bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolomic profile of arterial stiffness in aged adults
Authors: Koh Angela S , Gao Fei , Liu Jin , Fridianto Kevin Timothy , Ching Jianhong , Tan Ru San , Wong Jia-Ing , Chua Serene JM , Leng Shuang , Zhong Liang , Keng Bryan MH , Huang Fei Qiong , Yuan Jian-Min , Koh Woon-Puay , Kovalik Jean-Paul
Published: October 2017

Background:

Increasing arterial stiffness is an important contributor to declining cardiovascular health in ageing. Changes in whole-body fuel metabolism could be related to alterations in arterial stiffness in ageing adults.

Methods:

Targeted high-performance liquid and gas chromatography mass spectrometry were used to measure 84 circulating metabolites in a group of community elderly adults ( n = 141, 58% men; mean age = 70.6 ± 11.2 years) without cardiovascular disease. In basic and adjusted models, we correlated the measured metabolites to carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity assessed by applanation tonometry.

Results:

Age ( β = 0.10, p < 0.0001), smoking status ( β = 1.32, p = 0.02), dyslipidemia ( β = 1.22, p = 0.01), central systolic blood pressure ( β = 0.05, p < 0.0001), central mean arterial pressure ( β = 0.04, p = 0.03) and central pulse pressure ( β = 0.05, p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with pulse wave velocity. Amino acids such as histidine, methionine and valine correlated with pulse wave velocity. In multivariable models adjusted for clinical covariates, only Factor 5, comprising the medium- and long-chain dicarboxyl and hydroxyl acylcarnitines was independently associated with pulse wave velocity ( β = 0.24, p = 0.015).

Conclusion:

An upstream metabolic perturbation comprising medium- and long-chain dicarboxyl and hydroxyl acylcarnitines, likely reflecting changes in cellular fatty acid oxidation, was associated with arterial stiffness among aged adults. This advances mechanistic understanding of arterial stiffness among aged adults before clinical disease.
Relative Motion Flexion Splinting for Flexor Tendon Lacerations: Proof of Concept
Authors: Chung Bryan , Chiu David T. W. , Thanik Vishal
Published: October 2017

Background: The principle of relative motion has allowed patients to regain a higher degree of hand function, while protecting extensor tendon repairs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the principle of relative motion could be a viable method to protect a flexor tendon repair. Methods: Four fresh-frozen cadaver arms were each mounted on a testing apparatus (wrist in 30° of extension, metacarpophalangeal [MCP] joints blocked to 70°-80°). A minimum of 11 N was used to cyclically load the flexor digitorum profundus and extensor digitorum communis tendons to maximum allowable flexion and extension for 25 cycles. Measurements of elongation of the tendons were obtained through the use of differential variable reluctance transducers. Testing was performed in both intact and repaired (single 6-0 nylon suture) middle finger tendons (zone 3) with and without a relative motion flexion splint (RMFS), which placed the affected finger in 15° to 25° of relative flexion at the MCP joint. Results: In all 4 hands, elongation was restricted to less than 1.3 mm in repaired tendon in the RMFS compared with elongation >2 mm in the nonsplinted condition. Average elongation was 0.86 mm (SD = 0.45). Visual examination of the tendons demonstrated no gapping with the use of the RMFS in any of the hands. All repairs had suture breakage and repair rupture without the RMFS. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the RMFS decreases elongation and eliminates tendon-repair gapping after flexion/extension cycling in a cadaver model. It provides proof of concept that the RMFS may be a viable protective mechanism for flexor tendon repairs in zone 3.
Surgical and Clinical Decision Making in Isolated Long Thoracic Nerve Palsy
Authors: Noland Shelley S. , Krauss Emily M. , Felder John M. , Mackinnon Susan E.
Published: October 2017

Background: Isolated long thoracic nerve palsy results in scapular winging and destabilization. In this study, we review the surgical management of isolated long thoracic nerve palsy and suggest a surgical technique and treatment algorithm to simplify management. Methods: In total, 19 patients who required surgery for an isolated long thoracic nerve palsy were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative demographics, electromyography (EMG), and physical examinations were reviewed. Intraoperative nerve stimulation, surgical decision making, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. Results: In total, 19 patients with an average age of 32 were included in the study. All patients had an isolated long thoracic nerve palsy caused by either an injury (58%), Parsonage-Turner syndrome (32%), or shoulder surgery (10%); 18 patients (95%) underwent preoperative EMG; 10 with evidence of denervation (56%); and 13 patients had motor unit potentials in the serratus anterior (72%). The preoperative EMG did not correlate with intraoperative nerve stimulation in 13 patients (72%) and did correlate in 5 patients (28%); 3 patients had a nerve transfer (3 thoracodorsal to long thoracic at lateral chest, 1 pec to long thoracic at supraclavicular incision). In the 3 patients who had a nerve transfer, there was return of full forward flexion of the shoulder at an average of 2.5 months. Conclusions: A treatment algorithm based on intraoperative nerve stimulation will help guide surgeons in their clinical decision making in patients with isolated long thoracic nerve palsy. Intraoperative nerve stimulation is the gold standard in the management of isolated long thoracic nerve palsy.
Pragmatic clinical trials and the consent process
Authors: Murdoch Blake , Caulfield Timothy
Published: October 2017

