Full scale model investigation on the acoustical protection of a balcony-like façade device (L).

PubMed

Tong, Y G; Tang, S K; Yeung, M K L

2011-08-01

The acoustical insertion losses produced by a balcony-like structure in front of a window are examined experimentally. The results suggest that the balcony ceiling is the most appropriate location for the installation of artificial sound absorption for the purpose of improving the broadband insertion loss, while the side walls are found to be the second best. Results also indicate that the acoustic modes of the balcony opening and the balcony cavity resonance in a direction normal to the window could have a great impact on the one-third octave band insertion losses. The maximum broadband road traffic noise insertion loss achieved is about 7 dB.

Insertion Loss of Personal Protective Clothing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shull D.J.; Biesel, V.B.; Cunefare, K.A.

1999-05-13

'The use of personal protective clothing that covers the head is a common practice in many industries. Such personal protective clothing will impact the sound pressure level and the frequency content of sounds to which the wearer will be exposed. The use of such clothing, then, may impact speech and alarm audibility. A measure of the impact of such clothing is its insertion loss. Insertion loss measurements were performed on four types of personal protective clothing in use by Westinghouse Savannah River Company personnel which utilize cloth and plastic hood configurations to protect the head. All clothing configurations tested atmore » least partially cover the ears. The measurements revealed that insertion loss of the items tested was notable at frequencies above 1000 Hz only and was a function of material stiffness and acoustic flanking paths to the ear. Further, an estimate of the clothing''s noise reduction rating reveals poor performance in that regard, even though the insertion loss of the test articles was significant at frequencies at and above 1000 Hz.'« less

Prospective study of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding in the west of Scotland.

PubMed

Jenkins, J T; Modak, P; Galloway, D J

2006-03-01

Obesity is an increasing problem in Scotland and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Bands (LAGB) are an effective method of weight reduction. Most outcome data are reported from high volume units with extensive experience or dedicated bariatric practice. We aimed to assess an experienced laparoscopic surgeon's outcome working outwith a dedicated bariatric practice in the west of Scotland. All LAGB procedures performed by a single surgeon were prospectively assessed from 1997 to 2004. LAGB were inserted using pars flaccida approach. Patient selection was based on BMI >35 or significant obesity related co-morbidities. Outcomes included percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) and excess BMI loss (EBL). We assessed total operating time to assess the learning curve for LAGB placement. 125 patients were assessed (107 F:18 M). 123 patients were in regular follow-up (98%). Median age was 44 years (range 25-63). Mean follow-up was 34 months (range 11-91). Median initial BMI was 49 (range 37-73). 31% were BMI 35-45, 36% were BMI 45-50 and 33% were BMI>50. %EWL at 1,3 and 5 years was 45, 58 and 74, respectively. EBL at 1, 3 and 5 years was 11.7, 16.1, and 21.7, respectively. Complications included 4 converted procedures, 1 failed band insertion after conversion and re-operation for removal in five. Eight patients had tubing access port problems requiring intervention. The median overall total operation time was 80 minutes (range 50 - 160). In this cohort LAGB insertion by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon is safe with few re-operations. Satisfactory weight loss is obtained and patient compliance with follow-up is high.

Rest Intervals Reduce the Number of Loading Bouts Required to Enhance Bone Formation

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, Sundar; Ausk, Brandon J.; Bain, Steven D.; Gardiner, Edith M.; Kwon, Ronald Y.; Gross, Ted S.

2015-01-01

Purpose As our society becomes increasingly sedentary, compliance with exercise regimens that require numerous high-energy activities each week become less likely. Alternatively, given an osteogenic exercise intervention that required minimal effort, it is reasonable to presume that participation would be enhanced. Insertion of brief rest-intervals between each cycle of mechanical loading holds potential to achieve this result as substantial osteoblast function is activated by many fewer loading repetitions within each loading bout. Here, we examined the complementary hypothesis that the number of bouts/wk of rest-inserted loading could be reduced from 3/wk without loss of osteogenic efficacy. Methods We conducted a series of 3 wk in vivo experiments that non-invasively exposed the right tibiae of mice to either cyclic (1 Hz) or rest-inserted loading interventions and quantified osteoblast function via dynamic histomorphometry. Results While reducing loading bouts from 3/wk (i.e., 9 total bouts) to 1/wk (3 total bouts) effectively mitigated the osteogenic benefit of cyclic loading, the same reduction did not significantly reduce periosteal bone formation parameters induced by rest-inserted loading. The osteogenic response was robust to the timing of the rest-inserted loading bouts (3 bouts in the first week vs 1 bout/wk for three weeks). However, elimination of any single bout of the three 1/wk bouts mitigated the osteogenic response to rest-inserted loading. Finally, periosteal osteoblast function assessed after the 3 wk intervention was not sensitive to the timing or number of rest-inserted loading bouts. Conclusions We conclude that rest-inserted loading holds potential to retain the osteogenic benefits of mechanical loading with significantly reduced frequency of bouts of activity while also enabling greater flexibility in the timing of the activity. PMID:25207932

Correlation between clinical parameters characterising peri-implant and periodontal health: A practice-based research in Spain in a series of patients with implants installed 4-5 years ago

PubMed Central

Lopez-Piriz, Roberto; Giménez, Maria J.; Bowen, Antonio; Carroquino, Rafael; Aguilar, Lorenzo; Corral, Ignacio; del Val, Cora; González, Inmaculada; Ilzarbe, Luis M.; Maestre, Juan R.; Padullés, Esteban; Torres-Lear, Francisco; Granizo, Juan J.; San-Román, Fide; Hernández, Sofía; Prieto, José

2012-01-01

Objectives: To explore periimplant health (and relation with periodontal status) 4-5 years after implant insertion. Study Design: A practice-based dental research network multicentre study was performed in 11 Spanish centres. The first patient/month with implant insertion in 2004 was considered. Per patient four teeth (one per quadrant) showing the highest bone loss in the 2004 panoramic X-ray were selected for periodontal status assessment. Bone losses in implants were calculated as the differences between 2004 and 2009 bone levels in radiographs. Results: A total of 117 patients were included. Of the 408 teeth considered, 73 (17.9%) were lost in 2009 (losing risk: >50% for bone losses ≥7mm). A total of 295 implants were reviewed. Eight of 117 (6.8%) patients had lost implants (13 of 295 implants installed; 4.4%). Implant loss rate (quadrant status) was 1.4% (edentulous), 3.6% (preserved teeth), and 11.1% (lost teeth) (p=0.037). The percentage of implant loss significantly (p<0.001) increased when the medial/distal bone loss was ≥3 mm. The highest (p≤0.001) pocket depths were found in teeth with ≥5mm and implants with ≥3mm bone losses, with similar mean values (≥4mm), associated with higher rates of plaque index and bleeding by probing. Conclusions: The significant bi-directional relation between plaque and bone loss, and between each of these two parameters/signs and pocket depths or bleeding (both in teeth and implants, and between them) together with the higher percentage of implants lost when the bone loss of the associated teeth was ≥3 mm suggest that the patient’s periodontal status is a critical issue in predicting implant health/lesion. Key words:Implants, periimplantitis, periodontitis, oral health, practice-based research PMID:22549681

Ultrasonic airborne insertion loss measurements at normal incidence (L).

PubMed

Farley, Jayrin; Anderson, Brian E

2010-12-01

Transmission loss and insertion loss measurements of building materials at audible frequencies are commonly made using plane wave tubes or as a panel between reverberant rooms. These measurements provide information for noise isolation control in architectural acoustics and in product development. Airborne ultrasonic sound transmission through common building materials has not been fully explored. Technologies and products that utilize ultrasonic frequencies are becoming increasingly more common, hence the need to conduct such measurements. This letter presents preliminary measurements of the ultrasonic insertion loss levels for common building materials over a frequency range of 28-90 kHz using continuous-wave excitation.

Topology optimization of two-dimensional elastic wave barriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van hoorickx, C.; Sigmund, O.; Schevenels, M.; Lazarov, B. S.; Lombaert, G.

2016-08-01

Topology optimization is a method that optimally distributes material in a given design domain. In this paper, topology optimization is used to design two-dimensional wave barriers embedded in an elastic halfspace. First, harmonic vibration sources are considered, and stiffened material is inserted into a design domain situated between the source and the receiver to minimize wave transmission. At low frequencies, the stiffened material reflects and guides waves away from the surface. At high frequencies, destructive interference is obtained that leads to high values of the insertion loss. To handle harmonic sources at a frequency in a given range, a uniform reduction of the response over a frequency range is pursued. The minimal insertion loss over the frequency range of interest is maximized. The resulting design contains features at depth leading to a reduction of the insertion loss at the lowest frequencies and features close to the surface leading to a reduction at the highest frequencies. For broadband sources, the average insertion loss in a frequency range is optimized. This leads to designs that especially reduce the response at high frequencies. The designs optimized for the frequency averaged insertion loss are found to be sensitive to geometric imperfections. In order to obtain a robust design, a worst case approach is followed.

Dinoprostone vaginal insert versus intravenous oxytocin to reduce postpartum blood loss following vaginal or cesarean delivery.

PubMed

Ozalp, E; Tanir, H M; Sener, T

2010-01-01

To compare the impact of a dinoprostone vaginal insert and intravenous oxytocin in reducing blood loss of women undergoing vaginal or cesarean delivery. This study was conducted among term singleton pregnancies delivered vaginally or by elective cesarean section. In the vaginally delivered cases, active management of the third stage of labor was conducted. During cesarean delivery, 20 IU of intravenous oxytocin was administered. Women, who either delivered via the vaginal or abdominal route, were then randomly allocated to receive 10 mg vaginal dinoprostone insert for 12 hours (group I, n: 100) or intravenous oxytocin (group II, n: 100), respectively. Mean blood loss and need for additional uterotonics and postpartum hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at 24 and 36 hours after delivery did not differ between the two groups. Women allocated to the dinoprostone vaginal insert arm experienced more nausea and vomiting. Dinoprostone vaginal insert was as effective as intravenous oxytocin in the prevention of postpartum blood loss.

Design and fabrication of embedded micro-mirror inserts for out-of-plane coupling in PCB-level optical interconnections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Erps, Jurgen; Hendrickx, Nina; Bosman, Erwin; Van Daele, Peter; Debaes, Christof; Thienpont, Hugo

2010-05-01

Optical interconnections have gained interest over the last years, and several approaches have been presented for the integration of optics to the printed circuit board (PCB)-level. The use of a polymer optical waveguide layer appears to be the prevailing solution to route optical signals on the PCB. The most difficult issue is the efficient out-of-plane coupling of light between surface-normal optoelectronic devices (lasers and photodetectors) and PCB-integrated waveguides. The most common approach consists of using 45° reflecting micro-mirrors. The micro-mirror performance significantly affects the total insertion loss of the optical interconnect system, and hence has a crucial role on the system's bit error rate (BER) characteristics. Several technologies have been proposed for the fabrication of 45° reflector micro-mirrors directly into waveguides. Alternatively, it is possible to make use of discrete coupling components which have to be inserted into cavities formed in the PCB-integrated waveguides. In this paper, we present a hybrid approach where we try to combine the advantages of integrated and discrete coupling mirrors, i.e. low coupling loss and maintenance of the planararity of the top surface of the optical layer, allowing the lamination of additional layers or the mounting of optoelectronic devices. The micro-mirror inserts are designed through non-sequential ray tracing simulations, including a tolerance analysis, and subsequently prototyped with Deep Proton Writing (DPW). The DPW prototypes are compatible with mass fabrication at low cost in a wide variety of high-tech plastics. The DPW micro-mirror insert is metallized and inserted in a laser ablated cavity in the optical layer and in a next step covered with cladding material. Surface roughness measurements confirm the excellent quality of the mirror facet. An average mirror loss of 0.35-dB was measured in a receiver scheme, which is the most stringent configuration. Finally, the configuration is robust, since the mirror is embedded and thus protected from environmental contamination, like dust or moisture adsorption, which makes them interesting candidates for out-of-plane coupling in high-end boards.

Sound attenuation of fiberglass lined ventilation ducts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albright, Jacob

Sound attenuation is a crucial part of designing any HVAC system. Most ventilation systems are designed to be in areas occupied by one or more persons. If these systems do not adequately attenuate the sound of the supply fan, compressor, or any other source of sound, the affected area could be subject to an array of problems ranging from an annoying hum to a deafening howl. The goals of this project are to quantify the sound attenuation properties of fiberglass duct liner and to perform a regression analysis to develop equations to predict insertion loss values for both rectangular and round duct liners. The first goal was accomplished via insertion loss testing. The tests performed conformed to the ASTM E477 standard. Using the insertion loss test data, regression equations were developed to predict insertion loss values for rectangular ducts ranging in size from 12-in x 18-in to 48-in x 48-in in lengths ranging from 3ft to 30ft. Regression equations were also developed to predict insertion loss values for round ducts ranging in diameters from 12-in to 48-in in lengths ranging from 3ft to 30ft.

Reconfigurable SDM Switching Using Novel Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuit.

PubMed

Ding, Yunhong; Kamchevska, Valerija; Dalgaard, Kjeld; Ye, Feihong; Asif, Rameez; Gross, Simon; Withford, Michael J; Galili, Michael; Morioka, Toshio; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

2016-12-21

Space division multiplexing using multicore fibers is becoming a more and more promising technology. In space-division multiplexing fiber network, the reconfigurable switch is one of the most critical components in network nodes. In this paper we for the first time demonstrate reconfigurable space-division multiplexing switching using silicon photonic integrated circuit, which is fabricated on a novel silicon-on-insulator platform with buried Al mirror. The silicon photonic integrated circuit is composed of a 7 × 7 switch and low loss grating coupler array based multicore fiber couplers. Thanks to the Al mirror, grating couplers with ultra-low coupling loss with optical multicore fibers is achieved. The lowest total insertion loss of the silicon integrated circuit is as low as 4.5 dB, with low crosstalk lower than -30 dB. Excellent performances in terms of low insertion loss and low crosstalk are obtained for the whole C-band. 1 Tb/s/core transmission over a 2-km 7-core fiber and space-division multiplexing switching is demonstrated successfully. Bit error rate performance below 10 -9 is obtained for all spatial channels with low power penalty. The proposed design can be easily upgraded to reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer capable of switching several multicore fibers.

Reconfigurable SDM Switching Using Novel Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yunhong; Kamchevska, Valerija; Dalgaard, Kjeld; Ye, Feihong; Asif, Rameez; Gross, Simon; Withford, Michael J.; Galili, Michael; Morioka, Toshio; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

2016-12-01

Space division multiplexing using multicore fibers is becoming a more and more promising technology. In space-division multiplexing fiber network, the reconfigurable switch is one of the most critical components in network nodes. In this paper we for the first time demonstrate reconfigurable space-division multiplexing switching using silicon photonic integrated circuit, which is fabricated on a novel silicon-on-insulator platform with buried Al mirror. The silicon photonic integrated circuit is composed of a 7 × 7 switch and low loss grating coupler array based multicore fiber couplers. Thanks to the Al mirror, grating couplers with ultra-low coupling loss with optical multicore fibers is achieved. The lowest total insertion loss of the silicon integrated circuit is as low as 4.5 dB, with low crosstalk lower than -30 dB. Excellent performances in terms of low insertion loss and low crosstalk are obtained for the whole C-band. 1 Tb/s/core transmission over a 2-km 7-core fiber and space-division multiplexing switching is demonstrated successfully. Bit error rate performance below 10-9 is obtained for all spatial channels with low power penalty. The proposed design can be easily upgraded to reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer capable of switching several multicore fibers.

Reconfigurable SDM Switching Using Novel Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuit

PubMed Central

Ding, Yunhong; Kamchevska, Valerija; Dalgaard, Kjeld; Ye, Feihong; Asif, Rameez; Gross, Simon; Withford, Michael J.; Galili, Michael; Morioka, Toshio; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

2016-01-01

Space division multiplexing using multicore fibers is becoming a more and more promising technology. In space-division multiplexing fiber network, the reconfigurable switch is one of the most critical components in network nodes. In this paper we for the first time demonstrate reconfigurable space-division multiplexing switching using silicon photonic integrated circuit, which is fabricated on a novel silicon-on-insulator platform with buried Al mirror. The silicon photonic integrated circuit is composed of a 7 × 7 switch and low loss grating coupler array based multicore fiber couplers. Thanks to the Al mirror, grating couplers with ultra-low coupling loss with optical multicore fibers is achieved. The lowest total insertion loss of the silicon integrated circuit is as low as 4.5 dB, with low crosstalk lower than −30 dB. Excellent performances in terms of low insertion loss and low crosstalk are obtained for the whole C-band. 1 Tb/s/core transmission over a 2-km 7-core fiber and space-division multiplexing switching is demonstrated successfully. Bit error rate performance below 10−9 is obtained for all spatial channels with low power penalty. The proposed design can be easily upgraded to reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer capable of switching several multicore fibers. PMID:28000735

High-contrast grating hollow-core waveguide splitter applied to optical phased array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Che; Xue, Ping; Zhang, Hanxing; Chen, Te; Peng, Chao; Hu, Weiwei

2014-11-01

A novel hollow-core (HW) Y-branch waveguide splitter based on high-contrast grating (HCG) is presented. We calculated and designed the HCG-HW splitter using Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA). Finite-different timedomain (FDTD) simulation shows that the splitter has a broad bandwidth and the branching loss is as low as 0.23 dB. Fabrication is accomplished with standard Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) process. The experimental measurement results indicate its good performance on beam splitting near the central wavelength λ = 1550 nm with a total insertion loss of 7.0 dB.

Spectral analysis of hearing protector impulsive insertion loss.

PubMed

Fackler, Cameron J; Berger, Elliott H; Murphy, William J; Stergar, Michael E

2017-01-01

To characterise the performance of hearing protection devices (HPDs) in impulsive-noise conditions and to compare various protection metrics between impulsive and steady-state noise sources with different characteristics. HPDs were measured per the impulsive test methods of ANSI/ASA S12.42- 2010 . Protectors were measured with impulses generated by both an acoustic shock tube and an AR-15 rifle. The measured data were analysed for impulse peak insertion loss (IPIL) and impulsive spectral insertion loss (ISIL). These impulsive measurements were compared to insertion loss measured with steady-state noise and with real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT). Tested HPDs included a foam earplug, a level-dependent earplug and an electronic sound-restoration earmuff. IPIL for a given protector varied between measurements with the two impulse noise sources, but ISIL agreed between the two sources. The level-dependent earplug demonstrated level-dependent effects both in IPIL and ISIL. Steady-state insertion loss and REAT measurements tended to provide a conservative estimate of the impulsively-measured attenuation. Measurements of IPIL depend strongly on the source used to measure them, especially for HPDs with less attenuation at low frequencies. ISIL provides an alternative measurement of impulse protection and appears to be a more complete description of an HPD's performance.

Spectral analysis of hearing protector impulsive insertion loss

PubMed Central

Fackler, Cameron J.; Berger, Elliott H.; Murphy, William J.; Stergar, Michael E.

2017-01-01

Objective To characterize the performance of hearing protection devices in impulsive-noise conditions and to compare various protection metrics between impulsive and steady-state noise sources with different characteristics. Design Hearing protectors were measured per the impulsive test methods of ANSI/ASA S12.42-2010. Protectors were measured with impulses generated by both an acoustic shock tube and an AR-15 rifle. The measured data were analyzed for impulse peak insertion loss (IPIL) and impulsive spectral insertion loss (ISIL). These impulsive measurements were compared to insertion loss measured with steady-state noise and with real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT). Study Sample Tested devices included a foam earplug, a level-dependent earplug, and an electronic sound-restoration earmuff. Results IPIL for a given protector varied between measurements with the two impulse noise sources, but ISIL agreed between the two sources. The level-dependent earplug demonstrated level-dependent effects both in IPIL and ISIL. Steady-state insertion loss and REAT measurements tended to provide a conservative estimate of the impulsively-measured attenuation. Conclusions Measurements of IPIL depend strongly on the source used to measure them, especially for hearing protectors with less attenuation at low frequencies. ISIL provides an alternative measurement of impulse protection and appears to be a more complete description of an HPD’s performance. PMID:27885881

The use of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions as a hearing screen following grommet insertion.

PubMed

Dale, O T; McCann, L J; Thio, D; Wells, S C; Drysdale, A J

2011-07-01

This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing as a screening tool for hearing loss in children, after grommet insertion. A prospective study was conducted of 48 children (91 ears) aged three to 16 years who had undergone grommet insertion for glue ear. At post-operative review, pure tone audiometry was performed followed by transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing. Outcomes for both tests, in each ear, were compared. The pure tone audiometry threshold was ≤ 20 dB in 85 ears (93.4 per cent), 25 dB in two ears (2.2 per cent) and ≥ 30 dB in four ears (4.4 per cent). Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were detected in 69 ears (75.8 per cent). The sensitivity of transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing for detecting hearing loss was 100 per cent for ≥ 30 dB loss but only 66.7 per cent for ≥ 25 dB loss. Transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing offers a sensitive means of detecting hearing loss of ≥ 30 dB following grommet insertion in children. However, the use of such testing as a screening tool may miss some cases of mild hearing loss.

Comparison between two portal laparoscopy and open surgery for ovariectomy in dogs.

PubMed

Shariati, Elnaz; Bakhtiari, Jalal; Khalaj, Alireza; Niasari-Naslaji, Amir

2014-01-01

Ovariectomy (OVE) is a routine surgical procedure for neutering in small animal practice. Laparoscopy is a new surgical technique which contains advantages such as less trauma, smaller incision and excellent visualization than traditional open surgery. The present study was conducted to examine the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic procedure through two portal comparing with the conventional open surgery for OVE in healthy female bitches (n=16). Dogs were divided in two equal groups. In laparoscopic group, two 5 and 10 mm portals were inserted; First in the umbilicus for introducing the camera and the second, caudal to the umbilicus for inserting the forceps. Laparoscopic procedure involved grasping and tacking the ovary to the abdominal wall, followed by electrocautery, resection and removal of the ovary. In open surgery, routine OVE was conducted through an incision from umbilicus to caudal midline. Mean operative time, total length of scar, blood loss, clinical and blood parameters and all intra and post-operative complications were recorded in both groups. Mean operative time, total length of scar, blood loss and post-operative adhesions were significantly less in laparoscopic group compared with open surgery. In conclusion, laparoscopic OVE is an acceptable procedure due to more advantages in comparison with traditional OVE.

A simple formula for insertion loss prediction of large acoustical enclosures using statistical energy analysis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyun-Sil; Kim, Jae-Seung; Lee, Seong-Hyun; Seo, Yun-Ho

2014-12-01

Insertion loss prediction of large acoustical enclosures using Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) method is presented. The SEA model consists of three elements: sound field inside the enclosure, vibration energy of the enclosure panel, and sound field outside the enclosure. It is assumed that the space surrounding the enclosure is sufficiently large so that there is no energy flow from the outside to the wall panel or to air cavity inside the enclosure. The comparison of the predicted insertion loss to the measured data for typical large acoustical enclosures shows good agreements. It is found that if the critical frequency of the wall panel falls above the frequency region of interest, insertion loss is dominated by the sound transmission loss of the wall panel and averaged sound absorption coefficient inside the enclosure. However, if the critical frequency of the wall panel falls into the frequency region of interest, acoustic power from the sound radiation by the wall panel must be added to the acoustic power from transmission through the panel.

High-frequency acoustic spectrum analyzer based on polymer integrated optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yacoubian, Araz

This dissertation presents an acoustic spectrum analyzer based on nonlinear polymer-integrated optics. The device is used in a scanning heterodyne geometry by zero biasing a Michelson interferometer. It is capable of detecting vibrations from DC to the GHz range. Initial low frequency experiments show that the device is an effective tool for analyzing an acoustic spectrum even in noisy environments. Three generations of integrated sensors are presented, starting with a very lossy (86 dB total insertion loss) initial device that detects vibrations as low as λ/10, and second and third generation improvements with a final device of 44 dB total insertion loss. The sensor was further tested for detecting a pulsed laser-excited vibration and resonances due to the structure of the sample. The data are compared to the acoustic spectrum measured using a low loss passive fiber interferometer detection scheme which utilizes a high speed detector. The peaks present in the passive detection scheme are clearly visible with our sensor data, which have a lower noise floor. Hybrid integration of GHz electronics is also investigated in this dissertation. A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is integrated on a polymer device using a new approach. The VCO is shown to operate as specified by the manufacturer, and the RF signal is efficiently launched onto the micro-strip line used for EO modulation. In the future this technology can be used in conjunction with the presented sensor to produce a fully integrated device containing high frequency drive electronics controlled by low DC voltage. Issues related to device fabrication, loss analysis, RF power delivery to drive circuitry, efficient poling of large area samples, and optimizing poling conditions are also discussed throughout the text.

A MEMS disk resonator-based band pass filter electrical equivalent circuit simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sundaram, G. M.; Angira, Mahesh; Gupta, Navneet

In this paper, coupled beam bandpass Disk filter is designed for 1 MHz bandwidth. Filter electrical equivalent circuit simulation is performed using circuit simulators. Important filter parameters such as insertion loss, shape factor and Q factor aresetimated using coventorware simulation. Disk resonator based radial contour mode filter provides 1.5 MHz bandwidth and unloaded quality factor of resonator and filter as 233480, 21797 respectively. From the simulation result it’s found that insertion loss minimum is 151.49 dB, insertion loss maximum is 213.94 dB, and 40 dB shape factor is 4.17.

Design of Multi-core Fiber Patch Panel for Space Division Multiplexing Implementations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Luz E.; Morales, Alvaro; Rommel, Simon; Jørgensen, Bo F.; Porras-Montenegro, N.; Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso

2018-03-01

A multi-core fiber (MCF) patch panel was designed, allowing easy coupling of individual signals to and from a 7-core MCF. The device was characterized, measuring insertion loss and cross talk, finding highest insertion loss and lowest crosstalk at 1300 nm with values of 9.7 dB and -36.5 dB respectively, while at 1600 nm insertion loss drops to 4.8 dB and crosstalk increases to -24.1 dB. Two MCF splices between the fan-in module, the MCF, and the fan-out module are included in the characterization, and splicing parameters are discussed.

The rational for a mid-scala electrode array.

PubMed

Boyle, P J

2016-06-01

Today increasing numbers of cochlear implant candidates have residual hearing that can be aided and hence is worth trying to preserve. This means that surgical technique and electrode array design must be adapted to minimize trauma. Wide opening of the round window is often preferred to reduce drill related trauma and to avoid pressure spikes during electrode array insertion. A recent meta-analysis suggested that there is no significant correlation between hearing preservation and either insertion depth or scala position. However, a slow insertion speed of at least 30seconds was associated with better hearing preservation. An electrode design is proposed that targets the middle of the scala tympani. This minimizes frictional forces from either lateral or medial wall during insertion and imposes less static pressure on cochlear structures following insertion. The flexibility to insert via the round window requires a 0.7-mm maximum dimension at the proximal end of the array. Micro-anatomical analysis by micro-CT indicated that a 420-degree insertion depth was optimal between cochlear coverage and available space within the scala tympani. Physical measurements showed that mean insertion forces remained below 10mN during insertion. A series of 20 human temporal bone insertions found a mean insertion depth of 400 degrees with no scala dislocations. Six clinical series, in total 94 cases, found postoperative hearing in 81% of cases with a mean loss of 12dB compared to preoperative levels. Speech understanding out to one year post-fitting trended better for a mid-scala design group than for a straight electrode array group; although the differences were not statistically significant. A mid-scala array design appears able to be inserted with minimal trauma, to return a predictable insertion depth across various sizes of cochleae and to support reasonable levels of speech understanding without relying on residual hearing. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Experimental Investigation of Oscillatory Flow Pressure and Pressure Drop Through Complex Geometries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ibrahim, Mounir B.; Wang, Meng; Gedeon, David

2005-01-01

A series of experiments have been performed to investigate the oscillatory flow pressure and pressure drop through complex geometries. These experiments were conducted at the CSU-SLRE facility which is a horizontally opposed, two-piston, single-acting engine with a split crankshaft driving mechanism. Flow through a rectangular duct, with no insert (obstruction), was studied first. Then four different inserts were examined: Abrupt, Manifold, Diverging Short and Diverging Long. The inserts were mounted in the center of the rectangular duct to represent different type of geometries that could be encountered in Stirling machines. The pressure and pressure drop of the oscillating flow was studied for: 1) different inserts, 2) different phase angle between the two pistons of the engine (zero, 90 lead, 180, and 90 lag), and 3) for different piston frequencies (5, 10, 15, and 20 Hz). It was found that the pressure drop of the oscillatory flow increases with increasing Reynolds number. The pressure drop was shown to be mainly due to the gas inertia for the case of oscillatory flow through a rectangular duct with no insert. On the other hand, for the cases with different inserts into the rectangular duct, the pressure drop has three sources: inertia, friction, and local losses. The friction pressure drop is only a small fraction of the total pressure drop. It was also shown that the dimensionless pressure drop decreases with increasing kinetic Reynolds number.

Space-multiplexed optical scanner.

PubMed

Riza, Nabeel A; Yaqoob, Zahid

2004-05-01

A low-loss two-dimensional optical beam scanner that is capable of delivering large (e.g., > 10 degrees) angular scans along the elevation as well as the azimuthal direction is presented. The proposed scanner is based on a space-switched parallel-serial architecture that employs a coarse-scanner module and a fine-scanner module that produce an ultrahigh scan space-fill factor, e.g., 900 x 900 distinguishable beams in a 10 degrees (elevation) x 10 degrees (azimuth) scan space. The experimentally demonstrated one-dimensional version of the proposed scanner has a supercontinuous scan, 100 distinguishable beam spots in a 2.29 degrees total scan range, and 1.5-dB optical insertion loss.

Silicon-on-insulator polarization splitting and rotating device for polarization diversity circuits.

PubMed

Liu, Liu; Ding, Yunhong; Yvind, Kresten; Hvam, Jørn M

2011-06-20

A compact and efficient polarization splitting and rotating device built on the silicon-on-insulator platform is introduced, which can be readily used for the interface section of a polarization diversity circuit. The device is compact, with a total length of a few tens of microns. It is also simple, consisting of only two parallel silicon-on-insulator wire waveguides with different widths, and thus requiring no additional and nonstandard fabrication steps. A total insertion loss of -0.6 dB and an extinction ratio of 12 dB have been obtained experimentally in the whole C-band.

[Intrauterine contraception].

PubMed

Tauber, P F

1984-09-01

Approximately 60 million women worldwide use IUDs. Despite worldwide distribution, the total number of IUD carriers has barely increased since 1970. Due to its risks and side effects there is a retrograding tendency both in West Germany and the US. To generate positive development, 3 basic trends have emerged: 1) Restrictive usage of the pharmacologically inactive, 1st generation IUDs such as the Lippes Loop or the Saf-T-Coil, 2) the increasing usage of small plastic IUDs with bioactive alloys to decrease failure rates such as the copper (2nd generation) or hormone-releasing IUDs, and 3) improvements made by changing its design to reduce side effects without loss of contraceptive effectiveness. Almost all IUDs increase monthly blood loss by 50-100%. The risk of illness for women with IUDs is 2-3 times higher than for a woman without or with other contraceptive methods. About 20% of all expulsions occur unnoticed. There are 2 kinds of perforations: primary (iatrogenic), at time of insertion, and secondary, some time after insertion. The IUD failure rate is about 1-3 pregnancies/100 woman years. In case of pregnancy, the IUD must be removed immediately. IUD insertion requires consent of the woman and can be made to women from 16 years on, presupposing moral maturity. IUD insertion after a miscarriage or abortion does not lead to risks or complications. Due to its corrosive quality, the copper IUD can only remain inside the uterus for a limited time. IUDs could become an excellent contraceptive method if it were possible to decrease bleeding, design easily-removeable IUDs, and prolong their potential for duration in the body.

Immediate two-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction failure: radiation is not the only culprit.

PubMed

Lam, Thomas C; Borotkanics, Robert; Hsieh, Frank; Salinas, James; Boyages, John

2018-03-15

Immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction produces a satisfactory aesthetic result with high levels of patient satisfaction. However, with the broader indication for post-mastectomy adjuvant radiation, many patients are advised against immediate breast reconstruction because of concerns of implant loss and infection particularly as most patients also require chemotherapy. This retrospective cohort study examines outcomes for patients who underwent immediate two-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction after mastectomy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy (RT). Between 1998 and 2010, 452 patients undergoing two-stage prosthetic immediate breast reconstruction involving a total of 562 breasts were included in this study. Stage one was defined as insertion of the temporary expander and stage two insertion of the final silicone implant. Post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy was recommended with tissue expander in-situ for 114 patients. Complications, including loss of prosthesis, seroma and infection were recorded and analysed. Cosmetic result was assessed using a 4-point scale. Post-operative prosthesis loss was 2.7%, 5.3% for patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy increasing to 11.3% for patients receiving chemotherapy+RT. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy independently were the main, statistically significant, risk factors for expander or implant loss; IRR: 13.85 (p=0.012) and 2.23 (p=0.027), respectively. Prosthesis loss for patients undergoing combination chemotherapy+RT was also significant; IRR: 4.791 (p<0.001). These findings serve to better inform patients on risk in weighing treatment options. Post-mastectomy radiation doubles the risk of prosthesis loss over and above adjuvant chemotherapy but is an acceptable option following immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction in a multidisciplinary setting.

Multicenter surgical experience evaluation on the Mid-Scala electrode and insertion tools.

PubMed

Gazibegovic, Dzemal; Bero, Eva M

2017-02-01

The HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode is intended to improve hearing for individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss by providing extended electrical coverage of the cochlea while minimizing trauma related to insertion. The electrode is appropriate for use with a wide range of surgical techniques, including either a cochleostomy or round window insertion, and the use of either a free-hand or tool-assisted approach. The objective of this survey was to evaluate how the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode and insertion tools was used across a population of cochlear implant recipients of differing ages, audiologic profiles, and anatomical characteristics. The intent was to understand the type and frequency of surgical techniques applicable with the electrode, and to provide guidelines for clinical practice. Two questionnaires were completed by surgeons at implant centres located in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Before any surgeries were conducted, surgeons completed a questionnaire that assessed their overall cochlear implant surgical practice and preferences. Following each HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode insertion, surgeons completed a questionnaire that summarized their experience during that surgical procedure. Questionnaires were completed by 32 surgeons from 16 centres for a total of 143 surgeries (112 adults, 31 children). Most surgeons (62 %) preferred to insert the electrode via the round window or an extended round window compared with a cochleostomy (16 %), whereas the remaining 22 % indicated that they made an insertion choice based on presenting anatomy. Sixty-nine percent preferred a free-hand approach over using insertion tools. In 32 procedures, surgeons elected to deviate from an intended round window insertion to either an extended round window or cochleostomy approach.

TM-pass polarizer based on multilayer graphene polymer waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Ke-su; Li, Yue-e.; Wei, Wen-jing; Mu, Xi-jiao; Ma, A.-ning; Wang, Zhong; Song, Dan-ming

2018-05-01

A TM-pass polarizer based on multilayer graphene polymer waveguide is proposed and theoretically analyzed. The mode properties, the extinction ratio, the insertion loss and the bandwidth are also discussed. The results show that a TM-pass polarizer, which only guides the TM mode, can be achieved by multilayer graphene polymer waveguide. With length of 150 μm, the proposed polarizer can achieve extinction ratio of 33 dB and insertion loss of 0.5 dB at optical wavelength of 1.55 μm. This device has an excellent performance, including large extinction ratio and low insertion loss within the spectral range from 1.45 μm to 1.6 μm.

A homozygous NOP14 variant is likely to cause recurrent pregnancy loss.

PubMed

Suzuki, Toshifumi; Behnam, Mahdiyeh; Ronasian, Firooze; Salehi, Mansoor; Shiina, Masaaki; Koshimizu, Eriko; Fujita, Atsushi; Sekiguchi, Futoshi; Miyatake, Satoko; Mizuguchi, Takeshi; Nakashima, Mitsuko; Ogata, Kazuhiro; Takeda, Satoru; Matsumoto, Naomichi; Miyake, Noriko

2018-04-01

Recurrent pregnancy loss is newly defined as more than two consecutive miscarriages. Recurrent pregnancy loss occurs in <5% of total pregnancies. The cause in approximately 40-60% of recurrent pregnancy loss cases remains elusive and must be determined. We investigated two unrelated Iranian consanguineous families with recurrent pregnancy loss. We performed exome sequencing using DNA from a miscarriage tissue and identified a homozygous NOP14 missense variant (c.[136C>G];[136C>G]) in both families. NOP14 is an evolutionally conserved protein among eukaryotes and is required for 18S rRNA processing and 40S ribosome biogenesis. Interestingly, in zebrafish, homozygous mutation of nop14 (possibly loss of function) resulting from retrovirus-mediated insertional mutagenesis led to embryonic lethality at 5 days after fertilization, mimicking early pregnancy loss in humans. Similarly, it is known that the nop14-null yeast is inviable. These data suggest that the homozygous NOP14 mutation is likely to cause recurrent pregnancy loss. Furthermore, this study shows that exome sequencing is very useful to determine the etiology of unsolved recurrent pregnancy loss.

Immediate implant placement into fresh extraction sockets versus delayed implants into healed sockets: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mello, C C; Lemos, C A A; Verri, F R; Dos Santos, D M; Goiato, M C; Pellizzer, E P

2017-09-01

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the survival rate of the implants and the peri-implant tissue changes associated with implants inserted in fresh extraction sockets and those inserted in healed sockets. This review has been registered at PROSPERO under the number CRD42016043309. A systematic search was conducted by two reviewers independently in the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library using different search terms; articles published until November 2016 were searched for. The searches identified 30 eligible studies. A total of 3,049 implants were installed in a total of 1,435 patients with a mean age of 46.68 years and a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. The survival rate of delayed implants (98.38%) was significantly greater than immediate implants (95.21%) (p=.001). For the marginal bone loss (p=.32), implant stability quotients values (p=.44), and pocket probing depth (p=.94) there was no significant difference between the analysed groups. The immediate implants placed in fresh sockets should be performed with caution because of the significantly lower survival rates than delayed implants inserted in healed sockets. Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of AWG demultiplexer based SOI for CWDM application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhari, Nurjuliana; Susthitha Menon, P.; Shaari, Sahbudin; Annuar Ehsan, Abang

2017-11-01

9-channel Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) demultiplexer for conventional and tapered structure were simulated using beam propagation method (BPM) with channel spacing of 20 nm. The AWG demultiplexer was design using high refractive index (n 3.47) material namely silicon-on-insulator (SOI) with rib waveguide structure. The characteristics of insertion loss, adjacent crosstalk and output spectrum response at central wavelength of 1.55 μm for both designs were compared and analyzed. The conventional AWG produced a minimum insertion loss of 6.64 dB whereas the tapered AWG design reduced the insertion loss by 2.66 dB. The lowest adjacent crosstalk value of -16.96 dB was obtained in the conventional AWG design and this was much smaller compared to the tapered AWG design where the lowest crosstalk value is -17.23 dB. Hence, a tapered AWG design significantly reduces the insertion loss but has a slightly higher adjacent crosstalk compared to the conventional AWG design. On the other hand, the output spectrum responses that are obtained from both designs were close to the Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) wavelength grid.

Study of low insertion loss and miniaturization wavelet transform and inverse transform processor using SAW devices.

PubMed

Jiang, Hua; Lu, Wenke; Zhang, Guoan

2013-07-01

In this paper, we propose a low insertion loss and miniaturization wavelet transform and inverse transform processor using surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. The new SAW wavelet transform devices (WTDs) use the structure with two electrode-widths-controlled (EWC) single phase unidirectional transducers (SPUDT-SPUDT). This structure consists of the input withdrawal weighting interdigital transducer (IDT) and the output overlap weighting IDT. Three experimental devices for different scales 2(-1), 2(-2), and 2(-3) are designed and measured. The minimum insertion loss of the three devices reaches 5.49dB, 4.81dB, and 5.38dB respectively which are lower than the early results. Both the electrode width and the number of electrode pairs are reduced, thus making the three devices much smaller than the early devices. Therefore, the method described in this paper is suitable for implementing an arbitrary multi-scale low insertion loss and miniaturization wavelet transform and inverse transform processor using SAW devices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recognizing anterior metaphyseal femoral bone loss during uncemented total hip arthroplasty: the skylight sign.

PubMed

Harwin, Steven F

2007-03-01

During preparation for uncemented femoral arthroplasty, a phenomenon has been observed that indicates thinning of anterior metaphyseal bone to a critical level. Light can be seen from within the canal passing through the anterior cortex. This skylight sign alerts the surgeon that a cortical defect or fracture can occur on reaming, broaching, or component insertion. In 420 consecutive arthroplasties, a skylight sign was noted in 97 (23%) hips. In 5 of those hips an oval cortical defect was created and in 3 hips a fracture occurred during broaching or insertion. Loosening developed in 1 hip with fracture. No fractures or defects occurred in hips without a skylight sign. If a skylight sign is present, the femur is at risk and preventive measures should be taken.

Performance of a high Tc superconducting ultralow-loss microwave stripline filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zahopoulos, C.; Sridhar, S.; Bautista, J. J.; Ortiz, G.; Lanagan, M.

1991-01-01

The successful fabrication is reported of a five-pole interdigital stripline filter made of the 93 K superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O(y) coated on a silver substrate, with a center frequency of 8.5 GHz and an extremely high rejection ratio of 80 dB. The lowest insertion loss measured was 0.1 dB at 12 K, with a return loss better than 16 dB, representing significant improvements over a similar Cu filter, and comparable to low Tc filters. The insertion loss appears to be limited by extrinsic factors such as tuning mismatch and joint losses, and not by the superconducting material losses.

The pht4;1-3 mutant line contains a loss of function allele in the Fatty Acid Desaturase 7 gene caused by a remnant inactivated selection marker-a cautionary tale.

PubMed

Nilsson, Anders K; Andersson, Mats X

2017-01-01

A striking and unexpected biochemical phenotype was found in an insertion mutant line in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana . One of two investigated insertion mutant lines in the gene encoding the phosphate transporter PHT4;1 demonstrated a prominent loss of trienoic fatty acids, whereas the other insertion line was indistinguishable from wild type in this aspect. We demonstrate that the loss of trienoic fatty acids was due to a remnant inactive negative selection marker gene in this particular transposon tagged line, pht4;1-3 . This constitutes a cautionary tale that warns of the importance to confirm the loss of this type of selection markers and the importance of verifying the relationship between a phenotype and genotype by more than one independent mutant line or alternatively genetic complementation.

One-year results of maxillary overdentures supported by 2 titanium-zirconium implants - implant survival rates and radiographic outcomes.

PubMed

Zembic, Anja; Tahmaseb, Ali; Jung, Ronald E; Wismeijer, Daniel

2017-07-01

To assess implant survival rates and peri-implant bone loss of 2 titanium-zirconium implants supporting maxillary overdentures at 1 year of loading. Twenty maxillary edentulous patients (5 women and 15 men) being dissatisfied with their complete dentures were included. In total, 40 diameter-reduced titanium-zirconium implants were placed in the anterior maxilla. Local guided bone regeneration (GBR) was allowed if the treatment did not compromise implant stability. Following 3 to 5 months of healing, implant-supported overdentures were inserted on two ball anchors. Implants and overdentures were assessed at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after implant insertion and 2, 4, and 12 months after insertion of overdentures (baseline). Standardized radiographs were taken at implant loading and 1 year. Implant survival rates and bone loss were the primary outcomes. Nineteen patients (1 dropout) with 38 implants were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 1.1 years (range 1.0-1.7 years). One implant failed resulting in an implant survival rate of 97.3%. There was a significant peri-implant bone loss of the implants at 1 year of function (mean, 0.7 mm, SD = 1.1 mm; median: 0.48 mm, IQR = 0.56 mm). There was a high 1-year implant survival rate for edentulous patients receiving 2 maxillary implants and ball anchors as overdenture support. However, several implants exhibited an increased amount of bone loss of more than 2 mm. Overdentures supported by 2 maxillary implants should thus be used with caution as minimally invasive treatment for specific patients encountering problems with their upper dentures until more long-term data is available. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Finite Ground Coplanar Waveguide Shunt MEMS Switches for Switched Line Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponchak, George E.; Simons, Rainee N.; Scardelletti, Maximillian; Varaljay, Nicholas C.

2000-01-01

Switches with low insertion loss and high isolation are required for switched line phase shifters and the transmit/receive switch at the front end of communication systems. A Finite Ground Coplanar (FGC) waveguide capacitive, shunt MEMS switch has been implemented on high resistivity Si. The switch has demonstrated an insertion loss of less than 0.3 dB and a return loss greater than 15 dB from 10 to 20, GHz. The switch design, fabrication, and characteristics are presented.

Highly Compact Circulators in Square-Lattice Photonic Crystal Waveguides

PubMed Central

Jin, Xin; Ouyang, Zhengbiao; Wang, Qiong; Lin, Mi; Wen, Guohua; Wang, Jingjing

2014-01-01

We propose, demonstrate and investigate highly compact circulators with ultra-low insertion loss in square-lattice- square-rod-photonic-crystal waveguides. Only a single magneto- optical square rod is required to be inserted into the cross center of waveguides, making the structure very compact and ultra efficient. The square rods around the center defect rod are replaced by several right-angled-triangle rods, reducing the insertion loss further and promoting the isolations as well. By choosing a linear-dispersion region and considering the mode patterns in the square magneto-optical rod, the operating mechanism of the circulator is analyzed. By applying the finite-element method together with the Nelder-Mead optimization method, an extremely low insertion loss of 0.02 dB for the transmitted wave and ultra high isolation of 46 dB∼48 dB for the isolated port are obtained. The idea presented can be applied to build circulators in different wavebands, e.g., microwave or Tera-Hertz. PMID:25415417

Highly compact circulators in square-lattice photonic crystal waveguides.

PubMed

Jin, Xin; Ouyang, Zhengbiao; Wang, Qiong; Lin, Mi; Wen, Guohua; Wang, Jingjing

2014-01-01

We propose, demonstrate and investigate highly compact circulators with ultra-low insertion loss in square-lattice- square-rod-photonic-crystal waveguides. Only a single magneto- optical square rod is required to be inserted into the cross center of waveguides, making the structure very compact and ultra efficient. The square rods around the center defect rod are replaced by several right-angled-triangle rods, reducing the insertion loss further and promoting the isolations as well. By choosing a linear-dispersion region and considering the mode patterns in the square magneto-optical rod, the operating mechanism of the circulator is analyzed. By applying the finite-element method together with the Nelder-Mead optimization method, an extremely low insertion loss of 0.02 dB for the transmitted wave and ultra high isolation of 46 dB∼48 dB for the isolated port are obtained. The idea presented can be applied to build circulators in different wavebands, e.g., microwave or Tera-Hertz.

Barium Depletion in the NSTAR Discharge Cathode After 30,000 Hours of Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, James E.; Capece, Angela M.; Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira

2010-01-01

Dispenser hollow cathodes rely on a consumable supply of barium released by impregnant materials in the pores of a tungsten matrix to maintain a low work function surface. Examinations of cathode inserts from long duration ion engine tests show deposits of tungsten at the downstream end that appear to block the flow of barium from the interior. In addition, a numerical model of barium transport in the insert plasma indicates that the barium partial pressure in the insert may exceed the equilibrium vapor pressure of the dominant barium-producing reaction, and it was postulated previously that this would suppress barium loss in the upstream part of the insert. New measurements of the depth of barium depletion from a cathode insert operated for 30,352 hours reveal that barium loss is confined to a narrow region near the downstream end, confirming this hypothesis.

The Application of Coconut Fiber as Dissipative Silencer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madlan, M. A.; Ghazali, M. I.; Zaman, I.; Kasron, M. Z.; Ying, T. C.

2017-01-01

Heat ventilation air conditioning system (HVAC) is one of the ducting systems that broadly applied in the building. There are HVAC silencers in the market, however the sound absorptive material commonly used is mineral wool. In this research study, a sound absorptive material made of coconut fiber was tested to identify its performance as a potential replacement of green material for ducting silencer. The experiment was carried out in a testing apparatus that follows the BS EN ISO 11691:2009 standard. Different configurations of sound absorptive material and contents of coconut fiber were investigated in the study. The trend of insertion loss at 1/3 octave frequency was identified where at frequency below 3000Hz, the insertion loss of dissipative silencer is observed high at certain frequency with a very narrow range. At 3000Hz, the insertion loss of 4dB to 6dB is constant until 4000Hz and drops until 5000Hz before it increases again steadily up to 13dB at 10000Hz. A similar trend was observed for different configuration of sound absorptive material. Despite the configuration different, the outcome shows that the insertion loss is increasing with higher content of coconut fiber.

Compact, low-loss and low-power 8×8 broadband silicon optical switch.

PubMed

Chen, Long; Chen, Young-kai

2012-08-13

We demonstrated a 8×8 broadband optical switch on silicon for transverse-electrical polarization using a switch-and-selector architecture. The switch has a footprint of only 8 mm × 8 mm, minimum on-chip loss of about 4 dB, and a port-to-port insertion loss variation of only 0.8 dB near some spectral regions. The port-to-port isolation is above 30 dB over the entire 80-nm-wide spectral range or above 45 dB near the central 30 nm. We also demonstrated a switching power of less than 1.5 mW per element and a speed of 2 kHz, and estimated the upper bound of total power consumption to be less than 70 mW even without optimization of the default state of the individual switch elements.

Detecting condylar contact loss using single-plane fluoroscopy: a comparison with in vivo force data and in vitro bi-plane data.

PubMed

Prins, A H; Kaptein, B L; Banks, S A; Stoel, B C; Nelissen, R G H H; Valstar, E R

2014-05-07

Knee contact mechanics play an important role in knee implant failure and wear mechanics. Femoral condylar contact loss in total knee arthroplasty has been reported in some studies and it is considered to potentially induce excessive wear of the polyethylene insert.Measuring in vivo forces applied to the tibial plateau with an instrumented prosthesis is a possible approach to assess contact loss in vivo, but this approach is not very practical. Alternatively, single-plane fluoroscopy and pose estimation can be used to derive the relative pose of the femoral component with respect to the tibial plateau and estimate the distance from the medial and lateral parts of the femoral component towards the insert. Two measures are reported in the literature: lift-off is commonly defined as the difference in distance between the medial and lateral condyles of the femoral component with respect to the tibial plateau; separation is determined by the closest distance of each condyle towards the polyethylene insert instead of the tibia plateau.In this validation study, lift-off and separation as measured with single-plane fluoroscopy are compared to in vivo contact forces measured with an instrumented knee implant. In a phantom study, lift-off and separation were compared to measurements with a high quality bi-plane measurement.The results of the in vivo contact-force experiment demonstrate a large discrepancy between single-plane fluoroscopy and the in vivo force data: single-plane fluoroscopy measured up to 5.1mm of lift-off or separation, whereas the force data never showed actual loss of contact. The phantom study demonstrated that the single-plane setup could introduce an overestimation of 0.22mm±±0.36mm. Correcting the out-of-plane position resulted in an underestimation of medial separation by -0.20mm±±0.29mm.In conclusion, there is a discrepancy between the in vivo force data and single-plane fluoroscopic measurements. Therefore contact loss may not always be determined reliably by single plane fluoroscopy analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the surgical approach in cochlear implantation influence the occurrence of postoperative vertigo?

PubMed

Todt, Ingo; Basta, Dietmar; Ernst, Arne

2008-01-01

To investigate the impact of different cochleostomy techniques on vestibular receptor integrity and vertigo after cochlear implantation. Retrospective cohort study. A total of 62 patients (17 to 84 years of age) underwent implantation via an anterior or round window insertion approach. Two groups of cochlear implant patients were compared with respect to their pre- and postoperative vestibular function and the occurrence of postoperative vertigo. The data were related to the different cochleostomy techniques. The patients were tested by a questionnaire (dizziness handicap inventory, DIH), caloric irrigation (vestibulo-ocular reflex, VOR) for the function of the lateral SCC and by vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) recordings for saccular function. Significant differences of postoperative VEMP responses (50% vs 13%) and electromystagmography (ENG) results (42.9% vs 9.4%) were found with respect to the 2 different insertion techniques. The number of patients with vertigo after the surgery as evidenced by DHI (23% vs 12.5%) was significantly different. The used round window approach for electrode insertion should be preferred to decrease the risk of loss of vestibular function and the occurrence of vertigo.

Racetrack resonator as a loss measurement platform for photonic components.

PubMed

Jones, Adam M; DeRose, Christopher T; Lentine, Anthony L; Starbuck, Andrew; Pomerene, Andrew T S; Norwood, Robert A

2015-11-02

This work represents the first complete analysis of the use of a racetrack resonator to measure the insertion loss of efficient, compact photonic components. Beginning with an in-depth analysis of potential error sources and a discussion of the calibration procedure, the technique is used to estimate the insertion loss of waveguide width tapers of varying geometry with a resulting 95% confidence interval of 0.007 dB. The work concludes with a performance comparison of the analyzed tapers with results presented for four taper profiles and three taper lengths.

Increase in transmission loss of single panels by addition of mass inclusions to a poro-elastic layer: Experimental investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidner, M. R. F.; Fuller, C. R.; Gardner, B.

2006-06-01

The insertion loss of standard acoustic blankets can be significantly improved at low frequencies by the addition of randomly placed mass inclusions to the poro-elastic layers. The improvement is much greater than that due to the mass effect alone. The mass inclusions act as resonant systems and so increase the structure impedance. This paper reports the results of experimental investigations into this phenomenon. Increases in insertion loss of 15 dB in the 100 Hz third octave band are reported.

Racetrack resonator as a loss measurement platform for photonic components

DOE PAGES

Jones, Adam M.; Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; DeRose, Christopher T.; ...

2015-10-27

This work represents the first complete analysis of the use of a racetrack resonator to measure the insertion loss of efficient, compact photonic components. Beginning with an in-depth analysis of potential error sources and a discussion of the calibration procedure, the technique is used to estimate the insertion loss of waveguide width tapers of varying geometry with a resulting 95% confidence interval of 0.007 dB. Furthermore, the work concludes with a performance comparison of the analyzed tapers with results presented for four taper profiles and three taper lengths.

Ocular Inserts for Sustained Release of the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Activator, Diminazene Aceturate, to Treat Glaucoma in Rats

PubMed Central

Nogueira, José Carlos; Fulgêncio, Gustavo de Oliveira; Ribeiro, Tatiana Gomes; Castilho, Rachel Oliveira; Yoshida, Maria Irene; Fuscaldi, Leonardo Lima; Fernandes, Simone Odília Antunes; Cardoso, Valbert Nascimento; Cronemberger, Sebastião; Faraco, André Augusto Gomes; Ferreira, Anderson José

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the effects of chitosan inserts for sustained release of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activator, diminazene aceturate (DIZE), in experimental glaucoma. Monolayer DIZE loaded inserts (D+I) were prepared and characterized through swelling, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and in vitro drug release. Functionally, the effects of D+I were tested in glaucomatous rats. Glaucoma was induced by weekly injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) into the anterior chamber and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements were performed. Retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and optic nerve head cupping were evaluated in histological sections. Biodistribution of the drug was accessed by scintigraphic images and ex vivo radiation counting. We found that DIZE increased the swelling index of the inserts. Also, it was molecularly dispersed and interspersed in the polymeric matrix as a freebase. DIZE did not lose its chemical integrity and activity when loaded in the inserts. The functional evaluation demonstrated that D+I decreased the IOP and maintained the IOP lowered for up to one month (last week: 11.0±0.7 mmHg). This effect of D+I prevented the loss of RGC and degeneration of the optic nerve. No toxic effects in the eyes related to application of the inserts were observed. Moreover, biodistribution studies showed that D+I prolonged the retention of DIZE in the corneal site. We concluded that D+I provided sustained DIZE delivery in vivo, thereby evidencing the potential application of polymeric-based DIZE inserts for glaucoma management. PMID:26204514

Gamma-ray irradiation of ohmic MEMS switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciel, John J.; Lampen, James L.; Taylor, Edward W.

2012-10-01

Radio Frequency (RF) Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) switches are becoming important building blocks for a variety of military and commercial applications including switch matrices, phase shifters, electronically scanned antennas, switched filters, Automatic Test Equipment, instrumentation, cell phones and smart antennas. Low power consumption, large ratio of off-impedance to on-impedance, extreme linearity, low mass, small volume and the ability to be integrated with other electronics makes MEMS switches an attractive alternative to other mechanical and solid-state switches for a variety of space applications. Radant MEMS, Inc. has developed an electrostatically actuated broadband ohmic microswitch that has applications from DC through the microwave region. Despite the extensive earth based testing, little is known about the performance and reliability of these devices in space environments. To help fill this void, we have irradiated our commercial-off-the-shelf SPST, DC to 40 GHz MEMS switches with gamma-rays as an initial step to assessing static impact on RF performance. Results of Co-60 gamma-ray irradiation of the MEMS switches at photon energies ≥ 1.0 MeV to a total dose of ~ 118 krad(Si) did not show a statistically significant post-irradiation change in measured broadband, RF insertion loss, insertion phase, return loss and isolation.

Development of an 83.2 MHz, 3.2 kW solid-state RF amplifier using Wilkinson power divider and combiner for a 10 MeV cyclotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ho Seung; Ghergherehchi, Mitra; Oh, Seyoung; Chai, Jong Seo

2017-03-01

We design a stripline-type Wilkinson power divider and combiner for a 3.2 kW solid-state radio frequency (RF) amplifier module and optimize this setup. A Teflon-based printed circuit board is used in the power combiner to transmit high RF power efficiently in the limited space. The reflection coefficient (S11) and insertion loss (S21) related to impedance matching are characterized to determine the optimization process. The resulting two-way divider reflection coefficient and insertion loss were -48.00 dB and -3.22 dB, respectively. The two-way power combiner reflection coefficient and insertion loss were -20 dB and -3.3 dB, respectively. Moreover, the 3.2 kW solid-state RF power test results demonstrate that the proposed power divider and combiner exhibit a maximum efficiency value of 71.3% (combiner loss 5%) at 48 V supply voltage.

Metrology to quantify wear and creep of polyethylene tibial knee inserts.

PubMed

Muratoglu, Orhun K; Perinchief, Rebecca S; Bragdon, Charles R; O'Connor, Daniel O; Konrad, Reto; Harris, William H

2003-05-01

Assessment of damage on articular surfaces of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene tibial knee inserts primarily has been limited to qualitative methods, such as visual observation and classification of features such as pitting, delamination, and subsurface cracking. Semiquantitative methods also have been proposed to determine the linear penetration and volume of the scar that forms on articular surfaces of tibial knee inserts. The current authors report a new metrologic method that uses a coordinate measuring machine to quantify the dimensions of this scar. The articular surface of the insert is digitized with the coordinate measuring machine before and after regular intervals of testing on a knee simulator. The volume and linear penetration of the scar are calculated by mathematically taking the difference between the digitized surface maps of the worn and unworn articular surfaces. Three conventional polyethylene tibial knee inserts of a posterior cruciate-sparing design were subjected to five million cycles of normal gait on a displacement-driven knee wear simulator in bovine serum. A metrologic method was used to calculate creep and wear contributions to the scar formation on each tibial plateau. Weight loss of the inserts was determined gravimetrically with the appropriate correction for fluid absorption. The total average wear volume was 43 +/- 9 and 41 +/- 4 mm3 measured by the metrologic and gravimetric methods, respectively. The wear rate averaged 8.3 +/- 0.9 and 8.5 +/- 1.6 mm3 per million cycles measured by the metrologic and gravimetric methods, respectively. These comparisons reflected strong agreement between the metrologic and gravimetric methods.

C1 lateral mass screw-induced occipital neuralgia: a report of two cases.

PubMed

Conroy, Eimear; Laing, Alan; Kenneally, Rory; Poynton, A R

2010-03-01

C1-2 polyaxial screw-rod fixation is a relatively new technique. While recognizing the potential for inadvertent vertebral artery injury, there have been few reports in the literature outlining all the possible complications. Aim of this study is to review all cases of C1 lateral mass screws insertion with emphasis on the evaluation of potential structures at risk during the procedure. We retrospectively reviewed all patients in our unit who had C1 lateral mass screw insertion over a 2-year period. The C1 lateral mass screw was inserted as part of an atlantoaxial stabilization or incorporated into a modular occiput/subaxial construct. Outcome measures included clinical and radiological parameters. Clinical indicators included age, gender, neurologic status, surgical indication and the number of levels stabilized. Intraoperative complications including blood loss, vertebral artery injury or dural tears were recorded. Postoperative pain distribution and neurological deficit were recorded. Radiological indicators included postoperative plain radiographs to assess sagittal alignment and to check for screw malposition or construct failure. A total of 18 lateral mass screws were implanted in 9 patients. There were three male and six female patients who had C1 lateral mass screw insertion in this unit. Two patients had atlantoaxial stabilization for C2 fracture. There were four patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose C1 lateral mass screws were inserted as part of an occipitocervical or subaxial cervical stabilization. There was no vertebral artery injury, no cerebrospinal fluid leak and minimal blood loss in all patients. Three patients developed postoperative occipital neuralgia. This neuralgia was transient, in one of the patients having settled at 6-week follow-up. In the other two patients the neuralgia was unresolved at time of latest follow-up but was adequately controlled with appropriate pain management. Postoperatively no patient had radiographic evidence of construct failure and all demonstrated excellent sagittal alignment. It has been reported that the absence of threads on the upper portion of the long shank screw may protect against neural irritation. However, insertion of the C1 lateral mass screw necessitates careful caudal retraction of the C2 dorsal root ganglion. The insertion point for the C1 lateral mass screw is at the junction of the C1 posterior arch and the midpoint of the posterior inferior part of the C1 lateral mass. Two patients in our series suffered occipital neuralgia post-insertion of C1 lateral mass screws. This highlights the potential for damage to the C2 nerve root during C1 lateral mass screw placement.

C1 lateral mass screw-induced occipital neuralgia: a report of two cases

PubMed Central

Laing, Alan; Kenneally, Rory; Poynton, A. R.

2009-01-01

C1–2 polyaxial screw-rod fixation is a relatively new technique. While recognizing the potential for inadvertent vertebral artery injury, there have been few reports in the literature outlining all the possible complications. Aim of this study is to review all cases of C1 lateral mass screws insertion with emphasis on the evaluation of potential structures at risk during the procedure. We retrospectively reviewed all patients in our unit who had C1 lateral mass screw insertion over a 2-year period. The C1 lateral mass screw was inserted as part of an atlantoaxial stabilization or incorporated into a modular occiput/subaxial construct. Outcome measures included clinical and radiological parameters. Clinical indicators included age, gender, neurologic status, surgical indication and the number of levels stabilized. Intraoperative complications including blood loss, vertebral artery injury or dural tears were recorded. Postoperative pain distribution and neurological deficit were recorded. Radiological indicators included postoperative plain radiographs to assess sagittal alignment and to check for screw malposition or construct failure. A total of 18 lateral mass screws were implanted in 9 patients. There were three male and six female patients who had C1 lateral mass screw insertion in this unit. Two patients had atlantoaxial stabilization for C2 fracture. There were four patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose C1 lateral mass screws were inserted as part of an occipitocervical or subaxial cervical stabilization. There was no vertebral artery injury, no cerebrospinal fluid leak and minimal blood loss in all patients. Three patients developed postoperative occipital neuralgia. This neuralgia was transient, in one of the patients having settled at 6-week follow-up. In the other two patients the neuralgia was unresolved at time of latest follow-up but was adequately controlled with appropriate pain management. Postoperatively no patient had radiographic evidence of construct failure and all demonstrated excellent sagittal alignment. It has been reported that the absence of threads on the upper portion of the long shank screw may protect against neural irritation. However, insertion of the C1 lateral mass screw necessitates careful caudal retraction of the C2 dorsal root ganglion. The insertion point for the C1 lateral mass screw is at the junction of the C1 posterior arch and the midpoint of the posterior inferior part of the C1 lateral mass. Two patients in our series suffered occipital neuralgia post-insertion of C1 lateral mass screws. This highlights the potential for damage to the C2 nerve root during C1 lateral mass screw placement. PMID:19856190

Acoustic Survey of a 3/8-Scale Automotive Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, Earl R., Jr.; Romberg, Gary; Hansen, Larry; Lutz, Ron

1996-01-01

An acoustic survey that consists of insertion loss and flow noise measurements was conducted at key locations around the circuit of a 3/8-scale automotive acoustic wind tunnel. Descriptions of the test, the instrumentation, and the wind tunnel facility are included in the current report, along with data obtained in the test in the form of 1/3-octave-band insertion loss and narrowband flow noise spectral data.

Non-blocking four-port optical router based on thermooptic silicon microrings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Pei-pei; Li, Cui-ting; Zheng, Wen-xue; Zheng, Chuan-tao; Wang, Yi-ding

2016-07-01

By using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, 12 channel waveguides, and four parallel-coupling one-microring resonator routing elements, a non-blocking four-port optical router is proposed. Structure design and optimization are performed on the routing elements at 1 550 nm. At drop state with a power consumption of 0 mW, the insertion loss of the drop port is less than 1.12 dB, and the crosstalk between the two output ports is less than -28 dB; at through state with a power consumption of 22 mW, the insertion loss of the through port is less than 0.45 dB, and the crosstalk between the two output ports is below -21 dB. Routing topology and function are demonstrated for the four-port optical router. The router can work at nine non-blocking routing states using the thermo-optic (TO) effect of silicon for tuning the resonance of each switching element. Detailed characterizations are presented, including output spectrum, insertion loss, and crosstalk. According to the analysis on all the data links of the router, the insertion loss is within the range of 0.13—3.36 dB, and the crosstalk is less than -19.46 dB. The router can meet the need of large-scale optical network-on-chip (ONoC).

Integrable microwave filter based on a photonic crystal delay line.

PubMed

Sancho, Juan; Bourderionnet, Jerome; Lloret, Juan; Combrié, Sylvain; Gasulla, Ivana; Xavier, Stephane; Sales, Salvador; Colman, Pierre; Lehoucq, Gaelle; Dolfi, Daniel; Capmany, José; De Rossi, Alfredo

2012-01-01

The availability of a tunable delay line with a chip-size footprint is a crucial step towards the full implementation of integrated microwave photonic signal processors. Achieving a large and tunable group delay on a millimetre-sized chip is not trivial. Slow light concepts are an appropriate solution, if propagation losses are kept acceptable. Here we use a low-loss 1.5 mm-long photonic crystal waveguide to demonstrate both notch and band-pass microwave filters that can be tuned over the 0-50-GHz spectral band. The waveguide is capable of generating a controllable delay with limited signal attenuation (total insertion loss below 10 dB when the delay is below 70 ps) and degradation. Owing to the very small footprint of the delay line, a fully integrated device is feasible, also featuring more complex and elaborate filter functions.

Modular Polyethylene Inserts for Total Knee Arthroplasty: Can Surgeons Detect 1-mm Thickness Increments?

PubMed

Yoo, Joanne Y; Cai, Jenny; Chen, Antonia F; Austin, Matthew S; Sharkey, Peter F

2016-05-01

Some manufacturers have introduced polyethylene (PE) inserts in 1-mm increment thickness options to allow for finer adjustments in total knee arthroplasty kinematics. Two surgeons with extensive experience performed 88 total knee arthroplasties using implants with 1-mm PE inserts. After trial components were inserted and the optimal PE thickness was selected, the insert was removed and a trial insert size was randomly chosen from opaque envelopes (1-mm smaller, same size, and 1-mm larger). The knee was re-examined and the surgeon determined which size PE had been placed. Surgeons reliably determined insert thicknesses in 62.5% (55 of 88; P = .050) of trials. Surgeons were not able to accurately detect 1-mm incremental changes of trial PE implants on a consistent basis. The potential clinical usefulness of this concept should be further evaluated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Comparison of hysterectomy techniques in a group of patient operated for the diagnosis female to male transsexualism].

PubMed

Filová, P; Halaška, M; Sehnal, B; Otčenášek, M

2014-01-01

Comparison of duration of surgery, blood loss, complications, lenght of post-operative hospitalisation and post-operative morbidity in a group of patient operated for the diagnosis FtM transsexualism. Retrospective clinical study. In our set of patients were 163 FtM transsexuals with caryotype 46 XX and normal gynecological finding (81 virgins). They were operated on from 1998-2012 at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology The First Faculty of Medicine Charles University in Prague and Hospital Na Bulovce after at least of 12 months of hormonal preparation. We used following types of hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy: total abdominal hysterectomy from infraumbilical median laparotomy (AHL) or from suprapubic transverse incision - Pfannenstiel (AH), laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). In two patients TLH and colpectomy was performed in one setting. In the 23 AHL group the duration of the surgery was 54 minute, blood loss was 226 ml and the length of post-operative hospitalisation was 6.7 days. In the 22 individualy of AH group the duration of the surgery was 60 minute, blood loss was 240 ml and the length of post-operative hospitalisation was 6.1 days. In 4 patients of LAVH group the duration of the surgery was 73 minute, blood loss 200 ml and the length of post-operative hospitalisation was 5 days. In the TLH group (112 pts) the duration of the surgery was 91 minutes, blood loss was 121 ml and the length of post-operative hospitalisation was 4.4 days. In the 2 TLH with colpectomy group the duration of the surgery was 152 minute, blood loss was 250 ml and the length of post-operative hospitalisation was 5.5 days. In one case a peroperative lesion of urinary bladder occured and once a conversion TLH to AH for a strong vaginal bleeding was necessary. Among postoperative complication in one case subileus in AH group was diagnosed, once vaginal bleeding, once haematoma in the suture and one case of secondary healing. Postoperative complication after TLH included 4 times bleeding from vaginal suture, once haematoma in Douglas pouch, once seroma in the place of trocar insertion, once subileus. Once ureter was injured and treated by the ureteral stent insertion. Complication after AHL and LAVH were not recognised. Total laparoscopic hysterectomy is the method of choice in the group of FtM transsexuals. This technique could be used also in nuliparous women with long and narrow vagina. Compared with laparotomic approach lower blood loss and shorter hospital stay was proved. Earlier restitution of full activity is another advantage. Musculus rectus abdominis flap can be used for phallus construction. The only significant disadvantage is a longer duration of surgery.

