Manual Application Research Articles

Algorithm Directed Troop Medical Care Manual Application for Desktop and Smartphone.

The U.S. Army medics are often the first responders in the care of sick and injured soldiers on the battlefield, sick call in a Role 2 aid station and garrison clinics. Sick call medics are required to utilize the Algorithm Directed Troop Medical Care (ADTMC) to care for and then render a disposition for these soldiers. The current ADTMC manual is a thick, heavy paper manual. A desktop and smartphone application has been developed that contains the entire ADTMC manual algorithm-based content. Our goal is to enhance the medics' clinical learning and critical thinking skills while improving their evaluation, disposition, and documentation during patient encounters. The application was field-tested with the 173rd IBCT (A) while attending a field exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany. At the unit's Role 2 tent setup, the use of the paper manual to the utilization of the same material via the ADTMC application was compared by observing the medics' workflows directly while they were caring for ill and injured soldiers. Medics, while examining patients, would demonstrate 50% faster exam time using the application compared to medics using only the manual. Moreover, a 50% decrease in document processing time as a result of digitization of the paper documentation process was confirmed. The application ("app") enabled the medics to continue their screening assessments and patient disposition duties on a desktop computer or a smartphone without the need to refer to the paper manual. Medics, by adopting this tool, will become quicker, more efficient, and develop critical thinking skills. In other words, the ability to objectively evaluate patients in order to form a proper disposition of sick and injured soldiers during training, in the field, as well as in garrison. When utilized properly, the ADTMC application ensures that soldiers reporting to sick call are expeditiously routed to the appropriate level of care, and is a vehicle for further training for medics in the care of soldiers.

Exploring the Applicability of Robot-Assisted UV Disinfection in Radiology.

The importance of infection control procedures in hospital radiology departments has become increasingly apparent in recent months as the impact of COVID-19 has spread across the world. Existing disinfectant procedures that rely on the manual application of chemical-based disinfectants are time consuming, resource intensive and prone to high degrees of human error. Alternative non-touch disinfection methods, such as Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI), have the potential to overcome many of the limitations of existing approaches while significantly improving workflow and equipment utilization. The aim of this research was to investigate the germicidal effectiveness and the practical feasibility of using a robotic UVGI device for disinfecting surfaces in a radiology setting. We present the design of a robotic UVGI platform that can be deployed alongside human workers and can operate autonomously within cramped rooms, thereby addressing two important requirements necessary for integrating the technology within radiology settings. In one hospital, we conducted experiments in a CT and X-ray room. In a second hospital, we investigated the germicidal performance of the robot when deployed to disinfect a CT room in <15 minutes, a period which is estimated to be 2–4 times faster than current practice for disinfecting rooms after infectious (or potentially infectious) patients. Findings from both test sites show that UVGI successfully inactivated all of measurable microbial load on 22 out of 24 surfaces. On the remaining two surfaces, UVGI reduced the microbial load by 84 and 95%, respectively. The study also exposes some of the challenges of manually disinfecting radiology suites, revealing high concentrations of microbial load in hard-to-reach places. Our findings provide compelling evidence that UVGI can effectively inactivate microbes on commonly touched surfaces in radiology suites, even if they were only exposed to relatively short bursts of irradiation. Despite the short irradiation period, we demonstrated the ability to inactivate microbes with more complex cell structures and requiring higher UV inactivation energies than SARS-CoV-2, thus indicating high likelihood of effectiveness against coronavirus.

Preliminary Study on Pesticide Application in Paddy Field using Drone Sprayer

The usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones in agriculture is still new in Malaysia. There are very few studies to determine the effectiveness of spraying chemicals using a drone that can suit the weather and environmental factors in Malaysia. This paper aims to investigate the efficacy of the pesticide application using a drone sprayer in a paddy field. The plot is 0.5 hectares located at MARDI Seberang Perai. The study was done from June until November 2019. The pesticide application was carried out 4 times which was 32 days after sowing (DAS), 46 DAS, 70 DAS, and 102 DAS. There were two types of chemicals used in this experiment, which were used to control the pesticide and the disease. The study involves two methods of chemical application, which were drone and knapsack applications. The number of pesticides and percentages of disease attacks was taken within 1 week before and after spraying. From the results, the application of the drone on pesticides spraying was not any different with manual application with the current normal practices nowadays. Rice farmers have the option to choose what application to use in their field to control insect pests. In this, they have to consider the cost, availability, field and hazardous conditions. However, to get a better result, this experiment should be repeated during suitable seasons.

