The relationship between serum bilirubin level with interleukin.6, interleukin.10 and mortality scores in patients with sepsis

Context: Bilirubin has been shown to influence the mechanisms of both apoptosis and inflammation.Aims: The aim of the following study is to investigate the relationship between the serum bilirubin level with sepsis progression.Settings and Design: A total of 20 patients from intensive care unit were included for this study.Materials and Methods: Patients were divided into two groups: Patients diagnosed with sepsis according to the American College of Chest  Physicians/Society of Clinical Care Medicine consensus conference criteria (n = 10) and patients treated for various other diagnoses (n = 10). Blood samples were collected for both groups at the time of origin (defined as the time of diagnosis) and 24 and 48 h after diagnosis. Serum interleukin (IL).6, IL.10 and bilirubin levels were analyzed and compared. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II and sepsis related organ failure (SOFA) scores of the patients were also evaluated. Statistical Analysis Used: We used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows, version 17.0, SPSS Inc. 233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago) for statistical analysis.Results: At all.time intervals, serum IL.6, IL.10 and total, direct and  indirect serum bilirubin levels were significantly higher in the sepsis group (P < 0.05); APACHE II and SOFA scores were also significantly higher. Both SOFA scores and serum IL.10 levels were positively correlated with bilirubin levels 24 h after diagnosis (P < 0.05, r = .0.76).Conclusions: Although levels of bilirubin and other associated parameters were higher for the sepsis group, only SOFA score and bilirubin levels were correlated. Because bilirubin is already a SOFA parameter, this correlation was not considered as clinically significant.Key words: Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation, bilirubin, interleukin.6, interleukin.10, sepsi

Comparison of anaesthetic cost in open and laparoscopic appendectomy

Context: Appendectomy is generally conducted as open or by laparoscopic surgical techniques under general anesthesia.Aims: This study aims to compare the anesthetic costs of the patients, who underwent open or laparoscopicappendectomy under general anesthesia.Settings and Design: The design is retrospective and records of 379 patients who underwent open or laparoscopicappendectomy under general anesthesia, falling under the category of I‑III risk group according to the American Societyof Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification between the years 2011 and 2013, and aged 18-77.Subjects and Methods: Open (Group I) or laparoscopic (Group II) appendectomy operation under general anesthesiawere evaluated retrospectively by utilizing hospital automation and anesthesia observation records. This study evaluatedthe anesthesia time of the patients and total costs (Turkish Lira ₺, US dollar $) of anesthetic agents used (induction,maintenance), necessary medical materials (connecting line, endotracheal tube, airway, humidifier, branule, aspirationprobe), and intravenously administered fluids were evaluated.Statistical Analysis Used: We used Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS version 17.0) forstatistical analysis.Results: Of the patients, 237 were males (62.53$) in Group I and 83.09 ± 26.85₺ (41.29 ± 13.34$) inGroup II (P > 0.05). A correlation was observed between cost and operation times (P = 0.002, r = 0.158).Conclusions: Although a statistical difference was not established in this study in terms of time and costs inappendectomy operations conducted as open and laparoscopically, changes may occur in time in market conditionsof drugs, patent rights, legal regulations, and prices. Therefore, we believe that it would be beneficial to update andrevise cost analyses from time to time.Keywords: Cost, cost comparison laparoscopic appendectomy, open appendectom

Scalar Quarkonia at Finite Temperature

Masses and decay constants of the scalar quarkonia, $\chi_{Q0} (Q=b,c)$ with quantum numbers $I^G(J^{PC})=0^{+}(0^{++})$ are calculated in the framework of the QCD sum rules approach both in vacuum and finite temperature. The masses and decay constants remain unchanged up to $T\simeq100~MeV$ but they start to diminish with increasing the temperature after this point. At near the critic or deconfinement temperature, the decay constants reach approximately to 25% of their values in vacuum, while the masses are decreased about 6% and 23% for bottom and charm cases, respectively. The results at zero temperature are in a good consistency with the existing experimental values and predictions of the other nonperturbative approaches. Our predictions on the decay constants in vacuum as well as the behavior of the masses and decay constants with respect to the temperature can be checked in the future experiments.Comment: 12 Pages, 9 Figures and 2 Table

