Retrospective comparison of photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and predictability of photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy become increasingly relevant. This retrospective study compares one surgeon's experience with photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy over a 3-year period from 1990 to 1993. METHODS: Photorefractive keratectomy was performed on 103 eyes of 76 patients that met the inclusion criteria for the phase IIb, phase III, and phototherapeutic keratectomy studies as delineated by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Radial keratotomy was performed on 117 eyes of 81 patients with up to 9.00 diopters (D) of myopia. RESULTS: In the photorefractive keratectomy group, 83% of the eyes achieved uncorrected visual acuity of at least 20/40; 37% saw 20/20; 88% had a refraction within 1.00 D of emmetropia, and 63% within 0.50 D of emmetropia. For the radial keratotomy group, 85% of the eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better; 27% saw 20/20; 88% had a refraction within 1.00 D of emmetropia; and 55% within 0.50 D of emmetropia. There were no serious complications, and only one single eye in each of the photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy groups lost two lines or more of spectacle-corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy are both effective procedures, and result in similar refractive outcomes for myopia of -1.00 to -9.00 D.     

A conjugate gradient-based algorithm to minimize the sidelobe levelof planar arrays with element failures

Element failures increase the sidelobe power level of an array. Reconfiguring the amplitude and phase distribution of the remaining elements can partially compensate for the failed elements and thus reduce the sidelobe level. An algorithm is obtained that yields the reconfigured distribution by minimizing the ratio of the average peak sidelobe power level to the power in the main beam, taking into account the defective elements. The minimization of this nonlinear function is carried out via a conjugate gradient method. The algorithm is applied to the synthesis of sum and difference patterns of planar arrays     

缺陷问题驱动浸没光刻技术发展

涂层的应用导致晶圆上缺陷的增加或者使光刻表现发生变化虽然现在推测浸没光刻技术的量产时间还太早,但是许多公司正在努力确定生产线何时能从干法工艺跃为湿法工艺。根据最近在San Jose举办的     

A physically based approach to granular media mechanics: grain-scale experiments,initial results and implications to numerical modeling

It is generally appreciated that the mechanical behavior of granular media depends fundamentally on the interaction of the constituent particles, and that the validity of numerical models of granular media would be greatly improved with knowledge of the grain-scale mechanics. However, most supporting experimental work has been conducted on highly idealized materials, and a limited amount of information exists on grain-scale force–displacement relationships for naturally occurring materials. To address this shortcoming, we are conducting a program that integrates laboratory experiments on grains of naturally occurring aggregate with the discrete element modeling method, with the goal of relating the grain-scale physical and mechanical properties of granular media to bulk behavior. The paper describes the equipment and methods that have been developed to conduct close-loop controlled, grain-scale experiments under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions, and presents results from an initial set of experiments on unbonded grains. The implications of the grain-scale results to the discrete element model are discussed. Discussions center on the applicability of a physically based approach to the mechanics of granular media in general. In light of future exploration missions and the resulting need to predict the mechanical properties of lunar and planetary regoliths, the paper examines the potential usefulness of our physically based approach to the problem of predicting the behavior of the types of materials found in those environments.     

Poly-(L-lactic) acid membranes in palatal surgery in beagle dogs: clinical and histologic evaluation

This article reports on the histologic findings from a larger study that was designed to investigate whether the attachment of scar tissue to underlying bone, which is normally found after palatal surgery, can be prevented by using biodegradable poly-(L-lactic) acid membranes. Von Langenbeck's procedure was simulated in 12-week-old beagle dogs without clefts. In one group normal wound healing was allowed. In two groups, membranes were inserted immediately after surgery or 3 weeks thereafter. Sham and control groups were also included. Histologic evaluation was carried out at regular intervals. Reports have been published on other aspects, such as clinical wound healing, contraction and maxillary arch development in beagle dogs following this treatment. After direct implantation of membranes, wound healing was retarded. Disintegration of the membranes started soon after implantation and remaining particles were surrounded by a fibroblastic sheath and a fibrous capsule. At sites where membrane particles persisted, attachment of the scar tissue to the underlying bone by Sharpey's fibers was prevented.     

成品率的预测准确度有多高

成品率预测是可制造性设计（DFM）的基础之，但它还远不止于此。IBM系统和技术群300mm半导体运营副总裁DanArmbrust说：“我们精确预测成品率的能力就是我们的经济模式。”Armbrust是SEMICON West 2007成品率论坛讨论DFM现状的三位参与者之一。与他共同参加讨论的是Synopsys公司DFM解决方案副总裁Anantha Sethuraman和Photronics公司的CTO Chris Progler。