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The graphic method of sizing pipe reservoir for short, high-intensity rainfalls. The sizing of a storage reservoir, in order to reduce maximum water discharges in stormwater drainage systems, is one of the major topics in the civil engineering. In this article a methodology that allows identifying an optimal capacity of a pipe reservoir is proposed. Applying a simplifi ed water fl ow model it was possible to bind various reservoir's parameters (a reservoir diameter, a diameter of an outflow orifice and an outflow coefficient) with an inflow hydrograph (a peak fl ow, a time of rising, a hydrograph fineness, a maximum discharge and a total volume). On the basis of functional relationships the nomographs were elaborated, allowing determining a desirable size of the reservoir, in a sense of a required peak reduction. The usage of the proposed methodology is presented with a simple example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Maintaining target hemoglobin (Hb) with minimal variability is a challenge in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study is to compare the long- and short-acting erythropoietin-stimulating agents such as Aranesp and Eprex in achieving these targets. Methods: Randomized, prospective, open-labeled study of 24 weeks includes stable patients on HD >3 months, age >18 years, and on Eprex for >3 months. Patients were randomized into two groups: A-(Aranesp group):HD patients on Eprex Q TIW or BIW were converted to Aranesp Q weekly, by using the conversion factor of 200:1 and those on Eprex Q weekly to Aranesp Q 2 weeks; B-(Eprex group):patients continued on Eprex treatment. Hemoglobin target was set at (105-125 g/l). Primary end points were percentage of patients achieving target Hb, hemoglobin variability, and number of dose changes in each group. Results: This study consisted of 139 HD patients: 72 in the Aranesp and 67 in the Eprex-mean (SD) age 54 (16.2) years, 77 (55 %) males. About 46 % were diabetic. Target Hb achieved in 64.8 % of the Aranesp and 59.7 % in the Eprex ( p = 0.006). Hb variability was less frequent in the Aranesp group ( p = 0.2). Mean number of dose changes was 1.3 (0.87) in the Aranesp and 1.9 (1.2) in the Eprex ( p < 0.001). There was 1 vascular access thrombosis in the Aranesp and 8 in the Eprex ( p < 0.001). There was no difference in hospitalization and death number between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Aranesp Q weekly or every 2 weeks is more efficient in achieving target Hb, with less dose changes and minor vascular access complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereals are a major source of carbohydrates in diet occurring as soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides, including dietary fibre. Dietary fibre plays an important role in the intestinal health and appears to be significantly associated with lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. They consist of a diverse group of molecules with varying degrees of water solubility, size and structure, which may influence the rheological properties of the gastrointestinal contents, flow of digesta and the digestion, absorption processes. Dietary antioxidants protect against oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, lipids and have a significant impact on the regulation of gene expression. The dietary antioxidants mainly polyphenolics, traverse the small intestine linked to dietary fibre. These antioxidants are released from the fibre matrix in the colon by the action of the bacterial microbiota, producing metabolites and an antioxidant environment. The present review focuses on the role of antioxidants linked to dietary fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim In cases with limited bone height, short implants could be a good alternative to augmentation procedures. The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the clinical performance of implants of 6 mm or 11 mm in length in the posterior region. Materials and methods In this multicenter trial (six study sites), 95 subjects were included. Subjects were randomly allocated to receiving implants with lengths of either 6 or 11 mm both with a diameter of 4 mm ( Osseo Speed™ 4.0 S; Astra Tech AB; Mölndal, Sweden). In all cases, there had to be sufficient bone height to allow placement of an implant of at least 11 mm in length. Two or three implants were placed per subject using one-stage surgery with a 42-48 days' healing period before loading. They were restored with a screw-retained splinted fixed prosthesis. