Growth of Mediterranean reef of Cladocora caespitosa (L.) in the Late Quaternary and climate inferences. Facies,

A sclerochronological analysis was performed on Cladocora caespitosa corals from Late Pleistocene terraces near Taranto (Apulia, Italy) to reconstruct the main palaeoenvironmental conditions at the time of their growth. The fossil corallites were sampled in the Santa Teresiola uplifted bank or 'open frame reef' attributed to the Last Interglacial Period. The typical, annual growth pattern of the temperate coral with two alternate high- and low-density bands allowed the reconstruction of two multidecadal growth curves of 61 and 95 years. Trend analysis showed oscillations in annual growth rates similar to those observed in recent, living colonies sampled along a north-south latitudinal transect around the Italian and Croatian coasts as far as Tunisia. The mean growth rate of the fossil reef (4.2 +/- A 2 mm year(-1)) is comparable to those measured on colonies living in the coldest part of the Mediterranean Sea. The comparison with data from living Croatian banks shows how fossil C. caespitosa lived in a semi-enclosed environment characterized by seasonal inputs of fresh, cold water. The greatest variations in decadal growth rates of the fossil colonies support the hypothesis of larger amplitude of the seasonal cycles in the past. The death of the fossil bank was probably due to a sudden alluvial input that suffocated the reef with a great amount of mud. Another possible cause of the death of the bank was a prolonged increase in summer temperatures that caused colony mortality and enhanced algal colonization

Nevada Test Site Decontamination and Decommissioning Program History, Regulatory Framework, and Lessons Learned

Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D) of radiologically and/or chemically contaminated facilities at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) are the responsibility of the Environmental Restoration (ER) Project. Facilities identified for D&D are listed in the Federal Facilities Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) and closed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act process. This paper discusses the NTS D&D program, including facilities history, D&D regulatory framework, and valuable lessons learned

Assessment of modelling methodologies for prediction of high-temperature creep-fatigue behaviour of Alloy 617

This study aims to assess the accuracy of various modelling methodologies in predicting creep-fatigue damage (dcf) and cycles-to-crack-initiation (Ni) of Alloy 617 at 850 °C and 950 °C. In the decoupled methodologies, four creep damage models were employed: (i) the time fraction (TF), (ii) ductility exhaustion (DE), (iii) stress-modified ductility exhaustion (SMDE), and (iv) strain-energy density (SED), to capture the creep damage (dc) contribution to the overall creep-fatigue damage (dcf), while fatigue damage (df) contribution was always calculated using the simple “average” approach. Furthermore, we employed Holmström's integrated ϕ model, which combines the dcf into a single parameter without a need of separate assessment of creep damage (dc) and fatigue damage (df). The results show that there is no significant difference between the integrated ϕ model and decoupled creep-fatigue methodologies when the creep damage models are calibrated to creep-fatigue (CF) data. However, it is shown that the accuracy of the creep-fatigue damage (dcf) predictions using the decoupled approach gets significantly worse when the creep damage models are calibrated against independent creep-rupture (CR) data. It is further shown that when using DE, SMDE, SED creep damage models, the dcf predictions are arranged by strain range, suggesting that these models are better at capturing strain range variations rather than temperature changes. Based on the obtained results it is recommended that any of the employed creep damage models are all suitable for coupling with the “average” fatigue damage model when capturing the creep-fatigue behaviour of Alloy 617, as long as the employed creep damage model is calibrated directly to the experimental creep-fatigue (CF) data

Austrian catalogue of services of physical medicine - empirical basis of the effectiveness of the contents

