Experimental Research of Sintered Porous Materials of Bronze Powders

Porous sample were fabricated by sintering of bronze ( Cu Sn10) with different particle size range. The paper investigates the influence of the particle size distribution, temperature and sintering time on the structural characteristics (porosity, pore size, dimensional changes) of the porous parts studied. A porous structure with small-sized pores and a uniform distribution of the pore sizes is obtained in conditions of a narrow range of particle size distribution, small size of the powder particles and optimal sintering parameters

Geographic variation in the treatment of non-ST-segment myocardial infarction in the English National Health Service: a cohort study

Objectives: To investigate geographic variation in guideline-indicated treatments for NSTEMI in the English National Health Service (NHS). Design: Cohort study using registry data from the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project. Setting: All Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) (n=211) in the English NHS. Participants: 357,228 patients with NSTEMI between 1st January, 2003 and 30th June, 2013. Main outcome measure: Proportion of eligible NSTEMI who received all eligible guideline-indicated treatments (optimal care) according to the date of guideline publication. Results: The proportion of NSTEMI who received optimal care was low (48,257/357,228; 13.5%) and varied between CCGs (median 12.8%, interquartile range 0.7 to 18.1%). The greatest geographic variation was for aldosterone antagonists (16.7%, 0.0 to 40.0%) and least for use of an electrocardiogram (96.7%, 92.5 to 98.7%). The highest rates of care were for acute aspirin (median 92.8%, interquartile range 88.6 to 97.1%), and aspirin (90.1%, 85.1 to 93.3%) and statins (86.4%, 82.3 to 91.2%) at hospital discharge. The lowest rates were for smoking cessation advice (median 11.6%, interquartile range 8.7 to 16.6%), dietary advice (32.4%, 23.9 to 41.7%) and the prescription of P2Y12 inhibitors (39.7%, 32.4 to 46.9%). After adjustment for case mix, nearly all (99.6%) of the variation was due to between hospitals differences (median 64.7%, interquartile range 57.4% to 70.0%; between hospital variance: 1.92, 95% confidence interval 1.51 to 2.44; interclass correlation 0.996, 0.976 to 0.999). Conclusions: Across the English NHS, the optimal use of guideline-indicated treatments for NSTEMI was low. Variation in the use of specific treatments for NSTEMI was mostly explained by between-hospital differences in care. Performance-based commissioning may increase the use of NSTEMI treatments and, therefore, reduce premature cardiovascular deaths

Эффективность терапии Беродуалом Н с помощью малых спейсеров при обострении обструктивных болезней легких

The randomized controlled single hospital centre study assessed the efficacy of therapy with Berodual N (fenoterol / ipratropium) delivered by means of small spacers in patients with acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary diseases. Inclusion criteria were acute exacerbation of COPD or asthma, age 18–75 yrs, FEV1 30–60 %, no need for respiratory support. 61 patients with COPD or asthma (M : F = 37 : 24, mean age 59 ± 8 yrs; FEV1 — 40 ± 11 %, SpO2 = 94 ± 2 %) were randomized to Berodual N 2 inhalations via MDI (n = 31) or Berodual N 2 inhalations via spacer-MDI (n = 30). Therapy with Berodual N in both groups of patients led to statistically significant improvement in FEV1, FVC and IC, and to decrease in respiratory rate and dispnea. Therapy with Berodual N via spacer-MDI resulted in more significant improvement of FVC and IC (difference between groups after 0.5 and 1 h after inhalation: р < 0.05). Dyspnea score also improved more significantly in patients received Berodual N via spacer-MDI (difference between groups after 0.5 and 1 h after inhalation: р < 0.05). The incidence of adverse events was similar between the groups. Conclusion: in patients with acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary diseases therapy with Berodual N by means of small spacers and MDI is more effective in comparison with MDI only.Нами проведено рандомизированное контролируемое одноцентровое исследование по оценке эффективности терапии комбинированным бронхорасширяющим препаратом Беродуалом Н (фенотерол / ипратропиум) со спейсером малого объема у больных с обострениями обструктивных болезней легких. Критерии включения больных: обострение ХОБЛ или астмы, возраст — 18–75 лет, ОФВ1 — 30–60 %, отсутствие потребности в респираторной поддержке. В исследование были включены 61 больной ХОБЛ и астмой (M : Ж = 37 : 24, средний возраст — 59 ± 8 лет; ОФВ1 — 40 ± 11 %, SpO2 — 94 ± 2 %), больные были методом рандомизации разделены на 2 группы: терапия Беродуалом Н 2 вдоха через ДАИ (n = 31) и терапия Беродуалом Н 2 вдоха через спейсер-ДАИ (n = 30). Терапия Беродуалом Н в обеих группах больных привела к достоверному улучшению ОФВ1, ФЖЕЛ и Евд, снижению ЧДД и уменьшению диспное. Терапия Беродуалом Н через спейсер#ДАИ по сравнению ингаляцией через ДАИ привела к более выраженному улучшению параметров ФЖЕЛ и Евд (различия через 0,5 и 1 ч, р < 0,05). Уменьшение диспное также было более выражено в те же сроки в группе больных, использовавших спейсер-ДАИ (p < 0,05). Частота развития побочных эффектов оказалась сходной в обеих группах. Выводы: у больных с обострениями обструктивных болезней легких терапия Беродуалом Н при помощи спейсера малого объема более эффективна по сравнению с использованием ДАИ