Chemical and mechanical bases of coating application in vibration technological systems

The article presents the study of vibrational chemico-mechanical coatings. The energy model of coating formation in vibration technological systems is proposed. The classification is developed depending on the energy capacity of the system (the nature and intensity of the processes occurring between the base and the coating). The advantages of vibrational chemical-mechanical coatings over traditional coating and the scope of their practical application are shown. Comparative trials of vibrational chemico-mechanical coatings (Vamp) formed using this vibratory equipment and coatings obtained by conventional methods (electroplating, manual application have demonstrated a number of undeniable advantages and quality indicators of vibrational chemico-mechanical coatings.

PsiNorm: A fast, efficient and free open-source software for interpreting, reporting and archiving neuropsychological test results.

In many clinics, calculation and interpretation of neuropsychological test results, along with reporting, data organization and archiving of the data are done manually. In this era where most of the similar processes are automated, manual application may result in excessive time consumption, unnecessary use of qualified work-force, and is also open to error. A software that automates these processes for neuropsychological tests used for dementia assessment may overcome these issues. We aimed to develop a free, open source software not requiring specialized training, which would optimise the calculation, preparation of personal reports and archiving processes of neuropsychological tests, hence would easily be incorporated in to the daily work of psychologists. We've used Python 3.6 as the programming language, and JSON was used as the data interchange format to allow for personal alterations in the content. The tests were selected among those which are in common use for neuropsychological evaluation of adults in Turkey, with available norm values. (Funding: TUBITAK 214S048). PsiNorm was developed, comprising widely used standardized tests for cognitive evaluation of adults in Turkey. The software is lightweight, compatible with most common operating systems, and easy-to-use. We've shown that Psinorm significantly reduced the time required for calculation of percentiles and norms as well as for producing a draft report. The reports are prepared in .txt format and the databases are prepared in MS Excel ve CSV formats. PsiNorm is available freely at psinorm.org. PsiNorm is a free, open-source software which is available for researchers and clinicians who perform neuropsychological tests. PsiNorm provides significant time and labor-force benefits, is easy-touse and can be customized by the user.

The Impact of DSM-5 on the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

The study investigated whether the application of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , fifth edition ( DSM-5 ) diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder results in different diagnostic outcomes compared with the DSM , fourth edition, text revision ( DSM-IV-TR ) in a cohort of Italian children with autism. To do so, both DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were applied to children believed to have autism. In comparison with the DSM-IV-TR criteria, DSM-5 criteria resulted in a lower proportion of children being diagnosed with autism. This difference in diagnostic outcome has implications about the access of children with autism to health care services as well as for their families being able to receive adequate support. We suggest that some DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of autism should be revisited. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2020;51(1):38–46.]

Confirming Proper Button Deployment of Suspensory Fixation During ACL Reconstruction.