Background: An existing catalogue of services of physical medicine as a basic guideline for contracts with physicians and institutes in the Austrian Social Health Insurance Setting was checked for the evidence of the services. The main focus for this is the outpatient setting.Method: Based on the level of services (not indications) nine systematic literature reviews were done using the databases Pubmed, PEDRO and Cochrane and were concluded in this overview-report. Results: More than 180 studies were included in the several literature reviews. There is good evidence for active exercises like aerobic, strengthening, stretching, graded activity, training of the back muscles and coordination training. Positive results are reported for pain decrease and functional increase especially for chronic musculoskeletal disorders. However, exercise is not a universal remedy: there are negative results for the effectiveness of exercise for indications like asthma, dysmenorrheal, epilepsy and psychiatric disorders.Limited evidence was found for exercise supported by mechanical devices, the studies found mainly focus on traction. Manual therapies and mobilization do not show clear evidence for a recommendation, and they have an unclear potential of harm. There is fair positive evidence for electro physical therapy (TENS) for indications connected with pain and conflicting evidence for middle- and high frequent electro therapy modalities. Thermotherapy does not show clear advantages over placebo.Conclusion: There is positive evidence for the effectiveness of active exercises and conflicting evidence for passive treatment modalities for musculoskeletal conditions. There are methodical limitations due to the comparability in many of the studies using different outcomes, different scores for outcome measurement, subjective outcome indicators and a huge range of different indications where physical therapy modalities are done. Additional therapies, like pain medication, and adverse events are not reported in many of the studies. It is difficult to delimit between different settings like therapy, rehabilitation and wellness. Studies about physical therapy modalities show a uniform focus on a (short-term) symptomatic approach and quality of life. It is difficult to estimate the effect on morbidity or mortality (i.e. in reduced needed surgery).Hintergrund: Ein Muster-Leistungskatalog als Basis für Einzel- und Institutsverträge zwischen Anbietern aus dem Bereich der Physikalischen Therapie und der sozialen Krankenversicherung in Österreich wird auf die Studienlage für die Wirksamkeit der Leistungen untersucht. Der Fokus liegt auf dem Setting des niedergelassenen Versorgungsbereichs. Methodik: Es wurden ausgehend von der Leistungsebene (nicht der Indikationsebenen) neun systematische Literaturrecherchen aus den Datenbanken Pubmed, PEDRO und Cochrane erstellt und in dieser Übersichtsarbeit zusammengefasst sowie mehr als 180 Literaturstellen verwendet. Ergebnisse: Es zeigt sich eine umfangreiche Studienlage zu aktiven Bewegungstherapien wie Aerobic, allgemeines Kräftigungstraining, Stretching, "graded activity", Förderung der Rückenmuskulatur, Koordinationstraining. Positive Wirkungen sind vor allem zur Schmerz- und Funktionsbesserung bei chronischen muskuloskeletalen Schmerzzuständen zu erwarten, Bewegung ist jedoch kein Allheilmittel, wie negative Studienergebnisse zu Indikationen, wie Asthma, Dysmenorrhoe und Epilepsie, belegen. Eine eingeschränkt belastbar beweisbare Wirksamkeit zeigt sich für mechanische Bewegungsunterstützung mittels Gerät, hier hauptsächlich über Studien zu Traktion.Manuelle Therapien und Mobilisationstechniken zeigen in den berichteten Studienergebnissen keine belastbaren Beweise zur Wirksamkeit, manipulierende Techniken bergen ein nicht klar einschätzbares Schadenspotenzial.Die Studienlage zu elektrophysikalischen Anwendungen zeigt für TENS positive Wirksamkeitsnachweise im Einsatz bei einigen mit Schmerz verbundenen Indikationen. Für Mittel- und Hochfrequenztherapie wurden widersprüchliche Studienergebnisse gefunden.Thermische Therapieanwendungen zeigen im Vergleich zur Placeboanwendung wenig Wirksamkeitsunterschied. Schlussfolgerung: Es existieren Nachweise zu einer positiven Wirkung von aktiven Therapieformen und widersprüchliche Studienergebnisse zu passiven Therapieformen bei muskuloskeletalen Beschwerden. Die Vergleichbarkeit der Studienergebnisse ist aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Darstellung, des umfangreichen Indikationsspektrums und der vorwiegend subjektiven Endpunktmessungen eingeschränkt. Zusatztherapien (wie Medikation) und unerwünschte Wirkungen werden vielfach nicht thematisiert.Abgrenzungen zwischen Krankenbehandlung, Kur, Wellness und Setting (ambulant oder stationär) sind kaum bis gar nicht möglich.Die Studien zu den verschiedenen Leistungen der physikalischen Medizin zeigen einen einheitlichen Fokus auf (kurzfristige) Symptombehandlung und Lebensqualität als Endpunkte. Interessant für ein Gesundheitssystem wäre z.B. der Einfluss physikalischer Behandlungen auf die Mortalität und Morbidität, zum Beispiel im Sinn verhinderbarer Operationen

On the mechanistic role of the dentin-enamel junction in preventing the fracture of human teeth

The dentin-enamel junction (DEJ), which is the interface between the dentin and outer enamel coating in teeth, is known for its unique biomechanical properties that provide a crack-arrest barrier for flaws formed in the brittle enamel. In this work, we re-examine how cracks propagate in the proximity of the DEJ, and specifically quantify, using interfacial fracture mechanics, the fracture toughness of the DEJ region. Additionally, we show that the vital function of the DEJ, in preventing cracks formed in enamel from traversing the interface and causing catastrophic tooth fractures, is not necessarily associated with the crack-arrest capabilities of the DEJ itself, but rather with the development of crack-tip shielding, primarily from uncracked-ligament bridging, in the mantle dentin adjacent to the DEJ. Measurements of the toughness of the DEJ region give estimates of G{sub c} {approx} 115 J/m{sup 2}, i.e., {approx}5 to 10 times higher than enamel and {approx}75 percent of that of dentin