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Anatomical variation is an inherent part of every health curriculum, due in large to the negative clinical consequences that can ensue if anatomical variation is not thoroughly understood. However, current literature fails to describe any structured whole-of-course pedagogy for the teaching of anatomical variation in higher education. This study therefore aimed to (i) propose a whole-of-course curriculum framework to guide academic development and implementation of anatomical variation resources and assessment; and (ii) assess the depth of anatomical variation knowledge in a multiyear undergraduate health-science cohort (n = 152) at the Queensland University of Technology. Current anatomical variation pedagogy, and subsequently the need for the curriculum framework, were explored using a scoping review protocol. As part of this study, anatomical variation was novelly defined as macroscopic differences in morphology (shape and size), topography (location), developmental timing, or frequency (number) of an anatomical structure between individuals that form during embryological or subadult development and result in no substantive, observable interruption to physiological function. The framework incorporated three themes of anatomical variation learning outcomes: description of anatomical variation, theories of the professional implications of variation, and investigation of variant formation. These themes were strongly aligned with the concepts recommended for teaching identified through the scoping review. Significant deficits in anatomical variation student knowledge were identified, with the third-year cohort recording a mean total score of only 54.6%. A strong recommendation to implement the anatomical variation curriculum framework in all medical and health-science curricula is made to intentionally develop student understanding of anatomical variation and improve future clinical practice., (© 2024 The Authors. Anatomical Sciences Education published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association for Anatomy.)

Active metasurfaces with tunable subwavelength-scale nanoscatterers are promising platforms for high-performance spatial light modulators (SLMs). Among the tuning methods, phase-change materials (PCMs) are attractive because of their nonvolatile, threshold-driven, and drastic optical modulation, rendering zero-static power, crosstalk immunity, and compact pixels. However, current electrically controlled PCM-based metasurfaces are limited to global amplitude modulation, which is insufficient for SLMs. Here, an individual-pixel addressable, transmissive metasurface is experimentally demonstrated using the low-loss PCM Sb 2 Se 3 and doped silicon nanowire heaters. The nanowires simultaneously form a diatomic metasurface, supporting a high-quality-factor (∼406) quasi-bound-state-in-the-continuum mode. A global phase-only modulation of ∼0.25π (∼0.2π) in simulation (experiment) is achieved, showing ten times enhancement. A 2π phase shift is further obtained using a guided-mode resonance with enhanced light-Sb 2 Se 3 interaction. Finally, individual-pixel addressability and SLM functionality are demonstrated through deterministic multilevel switching (ten levels) and tunable far-field beam shaping. Our work presents zero-static power transmissive phase-only SLMs, enabled by electrically controlled low-loss PCMs and individual meta-molecule addressable metasurfaces.

Caring for patients with personality disorders and traits presents unique challenges for physicians and other providers. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, recognizes 10 personality disorders, which are organized into 3 clusters (A, B, and C) based on shared diagnostic features. Personality disorders or traits create difficulty in clinical and interpersonal interactions, promoting missed diagnosis or underdiagnosis, nonadherence to medical recommendations, or other dangerous outcomes. It is important to recognize patients with potential personality disorders and understand strategies to achieve optimal patient interactions and best possible medical outcomes., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emergency medicine (EM) residencies offer a wide variety of scheduling models for pediatric patient experience, including blocked weeks in pediatric emergency departments and longitudinal models with pediatric emergency pod/department shifts integrated within other clinical experiences. Concerns with autonomy, attending entrustment, and resident comfort imply that these different scheduling models may impact EM residents' pediatric procedure volumes. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively compare EM residents' pediatric procedure experience and volumes between block versus longitudinal scheduling models. We hypothesize noninferiority between the scheduling models., Methods: A retrospective review characterized the numbers and types of procedures performed by The Ohio State Emergency Medicine residents at the tertiary care pediatric hospital where residents' receive their pediatric emergency medicine clinical experience. Procedure numbers and variety were compared across six academic years: four with a block model, one reorganization year, and one integrated longitudinal year., Results: 2552 procedures were performed by 266 resident academic years over the 6-year period. Overall, no statistically significant differences in the number of procedures performed per year or the variety of types of procedures performed per year were found when comparing the block and longitudinal models. Differences were seen in experience of PGY1 versus PGY3 residents between scheduling models and the overall experience and volumes of the PGY2 residents during the reorganization year., Conclusions: Our study quantitatively concluded that the longitudinal scheduling model is noninferior to the more traditional block scheduling model for emergency medicine residents' pediatric emergency medicine clinical experience when reviewing volumes and types of procedures performed in a pediatric emergency department. This suggests that procedural opportunities do not need to dictate scheduling models., Competing Interests: MR, CL, JS, and JM report no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. AEM Education and Training published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.)

