The Sulzer Hip Replacement Recall Crisis: A Patient\u27s Perspective

This case discusses a product recall that resulted from a manufacturing defect and the degree to which the company distributed accurate and timely information to affected patients. More specifically, the case examines the crisis communication of Sulzer Orthopedics and its efforts to negotiate the interests of various stakeholders, while limiting liability. Written from the perspective of a patient, the case raises interesting questions regarding organizational duties related to product liability. It also provides valuable insights into how organizational communication may have both short- and long-term effects on its relationship with patients and physicians, among others

An Agency Problem Analysis Of United States Vs. Microsoft

The Justice Department's antitrust case against Microsoft Corporation has generated considerable interest and passionate opinions, but in general is not well understood. This paper explains the legal basis and proceedings of the case in language accessible to the business community. At this writing, the appeals court has affirmed the trial court's conclusion that Microsoft violated the law in several respects, but has reversed the breakup remedy prescribed by the trial judge. Accordingly, this article examines, as a practical matter divorced from legal technicalities, whether there should be any further action taken at all, and if so, what the remedy should be. Interpreting the illegal conduct as symptoms of an agency problem leads to the conclusion that individual- based, rather than corporate- based, remedies would be more reasonable

Diosgenin, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, and fiber from fenugreek: Mechanisms of actions and potential effects on metabolic syndrome

© 2015 American Society for Nutrition. Metabolic syndrome and its complications continue to rise in prevalence and show no signs of abating in the immediate future. Therefore, the search for effective treatments is a high priority in biomedical research. Products derived from botanicals have a time-honored history of use in the treatment of metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Trigonella foenum-graecum, commonly known as fenugreek, is an annual herbaceous plant that has been a staple of traditional herbal medicine in many cultures. Although fenugreek has been studied in both clinical and basic research settings, questions remain about its efficacy and biologic mechanisms of action. Diosgenin, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, and the fiber component of the plant are the most intensively studied bioactive constituents present in fenugreek. These compounds have been demonstrated to exert beneficial effects on several physiologic markers including glucose tolerance, inflammation, insulin action, liver function, blood lipids, and cardiovascular health. Although insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the favorable effects of fenugreek have been gained, we still do not have definitive evidence establishing its role as a therapeutic agent in metabolic disease. This review aims to summarize the currently available evidence on the physiologic effects of the 3 best-characterized bioactive compounds of fenugreek, with particular emphasis on biologic mechanisms of action relevant in the context of metabolic syndrome

Seal Assembly for Machinery Housing

A seal assembly for a machinery housing includes a seal ring having a micro heat exchanger and a gland plate for securing the seal ring to the machinery housing. The gland plate includes a cooling fluid port in communication with the micro heat exchanger

Effect of Resin Molecular Weight on Bonding Flakeboard

Information on the effect of resin molecular weight on flakeboard properties is limited. A commercial phenol formaldehyde flakeboard resin was separated into two molecular weight fractions by diafiltration. Aspen flakeboards were prepared with the different resin fractions. Penetration characteristics of the different fractions were determined microscopically. Results indicate that both low and high molecular weight components of the resin are needed to achieve optimum board properties

Method of Implementing Digital Phase-Locked Loops

In a new formulation for digital phase-locked loops, loop-filter constants are determined from loop roots that can each be selectively placed in the s-plane on the basis of a new set of parameters, each with simple and direct physical meaning in terms of loop noise bandwidth, root-specific decay rate, and root-specific damping. Loops of first to fourth order are treated in the continuous-update approximation (B(sub L)T approaches 0) and in a discrete-update formulation with arbitrary B(sub L)T. Deficiencies of the continuous-update approximation in large-B(sub L)T applications are avoided in the new discrete-update formulation