Analysis of Nonlinear Insertion Loss of Hearing Protection Devices using an Acoustic Test Fixture

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

USAARL Report No. 2016-05 Analysis of Nonlinear Insertion Loss of Hearing Protection Devices using an Acoustic Test Fixture By Robert Williams1...through circuitry. Talk through circuits use electro- acoustic transducers to pass ambient sounds through the protector. When the circuitry detects...the SPL of the acoustic insult. If the protective capacity is variable, it should be accounted for in the selection of appropriate HPDs. REAT

Polymer taper bridge for silicon waveguide to single mode waveguide coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin; Middlebrook, Christopher T.

2016-03-01

Coupling of optical power from high-density silicon waveguides to silica optical fibers for signal routing can incur high losses and often requires complex end-face preparation/processing. Novel coupling device taper structures are proposed for low coupling loss between silicon photonic waveguides and single mode fibers are proposed and devices are fabricated and measured in terms of performance. Theoretical mode conversion models for waveguide tapers are derived for optimal device structure design and performance. Commercially viable vertical and multi-layer taper designs using polymer waveguide materials are proposed as innovative, cost-efficient, and mass-manufacturable optical coupling devices. The coupling efficiency for both designs is determined to evaluate optimal device dimensions and alignment tolerances with both silicon rib waveguides and silicon nanowire waveguides. Propagation loss as a function of waveguide roughness and metallic loss are determined and correlated to waveguide dimensions to obtain total insertion loss for the proposed taper designs. Multi-layer tapers on gold-sputtered substrates are fabricated through photolithography as proof-of-concept devices and evaluated for device loss optimization. Tapered waveguide coupling loss with Si WGs (2.74 dB) was experimentally measured with high correlation to theoretical results.

Board-level optical clock signal distribution using Si CMOS-compatible polyimide-based 1- to 48-fanout H-tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Linghui; Bihari, Bipin; Gan, Jianhua; Chen, Ray T.; Tang, Suning

1998-08-01

Si-CMOS compatible polymer-based waveguides for optoelectronic interconnects and packaging have been fabricated and characterized. A 1-to-48 fanout optoelectronic interconnection layer (OIL) structure based on Ultradel 9120/9020 for the high-speed massive clock signal distribution for a Cray T-90 supercomputer board has been constructed. The OIL employs multimode polymeric channel waveguides in conjunction with surface-normal waveguide output coupler and 1-to-2 splitter. A total insertion loss of 7.98 dB at 850 nm was measured experimentally.

Conical diffuser for fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craft, D. W.

1976-01-01

Diffuser is inserted into inlet manifold, producing smooth transition of flow from pipe diameter to manifold diameter. Expected pressure gradient and resulting cell-to-cell temperature gradient are reduced. Outlet manifold has nozzle insert that reduces exit losses.

Nontraumatic tibial polyethylene insert cone fracture in mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Tanikake, Yohei; Hayashi, Koji; Ogawa, Munehiro; Inagaki, Yusuke; Kawate, Kenji; Tomita, Tetsuya; Tanaka, Yasuhito

2016-12-01

A 72-year-old male patient underwent mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. He experienced a nontraumatic polyethylene tibial insert cone fracture 27 months after surgery. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface of the tibial insert cone suggested progress of ductile breaking from the posterior toward the anterior of the cone due to repeated longitudinal bending stress, leading to fatigue breaking at the anterior side of the cone, followed by the tibial insert cone fracture at the anterior side of the cone, resulting in fracture at the base of the cone. This analysis shows the risk of tibial insert cone fracture due to longitudinal stress in mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty in which an insert is designed to highly conform to the femoral component.

Sound isolation performance of interior acoustical sash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tocci, Gregory

2002-05-01

In existing, as well as new buildings, an interior light of glass mounted on the inside of a prime window is used to improve the sound transmission loss otherwise obtained by the prime window alone. Interior acoustical sash is most often 1/4 in. (6 mm) monolithic or laminated glass, and is typically spaced 3 in. to 6 in. from the glass of the prime window. This paper presents TL data measured at Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories by Solutia (formerly Monsanto) for lightweight prime windows of various types, with and without interior acoustical sash glazed with 1/4 in. laminated glass. The TL data are used to estimate the A-weighted insertion loss of interior acoustical sash when applied to prime windows glazed with lightweight glass for four transportation noise source types-highway traffic, aircraft, electric rail, and diesel rail. The analysis also has been extended to determine the insertion loss expressed as a change in OITC. The data also exhibit the reductions in insertion loss that can result from short-circuiting the interior acoustical sash with the prime window. [Work supported by Solutia, Inc.

Photonic lantern with multimode fibers embedded

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Hai-Jiao; Yan, Qi; Huang, Zong-Jun; Tian, He; Jiang, Yu; Liu, Yong-Jun; Zhang, Jian-Zhong; Sun, Wei-Min

2014-08-01

A photonic lantern is studied which is formed by seven multimode fibers inserted into a pure silica capillary tube. The core of the tapered end has a uniform refractive index because the polymer claddings are removed before the fibers are inserted. Consequently, the light distribution is also uniform. Two theories describing a slowly varying waveguide and multimode coupling are used to analyze the photonic lantern. The transmission loss decreases as the length of the tapered part increases. For a device with a taper length of 3.4 cm, the loss is about 1.06 dB on average for light propagating through the taper from an inserted fiber to the tapered end and 0.99 dB in the reverse direction. For a device with a taper length of 0.7 cm, the two loss values are 2.63 dB and 2.53 dB, respectively. The results show that it is possible to achieve a uniform light distribution with the tapered end and a low-loss transmission in the device if parameters related to the lantern are reasonably defined.

Evaluation of waveguide coating materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, W. C. J.; Baker, B. W.

1982-01-01

Waveguide coating materials were tested at 8470 MHz for insertion loss. Samples of these coatings on waveguide pieces without flanges were tested in an environmental chamber to simulate the effects of high power microwave heating. Test results indicated that three types of coating materials are acceptable with regard to insertion loss. However, simulated microwave heating caused debonding of Metcot 7 and BD-991 coatings, resulting in peelings in the waveguide. The higher cost Chemglaze R104 does not exhibit this problem.

Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Completely Blind Subject with Bilateral Customised Ocular Prosthesis: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Pawah, Salil; Singh, Gurpreet; Yadav, Ila; Kundra, Shrey

2017-01-01

The special sensory organs play significant role in our daily lives. Until one of them is totally or partially lost, its real value is not fully appreciated. The most tragic, yet common loss of sensory organ is that of an eye. Restoration of unilateral ocular defects is very challenging for a maxillofacial prosthodontist and requires great skill to mimic bilateral eye. Restoration of bilateral defects using customized eye prosthesis presents even more difficult task for clinician especially in communication with patient, impression procedures, and patient education regarding insertion, removal and maintenance of prosthesis. Such loss of eyes may have a tremendous emotional and psychological impact on the patient. This article presents a technique for fabrication of bilateral ocular prosthesis of completely blind patient. PMID:28274064

Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Tissue Insertion Devices

PubMed Central

Khan, Salman Nasir; Shiakolas, Panos S.; Mootha, Venkateswara Vinod

2015-01-01

This review study provides information regarding the construction, design, and use of six commercially available endothelial allograft insertion devices applied for Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). We also highlight issues being faced in DSAEK and discuss the methods through which medical devices such as corneal inserters may alleviate these issues. Inserter selection is of high importance in the DSAEK procedure since overcoming the learning curve associated with the use of an insertion device is a time and energy consuming process. In the present review, allograft insertion devices were compared in terms of design, construction material, insertion technique, dimensions, incision requirements and endothelial cell loss to show their relative merits and capabilities based on available data in the literature. Moreover, the advantages/disadvantages of various insertion devices used for allograft insertion in DSAEK are reviewed and compared. The information presented in this review can be utilized for better selection of an insertion device for DSAEK. PMID:27051492

A reduced-scale railway noise barrier's insertion loss and absorption coefficients: comparison of field measurements and predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busch, T. A.; Nugent, R. E.

2003-10-01

In situ testing determined the insertion loss ( IL) and absorption coefficients of a candidate absorptive noise barrier (soundwall) to abate railway noise for residents of Anaheim, CA. A 4000 m barrier is proposed south of the tracks, but residential areas to the north have expressed concerns that barrier reflections will increase their noise exposure. To address these concerns, a 3.66 m high by 14.6 m long demonstration barrier was built in the parking lot of Edison Field, Anaheim, as part of a public open house, thereby allowing for acoustical measurements. Insertion loss ( IL) was measured in third-octave bands assuming 1/2-scale construction. The IL for three, scaled railway noise sub-sources (rail/wheel interface, locomotive, and train horn) was measured at six, scaled distances. The highest total, A-weighted IL, after corrections for finite-barrier and point-source speaker effects was 22 dB(A) for rail/wheel noise, 18 dB(A) for locomotive noise, and 20 dB(A) for train horn noise. These results can be compared favourably to IL predictions made using algorithms from the US Federal Rail Administration (FRA) noise assessment guidelines. For the actual barrier installation, shielded residential receivers located south of the project are expected to see their future noise exposures reduced from an unmitigated 78 CNEL to 65 CNEL. Absorption coefficients were measured using time delay spectrometry. At lower frequencies, measured absorption coefficients were notably less than the reverberation room results advertised in the manufacturer's literature, but generally conformed with impedance tube results. At higher frequencies the correspondence between measured absorption coefficients and reverberation room results was much improved. For the actual barrier installation, unshielded residential receivers to the north are expected to experience noise exposure increases of less than 1 dB(A). This factor of increase is consistent with a finding of no impact when assessed using FRA guidelines for allowable increases of noise exposure.

Clinical, surgical, and electrical factors impacting residual hearing in cochlear implant surgery.

PubMed

Eshraghi, Adrien A; Ahmed, Jamal; Krysiak, Eric; Ila, Kadri; Ashman, Peter; Telischi, Fred F; Angeli, Simon; Prentiss, Sandra; Martinez, Diane; Valendia, Sandra

2017-04-01

This study recommends using soft surgical principal and round window insertion to protect residual hearing with favorable anatomical exposure. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the electrical stimulation on the organ of corti and hearing. The objective of this study is to analyze various factors that impact on preservation of residual hearing post-implantation. A retrospective study was performed to analyze loss of residual hearing in a cohort of 225 patients implanted in a large academic center. Sixty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. The impact of age at implantation, gender, etiology of hearing loss, cochleostomy vs round window insertion, partial vs full insertion, and effect of initial stimulation were analyzed using appropriate statistical analysis. The overall hearing preservation rate for all implanted patients was 64%. Loss of residual hearing was significantly more observed in cases of cochleostomy and/or non-soft surgical techniques. No correlation was observed with age at implantation, gender, side of implant, device manufacturer, and presence of pre-lingual deafness vs post-lingual, full or partial electrode insertion. In addition, there was a small but significant decrease in hearing between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation audiograms at 6000 Hz.

Low-profile fiber connector for co-packaged optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusberg, Lars; DeJong, Michael; Butler, Douglas L.; Clark, Jeffrey S.; Sutton, Clifford G.

2018-02-01

We developed a small form factor connector that can be assembled on all four sides of a high-data switch package for fiber connectivity. This paper discusses a novel connector approach that has the potential to meet all co-packaging requirements including solder-reflow-compatibility, de-mateability, low insertion loss and state-of-the art FAU attach. The connector was attached to the PIC for performance evaluation. The average insertion loss across all eight fibers of the assembly was 1.77 dB, including the three optical interfaces: (1) MT-to-MT between connector and receptacle, (2) receptacle-to-PLC and (3) PIC-to-FAU. Also included is the propagation loss of the PIC waveguide. Optical return loss was measured to be -55 dB or lower.

Effect of insertion torque on bone screw pullout strength.

PubMed

Lawson, K J; Brems, J

2001-05-01

The effect of insertion torque on the holding strength of 4.5-mm ASIF/AO cortical bone screws was studied in vitro. Screw holding strength was determined using an Instron materials testing machine (Bristol, United Kingdom) on 55 lamb femora and 30 human tibiocortical bone sections. Holding strength was defined as tensile stress at pullout with rapid loading to construct failure. Different insertion torques were tested, normalizing to the thickness of cortical bone specimen engaged. These represented low, intermediate, high, and thread-damaging insertion torque. All screws inserted with thread-damaging torque and single cortex engaging screws inserted to high torque tightening moments showed diminished holding strength. This loss of strength amounted to 40%-50% less than screws inserted with less torque.

Evaluation of torque maintenance of abutment and cylinder screws with Morse taper implants.

PubMed

Ferreira, Mayara Barbosa; Delben, Juliana Aparecida; Barão, Valentim Adelino Ricardo; Faverani, Leonardo Perez; Dos Santos, Paulo Henrique; Assunção, Wirley Gonçalves

2012-11-01

The screw loosening of implant-supported prostheses is a common mechanical failure and is related to several factors as insertion torque and preload. The aim of this study was to evaluate the torque maintenance of retention screws of tapered abutments and cylinders of Morse taper implants submitted to retightening and detorque measurements. Two groups were obtained (n = 12): group I-tapered abutment connected to the implant with titanium retention screw and group II-cylinder with metallic base connected to tapered abutment with titanium retention screw. The detorque values were measured by an analogic torque gauge after 3 minutes of torque insertion. The detorque was measured 10 times for each retention screw of groups I and II, totalizing 120 detorque measurements in each group. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Fisher exact test (P < 0.05). Both groups presented reduced detorque value (P < 0.05) in comparison to the insertion torque in all measurement periods. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the detorque values of the first measurement and the other measurement periods for the abutment screw. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) for the detorque values of all measurement periods for the cylinder screw. In conclusion, the abutment and cylinder screws exhibited torque loss after insertion, which indicates the need for retightening during function of the implant-supported prostheses.

Effect of shoe insert construction on foot and leg movement.

PubMed

Nigg, B M; Khan, A; Fisher, V; Stefanyshyn, D

1998-04-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify changes in foot eversion and tibial rotation during running resulting from systematic changes of material composition of five shoe inserts of the same shape. Tests were performed with 12 subjects. The inserts had a bilayer design using two different materials at the top and bottom of the insert. The functional kinematic variables examined in this study were the foot-leg in-eversion angle, beta, and the leg-foot tibial rotation, rho. Additionally, the subject characteristics of arch height, relative arch deformation, and active range of motion were quantified. The statistical analysis used was a two way repeated measures MANOVA (within trials and inserts). The average group changes resulting from the studied inserts in total shoe eversion, total foot eversion, and total internal tibial rotation were typically smaller than 1 degree when compared with the no-insert condition and were statistically not significant. The measured ranges of total foot eversion for all subjects were smallest for the softest and about twice as large for the hardest insert construction. Thus, the soft insert construction was more restrictive, forcing all feet into a similar movement pattern, whereas the harder combinations allowed for more individual variation of foot and leg movement and did not force the foot into a preset movement pattern. The individual results showed substantial differences between subjects and a trend: Subjects who generally showed a reduction of tibial rotation with all tested inserts typically had a flexible foot. However, subjects who generally showed an increase of tibial rotation typically had a stiff foot. The results of this study suggest that subject specific factors such as static, dynamic, and neuro-physiological characteristics of foot and leg are important to match specific feet and shoe inserts optimally.

Ultracompact and broadband polarization beam splitter based on polarization-dependent critical guiding condition.

PubMed

Ying, Zhoufeng; Wang, Guanghui; Zhang, Xuping; Ho, Ho-pui; Huang, Ying

2015-05-01

An ultracompact and broadband polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on the polarization-dependent critical guiding condition of an asymmetrical directional coupler is proposed. The device consists of a pair of silicon waveguides with different height and width. Due to the different cutoff conditions for the TE and TM polarization modes, it is possible to have the TM mode guided in one waveguide while the TE mode is supported in both. Therefore, only the phase-matching condition for the cross-coupling of the TE mode needs to be considered. This approach not only simplifies the design procedures but also significantly improves device performance with smaller total length and larger bandwidth. Finally, regardless of the contribution of S-bend waveguides, our proposed PBS has a coupling region as short as 0.2 μm, which is the shortest reported until now. The simulation result shows that the extinction ratios for the TE and TM polarization are 13.5 and 16.6 dB at their respective output ports, and their insertion losses are 0.29 and 0.13 dB, respectively. Numerical simulations also show that the device offers a very large bandwidth (∼140  nm) with large extinction ratio (>10  dB) and low insertion loss (<1  dB).

[Case-control study on accuracy and safety of patient-specific drill-guide templates used in scoliosis cases].

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-peng; Shi, Ya-min; Wang, Hua-dong; Hou, Shu-xun

2015-10-01

To evaluate the accuracy and safety of pedicle screw insertion with the aid of novel patient-specific drill-guide templates in scoliosis cases. Ten patients with scoliosis were selected to participate in the research (the observation group) from December 2013 to December 2014. The data was obtained from CT scanning, and put into the computer to perform reconstruction of spine, simulation of pedicle screw insertion, and design of patient-specific drill-guide templates with software. The templates were made with rapid prototyping technique. After sterilization, the templates were used to aid the pedicle screw insertion intraoperatively. The blood loss, operation duration, change of creatinine level pre- and post-operation, and complications related to pedicle screw insertion were recorded. The location of pedicle screws were graded so as to evaluate the accuracy. A comparative study was then performed with the data of ten scoliosis cases operated with free-hand method during the same period (control group). There were 5 cases of idiopathic scoliosis and 5 cases of congenital scoliosis in the observation group, including 3 males and 7 females. Their average age was 11.9 years old (ranged, 4 to 18 years old), and the average Cobb angle of main curve was 54.9° (ranged, 42.1° to 78.4°). There were also 5 cases of idiopathic scoliosis and 5 cases of congenital scoliosis in the control group,including 2 males and 8 females. Their average age was 12.6 years old (ranged, 6 to 17 years old), and the average Cobb angle of main curve was 56.6° (ranged, 38.2° to 93.4°). A total of 167 pedicle screws were inserted intraoperatively, with 138 screws (82.6%) in grade I, 26 screws (15.0%) in grade II, 4 screws in grade III (2.4%), but no screws in grade IV according to the CT image. There were 29 (17.4%) screws perforated, and 163 (97.6%) screws could be accepted. In the control group, a total of 165 pedicle screws were inserted intraoperatively, with 98 screws (59.4%) in grade I, 39 screws (23.6%) in grade II, 21 screws in grade III (12.7%), and 7 screws in grade IV (4.2%). There were 67 (40.6%) screws perforated, and 137 (83.0%) screws could be accepted. The grade distribution of screw position, ratio of perforated and accepted screws were significantly different between the two groups respectively (Z=-5.013, P=0.000; χ2=9.347, P=0.002; χ2=20.242, P=0.000). The correction rate of Cobb angle were (74.1±10.0)% vs (69.7±17.6)%; blood loss were (455±447) ml vs (415±389) ml; operation duration were (163.5±53.7) min vs (164.0±48.7) min; and the changes of creatinine level pre- and post-operatively were (-5.3±3.2) μmol/L vs (-3.4±3.1) μmol/L; all above data had no significant differences respectively (t=0.696, P=0.496; t=0.214, P=0.833; t=0.022, P=0.983; t=1.375, P=0.192). There were no complications related to pedicle screw insertion in each group. The novel patient-specific drill guide template can be used to assist the insertion of pedicle screws in scoliosis cases with much higher accuracy than that of freehand method and fair safety.

Ku to V-band 4-bit MEMS phase shifter bank using high isolation SP4T switches and DMTL structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Sukomal; Koul, Shiban K.; Poddar, Ajay K.; Rohde, Ulrich L.

2017-10-01

This work presents a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based on a wide-band 4-bit phase shifter using two back-to-back single-pole-four-throw (SP4T) switches and four different distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) structures that are implemented on 635 µm alumina substrate using surface micromachining process. An SP4T switch is designed with a series-shunt configuration and it demonstrates an average return loss of  >17 dB, an insertion loss of  <1.97 dB and maximum isolation of  >28 dB up to 60 GHz. A maximum area of the SP4T switch is ~0.76 mm2. Single-pole-single-throw and SP4T switches are capable of handling 1 W of radio frequency (RF) power up to  >100 million cycles at 25° C; they can even sustained up to  >70 million cycles with 1 W at 85 °C. The proposed wide-band phase shifter works at 17 GHz (Ku-band), 25 GHz (K-band), 35 GHz (Ka-band) and 60 GHz (V-band) frequencies. Finally,a 4-bit phase shifter demonstrates an average insertion loss of  <6 dB, return loss of  >10 dB and maximum phase error of ~3.8° at 60 GHz frequency over 500 MHz bandwidth. Total area of the fabricated device is ~11 mm2. In addition, the proposed device works well up to  >107 cycles with 1 W of RF power. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the best reported wide-band MEMS 4-bit phase shifter in the literature that works with a constant resolution.

Improvement of insertion loss and quality factor of flexural plate-wave-based alpha-fetoprotein biosensor using groove-type reflective grating structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chang-Yu; Huang, I.-Yu; Lan, Je-Wei

2013-01-01

Conventional flexural plate-wave (FPW) transducers have limited applications in biomedical sensing due to their disadvantages such as high insertion loss and low quality factor. To overcome these shortcomings, we propose a FPW transducer on a low phase velocity insulator membrane (5-μm-thick SiO2) with a novel groove-type reflective grating structure design. Additionally, a cystamine self-assembly monolayer and a glutaraldehyde cross-linking layer are implemented on the backside of the FPW device to immobilize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) antibody. A FPW-based AFP biosensor with low detection limit (5 ng/mL) can be achieved and used to measure the extreme low concentration of AFP antigen in human serum for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. The proposed FPW-based AFP biosensor also demonstrates a very high quality factor (206), low insertion loss (-40.854 dB), low operating frequency (6.388 MHz), and high sensing linearity (90.7%).

Immediate versus delayed insertion of an etonogestrel releasing implant at medical abortion-a randomized controlled equivalence trial.

PubMed

Hognert, Helena; Kopp Kallner, Helena; Cameron, Sharon; Nyrelli, Christina; Jawad, Izabella; Heller, Rebecca; Aronsson, Annette; Lindh, Ingela; Benson, Lina; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina

2016-11-01

Does a progestin releasing subdermal contraceptive implant affect the efficacy of medical abortion if inserted at the same visit as the progesterone receptor modulator, mifepristone, at medical abortion? A etonogestrel releasing subdermal implant inserted on the day of mifepristone did not impair the efficacy of the medical abortion compared with routine insertion at 2-4 weeks after the abortion. The etonogestrel releasing subdermal implant is one of the most effective long acting reversible contraceptive methods. The effect of timing of placement on the efficacy of mifepristone and impact on prevention of subsequent unintended pregnancy is not known. This multicentre, randomized controlled, equivalence trial with recruitment between 13 October 2013 and 17 October 2015 included a total of 551 women with pregnancies below 64 days gestation opting for the etonogestrel releasing subdermal implant as postabortion contraception. Women were randomized to either insertion at 1 hour after mifepristone intake (immediate) or at follow-up 2-4 weeks later (delayed insertion). An equivalence design was used due to advantages for women such as fewer visits to the clinic with immediate insertion. The primary outcome was the percentage of women with complete abortion not requiring surgical intervention within 1 month. Secondary outcomes included insertion rates, pregnancy and repeat abortion rates during 6 months follow-up. Analysis was per protocol and by intention to treat. Women aged 18 years and older who had requested medical termination of a pregnancy up to 63 days of gestation and opted for an etonogestrel releasing contraceptive implant were recruited in outpatient family planning clinics in six hospitals in Sweden and Scotland. Efficacy of medical abortion was 259/275 (94.2%) in the immediate insertion group and 239/249 (96%) in the routine insertion group with a risk difference of 1.8% (95% CI -0.4 to 4.1%), which was within the ±5% margin of equivalence. The insertion rate was 275/277 (98.9%) in the immediate group compared to 187/261 (71.6%) women in the routine group (P < 0.001). At 6 months of follow-up significantly fewer women in the immediate group had become pregnant again (2/277, 0.8%) compared to the routine group (10/261, 3.8%) P = 0.018. For the main outcome loss to follow-up data was minimized through access to patient records. Efforts were made to reduce loss to follow-up also for secondary outcomes. The results of the sensitivity analysis did not differ from the intention to treat or per protocol analysis. Guidelines on postabortion contraception should be amended to include insertion of the etonogestrel releasing implant at the time of mifepristone intake for medical abortion up to and including a gestation of 63 days. This study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (2012-2844), Stockholm City County and Karolinska Institutet (ALF). The contraceptive implants were provided by Merck and supplied by MSD Sweden. HKK and KGD have received honorariums for giving lectures for MSD/Merck and have participated in the national (HKK and KGD) and international (KGD) medical advisory boards for MSD/Merck. The other authors have nothing to declare. ClinicalTrials number NCT01920022. 06 August 2013. 13 October 2013. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prediction of antenna array performance from subarray measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huisjen, M. A.

1978-01-01

Computer runs were used to determine the effect of mechanical distortions on array pattern performance. Subarray gain data, along with feed network insertion loss, and insertion phase data were combined with the analysis of Ruze on random errors to predict gain of a full array.

Prosthetic Complications and Maintenance Requirements in Locator-attached Implant-Supported Overdentures: A Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Engelhardt, Frank; Zeman, Florian; Behr, Michael; Hahmel, Sebastian

2016-03-01

Retrospective data of 32 patients supplied with implant-supported and Locator-attached overdentures were screened for prosthetic complications and maintenance requirements, which were recorded and statistically analyzed. Mean observation time was 4.78 ± 1.72) years. Loss of retention was the most frequently observed event (n = 22). Damage and exchange of the insert holders (n = 4) and loosening of locator attachments (n = 2) and fracture of the insert holder (n = 2) were uncommon events; no loss of locator attachments was observed. Loss of retention in Locator-attached overdentures is frequent; correlating patient-specific parameters with prosthetic complications is necessary to define recommendations for the use of Locator attachments.

Delayed low frequency hearing loss caused by cochlear implantation interventions via the round window but not cochleostomy.

PubMed

Rowe, David; Chambers, Scott; Hampson, Amy; Eastwood, Hayden; Campbell, Luke; O'Leary, Stephen

2016-03-01

Cochlear implant recipients show improved speech perception and music appreciation when residual acoustic hearing is combined with the cochlear implant. However, up to one third of patients lose their pre-operative residual hearing weeks to months after implantation, for reasons that are not well understood. This study tested whether this "delayed" hearing loss was influenced by the route of electrode array insertion and/or position of the electrode array within scala tympani in a guinea pig model of cochlear implantation. Five treatment groups were monitored over 12 weeks: (1) round window implant; (2) round window incised with no implant; (3) cochleostomy with medially-oriented implant; (4) cochleostomy with laterally-oriented implant; and (5) cochleostomy with no implant. Hearing was measured at selected time points by the auditory brainstem response. Cochlear condition was assessed histologically, with cochleae three-dimensionally reconstructed to plot electrode paths and estimate tissue response. Electrode array trajectories matched their intended paths. Arrays inserted via the round window were situated nearer to the basilar membrane and organ of Corti over the majority of their intrascalar path compared with arrays inserted via cochleostomy. Round window interventions exhibited delayed, low frequency hearing loss that was not seen after cochleostomy. This hearing loss appeared unrelated to the extent of tissue reaction or injury within scala tympani, although round window insertion was histologically the most traumatic mode of implantation. We speculate that delayed hearing loss was related not to the electrode position as postulated, but rather to the muscle graft used to seal the round window post-intervention, by altering cochlear mechanics via round window fibrosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Research progress of polyethylene inserts wear measurement and evaluation in total knee arthroplasty].

PubMed

Zhao, Feng; Wang, Chuan; Fan, Yubo

2015-01-01

Wear of polyethylene (PE) tibial inserts is a significant cause of implant failure of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). PE inserts wear measurement and evaluation is the key in TKA researches. There are many methods to measure insert wear. Qualitative methods such as observation are used to determine the wear and its type. Quantitative methods such as gravimetric analysis, coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) are used to measure the mass, volume and geometry of wear. In this paper, the principle, characteristics and research progress of main insert wear evaluation method were introduced and the problems and disadvantages were analyzed.

Dental implants typically help retain peri-implant vertical bone height: evidence-based analysis.

PubMed

Greenstein, Gary; Cavallaro, John

2013-01-01

The dental literature is assessed regarding the ability of dental implants to maintain vertical bone height after various implant placement scenarios: immediate, delayed, insertion into partially and fully edentate healed ridges, and under overdentures. Studies are also reviewed to determine if bone loss after implant insertion is continuous. Numerous investigations that support the concept that implants preserve bone height are identified. In addition, the data indicate that a minuscule amount of annual bone loss usually persists after implant placement, but it is often clinically imperceptible.

Factors influencing initial cup stability in total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Amirouche, Farid; Solitro, Giovanni; Broviak, Stefanie; Gonzalez, Mark; Goldstein, Wayne; Barmada, Riad

2014-12-01

One of the main goals in total hip replacement is to preserve the integrity of the hip kinematics, by well positioning the cup and to make sure its initial stability is congruent and attained. Achieving the latter is not trivial. A finite element model of the cup-bone interface simulating a realistic insertion and analysis of different scenarios of cup penetration, insertion, under-reaming and loading is investigated to determine certain measurable factors sensitivity to stress-strain outcome. The insertion force during hammering and its relation to the cup penetration during implantation is also investigated with the goal of determining the initial stability of the acetabular cup during total hip arthroplasty. The mathematical model was run in various configurations to simulate 1 and 2mm of under-reaming at various imposed insertion distances to mimic hammering and insertion of cup insertion into the pelvis. Surface contact and micromotion at the cup-bone interface were evaluated after simulated cup insertion and post-operative loading conditions. The results suggest a direct correlation between under-reaming and insertion force used to insert the acetabular cup on the micromotion and fixation at the cup-bone interface. While increased under-reaming and insertion force result in an increase amount of stability at the interface, approximately the same percentage of surface contact and micromotion reduction can be achieved with less insertion force. We need to exercise caution to determine the optimal configuration which achieves a good conformity without approaching the yield strength for bone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concept of a Cryogenic System for a Cryogen-Free 25 T Superconducting Magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwai, Sadanori; Takahashi, Masahiko; Miyazaki, Hiroshi; Tosaka, Taizo; Tasaki, Kenji; Hanai, Satoshi; Ioka, Shigeru; Watanabe, Kazuo; Awaji, Satoshi; Oguro, Hidetoshi

A cryogen-free 25 T superconducting magnet using a ReBCO insert coil that generates 11.5 T in a 14 T background field of outer low-temperature superconducting (LTS) coils is currently under development. The AC loss of the insert coil during field ramping is approximately 8.8 W, which is difficult to dissipate at the operating temperature of the LTS coils (4 K). However, since a ReBCO coil can operate at a temperature above 4 K, the ReBCO insert coil is cooled to about 10 K by two GM cryocoolers, and the LTS coils are independently cooled by two GM/JT cryocoolers. Two GM cryocoolers cool a circulating helium gas through heat exchangers, and the gas is transported over a long distance to the cold stage located on the ReBCO insert coil, in order to protect the cryocoolers from the leakage field of high magnetic fields. The temperature difference of the 2nd cold stage of the GM cryocoolers and the insert coil can be reduced by increasing the gas flow rate. However, at the same time, the heat loss of the heat exchangers increases, and the temperature of the second cold stage is raised. Therefore, the gas flow rate is optimized to minimize the operating temperature of the ReBCO insert coil by using a flow controller and a bypass circuit connected to a buffer tank.

Compact polarizing beam splitter based on a metal-insulator-metal inserted into multimode interference coupler.

PubMed

Chheang, Vuthy; Lee, Tae-Kyeong; Oh, Geum-Yoon; Kim, Hong-Seung; Lee, Byeong-Hyeon; Kim, Doo Gun; Choi, Young-Wan

2013-09-09

We propose and analyze a compact polarizing beam splitter (PBS) based on a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure inserted into a multimode interference coupler (MMI). Owing to the MIM structure, the TE polarized state is reflected by the cut-off condition while the TM polarized state is transmitted by the surface plasmon polariton, and the two polarized states can thus be separated. In this paper, the dependence of the reflected TE and transmitted TM field intensities on the MIM length and the gap thickness has been studied systematically. The proposed PBS structure, with a total size of 4 × 0.7 × 44 µm(3) is designed with MIM length, gap thickness, and metal thickness of 0.6 µm, 0.5 µm, and 0.05 µm, respectively. In the designed PBS, the transmittance for the TM polarized light, reflectance for the TE polarized light, extinction ratio, and insertion losses of the TE and TM modes are obtained using a 3D finite-difference time-domain method to be 0.9, 0.88, 12.55 dB, and 1.1 dB and 0.9 dB, respectively. The designed PBS has a much shorter length, 44 µm, compared to previous PBS devices.

Report on the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter Mission : JPL special review board

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brace, Richard; Casani, John; Farquhar, Robert; Haynes, Norm; Jordan, Frank; Kohlhase, Charles; Mitchell, Robert; Polutchko, Robert J.; Schallenmuller, Al; Slonski, John P.;

An L-section DC electric field switchable bulk acoustic wave solidly mounted resonator filter based on Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3.

PubMed

Saddik, George N; York, Robert A

2012-09-01

This paper reports on the modeling, fabrication, and experimental results of a voltage switchable barium strontium titanate solidly mounted resonator filter at 6 GHz. The filter insertion loss was measured to be -4.26 dB and the return loss to be -13.5 dB. The 3-dB bandwidth was measured to be 72 MHz and the quality factor was calculated to be 83. The data were collected at a dc bias voltage of 10 V. Temperature data were also collected, and the filter demonstrated a 0.71-dB increase in insertion loss and a 7-MHz decrease in center frequency with increase in temperature.

Hands-on work fine-tunes X-band PIN-diode duplexer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, P.

1985-06-01

Computer-aided design (CAD) programs for fabricating PIN-diode duplexers are useful in avoiding time-consuming cut-and-try techniques. Nevertheless, to attain minimum insertion loss, only experimentation yields the optimum microstrip circuitry. A PIN-diode duplexer, consisting of two SPST PIN-diode switches and a pair of 3-dB Lange microstrip couplers, designed for an X-band transmit/receive module exemplifies what is possible when computer-derived designs and experimentation are used together. Differences between the measured and computer-generated figures for insertion loss can be attributed to several factors not included in the CAD program - for example, radiation and connector losses. Mechanical tolerances of the microstrip PC board and variations in the SMA connector-to-microstrip transition contribute to the discrepancy.

Microwave evaluation of electromigration susceptibility in advanced interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunday, Christopher E.; Veksler, Dmitry; Cheung, Kin C.; Obeng, Yaw S.

2017-11-01

Traditional metrology has been unable to adequately address the needs of the emerging integrated circuits (ICs) at the nano scale; thus, new metrology and techniques are needed. For example, the reliability challenges in fabrication need to be well understood and controlled to facilitate mass production of through-substrate-via (TSV) enabled three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs). This requires new approaches to the metrology. In this paper, we use the microwave propagation characteristics to study the reliability issues that precede the physical damage caused by electromigration in the Cu-filled TSVs. The pre-failure microwave insertion losses and group delay are dependent on both the device temperature and the amount of current forced through the devices-under-test. The microwave insertion losses increase with the increase in the test temperature, while the group delay increases with the increase in the forced direct current magnitude. The microwave insertion losses are attributed to the defect mobility at the Cu-TiN interface, and the group delay changes are due to resistive heating in the interconnects, which perturbs the dielectric properties of the cladding dielectrics of the copper fill in the TSVs.

Arginine insertion and loss of N-linked glycosylation site in HIV-1 envelope V3 region confer CXCR4-tropism

PubMed Central

Tsuchiya, Kiyoto; Ode, Hirotaka; Hayashida, Tsunefusa; Kakizawa, Junko; Sato, Hironori; Oka, Shinichi; Gatanaga, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

The third variable region (V3) of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 plays a key role in determination of viral coreceptor usage (tropism). However, which combinations of mutations in V3 confer a tropism shift is still unclear. A unique pattern of mutations in antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-1 patient was observed associated with the HIV-1 tropism shift CCR5 to CXCR4. The insertion of arginine at position 11 and the loss of the N-linked glycosylation site were indispensable for acquiring pure CXCR4-tropism, which were confirmed by cell-cell fusion assay and phenotype analysis of recombinant HIV-1 variants. The same pattern of mutations in V3 and the associated tropism shift were identified in two of 53 other patients (3.8%) with CD4+ cell count <200/mm3. The combination of arginine insertion and loss of N-linked glycosylation site usually confers CXCR4-tropism. Awareness of this rule will help to confirm the tropism prediction from V3 sequences by conventional rules. PMID:23925152

Measurement of Insertion Loss of an Acoustic Treatment in the Presence of Additional Uncorrelated Sound Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klos, Jacob; Palumbo, Daniel L.

2003-01-01

A method to intended for measurement of the insertion loss of an acoustic treatment applied to an aircraft fuselage in-situ is documented in this paper. Using this method, the performance of a treatment applied to a limited portion of an aircraft fuselage can be assessed even though the untreated fuselage also radiates into the cabin, corrupting the intensity measurement. This corrupting noise in the intensity measurement incoherent with the panel vibration of interest is removed by correlating the intensity to reference transducers such as accelerometers. Insertion loss of the acoustic treatments is estimated from the ratio of correlated intensity measurements with and without a treatment applied. In the case of turbulent boundary layer excitation of the fuselage, this technique can be used to assess the performance of noise control methods without requiring treatment of the entire fuselage. Several experimental studies and numerical simulations have been conducted, and results from three case studies are documented in this paper. Conclusions are drawn about the use of this method to study aircraft sidewall treatments.

Response Changes During Insertion of a Cochlear Implant Using Extracochlear Electrocochleography.

PubMed

Giardina, Christopher K; Khan, Tatyana E; Pulver, Stephen H; Adunka, Oliver F; Buchman, Craig A; Brown, Kevin D; Pillsbury, Harold C; Fitzpatrick, Douglas C

2018-03-16

Electrocochleography is increasingly being utilized as an intraoperative monitor of cochlear function during cochlear implantation (CI). Intracochlear recordings from the advancing electrode can be obtained through the device by on-board capabilities. However, such recordings may not be ideal as a monitor because the recording electrode moves in relation to the neural and hair cell generators producing the responses. The purposes of this study were to compare two extracochlear recording locations in terms of signal strength and feasibility as intraoperative monitoring sites and to characterize changes in cochlear physiology during CI insertion. In 83 human subjects, responses to 90 dB nHL tone bursts were recorded both at the round window (RW) and then at an extracochlear position-either adjacent to the stapes or on the promontory just superior to the RW. Recording from the fixed, extracochlear position continued during insertion of the CI in 63 cases. Before CI insertion, responses to low-frequency tones at the RW were roughly 6 dB larger than when recording at either extracochlear site, but the two extracochlear sites did not differ from one another. During CI insertion, response losses from the promontory or adjacent to the stapes stayed within 5 dB in ≈61% (38/63) of cases, presumably indicating atraumatic insertions. Among responses which dropped more than 5 dB at any time during CI insertion, 12 subjects showed no response recovery, while in 13, the drop was followed by partial or complete response recovery by the end of CI insertion. In cases with recovery, the drop in response occurred relatively early (<15 mm insertion) compared to those where there was no recovery. Changes in response phase during the insertion occurred in some cases; these may indicate a change in the distributions of generators contributing to the response. Monitoring the electrocochleography during CI insertion from an extracochlear site reveals insertions that are potentially atraumatic show interaction with cochlear structures followed by response recovery or show interactions such that response losses persist to the end of recording.

Kinematic comparison between mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing inserts in NexGen legacy posterior stabilized flex total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Shi, Kenrin; Hayashida, Kenji; Umeda, Naoya; Yamamoto, Kengo; Kawai, Hideo

2008-02-01

Femoral component rollback and tibial rotation were evaluated using lateral radiographs taken during passive knee flexion under fluoroscopy in NexGen Legacy Posterior Stabilized Flex (Zimmer, Warsaw, Ind) total knee arthroplasties (TKAs; 30 with mobile insert and 26 with fixed insert). Measured maximal flexion angle demonstrated no significant differences. Femoral component rollback was observed predominantly in TKAs with fixed insert in more than 45 degrees flexion and correlated with maximal flexion angle in each group. Tibial internal rotation was more significant in TKAs with mobile insert in maximal flexion. However, tibial internal rotation from 90 degrees to maximal flexion, which demonstrated correlation with maximal flexion angle in each group, did not show significant difference. The kinematic differences between 2 inserts seemed to have little relevance to the maximal flexion angle.

CAD of 0.1- to 10-GHz GaAs MMIC SPST switch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Ramchandra; Kirty, V. S. R.

1998-04-01

The design of the SPST switch provides an insertion loss less than 2 dB, isolation more than 40 dB and return loss better than 17.5 dB in the frequency range of 0.1 GHz to 10 GHz. The insertion loss is improved by treating SPST switch as a 50 (Omega) artificial transmission line with incorporation of inductor in series arm and the capacitance of MESFET in the shunt arm. High isolation is ensured by the lower value of `ON' resistance of MESFET in shunt arm. Also good return loss is achieved by paralleling a 50 (Omega) resistor with capacitance of MESFET in series arm. The absence of DC blocking capacitors and replacement of large value bias chokes with 5 K(Omega) resistors effectively improved the performance of SPST switch at low frequency and also reduced the chip size. The overall chip dimension is 2.2 mm X 1.7 mm.

Ultra-compact 32 × 32 strictly-non-blocking Si-wire optical switch with fan-out LGA interposer.

PubMed

Tanizawa, Ken; Suzuki, Keijiro; Toyama, Munehiro; Ohtsuka, Minoru; Yokoyama, Nobuyuki; Matsumaro, Kazuyuki; Seki, Miyoshi; Koshino, Keiji; Sugaya, Toshio; Suda, Satoshi; Cong, Guangwei; Kimura, Toshio; Ikeda, Kazuhiro; Namiki, Shu; Kawashima, Hitoshi

2015-06-29

We demonstrate a 32 × 32 path-independent-insertion-loss optical path switch that integrates 1024 thermooptic Mach-Zehnder switches and 961 intersections on a small, 11 × 25 mm2 die. The switch is fabricated on a 300-mm-diameter silicon-on-insulator wafer by a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor-compatible process with advanced ArF immersion lithography. For reliable electrical packaging, the switch chip is flip-chip bonded to a ceramic interposer that arranges the electrodes in a 0.5-mm pitch land grid array. The on-chip loss is measured to be 15.8 ± 1.0 dB, and successful switching is demonstrated for digital-coherent 43-Gb/s QPSK signals. The total crosstalk of the switch is estimated to be less than -20 dB at the center wavelength of 1545 nm. The bandwidth narrowing caused by dimensional errors that arise during fabrication is discussed.

A comparative analysis of salivary factors and maxillary denture retention in different arch forms: An in vivo study.

PubMed

Shekhar, Abhishek; Das, Samiran; Bhattacharyya, Jayanta; Goel, Preeti; Majumdar, Sayan; Ghosh, Soumitra

2018-01-01

This study aims to find the effect of change in different salivary factors before and after complete denture insertion and to measure the maxillary denture retention in different arch forms. Thirty completely edentulous individuals (10 each of square, tapered, and ovoid arch form of maxilla) belonging to the age group of 40-70 years were selected. Salivary factors (flow, density, pH, viscosity, and total protein) were evaluated before and after denture insertion. Retention of maxillary denture was measured in all the different arch forms. Student's independent sample's t -test was applied. The correlation was analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis. While mean flow rate and pH of saliva increased, mean viscosity, total protein, and density of saliva decreased after maxillary complete denture insertion. A positive correlation was found between retention and total maxillary basal surface area. Retention value was found to be greatest in square type and least in tapered type. Complete denture acts as a mechanical stimulant thus increasing flow rate and pH immediately after complete denture insertion. Density, total protein, and viscosity of saliva decreased after complete denture insertion which may be due to increase in water content of saliva. The retention of maxillary complete denture does not seem to depend on the rate of change of the salivary factors, before and after complete denture insertion. Total basal surface area and maxillary denture retention values were highest in square arch form and least in tapered arch form.

Facial asymmetry and clinical manifestations in patients with novel insertion of the TCOF1 gene.

PubMed

Su, P-H; Liu, Y-F; Yu, J-S; Chen, J-Y; Chen, S-J; Lai, Y-J

2012-11-01

This study explored the role of TCOF1 insertion mutations in Taiwanese patients with craniofacial anomalies. Twelve patients with single or multiple, asymmetrical congenital craniofacial anomalies were enrolled. Genomic DNA was prepared from leukocytes; the coding regions of TCOF1 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. Clinical manifestations were correlated to the TCOF1 mutation. Six of 12 patients diagnosed with hemifacial microsomia exhibited a novel insertion mutation 4127 ins G (frameshift) in exon 24 in the TCOF1 gene. All six patients were diagnosed with anomalies on the left side. In addition, four of these six patients had hearing impairment; three had other major anomalies; and two had developmental delay. The insertion caused a frameshift, an early truncation, the loss of two putative nuclear localization signals (residues 1404-1420 and 1424-1440), and the loss of coiled coil domain (1406-1426) in treacle protein. These findings support the existence of two regulators of growth of the mandibular condyles. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Study of methods of improving the performance of the Langley Research Center Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A study has been made of possible ways to improve the performance of the Langley Research Center's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The major effort was directed toward obtaining increased dynamic pressure in the Mach number range from 0.8 to 1.2, but methods to increase Mach number capability were also considered. Methods studied for increasing dynamic pressure capability were higher total pressure, auxiliary suction, reducing circuit losses, reduced test medium temperature, smaller test section and higher molecular weight test medium. Increased Mach number methods investigated were nozzle block inserts, variable geometry nozzle, changes in test section wall configuration, and auxiliary suction.

Deficiency of slow skeletal muscle troponin T causes atrophy of type I slow fibres and decreases tolerance to fatigue.

PubMed

Wei, Bin; Lu, Yingru; Jin, J-P

2014-03-15

The total loss of slow skeletal muscle troponin T (ssTnT encoded by TNNT1 gene) due to a nonsense mutation in codon Glu(180) causes a lethal form of recessively inherited nemaline myopathy (Amish nemaline myopathy, ANM). To investigate the pathogenesis and muscle pathophysiology of ANM, we studied the phenotypes of partial and total loss of ssTnT in Tnnt1 gene targeted mice. An insertion of neomycin resistance cassette in intron 10 of Tnnt1 gene caused an approximately 60% decrease in ssTnT protein expression whereas cre-loxP-mediated deletion of exons 11-13 resulted in total loss of ssTnT, as seen in ANM muscles. In diaphragm and soleus muscles of the knockdown and knockout mouse models, we demonstrated that ssTnT deficiency resulted in significantly decreased levels of other slow fibre-specific myofilament proteins whereas fast fibre-specific myofilament proteins were increased correspondingly. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that ssTnT deficiency produced significantly smaller type I slow fibres and compensatory growth of type II fast fibres. Along with the slow fibre atrophy and the changes in myofilament protein isoform contents, ssTnT deficiency significantly reduced the tolerance to fatigue in soleus muscle. ssTnT-deficient soleus muscle also contains significant numbers of small-sized central nuclei type I fibres, indicating active regeneration. The data provide strong support for the essential role of ssTnT in skeletal muscle function and the causal effect of its loss in the pathology of ANM. This observation further supports the hypothesis that the function of slow fibres can be restored in ANM patients if a therapeutic supplement of ssTnT is achieved.

Deficiency of slow skeletal muscle troponin T causes atrophy of type I slow fibres and decreases tolerance to fatigue

PubMed Central

Wei, Bin; Lu, Yingru; Jin, J-P

2014-01-01

The total loss of slow skeletal muscle troponin T (ssTnT encoded by TNNT1 gene) due to a nonsense mutation in codon Glu180 causes a lethal form of recessively inherited nemaline myopathy (Amish nemaline myopathy, ANM). To investigate the pathogenesis and muscle pathophysiology of ANM, we studied the phenotypes of partial and total loss of ssTnT in Tnnt1 gene targeted mice. An insertion of neomycin resistance cassette in intron 10 of Tnnt1 gene caused an approximately 60% decrease in ssTnT protein expression whereas cre-loxP-mediated deletion of exons 11–13 resulted in total loss of ssTnT, as seen in ANM muscles. In diaphragm and soleus muscles of the knockdown and knockout mouse models, we demonstrated that ssTnT deficiency resulted in significantly decreased levels of other slow fibre-specific myofilament proteins whereas fast fibre-specific myofilament proteins were increased correspondingly. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that ssTnT deficiency produced significantly smaller type I slow fibres and compensatory growth of type II fast fibres. Along with the slow fibre atrophy and the changes in myofilament protein isoform contents, ssTnT deficiency significantly reduced the tolerance to fatigue in soleus muscle. ssTnT-deficient soleus muscle also contains significant numbers of small-sized central nuclei type I fibres, indicating active regeneration. The data provide strong support for the essential role of ssTnT in skeletal muscle function and the causal effect of its loss in the pathology of ANM. This observation further supports the hypothesis that the function of slow fibres can be restored in ANM patients if a therapeutic supplement of ssTnT is achieved. PMID:24445317

Predicting the failure of retrograde ureteral stent insertion for managing malignant ureteral obstruction in outpatients

PubMed Central

WANG, JIN-YOU; ZHANG, HAI-LIANG; ZHU, YAO; QIN, XIAO-JIAN; DAI, BO; YE, DING-WEI

2016-01-01

Malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO) is an unpropitious sign that is commonly observed in patients with advanced incurable cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate predictive factors for the failure of retrograde ureteral stent insertion in the management of MUO in outpatients. A total of 164 patients with MUO were retrospectively assessed in this study. Clinical factors, including age, gender, type of malignancy, level of obstruction, cause of obstruction, pre-operative creatinine level, degree of hydronephrosis, condition of the contralateral ureter, prior radiotherapy, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), bladder wall invasion and technical failure, were recorded for each case. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for predicting the failure of retrograde ureteral stent insertion. In total, 38 out of 164 patients experienced bilateral obstruction, therefore, a total of 202 ureteral units were available for data analysis. The rate of insertion failure in MUO was 34.65%. Multivariate analyses identified ECOG PS, degree of hydronephrosis and bladder wall invasion as independent predictors for insertion failure. Overall, the present study found that rate of retrograde ureteral stent insertion failure is high in outpatients with MUO, and that ECOG PS, degree of hydronephrosis and bladder invasion are potential independent predictors of insertion failure. PMID:26870299

Blood, men and tears: keeping IUDs in place in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Bradley, Janet E; Alam, Mahboob-E-; Shabnam, Fatema; Beattie, Tara S H

2009-06-01

The Intra-Uterine Device (IUD) is an effective method of contraception, but in Bangladesh is associated with high levels of discontinuation within the first year. This study involved data collection from a retrospective cohort of women who had an IUD inserted 12 months earlier. In the cohort, 330 women were interviewed to identify factors associated with discontinuation. Later, 20 women, of the 103 who reported discontinuing because of excessive menstrual bleeding, were interviewed again and in depth about these issues. Of 330 women who had an IUD inserted, 47.3% had discontinued use one year post-insertion. In univariate and multivariate analyses, IUD discontinuation was strongly associated with side-effects (heavier periods; abdominal pain) and spousal factors (not discussing IUD with husband pre-insertion), but not with service delivery factors. In-depth interviews with women who reported excessive blood loss as the main reason for discontinuation found a doubling of both menstrual days and blood loss after IUD insertion. In Bangladesh, women cannot pray, have sexual intercourse, perform household tasks or participate in community activities during menstruation. Thus, women with menstrual side-effects faced serious physical, social and psychological challenges that made continuation difficult. Among those who discontinued, spouses were generally unsupportive and sometimes abusive, particularly when not involved in the decision to use the IUD.

Correlation of Electric Field and Critical Design Parameters for Ferroelectric Tunable Microwave Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subramanyam, Guru; VanKeuls, Fred W.; Miranda, Felix A.; Canedy, Chadwick L.; Aggarwal, Sanjeev; Venkatesan, Thirumalai; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy

2000-01-01

The correlation of electric field and critical design parameters such as the insertion loss, frequency ability return loss, and bandwidth of conductor/ferroelectric/dielectric microstrip tunable K-band microwave filters is discussed in this work. This work is based primarily on barium strontium titanate (BSTO) ferroelectric thin film based tunable microstrip filters for room temperature applications. Two new parameters which we believe will simplify the evaluation of ferroelectric thin films for tunable microwave filters, are defined. The first of these, called the sensitivity parameter, is defined as the incremental change in center frequency with incremental change in maximum applied electric field (EPEAK) in the filter. The other, the loss parameter, is defined as the incremental or decremental change in insertion loss of the filter with incremental change in maximum applied electric field. At room temperature, the Au/BSTO/LAO microstrip filters exhibited a sensitivity parameter value between 15 and 5 MHz/cm/kV. The loss parameter varied for different bias configurations used for electrically tuning the filter. The loss parameter varied from 0.05 to 0.01 dB/cm/kV at room temperature.

LP01 to LP0m mode converters using all-fiber two-stage tapers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellah, Hakim; Zhang, Xiupu; Shen, Dongya

2015-11-01

A mode converter between LP01 and LP0m modes is proposed using two stages of tapers. The first stage is formed by an adiabatically tapering a circular fiber to excite the desirable LP0m mode. The second stage is formed by inserting an inner core (tapered from both sides) with a refractive index smaller than the original core. This second stage is used to obtain low insertion loss and high extinction ratio of the desired LP0m mode. Three converters between LP01 and LP0m, m=2, 3, and 4, are designed for C-band, and simulation results show that less than 0.24, 0.54 and 0.7 dB insertion loss and higher than 15, 16, and 17.5 dB extinction ratio over the entire band were obtained for the three converters, respectively.

Surface acoustic wave resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avitabile, Gianfranco; Roselli, Luca; Atzeni, Carlo; Manes, Gianfranco

1991-10-01

The development of surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators is reviewed with attention given to the design of a simulation package for CAD-assisted SAW resonator design. Basic design configurations and operation parameters are set forth for the SAW resonators including the phase of the reflection factor, evaluation of the stopband center frequency, stopband width, and the free propagation speed. The use of synchronous designs is shown to reduce device sensitivity to variations in the technological process but generate higher insertion losses. The existence of transverse modes and propagation losses is shown to affect the rejection of spurious modes and the achievement of low insertion losses. Several SAW resonators are designed and fabricated with the CAD process, and the resonators in the VHF-UHF bands perform in a manner predicted by simulated results.

[Comparison of different modes of using tranexamic acid administration on reducing hidden blood loss in total hip arthroplasty].

PubMed

Ni, Jin-Rong; Wang, Li-Xin; Chen, Xin-Jun

2016-08-25

To compare the clinical efficacy of using tranexamic acid in different ways to reduce the hidden blood loss in patients who receiving total hip arthroplasty (THA). Totally 68 patients with osteonecrosis of the femeral head treated by total hip arthroplasty in our hospital from February 2010 to July 2015 were randomly divided into the intravenous drip group (group A) and the topical application group (group B). In group A, there were 19 males and 15 females, with an average age of (62.0±6.4) years old, preoperative average hemoglobin was (121.30±8.15) g/L, average Hematocrit was (0.470±0.039) L/L. In group B, there were 18 males and 16 females, with an average age of (64.0±7.5) years old, preoperative average hemoglobin was (125.28±9.37) g/L, average Hematocrit was (0.490±0.041) L/L. The operation incision were performed through the posterolateral approach and the normal operation mode, biological prosthesis was selected. Through different ways the tranexamic acid was used to control of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding. Tranexamic acid was intra articular injection as a dose of 10 mg/kg 10 min to patient before anesthesia in intravenous drip group. In topic group, 3 g of tranexamic acid was dissolved in 120 ml saline and divided into three equal parts, then two pieces of gauze were immersed in 40 ml tranexamic acid solution. One gauze with 40 ml tranexamic acid was used to soak the acetabulum for 5 minutes after the acetabular preparation, another gauze was inserted in the femoral canal for 5 minutes after femoral canal broach preparation. The remaining 40 ml tranexamic acid fluid was injected into the hip joint after fascia closure. Place the drainage tube and clip it for 3 hours. Hemoglobin (Hb) and Hematocrit (Hct) were recorded at 72 hours after operation. The total blood loss, dominant blood loss, and hidden blood loss were calculated. In group A, postoperative hemoglobin difference before and after operation was (32.34±7.42) g/L, total blood loss was (833.6±81.4) ml, the hidden blood loss was (276.3±57.9) ml, red blood cell volume was (10.1±1.4) L/L;In group B, hemoglobin difference before and after operation was (28.2±6.1) g/L, total blood loss was (792.5±61.8) ml, the hidden blood loss was (297.5±50.3) ml, red blood cell volume was (9.2±1.2) L/L. There was no statistical significance about those aspect ( P >0.05). Compared of blood coagulation function between two groups, in group A: PT (12.78±2.03) s, APTT (34.27±3.91) s, INR (32.34±7.42); and in group B: PT (13.17±2.19) s, APTT (32.36±3.18) s, INR (28.24±6.14). There was no significant differences also ( P >0.05). Compared with intravenous application, topical application of tranexamic acid could also effectively reduce total blood loss and hidden blood loss, postoperative blood transfusion rate in primary total hip arthroplasty, while does not increase the risk of DVT.

A Comprehensive Analysis of In Vitro and In Vivo Genetic Fitness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Using High-Throughput Sequencing of Transposon Libraries

PubMed Central

Aschard, Hugues; Cattoir, Vincent; Yoder-Himes, Deborah; Lory, Stephen; Pier, Gerald B.

2013-01-01

High-throughput sequencing of transposon (Tn) libraries created within entire genomes identifies and quantifies the contribution of individual genes and operons to the fitness of organisms in different environments. We used insertion-sequencing (INSeq) to analyze the contribution to fitness of all non-essential genes in the chromosome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 based on a library of ∼300,000 individual Tn insertions. In vitro growth in LB provided a baseline for comparison with the survival of the Tn insertion strains following 6 days of colonization of the murine gastrointestinal tract as well as a comparison with Tn-inserts subsequently able to systemically disseminate to the spleen following induction of neutropenia. Sequencing was performed following DNA extraction from the recovered bacteria, digestion with the MmeI restriction enzyme that hydrolyzes DNA 16 bp away from the end of the Tn insert, and fractionation into oligonucleotides of 1,200–1,500 bp that were prepared for high-throughput sequencing. Changes in frequency of Tn inserts into the P. aeruginosa genome were used to quantify in vivo fitness resulting from loss of a gene. 636 genes had <10 sequencing reads in LB, thus defined as unable to grow in this medium. During in vivo infection there were major losses of strains with Tn inserts in almost all known virulence factors, as well as respiration, energy utilization, ion pumps, nutritional genes and prophages. Many new candidates for virulence factors were also identified. There were consistent changes in the recovery of Tn inserts in genes within most operons and Tn insertions into some genes enhanced in vivo fitness. Strikingly, 90% of the non-essential genes were required for in vivo survival following systemic dissemination during neutropenia. These experiments resulted in the identification of the P. aeruginosa strain PA14 genes necessary for optimal survival in the mucosal and systemic environments of a mammalian host. PMID:24039572

[Hearing capacity and speech production in 417 children with facial cleft abnormalities].

PubMed

Schönweiler, R; Schönweiler, B; Schmelzeisen, R

1994-11-01

Children with cleft palates often suffer from chronic conductive hearing losses, delayed language acquisition and speech disorders. This study presents results of speech and language outcomes in relation to hearing function and types of palatal malformations found. 417 children with cleft palates were examined during followup evaluations that extended over several years. Disorders were studied as they affected the ears, nose and throat, audiometry and speech and language pathology. Children with isolated cleft lips were excluded. Among the total group, 8% had normal speech and language development while 92% had speech or language disorders. 80% of these latter children had hearing problems that predominantly consisted of fluctuating conductive hearing losses caused by otitis media with effusion. 5% had sensorineural hearing losses. Fifty-eight children (14%) with rhinolalia aperta were not improved by speech therapy and required velopharyngoplasties, using a cranial-based pharyngeal flap. Language skills did not depend on the type of cleft palate presents but on the frequency and amount of hearing loss found. Otomicroscopy and audiometric follow-ups with insertions of ventilation tubes were considered to be most important for language development in those children with repeated middle ear infections. Speech or language therapy was necessary in 49% of the children.

Radio Frequency (RF) Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) Switches for Space Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Ponchak, George E.; Scardelletti, Maximillian C.; Varaljay, Nicholas C.

2000-01-01

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) is an emerging technology for radio frequency (RF) systems because it has the potential to dramatically decrease loss and improve efficiency. In this paper, we address the design and fabrication of novel MEMS switches being developed at NASA Glenn Research Center. Two types of switches are being developed: a microstrip series single pole single throw (SPST) switch and a coplanar waveguide (CPW) series SPST and single pole double throw (SPDT) switches. These are being fabricated as an integral part of 50 Ohm microstrip and CPW RF integrated circuits using microfabrication techniques. The construction of the switch relies on a cantilever beam that is partially supported by a dielectric post. The cantilever beam is electro-magnetically actuated. To decrease stiction, a Si3N4 thin film is deposited over the contact area. Thus, when the switch is closed, the ON-state insertion loss is governed by the parallel plate capacitance formed by the two contacts. The isolation in the OFF-state is governed by the parasitic capacitance when the cantilever is in the up position. RF MEMS switches have been demonstrated with 80% lower insertion loss than conventional solid state devices (GaAs Metal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MESFETs) and Silicon PIN diodes) based switches. For example, a conventional GaAs five-bit phase shifter which is required for beam steering in a phased array antenna has approximately 7 dB of insertion loss at 26.5 GHz where as a comparable MEMS based phase shifter is expected to have only 2 dB of insertion loss. This translates into 56% lower power dissipation and therefore decreases the thermal load on the spacecraft and also reduces the power amplifier requirements. These benefits will enable NASA to build the next generation of deep space science crafts and micro/nano satellites.

Ultra-high-speed graphene optical modulator design based on tight field confinement in a slot waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovacevic, Goran; Phare, Christopher; Set, Sze Y.; Lipson, Michal; Yamashita, Shinji

2018-06-01

We present a design of an ultra-fast in-line graphene optical modulator on a silicon waveguide with a bandwidth exceeding 100 GHz, very small power consumption below 15 fJ/bit, and insertion loss of 1.5 dB. This is achieved by utilizing the transverse-electric-mode silicon slot to tailor the overlap of graphene electrodes, thus significantly reducing the capacitance of the device while maintaining a low insertion loss and using conservative estimates of the graphene resistance. Our design is substantiated by comprehensive finite-element-method simulations and RC circuit characterization, as well as fabrication feasibility discussion.

A linear 180 nm SOI CMOS antenna switch module using integrated passive device filters for cellular applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jie, Cui; Lei, Chen; Peng, Zhao; Xu, Niu; Yi, Liu

2014-06-01

A broadband monolithic linear single pole, eight throw (SP8T) switch has been fabricated in 180 nm thin film silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS technology with a quad-band GSM harmonic filter in integrated passive devices (IPD) technology, which is developed for cellular applications. The antenna switch module (ASM) features 1.2 dB insertion loss with filter on 2G bands and 0.4 dB insertion loss in 3G bands, less than -45 dB isolation and maximum -103 dB intermodulation distortion for mobile front ends by applying distributed architecture and adaptive supply voltage generator.

Microwave evaluation of electromigration susceptibility in advanced interconnects.

PubMed

Sunday, Christopher E; Veksler, Dmitry; Cheung, Kin C; Obeng, Yaw S

2017-11-07

Traditional metrology has been unable to adequately address the needs of the emerging integrated circuits (ICs) at the nano scale; thus, new metrology and techniques are needed. For example, the reliability challenges in fabrication need to be well understood and controlled to facilitate mass production of through-substrate-via (TSV) enabled three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs). This requires new approaches to the metrology. In this paper, we use the microwave propagation characteristics to study the reliability issues that precede the physical damage caused by electromigration in the Cu-filled TSVs. The pre-failure microwave insertion losses and group delay are dependent on both the device temperature and the amount of current forced through the devices-under-test. The microwave insertion losses increase with the increase in the test temperature, while the group delay increases with the increase in the forced direct current magnitude. The microwave insertion losses are attributed to the defect mobility at the Cu-TiN interface, and the group delay changes are due to resistive heating in the interconnects, which perturbs the dielectric properties of the cladding dielectrics of the copper fill in the TSVs. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4992135.

Mass-spring matching layers for high-frequency ultrasound transducers: a new technique using vacuum deposition.

PubMed

Brown, Jeremy; Sharma, Srikanta; Leadbetter, Jeff; Cochran, Sandy; Adamson, Rob

2014-11-01

We have developed a technique of applying multiple matching layers to high-frequency (>30 MHz) imaging transducers, by using carefully controlled vacuum deposition alone. This technique uses a thin mass-spring matching layer approach that was previously described in a low-frequency (1 to 10 MHz) transducer design with epoxied layers. This mass- spring approach is more suitable to vacuum deposition in highfrequency transducers over the conventional quarter-wavelength resonant cavity approach, because thinner layers and more versatile material selection can be used, the difficulty in precisely lapping quarter-wavelength matching layers is avoided, the layers are less attenuating, and the layers can be applied to a curved surface. Two different 3-mm-diameter 45-MHz planar lithium niobate transducers and one geometrically curved 3-mm lithium niobate transducer were designed and fabricated using this matching layer approach with copper as the mass layer and parylene as the spring layer. The first planar lithium niobate transducer used a single mass-spring matching network, and the second planar lithium niobate transducer used a single mass-spring network to approximate the first layer in a dual quarter-wavelength matching layer system in addition to a conventional quarter-wavelength layer as the second matching layer. The curved lithium niobate transducer was press focused and used a similar mass-spring plus quarter-wavelength matching layer network. These transducers were then compared with identical transducers with no matching layers and the performance improvement was quantified. The bandwidth of the lithium niobate transducer with the single mass-spring layer was measured to be 46% and the insertion loss was measured to be -21.9 dB. The bandwidth and insertion loss of the lithium niobate transducer with the mass-spring network plus quarter-wavelength matching were measured to be 59% and -18.2 dB, respectively. These values were compared with the unmatched transducer, which had a bandwidth of 28% and insertion loss of -34.1 dB. The bandwidth and insertion loss of the curved lithium niobate transducer with the mass-spring plus quarter-wavelength matching layer combination were measured to be 68% and -26 dB, respectively; this compared with the measured unmatched bandwidth and insertion loss of 35% and -37 dB. All experimentally measured values were in excellent agreement with theoretical Krimholtz-Leedom-Matthaei (KLM) model predictions.

Insertion of lithium into electrochromic devices after completion

DOEpatents

Berland, Brian Spencer; Lanning, Bruce Roy; Frey, Jonathan Mack; Barrett, Kathryn Suzanne; DuPont, Paul Damon; Schaller, Ronald William

2015-12-22

The present disclosure describes methods of inserting lithium into an electrochromic device after completion. In the disclosed methods, an ideal amount of lithium can be added post-fabrication to maximize or tailor the free lithium ion density of a layer or the coloration range of a device. Embodiments are directed towards a method to insert lithium into the main device layers of an electrochromic device as a post-processing step after the device has been manufactured. In an embodiment, the methods described are designed to maximize the coloration range while compensating for blind charge loss.

Adjustable Optical-Fiber Attenuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buzzetti, Mike F.

1994-01-01

Adjustable fiber-optic attenuator utilizes bending loss to reduce strength of light transmitted along it. Attenuator functions without introducing measurable back-reflection or insertion loss. Relatively insensitive to vibration and changes in temperature. Potential applications include cable television, telephone networks, other signal-distribution networks, and laboratory instrumentation.

Clinical implications of acute pelvicaliceal hematoma formation during percutaneous catheter nephrostomy insertion.

PubMed

Stewart, Jessica K; Smith, Tony P; Kim, Charles Y

To determine the clinical implications of acute pelvicaliceal hematoma formation during percutaneous catheter nephrostomy (PCN) insertion. Collecting system hematoma burden was retrospectively assessed for 694 PCN insertions in 502 patients. Pelvicaliceal hematoma formation occurred in 146 kidneys (21%) in 136 patients. Clinically significant blood loss occurred in 3 patients with hematomas within one week compared to 4 patients without hematomas (p=0.39). Twenty-four patients with hematomas underwent catheter exchange within one week, compared to 55 patients without hematomas (p=0.49). Pelvicaliceal hematoma formation after PCN insertion is not uncommon and is associated with very rare clinical sequelae. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of six types of footwear on peak plantar pressures in patients with diabetes and transmetatarsal amputation.

PubMed

Mueller, MJ; Strube, MJ; Allen, BT

1997-04-01

INTRODUCTION:: Patients with diabetes (DM) and transmetatarsal amputation (TMA) are at high risk for skin breakdown from excessive peak plantar pressures (PPP). The primary purpose of this study was to determine how footwear (full length shoe or short shoe), a total contact insert, a rigid-rocker bottom (RRB) sole, and an ankle-foot-orthosis (AFO) affect PPP on the distal residuum and contralateral extremity of patients with DM and TMA. A secondary purpose was to monitor various functional measures during use of the footwear. METHODS:: Thirty patients with DM and TMA participated (mean age 62+/-4 years). The mean duration of DM was 19.9+/-10.1 years, and the mean time since TMA was 27.4+/-28.1 months. The following footwear was provided after a check-out from an orthotist and physical therapist (PT); 1) Full length shoe (ie shoe length prior to surgery), with a toe filler, 2) full length shoe, total contact insert, and an AFO, 2) full length shoe, total contact insert, and an AFO, 3) full length shoe, total contact insert, and a RRB sole, 4) full length shoe, total contact insert, RRB sole, and an AFO, 5) short shoe (ie length of residuum), total contact insert, and RRB, 6) short shoe, total contact insert, AFO, and RRB sole. In-shoe PPP during walking at the distal residuum and forefoot of the contralateral extremity were measured using the F-Scan System with established reliability under similar conditions (Generilizability coefficient =.75). Each measurement occurred after a one month adjustment period. Data were analyzed using a univariate repeated measuresANOVA. Individual contrasts were used for post-hoc analysis on those variables showing a significant overall F value (p<.05). RESULTS:: Compared to a regular shoe with a toe-filler, all conditions except the short shoe (#5), resulted in lower PPP on the distal residuum (p<.05). Condition 3, the full length shoe, total contact insert, and RRB resulted in lower pressures on the distal residuum and forefoot of the contralateral extremity compared to a regular shoe and toe-filler, and had few functional complaints as identified by the patient, orthotist or PT (3/27). Footwear using an AFO (Conditions 2,4,6) showed reduced PPP on the residuum, but most patients (16/29) had functional complaints. The short shoe (condition 5) had the fewest[Table: see text] functional complaints (2/26), but did not significantly reduce PPP and had the highest cosmetic refusal rate (5/26). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:: Although there are individual patient characteristics which warrant other prescriptions, based on the results of this study, we recommend the full length shoe, total contact insert, and RRB sole for most patients with DM and TMA to reduce PPP. A reduction in PPP should help to lower the high risk of skin breakdown in this patient population.

