bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cost Assessment for Implementation of Embedded Prognostic Health Management for Electronic Systems
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Lowe Ryan , Goebel Kai
Published: October 2013

Prognostic health management (PHM) is a method for assuring the reliability of a system by monitoring the system in real time as it is used in the field. As the system wears out, but before failure, information that facilitates decision making about the future use of the system is delivered to the user. In this paper, a cost justification has been developed for incorporating the additional circuitry needed to enable prognostics for electrical components directly onto a functional circuit board. Implementing PHM capability for circuit boards will add additional cost to a system, so high reliability systems where the cost of failure is high are easiest to cost justify for prognostics. Aerospace, defense and automotive, applications qualify as high reliability systems. Application domains that require high uptime, minimal amounts of unplanned maintenance, and controllable operating costs can also be cost justified for prognostics since they can benefit from the pro-active management of failures facilitated by PHM. Intangible criteria such as safety or the cost of human life also motivated the need for PHM, so often times projects are labeled strategic, and not subjected to the discipline of a financial analysis. This paper will show rigorous methods for assessing the decision to invest in PHM for electronics. The uncertain nature of research and development (R&D) and difficult to predict future economic conditions is not well captured by traditional discounted cash flow (DCF) methods. An approach known as the Datar-Mathews (DM) method will extend the DCF methods to be equivalent to a real options analysis and the Black-Scholes formula. The DM method is intuitive and uses concepts familiar to most engineers and technical managers.
A mm-Scale Aeroelastic Oscillation-Based Anemometer
Authors: McKay Ian
Published: October 2013

By combining the aeroelastic and vortex-forced flutter modes of a thin plastic strip, its oscillation frequency can be confined to scale monotonically with fluid velocity. This principle has been used to produce a low-cost, mm-scale anemometer that measures air speed to ±(5% + 0.5m/s) from 1–18m/s. The device uses a 2mm slot-type photointerrupt detector to monitor the fundamental frequency of a 7μm thick Kapton strip suspended parallel to air flow. This paper describes the prototype and three of the experiments that informed its design. These investigated the effect of a bluff body on flutter onset velocity, the effect of filament geometry on bending position, and the effect of the superposition of the vortex-forced and aeroelastic flutter modes on discretely-measured flutter frequency. The experiments demonstrate that a trapezoidal filament in the wake of a similarly-sized bluff body is well-suited for this novel flow measurement strategy.
Dynamic Response of a Beam With Absorber Exposed to a Running Force: Fractional Calculus Approach
Authors: Abu-Alshaikh Ibrahim , Al-Rabadi Anas N. , Alkhaldi Hashem S.
Published: October 2013

This paper analyzes the transverse vibration of Bernoulli-Euler homogeneous isotropic simply-supported beam. The beam is assumed to be fractionally-damped and attached to a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) absorber with fractionally-damping behavior at the mid-span of the beam. The beam is also exposed to a running force with constant velocity. The fractional calculus is introduced to model the damping characteristics of both the beam and absorber. The Laplace transform accompanied by the used decomposition method is applied to solve the handled problem with homogenous initial conditions. Subsequently, curves are depicted to measure the dynamic response of the utilized beam under different set of vibration parameters and different values of fractional derivative orders for both of the beam and absorber. The results obtained show that the dynamic response decreases as both the damping-ratio of the absorber and beam increase. The results reveal that there are critical values of fractional derivative orders which are different from unity. At these optimal values, the beam behaves with less dynamic response than that obtained for the full-order derivatives model of unity order. Therefore, the fractional derivative approach provides better damping models for fractionally-damped structures and materials which may allow researchers to choose suitable mathematical models that precisely fit the corresponding experimental models for many engineering applications.
Vibration of a Beam-Oscillator System Subjected to a Moving Vehicle: Fractional Derivative Approach
Authors: Alkhaldi Hashem S. , Abu-Alshaikh Ibrahim , Al-Rabadi Anas N.
Published: October 2013

The dynamic response of Bernoulli-Euler homogeneous isotropic fractionally-damped simply-supported beam is investigated. The beam is appended at its mid-span by a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) fractionally-damped oscillator. The beam is further subjected to a vehicle modeled as a spring-dashpot system moves with a constant velocity over the beam. Hence, the damping characteristics of the beam and SDOF attached-oscillator are formally described in terms of fractional derivatives of arbitrary orders. In the analysis, the beam, SDOF oscillator, and the vehicle are assumed to be initially at rest. A system of three coupled differential equations is produced. These equations are handled by combining the Laplace transform with the Born series. Thereafter, curves are plotted to show the effect of the moving vehicle and the fractional derivatives behavior on the dynamic response of the beam. The numerical results show that the dynamic response decreases as the damping-ratios of the used absorber and beam increase. However, there are some optimal values of fractional derivative orders which are different from unity at which the beam has less dynamic response than that obtained for the full-order derivative model. A comparison between the moving load and moving vehicle shows a significant reduction in the beam dynamic response in the case when vehicle is compared with the running load.
Design for Manufacture and Assembly Lean and Product Development Through Industrial Case Study
Authors: Dwivedi Suren N. , Attarwala Pinkeshkumar J.
Published: October 2013

Lean is a key process that understands customer value and its goal is to provide perfect value to the customer by engaging a process cycle that minimizes waste. This paper focuses on the implementation of Lean in the Design and Manufacturing Industries. The complex interactions of the financial, logistical, and geological processes that are involved in developing a product and then handing it over to customers are driving forces in today’s industries. Hence, if industries do not implement Lean, product cost will rise.

Lean design involves identifying wastage in the processes of product manufacturing/production. This means, specifically, eliminating waste and non-value-added activities in design, production, marketing, supply chain integration and customer interactions by making product flow through the Value Stream without any interruption. Our goal is to minimize production resources by eliminating non-value-added activities, thus saving time in production and improving product quality.

The basic goal behind this paper is to reduce product cost by eliminating unnecessary elements that increase final product cost. This will be demonstrated by way of manufacturing a fuel tank by removing or redesigning the parts now used by the current industry.

The paper also will show how Virtual Reality plays a key role in helping students and engineers to learn applications and to understand simulation more effectively. It is a powerful learning tool for both engineers and students. The paper will emphasize the development of active learning experiences in relation to Lean Product Development. The different models that are developed in this paper will help students and engineers to gain knowledge in various streams like Engineering, Business and Sciences, with the aid of Virtual Reality. This paper concentrates mainly on undergraduate and graduate students. Solid Works, one of the more common and available tools in most U.S. schools, is utilized as a software that allows users to change product designs on their own, so as to get better results. After learning these tools, users will be able to apply their skills in various industries to reduce non-value-added activities. Developing Lean Manufacturing models using Virtual Reality will increase any user’s capability, quality and efficiency in Product Development.
Simulation of Cavitating Water Flow in High Energy Spillways
Authors: Zamankhan Piroz
Published: October 2013

The air-water mixture from an artificially aerated spillway flowing down to a canyon may create major erosion and damage to both the spillway’s surface and the environment. In this case, the location of an aerator to prevent cavitation scour and decrease the energy head of the flow, its geometry and the aeration flow rate would be important factors in designing an environmental friendly high energy spillway. In this work, an analysis of the problem based on physical and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is presented. The numerical modelling is a large-eddy simulation technique (LES) combined with a discrete element method. Three-dimensional simulations of a spillway are performed on a graphics processing unit (GPU). The result of this analysis in the form of design suggestions intend to diminish the hazards associated with cavitation and may minimize canyon erosion. This promising effort in GPU computing could pave the way for developing advanced simulation techniques for the study of waterways and ports, as well as coastal and ocean engineering in the future.
Thermochromic phase‐transitions of GafChromic films studied by z‐scan and temperature‐dependent absorbance measurements
Authors: Koulouklidis A. D. , Cohen S. , Kalef‐Ezra J.
Published: October 2013

Purpose:

Upon irradiation the active diacetylene layer of radiochromic films undergoes dose‐dependent polymerization in the blue polydiacetylene form. Dose assessment is currently based on linear absorbance measurements. The scope of the present study was designed for the further understanding of the linear and, in particular, the nonlinear optical characteristics of such films and the utilization of these characteristics for devising alternative “reading” procedures.

Methods:

The nonlinear optical interactions of laser light with previously irradiated GafChromic® HD‐810 and MD55‐2 films were studied by z‐scan techniques. The focused laser beam strikes on the film, which is located at various distances from the focal spot. The beam induces linear and nonlinear absorption and refraction. The measurement of the transmitted power (open‐aperture z‐scan) allows the study of the nonlinear absorption. On the other hand, the measurement of the axial region of the transmitted beam (closed‐aperture z‐scan) is related to both nonlinear absorption and refraction effects. A 10 mW, 633 nm, linearly polarized He/Ne laser was employed as the light source. The transmittance measurements were coupled with absorbance measurements carried out over the whole visible spectrum and at various reading temperatures, in an attempt to clarify the underlying mechanisms dictating the observed effects. These effects were incorporated to an open‐aperture z‐scan model, developed for the purpose of comparison to the corresponding experimental curves.

Results:

The transmittance data obtained by both open‐ and closed‐aperturez‐scan were found to be dose‐dependent, thus allowing such transmittance techniques to be employed for dose assessment. Low power open‐aperture z‐scan measurements (sensitive to absorptive nonlinearities) revealed a stepwise two‐photon excitation of the active layer, through an intermediate state. At higher laser intensities (and/or absorbed dose), the shapes of the z‐scan curves were found to be more complicated. These shapes were attributed to a temperature‐dependent (thermochromic) transition from the blue form to the conformer red form of the active material, a transition which appears to be irreversible at high intensities. This transition was incorporated into the open‐aperture z‐scan model which reproduced satisfactorily the corresponding experimental curves. Finally, the use of a chopped laser beam in the closed‐aperture z‐scan technique allowed artifact‐free, high spatial resolution dose measurements using a laser beam of relatively high power.

