Mechanical clutch

The present invention is directed to a mechanical clutch which limits transmission of torque to a desired, predetermined maximum torque from a first clutch plate to a second clutch plate. More specifically, the mechanical clutch includes at least one stepper member, preferably three or more evenly spaced stepper members, which transmit the torque from a first clutch plate to a second clutch plate providing a desired maximum torque is not exceeded. However, if the desired maximum torque is exceeded, the stepper member will rotate and move between the clutch plates so that the torque to the second clutch plate does not exceed the desired maximum torque. The desired maximum torque is set by the axial force compressing the stepper member between the clutch plates and when the applied torque to the first clutch plate exceeds the desired torque, the stepper member will rotate between the clutch plates rather than transmit that torque to the second clutch plate

Developing measures of perceived life quality: Results from several national surveys

This report presents the current status of a series of studies oriented toward the assessment of perceived life quality. The conceptual model proposes that a person's overall sense of life quality is understandable as a combination of affective responses to life ‘domains’, which are of two types-role situations and values. Over 100 items used to measure a wide variety of domains and 28 items assessing perceived overall life quality are presented. Various subsets of these items were used in interviews with several representative samples of American adults. Based on these data the domain items were grouped into a smaller number of semi-independent clusters which were internally stable across 10 different subgroups of the respondents and whose interrelationships were highly replicable in independent national samples. A series of analyses, some replicated in more than one survey showed: (1) an additive combination of 12 selected domains explained 50–60% of the variance in an index of overall life quality, (2) neither other domains nor several social characteristic variables contributed additional explanatory power, (3) this level of explanation was achieved in each of 22 subgroups of the population, and (4) additive combinations of domains worked as well as more complicated combinations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43676/1/11205_2004_Article_BF00286419.pd

Fat Hypertrophy as a Complication of Fat Transfer for Hemifacial Atrophy

Fat hypertrophy is a less commonly known complication of autologous fat transfer. We present a 32-year-old female with left hemifacial atrophy associated with systemic sclerosis, who was treated with 7 fat transfer procedures to correct the facial asymmetry. A total of 236.5 mL of fat was injected to the hemiface over a 4-year period to achieve good symmetry. A progressively enlarging, painless, soft mass over the left parotid region was noted at 3 months after the final fat transfer procedure. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a markedly enlarged bulk of subcutaneous fat over the left cheek with no evidence of necrosis, edema, or pathologic enhancement. Concurrent weight gain was noted secondary to additional nutritional input. The patient's aesthetic, symptomatic, and functional concerns led to the subsequent removal of 115 mL fat by liposuction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5

CIP-FAST: assessing the production of complex geometry titanium components from powders by combining Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) and Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST)

A novel, two-step, solid-state method to produce complex geometry titanium parts was investigated by combining Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) with Field Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST). Hydride-dehydride powders of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V were CIP’ed into shaped compacts using silicone moulds, then further consolidated using FAST, with ZrO2 powder as a secondary pressing media. The final parts retained the complex features from the CIP moulds but were compressed in the pressing axis. Densities >99% were achieved, with optimised FAST processing parameters required for the different alloys. High hardness and fine equiaxed microstructures were observed at the edges of the parts, suggesting oxygen transfer from the ZrO2 pressing media had occurred, with more investigation needed to better understand and prevent this. Despite this, the CIP-FAST process route has been demonstrated to be a fast, low-cost and material-efficient option to produce a wide variety of complex titanium parts

Pre-treatment tumour perfusion parameters and initial RECIST response do not predict long-term survival outcomes for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy

<p>Tumour plasma perfusion (F_p) in relation to overall survival (a), disease specific survival (b) and locoregional control (c). Nodal plasma perfusion in relation to survival (d) disease specific survival (e) and locoregional control (f).</p

Effects of different segmentation methods on geometric morphometric data collection from primate skulls