Background:Suspensory fixation of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) grafts has emerged as a popular device for femoral graft fixation. However, improper deployment of the suspensory fixation can compromise proper graft tensioning, leading to failure and revision. Also, soft tissue interposition between the button and bone has been associated with graft migration and pain, occasionally requiring revision surgery. Many surgeons rely on manual testing and application of distal tension to the graft to confirm proper button deployment on the lateral cortex of the femur for ACL graft fixation.Purpose:To determine the reliability of the manual resistance maneuver when applying distal tension to deploy the suspensory device along the lateral cortex of the femur.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:All patients undergoing ACLR with a suture button suspensory device for femoral fixation were eligible for enrollment in the study. The surgeries were performed by 3 board-certified, sports medicine fellowship–trained orthopaedic surgeons at a single outpatient surgical center between May 2018 and June 2019. All grafts were passed in a retrograde manner into the femoral tunnel, and a vigorous manual tensioning maneuver in a distal direction was placed on the graft to deploy and secure along the lateral cortex of the femur. Intraoperative mini c-arm fluoroscopy was obtained to demonstrate proper suture button positioning. If interposing tissue or an improperly flipped button was identified, rectifying steps were undertaken and recorded.Results:A total of 51 patients with a mean age of 33.3 years were included in the study. Of these patients, 74.5% had normal suture button positioning identified via intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging, while 15.7% had interposed soft tissue and 9.8% had an improperly flipped button. In all cases, the surgeon was able to rectify the malpositioning intraoperatively.Conclusion:Despite the manual sensation of proper suspensory button positioning, intraoperative fluoroscopy identified suture button deployment errors in ACLR 25% of the time. Correcting the malpositioning is not technically demanding. These findings advocate for routine intraoperative surveillance to confirm appropriate suture button seating during ACLR.

Index Design and System Analysis of Engineering Education Accreditation Evaluation System

The connotation of professional certification of engineering education is that a professional certification evaluation organization conducts a comprehensive evaluation of engineering professional disciplines set up by educational institutions. The entire evaluation process consists of specialized occupations, industry associations, industry federations, professional societies and education in this field. Experts and enterprise experts in related industries work together to ensure that these engineering professionals have sufficient professional qualities and abilities when entering the real industrial social environment. At present, the whole process of engineering education professional certification in China mainly relies on manual audit applications. In order to realize the interconnection between applicants and evaluators, an engineering education professional certification and evaluation system is needed. Through this platform, the docking between universities and evaluation expert groups can be realized, and the evaluation results can be visualized. This paper is a part of the basic work of the evaluation system. Its main work is: using data analysis and expert method to analyze the general standard of engineering education professional certification; By using data analysis and expert method, this paper analyzes some relevant standards of Engineering Education Accreditation in China; The specific indicators of the engineering education accreditation evaluation system are screened out by using the expert method; According to the whole process of evaluation and certification, combined with the characteristics of other evaluation systems, the index system of evaluation system is designed; Completed the functional and non functional analysis of the evaluation system. These works lay a solid foundation for the design and implementation of the subsequent engineering education accreditation evaluation system.

Transcranial brain atlas-based optimization for functional near-infrared spectroscopy optode arrangement: Theory, algorithm, and application.

The quality of optode arrangement is crucial for group imaging studies when using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Previous studies have demonstrated the promising effectiveness of using transcranial brain atlases (TBAs), in a manual and intuition‐based way, to guide optode arrangement when individual structural MRI data are unavailable. However, the theoretical basis of using TBA to optimize optode arrangement remains unclear, which leads to manual and subjective application. In this study, we first describe the theoretical basis of TBA‐based optimization of optode arrangement using a mathematical framework. Second, based on the theoretical basis, an algorithm is proposed for automatically arranging optodes on a virtual scalp. The resultant montage is placed onto the head of each participant guided by a low‐cost and portable navigation system. We compared our method with the widely used 10/20‐system‐assisted optode arrangement procedure, using finger‐tapping and working memory tasks as examples of both low‐ and high‐level cognitive systems. Performance, including optode montage designs, locations on each participant's scalp, brain activation, as well as ground truth indices derived from individual MRI data were evaluated. The results give convergent support for our method's ability to provide more accurate, consistent and efficient optode arrangements for fNIRS group imaging than the 10/20 method.

