Autonomous rendezvous and docking: A commercial approach to on-orbit technology validation

The Space Automation and Robotics Center (SpARC), a NASA-sponsored Center for the Commercial Development of Space (CCDS), in conjunction with its corporate affiliates, is planning an on-orbit validation of autonomous rendezvous and docking (ARD) technology. The emphasis in this program is to utilize existing technology and commercially available components whenever possible. The primary subsystems that will be validated by this demonstration include GPS receivers for navigation, a video-based sensor for proximity operations, a fluid connector mechanism to demonstrate fluid resupply capability, and a compliant, single-point docking mechanism. The focus for this initial experiment will be expendable launch vehicle (ELV) based and will make use of two residual Commercial Experiment Transporter (COMET) service modules. The first COMET spacecraft will be launched in late 1992 and will serve as the target vehicle. The ARD demonstration will take place in late 1994, after the second COMET spacecraft has been launched. The service module from the second COMET will serve as the chase vehicle

Pathologies of acute interstitial pneumonia in feedlot cattle

Citation: Valles, J. A., Apley, M. D., Reinhardt, C. D., Bartle, S. J., & Thomson, D. U. (2016). Pathologies of acute interstitial pneumonia in feedlot cattle. American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 11(1), 1-7. doi:10.3844/ajavsp.2016.1.7Acute Interstitial Pneumonia (AIP) is a costly issue that affects feedlot cattle. Research has yet to elucidate the etiology of AIP; therefore a case-control study was conducted to evaluate possible management and physiological factors that contribute to AIP in feedlot cattle. The experiment was conducted during the summer of 2011 in a commercial feedyard in Kansas. Animals exhibiting clinical signs of AIP and a control animal from the same pen were selected for ante-mortem examination. Post-mortem AIP cases were also selected for additional examination. Ante-mortem measurements included rumen gas cap hydrogen sulfide and pH, rectal temperature and body weight. Post-mortem examination added histological examination of lung tissue. Rectal temperature was greater in the AIP cattle (40.6±0.16°C) than controls (39.7±0.16°C; p0.10). Post-mortem rumen pH values were 6.3±0.4 and 5.7±0.6 for AIP and control cattle, respectively. Histological evaluation of lung samples showed that bronchiolitis was present in about 90% of the cattle affected with AIP. About 75% of the cattle with AIP also had bronchopneumonia. No relationships between feed intake patterns, or serum amylase or lipase levels were noted between treatments (p>0.20). This study generally confirms that AIP tends to occur more in heifers relative to steers, occurs in cattle at heavier weights or later in the feeding period and tends to be associated pathologically with bronchio’ litis and bronchopneumonia. The lack of differences in rumen measures and the feed intake data between AIP and control cattle suggest that feed intake patterns and rumen fermentation may not impact AIP in feedlot cattle and that it may be more directly related to bronchiolitis/bronchopneumonia due to chronic irritation or infection. © 2016 Jose A. Valles, Michael D. Apley, Chris D. Reinhardt, Steven J. Bartle and Daniel U. Thomson

The course of mental health problems in children presenting with abdominal pain in general practice

Objective. To investigate the course of mental health problems in children presenting to general practice with abdominal pain and to evaluate the extent to which abdominal pain characteristics during follow-up predict the presence of mental health problems at 12 months' follow-up. Design. A prospective cohort study with one-year follow-up. Setting. 53 general practices in the Netherlands, between May 2004 and March 2006. Subjects. 281 children aged 4-17 years. Main outcome measures. The presence of a depressive problem, an anxiety problem, and multiple non-specific somatic symptoms at follow-up and odds ratios of duration, frequency, and severity of abdominal pain with these mental health problems at follow-up. Results. A depressive problem persisted in 24/74 children (32.9%; 95% CI 22.3-44.9%), an anxiety problem in 13/43 (30.2%; 95% CI 17.2-46.1%) and the presence of multiple non-specific somatic symptoms in 75/170 children (44.1%; 95% CI 36.7-51.6%). None of the abdominal pain characteristics predicted a depressive or an anxiety problem at 12 months' follow-up. More moments of moderate to severe abdominal pain predicted the presence of multiple nonspecific somatic symptoms at follow-up. Conclusions. In one-third of the children presenting to general practice for abdominal pain, anxiety and depressive problems persist during one year of follow-up. Characteristics of the abdominal pain during the follow-up period do not predict anxiety or depressive problems after one-year follow-up. We recommend following over time children seen in primary care with abdominal pain

Diagnostic accuracy of the Thessaly test, standardised clinical history and other clinical examination tests (Apley's, McMurray's and joint line tenderness) for meniscal tears in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis

Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the funding received for this study from the National Institutes of Health Research HTA programme, grant reference 09/163/02.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Early motion and directed exercise (EMADE) versus usual care post ankle fracture fixation: study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Background: Following surgical fixation of ankle fractures, the traditional management has included immobilisation for 6 weeks in a below-knee cast. However, this can lead to disuse atrophy of the affected leg and joint stiffness. While early rehabilitation from 2 weeks post surgery is viewed as safe, controversy remains regarding its benefits. We will compare the effectiveness of early motion and directed exercise (EMADE) ankle rehabilitation, against usual care, i.e. 6 weeks’ immobilisation in a below-knee cast. Method/design: We have designed a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (p-RCT) to compare the EMADE intervention against usual care. We will recruit 144 independently living adult participants, absent of tissue-healing comorbidities, who have undergone surgical stabilisation of isolated Weber B ankle fractures. The EMADE intervention consists of a non-weight-bearing progressive home exercise programme, complemented with manual therapy and education. Usual care consists of immobilisation in a non-weight-bearing below-knee cast. The intervention period is between week 2 and week 6 post surgery. The primary outcome is the Olerud and Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) at 12 weeks post surgery. Secondary PROMs include the EQ-5D-5 L questionnaire, return to work and return to driving, with objective outcomes including ankle range of motion. Analysis will be on an intention-to-treat basis. An economic evaluation will be included. Discussion: The EMADE intervention is a package of care designed to address the detrimental effects of disuse atrophy and joint stiffness. An advantage of the OMAS is the potential of meta-analysis with other designs. Within the economic evaluation, the cost-utility analysis, may be used by commissioners, while the use of patient-relevant outcomes, such as return to work and driving, will ensure that the study remains pertinent to patients and their families. As it is being conducted in the clinical environment, this p-RCT has high external validity. Accordingly, if significant clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness are demonstrated, EMADE should become a worthwhile treatment option. A larger-scale, multicentre trial may be required to influence national guidelines. Trial registration: ISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN11212729. Registered retrospectively on 20 March 2017