Mechanized Advent Calendar

Within this document, the “Naughty and Nice” team will describe the details associated with the completion of this project, which involves creating an animated advent calendar for the Cambria Christmas Market. The problem, the customers and stakeholders, and the general goals of the project are introduced. The team conducted background research; how this research helps in finding a solution or supporting the needs of the sponsor is illustrated. Initial research includes interviews with the sponsor and potential users, patent and existing product searches, and some technical research pertaining to the subject. The team found that there are not many existing products that are similar to this project, but there are some which will lend the team inspiration and ideas for implementation in the design process. The scope of the problem is assessed from the customer’s needs and wants, along with a defined problem statement and a Quality FunctionDevelopment (QFD) table. The team illustrates the process of selecting a chosen Concept Design. The Final Design direction for the façade and each box theme is described in detail, including functionality, evidence that the design will meet specifications, a discussion of safety, maintenance, and repair considerations, and a detailed cost analysis. A Manufacturing Plan is delineated, describing procurement, manufacturing, and assembly of each box, especially with respect to moving components. The team introduces a Design Verification Plan, which describes how each design specification was satisfied via testing. The overall design process of the project is investigated including the key deliverables and their due dates. Finally, the conclusion summarizes the document

On the Role of Object Information in Action Observation: An fMRI Study

Observing other people’s actions activates a network of brain regions that is also activated during the execution of these actions. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to test whether these “mirror” regions in frontal and parietal cortices primarily encode the spatiomotor aspects or the functional goal-related aspects of observed tool actions. Participants viewed static depictions of actions consisting of a tool object (e.g., key) and a target object (e.g., keyhole). They judged the actions either with regard to whether the objects were oriented correctly for the action to succeed (spatiomotor task) or whether an action goal could be achieved with the objects (function task). Compared with a control condition, both tasks activated regions in left frontoparietal cortex previously implicated in action observation and execution. Of these regions, the premotor cortex and supramarginal gyrus were primarily activated during the spatiomotor task, whereas the middle frontal gyrus was primarily activated during the function task. Regions along the intraparietal sulcus were more strongly activated during the spatiomotor task but only when the spatiomotor properties of the tool object were unknown in advance. These results suggest a division of labor within the action observation network that maps onto a similar division previously proposed for action execution

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Short Selling Around Seasoned Equity Offerings

We use daily short-selling data to examine whether short selling around seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) reflects informed or manipulative trading. Around SEO announcements, we find no evidence of informed short selling. Around issue dates, higher levels of pre-issue short selling are significantly related to larger issue discounts for non-shelf-registered offerings. This evidence is consistent with manipulative trading. We show that SEC Rule 105 constrains some but not all manipulative trading. Our results reverse previous research that uses monthly short-interest data, because daily data allow more powerful tests. Our evidence helps explain the increased popularity of shelf registrations. Although short selling usually enhances price efficiency, we document a situation where short selling reduces price efficiency. The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]., Oxford University Press.

The Role of Minimally Invasive Techniques in Scoliosis Correction Surgery

Objective. Recently, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been included among the treatment modalities for scoliosis. However, literature comparing MIS to open surgery for scoliosis correction is limited. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes for scoliosis correction patients undergoing MIS versus open approach. Methods. We retrospectively collected data on demographics, procedure characteristics, and outcomes for 207 consecutive scoliosis correction surgeries at our institution between 2009 and 2015. Results. MIS patients had lower number of levels fused (p<0.0001), shorter surgeries (p=0.0023), and shorter overall lengths of stay (p<0.0001), were less likely to be admitted to the ICU (p<0.0001), and had shorter ICU stays (p=0.0015). On multivariable regression, number of levels fused predicted selection for MIS procedure (p=0.004), and multiple other variables showed trends toward significance. Age predicted ICU admission and VTE. BMI predicted any VTE, and DVT specifically. Comorbid disease burden predicted readmission, need for transfusion, and ICU admission. Number of levels fused predicted prolonged surgery, need for transfusion, and ICU admission. Conclusions. Patients undergoing MIS correction had shorter surgeries, shorter lengths of stay, and shorter and fewer ICU stays, but there was a significant selection effect. Accounting for other variables, MIS did not independently predict any of the outcomes

The impact of steroids, methotrexate, and biologics on clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing fusions at the craniovertebral junction

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that affects the craniovertebral junction (CVJ). Patients may suffer from atlantoaxial instability (AAI) and basilar invagination (BI) with variable presentations ranging from pain to quadriparesis. Managing these patients is often challenging due to their chronic use of steroids, methotrexate, and biologics; which impedes bone and wound healing. We report our experience with the surgical management of these patients undergoing fusions at the CVJ. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study identifying all patients with the diagnosis of RA who underwent spinal fusions at our institution over the past 11 years. A total of 205 patients were identified amongst which 18 patients (8.8%) who underwent 20 fusions involving the CVJ. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic data were analyzed. Results: Five patients had AAI and 13 patients had BI. Two patients with C1-2 fusions underwent reoperation: One for pseudoarthrosis and one for BI. The average preoperative Nurick was 1.4 and improved to 0.5 postoperatively (P < 0.001). After conducting analyses stratified by dichotomous preoperative variables, the presence of steroids, methotrexate, biologics, and prednisone dosage less than 7.5 mg did not affect outcomes. Prednisone dosages ≥7.5 mg had significantly smaller improvements in Nurick score compared to patients not on steroids or on prednisone dosages <7.5 mg (0.40 vs 1.36, P = 0.042). Similarly, patients on biologics had significantly smaller improvements in Nurick score compared to patients not on biologics (0.27 vs 1.16, P = 0.038). Conclusion: Fusions at the CVJ in patients with RA on daily prednisone dosages of less than 7.5 mg and/or methotrexate can be performed safely with good outcomes, fusion rates, and acceptable complication profiles. Daily prednisone dosages of more than 7.5 mg or biologics may impact clinical outcomes

Lateral transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion: Outcomes and deformity correction

The lateral transpsoas approach for interbody fusion is a minimally invasive technique that has been gaining increasing popularity in the management of a variety of spinal degenerative disorders. Recently, there has been increasing utilization of this technique in the management of adult deformity. The authors present a review of the current evidence of using the lateral lumbar transpsoas approach in the correction of adult degenerative scoliosis. © 2014 Elsevier Inc