Surgical outcome with single stage procedure for neglected congenital talipes equinovarus

Background: Congenital talipes equinovarus is one of the commonest congenital anomalies. In developing countries like India especially in the rural population still there are many myths, culture and awareness issues regarding this deformity. Many patients get initial treatment with casting but tend loose follow ups in this prolonged treatment. To give optimal results in these scenarios, the technique for single stage procedure which includes bony and soft tissue repair gives excellent results.Methods: In a retrospective longitudinal study, 13 children with neglected clubfeet were involved. Valid consent, clinical and radiological evaluation was done. Patients underwent single stage (bony and soft tissue) procedure described in the study. Post operatively data was collected and scoring was done as per International clubfoot study group (ICSG) at each follow ups.Results: A total 13 children out of whom 9 were male and 4 females, all having unilateral deformity were studied. The age group was between 5-22 years (mean 13.5). Postoperatively, the children were followed at 6 months intervals. As per ICSG score 10 patients had excellent results, 3 patients had good results and none had poor results. 2 patients had minor complication - delayed wound healing (2-3 weeks).Conclusions: Treatment of neglected clubfoot using single stage procedure dorsal close wedge osteotomy with soft tissue release has a high rate of good and excellent results, with low frequency of complications. It is a good alternative to conventional procedures for management of neglected clubfeet in developing countries, where compliance of patient is a problem

In-Situ Nanoparticle Formation in Polymer Clearcoats

Methods and compositions for forming a transparent clear coat characterized by a desired property, such as a color effect, resistance to UV light-induced degradation and/or scratch resistance, on a substrate are detailed according to embodiments of the present invention. Particular compositions and methods for producing a transparent clear coat layer include nanoparticles formed in-situ during curing of a transparent clear coat. Curable clear coat compositions are described according to embodiments of the present invention which include one or more substantially dissolved nanoparticle precursors

Properties of Cu(In,Ga) Se2 Thin Films and Solar Cells Deposited by Hybrid Process

Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 solar cells were fabricated using a hybrid cosputtering/evaporation process, and efficiencies as high as 12.4% were achieved. The films were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, auger electron spectroscopy, and transmittance and reflectance spectroscopy, and their properties were compared to the ones of films deposited by coevaporation. Even though the films were relatively similar, the ones deposited by the hybrid process tend to have smaller grains with a slightly preferred orientation along the (112) axis and a rougher surface. Both types of films have uniform composition through the depth. Characterization of these films by variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry allowed for the calculation of the position of the critical points, via calculation of the second derivative of the dielectric function and fit with critical points parabolic band oscillators. The solar cells were then characterized by current-voltage and quantum efficiency measurements. An analysis of the diode parameters indicates that the cells are mostly limited by a low fill factor, associated mostly with a high diode quality factor (A - 1.8) and high series resistance (R-s similar to 1.1 Omega-cm(2))

Cosmic (super)string constraints from 21 cm radiation

We calculate the contribution of cosmic strings arising from a phase transition in the early universe, or cosmic superstrings arising from brane inflation, to the cosmic 21 cm power spectrum at redshifts z > 30. Future experiments can exploit this effect to constrain the cosmic string tension Gu and probe virtually the entire brane inflation model space allowed by current observations. Although current experiments with a collecting area of ~ 1 km^2 will not provide any useful constraints, future experiments with a collecting area of 10^4-10^6 km^2 covering the cleanest 10% of the sky can in principle constrain cosmic strings with tension Gu > 10^(-10) to 10^(-12) (superstring/phase transition mass scale >10^13 GeV).Comment: Accepted for publication in PR

In Situ and Ex Situ Studies of Molybdenum Thin Films Deposited by rf and dc Magnetron Sputtering as a Back Contact for CIGS Solar Cells

Molybdenum thin films were deposited by rf and dc magnetron sputtering and their properties analyzed with regards to their potential application as a back contact for CIGS solar cells. It is shown that both types of films tend to transition from tensile to compressive strain when the deposition pressure increases, while the conductivity and the grain size decreas. The nucleation of the films characterized by in situ and real time spectroscopic ellipsometry shows that both films follow a Volmer-Weber growth, with a higher surface roughness and lower deposition rate for the rf deposited films. The electronic relaxation time was then extracted as a function of bulk layer thickness for rf and dc films by fitting each dielectric function to a Drude free-electron model combined with a broad Lorentz oscillator. The values were fitted to a conical growth mode and demonstrated that the rf-deposited films have already smaller grains than the dc films when the bulk layer thickness is 30 nm

Role of eddies in the maintenance of multiple jets embedded in eastward and westward baroclinic shears

