COVID-19 and Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome

One year after the beginning of the epidemic, mortality continues to be high despite several different protocols being tried. Critical patients with Covid 19 in some degree of organ failure and thrombotic events meet the diagnostic criteria of a complete or incomplete catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) or at least we may need to consider a partial form of it. The findings of autopsies and the involvement of different organs and systems are similar to those of CAPS. Currently the only therapy that has been shown to reduce mortality include steroids, anticoagulation and an antinuclear antibody. The same therapy has been shown to be effective for CAPS.

Pattern-Moving-Based Partial Form Dynamic Linearization Model Free Adaptive Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems

This work addresses a pattern-moving-based partial form dynamic linearization model free adaptive control (P-PFDL-MFAC) scheme and illustrates the bounded convergence of its tracking error for a class of unknown nonaffine nonlinear discrete-time systems. The concept of pattern moving is to take the pattern class of the system output condition as a dynamic operation variable, and the control purpose is to ensure that the system outputs belong to a certain pattern class or some desired pattern classes. The P-PFDL-MFAC scheme mainly includes a modified tracking control law, a deviation estimation algorithm and a pseudo-gradient (PG) vector estimation algorithm. The classification-metric deviation is considered as an external disturbance, which is caused by the process of establishing the pattern-moving-based system dynamics description, and an improved cost function is proposed from the perspective of a two-player zero-sum game (TP-ZSG). The bounded convergence of the tracking error is rigorously proven by the contraction mapping principle, and the validity of the theoretical results is verified by simulation examples.

Examining the Use of Kinesiology Tape During Weight Bearing Exercises on Proprioception in Participants With Functional Ankle Instability

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of tape worn during weight bearing exercises on proprioception (i.e., ankle angle repositioning error) in participants with functional ankle instability. We employed a randomized, controlled clinical study in a laboratory setting, with 56 participants with functional ankle instability. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: (a) weight bearing exercises without tape (n = 18), (b) weight bearing exercises with tape (n = 19) and controls not engaged in weight bearing exercises (n = 19). Weight bearing exercises included six weeks of bilateral squats in partial form with up to 45 degrees of knee flexion, and unilateral partial squats with full heel raise, and with full toe raise. In the taped condition, participants wore tape for six weeks with up to three tape replacements per week. Proprioception was measured as ankle repositioning error. Results showed that the mean angle repositioning error among participants in the active weight bearing groups was decreased by the taping intervention, relative to the control group’s performance ( p = 0.042). There were no significant differences between weight bearing exercise groups and control groups. The addition of kinesiology tape in weight bearing exercises can improve proprioception in active conditions.

Close encounters and the illusion of accountability in the sharing economy

Purpose Online ratings and reviews have recently emerged as mechanisms to facilitate accountability and transparency in the provision of goods and services. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and outcome of the accountability that online ratings and reviews create in the sharing economy. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on 30 face-to-face and Skype interviews with Airbnb guests and hosts as well as on secondary materials, including content from Airbnb data analytic reports. Findings The authors demonstrate that face-saving practices widely condition user ratings and comments. Face saving occurs when individuals attempt to preserve their own identity and the identity of others during a social interaction. At Airbnb, the authors find that reviewers adopt three distinct face-saving strategies: the use of private reviewing channels, the creation of tactful reviews and refraining from reviewing entirely. The authors also find that users are sceptical of rating metrics and public comments and draw upon a wide range of alternative sources, such as private messaging and other publicly available resources, in their decision making. Originality/value This paper highlights the overwhelmingly positive character of Airbnb ratings and reviews. It proposes the concept of crowdbased accountability as a limited, partial form of assurance for sharing economy users. Guests and hosts alike prioritise face-saving practices over reviewer responsibilities to provide authentic, reliable accounts to the public. Consequently, reviewers effectively remove the risk of sanctions for those in the network who underperform.