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed preoperatively, postsurgery, at loading, and 6 and 12 months after prosthesis placement. Results A total of 208 implants were inserted in 49 subjects receiving 6-mm implants (test) and in 46 subjects receiving 11 mm implants (control). Two 6-mm implants failed before loading and one 6 and 11 mm implants failed before 1-year evaluation. From loading to the 12 months' follow-up, a mean marginal bone gain of 0.06 mm in the 6 mm group and 0.02 mm in the 11 mm group was found ( P = 0.478). Soft tissue behavior was equal in both groups (Bleeding and plaque [ P = 1.0] probing depth [ P = 0.91]). Conclusion One-year data indicate that treatment with the 6 mm implants is as reliable as treatment with the 11 mm implants. This provides a good treatment option in situations with limited bone height in the premolar and molar regions. Whether or not short implants provide a predictable treatment alternative to bone augmentation procedures remains to be investigated in the future randomized controlled clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk of antenatal depression has been shown to be elevated in Southern Africa and can impact maternal and child outcomes, especially in the context of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Brief screening methods may optimize access to care during pregnancy, particularly where resources are scarce. This research evaluated shorter versions of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to detect antenatal depression. This cross-sectional study at a large primary health care (PHC) facility recruited a consecutive series of 109 antenatal attendees in rural South Africa. Women were in the second half of pregnancy and completed the EPDS and Structured Clinical Interview for Depression (SCID). The recommended EPDS cutoff (≥13) was used to determine probable depression. Four versions, including the 10-item scale, seven-item depression, and novel three- and five-item versions developed through regression analysis, were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. High numbers of women 51/109 (47 %) were depressed, most depression was chronic, and nearly half of the women were HIV positive 49/109 (45 %). The novel three-item version had improved positive predictive value (PPV) over the 10-item version and equivalent specificity to the seven-item depression subscale; the novel five-item provided the best overall performance in terms of ROC and Cronbach's reliability statistics and had improved specificity. The brevity, sensitivity, and reliability of the short and ultrashort versions could facilitate widespread community screening. The usefulness of the novel three- and five-item versions are underscored by the fact that sensitivity is important at first screening, while specificity becomes more important at higher levels of care. Replication in larger samples is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim was to develop and conduct preliminary testing of a short-form measure to assess spiritual, religious and personal beliefs (SRPB) within quality of life (QoL). Methods: Existing data from the 132 items of the WHOQOL-SRPB ( n = 5087) obtained in 18 cultures were first analysed to select the 'best' performing item from each of the eight SRPB facets. These were integrated with the 26 WHOQOL-BREF items to give 34 items in the WHOQOL-SRPB BREF. A focus group of hospital chaplains reviewed this new short-form. The WHOQOL-SRPB BREF was administered to a UK community sample ( n = 230) either with an adapted WHOQOL-SRPB Importance measure or the SWBQ. A subset received both WHOQOL measures twice. Results: Completed in 8 mins, the WHOQOL-SRPB BREF was acceptable and feasible; Importance 5.5 mins. Good internal consistency reliability was found overall (α = 0.85), for the SRPB domain (α = 0.83), and Importance (α = 0.90). Domains were moderately correlated. Domain test-retest reliability was acceptable in both WHOQOL measures, except for SRPB Importance. Sleep was linked with religious beliefs. Hope and wholeness were widely associated with non-spiritual facets. Factor analysis (maximum likelihood) of items largely confirmed the WHOQOL domain structure, adding SRPB as a significant fifth domain. Internally, SRPB distinguished religious from existential beliefs, and was validated by association with personal and transcendental well-being from the SWBQ. Conclusion: Preliminary evidence shows that the WHOQOL-SRPB BREF is sound for use in, and beyond health care. Extracted from a measure already available in 18 languages, this short-form can be immediately used where such translations exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with short stature in children born small for gestational age (SGA) at full-term., Methods: This was a retrospective study. The subjects were full-term SGA infants who were followed up until the age of 2 years. The risk factors for short stature were identified with univariate and multivariate analyses., Results: Of 456 full-term SGA children enrolled in this study, 28 cases had short stature at 2 years of age. A significant decrease in placental perfusion was found in the short children group with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technology, which was an advanced bi-exponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) model of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ( p = 0.012). Compared to non-short children born SGA at full-term, the short children group underwent an incomplete catch-up growth. Mothers who suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus were more likely to have a short child born SGA ( p = 0.023). The morbidity of giant placental chorioangioma was higher in the short children group. The pulsatility index (PI), resistivity index (RI), and systolic-diastolic (S/D) ratio of umbilical artery were higher in the short children group than in the non-short control group ( p = 0.042, 0.041, and 0.043). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that decrease of perfusion fraction ( f ) in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, short parental height, and absence of catch-up growth were associated with a higher risk of short stature in children born SGA at full-term.p ) in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, short parental height, and absence of catch-up growth were associated with a higher risk of short stature in children born SGA at full-term., Conclusion: Risk factors for short stature in full-term SGA children at 2 years of age included a decrease of perfusion fraction f in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, and short parental height.p in IVIM of placental MRI, chromosomal abnormalities, and short parental height., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ling, Chen, Zhang, Pan, Gong, Zhang, Zhao, Chen, Cui and Lu.)

Background: Intramedullary nail fixation is currently the modality of choice in surgical treatment for atypical femoral fractures (AFF). Its uses are limited, however, in severely bowed femurs, narrow medullary canals, or in the presence of thick endosteal callus at the apex of the femoral curve. In these cases, extramedullary plate osteosynthesis is preferred. The consideration when adopting plate osteosynthesis is whether a short or long segment fixation is superior. We hypothesize that a long segment fixation has the potential advantage of protecting the entire length of the femur from future fractures in the adynamic bone. In this series, we present two cases from our institution, with the aims of discussing the benefits and limitations of short versus long segment plate fixation in AFF., Case Summary: We report two uncommon cases of bisphosphonate-related AFF in two Asian patients with severe femoral curvature, who were treated with extramedullary plate osteosynthesis at our institution. One patient underwent fixation with a short segment plate osteosynthesis, and the other received a long plate osteosynthesis spanning the proximal to distal femur in an attempt to protect the bone from future fractures. Both patients showed a favourable and uncomplicated course post-surgery, with early return to ambulation and radiographic bone union at follow up., Conclusion: We expect to see an increase in the number of patients with AFF and bowed femurs, especially with the increased usage of bisphosphonates given an ageing Asian population. Surgical treatment with short and long plate osteosynthesis are options with their own advantages and limitations. With the advent of new anatomical plate options, long segment fixation has become more accessible and may be considered in this patient group as it has the potential advantage of protecting the adynamic femur from future fractures. Further studies should be targeted to determine which method of treatment is superior in this particular group of patients., Competing Interests: None., (IJBT Copyright © 2022.)

Success in long jump performance mainly depends on the ability of the athlete to transform his horizontal approach velocity into horizontal and vertical takeoff velocity during the support phase of the jump. The aim of the athlete in a long jump is to attain the longest horizontal displacement from take-off to landing. The actual jump is divided into four distinct phases: the approach run, the take-off, the flight and the landing. For the purpose of the present study twelve male (6 short and 6 long) Interuniversity level long jumpers were randomly selected from All India Interuniversity Athletic championship held at Chennai, India. To obtain kinematic data a digital Sony DCR SX40E video recording camera, operating at 1/2000 with a frame rate of 60 frames per second, was used to capture the last five to six steps of the approach run and the jump. The camcorder was placed perpendicular at a distance of twelve meters on the right side of the take-off board. All subjects perform three jumps, but the best valid jump for each athlete was recorded for further analysis. The recorded video footages were downloaded and edited by using the downloaded version of STHVCD55 Software. Digitization, smoothing and analysis were conducted using the Silicon Coach Pro7 motion analysis software. The selected kinematics variables were: approach velocity, last stride length, velocity of last stride, knee angle at take-off, angle of foot planting and distance covered from the record data. Recorded data were subjected to an independent sample't'-test for the comparison of the kinematic parameters between short and long tall jumpers. All statistical procedures were conducted using the SPSS (version 16.0) software. A level of significance was set at p≤0.05. The results of the study revealed that, there were no significant differences between short and tall long jumpers in their approach run speed, last stride length, velocity of last stride take-off leg knee angle and angle of foot planting as well as in their distances covered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literature review suggests that height has always been a part