Unexpected sounds inhibit the movement of the eyes during reading and letter scanning

Novel sounds that unexpectedly deviate from a repetitive sound sequence are well known to cause distraction. Such unexpected sounds have also been shown to cause global motor inhibition, suggesting that they trigger a neurophysiological response aimed at stopping ongoing actions. Recently, evidence from eye movements has suggested that unexpected sounds also temporarily pause the movements of the eyes during reading, though it is unclear if this effect is due to inhibition of oculomotor planning or inhibition of language processes. Here, we sought to distinguish between these two possibilities by comparing a natural reading task to a letter scanning task that involves similar oculomotor demands to reading, but no higher level lexical processing. Participants either read sentences for comprehension or scanned letter strings of these sentences for the letter ‘o’ in three auditory conditions: silence, standard, and novel sounds. The results showed that novel sounds were equally distracting in both tasks, suggesting that they generally inhibit ongoing oculomotor processes independent of lexical processing. These results suggest that novel sounds may have a global suppressive effect on eye-movement control

Comparison of Simulator Wear Measured by Gravimetric vs Optical Surface Methods for Two Million Cycles

Understanding wear mechanisms are key for better implants Critical to the success of the simulation Small amount of metal wear can have catastrophic effects in the patient such as heavy metal poisoning or deterioration of the bone/implant interface leading to implant failure Difficult to measure in heavy hard-on-hard implants (metal-on-metal or ceramic-on-ceramic) May have only fractions of a milligram of wear on a 200 g component At the limit of detection of even high-end balances when the component is 200 g and the change in weight is on the order of 0.000 1 grams Here we compare the standard gravimetric wear estimate with A non-contact 3D optical profiling method at each weighing stop A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) at the beginning and end of the ru

Results from an interlaboratory comparison of areal surface texture parameter extraction from X-ray computed tomography of additively manufactured parts

This paper presents the results of the CT-STARR (CT-Surface Texture for Additive Round Robin) interlaboratory comparison. The study compares the results obtained for the extraction of areal surface texture data per ISO 25178-2 from five X-ray computed tomography (XCT) volume measurements from each of four laboratories. To reduce the number of process variables, all participants utilise a Nikon XCT machine, either an XT H 225 industrial CT or an MCT225 metrology CT. Measurement process parameters, such as physical X-ray filtering, acceleration voltage and filament current, are set at similar values for all machines. All data processing and computation to extract, align, crop, filter and generate surface texture parameter information and deviation analysis results from the measurement volumes is performed by one participant. Two Ti6Al4V ELI (extra low interstitial) components are included in each of the XCT acquisitions. The first component is an additively manufactured cube built on an Arcam Q10 electron beam melting machine. Surface texture data is extracted from XCT scans of this part. The second component is a machined artefact designed for XCT scaling and surface determination analysis and verification. The data extracted from XCT measurements of these components is compared with measurements from coordinate measuring machine, focus variation and stylus instruments. The effect of scaling correction and XCT surface determination on extracted surface texture data, as well as measurement repeatability and reproducibility, are discussed

The influence of hydroalcoholic media on the performance of Grewia polysaccharide in sustained release tablets

Co-administration of drugs with alcohol can affect the plasma concentration of drugs in patients. It is also known that the excipients used in the formulation of drugs may not always be resistant to alcohol. This study evaluates effect of varying alcohol concentrations on theophylline release from two grades of Grewia mollis polysaccharides. X-ray microtomography showed that native polysaccharide formulation compacts were not homogenous after the mixing process resulting in its failure in swelling studies. Removal of starch from the native polysaccharide resulted in homogenous formulation compacts resistant to damage in high alcoholic media in pH 6.8 (40%v/v absolute ethanol). Destarched polymer compacts had a significantly higher hardness (375 N) than that of the native polysaccharide (82 N) and HPMC K4 M (146 N). Dissolution studies showed similarity at all levels of alcohol tested (f2 = 57-91) in simulated gastric media (pH 1.2). The dissolution profiles in the simulated intestinal fluids were also similar (f2 = 60-94), with the exception of the native polysaccharide in pH 6.8 (40%v/v absolute ethanol) (f2 = 43). This work highlights the properties of Grewia polysaccharide as a matrix former that can resist high alcoholic effects therefore; it may be suitable as an alternative to some of the commercially available matrix formers with wider applications for drug delivery as a cheaper alternative in the developing world

Results from an interlaboratory comparison of areal surface texture parameter extraction from X-ray computed tomography of additively manufactured parts