Pragmatic clinical trials (PCTs) are a relatively new methodological approach to the execution of clinical research that can increase research efficiency and provide access to unique data. Some have suggested that the costs and delays associated with obtaining informed consent could make PCTs difficult or even impossible to execute. Alternative consent models have been proposed, some of which lower standards of disclosure, delay consent, or waive it altogether. We analyze the permissibility of changes to informed consent in the context of Canadian research ethics policies, legislation, common law, professional codes of ethics, and professional standards of practice. We find that Canadian law and policy relating to informed consent clearly applies to any clinician who might be involved in a PCT. In addition, existing consent norms seem unable to accommodate alternative consent models for pragmatic research if such models would involve lowering the standard of disclosure. The strong emphasis on the primacy of individual rights that exist in law and in research ethics norms cannot easily coexist with strategies that involve either waiver of consent requirements or the provision of incomplete information about the research prior to enrolment. If Canadian policy-makers wish to create the regulatory flexibility necessary to accommodate altered consent and disclosure, it is likely this will require the alteration of existing health information legislation, national research ethics policy, and professional standards.
Bioabsorbable poly-L/D-lactide (96/4) scaffold arthroplasty (RegJoint™) for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: a 3-year follow-up study
Authors: Mattila Simo , Ainola Mari , Waris Eero
Published: October 2017

The poly-L/D-lactide joint scaffold (RegJoint™) has recently been associated with adverse tissue reactions and osteolysis after partial trapeziectomy for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis. Twenty-two of 23 patients previously operated on with this scaffold were re-examined at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years (range 36–53 months). Overall, the results showed an unacceptably high rate of adverse tissue reactions related to the degradation process of the implant, resulting in a revision procedure in three patients. At final follow-up, at which point the implant had completely degraded, there were no signs of ongoing adverse tissue reactions. There was a significant decrease in pain, increase in strength and subjective improvement in function at final follow-up compared with the pre-operative results in patients who had not undergone revision surgery. However, owing to the high incidence of adverse tissue reactions, the use of the implant has been discontinued in the treatment of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis.

Level of evidence: IV
Repeatability of force signals in aerial circus straps
Authors: Cossin Marion , Ross Annie , Gosselin Frédérick P
Published: October 2017

The aim of this study is to develop a method for assessing movement variability of circus acrobats. An analysis of the repeatability of force signals is used to quantify variability. Six students from the National Circus School of Montréal performed 5–10 trials of an acrobatic movement called dislock in aerial circus straps while tension force was measured at the hanging point of the aerial apparatus. The repeatability of force signals was calculated with three statistical methods: time-averaged standard deviation, intraclass correlation and root mean square error. These methods were compared with the ratings of a circus coach who ranked each acrobat’s trial with regard to the movement variability. The standard deviation and the intraclass correlation methods are commonly used to quantify the agreement between measurements in biomechanics, while the root mean square error method is regularly employed to quantify the agreement between measurements and a model. All participants performed the movement with little variability (intraclass correlation ⩾ 0.8). The results of the three methods were in good agreement with the coach’s assessment. The root mean square error method, in particular, showed perfect agreement and is therefore considered the best measure of repeatability. In the future, the proposed method could be used by coaches or artists training alone, allowing a new form of feedback.
Childhood diabetes
Authors: Telford Fatima A
Published: October 2017

There are 31 500 children in the UK with diabetes, the second-most-common chronic disease in childhood, after asthma. Most have type 1 diabetes, those remaining have type 2 diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young, or cystic-fibrosis-related diabetes. About 25% of newly diagnosed children present with diabetic ketoacidosis. The NHS spends about £1 000 000 per hour on diabetes and GPs have a central role in early diagnosis, prevention of complications, prompt referral and coordination of care. Engagement with good advice and support is essential for young people with diabetes and their families. This article gives an overview of the management of childhood diabetes.
Populism as Identity Politics
Authors: Marchlewska Marta , Cichocka Aleksandra , Panayiotou Orestis , Castellanos Kevin , Batayneh Jude
Published: October 2017

Populists combine anti-elitism with a conviction that they hold a superior vision of what it means to be a true citizen of their nation. We expected support for populism to be associated with national collective narcissism—an unrealistic belief in the greatness of the national group, which should increase in response to perceived in-group disadvantage. In Study 1 (Polish participants; n = 1,007), national collective narcissism predicted support for the populist Law and Justice party. In the experimental Study 2 (British participants; n = 497), perceived long-term in-group disadvantage led to greater support for Brexit and this relationship was accounted for by national collective narcissism. In Study 3 (American participants; n = 403), group relative deprivation predicted support for Donald Trump and this relationship was accounted for by national collective narcissism. These associations were present even when we controlled for conventional national identification. We discuss implications of the link between collective narcissism and support for populism.
Comparative efficacy and tolerability of probiotics for antibiotic‐associated diarrhea: Systematic review with network meta‐analysis
Authors: Cai Jiayi , Zhao Chunyang , Du Yajie , Zhang Yaqiong , Zhao Mingyi , Zhao Qingchun
Published: October 2017

Background

Probiotics are commonly used for the prevention of antibiotic‐associated diarrhea (AAD). However, the optimum regimen remains controversial.

