bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developments at Martin‐Baker
Authors: FORD TERRY
Published: November 2014

When the Martin‐Baker Mk. 10 ejection seat was introduced into service, it established significant improvements over earlier seats in many aspects of performance. In the years since that time, it has been adopted by air forces all over the world and has demonstrated the high degree of reliability associated with this company. Of the many types of aircraft in which the seat is installed, the Panavia Tornado, for example, has the 10A, the RAF Hawk the 10B and the Royal Navy Sea Harrier the 10H, each of these being individually suited to particular requirements.
Powerplants — 1
Authors: FORD TERRY
Published: November 2014

Technological advances in the Rolls‐Royce RB 211 family of turbofan engines have broadened the scope of applications and, at the same time, embodied improvements such as lower specific fuel consumption (sfc) which make the powerplants more viable in the current environment. The RB 211‐22B was the first to enter service in the TriStar at a thrust rating of 42,0001b and since that time two lines of development have become evident. One relates to improved sfc and higher thrust levels for the ‐524 variant used in later TriStars and the Boeing 747 and the other to the ‐535 engines for varying thrust level applications among which the first enters service in the Boeing 757 early next year.
Flight Deck Display
Authors: FORD T.E.
Published: November 2014

Digital technology in the avionics systems equipping aircraft coming into service has been developed to meet the needs of civil and military operators in the current environment and its influence is particularly marked on the flight deck where the extensive use of cathode ray tube (CRT) and other displays is greatly enhancing many functions. In the civil field, improvements in flight safety and airline operations have been realised and for military aircraft, the cockpit has been optimised for air‐to‐air and air‐to‐ground operations with relevant information projected on the Head Up Display (HUD) while other displays on the instrument panel present additional data in an uncluttered form.
Seen at the Salon
Authors: Ford T.E.
Published: November 2014

Not to be missed at the 1983 Paris Show was the Shuttle Orbiter ‘Enterprise’ mounted on a modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft. This combination visited Paris as part of a tour on both sides of the Atlantic which demonstrated to a wide public the only practical way to ferry an orbiter and also showed the method by which approach and landing tests had been conducted at the beginning of the Shuttle programme.
British Caledonian — Present and Future
Authors: Ford T.E.
Published: November 2014

The delivery earlier this year of two Airbus Industrie A310 aircraft to British Caledonian Airways (B.CAL) with a third scheduled to arrive in 1985, means that the airline has taken another significant step towards the acquisition of an advanced technology fleet which is gradually replacing equipment which has been in service for some time. In addition, an order was placed in 1983 for seven A320 short to medium range aircraft with options on another three. Delivery of the A320s will commence in 1988 and they are expected to be operated with 150 seats on scheduled flights and 162 scats on charter operations. These new aircraft will eventually replace the airline's fleet of BAC One‐Eleven 500s. To enable the One‐Elevens to remain in service for some years, they will have refurbished interiors and be equipped with blind landing capability as well as hush kits, the latter enabling them to meet the new noise regulations being introduced in 1986.
For the Eighties and Beyond
Authors: Ford Terry
Published: November 2014

DELIVERY of the first of 12 Boeing 757's powered by Rolls‐Royce RB 211–535 E4 turbofans was made to Eastern Airlines in October and the aircraft entered service with the carrier a short while afterwards. This followed a comprehensive programme of testing which culminated in certification of the powerplant by the FAA. Flight testing included engine operating characteristics, in‐flight starts and general aircraft performance as well as flight deck electronic/engine compatibility and the collection of pertinent data for flight manual revisions. Eastern Airlines at present operates a fleet of fifteen RB 211–535 C powered 757's which will be retrofitted with the —535 E4. In the UK, Monarch Airlines' Boeing 757's will also be retrofitted with the new engines.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

RECENT testing has involved the fuel modifier ‘Avgard’ developed by ICI Paints Division which is designed to suppress post crash fuel fires by preventing aviation kerosene from misting. Aircraft fuel escaping from ruptured tanks after an impact forms a fine mist which is easily ignited but this misting does not occur when the fuel is treated with Avgard.
Air Canada Looks Forward
Authors: Ford Terry
Published: November 2014

ENCOURAGED by a 1984 increase in operating income compared with the previous 12 months and an 11% increase in passenger and cargo traffic after three consecutive years of decline. Air Canada is currently extending its international markets and now connects major cities in Europe as well as having inaugurated a service to Bombay and Singapore early this year. During May, the airline begins operating Boeing 767 aircraft across the North Atlantic which is also something of a ‘first’ in that it has been certificated by the Canadian MOT to operate this equipment on this route so long as the flight path is planned in order that the aircraft is always within the equivalent of 90 minutes, at single engine cruise speed, from the nearest suitable airport. This is the same guideline under which Air Canada operates the 767 within Canada and the USA and since the beginning of 1984, on overwater routes to the Caribbean.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