Front and Back Covers, Volume 36, Number 6. December 2020

Front and back cover caption, volume 36 issue 6Front coverTOXIC FLOWSThis image was taken in the control room of Sweden's iconic Ågesta nuclear power station, essentially unchanged since it was last operated in 1974. The power station was commissioned shortly after the end of World War II when Sweden adopted an ambitious nuclear programme aimed at energy self‐sufficiency.A small plant, Ågesta was the first energy‐generating nuclear reactor in Sweden. From 1964 to 1974 the pressurized heavy water reactor supplied electricity and district heating to the Stockholm suburb of Farsta. Due to its proximity to this residential area, the reactor was largely built underground, inside a bedrock cavity.The plant operated reliably except for one dramatic incident that occurred in 1969. A technician made an error in a routine change of a valve, releasing 500 tons of water from a cooling tower 30 metres above the reactor building that knocked out the reactor control system. Short circuits resulted in valves opening and closing at random, putting the plant at risk of a meltdown. The public was not notified after officials determined that evacuation of the area at risk could not take place fast enough. However, after a closure of seven months, the plant continued to operate safely until its closure in 1974.Stockholm's fire services subsequently used the decommissioned plant as a training site. There was some interest in preserving the power station as a national heritage site in recognition of its aesthetic, cultural and historical significance. Some expressed national pride in the facility as an impressive technological achievement of its time. However, in December 2019 the decision was taken to demolish the buildings, which would otherwise have required major investments to meet safety standards.In advanced industrial societies some types of toxic exposures, like radiation, are measured extensively, using a variety of technological devices that feed into the calibration of risk. However, as Penny Harvey points out in this issue, the promise of monitoring toxic flows from the new nuclear station under construction at Hinkley Point does not allay everyone's fears.In this special issue on toxic flows, a variety of toxic substances are shown to escape regulation. Their seepage into the environment through waste recycling, dumping and unplanned incidents distributes and potentially continues to displace contamination far from the sites of their production and use.Back coverTOXIC FLOWS: PESTICIDESDuring her 2019 fieldwork with smallholder farmers in western Kenya, Miriam Waltz observed many instances of the manual application of pesticides through various methods, sometimes involving knapsack sprayers, sometimes handheld sprayers or plastic bottles ‐ as well as various levels of protective equipment.Smallholder farmers increasingly use pesticides to secure their harvests, especially as new pest infestations and changing weather patterns contribute to a sense of precarity around agricultural production as a source of income. Many also share concerns around the potential toxic effects of these substances. Yet, the uncertain status of pesticides as both poison and medicine, combined with divergent temporalities of risk and exposure, meant that decisions around pesticide use at the household level were heavily shaped by economic considerations.While farmers express considerable uncertainty and ambivalence around the application, effects and sourcing of pesticides, they consider these to be increasingly part of modern farming and a legitimate means to secure aspirations for the future as well as shorter‐term livelihoods. In this context, it is important to understand how these farmers are simply ‘trying’: trying out new things, unsure of the outcome, in an effort to secure livelihoods, food and good health.The negotiations that arise at a community and household level around the everyday use of toxic agricultural chemicals point to the complicated act of balancing between different kinds of investments associated with agricultural production and the need to secure livelihoods under conditions of climate change, intensifying pest infestations and the increasing trade in synthetic pesticides.Across the globe, industrially produced chemical compounds such as agricultural pesticides are entering into local livelihoods, economies and forms of consumption, where there is little regulation and where risks remain uncalculated. While international conventions seek to regulate the production and use of harmful chemicals, human populations are unequally exposed as local capacities to monitor and regulate differ enormously between industrialized and developing countries.

The impact of skin massage frequency on the intrafollicular transport of silica nanoparticles: Validation of the ratchet effect on an ex vivo porcine skin model