Memory-Efficient Design Strategy for a Parallel Embedded Integral Image Computation Engine

In embedded vision systems, parallel computation of the integral image presents several design challenges in terms of hardware resources, speed and power consumption. Although recursive equations significantly reduce the number of operations for computing the integral image, the required internal memory becomes prohibitively large for an embedded integral image computation engine for increasing image sizes. With the objective of achieving high-throughput with minimum hardware resources, this paper proposes a memory-efficient design strategy for a parallel embedded integral image computation engine. Results show that the design achieves nearly 35% reduction in memory for common HD video

Double-wedged Wollaston-type polarimeter design and integration to RTT150-TFOSC; initial tests, calibration, and characteristics

© 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. Photometric and spectroscopic observation capabilities of 1.5-m Russian–Turkish Telescope RTT150 has been broadened with the integration of presented polarimeter. The well-known double-wedged Wollaston-type dual-beam technique was preferred and applied to design and produce it. The designed polarimeter was integrated into the telescope detector TFOSC, and called TFOSC-WP. Its capabilities and limitations were attempted to be determined by a number of observation sets. Non-polarized and strongly polarized stars were observed to determine its limitations as well as its linearity. An instrumental intrinsic polarization was determined for the 1 × 5 arcmin field of view in equatorial coordinate system, the systematic error of polarization degree as 0.2 %, and position angle as 1.9∘. These limitations and capabilities are denoted as good enough to satisfy telescopes’ present and future astrophysical space missions related to GAIA and SRG projects

The Nose as a Route for Therapy: Part 1. Pharmacotherapy

This article reviews nasal structure and function in the light of intranasal pharmacotherapy. The nose provides an accessible, fast route for local treatment of nose and sinus diseases, with lower doses than are necessary systemically and few adverse effects. It can also be used for other medications as it has sufficient surface area protected from local damage by mucociliary clearance, absence of digestive enzymes, responsive blood flow, and provides a rapid route to the central nervous system.Peer reviewe

МЕХАНИЗМЫ ОЧАГОВ ЗЕМЛЕТРЯСЕНИЙ И ПОЛЕ НАПРЯЖЕНИЙ МОНГОЛИИ И ПРИЛЕГАЮЩИХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ

