resting periods, the results were similar as for the whole day. In the control group, higher values in morning activity were noted for parameters that characterise sympathetic activity, especially SDANN, and were significantly lower for parasympathetic parameters, including r-MSSD and p50NN, which prevailed at night. There were no statistically significant changes for systemic lupus erythematosus patients for p50NN and low and very low frequency. There was a positive correlation between disease duration and SDNN, R = 0.417; P < 0.05 and SDANN, R = 0.464; P < 0.05, a negative correlation between low/high frequency ratio and r-MSSD, R = –0.454; P < 0.05; p50NN, R = –0.435; P < 0.05 and high frequency, R = –0.478; P < 0.05. In contrast, there was no statistically significant correlation between heart rate turbulence and other variables evaluated, including disease duration and the type of autoantibodies. Conclusion: Our study confirms the presence of autonomic disorders with respect to both heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence parameters and the presence of diurnal disturbances of sympathetic–parasympathetic balance. Further studies are required.
Dynamic behavior of thick magnetorheological elastomers
Authors: Johnson Norman , Gordaninejad Faramarz , Wang Xiaojie
Published: August 2017

This work is focused on the study of the dynamic behavior of thick magnetorheological elastomers at high frequencies. Experimental and theoretical studies are conducted to investigate the dynamic shear properties of magnetorheological elastomers which are affected by increasing the thickness, as well as the percentage of iron particles contained in magnetorheological elastomers. A double-shear test setup is designed and built to test the magnetorheological elastomer samples over a range of frequencies from 200 to 800 Hz. The results demonstrate that the thickness of magnetorheological elastomer significantly affects the material properties in the off-state, that is, when no magnetic field is applied. However, for the on-state, when the material is activated by a magnetic field, the thickness of the sample does not show a significant effect on the change in storage modulus induced by a magnetic field. The theoretical analysis includes a macro-mechanical model for the storage modulus and loss modulus of magnetorheological elastomer as a function of thickness, percentage of iron particles, and applied magnetic field. Comparisons between the theoretical and experimental results show that the model reasonably predicts the dynamic behavior of thick magnetorheological elastomers.
Disturbance rejection and force-tracking controller of nonlinear lateral vibrations in passenger rail vehicle using magnetorheological fluid damper
Authors: Sharma Sunil Kumar , Kumar Anil
Published: August 2017

In this article, an existing railway vehicle is modelled as a full-scale nine-degree-of-freedom system considering lateral, yaw and roll motions of the car body and the front and rear bogies. Moreover, nonlinear stiffness and damping functions of passive suspension systems are extracted from experimental data. In order to improve the ride quality of the rail vehicle, a magnetorheological damper is integrated into the secondary lateral suspension system. Parameters of the magnetorheological damper depend on current, amplitude and frequency of excitations. Tracks with five different types of irregularity are considered for train speeds of 160 and 200 km/h. The track input is given to the multibody system in VI-Rail software and the wheel response is generated. The wheel motions are input to the mathematical model represented in MATLAB/Simulink. Four types of analyses are performed with (1) conventional passive lateral damper, (2) semi-active low, (3) semi-active high and (4) semi-active controlled MR lateral damper in the secondary suspension. Disturbance rejection and force-tracking damper controller algorithms were applied to control the desired force to reduce the lateral vibration. The results clearly imply that the proposed semi-active suspension system improves the vibration attenuation and ride quality of the vehicle.
Effect of interfacial debonding on stress transfer in graphene reinforced polymer nanocomposites
Authors: Heidarhaei Meghdad , Shariati M , Eipakchi HR
Published: August 2017

A shear-lag analysis hybrid cohesive zone model is employed to investigate the stress transfer from polymer matrix to the graphene by considering the interfacial damage and debonding phenomena in graphene reinforced polymer nanocomposites. The applied stress can produce three cases for interface treatment: entirely intact, damaged and debonded. By using analytical derived relations, the distribution of axial stress in the graphene and interfacial shear stress at the three-mentioned states is determined and the applied stress to the nanocomposite which leads to damage and debonding initiation at the interface is evaluated. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is performed and the effects of graphene length, interfacial shear strength and graphene volume fraction on the axial stress of graphene, damage and debonding threshold stress along the interface and interfacial shear stress are studied. The results show that after applying a stress called second critical stress, the stress transfer between graphene and matrix at the bulk of graphene length (about 75% of the interface) stops due to debonding of this zone.
Predictions of fracture load, crack initiation angle, and trajectory for V-notched Brazilian disk specimens under mixed mode I/II loading with negative mode I contributions
Authors: Bahrami Bahador , Ayatollahi Majid R , Torabi AR
Published: August 2017

