Geophysical and geological analysis of the Collingwood Member of the Trenton Formation

The Collingwood Member is a mid to late Ordovician self-sourced reservoir deposited across the northern Michigan Basin and parts of Ontario, Canada. Although it had been previously studied in Canada, there has been relatively little data available from the Michigan subsurface. Recent commercial interest in the Collingwood has resulted in the drilling and production of several wells in the state of Michigan. An analysis of core samples, measured laboratory data, and petrophysical logs has yielded both a quantitative and qualitative understanding of the formation in the Michigan Basin. The Collingwood is a low permeability and low porosity carbonate package that is very high in organic content. It is composed primarily of a uniformly fine grained carbonate matrix with lesser amounts of kerogen, silica, and clays. The kerogen content of the Collingwood is finely dispersed in the clay and carbonate mineral phases. Geochemical and production data show that both oil and gas phases are present based on regional thermal maturity. The deposit is richest in the north-central part of the basin with thickest deposition and highest organic content. The Collingwood is a fairly thin deposit and vertical fractures may very easily extend into the surrounding formations. Completion and treatment techniques should be designed around these parameters to enhance production

High Power Laser Welding

A review of recent developments in high power, carbon dixoide laser welding is presented. Deep penetration welding in stainless steel to 0.5-in. thick, high speed welding in thin gage rimmed steel and gas shielded welding in Ti-6Al-4V alloy are described. The effects of laser power, power density, focusing optics, gas-shielding techniques, material properties and weld speed on weld quality and penetration are discussed. It is shown that laser welding performance in thin materials is comparable to that of electron beams. It is further shown that high quality welds, as evidenced by NDT, mechanical and metal-lographic tests, can be achieved. The potential of the laser for industrial welding applications is indicated

Electron beam, laser beam and plasma arc welding studies

This program was undertaken as an initial step in establishing an evaluation framework which would permit a priori selection of advanced welding processes for specific applications. To this end, a direct comparison of laser beam, electron beam and arc welding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy was undertaken. Ti-6Al-4V was selected for use in view of its established welding characteristics and its importance in aerospace applications

An idea of the electronic control system for the multifunctional hydraulic machine

The paper presents an electronic control system for application in mobile hydraulic systems. Key components of the system and its advantages have been discussed. A multifunctional hydraulic machine, its design and operation principle have been presented. The concept of control work machine with the electronic control system has been developed. The benefits of integration of these systems have been highlighte

Nitric oxide modulates expression of extracellular matrix genes linked to fibrosis in kidney mesangial cells

Mesangial cells are thought to be important mediators of glomerular inflammation and fibrosis. Studies have established a direct role for nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of gene expression in mesangial cells. Representational difference analysis was used to investigate changes in gene expression elicited by the treatment of S-nitroso-L-glutathione in rat mesangial cells. Seven upregulated and 11 downregulated genes were identified. Four out of 11 downregulated genes (connective tissue growth factor, thrombospondin-1, collagen type I all and collagen type I alpha 2) are known to be linked to inflammation and fibrosis. Results were verified across species in mesangial cells treated with a series of NO donors using Northern blot analysis, quantitative real-time PCR and protein analysis methods. Induction of endogenous NO production by cytokine stimulation also triggered regulation of the genes. One example gene, connective tissue growth factor, was studied at the promoter level. Promoter-reporter gene studies in mesangial cells demonstrated that NO acts at the transcriptional level to suppress gene expression. Our results reveal a complex role of NO in regulating gene expression in mesangial cells and suggest an antifibrotic potential for NO

Oncologic Outcomes of Radical Prostatectomy and Prognostic Stratification in Patients with Clinically Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer

Oncologic outcomes of radical prostatectomy in 106 patients with clinically locally advanced prostate cancer were demonstrated. The mean follow-up was 50.6 (12-129) months. 5-year recurrence-free survival was 47.7 %, 5-year cancer-specific and overall survival - 85.8 %. Patients were devided into three different risk groups: low risk patients had PSA level <20 ng/ml, biopsy Gleason score ≤6 and absence of the seminal vesicle invasion of cancer; intermediate risk was noted when the patient had only one of poor prognostic factors (PSA ≥20 ng/ml or biopsy Gleason score≥7 or presence of cancer invasion to the seminal vesicle) and high risk patients had 2 or 3 poor prognostic factors. For patients of low, intermediate and high risk the biochemical reccurence rates were 14.3 %, 37.1 % and 70.2 %, respectively (p=0.002). The patients of intermediate and high risk had clinically significant higher risk of biochemical reccurence than those of low risk with odds ratio 3.0 and 8.5, respectively. Such grouping may help in guiding the individualized treatment for these patients

Environmental interventions for altering eating behaviours of employees in the workplace:A systematic review

Environmental, or ‘choice-architecture’, interventions aim to change behaviour by changing properties/contents of the environment and are commonly used in the workplace to promote healthy behaviours in employees. The present review aimed to evaluate and synthesize the evidence surrounding the effectiveness of environmental interventions targeting eating behaviour in the workplace. A systematic search identified 8157 articles, of which 22 were included in the current review. All included studies were coded according to risk of bias and reporting quality and were classified according to the emergent typology of choice-architecture interventions. More than half of included studies (13/22) reported significant changes in primary measures of eating behaviour (increased fruit/veg consumption, increased sales of healthy options and reduction in calories purchased). However, only one study produced a small significant improvement in weight/body mass index. Many studies had a high or unknown risk of bias; reporting of interventions was suboptimal; and the only trial to measure compensatory behaviours found that intervention participants who ate less during the intervention ate more out with the workplace later in the day. Hence, we conclude that more rigorous, well-reported studies that account for compensatory behaviours are needed to fully understand the impact of environmental interventions on diet and importantly on weight/body mass index outcomes

The Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic as a Substrate for Interprofessional Education: A Physical Therapy Perspective

poster abstractPurpose The World Health Organization defines Inter-Professional Education (IPE) as “two or more professions learning about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration &improve health outcomes.” IPE is being stressed in education to prepare students for Inter-Professional Care (IPC). IPC occurs when multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds provide comprehensive health services. Our purpose is to discuss the Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic (IU-SOC) as an exemplar in IPE/IPC in preparing PT students for clinical practice. Description The IU-SOC has implemented IPE/IPC by collaborating with partners from the schools of medicine, pharmacy, law, social work, dentistry, and most recently, physical therapy. Student leaders collaborate to provide comprehensive patient care. Different committees are in place to facilitate communication between disciplines. One PT student is designated in the IPE role to assist other partners in determining if a patient is appropriate for PT. This model has allowed PT to communicate reciprocally with medicine to ensure best patient care. Summary of Use IU-SOC is unique because it is a student-run pro bono clinic where teaching IPE/IPC is a primary purpose. Students benefit from this model by learning the importance of communication between disciplines early in their education to better prepare for IPC; making them more likely to utilize it during clinical practice. The community has increased access to services and is utilizing healthcare resources more efficiently, with less reliance on emergency services. Occupational Therapy is anticipated to join rehab services in the near future. Importance to Members IPC helps to sustain the health care system, improve outcomes, enhance organizational efficiency, and provide more comprehensive care. IPC is the future of health care; the foundation of which must be established in education. Multi-disciplinary, student-led outreach clinics, such as IU-SOC, can serve as an IPE/IPC substrate to prepare PT students for practice