Objective

The objective of this article is to compare and rank the relative efficacy and tolerability among all available probiotic agents for AAD through a network meta‐analysis.

Methods

Eligible studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane library and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the efficacy of probiotic therapy for AAD. A random‐effects model was applied within a frequentist framework. Quality of evidence was performed by the GRADE approach. The project was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD 42016050776).

Results

Fifty‐one articles (60 comparisons, 9569 participants), including 10 probiotic interventions, were identified. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) had the highest probability of being ranked best both in effectiveness (odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28 (0.17, 0.47)) and tolerance (0.44 (0.23, 0.84)) on prevention of AAD. With regard to reducing Clostridium difficile infection rate, Lactobacillus casei (L. casei ) was considered better efficacy (0.04 (0.00, 0.77)) and medium tolerance (0.56 (0.19, 1.66)). Strain combination reported no superiority over single strain in either efficacy or tolerability.

Conclusions

LGG is probably the best option to consider when AAD is indicated. L. casei appears to be the most efficacious choice when associated with severe C. difficile‐ related cases.
Giant cell aortitis leading to Stanford type B and type A aortic dissection
Authors: El-Medany Ahmed , Wallace W , Mcrorie E , Tan Sy , Lim K
Published: October 2017

Lesson

This report provides a rare histological example and the appropriate management of spontaneous aortic dissection secondary to giant cell arteritis.
News media literacy and conspiracy theory endorsement
Authors: Craft Stephanie , Ashley Seth , Maksl Adam
Published: October 2017

Conspiracy theories flourish in the wide-open media of the digital age, spurring concerns about the role of misinformation in influencing public opinion and election outcomes. This study examines whether news media literacy predicts the likelihood of endorsing conspiracy theories and also considers the impact of literacy on partisanship. A survey of 397 adults found that greater knowledge about the news media predicted a lower likelihood of conspiracy theory endorsement, even for conspiracy theories that aligned with their political ideology.
Impoliteness in EFL: Foreign Language Learners’ Complaining Behaviors Across Social Distance and Status Levels
Authors: Wijayanto Agus , Prasetyarini Aryati , Hikmat Mauly Halwat
Published: October 2017

A growing body of literature has investigated impoliteness in many domains. Nevertheless, little research has examined impoliteness done by foreign language learners. Impoliteness used in interlanguage complaints by English as a foreign language learners was observed. The effects of interlocutors’ different status levels and social distance on the use of impoliteness were analyzed. Empirical data were elicited by means of oral discourse completion tasks from 50 Indonesian English as a foreign language learners in Central Java, Indonesia. The overall direction of the findings showed trends that status levels and social distance between interlocutors prompted different frequencies and strategies of impoliteness. The frequent use of impolite complaints was instigated by a number of factors such as the learners’ understanding about the speech act in question, their perceptions on the social distance and status levels of interlocutors, and the nature of the research instrument.
Computer Vision Syndrome: Implications for the Occupational Health Nurse
Authors: Lurati Ann Regina
Published: October 2017

Computers and other digital devices are commonly used both in the workplace and during leisure time. Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a new health-related condition that negatively affects workers. This article reviews the pathology of and interventions for CVS with implications for the occupational health nurse.
Manual preoperative tracheal retraction exercise decreases the occurrence of postoperative oropharyngeal dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
Authors: Chaudhary Surendra Kumar , Yu Bin , Pan Fumin , Li Xinhua , Wang Shanjin , Shaikh Imran I , Wu Desheng
Published: October 2017

Objective:

Preoperative tracheal retraction exercise (TRE) to minimize the occurrence of postoperative oropharyngeal dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery.

Methods:

A total of 220 patients admitted for elective anterior cervical spine surgery from January 2013 to December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were allocated into two groups: TRE group and control group (without TRE). Modified dysphagia scoring system (MDSS) was used for evaluating the presence and severity of dysphagia symptoms at 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Demographics such as age, gender, smoking, type of procedure, number of levels operated, duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, and instrumentation were analyzed. The clinical outcomes in both groups were compared with Neck Disability Index (NDI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for arm and neck pain, and Odom’s criteria for global outcome.