Social Collectives: A Partial Form of Organizing that Sustains Social Innovation1

We mobilize the organizational and practice-based literature to determine the mechanisms enabling a social collective to introduce innovation in public rescue. The case highlights how this collective acquired characteristics of a partial organization by: (1) emergent characteristics reacting to critical incidents, (2) an overarching agenda supporting actors participation, (3) complementarity of exclusion and inclusion membership practices to enforce collective identity and reach a critical mass, (4) recognition of collective actorhood through reification practices, (5) the role of a secretariat through theorizing and developing close but discrete relationships with an external actor with critical expertise and resources.

The Tiny and the Fragmented

Miniature and fragmentary objects are both remarkably fascinating and easily dismissed. Tiny scale entices users with visions of Lilliputian worlds. The ambiguity of fragments intrigues us, offering vivid reminders of the transitory nature of reality. Yet, the standard scholarly approach to such objects has been to see them as secondary, incomplete things, designed primarily to refer to a complete and often life-sized whole. This volume offers a series of fresh perspectives on the familiar concepts of the tiny and the fragmented, in chapters ranging in focus from Neolithic Europe to Pre-Columbian Honduras to the Classical Mediterranean and Ancient Near East. Diverse in scope, the volume is united in considering the little and broken things of the past as objects in their own right. When a life-sized or whole thing is made in a scaled-down or partial form, deliberately broken as part of its use, or considered successful by ancient users only if it shows some signs of wear, it challenges our expectations of representation and wholeness. Overall, this volume demands a reconsideration of the social and contextual nature of miniaturization, fragmentation, and incompleteness. These were more than just ancient strategies for saving space, time, and resources. Rather, they offered new possibilities of representation, use, and engagement—possibilities unavailable with things that were life size or more conventionally “complete.” It was because of, rather than in spite of, their small or partial state that these objects were valued parts of the personal and social worlds they inhabited.

Comparison of Different Model-Free Control Methods Concerning Real-Time Benchmark

The design of accurate model often appears as the most challenging tasks for control engineers especially focusing to the control of nonlinear system with unknown parameters or effects to be identified in parallel. For this reason, development of model-free control methods is of increasing importance. The class of model-free control approaches is defined by the nonuse of any knowledge about the underlying structure and/or related parameters of the dynamical system. Therefore, the major criteria to evaluate model-free control performance are aspects regarding robustness against unknown inputs and disturbances and related achievable tracking performance. In this contribution, a detailed comparison of three different model-free control methods (intelligent proportional-integral-derivative (iPID) using second-order sliding differentiator and two variations of model-free adaptive control (using modified compact form dynamic linearization (CFDL) as well as modified partial form) is given. Using a three-tank system benchmark, the experimental results are validated concerning the performance behavior. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods introduced.

Time to reap the rewards

In this issue, we are proud to present the results, albeit still in partial form, of the efforts made to obtain the much sought-after qualification and indexation of our journal. The submission of articles written by students of the specialization programs in ankle and foot surgery deserves to be highlighted, as it reflects the efforts of all those involved in training new specialists. The different articles submitted for evaluation by our editorial body demonstrate the diversity of clinical situations that permeate our spectrum of activity, and reflect the need to offer the best opportunities for the technical and scientific development of ankle and foot surgeons in the different places where they can access electronic information media. We have already emphasized that we are available in English, which enables an unparalleled showcasing of our medical activities. Without a doubt, this will bring advantages for our patients, who will benefit from the results of the up-to-date and practical information in our daily activity. We therefore highlight the interest around the subject involving the Achilles tendon and its particular disorders. This demonstrates precision in the selection of subjects that need to be explored, and that are demanded to meet the needs ofour peers. We are making every effort to obtain the best qualification for our journal, because we understand the need for greater representation of our knowledge which, in the context of patient care, leads to better quality of care and better professional training, with technical, scientific and management performance. In these present circumstances, with the efforts of all those involved, we are forging ahead. We hope you enjoy reading the journal.