We have compiled and analyzed earthquake focal solutions for the territory of Mongolia and its surroundings in order to reveal a spatial variability of stress orientation and stress regimes of the crust. According to the stress inversion results, the SHmax is turning from W-E in the eastern Mongolia to SW-NE in the Gobi Altay and the central Mongolia, and then to S-N in the western part of the region. Comparison with data derived from GPS measurements shows that directions of the strain axes revealed by the geodetic and seismological observations are generally consistent. A contradiction is found for the Bolnai zone where results of GPS estimation indicate the predominance of extension (in the SE-NW direction), whereas earthquake data for the longer period of seismic observations reveal compression. Compression in this zone is mainly due to the Tsetserleg-Bolnai earthquakes contribution; however, a part of the recent data on focal mechanisms fits an extensional stress field with the NNW orientated extension axis. These data are in accordance with some published works which suggest a transtensive field from some structural geology studies in the eastern part of the Bolnai zone.The paper is supplemented with a list of M≥4.5 earthquake fault plane solutions and unpublished focal mechanisms for some M≤4.5 earthquakes of the northern Mongolia and the southern Baikal region.Введение. Механизмы очагов землетрясений наряду с геодезическими и другими данными служат источником информации о напряженно-деформированном состоянии земной коры. Задачи оценки тектонического режима и скорости деформирования особенно актуальны для внутриплитных областей, характеризующихся высоким уровнем сейсмичности. Одной из таких областей является Монголия, на территории которой известны землетрясения с М=8.0 (рис. 1). В представляемой работе собраны и проанализированы механизмы очагов землетрясений с M≥4.5 с целью проследить пространственную изменчивость поля напряжений земной коры. Данные. Опубликованные данные о фокальных решениях можно разделить на две группы в зависимости от применяемых для их определения методов. К первой группе относятся механизмы, полученные моделированием волновых форм на удаленных и региональных станциях. Вторая группа решений получена при использовании метода полярности первых вступлений волн. Данный метод широко применялся для умеренной силы землетрясений северной части Монголии и Южной Сибири, что обусловлено более плотным покрытием этого региона сейсмостанциями. Используемые для анализа в данной работе решения представлены в таблице (в разделе «Дополнительные материалы») и на карте (рис. 2). Методы. Для инверсии поля напряжений использовались два подхода. Для землетрясений основных сейсмических зон (Болнай, Гобийский Алтай, Могод и т.д.) применялась программа Win-Tensor [Delvaux, Sperner, 2003], в которой реализован метод right dihedra [Angelier, 1984]. Для получения более сглаженной по всей территории картины ориентации осей напряжений использовалась программа SATSI [Hardebeck, Michael, 2006], минимизирующая разницу между соседними «индивидуальными» стресс-тензорами для сейсмоактивных областей. Для более корректного сравнения сейсмологических данных с результатами GPS-измерений и визуализации сейсмотектонических деформаций представлены стереограммы средних фокальных механизмов [Nikitin, Yunga, 1977; Yunga, 1990]. Результаты. Полученные результаты показывают, что фокальные решения землетрясений южной, западной и восточной части Монголии однородны и представлены главным образом сдвиговыми и взбросовыми подвижками в очагах. Большим разнообразием кинематических типов разрывов характеризуется территория к северу от Болнайского разлома. Для непосредственно Болнайской зоны не удалось получить единого стресс-тензора. Выборка разделилась на главные толчки (Болнайское и Цэцэрлэгское землетрясения 1905 г.), состоящие из субисточников, и события, зарегистрированные в период инструментальных наблюдений. Последние показывают наличие в выборке решений, удовлетворяющих режиму растяжения. В целом, наблюдается изменение ориентации оси SHmax от направления Ю-С в западной части Монголии до ЮЗ-СВ в Гобийском Алтае и в центральной части страны и до широтного направления в Восточной Монголии. Обсуждение результатов. Очевидно, что основные характеристики поля напряжений на представленной территории уже выявлены и описаны в предшествующих работах [Zhalkovskii et al., 1995; Petit et al., 1996; Delvaux et al., 1998; Melnikova et al., 2004; Melnikova, Radziminovich, 2005; San’kov et al., 2005; Gol’din, Kuchai, 2007; Radziminovich et al., 2007; Parfeevets, San’kov, 2010; San’kov et al., 2011; Parfeevets, San’kov, 2012; Rebetsky et al., 2013; Tataurova et al., 2014; Kuchai, Kozina, 2015; Karagianni et al., 2015; и др.]. Все увеличивающийся объем новых данных, с одной стороны, подтверждает сделанные ранее выводы, а с другой – позволяет выявить некоторые детали. Результаты, полученные по сейсмологическим данным, согласуются с данными, полученными в ходе геолого-структурных работ [Parfeevets, Sankov, 2012] и GPS-измерений [Calais et al., 2003; Loukhnev et al., 2010]. Выделяется Болнайская зона, которая по геодезическим расчетам характеризуется деформацией удлинения земной коры или растяжением. Выше отмечалось, что часть фокальных механизмов соответствует такому полю напряжений. Более того, замеры трещиноватости также приводят авторов [Parfeevets, Sankov, 2012] к выводу о режиме транстенсии в восточной части Болнайской зоны, связанном, вероятно, с дивергенцией Евразийской и Амурской плит [Petit, Fournier, 2005]. Характер изменений сейсмотектонических деформаций в этом районе позволил авторам работы [Kuchai, Kozina, 2015] выделить, хоть и в широких пределах, границу Амурской плиты. По данным о землетрясениях с M≥7.0 была рассчитана скорость деформации по формуле Кострова (табл. 2). Для временного интервала в 100 лет она составила 1.12×1020 N m yr–1, что является высоким значением для внутриконтинентальных областей по сравнению с модельными значениями [Holt et al., 1995, 2000]. Очевидно, это связано с сильнейшими землетрясениями региона, произошедшими на протяжении небольшого интервала времени. Заключение. Карта фокальных механизмов и результаты инверсии поля тектонических напряжений могут быть полезны при сейсмотектоническом и геодинамическом анализе Центральной Азии. В разделе «Дополнительные материалы» приведена компиляционная таблица механизмов очагов землетрясений с M≥4.5 и ранее неопубликованные механизмы очагов землетрясений Северной Монголии и Южного Прибайкалья с M≤4.5

