Assessment of pseudarthrosis in pedicle screw fusion: a prospective study comparing plain radiographs, flexion/extension radiographs, CT scanning, and bone scintigraphy with operative findings

Tribal warfare is a way of life in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. In earlier times direct confrontation with bushknives and axes, and shooting with bows and arrows were common. In recent years there have not been as many instances of direct confrontation with bushknives and axes, but the use of bows and arrows is on the rise. Since 1993, guns have been increasingly used, with devastating results. In 1993, 18 deaths were reported from tribal warfare in one area of the Southern Highlands Province, especially from gunshots, while in 1994, 24 deaths were reported from another area. A five-year review of tribal fight admissions to Mendi Hospital, from 1990 to 1994, showed an increase in the number and proportion of gunshot wounds; there were none in 1990-1992 but they constituted 18% of tribal fight injuries in 1993 and 33% in 1994.     

Deflections of highly inflated fabric tubes

Inflatable beams made of modern textile materials with important mechanical characteristics can be inflated at high pressure. The aim of the paper is to present experimental, analytical and numerical results on the deflections of highly inflated fabric tubes submitted to bending loads. Experiments are displayed and we show that tube behaviour looks like that of inflatable panels (Thin-Walled Struct. 40 (2002) 523–536). Equilibrium equations are once again written in the deformed state to take into account the geometrical stiffness and the following forces. The influence of the shear stress cannot be neglected and Timoshenko’s beam theory is used. A new inflatable tube theory is established and simple analytical formulas are given for a cantilever-inflated tube. Comparisons between analytical and experimental results are shown. A new inflatable finite tube element is constructed by use of algebraic operations, because the compliance matrix of the cantilever beam is not symmetric. Comparisons between experimental, analytical and numerical results prove the accuracy of this beam theory and on this new finite element for solving problems on the deflections of highly inflated tubes.     

Natural peer groups as contexts for individual development: The case of children's motivation in school.

Examined the role of natural peer-group selection and socialization processes in children's school motivation. At the beginning of the school year, self- and teacher reports of classroom engagement were obtained for 109 students in 2 4th- and 2 5th-grade classrooms. On the basis of interviews with 57 students, composite maps of the social networks in these classrooms were constructed, which were found to be reliable across reporters and composed of children with similar motivational orientations. Longitudinal analyses of a 4th-grade classroom across the school year indicated continuity in the motivational composition of peer groups, despite considerable changes in individual memberships. Evidence was found for motivationally based group selection across time and for group socialization of individuals' engagement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Design Rules for Reliability & Maintainability in Electronics

The automation of the design of electronics has advanced greatly since the middle 1970s. The state of this development is such that additional considerations are now being incorporated into the automation process. One of the essential elements of a successful electronics design is reaching the reliability and maintainability (R&M) potential that should be achieved in any design effort. The automation of portions of the design process to address R&M must be based upon design rules that are basic to producing a reliable and maintainable system. This paper discusses a framework for considering these R&M design rules and points the developers of computer-aided engineering systems in the direction that is necessary if electronics designs are to realize their potential.     

Numerical study of steady turbulent flow through bifurcated nozzles in continuous casting

Bifurcated nozzles are used in continuous casting of molten steel, where they influence the quality of the cast steel slabs. The present study performs two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) simulations of steady turbulent(K- ε) flow in bifurcated nozzles, using a finite-element (FIDAP) model, which has been verified previously with water model experiments. The effects of nozzle design and casting process operating variables on the jet characteristics exiting the nozzle are investigated. The nozzle design parameters studied include the shape, angle, height, width, and thickness of the ports and the bottom geometry. The process operating practices include inlet velocity profile and angle as well as port curvature caused by erosion or inclusion buildup. Results show that the jet angle is controlled mainly by the port angle but is steeper with larger port area and thinner walls. The degree of swirl is increased by larger or rounder ports. The effective port area, where there is no recirculation, is increased by smaller or curved ports. Flow asymmetry is more severe with skewed or angled inlet conditions or unequal port sizes. Turbulence levels in the jet are higher with higher casting speed and smaller ports. Formerly Research Assistant, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Formerly Research Assistant in the same department.     

Toxicity of Detroit River Sediment-Bound Contaminants to Ultraplankton

Four sites in the Detroit River/Lake Erie western basin were evaluated for their toxicity. The evaluation was based on 1) bulk chemical characterization of the sediments, 2) chemical composition of the sediment elutriates, and 3) toxicity of the elutriates to ultraplankton and microplankton/net plankton. A sequence of decreasing contamination was determined from the chemical composition of the elutriates based on the elutriation release of metals such as Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni, and Co. Bioassessment of elutriate toxicity was determined by carbon-14 Algal Fractionation Bioassays (AFB's) which were conducted with various dilutions of standard and Chelex-100 treated elutriates. Site A (near Windsor, Ontario) and Site D (western Lake Erie) were found to be toxic to ultraplankton. The observed toxicity was attributed to the bioavailability and synergistic impact of elutriated metals on ultraplankton production. A direct relationship between the water soluble metal fraction and toxicity was observed. These results confirmed that sediment toxicity should not be evaluated solely on bulk chemical composition of the sediments. The AFB's have been proven useful in the bioassessment of sediments due to their rapidity/sensitivity and hence could be routinely used for the screening and early detection of contaminants affecting fast growing organisms which form the basis of the aquatic food chain.     

Buchbesprechung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Emotional responding following experimental manipulation of facial electromyographic activity.

Thirty female subjects were instructed to imagine three positive affective scenes and three negative affective scenes. During the initial imagination of each scene, the subject was told simply to imagine the situation. The subject then imagined the situation again and was instructed to enhance the muscle tension in one of two muscle groups (the zygomatic muscles for positive scenes and the corrugator muscle for negative scenes). The subject then imagined the scene a third time and was instructed to suppress the muscle tension in the same muscle group. Feedback was available during practice trials and during the enhancement and suppression trials of the experiment. Continuous monitoring of both zygomatic and corrugator electromyogram (EMG) during the study indicated that subjects were successful in altering muscle tension in accord with the experimental instructions, and videotapes of subjects' faces indicated no overt changes in facial responding during imagination of the scenes. Subjects' ratings of emotional responding during each scene indicated that subjects experienced less enjoyment and more distress during positive affective trials in which they suppressed zygomatic EMG activity. The results are discussed in terms of the facial feedback hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)