Conclusions:

The model developed in the present study elucidates some of the effects related to film reading and the causes of some of the artifacts reported in the literature. Two‐dimensional dose distributions can be assessed byz‐scan; however, the merits of such a technique relative to those currently in use have to be further investigated.
Evaluation of a new six degrees of freedom couch for radiation therapy
Authors: Schmidhalter D. , Fix M. K. , Wyss M. , Schaer N. , Munro P. , Scheib S. , Kunz P. , Manser P.
Published: October 2013

Purpose:

The aim of this work is to evaluate the geometric accuracy of a prerelease version of a new six degrees of freedom (6DoF) couch. Additionally, a quality assurance method for 6DoF couches is proposed.

Methods:

The main principle of the performance tests was to request a known shift for the 6DoF couch and to compare this requested shift with the actually applied shift by independently measuring the applied shift using different methods (graph paper, laser, inclinometer, and imaging system). The performance of each of the six axes was tested separately as well as in combination with the other axes. Functional cases as well as realistic clinical cases were analyzed. The tests were performed without a couch load and with a couch load of up to 200 kg and shifts in the range between −4 and +4 cm for the translational axes and between −3° and +3° for the rotational axes were applied. The quality assurance method of the new 6DoF couch was performed using a simple cube phantom and the imaging system.

Results:

The deviations (mean ± one standard deviation) accumulated over all performance tests between the requested shifts and the measurements of the applied shifts were −0.01 ± 0.02, 0.01 ± 0.02, and 0.01 ± 0.02 cm for the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical axes, respectively. The corresponding values for the three rotational axes couch rotation, pitch, and roll were 0.03° ± 0.06°, −0.04° ± 0.12°, and −0.01° ± 0.08°, respectively. There was no difference found between the tests with and without a couch load of up to 200 kg.

Conclusions:

The new 6DoF couch is able to apply requested shifts with high accuracy. It has the potential to be used for treatment techniques with the highest demands in patient setup accuracy such as those needed in stereotactic treatments. Shifts can be applied efficiently and automatically. Daily quality assurance of the 6DoF couch can be performed in an easy and efficient way. Long‐term stability has to be evaluated in further tests.
Functional Role of Methylation of G518 of the 16S rRNA 530 Loop by GidB in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Wong Sharon Y. , Javid Babak , Addepalli Balasubrahmanyam , Piszczek Grzegorz , Strader Michael Brad , Limbach Patrick A. , Barry Clifton E.
Published: October 2013

Posttranscriptional modifications of bacterial rRNA serve a variety of purposes, from stabilizing ribosome structure to preserving its functional integrity. Here, we investigated the functional role of one rRNA modification in particular—the methylation of guanosine at position 518 (G518) of the 16S rRNA in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Based on previously reported evidence that G518 is located 5 Å; from proline 44 of ribosomal protein S12, which interacts directly with the mRNA wobble position of the codon:anticodon helix at the A site during translation, we speculated that methylation of G518 affects protein translation. We transformed reporter constructs designed to probe the effect of functional lesions at one of the three codon positions on translational fidelity into the wild-type strain, H37Rv, and into a Δ
gidB
mutant, which lacks the methyltransferase (GidB) that methylates G518. We show that mistranslation occurs less in the Δ
gidB
mutant only in the construct bearing a lesion in the wobble position compared to H37Rv. Thus, the methylation of G518 allows mistranslation to occur at some level in order for translation to proceed smoothly and efficiently. We also explored the role of methylation at G518 in altering the susceptibility of
M. tuberculosis
to streptomycin (SM). Using high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), we confirmed that G518 is not methylated in the Δ
gidB
mutant. Furthermore, isothermal titration calorimetry experiments performed on 70S ribosomes purified from wild-type and Δ
gidB
mutant strains showed that methylation significantly enhances SM binding. These results provide a mechanistic explanation for the low-level, SM-resistant phenotype observed in
M. tuberculosis
strains that contain a
gidB
mutation.
Isavuconazole (BAL4815) Pharmacodynamic Target Determination in an
In Vivo
Murine Model of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis against Wild-Type and
cyp51
Mutant Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Lepak Alexander J. , Marchillo Karen , VanHecker Jamie , Andes David R.
Published: October 2013