Results:

In the first week postoperatively, 86 patients (39.1%) developed dysphagia, which decreased to 72 (32.7%), 5 (2.3%), and 4 (1.8%) after 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. The patients who received the TRE prior to surgery had significantly better MDSS scores ( p = 0.032 for second-level, 0.022 for third-level, and 0.009 for fourth-level fusions) than control group patients who did not receive TRE at the first week of surgery. At the 1-month follow-up, the followed-up patients for second- to fourth-level fusions in the TRE group had improved MDSS scores than those in the control group ( p = 0.041 for second-level, 0.025 for third-level, and 0.0011 for fourth-level fusions). MDSS scores showed no significant difference between both the groups at 1 and 3 months postoperatively for single level anterior cervical fusion. NDI and VAS scores didn’t yield any significant difference. Global outcome by Odom’s criteria was 88.6%.

Conclusion:

Preoperative TRE can significantly reduce the occurrence of postoperative dysphagia after ACDF surgery. During follow-up, the incidence of postoperative dysphagia was significantly lower and had resolved at 3 months in all patients.
The many outcomes from contracting out: The voice of public managers
Authors: Lindholst Andrej Christian , Hansen Morten Balle , Randrup Thomas Barfoed , Persson Bengt , Kristoffersson Anders
Published: October 2017

This paper argues that adopting a stakeholder approach to the study of contracting outcomes produces more rich and rounded representations of the realities of the contracting out of public services. We revisit the research on contracting outcomes, highlighting the public manager perspective as key for gaining deeper, more detailed insights. The public manager perspective is explored in an inductive analysis of answers to open-ended survey questions collected from public managers with contracting experience within the context of municipal park management in Scandinavia. The emerging managerial perspective is summarized in a best-case, worst-case and complex-case scenario highlighting the mix, complexities and trade-offs in a composite set of contracting outcomes. The nature of contracting outcomes as complex and composite rather than unidimensional and clear-cut is one key finding. Furthermore, the importance of some specific outcomes (e.g. learning) complements existing research themes. Our findings sustain the initial argument, demonstrating how the stakeholder approach can produce new insights. A key implication is that future research can benefit from assessing contracting outcomes by providing voice to multiple stakeholders.
Enhancer profiling identifies critical cancer genes and characterizes cell identity in adult T-cell leukemia
Authors: Wong Regina Wan Ju , Ngoc Phuong Cao Thi , Leong Wei Zhong , Yam Alice Wei Yee , Zhang Tinghu , Asamitsu Kaori , Iida Shinsuke , Okamoto Takashi , Ueda Ryuzo , Gray Nathanael S. , Ishida Takashi , Sanda Takaomi
Published: October 2017

Key Points

Enhancer profiling combined with gene expression analysis identifies CCR4 and TIAM2 as critical cancer genes in ATL. Super-enhancers are enriched at genes involved in the T-cell activation pathway in ATL, reflecting the origin of leukemia cells.
The likelihood of total knee arthroplasty following arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis: a systematic review
Authors: Winter Amelia R. , Collins Jamie E. , Katz Jeffrey N.
Published: October 2017

Background

Arthroscopic surgery is a common treatment for knee osteoarthritis (OA), particularly for symptomatic meniscal tear. Many patients with knee OA who have arthroscopies go on to have total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Several individual studies have investigated the interval between knee arthroscopy and TKA. Our objective was to summarize published literature on the risk of TKA following knee arthroscopy, the duration between arthroscopy and TKA, and risk factors for TKA following knee arthroscopy.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for English language manuscripts reporting TKA following arthroscopy for knee OA. We identified 511 manuscripts, of which 20 met the inclusion criteria and were used for analysis. We compared the cumulative incidence of TKA following arthroscopy in each study arm, stratifying by type of data source (registry vs. clinical), and whether the study was limited to older patients (≥ 50) or those with more severe radiographic OA. We estimated cumulative incidence of TKA following arthroscopy by dividing the number of TKAs among persons who underwent arthroscopy by the number of persons who underwent arthroscopy. Annual incidence was calculated by dividing cumulative incidence by the mean years of follow-up.

Results

Overall, the annual incidence of TKA after arthroscopic surgery for OA was 2.46% (95% CI 1.68–3.25%). We calculated the annual incidence of TKA following arthroscopy in four separate groups defined by data source (registry vs. clinical cohort) and whether the sample was selected for disease progression (either age or OA severity). In unselected registry studies the annual TKA incidence was 1.99% (95% CI 1.03–2.96%), compared to 3.89% (95% CI 0.69–7.09%) in registry studies of older patients. In unselected clinical cohorts the annual incidence was 2.02% (95% CI 0.67–3.36%), while in clinical cohorts with more severe OA the annual incidence was 3.36% (95% CI 1.38–5.34%). The mean and median duration between arthroscopy and TKA (years) were 3.4 and 2.0 years.

Conclusions

Clinicians and patients considering knee arthroscopy should discuss the likelihood of subsequent TKA as they weigh risks and benefits of surgery. Patients who are older or have more severe OA are at particularly high risk of TKA.
The oncogenic Golgi phosphoprotein 3 like overexpression is associated with cisplatin resistance in ovarian carcinoma and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: He Shanyang , Niu Gang , Shang Jianhong , Deng Yalan , Wan Zhiyong , Zhang Cai , You Zeshan , Shen Hongwei
Published: October 2017

Background

Chemo-resistance is a leading cause of tumor relapse and treatment failure in patients with ovarian cancer. The identification of effective strategies to overcome drug resistance will have a significant clinical impact on the disease.