Wind, shelf-current and density-driven circulation in Poverty Bay, New Zealand

This thesis describes the three-dimensional hydrodynamics of Poverty Bay in context of its bathymetry, forcing parameters and typical circulation patterns. The thesis provides a model of hydrodynamic processes in an exposed and stratified coastal embayment. Two field experiments were undertaken, with associated data analyses and interpretation, and numerical models were used to support and extend the data analyses. Continental-shelf-currents exhibited a strong non-tidal component (mean 0.09 m s⁻¹, maximum 0.32 m s⁻¹) with relatively small tidal flows (mean 0.04 m s⁻¹, maximum 0.12 m s⁻¹). Wavelet analyses across the 8-512 hour cycle band showed that wind-forcing explained a large proportion of energy contained in the non-tidal shelf-current component. Coastal-trapped-waves with amplitudes of ≤ 0.1 m and velocity ≤ 0.2 m s⁻¹ also contributed to non-tidal shelf-current motion. Correlation and regression analyses showed that CTWs generated by wind-driven water flux through Cook Strait, could account for up to 40% of variance in Gisborne shelf-currents, at timescales of 2-20 day period. Simulated sea-levels showed 88% energy attenuation occurred as CTWs exited Cook Strait, but only 3% attenuation occurred as CTWs travelled up-coast from Riversdale, therefore a barotropic CTW generated by a Cook Strait flux had approximately 9% its original energy on reaching Gisborne. Continental-shelf-currents formed occasional eddies of diameter ∼4 km and velocity ∼0.1 m s⁻¹ in the lee of Tuaheni Point. Continental-shelf-currents contributed ∼0.01 m s⁻¹ to circulation in depths less than 18 m, small in comparison to those typically measured of 0.05-0.10 m s⁻¹. Circulation was dominated by the combined influence of wind stress and river discharge, and since the prevailing wind created circulation patterns similar to the Waipaoa River discharge, both processes contributed to the prevailing anticyclonic horizontal circulation observed in Poverty Bay. River discharge was important for its role in stratifying the water column, typically producing an ∼2m mixed surface layer with salinity < 34.5 psu compared with the marine background of 34.8-35.0 psu. This reduced vertical mixing, enhanced shear, and facilitated faster horizontal velocities, thus creating higher sensitivity to wind-driven processes. Under most conditions, the wind was the most important contributor to circulation with a response time of 1 hour for the upper and lower layers and ∼5 hours in the mid-water column. Simulations suggested that when Waipaoa River discharge exceeds 60 m³s⁻¹ it begins to dominate wind-induced circulation, but this occurs only -11% of the time. The long-term wind-record suggested that offshore winds prevail 77% of the time, and these drive a time-averaged upwelling vertical circulation of 0.03-0.10 m s⁻¹ and an anticyclonic mid-water gyre of -0.04 m s⁻¹. The time-averaged vertical circulation is characterised by the offshore flow of buoyant surface water and onshore flow of dense marine water, while a time-averaged horizontal anticyclonic gyre exists in the mid-water column as water flows in past Tuaheni Point, circles the bay and flows out past Young Nicks Head. The time-averaged anticyclonic gyre primarily results from the interaction between the prevailing north-northwest winds and the bathymetry, since the prevailing wind pushes more surface water toward the southern side and out past Young Nicks Head (at ∼0.10 m s⁻¹) than past Tuaheni Point (∼0.03 m s⁻¹). Additionally, the bay is deeper in the northern entrance and this is the preferred channel for bottom-return-flows, having time-averaged shoreward flow of ∼0.05 m s⁻¹. Variation from typical time-averaged circulation occurred approximately 23% of the time, when downwelling was induced during times of onshore wind stress. Barotropic forcing by the Waipaoa River began to exert dominance over forcing by wind-stress when the discharges reached 0.5% of the bay volume per day, the plume growing to ∼30% of total bay volume through entrainment and diffusion. Embayments with similar freshwater discharge to total volume ratios are expected to also show strong river-induced circulation. Numerical simulations showed that the bathymetric features having largest influence on circulation were the cross-shore seabed gradient and the shape of the headlands. Correct depth representation was more important to circulation modelling in the inner bay, where headland effects were minor or non-existent, whereas the headlands influenced currents closer to the bay entrance, particularly in the lower water column. Abrupt headlands favoured eddy formation inside embayments. The cross-shore seabed gradient guided up- and downwelling currents, and thus provided an important control on the response of the mid and lower water column to surface-driven flow. The enclosed geometry of an embayment creates recirculation-favourable pressure gradients in comparison to islands, reefs and headlands and consequently recirculation occurs earlier. An embayment eddy parameter E was developed to predict the presence of shelf-current-driven embayment eddies