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) continues to rise in concert with increasing numbers of immune suppression techniques to treat other medical conditions and transplantation. Despite these advances, morbidity and mortality rates remain unacceptably high. One strategy used to optimize outcomes is antifungal pharmacodynamic (PD) examination. We explored the pharmacodynamics of a new triazole in development, isavuconazole, in a murine neutropenic IPA model. Ten
A. fumigatus
isolates were used, including four wild-type isolates and six
cyp51
mutants. The MIC range was 0.125 to 8 mg/liter. Following infection, groups of mice were treated orally with the prodrug (BAL8557) at 40 to 640 mg/kg/12 h for 7 days. Efficacy was determined by quantitative PCR of lung homogenates. At the start of therapy, mice had 4.97 log
10
conidial equivalents (CE)/ml of lung homogenate, and this increased to 6.82 log
10
CE/ml of lung homogenate in untreated animals. The infection model was uniformly lethal in untreated control mice. The PD target endpoints examined included the static-dose AUC/MIC ratio and the 1-log
10
killing AUC/MIC ratio. A stasis endpoint was achieved for all isolates with an MIC of ≤1 mg/liter and 1-log
10
killing in all isolates with an MIC of ≤0.5 mg/liter, regardless of the presence or absence of the
cyp51
mutation. The static-dose range was 65 to 617 mg/kg/12 h. The corresponding median free-drug AUC/MIC ratio was near 5. The 1-log
10
killing dose range was 147 to 455 mg/kg/12 h, and the corresponding median free-drug AUC/MIC ratio was 11.1. These values are similar to those previously reported for other triazoles.
In Vitro
Phenotypic Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Protease Variants Observed in Clinical Studies of Telaprevir
Authors: Jiang Min , Mani Nagraj , Lin Chao , Ardzinski Andrzej , Nelson Michelle , Reagan Dugan , Bartels Doug , Zhou Yi , Nicolas Olivier , Rao B. Govinda , Müh Ute , Hanzelka Brian , Tigges Ann , Rijnbrand Rene , Kieffer Tara L.
Published: October 2013

Telaprevir is a linear, peptidomimetic small molecule that inhibits hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication by specifically inhibiting the NS3·4A protease. In phase 3 clinical studies, telaprevir in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin (PR) significantly improved sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in genotype 1 chronic HCV-infected patients compared with PR alone. In patients who do not achieve SVR after treatment with telaprevir-based regimens, variants with mutations in the NS3·4A protease region have been observed. Such variants can contribute to drug resistance and limit the efficacy of treatment. To gain a better understanding of the viral resistance profile, we conducted phenotypic characterization of the variants using HCV replicons carrying site-directed mutations. The most frequently observed (significantly enriched) telaprevir-resistant variants, V36A/M, T54A/S, R155K/T, and A156S, conferred lower-level resistance (3- to 25-fold), whereas A156T and V36M+R155K conferred higher-level resistance (>25-fold) to telaprevir. Rarely observed (not significantly enriched) variants included V36I/L and I132V, which did not confer resistance to telaprevir; V36C/G, R155G/I/M/S, V36A+T54A, V36L+R155K, T54S+R155K, and R155T+D168N, which conferred lower-level resistance to telaprevir; and A156F/N/V, V36A+R155K/T, V36M+R155T, V36A/M+A156T, T54A+A156S, T54S+A156S/T, and V36M+T54S+R155K, which conferred higher-level resistance to telaprevir. All telaprevir-resistant variants remained fully sensitive to alpha interferon, ribavirin, and HCV NS5B nucleoside and nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitors. In general, the replication capacity of telaprevir-resistant variants was lower than that of the wild-type replicon.
In Vitro
Characterization of PlySK1249, a Novel Phage Lysin, and Assessment of Its Antibacterial Activity in a Mouse Model of Streptococcus agalactiae Bacteremia
Authors: Oechslin Frank , Daraspe Jean , Giddey Marlyse , Moreillon Philippe , Resch Grégory
Published: October 2013

Beta-hemolytic
Streptococcus agalactiae
is the leading cause of bacteremia and invasive infections. These diseases are treated with β-lactams or macrolides, but the emergence of less susceptible and even fully resistant strains is a cause for concern. New bacteriophage lysins could be promising alternatives against such organisms. They hydrolyze the bacterial peptidoglycan at the end of the phage cycle, in order to release the phage progeny. By using a bioinformatic approach to screen several beta-hemolytic streptococci, a gene coding for a lysin was identified on a prophage carried by
Streptococcus dysgalactiae
subsp.
equisimilis
SK1249. The gene product, named PlySK1249, harbored an original three-domain structure with a central cell wall-binding domain surrounded by an N-terminal amidase and a C-terminal CHAP domain. Purified PlySK1249 was highly lytic and bactericidal for
S. dysgalactiae
(2-log
10
CFU/ml decrease within 15 min). Moreover, it also efficiently killed
S. agalactiae
(1.5-log
10
CFU/ml decrease within 15 min) but not several streptococcal commensal species. We further investigated the activity of PlySK1249 in a mouse model of
S. agalactiae
bacteremia. Eighty percent of the animals (
n
= 10) challenged intraperitoneally with 10
6
CFU of
S. agalactiae
died within 72 h, whereas repeated injections of PlySK1249 (45 mg/kg 3 times within 24 h) significantly protected the mice (
P
< 0.01). Thus, PlySK1249, which was isolated from
S. dysgalactiae
, demonstrated high cross-lytic activity against
S. agalactiae
both
in vitro
and
in vivo
. These encouraging results indicated that PlySK1249 might represent a good candidate to be developed as a new enzybiotic for the treatment of systemic
S. agalactiae
infections.
IL-27 Receptor Signaling Regulates Memory CD4
+
T Cell Populations and Suppresses Rapid Inflammatory Responses during Secondary Malaria Infection
Authors: Gwyer Findlay Emily , Villegas-Mendez Ana , O'Regan Noelle , de Souza J. Brian , Grady Lisa-Marie , Saris Christiaan J. , Riley Eleanor M. , Couper Kevin N.
Published: October 2013

Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is known to control primary CD4
+
T cell responses during a variety of different infections, but its role in regulating memory CD4
+
T responses has not been investigated in any model. In this study, we have examined the functional importance of IL-27 receptor (IL-27R) signaling in regulating the formation and maintenance of memory CD4
+
T cells following malaria infection and in controlling their subsequent reactivation during secondary parasite challenge. We demonstrate that although the primary effector/memory CD4
+
T cell response was greater in IL-27R-deficient (WSX-1
−/−
) mice following
Plasmodium berghei
NK65 infection than in wild-type (WT) mice, there were no significant differences in the size of the maintained memory CD4
+
T population(s) at 20 weeks postinfection in the spleen, liver, or bone marrow of WSX-1
−/−
mice compared with WT mice. However, the composition of the memory CD4
+
T cell pool was slightly altered in WSX-1
−/−
mice following clearance of primary malaria infection, with elevated numbers of late effector memory CD4
+
T cells in the spleen and liver and increased production of IL-2 in the spleen. Crucially, WSX-1
−/−
mice displayed significantly enhanced parasite control compared with WT mice following rechallenge with homologous malaria parasites. Improved parasite control in WSX-1
−/−
mice during secondary infection was associated with elevated systemic production of multiple inflammatory innate and adaptive cytokines and extremely rapid proliferation of antigen-experienced T cells in the liver. These data are the first to demonstrate that IL-27R signaling plays a role in regulating the magnitude and quality of secondary immune responses during rechallenge infections.
Acalculous Phrygian cap cholecystitis
Authors: Al-Ashqar Mohammad , Maliyakkal Ajay Kumar , Shiwani Muhammad Hanif , Anwar Suhail
Published: October 2013

We report a case of a 53-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with symptoms of cholecystitis; an ultrasound and CT scans showed a mass lesion associated with the gallbladder and no gallstones. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and further histological analysis confirmed acalculous cholecystitis in a Phrygian cap gallbladder.
Fatal measles pneumonitis during Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Wyplosz Benjamin , Lafarge Marion , Escaut Lélia , Stern Jean-Baptiste
Published: October 2013

The treatment of measles pneumonitis in immunocompromised adults is not established. We describe a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma who developed acute pneumonia during a measles infection. On day 13, intravenous ribavirin and immunoglobulins were administrated. On day 18, the patient developed acute respiratory failure. An examination of transbronchial pulmonary biopsies showed Warthin-Finkeldey giant cells that are pathognomonic of measles pneumonitis. The patient died despite aggressive supportive care. Our case and a review of literature show that measles pneumonitis is routinely fatal in patients with cancer. We suggest that antiviral drugs should be considered as soon as the diagnosis has been established.
Renal arteriovenous fistula revealed by severe hypertension during pregnancy
Authors: Perrin Morgane , Lousquy Ruben , Rossignol Mathias , Bonnin Philippe
Published: October 2013

A 35-year-old woman developed severe hypertension resistant to antihypertensive treatment during the second trimester of pregnancy at 24 weeks gestation. Doppler ultrasonography achieved the diagnosis of idiopathic renal arteriovenous fistula in the left kidney associated with parenchymal hypoperfusion. A Caesarean section was performed 6 days after the diagnosis because of severe pre-eclampsia. After delivery, the symptoms disappeared. Fistula persisted after follow-up for over 1 year but with a dramatic decrease in its blood flow and normalisation of the left kidney hemodynamics. Nevertheless, embolisation was performed without complications to prevent recurrence during the next pregnancy expected by the patient.
Greater glycosaminoglycan content in human patellar tendon biopsies is associated with more pain and a lower VISA score
Authors: Attia Mohamed , Scott Alexander , Carpentier Gilles , Lian Øystein , Van Kuppevelt Toin , Gossard Camille , Papy-Garcia Dulce , Tassoni Marie-Claude , Martelly Isabelle
Published: October 2013

Background

People with patellar tendinopathy experience chronic pain and activity limitation, but a pertinent biochemical marker correlated with these clinical features has not been identified. The Victoria Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) questionnaire is a condition-specific patient-rated outcome measure. Since the quantity of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) increases with advancing tendon pathology, we hypothesised that there would be a correlation between the quantity of GAGs in the patellar tendon and the VISA score.

Methods

Tissue biopsies from athletes with chronic patellar tendinopathy (confirmed by clinical examination and MRI) were recruited (n=7), as well as controls with no history of knee pain (n=4). The quantity of sulphated GAGs in the human patellar tendons was determined with a dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB) assay; this method was first validated with rat tendon tissue. The extent and distribution of GAG species and proteoglycans (decorin, versican and aggrecan) in the human tendon biopsies were examined using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Greater sulphated GAG content of the patellar tendon was correlated with the greater tendon dysfunction (R2=0.798). The quantity of aggrecan in the tendon, a chondroitin sulphate-rich proteoglycan, also increased with advancing tendon pathology.

