Evaluation of forearm abnormalities; clinical and cosmetic results of surgical treatment in patients with multiple hereditaryextoses - multiple osteochondromas.

Background: Forearm osteochondromas are found in a vast majority of patients diagnosed with Multiple Hereditary Exostoses - Multiple Osteochondromas (MHE-MO). Common complaints include pain, functional impairment, and cosmetic concerns. So far, there is no consensus regarding optimal treatment or adequate surgical indications as little research has been performed in this population. Objective: The aim of this study is to retrospectively describe and assess the results on range of motion and pain prior to and after surgical treatment of forearm osteochondromas and deformities. Secondary aim is to evaluate patient general and cosmetic satisfaction, and quality of life. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 82 patients surgically treated for forearm osteochondromas due to pain and/or functional impairment. Also, in a cross-sectional part a questionnaire was sent to all 82 patients. The questionnaire focused on patient general and cosmetic satisfaction, pain, and Quality of life Results: Pre-operative range of motion of the forearm and wrist in MHE-MO patients is limited and increases significantly (short- and long-term) after surgery in patients with an indication for surgery due to functional impairment. Pain decreases after surgery, regardless of the indication for surgery. Overall, MHE-MO patients are satisfied, but quality of life is significantly affected. Conclusion: Significant improvements are made in pain complaints and range of motion by excision of osteochondromas or corrective procedures in patients with forearm deformities in MHE-MO. No improvements are seen in cosmetic complaints.

Multidimensional sustainability assessment of solar products: Educating engineers and designers

Since 2008 the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at the TU Delft hosts the minor Sustainable Design Engineering. The minor has been highly useful as a platform to pilot new ways of teaching engineering for sustainable development. Instead of having students make life cycle assessments and introduce them to straightforward checklists to improve their product designs, we challenge our students to develop a critical understanding of sustainability and use multidimensional assessments. Sustainability is not just about environmental benefits but also about useful products and added value. This paper describes our educational approach in the photovoltaics practicum (part of the minor). Our objective is to illustrate how such a multidimensional assessment works in practice and how it has helped students to develop a more critical, systemic perspective on sustainability. Students are asked to evaluate a PV-powered product on its sustainability by assessing the technology, usability and the environmental impact. To date, over 150 students have followed the minor, which gives us a large database of multidimensional assessments on a wide range of PV powered products. This paper describes the conclusions we have drawn on the validity of our approach. Our findings show that many of the currently available products with integrated PV systems are initially perceived as “green” but after assessing the product on multidimensional aspects students invariably reach a more nuanced perspective, with some products failing to pass the test. Students indicated how the multidimensional assessment has made them better equipped to see through the “greenwash” and give a balanced evaluation of the real value of solar cells integrated in products. The paper will elaborate the methods used in the multidimensional assessment in more detail, illustrated with student work.Design EngineeringIndustrial Design Engineerin

Deletion of the baculovirus ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase gene induces early degeneration of Malpighian tubules in infected insects.

Deletion of the ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase gene (egt) from the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) genome increases the speed of killing of this virus (D. R. O'Reilly and L. K. Miller, Bio/Technology 9:1086-1089, 1991). Second-instar Spodoptera exigua larvae are killed more rapidly by the egt deletion mutant of AcNPV than by wild-type AcNPV. Unlike wild-type AcNPV-infected larvae, larvae infected with an egt deletion mutant molt and resume feeding as mock-infected larvae do. Wild-type AcNPV and egt deletion mutant recombinants marked with a lacZ gene were used to study their pathogenesis in insects. Histopathological investigation revealed that early degeneration of the Malpighian tubules, not the molting per se, may be the cause of this increased speed of killing by AcNPV