Background: Sharp edge eye syndrome (SEES), sometimes known as visual looming syndrome, is a condition in which the patient experiences ocular pain or discomfort when viewing or mentally picturing sharp objects and edges. Patients may present for medical care because they perceive the condition to represent an ophthalmic problem or a sign of a more serious underlying condition. An individual case report of SEES is included to aid in illustrating syndrome characteristics. Our aim is to describe the syndrome, vision-related quality of life (VRQOL), and psychosocial characteristics in patients with self-identified SEES., Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was made available on social media webpages dedicated to SEES. The study included 22 questions developed by the research team, demographic questions, and 4 standardized questionnaires [ID Migraine, the National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25), General Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2), and Patient Health Questionnaire (depression) Scale-2]., Results: Seventy-seven respondents had an average age of 29 and were 57% male. 92% reported symptoms before age 18. The main site of pain or discomfort was the eyes, with onset resulting from viewing or thinking of sharp objects and edges. Symptoms lasted from seconds to hours and could be prolonged even after closing eyes or avoiding viewing the trigger. The composite and subscale scores on the NEI-VFQ-25 were low, with a mean composite score of 78 and selected subscores of general health (61), general vision (73), ocular pain (68), driving (79), mental health (61), and role difficulties (72). Anxiety was reported in 58% of participants, and depression in 57%. Migraine or headache was reported in 46% of participants. Participants reported Alice in Wonderland syndrome, visual snow, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stripe-induced visual discomfort, and synesthesia., Conclusion: From this survey, we have the beginnings of an understanding of the characteristics of SEES, as well as VRQOL impacts. These survey responses lead us to postulate that SEES may be a distinct visual phenomenon and to propose SEES criteria. Systematic studies of this condition's clinical features and treatment responses will be additional steps toward improving patient care., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 by North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society.)

Whilst quantitative ultrasound can be reliably used to assess bone health in adults, the fixed location of the transducers in current devices may result in inaccurate and unreliable measurements in bone assessment in children due to the variation in foot size during growth. To improve positioning for paediatric assessment, Jaworski et al. (1995) created an anatomical method to identify the region of interest (ROI), however, there have been no medical imaging studies to confirm that the Jaworski method results in consistent placement of the transducer on the centre of the calcaneal body to avoid edge artefacts. In this study, computed tomography scans of the tarsus were collected from 498 individuals (258 females; 240 males) aged 2 to 20 years and used to create three novel anatomical methods to identify ROI on the calcaneus using palpable landmarks. In addition, the established Jaworski method was applied to the same scans and compared to our novel methods. The maximum ROI significantly increased with age with males having significantly greater diameters, supporting the recommendation that ½ inch diameter transducers should be used on individuals younger than 7 years of age. We identified that 79% of the 'Jaworski points' lied anterosuperior to the ROI centre point identified in this study, with 10% of the points lying outside the ROI. Of the three novel methods, only the calcaneal insertion method demonstrated small measurement variance between individuals of the same age in each sex and is therefore the preferred method for ultrasound clinical application., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Knowledge of the anatomical development of the calcaneal apophysis is essential in clinical assessment and management of both paediatric and sub-adult patients presenting with heel pain. Despite this, the current understanding of calcaneal apophyseal development is constrained by the limitations of the imaging modalities used to examine the apophysis, with no current literature reporting the development of the medial and lateral processes. This study aimed to overcome these limitations by investigating the ossification and fusion of the calcaneal apophysis using three-dimensional computed tomography analysis, and statistically predicting the apophyseal developmental stage in contemporary Australian children. The development and fusion status of the apophysis was scored using a novel 11-stage scoring system on 568 multi-slice computed tomography scans (295 females; 274 males) and 266 lateral radiographic scans (119 females; 147 males) from the Queensland Children's Hospital. Multinomial logistic regression along with classification tables and predictive probabilities were then utilised to assess developmental stage likelihood from known age and sex. The apophysis commenced ossification at a mean age of 5.2 years for females and 7.2 years for males, and then elongated to form the apophyseal cap around 10 years for females and 12.4 years for males. Fusion of the apophysis commenced at a mean age of 11.18 years for females and 13.3 years for males, with the earliest age of complete fusion observed at 10 years for females and 14 years for males. The results demonstrate significant sexual dimorphism in ossification and fusion with females developing and fusing significantly earlier. Furthermore, the use of computed tomography in this study allowed for the first time evaluation of the ossification and fusion of the medial and lateral processes of the calcaneus. The medial process formed at a mean age of 9.5 years for females and 10.9 years for males while the lateral process formed at around 9.8 years for females and 11.7 years for males. The medial process demonstrated slower rates of fusion compared to the lateral process. The present study provides Queensland specific standards for assessing the calcaneal apophyseal developmental stage as well as novel predictive regression models for apophyseal stage estimation using known age and sex to aid in the diagnosis of heel pain conditions such as apophysitis or screen for developmental delays in children and subadults., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Anatomical Society.)

