Spontaneous perforation of the sigmoid colon or rectom is defined as a sudden perforation of the colon in the absence of diseases such as tumors, diverticulosis or external injury. It is a very rare finding, and if neglected, results in severe peritonitis and high mortality. The causes of this rare condition are numerous, and in this case it might be due to the chronic constipation induced by a...

BACKGROUND Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a noninvasive technique used for patients with refractory angina pectoris. There are controversial data on the effectiveness of EECP in improving patients with refractory stable angina. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EECP for the treatment of patients with refractory angina pectoris. METHODS ...

Robots interacting in complex and cluttered environments may face unexpected situations referred to as external faults which prohibit the successful completion of their tasks. In order to function in a more robust manner, robots need to recognise these faults and learn how to deal with them in the future. We present a simulation-based technique to avoid external faults occurring during execusio...

This study examines (a) the relation of initial treatment motivations to alcoholics' involvement in outpatient treatment and dropout and (b) the relations among patient characteristics, severity, alcohol expectancies, motivation, and treatment retention. A treatment motivation questionnaire (TMQ) was developed to assess both internalized and external motivations for treatment, as well as confid...

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a noninvasive treatment modality which can increase arterial blood flow in peripheral and coronary arterial disease. Several studies have demonstrated an increase in the flow of the internal iliacal artery and in carotid and renal perfusion during EECP treatment. We investigated the effect of EECP in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). Thirteen ...

1. We have reported a normal sodium (Na) pump, but decreased loop-diuretic-sensitive Na efflux in erythrocytes from patients with chronic renal failure on haemodialysis, suggesting a different mode of co-transport in uraemia. 2. The present work extends these findings and examines in vitro simultaneous unidirectional and radiolabelled Na and K fluxes through the Na/K/Cl co-transport and the Na/...

BACKGROUND Patients with diabetes are at greater risk for coronary events, yet they are less likely to benefit from revascularization than those without diabetes. Enhanced external counterpulsation has recently emerged as a treatment option for select patients with chronic stable angina. METHODS We examined baseline characteristics, angina response, and cardiac outcomes of patients with diabe...

This paper proposed a nonlinear robust control for spacecraft attitude based on passivity and disturbance suppression vector. The spacecraft model was described using quaternion. The control law introduced the suppression vector of external disturbances and had no information related to the system parameters. The desired performance of spacecraft attitude control could be achieved using the des...

We performed this systematic review to evaluate tibial lengthening procedures with the use of an intramedullary nail. We investigated the hypothesis that lengthening over a nail can reduce the time spent in an external fixator and increase the rate of consolidation thereby reducing the risk of complications and improving patient satisfaction. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using...