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Purpose: The aim of the current study was to compare the diagnostic precision and reliability of different methods in measuring Hill–Sachs lesions (HSLs) using MRI and CT. Methods: A total of 80 consecutive patients with a history of anterior shoulder instability were retrospectively included. The preoperative CT and MRI scans of the affected shoulders were analysed. To investigate the ability of the Franceschi grading, Calandra classification, Richards, Hall, and Rowe grading scale, Flatow percentage and "glenoid track" assessment according to Di Giacomo et al. to quantify the extent of humeral bone loss, the results of each measurement method obtained with MRI were compared with those achieved with CT. In addition, the intra- and inter-rater reliabilities of each measurement method using CT and MRI were calculated and compared. Results: A significant difference was found between CT and MRI in the determination of the Hill–Sachs interval (HSI) (p = 0.016), but not between the results of any of the other measurement techniques. With the exceptions of the Franceschi grade and Calandra classification, all measurement methods showed good or excellent intra- and inter-rater reliabilities for both MRI and CT. Conclusions: While the determination of the HSI with MRI was more accurate, all other analysed techniques for measuring the amount of humeral bone loss showed similar diagnostic precision. With regard to the intra- and inter-rater reliabilities, all measurement techniques analysed, with the exception of the Franceschi and Calandra classifications, provided good to very good reliabilities with both CT and MRI. Level of evidence: III [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) was developed in order to investigate the health-related quality of life of patients with meniscal pathologies. The aim of the present study was to translate and validate the WOMET into German.Methods: A standardized forward backward translation of the WOMET into German was first performed. One hundred ninety-two patients with isolated meniscal tears completed the German version of the WOMET as well as the Western Ontario McMasters University Arthritis Index, and the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Furthermore, reliability, construct validity, feasibility, internal consistency, ceiling, and floor effects were then calculated.Results: Excellent feasibility (85.4% fully complete questionnaire), internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.92), and test-retest reliability (ICC, r = 0.90) were found. The standard error of measurement and the minimal detectable change were ±4.6 and 12.7 points, respectively. All predefined hypothesises were confirmed. No floor or ceiling effects were found.Conclusions: The presented German version of the WOMET is a valid and reliable tool for investigating the health-related quality of life of German-speaking patients with meniscal pathologies.Level Of Evidence: Cross-sectional study, Level II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of total knee arthroplasty is, amongst others, the reconstruction of a physiological axis of the leg with a tibiofemoral angle in the frontal plane of an average of 6°. The aim of this study is to clarify how much of the bone length on the femur and tibia has to be reproduced on anteroposterior (AP) knee radiographs in order to determine the leg's alignment after a total knee arthroplasty.Materials and Methods: We analyzed the postoperative hip-to-ankle (HTA) radiographs of 100 patients who had undergone a total knee arthroplasty at our institution.Results: There were strong correlations between the measured values on HTA and 20 cm bone length [lateral distal femur angle (LDFA) r = 0.887, medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) r = 0.874, tibiofemoral angle (TFA) r = 0.888], but not between the measurements on HTA and 10 cm (LDFA r = 0.267, MPTA r = 0.102, TFA r = 0.161). There were significant differences between all measurements both on HTA and 20 cm and on HTA and 10 cm, with the exception of the LDFA between HTA and 10 cm (p = 0.085) and of the MPTA between HTA and 20 cm (p = 0.227). The intra- and inter-observer correlations were both high.Conclusion: If preoperatively crude axis deviations are excluded, the tibiofemoral angle on AP knee radiographs can be determined with an accuracy of ±2.6° if at least 20 cm length of bone is reproduced (measured from the femoral and tibial joint line). Due to the high 95 % confidence intervals and bearing in mind that deviations greater than 3° may lead to inferior clinical results, however, it appears inappropriate to determine lower limb alignment with anteroposterior radiographs.Level Of Evidence: Level 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The posterior tibial slope influences both the natural knee stability as well as the stability and kinematics after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Exact definition of the posterior tibial slope (PTS) requires lateral radiographs of the lower limb. Only lateral knee radiographs are routinely obtained after TKA, however. The purpose of the present study therefore was to analyse the relationship between PTS measurement results on short and expanded lateral knee radiographs. Methods: The PTS was measured on 100 consecutive lateral radiographs of the lower limb using the mechanical and three diaphyseal axes with various distances below the tibial plateau. Results: Significant differences between PTS results were found for all three diaphyseal axes, with the smallest differences and the strongest correlation for a diaphyseal axis at 16 and 20 cm below the tibial plateau. Using short distances below the tibial plateau (6 and 10 cm) resulted in an overestimation of the PTS of 3°, on average. Conclusion: The PTS measurements in long lateral knee radiographs are more accurate compared to short radiographs. On short lateral knee radiographs, only a estimation of the PTS can be carried out. Level of evidence: Diagnostic study, Level II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article describes for the first time the preparation of conducting track-etched PBI membranes 25mm thick with pore diameter values varying from 15nm to 50nm and overall porosity up to 10%. The TGA, DSC and FTIR characterization results for the so obtained nanoporous membranes reveal the chemical modification of PBI upon irradiation along the track walls. A clear conduction outperforming is shown by phosphoric acid doped track-etched PBI in comparison with dense PBI counterparts. This behavior could be explained by the effective contribution of additional pathways for proton transport involving shorter benzimidazole fragments, cross-linked PBI nanodomains and free amphoteric phosphoric acid molecules settled on the pore walls. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An integrated auxiliary power unit (APU) based on a 10kWe integrated biodiesel fuel processor has been designed and is being developed. Auto-thermal reforming (ATR) and thermal cracking (TC) were considered for converting the fuel into a hydrogen-rich gas suitable for PEM fuel cells. The fuel processor includes also a gas clean-up system that will reduce the carbon monoxide in the primary processor exit gas to below 10ppm via a new heat-integrated CO clean-up unit, based on the assembly of catalytic heat exchange plates, so as to meet the operational requirements of a PEMFC stack. This article is devoted to the study and selection of the proper feed strategy for the primary fuel processor. Different pre-treatment and feed alternatives (e.g. based on nozzles or simple coils) were devised and tested for the ATR processors, which turned out to be the preferred primary processing route. A nozzle-based strategy was finally selected along with special recommendations about the constituent materials and the operating procedures to be adopted to avoid coking and nozzle corrosion as well as to allow a wide turn down ratio. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the production of commercial Li-ion batteries, the active materials slurries are generally prepared using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) as binder because of its good adhesion properties and electrochemical stability. Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages related to the use of PVdF: the most important is the use of toxic and environmentally unfriendly solvents, such as N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP), and the second is the high costs. In the light of these considerations, it seemed straightforward to investigate the suitability of some water-soluble, inexpensive, and eco-friendly materials to test as alternative binders (sodium alginate, chitosan tragacanth gum, gelatin). The rheological properties of these materials have been investigated in addition to the electrochemical characterization. Furthermore, graphite electrodes with PVdF, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) binders have been considered for sake of comparison. We found that some of these water-soluble binders, besides good electrochemical performances, showed a high adhesion to the current collector and a good electrochemical stability under the experimental conditions employed, which makes them interesting for the next generation of Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is one of the most challenging topics to cope currently, especially in the regions most affected by climate change such as the Mediterranean basin. The implementation of safe water reuse practices thus appears essential to satisfy future water demands in a sustainable way, helping to reduce hydric stress in water-unbalanced regions. However, it remains as an underused practice because of the lack of incentives of water companies to invest in it, limited social trust and high governance complexity, amongst other factors. To change this situation, the wastewater sector needs to develop some structural changes that include the transformation of conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) into novel reclaimed water facilities (RWF), as well as some paradigm shifts regarding social, political and legal factors. The goal of this manuscript is to provide a systemic, novel and updated vision of the wastewater treatment sector in Italy and to give some recommendations for the implementation of wastewater reuse in agriculture. Extensive data regarding water reuse technologies for the refining, disinfection and advanced oxidation of wastewater is also provided. This comprehensive analysis could help to align the objectives to be achieved from all the perspectives (technical, economic, legal and socio-political), thus helping to fill current gaps and overcome barriers that hinder water reuse development. [Display omitted] • Wastewater can be an alternative water source to alleviate water scarcity. • Both technological and socio-political shifts are needed to