Developing an initial physical function item bank from existing sources

The objective of this article is to illustrate incremental item banking using health-related quality of life data collected from two samples of patients receiving cancer treatment. The kinds of decisions one faces in establishing an item bank for computerized adaptive testing are also illustrated. Pre-calibration procedures include: identifying common items across databases; creating a new database with data from each pool; reverse-scoring "negative" items; identifying rating scales used in items; identifying pivot points in each rating scale; pivot anchoring items at comparable rating scale categories; and identifying items in each instrument that measure the construct of interest. A series of calibrations were conducted in which a small proportion of new items were added to the common core and misfitting items were identified and deleted until an initial item bank has been developed.     

Developing an emotional distress item bank for cancer patients

Emotional distress is common among cancer patients during and after treatment. Many instruments have been used to measure emotional distress; however, none of them has emerged as a standard. Although the diversity of instruments has some merit, the lack of a common measure limits our ability to compare studies. This paper describes how we constructed a 46-item emotional distress bank. Using expert judgment, we selected a pool of items with emotional content from this six-instrument set. Rasch rating scale analysis helped us identify a set of general distress items with good model fit and a measurement gap causing floor effects. Additional items were written to augment the measure where found deficient. The resulting set of items reflects a spectrum of positive and negative affect. The measure demonstrated excellent reliability (person separation reliability = .96) and a wide range of emotional distress and was able to distinguish among levels of disease severity.     

A new form of the Green function for a transversely isotropic body

Summary. The well known solutions for the Green function have a form which cannot be used directly in the degenerate case of equal roots. A simple algebraic procedure is described which allows us to derive new formulae for the Green function, which are valid in the case of equal roots. The case of an annular loading is considered in some detail. It is shown that the derived results are valid for z positive as well as z negative.     

An ultrasound research interface for a clinical system

Under a contract with the National Cancer Institute, we have developed a research interface to an ultrasound system. This ultrasound research interface (URI) is an optional feature providing several basic capabilities not normally available on a clinical scanner. The URI can store high-quality beamformed radio-frequency data to file for off-line processing. Also, through an integrated user interface, the user is provided additional control over the B-mode receive aperture and color flow ensemble size. A third major capability is the ability to record and playback macro files. In this paper, we describe the URI and illustrate its use on three research examples: elastography, computed tomography, and spatial compounding.     

An ultrasound research interface for a clinical system

Under a contract with the National Cancer Institute, we have developed a research interface to an ultrasound system. This ultrasound research interface (URI) is an optional feature providing several basic capabilities not normally available on a clinical scanner. The URI can store high-quality beamformed radio-frequency data to file for off-line processing. Also, through an integrated user interface, the user is provided additional control over the B-mode receive aperture and color flow ensemble size. A third major capability is the ability to record and playback macro files. In this paper, we describe the URI and illustrate its use on three research examples: elastography, computed tomography, and spatial compounding.     

Formulation design and pharmaceutical development of a novel controlled release form of azithromycin for single-dose therapy

Background: Azithromycin's long serum half-life (～68 hours) allows for a short 5-day, 3-day, and now 1-day course therapy with a large 2-g dose. Although the single-dose, 1-day therapy offers the advantage of 100% patient compliance, tolerance of such large dose becomes an issue. Methods: The dosage form discussed in this article employed a melt-congealing process to produce matrix microspheres with a 3-hour, first-order release. The vehicle blend included alkalizing agents to minimize GI side effects, minimize loss of bioavailability, and mask the bitter taste of azithromycin. Results: Azithromycin microspheres are small (～200 μm) with a narrow particle size distribution. Drug release was optimized by controlling the amount of dissolution enhancer in the microspheres and by the addition of proper amount of alkalizing agents in the vehicle blend. The final formulation was selected based on a balance between bioavailability and tolerability. Conclusions: Drug release from the microspheres was shown to occur via diffusion through the larger pores formed by dissolution of azithromycin crystals and the smaller interconnected pores formed by dissolution of poloxamer. Several clinical studies have been conducted with the formulation to evaluate its pharmacokinetics and to demonstrate its safety and efficacy. The combined suspension formulation for a 2-g dose of azithromycin provided taste-masking and good tolerability.     