The human hair follicle (HF) represents a promising drug delivery target as an anatomical entity by itself, but also as a gateway enabling dermal or systemic bioavailability of active cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients. Due to its morphological characteristics, the HF provides a mechanically driven transport process of nanoparticles (NPs) when external forces are applied. This mechanism was presented as the so-called ratchet effect within the framework of an in silico study published recently. To investigate the influence of massage frequency on the penetration depth of NPs, and, by this, to validate the results obtained in silico, we implemented a corresponding application protocol on an ex vivo porcine skin model. In this connection, we compared three different skin massage frequencies (4.2 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz) for the topical application of cyanine 5-labeled silica NPs (Cy5-SNPs). To elucidate the interplay of frequency and particle size, we furthermore applied Cy5-SNPs of three different diameters (300 nm, 676 nm, 1000 nm). Confocal laser scanning microscopy was utilized to investigate the follicular penetration depth of Cy5-SNPs on cryohistological slices. By this, we could demonstrate that the massage frequency and the follicular penetration depth exhibit an inverse relation pattern. Thus, the highest follicular penetration depth was observed within the 4.2 Hz group, while the lowest follicular penetration depth was found within the 100 Hz group for each Cy5-SNP size category. Additionally, we found that 676 nm Cy5-SNPs penetrated significantly deeper into HFs than 300 nm Cy5-SNPs and 1000 nm Cy5-SNPs, respectively. Summarizing, our results show that a low massage frequency including a dominant radial direction component leads to deeper follicular penetration depths of NPs than automated 3D-oscillation massage at 50 Hz or 100 Hz. Thus, our findings are in line with recent in silico results. Regarding translational purposes, our results are of high interest, since a massage executed at 250BPM (4.2 Hz) is within a realizable range for manual application, e.g. for the implementation into clinical routines or the domestic use of drugs or cosmetics. Furthermore, the application of different massage frequencies offers the opportunity of patho-specific targeting as different anatomical parts of the HF can be reached.

Current status of technology-use for plantation re-establishment in South Africa

Plantation re-establishment is a key component of silviculture as it deals with the creation of a suitable environment when planting or seeding a stand. Re-establishment practices include slash management, site preparation, marking and preparation of a planting position, planting, fertilisation and vegetation management. Over the past decade, there has been a shift towards mechanising re-establishment activities primarily due to labour challenges such as: aging rural workforce; increasing labour costs; high labour turnover; problematic health issues leading to lower productivity; inconsistent work quality by manual labour; and poor ergonomic practices. A survey was conducted to assess and gauge the level of mechanisation within these re-establishment practices in South Africa. Responses to an e-mail questionnaire were received from 43 contractors and 11 grower companies from within the different provinces where commercial forestry is practiced in South Africa. The survey, a first of its kind, was designed and administered following the techniques used in conducting the Forest Engineering technical survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed that the total area re-planted by respondent contractors and grower companies was ± 36 923 ha–1 per year. The predominant activities conducted prior to planting comprised: burning (78%); marking a planting position using the baseline method (71%); preparation of a planting position using a road pick (57%) and pre-plant chemical weeding with a knapsack (70%). Furthermore, 45% of planting and 77% of blanking operations were carried out manually with a trowel. Post planting activities such as fertilizing and weeding were carried out through manual spot application of fertiliser (61%) and herbicide application with a knapsack (43%). Overall, the results indicated that typical re-establishment activities are still dominated by manual methods. This study is a baseline for future, periodic surveys that can be conducted to analyse trends and identify areas for improvement in re-establishment activities in South Africa.

Nutraceutical quality of Opuntia ficus-indica developed under micro tunnel conditions, applying vermicompost

The demand for Opuntia spp., cladodes has increased substantially due to their low caloric value, high fiber content, their nutritional and functional characteristics and beneficial effects and phytochemical composition. The aim of this work was to determine the content of biochemical components and the antioxidant capacity of the nopal developed under micro tunnel conditions, with VC as a source of fertilization. The plants were grown under micro tunnel conditions with the manual vermicompost application at 15, 30 and 45 t•ha-1. Between February and May 2019, four samplings of three cladodes (12 to 15 cm) from each treatment were obtained. Samples were stored at -20 °C prior to obtaining ethanol extracts. Total phenolic content and total flavonoids were determined using a modification of Folin-Ciocalteu and Zhishen methods, respectively. The ABTS+ test was performed with methodology proposed by Aubad-López. A split plot design, with two replicates, was used. The big plot corresponded to doses of vermicompost and subplots to the three varieties of nopal. Data were statistically analyzed by a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Statistical significance was obtained at 95 % confidence level (α = 0.05) using SPSS Statistics. The values recorded for the contents of total phenols, total flavonoids and the antioxidant activity, in the Chicomostoc, Chapingo and Narro varieties suggest that cladodes may be a promising source of natural antioxidants.

