Common Dermatoses in Patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a chronic, debilitating syndrome, consisting of intrusive thoughts- which are experienced as inappropriate by the patient and are producing anxiety- and compulsions, defined as repetitive behaviours produced to reduce anxiety. While patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder typically have xerosis, eczema or lichen simplex chronicus, as a result of frequent washing or rubbing their skin, several other disorders which are included in the group of factitious disorders have also been associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. A close collaboration between the dermatologist and the psychiatrist is therefore mandatory in order to achieve favourable outcomes for these patients. The aim of the article is to present the most frequent dermatological disorders associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder and to look over some of the rare ones

Istoria românilor de la origini pîna în zilele noastre. English

(print) xiv, 357 p : ill. ; 24 cmTranslation of: Istoria românilor de la origini pîna în zilele noastreList of Illustrations ix -- Preface xi -- 1. Early Times 1 -- Origins 1 -- Thracians, Dacians, and Romans. -- "The Seal of Rome." -- The Dark Ages: Rise of a People. -- 2. The Middle Ages (c. 1300—1716) 19 -- Society 19 -- Was There a Romanian Feudalism? -- The Economy. -- Social Classes. -- Political Structures. -- The Romanians of Transylvania. -- International Status and Foreign Policy 43 -- Foreign Policy Goals. -- Means and Methods. -- The International Status of the Principalities. -- Medieval Civilization: Byzantium after Byzantium 58 -- The Cultural Setting. -- Cultural Institutions. -- Literature, Ideas, and the Arts. -- 3. Despotism and Enlightenment (1716—1831) 73 -- Phanariots and Habsburgs 73 -- The Phanariot Period. -- Economy and Social Life. -- Social Classes. -- The Habsburgs in Transylvania. -- Reform and Revolution 91 -- Enlightened Despotism. -- The Boyar Reforms. -- The Age of Revolutions. -- Enlightenment and Nationalism 106 -- Between East and West. -- The Romanian Enlightenment. -- The Rise of National Consciousness. -- 4. The Age of National Revival (1831—1918) 122 -- Capitalism and Modernization 122 -- The Economy. -- From Crafts to Large Industry. -- Commerce. -- Social Structure. -- Politics, Institutions, and the Power Structure. -- Political Life 140 -- Domestic Policy. -- Foreign Policy. -- World War I and the Formation of Greater Romania. -- National Culture 172 -- Civilization. -- Cultural Modernization. -- Ideological Movements. -- 5. From Greater Romania to Popular Democracy (1918-47) 189 -- Greater Romania 189 -- The Political Regime. -- The Economy. -- Society. -- The Authoritarian Regimes 207 -- The Royal Dictatorship. -- The National Legionary State. -- The Military Dictatorship. -- From Authoritarianism to Totalitarianism 222 -- The International Context. -- The Communist Takeover. -- The People's Democracy. -- 6. Communism in Romania (1948—83) 233 -- From Stalinism to Detente at Home and Abroad 233 -- The Stalinist Model: Economy, Politics, Culture. -- Foreign Policy and the Beginnings of Liberalization. -- The Rise of Neo-Stalinism 249 -- Detente. -- The Cult of Personality and Dynastic Socialism. -- 7. Romania in the Mid-1980s 267 -- Economic Performance. -- The Standard of Living. -- The Role of the Ruling Class. -- Societal Responses. -- Epilogue. The 1989 Revolution and the Collapse of Communism in Romania 279 -- Matei Calinescu and Vladimir Tismaneanu -- Notes 299 -- Bibliographical Essay 325 -- Index 345 -- Biographical Note 35

Linear and nonlinear parameters of heart rate variability in ischemic stroke patients

Introduction Cardiovascular system presents cortical modulation. Post-stroke outcome can be highly influenced by autonomic nervous system disruption. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a simple non-invasive method to assess sympatho-vagal balance. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate cardiac autonomic activity in ischemic stroke patients and to asses HRV nonlinear parameters beside linear ones. Methods We analyzed HRV parameters in 15 right and 15 left middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke patients, in rest condition and during challenge (standing and deep breathing). Data were compared with 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results There was an asymmetric response after autonomic stimulation tests depending on the cortical lateralization in ischemic stroke patients. In resting state, left hemisphere stroke patients presented enhanced parasympathetic control of the heart rate (higher values for RMSSD, pNN50 and HF in normalized units). Right hemisphere ischemic stroke patients displayed a reduced cardiac parasympathetic modulation during deep breathing test. Beside time and frequency domain, using short-term ECG monitoring, cardiac parasympathetic modulation can also be assessed by nonlinear parameter SD1, that presented strong positive correlation with time and frequency domain parameters RMSSD, pNN50, HFnu, while DFA α1 index presented negative correlation with the same indices and positive correlation with the LFnu and LF/HF ratio, indicating a positive association with the sympatho-vagal balance. Conclusions Cardiac monitoring in clinical routine using HRV analysis in order to identify autonomic imbalance may highlight cardiac dysfunctions, thus helping preventing potential cardiovascular complications, especially in right hemisphere ischemic stroke patients with sympathetic hyperactivation

Development of a National Anthropogenic Heating Database with an Extrapolation for International Cities