Conclusions

Increased GAGs in the pathological human patellar tendon are related to a worse clinical status. These findings indicate that the VISA score reflects the extent of tendon tissue pathology.
Identification of poor performance in a national medical workforce over 11 years: an observational study
Authors: Donaldson Liam J , Panesar Sukhmeet S , McAvoy Pauline A , Scarrott Diana M
Published: October 2013

Background

Poorly performing doctors are a source of harm but do not commonly feature in discussions of patient safety. Few countries have national mechanisms to deal with these doctors; most opt for suspension and/or exclusion from clinical practice. This study reports on the 11-year experience of dealing with concerns about doctors’ performance in the UK National Health Service (NHS). The aim of this study was to describe the frequency with which doctors were referred due to performance-related concerns, examine demographic and specialty differences, and identify the nature of the concerns prompting referral.

Methods

This observational study uses data collected by the National Clinical Assessment Service for each referral (n=6179 doctors) over an 11-year period (April 2001–March 2012) in England to examine the rate at which concerns about doctors’ performance occur, understand differences in rates between practitioner groups, and changes over time.

Findings

The annual referral rate was five per 1000 doctors (95% CI 4.6 to 5.4). Doctors whose first medical qualification was gained outside the UK were more than twice as likely to be referred as UK-qualified doctors; male doctors were more than twice as likely to be referred as women doctors; and doctors in the late stages of their career were nearly six times as likely to be referred as early career doctors.

Discussion

The UK holds a consistently collected national dataset on performance concerns about doctors. This allows risk groups to be identified so that preventive action and early intervention can be targeted most effectively to reduce harm to patients. A feature of past handling of poor clinical performance has been late presentation and a lack of thematic study of causation.
Clinical navigation for beginners: the clinical utility and safety of the Paramedic Pathfinder
Authors: Newton Mark , Tunn Eddie , Moses Ian , Ratcliffe David , Mackway-Jones Kevin
Published: October 2013

Background

English Ambulance Services are faced with annual increases in emergency demand. Addressing the demand for low acuity emergency calls relies upon the ability of ambulance clinicians to accurately identify the most appropriate destination or referral pathway. Given the risk of undertriage, the challenge is to develop processes that can safely determine patient dispositions, thereby increasing the number of patients receiving care closer to home.

Aims

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical utility and safety of triage support tools (Paramedic Pathfinders).

Methods

Two triage filters (Pathfinders) were developed (one medical, one trauma). These were applied by ambulance clinicians to 481 patients who had been transported to emergency departments (EDs). Preferred (gold standard) patient dispositions were established by senior medical practitioners using both ambulance and ED clinical records. The clinical utility of ambulance clinicians using Pathfinders was evaluated against this gold standard.

Results

The Medical Pathfinder was applied to 367 patients (76.3%) and the Trauma Pathfinder to 114 (23.7%). Agreement between ambulance clinician and gold standard was achieved in 387 cases (80.5%) giving the tools a combined sensitivity of 94.83% and specificity of 57.9%. 20.9% of medical patients and 30.7% of trauma patients who had been transported to hospital could have been safely cared for elsewhere.

Conclusions

Ambulance clinicians using Pathfinders have demonstrated acceptable levels of sensitivity in identifying patients who require ED care. The actual impact of the tools in clinical practice will be dependent on the provision of suitable alternatives to ED.
The relationship between heart and ‘inner self’ from Aristotle to current clinical practice
Authors: Goodhart Anna
Published: October 2013

Modern songs, films, novels and daily speech often use heart imagery to illustrate ‘inner self’ experiences, such as deeply felt emotions. Where do these ideas come from and what relevance (if any) do they have for medicine today? This article explores some of the key origins and periods of development of heart/‘inner self’ ideas before considering the significance of heart/‘inner self’ interactions in modern clinical practice: from Aristotelian anatomy and the translated Hebrew Scriptures; through Shakespeare, William Harvey and the Protestant Reformation; to theories of emotion and modern-day cardiology. I conclude that heart/‘inner self’ interactions exist in clinically significant ways, but are poorly understood and under-recognised in healthcare settings. Greater integration of cardiovascular and psychosocial medicine would improve patient care.
THERMO-MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITE PRESSURE VESSELS USING EDGE-BASED SMOOTHED FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
Authors: FENG SHIZHE , CUI XIANGYANG , LI GUANGYAO
Published: October 2013

In this paper, an edge-based smoothed finite element method (ES-FEM) is further formulated to deal with the thermo-mechanical analysis of composite pressure vessels. In the ES-FEM, the problem domain is first discretized into a set of triangular elements, and the edge-based smoothing domains are further formed along the edges of the triangular meshes. In order to improve the accuracy, the stiffness matrices are calculated using the strain smoothing technique in these smoothing domains. The thermal and mechanical properties are assumed to vary between different layers. The present formulation is straight-forward and no penalty parameters or additional degrees of freedom are used. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectivity of ES-FEM for thermo-mechanical analysis of composite pressure vessels.
Replacement of Eocene white sandy limestone in historical buildings: over 100 years of practice in the Netherlands
Authors: Quist W. J. , Nijland T. G. , van Hees R. P. J.
Published: October 2013

