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OBJECTIVESWe aimed to describe the quality of sedation and additional clinically-meaningful outcomes associated with different intranasal dexmedetomidine-based regimens in children undergoing nonpainful procedures.METHODSA multicenter prospective observational study of children aged 2 months to 17 years undergoing intranasal dexmedetomidine sedation for MRI, auditory brainstem response testing, echocardiogram, EEG, or computed tomography scan. Regimens varied by dose of dexmedetomidine and use of adjunct sedatives. Quality of sedation was assessed using the Pediatric Sedation State Scale and by determining proportion of children who achieved an acceptable sedation state. Procedure completion, time-based outcomes, and adverse events were assessed.RESULTSWe enrolled 578 children across 7 sites. Median age was 2.5 years (interquartile range 1.6–3) and 37.5% were female. The most common procedures were auditory brainstem response testing (54.3%) and MRI (22.8%). The most common dose was 3 to 3.9 mcg/kg (55%), with 25.1% and 14.2% of children receiving oral or intranasal midazolam, respectively. Acceptable sedation state and procedure completion was achieved in 81.1% and 91.3% of children, and mean time to onset of sedation and total sedation time were 32.3 and 114.8 minutes, respectively. Twelve interventions were performed in 10 patients in response to an event; no patients required a serious airway, breathing, or cardiovascular intervention.CONCLUSIONSIntranasal dexmedetomidine-based regimens can achieve acceptable sedation states and high rates of procedure completion in children undergoing sedation for nonpainful procedures. Our findings delineate clinical outcomes associated with intranasal dexmedetomidine-based sedation that can be used to guide the implementation and optimization of such regimens.

Owing to increasing bicycle traffic volumes in Germany, more and more bicycle facilities are being designed with widths beyond the standard values given in the existing design guidelines. However, the level of service assessment method for bicycle facilities in the current edition of the German Highway Capacity Manual, HBS, is based on empirical data from facilities with mostly low traffic demand and small widths. Therefore, a new quality of service assessment method for highly frequented bicycle facilities was developed. For this, the cycling behavior of cyclists at high traffic volumes was analyzed, considering different bicycle types. Bicycle traffic flow quality, which is mainly characterized by the ability for cyclists to pass, was examined on segments of bicycle facilities with different geometric parameters, including facility type, gradient, and width. The speed and lateral distance behavior of cyclists were analyzed by using radar and video measurements. It was found that a large variance in the bicycle speed distribution mainly resulted from an inhomogeneous composition of bicycle types. The bicycle facilities were modeled with the microscopic traffic simulation tool PTV Vissim and calibrated using the empirical data. The models were used to analyze the impact of different geometric parameters and high proportions of specific bicycle types. As expected, the simulations revealed that the quality of service was mainly influenced by the lane width. Based on the results, a method to assess the quality of service of bicycle facilities, in which traffic density is used as the measure of effectiveness, was developed.

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a susceptible host of the invasive necrotrophic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, which causes chestnut blight disease. The fungal pathogen attacks chestnut stems by invading wounded tissue and secreting oxalate. This process leads to the death of infected host cells and the formation of cankers, eventually girdling stems and killing the tree above the infections. To reduce damage caused by fungal oxalate, American chestnut has been genetically engineered to express a wheat oxalate oxidase (OxO). This enzyme degrades the oxalate produced by the pathogen and confers elevated tolerance to Cryphonectria parasitica infection. We report new lines of transgenic American chestnut that have been developed with the win3.12 inducible promoter from poplar (Populus deltoides) driving OxO expression. This promoter is responsive to both wounding and pathogen infection, with a low level of baseline expression. Targeted expression of OxO to wounded and infected tissue is sought as an alternative to constitutive expression for potential metabolic resource conservation and transgene stability over the long lifetime of a tree and over successive generations of breeding. Transgenic Castanea dentata lines harbouring the win3.12-OxO construct were evaluated for transgene expression patterns and tolerance to chestnut blight infection. OxO transcript levels were low in uninfected plants, but robust infection-induced expression levels were observed, with one transgenic line reaching levels comparable to those of previously characterized CaMV35S-OxO lines. In chestnut blight infection bioassays, win3.12-OxO lines showed elevated disease tolerance similar to blight-resistant Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) controls.