Predicting sudden death in patients with mild to moderate chronic heart failure

Objectives: To explore the relation between non-invasive measures of cardiac function and sudden cardiac death, as well as the development and utility of an index integrating these variables to identify patients at increased risk of this mode of death. Design: UK-HEART (United Kingdom-heart failure evaluation and assessment of risk trial) was a prospective study conducted between December 1993 and April 2000. The study was specifically designed to identify non-invasive markers of death and mode of death among patients with chronic heart failure. Setting: 8 UK general hospitals. Main outcome measures: Death and mode of death. Results: 553 patients aged a mean (SD) of 63 (10) years, in New York Heart Association functional class 2.3 (0.02), recruited prospectively. After 2365 patient-years’ follow up, 201 patients had died (67 suddenly). Predictors of sudden death were greater cardiothoracic ratio, QRS dispersion, QT dispersion corrected for rate (QTc) across leads V1–V6 on the 12 lead ECG, and the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. The hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of sudden death for a 10% increase in cardiothoracic ratio was 1.43 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.71), for a 10% increase in QRS dispersion 1.11 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.19), for the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia 2.03 (95% CI 1.27 to 3.25), and for a 10% increase in QTc dispersion across leads V1–V6 1.03 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.07) (all p < 0.04). An index derived from these four factors performed well in identifying patients specifically at increased risk of sudden death. Conclusions: Results show that an index derived from three widely available non-invasive investigations has the potential to identify ambulant patients with chronic heart failure at increased risk of sudden death. This predictive tool could be used to target more sophisticated investigations or interventions aimed at preventing sudden death

The effect of information system capabilities on medium and large enterprises’ firm performance: A moderated mediation analysis

The global corporate world has been subjected to rapid changes due to technological advancements and the increasing pressure from stakeholders to attain sustainable competitive advantage. Despite these technological advancements, there is limited amount of academic literature examining the effect of the Information System Capabilities to the corporation’s overall firm performance. This prompts the question of whether such efforts will positively affect a firm’s performance. The researchers made use of a moderated mediation model to examine the effects of the meditiators– decision-making performance (DMP) and business-process performance (BPP), and the moderator– innovation performance (IP) between the relationship of IS capabilities and firm performance. Through a convenience sampling, the researchers were able to gather managers, IT professionals, and non-IT professionals from 167 companies from Metro Manila. Through a cross-sectional research design, the proponents used PLS-SEM to generate results, Findings showed that IS infrastructure capability, decision-making performance, and business-process performance showed direct positive effect to firm performance, whereas only the partial mediation of business-process performance on IS infrastructure capability and firm performance was significant, and finally majority of the moderating effects of innovation performance demonstrated a significant inverse effect on the direct effects. Keywords: IS Capabilities, Decision-making performance, business process performance, and firm performance, innovation performanc

Genetic, Environmental, and Stochastic Components of Lifespan Variability: The <i>Drosophila</i> Paradigm

Lifespan is a complex quantitative trait involving genetic and non-genetic factors as well as the peculiarities of ontogenesis. As with all quantitative traits, lifespan shows considerable variation within populations and between individuals. Drosophila, a favourite object of geneticists, has greatly advanced our understanding of how different forms of variability affect lifespan. This review considers the role of heritable genetic variability, phenotypic plasticity and stochastic variability in controlling lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster. We discuss the major historical milestones in the development of the genetic approach to study lifespan, the breeding of long-lived lines, advances in lifespan QTL mapping, the environmental factors that have the greatest influence on lifespan in laboratory maintained flies, and the mechanisms, by which individual development affects longevity. The interplay between approaches to study ageing and lifespan limitation will also be discussed. Particular attention will be paid to the interaction of different types of variability in the control of lifespan

Ein Beitrag zur Auslegung von Aufprallsensoren fuer Insassenschutzsysteme in Kraftfahrzeugen

Available from TIB Hannover: DW 3316 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

On-line Monitoring of Fluence Distributions and Imaging of Scanning Ion Beams

Abstract: In this paper we describe the design of an ion beam monitor developed to control irradiations of biological samples with ions at GANIL (Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds). This device can be used as an on-line monitor to provide transverse fluence distributions for active scanning ion irradiations. It can also be used as an interceptive beam imager to provide beam profiles or fluence depth distributions. A prototype of the monitor has been tested at GANIL with five different ion beams, having intensities from 10 4 to 10 9 ions per second. Real time transverse fluence distributions have been obtained with a 1mm spatial resolution