Total internal reflection optical switch using the reverse breakdown of a pn junction in silicon.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hun; Park, Hyo-Hoon

2015-11-01

We demonstrate a new type of silicon total-internal-reflection optical switch with a simple pn junction functioning both as a reflector and a heater. The reflector is placed between asymmetrically y-branched multimode waveguides with an inclination angle corresponding to half of the branch angle. When the reflector is at rest, incident light is reflected in accordance to the refractive index difference due to the plasma dispersion effect of the pre-doped carriers. Switching to the transmission state is attained under a reverse breakdown of the pn junction by the thermo-optic effect which smears the refractive index difference. From this switching scheme, we confirmed the switching operation with a shallow total-internal-reflection region of 1 μm width. At a 6° branch angle, an extinction ratio of 12 dB and an insertion loss of -4.2  dB are achieved along with a thermal heating power of 151.5 mW.

Insertion of reticuloendotheliosis virus long terminal repeat into the genome of CVI988 strain of Marek’s disease virus results in enhanced growth and protection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease of chicken caused by serotype 1 MD virus (MDV). Vaccination of commercial poultry has drastically reduced losses from MD and the poultry industry cannot be sustained without the use of vaccines. Retrovirus insertion into herpesviruses genome is a...

Multistage Polymeric Lens Structures Integrated into Silica Waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tate, Atsushi; Suzuki, Takanori; Tsuda, Hiroyuki

2006-08-01

A waveguide lens, composed of multistage polymer-filled thin grooves in a silica planar lightwave circuit (PLC) is proposed and a low-loss structure has been designed. A waveguide lens in a silica slab waveguide has been fabricated using reactive ion etching (RIE) and formed by filling with polymer. Both an imagding optical system and a Fourier-transform optical system can be configured in a PLC using a waveguide lens. It renders the PLC functional and its design flexible. To obtain a shorter focal length with a low insertion loss, it is more effective to use a multistage lens structure. An imaging optical system and a Fourier-transform optical system with a focal length of less than 1000 μm were fabricated in silica waveguides using a multistage lens structure. The lens imaging waveguides incorporate a 16-24-stage lens, with insertion losses of 4-7 dB. A 4 × 4 optical coupler, using a Fourier-transform optical system, utilizes a 6-stage lens with losses of 2-4 dB.

The effects of alveolar bone loss and miniscrew position on initial tooth displacement during intrusion of the maxillary anterior teeth: Finite element analysis

PubMed Central

Cho, Sun-Mi; Choi, Sung-Hwan; Sung, Sang-Jin; Yu, Hyung-Seog

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the optimal loading conditions for pure intrusion of the six maxillary anterior teeth with miniscrews according to alveolar bone loss. Methods A three-dimensional finite element model was created for a segment of the six anterior teeth, and the positions of the miniscrews and hooks were varied after setting the alveolar bone loss to 0, 2, or 4 mm. Under 100 g of intrusive force, initial displacement of the individual teeth in three directions and the degree of labial tilting were measured. Results The degree of labial tilting increased with reduced alveolar bone height under the same load. When a miniscrew was inserted between the two central incisors, the amounts of medial-lateral and anterior-posterior displacement of the central incisor were significantly greater than in the other conditions. When the miniscrews were inserted distally to the canines and an intrusion force was applied distal to the lateral incisors, the degree of labial tilting and the amounts of displacement of the six anterior teeth were the lowest, and the maximum von Mises stress was distributed evenly across all the teeth, regardless of the bone loss. Conclusions Initial tooth displacement similar to pure intrusion of the six maxillary anterior teeth was induced when miniscrews were inserted distal to the maxillary canines and an intrusion force was applied distal to the lateral incisors. In this condition, the maximum von Mises stresses were relatively evenly distributed across all the teeth, regardless of the bone loss. PMID:27668194

Effects of doping concentration ratio on electrical characterization in pseudomorphic HEMT-based MMIC switches for ICT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mun, Jae-Kyoung; Oh, Jung-Hun; Sung, Ho-Kun; Wang, Cong

2015-12-01

The effects of the doping concentration ratios between upper and lower silicon planar-doping layers on the DC and RF characteristics of the double planar doped pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (pHEMTs) are investigated. From the device simulation, an increase of maximum extrinsic transconductance and a decrease of total on- and off-state capacitances are observed, as well as an increase of the upper to lower planar-doping concentration ratios (UTLPDR), which give rise to an enhancement of the switching speed and isolation characteristics. On the basis of simulation results, two types of pHEMTs are fabricated with two different UTLPDRs of 4:1 and 1:2. After applying these two types' pHEMTs, single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) transmitter/receiver monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) switches are also designed and fabricated. The SPDT MMIC switch with a 4:1 UTLPDR shows an insertion loss of 0.58 dB, isolation of 40.2 dB, and switching speed of 100 ns, respectively, which correspondingly indicate a 0.23 dB lower insertion loss, 2.90 dB higher isolation and 2.5 times faster switching speed than those of 1:2 UTLPDR at frequency range of 2-6 GHz. From the simulation results and comparative studies, we propose that the UTLPDR must be greater than 4:1 for the best switching performance. With the abovementioned excellent performances, the proposed switch would be quite promising in the application of information and communications technology system.

32 × 32 silicon electro-optic switch with built-in monitors and balanced-status units.

PubMed

Qiao, Lei; Tang, Weijie; Chu, Tao

2017-02-09

To construct large-scale silicon electro-optical switches for optical interconnections, we developed a method using a limited number of power monitors inserted at certain positions to detect and determine the optimum operating points of all switch units to eliminate non-uniform effects arising from fabrication errors. We also introduced an optical phase bias to one phase-shifter arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI)-type switch unit to balance the two operation statuses of a silicon electro-optical switch during push-pull operation. With these methods, a 32 × 32 MZI-based silicon electro-optical switch was successfully fabricated with 180-nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process technology, which is the largest scale silicon electro-optical switch to the best of our knowledge. At a wavelength of 1520 nm, the on-chip insertion losses were 12.9 to 16.5 dB, and the crosstalk ranged from -17.9 to -24.8 dB when all units were set to the 'Cross' status. The losses were 14.4 to 18.5 dB, and the crosstalk ranged from -15.1 to -19.0 dB when all units were in the 'Bar' status. The total power consumptions of the 32 × 32 switch were 247.4 and 542.3 mW when all units were set to the 'Cross' and 'Bar' statuses, respectively.

32 × 32 silicon electro-optic switch with built-in monitors and balanced-status units

PubMed Central

Qiao, Lei; Tang, Weijie; Chu, Tao

2017-01-01

To construct large-scale silicon electro-optical switches for optical interconnections, we developed a method using a limited number of power monitors inserted at certain positions to detect and determine the optimum operating points of all switch units to eliminate non-uniform effects arising from fabrication errors. We also introduced an optical phase bias to one phase-shifter arm of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI)-type switch unit to balance the two operation statuses of a silicon electro-optical switch during push–pull operation. With these methods, a 32 × 32 MZI-based silicon electro-optical switch was successfully fabricated with 180-nm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process technology, which is the largest scale silicon electro-optical switch to the best of our knowledge. At a wavelength of 1520 nm, the on-chip insertion losses were 12.9 to 16.5 dB, and the crosstalk ranged from −17.9 to −24.8 dB when all units were set to the ‘Cross’ status. The losses were 14.4 to 18.5 dB, and the crosstalk ranged from −15.1 to −19.0 dB when all units were in the ‘Bar’ status. The total power consumptions of the 32 × 32 switch were 247.4 and 542.3 mW when all units were set to the ‘Cross’ and ‘Bar’ statuses, respectively. PMID:28181557

An on-chip silicon compact triplexer based on cascaded tilted multimode interference couplers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jingye; Liu, Penghao; Shi, Yaocheng

2018-03-01

An on-chip triplexer based on cascaded tilted multimode interference (MMI) couplers has been demonstrated to separate the 1310 nm wavelength band into one port and 1490 nm and 1550 nm wavelength bands into the other two ports respectively. By utilizing the dispersive self-imaging and pseudo self-imaging, the device length is not critically determined by the common multiple of beat lengths for different wavelengths. The total device size can be reduced to ∼450 μm, which is half of the butterfly structure reported. The whole device, fabricated with only one fully-etching step, is characterized with <-15 dB low crosstalk (CT) and ∼1 dB insertion loss (IL).

Hernia of the tympanic membrane.

PubMed

Ikeda, Ryoukichi; Miyazaki, Hiromitsu; Kawase, Tetsuaki; Katori, Yukio; Kobayashi, Toshimitsu

2017-02-01

Although tympanic bulging is commonly encountered, tympanic herniation occupying the external auditory canal is extremely rare. A 66-year-old man was presented to our hospital with left aural fullness, bilateral hearing loss and otorrhea. Preoperative findings suggested tympanic membrane (TM) hernia located in the left external auditory canal. We performed total resection of the soft mass by a transcanal approach using endoscopy. Ventilation tubes were inserted into bilateral ears. Histopathological findings confirmed diagnosis of TM hernia. Passive opening pressure of this patient was higher than normal condition of the Eustachian tube, where active opening was not observed. Hernia of the TM most likely resulted from long-term excessive Valsalva maneuver. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of hinges in primary total knee replacement.

PubMed

Gehrke, T; Kendoff, D; Haasper, C

2014-11-01

The use of hinged implants in primary total knee replacement (TKR) should be restricted to selected indications and mainly for elderly patients. Potential indications for a rotating hinge or pure hinge implant in primary TKR include: collateral ligament insufficiency, severe varus or valgus deformity (>20°) with necessary relevant soft-tissue release, relevant bone loss including insertions of collateral ligaments, gross flexion-extension gap imbalance, ankylosis, or hyperlaxity. Although data reported in the literature are inconsistent, clinical results depend on implant design, proper technical use, and adequate indications. We present our experience with a specific implant type that we have used for over 30 years and which has given our elderly patients good mid-term results. Because revision of implants with long cemented stems can be very challenging, an effort should be made in the future to use shorter stems in modular versions of hinged implants. ©2014 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

On the stiffness matrix of the intervertebral joint: application to total disk replacement.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Oliver M; Metzger, Melodie F; Buckley, Jenni M; Moody, David A; Lotz, Jeffrey C

2009-08-01

The traditional method of establishing the stiffness matrix associated with an intervertebral joint is valid only for infinitesimal rotations, whereas the rotations featured in spinal motion are often finite. In the present paper, a new formulation of this stiffness matrix is presented, which is valid for finite rotations. This formulation uses Euler angles to parametrize the rotation, an associated basis, which is known as the dual Euler basis, to describe the moments, and it enables a characterization of the nonconservative nature of the joint caused by energy loss in the poroviscoelastic disk and ligamentous support structure. As an application of the formulation, the stiffness matrix of a motion segment is experimentally determined for the case of an intact intervertebral disk and compared with the matrices associated with the same segment after the insertion of a total disk replacement system. In this manner, the matrix is used to quantify the changes in the intervertebral kinetics associated with total disk replacements. As a result, this paper presents the first such characterization of the kinetics of a total disk replacement.

48 CFR 252.209-7010 - Critical Safety Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... personal injury or loss of life; or (iii) An uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety. Design... personal injury or loss of life. (b) Identification of critical safety items. One or more of the items... control activity: (Insert additional lines as necessary) (c) Heightened quality assurance surveillance...

48 CFR 252.209-7010 - Critical Safety Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... personal injury or loss of life; or (iii) An uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety. Design... personal injury or loss of life. (b) Identification of critical safety items. One or more of the items... control activity: (Insert additional lines as necessary) (c) Heightened quality assurance surveillance...

48 CFR 252.209-7010 - Critical Safety Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... personal injury or loss of life; or (iii) An uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety. Design... personal injury or loss of life. (b) Identification of critical safety items. One or more of the items... control activity: (Insert additional lines as necessary) (c) Heightened quality assurance surveillance...

48 CFR 252.209-7010 - Critical Safety Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... personal injury or loss of life; or (iii) An uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety. Design... personal injury or loss of life. (b) Identification of critical safety items. One or more of the items... control activity: (Insert additional lines as necessary) (c) Heightened quality assurance surveillance...

Compact beam splitters with deep gratings for miniature photonic integrated circuits: design and implementation aspects.

PubMed

Chen, Chin-Hui; Klamkin, Jonathan; Nicholes, Steven C; Johansson, Leif A; Bowers, John E; Coldren, Larry A

2009-09-01

We present an extensive study of an ultracompact grating-based beam splitter suitable for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that have stringent density requirements. The 10 microm long beam splitter exhibits equal splitting, low insertion loss, and also provides a high extinction ratio in an integrated coherent balanced receiver. We further present the design strategies for avoiding mode distortion in the beam splitter and discuss optimization of the widths of the detectors to improve insertion loss and extinction ratio of the coherent receiver circuit. In our study, we show that the grating-based beam splitter is a competitive technology having low fabrication complexity for ultracompact PICs.

W-band integrated circuit PIN switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahim, R. S.; Pham, T.; Chang, K.

1986-12-01

Both single-pole single-throw (SPST) and single-pole double-throw (SPDT) PIN switches have been developed at W band using microstrip integrated circuits. In SPST configurations, these switches have less than 1 dB of insertion loss under forward-voltage conditions from 90 to 108 GHz. Isolation greater than 20 dB over 3 GHz and greater than 10 dB over 7 GHz has been achieved. In SPDT configurations, insertion loss of less than 2 dB and isolation of more than 15 dB over 10 GHz (90 to 110 GHz) have been achieved. Beam-lead PIN diodes were used. Major features included mechanical ruggedness, light weight, small size and low-cost manufacturing.

A Novel Coupled Resonator Photonic Crystal Design in Lithium Niobate for Electrooptic Applications

DOE PAGES

Ozturk, Birol; Yavuzcetin, Ozgur; Sridhar, Srinivas

2015-01-01

High-aspect-ratio photonic crystal air-hole fabrication on bulk Lithium Niobate (LN) substrates is extremely difficult due to its inherent resistance to etching, resulting in conical structures and high insertion losses. Here, we propose a novel coupled resonator photonic crystal (CRPC) design, combining a coupled resonator approach with that of Bragg gratings. CRPC design parameters were optimized by analytical calculations and FDTD simulations. CRPC structures with optimized parameters were fabricated and electrooptically tested on bulk LN annealed proton exchange waveguides. Low insertion loss and large electrooptic effect were observed with the fabricated devices, making the CRPC design a promising structure for electroopticmore » device applications.« less

Correction of hypermobile flatfoot in children by molded insert.

PubMed

Bordelon, R L

1980-11-01

One hundred feet in 50 children between the ages of 3 and 9 years with a diagnosis of idiopathic hypermobile flatfoot had a custom-molded insert ordered. A specific method of casting, correcting the various components of the deformity was utilized. An 1/8-inch polypropolene insert was fabricated from the positive cast. The insert was worn in leather shoes with a long counter, steel shank, and Thomas heel. The flatfoot was evaluated and classified by measurement of the talometatarsal angle on a standing lateral X-ray. The insert was fabricated so that the standing lateral talometatarsal angle was corrected to neutral with the insert on the foot and the foot in the shoe. The preliminary reports indicate that a correction can be obtained at the rate of 0.41 degrees per month or approximately 5 degrees per year. There was no significant loss of motion of the foot or the ankle. Perhaps this regimen may be utilized in those children with a hypermobile flatfoot for whom treatment is advised.

The measurement of acoustic properties of limited size panels by use of a parametric source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphrey, V. F.

1985-01-01

A method of measuring the acoustic properties of limited size panels immersed in water, with a truncated parametric array used as the acoustic source, is described. The insertion loss and reflection loss of thin metallic panels, typically 0·45 m square, were measured at normal incidence by using this technique. Results were obtained for a wide range of frequencies (10 to 100 kHz) and were found to be in good agreement with the theoretical predictions for plane waves. Measurements were also made of the insertion loss of aluminium, Perspex and G.R.P. panels for angles of incidence up to 50°. The broad bandwidth available from the parametric source permitted detailed measurements to be made over a wide frequency range using a single transmitting transducer. The small spot sizes obtainable with the parametric source also helped to reduce the significance of diffraction from edges of the panel under test.

Design and analysis of a high Q MEMS passive RF filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathee, Vishal; Pande, Rajesh

2016-04-01

Over the past few years, significant growth has been observed in using MEMS based passive components in the RF microelectronics domain, especially in transceiver system. This is due to some excellent properties of the MEMS devices like low loss, low cost and excellent isolation. This paper presents a design of high performance MEMS passive band pass filter, consisting of L and C with improved quality factor and insertion loss less than the reported filters. In this paper we have presented a design of 2nd order band pass filter with 2.4GHz centre frequency and 83MHz bandwidth for Bluetooth application. The simulation results showed improved Q-factor of 34 and Insertion loss of 1.7dB to 1.9dB. The simulation results needs to be validated by fabricating the device, fabrication flow of which is also presented in the paper.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens mutants affected in attachment to plant cells.

PubMed Central

Douglas, C J; Halperin, W; Nester, E W

1982-01-01

An analysis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens mutants with Tn5 insertions in chromosomal DNA showed that the chromosome of A. tumefaciens codes for a specific ability of this bacterium to attach to plant cells. This ability is associated with tumorigenesis by A. tumefaciens, the ability of avirulent A. tumefaciens to inhibit tumorigenesis, and the ability to adsorb certain phages. A second class of chromosomal mutations affects tumorigenesis without altering the ability to attach to plant cells. The attachment of A. tumefaciens to plant cells was assayed by mixing radiolabeled bacteria with suspensions of tobacco tissue culture cells or freshly isolated Zinnia leaf mesophyll cells. Under the conditions of this assay, an avirulent Ti plasmid-cured strain attached to the same extent as the same strain containing pTiB6806. Six of eight avirulent mutants with Tn5 insertions in chromosomal DNA showed defective attachment, whereas two retained wild-type attachment ability. In contrast to the strains showing wild-type attachment, the attachment-defective mutants failed to inhibit tumorigenesis when inoculated onto Jerusalem artichoke slices before inoculation of a virulent strain and also showed a loss of sensitivity to two Agrobacterium phages. The loss of phage sensitivity appeared to be due to a loss of ability to adsorb the phages. Staining with Calcofluor indicated that the mutants retained the ability to synthesize cellulose fibrils, which have been implicated in the attachment process. Southern filter hybridizations demonstrated that each mutant contained a single Tn5 insertion, and genetic linkage between the Tn5 insertion in one mutant and the attachment phenotype has also been demonstrated. Images PMID:6292165

Influence of conformity on the wear of total knee replacement: An experimental study

PubMed Central

Brockett, Claire L; Carbone, Silvia; Fisher, John; Jennings, Louise M

2017-01-01

Wear of total knee replacement continues to be a significant factor influencing the clinical longevity of implants. Historically, failure due to delamination and fatigue directed design towards more conforming inserts to reduce contact stress. As new generations of more oxidatively stable polyethylene have been developed, more flexibility in bearing design has been introduced. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of insert conformity on the wear performance of a fixed bearing total knee replacement through experimental simulation. Two geometries of insert were studied under standard gait conditions. There was a significant reduction in wear with reducing implant conformity. This study has demonstrated that bearing conformity has a significant impact on the wear performance of a fixed bearing total knee replacement, providing opportunities to improve clinical performance through enhanced material and design selection. PMID:29251167

Optical mixing of microwave signals in a nonlinear semiconductor laser amplifier modulator.

PubMed

Capmany, José; Sales, Salvador; Pastor, Daniel; Ortega, Beatriz

2002-02-11

In this paper we propose and evaluate the optical mixing of RF signals by means of exploiting the nonlinearity of a SLA modulator. The results show the potential for devices with low conversion losses (and even gain) and polarization insensitivity and reduced insertion losses.

New coplanar waveguide to rectangular waveguide end launcher

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, R. N.; Taub, S. R.

1992-01-01

A new coplanar waveguide to rectangular waveguide end launcher is experimentally demonstrated. The end launcher operates over the Ka-band frequencies that are designated for the NASA Advanced Communication Technology Satellite uplink. The measured insertion loss and return loss are better than 0.5 and -10 dB, respectively.

The Correlation between Insertion Depth of Prodisc-C Artificial Disc and Postoperative Kyphotic Deformity: Clinical Importance of Insertion Depth of Artificial Disc.

PubMed

Lee, Do-Youl; Kim, Se-Hoon; Suh, Jung-Keun; Cho, Tai-Hyoung; Chung, Yong-Gu

2012-09-01

This study was designed to investigate the correlation between insertion depth of artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity after Prodisc-C total disc replacement surgery, and the range of artificial disc insertion depth which is effective in preventing postoperative whole cervical or segmental kyphotic deformity. A retrospective radiological analysis was performed in 50 patients who had undergone single level total disc replacement surgery. Records were reviewed to obtain demographic data. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were assessed to determine C2-7 Cobb's angle and segmental angle and to investigate postoperative kyphotic deformity. A formula was introduced to calculate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Statistical analysis was performed to search the correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity, and to estimate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc to prevent postoperative kyphotic deformity. In this study no significant statistical correlation was observed between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity regarding C2-7 Cobb's angle. Statistical correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity was observed regarding segmental angle (p<0.05). It failed to estimate proper insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc effective in preventing postoperative kyphotic deformity. Postoperative segmental kyphotic deformity is associated with insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Anterior located artificial disc leads to lordotic segmental angle and posterior located artificial disc leads to kyphotic segmental angle postoperatively. But C2-7 Cobb's angle is not affected by artificial disc location after the surgery.

Human lamina cribrosa insertion and age.

PubMed

Sigal, Ian A; Flanagan, John G; Lathrop, Kira L; Tertinegg, Inka; Bilonick, Richard

2012-10-03

To test the hypothesis that in healthy human eyes the lamina cribrosa (LC) insertion into the pia mater increases with age. The optic nerve heads (ONHs) of donor eyes fixed at either 5 or 50 mm Hg of IOP were sectioned, stained, and imaged under bright- and dark-field conditions. A 3-dimensional (3D) model of each ONH was reconstructed. From the 3D models we measured the area of LC insertion into the peripapillary scleral flange and into the pia, and computed the total area of insertion and fraction of LC inserting into the pia. Linear mixed effect models were used to determine if the measurements were associated with age or IOP. We analyzed 21 eyes from 11 individuals between 47 and 91 years old. The LC inserted into the pia in all eyes. The fraction of LC inserting into the pia (2.2%-29.6%) had a significant decrease with age (P = 0.049), which resulted from a nonsignificant increase in the total area of LC insertion (P = 0.41) and a nonsignificant decrease in the area of LC insertion into the pia (P = 0.55). None of the measures was associated with fixation IOP (P values 0.44-0.81). Differences between fellow eyes were smaller than differences between unrelated eyes. The LC insertion into the pia mater is common in middle-aged and older eyes, and does not increase with age. The biomechanical and vascular implications of the LC insertion into the pia mater are not well understood and should be investigated further.

Human Lamina Cribrosa Insertion and Age

PubMed Central

Sigal, Ian A.; Flanagan, John G.; Lathrop, Kira L.; Tertinegg, Inka; Bilonick, Richard

2012-01-01

Purpose. To test the hypothesis that in healthy human eyes the lamina cribrosa (LC) insertion into the pia mater increases with age. Methods. The optic nerve heads (ONHs) of donor eyes fixed at either 5 or 50 mm Hg of IOP were sectioned, stained, and imaged under bright- and dark-field conditions. A 3-dimensional (3D) model of each ONH was reconstructed. From the 3D models we measured the area of LC insertion into the peripapillary scleral flange and into the pia, and computed the total area of insertion and fraction of LC inserting into the pia. Linear mixed effect models were used to determine if the measurements were associated with age or IOP. Results. We analyzed 21 eyes from 11 individuals between 47 and 91 years old. The LC inserted into the pia in all eyes. The fraction of LC inserting into the pia (2.2%–29.6%) had a significant decrease with age (P = 0.049), which resulted from a nonsignificant increase in the total area of LC insertion (P = 0.41) and a nonsignificant decrease in the area of LC insertion into the pia (P = 0.55). None of the measures was associated with fixation IOP (P values 0.44–0.81). Differences between fellow eyes were smaller than differences between unrelated eyes. Conclusions. The LC insertion into the pia mater is common in middle-aged and older eyes, and does not increase with age. The biomechanical and vascular implications of the LC insertion into the pia mater are not well understood and should be investigated further. PMID:22956611

Mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty: a full traumatic rotation of 180°.

PubMed

Sudanese, Alessandra; Castiello, Emanuela; Affatato, Saverio

2013-06-25

From February 2008 to September 2012 we implanted 204 mobile-bearing knee prostheses in 192 patients. All the prostheses were cemented (both femoral and tibial components), and the patella was not replaced. Only one early complication of the implants (1/204 = 0.004%) occurred after a traumatic event as a full 180° rotation of the mobile-bearing polyethylene insert. A 78-year-old woman presented with swelling and severe pain at her right knee. This traumatic event was the only case among our mobile-bearing insert patients. 
The failed polyethylene inserts were retrieved and studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM, ZEISS EVO 50 EP, Cambridge, UK) operating at 20 kV. 
Scratching and pitting were found on the UHMWPE insert perpendicular to the machining tracks for the concave surface. SEM micrographs of the insert showed burnishing on the concave surfaces and longitudinal scratches were clearly detectable and well-marked on the analyzed surfaces. 
A traumatic, fully rotating, polyethylene insert is rare and our case is the first report describing a traumatic event with a complete 180 degree rotation mobile-bearing in a total knee prosthesis. 
In the literature few reports discuss clinical outcomes after total knee arthroplasty in patients with Parkinson's disease and they cite mixed results. However, some authors suggest that posterior-stabilized and cruciate-retaining TKA should work well while others prefer cruciate-retaining, condylar constrained kinetics, or hinged devices. Although we did not implant a posterior-stabilized mobile-bearing total knee prosthesis or a constrained prosthesis, we obtained good clinical and radiological results at the 2-year followup.

A study of resonant-cavity and fiberglass-filled parallel baffles as duct silencers. [for wind tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soderman, P. T.

1982-01-01

Acoustical performance and pressure drop were measured for two types of splitters designed to attenuate sound propagating in ducts - resonant-cavity baffles and fiberglass-filled baffles. Arrays of four baffles were evaluated in the 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel number 1 at Ames Research Center at flow speeds from 0 to 41 m/sec. The baffles were 2.1 m high, 305 to 406 mm thick, and 3.1 to 4.4 m long. Emphasis was on measurements of silencer insertion loss as affected by variations of such parameters as baffle length, baffle thickness, perforated skin geometry, cavity size and shape, cavity damping, wind speed, and acoustic field directivity. An analytical method for predicting silencer performance is described and compared with measurements. With the addition of cavity damping in the form of 25-mm foam linings, the insertion loss above 250 Hz of the resonant-cavity baffles was improved 2 to 7 db compared with the undamped baffles; the loss became equal to or greater than the insertion loss of comparable size fiberglass baffles at frequencies above 250 Hz. Variations of cavity size and shape showed that a series of cavities with triangular cross-sections (i.e., variable depth) were superior to cavities with rectangular cross sections (i.e., constant depth). In wind, the undamped, resonant-cavity baffles generated loud cavity-resonance tones; the tones could be eliminated by cavity damping.

Screw vs cement-implant-retained restorations: an experimental study in the beagle. Part 2. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the peri-implant tissues.

PubMed

Assenza, Bartolomeo; Artese, Luciano; Scarano, Antonio; Rubini, Corrado; Perrotti, Vittoria; Piattelli, Maurizio; Thams, Ulf; San Roman, Fidel; Piccirilli, Marcello; Piattelli, Adriano

2006-01-01

Crestal bone loss has been reported to occur around dental implants. Even if the causes of this bone loss are not completely understood, the presence of a microgap between implant and abutment with a possible contamination of the internal portion of the implants has been suggested. The aim of this study was to see if there were differences in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, microvessel density (MVD), proliferative activity (MIB-1), and inflammatory infiltrate in the soft tissues around implants with screwed and cemented abutments. Sandblasted and acid-etched implants were inserted in the mandibles of 6 Beagle dogs. Ten 3.5- x 10-mm root-form implants were inserted in each mandible. A total of 60 implants (30 with screwed abutments and 30 with cemented abutments) were used. After 12 months, all the bridges were removed and all abutments were checked for mobility. A total of 8 loosened screws (27%) were found in the screwed abutments, whereas no loosening was observed in cemented abutments. A gingival biopsy was performed in 8 implants with cemented abutments, in 8 implants with screwed abutments, and in 8 implants with unscrewed abutments. No statistically significant differences were found in the inflammatory infiltrate and in the MIB-1 among the different groups. No statistically significant difference was found in the MVD between screwed and cemented abutments (P = .2111), whereas there was a statistically significant difference in MVD between screwed and unscrewed abutments (P = .0277) and between cemented and unscrewed abutments (P = .0431). A low intensity of VEGF was prevalent in screwed and in cemented abutments, whereas a high intensity of VEGF was prevalent in unscrewed abutments. These facts could be explained by the effects induced, in the abutments that underwent a screw loosening, by the presence of bacteria inside the hollow portion of the implants or by enhanced reparative processes.

Enhanced heat transfer and frictional losses in heat exchanger tube with modified helical coiled inserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Aditya; Kumar, Manoj; Patil, Anil Kumar

2018-04-01

The application of compact heat exchangers in any thermal system improves overall performance with a considerable reduction in size and weight. Inserts of different geometrical features have been used as turbulence promoting devices to increase the heat transfer rates. The present study deals with the experimental investigation of heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a tubular heat exchanger fitted with modified helical coiled inserts. Experiments have been carried out for a smooth tube without insert, tube fitted with helical coiled inserts, and modified helical coiled inserts. The helical coiled inserts are tested by varying the pitch ratio and wire diameter ratio from 0.5-1.5, and 0.063-0.125, respectively for the Reynolds number range of 1400 to 11,000. Experimental data have also been collected for the modified helical coiled inserts with gradually increasing pitch (GIP) and gradually decreasing pitch (GDP) configurations. The Nusselt number and friction factor values for helical coiled inserts are enhanced in the range of 1.42-2.62, 3.4-27.4, relative to smooth tube, respectively. The modified helical coiled insert showed enhancements in Nusselt number and friction factor values in the range of 1.49-3.14, 11.2-19.9, relative to smooth tube, respectively. The helical coiled and modified helical coiled inserts have thermo-hydraulic performance factor in the range of 0.59-1.29, 0.6-1.39, respectively. The empirical correlations of Nusselt number and friction factor for helical coiled inserts are proposed.

Implementation of a new blood cooler insert and tracking technology with educational initiatives and its effect on reducing red blood cell wastage.

PubMed

Fadeyi, Emmanuel A; Emery, Wanda; Simmons, Julie H; Jones, Mary Rose; Pomper, Gregory J

2017-10-01

The objective was to report a successful implementation of a blood cooler insert and tracking technology with educational initiatives and its effect on reducing red blood cell (RBC) wastage. The blood bank database was used to quantify and categorize total RBC units issued in blood coolers from January 2010 to December 2015 with and without the new inserts throughout the hospital. Radiofrequency identification tags were used with special software to monitor blood cooler tracking. An educational policy on how to handle the coolers was initiated. Data were gathered from the software that provided a real-time location monitoring of the blood coolers with inserts throughout the institution. The implementation of the blood cooler with inserts and tracking device reduced mean yearly RBC wastage by fourfold from 0.64% to 0.17% between 2010 and 2015. The conserved RBCs corresponded to a total cost savings of $167,844 during the 3-year postimplementation period. The implementation of new blood cooler inserts, tracking system, and educational initiatives substantially reduced the mean annual total RBC wastage. The cost to implement this initiative may be small if there is an existing institutional infrastructure to monitor and track hospital equipment into which the blood bank intervention can be adapted when compared to the cost of blood wastage. © 2017 AABB.

Tunable Microwave Filter Design Using Thin-Film Ferroelectric Varactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haridasan, Vrinda

Military, space, and consumer-based communication markets alike are moving towards multi-functional, multi-mode, and portable transceiver units. Ferroelectric-based tunable filter designs in RF front-ends are a relatively new area of research that provides a potential solution to support wideband and compact transceiver units. This work presents design methodologies developed to optimize a tunable filter design for system-level integration, and to improve the performance of a ferroelectric-based tunable bandpass filter. An investigative approach to find the origins of high insertion loss exhibited by these filters is also undertaken. A system-aware design guideline and figure of merit for ferroelectric-based tunable band- pass filters is developed. The guideline does not constrain the filter bandwidth as long as it falls within the range of the analog bandwidth of a system's analog to digital converter. A figure of merit (FOM) that optimizes filter design for a specific application is presented. It considers the worst-case filter performance parameters and a tuning sensitivity term that captures the relation between frequency tunability and the underlying material tunability. A non-tunable parasitic fringe capacitance associated with ferroelectric-based planar capacitors is confirmed by simulated and measured results. The fringe capacitance is an appreciable proportion of the tunable capacitance at frequencies of X-band and higher. As ferroelectric-based tunable capac- itors form tunable resonators in the filter design, a proportionally higher fringe capacitance reduces the capacitance tunability which in turn reduces the frequency tunability of the filter. Methods to reduce the fringe capacitance can thus increase frequency tunability or indirectly reduce the filter insertion-loss by trading off the increased tunability achieved to lower loss. A new two-pole tunable filter topology with high frequency tunability (> 30%), steep filter skirts, wide stopband rejection, and constant bandwidth is designed, simulated, fabricated and measured. The filters are fabricated using barium strontium titanate (BST) varactors. Electromagnetic simulations and measured results of the tunable two-pole ferroelectric filter are analyzed to explore the origins of high insertion loss in ferroelectric filters. The results indicate that the high-permittivity of the BST (a ferroelectric) not only makes the filters tunable and compact, but also increases the conductive loss of the ferroelectric-based tunable resonators which translates into high insertion loss in ferroelectric filters.

Three-dimensional assessment of crestal bone levels at titanium implants with different abutment microstructures and insertion depths using micro-computed tomography.

PubMed

Becker, Kathrin; Klitzsch, Inka; Stauber, Martin; Schwarz, Frank

2017-06-01

To (i) assess the impact of insertion depth and abutment microstructure on the three-dimensional crestal bone-level changes at endosseous titanium implant using μCT and computerized image processing and (ii) to correlate the findings with previously reported histology. Titanium implants (conical abutment connection) were inserted in each hemimandible of n = 6 foxhounds with the implant shoulder (IS) located either in epicrestal (0 mm), supracrestal (+1 mm) or subcrestal (-1 mm) positions and randomly (split-mouth design) connected with machined or partially micro-grooved healing abutments. At 20 weeks, the tissue biopsies were processed for μCT and histological (HI) analyses. The volumetric dehiscence profile around the implants was computed as distance between the implant shoulder (IS) and the most coronal bone-to-implant contact (CBI) using MATLAB. The respective buccal and oral values were averaged, and agreement with the respective IS-CBI scores from HI was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. A median net bone gain was observed for supracrestal insertion depths at both abutment types, but lower bounds of the 75% quartile experienced net bone losses. Epicrestal and subcrestal insertion depths were linked to slight bone losses, and the buccal and oral dehiscences were smaller compared to supracrestal positioning. Bland-Altman plots yielded a moderate agreement of IS-CBI values measured with μCT and HI. The novel image processing method allowed reliable evaluations and pointed to a direct impact of insertion depths on crestal bone-level changes. Additionally, it demonstrated that HI morphometry crucially depends on the chosen cutting position. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does a conservative tibial cut in conventional total knee arthroplasty violate the deep medial collateral ligament?

PubMed

Maes, Michael; Luyckx, Thomas; Bellemans, Johan

2014-11-01

Based on the anatomy of the deep medial collateral ligament (MCL), it was hypothesized that at least part of its cross-sectional insertion area is jeopardized while performing a standard tibial cut in conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study was to determine whether it is anatomically possible to preserve the tibial deep MCL insertion during conventional TKA. Thirty-three unpaired cadaveric knee specimens were used for this study. Knees with severe varus/valgus deformity or damage to the medial structures of the knee were excluded. In the first part of the study, the dimensions of the tibial insertion of the deep MCL and its relationship to the joint line were recorded. Next, the cross-sectional area of the deep MCL insertion was determined using calibrated digital photographic analysis. In the second part, the effect of a standard 9-mm 3° sloped tibial cut on the structural integrity of the deep MCL cross-sectional insertion area was determined using conventional instrumentation. The proximal border of the deep MCL insertion site on the tibia was located on average 4.7 ± 1.2 mm distally to the joint line. After performing a standard 9-mm 3° sloped tibial cut, on average 54% of the deep MCL insertion area was resected. In 29% of the cases, the deep MCL insertion area was completely excised. The deep MCL cannot routinely be preserved in conventional TKA. The deep MCL insertion is at risk and may be jeopardized in case of a tibial cut 9 mm below the native joint line. As the deep MCL is a distinct medial stabilizer and plays an important role in rotational stability, this may have implications in future designs of both unicondylar and total knee arthroplasty, but further research is necessary.

Does increased topside conformity in modular total knee arthroplasty lead to increased backside wear?

PubMed

Schwarzkopf, Ran; Scott, Richard D; Carlson, Evan M; Currier, John H

2015-01-01

Modular metal-backed tibia components allow surgeons intraoperative flexibility. Although it is known that modular tibia components introduce the possibility for backside wear resulting from relative motion between the polyethylene insert and the tibial baseplate, it is not known to what degree variability in the conformity of the tibial polyethylene liner itself might contribute to backside wear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a flat, cruciate-retaining tibial polyethylene bearing generates less backside wear than a more conforming (curved) tibial polyethylene bearing in an analysis of specimens explanted during revision surgery. The study included 70 total knee inserts explanted at revision surgery, all implanted and explanted by the same surgeon. Two different cruciate-retaining insert options in an otherwise similar knee system were used: one with a curved-on-flat (17) articular geometry and one with a highly conforming curved-on-curved design (53); both groups were sequential cohorts. The composite backside wear depth for the insert as well as the volume of backside wear was measured and compared between groups. The median linear backside-normalized wear for the posterior lipped inserts was 0.0063 mm/year (range, 0-0.085 mm/year), which was lower than for the curved inserts at 0.05 mm/year (range, 0.00003-0.14 mm/year) (p<0.001). The median calculated volumetric backside-normalized wear for the posterior lipped inserts was 14.2 mm3/year (range, 0-282.8 mm3/year) compared with 117 mm3/year (range, 2.1-312 mm3/year) for the curved inserts (p<0.001). In this retrieval study, more conforming tibial inserts demonstrated more backside-normalized wear than the flatter designs. This suggests that in this modular total knee arthroplasty design, higher articular conformity to address the issues of high bearing contact stress comes at a price: increased torque transmitted to the backside insert-to-tray interface. We suggest further work be undertaken to examine newer insert designs to evaluate if our conclusions hold true with the newer generation locking mechanism, tibial tray finish and polyethylene designs, as more highly conforming tibial inserts are introduced into the market. Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Dental implants inserted in fresh extraction sockets versus healed sites: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chrcanovic, Bruno Ramos; Albrektsson, Tomas; Wennerberg, Ann

2015-01-01

To test the null hypothesis of no difference in the implant failure rates, postoperative infection and marginal bone loss for the insertion of dental implants in fresh extraction sockets compared to the insertion in healed sites, against the alternative hypothesis of a difference. Main search terms used in combination: dental implant, oral implant, resh extraction socket, immediate placement, immediate insertion, immediate implant. An electronic search was undertaken in July/2014, in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register plus hand-searching. Eligibility criteria included clinical human studies, either randomized or not. The search strategy resulted in 73 publications, with 8,241 implants inserted in sockets (330 failures, 4.00%), and 19,410 in healed sites (599 failures, 3.09%). It is suggested that the insertion of implants in fresh extraction sockets affects the failure rates (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.27-1.95, P<0.0001). The difference was not statistically significant when studies evaluating implants inserted in maxillae or in mandibles were pooled, or when the studies using implants to rehabilitate patients with full-arch prostheses were pooled; however, it was significant for the studies that rehabilitated patients with implant-supported single crowns and for the controlled studies. There was no apparent significant effect on the occurrence of postoperative infection or on the magnitude of marginal bone loss. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the potential for biases and to the presence of uncontrolled confounding factors in the included studies, most of them not randomized. The question whether immediate implants are more at risk for failure than implants placed in mature bone has received increasing attention in the last years. As the philosophies of treatment alter over time, a periodic review of the different concepts is necessary to refine techniques and eliminate unnecessary procedures. This would form a basis for optimum treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Summary Report of H- Injection Session II

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiren Chou

1999-06-28

The H - injection was invented many years ago and has since been successfully applied in many machines over the last decades. The challenge to the high intensity machines is how to reduce the injection loss, which is usually the major part of total beam losses in a machine. Painting, both longitudinal and transverse, is an effective way to reduce the space charge e ects and to minimize losses. RF capture of a chopped beam also gives better e ciency than adiabatic capture. To employ a 2nd harmonic rf system to atten the rf bucket shape is another commonly usedmore » scheme. To compensate the capacitive space charge impedance by an inductive insert could be a new venture, but which is not discussed at the workshop due to time limitation. The foil physics is well understood. Simulations seem to be able to include all the important e ects in it, including the space charge. The general feeling is that we are in a good position concerning H - injection studies. Although there remains a number of design issues, the knowledge, experiences and tools in our hand should be able to address each of them properly.« less

Polymer electro-optic waveguide devices: Low-loss etchless fabrication techniques and passive-to-active integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geary, Kevin

The development of high-frequency polymer electro-optic modulators has seen steady and significant progress in recent years, yet applications of these promising materials to more complicated integrated optic structures and arrays of devices have been limited primarily due to high optical waveguide loss characteristics. This is unfortunate since a major advantage of polymers as photonic materials is their compatibility with photolithographic processing of large components. In this Dissertation, etchless waveguide writing techniques are presented in order to improve the overall optical insertion loss of electro-optic polymer waveguide devices. These techniques include poling-induced writing, stress-induced waveguide writing, and photobleaching. Using these waveguide writing mechanisms, we have demonstrated straight waveguides, phase modulators, Mach-Zehnder intensity modulators, variable optical attenuators, and multimode interference (MMI) power splitters, all with improved loss characteristics over their etched rib waveguide counterparts. Ultimately, the insertion loss of an integrated optic device is limited by the actual material loss of the core waveguide material. In this Dissertation, passive-to-active polymer waveguide transitions are proposed to circumvent this problem. These transitions are compact, in-plane, self-aligned, and require no tapering of any physical dimensions of the waveguides. By utilizing both the time-dependent and intensity-dependent photobleaching characteristics of electro-optic polymer materials, adiabatic refractive index tapers can be seamlessly coupled to in-plane butt couple transitions, resulting in losses as low as 0.1 dB per interface. By integrating passive polymer planar lightwave circuits with the high-speed phase shifting capability of electro-optic polymers, active wideband photonic devices of increased size and complexity can be realized. Optical fiber-to-device coupling can also result in significant contributions to the overall insertion loss of an integrated electro-optic polymer device. In this Dissertation, we leverage the photobleached refractive index taper component of our proposed passive-to-active polymer waveguide transitions in order to realize a two-dimensional optical mode transformer for improved overall fiber-to-device coupling of electro-optic polymer waveguide devices.

Epidural space identification: a meta-analysis of complications after air versus liquid as the medium for loss of resistance.

PubMed

Schier, Robert; Guerra, Diana; Aguilar, Jorge; Pratt, Gregory F; Hernandez, Mike; Boddu, Krishna; Riedel, Bernhard

2009-12-01

The best method for identifying the epidural space for neuraxial blocks is controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that loss of resistance with liquid reduces complications with epidural placement. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for prospective, randomized studies comparing air versus liquid as the medium for loss of resistance during epidural space identification in adults. Data were abstracted from 5 studies (4 obstetric and 1 nonobstetric) (n = 4422 patients) that met inclusion criteria and analyzed for the following 6 outcomes: difficult catheter insertion, paresthesia, intravascular catheter insertion, accidental dural puncture, postdural puncture headache, and partial block. The overall risk differences for adverse outcome between the different mediums were not statistically different for the obstetric population. A small, but statistically significant, risk difference for postdural puncture headache was observed when fluid was used during epidural placement for chronic pain management. Larger studies that overcome limitations of heterogeneity across studies and a relatively infrequent occurrence of complications are required to determine the optimal medium for loss of resistance during epidural block.

Impact of the LHC beam abort kicker prefire on high luminosity insertion and CMS detector performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A.I. Drozhdin, N.V. Mokhov and M. Huhtinen

1999-04-13

The effect of possible accidental beam loss in LHC on the IP5 insertion elements and CMS detector is studied via realistic Monte Carlo simulations. Such beam loss could be the consequence of an unsynchronized abort or in worst case an accidental prefire of one of the abort kicker modules. Simulations with the STRUCT code show that this beam losses would take place in the IP5 inner and outer triplets. MARS simulations of the hadronic and electro-magnetic cascades induced in such an event indicate severe heating of the inner triplet quadrupoles. In order to protect the IP5 elements, two methods aremore » proposed: a set of shadow collimators in the outer triplet and a prefired module compensation using a special module charged with an opposite voltage (antikicker). The remnants of the accidental beam loss entering the experimental hall have been used as input for FLUKA simulations in the CMS detector. It is shown that it is vital to take measures to reliably protect the expensive CMS tracker components.« less

Analysis and Optimization of Thin Film Ferroelectric Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, Robert R.; VanKeuls, Fred W.; Warner, Joseph D.; Mueller, Carl H.; Alterovitz, Samuel A.; Miranda, Felix A.; Qureshi, A. Haq; Romanofsky, Robert R. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Microwave phase shifters have been fabricated from (YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) or Au)/SrTiO3 and Au/Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO3 films on LaAlO3 and MgO substrates. These coupled microstrip devices rival the performance of their semiconductor counter-parts parts at Ku- and K-band frequencies. Typical insertion loss for room temperature ferroelectric phase shifters at K-band is approximately equal 5 dB. An experimental and theoretical investigation of these novel devices explains the role of the ferroelectric film in overall device performance. A roadmap to the development of a 3 dB insertion loss phase shifter that would enable a new type of phased array antenna is discussed.

Ultra-wide bandpass filter based on long-period fiber gratings and the evanescent field coupling between two fibers.

PubMed

Kim, Myoung Jin; Jung, Yong Min; Kim, Bok Hyeon; Han, Won-Taek; Lee, Byeong Ha

2007-08-20

We demonstrate a fiber-based bandpass filter with an ultra-wide spectral bandwidth. The ultra-wide band feature is achieved by inscribing a long-period fiber grating (LPG) in a specially-designed low index core single mode fiber. To get the bandpass function, the evanescent field coupling between two attached fibers is utilized. By applying strain, the spectral shape of the pass-band is adjusted to flat-top and Gaussian shapes. For the flat-top case, the bandwidth is obtained ~ 160 nm with an insertion loss of ~ 2 dB. With strain, the spectral shape is switched into a Gaussian one, which has ~ 120 nm FWHM and ~ 4.18 dB insertion loss at the peak.

Optical modulation in silicon-vanadium dioxide photonic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Kevin J.; Hallman, Kent A.; Haglund, Richard F.; Weiss, Sharon M.

2017-08-01

All-optical modulators are likely to play an important role in future chip-scale information processing systems. In this work, through simulations, we investigate the potential of a recently reported vanadium dioxide (VO2) embedded silicon waveguide structure for ultrafast all-optical signal modulation. With a VO2 length of only 200 nm, finite-differencetime- domain simulations suggest broadband (200 nm) operation with a modulation greater than 12 dB and an insertion loss of less than 3 dB. Predicted performance metrics, including modulation speed, modulation depth, optical bandwidth, insertion loss, device footprint, and energy consumption of the proposed Si-VO2 all-optical modulator are benchmarked against those of current state-of-the-art all-optical modulators with in-plane optical excitation.

Lateral acoustic wave resonator comprising a suspended membrane of low damping resonator material

DOEpatents

Olsson, Roy H.; El-Kady; , Ihab F.; Ziaei-Moayyed, Maryam; Branch; , Darren W.; Su; Mehmet F.,; Reinke; Charles M.,

2013-09-03

A very high-Q, low insertion loss resonator can be achieved by storing many overtone cycles of a lateral acoustic wave (i.e., Lamb wave) in a lithographically defined suspended membrane comprising a low damping resonator material, such as silicon carbide. The high-Q resonator can sets up a Fabry-Perot cavity in a low-damping resonator material using high-reflectivity acoustic end mirrors, which can comprise phononic crystals. The lateral overtone acoustic wave resonator can be electrically transduced by piezoelectric couplers. The resonator Q can be increased without increasing the impedance or insertion loss by storing many cycles or wavelengths in the high-Q resonator material, with much lower damping than the piezoelectric transducer material.

CRISPR-based screening of genomic island excision events in bacteria.

PubMed

Selle, Kurt; Klaenhammer, Todd R; Barrangou, Rodolphe

2015-06-30

Genomic analysis of Streptococcus thermophilus revealed that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) likely contributed to gene acquisition and loss during evolutionary adaptation to milk. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated genes (CRISPR-Cas), the adaptive immune system in bacteria, limits genetic diversity by targeting MGEs including bacteriophages, transposons, and plasmids. CRISPR-Cas systems are widespread in streptococci, suggesting that the interplay between CRISPR-Cas systems and MGEs is one of the driving forces governing genome homeostasis in this genus. To investigate the genetic outcomes resulting from CRISPR-Cas targeting of integrated MGEs, in silico prediction revealed four genomic islands without essential genes in lengths from 8 to 102 kbp, totaling 7% of the genome. In this study, the endogenous CRISPR3 type II system was programmed to target the four islands independently through plasmid-based expression of engineered CRISPR arrays. Targeting lacZ within the largest 102-kbp genomic island was lethal to wild-type cells and resulted in a reduction of up to 2.5-log in the surviving population. Genotyping of Lac(-) survivors revealed variable deletion events between the flanking insertion-sequence elements, all resulting in elimination of the Lac-encoding island. Chimeric insertion sequence footprints were observed at the deletion junctions after targeting all of the four genomic islands, suggesting a common mechanism of deletion via recombination between flanking insertion sequences. These results established that self-targeting CRISPR-Cas systems may direct significant evolution of bacterial genomes on a population level, influencing genome homeostasis and remodeling.

[Impact of intrauterine device insertion surgery on women's mental state].

PubMed

Chu, Guang-hua; Zou, Yan; Wang, Xiao-ye; Li, Su-xia; Huang, Zi-rong; Fang, Ai-hua; Tian, Ai-ping

2013-06-01

To evaluate the impact of the intrauterine device (IUD) insertion on the mental state of women. From Jan. 2009 to Jun. 2010, a multi-center clinical observational study was performed. Totally 641 women were selected in the six provinces' 18 family planning service stations and hospitals for IUD insertion surgery study. Analysis of the change of women's mental state which was evaluated by symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) scale before and after IUD insertion surgery. Before and after IUD insertion surgery, 10 factors' scores in SCL-90 of the observed objects were between 1.1 to 1.2, total scores were 107±27 and 105±25, respectively. Before and after surgery, total average score both were 1.2, the average score of positive items both were 2.1. The difference of the above results were not statistically significance (all P>0.05). Preoperative and postoperative, the rate of positive items was 9.2%-19.6% and 7.7%-17.6%, respectively.In addition to anxiety and fear, the rate of other factors' positive items postoperative was significantly lower than those in the preoperative (all P<0.05). The incidence of the observed objects postoperative of each factor score, "deteriorated" was in the range of 4.9% to 23.0%, "improved" was in the range of 26.3%-50.1%. The incidence of total scores, "deterioration" was 28.8% (166/575), "improved" was 45.6% (262/575). The incidence of the average score of positive items, "deterioration" was 3.7% (21/575), "improved" was 52.3% (301/575). Logistic analysis showed that, in addition to unit level, there were no other significant influencing factors for women' mental state of postoperative (all P>0.05). IUD insertion surgery has no adverse effect on women's mental state.

A compact 10 kW solid-state RF power amplifier at 352 MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dancila, Dragos; Hoang Duc, Long; Jobs, Magnus; Holmberg, Måns; Hjort, Adam; Rydberg, Anders; Ruber, Roger

2017-07-01

A compact 10 kW RF power amplifier at 352 MHz was developed at FREIA for the European Spallation Source, ESS. The specifications of ESS for the conception of amplifiers are related to its pulsed operation: 3.5 ms pulse length and a duty cycle of 5%. The realized amplifier is composed of eight kilowatt level modules, combined using a planar Gysel 8-way combiner. The combiner has a low insertion loss of only 0.2 dB, measured at 10 kW peak power. Each module is built around a commercially available LDMOS transistor in a singleended architecture. During the final tests, a total output peak power of 10.5 kW was measured.

Retention and wear behaviors of two implant overdenture stud-type attachments at different implant angulations.

PubMed

Choi, Jae-Won; Bae, Ji-Hyeon; Jeong, Chang-Mo; Huh, Jung-Bo

2017-05-01

Implant angulation should be considered when selecting an attachment. Some in vitro studies have investigated the relationship between implant angulation and changes in the retention force of the stud attachment, but few studies have evaluated the effect of cyclic loading and repeated cycles of insertion and removal on the stud attachment. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of implant angulation on the retentive characteristics of overdentures with 2 different stud attachments, an experimental system and O-rings in red and orange, after cyclic loading and repeated insertion and removal cycles. The canine region of a mandibular experimental model was fitted with 2 implant fixtures with 2 different stud attachment systems at implant angulations of 0, 15, or 30 degrees. A mastication simulator was used to simulate cyclic loading, and a universal testing machine was used to evaluate retentive force changes after repeated insertion and removal cycles. To simulate the numbers of mastication and insertion and removal cycles per annum, 400000 cyclic loadings and 1080 insertion and removal cycles were performed. Wear patterns and attachment surface deformations were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction (α=.05/3=.017), and the paired-sample Student t test (α=.05). When retentive forces before and after testing were compared, O-ring showed significant retention loss at all implant angulations (P<.001). In contrast, the experimental system showed little retention loss in the 0- and 15-degree models (P>.05), whereas the 30-degree model showed a significant increase in retentive force (P=.001). At all implant angulations, retention loss increased significantly for the orange O-ring, followed by the red O-ring, and the experimental system (P<.001). Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed more intense wear in the matrix than the patrix (abutment that matches to matrix) and more severe wear and deformation of the O-ring rubber matrix than of the experimental zirconia ball. Upon completion of the experiment, wear and deformation were found for all attachment systems. Even when implants are not installed in parallel, the experimental system can be used without involving great loss of retention. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D kinematics of mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty using X-ray fluoroscopy.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Takaharu; Futai, Kazuma; Tomita, Tetsuya; Sato, Yoshinobu; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Tamura, Shinichi; Sugamoto, Kazuomi

2015-04-01

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) 3D kinematic analysis requires 2D/3D image registration of X-ray fluoroscopic images and a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the knee implant. However, these techniques cannot provide information on the radiolucent polyethylene insert, since the insert silhouette does not appear clearly in X-ray images. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain the 3D kinematics of the polyethylene insert, particularly the mobile-bearing insert. A technique for 3D kinematic analysis of a mobile-bearing insert used in TKA was developed using X-ray fluoroscopy. The method was tested and a clinical application was evaluated. Tantalum beads and a CAD model of the mobile-bearing TKA insert are used for 3D pose estimation of the mobile-bearing insert used in TKA using X-ray fluoroscopy. The insert model was created using four identical tantalum beads precisely located at known positions in a polyethylene insert using a specially designed insertion device. Finally, the 3D pose of the insert model was estimated using a feature-based 2D/3D registration technique, using the silhouette of beads in fluoroscopic images and the corresponding CAD insert model. In vitro testing for the repeatability of the positioning of the tantalum beads and computer simulations for 3D pose estimation of the mobile-bearing insert were performed. The pose estimation accuracy achieved was sufficient for analyzing mobile-bearing TKA kinematics (RMS error: within 1.0 mm and 1.0°, except for medial-lateral translation). In a clinical application, nine patients with mobile-bearing TKA were investigated and analyzed with respect to a deep knee bending motion. A 3D kinematic analysis technique was developed that enables accurate quantitative evaluation of mobile-bearing TKA kinematics. This method may be useful for improving implant design and optimizing TKA surgical techniques.

Multifaceted spiral suture: A hemostatic technique in managing placenta praevia or accrete

PubMed Central

Meng, Yifan; Wu, Peng; Deng, Dongrui; Wu, Jianli; Lin, Xingguang; Beejadhursing, Rajluxmee; Zha, Ying; Qiao, Fuyuan; Feng, Ling; Liu, Haiyi; Zeng, Wanjiang

2017-01-01

Abstract Patients with total placenta previa and past history of cesarean delivery often experience overwhelming hemorrhage during childbirth. In order to control intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, we propose a novel multifaceted spiral suture of the lower uterine segment which directly sutures the bleeding site. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of multifaceted spiral suture, a retrospective study was conducted using data from 33 patients with total placenta praevia and caesarean history. All participants underwent multifaceted spiral suture and no patient experienced uncontrollable bleeding or underwent hysterectomy. The average blood loss of all patients involved was 1327.3 ± 1244.1 mL. Five patients reported blood loss exceeding 3000 mL (15.15%), and the highest reached to 4000 mL. No complications such as fever, pyometra, synechiae, or uterine necrosis were observed. Three cases (3/33, 9.09%) reported hematuria in the first 3 days following surgery and spontaneous resolution were observed within 3 to 7 days following insertion of indwelling catheters. No complaints were received during 6-month follow-up visits. These findings suggest that multifaceted spiral suture is a practical, feasible, and promising technique in potentially minimizing postpartum bleeding and avoiding hysterectomy for patients with placenta praevia or accrete. PMID:29245338

Pseudo-orthogonal frequency coded wireless SAW RFID temperature sensor tags.

PubMed

Saldanha, Nancy; Malocha, Donald C

2012-08-01

SAW sensors are ideal for various wireless, passive multi-sensor applications because they are small, rugged, radiation hard, and offer a wide range of material choices for operation over broad temperature ranges. The readable distance of a tag in a multi-sensor environment is dependent on the insertion loss of the device and the processing gain of the system. Single-frequency code division multiple access (CDMA) tags that are used in high-volume commercial applications must have universal coding schemes and large numbers of codes. The use of a large number of bits at the common center frequency to achieve sufficient code diversity in CDMA tags necessitates reflector banks with >30 dB loss. Orthogonal frequency coding is a spread-spectrum approach that employs frequency and time diversity to achieve enhanced tag properties. The use of orthogonal frequency coded (OFC) SAW tags reduces adjacent reflector interactions for low insertion loss, increased range, complex coding, and system processing gain. This work describes a SAW tag-sensor platform that reduces device loss by implementing long reflector banks with optimized spectral coding. This new pseudo-OFC (POFC) coding is defined and contrasted with the previously defined OFC coding scheme. Auto- and cross-correlation properties of the chips and their relation to reflectivity per strip and reflector length are discussed. Results at 250 MHz of 8-chip OFC and POFC SAW tags will be compared. The key parameters of insertion loss, cross-correlation, and autocorrelation of the two types of frequency-coded tags will be analyzed, contrasted, and discussed. It is shown that coded reflector banks can be achieved with near-zero loss and still maintain good coding properties. Experimental results and results predicted by the coupling of modes model are presented for varying reflector designs and codes. A prototype 915-MHz POFC sensor tag is used as a wireless temperature sensor and the results are shown.

Effect of skin disinfection with octenidine dihydrochloride on insertion site colonization of intravascular catheters.

PubMed

Dettenkofer, M; Jonas, D; Wiechmann, C; Rossner, R; Frank, U; Zentner, J; Daschner, F D

2002-10-01

We investigated the efficacy of two commercially available, alcohol-based antiseptic solutions in decontaminating the insertion site of central lines. One solution contained the bispyridine octenidine dihydrochloride. Inpatients receiving either a central venous catheter (CVC) or a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) were alternately assigned to different skin disinfection regimens at the insertion site: (A) 0.1% octendine dihydrochloride with 30% 1-propanol and 45% 2-propanol, (B) 74% ethanol with 10% 2-propanol. Quantitative skin cultures were obtained from the insertion site at predetermined intervals. A total of 60 patients received 12 CVCs and 47 PICCs (no significant difference with respect to gender, age and catheter type). In total, 90 cultures were assessed in each group. The median colony-forming unit (cfu) counts per 24 cm(2) (group A vs B) were 2,270 vs 2,950 before, 20 vs 40 following and 860 vs 1,210 24 h after catheter insertion, respectively. A statistically significant difference in the efficacy of skin decontamination was seen between groups in culture set (3) and in the difference between culture sets (2) and (3) (Wilcoxon rank sum test). Octenidine/propanol appears to be more effective than alcohol (ethanol/propanol) alone in reducing microflora of the skin at the PICC/CVC insertion site over a 24-h period.

Histomorphological and immunofluorescence evaluation of clear corneal incisions after microcoaxial phacoemulsification with 2.2 mm and 1.8 mm systems.

PubMed

Vasavada, Abhay R; Johar, Kaid; Praveen, Mamidipudi R; Vasavada, Viraj A; Arora, Anshul I

2013-04-01

To compare changes in the incision's histomorphology and denaturation of collagen I in rabbit eyes having microcoaxial phacoemulsification through 2.2 mm and 1.8 mm incision-compatible systems. Randomized experimental trial. Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India. Thirty rabbit eyes were randomized into Group 1 (microcoaxial phacoemulsification through 2.2 mm incisions using Infiniti system [torsional ultrasound]) and Group 2 (microcoaxial phacoemulsification through 1.8 mm incisions using Stellaris system [longitudinal ultrasound]). Each group was then divided into 3 subgroups of 5 eyes each based on 1 of the 3 intervention options: phacoemulsification only, intraocular lens (IOL) insertion only, and phacoemulsification with IOL insertion. Left eyes were randomized for microcoaxial phacoemulsification, and right eyes were treated as controls. After phacoemulsification, eyes in Group 1 showed loss of epithelium at the roof of the incisions and Descemet membrane detachment at the floor of the incisions. These findings did not change after IOL insertion. After phacoemulsification, eyes in Group 2 showed loss of epithelium, but Descemet membrane remained attached. There was a longitudinal split in the incision's stroma in the direction of internal entry. The stromal damage increased after IOL implantation. Immunofluorescence studies showed no obvious irregularities in the arrangement of collagen I in either group. A dot blot analysis showed significant denaturation of collagen I in Group 2. The histomorphology of the 2.2 mm system incision showed localized Descemet membrane detachment and endothelial cell loss. The 1.8 mm system incision showed exaggerated stromal damage after IOL insertion. Copyright © 2013 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

YBCO High-Temperature Superconducting Filters on M-Plane Sapphire Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabataitis, J. C.; Mueller, C. H.; Miranda, F. A.; Warner, J.; Bhasin, K. B.

1996-01-01

Since the discovery of High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) in 1986, microwave circuits have been demonstrated using HTS films on various substrates. These HTS-based circuits have proven to operate with less power loss than their metallic film counterparts at 77 K. This translates into smaller and lighter microwave circuits for space communication systems such as multiplexer filter banks. High quality HTS films have conventionally been deposited on lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO3) substrates. However, LaAlO3 has a relative dielectric constant (epsilon(sub r)) of 24. With a epsilon(sub r) approx. 9.4-11.6, sapphire (Al2O3) would be a preferable substrate for the fabrication of HTS-based components since the lower dielectric constant would permit wider microstrip lines to be used in filter design, since the lower dielectric constant would permit wider microstrip lines to be used for a given characteristic impedance (Z(sub 0)), thus lowering the insertion losses and increasing the power handling capabilities of the devices. We report on the fabrication and characterization of YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) (YBCO) on M-plane sapphire bandpass filters at 4.0 GHz. For a YBCO 'hairpin' filter, a minimum insertion loss of 0.5 dB was measured at 77 K as compared with 1.4 dB for its gold counterpart. In an 'edge-coupled' configuration, the insertion loss went down from 0.9 dB for the gold film to 0.8 dB for the YBCO film at the same temperature.

Gene relocations within chloroplast genomes of Jasminum and Menodora (Oleaceae) are due to multiple, overlapping inversions.

PubMed

Lee, Hae-Lim; Jansen, Robert K; Chumley, Timothy W; Kim, Ki-Joong

2007-05-01

The chloroplast (cp) DNA sequence of Jasminum nudiflorum (Oleaceae-Jasmineae) is completed and compared with the large single-copy region sequences from 6 related species. The cp genomes of the tribe Jasmineae (Jasminum and Menodora) show several distinctive rearrangements, including inversions, gene duplications, insertions, inverted repeat expansions, and gene and intron losses. The ycf4-psaI region in Jasminum section Primulina was relocated as a result of 2 overlapping inversions of 21,169 and 18,414 bp. The 1st, larger inversion is shared by all members of the Jasmineae indicating that it occurred in the common ancestor of the tribe. Similar rearrangements were also identified in the cp genome of Menodora. In this case, 2 fragments including ycf4 and rps4-trnS-ycf3 genes were moved by 2 additional inversions of 14 and 59 kb that are unique to Menodora. Other rearrangements in the Oleaceae are confined to certain regions of the Jasminum and Menodora cp genomes, including the presence of highly repeated sequences and duplications of coding and noncoding sequences that are inserted into clpP and between rbcL and psaI. These insertions are correlated with the loss of 2 introns in clpP and a serial loss of segments of accD. The loss of the accD gene and clpP introns in both the monocot family Poaceae and the eudicot family Oleaceae are clearly independent evolutionary events. However, their genome organization is surprisingly similar despite the distant relationship of these 2 angiosperm families.

A low insertion loss GaAs pHEMT switch utilizing dual n +-doping AlAs etching stop layers design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Feng-Tso; Lin, Da-Wei; Yang, Chih-Wei; Fu, Jeffrey S.; Chiu, Hsien-Chin

2010-03-01

A low insertion loss single-pole-single-throw (SPST) pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) switch utilizing the n +-type doping in AlAs etching stop layer was fabricated and investigated. This novel design reduces device sheet resistance resulting in an improvement of dc and rf power performance. In addition, the gate recess selectivity for GaAs/AlAs interface was not sacrificed after highly n +-type doping in AlAs etching stop layer. The pHEMT with n +-AlAs etching stop layer, also named Modified pHEMT (M-pHEMT), demonstrated a lower sheet resistance ( Rsh) of 65.9 Ω/γ, a higher maximum drain-to-source current ( Idmax) of 317.8 mA/mm and a higher peak transconductance ( gm) of 259.3 mS/mm which are superior to standard pHEMT performance with values of 71.9 Ω/γ, 290.3 mA/mm and 252.1 mS/mm, respectively. Due to a significant sheet resistance improvement from this novel epitaxial design, an SPST pHEMT switch was realized to manifest its industrial application potential. The results achieved an on-state insertion loss of 1.42 dB, an off-state isolation of 13.02 dB at 0.9 GHz, which were superior to traditional pHEMT switch under same condition of operation with values of 1.68 dB and 11.42 dB, respectively. It is proved that dual n +-doping AlAs etching stop layers scheme is beneficial for low loss microwave switches applications.

Computer study of emergency shutdowns of a 60-kilowatt reactor Brayton space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tew, R. C.; Jefferies, K. S.

1974-01-01

A digital computer study of emergency shutdowns of a 60-kWe reactor Brayton power system was conducted. Malfunctions considered were (1) loss of reactor coolant flow, (2) loss of Brayton system gas flow, (3)turbine overspeed, and (4) a reactivity insertion error. Loss of reactor coolant flow was the most serious malfunction for the reactor. Methods for moderating the reactor transients due to this malfunction are considered.

Six- and twelve-month documented removal rates among women electing postpartum inpatient compared to delayed or interval contraceptive implant insertions after Medicaid payment reform.

PubMed

Crockett, Amy H; Pickell, Lesley Bundon; Heberlein, Emily C; Billings, Deborah L; Mills, Benjie

2017-01-01

This study aims to document 6- and 12-month removal rates for women receiving the contraceptive implant inpatient postpartum versus those receiving the same contraceptive method during an outpatient visit, in a setting where postpartum inpatient long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) services (devices plus provider insertion costs) are reimbursed by Medicaid. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among Medicaid-enrolled women using medical record review for all women receiving the etonogestrel implant between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2014. We compared the percentage of women with the implant removed at 6 and 12 months as well as reasons for early removal, for inpatient postpartum implant insertions vs. delayed postpartum or interval outpatient implant insertions. A total of 4% of women (34/776 insertions) had documented implant removal within 6 months post-insertion, with no difference between postpartum inpatient and outpatient (delayed postpartum or interval). A total of 12% (62/518 insertions) of women had documented implant removal within 12 months. A lower percentage of women with postpartum inpatient insertions had the implant removed at 12 months post-insertion, compared to outpatient insertions (7% vs. 14%, p=.04). After controlling for age, parity, race and body mass index, women with postpartum inpatient insertions were less likely to have the implant removed within 12 months (OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.97). The most commonly stated reason for removal was abnormal uterine bleeding, regardless of insertion timing. In a setting with a Medicaid policy that covers postpartum inpatient LARC insertion, a low percentage of women who received an implant immediately postpartum had it removed within 1 year of insertion. A Medicaid payment policy that removes institutional barriers to offering postpartum inpatient contraceptive implants to women free-of-charge may facilitate meeting women's desires and intentions to delay subsequent pregnancy, as evidenced by low removal rates up to 12 months post-insertion. Further research with women is needed to assess how these services meet their postpartum contraceptive needs and desires to postpone or prevent subsequent pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acrylic and metal based Y-branch plastic optical fiber splitter with optical NOA63 polymer waveguide taper region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehsan, Abang Annuar; Shaari, Sahbudin; Rahman, Mohd Kamil Abd.

2011-01-01

We proposed a simple low-cost acrylic and metal-based Y-branch plastic optical fiber (POF) splitter which utilizes a low cost optical polymer glue NOA63 as the main waveguiding medium at the waveguide taper region. The device is composed of three sections: an input POF waveguide, a middle waveguide taper region and output POF waveguides. A desktop high speed CNC engraver is utilized to produce the mold inserts used for the optical devices. Short POF fibers are inserted into the engraved slots at the input and output ports. UV curable optical polymer glue NOA63 is injected into the waveguide taper region and cured. The assembling is completed when the top plate is positioned to enclose the device structure and connecting screws are secured. Both POF splitters have an average insertion loss of 7.8 dB, coupling ratio of 55: 45 and 57: 43 for the acrylic and metal-based splitters respectively. The devices have excess loss of 4.82 and 4.73 dB for the acrylic and metal-based splitters respectively.