RECOMMENDATIONS to be implemented as soon as possible are contained in the report of the British Airways Helicopters S 61N accident in 1983. The aircraft was on a scheduled service from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly and was being operated in accordance with Visual Flight Rules (VFR). While on the approach to St Mary's aerodrome the helicopter gradually descended from its intended height of 250 feet without either pilot being aware of this and flew into the water. Nineteen of the 23 passengers and 1 of the three crew members lost their lives. St Mary's lifeboat attended the scene and picked up the six survivors.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

THE necessity of carefully thinking out and following of emergency procedures even at times of great pressure and the need to relay information to the passengers is illustrated by an incident which occurred to a TriStar aircraft en route from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Grand Bahama Island. During this flight in 1983, the flight crew noted an indication of loss of pressure on the No 2 engine and shut it down. Rather than continue the descent to Nassau which was about 50 nautical miles away, the Captain decided to return to Miami because of better weather and technical approach aids there. However, after the aircraft's course was reversed and it levelled off at 16,000ft, the No 3 engine flamed out. The No 1 engine had also failed and the flight crew began a descent designed to maximise the glide distance and began efforts to restart the No 2 engine. At the same time, the flight crew considered it probable that they would be forced to ditch the aircraft and the flight engineer told the senior flight attendant to prepare the cabin for imminent ditching. After descending about 11,000 ft, the flight crew succeeded in restarting the No 2 engine and subsequently landed the aircraft safely in Miami. There were no injuries to the 162 passengers and 10 crew members.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

A BAC One‐Eleven aircraft departed Stansted for Gatwick on its first flight subsequent to a B2 Maintenance Check. On selection of landing gear up after take‐off, the red gear‐unsafe light remained on, indicating that the landing gear was not fully retracted. In addition, an abnormal vibration from the nose landing gear area was noted. The landing gear lever was lowered and the annunciator lights then indicated that both main gears had locked down, but that the nose gear had not, which latter was confirmed by the nose gear mechanical indicator. Standsted Air Traffic Control informed the crew, after a fly‐past with landing lights on, that the nose landing gear appeared to be down. The landing gear free‐fall lever was then operated and as there was no change in indications the lever was returned to its normal position in order to retract the main landing gear doors and prevent possible damage by runway contact should the nose landing gear collapse on landing. Checklists cautioned against returning the lever to normal in flight, but did not cater for the situation where free‐fall lever operation did not achieve full gear extension. It was noted that the Checklist caution was at odds with a placard adjacent to the free‐fall lever warning only that the ‘lever must not be reset until normal gear lever is selected down’ and thus implying that an in‐flight reset was acceptable.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

FOREMOST among designers and manufacturers of ejection seats is the Martin‐Baker company which had an impressive display at Farnborough showing how their expertise had, over the years, saved close on 5,500 aircrew lives and with the incorporation of even more advanced equipment, will given flying personnel the confidence in systems fitted to aircraft of the future. A wide variety of aircraft now uses this company's equipment, perhaps the most significant of recent contracts having been the award from the US Navy to develop and produce the Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat (NACES). This new seat employs an on‐seat sensory system and microprocessor controlled electronic sequencer to enable it to respond to the flight conditions at the time of ejection and to control the operation of the seat to achieve the maximum aircrew recovery capability. It will be installed in the McDonnell Douglas F/A 18 Hornet and T‐45 Hawk and in the Grumman F‐14D Tomcat and A‐6E (Upgrade) Intruder.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

EFFORTS have been and are currently being made to improve the survivability of passengers where the decelerations experienced should not result in injuries which prevent escape from the cabin. All too often, inhalation of toxic fumes has been the cause of fatalities and measures recently incorporated are aimed to try and ensure that such a situation is most unlikely to arise. This is particularly relevant in the wake of the 1985 Manchester accident and the full report which is to be published soon, is expected to contain a considerable amount of information and further recommendations. Meanwhile it is worth looking at the full details available of the DC‐9 inflight fire which caused the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Cincinnati Airport, in so far as this concerns the conditions in the cabin and the survival and evacuation aspects.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

Two events are described, both involving elevators but otherwise differing greatly in type of aircraft and nature of accident or incident. The first involves an HS 748 which was nearing the end of a flight to Newcastle from Dublin and was established on the localiser for runway 07, approximately 20 n miles out. As it passed through flight level 065 at a speed of approximately 200 knots, the pilot was easing forward on the control column when a sharp buffet was felt coincident with a slight nose pitch up. With no further abnormal events occurring, the aircraft continued normally and performed an unremarkable landing, the crew attributing the event to local clear air turbulence although conditions had been generally stable throughout the flight.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