Given increasing utility of numerical models to examine urban impacts on meteorology and climate, there exists an urgent need for accurate representation of seasonally and diurnally varying anthropogenic heating data, an important component of the urban energy budget for cities across the world. Incorporation of anthropogenic heating data as inputs to existing climate modeling systems has direct societal implications ranging from improved prediction of energy demand to health assessment, but such data are lacking for most cities. To address this deficiency we have applied a standardized procedure to develop a national database of seasonally and diurnally varying anthropogenic heating profiles for 61 of the largest cities in the United Stated (U.S.). Recognizing the importance of spatial scale, the anthropogenic heating database developed includes the city scale and the accompanying greater metropolitan area. Our analysis reveals that a single profile function can adequately represent anthropogenic heating during summer but two profile functions are required in winter, one for warm climate cities and another for cold climate cities. On average, although anthropogenic heating is 40% larger in winter than summer, the electricity sector contribution peaks during summer and is smallest in winter. Because such data are similarly required for international cities where urban climate assessments are also ongoing, we have made a simple adjustment accounting for different international energy consumption rates relative to the U.S. to generate seasonally and diurnally varying anthropogenic heating profiles for a range of global cities. The methodological approach presented here is flexible and straightforwardly applicable to cities not modeled because of presently unavailable data. Because of the anticipated increase in global urban populations for many decades to come, characterizing this fundamental aspect of the urban environment – anthropogenic heating – is an essential element toward continued progress in urban climate assessment

Numerical study of the air distribution in the Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station

The current concept of Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station has several issues according to the crew member’s feedback. Major issues concern noise levels, the accumulation of CO2 and the quality of the air distribution. Our study targets the airflow distribution, to diagnose this issue, we realise a series of numerical simulations (CFD) based on a real scale replica of the Crew Quarters. Simulations were set with a zero-gravity mode and with the theoretical air parameters inside the SSI. The geometry includes a thermal manikin having the neutral posture of a body in the absence of gravity. Numerical simulations were run for the three different air flow rates provided by the current ventilation system. Results have shown that the air distribution inside the Crew Quarter is insufficient for low airflow rates but becomes acceptable for the higher airflow rate, however the higher airflow rate can potentially produce draught discomfort

The use of a combined bipedicled axial perforator based fasciocutaneous flap for the treatment of a traumatic diabetic foot wound: a case report

The axial and perforator vascularised fasciocutaneous flaps are reliable and effective treatment methods for covering lower limb post-traumatic, septic, Charcot, and diabetic foot wounds. The authors describe the unique utilisation of a hybrid flap as an axial-perforator flap combination for the treatment of a traumatic diabetic foot wound

Prioritizing urban sustainability solutions: Coordinated approaches must incorporate scale-dependent built environment induced effects

10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/061001Environmental Research Letters1066100

A realistic meteorological assessment of perennial biofuel crop deployment: a Southern Great Plains perspective

Utility of perennial bioenergy crops (e.g., switchgrass and miscanthus) offers unique opportunities to transition toward a more sustainable energy pathway due to their reduced carbon footprint, averted competition with food crops, and ability to grow on abandoned and degraded farmlands. Studies that have examined biogeophysical impacts of these crops noted a positive feedback between near-surface cooling and enhanced evapotranspiration (ET), but also potential unintended consequences of soil moisture and groundwater depletion. To better understand hydrometeorological effects of perennial bioenergy crop expansion, this study conducted high-resolution (2-km grid spacing) simulations with a state-of-the-art atmospheric model (Weather Research and Forecasting system) dynamically coupled to a land surface model. We applied the modeling system over the Southern Plains of the United States during a normal precipitation year (2007) and a drought year (2011). By focusing the deployment of bioenergy cropping systems on marginal and abandoned farmland areas (to reduce the potential conflict with food systems), the research presented here is the first realistic examination of hydrometeorological impacts associated with perennial bioenergy crop expansion. Our results illustrate that the deployment of perennial bioenergy crops leads to widespread cooling (1–2 °C) that is largely driven by an enhanced reflection of shortwave radiation and, secondarily, due to an enhanced ET. Bioenergy crop deployment was shown to reduce the impacts of drought through simultaneous moistening and cooling of the near-surface environment. However, simulated impacts on near-surface cooling and ET were reduced during the drought relative to a normal precipitation year, revealing differential effects based on background environmental conditions. This study serves as a key step toward the assessment of hydroclimatic sustainability associated with perennial bioenergy crop expansion under diverse hydrometeorological conditions by highlighting the driving mechanisms and processes associated with this energy pathway.This work was funded by NSF Grant EAR-1204774S

Multiscale modeling and evaluation of urban surface energy balance in the Phoenix metropolitan area

AbstractPhysical mechanisms of incongruency between observations and Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model predictions are examined. Limitations of evaluation are constrained by (i) parameterizations of model physics, (ii) parameterizations of input data, (iii) model resolution, and (iv) flux observation resolution. Observations from a new 22.1-m flux tower situated within a residential neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona, are utilized to evaluate the ability of the urbanized WRF to resolve finescale surface energy balance (SEB) when using the urban classes derived from the 30-m-resolution National Land Cover Database. Modeled SEB response to a large seasonal variation of net radiation forcing was tested during synoptically quiescent periods of high pressure in winter 2011 and premonsoon summer 2012. Results are presented from simulations employing five nested domains down to 333-m horizontal resolution. A comparative analysis of model cases testing parameterization of physical processes was done using four configurations of urban parameterization for the bulk urban scheme versus three representations with the Urban Canopy Model (UCM) scheme, and also for two types of planetary boundary layer parameterization: the local Mellor–Yamada–Janjić scheme and the nonlocal Yonsei University scheme. Diurnal variation in SEB constituent fluxes is examined in relation to surface-layer stability and modeled diagnostic variables. Improvement is found when adapting UCM for Phoenix with reduced errors in the SEB components. Finer model resolution is seen to have insignificant (&lt;1 standard deviation) influence on mean absolute percent difference of 30-min diurnal mean SEB terms.</jats:p