Methods

The protein and mRNA expression of GOLPH3L in ovarian cancer cell lines and patient tissues were determined using Real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. 177 human ovarian cancer tissue samples were analyzed by IHC to investigate the association between GOLPH3L expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of ovarian cancer patients. Functional assays, such as MTT, FACS, and Tunel assay used to determine the oncogenic role of GOLPH3L in human ovarian cancer progression. Furthermore, western blotting and luciferase assay were used to determine the mechanism of GOLPH3L promotes chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cells.

Results

The expression of GOLPH3L was markedly upregulated in ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues, and high GOLPH3L expression was associated with an aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis with ovarian cancer patients. GOLPH3L overexpression confers CDDP resistance on ovarian cancer cells; however, inhibition of GOLPH3L sensitized ovarian cancer cell lines to CDDP cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, GOLPH3L upregulated the levels of nuclear p65 and phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor Kappa-B kinase-β and IκBα, thereby activating canonical nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that GOLPH3L is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer: targeting GOLPH3L signaling may represent a promising strategy to enhance platinum response in patients with chemoresistant ovarian cancer.
Neutrophil killing of Staphylococcus aureus in diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome: a prospective cellular surveillance study
Authors: Scully Ingrid Lea , McNeil Lisa Kristin , Pathirana Sudam , Singer Christine Lee , Liu Yongdong , Mullen Stanley , Girgenti Douglas , Gurtman Alejandra , Pride Michael W. , Jansen Kathrin Ute , Huang Paul L. , Anderson Annaliesa S.
Published: October 2017

Background

Obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and diabetes are frequent in surgical populations and can enhance susceptibility to postoperative surgical site infections. Reduced neutrophil function has been linked with diabetes and risk of Staphylococcus aureus infection. Therefore, neutrophil function in diabetic and obese subjects (± MetS) was assessed in this prospective serological and cellular surveillance study to determine whether vaccines administered to protect against infections after surgery could be effective in these populations.

Methods

Neutrophil function (chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and opsonophagocytic killing of S. aureus) was assessed in subjects classified according to diabetes status, body mass index, and presence/absence of MetS. Neutrophils were characterized within functional subsets by flow cytometry. A serologic assay was used to measure baseline antibody presence to each antigen in SA4Ag: capsular polysaccharide (CP) type 5, CP8, recombinant mutant Clumping factor A (rmClfA), and recombinant Manganese transport protein C (rMntC).

Results

Neutrophil function was similar for comorbid and healthy cohorts, with no significant between-group differences in cell counts, migration, phagocytosis ability, neutrophil subset proportions, and S. aureus killing ability when neutrophils were isolated 3–6 months apart (Visit 1 [n = 90] and Visit 2 [n = 70]) and assessed. Median pre-existing antibody titers to CP5, CP8, and rmClfA were comparable for all cohorts (insufficient subjects with rMntC titers for determination).

Conclusions

MetS, diabetes, and obesity do not impact in vitro neutrophil function with regard to S. aureus killing, suggesting that if an effective S. aureus vaccine is developed it may be effective in individuals with these comorbidities.
Relaxed iterative algorithms for a system of generalized mixed equilibrium problems and a countable family of totally quasi-Phi-asymptotically nonexpansive multi-valued maps, with applications
Authors: Chidume CE , Romanus OM , Nnyaba UV
Published: October 2017

In this article, a Krasnoselskii-type and a Halpern-type algorithm for approximating a common fixed point of a countable family of totally quasi-ϕ-asymptotically nonexpansive nonself multi-valued maps and a solution of a system of generalized mixed equilibrium problem are constructed. Strong convergence of the sequences generated by these algorithms is proved in uniformly smooth and strictly convex real Banach spaces with the Kadec-Klee property. Several applications of our theorems are also presented. Finally, our theorems are a significant improvement of several important recent results.
Topical propranolol improves epistaxis in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia - a preliminary report
Authors: Mei-Zahav Meir , Blau Hannah , Bruckheimer Elchanan , Zur Eyal , Goldschmidt Neta
Published: October 2017

Background

Severe epistaxis is often difficult to control in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Propranolol has been shown to have antiangiogenic properties in vitro and in vivo and is commonly used to treat hemangiomas. We present our experience with topical nasal propranolol for the treatment of moderate to severe epistaxis in patients with HHT.

Methods

Retrospective case series. Six patients with HHT were treated with 0.5 cm3 of 1.5% propranolol gel, applied to each nostril twice daily for at least 12 weeks. Outcome measures were epistaxis severity score (ESS), hemoglobin level, and number of blood transfusions prior to and while on treatment. Local and systemic side effects were recorded.