Inventory control of an item with a probabilistic replenishment lead time and a known supplier shutdown period

In this paper, we address an important practical situation, namely where the usual replenishment lead time (when the supplier's production facility is operating) is a random variable and the supplier shuts down for an interval of known duration (for maintenance, vacation, etc.) each year. The demand rate is constant and any demand when out of stock is assumed to be lost. Under such circumstances we develop a heuristic procedure to decide when to initiate replenishment as well as the associated order-up-to-levels. Through the use of simulation (which accurately estimates the average costs per unit time), the heuristic is shown to perform excellently in a selection of small size problems when one can find the optimal solution. For a large number of problems of more realistic size, the use of simulation reveals that the heuristic achieves substantial cost savings when compared with a simpler, baseline approach. The heuristic itself does not require the use of simulation. The sensitivity of total expected costs to various parameters (such as the length of the shutdown interval and characteristics of the lead time distribution) is discussed.     

Failure of a Dissimilar Metal Braze in an Expansion Joint

Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention - The failure of a hot water expansion joint in the heating system of a high-rise office building resulted in a catastrophic water leak. Brittle cracking...     

ERP research,development and implementation in China: an overview

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a highly integrated enterprise information system that manages all aspects of the business operations of an enterprise including production planning, purchasing, engineering design, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, accounting and customer service. In the last two decades, Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) and ERP have been successfully introduced into Chinese industry. Supported by sponsored research programmes, the research outcomes on ERP systems by Chinese academic researchers have been directly supporting the Chinese ERP software industry. An overview of ERP research and its development and implementation in China will be given here. The research trend of ERP systems will also be discussed.     

The development and investigation of superconducting magnetic systems for physical experiments

Superconducting solenoids designed for different physical experiments are described. The solenoids are made of multifilament niobium titanium wires and are connected in series. The magnetic induction achieved at 4.2 K is 9.5 T and with the use of an iron yoke with magnetic flux concentrators an additional 1.5–2 T could be added to the operating volume of about 50 cm³. Various modified cryostats which allow operation for several days without liquid helium refilling and which permit a wide range of physical experiments are described.     

Experimental determination of a geometric form factor in a lidar equation for an inhomogeneous atmosphere

We experimentally determine a geometric form factor for an inhomogeneous atmosphere by using the polynomial regression method in a lidar equation.     

Conceptual development of form features and feature modelers

Feature definition, definition methods, properties, and representation are classified and formalized. Fundamental issues related to the definition and semantics of form features are explored. The concept of a form feature is progressively developed by consideration of dimensionality, contiguity, closure, finiteness, uniqueness, and representation. Issues related to feature-feature interactions are identified and the types of interactions classified. The consequences of viewpoint dependence of features and feature transformations are also discussed, specifically with regard to the possibility of feature standardization and data exchange.     

Expansion and porosity of an inhomogeneous fluidized bed

Results of an experimental investigation of porosity and expansion of thin fluidized beds are presented and empirical equations are proposed for calculating the thickness of the bed.Notation probability for finding the upper boundary of the bed at a given level - a, b, c, andl approximating coefficients - h height of the bed, m - N fluidization number - porosity of the bed - V volume - w velocity of the fluidizing agent, m/sec - Ar Archimedes number The indices are as follows 0, L, V stationary bed and the lower and upper levels of the fluidized bed, respectively - p particles - x volume from which the sample was taken Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 470–475, September, 1981.     

Pharmaceutical development of an amorphous solid dispersion formulation of elacridar hydrochloride for proof-of-concept clinical studies

Objective: A novel tablet formulation containing an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) of elacridar hydrochloride was developed with the purpose to resolve the drug’s low solubility in water and to conduct proof-of-concept clinical studies.

Significance: Elacridar is highly demanded for proof-of-concept clinical trials that study the drug’s suitability to boost brain penetration and bioavailability of numerous anticancer agents. Previously, clinical trials with elacridar were performed with a tablet containing elacridar hydrochloride. However, this tablet formulation resulted in poor and unpredictable absorption which was caused by the low aqueous solubility of elacridar hydrochloride.

Methods: Twenty four different ASDs were produced and dissolution was compared to crystalline elacridar hydrochloride and a crystalline physical mixture. The formulation with highest dissolution was characterized for amorphicity. Subsequently, a tablet was developed and monitored for chemical/physical stability for 12 months at +15–25?°C, +2–8?°C and ?20?°C.

Results: The ASD powder was composed of freeze dried elacridar hydrochloride–povidone K30–sodium dodecyl sulfate (1:6:1, w/w/w), appeared fully amorphous and resulted in complete dissolution whereas crystalline elacridar hydrochloride resulted in only 1% dissolution. The ASD tablets contained 25?mg elacridar hydrochloride and were stable for at least 12 months at –20?°C.

Conclusions: The ASD tablet was considered feasible for proof-of-concept clinical studies and is now used as such.