Introduction: Infants aged 0 days to 28 days are at high risk for serious bacterial infection and require an extensive evaluation, including blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures, and admission for empiric antibiotics. Although there are no guidelines that recommend a specific time to antibiotics for these infants, quicker administration is presumed to improve care and outcomes. At baseline, 19% of these infants in our emergency department received antibiotics within 120 minutes of arrival, with an average time to antibiotics of 192 minutes. A quality improvement team convened to increase our percentage of infants who receive antibiotics within 120 minutes of arrival., Methods: The team evaluated all infants aged 0 days to 28 days who received a diagnostic evaluation for a serious bacterial infection and empiric antibiotics in our emergency department. A nurse-driven team implemented multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to improve use of triage standing orders and improve time to antibiotics. Data were analyzed using statistical process control charts., Results: Through use of triage standing orders and multiple educational interventions, the team surpassed initial goals, and 84% of the infants undergoing a serious bacterial infection evaluation received antibiotics within 120 minutes of ED arrival. The average time to antibiotics improved to 74 minutes., Discussion: The use of triage standing orders improves time to antibiotics for infants undergoing a serious bacterial infection evaluation. Increased use, associated with nurse empowerment to drive the flow of these patients, leads to a joint-responsibility model within the emergency department. The cultural shift to allow nurse-initiated work-ups leads to sustained improvement in time to antibiotics., (Copyright © 2020 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wireless brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are used to study neural activity in freely moving non-human primates (NHPs). However, the high energy consumption of conventional active radios is proving to be an obstacle as research drives for wireless BCIs that can provide continuous high-rate data uplinks for longer durations (i.e. multiple days). We present a differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) backscatter uplink for the NeuroDisc BCI as an alternative to active radios. The uplink achieves a 25 Mbps throughput while operating in the 915 MHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. The DQPSK backscatter modulator was measured to have an error-vector magnitude (EVM) of 9.7% and a measured power consumption of 309  μW during continuous, full-rate transmissions, yielding an analog communication efficiency of 12.4 pJ/bit. The NeuroDisc is capable of recording 16 channels of neural data with 16-bit resolution at up to 20 kSps per channel with a measured input-referred noise of 2.35  μV. In previous work, we demonstrated the DQPSK backscatter uplink, but bandwidth constraints in the signal chain limited the uplink rate to 6.25 Mbps and the neural sampling rate to 5 kSps. This work provides new innovations to increase the bandwidth of the system, including an ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna design with a -10 dB return loss bandwidth of 12.5 MHz and a full-duplex receiver with an average self-jammer cancellation of 89 dB. We present end-to-end characterization of the NeuroDisc and validate the backscatter uplink using pre-recorded neural data as well as in vivo recordings from a pigtail macaque.