Disappearance of a Reims Cessna F172N light aircraft after loss of radar contact when not a great distance from one of the Channel Islands, and subsequent recovery of the engine from the sea bed 13 months later, is a rare occurrence. No trace was ever found of the pilot (the sole occupant) or of the rest of the aircraft. It was on a flight from Shoreham to Jersey in January, 1985 and the pilot had obtained the latest Jersey weather after landing from a previous short flight. Guernsey weather was similar to the forecast obtained and the aftercast indicated that the cloud cover would increase and lower in the area of the Channel Islands and that the risk of severe icing and low level turbulence would also have increased in the vicinity.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

REFLECTING widespread concern over the maintenance and where possible, the improvement of safety standards, the annual report of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) makes these topics a central theme. The progress made in recent years towards improving the safety of air traffic control (ATC) has been maintained, in particular the number of public transport aircraft involved in risk‐bearing airmisses fell from 45 in 1977 to 16 in 1985 and remained at that level in 1986. Because traffic levels continued to rise in the latter two years, however, this represents a small improvement from 2.9 per 100,000 hours flown in 1985 to 2.8 in 1986. The comparable figure for 1977 was 11.3. In the accompanying illustration is the three‐year moving average of civil aircraft in risk‐bearing airmisses within UK airspace. Some £125 million has been spent over the last five years on re‐equipping the system, including new radars, new navigational aids and new landing systems. New computer equipment, incorporating for the first time a conflict alert capability, has also been installed at the Oceanic ATC Centre at Prestwick. Over the next five years, £200 million is intended to be spent on more radar improvements and upgrading facilities at the London Air Traffic Control Centre (LATCC) at West Drayton as well as the installation of a new central computer for which detailed design studies are well under way.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

IT has been stated many times that a large percentage of all accidents and incidents can be at least partly attributed to human error. A study of total aircraft losses shows that some 54% are recorded as having occurred in the approach and landing phases of flight. Causes of incidents in these phases, again expressed as percentages of overall total aircraft losses, are detailed as follows: 24% are ascribed to the factors of ‘misjudgement and misapplication of technology’, 17% to ‘deviation from procedures and regulations’, 8% could be traced to navigational error and 4% revealed that weather conditions had either been underestimated or ignored. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has commented that most approach and landing incidents could be avoided through a timely initiated go‐around.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

IN its concern with the adequacy of minimum standards, the NTSB over the years has been able to identify the usefulness of the required parameters and the potential significance of parameters that are not currently required. It considers that requirements need to be made to assist in establishing the probable causes of accidents and developing recommendations that might preclude these types of accidents from recurring. The proposals are that the current requirements would be expanded to include the NSTB's recommendation for newly manufactured aeroplanes and existing ones equipped with an ARINC 429 digital data bus or its equivalent. In addition, the recorder requirements of Appendix B would be extended to include Part 135 operations with aeroplanes and rotorcraft capable of carrying 20 passengers or more. Another flight recorder requirement would apply to newly manufactured, multi‐engine, turbine‐powered aircraft capable of carrying 10 or more passengers. It would be required that aeroplanes be equipped with flight recorders that at least record the parameters detailed in Appendix B of Part 121.
Safety Topics at Farnaborough
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

THE new McDonnell Douglas MINI‐PAC II lightweight ejection seat was featured, having just completed a zero speed/zero altitude test in the USA. During the test the seat was fired from a stationary sled and propelled to a height of 160 feet, with the main parachute opening at the top of the trajectory. The seat is designed for use in turboprop powered trainers, helicopters and other low to medium speed aircraft and uses technology developed for the ACES II Advanced Concept Ejection Seat used in the F‐15, F‐16, A‐10 and B‐1. Although the MINIPAC II seat is fully automatic, it retains an ‘over the side’ bail out option in which the pilot leaves the aircraft with his parachute while not using the ejection seat. Two more tests are to be conducted prior to the qualification of the seat, one at 150 knots and the other at 350 knots.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

IN preparation for take‐off of a Boeing 747–136 aircraft, when the throttles were advanced to 1.2 EPR with the brakes ‘ON’ the crew heard a ‘bang’. A cockpit check revealed no unusual indications and take‐off, climb and flap retraction proceeded normally. At about 5000 ft the steward reported that a skin panel had ruptured in the left wing forward of the inboard spoiler and behind the aft spar. Following consultations with engineering staff the crew jettisoned fuel and landed back at London (Heathrow) at a weight 5300 kg below maximum landing weight. No problems were experienced in handling and a normal landing was made.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

A Max Holste Broussard with a P & W R985 AN‐4 piston engine was prepared for a local flight, the purpose of the flight being to familiarise a prospective purchaser with the handling of the aircraft. The captain, who was the owner of the aircraft, occupied the right hand seat and the other pilot occupied the left hand seat. Before take‐off, some oil was noticed on the windscreen but neither pilot considered that it warranted any action. An uneventful take‐off was made during which the engine and propeller functioned normally and course was set for Barton. On approaching Barton adjustment to the engine controls resulted in a significant increase in the amount of oil on the windscreen and the pilot in the left hand seat thought that he might have problems with visibility for landing.
Military Activities
Authors: Ford Terry
Published: November 2014