Gait Parameters and Functional Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty Using Persona Knee System With Cruciate Retaining and Ultracongruent Knee Inserts.

PubMed

Rajgopal, Ashok; Aggarwal, Kalpana; Khurana, Anshika; Rao, Arun; Vasdev, Attique; Pandit, Hemant

2017-01-01

Total knee arthroplasty is a well-established treatment for managing end-stage symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Currently, different designs of prostheses are available with majority ensuring similar clinical outcomes. Altered surface geometry is introduced to strive toward gaining superior outcomes. We aimed to investigate any differences in functional outcomes between 2 different polyethylene designs namely the Persona CR (cruciate retaining) and Persona UC (ultracongruent) tibial inserts (Zimmer-Biomet, Warsaw, IN). This prospective single blind, single-surgeon randomized controlled trial reports on 105 patients, (66 female and 39 male), who underwent simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty using the Persona knee system (Zimmer-Biomet) UC inserts in one side and CR inserts in the contralateral side. By a blind assessor, at regular time intervals patients were assessed in terms of function and gait. The functional knee scoring scales used were the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and Modified Knee Society Score. The gait parameters evaluated were foot pressure and step length. During the study period, no patient was lost to follow-up or underwent revision surgery for any cause. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores, Modified Knee Society Score, and knee range of motion of all 105 patients assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years showed statistically better results (P < .05) for UC inserts. Gait analysis measuring foot pressures and step length, however, did not show any statistically significant differences at 2-year follow-up. Ultracongruent tibial inserts show significantly better functional outcomes as compared to CR inserts during a 2-year follow-up period. However, in this study these findings were not shown to be attributed to differences in gait parameters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of 2 Tibial Inserts of Different Constraint for Cruciate-Retaining Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: An Additional Tool for Balancing the Posterior Cruciate Ligament.

PubMed

Emerson, Roger H; Barrington, John W; Olugbode, Seun A; Alnachoukati, Omar K

2016-02-01

Frequently, a normal posterior-cruciate ligament (PCL) is removed at the surgeon's discretion, converting the normal 4-ligament knee to a 2-ligament knee, thus eliminating the need to balance all 4 ligaments. The development of modular tibial components has led to the availability of differing polyethylene inserts that permit adjustment to the flexion gap independent of the extension gap, permitting PCL balancing not previously available. The purpose of this study is to analyze a specific cruciate-retaining (CR) prosthesis which has 2 polyethylene inserts intended for CR knee use. Between February 2004 and February 2013, the senior author (R.H.E.) has performed 930 total knee arthroplasties using the CR flat insert and 424 knees using the CR lipped insert. The inserts were selected during surgery, based on the assessed tension and function of the PCL. The patients were followed up as part of a prospective total joint program with the Knee Society clinical scoring, range of motion, complications, revisions, preoperative coronal deformity, gender, body mass index, and status of the anterior-cruciate ligament intraoperatively. The average Knee Score was 92.4 for the flat group and 92.1 for the lipped group. Average knee flexion was 116.2° for the flat group and 114.4° for the lipped group (P=.2). Average knee extension (flexion deformity) was 2.1° for the flat group and 0.9° for the lipped group The results reported here show that clinical outcomes and survivorship were no different for either insert option, leading to indirect evidence that appropriate soft tissue balance had been achieved. Published by Elsevier Inc.

ACL Fibers Inserting on the Lateral Intercondylar Ridge Carry the Greatest Loads - Are Modern Anatomic Femoral Tunnel Positions Too Low?

PubMed Central

Nawabi, Danyal H.; Imhauser, Carl; Tucker, Scott; Nguyen, Joseph; Wickiewicz, Thomas L.; Pearle, Andrew

2014-01-01

Objectives: Histological studies have shown that the ACL has a direct and indirect insertion on the femur [1]. The direct insertion is located along the lateral intercondylar ridge and the indirect insertion is located ‘lower’ on the lateral wall of the notch. The trend towards anatomic ACL reconstruction using the anteromedial (AM) portal technique has resulted in ‘lower’ non-isometric femoral tunnel positions and increased graft failures [2]. To our knowledge, the load transfer properties of the direct and indirect ACL insertions have not been studied. This information may help in understanding the increased failures reported with AM portal drilling. The purpose of this study was, 1) to compare the load transferred across the native ACL at the direct and indirect femoral insertions and, 2) to determine the strain behavior of ACL grafts placed at different tunnel locations within the direct and indirect insertions. Methods: Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric knees (mean age, 52.5 years; range, 29-65) were mounted to a six degree of freedom robot. A 134N anterior load at 30 and 90° flexion and a combined valgus (8Nm) and internal (4Nm) rotational moment at 15° flexion were applied. The ACL was subsequently sectioned at the femoral footprint by detaching either the direct or indirect insertion (partially sectioned state), followed by the remainder of the ACL (completely sectioned state) (Figure 1). The kinematics of the intact knee were replayed after each stage of sectioning to determine the loads transferred across the direct and indirect ACL fibers. Loads were expressed as a percentage of the total load borne by the ACL. Strain behaviour was tested by generating 3D models of the femur and tibia from CT scans of each knee. Three tunnel locations (anteromedial bundle [AM], center [C], posterolateral bundle [PL]) each were selected for the direct and indirect insertions and a virtual ACL graft was inserted. The isometry of the virtual graft was calculated through a flexion path of 0 to 90°. Results: Under an anterior tibial load at 30° flexion, the direct insertion carried 83.9% of the total ACL load compared to 16.1% in the indirect insertion (p<0.001). The direct insertion also carried more load at 90° flexion (95.2% vs 4.8%; p<0.001). Under a combined rotatory load at 15° flexion, the direct insertion carried 84.2% of the total ACL load compared to 15.8% in the indirect insertion (p<0.001). A virtual ACL graft placed at the AM position in the direct insertion demonstrated the best strain behaviour with a mean 10.9% change in length. This value was significantly lower (p<0.001) than the isometry at all 3 tunnel positions in the indirect insertion (AM = 18.5%; C = 24.9%; PL = 30.9%). Conclusion: Fibers in the direct insertion of the ACL carry more load than fibers in the indirect insertion. Virtual ACL grafts placed in the ‘higher’ direct location are more isometric than in the ‘lower’ indirect location during range of motion testing. Clinical Relevance: ‘Low’ ACL grafts in the indirect ACL insertion, resulting from AM portal drilling techniques, may experience higher loads in-vivo due to unfavorable biomechanics. With the current shift towards anatomic ACL reconstruction, it may be beneficial to create a ‘higher’ femoral tunnel within the direct insertion at the lateral intercondylar ridge. This position remains anatomical but may also be biomechanically favorable.

The Effect of Scala Tympani Morphology on Basilar Membrane Contact With a Straight Electrode Array: A Human Temporal Bone Study.

PubMed

Verberne, Juul; Risi, Frank; Campbell, Luke; Chambers, Scott; O'Leary, Stephen

2017-01-01

Scala tympani morphology influences the insertion dynamics and intra-scalar position of straight electrode arrays. Hearing preservation is the goal of cochlear implantation with current thin straight electrode arrays. These hug the lateral wall, facilitating full, atraumatic insertions. However, most studies still report some postoperative hearing loss. This study explores the influence of scala tympani morphology on array position relative to the basilar membrane and its possible contribution to postoperative hearing loss. Twenty-six fresh-frozen human temporal bones implanted with a straight electrode array were three-dimensionally reconstructed from micro-photographic histological sections. Insertion depth and the proximity between the array and basilar membrane were recorded. Lateral wall shape was quantified as a curvature ratio. Insertion depths ranged from 233 to 470 degrees. The mean first point of contact between the array and basilar membrane was 185 degrees; arrays tended to remain in contact with the membrane after first contacting it. Eighty-nine and 93% of arrays that reached the upper basal (>240-360 degrees) and second (>360-720 degrees) turns respectively contacted the basilar membrane in these regions. Scalar wall curvature ratio decreased significantly (the wall became steeper) from the basal to second turns. This shift correlated with a reduced distance between the array and basilar membrane. Scala tympani morphology influences the insertion dynamics and intra-scalar position of a straight electrode array. In addition to gross trauma of cochlear structures, contact between the array and basilar membrane and how this impacts membrane function should be considered in hearing preservation cases.

Active control of sound transmission through a double panel partition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sas, P.; Bao, C.; Augusztinovicz, F.; Desmet, W.

1995-03-01

The feasibility of improving the insertion loss of lightweight double panel partitions by using small loudspeakers as active noise control sources inside the air gap between both panels of the partition is investigated analytically, numerically and experimentally in this paper. A theoretical analysis of the mechanisms of the fluid-structure interaction of double panel structures is presented in order to gain insight into the physical phenomena underlying the behaviour of a coupled vibro-acoustic system controlled by active methods. The analysis, based on modal coupling theory, enables one to derive some qualitative predictions concerning the potentials and limitations of the proposed approach. The theoretical analysis is valid only for geometrically simple structures. For more complex geometries, numerical simulations are required. Therefore the potential use of active noise control inside double panel structures has been analyzed by using coupled finite element and boundary element methods. To verify the conclusions drawn from the theoretical analysis and the numerical calculation and, above all, to demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach, experiments have been conducted with a laboratory set-up. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated in terms of relative insertion loss measurements. It is shown that a considerable improvement of the insertion loss has been achieved around the lightly damped resonances of the system for the frequency range investigated (60-220 Hz).

Microstrip Butler matrix design and realization for 7 T MRI.

PubMed

Yazdanbakhsh, Pedram; Solbach, Klaus

2011-07-01

This article presents the design and realization of 8 × 8 and 16 × 16 Butler matrices for 7 T MRI systems. With the focus on low insertion loss and high amplitude/phase accuracy, the microstrip line integration technology (microwave-integrated circuit) was chosen for the realization. Laminate material of high permittivity (ε(r) = 11) and large thickness (h = 3.2 mm) is shown to allow the best trade-off of circuit board size versus insertion loss, saving circuit area by extensive folding of branch-line coupler topology and meandering phase shifter and connecting strip lines and reducing mutual coupling of neighboring strip lines by shield structures between strip lines. With this approach, 8 × 8 Butler matrices were produced in single boards of 310 mm × 530 mm, whereas the 16 × 16 Butler matrices combined two submatrices of 8 × 8 with two smaller boards. Insertion loss was found at 0.73 and 1.1 dB for an 8 × 8 matrix and 16 × 16 matrix, respectively. Measured amplitude and phase errors are shown to represent highly pure mode excitation with unwanted modes suppressed by 40 and 35 dB, respectively. Both types of matrices were implemented with a 7 T MRI system and 8- and 16-element coil arrays for RF mode shimming experiments and operated successfully with 8 kW of RF power. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Clinical application of three-dimensional O-arm navigation system in treating patients with dystrophic scoliosis secondary to neurofibromatosis type Ⅰ].

PubMed

Liu, Z; Qiu, Y; Li, Y; Zhao, Z H; Wang, B; Zhu, F; Yu, Y; Sun, X; Zhu, Z Z

2017-03-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcomes and the accuracy of O-arm-navigation system assisted pedicle screw insertion in dystrophic scoliosis secondary to neurofibromatosis type Ⅰ(NF-1). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 41 patients with dystrophic NF-1-associated thoracic scoliosis who were surgically treated at Department of Orthopaedics, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School between June 2012 and October 2014 with more than 18 months follow-up. The patients were then divided into two groups: 18 patients were under the assistance of O-arm-navigation-based pedicle screw insertion (O-arm group) and the remaining 23 patients' pedicle screws insertion were conducted by free-hand (free-hand group). The X-ray and CT were analyzed to investigate the correction rate and safety of pedicle insertion. t -test was used to analyze measurement data and χ(2) test was used to analyze accuracy of screw insertion between the two groups. Results: The mean coronal Cobb angle was 63.2°±8.7° in the O-arm group and 66.9°±7.4° in the free-hand group ( P >0.05), which was then corrected into 23.1°±6.8° and 30.2°±7.6°( t =2.231, P =0.031) after surgery respectively.Operation time was (265.0±70.3)minutes and estimated blood loss was (1 024±465)ml in the O-arm group. Operation time and estimated blood loss was (243.0±49.6)minutes and (1 228±521)ml respectively in the free-hand group, which had no significant difference between the two groups. However, the implant density was higher in the O-arm group than that in the free-hand group ((64.1±10.8)% vs .(44.3±15.3)%)( t =4.652, P =0.000). The O-arm group comprised 122 screws, of which 72.9% were excellent, 22.1% were good and 4.9% were bad. The free-hand group comprised 136 screws and 48.5% of them were excellent, 33.8% were good and 17.6% were bad.Accuracy of pedicle screw insertion was higher in the O-arm group than that in the free-hand group(χ(2)=10.140, P <0.05). By June 2016, the average follow-up period was (20.9±3.4)months(ranging from18 to 26 months), including (20.3±3.1)months in the O-arm group and (21.4±5.5)months in the free-hand group. At last follow-up point, coronal correction loss was significantly higher in the free-hand group than that in the O-arm group (6.3°±2.6° vs . 4.4°±1.6°)( t =2.719, P =0.009). Conclusions: Compared with free-hand technique, O-arm-navigation technique could enhance accuracy of pedicle insertion and implant density of dystrophic region in dystrophic NF-1-associated scoliosis patients, which result in a better correction rate and less correction loss. Besides, the advantage of O-arm-navigation do not increase operative time and estimate blood loss.

Understanding an Audiogram. Tipsheet: Serving Students Who Are Hard of Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marni

2009-01-01

The type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss, if one is present, can be determined by reading an audiogram. The type of hearing loss is determined by comparing auditory thresholds obtained using head-phones or insert earphones (air-conduction thresholds) to those obtained using a bone oscillator (bone-conduction thresholds). By itself, the…

Assessment of Four Passive Hearing Protection Devices for Continuous Noise Attenuation, Impulsive Noise Insertion Loss, and Auditory Localization Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-17

their duties, and may decrease the future standard of living and career opportunities for the Soldier. Tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss are the...tested. Volunteers were given a questionnaire to report if they were sick, suffering from allergies, experiencing tinnitus , or otherwise in poor health

Evaluating the ototoxicity of an anti-MRSA peptide KR-12-a2.

PubMed

Sung, Chung Man; Kim, Hong Chan; Cho, Yong Beom; Shin, Song Yub; Jang, Chul Ho

2017-05-31

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is an emerging problem for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media, and also for pediatric tympanostomy tube otorrhea. To date, there are no effective topical antibiotic drugs to treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus otorrhea. In this study, we evaluated the ototoxicity of topical KR-12-a2 solution on the cochlea when it is applied topically in the middle ear of guinea pigs. The antimicrobial activity of KR-12-a2 against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus strains was examined by using the inhibition zone test. Topical application of KR-12-a2 solution, Gentamicin and Phosphate Buffered Saline were applied in the middle ear of the guinea pigs after inserting ventilation tubes. Ototoxicity was assessed by Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response and Scanning Electron Microscope examination. KR-12-a2 produced an inhibition zone against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus from 6.25 μg. Hearing threshold in the KR-12-a2 and PBS groups were similar to that before ventilation tube insertion. However, the Gentamicin group showed elevation of the hearing threshold and there were statistically significant differences compared to the PBS or the KR-12-a2 group. In the SEM findings, the KR-12-a2 group showed intact outer hair cells. However, the GM group showed total loss of outer hair cells. In our experiment, topically applied KR-12-a2 solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage in guinea pigs. In our experiment, topically applied KR-12-a2 solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage in guinea pigs. The KR-12-a2 solution can be used as ototopical drops for treating methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus otorrhea; however, further evaluations, such as the definition of optimal concentration and combination, are necessary. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Numerical investigation of polarization insensitive two-mode division (De)multiplexer based on an asymmetric directional coupler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truong, Cao Dung; Trinh, M. Tuan; Dang, Hoai Bac; Nguyen, Van Tho

2017-02-01

We propose a polarization insensitive two-mode division (de)multiplexer based on a silicon-on-insulator platform operating with a broadband, low insertion and scattering loss, and small crosstalk. By using an asymmetric directional coupler, two-mode (de)multiplexing functions for both polarization TE and TM states can be realized by the numerical simulation. Simulated results using a three dimensional beam propagation method (3D-BPM) incorporated with an effective index method (EIM) show high performance of the device with an operation efficiency above 81.2% (i.e., insertion loss is less than 0.9 dB) in the range of ±5 nm around the central wavelength of 1550 nm. Fabrication tolerances also have proved suitability to current manufacture technologies for the planar waveguides. Besides a low scattering loss of the sidewall roughness and a little influence of dispersion, a small footprint can bring the device to applications of high bitrate and compact on-chip silicon photonic integrated circuits.

Optimization of figure of merit in magnetoplasmonic waveguides with Fe/Au multilayer for optical isolator based on nonreciprocal coupling on Si waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Hiromasa; Shimodaira, Takahiro

2018-04-01

We report on magnetoplasmonic Si waveguides with a ferromagnetic Fe/conductive metal Au multilayer for realizing a sizable magnetooptic effect with a low propagation loss for integrated optical isolators. By combining the ferromagnetic metal Fe with a highly conductive Au layer, the largest nonreciprocal differences in effective index were estimated for propagation lengths of 1-20 µm. Mode analysis with and without a Au layer clarified that the insertion of a Au layer on an Fe layer improves the optical confinement in the Fe layer with reduced propagation loss and is effective in enlarging the magnetooptic effect for the same propagation length. On the basis of the optimized Fe/Au multilayer structure, we designed waveguide optical isolators based on nonreciprocal coupling by the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. We estimated an optical isolation of 10.8 dB with a forward insertion loss of 13.4 dB in a 34-µm-long nonreciprocal directional coupler.

Effect of insertion torque on titanium implant osseointegration: an animal experimental study.

PubMed

Duyck, Joke; Roesems, Rutger; Cardoso, Marcio V; Ogawa, Toru; De Villa Camargos, Germana; Vandamme, Katleen

2015-02-01

To evaluate the effect of implant insertion torque on the peri-implant bone healing and implant osseointegration. Bilaterally in the tibia of five adult New Zealand white rabbits, 20 implants were installed, subdivided into four groups, corresponding to two insertion torque conditions (low, < 10 Ncm vs. high > 50 Ncm) and 2 experimental periods (2 weeks vs. 4 weeks of healing). The implant insertion torque was determined by the surgical drill diameter relative to the implant diameter. Implant osseointegration was evaluated by quantitative histology (bone-to-implant contact with host bone [BIC-host], with neoformed bone [BIC-de novo], with both bone types [BIC-total], and peri-implant bone [BA/TA]). Every response was modelled over time using GEE (general estimation equation) with an unstructured variance-covariance matrix to correct for dependency between the measurements from one animal. The statistical significance level of α = 0.05 was applied. Significantly, more BIC-host and BIC-total were recorded for H implants compared with L implants after 2 week of healing (P = 0.010 and P = 0.0001, respectively). However, this result was no longer found for the extended healing period. Furthermore, BIC-total significantly increased over time for L implants (P < 0.00001). In contrast, the significant increase in BA/TA over time was found for H implants (P < 0.01). Finally, H insertion torque led to an increased BA/TA after 4 week of healing (P < 0.02) compared with the L insertion protocol. L insertion torque implants installed in the rabbit tibial bone osseointegrate with considerable de novo bone formation. This bone neoformation enables L implants to catch up, already during the early osseointegration stage, the initial inferior amount BIC contact compared with that of H implants. A negative impact of the created strain environment accompanying H insertion torque implant installation on the biological process of osseointegration could not be observed, at least not at tissue level. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tibial interface wear in retrieved total knee components and correlations with modular insert motion.

PubMed

Rao, Anand R; Engh, Gerard A; Collier, Matthew B; Lounici, Smain

2002-10-01

Wear occurring at the interface between the polyethylene insert and metal baseplate of a modular tibial component has become an increasingly common finding at the time of revision total knee arthroplasty. Although this so-called backside wear on retrieved polyethylene inserts has been evaluated in prior studies, wear on retrieved metal baseplates has not been described, to our knowledge. The purposes of the present study were to characterize backside wear on retrieved polyethylene inserts and on the mating surfaces of their corresponding baseplates and to investigate if there is a relationship between backside wear and relative motion of the modular elements. Twenty-nine retrieved modular tibial components of twelve fixed-bearing designs were analyzed in vitro with regard to backside wear and relative motion between the polyethylene insert and the metal baseplate. We graded the backside of each polyethylene insert and the mating surface of the metal baseplate for wear with use of a scoring system that consisted of three modes of wear and three levels of severity of wear. Relative motion between the insert and the baseplate was measured in the transverse plane with use of a mechanical testing machine. These measurements were used to compute the insert motion index, which served to quantify unrestricted motion of the insert with respect to the baseplate. The mean insert motion index for the tibial components was 416 micro m (range, 104 micro m to 760 micro m). On a wear-grading scale ranging from 0 to 54 (with 0 indicating no wear), the mean backside wear score was 30 (range, 12 to 48) for the inserts and 28 (range, 7 to 51) for the baseplates. Insert motion was positively correlated with backside polyethylene wear (p = 0.003) and baseplate wear (p < 0.001). Baseplate wear was strongly correlated with backside polyethylene wear (p < 0.001). Backside wear was correlated with the relative motion between the polyethylene insert and the metal baseplate. New locking mechanism designs directed toward better methods of securing the polyethylene insert to the tibial tray are needed to minimize the generation of particulate wear debris at the modular interface.

Measurement of impulse peak insertion loss for four hearing protection devices in field conditions

PubMed Central

Murphy, William J.; Flamme, Gregory A.; Meinke, Deanna K.; Sondergaard, Jacob; Finan, Donald S.; Lankford, James E.; Khan, Amir; Vernon, Julia; Stewart, Michael

2015-01-01

Objective In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed an impulse noise reduction rating (NRR) for hearing protection devices based upon the impulse peak insertion loss (IPIL) methods in the ANSI S12.42-2010 standard. This study tests the ANSI S12.42 methods with a range of hearing protection devices measured in field conditions. Design The method utilizes an acoustic test fixture and three ranges for impulse levels: 130–134, 148–152, and 166–170 dB peak SPL. For this study, four different models of hearing protectors were tested: Bilsom 707 Impact II electronic earmuff, E·A·R Pod Express, E·A·R Combat Arms version 4, and the Etymotic Research, Inc. Electronic BlastPLG™ EB1. Study sample Five samples of each protector were fitted on the fixture or inserted in the fixture's ear canal five times for each impulse level. Impulses were generated by a 0.223 caliber rifle. Results The average IPILs increased with peak pressure and ranged between 20 and 38 dB. For some protectors, significant differences were observed across protector examples of the same model, and across insertions. Conclusions The EPA's proposed methods provide consistent and reproducible results. The proposed impulse NRR rating should utilize the minimum and maximum protection percentiles as determined by the ANSI S12.42-2010 methods. PMID:22176308

Broadband transverse magnetic pass polarizer with low insertion loss based on silicon nitride waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Tarun Kumar; Ranganath, Praveen; Nambiar, Siddharth; Selvaraja, Shankar Kumar

2018-03-01

A horizontally asymmetric transverse magnetic (TM) pass polarizer is presented. The device passes only TM mode and rejects transverse electric (TE) mode. The proposed device has an asymmetricity in the horizontal direction comprising a direction coupler region with a silicon waveguide, silicon nitride waveguide, and an air gap, all residing on silica. Between three equal width Si waveguides, we have one region filled with air and the other with SiN with unequal optimized widths. The device with its optimal dimensions yields an extremely low insertion loss (IL) of 0.16 dB for TM→TM, while TE is rejected by an IL of >48 dB. The proposed polarizer is operated between C&L bands with a high extinction ratio and broadband width of about 110 nm.

Nonreciprocal Gain in Non-Hermitian Time-Floquet Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koutserimpas, Theodoros T.; Fleury, Romain

2018-02-01

We explore the unconventional wave scattering properties of non-Hermitian systems in which amplification or damping are induced by time-periodic modulation. These non-Hermitian time-Floquet systems are capable of nonreciprocal operations in the frequency domain, which can be exploited to induce novel physical phenomena such as unidirectional wave amplification and perfect nonreciprocal response with zero or even negative insertion losses. This unique behavior is obtained by imparting a specific low-frequency time-periodic modulation to the complex coupling between lossless resonators, promoting only upward frequency conversion, and leading to nonreciprocal parametric gain. We provide a full-wave demonstration of our findings in a one-way microwave amplifier, and establish the potential of non-Hermitian time-Floquet devices for insertion-loss free microwave isolation and unidirectional parametric amplification.

16-channel arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) demultiplexer design on SOI wafer for application in CWDM-PON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhari, Nurjuliana; Menon, P. Susthitha; Ehsan, Abang Annuar; Shaari, Sahbudin

2015-01-01

Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) functioning as a demultiplexer is designed on SOI platform with rib waveguide structure to be utilized in coarse wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (CWDM-PON) systems. Two design approaches; conventional and tapered configuration of AWG was developed with channel spacing of 20 nm that covers the standard transmission spectrum of CWDM ranging from 1311 nm to 1611 nm. The performance of insertion loss for tapered configuration offered the lowest insertion loss of 0.77 dB but the adjacent crosstalk gave non-significant relation for both designs. With average channel spacing of 20.4 nm, the nominal central wavelength of this design is close to the standard CWDM wavelength grid over 484 nm free spectrum range (FSR).

Over 10,000 new maize mutants added to the uniformMu public resource: now 67,000 total Mu insertions with 42% genome coverage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Over 10,000 new mutants have been added to the UniformMu reverse genetics resource in release 7, bringing the total to over 67,000 germinal transposon insertions. These are available in 11,140 independent seed stocks. Close to half of the maize filtered gene set (42%) is represented by at least one ...

Pancreatic stent insertion after an unintentional guidewire cannulation of the pancreatic duct during ERCP.

PubMed

García-Cano, Jesús; Viñuelas Chicano, Miriam; Del Moral Martínez, María; Muñiz Muñoz, Marta; Murillo Matamoros, Claudio; Suárez Matías, Miguel; Valiente González, Laura; Martínez Pérez, Teresa; Martínez Fernández, Raquel; Gómez Ruiz, Carmen Julia; Pérez García, José Ignacio; Morillas Ariño, Julia

2018-04-24

the guidewire (GW) may enter the pancreatic duct during common bile duct (CBD) cannulation attempts in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). After GW passage into the pancreas, the most effective maneuver for CBD cannulation and pancreatitis prevention has not been determined. to study CBD cannulation and post-ERCP pancreatitis rates when a pancreatic stent is inserted after an unintentional GW cannulation of the pancreatic duct. a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing ERCP for biliary drainage that were included prospectively into a database. After unintentional GW cannulation of the pancreatic duct, a straight 5-Fr and 4-cm long plastic stent was inserted. The stents had no internal flaps to facilitate expulsion. CBD cannulation attempts were made above the stent. A pancreatic sphincterotomy was performed in patients older than 60 years before stent insertion. a total of 46 pancreatic stents were inserted during 154 ERCP (29.8%) procedures. In the stent group, CBD cannulation was accomplished in 44/46 (95.6%) subjects. A total of 21/46 (45.6%) pancreatic sphincterotomies were performed. Only 1/46 (2.17%) mild pancreatitis cases were observed and most stents were spontaneously expelled. in this study, the CBD was eventually reached with the insertion of a plastic pancreatic stent after an unintentional GW passage into the pancreatic duct while attempting a CBD cannulation. No adverse events were observed following pancreatic stent insertion.

Quenching Mo optical losses in CIGS solar cells by a point contacted dual-layer dielectric spacer: a 3-D optical study.

PubMed

Rezaei, Nasim; Isabella, Olindo; Vroon, Zeger; Zeman, Miro

2018-01-22

A 3-D optical modelling was calibrated to calculate the light absorption and the total reflection of fabricated CIGS solar cells. Absorption losses at molybdenum (Mo) / CIGS interface were explained in terms of plasmonic waves. To quench these losses, we assumed the insertion of a lossless dielectric spacer between Mo and CIGS, whose optical properties were varied. We show that such a spacer with low refractive index and proper thickness can significantly reduce absorption in Mo in the long wavelength regime and improve the device's rear reflectance, thus leading to enhanced light absorption in the CIGS layer. Therefore, we optimized a realistic two-layer MgF 2 / Al 2 O 3 dielectric spacer to exploit (i) the passivation properties of ultra-thin Al 2 O 3 on the CIGS side for potential high open-circuit voltage and (ii) the low refractive index of MgF 2 on the Mo side to reduce its optical losses. Combining our realistic spacer with optically-optimized point contacts increases the implied photocurrent density of a 750 nm-thick CIGS layer by 10% for the wavelengths between 700 and 1150 nm with respect to the reference cell. The elimination of plasmonic resonances in the new structure leads to a higher electric field magnitude at the bottom of CIGS layer and justifies the improved optical performance.

Sexual Risk-Taking in HIV-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men Increases with Depression: Results from a U.S. National Study

PubMed Central

Millar, Brett M.; Starks, Tyrel J.; Grov, Christian; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

2017-01-01

The link between depression and sexual risk-taking has received mixed findings in the literature. The current study analyzed the links between depression and recent condomless anal sex (CAS) with casual partners among 1033 HIV-negative, non-PrEP-using, gay and bisexual men. When CAS was dichotomized as either none or some, depression was not associated with the odds of CAS (with receptive and insertive combined) or insertive CAS only, but was positively associated with the odds of receptive CAS. When CAS was tallied as a count variable of events, depression was positively associated with total CAS, receptive CAS, and insertive CAS. With the addition of a quadratic term for depression, a positive quadratic effect was only found for total CAS and receptive CAS, but not for insertive CAS. These findings highlight the utility of using count data for CAS events and treating CAS separately with regard to receptive and insertive positioning when considering the role of depression among gay and bisexual men. PMID:27475943

Automatically inserted technical details improve radiology report accuracy.

PubMed

Abujudeh, Hani H; Govindan, Siddharth; Narin, Ozden; Johnson, Jamlik Omari; Thrall, James H; Rosenthal, Daniel I

2011-09-01

To assess the effect of automatically inserted technical details on the concordance of a radiology report header with the actual procedure performed. The study was IRB approved and informed consent was waived. We obtained radiology report audit data from the hospital's compliance office from the period of January 2005 through December 2009 spanning a total of 20 financial quarters. A "discordance percentage" was defined as the percentage of total studies in which a procedure code change was made during auditing. Using Chi-square analysis we compared discordance percentages between reports with manually inserted technical details (MITD) and automatically inserted technical details (AITD). The second quarter data of 2007 was not included in the analysis as the switch from MITD to AITD occurred during this quarter. The hospital's compliance office audited 9,110 studies from 2005-2009. Excluding the 564 studies in the second quarter of 2007, we analyzed a total of 8,546 studies, 3,948 with MITD and 4,598 with AITD. The discordance percentage in the MITD group was 3.95% (156/3,948, range per quarter, 1.5- 6.1%). The AITD discordance percentage was 1.37% (63/4,598, range per quarter, 0.0-2.6%). A Chi-square analysis determined a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant improvement in the concordance of a radiology report header with the performed procedure using automatically inserted technical details compared to manually inserted details. Copyright © 2011 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compact Magic-T using microstrip-slotline transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

U-Yen, Kongpop (Inventor); Wollack, Edward J. (Inventor); Doiron, Terence (Inventor); Moseley, Samuel H. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The design of a compact low-loss Magic-T is described. The planar Magic-T incorporates a compact microstrip-slotline tee junction and small microstrip-slotline transition area to reduce slotline radiation. The Magic-T produces broadband in-phase and out-of-phase power combiner/divider responses, has low in-band insertion loss, and small in-band phase and amplitude imbalance.

Design and analysis of a low-loss linear analog phase modulator for deep space spacecraft X-band transponder applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, N. R.; Mueller, R. O.

1991-01-01

This article summarizes the design concepts, analyses, and development of an X-band (8145 MHz) transponder low-loss linear phase modulator for deep space spacecraft applications. A single-section breadboard circulator-coupled reflection phase modulator has been analyzed, fabricated, and evaluated. A linear phase deviation of 92 deg with a linearity tolerance of +/- 8 percent was measured for this modulator from 8257 MHz to 8634 MHz over the temperature range -20 to 75 C. The measured insertion loss and the static delay variation with temperature were 2 +/- 0.3 dB and 0.16 psec/ C, respectively. Based on this design, cascaded sections have been modeled, and simulations were performed to provide an X-band deep space transponder (DST) phase modulator with +/- 2.5 radians (+/- 143 deg) of peak phase deviation to accommodate downlink signal modulation with composite telemetry data and ranging, with a deviation linearity tolerance of +/- 8 percent and insertion loss of less than 10 +/- 0.5 dB. A two-section phase modulator using constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit was breadboarded. The measured results satisfy the DST phase-modulator requirements and show excellent agreement with the predicted results.

Measurements by a Vector Network Analyzer at 325 to 508 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fung, King Man; Samoska, Lorene; Chattopadhyay, Goutam; Gaier, Todd; Kangaslahti, Pekka; Pukala, David; Lau, Yuenie; Oleson, Charles; Denning, Anthony

2008-01-01

Recent experiments were performed in which return loss and insertion loss of waveguide test assemblies in the frequency range from 325 to 508 GHz were measured by use of a swept-frequency two-port vector network analyzer (VNA) test set. The experiments were part of a continuing effort to develop means of characterizing passive and active electronic components and systems operating at ever increasing frequencies. The waveguide test assemblies comprised WR-2.2 end sections collinear with WR-3.3 middle sections. The test set, assembled from commercially available components, included a 50-GHz VNA scattering- parameter test set and external signal synthesizers, augmented with recently developed frequency extenders, and further augmented with attenuators and amplifiers as needed to adjust radiofrequency and intermediate-frequency power levels between the aforementioned components. The tests included line-reflect-line calibration procedures, using WR-2.2 waveguide shims as the "line" standards and waveguide flange short circuits as the "reflect" standards. Calibrated dynamic ranges somewhat greater than about 20 dB for return loss and 35 dB for insertion loss were achieved. The measurement data of the test assemblies were found to substantially agree with results of computational simulations.

Degradation of lithium ion batteries employing graphite negatives and nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide + spinel manganese oxide positives: Part 2, chemical-mechanical degradation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purewal, Justin; Wang, John; Graetz, Jason; Soukiazian, Souren; Tataria, Harshad; Verbrugge, Mark W.

2014-12-01

Capacity fade is reported for 1.5 Ah Li-ion batteries containing a mixture of Li-Ni-Co-Mn oxide (NCM) + Li-Mn oxide spinel (LMO) as positive electrode material and a graphite negative electrode. The batteries were cycled at a wide range of temperatures (10 °C-46 °C) and discharge currents (0.5C-6.5C). The measured capacity losses were fit to a simple physics-based model which calculates lithium inventory loss from two related mechanisms: (1) mechanical degradation at the graphite anode particle surface caused by diffusion-induced stresses (DIS) and (2) chemical degradation caused by lithium loss to continued growth of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). These two mechanisms are coupled because lithium is consumed through SEI formation on newly exposed crack surfaces. The growth of crack surface area is modeled as a fatigue phenomenon due to the cyclic stresses generated by repeated lithium insertion and de-insertion of graphite particles. This coupled chemical-mechanical degradation model is consistent with the observed capacity loss features for the NCM + LMO/graphite cells.

RF Reference Switch for Spaceflight Radiometer Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuble, Joseph

2013-01-01

The goal of this technology is to provide improved calibration and measurement sensitivity to the Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission (SMAP) radiometer. While RF switches have been used in the past to calibrate microwave radiometers, the switch used on SMAP employs several techniques uniquely tailored to the instrument requirements and passive remote-sensing in general to improve radiometer performance. Measurement error and sensitivity are improved by employing techniques to reduce thermal gradients within the device, reduce insertion loss during antenna observations, increase insertion loss temporal stability, and increase rejection of radar and RFI (radio-frequency interference) signals during calibration. The two legs of the single-pole double-throw reference switch employ three PIN diodes per leg in a parallel-shunt configuration to minimize insertion loss and increase stability while exceeding rejection requirements at 1,413 MHz. The high-speed packaged diodes are selected to minimize junction capacitance and resistance while ensuring the parallel devices have very similar I-V curves. Switch rejection is improved by adding high-impedance quarter-wave tapers before and after the diodes, along with replacing the ground via of one diode per leg with an open circuit stub. Errors due to thermal gradients in the switch are reduced by embedding the 50-ohm reference load within the switch, along with using a 0.25-in. (approximately equal to 0.6-cm) aluminum prebacked substrate. Previous spaceflight microwave radiometers did not embed the reference load and thermocouple directly within the calibration switch. In doing so, the SMAP switch reduces error caused by thermal gradients between the load and switch. Thermal issues are further reduced by moving the custom, highspeed regulated driver circuit to a physically separate PWB (printed wiring board). Regarding RF performance, previous spaceflight reference switches have not employed high-impedance tapers to improve rejection. The use of open-circuit stubs instead of a via to provide an improved RF short is unique to this design. The stubs are easily tunable to provide high rejection at specific frequencies while maintaining very low insertion loss in-band.

Generative Adversarial Networks for Noise Reduction in Low-Dose CT.

PubMed

Wolterink, Jelmer M; Leiner, Tim; Viergever, Max A; Isgum, Ivana

2017-12-01

Noise is inherent to low-dose CT acquisition. We propose to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) jointly with an adversarial CNN to estimate routine-dose CT images from low-dose CT images and hence reduce noise. A generator CNN was trained to transform low-dose CT images into routine-dose CT images using voxelwise loss minimization. An adversarial discriminator CNN was simultaneously trained to distinguish the output of the generator from routine-dose CT images. The performance of this discriminator was used as an adversarial loss for the generator. Experiments were performed using CT images of an anthropomorphic phantom containing calcium inserts, as well as patient non-contrast-enhanced cardiac CT images. The phantom and patients were scanned at 20% and 100% routine clinical dose. Three training strategies were compared: the first used only voxelwise loss, the second combined voxelwise loss and adversarial loss, and the third used only adversarial loss. The results showed that training with only voxelwise loss resulted in the highest peak signal-to-noise ratio with respect to reference routine-dose images. However, CNNs trained with adversarial loss captured image statistics of routine-dose images better. Noise reduction improved quantification of low-density calcified inserts in phantom CT images and allowed coronary calcium scoring in low-dose patient CT images with high noise levels. Testing took less than 10 s per CT volume. CNN-based low-dose CT noise reduction in the image domain is feasible. Training with an adversarial network improves the CNNs ability to generate images with an appearance similar to that of reference routine-dose CT images.

In Vivo Wear Performance of Cobalt-Chromium Versus Oxidized Zirconium Femoral Total Knee Replacements.

PubMed

Gascoyne, Trevor C; Teeter, Matthew G; Guenther, Leah E; Burnell, Colin D; Bohm, Eric R; Naudie, Douglas R

2016-01-01

This study examines the damage and wear on the polyethylene (PE) inserts from 52 retrieved Genesis II total knee replacements to identify differences in tribological performance between matched pairs of cobalt-chromium (CoCr) and oxidized zirconium (OxZr) femoral components. Observer damage scoring and microcomputed tomography were used to quantify PE damage and wear, respectively. No significant differences were found between CoCr and OxZr groups in terms of PE insert damage, surface penetration, or wear. No severe damage such as cracking or delamination was noted on any of the 52 PE inserts. Observer damage scoring did not correlate with penetrative or volumetric PE wear. The more costly OxZr femoral component does not demonstrate clear tribological benefit over the standard CoCr component in the short term with this total knee replacement design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gain-assisted broadband ring cavity enhanced spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selim, Mahmoud A.; Adib, George A.; Sabry, Yasser M.; Khalil, Diaa

2017-02-01

Incoherent broadband cavity enhanced spectroscopy can significantly increase the effective path length of light-matter interaction to detect weak absorption lines over broad spectral range, for instance to detect gases in confined environments. Broadband cavity enhancement can be based on the decay time or the intensity drop technique. Decay time measurement is based on using tunable laser source that is expensive and suffers from long scan time. Intensity dependent measurement is usually reported based on broadband source using Fabry-Perot cavity, enabling short measurement time but suffers from the alignment tolerance of the cavity and the cavity insertion loss. In this work we overcome these challenges by using an alignment-free ring cavity made of an optical fiber loop and a directional coupler, while having a gain medium pumped below the lasing threshold to improve the finesse and reduce the insertion loss. Acetylene (C2H2) gas absorption is measured around 1535 nm wavelength using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) gain medium. The system is analyzed for different ring resonator forward coupling coefficient and loses, including the 3-cm long gas cell insertion loss and fiber connector losses used in the experimental verification. The experimental results are obtained for a coupler ratio of 90/10 and a fiber length of 4 m. The broadband source is the amplified spontaneous emission of another SOA and the output is measured using a 70pm-resolution optical spectrum analyzer. The absorption depth and the effective interaction length are improved about an order of magnitude compared to the direct absorption of the gas cell. The presented technique provides an engineering method to improve the finesse and, consequently the effective length, while relaxing the technological constraints on the high reflectivity mirrors and free-space cavity alignment.

Operando Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering/X-ray Diffraction of Model Ordered Mesoporous Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhaway, Sarang M.; Qiang, Zhe; Xia, Yanfeng

Emergent lithium-ion (Li +) batteries commonly rely on nanostructuring of the active electrode materials to decrease the Li + ion diffusion path length and to accommodate the strains associated with the insertion and de-insertion of Li +, but in many cases these nanostructures evolve during electrochemical charging–discharging. This change in the nanostructure can adversely impact performance, and challenges remain regarding how to control these changes from the perspective of morphological design. In order to address these questions, operando grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction (GISAXS/GIXD) were used to assess the structural evolution of a family of model ordered mesoporousmore » NiCo 2O 4 anode films during battery operation. The pore dimensions were systematically varied and appear to impact the stability of the ordered nanostructure during the cycling. For the anodes with small mesopores (≈9 nm), the ordered nanostructure collapses during the first two charge–discharge cycles, as determined from GISAXS. This collapse is accompanied by irreversible Li-ion insertion within the oxide framework, determined from GIXD and irreversible capacity loss. Anodes with larger ordered mesopores (17–28 nm) mostly maintained their nanostructure through the first two cycles with reversible Li-ion insertion. During the second cycle, there was a small additional deformation of the mesostructure. Furthermore, this preservation of the ordered structure lead to significant improvement in capacity retention during these first two cycles; but, a gradual loss in the ordered nanostructure from continuing deformation of the ordered structure during additional charge–discharge cycles leads to capacity decay in battery performance. We translate these multiscale operando measurements provide insight into how changes at the atomic scale (lithium insertion and de-insertion) to the nanostructure during battery operation. Moreover, small changes in the nanostructure can build up to significant morphological transformations that adversely impact battery performance through multiple charge–discharge cycles.« less

Operando Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering/X-ray Diffraction of Model Ordered Mesoporous Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

DOE PAGES

Bhaway, Sarang M.; Qiang, Zhe; Xia, Yanfeng; ...

2017-02-07

Emergent lithium-ion (Li +) batteries commonly rely on nanostructuring of the active electrode materials to decrease the Li + ion diffusion path length and to accommodate the strains associated with the insertion and de-insertion of Li +, but in many cases these nanostructures evolve during electrochemical charging–discharging. This change in the nanostructure can adversely impact performance, and challenges remain regarding how to control these changes from the perspective of morphological design. In order to address these questions, operando grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction (GISAXS/GIXD) were used to assess the structural evolution of a family of model ordered mesoporousmore » NiCo 2O 4 anode films during battery operation. The pore dimensions were systematically varied and appear to impact the stability of the ordered nanostructure during the cycling. For the anodes with small mesopores (≈9 nm), the ordered nanostructure collapses during the first two charge–discharge cycles, as determined from GISAXS. This collapse is accompanied by irreversible Li-ion insertion within the oxide framework, determined from GIXD and irreversible capacity loss. Anodes with larger ordered mesopores (17–28 nm) mostly maintained their nanostructure through the first two cycles with reversible Li-ion insertion. During the second cycle, there was a small additional deformation of the mesostructure. Furthermore, this preservation of the ordered structure lead to significant improvement in capacity retention during these first two cycles; but, a gradual loss in the ordered nanostructure from continuing deformation of the ordered structure during additional charge–discharge cycles leads to capacity decay in battery performance. We translate these multiscale operando measurements provide insight into how changes at the atomic scale (lithium insertion and de-insertion) to the nanostructure during battery operation. Moreover, small changes in the nanostructure can build up to significant morphological transformations that adversely impact battery performance through multiple charge–discharge cycles.« less

Operando Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering/X-ray Diffraction of Model Ordered Mesoporous Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

PubMed

Bhaway, Sarang M; Qiang, Zhe; Xia, Yanfeng; Xia, Xuhui; Lee, Byeongdu; Yager, Kevin G; Zhang, Lihua; Kisslinger, Kim; Chen, Yu-Ming; Liu, Kewei; Zhu, Yu; Vogt, Bryan D

2017-02-28

Emergent lithium-ion (Li + ) batteries commonly rely on nanostructuring of the active electrode materials to decrease the Li + ion diffusion path length and to accommodate the strains associated with the insertion and de-insertion of Li + , but in many cases these nanostructures evolve during electrochemical charging-discharging. This change in the nanostructure can adversely impact performance, and challenges remain regarding how to control these changes from the perspective of morphological design. In order to address these questions, operando grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction (GISAXS/GIXD) were used to assess the structural evolution of a family of model ordered mesoporous NiCo 2 O 4 anode films during battery operation. The pore dimensions were systematically varied and appear to impact the stability of the ordered nanostructure during the cycling. For the anodes with small mesopores (≈9 nm), the ordered nanostructure collapses during the first two charge-discharge cycles, as determined from GISAXS. This collapse is accompanied by irreversible Li-ion insertion within the oxide framework, determined from GIXD and irreversible capacity loss. Conversely, anodes with larger ordered mesopores (17-28 nm) mostly maintained their nanostructure through the first two cycles with reversible Li-ion insertion. During the second cycle, there was a small additional deformation of the mesostructure. This preservation of the ordered structure lead to significant improvement in capacity retention during these first two cycles; however, a gradual loss in the ordered nanostructure from continuing deformation of the ordered structure during additional charge-discharge cycles leads to capacity decay in battery performance. These multiscale operando measurements provide insight into how changes at the atomic scale (lithium insertion and de-insertion) are translated to the nanostructure during battery operation. Moreover, small changes in the nanostructure can build up to significant morphological transformations that adversely impact battery performance through multiple charge-discharge cycles.

Single-Pole Double-Throw MMIC Switches for a Microwave Radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montes, Oliver; Dawson, Douglas E.; Kangaslahti, Pekka P.

2012-01-01

In order to reduce the effect of gain and noise instabilities in the RF chain of a microwave radiometer, a Dicke radiometer topology is often used, as in the case of the proposed surface water and ocean topography (SWOT) radiometer instrument. For this topology, a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) microwave switch is needed, which must have low insertion loss at the radiometer channel frequencies to minimize the overall receiver noise figure. Total power radiometers are limited in accuracy due to the continuous variation in gain of the receiver. High-frequency SPDT switches were developed in the form of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) using 75 micron indium phosphide (InP) PIN-diode technology. These switches can be easily integrated into Dicke switched radiometers that utilize microstrip technology.

Broadband notch filter design for millimeter-wave plasma diagnostics.

PubMed

Furtula, V; Michelsen, P K; Leipold, F; Salewski, M; Korsholm, S B; Meo, F; Nielsen, S K; Stejner, M; Moseev, D; Johansen, T

2010-10-01

Notch filters are integrated in plasma diagnostic systems to protect millimeter-wave receivers from intensive stray radiation. Here we present a design of a notch filter with a center frequency of 140 GHz, a rejection bandwidth of ∼900 MHz, and a typical insertion loss below 2 dB in the passband of ±9 GHz. The design is based on a fundamental rectangular waveguide with eight cylindrical cavities coupled by T-junction apertures formed as thin slits. Parameters that affect the notch performance such as physical lengths and conductor materials are discussed. The excited resonance mode in the cylindrical cavities is the fundamental TE(11). The performance of the constructed filter is measured using a vector network analyzer monitoring a total bandwidth of 30 GHz. We compare the measurements with numerical simulations.

Adiabatically tapered microstructured mode converter for selective excitation of the fundamental mode in a few mode fiber.

PubMed

Taher, Aymen Belhadj; Di Bin, Philippe; Bahloul, Faouzi; Tartaret-Josnière, Etienne; Jossent, Mathieu; Février, Sébastien; Attia, Rabah

2016-01-25

We propose a new technique to selectively excite the fundamental mode in a few mode fiber (FMF). This method of excitation is made from a single mode fiber (SMF) which is inserted facing the FMF into an air-silica microstructured cane before the assembly is adiabatically tapered. We study theoretically and numerically this method by calculating the effective indices of the propagated modes, their amplitudes along the taper and the adiabaticity criteria, showing the ability to achieve an excellent selective excitation of the fundamental mode in the FMF with negligible loss. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed solution provides a successful mode conversion and allows an almost excellent fundamental mode excitation in the FMF (representing 99.8% of the total power).

A cool approach to reducing electrode-induced trauma: Localized therapeutic hypothermia conserves residual hearing in cochlear implantation.

PubMed

Tamames, Ilmar; King, Curtis; Bas, Esperanza; Dietrich, W Dalton; Telischi, Fred; Rajguru, Suhrud M

2016-09-01

The trauma caused during cochlear implant insertion can lead to cell death and a loss of residual hair cells in the cochlea. Various therapeutic approaches have been studied to prevent cochlear implant-induced residual hearing loss with limited success. In the present study, we show the efficacy of mild to moderate therapeutic hypothermia of 4 to 6 °C applied to the cochlea in reducing residual hearing loss associated with the electrode insertion trauma. Rats were randomly distributed in three groups: control contralateral cochleae, normothermic implanted cochleae and hypothermic implanted cochleae. Localized hypothermia was delivered to the middle turn of the cochlea for 20 min before and after implantation using a custom-designed probe perfused with cooled fluorocarbon. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded to assess the hearing function prior to and post-cochlear implantation at various time points up to 30 days. At the conclusion of the trials, inner ears were harvested for histology and cell count. The approach was extended to cadaver temporal bones to study the potential surgical approach and efficacy of our device. In this case, the hypothermia probe was placed next to the round window niche via the facial recess or a myringotomy. A significant loss of residual hearing was observed in the normothermic implant group. Comparatively, the residual hearing in the cochleae receiving therapeutic hypothermia was significantly conserved. Histology confirmed a significant loss of outer hair cells in normothermic cochleae receiving the surgical trauma when compared to the hypothermia treated group. In human temporal bones, a controlled and effective cooling of the cochlea was achieved using our approach. Collectively, these results suggest that therapeutic hypothermia during cochlear implantation may reduce traumatic effects of electrode insertion and improve conservation of residual hearing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Office-based insertion of pressure equalization tubes: the role of laser-assisted tympanic membrane fenestration.

PubMed

Brodsky, L; Brookhauser, P; Chait, D; Reilly, J; Deutsch, E; Cook, S; Waner, M; Shaha, S; Nauenberg, E

1999-12-01

To describe the role of the hand-held otoscope combined with a flashscanner CO2 laser, OtoLAM (ESC/Sharplan, Yokneam, Israel), for pressure equalization tube (PET) insertion in an office setting. Prospective, multisite, clinical cohort trial (Institutional Review Board approved; informed consent) in the setting of pediatric otolaryngology outpatient departments at four tertiary care children's hospitals. Selected for the study were 54 patients (96 ears), ages 6 months to 23 years, who met standard indications for PET insertion using cold-knife myringotomy and tube insertion under general anesthesia. PETs were indicated for recurrent otitis media, chronic otitis media with effusion, and eustachian tube dysfunction-all unresponsive to medical therapy. Topical anesthesia was achieved with iontophoresis (n = 1) or topical anesthesia: 8% tetracaine on an Otowick (Xomed Surgical Products, Jacksonville, FL, catalogue No. 400141) against the tympanic membrane for 45 to 180 minutes (n = 53). Laser-assisted tympanic membrane fenestration was performed with the OtoLAM set at single pulse, 2.0- to 2.6-mm spot size, and between 3 and 18 W. Insertion of grommets was accomplished using the otomicroscope and an "alligator" microforceps. Restraints with papoose were used in 79% of children with a mean age of 34.4 months (SD = 60.9 mo). Clinical, parent/patient, and physician satisfaction and comparative cost impact outcomes are described. All ears but three (3%) underwent successful placement of a PET. Pain was described as "absent" in 39%, "present but tolerable" in 30%, and "severe" in 30% of children at the time of procedure; 5 minutes after the procedure pain was described as "absent" in 75%, "present but tolerable" in 22%, and "severe" in 3%. Tube plugging (3 of 74 available ears; 4%) or persistent otorrhea (1 of 74 ears; 1.4%) occurred infrequently at the 1-month follow-up. Before PET insertion, hearing loss was noted in 66% of cases (mild, 38%; moderate, 22%; and severe, 6%). Mild hearing loss was noted in only 8% and moderate hearing loss in 2% of 47 (50%) of the ears at the 3-month follow-up. Ninety-two percent of parents were highly satisfied with the procedure in preference to PETs in the operating room under general anesthesia, and 97% preferred OtoLAM with PET insertion, rather than further courses of antibiotics; only one parent would rather have had the PET insertion under general anesthesia. Cost savings to health care organizations, particularly payers, and to parents are substantial (32%-48%) and warrant attention. Cost to the physician is manageable only if an appropriate approach to the third party payers results in a substantial increase in reimbursements. The data indicate excellent clinical effectiveness, reduced risk, and high parent and physician satisfaction. Strong incentives for physicians to use this technique are in all stakeholders' best interests. These incentives need to evolve as soon as possible for the more widespread acceptance of OtoLAM with PET insertion in an office setting for appropriately selected patients.

Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) Genome: Divergence with the Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Characterization of Light-Associated Genes

PubMed Central

Henderson, James B.; Wall, Jeffrey D.; Emerling, Christopher A.; Fuchs, Jérôme; Runckel, Charles; Mindell, David P.; Bowie, Rauri C. K.; DeRisi, Joseph L.; Dumbacher, John P.

2017-01-01

Abstract We report here the assembly of a northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) genome. We generated Illumina paired-end sequence data at 90× coverage using nine libraries with insert lengths ranging from ∼250 to 9,600 nt and read lengths from 100 to 375 nt. The genome assembly is comprised of 8,108 scaffolds totaling 1.26 × 109 nt in length with an N50 length of 3.98 × 106 nt. We calculated the genome-wide fixation index (FST) of S. o. caurina with the closely related barred owl (Strix varia) as 0.819. We examined 19 genes that encode proteins with light-dependent functions in our genome assembly as well as in that of the barn owl (Tyto alba). We present genomic evidence for loss of three of these in S. o. caurina and four in T. alba. We suggest that most light-associated gene functions have been maintained in owls and their loss has not proceeded to the same extent as in other dim-light-adapted vertebrates. PMID:28992302

A High Isolation Series-Shunt RF MEMS Switch

PubMed Central

Yu, Yuan-Wei; Zhu, Jian; Jia, Shi-Xing; Shi, Yi

2009-01-01

This paper presents a wide band compact high isolation microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch implemented on a coplanar waveguide (CPW) with three ohmic switch cells, which is based on the series-shunt switch design. The ohmic switch shows a low intrinsic loss of 0.1 dB and an isolation of 24.8 dB at 6 GHz. The measured average pull-in voltage is 28 V and switching time is 47 μs. In order to shorten design period of the high isolation switch, a structure-based small-signal model for the 3-port ohmic MEMS switch is developed and parameters are extracted from the measured results. Then a high isolation switch has been developed where each 3-port ohmic MEMS switch is closely located. The agreement of the measured and modeled radio frequency (RF) performance demonstrates the validity of the electrical equivalent model. Measurements of the series-shunt switch indicate an outstanding isolation of more than 40 dB and a low insertion loss of 0.35 dB from DC to 12 GHz with total chip size of 1 mm × 1.2 mm. PMID:22408535

Per-operative vibration analysis: a valuable tool for defining correct stem insertion: preliminary report.

PubMed

Mulier, Michiel; Pastrav, Cesar; Van der Perre, Georges

2008-01-01

Defining the stem insertion end point during total hip replacement still relies on the surgeon's feeling. When a custom-made stem prosthesis with an optimal fit into the femoral canal is used, the risk of per-operative fractures is even greater than with standard prostheses. Vibration analysis is used in other clinical settings and has been tested as a means to detect optimal stem insertion in the laboratory. The first per-operative use of vibration analysis during non-cemented custom-made stem insertion in 30 patients is reported here. Thirty patients eligible for total hip replacement with uncemented stem prosthesis were included. The neck of the stem was connected with a shaker that emitted white noise as excitation signal and an impedance head that measured the frequency response. The response signal was sent to a computer that analyzed the frequency response function after each insertion phase. A technician present in the operating theatre but outside the laminated airflow provided feed-back to the surgeon. The correlation index between the frequency response function measured during the last two insertion hammering sessions was >0.99 in 86.7% of the cases. In four cases the surgeon stopped the insertion procedure because of a perceived risk of fracture. Two special cases illustrating the potential benefit of per-operative vibration analysis are described. The results of intra-operative vibration analysis indicate that this technique may be a useful tool assisting the orthopaedic surgeon in defining the insertion endpoint of the stem. The development of a more user-friendly device is therefore warranted.

Ultralow loss, high Q, four port resonant couplers for quantum optics and photonics.

PubMed

Rokhsari, H; Vahala, K J

2004-06-25

We demonstrate a low-loss, optical four port resonant coupler (add-drop geometry), using ultrahigh Q (>10(8)) toroidal microcavities. Different regimes of operation are investigated by variation of coupling between resonator and fiber taper waveguides. As a result, waveguide-to-waveguide power transfer efficiency of 93% (0.3 dB loss) and nonresonant insertion loss of 0.02% (<0.001 dB) for narrow bandwidth (57 MHz) four port couplers are achieved in this work. The combination of low-loss, fiber compatibility, and wafer-scale design would be suitable for a variety of applications ranging from quantum optics to photonic networks.

Performance of a high T (sub c) superconducting ultra-low loss microwave stripline filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bautista, J. J.; Ortiz, G.; Zahopoulos, C.; Sridhar, S.; Lanagan, M.

1991-01-01

Discussed here is the successful fabrication of a five-pole interdigital stripline filter made of the 93 K superconductor (Y1Ba2Cu3O sub y) coated on a silver substrate, with center frequency of 8.5 GHz and an extremely high rejection ratio of 80 dB. The lowest injection loss measured was 0.1 dB at 12 K, with a return loss of better than 16 dB, representing a significant improvement over a similar copper filter, and is comparable to low critical temperature filters. The insertion loss appears to be limited by extrinsic factors, such as tuning mismatch and joint losses, and not by superconducting material losses.

The acoustic sensor for rapid analysis of bacterial cells in the conductive suspensions.

PubMed

Borodina, I A; Zaitsev, B D; Guliy, O; Teplykh, A A; Shikhabudinov, A M

2017-11-01

The possibility of using the acoustic sensor on the basis of a two-channel delay line for rapid analysis of bacterial cells in the conductive suspensions was investigated. The dependencies of change in phase and insertion loss of output signal of the sensor on conductivity of buffer solution with various concentrations of cells due to a specific interaction "bacterial cells - mini-antibodies" for electrically open and electrically shorted channels of delay line were measured. It has been found that these changes have the most values for the electrically open channel. It has been also shown that the sensor rapidly responds to the specific interaction and the time stabilization of the phase and insertion loss of output signal is less than 10min. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Isolation Single-Pole Four-Throw RF MEMS Switch Based on Series-Shunt Configuration

PubMed Central

Khaira, Navjot

2014-01-01

This paper presents a novel design of single-pole four-throw (SP4T) RF-MEMS switch employing both capacitive and ohmic switches. It is designed on high-resistivity silicon substrate and has a compact area of 1.06 mm2. The series or ohmic switches have been designed to provide low insertion loss with good ohmic contact. The pull-in voltage for ohmic switches is calculated to be 7.19 V. Shunt or capacitive switches have been used in each port to improve the isolation for higher frequencies. The proposed SP4T switch provides excellent RF performances with isolation better than 70.64 dB and insertion loss less than 0.72 dB for X-band between the input port and each output port. PMID:24711730

Defining the Hook Region Anatomy of the Guinea Pig Cochlea for Modeling of Inner Ear Surgery.

PubMed

Lo, Jonathon; Sale, Phillip; Wijewickrema, Sudanthi; Campbell, Luke; Eastwood, Hayden; O'leary, Stephen John

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to describe the hook region anatomy of the guinea pig cochlea to identify the optimal surgical approach for cochlear implantation and to determine what anatomical structures are at risk. Animal studies investigating hearing loss after cochlear implantation surgery are currently constrained by the lack of a reproducible implantation model. Guinea pig cochleae were imaged using thin-sheet laser imaging microscopy. Images were stitched, reconstructed, and segmented for analysis. Insertion vectors were determined by tracing their paths to the outer wall and converting to Cartesian coordinates. Spherical surface and multiplane views were generated to analyze outer wall and radial forces of the insertion vector. Thin-sheet laser imaging microscopy enabled quantitative, whole specimen analysis of the soft and bony tissue relationships of the complex cochlear hook region in any desired plane without loss of image quality. Round window or cochleostomy approaches in the anteroinferior plane avoided direct damage to cochlear structures. Cochleostomy approach had large interindividual variability of angular depth and outer wall forces but predictable radial force. The guinea pig hook region and lower basal turn have similar structural relationships to humans. Careful cochleostomy placement is essentially for minimizing cochlear trauma and for ensuring a straight insertion vector that successfully advances around the outer wall. Experiments with guinea pigs that control for the surgical approach are likely to provide useful insights into the aetiology and the development of therapies directed at postimplantation hearing loss.

Transmission of 100-MHz-range ultrasound through a fused quartz fiber.

PubMed

Irie, Takasuke; Tagawa, Norio; Tanabe, Masayuki; Moriya, Tadashi; Yoshizawa, Masasumi; Iijima, Takashi; Itoh, Kouichi; Yokoyama, Taku; Kumagai, Hideki; Taniguchi, Nobuyuki

2011-07-01

This paper describes an investigation into direct observation of microscopic images of tissue using a thin acoustic wave guide. First, the characteristics of the ultrasonic wave propagated in a fused quartz fiber were measured using the reflection method in order to study the insertion loss and the frequency shift of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transducer. Next, a receiving transducer was placed close to the end of the fiber, and the characteristics of the ultrasonic waves propagated through the acoustic coupling medium were measured using the penetration method in order to study the insertion loss and the frequency-dependent attenuation of the penetrated waves. Finally, a C-mode image was obtained by optimizing the measuring conditions using the results of the above measurements and scanning the ultrasonic beams on a target (coin) in water. A reflected wave with a peak frequency of approximately 220 MHz was obtained from the end of the fiber. The transmitted ultrasonic waves propagated through the acoustic coupling medium were detected with a frequency range of approximately 125-170 MHz, and the maximum detectable distance of the waves was approximately 1.2 mm within the 100-MHz frequency range. Finally, a high-frequency C-mode image of a coin in water was obtained using a tapered fused quartz fiber. The results suggest that it is necessary to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and reduce the insertion loss in the experimental system in order to make it possible to obtain microscopic images of tissue.

Influence of load by high power on the optical coupler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bednarek, Lukas; Poboril, Radek; Vanderka, Ales; Hajek, Lukas; Nedoma, Jan; Vasinek, Vladimir

2016-12-01

Nowadays, aging of the optical components is a very current topic. Therefore, some investigations are focused on this area, so that the aging of the optical components is accelerated by thermal, high power and gamma load. This paper deals by findings of the influence of the load by laser with high optical power on the transmission parameters of the optical coupler. The investigated coupler has one input and eight outputs (1x8). Load by laser with high optical power is realized using a fiber laser with a cascade configuration EDFA amplifiers. The output power of the amplifier is approximately 250 mW. Duration of the load is moving from 104 hours to 139 hours. After each load, input power and output powers of all branches are measured. Following parameters of the optical coupler are calculated using formulas: the insertion losses of the individual branches, split ratio, total losses, homogeneity of the losses and cross-talk between different branches. All measurements are performed at wavelengths 1310 nm and 1550 nm. Individual optical powers are measured 20 times, due to the exclusion of statistical error of the measurement. After measuring, the coupler is connected to the amplifier for next cycle of the load. The paper contains an evaluation of the results of the coupler before and after four cycles of the burden.

Durability of Hearing Preservation after Cochlear Implantation with Conventional-Length Electrodes and Scala Tympani Insertion

PubMed Central

Sweeney, Alex D.; Hunter, Jacob B.; Carlson, Matthew L.; Rivas, Alejandro; Bennett, Marc L.; Gifford, Rene H.; Noble, Jack H.; Haynes, David S.; Labadie, Robert F.; Wanna, George B.

2016-01-01

Objectives To analyze factors that influence hearing preservation over time in cochlear implant recipients with conventional-length electrode arrays located entirely within the scala tympani. Study Design Case series with planned chart review. Setting Single tertiary academic referral center. Subjects and Methods A retrospective review was performed to analyze a subgroup of cochlear implant recipients with residual acoustic hearing. Patients were included in the study only if their electrode arrays remained fully in the scala tympani after insertion and serviceable acoustic hearing (≤80 dB at 250 Hz) was preserved. Electrode array location was verified through a validated radiographic assessment tool. Patients with <6 months of audiologic follow-up were excluded. The main outcome measure was change in acoustic hearing thresholds from implant activation to the last available follow-up. Results A total of 16 cases met inclusion criteria (median age, 70.6 years; range, 29.4–82.2; 50% female). The average follow-up was 18.0 months (median, 16.1; range, 6.2–36.4). Patients with a lateral wall electrode array were more likely to have stable acoustic thresholds over time (P < .05). Positive correlations were seen between continued hearing loss following activation and larger initial postoperative acoustic threshold shifts, though statistical significance was not achieved. Age, sex, and noise exposure had no significant influence on continued hearing preservation over time. Conclusions To control for hearing loss associated with inter-scalar excursion during cochlear implantation, the present study evaluated patients only with conventional electrode arrays located entirely within the scala tympani. In this group, the style of electrode array may influence residual hearing preservation over time. PMID:26908553

Early usage of Bakri postpartum balloon in the management of postpartum hemorrhage: a large prospective, observational multicenter clinical study in South China.

PubMed

Wang, Dongyu; Xu, Shuqia; Qiu, Xiwen; Zhu, Caixia; Li, Zhuyu; Wang, Zilian; Hou, Hongying; Gao, Yu; Wang, Xiaoyi; He, Ping; Qin, Yiwei; Liu, Lihua

2017-12-18

To evaluate the success rate and protocol of the Bakri balloon for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in the course of a prospective observational multicenter cohort study in South China. At 20 hospitals in South China, women with postpartum bleeding who failed to respond to the first-line conservative management and received the Bakri balloon were recruited for the study. Maternal characteristics, PPH characteristics, PPH management and outcomes in regard to the Bakri balloon use were recorded. A total of 472 women had a Bakri balloon tamponade and 407 (86.23%) women were enrolled (67 after vaginal delivery and 340 either during or after cesarean delivery). The success rate of the Bakri balloon in this study was 91.65% (373/407 women). During vaginal deliveries, the group with a hemorrhage >2000 mL before balloon insertion had significantly more blood loss (551.67±635.17 mL vs. 242.06±313.69 mL, P=0.039) and lower maternal hemoglobin (73±21.77 g/L vs. 92.06±19.60 g/L, P=0.029) after using Bakri balloon than the group with a hemorrhage <1000 mL. Similar data were found during cesarean deliveries. The blood loss before and after balloon insertion were significantly higher in the Bakri balloon failure group (1700±1429.88 mL before and 1209.58±1139.72 mL after using the balloon) than those in the success group [918±493.92 mL before (P=0.002) and 266.57±361.60 mL after using the balloon (P=0.001)]. Rapid diagnosis or prognosis of PPH, in combination with early usage of the Bakri postpartum balloon is more effective for the management of PPH.

Two microstrip arrays for interferometric SAR applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, J.

1993-01-01

Two types of C-band aircraft interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) are being developed at JPL to measure the ocean wave characteristics. Each type requires two identical antennas with each having a long rectangular aperture to radiate fan-shaped beam(s). One type of these radars requires each of its antennas to radiate a broadside beam that will measure the target's cross-track velocity. The other type, having each of its antennas to radiate two off-broadside pointed beams, will allow the measurement of both the cross-track and the along-track velocities of the target. Because flush mounting of the antenna on the aircraft fuselage is desirable, microstrip patch array is selected for these interferometric SAR antennas. To meet the radar system requirement, each array needs a total of 76 microstrip patches which are arranged in a 38 x 2 rectangular aperture with a physical size of 1.6m x 16.5cm. To minimize the insertion loss and physical real estate of this relatively long array, a combined series/parallel feed technique is used. Techniques to suppress cross-pol radiation and to effectively utilize the RF power are also implemented. Cross-pol level of lower than -30 dB from the co-pol peak and low insertion loss of 0.36 dB have been achieved for both types of arrays. For the type of radar that requires two off-braodside pointed beams, a simple phasing technique is used to achieve this dual-beam capability with adequate antenna gain (20 dBi) and sidelobe level (-14 dB). Both radar arrays have been flight tested on aircraft with excellent antenna performance demonstrated.

Durability of Hearing Preservation after Cochlear Implantation with Conventional-Length Electrodes and Scala Tympani Insertion.