An evaluation of the development of a child's skeleton and estimation of bone age provides an insight into a child's overall maturation. This study aimed to introduce a contemporary method for assessing bone age of Australian children using formulae incorporating carpal areal measurements. The standards introduced in this study can be used to assess the developmental status of Australian children who may be affected by growth-related illnesses. Additionally, in situations where the living age of a subadult is unknown, methodologies to accurately estimate age are required, particularly in the Western world where knowledge of the age of an individual is necessary for legal reasons. The sample consisted of retrospective hand and wrist radiographs acquired from 541 children (females: 246, males: 295) aged from birth to 20 years. Using the DICOM viewer Weasis, the carpal area ratio (B.Ar/T.Ar) was calculated for each individual radiograph by measuring the carpal bone area (B.Ar) and total tissue area of the carpus (T.Ar). A changepoint regression model demonstrated that the model constructed in this study was the most accurate in the younger age groups and was able to accurately determine whether a child was under 12 years if female and 13 years if male. A rapid acceleration of growth was observed at approximately 12-13 years in our sample, which may represent the onset of the pubertal growth spurt; this resulted in a high data variance and low model prediction accuracy in female and male children older than 12 and 13 years, respectively., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the recognized flaws in applying traditional stature estimation equations such as those of Trotter and Gleser (1952) [5] to a contemporary population, there are currently no available alternatives for stature estimation in Australia that address these limitations. Post mortem computed tomography (PMCT) DICOM scans of the left and right femora were acquired from 76 Australian deceased individuals aged 17-76 years for metric analysis. Femoral bicondylar length, femoral epicondylar breadth and anterior-posterior (AP) diameter, medial-lateral (ML) diameter, circumference and cortical area at the femoral midshaft were measured on three-dimensional (3D) models to build statistical models for estimating stature. In addition, Australian individuals aged 16-63 years (n=111) were measured in standing and supine positions to aid in the adjustment of supine stature of deceased individuals utilized in this study to standing stature. The results of this preliminary evaluation strongly indicate that the optimal model for estimating stature includes bicondylar femoral length and epicondylar breadth, that the effect of sex as an independent variable is very low, and there is limited practical benefit in including age in the estimation of stature. Our study indicates that the Australian population sampled represents a small yet significant shift in stature from the original Trotter and Gleser sample. Additionally, in the case of fragmentary remains, it was found that epicondylar breadth and AP diameter had the highest probability of accurate stature estimation in the absence of bicondylar femoral length. As stature forms a significant component of a biological profile and therefore aids in the personal identification of human remains, it is important that forensic anthropologists utilize the most accurate methodologies available. Stature estimation of Australian individuals is therefore achieved with higher accuracy through utilizing the femoral equations proposed in this study., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study introduces a standardized protocol for conducting linear measurements of postcranial skeletal elements using three-dimensional (3D) models constructed from post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans. Using femoral DICOM datasets, reference planes were generated and plane-to-plane measurements were conducted on 3D surface rendered models. Bicondylar length, epicondylar breadth, anterior-posterior (AP) diameter, medial-lateral (ML) diameter and cortical area at the midshaft were measured by four observers to test the measurement error variance and observer agreement of the protocol (n=6). Intra-observer error resulted in a mean relative technical error of measurement (%TEM) of 0.11 and an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.999 (CI=0.998-1.000); inter-observer error resulted in a mean %TEM of 0.54 and ICC of 0.996 (CI=0.979-1.000) for bicondylar length. Epicondylar breadth, AP diameter, ML diameter and cortical area also yielded minimal error. Precision testing demonstrated that the approach is highly repeatable and is recommended for implementation in anthropological investigation and research. This study exploits the benefits of virtual anthropology, introducing an innovative, standardized alternative to dry bone osteometric measurements., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We investigate the application of dynamic metasurface antennas (DMAs) to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Metasurface antennas can generate a multitude of tailored electromagnetic waveforms from a physical platform that is low-cost, lightweight, and planar; these characteristics are not readily available with traditional SAR technologies, such as phased arrays and mechanically steered systems. We show that electronically tuned DMAs can generate steerable, directive beams for traditional stripmap and spotlight SAR imaging modes. This capability eliminates the need for mechanical gimbals and phase shifters, simplifying the hardware architecture of a SAR system. Additionally, we discuss alternative imaging modalities, including enhanced resolution stripmap and diverse pattern stripmap, which can achieve resolution on par with spotlight, while maintaining a large region-of-interest, as possible with stripmap. Further consideration is given to strategies for integrating metasurfaces with chirped pulse RF sources. DMAs are poised to propel SAR systems forward by offering a vast range of capabilities from a significantly improved physical platform.

We demonstrate a low-profile holographic imaging system at millimeter wavelengths based on an aperture composed of frequency-diverse metasurfaces. Utilizing measurements of spatially-diverse field patterns, diffraction-limited images of human-sized subjects are reconstructed. The system is driven by a single microwave source swept over a band of frequencies (17.5-26.5 GHz) and switched between a collection of transmit and receive metasurface panels. High fidelity image reconstruction requires a precise model for each field pattern generated by the aperture, as well as the manner in which the field scatters from objects in the scene. This constraint makes scaling of computational imaging systems inherently challenging for electrically large, coherent apertures. To meet the demanding requirements, we introduce computational methods and calibration approaches that enable rapid and accurate imaging performance.