of the assessment of suitability in police culture, and this may be linked to myths about a tall person's better physical skills and suitability for police work. In contrast to the above-mentioned assumptions, this study shows that short police students of both sexes generally perform better in physical tests than tall police students. Despite this, short women assess their physical skills as poorer than do tall women. This discrepancy is discussed, and several factors seem to explain this phenomenon. Police culture seems to link being tall with physical ability. The value placed on height can be explained by the fact that tall men represent and symbolise the police best. A contributing explanation to the discrepancy could be that height creates a natural physical authority among tall police officers, which short female officers are missing. Another explanation of the discrepancy may be that height and long arms can be beneficial in situations in which the police have to use physical force. However, it is argued that the police rarely use physical force, and that several other factors seem to reduce the importance of height in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate long-term prediction of shrinkage in concrete structures has been an important issue for a long time. Although several models for the prediction of shrinkage strains already exist, a reliable model suitable for different concretes is still needed. In this study, the total shrinkage of four different mixture designs was measured in the laboratory; subsequently, the long-term shrinkage of these concretes was predicted from the short-term measurements using the inverse analysis (IA) method applied to six existing shrinkage models. Two different mixtures from two previous studies were chosen to verify the proposed method. The results show a good agreement between the experimental measurements and the estimated values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the complex evolution and metamorphosis of the global, continental, and national political economies over the period 1940 to 2010. The data used are Maddison's, mostly for 1940-60, and the World Bank online World Development Indicators database mainly for 1961-2010. Emphasis is given to changes in the rate of per capita economic growth over time, arranged by decades, including the periodicity, amplitude, and phases of short, long, and secular waves. The paper starts by summarizing the stylized long-wave pattern for the 1940s to 2000s, which is then compared with that for the world, seven continents/regions, and 108 countries. Stylized facts about short, long, and secular wave patterns are scrutinized in relation to amplitude, periodicity, deviations from the stylized model and the world wave, plus multiple and erratic waves and patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Minimizing the number of vertebral levels involved in fusion of a spine fracture is a common goal of internal fixation. This is achievable by utilizing traditional short-segment posterior fixation (SSPF). However, in SSPF there is reported up to a 54% incidence of instrument failure or unfavorable clinical outcome. Short-segment posterior fixation with pedicle fixation at the level of the fracture (short same-segment fixation) suggests biomechanical advantages toward maintenance of kyphosis correction and reducing failure rates. However its clinical efficacy is largely unknown. Methods: The team conducted a retrospective review of 25 thoracolumbar burst fracture patients who were treated with short same-segment fixation between September 2005 and April 2009. The primary outcome measure was incidence of reoperation and loss of kyphosis correction within the follow-up period. Long-term functional status and pain was also assessed. Results: Average duration of the most recent follow-up was 21.64 months (range 3 to 42 months). Two patients (8%) required reoperation due to either hardware failure or pseudoarthrosis. Mean pre-operative kyphosis was 14.49°. Average post-operative kyphosis was -0.74° (lordosis). Average follow-up kyphosis of all cases was 10.78°. Excluding failures, average follow-up kyphosis was 8.67°. A mean of 15.23° of kyphosis correction was attained from pre-operation to post-operation (P < 0.0001). Average loss of kyphosis correction from immediate post-operation to most recent follow-up was -11.51° and -9.51 excluding the two failures (P < 0.0001). Average pre-operative to most-recent follow-up kyphosis correction was 3.72° (P = 0.067) and 5.51° excluding failures (P = 0.0024). At initial one-month follow-up, average disability score was 52.63% (range 16% to 84%). At most recent follow-up, average disability score was 5.5% (range 0% to 16%). One patient was lost to long-term follow-up. Mean difference from one-month follow-up to most recent follow-up (excluding failures) was 47.27% (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Short same-segment fixation decreases implantation failure rate and reoperation rate compared to traditional SSPF, however long-term kyphosis correction was not maintained. Despite this loss of kyphosis correction, clinical pain and disability improved at long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To