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Objective Diaper dermatitis (DD) among NICU infants is preventable and under-recognized. The role of clinical characteristics (CC) on DD is also poorly described. This study examined the: 1) prevalence of DD in NICU; 2) relationship of factors including CC and DD; and 3) contribution of DD and CC factors on NICU Length of stay (LOS). Method Retrospective chart review data was collected on all infants admitted to the NICU. Analyses included bivariate and multivariable logistic regression for DD outcome and negative binomial regression model for predicting infants’ NICU LOS. Results DD prevalence in the NICU sample was 34% (n = 180), 70% White, 56% male, 72% infants born at higher gestational age, and 62.2% born vaginally. Logistic regression results showed that Black infants have lower AOR of DD, whereas, NICU LOS (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01, 1.03), number of skin injuries (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.01–1.47), and older gestational age (OR 3.73; 95%CI 0.83–0.95) increased the odds of DD. Significant interaction of gestational age group and days to full feed was identified. Conclusion DD is common among NICU infants and several CC play an integral role as risk and moderating factors for DD. Routine collection of infant skin integrity data is currently lacking in large collaborative databases, which limits better understanding of DD in NICU. Improvements in preventative measures could benefit from continued study of the impact nutrition and LOS have on DD development. Better systems of collecting and analyzing DD data and its impact on NICU LOS are needed.

Participation in bouldering has increased substantially over the past two decades, with indoor (gym) climbing and bouldering identified as the fastest growing sector of the climbing industry. Thus, for many, their experience with bouldering begins in the gym and then progresses to climbing outdoors. This raises questions regarding the extent to which those who initially learn in a gym setting are making a responsible transition to the outdoors by adopting behaviors that protect and preserve ecological and social conditions, thus ensuring the future of outdoor bouldering access. This article reports on bouldering research conducted in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA in the summer of 2015. The authors conducted an on-site visitor survey that examined attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of Leave No Trace-related bouldering practices, specifically comparing and contrasting indoor and outdoor learners, as well as self-reported ability, across these measures. A total of 227 boulderers completed the survey, the majority of which initially learned to boulder indoors. Indoor learners and those of novice ability reported less knowledge of Leave No Trace and generally held attitudes and perceptions less congruent with Leave No Trace recommendations. The authors recommend continuing and expanding minimum-impact outdoor bouldering programs designed to educate boulderers making the transition from the gym to the crag to support the long-term viability of outdoor bouldering on public and protected lands. Management implications ● It is essential that recreation managers work in collaboration with emerging user-groups, such as boulderers, in developing management strategies that protect resources while maintaining quality recreational opportunities. ● These findings confirm and provide support for continued and expanded efforts for collaborative work among the gym climbing industry, public land agencies, and bouldering interest and advocacy groups in the development and delivery of minimum-impact bouldering information and educational resources ● This study identified significant differences in attitudes toward, and knowledge of, Leave No Trace practices depending on whether one initially learned to boulder indoors in a gym or an outdoor setting

This research paper introduces a numerical model describing the stripping and drying phase during steam pressure filtration treating water insoluble volatile pore liquids. The model is based on mechanical and thermodynamic equations derived from the theory of steam pressure filtration for aqueous pore liquids and from the steam distillation theory. One main input parameter is the pressure profile determining the state variables of the vapour mixture. This work is first to resolve the pressure profile across a filter cake during stripping and drying based on temperature measurements within the filter cake. The developed model describes the stripping kinetics and the temperature profile across the filter cake and furthermore reveals a complete removal of the volatile organic compounds from the filter cake. The findings are evaluated by the experimentally determined stripping and drying kinetics. Additionally, exemplary calculations of the temporally and spatially resolved model are shown in order to promote the process understanding.

Savannas can be defined by the co-dominance of grasses and trees. Interactions between these two life forms are relatively well studied, whereas tree-tree interactions attracted increased attention only recently. However, the influence of woody plant density on tree-tree interactions is rarely considered. We studied tree-tree interactions in a semi-arid and a mesic savanna to test for differences between open and dense woody vegetation in relation to broad-scale environmental conditions. We applied spatial point pattern analysis to gain a better understanding of processes, such as competition, facilitation and disturbances, affecting the spatial distribution of trees. Competition between trees was most pronounced in dense vegetation, whereas facilitation effects were more common in open vegetation. Further, we found that factors shaping the spatial patterns differ with scale. At short tree-to-tree distances, results indicate limited seed dispersal as the most influential factor explaining the spatial distribution of trees. However, with increasing tree-to-tree distances, environmental heterogeneity in the semi-arid savanna and disturbances in the mesic savanna became more important. We conclude that studying tree-tree interactions in savannas should explicitly consider the actual woody plant density, especially when different savanna types are compared.