In this paper, first the fracture load, the crack initiation angle and the crack trajectory are experimentally measured for the round-tip V-notched Brazilian disk specimen made of polymethyl-methacrylate under compressive-shear loading. Then, the fracture load and the crack initiation angle are predicted by using the extended finite element method on the basis of the linear cohesive crack criterion. The fracture trajectory of the round-tip V-notched Brazilian disk specimens is also estimated by means of the extended finite element method and the incremental methods. Both the experimental observations and the theoretical fracture models indicate that although the notch bisector line is under compressive-shear loading, one half of the notch border still sustains tensile stresses and fracture takes place from this half. A very good agreement is shown to exist between the theoretical predictions and the experimental results for various notch opening angles and different notch radii.
Toxoplasma Appendicitis: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Diagnosis!
Authors: Fernandes Anisha M. , Lakhe Maheshkumar M. , Pai Sanjay A.
Published: August 2017

Toxoplasmosis is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, but it can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 62-year-old man with clinical features of acute appendicitis. Histology showed a transmural infiltrate of eosinophils. In addition, there were reactive lymphoid follicles with histiocytes in the submucosa and tachyzoites in the muscularis propria. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of toxoplasma appendicitis. Serological evaluation yielded negative results. Retrospective review of the history revealed that the patient was on long-term immunosuppressive therapy with methotrexate. The patient was treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and is asymptomatic at 7-month follow-up. Toxoplasma appendicitis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of appendicitis in immunosuppressed patients.
Role of ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channels in Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Induced Tissue Protection
Authors: Aggarwal Sapna , Randhawa Puneet Kaur , Singh Nirmal , Jaggi Amteshwar Singh
Published: August 2017

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is an innovative treatment strategy that alleviates ischemia-reperfusion injury, whereby short episodes of regional ischemia and reperfusion delivered to remote organs including hind limb, kidney and intestine, and so on provide protection to the heart. The RIPC is known to reduce infarct size, serum levels of cardiac enzymes, and myocardial dysfunction in various animal species as well as in patients. There have been a large number of studies suggesting that the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATPchannel) play a significant role as a mediator or end effector in RIPC. The present review discusses the role of KATPchannels and possible mechanisms in RIPC-induced cardioprotection.
DARE
Authors: Chalios Charalampos , Georgakoudis Giorgis , Tovletoglou Konstantinos , Karakonstantis George , Vandierendonck Hans , Nikolopoulos Dimitrios S
Published: August 2017

Power consumption and reliability of memory components are two of the most important hurdles in realizing exascale systems. Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) scaling projections predict significant performance and power penalty due to the conventional use of pessimistic refresh periods catering for worst-case cell retention times. Recent approaches relax those pessimistic refresh rates only on ``strong'' cells, or build on application-specific error resilience for data placement. However, these approaches cannot reveal the full potential of a relaxed refresh paradigm shift, since they neglect additional application resilience properties related to the inherent functioning of DRAM. In this article, we elevate Refresh-by-Access as a first-class property of application resilience. We develop a complete, non-intrusive system stack, armed with low-cost Data-Access Aware Refresh (DARE) methods, to facilitate aggressive refresh relaxation and ensure non-disruptive operation on commodity servers. Essentially, our proposed access-aware scheduling of application tasks intelligently amplifies the impact of the implicit refresh of memory accesses, extending the period during which hardware refresh remains disabled, while limiting the number of potential errors, hence their impact on an application's output quality. The stack, implemented on an off-the-shelf server and running a full-fledged Linux OS, captures for the first time the intricate time-dependent system and data interactions in the presence of hardware errors, in contrast to previous architectural simulations approaches of limited detail. Results demonstrate that by applying DARE, it is possible to completely disable hardware refresh, with minor quality loss that ranges from 2% to 18%.
Pine processionary caterpillar Thaumetopoea pityocampa envenomation in 11 cats: a retrospective study
Authors: Pouzot-Nevoret Céline , Cambournac Maxime , Violé Amandine , Goy-Thollot Isabelle , Bourdoiseau Gilles , Barthélemy Anthony
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical manifestations in cats of contact with caterpillars of the pine processionary moth.

Methods

Data were retrospectively obtained from the medical records (2004–2016) of cats that had been in contact with caterpillars of the pine processionary moth.

Results

Eleven cats were included in the study. The prevalence of lepidopterism was 0.13%. Tongue lesions and ptyalism were both present in 10/11 (91%) cats. Systemic signs consisted exclusively of vomiting and were encountered in 4/11 (36%) cats. The survival rate was 100%. Long-term follow-up data were available for 7/11 cats, and none of the cats showed impaired quality of life or definitive sequelae.