1. An increasing number of studies are analysing the shapes of objects using geometric morphometrics with tomographic data, which are often segmented and transformed to three‐dimensional (3D) surface models before measurement. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different image segmentation methods on geometric morphometric data collection using computed tomography data collected from non‐human primate skulls. 2. Three segmentation methods based on a visually selected threshold, a half‐maximum height protocol and a gradient and watershed algorithm were compared. For each method, the efficiency of surface reconstruction, the accuracy of landmark placement and the level of variation in shape and size compared with various levels of biological variation were evaluated. 3. The visual‐based method inflated the surface in high‐density anatomical regions, whereas the half‐maximum height protocol resulted in a large number of artificial holes and erosion. However, the gradient‐based method mitigated these issues and generated the most efficient surface model. The segmentation method used had a much smaller effect on shape and size variation than interspecific and inter‐individual differences. However, this effect was statistically significant and not negligible when compared with intra‐individual (fluctuating asymmetric) variation. 4. Although the gradient‐based method is not widely used in geometric morphometric analyses, it may be one of promising options for reconstructing 3D surfaces. When evaluating small variations, such as fluctuating asymmetry, care should be taken around combining 3D data that were obtained using different segmentation methods

Spatial distribution of wood volume in brazilian savannas

Here we model and describe the wood volume of Cerrado Sensu Stricto, a highly heterogeneous vegetation type in the Savanna biome, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, integrating forest inventory data with spatial-environmental variables, multivariate regression, and regression kriging. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the factors that affect the spatial distribution of the wood volume of this vegetation type as well as allowing better representation of the spatial heterogeneity of this biome. Wood volume estimates were obtained through regression models using different environmental variables as independent variables. Using the best fitted model, spatial analysis of the residuals was carried out by selecting a semivariogram model for generating an ordinary kriging map, which in turn was used with the fitted regression model in the regression kriging technique. Seasonality of both temperature and precipitation, along with the density of deforestation, explained the variations of wood volume throughout Minas Gerais. The spatial distribution of predicted wood volume of Cerrado Sensu Stricto in Minas Gerais revealed the high variability of this variable (15.32 to 98.38 m3 ha-1) and the decreasing gradient in the southeast-northwest direction914COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESSem informaçã

Ultrasonic Response in Nd-Fe-B Sintered Material During Elastic Deformation

The rare earth material based on Nd-Fe-B alloy shows remarkable magnetic properties in the energy product (BH)max and coercive force. It is manufactured by pressing in a unidirectional magnetic field to align the easy axes, and then sintering, leading to a large magnetic and mechanical anisotropy between the normal and parallel directions. The material is first developed by Croat [1] and Sagawa [2] independently in 1984. Following them, many researchers [3–6] have studied the material. They concentrated the efforts on the investigation of the manufacturing process to have better magnetic properties as well as on the observation of the microstructure to understand the mechanism realizing the high coercive force. The previous studies showed that the material consists of the major phase of Nd2Fe14B grains and the boundary phase of the Nd-rich alloys. It is considered that their different melting points and different thermal expansion coefficients introduce microcracks during the cooling process after sintering

Ethanol reversal of tolerance to the respiratory depressant effects of morphine

Opioids are the most common drugs associated with unintentional drug overdose. Death results from respiratory depression. Prolonged use of opioids results in the development of tolerance but the degree of tolerance is thought to vary between different effects of the drugs. Many opioid addicts regularly consume alcohol (ethanol), and post-mortem analyses of opioid overdose deaths have revealed an inverse correlation between blood morphine and ethanol levels. In the present study, we determined whether ethanol reduced tolerance to the respiratory depressant effects of opioids. Mice were treated with opioids (morphine, methadone, or buprenorphine) for up to 6 days. Respiration was measured in freely moving animals breathing 5% CO(2) in air in plethysmograph chambers. Antinociception (analgesia) was measured as the latency to remove the tail from a thermal stimulus. Opioid tolerance was assessed by measuring the response to a challenge dose of morphine (10 mg/kg i.p.). Tolerance developed to the respiratory depressant effect of morphine but at a slower rate than tolerance to its antinociceptive effect. A low dose of ethanol (0.3 mg/kg) alone did not depress respiration but in prolonged morphine-treated animals respiratory depression was observed when ethanol was co-administered with the morphine challenge. Ethanol did not alter the brain levels of morphine. In contrast, in methadone- or buprenorphine-treated animals no respiratory depression was observed when ethanol was co-administered along with the morphine challenge. As heroin is converted to morphine in man, selective reversal of morphine tolerance by ethanol may be a contributory factor in heroin overdose deaths