This paper discusses the replacement of white sandy limestone (Gobertange and Lede or Balegem) in the Netherlands in (successive) restorations from the mid-19th century onwards. White sandy limestone, transported from the southern part of the Low Countries (now Belgium), was extensively used in the northwestern part of the present-day Netherlands in the 14th–16th century. Arguments for (different) choices of replacement stones have been researched and evaluated, in terms of both contemporary perspectives and hindsight. In the period from the second half of the 19th to the late 20th century, various approaches to the choice for replacement stone were found. In this paper, seven periods are distinguished on the basis of specific arguments and criteria that were used for the choice of replacement stone. The paper describes some unexpected combinations of original and restoration material that, most probably, would have never been chosen if only mineralogical composition and origin had been taken into account. Their durability and compatibility are discussed.
Anoxic events in the Early Cretaceous succession of Pădurea Craiului. Correlation and comparison with other Carpathian areas
Authors: Papp D. C. , Cociuba I.
Published: October 2013

Major fluctuations in carbon-isotope composition (−2.8 to +5.4‰), as well as in oxygen-isotope composition (−10.2 to −2.1‰), are documented for Hauterivian–Albian shallow-water platform carbonate deposits in Pădurea Craiului (Apuseni Mountains, Romania). A composite carbon- and oxygen-isotope curve reveals the OAE1a and OAE1b as the main oceanic anoxic events (OAEs). Black shales or organic-rich levels, generally associated with such events, are poorly developed in Pădurea Craiului, testifying to slightly different responses to the carbon cycle perturbation between shallow- and deep-water environments. Palaeotemperatures of about 16–35 °C can be envisaged for the Late Hauterivian and Barremian in Pădurea Craiului, similar to those inferred from belemnite stable-isotope data from the Bersek Quarry (Gerecse Mountains, Hungary). For the Early Aptian interval, the δ
13
C variation pattern in Pădurea Craiului is similar to that documented in the Rochovica section from the Slovak Western Carpathians, developed in a deeper-water environment, although the interval of variation in Pădurea Craiului corresponds better to other shallow-water environment sections in the western Tethys.
Tectonic-diffusion estimates of global mineral resources: extending the method: granitic tin deposits
Authors: Kesler Stephen E. , Wilkinson Bruce H.
Published: October 2013

In this study, we have used tectonic-diffusion model calculations to estimate resources of bedrock-hosted granitic tin deposits of Phanerozoic age. These deposits range from proximal skarns, greisens and pegmatites in or near plutonic granites, to distal veins and disseminations, many of which are associated with subvolcanic rhyolites. Tin is also found in residual and placer deposits, some of which are associated with bedrock deposits. Most of the bedrock deposits formed at temperatures of 200–500 °C from fluids with a wide range of salinities and CO
2
contents. Limited information suggests that they formed over a relatively continuous range of depths from a few hundred metres to as much as 6 km, with an average of about 2 km. Information was obtained on 547 deposits, including 435 with measured or estimated ages and 301 with estimated tin contents, almost all of which are bedrock rather than residual-placer deposits. The bedrock deposits have an average size of 58 000 t, and the largest five deposits, including one in Bolivia and four in China, account for 46% of the total tin resources in all deposits. Tectonic-diffusion model calculations indicate that approximately 14 520 granitic tin deposits remain in the crust and that they contain 8.4×10
8
t of tin. If about 50% of the deposits above depths of 1 km can be discovered and mined, current tin production of about 260 000 t annually can continue for about another 200 years.

Supplementary material:

Data on granitic tin deposits are available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18688
A machine learning approach to college drinking prediction and risk factor identification
Authors: Bi Jinbo , Sun Jiangwen , Wu Yu , Tennen Howard , Armeli Stephen
Published: October 2013