Conclusions and relevance

The clinical presentation of lepidopterism in cats appears to be similar to that in other animals; however, the clinical signs are less severe than those previously reported, mainly owing to the cautious behaviour of this species. Moreover, the prognosis is excellent, the length of hospitalisation is short (maximum 48 h) and our study showed the absence of any long-term disability after hospital discharge.
Health care Professionals’ Experiences and Needs When Delivering End-of-Life Care to Children: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Bergsträsser Eva , Cignacco Eva , Luck Patricia
Published: August 2017

Pediatric end-of-life care (EOL care) entails challenging tasks for health care professionals (HCPs). Little is known about HCPs’ experiences and needs when providing pediatric EOL care in Switzerland. This study aimed to describe the experiences and needs of HCPs in pediatric EOL care in Switzerland and to develop recommendations for the health ministry. The key aspect in EOL care provision was identified as the capacity to establish a relationship with the dying child and the family. Barriers to this interaction were ethical dilemmas, problems in collaboration with the interprofessional team, and structural problems on the level of organizations. A major need was the expansion of vocational training and support by specialized palliative care teams. We recommend the development of a national concept for the provision of EOL care in children, accompanied by training programs and supported by specialized pediatric palliative care teams located in tertiary children’s hospitals.
Analysis of scavenge port designs and exhaust valve profiles on the in-cylinder flow and scavenging performance in a two-stroke boosted uniflow scavenged direct injection gasoline engine
Authors: Wang Xinyan , Ma Jun , Zhao Hua
Published: August 2017

In this study, effects of intake scavenge port designs and exhaust valve opening profiles were studied on the scavenging process in a newly proposed two-stroke boosted uniflow scavenged direct injection gasoline engine by detailed three-dimensional engine simulations. As the most important geometric parameters, the axis inclination angle and swirl orientation angle of scavenge ports, as shown in Figure 1, were investigated and optimized for best scavenging performances at first. With the optimal axis inclination angle of 90° and swirl orientation angle of 20°, various combinations of scavenge port opening timing, exhaust valve opening duration and exhaust valve opening timing were then analysed. Four distinct scavenging periods, that is, early backflow period, backflow scavenging period, main scavenging period and post backflow period, were identified and their impacts on the in-cylinder flow motions and scavenging performances were investigated. The results show that the optimal scavenging performance can be achieved with a higher delivery ratio, charging efficiency and scavenging efficiency when the post backflow is just avoided by tuning the difference between the closing timings of scavenge ports and exhaust valves (Δ close) and the overlap between the opening profiles of scavenge ports and exhaust valves (Δ overlap) for a specific exhaust valve opening duration. A longer exhaust valve opening duration can be used to further improve the scavenging performances. In addition, the difference between the opening timings of scavenge ports and exhaust valves (Δ open) can be increased to improve scavenging efficiency. The Δ close also shows strong positive correlation with in-cylinder swirl ratio and negative correlation with tumble ratio. The results presented in this study provide the fundamental knowledge of the scavenging process in the uniflow scavenged two-stroke engine and assist the design of scavenge ports and valve strategies to optimize in-cylinder flow motion and scavenge performances in the two-stroke boosted uniflow scavenged direct injection gasoline engine with a variable valve actuation system for exhaust valves.
Health Literacy and Written Communication in Skilled Nursing/Subacute Facilities
Authors: Galati Christopher , Adams Rachel , Graham Kay , Reynolds Katharyn , Zametin Julia
Published: August 2017

Health literacy is a concern for older adults. Low health literacy can lead to adverse health outcomes; therefore, practitioners should address health literacy with clients. There is limited research addressing occupational therapy (OT) practitioners’ knowledge of health literacy and its implementation in written communication in skilled nursing facility (SNF)/subacute settings. Researchers explored practitioners’ knowledge and current practices when using written communication with older adult clients in skilled nursing and subacute settings. This was a nonexperimental, descriptive study of OT practitioners using an online survey. OT practitioners reported having knowledge of health literacy and addressing health literacy with clients. Although knowledge and practice scores were higher for occupational therapy assistants than for occupational therapists, no reliable differences were noted between practitioners. Survey measures yielded good internal consistencies (Cronbach’s α= 0.8). While the participants reported having knowledge and practice of health literacy, participants reported limited resources and training in this area.
An optimum strategy for robotic tomato grasping based on real-time viscoelastic parameters estimation
Authors: Tao Yongting , Zhou Jun , Wang Mingjun , Zhang Na , Meng Yimeng
Published: August 2017

It is a challenging task to achieve rapid and stable grasping of fruit and vegetable without damages for the agricultural robot. From the point of view of which most of fruits and vegetables are viscoelastic material, the viscoelastic characteristic of tomato was analyzed based on Burgers model in this article to provide a reference for the robotic grasping. First, the real-time viscoelastic parameters estimation model based on back-propagation neural network was established. The 3-11-4 network structure was applied, where the grasping force, displacement, and time were input to the model to estimate four viscoelastic parameters. The relative error was less than 15% at the 0.2-s estimation and correlation coefficient of fitting could reach to 0.99. Then, the expression of plastic deformation was derived by analyzing the dynamic characteristic of tomato based on Burgers model and Gripper’s model during grasping. The minimum plastic deformation was taken as the condition to optimize the grasping speed and operation time. Finally, the result of simulation and experiment showed the feasibility of the method proposed in this article. This research can achieve the goal of reducing the grasping time of robots without damaging the fruit and provide a reference for robots grasping process optimization.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) from a Labour Law Perspective
Authors: Cagnin Valentina
Published: August 2017