Results

The mean duration of treatment was 30 ± 5.6 weeks. A significant improvement in the ESS was found in all patients, with a mean decrease from 6.4 ± 2.1 at treatment onset to 3.5 ± 1.7 at 12 weeks ( p = 0.028). Hemoglobin level increased significantly from 8.4 ± 3.1 to 11.0 ± 1.8 g/dL at 12 weeks ( p = 0.043). The mean number of blood transfusions decreased from 4.5 ± 4.9 before treatment to 2.5 ± 2.9 at 12 weeks and 0.3 ± 0.8 at 24 weeks, but the difference did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.109 for both). No significant side effects of treatment were recorded.

Conclusions

These preliminary results suggest that topical propranolol may be effective for the treatment of epistaxis in patients with HHT. A prospective controlled trial is required to confirm our findings.
Genomic insights into the thiamin metabolism of Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus NRRL B-4156 and P. apiarius NRRL B-23460
Authors: Sannino David , Angert Esther R.
Published: October 2017

Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus is the model organism for studying thiaminase I, an enigmatic extracellular enzyme. Originally isolated from the feces of clinical patients suffering from thiamin deficiency, P. thiaminolyticus has been implicated in thiamin deficiencies in humans and other animals due to its ability to produce this thiamin-degrading enzyme. Its close relative, P. apiarius, also produces thiaminase I and was originally isolated from dead honeybee larvae, though it has not been reported to be a honeybee pathogen. We generated draft genomes of the type strains of both species, P. thiaminolyticus NRRL B-4156 and P. apiarius NRRL B-23460, to deeply explore potential routes of thiamin metabolism. We discovered that the thiaminase I gene is located in a highly conserved operon with thiamin biosynthesis and salvage genes, as well as genes involved in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic bacimethrin. Based on metabolic pathway predictions, P. apiarius NRRL B-23460 has the genomic capacity to synthesize thiamin de novo using a pathway that is rarely seen in bacteria, but P. thiaminolyticus NRRL B-4156 is a thiamin auxotroph. Both genomes encode importers for thiamin and the pyrimidine moiety of thiamin, as well as enzymes to synthesize thiamin from pyrimidine and thiazole.
Turbulence induces metabolically costly behaviors and inhibits food capture in oyster larvae, causing net energy loss
Authors: Fuchs Heidi L. , Specht Jaclyn A. , Adams Diane K. , Christman Adam J.
Published: October 2017

Planktotrophic invertebrate larvae require energy to develop, disperse and settle successfully, and it is unknown how their energetics are impacted by turbulence. Ciliated larvae gain metabolic energy from their phytoplankton food to offset the energetic costs of growth, development and ciliary activity for swimming and feeding. Turbulence may affect the energetic balance by inducing behaviors that alter the metabolic costs and efficiency of swimming, by raising the encounter rate with food particles and by inhibiting food capture. We used experiments and an empirical model to quantify the net rate of energy gain, swimming efficiency and food capture efficiency for eyed oyster larvae (Crassostrea virginica) in turbulence. At dissipation rates representative of coastal waters, larvae lost energy even when food concentrations were very high. Both feeding activity and turbulence-induced behaviors incurred high metabolic costs. Swimming efficiency was concave up versus dissipation rate, suggesting that ciliary activity for food handling became more costly while swimming became more efficient with turbulence intensity. Though counter-intuitive, swimming may have become more efficient in turbulence because vorticity-induced rotation caused larvae to swim more horizontally, which requires less effort than swimming vertically against the pull of gravity. Overall, however, larvae failed to offset high activity costs with food energy gains because turbulence reduced food capture efficiency more than it enhanced food encounter rates. Younger, smaller larvae may have some energetic advantages, but competent larvae would lose energy at turbulence intensities they experience frequently, suggesting that turbulence-induced starvation may account for much of oysters' high larval mortality.
Risk perception of medicinal marijuana in medical students from northeast Mexico
Authors: Castillo-Guzmán Sandra , Palacios-Ríos Dionicio , Nava-Obregón Teresa A. , Arredondo-Mendoza Julio C. , Alcalá-Alvarado Olga V. , Alonso-Bracho Sofía A. , Becerril-Gaitán Daniela A. , González-Santiago Omar
Published: October 2017

Background. Several studies have shown support from the public toward the use of medicinal marijuana. In this cross-sectional study, we assess the risk perception to medicinal marijuana in a sample of medical students.

Methods. To estimate risk perception, a visual scale that ranges from 0 cm (without risk) to 10 cm (totally risky) was used. Risk perception was expressed as the median of the cm marked over the scale. Differences among groups was tested with the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, as appropriate.

Results. 283 students participated in the study. Risk perception to medicinal marijuana was 4.22, paracetamol 1.56 and sedatives 5.0. A significant difference in risk perception was observed in those that self-reported to smoke and consume alcohol.