Collaborative prognostics in Social Asset Networks

With the spread of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, assets have acquired communication, processing and sensing capabilities. In response, the fi eld of Asset Management has moved from fleet-wide failure models to individualised asset prognostics. Individualised models are seldom truly distributed, and often fail to capitalise the processing power of the asset fleet. This leads to hardly scalable machine learning centralised models that often must nd a compromise between accuracy and computational power. In order to overcome this, we present a novel theoretical approach to collaborative prognostics within the Social Internet of Things. We introduce the concept of Social Asset Networks, de ned as networks of cooperating assets with sensing, communicating and computing capabilities. In the proposed approach, the information obtained from the medium by means of sensors is synthesised into a Health Indicator, which determines the state of the asset. The Health Indicator of each asset evolves according to an equation determined by a triplet of parameters. Assets are given the form of the equation but they ignore their parametric values. To obtain these values, assets use the equation in order to perform a non-linear least squares t of their Health Indicator data. Using these estimated parameters, they are interconnected to a subset of collaborating assets by means of a similarity metric. We show how by simply interchanging their estimates, networked assets are able to precisely determine their Health Indicator dynamics and reduce maintenance costs. This is done in real time, with no centralised library, and without the need for extensive historical data. We compare Social Asset Networks with the typical self-learning and fleet-wide approaches, and show that Social Asset Networks have a faster convergence and lower cost. This study serves as a conceptual proof for the potential of collaborative prognostics for solving maintenance problems, and can be used to justify the implementation of such a system in a real industrial fleet.EU H202

Do novel European Headache Federation criteria identify differences in migraine burden?: baseline data of an international real-life study on resistant and refractory migraine (REFINE)

Question. We evaluated if EHF criteria for resistant (RES) and refractory (REF) migraine identify patients with more severe migraine burden. Methods. We performed an observational, multi center, international study to compare baseline characteristics, comorbidities, and PROMs of non-resistant and non-refractory (NRNR) migraine, RES and REF individuals in the REFINE study. Results. We included 175 individuals with NRNR migraine, 133 (39.7%) with RES and 27 (8.0%) with REF. Individuals with RES and REF migraine as compared to those with NRNR reported higher monthly migraine days (median=8, IQR=5-14 vs. median=13, IQR=10- 17 and median=15, IQR=10-20; p≤0.001), months of chronification (median=24, IQR=12-72 vs. median=40, IQR=12-108 and median=60, IQR=18-96; p=0.044), monthly days of symptomatic drugs assumption (median=8, IQR=5-15 vs. median=12, IQR=9-20 and median=15, IQR=10-20; p≤0.001), medication overuse (19.4% vs. 45.9% and 40.7%; p≤0.001). They also had more comorbidities such as depression (18.3% vs. 31.1% and 44.4%; p=0.002) and anxiety (13.7% vs. 21.1% and 37%; p=0.009). In these groups, PROMs also revealed a higher presence of anxiety (p≤0.001) and depression (p≤0.001) symptoms and poorer sleep quality (p=0.006). Regarding specific perceptions about migraine, RES and REF individuals reported higher impact of migraine on daily life (p≤0.001) and work, household work, and social life (p≤0.001), along with a lower perception of the effectiveness of their ongoing treatment for migraine (p≤0.001), when compared to NRNR subjects (Table 1). Conclusion. RES and REF migraine is associated with relevant migraine burden considering migraine features, comorbidities and scores at several scales; the severe burdensome condition of RES and REF is confirmed by the median number of monthly migraine days and PROMs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio