A Geochemical Study of Acid Mine Drainage at the Sia Mine, Cyprus

Abstract in http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/gold2001/pdf/3540.pd

Randomized control trial of using tongue acupuncture in autism spectrum disorder

Objective The therapeutic approach of traditional chinese Medicine (TCM) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a functional one. To study the efficacy, safety and functional brain change from the use of tongue acupuncture (TAC) on ASD children. Methods 21 autistic boys (3–16 years old) were randomly assigned to TAC group (TAC: n = 12; receiving daily TAC for 8 weeks) or control (C: n = 9; no acupuncture). Primary outcome measures included Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), Reynell Language Developmental Scale, Symbolic Play Test (SPT), Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale and Cerebral FDG Metabolism by PET. Results There were significant improvement in speech domain of ATEC (p = 0.030), Self-care domain of WeeFIM (p = 0.021), cognition domain of WeeFIM (p = 0.001) and Total score domain of WeeFIM (p = 0.001) in TAC group compared to the C group. There were significant difference in positive clinical response between C and TAC group in language (p = 0.0211), functional (p = 0.0011), parental Impression criteria (p = 0.0003) and overall cerebral glucose metabolism (p = 0.0451) using ROC criteria. No significant association of PET Glucose Metabolism with Clinical response was found. None of the children developed any side-effects. Conclusion A short course of TAC can improve specific functions in children with autism spectrum disorder, especially speech and cognition function. No statistical significant association of PET Glucose Metabolism with Clinical response. Larger scale with more sample size trial should be done for further investigation.published_or_final_versio

The behavior of two-way reinfoced concrete slabs externally strengthened with steel plate to subject patch load

2001-2002 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Behavior of hybrid FRP-concrete-steel tubular columns : experimental and theoretical studies

2006-2007 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Recent research on steel-concrete composite shell roofs : buckling experiments on the steel base shell during construction

2004-2005 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Use of antibiotic and prevalence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in-patients with spinal cord injuries: a UK national spinal injury centre experience

BACKGROUND: This was a retrospective audit, with the aims being to (1) record the use of antibiotics; (2) establish the prevalence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD); and (3) assess if there was any seasonal variation in antibiotic use and incidence of AAD. METHODS: The study was performed at a single spinal cord injury (SCI) centre in the UK. Data were collected using a standardised questionnaire during October 2014 to June 2015. We define AAD as two or more watery stools of type 5, 6 or 7 (Bristol stool scale) over 24 h. RESULTS: Three-hundred-and-nineteen adults (mean age: 55.9 years, 29.2% female) with SCI (58.2% tetraplegia; 43.7% complete SCI) were included. Of 70 (21.9%) patients on antibiotics, the top three indications for antibiotics were urinary-tract infections, infected pressure ulcers and other skin infections. Seventeen of 78 (21.8%) developed AAD and three of 319 (0.94%) developed CDAD. AAD was more common in the summer season than in spring, autumn and winter (47.1%, 10.0%, 10.0%, 23.8%, P=0.025). AAD was associated with older adults greater than 65 years (70.6% vs 23.8%, P=0.007). Polypharmacy and the summer season were identified as independent predictors for AAD. CONCLUSION: This survey found that AAD is common in SCI patients and may be a risk factor for a poorer outcome and increased hospital costs. A multicentre study is underway to establish the incidence and risk factors for AAD

Transmitter-side antennas correlation in SVD-assisted MIMO systems

MIMO techniques allow increasing wireless channel performance by decreasing the BER and increasing the channel throughput and in consequence are included in current mobile communication standards. MIMO techniques are based on benefiting the existence of multipath in wireless communications and the application of appropriate signal processing techniques. The singular value decomposition (SVD) is a popular signal processing technique which, based on the perfect channel state information (PCSI) knowledge at both the transmitter and receiver sides, removes inter-antenna interferences and improves channel performance. Nevertheless, the proximity of the multiple antennas at each front-end produces the so called antennas correlation effect due to the similarity of the various physical paths. In consequence, antennas correlation drops the MIMO channel performance. This investigation focuses on the analysis of a MIMO channel under transmitter-side antennas correlation conditions. First, antennas correlation is analyzed and characterized by the correlation coefficients. The analysis describes the relation between antennas correlation and the appearance of predominant layers which significantly affect the channel performance. Then, based on the SVD, pre- and post-processing is applied to remove inter-antenna interferences. Finally, bit- and power allocation strategies are applied to reach the best performance. The resulting BER reveals that antennas correlation effect diminishes the channel performance and that not necessarily all MIMO layers must be activated to obtain the best performance

Rare case of autonomic instability of the lower limb presenting as painless Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I following hip surgery: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>According to the International Association for the Study of Pain criteria of 1994, pain is a diagnostic requirement for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I. However, other authors have suggested that patients can rarely present with the sensory and vascular symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome without pain. This entity has not been reported following hip surgery in the English medical literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present two cases of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome-like symptoms following hip surgery and with the total absence of pain. The first case was a 29-year-old Caucasian woman who had a reattachment of the greater trochanter following non-union of an intertrochanteric osteotomy of the hip. Five weeks later, the patient presented with features of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome but with the absence of pain. The second patient was a 20-year-old Caucasian woman who had undergone an open debridement and repair of a torn acetabular labrum. Ten days later, the patient presented with features suggestive of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which was again painless. Both patients were non-weight bearing at presentation and the symptoms resolved following recommencement of weight bearing.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The authors believe these symptoms are manifestations of vascular changes to the lower limb as a result of non-weight bearing status. Painless Complex Regional Pain Syndrome-like symptoms may occur in patients who are kept non-weight bearing following hip surgery. However, vascular insufficiency and deep venous thrombosis must be excluded before this diagnosis is made. If the clinical situation permits, early weight bearing may relieve symptoms. Orthopaedic and vascular surgeons should be aware of this entity when a postoperative patient presents to them with the above clinical picture. This is also relevant to general practitioners who are likely to see the patients in the postoperative period.</p

Search algorithms as a framework for the optimization of drug combinations

Combination therapies are often needed for effective clinical outcomes in the management of complex diseases, but presently they are generally based on empirical clinical experience. Here we suggest a novel application of search algorithms, originally developed for digital communication, modified to optimize combinations of therapeutic interventions. In biological experiments measuring the restoration of the decline with age in heart function and exercise capacity in Drosophila melanogaster, we found that search algorithms correctly identified optimal combinations of four drugs with only one third of the tests performed in a fully factorial search. In experiments identifying combinations of three doses of up to six drugs for selective killing of human cancer cells, search algorithms resulted in a highly significant enrichment of selective combinations compared with random searches. In simulations using a network model of cell death, we found that the search algorithms identified the optimal combinations of 6-9 interventions in 80-90% of tests, compared with 15-30% for an equivalent random search. These findings suggest that modified search algorithms from information theory have the potential to enhance the discovery of novel therapeutic drug combinations. This report also helps to frame a biomedical problem that will benefit from an interdisciplinary effort and suggests a general strategy for its solution.Comment: 36 pages, 10 figures, revised versio

Fractures of the bilateral distal radius and scaphoid: a case report

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