Here, we present the first mechanochemical Fries rearrangement for the industrially important synthesis of para hydroxyacetophenone, inside a ball mill and a twin-screw extruder. Our approach leads to quantitive conversion in as little as 90 minutes. Furthermore, the utilisation of liquid-assisted grinding can shift the isomer ratio resulting in an excess of the desired para product. The multigram scale-up via a continuous extrusion process leads to similar results in only three minutes of residence time while completely avoiding solvents. The extrusion temperature of 75-100 °C can even further be reduced by combining extrusion at 50°C with a subsequent ageing step.

Die Varikophlebitis geht mit der Gefahr thromboembolischer Komplikationen einher. Bisherige Therapiekonzepte und Klassifikationen ermoglichen zwar in vielen Fallen ein standardisiertes Vorgehen, schliesen aber eine Anzahl von Patienten aus. Das Ziel unserer Arbeit ist es, eine Klassifikation und einen Therapiealgorithmus zu erarbeiten, der alle Formen und Lokalisationen berucksichtigt. Die Daten wurden retrospektiv ausgewertet. 238 konsekutive Patienten wurden von 01/2016 bis 12/2018 aufgrund einer Varikophlebitis operiert. Die apparative Diagnostik bestand in allen Fallen aus einer farbkodierten Duplexsonographie. Patienten mit Rezidiv und/oder familiarer Anamnese erhielten ein Thrombophilie-Screening. Hinsichtlich der Klassifikation von Verrel u. Steckmeier lag der Thrombus in 23,5 % der Falle in einer Stammvene ohne Beteiligung der Mundungsregion. In 43,3 % der Falle reicht der Thrombus in die Nahe der Einmundung, in 16,4 % ragte das Gerinnsel uber die Einmundung in die tiefe Vene und in 4,6 % wuchs der Thrombus uber eine insuffiziente Perforansvene in das tiefe System. Bei 12,2 % der Patienten wurde die Indikation aufgrund eines Thrombus groser als 5 cm in einem varikosen Seitenast ohne Phlebitis der Stammvene gestellt. Intraoperative Komplikationen wurden nicht beobachtet. Die Quote der Irritationen im Bereich des N. saphenus und N. suralis betrug 7,6 %. In 32,8 % traten Flachenhamatome auf und in 6,3 % kam es zu konservativ beherrschbaren Wundheilungsstorungen. Von 104 getesteten Patienten wiesen 49 eine Thrombophilie auf, wobei die APC-Resistenz und die Prothrombinmutation die haufigsten Gendefekte darstellten. Wir schlagen eine Aktualisierung und Erganzung der Klassifikation der Varikophlebitis vor, um auch Patienten ohne Beteiligung der Stammvenen zu inkludieren. Nach Durchsicht der aktuellen Literatur und der Analyse unserer Ergebnisse sehen wir bei einer Varikophlebitis im Bereich der Stammvenen und bei groseren Seitenastvarikosen die Indikation zur dringlichen Operation.

The edge chlorination of the benchmark nanographenes triphenylene and hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene is conducted mechanochemically. This approach overcomes solubility limitations and eliminates the need for elaborate chlorination conditions. Additionally, the planarization of oligophenylenes and their edge-chlorination can be combined in a one-pot approach requiring as little as 60 minutes.