The paper takes up the old ideas of describing porous media with several tube and network models. The well-known models received from literature gave a good concept of dewatering equilibria resulting in capillary pressure curves and pore size distributions (PoSD). However, numerical methods and measurement techniques were not sophisticated allowing to evaluate the models appropriately. In this work, a numerical method based on statistics is introduced to validate the network model of FATT from 1956: The porous filter cake structure is implemented as a matrix, which elements represent the pore size correlating with the capillary entrance pressure for each pore. The input for the calculations can be any mathematical approximation of a PoSD, which can be derived from capillary pressure tests or micro computer tomography (µCT) analysis of the filter cake. A procedure based on the concept of FATT is presented to generate dewatering equilibria for different applied pressures. Therefore, the elements of the matrix are checked to be ‘dewatered’ regarding to their size, position, the applied pressure level and the progress of dewatering. The network model known from literature is improved by implementing additional conditions for the description of physical phenomena, such as the formation of residual bridge liquid or hydrodynamic isolated areas. X-ray microscopy, mercury intrusion tests and laboratory desaturation experiments by using semipermeable membranes for capillary pressure tests are used to validate the pore size distribution. The different results are integrated into the matrix model as starting parameters. For the laboratory experiments, the PoSD is calculated from the measured capillary pressure curve, using the distributed tube model and the YOUNG-LAPLACE-equation on an equal basis to the established mercury intrusion analysis. However, with the tomography measurements, it is possible to determine PoSD using different defined geometry elements fitting inside the pore space. The force balance is evaluated at the pore entrance by using the wetting line of the pore throat. The direct measurement of the void geometry allows the calculation of the pressure distribution without the LAPLACIAN assumptions. In this way, the difference between experimental, measured and modelled PoSDs is emphasised to validate the old (and improved) ideas of network models describing porous media.

The treatment of solvent-loaded solids, e.g. following a solid–liquid extraction presents a challenge in practice becoming even more complicated if solvents used are volatile organic compounds (VOC) which are poorly water soluble and thus bio-incompatible. A complete mechanical separation of the VOC from solids is not possible and following drying processes are usually energy intensive. Steam pressure filtration provides an efficient alternative combining mechanical and thermal treatment of filter cakes by using steam resulting in excellent washing and dewatering behaviour of the filter cake. A subsequent steam stripping offers a further reduction of the VOC load, which was not part of comprehensive investigations yet. The overarching goal of this paper is to expand understanding of steam pressure filtration in combination with water insoluble VOC. Furthermore, it is shown that a complete purification of the solids by steam stripping is possible with only low steam consumption at moderate filter cake heights.

Aims Angiogenesis is defined as the sprouting of capillaries from pre-existing vasculature. It is a complex process that includes endothelial proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Previous data have demonstrated a high expression level of manganese-superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in endothelial cells and suggested an important role of MnSOD in several cardiovascular diseases. In addition, manganese (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin (MnTBAP) has been shown to mimic some of the effects of MnSOD in various tissues. However, its effect on the vasculature remains unknown. Methods and results HUVECs were treated with MnTBAP. Migration, tube formation, and capillary sprouting assays were performed to evaluate the pro-angiogenic effect in vitro . Matrigel plug assay was performed to assess capillary ingrowth in vivo . Compared to control, treatment with MnTBAP revealed increased cell migration, tube formation and capillary sprouting along with more capillary ingrowth in the Matrigel plug assay. This effect was mediated through a mitofusin (Mfn)-1-dependent pathway. Expression of Tie-2, Ang-2 and VEGF mRNA was increased in muscle tissues after ligation in MnTBAP treated mice. However, revascularization in the hindlimb ischemia model was not statistically significant at day 10 in MnTBAP treated mice. Conclusion In summary, our data demonstrate a strong pro-angiogenic, but less pro-arteriogenic effect of MnTBAP in HUVECs mediated by Mfn-1.

Coating complex shaped tools with crystalline diamond coatings is technologically and economically an interesting alternative to conventional PCD-techniques. The coating unit CC800D equipped with a u.s.e. ™ -Process module for diamond coating enables production of diamond coated tools with reliable quality on an industrial scale. Lifetime tests show excellent performance of diamond coated tools.

Conventional, well-known tests used to characterize thin films fail to take into account the real load applied to a film, e.g. a coating-substrate composite, under operating conditions. In particular, existing conventional laboratory tests fail to consider the dynamic forces caused by impact load during milling or discontinuous cutting operations. The paper presents a new device capable of simulating the dynamic loads impacting on a thin-film-substrate composite in the machining process. The new “coating impact test” permits variation of the impact force, the impact frequency and the number of impacts for a cemented carbide insert contacting a thin film on a substrate. The resulting behaviour of different composites is presented in graphs plotting impact force vs. number of impacts and allowing quantification of the number of load cycles which a coated component can withstand and definition of a critical fatigue force. Typical failure patterns encountered in the coating impact test are described; these will prove useful for quality assurance in physical vapour deposition thin-film production.

The properties of TiAlN have been described in numerous scientific publications in recent years. In August 1989, G. Guhring KG offered this coating on commercial cutting tools for the first time. This paper describes the experience to date in the development and production on CC 800 coating plant. The range of applications for TiAlN coatings is defined on the basis of data from numerous purchasers. The behaviour of TiAlN films is superior to that of other coatings for the machining of abrasive materials. However, its greatest advantage is that TiAlN-coated high-speed steel and cemented carbide tools can be used at significantly higher cutting speeds.

The greater the differences between the materials used in a composite system, the more important it becomes to know the interactions of the individual components at the manufacturing and application stages. This is particularly true for diamond-coated carbide tools. Manufacturing and application conditions must be judiciously adapted to each other. The coating process offers an opportunity to control the coating properties in accordance with the basic material and application characteristics. One example of such an improvement is the extreme increase in tool life achieved for carbide drills used in carbide green compacts. Quality control is a major problem with diamond-coated carbide drills. Conventional methods fail to produce satisfactory results. Processes using dynamic loading techniques are now showing a first promise of success.