Economic Considerations on Costs and Pricing of Two Surgical Techniques for Treating Cranial Cruciate Disease in Dogs

In surgical treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs, Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) and Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) are commonly established procedures and have proven effective in restoring limb function. Unlike clinical outcome, economic aspects have not been studied as extensively. However, the surgical intervention poses an enormous financial burden on patients’ owners. In a veterinary practice setting, this study compares prices for TPLO and TTA and examines prices differences as well as potential cost drivers. Charges for veterinary treatments are based on the Gebührenordnung für Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte (GOT), which is mandatory for veterinarians in Germany but allows a certain range in billing. This study found that TPLO is charged at a higher price than TTA; however, this might not cover the additional costs of this procedure. The price is also associated with weight, heavier dogs being more expensive. The underlying strategies for pricing decisions may be based on costs, as efforts for TPLO and heavier dogs are higher in terms of a prolonged surgical time, the number of staff involved and in surgeons’ training. Price setting may also be based on a quality promise, suggesting better clinical outcome in a more expensive procedure. Future investigations should involve economic considerations and consider cost-effectiveness analysis when evaluating surgical treatment options

Miniaturised DBF Communication Modules for Broadband Mobile Satellite Access at Ka-Band

This paper describes the implementation of and measurements on highly integrated transmitter and receiver modules featuring digital beamforming (DBF) at Ka-band frequencies. These modules can be used as building blocks for large receiver or transmitter terminal antennas. After a review of the essential parts of the receiver and transmitter modules like antenna elements, Ka-band frontends, miniaturised interfaces and IF / baseband circuitry, measurement results of one receiver and one transmitter module are presented and discussed

SANTANA – Smart Antenna Terminal for Broadband Mobile Satellite Communications at Ka-Band

Smart antennas employing Digital BeamForming (DBF) at Ka-band frequencies will be key elements for the next generation of broadband satellite communication systems. This frequency band offers high bandwidth, whereas DBF provides a high degree of system flexibility. Scope of the two-phase project Smart Antenna Terminal (SANTANA) is the development of advanced satellite communication terminals for mobile segments (e.g. aircrafts). The antenna consists of an Rx (20 GHz) and a separate Tx (30 GHz) array. In order to realise high gain DBF arrays, the Tx/Rx antennas are composed of 4x4 array modules which are used as basic building blocks. After a short introduction explaining the background and vision of the SANTANA project, a general system overview on the terminal-antenna concept will be given, followed by the presentation of measurement results. After that, the focus will be on novel concepts of an improved terminal architecture which is currently developed in the second project phase: • An enhanced RF-to-antenna interconnect design, which enables separate testing of RF- and antenna structures before integration and allows for a new architecture to enhance the thermal management. • An improved Rx-antenna element and feeding structure. • A new Tx antenna layout, based on a LTCC multilayer structure, featuring hybrid couplers, shielding cavities and a calibration network. An outlook on the fixed and mobile tests of a system, composed of 4 basic building blocks for high data rate planned to be carried out in 2006 will conclude this contribution

Smart antenna terminals for broadband mobile satellite communications at Ka-band

This paper deals with a modular Rx- and Tx-antenna terminal featuring digital beamforming (DBF) at Ka-band frequencies. Background and vision of the project SANTANA II and recent realizations are described. Different system components are outlined covering digital baseband, RF- and IF-level as well as software aspects. An outlook on mobile field tests, which will be reported at the conference, concludes this contribution

The SANTANA project

Smart antennas employing digital beamforming (DBF) at Ka-band frequencies will be key elements for the next generation of broadband satellite communication systems. This frequency band offers high bandwidth and therefore high data rate capability, whereas digital beamforming provides a high degree of system flexibility. Within the SANTANA (Smart Antenna Terminal) project, key elements of advanced DBF satellite communication terminals at Ka-band frequencies have been developed. SANTANA is a joint project of IMST GmbH and TU Hamburg-Harburg with DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, EADS Astrium GmbH. Industrial support is provided by Lewicki Microelectronics GmbH, RHe Microsystems, and EPAK GmbH. The project is funded and supported by the German Space Agency (DLR) on behalf of the German Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). Within the SANTANA project framework of phase 1 (2001 - 2003) and phase 2 (2003 - 2007), a complete medium size DBF system has been realised. It consists of separate transmit (30 GHz) and receive (20 GHz) units with 64 antenna elements each. This DBF system has been successfully demonstrated by establishing bidirectional communication links to moving platforms (car and aircraft) equipped with a conventional transmit/receive unit. The aim of the current project phase 3 is the adaptation of the present technology towards large arrays, the verification of the terminal within a moving environment, and the further industrialisation of several building blocks. The paper describes the whole system and reports the essential experimental results obtained during the field tests

Si/SiGe:C and InP/GaAsSb heterojunction bipolar transistors for THz applications

This paper presents Si/SiGe:C and InP/GaAsSb HBTs which feature specific assets to address submillimeter-wave and THz applications. Process and modeling status and challenges are reviewed. The specific topics of thermal and substrate effects, reliability, and HF measurements are also discussed

Functional and Radiologic Outcomes of Degenerative Versus Traumatic Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears Involving the Supraspinatus Tendon.

BACKGROUND Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is among the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures. Several factors-including age, sex, and tear severity-have been identified as predictors for outcome after repair. The influence of the tear etiology on functional and structural outcome remains controversial. PURPOSE To investigate the influence of tear etiology (degenerative vs traumatic) on functional and structural outcomes in patients with supraspinatus tendon tears. STUDY DESIGN Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS Patients undergoing ARCR from 19 centers were prospectively enrolled between June 2020 and November 2021. Full-thickness, nonmassive tears involving the supraspinatus tendon were included. Tears were classified as degenerative (chronic shoulder pain, no history of trauma) or traumatic (acute, traumatic onset, no previous shoulder pain). Range of motion, strength, the Subjective Shoulder Value, the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), and the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) were assessed before (baseline) and 6 and 12 months after ARCR. The Subjective Shoulder Value and the OSS were also determined at the 24-month follow-up. Repair integrity after 12 months was documented, as well as additional surgeries up to the 24-month follow-up. Tear groups were compared using mixed models adjusted for potential confounding effects. RESULTS From a cohort of 973 consecutive patients, 421 patients (degenerative tear, n = 230; traumatic tear, n = 191) met the inclusion criteria. The traumatic tear group had lower mean baseline OSS and CMS scores but significantly greater score changes 12 months after ARCR (OSS, 18 [SD, 8]; CMS, 34 [SD,18] vs degenerative: OSS, 15 [SD, 8]; CMS, 22 [SD, 15]) (P < .001) and significantly higher 12-month overall scores (OSS, 44 [SD, 5]; CMS, 79 [SD, 9] vs degenerative: OSS, 42 [SD, 7]; CMS, 76 [SD, 12]) (P≤ .006). At the 24-month follow-up, neither the OSS (degenerative, 44 [SD, 6]; traumatic, 45 [SD, 6]; P = .346) nor the rates of repair failure (degenerative, 14 [6.1%]; traumatic 12 [6.3%]; P = .934) and additional surgeries (7 [3%]; 7 [3.7%]; P = .723) differed between groups. CONCLUSION Patients with degenerative and traumatic full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears who had ARCR show satisfactory short-term functional results. Although patients with traumatic tears have lower baseline functional scores, they rehabilitate over time and show comparable clinical results 1 year after ARCR. Similarly, degenerative and traumatic rotator cuff tears show comparable structural outcomes, which suggests that degenerated tendons retain healing potential