Background Buccal swab sampling constitutes an attractive noninvasive alternative to blood drawings for antibody serostatus assays. Here we describe a method to determine the cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G (CMV IgG) serostatus from dried buccal swab samples. Methods Upon solubilization, CMV IgG is determined by an ELISA assay specifically adapted to cope with low IgG concentrations. The derived CMV titer is normalized against the total protein concentration to adjust for incorrectly or less efficiently sampled buccal swabs. Assay parameters were optimized on a set of 713 samples. Results Validation with 1784 samples revealed distinct results for > 80% of samples with 98.6% specificity and 99.1% sensitivity. Based on the analysis of 1.2 million samples we derived age- and sex-stratified CMV prevalence statistics for Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, and Chile. To confirm accuracy of the assay in routine operation, the CMV status of 6518 donors was reassessed by independent laboratories based on conventional blood samples revealing 96.9% specificity and 97.4% sensitivity. Conclusions The assay accurately delivers the CMV IgG serostatus from dried buccal swab samples for > 80% of the participants. Thereby it provides a noninvasive alternative to plasma-based CMV monitoring for nondiagnostic purposes such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation donor screening or population studies., We developed an assay to determine the CMV IgG status based on dried buccal swab samples. Assay validation on a set of 1784 samples revealed 99% sensitivity and specificity. We describe CMV prevalence statistics for Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, and Chile.

Beam steering is advantageous for continuous-wave terahertz applications in sensing, imaging, and wireless communication. While wide spread in lower frequency bands, in the terahertz region complex emitter and receiver structures are hardly feasible with discrete devices, due to the shorter wavelengths. Therefore, we propose and demonstrate the use of photonic integration: A 1x4 antenna array based on photodiodes is driven by an optical phased array based on polymer. The packaged emitter features increased directivity and enables beam steering across 30 °.

Many stem cell donor registries determine the cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG serostatus at donor recruitment as it is an important marker for donor selection in the context of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To make sample collection less uncomfortable for the donor, we have developed a method that allows CMV status determination from buccal swab samples, thus avoiding blood drawing. However, the determination fails in some cases which leads to new donors being listed for donor search without CMV status, thus hindering donor searches. In this work, we evaluated the success rate of repeating CMV status analysis from a new swab. Our results show that about 90% of the samples could be successfully determined. Due to the great importance of the CMV status in donor search, we consider the retesting approach to be highly recommended for stem cell donor registries.

Transition metal ferrites, such as CoFe2O4 (CFO) and NiFe2O4 (NFO), have gained increasing attention as potential materials for supercapacitors. Since chemical vapor deposition (CVD) offers advantages like interface quality to the underlying substrates and the possibility for coverage of 3D substrates, two CVD processes are reported for CFO and NFO. Growth rates amount to 150 to 200 nm h−1 and yield uniform, dense, and phase pure spinel ferrite films according to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis (RBS/NRA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Atom probe tomography (APT) and synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) give insights into the vertical homogeneity and oxidation states in the CFO films. Cation disorder of CFO is analyzed for the first time from synchrotron-based XPS. NFO is analyzed via lab-based XPS. Depositions on conducting Ni and Ti substrates result in electrodes with pseudocapacitive behavior, as evidenced by cyclovoltammetry (CV) experiments. The interfacial capacitances of the electrodes are up to 185 µF cm−2.

Currently, stem cell donor registries include more than 35 million potential donors worldwide to provide HLA‐matched stem cell products for patients in need of an unrelated donor transplant. DKMS is a leading stem cell donor registry with more than 9 million donors from Germany, Poland, the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Chile. DKMS donors have donated hematopoietic stem cells more than 80,000 times. Many aspects of donor registry work are closely related to topics from immunogenetics or population genetics. In this two‐part review article, we describe, analyse and discuss these areas of donor registry work by using the example of DKMS. Part 1 of the review gives a general overview on DKMS and includes typical donor registry activities with special focus on the HLA system: high‐throughput HLA typing of potential stem cell donors, HLA haplotype frequencies and resulting matching probabilities, and donor file optimization with regard to HLA diversity.