PubMed

Sweeney, Alex D; Hunter, Jacob B; Carlson, Matthew L; Rivas, Alejandro; Bennett, Marc L; Gifford, Rene H; Noble, Jack H; Haynes, David S; Labadie, Robert F; Wanna, George B

2016-05-01

To analyze factors that influence hearing preservation over time in cochlear implant recipients with conventional-length electrode arrays located entirely within the scala tympani. Case series with planned chart review. Single tertiary academic referral center. A retrospective review was performed to analyze a subgroup of cochlear implant recipients with residual acoustic hearing. Patients were included in the study only if their electrode arrays remained fully in the scala tympani after insertion and serviceable acoustic hearing (≤80 dB at 250 Hz) was preserved. Electrode array location was verified through a validated radiographic assessment tool. Patients with <6 months of audiologic follow-up were excluded. The main outcome measure was change in acoustic hearing thresholds from implant activation to the last available follow-up. A total of 16 cases met inclusion criteria (median age, 70.6 years; range, 29.4-82.2; 50% female). The average follow-up was 18.0 months (median, 16.1; range, 6.2-36.4). Patients with a lateral wall electrode array were more likely to have stable acoustic thresholds over time (P < .05). Positive correlations were seen between continued hearing loss following activation and larger initial postoperative acoustic threshold shifts, though statistical significance was not achieved. Age, sex, and noise exposure had no significant influence on continued hearing preservation over time. To control for hearing loss associated with interscalar excursion during cochlear implantation, the present study evaluated patients only with conventional electrode arrays located entirely within the scala tympani. In this group, the style of electrode array may influence residual hearing preservation over time. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Experimental study of noise transmission into a general aviation aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaicaitis, R.; Bofilios, D. A.; Eisler, R.

1984-01-01

The effect of add-on treatments on noise transmission into a cabin of a light aircraft was studied under laboratory conditions for diffuse and localized noise inputs. Results indicate that stiffening skin panels with honeycomb would provide on the average 3dB to 7 dB insertion loss over the most of selected frequency range H1 to 1000 Hz. Addition of damping tape on top of the honeycomb treatment increases insertion loss by 2dB to 3dB. Porous acoustic blankets show no attenuation of transmitted noise for frequencies below 300 Hz. Insertion of impervious vinyl septa between the layers of porous acoustic blankets do not provide additional noise reduction for frequencies up to about 500 Hz. Similar behavior was observed for noise barriers composed of urethane elastomer, decoupler foam and acoustic foam. A treatment composed from several layers of acoustic foams does not increase noise attenuation for the entire frequency range studied. An acoustic treatment composed of honeycomb panels, constrained layer damping tape, 2 to 3 inches of porous acoustic blankets, and limptrim which is isolated from the vibrations of the main fuselage structure seems to provide the best option for noise control.

Foot pressures during gait: a comparison of techniques for reducing pressure points.

PubMed

Lawless, M W; Reveal, G T; Laughlin, R T

2001-07-01

Various methods have been used to redistribute plantar surface foot pressure in patients with foot ulcers. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of four modalities (fracture walker, fracture walker with insert, and open and closed toe total contact casts) in reducing plantar foot pressure. Ten healthy, normal volunteer subjects had an F-scan sensor (ultra thin shoe insert pressure monitor) placed under the right foot. They then ambulated on a flat surface, maintaining their normal gait. Dynamic plantar pressures were averaged over 10 steps at four different sites (plantar surface of great toe, first metatarsal head, base of fifth metatarsal, and plantar heel). All subjects repeated this sequence under five different testing conditions (barefoot, with a fracture walker, fracture walker with arch support insert, open and closed toe total contact cast). Each subject's barefoot pressures were then compared with the pressures during the different modalities. All four treatment modalities significantly reduced (p < 0.05) plantar pressure at the first metatarsal head (no method was superior). The fracture walker, fracture walker with insert, and open toe total contact cast significantly reduced pressure at the heel. Pressures at the base of the fifth metatarsal and great toe were not significantly reduced with any treatment form. The fracture walker, with and without arch support, and total contact cast can effectively reduce plantar pressure at the heel and first metatarsal head.

Research on Shore-Ship Photonic Link Performance for Two- Frequency-Band Signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Yanqin; Cong, Bo

2016-02-01

Ka and Ku bands links for shore-ship communications suffer limited bandwidth and high loss. In this paper, photonics-based links are proposed and modeled. The principle of phase modulation (PM) is elaborated and analyzed. It is showed that PM can effectively suppress high-order inter-modulation distortion (IMD), reduce the insert loss and improve the reliability of the system.

Microdroplet-etched highly birefringent low-loss fiber tapers.

PubMed

Mikkelsen, Jared C; Poon, Joyce K S

2012-07-01

We use hydrofluoric acid microdroplets to directly etch highly birefringent biconical fiber tapers from standard single-mode fibers. The fiber tapers have micrometer-sized cross sections, which are controlled by the etching condition. The characteristic teardrop cross section leads to a high group birefringence of B(G)≈0.017 and insertion losses <0.7 dB over waist lengths of about 2.1 mm.

MEMS, Ka-Band Single-Pole Double-Throw (SPDT) Switch for Switched Line Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Ponchak, George E.; Varaljay, Nicholas C.

2002-01-01

Ka-band MEMS doubly anchored cantilever beam capacitive shunt devices are used to demonstrate a MEMS SPDT switch fabricated on high resistivity silicon (HRS) utilizing finite ground coplanar waveguide (FGC) transmission lines. The SPDT switch has an insertion loss (IL), return loss (RL), and isolation of 0.3dB, 40dB, and 30 dB, respectively at Ka-band.

Experimental Studies of Active and Passive Flow Control Techniques Applied in a Twin Air-Intake

PubMed Central

Joshi, Shrey; Jindal, Aman; Maurya, Shivam P.; Jain, Anuj

2013-01-01

The flow control in twin air-intakes is necessary to improve the performance characteristics, since the flow traveling through curved and diffused paths becomes complex, especially after merging. The paper presents a comparison between two well-known techniques of flow control: active and passive. It presents an effective design of a vortex generator jet (VGJ) and a vane-type passive vortex generator (VG) and uses them in twin air-intake duct in different combinations to establish their effectiveness in improving the performance characteristics. The VGJ is designed to insert flow from side wall at pitch angle of 90 degrees and 45 degrees. Corotating (parallel) and counterrotating (V-shape) are the configuration of vane type VG. It is observed that VGJ has the potential to change the flow pattern drastically as compared to vane-type VG. While the VGJ is directed perpendicular to the side walls of the air-intake at a pitch angle of 90 degree, static pressure recovery is increased by 7.8% and total pressure loss is reduced by 40.7%, which is the best among all other cases tested for VGJ. For bigger-sized VG attached to the side walls of the air-intake, static pressure recovery is increased by 5.3%, but total pressure loss is reduced by only 4.5% as compared to all other cases of VG. PMID:23935422

Arcjet nozzle area ratio effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, Francis M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Birkner, Bjorn W.; Kwasny, James

1990-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of nozzle area ratio on the operating characteristics and performance of a low power dc arcjet thruster. Conical thoriated tungsten nozzle inserts were tested in a modular laboratory arcjet thruster run on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures simulating the decomposition products of hydrazine. The converging and diverging sides of the inserts had half angles of 30 and 20 degrees, respectively, similar to a flight type unit currently under development. The length of the diverging side was varied to change the area ratio. The nozzle inserts were run over a wide range of specific power. Current, voltage, mass flow rate, and thrust were monitored to provide accurate comparisons between tests. While small differences in performance were observed between the two nozzle inserts, it was determined that for each nozzle insert, arcjet performance improved with increasing nozzle area ratio to the highest area ratio tested and that the losses become very pronounced for area ratios below 50. These trends are somewhat different than those obtained in previous experimental and analytical studies of low Re number nozzles. It appears that arcjet performance can be enhanced via area ratio optimization.

Arcjet Nozzle Area Ratio Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, Francis M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; Birkner, Bjorn W.; Kwasny, James

1990-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effect of nozzle area ratio on the operating characteristics and performance of a low power dc arcjet thruster. Conical thoriated tungsten nozzle inserts were tested in a modular laboratory arcjet thruster run on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures simulating the decomposition products of hydrazine. The converging and diverging sides of the inserts had half angles of 30 and 20 degrees, respectively, similar to a flight type unit currently under development. The length of the diverging side was varied to change the area ratio. The nozzle inserts were run over a wide range of specific power. Current, voltage, mass flow rate, and thrust were monitored to provide accurate comparisons between tests. While small differences in performance were observed between the two nozzle inserts, it was determined that for each nozzle insert, arcjet performance improved with increasing nozzle area ratio to the highest area ratio tested and that the losses become very pronounced for area ratios below 50. These trends are somewhat different than those obtained in previous experimental and analytical studies of low Re number nozzles. It appears that arcjet performance can be enhanced via area ratio optimization.

Effect of footwear and orthotic devices on stress reduction and soft tissue strain of the neuropathic foot.

PubMed

Lott, Donovan J; Hastings, Mary K; Commean, Paul K; Smith, Kirk E; Mueller, Michael J

2007-03-01

Ground reaction forces from walking result in stress (pressure) and soft tissue strain at the plantar aspect of the foot. Excessive plantar pressure and tissue strain on the insensate foot may lead to ulceration. Our study investigated the effect of therapeutic footwear and custom-made orthotic inserts on pressure and tissue strain along the second ray of the plantar foot, and how these two variables are associated. Twenty subjects (mean age 57.3 [SD 9.3] years, 12 male, 8 female, body mass index 32.5 [SD 7.4] kg/m2) with diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and a history of a plantar ulcer participated. Plantar pressure data were recorded during computed tomography scans for four conditions (barefoot, shoe, shoe+total contact insert, and shoe+total contact insert+metatarsal pad). For each condition tested, tissue strain and plantar pressure were determined at the second metatarsal head and at 15 other points along the second ray. Differences were noted between the 4 conditions for pressure (P<0.004) and soft tissue strain (P<0.042) at the second metatarsal head. Correlation coefficients demonstrated an association between pressure and strain (Barefoot r=0.81, Shoe r=0.75, Shoe+total contact insert r=0.73, and Shoe+total contact insert+metatarsal pad r=0.44). Footwear and orthotic devices tested in this study decreased pressure and soft tissue strain at the second ray of the foot, and these two variables were strongly related. A better understanding of the role tissue strain plays in distributing plantar forces may lead to improvements in the design of orthotic devices.

Effect of Footwear and Orthotic Devices on Stress Reduction and Soft Tissue Strain of the Neuropathic Foot

PubMed Central

Lott, Donovan J.; Hastings, Mary K.; Commean, Paul K.; Smith, Kirk E.; Mueller, Michael J.

2007-01-01

Background Ground reaction forces from walking result in stress (pressure) and soft tissue strain at the plantar aspect of the foot. Excessive plantar pressure and tissue strain on the insensate foot may lead to ulceration. Our study investigated the effect of therapeutic footwear and custom-made orthotic inserts on pressure and tissue strain along the second ray of the plantar foot, and how these two variables are associated. Methods Twenty subjects (mean age 57.3 [SD 9.3], 12 male, 8 female, body mass index 32.5 [SD 7.4]) with diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and a history of a plantar ulcer participated. Plantar pressure data were recorded during computed tomography scans for four conditions (barefoot, shoe, shoe+total contact insert, and shoe+total contact insert+metatarsal pad). For each condition tested, tissue strain and plantar pressure were determined at the second metatarsal head and at 15 other points along the second ray. Findings Differences were noted between the 4 conditions for pressure (p < 0.004) and soft tissue strain (p < 0.042) at the second metatarsal head. Correlation coefficients demonstrated an association between pressure and strain (Barefoot r = 0.81, Shoe r = 0.75, Shoe+total contact insert r = 0.73, and Shoe+total contact insert+metatarsal pad r = 0.44). Intepretation Footwear and orthotic devices tested in this study decreased pressure and soft tissue strain at the second ray of the foot, and these two variables were strongly related. A better understanding of the role tissue strain plays in distributing plantar forces may lead to improvements in the design of orthotic devices. PMID:17182156

Performance Enhancement of Tunable Bandpass Filters Using Selective Etched Ferroelectric Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miranda, Felix A.; Mueller, Carl H.; VanKeuls, Fred W.; Subramanyam, Guru; Vignesparamoorthy, Sivaruban

2003-01-01

The inclusion of voltage-tunable barium strontium titanate (BSTO) thin films into planar band pass filters offers tremendous potential to increase their versatility. The ability to tune the passband so as to correct for minor deviations in manufacturing tolerances, or to completely reconfigure the operating frequencies of a microwave communication system, are highly sought-after goals. However, use of ferroelectric films in these devices results in higher dielectric losses, which in turn increase the insertion loss and decrease the quality factors of the filters. This study explores the use of patterned ferroelectric layers to minimize dielectric losses without degrading tunability. Patterning the ferroelectric layers enables us to constrict the width of the ferroelectric layers between the coupled microstrip lines, and minimize losses due to ferroelectric layers. Coupled one-pole microstrip bandpass filters with fundamental resonances at approx. 7.2 GHz and well defined harmonic resonances at approx. 14.4 and approx. 21.6 GHz, were designed, simulated and tested. For one of the filters, experimental results verified that its center frequency was tunable by 528 MHz at a center frequency of 21.957 GHz, with insertion losses varying from 4.3 to 2.5 dB, at 0 and 3.5 V/micron, respectively. These data demonstrate that the tuning-to-loss figure of merit of tunable microstrip filters can be greatly improved using patterned ferroelectric thin films as the tuning element, and tuning can be controlled by engineering the ferroelectric constriction in the coupled sections.

An evaluation of the urban stormwater pollutant removal efficiency of catch basin inserts.

PubMed

Morgan, Robert A; Edwards, Findlay G; Brye, Kristofor R; Burian, Stephen J

2005-01-01

In a storm sewer system, the catch basin is the interface between surface runoff and the sewer. Responding to the need to improve the quality of stormwater from urban areas and transportation facilities, and spurred by Phase I and II Stormwater Rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, several companies market catch basin inserts as best management practices for urban water quality management. However, little data have been collected under controlled tests that indicate the pollutant removal efficiency of these inserts when the inflow is near what can be expected to occur in the field. A stormwater simulator was constructed to test inserts under controlled and replicable conditions. The inserts were tested for removal efficiency of total suspended solids (TSS) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) at an inflow rate of 757 to 814 L/min, with influent pollutant concentrations of 225 mg/L TSS and 30 mg/L TPH. These conditions are similar to stormwater runoff from small commercial sites in the southeastern United States. Results from the tests indicate that at the test flowrate and pollutant concentration, average TSS removal efficiencies ranged from 11 to 42% and, for TPH, the removal efficiency ranged from 10 to 19%.

Does the Latissimus dorsi insert on the iliac crest in man? Anatomic and ontogenic study.

PubMed

Ben Hadj Yahia, Sihem; Vacher, Christian

2011-11-01

The Latissimus dorsi muscle is usually considered as inserted on the iliac crest, but it is separated from it by the thoracolumbar fascia. In our experience based on the harvesting of pedicled Latissimus dorsi flaps to cover cervicofacial loss of substances, we have found that in some cases, the muscular fibers of the anterior border of the muscle are directly inserted on the iliac crest. In these cases, the harvesting of the flap could be more distal. To determine whether this direct muscular insertion is frequent or not, we performed dissections on 30 fresh cadavers of the lower insertion of the Latissimus dorsi muscle, and 6 dissections of human fetuses to study the ontogeny of these insertions. The Latissimus dorsi muscle presented direct muscular insertions on the iliac crest in 13.33% of cases. The fetal dissections showed that before 30 weeks of development, the anterior part of the muscle was directly inserted on the iliac crest, and after it was separated from it by the thoracolumbar fascia. Although the harvesting of the Latissimus dorsi in continuity with the thoracolumbar fascia has been described in pedicled flaps, it is usually considered that it is impossible to harvest Latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flaps in contact with the iliac crest, because there are no perforating vessels from the thoracolumbar fascia to the skin. According to our results, in some cases, it could be possible to harvest a pedicled musculo-cutaneous LD flap more distal that it is usually described.

Pre-clinical evaluation of the mechanical properties of a low-stiffness cement-injectable hip stem.

PubMed

Eldesouky, Ibrahim; Harrysson, Ola; Marcellin-Little, Denis J; West, Harvey; El-Hofy, Hassan

2017-11-01

In total hip arthroplasty (THA), the femoral stem can be fixed with or without bone cement. Cementless stem fixation is recommended for young and active patients as it eliminates the risk of loss of fixation at the bone-cement and cement-implant interfaces. Cementless fixation, however, suffers from a relatively high early revision rate. In the current research, a novel low-stiffness hip stem was designed, fabricated and tested. The stem design provided the option to inject biodegradable bone cement that could enhance initial stem stability. The stem was made of Ti6Al4V alloy. The proximal portion of the stem was porous, with cubic cells. The stem was fabricated using electron beam melting (EBM) technology and tested in compression and bending. Finite-element analysis was used to evaluate stem performance under a dynamic load representing a stair descending cycle and compare it to the performance of a solid stem with similar geometry. The von Mises stresses and maximum principal strains generated within the bone increased after porous stem insertion compared to solid stem insertion. The low-modulus stem tested in this study has acceptable mechanical properties and generates strain patterns in bone that appear compatible with clinical use.

Fracture of Reduced-Diameter Zirconia Dental Implants Following Repeated Insertion.

PubMed

Karl, Matthias; Scherg, Stefan; Grobecker-Karl, Tanja

Achievement of high insertion torque values indicating good primary stability is a goal during dental implant placement. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether or not two-piece implants made from zirconia ceramic may be damaged as a result of torque application. A total of 10 two-piece zirconia implants were repeatedly inserted into polyurethane foam material with increasing density and decreasing osteotomy size. The insertion torque applied was measured, and implants were checked for fractures by applying the fluorescent penetrant method. Weibull probability of failure was calculated based on the recorded insertion torque values. Catastrophic failures could be seen in five of the implants from two different batches at insertion torques ranging from 46.0 to 70.5 Ncm, while the remaining implants (all belonging to one batch) survived. Weibull probability of failure seems to be low at the manufacturer-recommended maximum insertion torque of 35 Ncm. Chipping fractures at the thread tips as well as tool marks were the only otherwise observed irregularities. While high insertion torques may be desirable for immediate loading protocols, zirconia implants may fracture when manufacturer-recommended insertion torques are exceeded. Evaluating bone quality prior to implant insertion may be useful.

Characterization of the NEXT Hollow Cathode Inserts After Long-Duration Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackey, J.; Shastry, R.; Soulas, G.

2017-01-01

Hollow dispenser cathode inserts are a critical element of electric propulsion systems, and should therefore be well understood during long term operation to ensure reliable system performance. This work destructively investigated cathode inserts from the NEXT long-duration test which demonstrated 51,184 hours of high-voltage operation, 918 kg of propellant throughput, and 35.5 MN-s of total impulse. The characterization methods used include scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Microscopy analysis has been performed on fractured surfaces, emission surfaces, and metallographically polished cross-sections of post-test inserts and unused inserts. Impregnate distribution, etch region thickness, impregnate chemical content, emission surface topography, and emission surface phase identification are the primary factors investigated.

Genomic gigantism: DNA loss is slow in mountain grasshoppers.

PubMed

Bensasson, D; Petrov, D A; Zhang, D X; Hartl, D L; Hewitt, G M

2001-02-01

Several studies have shown DNA loss to be inversely correlated with genome size in animals. These studies include a comparison between Drosophila and the cricket, Laupala, but there has been no assessment of DNA loss in insects with very large genomes. Podisma pedestris, the brown mountain grasshopper, has a genome over 100 times as large as that of Drosophila and 10 times as large as that of Laupala. We used 58 paralogous nuclear pseudogenes of mitochondrial origin to study the characteristics of insertion, deletion, and point substitution in P. pedestris and Italopodisma. In animals, these pseudogenes are "dead on arrival"; they are abundant in many different eukaryotes, and their mitochondrial origin simplifies the identification of point substitutions accumulated in nuclear pseudogene lineages. There appears to be a mononucleotide repeat within the 643-bp pseudogene sequence studied that acts as a strong hot spot for insertions or deletions (indels). Because the data for other insect species did not contain such an unusual region, hot spots were excluded from species comparisons. The rate of DNA loss relative to point substitution appears to be considerably and significantly lower in the grasshoppers studied than in Drosophila or Laupala. This suggests that the inverse correlation between genome size and the rate of DNA loss can be extended to comparisons between insects with large or gigantic genomes (i.e., Laupala and Podisma). The low rate of DNA loss implies that in grasshoppers, the accumulation of point mutations is a more potent force for obscuring ancient pseudogenes than their loss through indel accumulation, whereas the reverse is true for Drosophila. The main factor contributing to the difference in the rates of DNA loss estimated for grasshoppers, crickets, and Drosophila appears to be deletion size. Large deletions are relatively rare in Podisma and Italopodisma.

Vapor-Redissolution Technique for Reduction of POLYMER/Si Arrayed Waveguide Grating Loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haiming; Zhang, Daming; Qin, Zhenkun; Ma, Chunsheng

An efficient vapor-redissolution technique is used to greatly reduce sidewall scattering loss in the polymer arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) fabricated on a silicon substrate. Smoother sidewalls are achieved and verified by scanning electron microscopy. Reduction of sidewall scattering loss is further measured for the loss measurement of both straight waveguides and AWG devices. The sidewall loss in straight polymer waveguide is decreased by 2.1 dB/cm, the insertion loss of our AWG device is reduced by about 5.5 dB for the central channel and 6.7 dB for the edge channels, the crosstalk is reduced by 2.5 dB, and 3-dB bandwidth is narrowed by 0.05 nm after the vapor-redissoluton treatment.

Fibre optic connectors with high-return-loss performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knott, Michael P.; Johnson, R.; Cooke, K.; Longhurst, P. C.

1990-09-01

This paper describes the development of a single mode fibre optic connector with high return loss performance without the use of index matching. Partial reflection of incident light at a fibre optic connector interface is a recognised problem where the result can be increased noise and waveform distortion. This is particularly important for video transmission in subscriber networks which requires a high signal to noise ratio. A number of methods can be used to improve the return loss. The method described here uses a process which angles the connector endfaces. Measurements show typical return losses of -55dB can be achieved for an end angle of 6 degrees. Insertion loss results are also presented.

Influence of surgical and prosthetic techniques on marginal bone loss around titanium implants. Part I: immediate loading in fresh extraction sockets.

PubMed

Berberi, Antoine N; Tehini, Georges E; Noujeim, Ziad F; Khairallah, Alexandre A; Abousehlib, Moustafa N; Salameh, Ziad A

2014-10-01

Delayed placement of implant abutments has been associated with peri-implant marginal bone loss; however, long-term results obtained by modifying surgical and prosthetic techniques after implant placement are still lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the marginal bone loss around titanium implants placed in fresh extraction sockets using two loading protocols after a 5-year follow-up period. A total of 36 patients received 40 titanium implants (Astra Tech) intended for single-tooth replacement. Implants were immediately placed into fresh extraction sockets using either a one-stage (immediate loading by placing an interim prosthesis into functional occlusion) or a two-stage prosthetic loading protocol (insertion of abutments after 8 weeks of healing time). Marginal bone levels relative to the implant reference point were evaluated at four time intervals using intraoral radiographs: at time of implant placement, and 1, 3, and 5 years after implant placement. Measurements were obtained from mesial and distal surfaces of each implant (α = 0.05). One-stage immediate implant placement into fresh extraction sockets resulted in a significant reduction in marginal bone loss (p < 0.002) compared to the traditional two-stage technique. Whereas mesial surfaces remained stable for the 5-year observation period, significant marginal bone loss was observed on distal surfaces of implants after cementation of interim prostheses (p < 0.007) and after 12 months (p < 0.034). Within the limitations of this study, immediate loading of implants placed into fresh extraction sockets reduced marginal bone loss and did not compromise the success rate of the restorations. © 2014 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Hemodynamic parameters change earlier than tissue oxygen tension in hemorrhage.

PubMed

Pestel, Gunther J; Fukui, Kimiko; Kimberger, Oliver; Hager, Helmut; Kurz, Andrea; Hiltebrand, Luzius B

2010-05-15

Untreated hypovolemia results in impaired outcome. This study tests our hypothesis whether general hemodynamic parameters detect acute blood loss earlier than monitoring parameters of regional tissue beds. Eight pigs (23-25 kg) were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. A pulmonary artery catheter and an arterial catheter were inserted. Tissue oxygen tension was measured with Clark-type electrodes in the jejunal and colonic wall, in the liver, and subcutaneously. Jejunal microcirculation was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Intravascular volume was optimized using difference in pulse pressure (dPP) to keep dPP below 13%. Sixty minutes after preparation, baseline measurements were taken. At first, 5% of total blood volume was withdrawn, followed by another 5% increment, and then in 10% increments until death. After withdrawal of 5% of estimated blood volume, dPP increased from 6.1% +/- 3.0% to 20.8% +/- 2.7% (P < 0.01). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) decreased with a blood loss of 10% (P < 0.01). Cardiac output (CO) changed after a blood loss of 20% (P < 0.05). Tissue oxygen tension in central organs, and blood flow in the jejunal muscularis decreased (P < 0.05) after a blood loss of 20%. Tissue oxygen tension in the skin, and jejunal mucosa blood flow decreased (P < 0.05) after a blood loss of 40% and 50%, respectively. In this hemorrhagic pig model systemic hemodynamic parameters were more sensitive to detect acute hypovolemia than tissue oxygen tension measurements or jejunal LDF measurements. Acute blood loss was detected first by dPP. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lebrilla, C.B.; Schulze, C.; Schwarz, H.

The gas-phase reaction of bare Fe/sup +/ atoms with linear alkyl nitriles generates end-on complexes which, depending on geometrical constraints, specifically interact with remote C-H bonds. Based on chain length effect studies and the investigation of labeled precursors, a mechanism is suggested which accounts for the chemospecificity observed for the loss of H/sub 2/ and C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ from RCN/Fe/sup +/ complexes. This mechanism does not follow the analogous reaction of Fe/sup +/ with alkenes and alkynes but involves an initial C-H insertion of the remote CH bonds followed by a C-C insertion.

An MMI-based demultiplexer with reduced cross-talk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yueyu; He, Sailing

2005-03-01

The crosstalk of a multimode interference (MMI)-based demultiplexer is reduced by connecting appropriately designed cascaded MMI filters of high-order. Numerical results show that the designed demultiplexer greatly improves the bandwidth of 20 dB cross-talk loss and has an excellent performance in terms of the insertion loss and chromatic dispersion. Formed with commonly used MMI couplers, the present structure is much easier to implement than other structures.

Organic-inorganic hybrid material SUNCONNECT® for photonic integrated circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawata, Hideyuki; Oshima, Juro; Kashino, Tsubasa

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report the feature and properties about organic-inorganic hybrid material, "SUNCONNECT®" for photonic integrated circuit. "SUNCONNECT®" materials have low propagation loss at 1310nm (0.29dB/cm) and 1550nm (0.45dB/cm) respectively. In addition, the material has high thermal resistance both high temperature annealing test at 300°C and also 260°C solder heat resistance test. For actual device application, high reliability is required. 85°C /85% test was examined by using multi-mode waveguide. As a result, it indicated that variation of insertion loss property was not changed significantly after high temperature / high humidity test. For the application to photonic integrated circuit, it was demonstrated to fabricate polymer optical waveguide by using three different methods. Single-micron core pattern can be fabricated on cladding layer by using UV lithography with proximity gap exposure. Also, single-mode waveguide can be also fabricated with over cladding. On the other hands, "Mosquito method" and imprint method can be applied to fabricate polymer optical waveguide. Remarkably, these two methods can fabricate gradedindex type optical waveguide without using photo mask. In order to evaluate the optical performance, NFP's observation, measurement of insertion loss and propagation loss by cut-back methods were carried out by using each waveguide sample.

Heater head for stirling engine

DOEpatents

Corey, John A.

1985-07-09

A monolithic heater head assembly which augments cast fins with ceramic inserts which narrow the flow of combustion gas and obtains high thermal effectiveness with the assembly including an improved flange design which gives greater durability and reduced conduction loss.

A Compact Low-loss Magic-T using Microstrip-Slotline Transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

U-yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward J.; Moseley, Samuel H.; Papapolymerou, John; Laskar, Joy

2007-01-01

The design of a compact low-loss magic-T is proposed. The planar magic-T incorporates the compact microstrip-slotline tee junction and small microstrip-slotline transition area to reduce slotline radiation. The experimental results show that the magic-T produces broadband in-phase and out-of-phase power combiner/divider responses, has an average in-band insertion loss of 0.3 dB and small in-band phase and amplitude imbalance of less than plus or minus 1.6 deg. and plus or minus 0.3 dB, respectively.

Maximum powers of low-loss series-shunt FET RF switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Z.; Hu, X.; Yang, J.; Simin, G.; Shur, M.; Gaska, R.

2009-02-01

Low-loss high-power single pole single throw (SPST) monolithic RF switch based on AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field effect transistors (HFETs) demonstrate the insertion loss and isolation of 0.15 dB and 45.9 dB at 0.5 GHz and 0.23 dB and 34.3 dB at 2 GHz. Maximum switching powers are estimated +47 dBm or higher. Factors determining the maximum switching powers are analyzed. Design principles to obtain equally high switching powers in the ON and OFF-states are developed.

Packaging of microwave integrated circuits operating beyond 100 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samoska, L.; Daniel, E.; Sokolov, V.; Sommerfeldt, S.; Bublitz, J.; Olson, K.; Gilbert, B.; Chow, D.

2002-01-01

Several methods of packaging high speed (75-330 GHz) InP HEMT MMIC devices are discussed. Coplanar wirebonding is presented with measured insertion loss of less than 0.5dB and return loss better than -17 dB from DC to 110 GHz. A motherboard/daughterboard packaging scheme is presented which supports minimum loss chains of MMICs using this coplanar wirebonding method. Split waveguide block packaging approaches are presented in G-band (140-220 GHz) with two types of MMIC-waveguide transitions: E-plane probe andantipodal finline.

Contributions to the UK Microwave Landing System Research and Development Programme 1974 to 1978. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-05-01

the final element feed four-way modules. The typical insertion loss of a switch module is shown in Fig 3.18, this includes strip line and connector... losses . Isolation as a function of frequency is shown in Fig 3.19. C𔃾 uI CD Transmi r ter Jetai s The transmitter was housed in a trailer which was...VRPS). Theoretically this gives a lossless system. Practical imperfections introduced some loss , but this technique gave a much higher efficiency than

A Plasmonic based Ultracompact Polarization Beam Splitter on Silicon-on-Insulator Waveguides

PubMed Central

Tan, Qilong; Huang, Xuguang; Zhou, Wen; Yang, Kun

2013-01-01

An ultracompact polarization beam splitter (PBS) is designed on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform based on the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) excited by particular polarization light. The device uses nanoscale silver cylinders as the polarization selection between two silicon waveguides of a directional coupler. The transverse-magnetic (TM) polarization light excites localized surface plasmons and is coupled into the cross port of the directional coupler with a low insert loss, while the transverse-electric (TE) polarization light is under restriction. The PBS has a coupling layer with 50 nm width and 1.1 μm length supporting broadband operation. The simulation calculations show that 22.06dB and 23.06dB of extinction ratios for the TE and TM polarizations were obtained, together with insertion losses of 0.09dB and 0.40dB. PMID:23856635

Duct wall impedance control as an advanced concept for acoustic suppression enhancement. [engine noise reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, P. D.

1978-01-01

A systems concept procedure is described for the optimization of acoustic duct liner design for both uniform and multisegment types. The concept was implemented by the use of a double reverberant chamber flow duct facility coupled with sophisticated computer control and acoustic analysis systems. The optimization procedure for liner insertion loss was based on the concept of variable liner impedance produced by bias air flow through a multilayer, resonant cavity liner. A multiple microphone technique for in situ wall impedance measurements was used and successfully adapted to produce automated measurements for all liner configurations tested. The complete validation of the systems concept was prevented by the inability to optimize the insertion loss using bias flow induced wall impedance changes. This inability appeared to be a direct function of the presence of a higher order energy carrying modes which were not influenced significantly by the wall impedance changes.

Wear Distribution Detection of Knee Joint Prostheses by Means of 3D Optical Scanners

PubMed Central

Affatato, Saverio; Valigi, Maria Cristina; Logozzo, Silvia

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine total knee polyethylene inserts from in vitro simulation to evaluate and display—using a 3D optical scanner—wear patterns and wear rates of inserts exposed to wear by means of simulators. Various sets of tibial inserts have been reconstructed by using optical scanners. With this in mind, the wear behavior of fixed and mobile bearing polyethylene knee configurations was investigated using a knee wear joint simulator. After the completion of the wear test, the polyethylene menisci were analyzed by an innovative 3D optical scanners in order to evaluate the 3D wear distribution on the prosthesis surface. This study implemented a new procedure for evaluating polyethylene bearings of joint prostheses obtained after in vitro wear tests and the proposed new approach allowed quantification of the contact zone on the geometry of total knee prostheses. The results of the present study showed that mobile TKPs (total knee prosthesis) have lower wear resistance with respect to fixed TKPs. PMID:28772725

Limited rotation of the mobile-bearing in a rotating platform total knee prosthesis.

PubMed

Garling, E H; Kaptein, B L; Nelissen, R G H H; Valstar, E R

2007-01-01

The hypothesis of this study was that the polyethylene bearing in a rotating platform total knee prosthesis shows axial rotation during a step-up motion, thereby facilitating the theoretical advantages of mobile-bearing knee prostheses. We examined 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had a rotating platform total knee arthroplasty (NexGen LPS mobile, Zimmer Inc. Warsaw, USA). Fluoroscopic data was collected during a step-up motion six months postoperatively. A 3D-2D model fitting technique was used to reconstruct the in vivo 3D kinematics. The femoral component showed more axial rotation than the polyethylene mobile-bearing insert compared to the tibia during extension. In eight knees, the femoral component rotated internally with respect to the tibia during extension. In the other two knees the femoral component rotated externally with respect to the tibia. In all 10 patients, the femur showed more axial rotation than the mobile-bearing insert indicating the femoral component was sliding on the polyethylene of the rotating platform during the step-up motion. Possible explanations are a too limited conformity between femoral component and insert, the anterior located pivot location of the investigated rotating platform design, polyethylene on metal impingement and fibrous tissue formation between the mobile-bearing insert and the tibial plateau.

Insertion sequence typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: characterization of a widespread subtype with a single copy of IS6110.

PubMed

Fomukong, N G; Tang, T H; al-Maamary, S; Ibrahim, W A; Ramayah, S; Yates, M; Zainuddin, Z F; Dale, J W

1994-12-01

DNA fingerprinting with the insertion sequence IS6110 (also known as IS986) has become established as a major tool for investigating the spread of tuberculosis. Most strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have multiple copies of IS6110, but a small minority carry a single copy only. We have examined selected strains from Malaysia, Tanzania and Oman, in comparison with M. bovis isolates and BCG strains carrying one or two copies of IS6110. The insertion sequence appears to be present in the same position in all these strains, which suggests that in these organisms the element is defective in transposition and that the loss of transposability may have occurred at an early stage in the evolution of the M. tuberculosis complex.

Long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion.

PubMed

Moroi, Sayoko E; Lark, Kurt K; Sieving, Paul A; Nouri-Mahdavi, Kouros; Schlötzer-Schrehardt, Ursula; Katz, Gregory J; Ritch, Robert

2003-12-01

To describe pigment dispersion associated with long anterior zonules. Multicenter observational case series. Fifteen patients, seven of whom were treated for glaucoma or ocular hypertension, were identified with long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on one anterior capsule specimen. All patients had anterior zonules that inserted centrally on the lens capsule. Signs of pigment dispersion included corneal endothelial pigmentation, loss of the pupillary ruff, and variable trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Ultrasound biomicroscopy verified the lack of posterior iris insertion and concavity. There was no exfoliation material. Transmission electron microscopy showed zonular lamellae with adherent pigment granules, and no exfoliation material. Long anterior zonules inserted onto the central lens capsule may cause mechanical disruption of the pigment epithelium at the pupillary ruff and central iris leading to pigment dispersion.

Factors affecting the impingement angle of fixed- and mobile-bearing total knee replacements: a laboratory study.

PubMed

Walker, Peter S; Yildirim, Gokce; Sussman-Fort, Jon; Roth, Jonathan; White, Brian; Klein, Gregg R

2007-08-01

Maximum flexion-or impingement angle-is defined as the angle of flexion when the posterior femoral cortex impacts the posterior edge of the tibial insert. We examined the effects of femoral component placement on the femur, the slope angle of the tibial component, the location of the femoral-tibial contact point, and the amount of internal or external rotation. Posterior and proximal femoral placement, a more posterior femoral-tibial contact point, and a more tibial slope all increased maximum flexion, whereas rotation reduced it. A mobile-bearing knee gave results similar to those of the fixed-bearing knee, but there was no loss of flexion in internal or external rotation if the mobile bearing moved with the femur. In the absence of negative factors, a flexion angle of 150 degrees can be reached before impingement.

A physical map of a BAC clone contig covering the entire autosome insertion between ovine MHC Class IIa and IIb

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The ovine Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) harbors genes involved in overall resistance/susceptibility of the host to infectious diseases. Compared to human and mouse, the ovine MHC is interrupted by a large piece of autosome insertion via a hypothetical chromosome inversion that constitutes ~25% of ovine chromosome 20. The evolutionary consequence of such an inversion and an insertion (inversion/insertion) in relation to MHC function remains unknown. We previously constructed a BAC clone physical map for the ovine MHC exclusive of the insertion region. Here we report the construction of a high-density physical map covering the autosome insertion in order to address the question of what the inversion/insertion had to do with ruminants during the MHC evolution. Results A total of 119 pairs of comparative bovine oligo primers were utilized to screen an ovine BAC library for positive clones and the orders and overlapping relationships of the identified clones were determined by DNA fingerprinting, BAC-end sequencing, and sequence-specific PCR. A total of 368 positive BAC clones were identified and 108 of the effective clones were ordered into an overlapping BAC contig to cover the consensus region between ovine MHC class IIa and IIb. Therefore, a continuous physical map covering the entire ovine autosome inversion/insertion region was successfully constructed. The map confirmed the bovine sequence assembly for the same homologous region. The DNA sequences of 185 BAC-ends have been deposited into NCBI database with the access numbers HR309252 through HR309068, corresponding to dbGSS ID 30164010 through 30163826. Conclusions We have constructed a high-density BAC clone physical map for the ovine autosome inversion/insertion between the MHC class IIa and IIb. The entire ovine MHC region is now fully covered by a continuous BAC clone contig. The physical map we generated will facilitate MHC functional studies in the ovine, as well as the comparative MHC evolution in ruminants. PMID:22897909

Change in Dielectric Properties in the Microwave Frequency Region of Polypyrrole–Coated Textiles during Aging

PubMed Central

Hakansson, Eva; Kaynak, Akif; Kouzani, Abbas

2016-01-01

Complex permittivity of conducting polypyrrole (PPy)-coated Nylon-Lycra textiles is measured using a free space transmission measurement technique over the frequency range of 1–18 GHz. The aging of microwave dielectric properties and reflection, transmission and absorption for a period of 18 months is demonstrated. PPy-coated fabrics are shown to be lossy over the full frequency range. The levels of absorption are shown to be higher than reflection in the tested samples. This is attributed to the relatively high resistivity of the PPy-coated fabrics. Both the dopant concentration and polymerisation time affect the total shielding effectiveness and microwave aging behaviour. Distinguishing either of these two factors as being exclusively the dominant mechanism of shielding effectiveness is shown to be difficult. It is observed that the PPy-coated Nylon-Lycra samples with a p-toluene sulfonic acid (pTSA) concentration of 0.015 M and polymerisation times of 60 min and 180 min have 37% and 26% decrease in total transmission loss, respectively, upon aging for 72 weeks at room temperature (20 °C, 65% Relative humidity (RH)). The concentration of the dopant also influences the microwave aging behaviour of the PPy-coated fabrics. The samples with a higher dopant concentration of 0.027 mol/L pTSA are shown to have a transmission loss of 32.6% and 16.5% for short and long polymerisation times, respectively, when aged for 72 weeks. The microwave properties exhibit better stability with high dopant concentration and/or longer polymerization times. High pTSA dopant concentrations and/or longer polymerisation times result in high microwave insertion loss and are more effective in reducing the transmission and also increasing the longevity of the electrical properties. PMID:28773729

Change in Dielectric Properties in the Microwave Frequency Region of Polypyrrole-Coated Textiles during Aging.

PubMed

Hakansson, Eva; Kaynak, Akif; Kouzani, Abbas

2016-07-22

Complex permittivity of conducting polypyrrole (PPy)-coated Nylon-Lycra textiles is measured using a free space transmission measurement technique over the frequency range of 1-18 GHz. The aging of microwave dielectric properties and reflection, transmission and absorption for a period of 18 months is demonstrated. PPy-coated fabrics are shown to be lossy over the full frequency range. The levels of absorption are shown to be higher than reflection in the tested samples. This is attributed to the relatively high resistivity of the PPy-coated fabrics. Both the dopant concentration and polymerisation time affect the total shielding effectiveness and microwave aging behaviour. Distinguishing either of these two factors as being exclusively the dominant mechanism of shielding effectiveness is shown to be difficult. It is observed that the PPy-coated Nylon-Lycra samples with a p -toluene sulfonic acid ( p TSA) concentration of 0.015 M and polymerisation times of 60 min and 180 min have 37% and 26% decrease in total transmission loss, respectively, upon aging for 72 weeks at room temperature (20 °C, 65% Relative humidity (RH)). The concentration of the dopant also influences the microwave aging behaviour of the PPy-coated fabrics. The samples with a higher dopant concentration of 0.027 mol/L p TSA are shown to have a transmission loss of 32.6% and 16.5% for short and long polymerisation times, respectively, when aged for 72 weeks. The microwave properties exhibit better stability with high dopant concentration and/or longer polymerization times. High p TSA dopant concentrations and/or longer polymerisation times result in high microwave insertion loss and are more effective in reducing the transmission and also increasing the longevity of the electrical properties.

Load Fatigue Performance Evaluation on Two Internal Tapered Abutment-Implant Connection Implants Under Different Screw Tightening Torques.

PubMed

Jeng, Ming-Dih; Liu, Po-Yi; Kuo, Jia-Hum; Lin, Chun-Li

2017-04-01

This study evaluates the load fatigue performance of different abutment-implant connection implant types-retaining-screw (RS) and taper integrated screwed-in (TIS) types under 3 applied torque levels based on the screw elastic limit. Three torque levels-the recommended torque (25 Ncm), 10% less, and 10% more than the ratio of recommended torque to screw elastic limits of different implants were applied to the implants to perform static and dynamic testing according to the ISO 14801 method. Removal torque loss was calculated for each group after the endurance limitation was reached (passed 5 × 10 6 cycles) in the fatigue test. The static fracture resistance results showed that the fracture resistance in the TIS-type implant significantly increased (P < .05) when the abutment screw was inserted tightly. The dynamic testing results showed that the endurance limitations for the RS-type implant were 229 N, 197 N, and 224 N and those for the TIS-type implant were 322 N, 364 N, and 376 N when the screw insertion torques were applied from low to high. The corresponding significant (P < .05) removal torque losses for the TIS-type implant were 13.2%, 5.3%, and 2.6% but no significant difference was found for the RS-type implant. This study concluded that the static fracture resistance and dynamic endurance limitation of the TIS-type implant (1-piece solid abutment) increased when torque was applied more tightly on the screw. Less torque loss was also found when increasing the screw insertion torque.

Contingency study for the third international Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE-3) satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, D. W.

1979-01-01

The third satellite of the international Sun-Earth Explorer program was inserted into a periodic halo orbit about L sub 1, the collinear libration point between the Sun and the Earth-Moon barycenter. A plan is presented that was developed to enable insertion into the halo orbit in case there was a large underperformance of the Delta second or third stage during the maneuver to insert the spacecraft into the transfer trajectory. After one orbit of the Earth, a maneuver would be performed near perigee to increase the energy of the orbit. A relatively small second maneuver would put the spacecraft in a transfer trajectory to the halo orbit, into which it could be inserted for a total cost within the fuel budget. Overburns (hot transfer trajectory insertions) were also studied.

Vestibular sensory functional status of cochlear implanted ears versus non-implanted ears in bilateral profound deaf adults.

PubMed

Cozma, Romică Sebastian; Dima-Cozma, Lucia Corina; Rădulescu, Luminiţa Mihaela; Hera, Maria Cristina; Mârţu, Cristian; Olariu, Raluca; Cobzeanu, Bogdan Mihail; Bitere, Oana Roxana; Cobzeanu, Mihail Dan

2018-01-01

Patients with hearing loss who underwent cochlear implantation can present symptomatic or asymptomatic vestibular damages earlier or later after the surgery. The vestibular permanent lesions could be acute, produced by surgical trauma or could be progressive due to local morphological changes made by the presence of the portelectrode in the inner ear (fibrosis related, ossification, basilar membrane distortion, endolymphatic hydrops). Besides histopathological findings in inner ear of cochlear implanted patients, the vestibular permanent damages could be found by assessment of clinical vestibular status. This study reports the sensorial vestibular functional findings for adults in cochlear implanted ears related to the electrode insertion type (cochleostomy or round window approach) and comparing to non-implanted deaf ears. A total of 20 adult patients with 32 cochlear implanted ears (12 patients with binaural cochlear implant and eight with monoaural) were selected for postoperatory vestibular examination by cervical and ocular vestibular myogenic potentials and vestibular caloric tests. The same tests were made for a control group of 22 non-implanted deaf ears. Functional testing results were reported related to the electrode insertion approach. For the cochleostomy group, we found different deficits: in 40% for saccular function, 44% for utricular function, and 12% horizontal canal dysfunction. In round window group, the deficit was present in 14.29% for saccular function, 28.57% for utricular function, and 28.58% for horizontal canal. In 46.88% of implanted ears, the vestibular function was completely preserved on all tested sensors. In conclusion, the vestibular functional status after inner ear surgery presents sensorial damages in 53.12% ears compare with the vestibular dysfunction existing in 50% of deaf non-operated ears. Round window insertion allows for better conservation of the vestibular function.

Evaluation of noise barriers.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-01-01

Noise measurements were taken at six barrier sites: two wooden, two metal, and one concrete barrier were studied; the sixth site had no barrier and was studied to determine the ground effect. The approach was to determine insertion losses by taking s...

Validation of a Projection-domain Insertion of Liver Lesions into CT Images

PubMed Central

Chen, Baiyu; Ma, Chi; Leng, Shuai; Fidler, Jeff L.; Sheedy, Shannon P.; McCollough, Cynthia H.; Fletcher, Joel G.; Yu, Lifeng

2016-01-01

Rationale and Objectives The aim of this study was to validate a projection-domain lesion-insertion method with observer studies. Materials and Methods A total of 51 proven liver lesions were segmented from computed tomography images, forward projected, and inserted into patient projection data. The images containing inserted and real lesions were then reconstructed and examined in consensus by two radiologists. First, 102 lesions (51 original, 51 inserted) were viewed in a randomized, blinded fashion and scored from 1 (absolutely inserted) to 10 (absolutely real). Statistical tests were performed to compare the scores for inserted and real lesions. Subsequently, a two-alternative-forced-choice test was conducted, with lesions viewed in pairs (real vs. inserted) in a blinded fashion. The radiologists selected the inserted lesion and provided a confidence level of 1 (no confidence) to 5 (completely certain). The number of lesion pairs that were incorrectly classified was calculated. Results The scores for inserted and proven lesions had the same median (8) and similar interquartile ranges (inserted, 5.5–8; real, 6.5–8). The means scores were not significantly different between real and inserted lesions (P value = 0.17). The receiver operating characteristic curve was nearly diagonal, with an area under the curve of 0.58 ± 0.06. For the two-alternative-forced-choice study, the inserted lesions were incorrectly identified in 49% (25 out of 51) of pairs; radiologists were incorrect in 38% (3 out of 8) of pairs even when they felt very confident in identifying the inserted lesion (confidence level ≥4). Conclusions Radiologists could not distinguish between inserted and real lesions, thereby validating the lesion-insertion technique, which may be useful for conducting virtual clinical trials to optimize image quality and radiation dose. PMID:27432267

Fastener Starter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandler, Faith; Garton, Harry; Valentino, Bill; Amett, Mike

2005-01-01

The Fastener Starter is a creative solution to prevent the loss of small fasteners during their installation. This is the only currently available tool that can firmly grip and hold a single screw, bolt, nut, washer, spacer, or any combination of these parts. Other commercially available fastener starters are unable to accommodate a variety of parts simultaneously. The Fastener Starter is a more capable and easier tool to use than prior tools. Its compact size allows it to be used effectively in cramped, difficult-to-see locations. Its design also allows it to be used with or without handles and extenders in other difficult-to-reach locations. It provides better protection against cross threading and loss of fasteners and associated parts. The Fastener Starter is non-magnetic and does not off-gas, thus meeting flight hardware requirements. The Fastener Starter incorporates a combination of features of several commercially available tools, providing an improved means of installing small fasteners. The Fastener Starter includes a custom molded insert that can be removed easily and replaced with a conventional tool bit (e.g., a screwdriver or hex-driver bit). When used with the insert, the Fastener Starter prevents cross threading and damage to internal threaded holes. This is achieved by allowing the fastener to slip within the tool insert when used without a conventional tool bit. Alternatively, without the insert and with a tool bit, the Fastener Starter can torque a fastener. The Fastener Starter has a square recess hole that accepts a conventional square drive handle or extension to accommodate a variety of applications by providing flexibility in handle style and length.

Cross-linked polyethylene does not reduce wear in total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Lasurt-Bachs, S; Torner, P; Maculé, F; Prats, E; Menéndez-García, F; Ríos-Guillermo, J; Torrents, A

To compare two different types of inserts: Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and cross-linked polyethylene with a quantitative and qualitative study of polyethylene wear particles in synovial fluid 3 years after total knee arthroplasty. A prospective, randomized, controlled cohort study with blinded evaluation was carried out on 25 patients undergoing staged bilateral total knee replacement, 6 months apart. Knee arthrocentesis was performed on 12 patients 3 years after surgery, and the polyethylene particles were analyzed. No significant differences were found in the number of particles generated by the two different types of inserts at 3 years from total knee arthroplasty (3,000×: x¯ cross-linked=849.7; x¯ UHMWPE=796.9; P=.63; 20,000×: x¯ cross-linked=66.3; x¯ UHMWPE=73.1; P=.76). Likewise, no differences in the probability of finding elongated (χ 2 =0.19; P=.66) or rounded (χ 2 =1.44; P=.23) particles in both types of inserts were observed. However, the probability of finding fibrillar particles is 3.08 times greater in UHMWPE. Cross-linked polyethylene does not significantly reduce the generation of polyethylene particles in patients with total knee arthroplasty, 3 years after the surgical procedure. Copyright © 2018 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Predicting cancellous bone failure during screw insertion.

PubMed

Reynolds, Karen J; Cleek, Tammy M; Mohtar, Aaron A; Hearn, Trevor C

2013-04-05

Internal fixation of fractures often requires the tightening of bone screws to stabilise fragments. Inadequate application of torque can leave the fracture unstable, while over-tightening results in the stripping of the thread and loss of fixation. The optimal amount of screw torque is specific to each application and in practice is difficult to attain due to the wide variability in bone properties including bone density. The aim of the research presented in this paper is to investigate the relationships between motor torque and screw compression during powered screw insertion, and to evaluate whether the torque during insertion can be used to predict the ultimate failure torque of the bone. A custom test rig was designed and built for bone screw experiments. By inserting cancellous bone screws into synthetic, ovine and human bone specimens, it was established that variations related to bone density could be automatically detected through the effects of the bone on the rotational characteristics of the screw. The torque measured during screw insertion was found to be directly related to bone density and can be used, on its own, as a good predictor of ultimate failure torque of the bone. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction of Signature-tagged Mutant Library in Mesorhizobium loti as a Powerful Tool for Functional Genomics

PubMed Central

Shimoda, Yoshikazu; Mitsui, Hisayuki; Kamimatsuse, Hiroko; Minamisawa, Kiwamu; Nishiyama, Eri; Ohtsubo, Yoshiyuki; Nagata, Yuji; Tsuda, Masataka; Shinpo, Sayaka; Watanabe, Akiko; Kohara, Mitsuyo; Yamada, Manabu; Nakamura, Yasukazu; Tabata, Satoshi; Sato, Shusei

2008-01-01

Rhizobia are nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria that establish endosymbiosis with some leguminous plants. The completion of several rhizobial genome sequences provides opportunities for genome-wide functional studies of the physiological roles of many rhizobial genes. In order to carry out genome-wide phenotypic screenings, we have constructed a large mutant library of the nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium, Mesorhizobium loti, by transposon mutagenesis. Transposon insertion mutants were generated using the signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) technique and a total of 29 330 independent mutants were obtained. Along with the collection of transposon mutants, we have determined the transposon insertion sites for 7892 clones, and confirmed insertions in 3680 non-redundant M. loti genes (50.5% of the total number of M. loti genes). Transposon insertions were randomly distributed throughout the M. loti genome without any bias toward G+C contents of insertion target sites and transposon plasmids used for the mutagenesis. We also show the utility of STM mutants by examining the specificity of signature tags and test screenings for growth- and nodulation-deficient mutants. This defined mutant library allows for genome-wide forward- and reverse-genetic functional studies of M. loti and will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers to further our understanding of rhizobial biology. PMID:18658183

Hyperbolic-cosine waveguide tapers and oversize rectangular waveguide for reduced broadband insertion loss in W-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. II. Broadband characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sidabras, Jason W.; Anderson, James R.; Mainali, Laxman

Experimental results have been reported on an oversize rectangular waveguide assembly operating nominally at 94 GHz. It was formed using commercially available WR28 waveguide as well as a pair of specially designed tapers with a hyperbolic-cosine shape from WR28 to WR10 waveguide [R. R. Mett et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 074704 (2011)]. The oversize section reduces broadband insertion loss for an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) probe placed in a 3.36 T magnet. Hyperbolic-cosine tapers minimize reflection of the main mode and the excitation of unwanted propagating waveguide modes. Oversize waveguide is distinguished from corrugated waveguide, overmoded waveguide, or quasi-opticmore » techniques by minimal coupling to higher-order modes. Only the TE{sub 10} mode of the parent WR10 waveguide is propagated. In the present work, a new oversize assembly with a gradual 90° twist was implemented. Microwave power measurements show that the twisted oversize waveguide assembly reduces the power loss in the observe and pump arms of a W-band bridge by an average of 2.35 dB and 2.41 dB, respectively, over a measured 1.25 GHz bandwidth relative to a straight length of WR10 waveguide. Network analyzer measurements confirm a decrease in insertion loss of 2.37 dB over a 4 GHz bandwidth and show minimal amplitude distortion of approximately 0.15 dB. Continuous wave EPR experiments confirm these results. The measured phase variations of the twisted oversize waveguide assembly, relative to an ideal distortionless transmission line, are reduced by a factor of two compared to a straight length of WR10 waveguide. Oversize waveguide with proper transitions is demonstrated as an effective way to increase incident power and the return signal for broadband EPR experiments. Detailed performance characteristics, including continuous wave experiment using 1 μM 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl in aqueous solution, provided here serve as a benchmark for other broadband low-loss probes in millimeter-wave EPR bridges.« less

24-ch microlens-integrated no-polish connector for optical interconnection with polymer waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiraishi, Takashi; Yagisawa, Takatoshi; Ikeuchi, Tadashi; Daikuhara, Osamu; Tanaka, Kazuhiro

2013-02-01

We successfully developed a new 24-ch optical connector for polymer waveguides. The connector consists of a transparent thermoplastic resin that has two rectangular slits on one side for alignment of the waveguide films and integrated microlens arrays on the other side for coupling to the MT connector. Two 12-ch waveguide films were cut to a 3-mm width. The thickness of each waveguide film was controlled at 100 μm. The waveguide films were inserted into the slits until they touched the bottom face of the slit. Ultraviolet curing adhesive was used to achieve a short hardening process. The expanded beam in the transparent material is focused by the microlens arrays formed on the connector surface. This lens structure enables assembly without the need for a polishing process. We designed the lens for coupling between a step-index 40-μm rectangular waveguide and a graded-index 50-μm fiber. We achieved low-loss optical coupling by designing a method of providing asymmetric magnification between the horizontal and vertical directions in order to compensate for the asymmetric numerical aperture of the waveguide. The typical measured coupling losses from/to the waveguide to/from the fiber were 1.2 dB and 0.6 dB, respectively. The total coupling loss was as small as that of a physical contact connection.

Comparative simulation analysis on the ignition threshold of atmospheric He and Ar dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Congwei; Chang, Zhengshi; Chen, Sile; Ma, Hengchi; Mu, Haibao; Zhang, Guan-Jun

2017-09-01

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is widely applied in many fields, and the discharge characteristics of insert gas have been the research focus for years. In this paper, fluid models of atmospheric Ar and He DBDs driven by 22 kHz sinusoidal voltage are built to analyze their ignition processes. The contributions of different electron sources in ignition process are analyzed, including the direct ionization of ground state atom, stepwise ionization of metastable particles, and secondary electron emission from dielectric wall, and they play different roles in different discharge stages. The Townsend direct ionization coefficient of He is higher than Ar with the same electrical field intensity, which is the direct reason for the different ignition thresholds between He and Ar. Further, the electron energy loss per free electron produced in Ar and He DBDs is discussed. It is found that the total electron energy loss rate of Ar is higher than He when the same electrical field is applied. The excitation reaction of Ar consumes the major electron energy but cannot produce free electrons effectively, which is the essential reason for the higher ignition threshold of Ar. The computation results of He and Ar extinction voltages can be explained in the view of electron energy loss, as well as the experimental results of different extinction voltages between Ar/NH3 and He DBDs.

Adapting detection sensitivity based on evidence of irregular sinus arrhythmia to improve atrial fibrillation detection in insertable cardiac monitors.

PubMed

Pürerfellner, Helmut; Sanders, Prashanthan; Sarkar, Shantanu; Reisfeld, Erin; Reiland, Jerry; Koehler, Jodi; Pokushalov, Evgeny; Urban, Luboš; Dekker, Lukas R C

2017-10-03

Intermittent change in p-wave discernibility during periods of ectopy and sinus arrhythmia is a cause of inappropriate atrial fibrillation (AF) detection in insertable cardiac monitors (ICM). To address this, we developed and validated an enhanced AF detection algorithm. Atrial fibrillation detection in Reveal LINQ ICM uses patterns of incoherence in RR intervals and absence of P-wave evidence over a 2-min period. The enhanced algorithm includes P-wave evidence during RR irregularity as evidence of sinus arrhythmia or ectopy to adaptively optimize sensitivity for AF detection. The algorithm was developed and validated using Holter data from the XPECT and LINQ Usability studies which collected surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and continuous ICM ECG over a 24-48 h period. The algorithm detections were compared with Holter annotations, performed by multiple reviewers, to compute episode and duration detection performance. The validation dataset comprised of 3187 h of valid Holter and LINQ recordings from 138 patients, with true AF in 37 patients yielding 108 true AF episodes ≥2-min and 449 h of AF. The enhanced algorithm reduced inappropriately detected episodes by 49% and duration by 66% with <1% loss in true episodes or duration. The algorithm correctly identified 98.9% of total AF duration and 99.8% of total sinus or non-AF rhythm duration. The algorithm detected 97.2% (99.7% per-patient average) of all AF episodes ≥2-min, and 84.9% (95.3% per-patient average) of detected episodes involved AF. An enhancement that adapts sensitivity for AF detection reduced inappropriately detected episodes and duration with minimal reduction in sensitivity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology

Risk factors for central venous catheter thrombotic complications in children and adolescents with cancer.

PubMed

Revel-Vilk, S; Yacobovich, J; Tamary, H; Goldstein, G; Nemet, S; Weintraub, M; Paltiel, O; Kenet, G

2010-09-01

The use of central venous catheters (CVCs) has greatly improved the quality of care in children with cancer, yet these catheters may cause serious infectious and thrombotic complications. The aim of this prospective registry study was to assess the host and CVC-related risk factors for CVC-created thrombotic complications. Patients undergoing CVC insertion for chemotherapy were followed prospectively for CVC complications. At the time of enrollment, demographic, clinical, and CVC-related data, and family history of thrombosis were collected. Survival and Cox regression analyses were performed. A total of 423 CVCs were inserted into 262 patients for a total of 76,540 catheter days. The incidence of CVC-related deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) was 0.13 per 1000 catheter-days (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.24). Insertion of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and insertion in an angiography suite significantly increased the risk of symptomatic CVC-related DVT. The incidence of CVC occlusion was 1.35 per 1000 catheter-days (95% CI, 1.1-1.63). Positive family history of thrombosis significantly increased the risk of CVC occlusion (hazard ratio [HR], 2.16; 95% CI, 1.2-3.8). The CVC-related risk factors were insertion of Hickman catheters, insertion in angiography suite, and proximal-tip location. Patients developing at least 1 episode of both CVC occlusion and infection had an increased risk for developing symptomatic CVC-related DVT (HR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.2-14.4). Both patient-related and CVC-related factors are associated with higher risk of symptomatic thrombotic complications. These risk factors could be used in the clinical setting and in developing future studies for CVC thromboprophylaxis.

Three-dimensional kinematic estimation of mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty from x-ray fluoroscopic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Takaharu; Futai, Kazuma; Tomita, Tetsuya; Sato, Yoshinobu; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Tamura, Shinichi; Sugamoto, Kazuomi

2011-03-01

To achieve 3D kinematic analysis of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), 2D/3D registration techniques, which use X-ray fluoroscopic images and computer-aided design (CAD) model of the knee implant, have attracted attention in recent years. These techniques could provide information regarding the movement of radiopaque femoral and tibial components but could not provide information of radiolucent polyethylene insert, because the insert silhouette on X-ray image did not appear clearly. Therefore, it was difficult to obtain 3D kinemaitcs of polyethylene insert, particularly mobile-bearing insert that move on the tibial component. This study presents a technique and the accuracy for 3D kinematic analysis of mobile-bearing insert in TKA using X-ray fluoroscopy, and finally performs clinical applications. For a 3D pose estimation technique of the mobile-bearing insert in TKA using X-ray fluoroscopy, tantalum beads and CAD model with its beads are utilized, and the 3D pose of the insert model is estimated using a feature-based 2D/3D registration technique. In order to validate the accuracy of the present technique, experiments including computer simulation test were performed. The results showed the pose estimation accuracy was sufficient for analyzing mobile-bearing TKA kinematics (the RMS error: about 1.0 mm, 1.0 degree). In the clinical applications, seven patients with mobile-bearing TKA in deep knee bending motion were studied and analyzed. Consequently, present technique enables us to better understand mobile-bearing TKA kinematics, and this type of evaluation was thought to be helpful for improving implant design and optimizing TKA surgical techniques.

Impact insertion of osteochondral grafts: Interference fit and central graft reduction affect biomechanics and cartilage damage.

PubMed

Su, Alvin W; Chen, Yunchan; Wailes, Dustin H; Wong, Van W; Cai, Shengqiang; Chen, Albert C; Bugbee, William D; Sah, Robert L

2018-01-01

An osteochondral graft (OCG) is an effective treatment for articular cartilage and osteochondral defects. Impact of an OCG during insertion into the osteochondral recipient site (OCR) can cause chondrocyte death and matrix damage. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of graft-host interference fit and a modified OCG geometry on OCG insertion biomechanics and cartilage damage. The effects of interference fit (radius of OCG - radius of OCR), loose (0.00 mm), moderate (0.05 mm), tight (0.10 mm), and of a tight fit with OCG geometry modification (central region of decreased radius), were analyzed for OCG cylinders and OCR blocks from adult bovine knee joints with an instrumented drop tower apparatus. An increasingly tight (OCG - OCR) interference fit led to increased taps for insertion, peak axial force, graft cartilage axial compression, cumulative and total energy delivery to cartilage, lower time of peak axial force, lesser graft advancement during each tap, higher total crack length in the cartilage surface, and lower chondrocyte viability. The modified OCG, with reduction of diameter in the central area, altered the biomechanical insertion variables and biological consequences to be similar to those of the moderate interference fit scenario. Micro-computed tomography confirmed structural interference between the OCR bone and both the proximal and distal bone segments of the OCGs, with the central regions being slightly separated for the modified OCGs. These results clarify OCG insertion biomechanics and mechanobiology, and introduce a simple modification of OCGs that facilitates insertion with reduced energy while maintaining a structural interference fit. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:377-386, 2018. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial dielectric polarizing-beamsplitter and isolator for the terahertz region.

PubMed

Mendis, Rajind; Nagai, Masaya; Zhang, Wei; Mittleman, Daniel M

2017-07-19

We demonstrate a simple and effective strategy for implementing a polarizing beamsplitter for the terahertz spectral region, based on an artificial dielectric medium that is scalable to a range of desired frequencies. The artificial dielectric medium consists of a uniformly spaced stack of metal plates, which is electromagnetically equivalent to a stacked array of parallel-plate waveguides. The operation of the device relies on both the lowest-order, transverse-electric and transverse-magnetic modes of the parallel-plate waveguide. This is in contrast to previous work that relied solely on the transverse-electric mode. The fabricated polarizing beamsplitter exhibits extinction ratios as high as 42 dB along with insertion losses as low as 0.18 dB. Building on the same idea, we also demonstrate an isolator with non-reciprocal transmission, providing high isolation and low insertion loss at a select design frequency. The performance of our isolator far exceeds that of other experimentally demonstrated terahertz isolators, and indeed, even rivals that of commercially available isolators for optical wavelengths. Because these waveguide-based artificial dielectrics are low loss, inexpensive, and easy to fabricate, this approach offers a promising new route for polarization control of free-space terahertz beams.

30/20 GHz spacecraft GaAs FET solid state transmitter for trunking and customer-premise-service application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saunier, P.; Nelson, S.

1983-01-01

Sixteen 30 dB 0.5 W amplifier modules were combined to satisfy the requirement for a graceful degradation. If one module fails, the output power drops by only 0.43 dB. Also, by incorporating all the gain stages within the combiner the overall combining efficiency is maximized. A 16 way waveguide divider combiner was developed to minimize the insertion loss associated with such a large corporate feed structure. Tests showed that the 16 way insertion loss was less than 0.5 dB. To minimize loss, a direct transition from waveguide to microstrip, using a finline on duroid substrate, was developed. The FETs fabricated on MBE grown material, demonstrated superior performances. For example, a 600 micrometer device was capable of 320 mW output power with 5 dB gain and 26.6% efficiency at 21 GHz. The 16 module amplifier gave 8.95 W saturated output power with 30 dB gain. The overall efficiency was 9%. The 3 dB bandwidth was 2.5 GHz. At 17.7 GHz the amplifier had 5 W output power and at 20.2 GHz it still had 4.4 W.

Shortened penis post penile prosthesis implantation treated with subcutaneous soft silicone penile implant: case report.

PubMed

Shirvanian, V; Lemperle, G; Araujo Pinto, C; Elist, J J

2014-01-01

Penile prosthesis surgery for erectile dysfunction has the highest satisfaction rates among all treatment options but is often associated with subjective and objective loss of penile length and girth following surgery. To present a novel technique using a subcutaneous soft silicone implant for reversal of penile shortening and narrowing after prosthesis surgery, with additional gains in overall penile length and girth. Nine patients were treated with the insertion of a subcutaneous soft silicone penile implant. All patients had previously reported a loss in penile length (0.5-2 cm), and seven of nine patients also reported a loss in penile girth (0.5-2.6 cm) after penile prosthesis surgery. During a follow-up period of 4-24 months, penile length and girth measurements showed a mean increase in length of 2.4 cm (±0.75 cm) and a mean increase in girth of 3.4 cm (±0.94 cm). The additional insertion of a subcutaneous soft silicone implant in patients with decreased penile length and girth after penile prosthesis surgery is an effective treatment option that provides reversal of lost penile length and girth.

Noise suppression of a dipole source by tensioned membrane with side-branch cavities

PubMed Central

Liu, Y.; Choy, Y. S.; Huang, L.; Cheng, L.

2012-01-01

Reducing the ducted-fan noise at the low frequency range remains a big technical challenge. This study presents a passive approach to directly suppress the dipole sound radiation from an axial-flow fan housed by a tensioned membrane with cavity backing. The method aims at achieving control of low frequency noise with an appreciable bandwidth. The use of the membrane not only eliminates the aerodynamic loss of flow, but also provides flexibility in controlling the range of the stopband with high insertion loss by varying its tension and mass. A three-dimensional model is presented which allows the performance of the proposed device to be explored analytically. With the proper design, this device can achieve a noise reduction of 5 dB higher than the empty expansion cavity recently proposed by Huang et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 128, 152–163 (2010)]. Through the detailed modal analysis, even in vacuo modes of the membrane vibration are found to play an important role in the suppression of sound radiation from the dipole source. Experimental validation is conducted with a loudspeaker as the dipole source and good agreement between the predicted and measured insertion loss is achieved. PMID:22978868

Easy and safe coated optical fiber direct connection without handling bare optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Kotaro; Kihara, Mitsuru; Shimizu, Tomoya; Kurashima, Toshio

2015-06-01

We propose a novel field installable splicing technique for the direct connection of 250 μm diameter coated optical fiber that does not require bare optical fiber to be handled. Our proposed technique can realize a low insertion loss over a wide field installation temperature range of -10-40 °C. The keys to coated optical fiber direct connection are a cleaving technique and a technique for removing coated optical fiber. As the cleaving technique, we employed a method where the fiber is stretched and then a blade is pushed perpendicularly against the stretched fiber. As a result we confirmed that fiber endfaces cleaved at -10-40 °C were all mirror endfaces. With the removal technique, the coating is removed inside the connecting component by incorporating a circular cone shaped coating removal part. A mechanical splice based on these techniques successfully achieved a low insertion loss of less than 0.11 dB and a return loss of more than 50 dB at -10, 20, and 40 °C. In addition, the temperature cycle characteristics were stable over a wide temperature range of -40-75 °C.

[Magnetic resonance imaging study and cochlear implantation in post-meningitic deaf patients].

PubMed

Liu, Xiuli; Yao, Yiwen; He, Guili; Zhai, Lijie

2004-07-01

To investigate the clinical application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in post-meningitic patients and its impact on surgical decision. The pre-operative MRI data and auditory brainstem response (ABR) examination of five post-meningitic patients were studied. They were implanted with cochleas. The interval between the onset of bacterial meningitis and the hearing loss was (15.8 +/- 15.0)d and it was longer in children than adults. Five ears showed membranous cochlear labyrinth abnormality; 3 ears had vestibule vestibule abnormality; 8 ears demonstrated semicircular canal abnormality on MRI examinations in totally 10 ears. The mean hearing threshold of 10 ears was (102.0 +/- 7.1)dB HL,that of the operated ears was (98.0 +/- 5.7)dB HL and that of the un-operated ears was (106.0 +/- 6.5)dB HL. It was (15.8 +/- 15.0)d from the bacterial meningitis onset to hearing loss. The interval is longer in children than adults. There were 3 ears that electrodes could not be inserted completely. The bacterial meningitis may cause the abnormalities of inner ears and the MRI before surgery is essential for the pre-operative planning of cochlear implant.

Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) Genome: Divergence with the Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Characterization of Light-Associated Genes.

PubMed

Hanna, Zachary R; Henderson, James B; Wall, Jeffrey D; Emerling, Christopher A; Fuchs, Jérôme; Runckel, Charles; Mindell, David P; Bowie, Rauri C K; DeRisi, Joseph L; Dumbacher, John P

2017-10-01

We report here the assembly of a northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) genome. We generated Illumina paired-end sequence data at 90× coverage using nine libraries with insert lengths ranging from ∼250 to 9,600 nt and read lengths from 100 to 375 nt. The genome assembly is comprised of 8,108 scaffolds totaling 1.26 × 109 nt in length with an N50 length of 3.98 × 106 nt. We calculated the genome-wide fixation index (FST) of S. o. caurina with the closely related barred owl (Strix varia) as 0.819. We examined 19 genes that encode proteins with light-dependent functions in our genome assembly as well as in that of the barn owl (Tyto alba). We present genomic evidence for loss of three of these in S. o. caurina and four in T. alba. We suggest that most light-associated gene functions have been maintained in owls and their loss has not proceeded to the same extent as in other dim-light-adapted vertebrates. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Effect of metatarsal pad placement on plantar pressure in people with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Hastings, Mary K; Mueller, Michael J; Pilgram, Thomas K; Lott, Donovan J; Commean, Paul K; Johnson, Jeffrey E

2007-01-01

Standard prevention and treatment strategies to decrease peak plantar pressure include a total contact insert with a metatarsal pad, but no clear guidelines exist to determine optimal placement of the pad with respect to the metatarsal head. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of metatarsal pad location on peak plantar pressure in subjects with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy. Twenty subjects with diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and a history of forefoot plantar ulcers were studied (12 men and eight women, mean age=57+/-9 years). CT determined the position of the metatarsal pad relative to metatarsal head and peak plantar pressures were measured on subjects in three footwear conditions: extra-depth shoes and a 1) total contact insert, 2) total contact insert and a proximal metatarsal pad, and 3) total contact insert and a distal metatarsal pad. The change in peak plantar pressure between shoe conditions was plotted and compared to metatarsal pad position relative to the second metatarsal head. Compared to the total contact insert, all metatarsal pad placements between 6.1 mm to 10.6 mm proximal to the metatarsal head line resulted in a pressure reduction (average reduction=32+/-16%). Metatarsal pad placements between 1.8 mm distal and 6.1 mm proximal and between 10.6 mm proximal and 16.8 mm proximal to the metatarsal head line resulted in variable peak plantar pressure reduction (average reduction=16+/-21%). Peak plantar pressure increased when the metatarsal pad was located more than 1.8 mm distal to the metatarsal head line. Consistent peak plantar pressure reduction occurred when the metatarsal pad in this study was located between 6 to 11 mm proximal to the metatarsal head line. Pressure reduction lessened as the metatarsal pad moved outside of this range and actually increased if the pad was located too distal of this range. Computational models are needed to help predict optimal location of metatarsal pad with a variety of sizes, shapes, and material properties.

[Strategy for minimally invasive cochlear implantation and residual hearing preservation].

PubMed

Huang, Y Y; Chen, J Y; Shen, M; Yang, J

2018-01-07

In the past few decades, considerable development was achieved in the cochlear implantation following the emergence of innovative electrode array and advances in minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive technique led to a better preservation of residual low-frequency hearing. The loss of residual hearing was caused by complicated factors. According to previous studies, a slower and stable speed of electrode insertion and the use of perioperative steroids were demonstrated to have a positive impact on hearing preservation. The selection of electrode array or its insertion approaches didn't show any distinctive benefits in hearing preservation.

Generator stator core vent duct spacer posts

DOEpatents

Griffith, John Wesley; Tong, Wei

2003-06-24

Generator stator cores are constructed by stacking many layers of magnetic laminations. Ventilation ducts may be inserted between these layers by inserting spacers into the core stack. The ventilation ducts allow for the passage of cooling gas through the core during operation. The spacers or spacer posts are positioned between groups of the magnetic laminations to define the ventilation ducts. The spacer posts are secured with longitudinal axes thereof substantially parallel to the core axis. With this structure, core tightness can be assured while maximizing ventilation duct cross section for gas flow and minimizing magnetic loss in the spacers.

Comparative study of bowtie and patient scatter in diagnostic CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Prakhar; Boudry, John M.

2017-03-01

A fast, GPU accelerated Monte Carlo engine for simulating relevant photon interaction processes over the diagnostic energy range in third-generation CT systems was developed to study the relative contributions of bowtie and object scatter to the total scatter reaching an imaging detector. Primary and scattered projections for an elliptical water phantom (major axis set to 300mm) with muscle and fat inserts were simulated for a typical diagnostic CT system as a function of anti-scatter grid (ASG) configurations. The ASG design space explored grid orientation, i.e. septa either a) parallel or b) parallel and perpendicular to the axis of rotation, as well as septa height. The septa material was Tungsten. The resulting projections were reconstructed and the scatter induced image degradation was quantified using common CT image metrics (such as Hounsfield Unit (HU) inaccuracy and loss in contrast), along with a qualitative review of image artifacts. Results indicate object scatter dominates total scatter in the detector channels under the shadow of the imaged object with the bowtie scatter fraction progressively increasing towards the edges of the object projection. Object scatter was shown to be the driving factor behind HU inaccuracy and contrast reduction in the simulated images while shading artifacts and elevated loss in HU accuracy at the object boundary were largely attributed to bowtie scatter. Because the impact of bowtie scatter could not be sufficiently mitigated with a large grid ratio ASG, algorithmic correction may be necessary to further mitigate these artifacts.

Antegrade Ureteral Stenting is a Good Alternative for the Retrograde Approach.

PubMed

van der Meer, Rutger W; Weltings, Saskia; van Erkel, Arian R; Roshani, Hossain; Elzevier, Henk W; van Dijk, Lukas C; van Overhagen, Hans

2017-07-01

Double J (JJ) stents for treating obstructive ureteral pathology are generally inserted through a retrograde route with cystoscopic guidance. Antegrade percutaneous insertion using fluoroscopy can be performed alternatively but is less known. Indications, success rate and complications of antegrade ureteral stenting were evaluated. Data of consecutive patients in which antegrade ureteral stenting was performed were retrospectively analysed using the radiology information system and patient records. Patient characteristics, details of the antegrade JJ stent insertion procedure and registered complications were collected. Furthermore, it was investigated if prior to the antegrade procedure a retrograde attempt for JJ stent insertion was performed. Total 130 attempts for antegrade JJ stent insertion were performed in 100 patients. A percutaneous nephrostomy catheter had already been placed in the majority of kidneys (n = 109) for initial treatment of hydronephrosis. Most prevelant indication for a JJ stent was obstructive ureteral pathology due to malignancy (n = 63). A JJ stent was successfully inserted in 125 of 130 procedures. In 21 cases, previous retrograde ureteral stenting had failed but, subsequent antegrade ureteral stenting was successful. There were 8 procedure related complications; 6 infections, 1 false tract and 1 malposition. Antegrade percutaneous insertion of a JJ stent is a good alternative for retrograde insertion.

Use of a mid-scala and a lateral wall electrode in children: insertion depth and hearing preservation.

PubMed

Benghalem, Abdelhamid; Gazibegovic, Dzemal; Saadi, Fatima; Tazi-Chaoui, Zakia

2017-01-01

Atraumatic insertion of the HiFocus TM Mid-Scala (HFMS) electrode via the round window was successfully achieved in seven children. Residual hearing 6 months post-operatively was preserved to within 10 dB HL of the pre-operative audiogram at 500 Hz for six children, indicating minimal initial insertion trauma to the cochlea. The objectives were to document the clinical experience and evaluate differences between HFMS and HiFocus TM 1j (HF1j) by means of insertion depth and hearing preservation results. Nineteen children were prospectively recruited and consecutively implanted with the HF1j electrode (n = 12) or the HFMS electrode (n = 7) via the round window. Average median angular insertion depths and the amount of residual hearing preserved at 6 months post-operatively were compared between the two electrode groups. The median angular insertion depth for the HF1j was 439° and for the HFMS 435°. Preservation of residual hearing at 500 Hz was assessed in seven HFMS subjects and 11 HF1j subjects. Based on the Skarzynski formula, three out of seven subjects (42%) in the HFMS group had their residual hearing completely preserved at 500 Hz. In the control group, no subjects had complete hearing preservation and five subjects had a complete loss of residual hearing.

The effect of augmented reality training on percutaneous needle placement in spinal facet joint injections.

PubMed

Yeo, Caitlin T; Ungi, Tamas; U-Thainual, Paweena; Lasso, Andras; McGraw, Robert C; Fichtinger, Gabor

2011-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if augmented reality image overlay and laser guidance systems can assist medical trainees in learning the correct placement of a needle for percutaneous facet joint injection. The Perk Station training suite was used to conduct and record the needle insertion procedures. A total of 40 volunteers were randomized into two groups of 20. 1) The Overlay group received a training session that consisted of four insertions with image and laser guidance, followed by two insertions with laser overlay only. 2) The Control group received a training session of six classical freehand insertions. Both groups then conducted two freehand insertions. The movement of the needle was tracked during the series of insertions. The final insertion procedure was assessed to determine if there was a benefit to the overlay method compared to the freehand insertions. The Overlay group had a better success rate (83.3% versus 68.4%, p=0.002), and potential for less tissue damage as measured by the amount of needle movement inside the phantom (3077.6 mm(2) versus 5607.9 mm(2) , p =0.01). These results suggest that an augmented reality overlay guidance system can assist medical trainees in acquiring technical competence in a percutaneous needle insertion procedure. © 2011 IEEE

Cruciate retaining and cruciate substituting ultra-congruent insert

PubMed Central

Deledda, Davide; Rosso, Federica; Ratto, Nicola; Bruzzone, Matteo; Bonasia, Davide Edoardo; Rossi, Roberto

2016-01-01

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) conservation and the polyethylene insert constraint in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are still debated. The PCL is one of the primary stabilizers of the joint, but cruciate retaining (CR) implants have the disadvantage of a difficult balancing of the PCL. Postero-stabilized (PS) implants were introduced to reduce this problem. However, also the PS implants have some disadvantages, due to the cam-mechanism, such as high risk of cam-mechanism polyethylene wear. To minimize the polyethylene wear of the cam-mechanism and the bone sacrifice due to the intercondylar box, different types of inserts were developed, trying to increase the implant conformity and to reduce stresses on the bone-implant interface. In this scenario ultra-congruent (UC) inserts were developed. Those inserts are characterized by a high anterior wall and a deep-dished plate. This conformation should guarantee a good stability without the posterior cam. Few studies on both kinematic and clinical outcomes of UC inserts are available. Clinical and radiological outcomes, as well as kinematic data are similar between UC mobile bearing (MB) and standard PS MB inserts at short to mid-term follow-up. In this manuscript biomechanics and clinical outcomes of UC inserts will be described, and they will be compared to standard PS or CR inserts. PMID:26855938

Prophylactic teicoplanin during insertion of Hickman catheters.

PubMed

Lim, S H; Smith, M P; Machin, S J; Goldstone, A H

1990-12-01

With the extensive use of Hickman catheters in patients requiring cytotoxic chemotherapy there is now a resurgence of Gram-positive septicaemia among these patients during the neutropenic periods. We are currently running a prospective randomized study of prophylactic teicoplanin during insertion of Hickman catheters to determine if it reduces the incidence of Gram-positive septicaemia. A total of 44 patients have completed the study (23 in the teicoplanin group and 21 in the control group). The diagnoses were: acute myelogenous leukaemia (13), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (16), Hodgkin's disease (11), chronic granulocytic leukaemia (3) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (1). The number of days between insertion of Hickman catheters and the development of neutropenia was: teicoplanin group: mean 14.7, median 11, range 0-53; control group: mean 11.8, median 10, range 0-37. In the treated patients, there were four episodes of line-associated Gram-positive septicaemia and a total of four organisms were isolated. In the control group, 10 organisms were isolated from a total of nine episodes of line-associated Gram-positive septicaemia. The organisms were: coagulase-negative staphylococci (8), Streptococcus B, (1), Strep. faecalis (1), Strep. mitis (1), alpha streptococcus (1), diphtheriods (1) and Staphylococcus aureus (1). All organisms were sensitive to teicoplanin. No adverse reaction was observed in any patient. Prophylactic teicoplanin during insertion of Hickman catheters may therefore reduce the incidence of line-associated Gram-positive septicaemia in neutropenic patients.

Effect of ITE and nozzle exit cone erosion on specific impulse of solid rocket motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith-Kent, Randall; Ridder, Jeffrey P.; Loh, Hai-Tien; Abel, Ralph

1993-06-01

Specific impulse loss due to the use of a slowly eroding integral throat entrance, or a throat insert, with a faster eroding nozzle exit cone is studied. It is suggested that an oblique shock wave produced by step-off erosion results in loss of specific impulse. This is studied by use of a shock capturing CFD method. The shock loss predictions for first-stage Peacekeeper and Castor 25 motors are found to match the trends of the test data. This work suggests that a loss mechanism, previously unaccounted, should be considered in the specific impulse prediction procedure for nozzles with step-off exit cone erosion.

Patient-specific instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty: simpler, faster and more accurate than standard instrumentation-a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Vide, João; Freitas, Tânia Pinto; Ramos, Acácio; Cruz, Henrique; Sousa, João Paulo

2017-08-01

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) to standard instrumentation regarding efficacy to achieve a good coronal alignment and differences in surgical time, blood loss and length of stay. Ninety-five of 100 randomized patients eligible for total knee arthroplasty were analysed. PSI with magnetic resonance and long-leg radiograph was performed in 47 patients, while 48 patients received standard instrumentation. Primary outcome measure was coronal alignment, evaluated with long-leg radiograph. Deviation >3° varus/valgus was considered an outlier. Surgical time was compared from skin to skin. Length of stay was a post hoc analysis. Blood loss was evaluated comparing the number of blood units spent, fall in haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. Standard instrumentation had a higher number of outliers in the coronal alignment with a relative risk of 3.015, compared to PSI. Surgical time was reduced by 18 min (24.8 %) with the PSI, as well as length of stay, with a half-day reduction. Number of blood units spent was significantly less in the PSI group. Relative risk of transfusion was 7.09 for patients in the standard instrumentation group. Difference in Hg and Htc levels were not significant. No patient had to abandon PSI. Minor changes to preoperative plan occurred in 14.9 % of the patient: cut review in 4.3 % and insert change in 10.6 %. Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) is able to provide important advantages over standard instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty: it lowers the risk of outliers and transfusion, is a faster procedure and enables a shorter length of stay with a low rate of intraoperative adjustments. I.

Treatment of deep infection of total knee arthroplasty using a two-stage procedure.

PubMed

Pietsch, Martin; Hofmann, Siegfried; Wenisch, Christian

2006-03-01

Treatment of deep infection of total knee arthroplasty by two-stage reimplantation. Using an articulating spacer may reduce the disadvantages of a static spacer (ligament contracture, muscle atrophy, muscle contraction, arthrofibrosis, and bone loss). Restoration of pain-free loading and ability to walk. Late deep infection after total knee arthroplasty. infection occurring at least 6 weeks after the initial arthroplasty. Large metaphyseal bony defects of the distal femur and proximal tibia. Missing or insufficient extensor mechanism. The articulating spacer is made intraoperatively by cleaning and autoclaving the explanted femoral component and the tibial polyethylene insert. These components are reinserted by "press-fit cementing" without cement interdigitation into the trabecular bone. The cement is loaded with antibiotic during the same operation (2-4 g antibiotics per 40 g of cement powder). With the articulating spacer in place, partial weight bearing with crutches and continuous passive motion daily up to a flexion of 90 degrees are allowed. Usually, reimplantation with a standard revision system is scheduled for 6-12 weeks after spacer implantation. In a prospective study 33 consecutive patients were treated from February 2000 to July 2003. The average period of hospitalization after spacer implantation was 14 days (8-26 days). Three patients had recurrent infection (success rate 91%) after a mean follow-up period of 28 months (12-48 months). The average Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Score could be increased from 67 points (44-84 points) preoperatively to 87 points (53-97 points) after reimplantation. The complications were one temporary peroneal palsy, one dislocation of the spacer due to the absence of the extensor ligaments, and one fracture of the tibia due to substantial primary metaphyseal bone loss.

Effects of Heparin and Lisofylline on Pulmonary Function Following Smoke Inhalation Injury in an Ovine Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-03-01

25 mg/kg intravenously). One radiopaque sheath introducer, through which a pulmonary artery flotation catheter was placed, was inserted into an...the tracheobronchoepithelial damage score was as follows: 0, normal; 1, some loss of cilia, loss of apical epithelium; 2, marked attenuation of epi...limited to the left apical lobe be- cause bronchoalveolar lavage was done in the other lobes. The lung parenchymal damage score was as follows: 0, normal; 1

Bending stiffness, torsional stability, and insertion force of cementless femoral stems.

PubMed

Incavo, S J; Johnson, C C; Churchill, D L; Beynnon, B D

2001-04-01

In cementless total hip arthroplasty, increased femoral stem flexibility and decreased fracture propensity are desirable characteristics. The slotting and tapering of the stem have been introduced to achieve this. These features should not, however, be allowed to interfere with the ability of the distal stem to provide initial mechanical stability, especially under rotation. This study was done to investigate the ability of slotted and tapered stem designs to reduce stiffness and insertion force while still maintaining adequate torsional strength. The torsional strength, maximum insertion force, and insertional work of straight, slotted, and taper stems were measured by inserting each type into rigid polyurethane foam and torque testing to failure. Bending stiffness of each stem design was calculated using numerical methods. When compared to a straight stem, a unislot stem has similar torsional strength, maximum insertional force, and work of insertion. The bending stiffness is decreased by 19% to 82% depending on the bending direction. A trislot design decreased torque strength by 29%, maximal insertion force by 36%, and work by 11%. Bending stiffness was decreased by 74% and was not dependent on bending direction. A 0.5-mm taper decreased torque strength by 11% and insertional work by 14%. No difference was seen in maximum insertional force. We conclude that the design features studied (slots and taper) are effective in decreasing stem stiffness and reducing fracture propensity.

Design methodology and performance analysis of a wideband 90° phase switch for radiometer applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Villa, Enrique, E-mail: villae@unican.es; Aja, Beatriz; Cagigas, Jaime

2013-12-15

This paper presents the analysis, design, and characterization of a wideband 90° phase switch in Ka-band. The phase switch is based on two microstrip bandpass filters in which the commutation is performed by a novel single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch. The analysis of π-network bandpass filters is provided, obtaining the phase difference and amplitude imbalance between filters and their scattering parameters; tested results show an average phase difference of 88.9° ± 5° and an amplitude imbalance of 0.15 dB from 24 to 37 GHz. The new broadband SPDT switch is based on a coplanar waveguide-to-slotline-to-microstrip structure, which enables a full planarmore » integration with shifting branches. PIN diodes are used to perform the switching between outputs. The SPDT shows isolation better than 19 dB, insertion loss of around 1.8 dB, and return loss better than 15 dB. The full integration of the phase switch achieves a return loss better than 11 dB and insertion loss of around 4 dB over the band 26–36 GHz, with an average phase difference of 87.1° ± 4° and an average amplitude imbalance of 0.3 dB. It provides an excellent performance for this frequency range, suitable for radio-astronomy receivers.« less

Optomechanical design of a buckling cavity in a low-cost high-performance ferruleless field-installable single-mode fiber connector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebraert, Evert; Van Erps, Jürgen; Beri, Stefano; Watté, Jan; Thienpont, Hugo

2014-10-01

To boost the deployment of fiber-to-the-home networks in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, there is a strong need for single-mode fiber (SMF) connectors which combine low insertion loss with field installability. Shifting from ferrule-based to ferruleless connectors can reduce average insertion losses appreciably and minimize modal noise interference. We propose a ferruleless connector and adaptor in which physical contact between two inline fibers is ensured by at least one fiber being in a buckled state. To this end, we design a buckling cavity in which the SMF can buckle in a controlled way to ensure good optical performance as well as mechanical stability. This design is based on both mechanical and optical considerations. Finite element analysis suggests that mechanically a minimal buckling cavity length of 17 mm is required, while the height of the cavity should be chosen such that the buckled SMF is not mechanically confined to ensure buckling in a first-order mode. The optical bending loss in the buckled SMF is calculated using a fully vectorial mode solver, showing that a minimal buckling cavity length of 20 mm is necessary to keep the excess optical loss from bending below 0.1 dB. Both our optical and mechanical simulation results are experimentally verified.

Ear tube insertion

MedlinePlus

... eardrum may cause some hearing loss. But most children do not have long-term damage to their hearing or speech, even when the ... not go away with treatment, or if a child has many ear infections ... or that damages nearby nerves Injury to the ear after sudden ...

Hearing sensitivity in adults with a unilateral cleft lip and palate after two-stage palatoplasty.

PubMed

Kappen, I F P M; Schreinemakers, J B S; Oomen, K P Q; Bittermann, D; Kon, M; Breugem, C C; Mink van der Molen, A B

2017-03-01

To evaluate long-term hearing and middle ear status in patients treated for a unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) by two-stage palatoplasty. Forty-nine UCLP patients aged 17 years and older were included in this retrospective study. Patients were invited for a multidisciplinary long-term follow-up of their treatment at a tertiary center for craniofacial surgery in the Netherlands. ENT assessment included tympanometry and pure-tone audiometry. Medical files were searched for medical and surgical history. In total, 19.4% of the patients had significant long-term hearing loss (PTA > 20 dB), comprising conductive hearing loss in 21.5% of the patients. In the majority (70%), this hearing loss was more pronounced at higher frequencies. In 25% the high fletcher index showed hearing thresholds above 20 dB. Ventilation tubes were placed at least once in 78.7% of the patients. The frequency of tube insertion was positively correlated with the incidence of reduced tympanic compliance (tympanogram type B) and the need for a pharyngoplasty. The present study reports long-term hearing outcomes in UCLP patients with hard palate closure at 3 years of age. Persistent hearing loss was observed in 19.4% of our patients (PTA > 20 dB), mainly at the higher frequencies. Ventilation tube placement was associated with reduced tympanic compliance and higher risk on hearing loss (PTA air conduction). Our high incidence of velopharyngeal incompetence during early childhood, which is likely associated with Eustachian tube dysfunction, might have contributed to these results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Which total knee replacement implant should I pick? Correcting the pathology: the role of knee bearing designs.

PubMed

Berend, K R; Lombardi, A V; Adams, J B

2013-11-01

Debate has raged over whether a cruciate retaining (CR) or a posterior stabilised (PS) total knee replacement (TKR) provides a better range of movement (ROM) for patients. Various sub-sets of CR design are frequently lumped together when comparing outcomes. Additionally, multiple factors have been proven to influence the rate of manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) following TKR. The purpose of this study was to determine whether different CR bearing insert designs provide better ROM or different MUA rates. All primary TKRs performed by two surgeons between March 2006 and March 2009 were reviewed and 2449 CR-TKRs were identified. The same CR femoral component, instrumentation, and tibial base plate were consistently used. In 1334 TKRs a CR tibial insert with 3° posterior slope and no posterior lip was used (CR-S). In 803 there was an insert with no slope and a small posterior lip (CR-L) and in 312 knees the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) was either resected or lax and a deep-dish, anterior stabilised insert was used (CR-AS). More CR-AS inserts were used in patients with less pre-operative ROM and greater pre-operative tibiofemoral deformity and flexion contracture (p < 0.05). The mean improvement in ROM was highest for the CR-AS inserts (5.9° (-40° to 55°) vs CR-S 3.1° (-45° to 70°) vs CR-L 3.0° (-45° to 65°); p = 0.004). There was a significantly higher MUA rate with the CR-S and CR-L inserts than CR-AS (Pearson rank 6.51; p = 0.04). Despite sacrificing or not substituting for the PCL, ROM improvement was highest, and the MUA rate was lowest in TKRs with a deep-dish, anterior-stabilised insert. Substitution for the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in the form of a PS design may not be necessary even when the PCL is deficient.

A High-Throughput Arabidopsis Reverse Genetics System

PubMed Central

Sessions, Allen; Burke, Ellen; Presting, Gernot; Aux, George; McElver, John; Patton, David; Dietrich, Bob; Ho, Patrick; Bacwaden, Johana; Ko, Cynthia; Clarke, Joseph D.; Cotton, David; Bullis, David; Snell, Jennifer; Miguel, Trini; Hutchison, Don; Kimmerly, Bill; Mitzel, Theresa; Katagiri, Fumiaki; Glazebrook, Jane; Law, Marc; Goff, Stephen A.

2002-01-01

A collection of Arabidopsis lines with T-DNA insertions in known sites was generated to increase the efficiency of functional genomics. A high-throughput modified thermal asymetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR protocol was developed and used to amplify DNA fragments flanking the T-DNA left borders from ∼100,000 transformed lines. A total of 85,108 TAIL-PCR products from 52,964 T-DNA lines were sequenced and compared with the Arabidopsis genome to determine the positions of T-DNAs in each line. Predicted T-DNA insertion sites, when mapped, showed a bias against predicted coding sequences. Predicted insertion mutations in genes of interest can be identified using Arabidopsis Gene Index name searches or by BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) search. Insertions can be confirmed by simple PCR assays on individual lines. Predicted insertions were confirmed in 257 of 340 lines tested (76%). This resource has been named SAIL (Syngenta Arabidopsis Insertion Library) and is available to the scientific community at www.tmri.org. PMID:12468722

Unsatisfactory clinical outcomes of second-generation mobile bearing floating platform total knee arthroplasty: comparing outcomes with fixed bearing after five years minimum.

PubMed

Yoon, Jung-Ro; Yang, Jae-Hyuk

2018-03-20

The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze and compare the clinical and radiologic outcomes of fixed bearing ultracongruent (UC) insert total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and mobile bearing (MB) floating platform TKA using the navigation-assisted gap balancing technique with a minimum follow-up of five years. The study retrospectively enrolled 105 patients who received the UC type fixed bearing insert (group 1) and 95 patients who received the floating platform MB insert (group 2) during the period from August 2009 to June 2012. All surgery was performed using the navigation-assisted gap balancing technique. For strict assessment of gap measurements, the offset-type-force-controlled-spreader-system was used. Radiologic and clinical outcomes were assessed before operation and at the most recent follow-up using the Knee Society Score (KSS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score. For statistical analysis, paired sample t tests were used. A p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Although the radiologic alignments were satisfactory for both groups (99/105 [94%] cases were neutral for group 1 and 90/95 [94%] for group 2), the functional and total WOMAC scores were inferior in group 2 (p < 0.05). There were two cases of insert breakage in group 2 that required bearing exchange. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship rates for groups 1 and 2 at 77 months were 100.0 and 97.9%, respectively. Second-generation MB floating platform TKA cases did not have satisfactory outcomes. There were two cases of insert breakage, which required bearing exchange. Other patients who underwent surgery with second-generation MB floating platform were encouraged to avoid high knee flexion activities, resulting in lower clinical performance.

The Direct Insertion of the ACL Carries More Load than the Indirect Insertion

PubMed Central

Nawabi, Danyal H.; Tucker, Scott; Jones, Kristofer J.; Nguyen, Joseph; Wickiewicz, Thomas L.; Imhauser, Carl; Pearle, Andrew

2014-01-01

Objectives: Recent histological studies have shown that the ACL consists of two different structures: the direct and indirect insertions. The direct insertion is located along the lateral intercondylar ridge and the indirect insertion is ‘lower’ in the notch, adjacent to the posterior articular cartilage. The ‘lower’ position has become more popular for locating the femoral tunnel, as surgeons switch to the anteromedial (AM) portal drilling technique in order to place the graft in the region of the native footprint. However, a recent registry-based outcomes study has reported a 1.5 times higher graft failure rate for AM portal versus traditional transtibial techniques. The objective of this study was to investigate the load characteristics of the native ACL in the regions of the direct and indirect insertions. We hypothesized that the direct insertion would carry more load than the indirect insertion. Methods: Twelve cadaveric knees were mounted to a six degree of freedom robot equipped with a universal force-moment sensor. We simulated the Lachman and anterior drawer tests at 30oand 90o of flexion by applying a 134N anterior load, and the pivot shift test at 15o flexion by applying combined valgus (8Nm) and internal (4Nm) rotational moments. The kinematic pathway required to achieve these loading conditions was recorded for each intact knee. Using position control to repeat the loading paths, the robot recorded the loads for the ACL intact, ACL partially sectioned, and ACL completely sectioned states. Sectioning Protocol: The lateral intercondylar ridge and posterior articular margin was identified in each case. The 50% mark between this two areas was used to delineate the regions of the direct and indirect insertions (Fig. 1). Sectioning order was alternated between each cadaver. Footprint Digitization: The borders of the sectioned areas were digitized post-sectioning and mapped onto a computed tomography (CT) scan of each knee. The sectioning method was assessed under a blinded validation by experienced observers (TW, AP) who excluded two specimens that did not conform to the objective definitions of the sectioning method. Statistics: Loads were compared between direct and indirect locations at different flexion angles by conducting two-way repeated measures ANOVA models. Results: Under an anterior tibial load at 30o flexion, the direct insertion carried 83.9% (±7.2%) of the total ACL load compared to 16.1% (±7.2%) in the indirect insertion (p<0.001). The direct insertion also carried more load at 90o flexion (95.2% vs 4.8%; p<0.001). Under a combined rotatory load at 15o flexion, the direct insertion carried 84.2% (±4.2%)of the total ACL load compared to 15.8% (±4.2%) in the indirect insertion (p<0.001). Conclusion: The fibres in the direct insertion of the ACL carry more load than fibres in the indirect insertion. Previous studies have suggested that the direct insertion plays a major role in the mechanical link between the ACL and bone. With the current shift in emphasis towards anatomic ACL reconstruction, it may be beneficial to create the femoral tunnel within the direct insertion rather than ‘lower’ in the notch. Although further work is required in determining graft behaviour at the new insertions sites described in this study, our findings suggest that placing a graft in the region of the direct insertion may be an important consideration when adhering to the principles of anatomic ACL reconstruction.

Non-reciprocal optical mirrors based on spatio-temporal acousto-optic modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleury, R.; Sounas, D. L.; Alù, A.

2018-03-01

Here, we investigate a scheme to realize free-space isolators and highly non-reciprocal mirrors with weak modulation imparted by an acoustic wave. We propose a strategy to dramatically break time-reversal symmetry by exploiting resonant interactions between a travelling acoustic wave and highly resonant Fabry-Pérot modes, inducing total reflection of an optical beam at a given angle, and no reflection at the negative angle. Different from conventional acousto-optic isolators, which are based on non-resonant frequency conversion and filtering, our proposal operates at the frequency of the optical signal by tailoring the resonant properties of the structure as well as the acoustic wave frequency and intensity, enabling 50 dB isolation with modest modulation requirements. Operation in the reflection mode allows for close-to-zero insertion loss, enabling disruptive opportunities in our ability to control and manipulate photons.

The relationship between age, rotator cuff integrity, and osseous microarchitecture of greater tuberosity: Where should we put anchor?

PubMed

Kholinne, Erica; Lee, Hyun Joo; Kim, Sung Jung; Park, So Hyun; Jeon, In-Ho

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the microarchitecture of the greater tuberosity with or without rotator cuff tear and to obtain optimum location for anchor screw insertion for rotator cuff repair. Twenty-five humeral heads were harvested from 13 male cadavers of mean age 58.4 years, including 6 humeri with rotator cuff tear and 19 intact humeri. Six regions of interest (proximal, intermediate, and distal zones of the superficial and deep regions) were divided into the anterior (G1), middle (G2), and posterior (G3) areas of the greater tuberosity. Trabecular bone volume and cortical thickness were evaluated. Total trabecular bone volume was greater in subjects <50 years old than in subjects >50 years old but did not differ significantly in subjects with and without rotator cuff tear. Cortical thickness in both intact and torn rotator cuff groups was significantly greater in the proximal and intermediate zones than in the distal zone. Cortical thickness was related to anatomic location rather than age or cuff tear. The optimal location for anchor screw insertion during rotator cuff repair is either the proximal or intermediate region of the greater tuberosity. Age has more influence in terms of trabecular bone volume loss than rotator cuff integrity. Copyright © 2017. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

[Screening and identification of anoikis-resistant gene UBCH7 in esophageal cancer cells].

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Wang, Bo-Shi; Wang, Xiao-Min; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Ming-Rong; Jia, Xue-Mei

2012-02-01

Anoikis is a kind of programmed cell death induced by loss of extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion, which is one of key factors for homestasis. Resistance to anoikis is required for tumor cell metastasis. We have previously shown several anoikis-resistance genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In order to find novel anoikis-resistant genes in ESCC, we constructed retroviral cDNA library using total RNA from ESCC cell lines. NIH 3T3 cells, which are sensitive to anoikis, were infected with the library constructed. The cells were cultured in soft agar, and the clones which can survive in detached states were selected. The cDNAs inserted into the anoikis-resistant NIH3T3 clones were amplified using retroviral specific primers. Sequencing analysis showed that a cDNA fragment inserted into the anoikis-resistant clone contains full coding sequence (ORF) of human UBCH7/UBE2L3 gene. By infection with retrovirus encoding UBCH7 ORF (pMSCV-UBCH7), forced expression of UBCH7 increased the anoikis-resistance of NIH3T3 cells. More importantly, knockdown of UBCH7 expression by siRNA transfection reduced the anoikis-resistant ability of esophageal cancer MLuC1 cells. The data suggest that UBCH7/UBE2L3 gene would be involved in anoikis-resistance in ESCC.

Relationship between product demand, tibial polyethylene insert shelf age, and total knee arthroplasty survival: retrospective review of total knees of one design.

PubMed

Urban, Joshua A; Collier, Matthew B; Engh, C Anderson; Engh, Gerard A

2006-04-01

Shelf aging of gamma-irradiated-in-air polyethylene tibial components has been associated with increased articular surface wear and an elevated risk for revision. Nine hundred fifty cruciate-retaining inserts of one design were implanted between 1987 and 1996 (shelf age, 1.0 +/- 1.2 years). Less frequently used inserts (smallest/largest sizes, thicker thicknesses, supplemental articular constraint) had longer shelf ages (means ranged from 1.2 to 2.6 years). Survival analysis showed that shelf age (P < .01) and gamma-sterilization in air (P = .01) elevated the risk for revision. Surgeons must remain attentive to identify the shelf-aged gamma-irradiated-in-air polyethylene tibial component while following designs from the era when this sterilization method was used. Recognition is expedited by understanding how shelf life is related to product demand and can be of aid when diagnosing the painful knee.

Iatrogenic chylothorax due to pleural cavity extravasation of total parenteral nutrition in two adults receiving nutrition through a peripherally inserted central catheter.

PubMed

Johnson, Thomas J; Jamous, Fady G; Kooistra, Alma; Zawada, Edward T

2010-02-01

Extravasation of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) delivered via central lines is a known potential complication, but significant extravasations of infusate into the pleural space when using peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have not been reported in adults. We report 2 cases ofpleural cavity extravasation ofTPN delivered via a PICC. Measurement of the glucose level of the effusate is a quick way to determine the presence of TPN and should be considered in any patient receiving TPN via any type of central line with a rapidly developing effusion.

Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis with intra-articular distraction.

PubMed

Kim, Hyong Nyun; Jeon, June Young; Noh, Kyu Cheol; Kim, Hong Kyun; Dong, Quanyu; Park, Yong Wook

2014-01-01

Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis has shown high rates of union comparable to those with open arthrodesis but with substantially less postoperative morbidity, shorter operative times, less blood loss, and shorter hospital stays. To easily perform arthroscopic resection of the articular cartilage, sufficient distraction of the joint is necessary to insert the arthroscope and instruments. However, sometimes, standard noninvasive ankle distraction will not be sufficient in post-traumatic ankle arthritis, with the development of arthrofibrosis and joint contracture after severe ankle trauma. In the present report, we describe a technique to distract the ankle joint by inserting a 4.6-mm stainless steel cannula with a blunt trocar inside the joint. The cannula allowed sufficient intra-articular distraction, and, at the same time, a 4.0-mm arthroscope can be inserted through the cannula to view the joint. Screws can be inserted to fix the joint under fluoroscopic guidance without changing the patient's position or removing the noninvasive distraction device and leg holder, which are often necessary during standard arthroscopic arthrodesis with noninvasive distraction. Copyright © 2014 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation between auditory function and internal auditory canal pressure in patients with vestibular schwannomas.

PubMed

Lapsiwala, Samir B; Pyle, G Mark; Kaemmerle, Ann W; Sasse, Frank J; Badie, Behnam

2002-05-01

Hearing loss is the most common presenting symptom in patients who harbor a vestibular schwannoma (VS). Although mechanical injury to the cochlear nerve and vascular compromise of the auditory apparatus have been proposed, the exact mechanism of this hearing loss remains unclear. To test whether pressure on the cochlear nerve from tumor growth in the internal auditory canal (IAC) is responsible for this clinical finding, the authors prospectively evaluated intracanalicular pressure (ICaP) in patients with VS and correlated this with preoperative brainstem response. In 40 consecutive patients undergoing a retrosigmoid-transmeatal approach for tumor excision, ICaP was measured by inserting a pressure microsensor into the IAC before any tumor manipulation. Pressure recordings were correlated with tumor size and preoperative auditory evoked potential (AEP) recordings. The ICaP, which varied widely among patients (range 0-45 mm Hg), was significantly elevated in most patients (median 16 mm Hg). Although these pressure measurements directly correlated to the extension of tumor into the IAC (p = 0.001), they did not correlate to total tumor size (p = 0.2). In 20 patients in whom baseline AEP recordings were available, the ICaP directly correlated to wave V latency (p = 0.0001), suggesting that pressure from tumor growth in the IAC may be responsible for hearing loss in these patients. Tumor growth into the IAC results in elevation of ICaP and may play a role in hearing loss in patients with VS. The relevance of these findings to the surgical treatment of these tumors is discussed.

Dielectric Properties of BST/(Y 2O 3) x(ZrO 2) 1-x/BST Trilayer Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sahoo, Santosh K.; Misra, D.

2011-01-31

Thin films of Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (BST) are being actively investigated for applications in dynamic random access memories (DRAM) because of their properties such as high dielectric constant, low leakage current, and high dielectric breakdown strength. Various approaches have been used to improve the dielectric properties of BST thin films such as doping, graded compositions, and multilayer structures. We have found that inserting a ZrO2 layer in between two BST layers results in a significant reduction in dielectric constant as well as dielectric loss. In this work the effect of Y2O3 doped ZrO2 on the dielectric properties of BST/ZrO2/BST trilayer structure ismore » studied. The structure Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3/(Y2O3)x(ZrO2)1-x/Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 is deposited by a sol-gel process on platinized Si substrate. The composition (x) of the middle layer is varied while keeping the total thickness of the trilayer film constant. The dielectric constant of the multilayer film decreases with the increase of Y2O3 amount in the film whereas there is a slight variation in dielectric loss. In Y2O3 doped multilayer thin films, the dielectric loss is lower in comparison to other films and also there is good frequency stability in the loss in the measured frequency range and hence very suitable for microwave device applications.« less

Intracisternal A-Particle Element Transposition into the Murine β-Glucuronidase Gene Correlates with Loss of Enzyme Activity: a New Model for β-Glucuronidase Deficiency in the C3H Mouse†

PubMed Central

Gwynn, Babette; Lueders, Kira; Sands, Mark S.; Birkenmeier, Edward H.

1998-01-01

The severity of human mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII), or Sly syndrome, depends on the relative activity of the enzyme β-glucuronidase. Loss of β-glucuronidase activity can cause hydrops fetalis, with in utero or postnatal death of the patient. In this report, we show that β-glucuronidase activity is not detectable by a standard fluorometric assay in C3H/HeOuJ (C3H) mice homozygous for a new mutation, gusmps2J. These gusmps2J/gusmps2J mice are born and survive much longer than the previously characterized β-glucuronidase-null B6.C-H-2bm1/ByBir-gusmps (gusmps/gusmps) mice. Northern blot analysis of liver from gusmps2J/gusmps2J mice demonstrates a 750-bp reduction in size of β-glucuronidase mRNA. A 5.4-kb insertion in the Gus-sh nucleotide sequence from these mice was localized by Southern blot analysis to intron 8. The ends of the inserted sequences were cloned by inverse PCR and revealed an intracisternal A-particle (IAP) element inserted near the 3′ end of the intron. The sequence of the long terminal repeat (LTR) regions of the IAP most closely matches that of a composite LTR found in transposed IAPs previously identified in the C3H strain. The inserted IAP may contribute to diminished β-glucuronidase activity either by interfering with transcription or by destabilizing the message. The resulting phenotype is much less severe than that previously described in the gusmps/gusmps mouse and provides an opportunity to study MPS VII on a genetic background that clearly modulates disease severity. PMID:9774663

Corneal sensitivity, ocular surface health and tear film stability after punctal plug therapy of aqueous deficient dry eye

PubMed Central

Said, Azza Mohamed Ahmed; Farag, Mona Elsayed; Abdulla, Tarek Mohamed; Ziko, Othman Ali Othman; Osman, Wesam Mohamed

2016-01-01

AIM To evaluate the effect of punctal occlusion using thermosensitive (smart plug) versus silicone plug for management of aqueous deficient dry eye on corneal sensitivity, ocular surface health and tear film stability. METHODS A comparative prospective interventional case study included 45 patients with bilateral severe form of aqueous deficient dry eye. In each patient, the smart plug was inserted in the lower punctum of the right eye which was considered as study group 1 and silicone plug was inserted in the lower punctum of the left eye of the same patient which was considered as study group 2. All patients were subjected to careful history taking and questionnaire for subjective assessment of severity of symptoms. Corneal sensitivity, corneal fluorescein, rose bengal staining, Schirmer's I test, tear film break up time and conjunctival impression cytology were performed pre and 1, 3 and 6mo post plug insertion. RESULTS A statistically significant improvement in subjective and objective manifestations occurred following treatment with both types of plugs (P<0.01). The thermosensitive plug caused significant overall improvement, decrease in frequency of application of tear substitutes and improvement of conjunctival impression cytology parameters in the inserted side (P<0.01). Canaliculitis was reported in two eyes (4.4%) following punctal occlusion using thermosensitive plug (study group 1). Spontaneous plug loss occurred in 21 eyes (46.6%) in the silicone plug group (study group 2). CONCLUSION Improvement of subjective and objective manifestations of aqueous deficient dry eye occurs following punctal plug occlusion. Thermosensitive plug has good patient's compliance with fewer complications and lower rates of loss compared to the silicone plug. PMID:27990362

Comparison of marginal bone loss and implant success between axial and tilted implants in maxillary All-on-4 treatment concept rehabilitations after 5 years of follow-up.

PubMed

Hopp, Milena; de Araújo Nobre, Miguel; Maló, Paulo

2017-10-01

There is need for more scientific and clinical information on longer-term outcomes of tilted implants compared to implants inserted in an axial position. Comparison of marginal bone loss and implant success after a 5-year follow-up between axial and tilted implants inserted for full-arch maxillary rehabilitation. The retrospective clinical study included 891 patients with 3564 maxillary implants rehabilitated according to the All-on-4 treatment concept. The follow-up time was 5 years. Linear mixed-effect models were performed to analyze the influence of implant orientation (axial/tilted) on marginal bone loss and binary logistic regression to assess the effect of patient characteristics on occurrence of marginal bone loss >2.8 mm. Only those patients with measurements of at least one axial and one tilted implant available were analyzed. This resulted in a data set of 2379 implants (1201 axial, 1178 tilted) in 626 patients (=reduced data set). Axial and tilted implants showed comparable mean marginal bone losses of 1.14 ± 0.71 and 1.19 ± 0.82 mm, respectively. Mixed model analysis indicated that marginal bone loss levels at 5 years follow up was not significantly affected by the orientation (axial/tilted) of the implants in the maxillary bone. Smoking and female gender were associated with marginal bone loss >2.8 mm in a logistic regression analysis. Five-year implant success rates were 96%. The occurrence of implant failure showed to be statistically independent from orientation. Within the limitations of this study and considering a follow-up time of 5 years, it can be concluded that tilted implants behave similarly with regards to marginal bone loss and implant success in comparison to axial implants in full-arch rehabilitation of the maxilla. Longer-term outcomes (10 years +) are needed to verify this result. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Liver Disease and IBD

MedlinePlus

... loss, and itching. PSC may not improve with medical treatment for IBD and may ultimately require liver transplantation. The cause is not known and there is no effective medication for PSC. To correct severe narrowing of the bile ducts, a balloon-tipped tube may be inserted into the duct ...

Electromagnetic Interference Behavior of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanofibers Composites Under Fatigue

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

introducing conductive metallic materials onto or into the polymer composite. The earlier process steps included metallic paint coating, insertion......onboard from critical data loss to permanent damage. The ionized radiation strips electrons from atoms in the space plasma, creating charged

ZnO nanomaterials based surface acoustic wave ethanol gas sensor.

PubMed

Wu, Y; Li, X; Liu, J H; He, Y N; Yu, L M; Liu, W H

2012-08-01

ZnO nanomaterials based surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensor has been investigated in ethanol environment at room temperature. The ZnO nanomaterials have been prepared through thermal evaporation of high-purity zinc powder. The as-prepared ZnO nanomaterials have been characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. The results indicate that the obtained ZnO nanomaterials, including many types of nanostructures such as nanobelts, nanorods, nanowires as well as nanosheets, are wurtzite with hexagonal structure and well-crystallized. The SAW sensor coated with the nanostructured ZnO materials has been tested in ethanol gas of various concentrations at room temperature. A network analyzer is used to monitor the change of the insertion loss of the SAW sensor when exposed to ethanol gas. The insertion loss of the SAW sensor varies significantly with the change of ethanol concentration. The experimental results manifest that the ZnO nanomaterials based SAW ethanol gas sensor exhibits excellent sensitivity and good short-term reproducibility at room temperature.

Terahertz modulation based on surface plasmon resonance by self-gated graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Zhenhai; Yang, Dongxiao; Wang, Wei

2018-05-01

We theoretically and numerically investigate the extraordinary optical transmission through a terahertz metamaterial composed of metallic ring aperture arrays. The physical mechanism of different transmission peaks is elucidated to be magnetic polaritons or propagation surface plasmons with the help of surface current and electromagnetic field distributions at respective resonance frequencies. Then, we propose a high performance terahertz modulator based on the unique PSP resonance and combined with the metallic ring aperture arrays and a self-gated parallel-plate graphene capacitor. Because, to date, few researches have exhibited gate-controlled graphene modulation in terahertz region with low insertion losses, high modulation depth and low control voltage at room temperature. Here, we propose a 96% amplitude modulation with 0.7 dB insertion losses and ∼5.5 V gate voltage. Besides, we further study the absorption spectra of the modulator. When the transmission of modulator is very low, a 91% absorption can be achieved for avoiding damaging the source devices.

Very high frequency (beyond 100 MHz) PZT kerfless linear arrays.

PubMed

Wu, Da-Wei; Zhou, Qifa; Geng, Xuecang; Liu, Chang-Geng; Djuth, Frank; Shung, K Kirk

2009-10-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and measurements of very high frequency kerfless linear arrays prepared from PZT film and PZT bulk material. A 12-microm PZT thick film fabricated from PZT-5H powder/solution composite and a piece of 15-microm PZT-5H sheet were used to fabricate 32-element kerfless high-frequency linear arrays with photolithography. The PZT thick film was prepared by spin-coating of PZT sol-gel composite solution. The thin PZT-5H sheet sample was prepared by lapping a PZT-5H ceramic with a precision lapping machine. The measured results of the 2 arrays were compared. The PZT film array had a center frequency of 120 MHz, a bandwidth of 60% with a parylene matching layer, and an insertion loss of 41 dB. The PZT ceramic sheet array was found to have a center frequency of 128 MHz with a poorer bandwidth (40% with a parylene matching layer) but a better sensitivity (28 dB insertion loss).

Very High Frequency (Beyond 100 MHz) PZT Kerfless Linear Arrays

PubMed Central

Wu, Da-Wei; Zhou, Qifa; Geng, Xuecang; Liu, Chang-Geng; Djuth, Frank; Shung, K. Kirk

2010-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and measurements of very high frequency kerfless linear arrays prepared from PZT film and PZT bulk material. A 12-µm PZT thick film fabricated from PZT-5H powder/solution composite and a piece of 15-µm PZT-5H sheet were used to fabricate 32-element kerfless high-frequency linear arrays with photolithography. The PZT thick film was prepared by spin-coating of PZT sol-gel composite solution. The thin PZT-5H sheet sample was prepared by lapping a PZT-5H ceramic with a precision lapping machine. The measured results of the 2 arrays were compared. The PZT film array had a center frequency of 120 MHz, a bandwidth of 60% with a parylene matching layer, and an insertion loss of 41 dB. The PZT ceramic sheet array was found to have a center frequency of 128 MHz with a poorer bandwidth (40% with a parylene matching layer) but a better sensitivity (28 dB insertion loss). PMID:19942516

Low-Power Consumption InGaAs PIN Diode Switches for V-band Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Volker; Berg, Michael; Tobler, Hans; Woelk, Claus; Deufel, Reinhard; Trasser, Andreas; Schumacher, Hermann; Alekseev, Egor; Pavlidis, Dimitris; Dickmann, Juergen

1999-02-01

In this paper, we present the measurement results of two InP-based coplanar SPST (single pole single throw) PIN diode switches operating at V-band frequencies. The switches show excellent mm-wave performance combined with a very low DC-power consumption. The SPST with on-chip biasing and DC-blocking capacitors demonstrates an insertion loss as low as 0.84 dB and a high isolation value of 21.8 dB at a center frequency of 53 GHz with only 0.8 mW of DC-power consumption. A more simple SPST exhibits under equivalent conditions (0.9 mW) an excellent insertion loss of 0.52 dB and an isolation of 21.7 dB. Furthermore the power-handling capability of the InGaAs PIN diodes, which are used as active switching elements, is investigated in this paper and found to exceed 25 dBm at a reverse voltage of -5 V.

Electro-optical full-adder/full-subtractor based on graphene-silicon switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zivarian, Hossein; Zarifkar, Abbas; Miri, Mehdi

2018-01-01

A compact footprint, low-power consumption, and high-speed operation electro-optical full-adder/full-subtractor based on graphene-silicon electro-optical switches is demonstrated. Each switch consists of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in which few-layer graphene is embedded in a silicon slot waveguide to construct phase shifters. The presented structure can be used as full-adder and full-subtractor simultaneously. The analysis of various factors such as extinction ratio, power consumption, and operation speed has been presented. As will be shown, the proposed electro-optical switch has a minimum extinction ratio of 36.21 dB, maximum insertion loss about 0.18 dB, high operation speed of 180 GHz, and is able to work with a low applied voltage about 1.4 V. Also, the extinction ratio and insertion loss of the full-adder/full-subtractor are about 30 and 1.5 dB, respectively, for transfer electric modes at telecommunication wavelength of 1.55 μm.

Efficient generation and characterization of spectrally factorable biphotons.

PubMed

Chen, Changchen; Bo, Cao; Niu, Murphy Yuezhen; Xu, Feihu; Zhang, Zheshen; Shapiro, Jeffrey H; Wong, Franco N C

2017-04-03

Spectrally unentangled biphotons with high single-spatiotemporal-mode purity are highly desirable for many quantum information processing tasks. We generate biphotons with an inferred heralded-state spectral purity of 99%, the highest to date without any spectral filtering, by pulsed spontaneous parametric downconversion in a custom-fabricated periodically-poled KTiOPO₄ crystal under extended Gaussian phase-matching conditions. To efficiently characterize the joint spectral intensity of the generated biphotons at high spectral resolution, we employ a commercially available dispersion compensation module (DCM) with a dispersion equivalent to 100 km of standard optical fiber and with an insertion loss of only 2.8 dB. Compared with the typical method of using two temperature-stabilized equal-length fibers that incurs an insertion loss of 20 dB per fiber, the DCM approach achieves high spectral resolution in a much shorter measurement time. Because the dispersion amount and center wavelengths of DCMs can be easily customized, spectral characterization in a wide range of quantum photonic applications should benefit significantly from this technique.

A new spiral dental implant: a tool for oral rehabilitation of difficult cases

PubMed Central

BALAN, I.; CALCATERRA, R.; LAURITANO, D.; GRECCHI, E.; CARINCI, F.

2017-01-01

SUMMARY Spiral dental implant (SDI) is an implant with a conical internal helix that confers the characteristic of self-drilling, self-tapping, and self-bone condensing. These proprieties offer better control during insertion of SDI giving a high primary stabilization, even in poor quality bone. A shorter diameter of SDI results in reduced drilling during insertion and consequently less trauma and minimal bone loss. To address the research purpose, the investigators designed a retrospective cohort study. The study population was composed of 25 patients, 11 males and 14 females that have been treated by Dr. Balan with 187 SDI positioned in mandible and into maxilla bone. The implants were placed during the years 2013 to 2014 in Dr. Balan clinic. All patients underwent the same surgical protocol. Several variables are investigated: demographic (age and gender), anatomic (upper/lower jaws and tooth site), implant (length and diameter and type) variables, edentulism (partial or total), and comorbid status of health (i.e.: hypothyroidism, parodontitis, hypertension, diabetes, presence of cancer, heart disease, hepatitis and rheumatologic disease). Pearson Chi-Square test was used to investigate variables and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Statistically it has been shown that females have a higher possibility of unsuccessful respect of male, with a “p value” of 0.014. Another important impact factor for success of implant insertion has been represented by concomitants pathologies: cancer represents the most negative high factor risk with a percentage of unsuccessful of 50%, followed by heart disease (15%), and diabetes (3.7%). SDIs are reliable tools for difficult cases of oral rehabilitation. They have a higher success and survival rate, which means stable results over time. No differences were detected among SDI lengths, implant/crown ratio. In addition, the insertion of SDIs in banked bone can be performed without adverse effects. Finally, flapless and computer tomography-planned surgery does not significantly increase the clinical outcome of SDIs in complex rehabilitation. Cancer represents the most important variable to consider when a patient wants to do oral rehabilitation because of its high risk of unsuccessful. PMID:29285328

A new spiral dental implant: a tool for oral rehabilitation of difficult cases.

PubMed

Balan, I; Calcaterra, R; Lauritano, D; Grecchi, E; Carinci, F

2017-01-01

Spiral dental implant (SDI) is an implant with a conical internal helix that confers the characteristic of self-drilling, self-tapping, and self-bone condensing. These proprieties offer better control during insertion of SDI giving a high primary stabilization, even in poor quality bone. A shorter diameter of SDI results in reduced drilling during insertion and consequently less trauma and minimal bone loss. To address the research purpose, the investigators designed a retrospective cohort study. The study population was composed of 25 patients, 11 males and 14 females that have been treated by Dr. Balan with 187 SDI positioned in mandible and into maxilla bone. The implants were placed during the years 2013 to 2014 in Dr. Balan clinic. All patients underwent the same surgical protocol. Several variables are investigated: demographic (age and gender), anatomic (upper/lower jaws and tooth site), implant (length and diameter and type) variables, edentulism (partial or total), and comorbid status of health (i.e.: hypothyroidism, parodontitis, hypertension, diabetes, presence of cancer, heart disease, hepatitis and rheumatologic disease). Pearson Chi-Square test was used to investigate variables and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Statistically it has been shown that females have a higher possibility of unsuccessful respect of male, with a "p value" of 0.014. Another important impact factor for success of implant insertion has been represented by concomitants pathologies: cancer represents the most negative high factor risk with a percentage of unsuccessful of 50%, followed by heart disease (15%), and diabetes (3.7%). SDIs are reliable tools for difficult cases of oral rehabilitation. They have a higher success and survival rate, which means stable results over time. No differences were detected among SDI lengths, implant/crown ratio. In addition, the insertion of SDIs in banked bone can be performed without adverse effects. Finally, flapless and computer tomography-planned surgery does not significantly increase the clinical outcome of SDIs in complex rehabilitation. Cancer represents the most important variable to consider when a patient wants to do oral rehabilitation because of its high risk of unsuccessful.

Mating of a PROSTALAC spacer with an intramedullary nail for reconstruction of an infected interprosthetic femoral shaft fracture: a case report.

PubMed

Kamath, Atul F; Austin, Daniel; Lee, Gwo-Chin

2012-08-01

Reconstruction for concurrent infection of an ipsilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a challenge. We report a 2-stage reconstruction of a THA for chronic infection of both the THA and TKA with severe femoral bone loss secondary to interprosthetic fractures. The reconstruction involved using a custom-made, temporary, antibiotic-impregnated PROSTALAC spacer mated with an intramedullary nail. The acetabulum was then exposed and the necrotic cartilage was removed and curetted. The acetabulum was reamed to accept a PROSTALAC acetabular shell. The shell was cemented into the acetabulum with antibiotic cement. The custom-made spacer was then inserted distally first into the tibia. The distal end of the intramedullary nail was interlocked with a bicortical bolt to minimise nail rotation. Antibiotic-impregnated cement was moulded around the nail and spacer. The proximal end of the spacer was then reduced into the acetabular socket, and the joint was irrigated and the wound closed. A customised abduction brace was fitted, and partial weight bearing was allowed. Sufficient leg length, soft-tissue tension, and range of hip motion were restored, and a total femur and constrained liner was re-implanted 4 months later. Mating of an intramedullary nail with a PROSTALAC spacer is a viable reconstructive option.

Microwave Ablation With a Triaxial Antenna: Results in ex vivo Bovine Liver

PubMed Central

Brace, Christopher L.; Laeseke, Paul F.; van der Weide, Daniel W.; Lee, Fred T.

2007-01-01

We apply a new triaxial antenna for microwave ablation procedures to an ex vivo bovine liver. The antenna consists of a coaxial monopole inserted through a biopsy needle positioned one quarter-wavelength from the antenna base. The insertion needle creates a triaxial structure, which enhances return loss more than 10 dB, maximizing energy transfer to the tissue while minimizing feed cable heating and invasiveness. Numerical electromagnetic and thermal simulations are used to optimize the antenna design and predict heating patterns. Numerical and ex vivo experimental results show that the lesion size depends strongly on ablation time and average input power, but not on peak power. Pulsing algorithms are also explored. We were able to measure a 3.8-cm lesion using 50 W for 7 min, which we believe to be the largest lesion reported thus far using a 17-gauge insertion needle. PMID:18079981

System and method for smoothing a salient rotor in electrical machines

DOEpatents

Raminosoa, Tsarafidy; Alexander, James Pellegrino; El-Refaie, Ayman Mohamed Fawzi; Torrey, David A.

2016-12-13

An electrical machine exhibiting reduced friction and windage losses is disclosed. The electrical machine includes a stator and a rotor assembly configured to rotate relative to the stator, wherein the rotor assembly comprises a rotor core including a plurality of salient rotor poles that are spaced apart from one another around an inner hub such that an interpolar gap is formed between each adjacent pair of salient rotor poles, with an opening being defined by the rotor core in each interpolar gap. Electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic inserts are positioned in the gaps formed between the salient rotor poles, with each of the inserts including a mating feature formed an axially inner edge thereof that is configured to mate with a respective opening being defined by the rotor core, so as to secure the insert to the rotor core against centrifugal force experienced during rotation of the rotor assembly.

NittanySat Final Report for University Nanosatellite-5 Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-12

Figures 9 through 12 and tabulated in Table 2. Figure 9 – 14-MHz BPF . Figure 10 – 21-MHz BPF .   Page 13   Figure 11 – 28-MHz BPF ...Figure 12 – 50-MHz BPF . Table 2 - Narrow Band-pass Filter Parameters Frequency Band [MHz] Bandwidth Range [MHz] Insertion Loss [dB] Return Loss...surface area, and surface properties (e.g., absorptivity, emissivity) of the various components. In order to make predictions and guide design choices, an

Suspended Integrated Strip-line Transition Design for Highly Integrated Radar Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

RF Circuit Design,” Second Edition, Pearson Education, 2009. 3. B. Ma, A. Chousseaud, and S . Toutain, “A new design of compact planar microstrip...technology. The measured results show good correlation to the simulated results with a return loss and insertion loss of less than 10 dB and greater...1) where is the cavity width, is the thickness of substrate 3, is the cavity height, and is the dielectric constant of substrate 3, and m/ s

48 CFR 1852.228-82 - Insurance-Total Immunity From Tort Liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Insurance-Total Immunity... Provisions and Clauses 1852.228-82 Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability. As prescribed in 1828.311-270(d), insert the following clause: Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability (SEP 2000) (a) The...

48 CFR 1852.228-82 - Insurance-Total Immunity From Tort Liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Insurance-Total Immunity... Provisions and Clauses 1852.228-82 Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability. As prescribed in 1828.311-270(d), insert the following clause: Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability (SEP 2000) (a) The...

48 CFR 1852.228-82 - Insurance-Total Immunity From Tort Liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Insurance-Total Immunity... Provisions and Clauses 1852.228-82 Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability. As prescribed in 1828.311-270(d), insert the following clause: Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability (SEP 2000) (a) The...

48 CFR 1852.228-82 - Insurance-Total Immunity From Tort Liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Insurance-Total Immunity... Provisions and Clauses 1852.228-82 Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability. As prescribed in 1828.311-270(d), insert the following clause: Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability (SEP 2000) (a) The...

48 CFR 1852.228-82 - Insurance-Total Immunity From Tort Liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Insurance-Total Immunity... Provisions and Clauses 1852.228-82 Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability. As prescribed in 1828.311-270(d), insert the following clause: Insurance—Total Immunity From Tort Liability (SEP 2000) (a) The...

The Measurement of Advertising Impact on Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haefner, James E.; And Others

This study examined the impact on children of two deceptive and two non-deceptive 60-second color commericals inserted in a 25-minute film. The ads were rated as deceptive or non-deceptive by attorneys at the Federal Trade Commission. A total of 102 students aged 11 to 13 and 34 students aged 7 viewed the film with the ads inserted. Pre- and…

Trochantoplasty for Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Coxa Vara Deformity.

PubMed

Yoo, Jun-Il; Parvizi, Javad; Song, Ji-Ung; Ha, Yong-Chan; Lee, Young-Kyun; Koo, Kyung-Hoi

2017-07-01

In total hip arthroplasty (THA) of hips with coxa vara, the femoral stems might be inserted in a varus alignment. To avoid varus insertion, we designed a technique, which we termed "trochantoplasty." In this procedure, the medial half of the greater trochanter was removed during THA. We evaluated 30 patients (31 hips) who had coxa vara deformity and underwent THA using trochantoplasty at the mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 3-9 years). All stems were inserted in the neutral position. One Vancouver type 1 periprosthetic femoral fracture occurred after a fall at postoperative 2 months. At the latest follow-up, the mean power of abductor was 4.3 (range, 3-5). Four patients had moderate limp whereas 26 patients had slight limp. The abduction at 90° flexion ranged from 15° to 45° (mean, 35°). There was no revision. All prostheses had bone-ingrown stability without any detectable wear or osteolysis. The mean Harris hip score was improved from 66.9 to 89.4 points. Trochantoplasty can be used to avoid varus insertion of the femoral stem while performing THA in patients with coxa vara deformity without compromising the abductor mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antegrade Ureteral Stenting is a Good Alternative for the Retrograde Approach

PubMed Central

van der Meer, Rutger W.; Weltings, Saskia; van Erkel, Arian R.; Roshani, Hossain; Elzevier, Henk W.; van Dijk, Lukas C.; van Overhagen, Hans

2017-01-01

Background/Aims Double J (JJ) stents for treating obstructive ureteral pathology are generally inserted through a retrograde route with cystoscopic guidance. Antegrade percutaneous insertion using fluoroscopy can be performed alternatively but is less known. Indications, success rate and complications of antegrade ureteral stenting were evaluated. Methods Data of consecutive patients in which antegrade ureteral stenting was performed were retrospectively analysed using the radiology information system and patient records. Patient characteristics, details of the antegrade JJ stent insertion procedure and registered complications were collected. Furthermore, it was investigated if prior to the antegrade procedure a retrograde attempt for JJ stent insertion was performed. Results Total 130 attempts for antegrade JJ stent insertion were performed in 100 patients. A percutaneous nephrostomy catheter had already been placed in the majority of kidneys (n = 109) for initial treatment of hydronephrosis. Most prevelant indication for a JJ stent was obstructive ureteral pathology due to malignancy (n = 63). A JJ stent was successfully inserted in 125 of 130 procedures. In 21 cases, previous retrograde ureteral stenting had failed but, subsequent antegrade ureteral stenting was successful. There were 8 procedure related complications; 6 infections, 1 false tract and 1 malposition. Conclusion Antegrade percutaneous insertion of a JJ stent is a good alternative for retrograde insertion. PMID:28785193

The loss-of-allele assay for ES cell screening and mouse genotyping.

PubMed

Frendewey, David; Chernomorsky, Rostislav; Esau, Lakeisha; Om, Jinsop; Xue, Yingzi; Murphy, Andrew J; Yancopoulos, George D; Valenzuela, David M

2010-01-01

Targeting vectors used to create directed mutations in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells consist, in their simplest form, of a gene for drug selection flanked by mouse genomic sequences, the so-called homology arms that promote site-directed homologous recombination between the vector and the target gene. The VelociGene method for the creation of targeted mutations in ES cells employs targeting vectors, called BACVecs, that are based on bacterial artificial chromosomes. Compared with conventional short targeting vectors, BacVecs provide two major advantages: (1) their much larger homology arms promote high targeting efficiencies without the need for isogenicity or negative selection strategies; and (2) they enable deletions and insertions of up to 100kb in a single targeting event, making possible gene-ablating definitive null alleles and other large-scale genomic modifications. Because of their large arm sizes, however, BACVecs do not permit screening by conventional assays, such as long-range PCR or Southern blotting, that link the inserted targeting vector to the targeted locus. To exploit the advantages of BACVecs for gene targeting, we inverted the conventional screening logic in developing the loss-of-allele (LOA) assay, which quantifies the number of copies of the native locus to which the mutation was directed. In a correctly targeted ES cell clone, the LOA assay detects one of the two native alleles (for genes not on the X or Y chromosome), the other allele being disrupted by the targeted modification. We apply the same principle in reverse as a gain-of-allele assay to quantify the copy number of the inserted targeting vector. The LOA assay reveals a correctly targeted clone as having lost one copy of the native target gene and gained one copy of the drug resistance gene or other inserted marker. The combination of these quantitative assays makes LOA genotyping unequivocal and amenable to automated scoring. We use the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as our method of allele quantification, but any method that can reliably distinguish the difference between one and two copies of the target gene can be used to develop an LOA assay. We have designed qPCR LOA assays for deletions, insertions, point mutations, domain swaps, conditional, and humanized alleles and have used the insert assays to quantify the copy number of random insertion BAC transgenics. Because of its quantitative precision, specificity, and compatibility with high throughput robotic operations, the LOA assay eliminates bottlenecks in ES cell screening and mouse genotyping and facilitates maximal speed and throughput for knockout mouse production. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atypical Aspergillus parasiticus isolates from pistachio with aflR gene nucleotide insertion identical to Aspergillus sojae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aflatoxins are the most toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced primarily by the filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The toxins cause devastating economic losses because of strict regulations on distribution of contaminated products. Aspergillus sojae are...

Readability assessment of package inserts of biological medicinal products from the European medicines agency website.

PubMed

Piñero-López, Ma Ángeles; Modamio, Pilar; Lastra, Cecilia F; Mariño, Eduardo L

2014-07-01

Package inserts that accompany medicines are a common source of information aimed at patients and should match patient abilities in terms of readability. Our objective was to determine the degree of readability of the package inserts for biological medicinal products commercially available in 2007 and compare them with the readability of the same package inserts in 2010. A total of 33 package inserts were selected and classified into five groups according to the type of medicine: monoclonal antibody-based products, cytokines, therapeutic enzymes, recombinant blood factors and other blood-related products, and recombinant hormones. The package inserts were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in 2007 and 2010. Readability was evaluated for the entire text of five of the six sections of the package inserts and for the 'Annex' when there was one. Three readability formulas were used: SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) grade, Flesh-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt's perspicuity index. No significant differences were found between the readability results for the 2007 package inserts and those from 2010 according to any of the three readability indices studied (p>0.05). However, there were significant differences (p<0.05) between the readability scores of the sections of the package inserts in both 2007 and 2010. The readability of the package inserts was above the recommended sixth grade reading level (ages 11-12) and may lead to difficulties of understanding for people with limited literacy. All the sections should be easy to read and, therefore, the readability of the medicine package inserts studied should be improved.

Silicon photonics plasma-modulators with advanced transmission line design.

PubMed

Merget, Florian; Azadeh, Saeed Sharif; Mueller, Juliana; Shen, Bin; Nezhad, Maziar P; Hauck, Johannes; Witzens, Jeremy

2013-08-26

We have investigated two novel concepts for the design of transmission lines in travelling wave Mach-Zehnder interferometer based Silicon Photonics depletion modulators overcoming the analog bandwidth limitations arising from cross-talk between signal lines in push-pull modulators and reducing the linear losses of the transmission lines. We experimentally validate the concepts and demonstrate an E/O -3 dBe bandwidth of 16 GHz with a 4V drive voltage (in dual drive configuration) and 8.8 dB on-chip insertion losses. Significant bandwidth improvements result from suppression of cross-talk. An additional bandwidth enhancement of ~11% results from a reduction of resistive transmission line losses. Frequency dependent loss models for loaded transmission lines and E/O bandwidth modeling are fully verified.