THE achievement of higher thrust‐to‐weight ratios and the realisation of thrust vectoring and reversing engine nozzles were among subjects highlighted at Le Bourget. Prominent among the former was the Pratt & Whitney F100‐PW‐229 engine which is a growth version of the F100 rated at 29,000 lb thrust and providing up to 35% more power than its predecessor, the −220. It is scheduled to replace existing engines in F‐15 and F‐16 aircraft without modification and without increasing the size of the inlet. Flight testing of the new engine began in 1988 and production is scheduled for later this year. Much of the technology incorporated represents adaptation or refinement of that derived from previous F‐100 models and an 8:1 thrust‐to‐weight ratio is achieved. The airflow is increased by reducing the size of the fan hub while retaining the same overall dimensions. A new compressor is incorporated which still retains capacity for futher growth, there is an improved durability combustor and the LP turbine is designed to match the increased power requirements of the higher airflow fan.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

PROPOSED rules by the FAA revise current requirements for the passenger emergency exits of transport category aircraft as well as adopt two new exit types into the regulations. It is also proposed to reduce the maximum inflation time of an escape slide to reflect the current state‐of‐the‐art. These considerations result from recommendations made by a subgroup of the FAA's Design and Certification Group and follow on amendments to Part 23 FAR.
Regional Jet
Authors: Ford CEng Terry
Published: November 2014

THE first Canadair 50‐passenger twinjet airliner made its initial flight in May and has attracted considerable interest from a variety of operators. Advanced design of the aircraft began in 1987 with the fuselage being based on a 20 ft. extension of that of the CL‐601 Challenger. The first Regional Jet is now well into the flight test phase having attained Mach 0.7 and an altitude of 41,000 ft in initial trials as well as in‐flight shutdowns and starts on both engines at 30,000 ft and a similar exercise accomplished for the APU at 15,000 ft.
Inspection — A Vital Necessity
Authors: Ford CEng Terry
Published: November 2014

MODERN aircraft inspection methods are a combination of practices evolved over the years combined with advanced technology introduced as new materials and processes are developed. Particular attention is directed to the detection of corrosion with considerable emphasis in the case of so‐called geriatric aircraft. The potential flaws being searched for may be of a different type from the fatigue or other signs occurring generally. In addition, large areas of structure for these older aircraft must be inspected rapidly to ensure the maintenance of safety standards. Visual methods play an important part in these procedures but where these are insufficient, some form of non‐destructive testing (NDT) technique becomes necessary.
Evolving Technologies
Authors: Ford Terry
Published: November 2014

OPERATING to increasingly severe noise and NOx emission levels and at the lowest Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) attainable, current turbofan engines represent considerable advances in all respects on powerplants of only a few years ago. Nevertheless, the demand for even larger engines has meant that the major manufacturers are making considerable efforts to develop operating cycles and improved components to attain optimum performance for the foreseeable future.
Safety Topics
Authors: Mayday
Published: November 2014

APART from a short hop take‐off and landing up to a height of about 20 ft, this was the first flight of this Denney Kitfox Mk3. A passenger was carried because the pilot considered that the extra weight would be an extra advantage in what was a relatively high performance aircraft. His two hour familiarisation in the Kitfox were dual. The aircraft took off and the engine was set to 6,000 RPM and the throttle was adjusted during the ground run to maintain this figure. The initial climb was as expected until about 150 ft agl when the indicated airspeed was noted to have been about 45 mph.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION In INDUSTRY: HOW It Is HANDLED
Authors: SLADE I.M.
Published: November 2014

Howis technical information handled in industry? Very badly on the whole. Why is this so? Why doesn't industry get a better service? One of the reasons is that most companies have not woken up to the fact that they need help in handling technical information. There is not much use in saying a great deal about such companies, as they are not represented here and waking them up is a long business of education and publicity. All your organizations have wakened up to the extent of appointing you, and show their enlightenment by sending you to an Aslib conference.
JAPANESE SOURCES OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Authors: GARDNER K.B.
Published: November 2014

Japan, like Great Britain, is an island nation, small in area but thickly populated and highly industrialized. Its existence depends on a flourishing export trade, and there is not much doubt that it leads the countries of the East at present in scientific and technological development. (Whether it will be overhauled by China within the next ten or twenty years remains to be seen.) To maintain its lead and to cope with an expanding demand at home and overseas for improved industrial techniques, it needs an extensive programme of scientific research. Some £35 million was spent by Japanese industry on research during 1958. This is carried on in Japan by four main types of research organization: government‐controlled research institutes and experimental stations, both national and local; the universities; business firms and trade research organizations; and learned societies in every field of study.
GENERAL EDUCATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTISTS
Authors: CLARKE I.F.
Published: November 2014