OBJECTIVES Aortic dissection is complex. Imaging and treatment modalities are evolving, demanding a more differentiated but pragmatic dissection classification. Our goal was to provide a new practical classification system including Type of dissection, location of the tear of the primary Entry and Malperfusion (TEM). METHODS We extended the Stanford dissection classification (A and B) by adding non-A non-B aortic dissection, the location of the primary entry tear (E) and malperfusion (M). A 0 was added if the primary entry tear was not visible; 1, if it was in the ascending aorta; 2, if it was in the arch; and 3, if it was in the descending aorta (E0, E1, E2, E3). We added 0 if malperfusion was absent; 1, if coronary arteries; 2, if supra-aortic vessels; and 3, if visceral/renal and/or a lower extremity was affected (M0, M1, M2, M3). Plus (+) was added if malperfusion was clinically present and minus (−) if it was a radiological finding. RESULTS The new classification system was analysed in 357 patients retrospectively; distribution was 59%, 31% and 10% for A, B and non-A non-B dissections. The in-hospital mortality rate was 16%, 5% and 8% (P = 0.01). Postoperative stroke occurred in 14%, 1% and 3% (P CONCLUSIONS The new practical TEM aortic dissection classification system adds clarity regarding the extent of the disease process, enhances awareness of the disease mechanism, aids in decision-making regarding the extent of repair and helps in anticipating outcome.

A fabrication tolerant polarization rotator (PR) building block is added to our generic photonic integration technology. Using asymmetric waveguides, we propose a PR with guided modes that do not enclose a 45° angle with the substrate. Rather, we find that polarization performance and loss can be improved substantially by allowing the mode angles to vary along the device. We numerically optimize PR designs, targeting at high extinction and high fabrication tolerance. The optimization makes use of the Jones formalism and the fact that Jones calculus is numerically much faster than beam propagation methods. A comparison of our Jones model and commercial simulation software shows excellent agreement. Fabricated devices show a polarization extinction between 10 and 14 dB across different wafers, at an excess loss of 1 dB. Compared to PR designs without tapers, the loss is 3 dB lower and the polarization extinction is now reproducible from wafer to wafer.

Aim: We investigated whether the effect of low-dose aspirin on endothelium-dependent vasodilation and arterial stiffness in people with Type 2 diabetes is different from a matched control group. We examined acute and chronic effects, and effects over the 24h dosing interval. Methods: In an open-label parallel group intervention study, we included 21 participants with Type 2 diabetes and 21 age- and sex-matched controls. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed as the reactive hyperaemia index (lnRHI) measured by peripheral arterial tonometry (EndoPAT ®). Arterial stiffness was assessed as pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured by applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor ®). Measurements were performed prior to aspirin intake and 1h after aspirin administration (75 mg). Participants were then treated for 6 days, and measurements were repeated at 24 h and 1 h after aspirin intake. Results: Baseline lnRHI did not differ between groups. The controls had an immediate increase in lnRHI after the first aspirin tablet. This was not observed in participants with diabetes (difference between groups; P

We present a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) for terahertz spectroscopy up to 4.1 THz comprising two SG DBR lasers and passive building blocks. The PIC has been realized on the HHI InP generic foundry platform.

Osteoarthritis is common and debilitating. Evidence-based care exists; there is a gap between recommended and received are. Multimodal treatment is recommended, with unknown effectiveness. We report pilot feasibility data for a new university-based clinic providing multimodal care for knee and hip osteoarthritis (KHOA).Quality-improvement case series with the first 50 patients. A multidisciplinary team provided care. Feasibility outcomes included treatment duration, patient adherence, provision of guideline-recommended care, and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included self-reported and objectively assessed patient measures.Fifty patients (59±10.5 years, 32 female) received guideline-recommended care; 40 adhered to 3.83±2.21 follow-up visits over 12.24±7.79 months; satisfaction was high. Objectively assessed outcomes improved, but self-reported outcomes did not.Early data suggest multimodal care for knee and hip osteoarthritis is feasible and may be associated with improved outcomes.