This article investigates, from a labour law researcher’s perspective, Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): an international arbitration procedure which allows corporations to sue the host government for alleged discriminatory practices against them before ad hoc tribunals. It focuses on the pros and cons of this mechanism for national labour laws, evaluating the possible impact of this mechanism on workers and social rights, exploring whether ISDS and the new ICS (Investment Court System) represent an effective menace of regulatory chill for States.
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations before and after treatment of an ovarian granulosa cell tumour in a cat
Authors: Heaps Laura A , Scudder Christopher J , Lipscomb Vicky J , Steinbach Sarah ML , Priestnall Simon L , Martineau Henny , Szladovits Balazs , Fowkes Robert C , Garden Oliver A
Published: August 2017

Case summary

A 15-year-old female cat was presented for investigation of progressive behavioural changes, polyuria, polydipsia and periuria. An ovarian granulosa cell tumour was identified and the cat underwent therapeutic ovariohysterectomy (OHE). The cat’s clinical signs resolved, but 6 months later it was diagnosed as having an anaplastic astrocytoma and was euthanased. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration prior to OHE was increased vs a control group of entire and neutered female cats. Following OHE, serum AMH concentration decreased to <1% of the original value.

Relevance and novel information

Serum AMH measurement may represent a novel diagnostic and monitoring tool for functional ovarian neoplasms in cats.
Outcomes for Arthroscopic Treatment of Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine (Subspine) Hip Impingement
Authors: Nwachukwu Benedict U. , Chang Brenda , Fields Kara , Rinzler Jeremy , Nawabi Danyal H. , Ranawat Anil S. , Kelly Bryan T.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Femoroacetabular hip impingement (FAI) is now well recognized; however, anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS; or subspine) impingement is a form of hip impingement that is underrecognized and can be an important source of hip disability and functional limitation.

Purpose:

To investigate the outcomes after arthroscopic treatment of AIIS/subspine-related hip impingement in the absence of FAI surgery.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A prospective institutional hip preservation registry was reviewed to identify patients who underwent arthroscopic AIIS decompression without concurrent treatment of FAI. Primary outcome tools captured in the registry included the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the Hip Outcome Score (HOS), and the International Hip Outcome Tool–33 (iHOT-33). Patients with minimum 1-year follow-up were included. Meaningful outcome improvement was determined per minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Statistical analyses were primarily descriptive.

Results:

Thirty-three patients with a mean follow-up of 19.1 months (range, 12-44 months) were identified. All patients were female, with a mean ± SD age of 26.1 ± 10.3 years. All patients were found to have an associated labral tear, and the mean acetabular version was increased at 2 and 3 o’clock (14.5° and 19.8°, respectively). Mean preoperative outcome scores on the mHHS, HOS ADL (activities of daily living), HOS sport, and iHOT-33 were 57.2 ± 15.3, 66.9 ± 18.8, 43.9 ± 23.6, and 33.5 ± 18.3, respectively. At final available follow-up, mean scores on these outcome measures were 79.5 ± 19.0, 86.8 ± 15.8, 70.4 ± 32.8, and 65.0 ± 31.0, respectively. By the 1-year follow-up, MCID had been achieved in the majority of patients across all 4 tools.

Conclusion:

There is a paucity of outcomes evidence on AIIS/subspine-related hip impingement. This study demonstrates that isolated subspine impingement can be a cause of hip disability, even in the absence of FAI. Patients with isolated subspine impingement are more likely to be women and to present with low patient-reported outcome scores. However, meaningful outcome improvement can be achieved with arthroscopic AIIS decompression.
Effectiveness and safety of concurrent beta-blockers and inhaled bronchodilators in COPD with cardiovascular comorbidities
Authors: Corrao Salvatore , Brunori Giuseppe , Lupo Umberto , Perticone Francesco
Published: August 2017

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic respiratory disease and its prevalence is increasing worldwide, in both industrialised and developing countries. Its prevalence is ∼5% in the general population and it is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. COPD is strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases; in fact, ∼64% of people suffering from COPD are treated for a concomitant cardiovascular disease and approximately one in three COPD patients die as a consequence of cardiovascular diseases.

Inhaled bronchodilators might have adverse cardiovascular effects, including ischaemic events and arrhythmias, and beta-blockers might adversely influence the respiratory symptoms and the response to bronchodilators. For these reasons, it is important to know the safety profiles and the possible interactions between these two classes of drug, in order to prescribe them with greater awareness.

In this article, we review the literature about the epidemiology of COPD, its association with cardiovascular diseases, and the safety of concurrent use of inhaled bronchodilators and beta-blockers, as a tool for improving the approach to complex therapies in clinical practice.
Postinjection delirium/sedation syndrome in patients with schizophrenia receiving olanzapine long-acting injection: Results from a large observational study
Authors: Meyers Kristin J. , Upadhyaya Himanshu P. , Landry John L. , Chhabra-Khanna Rashna , Falk Deborah M. , Seetharama Rao Balasubramanya , Jones Meghan E.
Published: August 2017

Background

Postinjection delirium/sedation syndrome (PDSS) has been reported uncommonly during treatment with olanzapine long-acting injection (LAI), a sustained-release formulation of olanzapine.