β-Cell insulin secretion is dependent on proper mitochondrial function. Various studies have clearly shown that the Nr4a family of orphan nuclear receptors is essential for fuel utilization and mitochondrial function in liver, muscle, and adipose. Previously, we have demonstrated that overexpression of Nr4a1 or Nr4a3 is sufficient to induce proliferation of pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we examined whether Nr4a expression impacts pancreatic β-cell mitochondrial function. Here, we show that β-cell mitochondrial respiration is dependent on the nuclear receptors Nr4a1 and Nr4a3. Mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized cells was significantly decreased in β-cells lacking Nr4a1 or Nr4a3. Furthermore, respiration rates of intact cells deficient for Nr4a1 or Nr4a3 in the presence of 16 mM glucose resulted in decreased glucose mediated oxygen consumption. Consistent with this reduction in respiration, a significant decrease in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion rates is observed with deletion of Nr4a1 or Nr4a3. Interestingly, the changes in respiration and insulin secretion occur without a reduction in mitochondrial content, suggesting decreased mitochondrial function. We establish that knockdown of Nr4a1 and Nr4a3 results in decreased expression of the mitochondrial dehydrogenase subunits Idh3g and Sdhb. We demonstrate that loss of Nr4a1 and Nr4a3 impedes production of ATP and ultimately inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. These data demonstrate for the first time that the orphan nuclear receptors Nr4a1 and Nr4a3 are critical for β-cell mitochondrial function and insulin secretion., (Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.)

The control of quasi-static magnetic fields is of considerable interest in applications including the reduction of electromagnetic interference (EMI), wireless power transfer (WPT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The shielding of static or quasi-static magnetic fields is typically accomplished through the use of inherently magnetic materials with large magnetic permeability, such as ferrites, used sometimes in combination with metallic sheets and/or active field cancellation. Ferrite materials, however, can be expensive, heavy and brittle. Inspired by recent demonstrations of epsilon-, mu- and index-near-zero metamaterials, here we show how a longitudinal mu-near-zero (LMNZ) layer can serve as a strong frequency-selective reflector of magnetic fields when operating in the near-field region of dipole-like sources. Experimental measurements with a fabricated LMNZ sheet constructed from an artificial magnetic conductor - formed from non-magnetic, conducting, metamaterial elements - confirm that the artificial structure provides significantly improved shielding as compared with a commercially available ferrite of the same size. Furthermore, we design a structure to shield simultaneously at the fundamental and first harmonic frequencies. Such frequency-selective behavior can be potentially useful for shielding electromagnetic sources that may also generate higher order harmonics, while leaving the transmission of other frequencies unaffected.

We demonstrate a microwave imaging system that combines advances in metamaterial aperture design with emerging computational imaging techniques. The flexibility inherent to guided-wave, complementary metamaterials enables the design of a planar antenna that illuminates a scene with dramatically varying radiation patterns as a function of frequency. As frequency is swept over the K-band (17.5-26.5 GHz), a sequence of pseudorandom radiation patterns interrogates a scene. Measurements of the return signal versus frequency are then acquired and the scene is reconstructed using computational imaging methods. The low-cost, frequency-diverse static aperture allows three-dimensional images to be formed without mechanical scanning or dynamic beam-forming elements. The metamaterial aperture is complementary to a variety of computational imaging schemes, and can be used in conjunction with other sensors to form a multifunctional imaging platform. We illustrate the potential of multisensor fusion by integrating an infrared structured-light and optical image sensor to accelerate the microwave scene reconstruction and to provide a simultaneous visualization of the scene.

