Performance of corn stoves

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of using corn burning heating appliances as an alternative to more traditional natural gas or electric heat. Two models of different sizes and outputs were purchased for the test. The appliances were operated through the winter and into the spring to evaluation their performance.;The equipment was operated following the manufacturer\u27s suggestion. Parameters such as gas composition, ash production and temperature profiles were obtained in order to quantitatively describe the performance of the appliances.;While many natural gas furnaces available to consumers these days reach efficiencies of greater than 95%, solid-fuel appliances remain significantly lower. Observed efficiencies ranged from 10% to 50%, depending on fuel source, method of combustion, and design. Because of the fledgling nature of this industry, performance is not as high as well developed technology, such as gas furnaces, can achieve. However, with enough sustained interest in alternative energy, the application of burning corn for heat shows promise

Computer networks for remote laboratories in physics and engineering

This paper addresses a relatively new approach to scientific research, telescience, which is the conduct of scientific operations in locations remote from the site of central experimental activity. A testbed based on the concepts of telescience is being developed to ultimately enable scientific researchers on earth to conduct experiments onboard the Space Station. This system along with background materials are discussed

Robotic Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology

Robotic surgery for the management of gynecologic cancers allows for minimally invasive surgical removal of cancer-bearing organs and tissues using sophisticated surgeon-manipulated, robotic surgical instrumentation. Early on, gynecologic oncologists recognized that minimally invasive surgery was associated with less surgical morbidity and that it shortened postoperative recovery. Now, robotic surgery represents an effective alternative to conventional laparotomy. Since its widespread adoption, minimally invasive surgery has become an option not only for the morbidly obese but for women with gynecologic malignancy where conventional laparotomy has been associated with significant morbidity. As such, this paper considers indications for robotic surgery, reflects on outcomes from initial robotic surgical outcomes data, reviews cost efficacy and implications in surgical training, and discusses new roles for robotic surgery in gynecologic cancer management

Management of a Type I Hypersensitivity Reaction to IV Etoposide in a Woman with a Yolk Sac Tumor: A Case Report

Type I hypersensitivity reactions to intravenous administration of etoposide are extremely rare. Etoposide is an essential component of several chemotherapy regimens used in gynecologic oncology, and discontinuation of this drug during a course of treatment should only be due to severe patient intolerance. We report the successful use of intravenous etoposide phosphate as a substitute drug in a patient with a yolk sac tumor who manifested a Type I hypersensitivity to intravenous etoposide. The patient ultimately completed all 4 cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin (BEP) using etoposide phosphate as a substitute drug

Religious Identity, Religious Attendance, and Parental Control

Using a national sample of adolescents aged 10–18 years and their parents (N = 5,117), this article examines whether parental religious identity and religious participation are associated with the ways in which parents control their children. We hypothesize that both religious orthodoxy and weekly religious attendance are related to heightened levels of three elements of parental control: monitoring activities, normative regulations, and network closure. Results indicate that an orthodox religious identity for Catholic and Protestant parents and higher levels of religious attendance for parents as a whole are associated with increases in monitoring activities and normative regulations of American adolescents

Thromboembolism After Intramedullary Nailing for Metastatic Bone Lesions.

BACKGROUND: The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing intramedullary nailing for skeletal metastatic disease is currently undefined. The purpose of our study was to determine the risk of thromboembolic events, to define the risk factors for VTE, and to define the rate of wound complications in this population. METHODS: A retrospective review of surgical databases at three National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers identified 287 patients with a total of 336 impending or pathologic long-bone fractures that were stabilized with intramedullary nailing between February 2001 and April 2013. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing multivariable logistic regression and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: The overall rate of VTE was twenty-four (7.1%) of the 336; thirteen (3.9%) were pulmonary embolism (PE), and eleven (3.3%), deep venous thrombosis (DVT). In two patients, adequate anticoagulation data were not available. We found no significant relationship between the type of anticoagulant used and VTE. There was a significant positive correlation found between lung-cancer histology and the development of VTE (p \u3c 0.001) or PE (p \u3c 0.001). The absence of radiation therapy approached significance (p = 0.06) with respect to decreased overall VTE risk. Wound complications were documented for 11 (3.3%) of the operations. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high rate of VTE among those with skeletal metastatic disease who undergo intramedullary nailing, even while receiving postoperative thromboembolic prophylaxis. Current anticoagulation protocols may be inadequate. Wound-complication risk with anticoagulant use in this population is low and should not be a deterrent to adequate anticoagulant use for this population

A Case of a C-Stem Fracture at the Head-Neck Junction and a Review of the Literature

We report the first case of a fracture of the standard C-stem in combination with a large metal-on-metal articulation. This occurred at the head-neck junction. Analysis of the fractured stem showed evidence of fatigue failure with possible corrosion. The use of large femoral heads with neck adaptors and narrow tapers should be used with caution, especially in heavy, active patients

Presence of antibiotic resistance genes in the receiving environment of Iqaluit's wastewater treatment plant in water, sediment, and clams sampled from Frobisher Bay, Nunavut : a preliminary study in the Canadian Arctic

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a growing health concern worldwide, and the Arctic represents an understudied region in terms of AR. This study aimed to quantify AR genes from effluent released from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, thus creating a baseline reference for future evaluations. Water, sediment, and truncate softshell clam (Mya truncata) tissue samples were compared from the wastewater, the receiving environment of Frobisher Bay, and nearby undisturbed freshwaters. The pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) atenolol, carbamazepine, metoprolol, naproxen, sulfapyridine, and trimethoprim were found in the wastewater, but the PPCPs were undetectable in the receiving environment. However, the relative abundances of ARGs were significantly higher in wastewater than in the receiving environment or reference sites. Abundances did not significantly differ in Frobisher Bay compared to undisturbed reference sites. ARGs in clams near the WWTP had similar relative abundances as those from pristine areas. The lack of ARG detection is likely due to Frobisher Bay tides flushing inputs to levels below detection. These data suggest that the WWTP infrastructure does not influence the receiving environment based on the measured parameters; more importantly, further research must elucidate the impact and fate of AR and PPCPs in Arctic communities

Race differences in interventions and survival after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in North Carolina, 2010 to 2014

Background Following the implementation of the HeartRescue project, with interventions in the community, emergency medical services, and hospitals to improve care and outcomes for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in North Carolina, improved bystander and first responder treatments as well as survival were observed. This study aimed to determine whether these improvements were consistent across Black versus White individuals. Methods and Results Using the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES), we identified OHCA from 16 counties in North Carolina (population 3 million) from 2010 to 2014. Temporal changes in interventions and outcomes were assessed using multilevel multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for patient and socioeconomic neighborhood‐level factors. Of 7091 patients with OHCA, 36.5% were Black and 63.5% were White. Black patients were younger, more females, had more unwitnessed arrests and non‐shockable rhythm (Black: 81.0%; White: 75.4%). From 2010 to 2014, the adjusted probabilities of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) went from 38.5% to 51.2% in White, P<0.001; and 36.9% to 45.6% in Black, P=0.002, and first‐responder defibrillation went from 13.2% to 17.2% in White, P=0.002; and 14.7% to 17.3% in Black, P=0.16. From 2010 to 2014, survival to discharge only increased in White (8.0% to 11.4%, P=0.004; Black 8.9% to 9.5%, P=0.60), though, in shockable patients the probability of survival to discharge went from 24.8% to 34.6% in White, P=0.02; and 21.7% to 29.0% in Black, P=0. 10. Conclusions After the HeartRescue program, bystander CPR and first‐responder defibrillation increased in both patient groups; however, survival only increased significantly for White patients