Aims

The primary aim of the study was to estimate the incidence per injection and per patient of PDSS events in adult patients with schizophrenia who were receiving olanzapine LAI in real-world clinical practice. Secondary aims were to further characterise the clinical presentation of PDSS events, to identify potential risk factors associated with PDSS events and to characterise hospitalisations at baseline and post-baseline.

Method

A prospective observational study of adult patients with schizophrenia receiving olanzapine LAI from 24 countries. Data were collected on patient characteristics, olanzapine LAI treatment and any adverse events (AEs). All AEs were reviewed and adjudicated for PDSS using predetermined criteria.

Results

There were 46 confirmed PDSS events (0.044% of the 103 505 injections) in 45 patients (1.17% of the 3858 patients). Based on 45 confirmed events with time-to-onset information, 91.1% (n=41) occurred within 1 h of injection. Time-to-recovery from the event was within 72 h for 95.6% of patients (range 6 h to 11 days). Risk factors for PDSS (per-injection) included high dose (odds ratio (OR)high/low=3.95; P=0.006) and male gender (ORfemale/male=0.42; P=0.017).

Conclusions

Results of this study confirm previously reported PDSS rates, time to onset and recovery, and the severity of PDSS events, and suggest that higher doses and male gender are potential risk factors associated with PDSS.
Telemedicine-Enabled Clinical Trial of Metformin in Patients With Prostate Cancer
Authors: Galsky Matthew D. , Shahin Mohamed , Jia Rachel , Shaffer David R. , Gimpel-Tetra Kiev , Tsao Che-Kai , Baker Charles , Leiter Amanda , Holland John , Sablinski Tomasz , Mehrazin Reza , Sfakianos John P. , Acon Patricia , Oh William K.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Clinical trials are critical to informing cancer care but often are hampered by slow accrual and lack of generalizability because of poor geographic accessibility. We tested the feasibility of replacing onsite study visits with telemedicine visits in a prospective clinical trial.

Methods

Castration-naïve patients with prostate cancer and a rising serum prostate-specific antigen after definitive local therapy were eligible. Patients were required to have a single onsite visit for enrollment. Study treatment consisted of oral metformin 850 mg daily for 1 month followed by 850 mg twice daily for 5 months. Telehealth video visits (televisits) were conducted monthly by using a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant smartphone application. The primary objective was to determine the feasibility of telemedicine-enabled study visits. Secondary objectives were defining safety, anticancer activity, quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

Results

Fifteen patients with a median age of 68 years (range, 57 to 83 years) and median one-way driving time to the study center of 71 minutes (range, 12 to 147 minutes) were enrolled. The patients completed 84 eligible televisits (completion rate, 100%; 95% CI, 0.80 to 1). Diarrhea was the most common adverse event but was limited to grade 1 in severity; a single patient experienced grade ≥ 3 adverse events. Seven patients (46.7%; 95% CI, 24.8% to 69.9%) had a ≤ 20% increase in prostate-specific antigen relative to baseline. Patients agreed or strongly agreed that they would participate in a telemedicine-enabled clinical trial in the future.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this interventional oncology clinical trial is the first to be conducted through telemedicine. Telemedicine-enabled trials are feasible and may overcome geographic barriers to trial participation. Metformin was generally well tolerated but associated with modest anticancer activity.
Can Minimal Residual Disease Determination in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Be Used in Clinical Practice?
Authors: Luskin Marlise R. , Stone Richard M.
Published: August 2017

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that is in complete remission, minimal residual disease (MRD) is presumed to be present, though not morphologically evident. Advances in diagnostics now permit the detection and quantification of MRD in AML by several techniques. The level of MRD after induction and consolidation therapy correlates with disease sensitivity to chemotherapy and has greater power to predict long-term survival than patient and disease characteristics that are available at diagnosis, including genetic information. A unique advantage of MRD is that it is an integrated measure of the impact and interaction of genetics, epigenetics, host immune milieu, bone marrow environment, and drug sensitivity on disease response to treatment. Here, we review the main techniques for MRD assessment in AML, including polymerase chain reaction, multiparameter flow cytometry, and next-generation sequencing, with a focus on method-specific and general limitations to the optimal employment of MRD techniques for the determination of AML prognosis. We also review the data that establish the prognostic and predictive value of MRD assessment in AML. Finally, we provide recommendations for the use of MRD in the care of patients with AML in clinical practice today, including whether it should influence treatment decisions.
The Effect of Adductor Canal Block on Knee Extensor Muscle Strength 6 Weeks After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Rousseau-Saine Nicolas , Williams Stephan R. , Girard François , Hébert Luc J. , Robin Florian , Duchesne Luc , Lavoie Frédéric , Ruel Monique
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND:

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) reduces knee extensor muscle strength (KES) in the operated limb for several months after the surgery. Immediately after TKA, compared to either inguinal femoral nerve block or placebo, adductor canal block (ACB) better preserves KES. Whether this short-term increase in KES is maintained several weeks after surgery remains unknown. We hypothesized that 48 hours of continuous ACB immediately after TKA would improve KES 6 weeks after TKA, compared to placebo.