Objective: To determine rates of skeletal survey completion and injury identification as a function of age among children who underwent subspecialty evaluation for concerns of physical abuse., Study Design: This was a retrospective secondary analysis of an observational study of 2609 children <60 months of age who underwent evaluation for possible physical abuse. We measured rates of skeletal survey completion and fracture identification for children separated by age into 6-month cohorts., Results: Among 2609 subjects, 2036 (78%) had skeletal survey and 458 (18%) had at least one new fracture identified. For all age groups up to 36 months, skeletal survey was obtained in >50% of subjects, but rates decreased to less than 35% for subjects >36 months. New fracture identification rates for skeletal survey were similar between children 24-36 months of age (10.3%, 95% CI 7.2-14.2) and children 12-24 months of age (12.0%, 95% CI 9.2-15.3) CONCLUSIONS: Skeletal surveys identify new fractures in an important fraction of children referred for subspecialty consultation with concerns of physical abuse. These data support guidelines that consider skeletal survey mandatory for all such children <24 months of age and support a low threshold to obtain skeletal survey in children as old as 36 months., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Despite the prominent use of the pubic symphysis for age estimation in forensic anthropology, little has been documented regarding the quantitative morphological and micro-architectural changes of this surface. Specifically, utilising post-mortem computed tomography data from a large, contemporary Australian adult population, this study aimed to evaluate sexual dimorphism in the morphology and bone composition of the symphyseal surface; and temporal characterisation of the pubic symphysis in individuals of advancing age. The sample consisted of multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scans of the pubic symphysis (slice thickness: 0.5mm, overlap: 0.1mm) of 200 individuals of Caucasian ancestry aged 15-70 years, obtained in 2011. Surface rendering reconstruction of the symphyseal surface was conducted in OsiriX(®) (v.4.1) and quantitative analyses in Rapidform XOS™ and Osteomeasure™. Morphometric variables including inter-pubic distance, surface area, circumference, maximum height and width of the symphyseal surface and micro-architectural assessment of cortical and trabecular bone compositions were quantified using novel automated engineering software capabilities. The major results of this study are correlated with the macroscopic ossification and degeneration pattern of the symphyseal surface, demonstrating significant age-related changes in the morphometric and bone tissue variables between 15 and 70 years. Regardless of sex, the overall dimensions of the symphyseal surface increased with age, coupled with a decrease in bone mass in the trabecular and cortical bone compartments. Significant differences between the ventral, dorsal and medial cortical surfaces were observed, which may be correlated to bone formation activity dependent on muscle activity and ligamentous attachments. Our study demonstrates significant sexual dimorphism at this site, with males exhibiting greater surface dimensions than females. These baseline results provide a detailed insight into the changes in the structure of the pubic symphysis with ageing and sexually dimorphic features associated with the cortical and trabecular bone profiles., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The ability to wirelessly power electrical devices is becoming of greater urgency as a component of energy conservation and sustainability efforts. Due to health and safety concerns, most wireless power transfer (WPT) schemes utilize very low frequency, quasi-static, magnetic fields; power transfer occurs via magneto-inductive (MI) coupling between conducting loops serving as transmitter and receiver. At the "long range" regime - referring to distances larger than the diameter of the largest loop - WPT efficiency in free space falls off as (1/d)(6); power loss quickly approaches 100% and limits practical implementations of WPT to relatively tight distances between power source and device. A "superlens", however, can concentrate the magnetic near fields of a source. Here, we demonstrate the impact of a magnetic metamaterial (MM) superlens on long-range near-field WPT, quantitatively confirming in simulation and measurement at 13-16 MHz the conditions under which the superlens can enhance power transfer efficiency compared to the lens-less free-space system.

This paper presents a digital neural/EMG telemetry system small enough and lightweight enough to permit recording from insects in flight. It has a measured flight package mass of only 38 mg. This system includes a single-chip telemetry integrated circuit (IC) employing RF power harvesting for battery-free operation, with communication via modulated backscatter in the UHF (902-928 MHz) band. An on-chip 11-bit ADC digitizes 10 neural channels with a sampling rate of 26.1 kSps and 4 EMG channels at 1.63 kSps, and telemeters this data wirelessly to a base station. The companion base station transceiver includes an RF transmitter of +36 dBm (4 W) output power to wirelessly power the telemetry IC, and a digital receiver with a sensitivity of -70 dBm for 10⁻⁵ BER at 5.0 Mbps to receive the data stream from the telemetry IC. The telemetry chip was fabricated in a commercial 0.35 μ m 4M1P (4 metal, 1 poly) CMOS process. The die measures 2.36 × 1.88 mm, is 250 μm thick, and is wire bonded into a flex circuit assembly measuring 4.6 × 6.8 mm.