Development of an acoustic measurement protocol to monitor acetabular implant fixation in cementless total hip Arthroplasty: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Goossens, Quentin; Leuridan, Steven; Henyš, Petr; Roosen, Jorg; Pastrav, Leonard; Mulier, Michiel; Desmet, Wim; Denis, Kathleen; Vander Sloten, Jos

2017-11-01

In cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA), the initial stability is obtained by press-fitting the implant in the bone to allow osseointegration for a long term secondary stability. However, finding the insertion endpoint that corresponds to a proper initial stability is currently based on the tactile and auditory experiences of the orthopedic surgeon, which can be challenging. This study presents a novel real-time method based on acoustic signals to monitor the acetabular implant fixation in cementless total hip arthroplasty. Twelve acoustic in vitro experiments were performed on three types of bone models; a simple bone block model, an artificial pelvic model and a cadaveric model. A custom made beam was screwed onto the implant which functioned as a sound enhancer and insertor. At each insertion step an acoustic measurement was performed. A significant acoustic resonance frequency shift was observed during the insertion process for the different bone models; 250 Hz (35%, second bending mode) to 180 Hz (13%, fourth bending mode) for the artificial bone block models and 120 Hz (11%, eighth bending mode) for the artificial pelvis model. No significant frequency shift was observed during the cadaveric experiment due to a lack of implant fixation in this model. This novel diagnostic method shows the potential of using acoustic signals to monitor the implant seating during insertion. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Patient Experience of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Related Deep Vein Thrombosis Using Interpretive Phenomenology.

PubMed

Meyer, Britt M

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to determine what it means to patients to live with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related deep vein thrombosis and to describe the influence of the experience on the individual's quality of life. The sample included 11 adult patients from an acute care setting who developed a PICC-related symptomatic thrombus between November 2014 and March 2016, using purposive sampling. Three distinct themes emerged from the data in this study: a loss of trust in health care providers, additional burdens to existing problems, and a yearning for understanding.

Electromagnetic navigation versus fluoroscopy in aortic endovascular procedures: a phantom study.

PubMed

Tystad Lund, Kjetil; Tangen, Geir Arne; Manstad-Hulaas, Frode

2017-01-01

To explore the possible benefits of electromagnetic (EM) navigation versus conventional fluoroscopy during abdominal aortic endovascular procedures. The study was performed on a phantom representing the abdominal aorta. Intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) of the phantom was acquired and merged with a preoperative multidetector CT (MDCT). The CBCT was performed with a reference plate fixed to the phantom that, after merging the CBCT with the MDCT, facilitated registration of the MDCT volume with the EM space. An EM field generator was stationed near the phantom. Navigation software was used to display EM-tracked instruments within the 3D image volume. Fluoroscopy was performed using a C-arm system. Five operators performed a series of renal artery cannulations using modified instruments, alternatingly using fluoroscopy or EM navigation as the sole guidance method. Cannulation durations and associated radiation dosages were noted along with the number of cannulations complicated by loss of guidewire insertion. A total of 120 cannulations were performed. The median cannulation durations were 41.5 and 34.5 s for the fluoroscopy- and EM-guided cannulations, respectively. No significant difference in cannulation duration was found between the two modalities (p = 0.736). Only EM navigation showed a significant reduction in cannulation duration in the latter half of its cannulation series compared with the first half (p = 0.004). The median dose area product for fluoroscopy was 0.0836 [Formula: see text]. EM-guided cannulations required a one-time CBCT dosage of 3.0278 [Formula: see text]. Three EM-guided and zero fluoroscopy-guided cannulations experienced loss of guidewire insertion. Our findings indicate that EM navigation is not inferior to fluoroscopy in terms of the ability to guide endovascular interventions. Its utilization may be of particular interest in complex interventions where adequate visualization or minimal use of contrast agents is critical. In vivo studies featuring an optimized implementation of EM navigation should be conducted.

Laparoscopic salpingectomy and removal of Essure hysteroscopic sterilisation device: a case series.

PubMed

Johal, T; Kuruba, N; Sule, M; Mukhopadhyay, S; Raje, G

2018-06-01

Tubal sterilisation using Essure is a minimally invasive technique for permanent contraception, with high rates of patient satisfaction. However, some women subsequently choose removal of the inserts, due to side effects such as pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, dyspareunia or allergic dermatitis. This case series presents the management of eight women who underwent laparoscopic removal of Essure inserts in conjunction with salpingectomy. We describe our surgical technique, its underlying principles and immediate surgical outcomes. Eight patients were identified as having undergone removal of Essure inserts, via an electronic search of the surgical procedures database. A retrospective review of case records was undertaken. The primary outcome was safety and feasibility of the laparoscopic salpingectomy approach. Secondary outcome measures included implant fracture rate, operative time, blood loss and length of patient stay. All eight women were able to undergo laparoscopic salpingectomy and removal of the Essure inserts without the need for laparotomy or hysterectomy. There were no incidences of fracture or incomplete removal of the insert. Immediate postoperative recovery was uncomplicated in all eight women; the mean length of stay was 17 h. One patient had a small bowel serosal tear attributed to laparoscopic entry. This case series suggests that laparoscopic salpingectomy for removal of Essure inserts is safe and feasible. We acknowledge that the numbers were small. However, consistent use of a laparoscopic approach in these eight patients indicates that this procedure is a feasible and suitable alternative to hysterectomy.

A Novel Intergenic ETnII-β Insertion Mutation Causes Multiple Malformations in Polypodia Mice

PubMed Central

Lehoczky, Jessica A.; Thomas, Peedikayil E.; Patrie, Kevin M.; Owens, Kailey M.; Villarreal, Lisa M.; Galbraith, Kenneth; Washburn, Joe; Johnson, Craig N.; Gavino, Bryant; Borowsky, Alexander D.; Millen, Kathleen J.; Wakenight, Paul; Law, William; Van Keuren, Margaret L.; Gavrilina, Galina; Hughes, Elizabeth D.; Saunders, Thomas L.; Brihn, Lesil; Nadeau, Joseph H.; Innis, Jeffrey W.

2013-01-01

Mouse early transposon insertions are responsible for ∼10% of spontaneous mutant phenotypes. We previously reported the phenotypes and genetic mapping of Polypodia, (Ppd), a spontaneous, X-linked dominant mutation with profound effects on body plan morphogenesis. Our new data shows that mutant mice are not born in expected Mendelian ratios secondary to loss after E9.5. In addition, we refined the Ppd genetic interval and discovered a novel ETnII-β early transposon insertion between the genes for Dusp9 and Pnck. The ETn inserted 1.6 kb downstream and antisense to Dusp9 and does not disrupt polyadenylation or splicing of either gene. Knock-in mice engineered to carry the ETn display Ppd characteristic ectopic caudal limb phenotypes, showing that the ETn insertion is the Ppd molecular lesion. Early transposons are actively expressed in the early blastocyst. To explore the consequences of the ETn on the genomic landscape at an early stage of development, we compared interval gene expression between wild-type and mutant ES cells. Mutant ES cell expression analysis revealed marked upregulation of Dusp9 mRNA and protein expression. Evaluation of the 5′ LTR CpG methylation state in adult mice revealed no correlation with the occurrence or severity of Ppd phenotypes at birth. Thus, the broad range of phenotypes observed in this mutant is secondary to a novel intergenic ETn insertion whose effects include dysregulation of nearby interval gene expression at early stages of development. PMID:24339789

Effect of embedded dexamethasone in cochlear implant array on insertion forces in an artificial model of scala tympani.

PubMed

Nguyen, Yann; Bernardeschi, Daniele; Kazmitcheff, Guillaume; Miroir, Mathieu; Vauchel, Thomas; Ferrary, Evelyne; Sterkers, Olivier

2015-02-01

Loading otoprotective drug into cochlear implant might change its mechanical properties, thus compromising atraumatic insertion. This study evaluated the effect of incorporation of dexamethasone (DXM) in the silicone of cochlear implant arrays on insertion forces. Local administration of DXM with embedded array can potentially reduce inflammation and fibrosis after cochlear implantation procedure to improve hearing preservation and reduce long-term impedances. Four models of arrays have been tested: 0.5-mm distal diameter array (n = 5) used as a control, drug-free 0.4-mm distal diameter array (n = 5), 0.4-mm distal diameter array with 1% eluded DXM silicone (n = 5), and 0.4-mm distal diameter array with 10% eluded DXM silicone (n = 5). Via a motorized insertion bench, each array has been inserted into an artificial scala tympani model. The forces were recorded by a 6-axis force sensor. Each array was tested seven times for a total number of 140 insertions. During the first 10-mm insertion, no difference between the four models was observed. From 10- to 24-mm insertion, the 0.5-mm distal diameter array presented higher insertion forces than the drug-free 0.4-mm distal diameter arrays, with or without DXM. Friction forces for drug-free 0.4-mm distal diameter array and 0.4-mm distal diameter DXM eluded arrays were similar on all insertion lengths. Incorporation of DXM in silicone for cochlear implant design does not change electrode array insertion forces. It does not raise the risk of trauma during array insertion, making it suitable for long-term in situ administration to the cochlea.

Core Dynamics Analysis for Reactivity Insertion and Loss of Coolant Flow Tests Using the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Takeda, Tetsuaki

Safety demonstration tests using the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) are in progress to verify its inherent safety features and improve the safety technology and design methodology for High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs). The reactivity insertion test is one of the safety demonstration tests for the HTTR. This test simulates the rapid increase in the reactor power by withdrawing the control rod without operating the reactor power control system. In addition, the loss of coolant flow tests has been conducted to simulate the rapid decrease in the reactor power by tripping one, two or all out of three gas circulators. The experimental results have revealed the inherent safety features of HTGRs, such as the negative reactivity feedback effect. The numerical analysis code, which was named-ACCORD-, was developed to analyze the reactor dynamics including the flow behavior in the HTTR core. We have modified this code to use a model with four parallel channels and twenty temperature coefficients. Furthermore, we added another analytical model of the core for calculating the heat conduction between the fuel channels and the core in the case of the loss of coolant flow tests. This paper describes the validation results for the newly developed code using the experimental results. Moreover, the effect of the model is formulated quantitatively with our proposed equation. Finally, the pre-analytical result of the loss of coolant flow test by tripping all gas circulators is also discussed.

A comparative study of wood highway sound barriers

Treesearch

Stefan Grgurevich; Thomas Boothby; Harvey Manbeck; Courtney Burroughs; Stephen Cegelka; Craig Bernecker; Michael A. Ritter

2002-01-01

Prototype designs for wood highway sound barriers meeting the multiple criteria of structural integrity, acoustic effectiveness, durability, and potential for public acceptance have been developed. Existing installations of wood sound barriers were reviewed and measurements conducted in the field to estimate acoustic insertion losses. A complete matrix of design...

Implementation of a Broadband Cable System on a University Campus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoadarmer, Michael

1995-01-01

Discusses broadband communications; broadband coaxial cable and its utility in the media center; basic electronics of radio signals (radio frequency, radio band, bandwidth, MHz, skimming, decibels, sloped amplifiers); engineering basics (insertion loss, splitter, tap, and three beats); and factors to consider before designing a campus broadband…

Ka-Band, RF MEMS Switches on CMOS Grade Silicon with a Polyimide Interface Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponchak, George E.; Varaljay, Nicholas C.; Papapolymerou, John

2003-01-01

For the first time, RF MEMS switcbes on CMOS grade Si witb a polyimide interface layer are fabricated and characterized. At Ka-Band (36.6 GHz), an insertion loss of 0.52 dB and an isolation of 20 dB is obtained.

46 CFR 28.265 - Emergency instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Describe your vessel: (Insert length, color, hull type, trim, masts, power, and any additional... the vessel. (ii) Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven bilge pump, hand pump, and buckets to dewater. (iii) Align fire pumps to use as bilge pumps, if possible...

46 CFR 28.265 - Emergency instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Describe your vessel: (Insert length, color, hull type, trim, masts, power, and any additional... the vessel. (ii) Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven bilge pump, hand pump, and buckets to dewater. (iii) Align fire pumps to use as bilge pumps, if possible...

46 CFR 28.265 - Emergency instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Describe your vessel: (Insert length, color, hull type, trim, masts, power, and any additional... the vessel. (ii) Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven bilge pump, hand pump, and buckets to dewater. (iii) Align fire pumps to use as bilge pumps, if possible...

Micro-device for coupling, multiplexing and demultiplexing using elliptical-core two-mode fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, A.; Murphy, K. A.; Wang, G. Z.; Vengsarkar, A. M.; Claus, R. O.

1990-01-01

We propose and demonstrate experimentally a fiber optic micro-device that is capable of tunably splitting, multiplexing, and demultiplexing optical signals using elliptical-core two-mode optical fiber. A crosstalk of 15 dB with an insertion loss of 1.2 dB was obtained.

46 CFR 28.265 - Emergency instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Describe your vessel: (Insert length, color, hull type, trim, masts, power, and any additional... the vessel. (ii) Keep bilges dry to prevent loss of stability due to water in bilges. Use power driven... vessel to minimize the effect of wind on the fire. (vi) If unable to control the fire, immediately notify...

An Algorithmic, Pie-Crusting Medial Soft Tissue Release Reduces the Need for Constrained Inserts Patients With Severe Varus Deformity Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Goudarz Mehdikhani, Kaveh; Morales Moreno, Beatriz; Reid, Jeremy J; de Paz Nieves, Ana; Lee, Yuo-Yu; González Della Valle, Alejandro

2016-07-01

We studied the need to use a constrained insert for residual intraoperative instability and the 1-year result of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for a varus deformity. In a control group, a "classic" subperiosteal release of the medial soft tissue sleeve was performed as popularized by pioneers of TKA. In the study group, an algorithmic approach that selectively releases and pie-crusts posteromedial structures in extension and anteromedial structures in flexion was used. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon using measured resection technique, and posterior-stabilized, cemented implants. There were 228 TKAs in the control group and 188 in the study group. Outcome variables included the use of a constrained insert, and the Knee Society Score at 6 weeks, 4 months, and 1 year postoperatively. The effect of the release technique on use of constrained inserts and clinical outcomes were analyzed in a multivariate model controlling for age, sex, body mass index, and severity of deformity. The use of constrained inserts was significantly lower in study than in control patients (8% vs 18%; P = .002). There was no difference in the Knee Society Score and range of motion between the groups at last follow-up. No patient developed postoperative medial instability. This algorithmic, pie-crusting release technique resulted in a significant reduction in the use of constrained inserts with no detrimental effects in clinical results, joint function, and stability. As constrained TKA implants are more costly than nonconstrained ones, if the adopted technique proves to be safe in the long term, it may cause a positive shift in value for hospitals and cost savings in the health care system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inter and intra-system size variability of reverse shoulder arthroplasty polyethylene inserts

PubMed Central

Teeter, Matthew G.; Dawson, Matthew T.; Athwal, George S.

2016-01-01

Background: As the incidence of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) increases, so will the revision burden. At times, the revision surgeon may be faced with a well-fixed component on one side of the joint and revision implants from a different manufacturer. The ability to use glenoid and humeral implants from different manufacturers could simplify the revision procedure. This study hypothesized that across a range of RSA systems, some implants would demonstrate high size compatibility and others would demonstrate low compatibility. Materials and Methods: Six polyethylene inserts each from eight reverse total shoulder arthroplasty systems were examined (48 total inserts). All inserts were scanned using a laboratory micro-computed tomography scanner at 50 μm isotropic voxel spacing, and their surface geometries were reconstructed. The different implant geometries were co-registered, and the three-dimensional (3D) variability between the articular surfaces of the different implant systems was measured. Intrasystem manufacturing variability was also determined by measuring the 3D variability of inserts from the same system. Results: The intersystem polyethylene articular surface deviations between same-size systems were not significantly different (P = 0.61) and were a mean maximum of 60 ± 16 μm (range: 30-80 μm). Intrasystem manufacturing variability was equivalent between all but two models, averaging 49 ± 17 μm (range: 23-99 μm). Discussion: Differences in articular geometry between same-size inserts from different systems were on the same scale as intrasystem manufacturing variability, suggesting that different implant systems of the same nominal diameter could potentially be used interchangeably in revision or extenuating circumstances. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that surgeons can theoretically interchange same-sized implant components from the different RSA systems tested when conducting revisions. PMID:26980984

Tolerable hearing-aid delays: IV. effects on subjective disturbance during speech production by hearing-impaired subjects.

PubMed

Stone, Michael A; Moore, Brian C J

2005-04-01

We assessed the effects of time delay in a hearing aid on subjective disturbance and reading rates while the user of the aid was speaking, using hearing-impaired subjects and real-time processing. The time delay was constant across frequency. A digital signal processor was programmed as a four-channel, fast-acting, wide-dynamic-range compression hearing aid. One of four delays could be selected on the aid to produce a total delay of 13, 21, 30, or 40 msec between microphone and receiver. Twenty-five subjects, mostly with near-symmetric hearing impairment of cochlear origin, were fitted bilaterally with behind-the-ear aids connected to the processor. The aids were programmed with insertion gains prescribed by the CAMEQ loudness equalization procedure for each subject and ear. Subjects were asked to read aloud from scripts: speech production rates were measured and subjective ratings of the disturbance of the delay were obtained. Subjects required some training to recognize the effects of the delay to rate it consistently. Subjective disturbance increased progressively with increasing delay and was a nonmonotonic function of low-frequency hearing loss. Subjects with mild or severe low-frequency hearing loss were generally less disturbed by the delay than those with moderate loss. Disturbance ratings tended to decrease over successive tests. Word production rates were not significantly affected by delay over the range of delays tested. The results follow a pattern similar to those presented in , obtained using a simulation of hearing loss and normally hearing subjects, except for the nonmonotonic variation of disturbance with low-frequency hearing loss. We hypothesize that disturbance is maximal when the levels in the ear canal of the low-frequency components are similar for the unaided and aided sounds. A rating of 3, which is probably just acceptable, was obtained for delays ranging from 14 to 30 msec, depending on the hearing loss. Some acclimatization to the subjective disturbance occurred over a time scale of about 1 hour.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Revisions in Singapore: a 10-Year Experience.

PubMed

Ngiam, Kee Yuan; Khoo, Valerie Yu Hui; Kong, Lucy; Cheng, Anton Kui Sing

2016-05-01

Bariatric surgery is increasingly being carried out and revisional procedures have also risen in concert. A review of the complications and revisions might elucidate technical and patient factors that influence the outcomes of bariatric surgeries in Asian patients. The objective of this study is to review the safety and efficacy of revisional bariatric surgery in a single center in Singapore over a 10-year period. The setting of this study is a single public hospital with a multidisciplinary bariatric service including a weight management center, specialized endocrinology services, and bariatric surgical team. Participants were selected for surgery based on body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities. All patients underwent primary laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Patients were then analyzed according to the types of revisional surgeries. The primary outcome was the type of complications and revisional surgeries. Secondary outcomes include short-term excess weight loss and further complications. A total of 365 patients were analyzed. 9.6% had a secondary procedure. In particular, two groups of complications required revisional surgery: failure of sustained weight loss and complications related to the LAGB insertion and use. Revisional surgeries had equivalent major complication rates (5.7%) compared to primary bariatric surgeries (6.8%). Revisional surgeries such as revisional LAGB (4.9 ± 9.8 kg), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG; 6.9 ± 21.0 kg), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB; 4.6 ± 13.0 kg), and bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD; 3.5 ± 6.3 kg) had modest weight loss compared to primary weight loss (12.7 ± 9.5 kg). Primary LAGB had a greater percentage excess weight loss in the first and second years post-surgery compared to revisional surgeries. There was one mortality post-primary surgery and no post-revisional surgical mortalities. Revisional bariatric surgery for complications related to the primary surgery is safe but had reduced excess weight loss compared to the initial surgery.

A Ka-Band Wide-Bandgap Solid-State Power Amplifier: Architecture Performance Estimates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epp, L.; Khan, P.; Silva, A.

2005-01-01

Motivated by recent advances in wide-bandgap (WBG) gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology, there is considerable interest in developing efficient solidstate power amplifiers (SSPAs) as an alternative to the traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA) for space applications. This article documents the results of a study to investigate power-combining technology and SSPA architectures that can enable a 120-W, 40 percent power-added efficiency (PAE) SSPA. Results of the study indicate that architectures based on at least three power combiner designs are likely to enable the target SSPA. The proposed architectures can power combine 16 to 32 individual monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) with >80 percent combining efficiency. This corresponds to MMIC requirements of 5- to 10-W output power and >48 percent PAE. For the three proposed architectures [1], detailed analysis and design of the power combiner are presented. The first architecture studied is based on a 16-way septum combiner that offers low loss and high isolation over the design band of 31 to 36 GHz. Analysis of a 2-way prototype septum combiner had an input match >25 dB, output match >30 dB, insertion loss <0.02 dB, and isolation >30 dB over the design band. A 16-way design, based on cascading this combiner in a binary fashion, is documented. The second architecture is based on a 24-way waveguide radial combiner. A prototype 24-way radial base was analyzed to have an input match >30 dB (under equal excitation of all input ports). The match of the mode transducer that forms the output of a radial combiner was found to be >27 dB. The functional bandwidth of the radial base and mode transducer, which together will form a radial combiner/divider, exceeded the design band. The third architecture employs a 32-way, parallel-plate radial combiner. Simulation results indicated an input match >24 dB, output match >22 dB, insertion loss <0.23 dB, and adjacent port isolation >20 dB over the design band. All three architectures utilize a low-loss MMIC amplifier module based on commercial MMIC packaging and a custom microstrip-to-rectangular-waveguide transition. The insertion loss of the module is expected to be 0.45 dB over the design band.

Backside wear in modern total knee designs.

PubMed

Jayabalan, Prakash; Furman, Bridgette D; Cottrell, Jocelyn M; Wright, Timothy M

2007-02-01

Although modularity affords various options to the orthopedic surgeon, these benefits come at a price. The unintended bearing surface between the back surface of the tibial insert and the metallic tray results in micromotion leading to polyethylene wear debris. The objective of this study was to examine the backside wear of tibial inserts from three modern total knee designs with very different locking mechanisms: Insall-Burstein II (IB II), Optetrak, and Advance. A random sample of 71 inserts were obtained from our institution's retrieval collection and examined to assess the extent of wear, depth of wear, and wear damage modes. Patient records were also obtained to determine patient age, body mass index, length of implantation, and reason for revision. Modes of wear damage (abrasion, burnishing, scratching, delamination, third body debris, surface deformation, and pitting) were then scored in each zone from 0 to 3 (0 = 0%, 1 = 0-10%, 2 = 10-50%, and 3 = >50%). The depth of wear was subjectively identified as removal of manufacturing identification markings stamped onto the inferior surface of the polyethylene. Both Advance and IB II polyethylene inserts showed significantly higher scores for backside wear than the Optetrak inserts. All IB II and Advance implants showed evidence of backside wear, whereas 17% (5 out of 30) of the retrieved Optetrak implants had no observable wear. There were no significant differences when comparing the depth of wear score between designs. The locking mechanism greatly affects the propensity for wear and should be considered when choosing a knee implant system.

The Effect of Insertion Torque on the Clinical Outcome of Single Implants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Barone, Antonio; Alfonsi, Fortunato; Derchi, Giacomo; Tonelli, Paolo; Toti, Paolo; Marchionni, Saverio; Covani, Ugo

2016-06-01

The insertion torque value has been extensively used as an indicator for implant primary stability, which is considered a determining parameter for the implants success. The primary goal of the present randomized clinical trial was to evaluate and compare the clinical outcome for implants placed with high insertion torque (between 50 Ncm and 100 Ncm) and regular insertion torque (within 50 Ncm) in healed ridges. Partially edentulous patients, missing one or more mandibular or maxillary teeth, having an adequate amount of bone, requiring implant placement, were randomized to receive Blossom CT implants with regular insertion torque (<50 Ncm) or CT implants with high insertion torque (≥50 Ncm). Implants were left to heal submerged for 3 months. Implants were restored with individualized abutments and cemented metal-ceramic crowns. Acquired measurements were: insertion torque values (IT), thickness of buccal bone plate after implant osteotomy preparation (BBT), marginal bone level (MBL), and facial soft tissue level (FST). All patients were followed 12 months after implant placement. One hundred sixteen implants were placed in one hundred sixteen patients and enrolled for the study. Fifty-eight implants were randomly allocated in regular-IT and high-IT groups with a mean insertion torque ranging from 20 Ncm to 50 Ncm and from 50 Ncm to 100 Ncm, respectively. Three implants failed, and another five implants showed at the 12-month evaluation a marginal bone loss (ΔMBL) greater than 1.5 mm, being considered unsuccessful. The findings suggested that implants inserted with high-IT (≥50 Ncm) in healed bone ridges showed more peri-implant bone remodeling and buccal soft tissue recession than implants inserted with a regular-IT (<50 Ncm). Moreover, sites with a thick buccal bone wall (≥1 mm) - after implant osteotomy site preparation - seemed to be less prone to buccal soft tissue recession after 12 months than sites with a thin buccal bone wall (<1 mm). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of shoe inserts and heel height on foot pressure, impact force, and perceived comfort during walking.

PubMed

Yung-Hui, Lee; Wei-Hsien, Hong

2005-05-01

Studying the impact of high-heeled shoes on kinetic changes and perceived discomfort provides a basis to advance the design and minimize the adverse effects on the human musculoskeletal system. Previous studies demonstrated the effects of inserts on kinetics and perceived comfort in flat or running shoes. No study attempted to investigate the effectiveness of inserts in high heel shoes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether increasing heel height and the use of shoe inserts change foot pressure distribution, impact force, and perceived comfort during walking. Ten healthy females volunteered for the study. The heel heights were 1.0cm (flat), 5.1cm (low), and 7.6cm (high). The heel height effects were examined across five shoe-insert conditions of shoe only; heel cup, arch support, metatarsal pad, and total contact insert (TCI). The results indicated that increasing heel height increases impact force (p<0.01), medial forefoot pressure (p<0.01), and perceived discomfort (p<0.01) during walking. A heel cup insert for high-heeled shoes effectively reduced the heel pressure and impact force (p<0.01), an arch support insert reduced the medial forefoot pressure, and both improved footwear comfort (p<0.01). In particular, a TCI reduced heel pressure by 25% and medial forefoot pressure by 24%, attenuate the impact force by 33.2%, and offered higher perceived comfort when compared to the non-insert condition.

Nonlinear synthesis of infrasound propagation through an inhomogeneous, absorbing atmosphere.

PubMed

de Groot-Hedlin, C D

2012-08-01

An accurate and efficient method to predict infrasound amplitudes from large explosions in the atmosphere is required for diverse source types, including bolides, volcanic eruptions, and nuclear and chemical explosions. A finite-difference, time-domain approach is developed to solve a set of nonlinear fluid dynamic equations for total pressure, temperature, and density fields rather than acoustic perturbations. Three key features for the purpose of synthesizing nonlinear infrasound propagation in realistic media are that it includes gravitational terms, it allows for acoustic absorption, including molecular vibration losses at frequencies well below the molecular vibration frequencies, and the environmental models are constrained to have axial symmetry, allowing a three-dimensional simulation to be reduced to two dimensions. Numerical experiments are performed to assess the algorithm's accuracy and the effect of source amplitudes and atmospheric variability on infrasound waveforms and shock formation. Results show that infrasound waveforms steepen and their associated spectra are shifted to higher frequencies for nonlinear sources, leading to enhanced infrasound attenuation. Results also indicate that nonlinear infrasound amplitudes depend strongly on atmospheric temperature and pressure variations. The solution for total field variables and insertion of gravitational terms also allows for the computation of other disturbances generated by explosions, including gravity waves.

Strong spurious transcription likely contributes to DNA insert bias in typical metagenomic clone libraries.

PubMed

Lam, Kathy N; Charles, Trevor C

2015-01-01

Clone libraries provide researchers with a powerful resource to study nucleic acid from diverse sources. Metagenomic clone libraries in particular have aided in studies of microbial biodiversity and function, and allowed the mining of novel enzymes. Libraries are often constructed by cloning large inserts into cosmid or fosmid vectors. Recently, there have been reports of GC bias in fosmid metagenomic libraries, and it was speculated to be a result of fragmentation and loss of AT-rich sequences during cloning. However, evidence in the literature suggests that transcriptional activity or gene product toxicity may play a role. To explore possible mechanisms responsible for sequence bias in clone libraries, we constructed a cosmid library from a human microbiome sample and sequenced DNA from different steps during library construction: crude extract DNA, size-selected DNA, and cosmid library DNA. We confirmed a GC bias in the final cosmid library, and we provide evidence that the bias is not due to fragmentation and loss of AT-rich sequences but is likely occurring after DNA is introduced into Escherichia coli. To investigate the influence of strong constitutive transcription, we searched the sequence data for promoters and found that rpoD/σ(70) promoter sequences were underrepresented in the cosmid library. Furthermore, when we examined the genomes of taxa that were differentially abundant in the cosmid library relative to the original sample, we found the bias to be more correlated with the number of rpoD/σ(70) consensus sequences in the genome than with simple GC content. The GC bias of metagenomic libraries does not appear to be due to DNA fragmentation. Rather, analysis of promoter sequences provides support for the hypothesis that strong constitutive transcription from sequences recognized as rpoD/σ(70) consensus-like in E. coli may lead to instability, causing loss of the plasmid or loss of the insert DNA that gives rise to the transcription. Despite widespread use of E. coli to propagate foreign DNA in metagenomic libraries, the effects of in vivo transcriptional activity on clone stability are not well understood. Further work is required to tease apart the effects of transcription from those of gene product toxicity.

An audit of the complications of intercostal chest drain insertion in a high volume trauma service in South Africa

PubMed Central

Oosthuizen, GV; Sartorius, B; Keene, C; Clarke, DL

2014-01-01

Introduction Intercostal chest drain (ICD) insertion is a commonly performed procedure in trauma and may be associated with significant morbidity. Methods This was a retrospective review of ICD complications in a major trauma service in South Africa over a four-year period from January 2010 to December 2013. Results A total of 1,050 ICDs were inserted in 1,006 patients, of which 91% were male. The median patient age was 24 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 20–29 years). There were 962 patients with unilateral ICDs and 44 with bilateral ICDs. Seventy-five per cent (758/1,006) sustained penetrating trauma and the remaining 25% (248/1006) sustained blunt trauma. Indications for ICD insertion were: haemopneumothorax (n=338), haemothorax (n=314), simple pneumothorax (n=265), tension pneumothorax (n=79) and open pneumothorax (n=54). Overall, 203 ICDs (19%) were associated with complications: 18% (36/203) were kinked, 18% (36/203) were inserted subcutaneously, 13% (27/203) were too shallow and in 7% (14/203) there was inadequate fixation resulting in dislodgement. Four patients (2%) sustained visceral injuries and two sustained vascular injuries. Forty-one per cent (83/203) were inserted outside the ‘triangle of safety’ but without visceral or vascular injuries. One patient had the ICD inserted on the wrong side. Junior doctors inserted 798 ICDs (76%) while senior doctors inserted 252 (24%). Junior doctors had a significantly higher complication rate (24%) compared with senior doctors (5%) (p<0.001). There was no mortality as a direct result of ICD insertion. Conclusions ICD insertion is associated with a high rate of complications. These complications are significantly higher when junior doctors perform the procedure. A multifaceted quality improvement programme is needed to improve the situation. PMID:25350185

An audit of the complications of intercostal chest drain insertion in a high volume trauma service in South Africa.

PubMed

Kong, V Y; Oosthuizen, G V; Sartorius, B; Keene, C; Clarke, D L

2014-11-01

Intercostal chest drain (ICD) insertion is a commonly performed procedure in trauma and may be associated with significant morbidity. This was a retrospective review of ICD complications in a major trauma service in South Africa over a four-year period from January 2010 to December 2013. A total of 1,050 ICDs were inserted in 1,006 patients, of which 91% were male. The median patient age was 24 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 20-29 years). There were 962 patients with unilateral ICDs and 44 with bilateral ICDs. Seventy-five per cent (758/1,006) sustained penetrating trauma and the remaining 25% (248/1006) sustained blunt trauma. Indications for ICD insertion were: haemopneumothorax (n=338), haemothorax (n=314), simple pneumothorax (n=265), tension pneumothorax (n=79) and open pneumothorax (n=54). Overall, 203 ICDs (19%) were associated with complications: 18% (36/203) were kinked, 18% (36/203) were inserted subcutaneously, 13% (27/203) were too shallow and in 7% (14/203) there was inadequate fixation resulting in dislodgement. Four patients (2%) sustained visceral injuries and two sustained vascular injuries. Forty-one per cent (83/203) were inserted outside the 'triangle of safety' but without visceral or vascular injuries. One patient had the ICD inserted on the wrong side. Junior doctors inserted 798 ICDs (76%) while senior doctors inserted 252 (24%). Junior doctors had a significantly higher complication rate (24%) compared with senior doctors (5%) (p<0.001). There was no mortality as a direct result of ICD insertion. Conclusions ICD insertion is associated with a high rate of complications. These complications are significantly higher when junior doctors perform the procedure. A multifaceted quality improvement programme is needed to improve the situation.

Effect of screw fixation on acetabular component alignment change in total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Fujishiro, Takaaki; Hayashi, Shinya; Kanzaki, Noriyuki; Hashimoto, Shingo; Shibanuma, Nao; Kurosaka, Masahiro

2014-06-01

The use of screws can enhance immediate cup fixation, but the influence of screw insertion on cup position has not previously been measured. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effect of intra-operative screw fixation on acetabular component alignment that has been inserted with the use of a navigation system. We used a navigation system to measure cup alignment at the time of press-fit and after screw fixation in 144 hips undergoing total hip arthroplasty. We also compared those findings with factors measured from postoperative radiographs. The mean intra-operative change of cup position was 1.78° for inclination and 1.81° for anteversion. The intra-operative change of anteversion correlated with the number of screws. The intra-operative change of inclination also correlated with medial hip centre. The insertion of screws can induce changes in cup alignment, especially when multiple screws are used or if a more medial hip centre is required for rigid acetabular fixation.

Fretting and Corrosion at the Backside of Modular Cobalt Chromium Acetabular Inserts: A Retrieval Analysis.

PubMed

Tarity, T David; Koch, Chelsea N; Burket, Jayme C; Wright, Timothy M; Westrich, Geoffrey H

2017-03-01

Adverse local tissue reaction formation has been suggested to occur with the Modular Dual Mobility (MDM) acetabular design. Few reports in the literature have evaluated fretting and corrosion damage between the acetabular shell and modular metal inserts in this modular system. We evaluated a series of 18 retrieved cobalt chromium MDM inserts for evidence of fretting and corrosion. We assessed the backsides of 18 MDM components for evidence of fretting and corrosion in polar and taper regions based on previously established methods. We collected and assessed 30 similarly designed modular inserts retrieved from metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasties as a control. No specific pattern of fretting or corrosion was identified on the MDM inserts. Both fretting and corrosion were significantly greater in the MoM cohort than the MDM cohort, driven by higher fretting and corrosion scores in the engaged taper region of the MoM inserts. MoM components demonstrated more fretting and corrosion than MDM designs, specifically at the taper region, likely driven by differences in the taper engagement mechanism and geometry among the insert designs. The lack of significant fretting and corrosion observed in the MDM inserts are inconsistent with recent claims that this interface may produce clinically significant metallosis and adverse local tissue reactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of trapezius squeeze test and jaw thrust as clinical indicators for laryngeal mask airway insertion in spontaneously breathing children

PubMed Central

Dinesh Kumar, K. K.; Bhardwaj, Neerja; Yaddanapudi, Sandhya

2017-01-01

Background and Aims: It is not known whether trapezius squeeze test (TPZ) is a better clinical test than jaw thrust (JT) to assess laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion conditions in children under sevoflurane anesthesia. Material and Methods: After the Institutional Ethics Committee approval and written informed parental consent, 124 American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II children of 2–8 years of age undergoing minor surgical procedures were randomized into TPZ and JT groups. The children were induced with 8% sevoflurane in oxygen at a fresh gas flow of 4 L/min. TPZ or JT was performed after 1 min of start of sevoflurane and then every 20 s till the test was negative, when end-tidal (ET) sevoflurane concentration was noted. Classic LMA of requisite size was inserted by a blinded anesthetist and conditions at the insertion of LMA, insertion time, and the number of attempts of LMA insertion were recorded. Results: The mean LMA insertion time was significantly longer (P < 0.001) for TPZ (145 ± 28.7 sec) compared to JT group (111.8 ± 31.0 sec). ET sevoflurane concentration at the time of LMA insertion was comparable in the two groups. LMA insertion conditions were similar in the two groups. There was no difference between the two groups regarding total number of attempts of LMA insertion. Heart rate (HR) decreased in both groups after LMA insertion (P < 0.001) but TPZ group had significantly lower HR compared with the JT group up to 5 min after LMA insertion (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Both JT and TPZ are equivalent clinical indicators in predicting the optimal conditions of LMA insertion in spontaneously breathing children; however, it takes a longer time to achieve a negative TPZ squeeze test. PMID:28413275

Peripherally inserted central catheters in the neonatal period.

PubMed

Uygun, Ibrahim; Okur, Mehmet Hanifi; Otcu, Selcuk; Ozturk, Hayrettin

2011-10-01

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) have been extensively used in neonates. However, insertion of these thinnest catheters is a very delicate procedure associated with a high failure rate. In our Neonatal Surgical Intensive Care Unit, we developed a very easy new PICC insertion and evaluated the neonates treated with PICCs which were inserted by using our technique as well as catheter features such as success rate, number of insertion attempts, reason for removal and complications. Information was retrospectively collected on all 40 PICCs inserted at Kutahya Evliya Celebi Goverment Hospital and Dicle University Hospital during a 6-years period from September 2004 to September 2010. A total of 40 PICCs were inserted in 37 patients (26, 70% males, 11, 30% females) by using new technique. The median age of patients was 8.3 days (range 1 to 66 days) and the median weight of patients was 2365 g (range 600 to 5000 g). The vein most commonly accessed was long saphenous vein (85%). The length of PICCs in the body was 19.6 cm (range 5 cm to 30 cm). The tip was located in a central vein in all patients. Surgical abdomen was the most common cause for PICC insertion (38%). Duration of catheterization was 7.7±5.6 days (1-F 5.5 days, 2-F 8.6 days). Almost all of the PICCs were inserted successfully (40/42, success rate 95%) and in the first venipucture (36/42, 86%). Completion of therapy and removed after death were achieved with 87% of PICCs. Three minor complications were noted. Minor bleeding in the insertion site which was stopped via compression occurred in two neonates. Major complication was not seen. No deaths were directly attributed to PICCs use. The new insertion technique of the neonatal peripherally inserted central catheters may be one of the easiest and safest techniques, in comparison to previous techniques reported in the literature.

A protocol for treatment of unstable ankle fractures using transarticular fixation in patients with diabetes mellitus and loss of protective sensibility.

PubMed

Jani, Mihir M; Ricci, William M; Borrelli, Joseph; Barrett, Susan E; Johnson, Jeffrey E

2003-11-01

Surgical treatment of ankle fractures in patients with diabetes mellitus is associated with a high complication rate. Diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy are a particularly difficult group to treat because of their inability to sense deep infection, repeat trauma, and wound complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a protocol that included transarticular fixation and prolonged, protected weightbearing in the treatment of unstable ankle fractures in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy and loss of protective sensibility. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 15 patients with diabetes mellitus, unstable ankle fractures (AO classification 44B), and loss of protective sensibility confirmed via testing with a 5.07 Semmes-Weinstein monofilament. Retrograde transcalcaneal-talar-tibial fixation using large Steinmann pins or screws in conjunction with standard techniques of open reduction and internal fixation was used. The postoperative treatment protocol included: 1) short leg, total contact casting and nonweightbearing status for 12 weeks; 2) removal of the intramedullary implants between 12 and 16 weeks; 3) application of a walker boot or short leg cast with partial weightbearing for an additional 12 weeks; and 4) transition to a custom-molded ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or custom total-contact inserts in appropriate diabetic footwear. The major complication rate for all fractures was 25% (4/16) and for closed fractures was 23% (3/13). These are lower than previously reported rates between 30% (3/10) and 43% (9/21) for diabetic patients with and without neuropathy. The amputation rate for all fractures was 13% (2/16) and for closed fractures alone was 8% (1/13). These are similar to previously reported rates of 10% (2/10) to 20% (2/21). There were no deaths or Charcot malunions in this series. The combination of transarticular fixation and prolonged, protected weightbearing provided 13 of 15 patients with a stable ankle for weightbearing. Although these fractures remain a treatment challenge, this study presents a successful, multidisciplinary protocol for treatment of unstable ankle fractures in the most challenging group of diabetic patients - those with loss of protective sensibility.

Demonstration of Compact and Low-Loss Athermal Arrayed-Waveguide Grating Module Based on 2.5%-Δ Silica-Based Waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maru, Koichi; Abe, Yukio; Uetsuka, Hisato

2008-10-01

We demonstrated a compact and low-loss athermal arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) module utilizing silica-based planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology. Spot-size converters based on a vertical ridge-waveguide taper were integrated with a 2.5%-Δ athermal AWG to reduce the loss at chip-to-fiber interface. Spot-size converters based on a segmented core were formed around resin-filled trenches for athermalization formed in the slab to reduce the diffraction loss at the trenches. A 16-channel athermal AWG module with 100-GHz channel spacing was fabricated. The use of a 2.5%-Δ athermal chip with a single-side fiber array enabled a compact package of the size of 41.6×16.6×4.5 mm3. Athermal characteristics and a small insertion loss of 3.5-3.8 dB were obtained by virtue of low fiber-to-chip coupling loss and athermalization with low excess loss.

Modeling crack growth during Li insertion in storage particles using a fracture phase field approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinsmann, Markus; Rosato, Daniele; Kamlah, Marc; McMeeking, Robert M.

2016-07-01

Fracture of storage particles is considered to be one of the major reasons for capacity fade and increasing power loss in many commercial lithium ion batteries. The appearance of fracture and cracks in the particles is commonly ascribed to mechanical stress, which evolves from inhomogeneous swelling and shrinkage of the material when lithium is inserted or extracted. Here, a coupled model of lithium diffusion, mechanical stress and crack growth using a phase field method is applied to investigate how the formation of cracks depends on the size of the particle and the presence or absence of an initial crack, as well as the applied flux at the boundary. The model shows great versatility in that it is free of constraints with respect to particle geometry, dimension or crack path and allows simultaneous observation of the evolution of lithium diffusion and crack growth. In this work, we focus on the insertion process. In particular, we demonstrate the presence of intricate fracture phenomena, such as, crack branching or complete breakage of storage particles within just a single half cycle of lithium insertion, a phenomenon that was only speculated about before.

Generation of West Nile virus infectious clones containing amino acid insertions between capsid and capsid anchor.

PubMed

Vandergaast, Rianna; Hoover, Lisa I; Zheng, Kang; Fredericksen, Brenda L

2014-04-09

West Nile virus (WNV) is a positive-sense RNA arbovirus responsible for recent outbreaks of severe neurological disease within the US and Europe. Large-scale analyses of antiviral compounds that inhibit virus replication have been limited due to the lack of an adequate WN reporter virus. Previous attempts to insert a reporter into the 3' untranslated region of WNV generated unstable viruses, suggesting that this region does not accommodate additional nucleotides. Here, we engineered two WNV infectious clones containing insertions at the Capsid (C)/Capsid Anchor (CA) junction of the viral polyprotein. Recombinant viruses containing a TAT(1-67) or Gaussia Luciferase (GLuc) gene at this location were successfully recovered. However, rapid loss of most, if not all, of the reporter sequence occurred for both viruses, indicating that the reporter viruses were not stable. While the GLuc viruses predominantly reverted back to wild-type WNV length, the TAT viruses retained up to 75 additional nucleotides of the reporter sequence. These additional nucleotides were stable over at least five passages and did not significantly alter WNV fitness. Thus, the C/CA junction of WNV can tolerate additional nucleotides, though insertions are subject to certain constraints.

Generation of West Nile Virus Infectious Clones Containing Amino Acid Insertions Between Capsid and Capsid Anchor

PubMed Central

Vandergaast, Rianna; Hoover, Lisa I.; Zheng, Kang; Fredericksen, Brenda L.

2014-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a positive-sense RNA arbovirus responsible for recent outbreaks of severe neurological disease within the US and Europe. Large-scale analyses of antiviral compounds that inhibit virus replication have been limited due to the lack of an adequate WN reporter virus. Previous attempts to insert a reporter into the 3’ untranslated region of WNV generated unstable viruses, suggesting that this region does not accommodate additional nucleotides. Here, we engineered two WNV infectious clones containing insertions at the Capsid (C)/Capsid Anchor (CA) junction of the viral polyprotein. Recombinant viruses containing a TAT(1-67) or Gaussia Luciferase (GLuc) gene at this location were successfully recovered. However, rapid loss of most, if not all, of the reporter sequence occurred for both viruses, indicating that the reporter viruses were not stable. While the GLuc viruses predominantly reverted back to wild-type WNV length, the TAT viruses retained up to 75 additional nucleotides of the reporter sequence. These additional nucleotides were stable over at least five passages and did not significantly alter WNV fitness. Thus, the C/CA junction of WNV can tolerate additional nucleotides, though insertions are subject to certain constraints. PMID:24721788

Brooke-Spiegler syndrome: report of 10 patients from 8 families with novel germline mutations: evidence of diverse somatic mutations in the same patient regardless of tumor type.

PubMed

Sima, Radek; Vanecek, Tomas; Kacerovska, Denisa; Trubac, Pavel; Cribier, Bernard; Rutten, Arno; Vazmitel, Marina; Spagnolo, Dominic V; Litvik, Radek; Vantuchova, Yvetta; Weyers, Wolfgang; Pearce, Robert L; Pearn, John; Michal, Michal; Kazakov, Dmitry V

2010-06-01

Brooke-Spiegler syndrome (BSS) is an inherited autosomal dominant disease characterized by the development of multiple adnexal cutaneous neoplasms including spiradenoma, cylindroma, spiradenocylindroma, and trichoepithelioma (cribriform trichoblastoma). BSS patients have various mutations in the CYLD gene, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 16q. Our search of the literature revealed 51 germline CYLD mutations reported to date. Somatic CYLD mutations have rarely been investigated. We studied 10 patients from 8 families with BSS. Analysis of germline mutations of the CYLD gene was performed using either peripheral blood or nontumorous tissue. In addition, 19 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples were analyzed for somatic mutations, including loss of heterozygosity studies. A total of 38 tumors were available for histopathologic review. We have identified 8 novel germline mutations, all of which consisted of substitutions, deletions, and insertions/duplications and all except one led to premature stop codons. The substitution mutation in a single case was also predicted to disrupt protein function and seems causally implicated in tumor formation. We demonstrate for the first time that somatic events, loss of heterozygosity, or sequence mutations may differ among multiple neoplasms even of the same histologic type, occurring in the same patient.

Identification and validation of loss of function variants in clinical contexts.

PubMed

Lescai, Francesco; Marasco, Elena; Bacchelli, Chiara; Stanier, Philip; Mantovani, Vilma; Beales, Philip

2014-01-01

The choice of an appropriate variant calling pipeline for exome sequencing data is becoming increasingly more important in translational medicine projects and clinical contexts. Within GOSgene, which facilitates genetic analysis as part of a joint effort of the University College London and the Great Ormond Street Hospital, we aimed to optimize a variant calling pipeline suitable for our clinical context. We implemented the GATK/Queue framework and evaluated the performance of its two callers: the classical UnifiedGenotyper and the new variant discovery tool HaplotypeCaller. We performed an experimental validation of the loss-of-function (LoF) variants called by the two methods using Sequenom technology. UnifiedGenotyper showed a total validation rate of 97.6% for LoF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 92.0% for insertions or deletions (INDELs), whereas HaplotypeCaller was 91.7% for SNPs and 55.9% for INDELs. We confirm that GATK/Queue is a reliable pipeline in translational medicine and clinical context. We conclude that in our working environment, UnifiedGenotyper is the caller of choice, being an accurate method, with a high validation rate of error-prone calls like LoF variants. We finally highlight the importance of experimental validation, especially for INDELs, as part of a standard pipeline in clinical environments.

A New Device for Percutaneous Elevation of the Depressed Fractures of Tibial Condyles

PubMed Central

Ravindranath, V.S.; Kumar, Madhusudan; Murthy, G.V.S.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Monocondylar tibia plateau fractures with non-comminuted fragments can be treated using percutaneous screws. Currently indirect methods of reduction are used and thus the technique is limited to fragments with less than 5 mm depression. The first author has designed a device for direct elevation and reduction of the fragments thus potentially expanding the indications of percutaneous screws to fragments with >5mm depression Technical Note: A total of ten cases were treated by this method of percutaneous elevation of the depressed fractures of lateral condyles of the Tibia using this device. Device was inserted through a bony window on the anteromedial surface of tibia. The inner piston of the device in slowly hammered inside thus elevating the depressed fragment. Elevation of fragment could be achieved in all the cases. The fractures were fixed with cancellous screws applied percutaneously. There were no cases with loss of fixation or subsidence of the fragment. All cases achieved radiological union and have good knee function at follow up Conclusion: The new device is able to elevate unicondylar tibia plateau fragments with no subsidence or loss of fixation in our series. A longer follow up in a larger sample will be needed to establish the technique. PMID:27298860

48 CFR 52.219-6 - Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Clauses 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 19.508(c), insert the following clause: Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2011) (a) Definition. Small business concern... qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) Applicability. This clause...

48 CFR 52.219-6 - Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Clauses 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 19.508(c), insert the following clause: Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2011) (a) Definition. Small business concern... qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) Applicability. This clause...

48 CFR 52.219-6 - Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Clauses 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 19.508(c), insert the following clause: Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2011) (a) Definition. Small business concern... qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) Applicability. This clause...

Fluctuation of Cup Orientation During Press-Fit Insertion: A Possible Cause of Malpositioning.

PubMed

Nishii, Takashi; Sakai, Takashi; Takao, Masaki; Sugano, Nobuhiko

2015-10-01

We evaluated real-time angular changes during press-fit cup insertion in 70 total hip arthroplasties. Inclination and anteversion cup angles on navigation system were recorded after each procedure of five hammer blows during cup insertion, and maximum deviated inclination (MDI) and anteversion (MDA) angles until the cup was fully seated were measured. We found 1 (1%) and 29 (41%) hips with increases and decreases in MDI of 5° or more, and 13 (19%) and 6 (8%) hips with increases and decreases in MDA of 5° or more, respectively. The MDI in men was significantly lower and the MDA for left-side surgery was significantly higher. Surgeons should pay attention to fluctuation in angular changes during cup insertion and may consider countermeasures to minimize cup malpositioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulator trials to determine the wear of the combination aluminium oxide ceramic-carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) used as an insert in a hip socket.

PubMed

Scheller, G; Schwarz, M; Früh, H J; Jani, L

1999-01-01

Hip simulator trials were conducted to determine the initial wear between alumina femoral heads and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP, CAPROMAN) insert in a titanium socket. A force of 2500 N and a frequency of 0.857 H were applied. Using surface and sphericity measurement techniques, the amount of wear was determined. After 500,000 cycles, the centre of the head had moved by 10 microm into the insert, and the average radius increased by 2 microm. After 1 million cycles, the additional changes were less than 1 microm. Based on an examination of retrieved implants (wear rate: 6.1 microm/year) and based on the simulator results, the combination alumina-CFRP inserts could be approved for total hip replacement.

A multicenter randomized clinical trial of one-rod etonogestrel and two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implants with nonrandomized copper-IUD controls: methodology and insertion data.

PubMed

Meirik, Olav; Brache, Vivian; Orawan, Kiriwat; Habib, Ndema Abu; Schmidt, Johannes; Ortayli, Nuriye; Culwell, Kelly; Jackson, Emily; Ali, Moazzam

2013-01-01

Comparative data on etonogestrel and two-rod levonorgestrel contraceptive implants are lacking. A multicenter, open, parallel-group trial with random allocation of implants was performed. For every second implant user, an age-matched woman choosing an intrauterine device (IUD) (TCu380A) was admitted. Methods and data on implant/IUD insertion and 6-week follow-up are reported. A total of 2008 women were randomized to an implant, and 974 women were enrolled in the IUD group. Results from 997 etonogestrel implant users, 997 levonorgestrel implant users and 971 IUD users were analyzed. In the etonogestrel and levonorgestrel groups, respectively, mean insertion durations were 51 (SD 50.2) s and 88 (SD 60.8) s; complication rates at insertion were 0.8% and 0.2%; and at follow-up, 27.2% and 26.7% of women, respectively, had signs or symptoms at the insertion site. At follow-up within 6 weeks after insertion, all implants were in situ, while 2.1% of IUDs were expelled. Performance of etonogestrel and levonorgestrel implants at insertion and within the first 6 weeks is similar. Short-term (6 weeks) continuation rates appear higher for implants than TCu380A. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A 30-GHz monolithic receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Louis C. T.; Liu, Carol S.; Kessler, Joel R.; Wang, Shing-Kuo; Chang, Ching-Der

1986-01-01

Several monolithic integrated circuits have been developed to make a 30-GHz receiver. The receiver components include a low-noise amplifier (LNA), an IF amplifier, a mixer, and a phase shifter. The LNA has a 7-dB noise figure with over 17 dB of associated gain. The IF amplifier has a 13-dB gain with a 30-dB control range. The mixer has a conversion loss of 10.5 dB. The phase shifter has a 180-deg phase shift control and a minimum insertion loss of 1.6 dB.

Monolithic device for modelocking and stabilization of frequency combs.

PubMed

Lee, C-C; Hayashi, Y; Silverman, K L; Feldman, A; Harvey, T; Mirin, R P; Schibli, T R

2015-12-28

We demonstrate a device that integrates a III-V semiconductor saturable absorber mirror with a graphene electro-optic modulator, which provides a monolithic solution to modelocking and noise suppression in a frequency comb. The device offers a pure loss modulation bandwidth exceeding 5 MHz and only requires a low voltage driver. This hybrid device provides not only compactness and simplicity in laser cavity design, but also small insertion loss, compared to the previous metallic-mirror-based modulators. We believe this work paves the way to portable and fieldable phase-coherent frequency combs.

Investigating the Mechanism of Reversible Lithium Insertion into Anti-NASICON Fe 2(WO 4) 3

DOE PAGES

Barim, Gozde; Cottingham, Patrick; Zhou, Shiliang; ...

2017-03-07

The gram-scale preparation of Fe 2(WO 4) 3 by a new solution-based route and detailed characterization of the material are presented. The resulting Fe 2(WO 4) 3 undergoes a reversible electrochemical reaction against lithium centered around 3.0 V with capacities near 93% of the theoretical maximum. Evolution of the Fe 2(WO 4) 3 structure upon lithium insertion and deinsertion is probed using a battery of characterization techniques, including in situ X-ray diffraction, neutron total scattering, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). A structural transformation from monoclinic to orthorhombic phases is confirmed during lithium intercalation. XAS and neutron total scattering measurements verifymore » that Fe 2(WO 4) 3 consists of trivalent iron and hexavalent tungsten ions. As lithium ions are inserted into the framework, iron ions are reduced to the divalent state, while the tungsten ions are electrochemically inactive and remain in the hexavalent state. Lastly, lithium insertion occurs via a concerted rotation of the rigid polyhedra in the host lattice driven by electrostatic interactions with the Li + ions; the magnitude of these polyhedral rotations was found to be slightly larger for Fe 2(WO 4) 3 than for the Fe 2(MoO 4) 3 analog.« less

Investigating the Mechanism of Reversible Lithium Insertion into Anti-NASICON Fe 2(WO 4) 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barim, Gozde; Cottingham, Patrick; Zhou, Shiliang

The gram-scale preparation of Fe 2(WO 4) 3 by a new solution-based route and detailed characterization of the material are presented. The resulting Fe 2(WO 4) 3 undergoes a reversible electrochemical reaction against lithium centered around 3.0 V with capacities near 93% of the theoretical maximum. Evolution of the Fe 2(WO 4) 3 structure upon lithium insertion and deinsertion is probed using a battery of characterization techniques, including in situ X-ray diffraction, neutron total scattering, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). A structural transformation from monoclinic to orthorhombic phases is confirmed during lithium intercalation. XAS and neutron total scattering measurements verifymore » that Fe 2(WO 4) 3 consists of trivalent iron and hexavalent tungsten ions. As lithium ions are inserted into the framework, iron ions are reduced to the divalent state, while the tungsten ions are electrochemically inactive and remain in the hexavalent state. Lastly, lithium insertion occurs via a concerted rotation of the rigid polyhedra in the host lattice driven by electrostatic interactions with the Li + ions; the magnitude of these polyhedral rotations was found to be slightly larger for Fe 2(WO 4) 3 than for the Fe 2(MoO 4) 3 analog.« less

MR-compatibility assessment of MADPET4: a study of interferences between an SiPM-based PET insert and a 7 T MRI system.

PubMed

Omidvari, Negar; Topping, Geoffrey; Cabello, Jorge; Paul, Stephan; Schwaiger, Markus; Ziegler, Sibylle I

2018-05-01

Compromises in the design of a positron emission tomography (PET) insert for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system should minimize the deterioration of image quality in both modalities, particularly when simultaneous demanding acquisitions are performed. In this work, the advantages of using individually read-out crystals with high-gain silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) were studied with a small animal PET insert for a 7 T MRI system, in which the SiPM charge was transferred to outside the MRI scanner using coaxial cables. The interferences between the two systems were studied with three radio-frequency (RF) coil configurations. The effects of PET on the static magnetic field, flip angle distribution, RF noise, and image quality of various MRI sequences (gradient echo, spin echo, and echo planar imaging (EPI) at 1 H frequency, and chemical shift imaging at 13 C frequency) were investigated. The effects of fast-switching gradient fields and RF pulses on PET count rate were studied, while the PET insert and the readout electronics were not shielded. Operating the insert inside a 1 H volume coil, used for RF transmission and reception, limited the MRI to T1-weighted imaging, due to coil detuning and RF attenuation, and resulted in significant PET count loss. Using a surface receive coil allowed all tested MR sequences to be used with the insert, with 45-59% signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) degradation, compared to without PET. With a 1 H/ 13 C volume coil inside the insert and shielded by a copper tube, the SNR degradation was limited to 23-30% with all tested sequences. The insert did not introduce any discernible distortions into images of two tested EPI sequences. Use of truncated sinc shaped RF excitation pulses and gradient field switching had negligible effects on PET count rate. However, PET count rate was substantially affected by high-power RF block pulses and temperature variations due to high gradient duty cycles.

A novel eight amino acid insertion contributes to the hemagglutinin cleavability and the virulence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) virus in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Xiangjie; Belser, Jessica A.; Tumpey, Terrence M., E-mail: tft9@cdc.gov

In 2012, an avian influenza A H7N3 (A/Mexico/InDRE7218/2012; Mx/7218) virus was responsible for two confirmed cases of human infection and led to the death or culling of more than 22 million chickens in Jalisco, Mexico. Interestingly, this virus acquired an 8-amino acid (aa)-insertion (..PENPK-DRKSRHRR-TR/GLF) near the hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site by nonhomologous recombination with host rRNA. It remains unclear which specific residues at the cleavage site contribute to the virulence of H7N3 viruses in mammals. Using loss-of-function approaches, we generated a series of cleavage site mutant viruses by reverse genetics and characterized the viruses in vitro and in vivo. Wemore » found that the 8-aa insertion and the arginine at position P4 of the Mx/7218 HA cleavage site are essential for intracellular HA cleavage in 293T cells, but have no effect on the pH of membrane fusion. However, we identified a role for the histidine residue at P5 position in viral fusion pH. In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for Mx/7218 virus virulence; however, the basic residues upstream of the P4 position are dispensable for virulence. Overall, our study provides the first line of evidence that the insertion in the Mx/7218 virus HA cleavage site confers its intracellular cleavability, and consequently contributes to enhanced virulence in mice. - Highlights: • An avian influenza H7N3 virus acquired a unique 8-amino acid (aa) insertion. • The role of specific basic residues in the HA insertion in viral pathogenesis was determined. • In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for H7N3 virus virulence. • The R residue at position P4 is essential for HA intracellular cleavage and virus virulence.« less

Vertebral column resection in children with neuromuscular spine deformity.

PubMed

Sponseller, Paul D; Jain, Amit; Lenke, Lawrence G; Shah, Suken A; Sucato, Daniel J; Emans, John B; Newton, Peter O

2012-05-15

Retrospective analysis. To determine, in pediatric patients with neuromuscular deformity undergoing vertebral column resection (VCR), the (1) characteristics of the surgery performed; (2) amount of pelvic obliquity restoration, and coronal and sagittal correction achieved; (3) associated blood loss and complications; and (4) extent to which curve type and VCR approach influenced correction, blood loss, and complications. VCR allows for correction of severe, rigid spinal deformity. This technique has not been previously reported in children with neuromuscular disorders. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 23 children with neuromuscular disorders (mean age, 15 years) and spinal deformities (severe scoliosis, 9; global kyphosis or angular kyphosis, 4; kyphoscoliosis, 10) who underwent VCR. The Student t test was used to compare correction differences (statistical significance, P < 0.05). A mean 1.5 vertebrae (27 thoracic and 6 lumbar) were resected per patient. Significant corrections were achieved in pelvic obliquity (11°, from 19° ± 13° to 8° ± 7°), in major coronal curve (56°, from 94° ± 36° to 38° ± 20°), and in major sagittal curve (46°, from 86° ± 37° to 40° ± 19°). There was no difference in correction between various curve types. VCR was associated with substantial blood loss (mean, 76% [estimated blood loss per total blood volume]), which correlated with patient weight and operating time. Overall, 6 patients experienced major complications: spinal cord injury, pleural effusion requiring chest tube insertion, pneumonia, pancreatitis, deep wound infection, and prominent implant requiring revision surgery. There were no deaths or permanent neurological injuries. VCR achieved significant pelvic obliquity restoration and coronal and sagittal correction in children with neuromuscular disorders and severe, rigid spinal deformity. However, this challenging procedure involves the potential for major complications.

Loss of locality in gravitational correlators with a large number of insertions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sudip; Raju, Suvrat

2017-09-01

We review lessons from the AdS/CFT correspondence that indicate that the emergence of locality in quantum gravity is contingent upon considering observables with a small number of insertions. Correlation functions, where the number of insertions scales with a power of the central charge of the CFT, are sensitive to nonlocal effects in the bulk theory, which arise from a combination of the effects of the bulk Gauss law and a breakdown of perturbation theory. To examine whether a similar effect occurs in flat space, we consider the scattering of massless particles in the bosonic string and the superstring in the limit, where the number of external particles, n, becomes very large. We use estimates of the volume of the Weil-Petersson moduli space of punctured Riemann surfaces to argue that string amplitudes grow factorially in this limit. We verify this factorial behavior through an extensive numerical analysis of string amplitudes at large n. Our numerical calculations rely on the observation that, in the large n limit, the string scattering amplitude localizes on the Gross-Mende saddle points, even though individual particle energies are small. This factorial growth implies the breakdown of string perturbation theory for n ˜(M/plE ) d -2 in d dimensions, where E is the typical individual particle energy. We explore the implications of this breakdown for the black hole information paradox. We show that the loss of locality suggested by this breakdown is precisely sufficient to resolve the cloning and strong subadditivity paradoxes.

Photochemical insertion of alkynes into Cp sub 2 Fe sub 2 (CO) sub 2 (. mu. -CO) sub 2 : A mechanistic study by laser flash photolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bursten, B.E.; McKee, S.D.; Platz, M.S.

1989-04-26

Cp{sub 2}Fe{sub 2}(CO){sub 2}({mu}-CO){sub 2} (1: Cp = {eta}{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 5}) has a rich and diverse photochemistry, as evidenced by the plethora of synthetic and mechanistic studies of it in the literature. Early photochemical studies of 1 have demonstrated homolysis to the radical Cp(CO){sub 2}Fe{sup {sm bullet}} (2). Recent work on metal dimers indicates that a dinuclear species is formed concomitantly. Tyler, Schmidt, and Gray (TSG) first proposed that irradiation of 1 leads to the dinuclear species 3, which they suggested was the intermediate responsible for phosphine substitution. Research by other individuals has indicated that the substitutionally active speciesmore » is the CO-loss photoproduct CpFe({mu}-CO){sub 3}FeCp (4). The authors interest in the photochemistry of 1 stemmed from their theoretical studies on piano-stool dimers. One reaction of particular concern is the photochemical insertion of alkynes into 1 to yield dimetallacyclopentenone 5. On the basis of MO calculations, the authors proposed a possible LUMO-controlled mechanism for this reaction that involved alkyne addition to the TSG transition state 3, followed by CO loss. In this contribution, they report initial experimental studies which demonstrate that 4 is the photochemical intermediate responsible for this reaction. They consider this reaction to be a paradigm for photochemical substitution and insertion reaction in such systems.« less

[Comparison of screw' inserting angle through the 11th and 12th rib anterior approaches for L1 burst fracture].

PubMed

Ma, Li-Tai; Liu, Hao; Li, Tao; Song, Yue-Ming; Pei, Fu-Xing; Liu, Li-Min; Gong, Quan; Zeng, Jian-Cheng; Feng, Gan-Jun; Zhou, Zhong-Jie

2012-12-01

To compare screw's inserting angle through the 11th and 12th rib in treating L1 burst fracture, explore effects on inserting screw and postoperative angle. From October 2007 to October 2010, 108 patients with L1 brust fracture treated through anterior approach were analyzed,including 68 males and 40 females, aged from 21 to 64 years (mean 38.22 years). All patients were divided into the 11th (A, 51 cases) and 12th (B, 57 cases) approach. The data of operation time,blood loss, duration of incision pain, JOA score, Oswestry score, VAS score, quality of life (SF-36), recovery of nervous function, coronal Cobb angle, included angle between screw and plate were observed. All patients were followed up for 9 to 37 months, mean 23 months. The operation time, blood loss, duration of incision pain, in group A were lower than group B (P<0.05), JOA score, Oswestry score, VAS score, SF-36, recovery of nervous function had no significant differences (P>0.05). There were no differences in Cobb angle before operation, but had significance after operation (P=0.000). There were statistically significance between two group in angle between screw and plate (P=0.000, P=0.003). The 11th rib approach for the treatment of L1 burst fracture has less effects on screw, less trauma and less angle between screw and plate.

Shoe inserts alter plantar loading and function in patients with midfoot arthritis.

PubMed

Rao, Smita; Baumhauer, Judith F; Becica, Laura; Nawoczenski, Deborah A

2009-07-01

Experimental laboratory study supplemented by a case series. (1) To assess the effect of a 4-week intervention with a full-length insert on functional outcomes in patients with midfoot arthritis; (2) to examine the effect of the custom molded three-quarter-length (3Q) and full-length (FL) carbon graphite insert on plantar loading in patients with midfoot arthritis. Given the coexistence of pain and lower-arched foot alignment in patients with midfoot arthritis, arch-restoring orthotic devices such as the 3Q insert are frequently recommended. However, patients continue to report foot pain despite using the 3Q insert. The FL insert has been proposed as an alternative, but objective data examining its efficacy are lacking. Twenty female patients with midfoot arthritis participated in the study. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Foot Function Index-Revised (FFI-R). Plantar loading during walking was measured in the following conditions: shoe only, shoe with 3Q insert, and shoe with FL insert. Repeated-measures analyses of variance with post hoc analyses were used for statistical analysis. FL insert use for 4 weeks resulted in a 12% improvement in total FFI-R score (mean +/- SD before, 35.6 +/- 10.9; after, 31.1 +/- 9.8 [P = .03]). FL insert use resulted in a 20% reduction in medial midfoot average pressure loading (mean +/- SD, 64.8 +/- 20.4 and 51.0 +/- 15.4 kPa, with 3Q and FL insert respectively [P = .015]) and an 8.5% reduction in medial midfoot contact time (mean +/- SD, 84.9% +/- 6.4% and 76.4% +/- 7.1% of stance, with 3Q and FL insert respectively [P<.01]), compared to the 3Q insert. No differences in plantar loading were discerned between the shoe-only and FL conditions. Symptomatic improvement in patients with midfoot arthritis treated with a FL insert was accompanied by reduced magnitude and duration of loading under the medial midfoot. These preliminary outcomes suggest that the FL insert may be a viable alternative in the conservative management of patients with midfoot arthritis. Therapy, level 4. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2009;39(7):522-531. doi:10.2519/jospt.2009.2900.

Quantification of polyethylene degradation in mobile bearing knees: a retrieval analysis of the Anterior-Posterior-Glide (APG) and Rotating Platform (RP) Low Contact Stress (LCS) knee.

PubMed

Kop, Alan M; Swarts, Eric

2007-06-01

Routine qualitative observations of more than 850 polyethylene fixed and mobile bearings at our institution have noted minimal wear of mobile bearings. The APG mobile bearing is the most recent design variant of the LCS knee, allows multi-directional movement at the tibiofemoral articulation, and is posterior cruciate sparing. Even though it is difficult to perform, quantitative wear measurement is important in determining the likely longevity of new arthroplasty devices, and is especially relevant because of increasing numbers of new mobile bearing designs. We analyzed 10 retrieved APG and 7 retrieved RP tibial bearings (De Puy) with a mean implantation period of 33 (9-70) months. We used coordinate-measuring techniques to quantitatively determine linear penetration, and optical and scanning electron microscopy to assess wear mechanisms qualitatively. The mean total volume loss (superior and inferior articulations) of the APG and RP designs was 85 mm((3))/year and 77 mm((3))/year, respectively. Burnishing was the predominant wear mechanism, and to a lesser extent scratching, abrasion and pitting. Multidirectional scratching and abrasion were noted on the APG inserts inferiorly, whereas there was circumferential scratching on the RP inserts. Our short-term results for the APG and RP mobile bearing designs are similar and compare more than favorably with reported values for fixed-bearing designs. However, increased backside wear due to multidirectional movement may predispose the APG design to greater wear in the long term.

Direct percutaneous jejunostomy--an underutilized interventional technique?

PubMed

Sparrow, Patrick; David, Elizabeth; Pugash, Robyn

2008-01-01

Our aim in this study was to report our single-center experience with direct percutaneous jejunostomy over a 4-year period with regard to technical success rate, immediate and late complications, and patient tolerance of the procedure. Institutional records of 22 consecutive patients who underwent radiological insertion of a percutaneous jejunostomy for a variety of indications were reviewed. The proximal jejunum was punctured under either fluoroscopic or ultrasonic guidance, and following placement of retention sutures, a 10- to 12-Fr catheter inserted. There was a 100% technical success rate in placement involving a total of seven operators. The indications for placement were prior gastric resection, newly diagnosed resectable esophageal or gastric carcinoma, unresectable gastric carcinoma with outlet obstruction, and palliative drainage of bowel obstruction. Mean duration of follow-up was 100 days, and catheter placement 57.7 days. There were six minor early complications, consisting of loss of two retention anchors requiring repuncture, three cases of localized excessive postprocedural pain, and one failed relief of symptoms of small bowel obstruction. Four tubes developed late complications (two blocked, one catheter cracked, and one inadvertently pulled out). Three of the four were successfully replaced through the existing tracts. One patient subsequently developed a minor skin infection, while another developed late pericatheter leakage from ascites. We conclude that direct percutaneous jejunostomy is a valuable treatment modality applicable to a number of clinical scenarios, with a high technical success rate and low serious complication rate.