METHODS:

Patients scheduled for primary unilateral TKA were randomized to receive either a continuous ACB (group ACB) or a sham block (group SHAM) for 48 hours after surgery. Primary outcome was the difference in maximal KES 6 weeks postoperatively, measured with a dynamometer during maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Secondary outcomes included postoperative day 1 (POD1) and day 2 (POD2) KES, pain scores at rest and peak effort, and opioid consumption; variation at 6 weeks of Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, patient satisfaction, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS:

Sixty-three subjects were randomized and 58 completed the study. Patients in group ACB had less pain at rest during POD1 and during peak effort on POD1 and POD2, consumed less opioids on POD1 and POD2, and had higher median KES on POD1. There was no significant difference between groups for median KES on POD2, variation of Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, patient satisfaction, and length of stay. There was no difference between groups in median KES 6 weeks after surgery (52 Nm [31–89 Nm] for group ACB vs 47 Nm [30–78 Nm] for group SHAM, P= .147).

CONCLUSIONS:

Continuous ACB provides better analgesia and KES for 24–48 hours after surgery, but does not affect KES 6 weeks after TKA. Further research could evaluate whether standardized and optimized rehabilitation over the long term would allow early KES improvements with ACB to be maintained over a period of weeks or months.
The Future of Torture
Authors: Lingis Alphonso
Published: August 2017

What is called physical torture comprises methods of producing severe pain. What is called psychological torture comprises methods to produce exhaustion, fear, anxiety, hopelessness, desperation, psychic disorganization, loss of control of mental states and acts, and extreme dependency. Physical torture aims to arouse intense fear. Psychological torture is the torture of the future, not only because it is “no marks” torture but also because its aim is different from physical torture and more radical. The victim is not simply reduced to impotence, helplessness, but to a state of ever-greater dependency on his or her torturer. We have to distinguish between informed and deliberate conversion of a detainee’s political convictions, through a kind of hard bargaining that appeals to the detainee’s rationality; inducing a detainee to betray his or her convictions and his or her community and bringing that about by deceit and deception; and inducing a detainee to betray his or her convictions and his or her community by the deliberate destruction of the detainee’s identity and sanity.
The serine protease inhibitor serpinB2 binds and stabilizes p21 in senescent cells
Authors: Hsieh Hsi-Hsien , Chen Ying-Chieh , Jhan Jing-Ru , Lin Jing-Jer
Published: August 2017

SerpinB2 is a serine protease inhibitor also known as plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2). It has been well documented that serpinB2 is an inhibitor of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Interestingly, serpinB2 levels are increased in senescent cells and serpinB2 is thus considered a senescence biomarker. In this study, by mimicking the elevated levels of serpinB2 in senescent cells, proliferating human fibroblasts were induced into senescence. Senescence induced by serpinB2 did not relate to its extracellular function, as inhibition of serpinB2 secretion, exogenous introduced serpinB2, or a serpinB2 mutant that failed to bind to its extracellular target uPA did not affect senescence. We also showed that serpinB2 is a direct downstream target of p53 that is activated by the DNA damage response pathway. Significantly, serpinB2 bound to and stabilized p21 to mediate senescence in a proteasome-independent manner, indicating that serpinB2 has a direct role in senescence. Thus, this study reveals a unique mechanism by which serpinB2 maintains senescence through stabilization of p21 protein levels.
Asymmetry costs: Effects of wing damage on hovering flight performance in the hawkmothManduca sexta
Authors: Fernández María José , Driver M. Ellis , Hedrick Tyson L.
Published: August 2017

Flight performance is fundamental to the fitness of flying organisms. Whilst airborne, flying organisms face unavoidable wing wear and wing area loss. Many studies have tried to quantify consequences of wing area loss to flight performance with varied results; suggesting that not all types of damage are equal and different species may have different means compensating for some forms of wing damage with little to no cost. Here, we investigate the cost of control during hovering flight with damaged wings, specifically wings with asymmetric and symmetric reductions in area, by measuring maximum load lifting capacity and the metabolic power of hovering flight in hawkmoths (Manduca sexta).