implement water reuse. • Technological changes must be supported by digitalisation, awareness and others. • Technologies have to adapt to the desired water quality and existing infrastructure. • The water sector must be managed holistically, reducing conflicts between actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO thin film and nanowire morphologies were employed to fabricate CO gas sensors by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering and chemical vapour deposition growth. The sensing properties were measured at CO gas concentration ranging from 10 to 50 ppm at varying operating temperature. The results showed a 5-folded sensitivity and half-reduced response time for the hybrid material based on both thin film and nanowires with respect to thin film only, thus indicating the high potential of morphology tailoring, namely, the surface-to-volume ratio and depletion layer, for the enhancement of ZnO sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Autoimmune pancreatitis ( AIP) is characterized by diffuse or focal swelling of the pancreas. AIP has been divided into types 1 and 2. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the clinicopathological characteristics, therapy and outcome of patients with AIP. Methods The medical records of patients diagnosed with AIP between January 2003 and July 2011 were reviewed. Characteristics of patients with AIP types 1 and 2 were compared with those of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma ( PDAC). Results AIP was classified as type 1 in 40 patients and type 2 in 32 according to the HISORt (Histology, Imaging, Serology, Other organ involvement, Response to therapy) criteria. Patients with histologically confirmed AIP type 2 were younger than those with type 1 ( P = 0·005). Some 30 of 32 patients with AIP type 2 were found to have a localized tumour-like pancreatic mass and underwent pancreatectomy, compared with only 16 of 40 with type 1 ( P < 0·001). Three of 25 patients with AIP type 2 presented with raised serum levels of IgG4 compared with 21 of 38 with type 1 ( P < 0·001). There was no difference in symptoms and involvement of other organs between AIP types 1 and 2. Presentation with weight loss was more common among patients with PDAC than those with AIP, but there was no difference in pain or jaundice between the groups. Raised serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels were more prevalent in patients with PDAC. Conclusion Patients with AIP type 2 frequently present with abdominal pain and a tumour-like mass. Differentiating AIP from PDAC is difficult, so making the clinical decision regarding operative versus conservative management is challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile multimedia applications require networks that optimally allocate resources and adapt to dynamically changing environments. Cross-layer design (CLD) is a new paradigm that addresses this challenge by optimizing communication network architectures across traditional layer boundaries. In this article we discuss the relevant technical challenges of CLD and focus on application-driven CLD for video streaming over wireless networks. We propose a cross-layer optimization strategy that jointly optimizes the application layer, data link layer, and physical layer of the protocol stack using an application-oriented objective function in order to maximize user satisfaction. In our experiments we demonstrate the performance gain achievable with this approach. We also explore the trade-off between performance gain and additional computation and communication cost introduced by cross-layer optimization. Finally, we outline future research challenges in CLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article New eco-friendly low-cost binders for Li-ion anodes, written by D. Versaci, R. Nasi, U. Zubair, J. Amici, M. Sgroi, M. A. Dumitrescu, C. Francia, S. Bodoardo and N. Penazzi, was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a joint experimental and theoretical investigation of the structure of the MgO/Ag(0 0 1) interface, with emphasis on the determination of the interfacial distance between the Ag surface and the first MgO(0 0 1) plane. Experiments were performed on 1–5 ML thick MgO layers prepared by Mg deposition in a controlled oxygen atmosphere on a sputter-annealed Ag substrate. The intensity angular distribution (IAD) of the Ag LMM Auger emission was measured as a function of the incidence angle of the primary exciting beam, and the interfacial atomic arrangement was determined by modelling the IAD in a single-scattering cluster approximation. The model adopted in theoretical calculations consisted in a two-dimensionally periodic structure composed of a six-layer thick slab of Ag parallel to the (0 0 1) face, covered on both sides by one or two epitaxial MgO MLs. An ab initio density functional theory approach was used with different types of exchange-correlation functionals, and full geometry optimisations were performed. It has been found that MgO accommodates on the substrate with O atoms sitting just on top of the Ag atoms, and that the distance between the Ag surface and the first MgO plane is expanded with respect of both Ag and MgO(0 0 1) interplanar distances. Experimental and theoretical results both indicate for the interfacial distance a value of 2.39±0.06 A˚. Significant rumpling occurs in the first ML of MgO, that is removed as the overlayer thickness increases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]