Complications in places of percutaneous coronary interventions: comparison of manual compression and clip application devices to achieve hemostasis

Vascular closure devices, used for over 20 years as an alternative to manual compression to achieve hemostasis. Although the clinical effi cacy and safety of clip application devices type VCD have been confi rmed in several studies, their use remains controversial due to complications in the access by using these devices. The purpose of this study — comparing the frequency of formation of regional vascular complications , risk factors for these complications, hemostatic time, duration of immobilization, the period of stay in hospital and the patients comfort level after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with the traditional manual hemostasis and using VCD. For a retrospective analysis of medical records were selected 246 adult patients from City Hospital of Moscow n.a. M.P. Konchalovskiy, SMRC in Moscow which was performed PCI. The main group, where hemostasis after endovascular procedures was achieved with the help of clip application device StarClose SE (Abbott Vascular), made up of 128 patients, control group — 118 patients with carrying out manual hemostasis. Evaluation of subjective sensations (pain, numbness, etc.) was carried out using a rating scale. The frequency of complications in the study group was 6.25% in the control group — 6.78%. The comfort level of patients was higher in the study group. The results showed that the use of StarClose device to achieve hemostasis after PCI does not increase the frequency of regional vascular complications compared with manual hemostasis. At the same time, the use of vascular closure devices is an eff ective way to reduce hemostasis time, can reduce the period of immobilization of the patient, which increases patient comfort and reduces the patient’s stay in the hospital.

Teaching the Design and Fabrication of RPD Frameworks With a Digital Workflow: A Preclinical Dental Exercise.

IntroductionThe conventional method for teaching removable partial denture (RPD) design using a pencil drawing on a solid cast has always been the basis for teaching RPD design in most dental schools at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This does not apply to RPD fabrication technology, as more laboratories have recently adopted more efficient and versatile digital techniques to design and fabricate RPD frameworks.MethodsAt the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, we created a pilot workshop to assess the efficiency of a new approach to teaching RPD design utilizing this new digital RPD technology as a teaching tool for graduate prosthodontics residents. Three first-year prosthodontics residents were enrolled in the workshop, which involved learning the new digital workflow of designing RPD.ResultsThis new teaching approach very successfully achieved its educational goals. The residents reported that the digital RPD teaching approach enriched their knowledge and deepened their understanding of RPD design.DiscussionThe technique garnered significant interest from the students and seemed to also increase their understanding of the steps involved in RPD fabrication as well as the different components of the RPD.

Treating a Cluster of Internalizing Disorders With the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Case Study

Psychotherapy outcome research rarely focuses on the ideographic application of treatment manuals, though some modules might prove markedly more important for a client than others. Clients in need of psychoeducation, emotion regulation skills, and changes in maladaptive patterns of thinking might balk at portions of the Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders that seem irrelevant to their concerns. The current case study focused on emotion dysregulation and perfectionism given their role in anxiety, depression, obsessions, and compulsions. The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS), Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale (ODSIS), and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) confirmed qualitative reports and therapist observations of improvement. Additional sessions focused on fostering self-compassion and processing the termination of a romantic relationship rather than completing every section of the manual. This case demonstrates that flexible adaptation of a transdiagnostic treatment manual, in conjunction with a strong working alliance and other non-specifics of therapy, can produce beneficial outcomes even when other modules are not applied. These results might support ideographic application of select modules from treatment manuals and support a symptoms approach to psychotherapy.

IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF MYOFASCIAL RELEASE V/S POSITIONAL RELEASE TECHNIQUE ON LEVATOR SCAPULAE TRIGGER POINTS IN YOUNG ADULTS

Context : Myofascial release is the gentle manual application of sustained pressure to release fascial restriction. One of the cervical spine pain healing methods is Trigger point therapy with positional release method. Aim: To compare the efficacy of Immediate Effect of Myofascial Release and Positional Release techniques on levator scapulae trigger points in young adults. Method and material: Study involved 30 subjects that were divided into 2 groups. Group A (n=15) Myofascial Release technique and Group B (n=15)Positional Release technique. Results: The data was analysed using statistical method of paired’t’-test between the pre and post interventional study of pain and range of motion. Result showed statistically significant improvement (p&lt;0.05) and visible difference in the post intervention. Discussion and conclusion: From the present study we conclude that Myofascial release is more efficient in reducing pain whereas Positional Release Technique is more efficient in increasing the cervical ROM , both Active lateral flexion and Cervical rotation.

Candidemia Diagnosis With T2 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in a PICU: A New Approach

Early diagnosis of invasive Candida infections is a challenge for pediatricians, intensivists, and microbiologists. To fill this gap, a new nanodiagnostic method has been developed using manual application of T2 nuclear magnetic resonance to detect Candida species. The aim of this study was to evaluate, prospectively, the usefulness as a tool diagnosis of the T2Candida panel in pediatric patients admitted at the PICU compared with blood culture. This is a prospective, observational, and unicentric study to compare T2Candida results with simultaneous blood cultures for candidemia diagnose. This study was carried out in a 1,300-bed tertiary care hospital with a 16-bed medical-surgical PICU. Sixty-three patients from 0 to 17 years old were enrolled in this study, including those undergoing solid organ transplantation (kidney, liver, pulmonary, multivisceral, intestinal, and heart) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Seven patients were positive by the T2Candida test. Only two of them had the simultaneous positive blood culture. T2Candida yielded more positive results than blood cultures. T2Candida might be useful for the diagnosis of candidemia in PICUs. The prevalence of candidemia might be underestimated in this pediatric population. The use of this diagnostic tool in these units may help clinicians to start adequate and timely antifungal treatments.

A two-dimensional limit equilibrium computer code for analysis of complex toppling slope failures

Evaluation of blocky or layered rock slopes against toppling failures has remained of great concern for engineers in various rock mechanics projects. Several step-by-step analytical solutions have been developed for analyzing these types of slope failures. However, manual application of these analytical solutions for real case studies can be time-consuming, complicated, and in certain cases even impossible. This study will first examine existing methods for toppling failure analyses that are reviewed, modified and generalized to consider the effects of a wide range of external and dead loads on slope stability. Next, based on the generalized presented formulae, a Windows form computer code is programmed using Visual C# for analysis of common types of toppling failures. Input parameters, including slope geometry, joint sets parameters, rock and soil properties, ground water level, dynamic loads, support anchor loads as well as magnitudes and forms of external forces, are first loaded into the code. The input data are then saved and used to graphically draw the slope model. This is followed by automatic identification of the toppling failure mode and a deterministic analysis of the slope stability against this failure mode. The results are presented using a graphical approach. The developed code allows probabilistic introduction of the input parameters via probability distribution functions (PDFs) and thus a probabilistic analysis of the toppling failure modes using Monte-Carlo simulation technique. This allows calculation of the probability of slope failure. Finally, several published case studies and typical examples are analyzed with the developed code. The outcomes are compared with those of the main references to assess the performance and robustness of the developed computer code. The comparisons demonstrate good agreement between the results.

Interactive electronic technical manuals as a means to improve efficiency of operation of complex technical systems

The article describes the use of interactive electronic technical manuals (IETM). One of the tools for implementing the requirements of the S1000D standard is the editor of interactive electronic technical manuals Seamatica. The editorial staff of Seamatica Enterprise implements the full range of IETM development activities. The pace of introduction and quality of interactive manuals in industrial engineering are clearly unsatisfactory. The article discusses the main reasons for a limited application of interactive manuals in industrial engineering, such as the lack of education in IETM-related topics for specialists in forestry machines operation.