validate and simplify a screening questionnaire for the determination of PD. Methods: The screening questionnaire for PD was developed with the permission of the author. Reliability of the questionnaire was tested. To validate the questionnaire, 40 patients with PD and 93 controls completed the questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the questions independently associated with PD and a risk score was calculated. The predictive performance of the risk score was evaluated via the area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. Results: The questionnaire showed a Cronbach''s alpha coefficient of 0.73 with no difference between the initial and follow up scores. The mean content validity was 0.86. Of the 11 questions, 4 were independently associated with PD and were used to calculate the risk score. The scores of these questions were 2 (clumsiness)+4 (tremor)+2 (masked face)+2 (loss of balance while turning). The AUC of a ROC curve for the sum of risk score was 0.95. With a cutoff score of 5 or higher, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.88 and 0.95, respectively. Conclusions: The screening questionnaire for PD is a reliable and valid instrument. The predictive performance of the simplified questionnaire is as good as the original. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the present study is to investigate the short-term periodicity in the solar radius measurements and to compare with the short periods in sunspot numbers, sunspot areas and flare index data. The spectral analysis of data sets covering a time interval from 26 February 2000 to 26 October 2007 during Solar Cycle 23 were made by using the Date Compensated Discrete Fourier Transform (DCDFT). The power spectrum of solar radius data corrected for the seeing effect gives an evident peak at 25.7 days with the amplitude of 0.034 arcsec, which is slightly different from the peaks of 26.2 and 26.7 days produced by sunspot numbers and sunspot areas data, respectively. Besides, the main peak of 25.7 days detected in the power spectrum of solar radius data is in agreement with the period of 25.5 days, suggested to be the fundamental period of the Sun by Bai and Sturrock (in Nature 350, 141, ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since its introduction, the Need for Closure (NFC) Scale (; revised by ) has been frequently used in psychological research. However, given the scale’s substantial length, researchers often used abridged, ‘idiosyncratic’ versions by selecting a number of items on seemingly arbitrary grounds, without reporting or validating their item selection. The present study aims to meet the apparent need for an empirically validated abridged NFC scale. Based on data obtained from an aggregated heterogeneous sample (N =1584), we propose a 15-item selection comprising three items from each facet scale. Comparison of the full and reduced NFC scales revealed similar psychometric properties and correlations with third variables. The brief NFC scale provides researchers with a useful tool for assessing the NFC construct when practical considerations prohibit the use of the original full 42-item scale or the 41-item revised version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of mystical experience has been hotly debated. Essentialists divide into two camps: 1) immediate identity beyond any subject-object structure 2) the mystical object maintaining some distinctness at the point of contact. Paul Tillich's mystical a priori has some affinities with the former, while William James' model of religious experience coheres only with the latter. Opposing the essentialists are constructivists. After noting some ironies of the constructivist position, this article elaborates difficulties with 1) the traditional model of pure identity with the divine by certain mystics, 2) the Tillichian universal mystical awareness, and 3) the Jamesian direct perceptual model. Finally, it proposes that the human body and brain mediate mystical experience, which consists of a distinctive sense of bodily harmony conjoined with openness to the potentialities of an integrated environment, involving distinctive neurological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most ambitious photographic projects the world has ever seen was announced at the 1887 International Astronomical Conference. Known as the Carte du Ciel' or 'Mapping the Stars' project, its grand aim was to record on photographic plates the stars in the night sky. Worked on by eighteen observatories around the world, it was estimated that it would require 22,154 photographic plates. Although little known today, this project cemented the role of photography as a tool for astronomers and was in particular a major accomplishment for the Sydney Observatory, where it was worked on for over seventy years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rationale for short stems in cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) is proximal load transfer and absence of distal fixation resulting in preserved femoral bone stock and avoidance of thigh pain. We report a consecutive series of 65 THAs inserted mainly for osteoarthritis with the DePuy Proxima. hip, a