La vegetación natural es la única fuente forrajera en las regiones marginales a la agricultura las que por lo general han sido pastoreadas 'con cargas que superan su receptividad y como consecuencia, se observa una marcada tendencia de degradación. En la región semiárida central Argentina, el área del caldenal ha concentrado desde principios de siglo la mayor actividad ganadera. Este sistema ha sufrido diferentes procesos de disturbio, resultante de los diferentes entre factores biológicos y ambientales; entre ellos el sobrepastoreo y la falta de fuegos que produjeron cambios importantes en la composición florística, estructura de las comunidades así como también en su funcionamiento. El pastoreo se presenta normalmente como uno de los factores que posee mayor influencia sobre la diversidad y la riqueza especifica de la comunidad. El grado de uso es un elemento de gran importancia para la recuperación y manejo de las comunidades degradadas por acción del pastoreo y constituye uno de los interrogantes a resolver para los sistemas de esta región. La finalidad de este trabajo es evaluar la relación existente entre los indicadores físicos del grado de uso, con la diversidad florística y la proporción de especies indeseables. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar a lo largo de un gradiente de grado de uso la composición y abundancia específica, la densidad y tamaño de las especies forrajeras, la compactación del suelo, la densidad de deyecciones sólidas, la profundidad de enterrado de las yemas de las especies forrajeras en distintas situaciones de uso para un área del caldenal. Los resultados encontrados muestran una estrecha relación entre la proporción de las especies indeseables con el grado de compactación del suelo, con la densidad de leñosas y con la proporción de Poa ligularis - Piptochaetium napostense. Todo ello hace de las especies indeseables un buen indicador del grado de uso en los pastizales de la región semiárida pampeana. Director: Dr. Daniel Estelrich. Cátedra de Ecología Vegetal

In this paper, we report the integration of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SG-DBR) lasers using an InPbased generic integration platform for the first time. These lasers show 53 nm tuning range in C band from 1533 nm to 1586 nm with 40 dB side mode suppression (SMSR). Threshold current of the laser is 20 mA, and the front facet output power is 8 mW at 100 mA gain current. The Lorentzian optical linewidth amounts to 713 kHz. We fabricated this laser using the standard Multi-Project Wafer processes of the Fraunhofer HHI InP integration platform.

InP technology is the principal enabler for implementing fully monolithic photonic integrated circuits (PIC), uniquely including transmitter elements. In this article we present an overview of recent achievements on ultra-high speed electro-absorption modulated lasers (EML) which represent a simple transmitter PIC comprising a single-mode laser diode and an electro-absorption modulator. Using a so-called identical-layer approach single-wavelength modulation rates up to 100 Gb/s have been accomplished. By additionally integrating an optical amplifier section modulated optical output power of > 10 dBm has been achieved. Multi-level amplitude modulation was successfully demonstrated. Extended EML chips designed for wavelength-division and space-division multiplexing, respectively, will be presented. For dual-polarization transmission a novel EML related transmitter as well as a corresponding receiver PIC have been introduced. The latter devices were made on a generic PIC platform that is available for open-access foundry service.

Lymphatische Komplikationen sind den weniger schwerwiegenden Komplikationen nach Varizenoperationen zuzuordnen. Uber die Haufigkeit nach varizenchirurgischen Eingriffen gibt es in der Literatur nur vereinzelte Angaben. Anhand einer prospektiven Studie haben wir die Haufigkeit fur das Auftreten lymphatischer Komplikationen untersucht. Wir registrierten im Beobachtungszeitraum vom 1. Januar 2014 bis zum 31. Dezember 2015 bei 2150 stationaren Varizenoperationen bei insgesamt 284 Patienten oder 13,20 % postoperative Komplikationen am Lymphsystem, wobei bei 154 Operierten (7,16 %) reversible prolongierte Lymphabflussstorungen vorlagen. Konservativ beherrschbare Lymphozelen fanden wir bei 105 Patienten oder 4,88 %. In einem Fall (0,05 %) mussten wir eine Zystektomie vornehmen. Konservativ therapierbare Lymphfisteln entwickelten sich bei 13 Patienten oder 0,60 % und in 2 Fallen (0,09 %) war eine operative Revision notwendig. Ein anhaltendes, sekundares Lymphodem registrierten wir bei 3 Patienten (0,14 %). Lymphschonende gefaschirurgische Techniken und Wissen um die Topographie der Lymphgefasversorgung sehen wir als die Voraussetzungen fur eine suffiziente Varizenchirurgie. Bei lymphatischen Komplikationen sollten erst die konservativen Masnahmen ausgeschopft werden, ehe operative Revisionseingriffe zum Zuge kommen.