We found that while asymmetric and symmetric reductions are both costly in terms of maximum load lifting and hovering efficiency, asymmetric reductions are approximately twice as costly in terms of wing area lost. The moths also did not modulate flapping frequency and amplitude as predicted by a hovering flight model, suggesting that the ability to do so, possibly tied to asynchronous versus synchronous flight muscles, underlies the varied responses found in different wing clipping experiments.
Shifting Blame? Experimental Evidence of Delegating Communication
Authors: Garofalo Orsola , Rott Christina
Published: August 2017

Decision makers frequently have a spokesperson communicate their decisions. In this paper, we address two questions. First, does it matter who communicates an unfair decision? Second, does it matter how the unfair decision is communicated? We conduct a modified dictator game experiment in which either the decision maker or a spokesperson communicates the decided allocation to recipients, who then determine whether to punish either of them. We find that receivers punish both the decision maker and the spokesperson more often, and more heavily, for unfair allocations communicated by the spokesperson if there is room for shifting blame. The increased punishment results from the messenger’s style of delivery: spokespersons are more likely than decision makers to express emotional regret instead of rational need. Receivers seem to punish the former style of communication because they view it as an attempt to shift blame. Our results establish more generally that the design of communication schemes shapes relationships among organizational members.

Data and the online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2782 .

This paper was accepted by Uri Gneezy, behavioral economics.
Results of directly applied activated carbon cloth in chronic wounds: a preliminary study
Authors: Scheer H.S. , Kaiser M. , Zingg U.
Published: August 2017

Objective:

Activated carbon (AC) has been used in wound therapy as an active substance inside dressings. Applying AC directly on a wound is a new concept. The aim of this study was to analyse the outcomes of chronic wounds which were managed with directly applied activated carbon knitted cloth (ACC, Zorflex) in Swiss patients.

Method:

A retrospective analysis of the records of all patients with chronic wounds treated with ACC between 1 October 2013 and 31 December 2015 in an outpatient wound clinic. Chronic was defined as a wound being present for >3 weeks. Malignant wounds were excluded. The main outcome was the time to complete closure or readiness for spilt-thickness skin grafting (STSG). Descriptive data, including nutritional status and angiology results were obtained.

Results:

There were 36 women and 34 men, median age 68 years old. The median body mass index (BMI) 28.1kg/m2 and 76% (n=53) of patients had comorbidities. Angiology exam results showed signs of reduced arterial perfusion in 13% (n=9) of patients and malnutrition in 11% (n=8). Of the wounds included 34% (n=24) were on the trunk and 66% (n=46) on the extremities. The median wound size was 6.9cm2 (range: 0.1-300cm2). The wounds on the trunk were larger than wounds on extremities (10 versus 2cm2). Overall, median time to wound closure was 51 days. In 94% (n=66) of patients, wounds closed without further intervention and 6% (n=4) underwent STSG. Patients with comorbidities showed longer wound healing times compared with those without. No adverse events such as allergies or skin irritation occurred. Cost analysis, including personnel and material and stratified according known wound closure times, showed ACC (US$ 1252) to be like hydrocolloids (US$ 1128), but substantially lower than white gauze (US$ 3026) and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) (US$ 2578).

Conclusion:

ACC applied directly on chronic wounds of different aetiology is safe with short closure times. The cost efficiency is high. It combines the positive features of other wound dressings, such as hydrocolloids and NPWT, without their disadvantages. The dressing change of ACC is easy and non-specialised nurses or even patients themselves can be taught to perform it.
Defining land rights in Dutch Sri Lanka
Authors: Rupesinghe Nadeera
Published: August 2017

The Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie [VOC]) set up a judicial forum of European and native officials called the Landraad in parts of early modern Sri Lanka. Its primary tasks were to hear certain civil cases and maintain the thombo (land register). The VOC wished to define who could do what in which piece of land and what it could extract in return. This article is a study of land rights in southern Sri Lanka, providing quantitative and qualitative evidence on the types of possession recognized by the VOC. Officials used local terms relating to land tenure in the thombo, the Landraad and other discussions. The thombo and the Landraad were in effect the legal mechanisms by which the conversion of land, whether collectively or individually held, into alienable title was sought to be consolidated. Despite the complexities of the local land tenure system, the VOC attempted to enforce rules and regulations that would create a neat, circumscribed system that followed specific legal procedures and written forms. This was not always achieved in practice, indicating the important yet discreet role played by peasants in defining land rights.
Editorial volumen 7 número 1
Authors: Montenegro Marin Carlos Enrique
Published: August 2017

La revista Redes de ingeniería como medio de divulgación científica en áreas multidisciplinares de ingeniería, y que se encuentra adscrita a la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, quiere, a través de esta nota editorial, dar la bienvenida al nuevo equipo de trabajo en cabeza del nuevo editor Ms.C. Jorge  alamanca, la asistente editorial M. Sc. Angie González y al monitor Ing.(c) Julián Forero.
Sistemas Integrados de Transporte soportados en el Internet de las Cosas
Authors: Velazco Flórez Sandra Yanet , Ferro Escobar Roberto , Cuartas Katherin
Published: August 2017