The danger inherent in our over‐specialized system of education has now become a fashionable theme. There is already a considerable literature on the subject; and eminent figures as different as Sir Charles Snow and the Earl of Verulam have called the nation's attention to the problem. There can be no doubt about the gravity or the extent of the problem; for many would agree with Sir Charles Snow in his conviction that ‘the intellectual life of western society is increasingly being split into two polar groups.’ At one pole there are the scientists whose intensely specialized education encourages them to neglect, and at times to despise, all forms of knowledge outside the strictly scientific. At the other pole is the equally dangerous specialization of the arts student whose single‐minded pursuit of Eng. Lit. or Med. Hist. encourages him to ignore and belittle the great scientific achievements that have shaped the world in which he lives. Increasing specialization at an earlier age in our schools and an almost total concentration on the chosen ‘subject’ in the university make it possible for students to graduate without once having looked into any of the scientific discoveries of our time or once having pondered, for example, the philosophical or political ideas that have shaped our civilization.
INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS OF ELECTRONIC RESEARCH
Authors: TURNER W.A.
Published: November 2014

Precise definition of the needs of a research organization is a very difficult exercise, and to help with the task I decided to put the question—‘What would you like from your information service?’—to individuals on the research staff. The answers I received, however, merely indicated that the individual was satisfied, dissatisfied, or rarely used the service! This seemed to me to indicate a need for greater search on my part and extensive discussions brought to light the following points:
COST RESEARCH ON A LIBRARY SERVICE
Authors: TAYLOR L.
Published: November 2014

The present Gear Divisions Library of David Brown Industries Ltd, has been in operation since the late 1920s. Although its history is chequered with periods of relative inactivity its growth has been, in general terms, continual. In its early days the technical interests it had to serve were more varied than at present and ranged mainly over gears, machine tools and foundry practice. In 1951 the company decided to ‘divisionalize’ its growing interests in that the activities of the parent works were restricted to the design and manufacture of gears and gear units. This reorganization also restricted the subject interests of the library, which tended more and more over the next five years to serve the Development Department, of which it formed one part, and even then to provide little more than book and periodicals services.
Propranolol, doxycycline and combination therapy for the treatment of rosacea
Authors: Park Jung‐Min , Mun Je‐Ho , Song Margaret , Kim Hoon‐Soo , Kim Byung‐Soo , Kim Moon‐Bum , Ko Hyun‐Chang
Published: November 2014

Doxycycline is the standard systemic treatment for rosacea. Recently, there have been a few reports on β‐adrenergic blockers such as nadolol, carvedilol and propranolol for suppressing flushing reactions in rosacea. To our knowledge, there are no comparative studies of propranolol and doxycycline, and combination therapy using both. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy and safety of monotherapy of propranolol, doxycycline and combination therapy. A total of 78 patients who visited Pusan National University Hospital and were diagnosed with rosacea were included in this study. Among them, 28 patients were in the propranolol group, 22 the doxycycline group and 28 the combination group. We investigated the patient global assessment (PGA), investigator global assessment (IGA), assessment of rosacea clinical score (ARCS) and adverse effects. Improvement in PGA and IGA scores from baseline was noted in all groups, and the combination therapy was found to be the most effective during the entire period, but this was statistically insignificant. The reduction rate of ARCS during the treatment period was also highest in the combination group (57.4%), followed by the doxycycline group (52.2%) and the propranolol group (51.0%). Three patients in the combination group had mild and transient gastrointestinal disturbances but there was no significant difference from the other groups. We conclude that the combination therapy of doxycycline and propranolol is effective and safe treatment for rosacea and successful for reducing both flushing and papulation in particular.
Age Estimation in Forensic Anthropology: Quantification of Observer Error in Phase Versus Component‐Based Methods
Authors: Shirley Natalie R. , Ramirez Montes Paula Andrea
Published: November 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess observer error in phase versus component‐based scoring systems used to develop age estimation methods in forensic anthropology. A method preferred by forensic anthropologists in the AAFS was selected for this evaluation (the Suchey–Brooks method for the pubic symphysis). The Suchey–Brooks descriptions were used to develop a corresponding component‐based scoring system for comparison. Several commonly used reliability statistics (kappa, weighted kappa, and the intraclass correlation coefficient) were calculated to assess observer agreement between two observers and to evaluate the efficacy of each of these statistics for this study. The linear weighted kappa was determined to be the most suitable measure of observer agreement. The results show that a component‐based system offers the possibility for more objective scoring than a phase system as long as the coding possibilities for each trait do not exceed three states of expression, each with as little overlap as possible.
Diagnostic Value of PSA and AP Tests for the Detection of Spermatozoa in Postmortem Swabs from the Genital and Anal Region in Males
Authors: Weitzig Laurence , Schroeder Ann Sophie , Augustin Christa , Raupach Tobias , Sehner Susanne , Anders Sven
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study was to clarify whether positive results for prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and acid phosphatase (AP) occur in postmortem swabs from the genito‐anal region in males (n = 80; 4 regions) and females (n = 20; 3 regions) and to calculate the positive predictive value (PPV) concerning the presence of spermatozoa. In male subjects, the highest incidence of positive test results was found in urethral swabs (PSA 76%, AP 71%) and the lowest frequencies appeared in perianal and rectal swabs (15–20%). Microscopic evaluation for spermatozoa was positive between 39% in urethral swabs and 1% in rectal swabs. PPV regarding positive identification of spermatozoa was 33.3% for PSA and 31.5% for AP. The combination of both tests yielded a PPV of 38.2%. In female cases, no spermatozoa were identified, and one case was PSA‐ and AP‐positive in perianal swabs. Our findings indicate that PSA and AP tests are of limited value for the postmortem detection of spermatozoa in male subjects.
Volatile Emission of Decomposing Pig Carcasses (Sus scrofa domesticusL.) as an Indicator for thePostmortemInterval
Authors: Paczkowski Sebastian , Nicke Sara , Ziegenhagen Henrik , Schütz Stefan
Published: November 2014