Alcohol misuse is one of the most serious public health problems facing adolescents and young adults in the United States. National statistics shows that nearly 90% of alcohol consumed by youth under 21 years of age involves binge drinking and 44% of college students engage in high-risk drinking activities. Conventional alcohol intervention programs, which aim at installing either an alcohol reduction norm or prohibition against underage drinking, have yielded little progress in controlling college binge drinking over the years. Existing alcohol studies are deductive where data are collected to investigate a psychological/behavioral hypothesis, and statistical analysis is applied to the data to confirm the hypothesis. Due to this confirmatory manner of analysis, the resulting statistical models are cohort-specific and typically fail to replicate on a different sample. This article presents two machine learning approaches for a secondary analysis of longitudinal data collected in college alcohol studies sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Our approach aims to discover knowledge, from multiwave cohort-sequential daily data, which may or may not align with the original hypothesis but quantifies predictive models with higher likelihood to generalize to new samples. We first propose a so-called temporally-correlated support vector machine to construct a classifier as a function of daily moods, stress, and drinking expectancies to distinguish days with nighttime binge drinking from days without for individual students. We then propose a combination of cluster analysis and feature selection, where cluster analysis is used to identify drinking patterns based on averaged daily drinking behavior and feature selection is used to identify risk factors associated with each pattern. We evaluate our methods on two cohorts of 530 total college students recruited during the Spring and Fall semesters, respectively. Cross validation on these two cohorts and further on 100 random partitions of the total students demonstrate that our methods improve the model generalizability in comparison with traditional multilevel logistic regression. The discovered risk factors and the interaction of these factors delineated in our models can set a potential basis and offer insights to a new design of more effective college alcohol interventions.
Mechanobiology and Developmental Control
Authors: Mammoto Tadanori , Mammoto Akiko , Ingber Donald E.
Published: October 2013

Morphogenesis is the remarkable process by which cells self-assemble into complex tissues and organs that exhibit specialized form and function during embryological development. Many of the genes and chemical cues that mediate tissue and organ formation have been identified; however, these signals alone are not sufficient to explain how tissues and organs are constructed that exhibit their unique material properties and three-dimensional forms. Here, we review work that has revealed the central role that physical forces and extracellular matrix mechanics play in the control of cell fate switching, pattern formation, and tissue development in the embryo and how these same mechanical signals contribute to tissue homeostasis and developmental control throughout adult life.
Effect of Seasonal Variation in the Electrochemical Performance of Metallic Materials Exposed in Seawater
Authors: Ávila Edgar , Galvan-Martinez Ricardo , Morales Miguel Angel , Orozco-Cruz Ricardo
Published: October 2013

Seasonal variability and its direct effect on the marine environment and the relationship it has on the performance of metallic materials submerged in this waters are of current interest, this due to possible changes in the mechanism of degradation. [1] This paper presents a study of the degradation of six different metallic materials immersed in seawater. During the exposure time topographic tests were performed, and measurements of physicochemical parameters and the application of electrochemical techniques as linear polarization resistance (LPR) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), as well as monitoring of potential of corrosion (Ecorr) versus time were accomplished. At the end of the materials exposure time the results of degradation were correlated with the variation of the seawater physicochemical parameters. Analysis of this type allows us to observe the evolution that occurs on the metal surface including the process or type of corrosion that is developed.
Photovoltaic Systems to Perform Electroplating Process in Metals
Authors: Barrera Enrique , González G. F. , Rosas C. , Soto A. M.
Published: October 2013

This paper reviews the particularities found in an electroplating process of a selective absorbing solar film, through precisely a solar photovoltaic cell of 3.5V and 1watt of power, instead of using a rectifier source of direct current. The solar cells work exactly under the forming principle of a current rectifier diode which provides a voltage electric generator and controlled power and it can reach different current densities, equivalent to those provided by a commercial power source of direct current. When it is necessary electroplate higher area of a sample, it is possible to impose a desirable voltage and a power to the electrochemical system, using the arrangement of several series-parallel panels or using panels with higher power which are available in the market.
Evaluation of Atmospheric Corrosivity Indexes in The City of Poza Rica Veracruz
Authors: Gallardo Castán Ernesto , Lugo Islas Gabriela , Ramírez Reyes José Luis , García Navarro Norma , Galicia Badillo Aurora , Pérez Tellez Juan , Rojas Hernández Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2013

In the present work, atmospheric corrosive indexes were evaluated in the city of Poza Rica. The research was conducted using the wire-on-bolt test CLIMAT(Clasification of Industrial and Marine Atmosphere), that involves exposure of aluminum wire samples on carbon steel, copper and plastic bolts, in order to evaluate atmospheric corrosion in marine (MA), industrial (IA) and rural-urban (RUA) environments. Samples were exposed as described in norm ASTM G116-93. The chemical cleaning of wires and bolts was carried out according to the procedures described in ASTM G1. Additionally, atmospheric contaminants were evaluated monthly: chloride (Cl-), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and suspended particles. Corrosion indexes indicate the existence of a very aggressive industrial atmosphere, influenced by the marine atmosphere (due to the presence of Cl-), coming from the Mexico Gulf coast. Pollutants monitoring confirmed the existence of an industrial environment with high concentrations of SO2 derived from petroleum activities in the region.
Characterization of the Film of Fe (III)-5-Amino 1.10 Phenanthroline Seposited on a Substrate of ITO
Authors: Lozano Camargo Maria Luisa , Galicia Laura
Published: October 2013

In this paper we present the electrochemical characterization of 5-Amino 1,10 Phenanthroline (5-Aphen) and its complex with Fe (III); polymer films, supported on ITO. The films of 5-Aphen and Fe (III)-5-Aphen were prepared using the technique of cyclic voltammetry (CV) on a substrate of ITO. These were characterized using spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. Spectroscopic techniques used: Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (EDX) were are able to confirm the incorporation of the metal ion to the polymer matrix.