Conclusions. Risk perception of medicinal marijuana is 4.22 in medical students of northeast of Mexico. Students may underestimate its adverse effects. More studies with respect to this are needed.
Calibrated Route Finder: Improving the Safety, Environmental Consciousness, and Cost Effectiveness of Truck Routing in Sweden
Authors: Rönnqvist Mikael , Svenson Gunnar , Flisberg Patrik , Jönsson Lars-Erik
Published: October 2017

Calibrated Route Finder (CRF), an online route generation system, successfully finds the best route when many conflicting objectives are involved by using analytics in a collaborative environment. CRF, which has been in use since 2009, uses many diverse big data sources, which must be revised continuously. One of its key features is its use of an innovative inverse optimization process that establishes more than 100 weights to balance distance, speed, social values, environmental impacts, traffic safety, driver stress, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and costs. The system enables the measurement of hilliness and curvature and incorporates rules that consider legal and practical issues related to routing in and around cities, turning in intersections, time delays, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions that result from waiting, acceleration, and braking. The system is used by all major forest companies in Sweden and in 60 percent of the two million annual transports in this sector. It has resulted in a paradigm shift from manual, imprecise, and unilaterally determined routes to automatically determined routes, which the stakeholders determine jointly. It has also enabled standardization, promoted collaboration, and reduced costs, thus strengthening the competitiveness of the Swedish forest industry in the international market.
Book Reviews
Authors: Shen Wenjing
Published: October 2017

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. The editor will be pleased to receive an email from those willing to review a book, with an indication of specific areas of interest. If you are aware of a specific book that you would like to review, or that you think should be reviewed, please contact the editor. The following books are reviewed in this issue of Interfaces, 47(5), September–October: The Social Footprints of Global Trade, Ali Alsamawi, Darian McBain, Joy Murray, Manfred Lenzen, and Kirsten S. Wiebe; Efficiency in Sustainable Supply Chain, Paulina Golinska-Dawson and Adam Kolinski, eds.; Unconventional Conflict: A Modeling Perspective, Dean S. Hartley, III.
Exploring pressures, tissue reperfusion and body positioning: a pilot evaluation
Authors: Coyer F. , Clark M. , Slattery P. , Thomas P. , McNamara G. , Edwards C. , Ingleman J. , Stephenson J. , Ousey K.
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To assess the relationship in healthy adults and critically ill patients between: patient position, body mass index (BMI), patient body temperature, interface pressure (IP) and tissue reperfusion (TR). Also to determine the relationship in critically ill patients between: Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Braden Scale score for predicting pressure injury risk, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) severity of disease classification score, IP and TR.

Methods:

This study took place in a 27-bed intensive care unit (ICU) of an Australian tertiary hospital. IP and TR outcomes were measured at the sacrum and greater trochanter. Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and doubly multivariate repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted using peak pressure index (PPI), peak time (PT), settled time constant (STC) and normalised hyperaemic area (NHA) measures of TR as outcomes. Participant type, body mass index (BMI), Braden and APACHE II scores and patient body temperature were considered as between-groups factors and covariates.

Results:

We recruited 23 low- and high-acuity ICU patients and nine healthy adult volunteers. Not all IP readings could be obtained from ICU patients. TR readings were collected from all recruited patients, but not all TR measurements were mutually uncorrelated. Controlling for age, PPI readings differed between participant types (p=0.093), with the highest values associated with high-acuity patients and the lowest with healthy adults; the association was not substantive when controlling for age and BMI. Age was a significant variable (p=0.008), with older participants having higher scores than younger ones. No statistically significant associations between any measured parameter and TR variables were observed. However, temperature was revealed to be related to TR (p=0.091).

Conclusions:

Although not powered to detect significant effects, this pilot analysis has determined several associations of importance, with differences in outcomes observed between low- and high-acuity ICU patients; and between ICU patients and healthy volunteers.
A comprehensive scoring system to evaluate patient-centred risk factors regarding lower extremity amputation
Authors: Miller M.S. , Newgent E.W. , O'Connell S.M. , Broadus C.
Published: October 2017

Care of the patient with a presumed life- or limb-threatening lower extremity wound poses many challenges. The mindset regarding potential outcomes of such conditions is mostly driven by the experiences and expertise of those providing the care. This mindset generally appears as two primary actions presented to the afflicted patient: attempted resolution of the problem via medical, surgical or combination treatment, with the hope of low recurrence risk, or exacerbation and amputation—amputations at a level sufficient to, at least in the mind of the surgeon, eliminate the problem. Achieving the former outcome is dependent on a number of factors associated with both patient and caregiver. If healing is achieved, the secondary goal of prevention of recurrence may be no less arduous, with failure most likely resulting in amputation. Clearly, these considerations appear to be based more on the health professionals perception, of the patient's physical and medical status rather than on patient-centred considerations. This article will review considerations and recommendations for lower extremity amputation, and the short- and long-term implications. Based on our research, there is clear need for a set of criteria against which to weigh not just the medical issues, but also definitive patient-centred issues when considering a lower extremity amputation. We offer a set of patient-centred, easily verified and recognised criteria that we believe addresses this need. The goal of the Miller-Newgent Amputation Scale (MENACE) is to provide a decision base from which to consider and evaluate all factors in determining the need for a lower extremity amputation. This involves identification of patient-centred issues, which are likely to produce satisfactory short- and long-term physical and quality-of-life outcomes if the amputation does proceed.
Optical Flow Estimation Using Total Least Squares Variants
Authors: DE JESUS MARIA A. , ESTRELA VANIA V.
Published: October 2017