This study aimed at correlating selected carcass borne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with thepostmorteminterval (PMI). Selected volatiles should 1st be reliably emitted during vertebrate decay, 2nd be emitted at high concentrations, and 3rd show a reproducible quantitative dynamic during the decaying process. Four pigs (Sus scrofa domesticusL.) were placed in a deciduous forest in different seasons and volatiles emitted during the decaying process were sampled. Seventeen compounds were identified and quantified byGC‐MS. Electrophysiological experiments on the antenna of femaleCalliphora vicinaand additional data ofDermestes maculanswere used as an evolutionary tuned information filter to evaluate the 1st criterion. The relative quantitative emission of hexanal, nonanal, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, 1‐butanol, and phenol were correlated with thePMI, and the observed stages of decay and the limitations of this model were discussed.
An Unusual Case Showing Fatal Rupture of a Gastric Ulcer or Gastromalacia? The Importance/Role of Histology for Differential Diagnosis
Authors: De‐Giorgio Fabio , Lodise Maria , Pascali Vincenzo L. , Spagnolo Antonio G. , d'Aloja Ernesto , Arena Vincenzo
Published: November 2014

Gastromalacia is the acute autolytic erosion of the gastric wall. It generally occurs postmortem, and it appears as a slimy brownish black region of the wall which occurs principally in the gastric fundus. A 59‐year‐old woman died in the Emergency Department following a 2‐day period of mild abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. A forensic autopsy was performed which revealed a rupture of the gastric fundus that had caused leakage of gastric content into the abdominal cavity. There was no macroscopic evidence of peritonitis, and the stomach wall adjacent to the rupture site showed marked thinning. The gross appearance was typical of gastromalacia. In contrast, histological observations revealed the presence of an ulcer at the site of perforation and a severe acute inflammatory reaction indicating a robust reaction with an antemortem rupture.
i remember you NOW. i remember you HOW:
Authors: JOHNSON SARA JO
Published: November 2014

My mom's recent death left behind a heartbroken daughter who could not fathom the huge vacancy in her life—amidst a societal expectation that one can rapidly move on. Instead of my grieving process tidily expiring shortly after the funeral, I was saturating myself in her: wearing her clothing, jewelry, boots, purses, scent; driving her car; and embarking on multiple related research projects. My actions seemed intuitive and natural, yet I felt overwhelmed in an autobiographical silo. I decided to explore what other people actually do and “why”. I developed a cultural probe—sending it through social media, receiving myriad responses that spanned generations, cultures, circumstances of death and time‐elapsed since death. This study captures the rituals, activities, artifacts and interactions that people create to keep their loved one's memory alive. These stories are especially poignant since no one is left untouched.
Internal hemipelvectomy with reconstruction for primary pelvic neoplasm: a systematic review
Authors: Shao Qing Dong , Yan Xu , Sun Jiu Yi , Xu Tian Ming
Published: November 2014

Background

Hemipelvectomy is a major operation with significant risks including infection, prosthesis failure and fracture. This systematic review was designed to review the functional outcomes, oncologic outcomes and complications in patients who received internal hemipelvectomy and pelvic reconstruction for primary pelvic tumour.

Methods

Searches on MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase and Google Scholar were performed to locate studies involving patients receiving internal hemipelvectomy and pelvic reconstruction using a prosthesis, implant or bone graft. All studies were either prospective or retrospective observational studies published in English.

