Performance statistics of the FORTRAN 4 /H/ library for the IBM system/360

Test procedures and results for accuracy and timing tests of the basic IBM 360/50 FORTRAN 4 /H/ subroutine library are reported. The testing was undertaken to verify performance capability and as a prelude to providing some replacement routines of improved performance

Strategic inventory management of externally sourced medical devices

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 59).The purpose of this research was to determine inventory strategies for externally sourced medical devices. In the medical device industry, the desire for high levels of customer service often results in less than optimal inventory levels. In this study, we analyzed the details of the current inventory model utilized by the medical device company. In assigning appropriate inventory levels, we determined that key inputs were not regarded. When evaluating inventory levels, it was determined that pipeline inventory should be removed from the target on hand inventory levels if inventory ownership occurs upon receipt. When calculating safety stock, we determined that supply variability should be incorporated into the safety stock formula and extra buffers currently in place should be removed. In addition, a more robust measure of demand variability such as the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) or the Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) should be incorporated into the formula instead of the use of the maximum of standard deviation of demand and standard deviation of forecast. Also, a gap was identified between the customer service safety factor used in the safety stock formula and the measurement of customer service by the company. Following the analysis of the current inventory modeling approach, we segmented the medical device SKU's based on key factors that drive inventory: demand, lead time, criticality and customer service. We also redefined the model used to determine slow moving inventory levels by incorporating the lead time of the part in setting cycle and safety stock levels and simulating the results to validate the relationships between the various inventory drivers. The application of the methodologies, concepts and findings in this research covering externally sourced medical devices can be extended to other subsidiaries and other industries.by Nichole L. Hillstrom and Renato A. Malabanan.M.Eng.in Logistic

Factors affecting center of pressure in older adults: the Framingham Foot Study

Background: Although aberrant foot movement during gait has been associated with adverse outcomes in the lower extremities in clinical patients, few studies have analyzed population differences in foot function. The purpose of this study was to assess demographic differences in foot function in a large population-based study of community-dwelling adults. Methods: Participants in this study were from the Framingham Foot Study. Walking data were collected from both feet using a Tekscan Matscan pressure mat. Foot function was characterized using the center of pressure excursion index (CPEI). T-tests were used to assess differences between population subsets based on sex, and in men and women separately, age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity and in women, past high heel use. Results: There were 2111 participants included in this analysis. Significant differences in CPEI were noted by sex (p< 0.0001), by age in women (p = 0.04), and by past high heel use in women (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Foot function during gait was affected by sex, as well as by age and shoe-wear in women, but not by BMI or physical activity. Future work will evaluate possible relations between CPEI and outcomes such as falls, sarcopenia, and lower extremity function

Hallux valgus and plantar pressure loading: the Framingham foot study

Background: Hallux valgus (HV), a common structural foot deformity, can cause foot pain and lead to limited mobility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in plantar pressure and force during gait by HV status in a large population-based cohort of men and women. Methods: A trained examiner performed a validated physical examination on participants’ feet and recorded the presence of hallux valgus and other specific foot disorders. Each foot was classified into one of four mutually exclusive groups based on the foot examination. Foot groups were: (i) HV only, (ii) HV and at least one additional foot disorder (FD), (iii) no HV but at least one other FD, and (iv) neither HV nor FD (referent). Biomechanical data for both feet were collected using Tekscan Matscan. Foot posture during quiet standing, using modified arch index (MAI), and foot function during gait, using center of pressure excursion index (CPEI), were calculated per foot. Further, walking scans were masked into eight sub-regions using Novel Automask, and peak pressure and maximum force exerted in each region were calculated. Results: There were 3205 participants, contributing 6393 feet with complete foot exam data and valid biomechanical measurements. Participants with HV had lower hallucal loading and higher forces at lesser toes as well as higher MAI and lower CPEI values compared to the referent. Participants with HV and other FDs were also noted to have aberrant rearfoot forces and pressures. Conclusions: These results suggest that HV alters foot loading patterns and pressure profiles. Future work should investigate how these changes affect the risk of other foot and lower extremity ailments

Foot Disorders, Foot Posture, and Foot Function: The Framingham Foot Study

Introduction: Foot disorders are common among older adults and may lead to outcomes such as falls and functional limitation. However, the associations of foot posture and foot function to specific foot disorders at the population level remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation between specific foot disorders, foot posture, and foot function. Methods: Participants were from the population-based Framingham Foot Study. Quintiles of the modified arch index and center of pressure excursion index from plantar pressure scans were used to create foot posture and function subgroups. Adjusted odds ratios of having each specific disorder were calculated for foot posture and function subgroups relative to a referent 3 quintiles. Results: Pes planus foot posture was associated with increased odds of hammer toes and overlapping toes. Cavus foot posture was not associated with the foot disorders evaluated. Odds of having hallux valgus and overlapping toes were significantly increased in those with pronated foot function, while odds of hallux valgus and hallux rigidus were significantly decreased in those with supinated function. Conclusions: Foot posture and foot function were associated with the presence of specific foot disorders

Factors associated with hallux valgus in a population-based study of older women and men: the MOBILIZE Boston Study

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential risk factors for hallux valgus in community-dwelling elders. METHOD: Data from 600 MOBILIZE Boston Study participants (386 women and 214 men) were analyzed. Hallux valgus was defined as \u3e15 degrees angular deviation of the hallux with respect to the first metatarsal bone toward the lesser toes. Associations of hallux valgus with age, body mass index (BMI), race, education, pes planus, foot pain, and in women, history of high heel shoe use, were assessed using sex-specific Poisson regression with robust variance estimation for risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Hallux valgus was present in 58% of women and 25% of men. Higher BMI was inversely associated with presence of hallux valgus in women (P trend=0.001), with the strongest inverse association observed in those with BMI of 30.0 or more compared to those with normal BMI (RR=0.7, 95% CI: 0.5, 0.9). Women, who usually wore high-heeled shoes during ages 20-64 years compared to those who did not, had increased likelihood of hallux valgus (RR=1.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.5). Among men, those with BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 had increased likelihood of hallux valgus compared to those with normal BMI (RR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.5). Men with pes planus were more likely to have hallux valgus (RR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.3, 3.3) compared to men without pes planus. CONCLUSION: In women, hallux valgus was associated with lower BMI and high heel use during ages 20-64, while in men, associations were observed with higher BMI and pes planus. Our results suggest that the etiologic mechanisms for hallux valgus may differ between men and women. Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

法政大学図書館一〇〇年史 : 第一編 図書館通史 : 第九章 三キャンパス体制への対応 二、工学部図書館の歩み

Lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries are common, complex, and costly problems. Literature supports associations between static foot structure and dynamic foot function, as well as between overuse injury and demographic characteristics. Previous studies failed to provide a comprehensive biomechanical foot characteristics of at-risk military personnel. In this study, foot structure, function, and arch height flexibility (AHF) were objectively measured in 1090 incoming cadets (16.3% female, mean age of 18.5years and BMI of 24.5kg/

Visual onset expands subjective time

We report a distortion of subjective time perception in which the duration of a first interval is perceived to be longer than the succeeding interval of the same duration. The amount of time expansion depends on the onset type defining the first interval. When a stimulus appears abruptly, its duration is perceived to be longer than when it appears following a stationary array. The difference in the processing time for the stimulus onset and motion onset, measured as reaction times, agrees with the difference in time expansion. Our results suggest that initial transient responses for a visual onset serve as a temporal marker for time estimation, and a systematic change in the processing time for onsets affects perceived time