The problem of recursively approximating motion resulting from the Optical Flow (OF) in video thru Total Least Squares (TLS) techniques is addressed. TLS method solves an inconsistent system Gu=z , with G and z in error due to temporal/spatial derivatives, and nonlinearity, while the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model has noise only in z. Sources of difficulty involve the non-stationarity of the field, the ill-posedness, and the existence of noise in the data. Three ways of applying the TLS with different noise conjectures to the end problem are observed. First, the classical TLS (cTLS) is introduced, where the entries of the error matrices of each row of the augmented matrix [G;z] have zero mean and the same standard deviation. Next, the Generalized Total Least Squares (GTLS) is defined to provide a more stable solution, but it still has some problems. The Generalized Scaled TLS (GSTLS) has G and z tainted by different sources of additive zero-mean Gaussian noise and scaling [G;z] by nonsingular D and E, that is, D[G;z] E makes the errors iid with zero mean and a diagonal covariance matrix. The scaling is computed from some knowledge on the error distribution to improve the GTLS estimate. For moderate levels of additive noise, GSTLS outperforms the OLS, and the GTLS approaches. Although any TLS variant requires more computations than the OLS, it is still applicable with proper scaling of the data matrix.
Linear Cryptanalysis of Substitution Ciphers Using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: RAJKUMAR Dr. G.
Published: October 2017

Cryptanalysis is a standout amongst the most vital requesting zones of capable research in the request of the security. An approach of data security is Cryptography. Cryptanalysis is the investigation to break cryptography without the encryption key. Cryptanalysis is breaking or separating cipher text content into its identical plain-content without past data of the secret key or without knowing the real approach to unscramble the cipher text content. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is a population based, self-versatile find improvement of optimization performance motivated by group performance of bird flocking or fish schooling. In this paper discussed with use of PSO in automated cryptanalysis of simple substitution ciphers. In this manner, encrypted data can be sent by any individual utilizing the general puplic key, yet the data can be decoded just by the holder of the secret key.
Systematic Review on the Suspicious Profiles Detection on Online Social Media Data
Authors: Asha Asha , Balkishan Dr.
Published: October 2017

Escalating crimes on digital facet alarms the law enforcement bodies to keep a gaze on online activities which involve massive amount of data. This will raise a need to detect suspicious activities on online available social media data by optimizing investigations using data mining tools. This paper intends to throw some light on the data mining techniques which are designed and developed for closely examining social media data for suspicious activities and profiles in different domains. Additionally, this study will categorize the techniques under various groups highlighting their important features, challenges and application realm.
Role of ICT in Agriculture: Policy implications
Authors: Singh Surabhi , Ahlawatat Santosh , Sanwal Saritaarita
Published: October 2017

Agriculture is a gigantic sector of the Indian economy as its share to gross domestic product (GDP) is almost 17 per cent. Over 60 per cent of the population adopts agriculture as main occupation. In spite of a large of Indian economy, agriculture is lagging behind many aspects and characterised by poor connectivity and disintegration of market, unreliable and delayed information to the farmers, small land holdings, non adoption or less adoption of improved technology and so on. It has become indispensable to explore various ways to keep our farmers updated about modern technologies and relevant information. The development and timely dissemination of better personalized technologies specific to different agro-climatic conditions, size of land holding, soil type, type of crops and related pests/diseases is the real issue to brazen out ahead for the agricultural scientists/experts. The timely availability of right information and its proper utilisation is indispensable for agriculture. ICT based initiatives can be taken for propagation of information, transfer of technology, procurement of inputs and selling of outputs in a way so that farmers can be benefitted. The timely information and practical solutions of the agricultural problems helps the farmers to adopt good agricultural practices, make better choices of inputs and to plan the cultivation properly.
Performance Analysis of Data Compression using Lossless Run Length Encoding
Authors: DUDHAGARA CHETAN R. , PATEL HASAMUKH B.
Published: October 2017

In a recent era of modern technology, there are many problems for storage, retrieval and transmission of data. Data compression is necessary due to rapid growth of digital media and the subsequent need for reduce storage size and transmit the data in an effective and efficient manner over the networks. It reduces the transmission traffic on internet also. Data compression try to reduce the number of bits required to store digitally. The various data and image compression algorithms are widely use to reduce the original data bits into lesser number of bits. Lossless data and image compression is a special class of data compression. This algorithm involves in reducing numbers of bits by identifying and eliminating statistical data redundancy in input data. It is very simple and effective method. It provides good lossless compression of input data. This is useful on data that contains many consecutive runs of the same values. This paper presents the implementation of Run Length Encoding for data compression.