ZusammenfassungEs werden die Kasuistiken von zwei Patienten dargestellt, die wegen einer ausgeprägten Rezidivvarikose operiert werden mussten. Im postoperativen Verlauf entwickelten sich große und klinisch relevante Lymphozelen im Bereich der Innenseite des Ober- beziehungsweise Unterschenkels. Trotz intensiver konservativer Therapie kam es zur Progredienz. Aufgrund der ausgeprägten klinischen und sonographischen Befunde wurde die Indikation zur operativen Zystenresektion gestellt. Der anschließende postoperative Verlauf gestaltete sich komplikationslos und es kam zur vollständigen Restitution. Prinzipiell ist bei Operationen wegen einer Rezidivvarikose mit einem doppelt so hohem Risiko an postoperativen lymphatischen Komplikationen zu rechnen.

Thanks to the successful application of Si-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to data communications, demand for PICs has increased dramatically. As a result, integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), as well as foundries, have provided much improved capability and capacity since 2010. PIC foundries, in particular, offer capability that is accessible to users around the world and in a variety of technology platforms. This chapter is meant to teach the community what has advanced in the past decade to enable a suite of processes for different types of PICs, typically dedicated to a particular market demand. The chapter is not meant to describe the operation of a specific foundry, but rather, a vision of PIC foundries with examples from different institutions. After reading the chapter, the reader should have a better understanding of the advances that have enabled PIC foundry capabilities and the background to be able to interact with a PIC foundry.

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) are characterized by an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with irregular penetrance and a broad spectrum of different clinical phenotypes. There are large variations in the age of onset, progression and prognosis. Symptoms are often manifested early in childhood. Characteristics which the two main forms NF1 and NF2 have in common are a positive family history, characteristic skin alterations, such as cafe au lait macules, axillary or inguinal freckling and neural tumors such as neurofibroma and optic glioma (NF1) as well as (bilateral) vestibular schwannomas (NF2). An interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary for the diagnostics and therapy.

Autoradiography is a well-established method of nuclear imaging. When different radionuclides are present simultaneously, additional processing is needed to distinguish distributions of radionuclides. In this work, a method is presented where aluminium absorbers of different thickness are used to produce images with different cut-off energies. By subtracting images pixel-by-pixel one can generate images representing certain ranges of β-particle energies. The method is applied to the measurement of irradiated reactor graphite samples containing several radionuclides to determine the spatial distribution of these radionuclides within pre-defined energy windows. The process was repeated under fixed parameters after thermal treatment of the samples. The greyscale images of the distribution after treatment were subtracted from the corresponding pre-treatment images. Significant changes in the intensity and distribution of radionuclides could be observed in some samples. Due to the thermal treatment par...

This paper describes a fabrication process for realizing Indium-Phosphide-based photonic-integrated circuits (PICs) with a high level of integration to target a wide variety of optical applications. To show the diversity in PICs achievable with our open-access foundry process, we illustrate two examples: a fully-integrated 20 Gb/s dual-polarization electro-absorption-modulated laser, and a balanced detector composed of avalanche photodiodes for detection of 28 Gb/s optical signals. On another note, datacenters are increasingly relying on hybrid integration of PICs from different technology platforms to increase transmission capacity, while simultaneously lowering cost, size, and power consumption. Several technology platforms require surface coupling rather than the traditional edge coupling to couple the light from one PIC to another. To accommodate the surface-coupling approach in our integration platform, we have developed a strategy to transfer the following optical Input/Output devices into our fabrication process: grating couplers, and vertical mirrors. In addition, we introduced etched facets into the process to improve the usability of our edge-coupling elements. We believe that the additional flexibility in Input/Output interfacing combined with the integration of multiple devices onto one PIC to reduce the number of PIC-to-PIC alignments can contribute significantly to the development of compact, low-cost, and high-performance datacenter modules.

