Immersive electronic books for surgical training

Immersive electronic books (IEBooks) for surgical training will let surgeons explore previous surgical procedures in 3D. The authors describe the techniques and tools for creating a preliminary IEBook, embodying some of the basic concepts.     

Adaptive control of a simple time-varying system

Adaptive control of a first-order randomly varying stochastic process is considered. Several authors have treated this problem using either ergodic theory for Markov processes or martingale limit theorems. In both cases some initial variance calculations and bounds evaluations must be performed in order to apply these techniques and establish the sample path results generally considered in adaptive control. These prior calculations are performed in the more general case where the single parameter follows a random walk and for an identification algorithm requiring no a priori knowledge of noise characteristics     

Measurement of three-phase transformer derating and reactive power demand under nonlinear loading conditions

The measurement of real and apparent power derating of three-phase transformers is important for transformers feeding nonlinear loads. This paper presents a new digital data-acquisition method for measuring derating and reactive power demand of three-phase transformers under full or partial load conditions. The accuracy requirements of the instruments employed (potential, current transformers, shunts, voltage dividers, optocouplers volt- and current meters) are addressed. Application examples demonstrate the usefulness of this new digital data-acquisition method.     

Determination of Magnetic and Nuclear Quadrupole Interactions in La@C82 from EPR Linewidth Data

From the analysis of the temperature dependence of the EPR line width, an estimate of the anisotropic parts of the dipolar and quadrupolar hyperfine couplings of lanthanum was derived. Furthermore, the rotational correlation time of the nearly spherical molecule was found to deviate considerably from that of the solvent molecules.     

T cell response to two immunodominant proteolipid protein (PLP) peptides in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls

Despite the fact that the neuroleptic drugs have been widely used for more than 40 years, one of their most common side-effects, akathisia, has been relatively neglected. There are still no universally agreed diagnostic criteria for akathisia, particularly chronic akathisia, and in this review article, we discuss the controversies surrounding the voluntary nature of its motor features and the importance of the dysphoric component. We also review the published epidemiological studies to show the great variation in frequency of occurrence. Finally, we discuss the possible neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of this condition.     

The Green Bay cesarean section study. IV. The physician factor as a determinant of cesarean birth rates for the large fetus

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine those factors affecting the route of delivery decisions and the effect of delivery route on maternal and newborn outcomes with the macrosomic fetus. Do higher cesarean rates result in improved newborn outcomes? STUDY DESIGN: A 10-year (1985 to 1994) retrospective data set was used to analyze patients with newborns weighing > or = 4536 and 4000 to 4535 gm at two Green Bay hospitals. Patients with newborns weighing 2500 to 3999 gm were similarly analyzed for comparison purposes. Individual and obstetrician group cesarean rates and newborn and maternal outcomes were identified. RESULTS: Cesarean birth rates for the fetus weighing > 4000 gm were low and varied from 12.8% in the low obstetrician cesarean rate group to 24.0% in the high group. Higher obstetrician group cesarean rates did not result in improved newborn outcomes. Newborn morbidity and mortality were very low but significantly higher for cesarean birth newborns. Maternal complications were fairly low with cesarean birth and rare after vaginal delivery. CONCLUSION: Patients with a suspected macrosomic fetus should be given the same opportunity to achieve a vaginal delivery as patients with smaller fetuses.     

Methods of measuring susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria to trovafloxacin, including quality control parameters

Three methods approved by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards for testing the susceptibility of anaerobic bacteria were used to evaluate the fluoroquinolone, trovafloxacin. The methods gave essentially comparable results with 126 anaerobes and with three quality control strains. A collaborative study defined the quality control range for trovafloxacin MICs. Trovafloxacin had good in vitro activity against the more common anaerobes (MIC 90 < = or 2.0 micrograms/ml).     

Intramuscular ceftriaxone compared with oral amoxicillin-clavulanate for treatment of acute otitis media in children

Two hundred and fifteen children aged 4 months 6 years with acute otitis media (AOM) were randomized to be treated either by a single i.m. injection of ceftriaxone, 50 mg/kg, with a second dose in the event of unsatisfactory response after 48 h or a history of recurrent AOM (109 patients) or amoxicillin clavulanate 12.5 mg tid (106 patients). The failure rate was similar in children treated by ceftriaxone and amoxicillin clavulanate, 4.6% and 4.7%, respectively (standard error for intergroup difference -2.87%, 95% confidence interval -5.62% to 5.87%). No significant differences between the groups were found in the dynamics of the resolution of the acute symptomatology, otoscopy findings, relapse rate at 30 days or tympanographic evidence of middle ear effusion at the scheduled visits on days 30, 60 and 90. Recurrence of AOM between days 31 and 90 was observed significantly in more children treated with amoxicillin clavulanate than with ceftriaxone--25 out of 84 (29.4%) versus 11 out of 81 (13.6%) (P = 0.012). Conclusion: Ceftriaxone injection(s) is as efficient at least as 10-day oral amoxicillin clavulanate for treatment of acute otitis media in children. Although not recommended as routine, ceftriaxone can be considered in the management of acute otitis media under special circumstances, particularly in cases when the ability to tolerate or absorb oral drugs is compromised, in children refusing or unable to take oral therapy or when the compliance is questionable.     

OPTIMUM-AIV: A planning and scheduling system for spacecraft AIV

This paper presents a project undertaken for the European Space Agency (ESA). The project is developing a knowledge based system for planning and scheduling of activities for spacecraft assembly, integration and verification (AIV). The system extends to the monitoring of plan execution and the plan repair phases.

The objectives of the contract are to develop an operational kernel of a planning, scheduling and plan repair tool, called OPTIMUM-AIV, and to provide facilities which will allow individual projects to customize the kernel to suit its specific needs. The kernel shall consist of a set of software functionalities for assistance in the initial specification of the AIV plan, in the verification and generation of valid plans and schedules for the AIV activities, and in interactive monitoring and execution problem recovery for the detailed AIV plans. Embedded in OPTIMUM-AIV are external interfaces which allow integration with alternative scheduling systems and project databases.

The current status of the OPTIMUM-AIV project, as of May 1991, is that the architectural design of the system has been agreed on by ESTEC/ESA and detailed design and implementation is now underway, expecting a final delivery in October of 1991.