Multiple zonal jets observed in many parts of the global ocean are often embedded in large-scale eastward and westward vertically sheared background flows. Properties of the jets and ambient eddies, as well as their dynamic interactions, are found to be different between eastward and westward shears. However, the impact of these differences on overall eddy dynamics remains poorly understood and is the main subject of this study. The roles of eddy relative vorticity and buoyancy fluxes in the maintenance of oceanic zonal jets are studied in a two-layer quasigeostrophic model. Both eastward and westward uniform, zonal vertically sheared cases are considered in the study. It is shown that, despite the differences in eddy structure and local characteristics, the fundamental dynamics are essentially the same in both cases: the relative-vorticity fluxes force the jets in the entire fluid column, and the eddy-buoyancy fluxes transfer momentum from the top to the bottom layer, where it is balanced by bottom friction. It is also observed that the jets gain more energy via Reynolds stress work in the layer having a positive gradient in the background potential vorticity, and this is qualitatively explained by a simple reasoning based on Rossby wave group velocity

Clinical selection strategies to identify ischemic stroke patients with large anterior vessel occlusion: results from SITS-ISTR (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke International Stroke Thrombolysis Registry)

Background and Purpose—The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) correlates with presence of large anterior vessel occlusion (LAVO). However, the application of the full NIHSS in the prehospital setting to select patients eligible for treatment with thrombectomy is limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of simple clinical selection strategies. Methods—Data from the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke International Stroke Thrombolysis Registry (January 2012–May 2014) were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with complete breakdown of NIHSS scores and documented vessel status were included. We assessed the association of prehospital stroke scales and NIHSS symptom profiles with LAVO (internal carotid artery, carotid-terminus or M1-segment of the middle cerebral artery). Results—Among 3505 patients, 23.6% (n=827) had LAVO. Pathological finding on the NIHSS item best gaze was strongly associated with LAVO (adjusted odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval 3.8–5.3). All 3 face–arm–speech–time test (FAST) items identified LAVO with high sensitivity. Addition of the item gaze to the original FAST score (G-FAST) or high scores on other simplified stroke scales increased specificity. The NIHSS symptom profiles representing total anterior syndromes showed a 10-fold increased likelihood for LAVO compared with a nonspecific clinical profile. If compared with an NIHSS threshold of ≥6, the prehospital stroke scales performed similarly or even better without losing sensitivity. Conclusions—Simple modification of the face–arm–speech–time score or evaluating the NIHSS symptom profile may help to stratify patients’ risk of LAVO and to identify individuals who deserve rapid transfer to comprehensive stroke centers. Prospective validation in the prehospital setting is required

Structural and magnetic properties of an InGaAs/Fe3_3Si superlattice in cylindrical geometry

The structure and the magnetic properties of an InGaAs/Fe3Si superlattice in a cylindrical geometry are investigated by electron microscopy techniques, x-ray diffraction and magnetometry. To form a radial superlattice, a pseudomorphic InGaAs/Fe3As bilayer has been released from its substrate self-forming into a rolled-up microtube. Oxide-free interfaces as well as areas of crystalline bonding are observed and an overall lattice mismatch between succeeding layers is determined. The cylindrical symmetry of the final radial superlattice shows a significant effect on the magnetization behavior of the rolled-up layers

Analysis of Yield Attributing Characters of Different Genotypes of Wheat in Rupandehi, Nepal

Field experiment was conducted at National Wheat Research Program, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi with the objective to identify high yielding superior wheat genotypes for Rupandehi district of Nepalduring 2014. Experiment was laid out in one factorial Randomized completely block design with ten wheat genotypes including both released and promising; Annapurna 1, Annapurna 3, Pasang Lahmu, Bijaya, BL 3623, Bhirkuti, NL 297, BL 4316, BL 3978 and BL 4347with three replications. The results showed that the grain yield of BL 3978 was found higher (4.03 t ha-1) than other genotypes followed by BL 4347 (3.93t ha-1). BL 3978 have also higher number of effective tillers m-2 and test weight. Among release varieties, NL 297 show higher yield (4 t ha-1) followed by Bhirkuti (3.43 t ha-1)and Bijaya (3.37 t ha-1). From this experiment it can be concluded that BL 3978 was found promising among all genotypes however should be tested at on-farms before promoted for general cultivation in Rupandehi district of Nepal

Electronic and Structural Properties of Molybdenum Thin Films as Determined by Real Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

Walker, J.D., Khatri, H., Ranjan, V., Li, J., Collins, R.W., & Marsillac, S. (2009). Electronic and structural properties of molybdenum thin films as determined by real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry. Applied Physics Letters, 94(14). doi: 10.1063/1.311722