A case of rudimentary meningocele

BACKGROUND: Since random treatment allocation is hardly understood by the majority of patients, a new 'nested consent design' for clinical trials is proposed. PROPOSED DESIGN: The design consists of a two-step enrollment of study subjects. The first step is the enrollment of participants into a follow-up study, where consent to be subjects involved in the follow-up is obtained. The second step is the enrollment of randomly sampled eligible participants into a new treatment group. After the explanation of (1) treatment mode, (2) additional burdens associated with the proposed treatment and (3) expected effects and possible adverse events, written informed consent is obtained. Those who reject participation and those who are not allocated into the new treatment are treated by standard care. Endpoints are set to be the same for all follow-up study participants whether allocated into the new treatment or not, and follow-up is carried out in the same manner. Analyses are performed between those allocated to the new treatment and those non-allocated on an intent-to-treat basis. EXAMPLE: Although not a clinical trial, this design was applied in a smoking cessation program at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital for first-visit patients who answered in a questionnaire survey that they were smokers. Out of 1330 necessary participants, 324 were enrolled in the follow-up study during the first three months of enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: The design was found to be feasible for prevention trials, and possibly for clinical trials to compare a new treatment with a standard treatment. There seems to be no ethical difference between this design and the one-arm study design.     

Production of nonequilibrium plasma and MHD interaction in disk MHD channel

The production of nonequilibrium plasma and the fluid flow with the MHD interaction are examined experimentally with a shock‐tube driven disk channel with no loading electrodes. For low magnetic flux density and low seed fraction, where nonuniform and unsteady plasma is generated, the static pressure decreases monotonically in the radial direction, although the pressure increases in the entire region of the channel in comparison with the value under no MHD interaction. For magnetic flux density and seed fraction above some critical values, a fairly uniform plasma is produced. The static pressure, however, is found to increase abruptly in the channel and the total pressure is considerably reduced at the location, where the abrupt pressure increase occurs. These facts imply that steady and uniform plasma should be produced without locally constricted strong Lorentz force to improve the adiabatic efficiency of a disk MHD generator. © 2002 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 138(4): 42–49, 2002; DOI 10.1002/eej.1137     

Peritoneal cytology and its prognostic value in endometrial carcinoma

A dome-shaped bioresorbable membrane was fixed to the wounded rabbit calvaria and filled with a bioresorbable fibre conglomerate. After 4 weeks, the histologic preparation revealed an intimate spatial and temporal correlation between newly formed blood vessels and de novo extraskeletal bone formation. These observations emphasize the significance of angiogenesis in guided bone generation.     

Morphology Change of Undoped and Sulfate-Ion-Doped Yttria Powders during Firing

Morphologic changes that occurred during firing in undoped and sulfate-ion-doped yttria powders were examined in the present study. Clear scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of uncoated insulators were achieved and charging of electrons was avoided by observing small samples, throughout which most of the electrons of the incident beam penetrated. SEM observation and firing of the samples were repeated several times. Searching the observed areas or particles started at low magnification, with the aid of photographs taken earlier. The sulfate-ion dopant inhibited volume diffusion and/or grain-boundary diffusion, and then particle growth of the sulfate-ion-doped yttria proceeded by surface diffusion or evaporation–condensation along with pore growth, which resulted in collapse of the agglomerates of primary particles. Although most of the other particles exhibited slight pore growth along with particle growth at temperatures as low as 800°C, a hardening of the agglomerated particles, because of pore elimination by volume diffusion and/or grain-boundary diffusion, occurred at temperatures >850°C.     