We propose and demonstrate a new photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design for Stokes vector reception. Its accuracy is 2.5° across the entire Poincare sphere and almost than the entire C-band.

We propose and demonstrate a transmit-type photonic integrated circuit (PIC) for polarization multiplexing applications. With a single integrated DFB laser source, the PIC generates two independently modulated states of polarization. The PIC is used for 40 Gbit/s transmission.

Thermal analysis of a DC motor cooling system and description of measurement system applied to an engine test stand are the main topics of the paper. The motor that is being tested comes from the electric vehicle of Silesian Greenpower project whose aim is to design and build energy efficient bolids in order to participate in international races in Great Britain. During the designing process of the car, minimizing energy losses and maximizing powertrain efficiency are the main aspects taken into consideration. One of the crucial issues to accomplish these goals is to maintain optimal performance of the motor by applying effective cooling. The engine test stand used in this research was designed especially for Silesian Greenpower vehicles. Thanks to its modular construction and versatility, it enables measuring many different parameters of the motor and powertrain. In this paper the thermal analysis is described as well as how the measuring system of the engine stand works. The thermal analysis described in the article occurred to be very helpful in improving the cooling system and motor performance in the same time. The advanced measuring and control system of the test stand enables conducting versatile analysis of the DC motor and the powertrain.

We have achieved monolithic integration of photodetectors, DFB- and DBR lasers, SOAs, spot-size converters, polarization-rotators and splitters, EAMs, and passive-waveguide devices on InP technology. This generic foundry process provides endless possibilities for PIC designers.

The objective of this study was to identify preferences for physical activity among adults aged 65 years and over. A systematic review was conducted. A search strategy without language and date restriction (up until March 31, 2017) was developed for PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and SPORTDiscus. Study selection and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. A total of 21 independent primary studies were included in the systematic review. Irrespective of the methodologies used and samples, a majority of older adults prefer to walk and engage in physical activity continuously for about 30 min. These findings are mainly generalizable to White females from the United States. Two-thirds of the studies were at high risk of selection bias, which suggests additional caution when interpreting the review findings. Nonetheless, policymakers, community organizations, and healthcare providers should consider walkability in their efforts to promote physical activity in older adults.

We demonstrate PDM-PAM4 generation for the first time from an integrated EAM-based chip with 0.5 mm2 footprint. The device is used in 112 Gbit/s transmission over 80 km of SSMF.

"The Greenpower Corporate Challenge" is an annual race of four-wheeled electric vehicles organized on the tracks in the UK. Participants of the "The Greenpower Corporate Challenge" contest are students of high schools and universities which are involved in designing and construction process of an electric race car. The basic goal of GPCC competition is making the largest possible number of laps on the race track - for a limited time of 90 minutes. The main restriction is imposed by the organizers, the power source and type of the motor driving the car, which increases competition level and equalize the chances of teams. The design process of the vehicle was followed by the drawn intuitively, an iterative procedure. A simplified methodology for the design and construction of the vehicle has been adopted, which was based on a cyclic process of designing every mechatronic subsystems and gathering them all in one CAD model. During all designing and engineering tasks a mathematical model of the vehicle has been used. With using finite element method (FEM) and studies using an anthropometric drivers model there was a continuous control of the correctness of the solutions and results. This article describes the computer research methods used in the design process of selected systems and components of the vehicle Silesian Greenpower and their adequacy in relation to traditional methods.