Results

This systematic review included 12 studies from 1990 to 2011 involving 217 patients from 5 to 77 years of age who had received follow‐up for a period from 3 weeks to 15 years. Among the 12 studies, the mortality rate, disease‐free rate and incidence of local recurrence were 10–69.2, 23.1–90.0 and 9.1–41.7%, respectively. The post‐operative Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score ranged from 50 to 70 in the more recent studies. Compared with prostheses and other implants, patients who received allografts had the highest post‐operative function, as shown by their MSTS scores, but also had a greater incidence of post‐operative infection. On the other hand, the prosthesis group was associated with the highest percentage of fracture and dislocations, as well as other significant complications.

Conclusion

This comprehensive review provided informative details regarding the goals, outcomes and complications associated with this procedure and underscored the need for further investigation into the various surgical approaches currently available.
Development of a short‐form Health Literacy Dental Scale (HeLD‐14)
Authors: Jones Kelly , Brennan David , Parker Eleanor , Jamieson Lisa
Published: November 2014

Objective

To develop a short‐form version of the 29‐item Health Literacy in Dentistry (HeLD‐29) instrument.

Methods

Deriving the short‐form version used data from a cross‐sectional study of 400 indigenous Australians aged 18+ years in Port Augusta, South Australia, which was split to enable short‐form testing (N = 191). Internal reliability analysis, factor analysis and regression analysis were undertaken to derive a subset (HeLD‐14) questionnaire. Its validity was evaluated by assessing associations with socio‐demographic and self‐reported oral health variables. Internal consistency of the HeLD‐14 was evaluated using Cronbach's coefficient α. A HeLD‐14 scale was derived from regression analysis.

Results

The HeLD‐14 accounted for 94% of variance in the HeLD‐29 mean scores; had high reliability (α = 0.88); contained questions from each of the seven conceptual dimensions of the HeLD‐29; and had a good distribution of prevalence for individual questions. HeLD‐14 scores and HeLD‐29 scores displayed the same pattern of variation among socio‐demographic groups of indigenous Australians. Cronbach's α for the HeLD‐14 was 0.87. In a multivariable analysis, the same socio‐demographic and self‐reported oral health variables were associated (P < 0.05) with both the HeLD‐29 and the HeLD‐14.

Conclusions

The reliability, validity and precision of the short‐form version (HeLD‐14) were acceptable when tested in a sample of rural dwelling indigenous Australians. However, it will be important to replicate these findings in other populations before it can be used in health services research to determine the effects of interventions or programs aimed at improving oral health outcomes. This short form will be easy and efficient for use in research and clinical settings.
Sample‐Based Manifold Filtering for Interactive Global Illumination and Depth of Field
Authors: Bauszat P. , Eisemann M. , John S. , Magnor M.
Published: November 2014

We present a fast reconstruction filtering method for images generated with Monte Carlo–based rendering techniques. Our approach specializes in reducing global illumination noise in the presence of depth‐of‐field effects at very low sampling rates and interactive frame rates. We employ edge‐aware filtering in the sample space to locally improve outgoing radiance of each sample. The improved samples are then distributed in the image plane using a fast, linear manifold‐based approach supporting very large circles of confusion. We evaluate our filter by applying it to several images containing noise caused by Monte Carlo–simulated global illumination, area light sources and depth of field. We show that our filter can efficiently denoise such images at interactive frame rates on current GPUs and with as few as 4–16 samples per pixel. Our method operates only on the colour and geometric sample information output of the initial rendering process. It does not make any assumptions on the underlying rendering technique and sampling strategy and can therefore be implemented completely as a post‐process filter.
Carbon dioxide insufflation vs conventional air insufflation for colonoscopy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published randomized controlled trials
Authors: Sajid M. S. , Caswell J. , Bhatti M. I. , Sains P. , Baig M. K. , Miles W. F. A.
Published: November 2014

Aim

Conventional air insufflation (AI) may cause prolonged abdominal bloating, excessive abdominal pain and discomfort during colonoscopy. Carbon dioxide may be an acceptable alternative to avoid these complications. The object of this study was to evaluate systematically the effectiveness of carbon dioxide insufflation (CI) for colonoscopy compared with AI.

Method

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of CI with that of AI during colonoscopy were retrieved from medical electronic databases and combined analysis was performed using the RevMan statistical package. The combined outcome of dichotomous and continuous variables was expressed as an odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD).

Results

Twenty‐one RCTs comprising 3607 patients were included in the study. There was statistically significant heterogeneity among included studies. CI showed a significant trend towards reduced procedural pain [SMD –1.34; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) −2.23 to −0.45; z = 2.96; P < 0.003] and also postprocedural pain at 1 h (SMD –1.11; 95% CI −1.83 to −0.38; z = 2.97; P < 0.003), 6 and 24 h (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.23–0.85; z = 2.44; P < 0.01). CI was associated with faster caecal intubation (SMD −0.20; 95% CI −0.37 to −0.02; z = 2.23; P < 0.03) but the caecal intubation rate was similar (P = 0.59) in both colonic insufflation techniques .