Frontonasal flap for reconstruction of complete alar defects

BACKGROUND: It is difficult to reconstruct a satisfactory ala. Axial frontonasal flap has been common in reconstruction of nasal tip. We modified this flap to reconstruct nasal ala. OBJECTIVE: A modified axial frontonasal flap was applied for reconstruction of complete unilateral alar defects in two patients. METHODS: Skin from an intact nasal tip covered the alar defect. The resulting defect in the nasal tip was covered with dorsal skin from the nose. Extended mucosa or a hinged nasolabial flap was used to line the mucosal side of the reconstructed ala. RESULTS: The outcome judged by shape, and texture, was satisfactory. This technique can be employed under field block. CONCLUSION: The modified frontonasal flap is one of the ideal techniques to reconstruct an entire nasal ala.     

Strange hemodynamic attractor parameter with 1/R total artificial heart automatic control algorithm

OBJECTIVES: To determine the modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise equivalent passband (NE) values for a newly revised rotational panoramic X-ray machine, the PC-1000 (Panoramic Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA). METHODS: Images of a 10 microns test slit were taken at various locations along the X-ray beam projection path using a Lanex Regular/T-Mat G image receptor. Line spread functions were obtained at specific beam paths by scanning slit images with a microdensitometer. RESULTS: MTF values were highest around the central plane of the image layer, with a maximum near the centre of 0.25 at 4 cycles/mm. The NE values near the central plane of image layer were 1.4 cycles/mm. MTF and NE values in the anterior region were low, 0.2 and 1.2, respectively. The width of the image layer was narrower in the anterior and wider in the posterior segments. Rapid decreases in MTF and NE values were found on the X-ray tube side compared with the receptor side of the central plane. Using a spatial frequency of 0.25 MTF the shape of the image layer was coincident with that determined visually. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the MTF and NE values the image resolution produced by this machine is considered acceptable for panoramic dental radiography.     

Shared computer-aided structural design model for construction industry (infrastructure)

The current interaction between participants in a construction project requires much time and is often a cause of mistakes and misunderstandings. Improvement of this interaction may therefore contribute to an improvement of the construction process as a whole. The lack of interoperability is the main problem behind such interaction drawbacks. In this paper, an infrastructure for a technology transfer model, namely Shared Computer-Aided Structural Design (sCAsD) model, is developed. It is built upon three basic building blocks: the Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data (STEP, ISO-10303) Parts 104 and 107, the CIMsteel Integration Standard (CIS/2.0) resources, and the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard that is being developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI). The sCAsD model is an extension for the structural domain/view of the IFC model, providing professional standardization within the synergy effect of the IFC. The model infrastructure is explained and discussed in terms of model schemata. In addition, model feasibility is studied within two assessments for model schemata and model realization in the construction industry. The former assessment has verified the robustness and effectiveness of the model through using a model interface in data handling within an application of an integrated earthquake simulation. Meanwhile, the assessment of model realization has validated the roadmap of model implementation in the construction industry through IAI. The model has been accepted as a formal IAI project, namely ST-7, and is being supported by IAI Japan chapter.     

Sc2O3 Nanopowders via Hydroxyl Precipitation: Effects of Sulfate Ions on Powder Properties

Hydroxyl-type Sc₂O₃ precursors have been synthesized via precipitation at 80°C with hexamethylenetetramine as the precipitant. The effects of starting salts (scandium nitrate and sulfate) on powder properties are investigated. Characterizations of the powders are achieved by elemental analysis, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry (DTA/TG), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. Hard-aggregated precursors (γ-ScOOH·0.6H₂O) are formed with scandium nitrate, which convert to Sc₂O₃ at temperatures ≥400°C, yielding nanocrystalline oxides of low surface area. The use of sulfate leads to a loosely agglomerated basic sulfate powder having an approximate composition of Sc(OH)_2.6(SO₄)_0.2·H₂O. The powder transforms to Sc₂O₃ via dehydroxylization and desulfurization at temperatures up to 1000°C. Well-dispersed Sc₂O₃ nanopowders (∼64.3 nm) of high purity have been obtained by calcining the basic sulfate at 1000°C for 4 h. The effects of SO₄²⁻ on powder properties are discussed.