Background:Chronic suppurative otitis media is a major cause of long-standing hearing impairment in many Sub-Saharan African countries.Methods:Attempts were made to optimise the pre-treatment process before mobile ear surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media in Wolisso, a semi-urban community in the Oromia region, and in Attat, a rural community in the Gurage region, both in the south-west of Ethiopia, between 2008 and 2010. This included special training for ENT nurses, and the use of a strict scheduling regime and improved topical treatment.Results and conclusion:This strategy allowed effective middle-ear surgery to be carried out using simple means and with a mobile ear surgery team, the latter of which is only transiently but regularly on site.

The Forest Health Initiative (FHI) was developed and implemented to test the hypothesis that a coordinated effort in biotechnology research could lead to resistant trees capable of restoring a species in a relevant time frame. As a test case, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was chosen for study as it is an iconic forest tree species in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada that has been nearly extirpated by chestnut blight which is caused by an introduced fungal pathogen (Cryphonectria parasitica). In addition, the species has attracted research investments over many decades, leading to some promising possibilities for effecting restoration. The FHI, now completing its third year, has integrated genomics-based candidate gene discovery with robust clonal propagation and gene transformation systems capable of producing hundreds of independent events for dozens of genes per year. A promising early leaf assay for blight reaction has been developed that will be instrumental in screening the large amount of material in production through these systems. Regulatory permits for testing some of the earliest transgene events have been obtained as small-scale field testing is beginning. High density genetic maps and various mapping populations are being analyzed to gain additional insights into the specific genes found in quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistances to blight and Phytophthora root rot (caused by P. cinnamomi, also known as ink disease). Nearly complete genome sequences of three of the blight resistance QTLs have been determined. These sequences are greatly assisting these analyses, as have comparisons with peach and other completed plant genomes, demonstrating the power of comparative genomics. These results show great promise for meeting the challenge proposed by the FHI hypothesis for American chestnut. In addition, other forest tree species under threat should benefit from similarly designed initiatives.

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) play a key role in a wide range of applications. Very often, the performance of PICs depends strongly on the state of polarization of light. Classically, this is regarded as undesirable, but more and more applications emerge that make explicit use of polarization dependence. In either case, the characterization of the polarization properties of a PIC can be a nontrivial task. We present a way of characterizing PICs in terms of their full M&uuml, ller matrix, yielding a complete picture of their polarization properties. The approach is demonstrated by carrying out measurements of fabricated PICs.

We report on a silicon-organic hybrid modulator based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) operating at 10 Gbit/s with an energy consumption of 320 fJ/bit. The device consists of a striploaded slot waveguide covered with an electro-optic polymer cladding. The MZI modulator is poled to be driven in push-pull operation by a single coplanar RF line. Our nonlinear coefficient r33 = 15 pm/V in combination with an 80 nm narrow slot enables RF peak-to-peak drive voltages as low as 800 mVpp to suffice for an extinction ration of 4.4 dB for a 1.5 mm long modulator.

This chapter is devoted to photonic integrated circuits (PIC) on InP semiconductor basis. This materials platform is capable of monolithically integrating not only passive optical waveguide and receiver (Rx) devices but also transmitter (Tx) type structures, in particular optical amplifiers and lasers. In the first part the principal integration approaches of these diverse device structures will be addressed: vertical integration schemes relying on evanescent optical coupling between vertically stacked device levels; and lateral integration schemes exploiting in-plane optical coupling of the optical devices. In the latter case, butt-joint coupling, selective-area-growth, and quantum-well intermixing are being used, all of them geared to accomplish lateral band gap engineering. In the following section, recent examples of PICs based on proprietary technology solutions will be given. The second part of this chapter discusses generic photonic integration copying the foundry model successfully established in the electronics world. In this model, using defined building blocks, PIC design and manufacturing are strictly separated, thereby facilitating open access to this technology. As an example of such a generic platform, the TxRx technology developed by Fraunhofer HHI will be outlined. Selected building blocks will be described, and representative PICs made on multi-project wafer runs will be shown highlighting the viability of the foundry approach. In addition, the supply chain required for successful adoption of the foundry model will be briefly covered, including the design software environment, testing and wafer validation capabilities, and also generic packaging.