La sociedad actual se encuentra inmersa en un era de transformación en donde las cosas hablan con otras cosas y estas conversaciones conllevan el crear nuevos modelos de negocio y de productos. Tiempo atrás, Internet se utilizaba principalmente en la búsqueda de información. Esto ha cambiado. Desde hace década se está viviendo una nueva forma de uso, en donde casi todo pasa por lo social, lo móvil y la transformación.En este sentido, se puede hablar del Internet de las cosas (IoT), como un modelo de interacción entre personas, cosas y personas. Esta interacción se puede dar desde cualquier lugar y en cualquier momento, mediante dispositivos integrados fácilmente en esto diferentes lugares, para procesar y transmitirinformación. Este artículo es un esbozo de la conceptualización e ilustración de la amplitud y alcance del Internet de las Cosas (IoT). Expone la forma en que el IoT está evolucionando y siendo útil en la vida real, mostrando con números y estadísticas el potencial de este fenómeno, su implementación y tendencia dedesarrollo con la finalidad de mostrar un panorama más general del IoT y su interacción con los Sistemas Integrados de Transporte – SITP.
EDITORIAL
Authors: Ingenieria Redes De
Published: August 2017

Editorial
ANÁLISIS ACERCA DE LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE SISTEMAS DE VIDEO VIGILANCIA SOBRE REDES MESH
Authors: Fuquene Christian , Salcedo Parra Octavio José , Triana John
Published: August 2017

En  los  últimos  años  las  redes  Ad-hoc  Mesh,  han  estado  atrayendo la atención por su uso potencial en varios campos  tales  como  las  actividades  militares,  operaciones  de  rescate  y  aplicaciones  en  tiempo  crítico.  En  este  artículo  se presenta el análisis de la implementación de un sistema  de  video  vigilancia  para  sectores  marginados  de  Bogotá  usando  redes  Ad-hoc  Mesh.  Se  describen  los  protocolos  más usados internacionalmente AODV, OLSR, BATMAN y se  comparan para seleccionar el más óptimo. De igual forma se  selecciona de una extensa lista de hardware el router con el  mejor costo beneficio que se adecua al firmware nightwing.  Al final se relacionan los costos de implementación de un escenario cableado contra un escenario inalámbrico que ofrecen sistemas de video vigilancia.
IMPLEMENTACIÓN Y CONFIGURACIÓN DE UN ENRUTADOR PARA LA INTERCONEXIÓN DE LA RED DE TECNOLOGÍA AVANZADA RITA-UD CON LA RED METROPOLITANA RUMBO MEDIANTE SOFTWARE LIBRE Y EL MODELO TMN DE LA UIT-T
Authors: Martínez Carlos Andrés , González Mendieta Fabio Antonio , Antolínez Ladino Dora Andrea
Published: August 2017

En este documento se consignan los resultados más relevantes que se obtuvieron al implementar un enrutador  para la interconexión de una red LAN académica con el nodo de RUMBO, sobre una máquina de mediano rendimiento, usando software libre y empleando una adaptación del modelo TMN de la UIT-T para la gestión de este elemento de red. Se aprovechó  las ventajas dinámicas en la implementación de dispositivos de red que ofrece el software libre; obteniendo un enrutador de bajo coste; que soporta enrutamiento estático y dinámico, políticas de calidad de servicio QoS, la nueva generación de direccionamiento IPv6, entre otras.
ESTADO DEL ARTE DE IPTV Y CONSIDERACIONES TÉCNICAS PARA SU MIGRACIÓN A IPV6 EN COLOMBIA
Authors: López Sarmiento Danilo Alfonso , Torres R. José I. , Ramírez G. Ramón E.
Published: August 2017

El artículo tiene como objetivos centrales hacer una revisión del estado del arte de IPTV (Televisión a través de IP) y una propuesta para la implementación de esta tecnología en Colombia sobre una red IPv6. La convergencia de las teleco-municaciones ha dado origen a aplicaciones IP que permiten acceso a contenidos audiovisuales digitalizados a través de re-des que hacen uso de dicho protocolo. Se abordanestudios ac-tuales que tratan características fundamentales de televisión sobre la red de datos,  como el funcionamiento, la arquitectura, los estándares en los que se basa, propuestas para evaluar las políticas de calidad de servicio y por ultimo consideraciones técnicas para su implementación en una red IPv6.
Z historii rodziny leksykalnej rzeczownika paskuda
Authors: Krótki Zuzanna
Published: August 2017

In the article the lexical units gathered from all history of Polish language were put under investigation belonging to the word family of the noun – paskuda. By using the semasiological method the researched process of how particular formations formed the new semantical senses manifested itself and how eradicated the old ones. The general key of its movings and the purpose were underlined and of these modifications ‘in the better serving’ depicted.As shown the afore-mentioned lexical units comprised with a multitude of senses already by-gone featuring the adultery, the burglary, defamation, gluttony and the cattle disease. At the beginning they seemed stable nevertheless the overuse of them paradoxically caused the eradication of popular meanings. They were not forgotten fully because it’s ‘residua’ were found in folk-slang. The essential figure is hereditary of pre-Slavic senses for instance; ‘something shoddy’, ‘something off’, ‘something repulsive’. Nowadays they function primarily in written material of all lexical family of the noun – paskuda.