Conclusion

CI seems to have clinical advantages over AI for colonoscopy with regard to pain during and after the procedure.
Colocalization of vitiligo and alopecia areata presenting as poliosis
Authors: Walker Addie , Mesinkovska Natasha Atanaskova , Boncher Julia , Tamburro Joan , Bergfeld Wilma F.
Published: November 2014

Vitiligo and alopecia areata are two cutaneous diseases believed to be primarily autoimmune in pathogenesis. While the coexistence of the two conditions in the same patient has been well‐described, reports of the two disease processes occurring in the same location are rare. We report the case of a 10‐year‐old male with an unremarkable past medical history who presented with a single localized area of poliosis with depigmented underlying skin on the frontal scalp. The hair in the affected area was relatively decreased in density. A punch biopsy of the depigmented patch demonstrated features consistent with both vitiligo and alopecia areata. The decreased number of large hair follicles and a focal peribulbar lymphocytic infiltrate around an anagen follicle were suggestive of alopecia areata. A panel of melanocyte‐specific stains revealed absent melanocytes in the epidermis, consistent with vitiligo. Loss of microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor‐positive root sheath cells was seen, suggestive of loss of melanocyte stem cells. The combination of clinical and histopathologic findings supports the theory of a common pathogenesis of alopecia areata and vitiligo.
High‐intensity cannabis use associated with lower plasma human immunodeficiency virus‐1 RNA viral load among recently infected people who use injection drugs
Authors: Milloy M‐J , Marshall Brandon , Kerr Thomas , Richardson Lindsey , Hogg Robert , Guillemi Silvia , Montaner Julio S. G. , Wood Evan
Published: November 2014

Introduction and Aims

Cannabis use is common among people who are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). While there is growing pre‐clinical evidence of the immunomodulatory and anti‐viral effects of cannabinoids, their possible effects on HIV disease parameters in humans are largely unknown. Thus, we sought to investigate the possible effects of cannabis use on plasma HIV‐1 RNA viral loads (pVLs) among recently seroconverted illicit drug users.

Design and Methods

We used data from two linked longitudinal observational cohorts of people who use injection drugs. Using multivariable linear mixed‐effects modelling, we analysed the relationship between pVL and high‐intensity cannabis use among participants who seroconverted following recruitment.

Results

Between May 1996 and March 2012, 88 individuals seroconverted after recruitment and were included in these analyses. Median pVL in the first 365 days among all seroconverters was 4.66 log10 c mL−1. In a multivariable model, at least daily cannabis use was associated with 0.51 log10 c mL−1 lower pVL (β = −0.51, standard error = 0.170, P value = 0.003).

Discussion and Conclusions

Consistent with the findings from recent in vitro and in vivo studies, including one conducted among lentiviral‐infected primates, we observed a strong association between cannabis use and lower pVL following seroconversion among illicit drug‐using participants. Our findings support the further investigation of the immunomodulatory or antiviral effects of cannabinoids among individuals living with HIV/AIDS. [Milloy M‐J, Marshall B, Kerr T, Richardson L, Hogg R, Guillemi S, Montaner JSG, Wood E. High‐intensity cannabis use associated with lower plasma human immunodeficiency virus‐1 RNA viral load among recently infected people who use injection drugs. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:135–40]
Update on the 35‐year expansion of the invasive root pathogen, Phytophthora lateralis, across a landscape of Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
Authors: Jules E. S. , Steenbock C. M. , Carroll A. L.
Published: November 2014

Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is endemic to northern California and southwestern Oregon and is considered a foundation species that plays critical roles in riparian areas and on nutrient‐poor soils. Since 1952, a non‐native, pathogenic oomycete (Phytophthora lateralis) has been spreading throughout the range of the cedar. Most spread occurs by vehicles carrying infested soil along gravel roads primarily used for timber harvest. In a previous study conducted in 1998 and 1999, Port Orford cedar and P. lateralis were censused in a 37‐km2 study area and dendrochronology was used to reconstruct the history of pathogen invasion. That work, which represents the only detailed analysis of spread rates for P. lateralis, showed that the first successful invasion into the study area took place in 1977 and that 43% of the susceptible host sites (stream crossings) were infested by 1999. In the work presented here, all sites that were uninfested in 1999 were re‐censused in 2012, extending the historical reconstruction of P. lateralis spread to 35 years. Two new infestations were initiated between 1999 and 2012, suggesting that the rate of spread of P. lateralis has slowed greatly. Between 1980 and 1989, the average number of new site infestations was 1.8 infestations per year, while between 1990 and 1999 the average was 0.4 infestations per year and between 2000 and 2009 the average was 0.2 infestations per year. Several potential explanations for the reduced number of new infestations are discussed.