This paper presents the results of the CT-STARR (CT-Surface Texture for Additive Round Robin) interlaboratory comparison. The study compares the results obtained for the extraction of areal surface texture data per ISO 25178-2 from five X-ray computed tomography (XCT) volume measurements from each of four laboratories. To reduce the number of process variables, all participants utilise a Nikon XCT machine, either an XT H 225 industrial CT or an MCT225 metrology CT. Measurement process parameters, such as physical X-ray filtering, acceleration voltage and filament current, are set at similar values for all machines. All data processing and computation to extract, align, crop, filter and generate surface texture parameter information and deviation analysis results from the measurement volumes is performed by one participant. Two Ti6Al4V ELI (extra low interstitial) components are included in each of the XCT acquisitions. The first component is an additively manufactured cube built on an Arcam Q10 electron beam melting machine. Surface texture data is extracted from XCT scans of this part. The second component is a machined artefact designed for XCT scaling and surface determination analysis and verification. The data extracted from XCT measurements of these components is compared with measurements from coordinate measuring machine, focus variation and stylus instruments. The effect of scaling correction and XCT surface determination on extracted surface texture data, as well as measurement repeatability and reproducibility, are discussed

Focus variation measurement and advanced analysis of volumetric loss at the femoral head taper interface of retrieved modular replacement hips in replica

This paper offers a technique for non-contact assessment of material volume loss at the femoral head taper interface of modular replacement hips with novel use of the focus variation principle. A novel 3D to areal data conversion technique also allows powerful areal data analysis techniques to be applied to point cloud (3D) measurements for volume loss optimisation. Accurate characterisation of retrieved femoral head tapers is important to assess their in vivo performance particularly with respect to the bio toxicity of wear and corrosion products. A cohort of 8 retrieved femoral heads showing a wide range of degradation (0.5mm^{3} < volume loss < 12mm^{3}) [1] was selected for the development of this technique. Using this common cohort of retrieved hips, the current technique was benchmarked against the well proven roundness measurement machine (RMM) method. This existing technique generates areal (2.5D) data and exploits a range of existing areal analysis techniques to optimise volume loss assessment. For benchmarking continuity and to exploit the same areal techniques, volume loss analysis for the current technique was carried out using the software written for the existing RMM method. The focus variation instrument's integrated language was used to write script to convert (un-wrap) the taper surface 3D data into areal format. The current method shows a mean absolute difference in volume loss of 14% (-12% signed) from that of the benchmark with a range of 1% to 27%. The spread of measured values is significantly higher for the current method than for the benchmark. However, it is noted that replication can offer the advantage of capturing the whole taper surface on some taper types where physical access is limited for a stylus based roundness method. The current technique is also compared to the existing Redlux™ technique in which replicated female tapers are measured using a confocal instrument. The current technique is shown to have comparable performance to the Redlux™ technique but offers a more sophisticated methodology for volume loss analysis. In addition the current technique offers new instrumentation and analysis tools to the field. Small uncontrolled casting variations are noted in the current technique, resulting in poorer performance with small volume loss samples where the influence of this effect is most pronounced. However, given the simplified assumptions of the volume loss calculation where results may be skewed by deposits, some uncertainty will be evident with any approach

Charactering taper junction wear helps understand the mechanism of failure of metal on metal hip replacements.

Introduction: Taper junction material loss is the result of corrosion and mechanical wear. The significance of the taper junction material loss is highlighted by studies that compared resurfacing and total hip replacements of the same type and size. High volumes of material loss are reported, especially from the head taper, but the pattern of wear is unknown. One report characterized the material loss pattern of five tapers (n=5) into axisymmetrical and asymmetrical, along the long axis of the taper. We noticed more than two patterns on our retrievals and we set out to characterize these types and relate them to clinical variables. Methods: We retrospectively analysed retrieved cobalt-chromium tapers (n=146) using a roundness measurement machine. We also performed a corrosion classification and collected clinical data (metal ion levels, time to revision, component sizes). A non-blinded author devised a four-group classification (table). Two blinded authors classified the material loss patterns derived from the roundness measurement machine. Results: The four groups of material loss patterns Low wear (n= 62), Open-end band (n=29), Stripped material loss (n=51) and Coup-Countercoup (n=4). Kappa was 0.78 (p<0.001) in the assessment of interobserver reliability. Kruskal-Wallis test revealed: - Significantly higher volumes of wear on the taper of Stripped material loss compared to Low wear (p<0.001) and Open-end band compared to Low wear (p<0.001) groups. - Significantly higher chromium ion blood levels in the open-end band compared to the Stripped material loss group. - Significantly higher Cobalt ion blood levels in the Stripped material loss compared to the Low wear group - Significantly higher Cobalt/Chromium ration in the Open-end band compared to the Low wear group One-way ANOVA analysis revealed: - Significant difference between in the head sizes between the groups (p=0.01). Post-hoc analysis located the difference between the Low wear (median=40, range=20) and Open-end band (median=49, range=20) groups (p<0.001). - Significantly higher time to revision in the Stripped material loss compared to the Low wear group (p=0.05), in the post-hoc analysis. - Significantly higher corrosion scores in the Stripped material loss compared to the Low wear group (p<0.001) and the Open-end band compared to the Low wear group (p<0.001). Discussion: The results suggests that corrosion becomes worse over time and that the material loss pattern evolves gradually from the Low wear to Open-end band and finally to Stripped. Further analysis is required to assess the factors that affect the Coup-countercoup group