short, anatomic implant with a pronounced lateral flare. Patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 3, 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter, using the Harris Hip Score (HHS), the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and standard radiographs. No thigh pain was reported. At a mean follow-up of 1.7 years the HHS improved from a preoperative mean value of 51 to 91 and the OHS decreased from a mean value of 42.5 to 12.4. Complications included 1 intraoperative fracture, 1 superficial infection, and 3 deep vein thromboses. The proximal medial edge of the resected femoral neck appeared rounded off in 49 cases whilst in 16 cases a further loss of medial cortical density was observed. Patient selection and surgical technique are crucial factors contributing to a successful outcome. The surgical technique is different from standard THA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital short femur is a rare and complex deformity that is often associated with other anomalies. There are few reports of either hip or knee dislocations during femoral lengthening in congenital short femur predisposed by associated anomaly. However, there are probably no case reports of both hip and knee joint dislocation occurring in same case during femoral lengthening in congenital short femur. We have this case of congenital short femur, where both hip and knee dislocation occurs during femoral lengthening. We reviewed different article to understand the cause and avoid such unwanted complications in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fail-stop signature (FSS) schemes protect a signer against a forger with unlimited computational power by enabling the signer to provide a proof of forgery, if it occurs. A decade after its invention, there have been several FSS schemes proposed in the literature. Nonetheless, the notion of short FSS scheme has not been addressed yet. Furthermore, the short size in signature schemes has been done mainly with the use of pairings. In this paper, we propose a construction of short FSS scheme based on factorization and discrete logarithm assumption. However, in contrast to the known notion in the literature, our signature scheme does not incorporate any pairing operations. Nonetheless, our scheme is the shortest FSS scheme compared to all existing schemes in the literature that are based on the same assumption. The efficiency of our scheme is comparable to the best known FSS scheme, that is based on the discrete logarithm assumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fiber reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM), a noncorrosive two-dimensional high strength fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) mesh saturated with inorganic cementitious mortar is evolving as a viable option for retrofitting damaged RC structures. While numerous studies investigated the potential of FRCM strengthening in shear and flexural applications, limited studies explored the confinement of short and slender columns, particularly using finite element (FE) analysis. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element (FE) model is developed using ABAQUS to study the behavior of corrosion damaged RC columns retrofitted with poly-paraphenylene-ben-zobisoxazole (PBO) FRCM systems. Geometric and material nonlinearities in concrete, cement mortar and composite are incorporated in the FE model that is validated through axial capacity and failure mode comparisons against published literature. A comprehensive parametric study involving 180 models is conducted considering the effects of five parameters: (a) cross section type (square vs circular), (b) FRCM wraps (1, 2, 3 and 4 layers), (c) pre-damage level (mild, moderate and severe), (d) eccentricity ratio (0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5) and (e) column length (short and slender). Concrete compressive strength of 30 MPa and a longitudinal reinforcement ratio of 2% are adapted in all models. Results indicated that retrofitting corrosion damaged RC columns with PBO-FRCM effectively resorted and enhanced the original axial capacity and ductility of all column specimens and at all damage levels. A positive correlation between number of FRCM layers and axial capacity and ductility enhancement was observed and was more pronounced in circular columns. Increasing the number of FRCM layers also increased the axial capacity of eccentrically loaded columns irrespective of damage level and eccentricity ratio. Finally, comparison of axial capacity using ACI 549.4R-13 provisions against FE results disclosed that the code provisions underestimated the axial capacity of short RC columns retrofitted with PBO-FRCM by about 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries optimal care of status epilepticus (SE) is associated with major barriers, particularly transportation. A prospective study of SE was performed between 1994 and 1996 to determine the clinical profile, response to treatment and outcome, Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Of the 85 patients admitted, the mean age was 33 years (8–75 years), 16% <16 years of age. The mean duration of SE before admission was 18.02 h (1–72 h). Only 23 (28%) patients, all locals, presented within <3 h of onset. Etiology included acute symptomatic (54%), remote symptomatic (7%), cryptogenic (19%), and established epilepsy (20%). Central nervous system infections accounted for 24 (28%) of the etiologies. Seventy-five (88%) patients responded to first-line drugs and 10 (12%) required second-line drugs. The mean duration of SE was significantly long in nonresponders (Mean ± SD: 32.6 ± 20.11 vs. 15.2 ± 18.32, p < 0.006). Duration (p < 0.01; OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.07) and acute symptomatic etiology (p < 0.038; OR 10.38, 95% CI 1.13–95.09) were the independent predictors of no-response to first-line drugs. Of the nine deaths (10.5%), eight were in acute symptomatic group. Predictors of mortality included female sex (p < 0.017, OR 13.41, 95% CI 1.59–115.38) and lack of response to first-line drugs (p < 0.0001, OR 230.27, 95% CI 8.78–6037.19). Longer duration was associated with poor GOS 1–4 (p = 0.001). Of the 37 patients with <6 h, 81% had GOC5 outcome. This study suggests that longer duration of SE and acute symptomatic etiology are independent predictors of lack of response to first-line drugs. Failure to respond to first-line drugs and duration predict the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of our study was to review our experience with transabdominal gastroplasty to determine the safety and short-term efficacy of the procedure.Methods: Retrospective review of all patients that underwent transabdominal hiatal hernia repair with concurrent gastroplasty for shortened esophagus between October 1999 and May 2004.Results: There were 63 patients, 27 men and 36 women. Median age was 68 years. The hiatal hernia was classified as type-I in 6 patients, type-II in 10, type-III in 43, and type-IV in 4. The operative approach was laparoscopic in 44 patients and laparotomy in 19. A Nissen fundoplication was performed in 62 patients and a Toupet fundoplication in 1. Wedge gastroplasty was performed in 47 patients and modified Collis gastroplasty in 16. Median hospitalization was 3 days (range, 2-10). Intraoperative complications occurred in 11 patients (17%). One laparoscopic approach (2%) was converted to laparotomy. Postoperative complications occurred in 12 patients (19%), there were no operative deaths. Median follow-up was 12 months (range, 0 to 64). One patient (2%) was found to have a recurrent hiatal hernia diagnosed 14 months, postoperatively. Functional results were excellent in 41 (68%), good in 6 (10%), fair in 12 (20%), and poor in 1 (2%).Conclusion: Transabdominal gastroplasty can be performed safely, with good functional results and a low incidence of recurrent herniation during the short-term follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Short carbon fiber reinforced SiC matrix composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering. Density and mechanical properties of the composites increased continuously at increasing sintering temperature and constant pressure. Cracks in the composite matrix resulted from high thermal residual stresses generated during the cooling process from the sintering temperature due to the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between fiber and matrix. The properties of the composites were lower than those of monolithic SiC ceramics obtained with the same processing technique as the composites. Fibers provided noncatastrophic fracture behavior of the composites as evidenced by the stress-displacement curves and fracture surface of the composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new approach to the construction of k-space trajectories for centric-scan SPRITE in both 2D and 3D is presented. All benefits of previous SPRITE methods are retained, most importantly the ability to image objects with short . This new approach gives more flexibility in the choice of number of interleaves with points more evenly distributed across k-space. All these improvements positively contribute to image quality and resolution, which can be also traded off against experimental speed. Sectoral sampling will have significant benefits for magnetisation preparation contrast imaging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The popularity of pure phase encode MRI techniques, including single point imaging (SPI), is steadily increasing, particularly in instances where the samples of interest are solid-like, or for other reasons possess short effective transverse relaxation times, . As the interest in these techniques grows, so too does the need for a phantom material which is representative of this class of samples. The characteristics of such a phantom should include chemical and physical stability, straightforward preparation, high signal to noise ratio and relaxation times which are both easily manipulated and representative. To this end, we have developed a gelatin/sucrose-based gel which addresses the above criteria and behaves as a very flexible short phantom. An order of magnitude variation in T 1 and T 2 can be achieved over a reasonable range of sucrose concentration. Even larger changes can be achieved with the addition of further doping agents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]