The (17)O NMR chemical shifts of several previously characterized mono- and diperoxo complexes of vanadium(V), molybdenum(VI), tungsten(VI), and titanium(IV) were measured. Compilation of NMR, electronic, and vibrational spectroscopic data and metric parameters for these and other complexes permits us to draw correlations among (17)O peroxo chemical shift, the electronic charge transfer band, the O-O vibrational frequency, and the length of the oxygen-oxygen bond. Monoperoxo complexes exhibit (17)O chemical shifts of 500-660 ppm, while those of diperoxo complexes fall in the range 350-460 ppm. The correlation of chemical shift with the inverse ligand-to-metal charge transfer energy from electronic spectra is consistent with a formalism developed by Ramsey, despite the variations in the metals, the number of peroxo ligands, and the nature of the remaining ligands in the coordination sphere. Vibrational frequency and length of the oxygen-oxygen bond also correlate with the inverse ligand-to-metal charge transfer energy. Monoperoxo complexes show values of nu(O)(-)(O) above 900 cm(-)(1) and O-O distances in the range 1.43-1.46 Å. Diperoxo complexes have values of nu(O)(-)(O) below 900 cm(-)(1) and O-O distances of 1.46-1.53 Å. The assignment of nu(O)(-)(O) = 910 cm(-)(1) for the infrared spectrum of ammonium aquaoxoperoxo(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato)vanadium(V), NH(4)[VO(O(2))(dipic)(H(2)O)], was made by isotopic substitution. The stretching frequency and length of the O-O bond for peroxo complexes are explained in terms of sigma-bonding between a metal d orbital and a peroxo pi orbital. A comparison of the spectroscopic properties of these complexes with their reactivity as oxidizing agents suggests that the strength of the O-O bond is an important factor. The most reactive species exhibit lambda(max) values below 400 nm, stretching frequencies below 900 cm(-)(1), and (17)O chemical shifts below 600 nm. These generalizations may permit the prediction of peroxometal reactivity from spectroscopic information.

Up to 50 percent of premature infants develop an intracerebral hemorrhage. Intracerebral hemorrhage in neonates occurs most frequently in the periventricular or intraventricular areas. Intravascular, vascular, and extravascular factors influence the development of hemorrhage. Pharmacologic therapies, such as phenobarbital, vitamin K, pancuronium bromide, vitamin E, and indomethacin, have been used in an attempt to prevent intraventricular hemorrhage (IH). Indomethacin inhibits prostaglandin production, which results in cerebral vasoconstriction and reduced cerebral blood flow. Several clinical studies have evaluated the role of indomethacin for the prevention of IH in premature infants. No definitive recommendations can be made regarding indomethacin use for this purpose. However, the two largest studies conducted to date have shown indomethacin to be effective in preventing or limiting the progression of IH. The drug appears to be most effective in reducing low-grade IH. More extensive research is needed to determine the most effective dose, duration, and serum concentration of indomethacin.

Mupirocin is a new, topical antibiotic effective for the treatment of impetigo. It has a unique structure, mechanism of action, and water-miscible formulation. When it is applied to an infected area three times daily, clinical improvement should be seen in 85% to 100% of patients within 3 to 5 days. It is associated with a low incidence of adverse effects and cross-resistance. Further studies are necessary to define the exact role of mupirocin in treating other primary and secondary cutaneous infections.

The rationale for surfactant therapy in premature infants is presented, along with a discussion of the characteristics of surfactant and a review of clinical trials of surfactant for the prevention and treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). RDS is a major complication of prematurity, affecting up to 40,000 infants in the United States and Canada annually. Poor lung compliance due to a functional or quantitative deficiency of surfactant causes progressive collapse of the lungs. Surfactant, a mixture of phospholipids, neutral lipids, and proteins synthesized by pneumocytes during gestation, reduces surface tension and stabilizes alveoli, which increases lung compliance and decreases the work of breathing. Mammalian, human, and artificial surfactants are being investigated for use in premature infants. Several controlled trials of exogenous surfactant therapy have demonstrated reductions in mortality and pulmonary air-leak phenomena and improved gas exchange, but these results are not seen consistently, and no significant reductions in bronchopulmonary dysplasia have been observed. Surfactant has no appreciable toxicity, although the potential for immunogenicity exists. Typical doses range from 60 mg to 200 mg/kg administered endotracheally either before the first breath or after development of RDS. Surfactant is a safe investigational agent that appears promising for the prevention and treatment of neonatal RDS, although additional clinical trials with long-term follow-up are needed to determine its true efficacy.