Achieving synergy in collaborative education

Professional software engineering continues to face problems that involve large-scale (complex) software systems development. Such efforts typically require team collaboration over months, possibly years. Once implemented, the system must be maintained for sometimes decades. This development and maintenance life cycle requires not only technical knowledge and skills in software development, but also the knowledge and skills associated with software process. We believe the traditional computer science curriculum fails to consider this spectrum of needs. We also believe, however, that software engineering must use certain elements of the core knowledge and skills taught by computer scientists as its foundation. We describe lessons learned from the 10-year collaboration between Monmouth University and the Software Engineering Center of the US Army's CECOM (Communications Electronics Command). The center recruits electrical engineering and computer science graduates from academic institutions in the geographic regions surrounding its various installations to be part of its intern program; Monmouth University, in turn, incorporates the demands of the intern program in its Master of Science in software engineering curriculum     

The "pedrada" ("coup-de-fouet") syndrome. A possibility to be considered in acute leg pain

The authors report the case of a woman admitted to hospital for minor trauma of the left hip and who presented major ST segment elevation on the second day suggesting an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction at the same time as a cerebrovascular accident. Complementary investigations and follow-up excluded the diagnosis of myocardial infarction with normalisation of the ECG on the 5th day. ECG changes during cerebrovascular accidents may be very variable ranging from extrasystoles to ST elevation mimicking myocardial infarction. They carry a poor prognosis with an increased risk of sudden death necessitating continuous ECG monitoring until the ECG reverts to normal. The cardiac involvement is not ischaemic but due to disease of the insular cortex of the brain which induces myocytolysis (centered around the intra-cardiac nerve endings) due to the sudden liberation of catecholamines. These lesions may be treated by propranolol or phentolamine.     

Effects of combined topical metronidazole and mechanical treatment on the subgingival flora in deep periodontal pockets in cuspids and bicuspids

The Effect on the subgingival microflora of a single topical administration of a 95% collagen and 5% metronidazole device in combination with debridement was investigated in 30 adult periodontitis patients in comparison with mechanical treatment alone. For each patient, plaque samples from test and control sites in cuspids and bicuspids were collected for culture and enumeration of total anaerobically cultivable bacteria (TA), black-pigmented anaerobes (BPA), and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa). Spirochetes and fusiforms were quantified by direct microscopic examination after Giemsa staining. A decrease was observed for all parameters, and a significant difference in comparison with the control group was found for fusiforms. After treatment, a lower number of Aa positive sites were observed in the test group (13/25). These results show that a single application of topical metronidazole seems to be effective as adjunctive antimicrobial treatment in adult periodontitis.     

Design flaw can convert commercially available continuous syringe pumps to intermittent bolus injectors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if unexpected behaviour of neonatal and paediatric patients connected to syringe pumps could be explained by transient elevation of these devices. DESIGN: Five different commercially available syringe-pumps were set at an infusion rate of 1 ml/h and then subjected to a vertical displacement manoeuvre (height 1 m). The actual delivered infusion volumes in association with the displacement manoeuvre were measured by a high precision weight scale connected to a computer. SETTING: A medical technology laboratory in a university hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Elevation of the devices resulted in a rapid bolus injection of 0.19-2.28 ml. Returning the devices to their original positions resulted in an aspiration into the system of 0.06-0.34 ml. The times both for bolus injection and for aspiration into the system were less than 1 min in all cases. The updown manoeuvre was followed by a period with zero infusion ranging from 8 to 105 min. CONCLUSIONS: Design flaws in the construction of syringe pumps can expose patients to substantial danger following vertical displacement if potent drugs are being infused. If potent drugs are infused, care should be taken not to change the vertical position of the syringe pump even for short periods of time. Before buying new equipment, the authors recommend that the delivery characteristics of these devices should not only be tested during ordinary bench testing but should also include the reaction to a vertical displacement manoeuvre.     

Algorithm for cosine transform of Toeplitz matrices

An algorithm for calculating the 2D cosine transform of a Toeplitz matrix is presented. The algorithm is based on the application of 1D cosine transforms. More specifically, four 1D cosine transforms of size N are needed to obtain the transform of a Toeplitz matrix of size N×N. This is an improvement over previously published algorithms. The algorithm is also simple and regular     

Chaotic oscillator in wavelength: a new setup for investigatingdifferential difference equations describing nonlinear dynamics

A generator of chaos in wavelength is reported. It is formed by a wavelength-tunable laser diode with a time delayed feedback loop in which a wavelength nonlinear-linear device is introduced. The dynamical regime of wavelength emission thus obtained is ruled by a differential difference equation. Experimental results are compared with numerical simulations and with previous theoretical and experimental results     

Discrepancies between thyrotropin (TSH) measurement by four sensitive immunometric assays

A comparison of four different commercial immunometric thyrotropin (TSH) assays (Amerlite R TSH-30 Ultrasensitive assay from Kodak, BeriLux R hTSH from Behring Werke, Delfia R hTSH Ultra from Wallac and IMX R Ultrasensitive hTSH from Abbott) was made by measuring serum TSH in 81 consecutive patients referred to hospital for various reasons with a serum TSH less than 0.8 mlU/l in the IMX assay. The analytical and functional assay sensitivities of each of the assays were analysed. Even though three of the methods had a sensitivity corresponding to third generation assays, we could only demonstrate an overall agreement of serum TSH when comparing two of the kits. The measurements in Delfia Ultra and Berilux showed good agreement (P = 0.7, paired t-test and bias = 0.003 mIU/l), while the comparisons between the other assays showed different measurements (P < 0.00001, paired t-test and bias more than 0.07 mIU/l). Differences in the calibrators used in the assays might explain some of the discrepancy, although all methods were calibrated according to the same international standard. Also, differences in the specificity of the TSH monoclonal antibodies used in the assays might be an evident explanation and further studies of the specificity of the monoclonal antibodies are needed. An international collaborative study to clarify reasons for the differences between the TSH assays and to standardize the measurements is recommended.     

Responses of ligamentous fibroblasts to mechanical stimulation

Mechanical stimulation, as provided by physiotherapy or controlled motion is essentially the only factor able to improve anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) healing. We investigate the cellular effects of such stimulus. Two types of stimulations are applied on canine ACL fibroblasts: repetitive stretch of an elastomeric adhesion substrate and a laminar flow of culture media over the culture surface. Cell orientation, proliferation rate, synthesis and type of collagen as well as proteoglycans (PG) synthesis and hydrodynamic characteristics have been studied. According to our results, the fibroblasts tend to align perpendicularly to the deformation axis of their substrate, and along a laminar flow. The shear stress induced by the laminar flow does not modify significantly proliferation rate nor extracellular matrix synthesis. Substrate stretching however, increases proliferation rate, collagen synthesis, mostly type III, and PG synthesis, principally of small sizes. The characteristics of fibroblasts submitted to repeated deformation match those of fibroblasts from ligament scar tissues. Their orientation perpendicular to substratum deformation differs from the one usually encountered in the undamaged tissue: aligned on the ligament axis.