A complex, five breakpoint intrachromosomal rearrangement ascertained through two recombinant offspring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuck-Muller, C.M.; Li, Shibo; Chen, H.

Intrachromosomal rearrangements usually result from three or fewer breaks. We report a complex intrachromosomal rearrangement resulting from five breaks in one chromosome 10 of a phenotypically normal father of two developmentally delayed children. GTG-banding analysis of the father`s rearranged chromosome 10 suggested an initial pericentric inversion followed by an insertion from the short arm into the terminal band of the long arm. To our knowledge, this rearrangement is the most complex ever reported in a single chromosome. Both children inherited a recombinant chromosome 10 with loss of the insertion and the segment distal to it. Mechanisms for both rearrangements aremore » proposed. 7 refs., 2 figs.« less

Efficacy, tolerance and safety of new intragastric air-filled balloon (Heliosphere BAG) for obesity: the experience of 17 cases.

PubMed

Trande, Paolo; Mussetto, Alessandro; Mirante, Vincenzo G; De Martinis, Elvira; Olivetti, Giampiero; Conigliaro, Rita L; De Micheli, Enrico A

2010-09-01

Overweight and obesity lead to serious health consequences, so that many strategies were recommended for preventing or curing this emerging problem. Treatments are various: diet, physical activity, psychotherapy, drugs, and bariatric surgery. Moreover, during these years, the use of intragastric balloon (BIB) to treat obesity increased rapidly, aimed to (1) reduce bariatric surgical risks; (2) reduce general surgical risks; (3) lead to a significant reduction in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers. Recently, a new device inflated with air to reduce weight has been developed since 2004 (Heliosphere BAG). Between March 2006 and September 2006, in our unit, intragastric air-filled balloon insertion was performed under general anesthesia and endoscopic control. The balloons were removed after 6 months. We evaluated efficacy, tolerance, and safety of this technique. Seventeen patients (eight men, nine women), with a mean age of 43 +/- 10 years (range 18-65), mean basal BMI of 46 +/- 8 (range 35-58) were included, after providing informed consent. Weight and BMI loss were evaluated in all patients. BMI decreased 4 +/- 3 (range +0.33/-11), weight loss was 11 +/- 9 kg (range +1/-29.5; 8.5%). 14/17 patients maintain a BMI > 35 at the time of balloon removal. The difference between initial weight and BMI was statistically significant (p = 0.02 for weight and p < 0.01 for BMI, T Student test). Tolerance was very good, limited only to some dyspeptic symptoms during the first 3 days after insertion. One asymptomatic gastric ulcer was seen at the removal of balloon. Only one severe adverse effect was registered at the time of insertion (acute coronary syndrome in patient with chronic coronary disease). No serious technical problems were noted at balloon insertion. Balloon removal was more difficult and successful in 15/17 cases (one distal migration and one patient led to surgery because of balloon fragmentation). Intragastric air-filled balloon showed a good profile of efficacy and tolerance. Weight loss appeared to be equivalent to other type of balloons. On the other hand, technical problems (especially at the time of removal) probably linked to the device's material, set a low safety profile.

A Model for Ferroelectric Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, Robert R.; Qureshi, A. Haq

2000-01-01

Novel microwave phase shifters consisting of coupled microstrip lines on thin ferroelectric films have been demonstrated recently. A theoretical model useful for predicting the propagation characteristics (insertion phase shift, dielectric loss, impedance, and bandwidth) is presented here. The model is based on a variational solution for line capacitance and coupled strip transmission line theory.

Optically reconfigurable patterning for control of the propagation characteristics of a planar waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Klittnick, A.; Clark, N. A.; Keller, P.

2008-10-01

We demonstrate an easily fabricated all-optical and freely reconfigurable method of controlling the propagating characteristics of the optic path within a planar waveguide with low insertion losses by employing the optical patterning of the refractive index of an erasable and rewriteable photosensitive liquid crystal polymer cladding layer.

Electrostatic Radio Frequency (RF) Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Switches With Metal Alloy Electric Contacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

Serway , Raymond A. Physics for Scientists and Engineers . New York: Saunders College Publishing, 1986. 141. Sharvin, Y.V. Sov. Phys. JETP , 21 :655 (1965...III. Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3.1 Micro-Switch Physical Description . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3.2 MEMS...Insertion Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 IMD Intermodulation Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 PVD Physical Vapor

Beam Loss Simulation and Collimator System Configurations for the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiao, A.; Borland, M.

The proposed multi-bend achromat lattice for the Advanced Photon Source upgrade (APS-U) has a design emittance of less than 70 pm. The Touschek loss rate is high: compared with the current APS ring, which has an average beam lifetime ~ 10 h, the simulated beam lifetime for APS-U is only ~2 h when operated in the high flux mode (I=200 mA in 48 bunches). An additional consequence of the short lifetime is that injection must be more frequent, which provides another potential source of particle loss. In order to provide information for the radiation shielding system evaluation and to avoidmore » particle loss in sensitive locations around the ring (for example, insertion device straight sections), simulations of the detailed beam loss distribution have been performed. Several possible collimation configurations have been simulated and compared.« less

Fabry-Perot resonators with transverse coupling on SOI using loop mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saber, Md Ghulam; Abadía, Nicolás; Wang, Yun; Plant, David V.

2018-05-01

A novel integrated transversely coupled Fabry-Perot resonator using loop mirrors as the end reflectors are demonstrated via simulations and experiments on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The resonator is formed by connecting two loop mirrors to the two output ports of a directional coupler to form the resonant cavity and utilizing the other two ports as the input and the output. Depending on which two ports of the directional coupler are mirrored, two configurations of the resonator can be achieved. The impacts of varying the cavity length and the coupling coefficient of the directional coupler on the output characteristics of the resonators are analyzed. A Q-factor of 28086 and an extinction ratio of 10.04 dB with an insertion loss of 1.9 dB is achieved experimentally for a 1038 μm cavity length and an extinction ratio of 18.14 dB and a Q-factor of 5120 with an insertion loss of 2.12 dB is obtained for a cavity length of 376 μm. The reported resonator offers additional freedom to tune the spectral characteristics.

Board-to-board optical interconnection using novel optical plug and slot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, In K.; Yoon, Keun Byoung; Ahn, Seong H.; Kim, Jin Tae; Lee, Woo Jin; Shin, Kyoung Up; Heo, Young Un; Park, Hyo Hoon

2004-10-01

A novel optical PCB with transmitter/receiver system boards and optical bakcplane was prepared, which is board-to-board interconnection by optical plug and slot. We report an 8Gb/s PRBS NRZ data transmission between transmitter system board and optical backplane embedded multimode polymeric waveguide arrays. The basic concept of ETRI's optical PCB is as follows; 1) Metal optical bench is integrated with optoelectronic devices, driver and receiver circuits, polymeric waveguide and access line PCB module. 2) Multimode polymeric waveguide inside an optical backplane, which is embedded into PCB. 3) Optical slot and plug for high-density(channel pitch : 500um) board-to-board interconnection. The polymeric waveguide technology can be used for transmission of data on transmitter/ receiver system boards and for backplane interconnections. The main components are low-loss tapered polymeric waveguides and a novel optical plug and slot for board-to-board interconnections, respectively. The optical PCB is characteristic of low coupling loss, easy insertion/extraction of the boards and, especially, reliable optical coupling unaffected from external environment after board insertion.

Silicon-based highly-efficient fiber-to-waveguide coupler for high index contrast systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Victor; Montalbo, Trisha; Manolatou, Christina; Agarwal, Anu; Hong, Ching-yin; Yasaitis, John; Kimerling, L. C.; Michel, Jurgen

2006-02-01

A coupler to efficiently transfer broadband light from a single-mode optical fiber to a single-mode high-index contrast waveguide has been fabricated on a silicon substrate. We utilized a novel coupling scheme, with a vertically asymmetric design consisting of a stepwise parabolic graded index profile combined with a horizontal taper, to simultaneously confine light in both directions. Coupling efficiency has been measured as a function of the device dimensions. The optimal coupling efficiency is achieved for structures whose length equals the focal distance of the graded index and whose input width is close to the mode field diameter of the fiber. The fabricated structure is compact, robust and highly efficient, with an insertion loss of 2.2dB at 1550nm. The coupler exhibits less than 1dB variation in coupling efficiency in the measured spectral range from 1520nmto1620nm. The lowest insertion loss of 1.9dB is measured at 1540nm. The coupler design offers highly efficient coupling for single mode waveguides of core indices up to 2.2.

The impact of the fast ion fluxes and thermal plasma loads on the design of the ITER fast ion loss detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kocan, M.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Ayllon-Guerola, J.; Bertalot, L.; Bonnet, Y.; Casal, N.; Galdon, J.; Garcia-Lopez, J.; Giacomin, T.; Gonzalez-Martin, J.; Gunn, J. P.; Rodriguez-Ramos, M.; Reichle, R.; Rivero-Rodriguez, J. F.; Sanchis-Sanchez, L.; Vayakis, G.; Veshchev, E.; Vorpahl, C.; Walsh, M.; Walton, R.

2017-12-01

Thermal plasma loads to the ITER Fast Ion Loss Detector are studied for QDT = 10 burning plasma equilibrium using the 3D field line tracing. The simulations are performed for a FILD insertion 9-13 cm past the port plasma facing surface, optimized for fast ion measurements, and include the worst-case perturbation of the plasma boundary and the error in the magnetic reconstruction. The FILD head is exposed to superimposed time-averaged ELM heat load, static inter-ELM heat flux and plasma radiation. The study includes the estimate of the instantaneous temperature rise due to individual 0.6 MJ controlled ELMs. The maximum time-averaged surface heat load is lesssim 12 MW/m2 and will lead to increase of the FILD surface temperature well below the melting temperature of the materials considered here, for the FILD insertion time of 0.2 s. The worst-case instantaneous temperature rise during controlled 0.6 MJ ELMs is also significantly smaller than the melting temperature of e.g. Tungsten or Molybdenum, foreseen for the FILD housing.

Design and fabrication of pHEMT MMIC switches for IEEE 802.11.a/b/g WLAN applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mun, Jae Kyoung; Ji, Hong Gu; Ahn, Hyokyun; Kim, Haecheon; Park, Chong-Ook

2005-08-01

In this paper, we propose a channel structure for a promising switch pHEMT with excellent isolation characteristics based on the distribution of electric field intensity beneath the Schottky contact in the transistor. Using the proposed device channel structure, SPST and SPDT switches were designed and fabricated, applicable to 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz WLAN systems. We discuss the relationship between dc characteristics and switch parameters in this paper in detail. The developed SPST switch exhibits a low insertion loss of 0.26 dB and a high isolation of 34.3 dB with a control voltage of 0 V/-3 V at 5.8 GHz. The SPDT also shows a good performance of 0.85 dB insertion loss and 31.5 dB isolation under the same conditions. The measured power-handling capability at 2.4 GHz reveals that the SPDT has an output power of 27 dBm at the 1 dB compression point and a third-order intercept point of more than 46 dBm.

Mid-infrared refractive index sensing using optimized slotted photonic crystal waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassa-Baghdouche, Lazhar; Cassan, Eric

2018-02-01

Slotted photonic crystal waveguides (SPCWs) were designed to act as refractive index sensing devices at mid-infrared (IR) wavelengths around λ = 3.6 μm. In particular, effort was made to engineer the input and output slot waveguide interfaces in order to increase the effective sensitivity through resonant tapering. A slotted PhC waveguide immersed in air and liquid cladding layers was considered. To determine the performance of the sensor, the sensitivity of the device was estimated by calculating the shift in the upper band edge of the output transmission spectrum. The results showed that the sensitivity of a conventionally designed SPCW followed by modifications in the structure parameter yielded a 510 nm shift in the wavelength position of the upper band edge, indicating a sensitivity of more than 1150 nm per refractive index unit (RIU) with an insertion loss level of -0.3 dB. This work demonstrates the viability of photonic crystal waveguide high sensitivity devices in the Mid-IR, following a transposition of the concepts inherited from the telecom band and an optimization of the design, in particular a minimization of photonic device insertion losses.

Development of a 20-MHz wide-bandwidth PMN-PT single crystal phased-array ultrasound transducer.

PubMed

Wong, Chi-Man; Chen, Yan; Luo, Haosu; Dai, Jiyan; Lam, Kwok-Ho; Chan, Helen Lai-Wa

2017-01-01

In this study, a 20-MHz 64-element phased-array ultrasound transducer with a one-wavelength pitch is developed using a PMN-30%PT single crystal and double-matching layer scheme. High piezoelectric (d 33 >1000pC/N) and electromechanical coupling (k 33 >0.8) properties of the single crystal with an optimized fabrication process involving the photolithography technique have been demonstrated to be suitable for wide-bandwidth (⩾70%) and high-sensitivity (insertion loss ⩽30dB) phased-array transducer application. A -6dBbandwidth of 91% and an insertion loss of 29dBfor the 20-MHz 64-element phased-array transducer were achieved. This result shows that the bandwidth is improved comparing with the investigated high-frequency (⩾20MHz) ultrasound transducers using piezoelectric ceramic and single crystal materials. It shows that this phased-array transducer has potential to improve the resolution of biomedical imaging, theoretically. Based on the hypothesis of resolution improvement, this phased-array transducer is capable for small animal (i.e. mouse and zebrafish) studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insertion loss of noise barriers on an aboveground, full-scale model longwall coal mining shearer.

PubMed

Sweeney, Daniel D; Slagley, Jeremy M; Smith, David A

2010-05-01

The U.S. mining industry struggles with hazardous noise and dust exposures in underground mining. Specifically, longwall coal mine shearer operators are routinely exposed to noise levels at 151% of the allowable daily dose, and approximately 20% exceed regulatory dust levels. In the current study, a partial barrier was mounted on the full-scale mock shearer at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Pittsburgh Research Laboratory. A simulated, full-scale, coal mine longwall shearer operation was employed to test the feasibility of utilizing a barrier to separate the shearer operator from the direct path of the noise and dust source during mining operations. In this model, noise levels at the operators' positions were reduced by 2.6 to 8.2 A-weighted decibels (dBA) from the application of the test barriers. Estimated insertion loss underground was 1.7 to 7.3 dBA. The barrier should be tested in an underground mining operation to determine if it can reduce shearer operators' noise exposure to below regulatory limits.

Horizontal Resorption of Fresh-Frozen Corticocancellous Bone Blocks in the Reconstruction of the Atrophic Maxilla at 5 Months

PubMed Central

Pereira, Eugénio; Messias, Ana; Dias, Ricardo; Judas, Fernando; Salvoni, Alexander; Guerra, Fernando

2015-01-01

Background Reliable implant-supported rehabilitation of an alveolar ridge needs sufficient volume of bone. In order to achieve a prosthetic-driven positioning, bone graft techniques may be required. Purpose This prospective cohort study aims to clinically evaluate the amount of resorption of corticocancellous fresh-frozen allografts bone blocks used in the reconstruction of the severe atrophic maxilla. Materials and Methods Twenty-two partial and totally edentulous patients underwent bone augmentation procedures with fresh-frozen allogenous blocks from the iliac crest under local anesthesia. Implants were inserted into the grafted sites after a healing period of 5 months. Final fixed prosthesis was delivered ± 4 months later. Ridge width analysis and measurements were performed with a caliper before and after grafting and at implant insertion. Bone biopsies were performed in 16 patients. Results A total of 98 onlay block allografts were used in 22 patients with an initial mean alveolar ridge width of 3.41 ± 1.36 mm. Early exposure of blocks was observed in four situations and one of these completely resorbed. Mean horizontal bone gain was 3.63 ± 1.28 mm (p < .01). Mean buccal bone resorption between allograph placement and the reopening stage was 0.49 ± 0.54 mm, meaning approximately 7.1% (95% confidence interval: [5.6%, 8.6%]) of total ridge width loss during the integration period. One hundred thirty dental implants were placed with good primary stability (≥ 30 Ncm). Four implants presented early failure before the prosthetic delivery (96.7% implant survival). All patients were successfully rehabilitated. Histomorphometric analysis revealed 20.9 ± 5.8% of vital bone in close contact to the remaining grafted bone. A positive strong correlation (adjusted R2 = 0.44, p = .003) was found between healing time and vital bone percentage. Conclusions Augmentation procedures performed using fresh-frozen allografts from the iliac crest are a suitable alternative in the reconstruction of the atrophic maxilla with low resorption rate at 5 months, allowing proper stability of dental implants followed by fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. PMID:25346211

Related factors with extravasation of non-cytostatic agents in peripheral vein catheters.

PubMed

Fernández-García, Cristina; Mata-Peón, Esther; Avanzas-Fernández, Sara

To know the independent variables related to the occurrence of extravasation in patients with peripheral vein catheters (PVC). Retrospective study carried out in 6 longitudinal cuts between July 2013 an January 2014. A total of 1,442 PVC were reviewed, of which 730 met the inclusion criteria, and were divided into 2 groups: extravasation and not extravasation, with 365 cases each. The variables of age, gender, admission unit, catheter gauge, insertion site, previous insertion into the same limb, hospital unit where the insertion took place, communication difficulties, personal health history and analyzed parenterally drug administered were considered. Risk factors to develop extravasation were: female gender, with previous insertion in the same limb, <72h PVC of insertion, communication difficulties, personal health history of neoplasia and KCl, gentamicin or beta lactam treatment. Our study allows to know the variables that are related to the emergence of extravasations in patients with non-cancer treatments (gender, medical service of admission, catheter gauge, elapsed time since the insertion, patient communication difficulties, personal health history, and intravenous treatments), as well as the factors that may be considered protective. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Influence of Screw Length and Bone Thickness on the Stability of Temporary Implants

PubMed Central

Fernandes, Daniel Jogaib; Elias, Carlos Nelson; Ruellas, Antônio Carlos de Oliveira

2015-01-01

The purpose of this work was to study the influence of screw length and bone thickness on the stability of temporary implants. A total of 96 self-drilling temporary screws with two different lengths were inserted into polyurethane blocks (n = 66), bovine femurs (n = 18) and rabbit tibia (n = 12) with different cortical thicknesses (1 to 8 mm). Screws insertion in polyurethane blocks was assisted by a universal testing machine, torque peaks were collected by a digital torquemeter and bone thickness was monitored by micro-CT. The results showed that the insertion torque was significantly increased with the thickness of cortical bone from polyurethane (p < 0.0001), bovine (p = 0.0035) and rabbit (p < 0.05) sources. Cancellous bone improved significantly the mechanical implant stability. Insertion torque and insertion strength was successfully moduled by equations, based on the cortical/cancellous bone behavior. Based on the results, insertion torque and bone strength can be estimate in order to prevent failure of the cortical layer during temporary screw placement. The stability provided by a cortical thickness of 2 or 1 mm coupled to cancellous bone was deemed sufficient for temporary implants stability. PMID:28793582

Pure-Tone Audiometry With Forward Pressure Level Calibration Leads to Clinically-Relevant Improvements in Test-Retest Reliability.

PubMed

Lapsley Miller, Judi A; Reed, Charlotte M; Robinson, Sarah R; Perez, Zachary D

2018-02-21

Clinical pure-tone audiometry is conducted using stimuli delivered through supra-aural headphones or insert earphones. The stimuli are calibrated in an acoustic (average ear) coupler. Deviations in individual-ear acoustics from the coupler acoustics affect test validity, and variations in probe insertion and headphone placement affect both test validity and test-retest reliability. Using an insert earphone designed for otoacoustic emission testing, which contains a microphone and loudspeaker, an individualized in-the-ear calibration can be calculated from the ear-canal sound pressure measured at the microphone. However, the total sound pressure level (SPL) measured at the microphone may be affected by standing-wave nulls at higher frequencies, producing errors in stimulus level of up to 20 dB. An alternative is to calibrate using the forward pressure level (FPL) component, which is derived from the total SPL using a wideband acoustic immittance measurement, and represents the pressure wave incident on the eardrum. The objective of this study is to establish test-retest reliability for FPL calibration of pure-tone audiometry stimuli, compared with in-the-ear and coupler sound pressure calibrations. The authors compared standard audiometry using a modern clinical audiometer with TDH-39P supra-aural headphones calibrated in a coupler to a prototype audiometer with an ER10C earphone calibrated three ways: (1) in-the-ear using the total SPL at the microphone, (2) in-the-ear using the FPL at the microphone, and (3) in a coupler (all three are derived from the same measurement). The test procedure was similar to that commonly used in hearing-conservation programs, using pulsed-tone test frequencies at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz, and an automated modified Hughson-Westlake audiometric procedure. Fifteen adult human participants with normal to mildly-impaired hearing were selected, and one ear from each was tested. Participants completed 10 audiograms on each system, with test-order randomly varied and with headphones and earphones refitted by the tester between tests. Fourteen of 15 ears had standing-wave nulls present between 4 and 8 kHz. The mean intrasubject SD at 6 and 8 kHz was lowest for the FPL calibration, and was comparable with the low-frequency reliability across calibration methods. This decrease in variability translates to statistically-derived significant threshold shift criteria indicating that 15 dB shifts in hearing can be reliably detected at 6 and 8 kHz using FPL-calibrated ER10C earphones, compared with 20 to 25 dB shifts using standard TDH-39P headphones with a coupler calibration. These results indicate that reliability is better with insert earphones, especially with in-the-ear FPL calibration, compared with a standard clinical audiometer with supra-aural headphones. However, in-the-ear SPL calibration should not be used due to its sensitivity to standing waves. The improvement in reliability is clinically meaningful, potentially allowing hearing-conservation programs to more confidently determine significant threshold shifts at 6 kHz-a key frequency for the early detection of noise-induced hearing loss.

Nuclear Mitochondrial DNA Activates Replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Chatre, Laurent; Ricchetti, Miria

2011-01-01

The nuclear genome of eukaryotes is colonized by DNA fragments of mitochondrial origin, called NUMTs. These insertions have been associated with a variety of germ-line diseases in humans. The significance of this uptake of potentially dangerous sequences into the nuclear genome is unclear. Here we provide functional evidence that sequences of mitochondrial origin promote nuclear DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that NUMTs are rich in key autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) consensus motifs, whose mutation results in the reduction or loss of DNA replication activity. Furthermore, 2D-gel analysis of the mrc1 mutant exposed to hydroxyurea shows that several NUMTs function as late chromosomal origins. We also show that NUMTs located close to or within ARS provide key sequence elements for replication. Thus NUMTs can act as independent origins, when inserted in an appropriate genomic context or affect the efficiency of pre-existing origins. These findings show that migratory mitochondrial DNAs can impact on the replication of the nuclear region they are inserted in. PMID:21408151

Tracking and data system support for the Mariner Mars 1971 mission. Volume 2: First trajectory correction maneuver through orbit insertion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Textor, G. P.; Kelly, L. B.; Kelly, M.

1972-01-01

The Deep Space Tracking and Data System activities in support of the Mariner Mars 1971 project from the first trajectory correction maneuver on 4 June 1971 through cruise and orbit insertion on 14 November 1971 are presented. Changes and updates to the TDS requirements and to the plan and configuration plus detailed information on the TDS flight support performance evaluation and the preorbital testing and training are included. With the loss of Mariner 8 at launch, a few changes to the Mariner Mars 1971 requirements, plan, and configuration were necessitated. Mariner 9 is now assuming the former mission plan of Mariner 8, including the TV mapping cycles and a 12-hr orbital period. A second trajectory correction maneuver was not required because of the accuracy of the first maneuver. All testing and training for orbital operations were completed satisfactorily and on schedule. The orbit insertion was accomplished with excellent results.

Nuclear mitochondrial DNA activates replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Chatre, Laurent; Ricchetti, Miria

2011-03-08

The nuclear genome of eukaryotes is colonized by DNA fragments of mitochondrial origin, called NUMTs. These insertions have been associated with a variety of germ-line diseases in humans. The significance of this uptake of potentially dangerous sequences into the nuclear genome is unclear. Here we provide functional evidence that sequences of mitochondrial origin promote nuclear DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that NUMTs are rich in key autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) consensus motifs, whose mutation results in the reduction or loss of DNA replication activity. Furthermore, 2D-gel analysis of the mrc1 mutant exposed to hydroxyurea shows that several NUMTs function as late chromosomal origins. We also show that NUMTs located close to or within ARS provide key sequence elements for replication. Thus NUMTs can act as independent origins, when inserted in an appropriate genomic context or affect the efficiency of pre-existing origins. These findings show that migratory mitochondrial DNAs can impact on the replication of the nuclear region they are inserted in.

Risk factors associated with PICC-related upper extremity venous thrombosis in cancer patients.

PubMed

Yi, Xiao-lei; Chen, Jie; Li, Jia; Feng, Liang; Wang, Yan; Zhu, Jia-An; Shen, E; Hu, Bing

2014-03-01

To investigate the incidence and risk factors for peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related upper extremity venous thrombosis in patients with cancer. With the widespread use of peripherally inserted central venous catheters, peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related upper extremity venous thrombosis in patients with cancer leads to increasing morbidity and mortality. It is very important to further explore the incidence and risk factors for peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related venous thrombosis. Consecutive patients with cancer who were scheduled to receive peripherally inserted central venous catheters, between September 2009 and May 2012, were prospectively studied in our centre. They were investigated for venous thrombosis by Doppler sonography three times a day within 30 days after catheter insertion. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions' analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related thrombosis. A total of 89 patients with cancer were studied in our research. Of these, 81 patients were followed up within one month. The mean interval between catheter insertion and the onset of thrombosis was 12.45 ± 6.17 days. The multivariable analyses showed that chemotherapy history, less activities and diabetes were the key risk factors for thrombosis. Peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related upper extremity venous thrombosis had high incidence rate, and most cases had no significant symptoms. The history of chemotherapy, less activities and diabetes were found to be the key risk factors. It should be routinely scanned in high-risk patients every 3-5 days after catheter insertion, which would then find blood clots in time and reduce the incidence of pulmonary embolism. Risk factors associated with peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related upper extremity venous thrombosis are of critical importance in improving the quality of patients' life. It is very important to grasp the indications to reduce the incidence rate of peripherally inserted central venous catheters-related upper extremity venous thrombosis. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Significance of the Pars Interarticularis in the Cortical Bone Trajectory Screw Technique: An In Vivo Insertional Torque Study.

PubMed

Ninomiya, Koshi; Iwatsuki, Koichi; Ohnishi, Yu-Ichiro; Ohkawa, Toshika; Yoshimine, Toshiki

2016-10-01

Retrospective study. Cortical bone trajectory (CBT), a more medial-to-lateral and shorter path than the traditional one for spinal fusion, is thought to be effective for severely degenerated vertebrae because screws are primarily stabilized at the posterior elements. We evaluated the efficacy of this approach through in vivo insertional torque measurement. There has been only one prior in vivo study on CBT insertional torque. Between January 2013 and April 2014, a total of 22 patients underwent posterior lumbar fusion using the CBT technique. The maximum insertional torque, which covers the radial strength needed for insertion, was measured for 113 screws, 8 of which were inserted for L5 spondylolysis. The insertional torque for cases with (n=8) and without (n=31) spondylolysis of L5 were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). To evaluate vertebral degeneration, we classified 53 vertebrae without spondylolysis by lumbar radiography using semiquantitative methods; the insertional torque for the 105 screws used was compared on the basis of this classification. Additionally, differences in insertional torque among cases grouped by age, sex, and lumbar level were evaluated for these 105 screws using ANOVA and the Tukey test. The mean insertional torque was significantly lower for patients with spondylolysis than for those without spondylolysis (4.25 vs. 8.24 in-lb). There were no statistical differences in insertional torque according to vertebral grading or level. The only significant difference in insertional torque between age and sex groups was in men <75 years and women ≥75 years (10 vs. 5.5 in-lb). Although CBT should be used with great caution in patient with lysis who are ≥75 years, it is well suited for dealing with severely degenerated vertebrae because the pars interarticularis plays a very important role in the implementation of this technique.

Factors affecting colonoscope insertion time in patients with or without a colostomy after left-sided colorectal resection.

PubMed

Jang, Hui Won; Kim, Yoon Nam; Nam, Chung Mo; Lee, Hyun Jung; Park, Soo Jung; Hong, Sung Pil; Kim, Tae Il; Kim, Won Ho; Cheon, Jae Hee

2012-12-01

We examined whether the insertion time for colonoscopies performed after left-sided resection was different in patients with a colostomy from that in patients without a colostomy and identified factors that could impact colonoscopy performance. We included consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopy between July 2005 and March 2011 after left-sided colorectal resection for colorectal cancer. We classified surgical methods according to the presence or absence of a colostomy and evaluated colonoscope insertion time retrospectively. Furthermore, we analyzed factors that might affect insertion time. A total of 1,041 patients underwent colonoscopy after left-sided colorectal resection during the study period. The colonoscopy completion rate was 98.6 %, and the mean insertion time was 6.1 ± 4.6 min (median 4.7 min, range 0.3-35.8 min). A shorter resection length of colon, the presence of a colostomy, and a lower endoscopist case volume were found to be independent factors associated with prolonged insertion time in patients with left-sided colorectal resection. Among experienced colonoscopists, no colonoscopy-associated or clinical factors were found to affect insertion time. However, a shorter resection length of colon, the presence of a colostomy, and poor bowel preparation were associated with prolonged insertion time among inexperienced endoscopists. We identified three factors that affect colonoscope insertion time after left-sided colorectal resection, including the presence of a colostomy. Inexperienced endoscopists were much more affected by the presence of a colostomy after left-sided colorectal resection. These findings have implications for the practice and teaching of colonoscopy after left-sided colorectal resection.

Insertional Inactivation of Genes Responsible for the d-Alanylation of Lipoteichoic Acid in Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis) Affects Intrageneric Coaggregations

PubMed Central

Clemans, Daniel L.; Kolenbrander, Paul E.; Debabov, Dmitri V.; Zhang, Qunying; Lunsford, R. Dwayne; Sakone, Holly; Whittaker, Catherine J.; Heaton, Michael P.; Neuhaus, Francis C.

1999-01-01

Most human oral viridans streptococci participate in intrageneric coaggregations, the cell-to-cell adherence among genetically distinct streptococci. Two genes relevant to these intrageneric coaggregations were identified by transposon Tn916 mutagenesis of Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis). A 626-bp sequence flanking the left end of the transposon was homologous to dltA and dltB of Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 (formerly called Lactobacillus casei). A 60-kb probe based on this flanking sequence was used to identify the homologous DNA in a fosmid library of S. gordonii DL1. This DNA encoded d-alanine-d-alanyl carrier protein ligase that was expressed in Escherichia coli from the fosmid clone. The cloned streptococcal dltA was disrupted by inserting an ermAM cassette, and then it was linearized and transformed into S. gordonii DL1 for allelic replacement. Erythromycin-resistant transformants containing a single insertion in dltA exhibited a loss of d-alanyl esters in lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and a loss of intrageneric coaggregation. This phenotype was correlated with the loss of a 100-kDa surface protein reported previously to be involved in mediating intrageneric coaggregation (C. J. Whittaker, D. L. Clemans, and P. E. Kolenbrander, Infect. Immun. 64:4137–4142, 1996). The mutants retained the parental ability to participate in intergeneric coaggregation with human oral actinomyces, indicating the specificity of the mutation in altering intrageneric coaggregations. The mutants were altered morphologically and exhibited aberrant cell septa in a variety of pleomorphs. The natural DNA transformation frequency was reduced 10-fold in these mutants. Southern analysis of chromosomal DNAs from various streptococcal species with the dltA probe revealed the presence of this gene in most viridans streptococci. Thus, it is hypothesized that d-alanyl LTA may provide binding sites for the putative 100-kDa adhesin and scaffolding for the proper presentation of this adhesin to mediate intrageneric coaggregation. PMID:10225909

Insertional inactivation of genes responsible for the D-alanylation of lipoteichoic acid in Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis) affects intrageneric coaggregations.

PubMed

Clemans, D L; Kolenbrander, P E; Debabov, D V; Zhang, Q; Lunsford, R D; Sakone, H; Whittaker, C J; Heaton, M P; Neuhaus, F C

1999-05-01

Most human oral viridans streptococci participate in intrageneric coaggregations, the cell-to-cell adherence among genetically distinct streptococci. Two genes relevant to these intrageneric coaggregations were identified by transposon Tn916 mutagenesis of Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis). A 626-bp sequence flanking the left end of the transposon was homologous to dltA and dltB of Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 (formerly called Lactobacillus casei). A 60-kb probe based on this flanking sequence was used to identify the homologous DNA in a fosmid library of S. gordonii DL1. This DNA encoded D-alanine-D-alanyl carrier protein ligase that was expressed in Escherichia coli from the fosmid clone. The cloned streptococcal dltA was disrupted by inserting an ermAM cassette, and then it was linearized and transformed into S. gordonii DL1 for allelic replacement. Erythromycin-resistant transformants containing a single insertion in dltA exhibited a loss of D-alanyl esters in lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and a loss of intrageneric coaggregation. This phenotype was correlated with the loss of a 100-kDa surface protein reported previously to be involved in mediating intrageneric coaggregation (C. J. Whittaker, D. L. Clemans, and P. E. Kolenbrander, Infect. Immun. 64:4137-4142, 1996). The mutants retained the parental ability to participate in intergeneric coaggregation with human oral actinomyces, indicating the specificity of the mutation in altering intrageneric coaggregations. The mutants were altered morphologically and exhibited aberrant cell septa in a variety of pleomorphs. The natural DNA transformation frequency was reduced 10-fold in these mutants. Southern analysis of chromosomal DNAs from various streptococcal species with the dltA probe revealed the presence of this gene in most viridans streptococci. Thus, it is hypothesized that D-alanyl LTA may provide binding sites for the putative 100-kDa adhesin and scaffolding for the proper presentation of this adhesin to mediate intrageneric coaggregation.

Impaired bone formation in ovariectomized mice reduces implant integration as indicated by longitudinal in vivo micro-computed tomography.

PubMed

Li, Zihui; Kuhn, Gisela; Schirmer, Michael; Müller, Ralph; Ruffoni, Davide

2017-01-01

Although osteoporotic bone, with low bone mass and deteriorated bone architecture, provides a less favorable mechanical environment than healthy bone for implant fixation, there is no general agreement on the impact of osteoporosis on peri-implant bone (re)modeling, which is ultimately responsible for the long term stability of the bone-implant system. Here, we inserted an implant in a mouse model mimicking estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss and we monitored with longitudinal in vivo micro-computed tomography the spatio-temporal changes in bone (re)modeling and architecture, considering the separate contributions of trabecular, endocortical and periosteal surfaces. Specifically, 12 week-old C57BL/6J mice underwent OVX/SHM surgery; 9 weeks after we inserted special metal-ceramics implants into the 6th caudal vertebra and we measured bone response with in vivo micro-CT weekly for the following 6 weeks. Our results indicated that ovariectomized mice showed a reduced ability to increase the thickness of the cortical shell close to the implant because of impaired peri-implant bone formation, especially at the periosteal surface. Moreover, we observed that healthy mice had a significantly higher loss of trabecular bone far from the implant than estrogen depleted animals. Such behavior suggests that, in healthy mice, the substantial increase in peri-implant bone formation which rapidly thickened the cortex to secure the implant may raise bone resorption elsewhere and, specifically, in the trabecular network of the same bone but far from the implant. Considering the already deteriorated bone structure of estrogen depleted mice, further bone loss seemed to be hindered. The obtained knowledge on the dynamic response of diseased bone following implant insertion should provide useful guidelines to develop advanced treatments for osteoporotic fracture fixation based on local and selective manipulation of bone turnover in the peri-implant region.

Impaired bone formation in ovariectomized mice reduces implant integration as indicated by longitudinal in vivo micro-computed tomography

PubMed Central

Li, Zihui; Kuhn, Gisela; Schirmer, Michael; Müller, Ralph

2017-01-01

Although osteoporotic bone, with low bone mass and deteriorated bone architecture, provides a less favorable mechanical environment than healthy bone for implant fixation, there is no general agreement on the impact of osteoporosis on peri-implant bone (re)modeling, which is ultimately responsible for the long term stability of the bone-implant system. Here, we inserted an implant in a mouse model mimicking estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss and we monitored with longitudinal in vivo micro-computed tomography the spatio-temporal changes in bone (re)modeling and architecture, considering the separate contributions of trabecular, endocortical and periosteal surfaces. Specifically, 12 week-old C57BL/6J mice underwent OVX/SHM surgery; 9 weeks after we inserted special metal-ceramics implants into the 6th caudal vertebra and we measured bone response with in vivo micro-CT weekly for the following 6 weeks. Our results indicated that ovariectomized mice showed a reduced ability to increase the thickness of the cortical shell close to the implant because of impaired peri-implant bone formation, especially at the periosteal surface. Moreover, we observed that healthy mice had a significantly higher loss of trabecular bone far from the implant than estrogen depleted animals. Such behavior suggests that, in healthy mice, the substantial increase in peri-implant bone formation which rapidly thickened the cortex to secure the implant may raise bone resorption elsewhere and, specifically, in the trabecular network of the same bone but far from the implant. Considering the already deteriorated bone structure of estrogen depleted mice, further bone loss seemed to be hindered. The obtained knowledge on the dynamic response of diseased bone following implant insertion should provide useful guidelines to develop advanced treatments for osteoporotic fracture fixation based on local and selective manipulation of bone turnover in the peri-implant region. PMID:28910363

[Current status of costs and utilizations of hospital based home health nursing care in Korea].

PubMed

Ryu, Hosihn

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of utilization and costs of home health nursing care by the levels of medical institutes in Korea. A secondary analysis of existing data was used from the national electronic data information(EDI) of 148 home health agencies for 6 months from May to Oct 2005 in total. The 148 agencies had multiple services in cerebral infaction, essential hypertension, sequela of cerebrovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, etc.. The highest 10 rankings of 76 categories of home health nursing services were composed of 96.4% of the total services, such as simple treatment, inflammatory treatment, urethra & bladder irrigation, inserting indwelling catheter etc., in that order. The highest 20 rankings of 226 categories of home examination services were composed of 77.0% of the total home examination services. In addition, the average cost of home health care per visit was 46,088 Won ( approximately 48 $, 1 $=960 Won). The costs ranged from 74,523 Won ( approximately 78 $, loss of chronic kidney function, N18) to 32,270 Won ( approximately 34 $, other cerebrovascular diseases, I67). Results suggest that client characteristics of hospital based HHNC are not different from community based HHNC or visiting nursing services for elderly. The national results will contribute to baseline data used to establish a policy for the home health nursing care system and education.

DYZ1 arrays show sequence variation between the monozygotic males

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Monozygotic twins (MZT) are an important resource for genetical studies in the context of normal and diseased genomes. In the present study we used DYZ1, a satellite fraction present in the form of tandem arrays on the long arm of the human Y chromosome, as a tool to uncover sequence variations between the monozygotic males. Results We detected copy number variation, frequent insertions and deletions within the sequences of DYZ1 arrays amongst all the three sets of twins used in the present study. MZT1b showed loss of 35 bp compared to that in 1a, whereas 2a showed loss of 31 bp compared to that in 2b. Similarly, 3b showed 10 bp insertion compared to that in 3a. MZT1a germline DNA showed loss of 5 bp and 1b blood DNA showed loss of 26 bp compared to that of 1a blood and 1b germline DNA, respectively. Of the 69 restriction sites detected in DYZ1 arrays, MboII, BsrI, TspEI and TaqI enzymes showed frequent loss and or gain amongst all the 3 pairs studied. MZT1 pair showed loss/gain of VspI, BsrDI, AgsI, PleI, TspDTI, TspEI, TfiI and TaqI restriction sites in both blood and germline DNA. All the three sets of MZT showed differences in the number of DYZ1 copies. FISH signals reflected somatic mosaicism of the DYZ1 copies across the cells. Conclusions DYZ1 showed both sequence and copy number variation between the MZT males. Sequence variation was also noticed between germline and blood DNA samples of the same individual as we observed at least in one set of sample. The result suggests that DYZ1 faithfully records all the genetical changes occurring after the twining which may be ascribed to the environmental factors. PMID:24495361

21 CFR 201.323 - Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total parenteral nutrition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... used in total parenteral nutrition. 201.323 Section 201.323 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... parenteral nutrition. (a) The aluminum content of large volume parenteral (LVP) drug products used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy must not exceed 25 micrograms per liter (µg/L). (b) The package insert of...

21 CFR 201.323 - Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total parenteral nutrition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... used in total parenteral nutrition. 201.323 Section 201.323 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... parenteral nutrition. (a) The aluminum content of large volume parenteral (LVP) drug products used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy must not exceed 25 micrograms per liter (µg/L). (b) The package insert of...

21 CFR 201.323 - Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total parenteral nutrition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... used in total parenteral nutrition. 201.323 Section 201.323 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... parenteral nutrition. (a) The aluminum content of large volume parenteral (LVP) drug products used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy must not exceed 25 micrograms per liter (µg/L). (b) The package insert of...

21 CFR 201.323 - Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total parenteral nutrition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... used in total parenteral nutrition. 201.323 Section 201.323 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... parenteral nutrition. (a) The aluminum content of large volume parenteral (LVP) drug products used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy must not exceed 25 micrograms per liter (µg/L). (b) The package insert of...

21 CFR 201.323 - Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total parenteral nutrition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... used in total parenteral nutrition. 201.323 Section 201.323 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... parenteral nutrition. (a) The aluminum content of large volume parenteral (LVP) drug products used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy must not exceed 25 micrograms per liter (µg/L). (b) The package insert of...

48 CFR 52.219-6 - Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Clauses 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 19.508(c), insert the following clause: Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (JUN 2003) (a) Definition. Small business concern... qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) General. (1) Offers are...

48 CFR 52.219-6 - Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Clauses 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 19.508(c), insert the following clause: Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (JUN 2003) (a) Definition. Small business concern... qualified as a small business under the size standards in this solicitation. (b) General. (1) Offers are...

Acid Evolution of Escherichia coli K-12 Eliminates Amino Acid Decarboxylases and Reregulates Catabolism.

PubMed

He, Amanda; Penix, Stephanie R; Basting, Preston J; Griffith, Jessie M; Creamer, Kaitlin E; Camperchioli, Dominic; Clark, Michelle W; Gonzales, Alexandra S; Chávez Erazo, Jorge Sebastian; George, Nadja S; Bhagwat, Arvind A; Slonczewski, Joan L

2017-06-15

Acid-adapted strains of Escherichia coli K-12 W3110 were obtained by serial culture in medium buffered at pH 4.6 (M. M. Harden, A. He, K. Creamer, M. W. Clark, I. Hamdallah, K. A. Martinez, R. L. Kresslein, S. P. Bush, and J. L. Slonczewski, Appl Environ Microbiol 81:1932-1941, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03494-14). Revised genomic analysis of these strains revealed insertion sequence (IS)-driven insertions and deletions that knocked out regulators CadC (acid induction of lysine decarboxylase), GadX (acid induction of glutamate decarboxylase), and FNR (anaerobic regulator). Each acid-evolved strain showed loss of one or more amino acid decarboxylase systems, which normally help neutralize external acid (pH 5 to 6) and increase survival in extreme acid (pH 2). Strains from populations B11, H9, and F11 had an IS 5 insertion or IS-mediated deletion in cadC , while population B11 had a point mutation affecting the arginine activator adiY The cadC and adiY mutants failed to neutralize acid in the presence of exogenous lysine or arginine. In strain B11-1, reversion of an rpoC (RNA polymerase) mutation partly restored arginine-dependent neutralization. All eight strains showed deletion or downregulation of the Gad acid fitness island. Strains with the Gad deletion lost the ability to produce GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and failed to survive extreme acid. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) of strain B11-1 showed upregulated genes for catabolism of diverse substrates but downregulated acid stress genes (the biofilm regulator ariR , yhiM , and Gad). Other strains showed downregulation of H 2 consumption mediated by hydrogenases ( hya and hyb ) which release acid. Strains F9-2 and F9-3 had a deletion of fnr and showed downregulation of FNR-dependent genes ( dmsABC , frdABCD , hybABO , nikABCDE , and nrfAC ). Overall, strains that had evolved in buffered acid showed loss or downregulation of systems that neutralize unbuffered acid and showed altered regulation of catabolism. IMPORTANCE Experimental evolution of an enteric bacterium under a narrow buffered range of acid pH leads to loss of genes that enhance fitness above or below the buffered pH range, including loss of enzymes that may raise external pH in the absence of buffer. Prominent modes of evolutionary change involve IS-mediated insertions and deletions that knock out key regulators. Over generations of acid stress, catabolism undergoes reregulation in ways that differ for each evolving strain. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Urethral catheter insertion forces: a comparison of experience and training.

PubMed

Canales, Benjamin K; Weiland, Derek; Reardon, Scott; Monga, Manoj

2009-01-01

This study was undertaken to evaluate the insertion forces utilized during simulated placement of a urethral catheter by healthcare individuals with a variety of catheter experience. A 21F urethral catheter was mounted to a metal spring. Participants were asked to press the tubing spring against a force gauge and stop when they met a level of resistance that would typically make them terminate a catheter placement. Simulated catheter insertion was repeated fives times, and peak compression forces were recorded. Healthcare professionals were divided into six groups according to their title: urology staff, non-urology staff, urology resident/ fellow, non-urology resident/ fellow, medical student, and registered nurse. A total of fifty-seven healthcare professionals participated in the study. Urology staff (n = 6) had the lowest average insertion force for any group at 6.8 +/- 2.0 Newtons (N). Medical students (n = 10) had the least amount of experience (1 +/- 0 years) and the highest average insertion force range of 10.1 +/- 3.7 N. Health care workers with greater than 25 years experience used significantly less force during catheter insertions (4.9 +/- 1.8 N) compared to all groups (p < 0.01). We propose the maximum force that should be utilized during urethral catheter insertion is 5 Newtons. This force deserves validation in a larger population and should be considered when designing urethral catheters or creating catheter simulators. Understanding urethral catheter insertion forces may also aid in establishing competency parameters for health care professionals in training.

Femilis® 60 Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System—A Review of 10 Years of Clinical Experience

PubMed Central

Wildemeersch, Dirk; Andrade, Amaury; Goldstuck, Norman

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to update the clinical experience with the Femilis® 60 levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), now up to 10 years in parous and nulliparous women, particularly with regard to ease and safety of insertion, contraceptive performance, retention, acceptability, continuation of use, impact on menstrual blood loss (MBL), and duration of action. STUDY DESIGN Using the Femilis® 60 LNG-IUS releasing 20 µg of levonorgestrel/day, the following studies were conducted: an open, prospective noncomparative contraceptive study, an MBL study, a perimenopausal study, a study for the treatment of endometrial hyperplasia, and early cancer of the uterus, a residue study. RESULTS A total of 599 Femilis LNG-IUS were inserted in various clinical trials, the majority for contraceptive purposes. The total exposure in the first and second contraceptive studies, covering 558 parous and nulliparous women, was 32,717 woman-months. Femilis has high contraceptive effectiveness as only one pregnancy occurred. Expulsion of the LNG-IUS was rare with only two total and no partial expulsions (stem protruding through the cervical canal) occurred. Femilis was well tolerated, with continuation rates remaining high. Several MBL studies were conducted, totaling 80 heavy and normal menstrual bleeders, using the pictorial bleeding assessment chart method or the quantitative alkaline hematin technique. Virtually all women responded well with strongly reduced menstrual bleeding. Amenorrhea rates were high, up to 80% after three months, and ferritin levels simultaneously increased significantly. The Femilis LNG-IUS was tested in 104 symptomatic perimenopausal women for seamless transition to and through menopause, adding estrogen therapy when required. Patient tolerability appeared high as >80% requested a second and a third LNG-IUS. Twenty women presenting with nonatypical and atypical hyperplasia and one woman presenting with early endometrial carcinoma were treated with Femilis LNG-IUS. All histology specimens showed full regression, and patients remained in remission without signs of hyperplasia or cancer at yearly and ongoing follow-up examinations up to 10 years. Residual content of LNG was measured in 37 women having the Femilis LNG-IUS for up to 10 years. In 10 of the 102 women who had the Femilis 60 in situ for 10 years between 20% and 30% of the original 60 mg was recovered confirming the long duration of action of the Femilis 60 LNG-IUS. CONCLUSION These studies suggest that the Femilis 60 LNG-IUS releasing 20 µg of LNG/day is an effective, well-tolerated, and well-retained contraceptive both in parous and in nulliparous women. The design of the LNG-IUS, with flexible transverse arm(s) length of 28 mm, allows for a simplification of the insertion technique and training requirements facilitating the use by nonspecialist providers in either developed or developing countries. For nulliparous women, additional evaluation of devices with a 24 mm transverse arm(s), as it relates to tolerability, retention, and continuation of use, still needs to be undertaken. PMID:27547046

Lensless, ultra-wideband fiber optic rotary joint for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Kim, Wihan; Chen, Xi; Jo, Javier A; Applegate, Brian E

2016-05-01

The demands of optical fiber-based biomedical applications can, in many cases, outstrip the capabilities of lens-based commercially available fiber optic rotary joints. In some circumstances, it is necessary to use very broad spectral bandwidths (near UV to short-wave IR) and specialized optical fibers, such as double-clad fiber, and have the capacity to accommodate high rotational velocities. The broad spectrum, stretching down into the UV, presents two problems: (1) adequate chromatic correction in the lenses across the entire bandwidth and (2) strong UV absorption by the fluids used to lubricate the rotary joint. To accommodate these types of applications, we have developed an ultra-wideband lensless fiber optic rotary joint based on the principle that when two optical fibers are coaligned and placed in contact (or very close), the optical losses at the junction are very low. The advances demonstrated here enable excellent performance (<0.2  dB insertion loss), even down into the UV and spanning a wavelength range of at least 355-1360 nm with single-mode, multimode, and double-clad fibers. We also demonstrate excellent performance, ∼0.38  dB insertion loss, at rotational velocities up to 8800 rpm (146 Hz). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of this type of rotary joint capable of such a wide bandwidth and high rotational velocities.

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in Pediatric Oncology Patients: A 15-Year Population-based Review From Maritimes, Canada.

PubMed

Borretta, Lisa; MacDonald, Tamara; Digout, Carol; Smith, Nadine; Fernandez, Conrad V; Kulkarni, Ketan

2018-01-01

The present population-based study evaluates the management and complications of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) in all pediatric oncology patients diagnosed in Maritimes, Canada from 2000 to 2014. A total of 107 PICCs were placed in 87 (10.1%) pediatric oncology patients. A high percentage (33% and 44%, respectively) of the first and second PICC lines was associated with complications. Thrombosis, occlusion, and infection were the most frequent complications. Age above 10 years and left body side of insertion were significantly associated with PICC complications. Given the frequent use of PICCs and the high incidence (>33%) of complications, there is a need to mitigate PICC line complications.

Percutaneous Treatment of an Infected Aneurysmal Sac Secondary to Aortoesophageal Fistula with a History of Stent-Graft Treatment for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Numan, Furuzan, E-mail: drfgulsen@yahoo.com; Gulsen, Fatih; Cantasdemir, Murat

2012-06-15

A 68-year-old man who was subjected to stent-grafting of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) 4 months previously was admitted to our hospital with constitutional symptoms, including high fever, sweating, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and backache. An infected aneurysmal sac was suspected based on computed tomography (CT) findings, and an aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) was identified during esophagoscopy. CT-guided aspiration was performed using a 20-G Chiba needle, confirming the presence of infection. For treatment of the infected aneurysmal sac, CT-guided percutaneous catheter drainage in a prone position was performed under general anesthesia with left endobronchial intubation. Drainage catheter insertion was successfullymore » performed using the Seldinger technique, which is not a standard treatment of an infected aneurysmal sac. Improvement in the patient's clinical condition was observed at follow-ups, and CT showed total regression of the collection in the aneurysmal sac.« less

Transgenic watermelon rootstock resistant to CGMMV (cucumber green mottle mosaic virus) infection.

PubMed

Park, Sang Mi; Lee, Jung Suk; Jegal, Sung; Jeon, Bo Young; Jung, Min; Park, Yoon Sik; Han, Sang Lyul; Shin, Yoon Sup; Her, Nam Han; Lee, Jang Ha; Lee, Mi Yeon; Ryu, Ki Hyun; Yang, Seung Gyun; Harn, Chee Hark

2005-08-01

In watermelon, grafting of seedlings to rootstocks is necessary because watermelon roots are less viable than the rootstock. Moreover, commercially important watermelon varieties require disease-resistant rootstocks to reduce total watermelon yield losses due to infection with viruses such as cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV). Therefore, we undertook to develop a CGMMV-resistant watermelon rootstock using a cDNA encoding the CGMMV coat protein gene (CGMMV-CP), and successfully transformed a watermelon rootstock named 'gongdae'. The transformation rate was as low as 0.1-0.3%, depending on the transformation method used (ordinary co-culture vs injection, respectively). However, watermelon transformation was reproducibly and reliably achieved using these two methods. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the CGMMV-CP gene was inserted into different locations in the genome either singly or multiple copies. Resistance testing against CGMMV showed that 10 plants among 140 T1 plants were resistant to CGMMV infection. This is the first report of the development by genetic engineering of watermelons resistant to CGMMV infection.

Role of plnB gene in the regulation of bacteriocin production in Lactobacillus paraplantarum L-XM1.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiangmei; Shang, Nan; Zhang, Xu; Gui, Meng; Li, Pinglan

2013-06-12

Homologues of plnB gene have been shown to participate in regulation of bacteriocin production through quorum sensing system in other organisms, to investigate the possible role of plnB gene in Lactobacillus paraplantarum L-XM1, we cloned and insertionally inactivated the plnB gene. The plnB knockout mutant ΔplnB21 showed loss of bacteriocin production, its Bac⁺ phenotype could not be restored even after the addition of PlnA. Furthermore, reverse transcription-PCR analysis from total RNA preparations showed that the bacteriocin structural genes of the plnEF and plnJK were not transcribed in the plnB knockout mutant compared with the wild-type strain. It was therefore concluded that plnB is invovled in a quorum sensing based bacteriocin production. This is the first demonstration of a role for plnB by gene knockout in L. paraplantarum. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Etched beam splitters in InP/InGaAsP.

PubMed

Norberg, Erik J; Parker, John S; Nicholes, Steven C; Kim, Byungchae; Krishnamachari, Uppiliappan; Coldren, Larry A

2011-01-17

An etched beam splitter (EBS) photonic coupler based on frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) is designed, fabricated and characterized in the InP/InGaAsP material system. The EBS offers an ultra compact footprint (8x11 μm) and a complete range of bar/cross coupling ratio designs. A novel pre-etching process is developed to achieve sufficient depth of the etched coupling gaps. Fabricated EBS couplers demonstrate insertion loss between 1 and 2.6 dB with transmission (cross-coupling) ≤ 10%. The results show excellent agreement with 3D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling. The coupling of EBS has weak wavelength dependence in the C-band, making it suitable for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or other wide bandwidth applications. Finally, the EBS is integrated with active semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and phase-modulator components; using a flattened ring resonator structure, a channelizing filter tunable in both amplitude and center frequency is demonstrated, as well as an EBS coupled ring laser.

30GHz Ge electro-absorption modulator integrated with 3 μm silicon-on-insulator waveguide.

PubMed

Feng, Ning-Ning; Feng, Dazeng; Liao, Shirong; Wang, Xin; Dong, Po; Liang, Hong; Kung, Cheng-Chih; Qian, Wei; Fong, Joan; Shafiiha, Roshanak; Luo, Ying; Cunningham, Jack; Krishnamoorthy, Ashok V; Asghari, Mehdi

2011-04-11

We demonstrate a compact waveguide-based high-speed Ge electro-absorption (EA) modulator integrated with a single mode 3 µm silicon-on-isolator (SOI) waveguide. The Ge EA modulator is based on a horizontally-oriented p-i-n structure butt-coupled with a deep-etched silicon waveguide, which transitions adiabatically to a shallow-etched single mode large core SOI waveguide. The demonstrated device has a compact active region of 1.0 × 45 µm(2), a total insertion loss of 2.5-5 dB and an extinction ratio of 4-7.5 dB over a wavelength range of 1610-1640 nm with -4V(pp) bias. The estimated Δα/α value is in the range of 2-3.3. The 3 dB bandwidth measurements show that the device is capable of operating at more than 30 GHz. Clear eye-diagram openings at 12.5 Gbps demonstrates large signal modulation at high transmission rate. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Construction and functional analysis of Trichoderma harzianum mutants that modulate maize resistance to the pathogen Curvularia lunata.

PubMed

Fan, Lili; Fu, Kehe; Yu, Chuanjin; Ma, Jia; Li, Yaqian; Chen, Jie

2014-01-01

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was used to generate an insertional mutant library of the mycelial fungus Trichoderma harzianum. From a total of 450 mutants, six mutants that showed significant influence on maize resistance to C. lunata were analyzed in detail. Maize coated with these mutants was more susceptible to C. lunata compared with those coated with a wild-type (WT) strain. Similar to other fungal ATMT libraries, all six mutants were single copy integrations, which occurred preferentially in noncoding regions (except two mutants) and were frequently accompanied by the loss of border sequences. Two mutants (T66 and T312) that were linked to resistance were characterized further. Maize seeds coated with T66 and T312 were more susceptible to C. lunata than those treated with WT. Moreover, the mutants affected the resistance of maize to C. lunata by enhancing jasmonate-responsive gene expression. T66 and T312 induced maize resistance to C. lunata infection through a jasmonic acid-dependent pathway.

All-optical gain-clamped wideband serial EDFA with ring-shaped laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yung-Hsin; Chi, Sien

2004-01-01

We experimentally investigate the static and dynamic properties of all-optical gain-clamped wideband (1530-1600 nm) serial erbium-doped fiber amplifier with a single ring-shaped laser, which consists of a circulator and a fiber Bragg grating at the output end. The lasing light passing through the second stage is intentionally blocked at the output end by a C/L-band wavelength division multiplexer owning the huge insertion loss, and thus, the copropagating ring-laser light is formed by the first stage. This design can simultaneously clamp the gains of 1547 and 1584 nm probes near 14 dB and shows the same dynamic range of input power up to -4 dBm for conventional band and long-wavelength band. Furthermore, the transient responses of 1551 and 1596 nm surviving channels exhibit small power excursions (<0.54 dB) as the total saturating tone with -2 dBm is modulated on and off at 270 Hz.

Use of peripherally inserted central catheters as an alternative to central catheters in neurocritical care units.

PubMed

DeLemos, Christi; Abi-Nader, Judy; Akins, Paul T

2011-04-01

Patients in neurological critical care units often have lengthy stays that require extended vascular access and invasive hemodynamic monitoring. The traditional approach for these patients has relied heavily on central venous and pulmonary artery catheters. The aim of this study was to evaluate peripherally inserted central catheters as an alternative to central venous catheters in neurocritical care settings. Data on 35 patients who had peripherally inserted central catheters rather than central venous or pulmonary artery catheters for intravascular access and monitoring were collected from a prospective registry of neurological critical care admissions. These data were cross-referenced with information from hospital-based data registries for peripherally inserted central catheters and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Complete data were available on 33 patients with Hunt-Hess grade IV-V aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Catheters remained in place a total of 649 days (mean, 19 days; range, 4-64 days). One patient (3%) had deep vein thrombosis in an upper extremity. In 2 patients, central venous pressure measured with a peripherally inserted catheter was higher than pressure measured concurrently with a central venous catheter. None of the 33 patients had a central catheter bloodstream infection or persistent insertion-related complications. CONCLUSIONS Use of peripherally inserted central catheters rather than central venous catheters or pulmonary artery catheters in the neurocritical care unit reduced procedural and infection risk without compromising patient management.

A Theoretical Model for Thin Film Ferroelectric Coupled Microstripline Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, R. R.; Quereshi, A. H.

2000-01-01

Novel microwave phase shifters consisting of coupled microstriplines on thin ferroelectric films have been demonstrated recently. A theoretical model useful for predicting the propagation characteristics (insertion phase shift, dielectric loss, impedance, and bandwidth) is presented here. The model is based on a variational solution for line capacitance and coupled strip transmission line theory.

Noncontact Measurement Of Critical Current In Superconductor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israelsson, Ulf E.; Strayer, Donald M.

1992-01-01

Critical current measured indirectly via flux-compression technique. Magnetic flux compressed into gap between superconductive hollow cylinder and superconductive rod when rod inserted in hole in cylinder. Hall-effect probe measures flux density before and after compression. Method does not involve any electrical contact with superconductor. Therefore, does not cause resistive heating and consequent premature loss of superconductivity.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis PPE Protein MAP1152 and Conserved Protein MAP1156 are Antigenic in Experimentally and Naturally Infected Cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne’s Disease (JD) in ruminants resulting in significant production losses. An insertion mutation upstream from the MAP1152-MAP1156 region causes a change in colony morphotype and results in an attenuated phenotype in bovine monocyte derive...

Optical Filter Assembly for Interplanetary Optical Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yijiang; Hemmati, Hamid

2013-01-01

Ground-based, narrow-band, high throughput optical filters are required for optical links from deep space. We report on the development of a tunable filter assembly that operates at telecommunication window of 1550 nanometers. Low insertion loss of 0.5 decibels and bandwidth of 90 picometers over a 2000 nanometers operational range of detectors has been achieved.

Multimode optical fibers: steady state mode exciter.

PubMed

Ikeda, M; Sugimura, A; Ikegami, T

1976-09-01

The steady state mode power distribution of the multimode graded index fiber was measured. A simple and effective steady state mode exciter was fabricated by an etching technique. Its insertion loss was 0.5 dB for an injection laser. Deviation in transmission characteristics of multimode graded index fibers can be avoided by using the steady state mode exciter.

Fiber optic level sensor for cryogens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, M.

1981-01-01

Sensor is useful in cryogenic environments where liquids of very low index of refraction are encountered. It is "yes/no" indication of whether liquid is in contact with sensor. Sharp bends in fiber alter distribution of light among propagation modes. This amplifies change in light output observed when sensor contacts liquid, without requiring long fiber that would increse insertion loss.

48 CFR 1252.228-71 - Fair market value of aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fair market value of....228-71 Fair market value of aircraft. As prescribed in (TAR) 48 CFR 1228.306-70(a) and (c), insert the following clause: Fair Market Value of Aircraft (OCT 1994) For purposes of the clause entitled “Loss of or...

Mucosal Perfusion Preservation by a Novel Shapeable Tissue Expander for Oral Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Barwinska, Daria; Garner, John; Davidson, Darrell D.; Cook, Todd G.; Eckert, George J.; Tholpady, Sunil S.; March, Keith L.; Park, Kinam

2017-01-01

Background: There are few methods for expanding oral mucosa, and these often cause complications such as tissue necrosis and expander eruption. This study examines mucosal blood perfusion following insertion of a novel shapeable hydrogel tissue expander (HTE). The canine model used subgingival insertion of HTE following tooth extraction and alveolar bone reduction. The primary goal of this study was to gain understanding of epithelial perfusion and reparative responses of gingival mucosa during HTE expansion. Methods: Nine Beagle dogs underwent bilateral premolar maxillary and mandibular tooth extraction. Three to four months later, HTE-contoured inserts were implanted submucosally under the buccal surface of the alveolar ridge. After removal and following a 6- to 7-month period of healing, new HTE implants were inserted at the same sites. The area was assessed weekly for tissue perfusion and volume of expansion. Biopsies for histological analysis were performed at the time of expander removal. Results: Within 2 weeks following the second insertion, blood flow returned to baseline (defined as the values of perfusion measurements at the presurgery assessment) and remained normal until hydrogel full expansion and removal. Volume expansion analysis revealed that the hydrogel doubled in volume. Histological assessment showed no macrophage or inflammatory infiltration of the mucosa. No superficial fibrosis, decreased vascularity, or mucosal change was seen. Conclusion: Maintenance of adequate tissue perfusion is a clinically important aspect of tissue expander performance to reduce risk of device loss or injury to the patient, particularly for areas with a history of previous surgeries. PMID:28894668

De novo insertion of an intron into the mammalian sex determining gene, SRY

PubMed Central

O’Neill, Rachel J. Waugh; Brennan, Francine E.; Delbridge, Margaret L.; Crozier, Ross H.; Graves, Jennifer A. Marshall

1998-01-01

Two theories have been proposed to explain the evolution of introns within eukaryotic genes. The introns early theory, or “exon theory of genes,” proposes that introns are ancient and that recombination within introns provided new exon structure, and thus new genes. The introns late theory, or “insertional theory of introns,” proposes that ancient genes existed as uninterrupted exons and that introns have been introduced during the course of evolution. There is still controversy as to how intron–exon structure evolved and whether the majority of introns are ancient or novel. Although there is extensive evidence in support of the introns early theory, phylogenetic comparisons of several genes indicate recent gain and loss of introns within these genes. However, no example has been shown of a protein coding gene, intronless in its ancestral form, which has acquired an intron in a derived form. The mammalian sex determining gene, SRY, is intronless in all mammals studied to date, as is the gene from which it recently evolved. However, we report here comparisons of genomic and cDNA sequences that now provide evidence of a de novo insertion of an intron into the SRY gene of dasyurid marsupials. This recently (approximately 45 million years ago) inserted sequence is not homologous with known transposable elements. Our data demonstrate that introns may be inserted as spliced units within a developmentally crucial gene without disrupting its function. PMID:9465071

Exposure of the Distal Humerus Using a Triceps Hemi-peel Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-14

kin and Deshmukh .17 A posterior midline incision is made over the elbow, and the skin and subcutaneous tissue are reflected medially and laterally...approach, as described by Deakin and Deshmukh ,17 reflects the triceps insertion in a lateral to medial direction and releas- es the anconeus insertion to...semiconstrained total elbow arthro- plasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2000; 82:1379- 1386. 17. Deakin DE, Deshmukh SC. The triceps-flex- or carpi ulnaris (TRIFCU

A rapid and cost-effective method for sequencing pooled cDNA clones by using a combination of transposon insertion and Gateway technology.

PubMed

Morozumi, Takeya; Toki, Daisuke; Eguchi-Ogawa, Tomoko; Uenishi, Hirohide

2011-09-01

Large-scale cDNA-sequencing projects require an efficient strategy for mass sequencing. Here we describe a method for sequencing pooled cDNA clones using a combination of transposon insertion and Gateway technology. Our method reduces the number of shotgun clones that are unsuitable for reconstruction of cDNA sequences, and has the advantage of reducing the total costs of the sequencing project.

Interkinase domain of kit contains the binding site for phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase.

PubMed Central

Lev, S; Givol, D; Yarden, Y

1992-01-01

Our previous analysis of the signal transduction pathway used by the c-kit-encoded receptor for the stem cell factor (SCF) indicated efficient coupling to the type I phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase (PI3K). In an attempt to localize the receptor's site of interaction with PI3K, we separately deleted either the noncatalytic 68-amino-acid-long interkinase domain or the carboxyl-terminal portion distal to the catalytic sequences. Loss of ligand-induced association of PI3K with the former deletion mutant and retention of the PI3K association by the carboxyl-terminally deleted receptor implied interactions of PI3K with the kinase insert. This was further supported by partial inhibition of the association by an anti-peptide antibody directed against the kinase insert and lack of effect of an antibody directed to the carboxyl tail of the SCF receptor. A bacterially expressed kinase insert domain was used as a fusion protein to directly test its presumed function as a PI3K association site. This protein bound PI3K from cell lysate as demonstrated by PI3K activity and by an associated phosphoprotein of 85 kDa. The association was dependent on phosphorylation of the tyrosine residues on the expressed kinase insert. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that the kinase insert domain of the SCF receptor selectively interacts with the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K and that this association requires phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in the kinase insert region, with apparently no involvement of the bulk cytoplasmic structure or tyrosine kinase function of the receptor. Images PMID:1370584

Amino Acid Insertion Frequencies Arising from Photoproducts Generated Using Aliphatic Diazirines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziemianowicz, Daniel S.; Bomgarden, Ryan; Etienne, Chris; Schriemer, David C.

2017-10-01

Mapping proteins with chemical reagents and mass spectrometry can generate a measure of accessible surface area, which in turn can be used to support the modeling and refinement of protein structures. Photolytically generated carbenes are a promising class of reagent for this purpose. Substituent effects appear to influence surface mapping properties, allowing for a useful measure of design control. However, to use carbene labeling data in a quantitative manner for modeling activities, we require a better understanding of their inherent amino acid reactivity, so that incorporation data can be normalized. The current study presents an analysis of the amino acid insertion frequency of aliphatic carbenes generated by the photolysis of three different diazirines: 3,3'-azibutyl-1-ammonium, 3,3'-azibutan-1-ol, and 4,4'-azipentan-1-oate. Leveraging an improved photolysis system for single-shot labeling of sub-microliter frozen samples, we used EThCD to localize insertion products in a large population of labeled peptides. Counting statistics were drawn from data-dependent LC-MS2 experiments and used to estimate the frequencies of insertion as a function of amino acid. We observed labeling of all 20 amino acids over a remarkably narrow range of insertion frequencies. However, the nature of the substituent could influence relative insertion frequencies, within a general preference for larger polar amino acids. We confirm a large (6-fold) increase in labeling yield when carbenes were photogenerated in the solid phase (77 K) relative to the liquid phase (293 K), and we suggest that carbene labeling should always be conducted in the frozen state to avoid information loss in surface mapping experiments. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Biased random key genetic algorithm with insertion and gender selection for capacitated vehicle routing problem with time windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochman, Auliya Noor; Prasetyo, Hari; Nugroho, Munajat Tri

2017-06-01

Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) often occurs when the manufacturers need to distribute their product to some customers/outlets. The distribution process is typically restricted by the capacity of the vehicle and the working hours at the distributor. This type of VRP is also known as Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (CVRPTW). A Biased Random Key Genetic Algorithm (BRKGA) was designed and coded in MATLAB to solve the CVRPTW case of soft drink distribution. The standard BRKGA was then modified by applying chromosome insertion into the initial population and defining chromosome gender for parent undergoing crossover operation. The performance of the established algorithms was then compared to a heuristic procedure for solving a soft drink distribution. Some findings are revealed (1) the total distribution cost of BRKGA with insertion (BRKGA-I) results in a cost saving of 39% compared to the total cost of heuristic method, (2) BRKGA with the gender selection (BRKGA-GS) could further improve the performance of the heuristic method. However, the BRKGA-GS tends to yield worse results compared to that obtained from the standard BRKGA.