A case of using the Semantic Interoperability Framework for custom orthopedic implants manufacturing

The efficiency and effectiveness of the daily practice in orthopedic surgery depend on the availability, interoperability and unique access to a wide set of information, related to the patient’s medical record and diagnosis, domain knowledge and available resources and staff. The most important of the tangible resources, needed for the therapeutic or preventive actions are orthopedic implants. In some cases, the implants may be highly complex and customized products, which need to be manufactured (assembled) on basis of the above information in a shortest possible timeframe. In this paper, the case of the custom orthopedic implants manufacturing is described from the perspective of the collaborative enterprising, with special consideration of the interoperability issues of the involved enterprise collaboration. It is shown how the previously developed Semantic Interoperability Framework can be used to improve the efficiency of the manufacturing and other relevant processes.     

Carcass traits and meat quality of male lambs fed monensin or lasalocid

Male lambs, crossbred Merino × Ille de France, were fed a diet supplemented with 31 mg monensin or 32 mg lasalocid per kg of feed dry matter from an initial body weight of 23·6–23·9 kg to the slaughter weight of approximately 40 kg.

Carcass traits and meat quality were evaluated after slaughter; the values obtained were compared with those of the control group fed the same diet without the ionophore supplement.

There were few significant differences among the individual groups in carcass value, sensoric and technological properties of meat and of its composition. However, the lasalocid-fed group seemed to be somewhat better in muscling and in the composition of meat.     

Prevention of dark-cutting (DFD) beef in penned bulls at the abattoir

There is a large body of evidence indicating that activities associated with regrouping of bulls before slaughter, which leads to physical exhaustion mainly from mounting, are primary factors inducing dark-cutting (DFD) in beef. The aim of this study was to test several methods to control activity when regrouping cannot be avoided. Fifty bulls previously individually tied for at least 16 months were drafted into groups of five animals and released in a pen at the abattoir. After 18 to 22 h they were slaughtered. According to environmental conditions in the pen, the bulls were divided into four groups: Control group (n = 10, no experimentation); Electricity group (n = 10, an electric fence was constructed above the pen so that a mounting bull would receive an electric shock); Darkness group (n = 10, the whole stall was in darkness); and Combination group (n = 20, both treatments, of the electricity and darkness groups were applied). During the first hour of penning the behaviour of the bulls was videorecorded. After slaughter meat quality characteristics were measured. Dark-cutting was found in Control (70%), Electricity (30%) and Darkness (70%) groups, but not in the Combination group (0%). No treatment altered the repertoire of agonistic activity, but under the combined treatments the number of agonistic interactions was significantly lower than in any other group.     

Thermodynamic analysis of the refining of technical boron nitride

The efficiency of the process of refining technical boron nitride was assessed based on calculations of the chemical equilibrium in the B-N-O-C-Cl-H system. Three refining mixtures, CCl₄ + H₂, CCl₄ + NH₃ and CHCl₃ + NH₃, were considered. The analysis indicates that the use of ammonia-containing mixtures is more convenient, a lower residual oxygen content, lower contamination of the product by carbon and a better overall boron balance emerging. The calculations of the equilibrium composition of the solid phase enabled suitable technological conditions of the refining process (temperature and starting composition of the gaseous phase) to be established. The calculated results are compared with experimental data, and some observed differences are discussed.     

Observation of higher order NMR larmor lines by SQUID in solids at low magnetic field

We describe an apparatus allowing the observation of the NMR static longitudinal component of nuclear magnetizationM _z by a SQUID at low magnetic fields and atT=4.2 K in Plexiglas, Teflon, and CaF₂. The higher order NMR Larmor lines at 2f ₀, 3f ₀, and 4f ₀, wheref ₀ is the Larmor frequency of the allowed NMR line, were measured. These lines correspond to a flip of two, three, and four spins, respectively, by one photon. The amplitudes of 2f ₀ and 3f ₀ lines and their field dependences show that the common assertion that the forbidden lines at 2f ₀ and 3f ₀ appear in the same order of perturbation theory and that their intensity decreases with static magnetic fieldB ₀ asB ₀ ^–2 is wrong. In fact, the third Larmor line 3f ₀ appears at higher order than the second Larmor line 2f ₀ and its intensity decreases asB ₀ ^–4 . This is also shown by a theoretical calculation of its intensity. For the first time the NMR SQUID technique allowed the detection of the 4f ₀ line, corresponding to the simultaneous flip of four spins by one photon.     

Properties of WN x /GaAs Schottky contacts prepared by ion implantation of nitrogen

The formation of WN _x /GaAs Schottky contacts using selective ion implantation of nitrogen into the sputtered tungsten film has been demonstrated. The contacts were characterized by Auger electron spectroscopy and current-voltage measurements. The composition of WN _x films and the thermal stability of WN _x /GaAs contacts were investigated. Good thermal stability of WN _x /GaAs contacts compared with a W/GaAs contact was observed after capless rapid thermal annealing at 450, 800 and 950°C for 10 s.     

Modal logic as metalogic

The goal of this paper is to show how modal logic may be conceived as recording the derived rules of a logical system in the system itself. This conception of modal logic was propounded by Dana Scott in the early seventies. Here, similar ideas are pursued in a context less classical than Scott's.First a family of propositional logical systems is considered, which is obtained by gradually adding structural rules to a variant of the nonassociative Lambek calculus. In this family one finds systems that correspond to the associative Lambek calculus, linear logic, relevant logics, BCK logic and intuitionistic logic. Above these basic systems, sequent systems parallel to the basic systems are constructed, which formalize various notions of derived rules for the basic systems. The deduction theorem is provable for the basic systems if, and only if, they are at least as strong as systems corresponding to linear logic, or BCK logic, depending on the language, and their deductive metalogic is not stronger than they are.However, though we do not always have the deduction theorem, we may always obtain a modal analogue of the deduction theorem for conservative modal extensions of the basic systems. Modal postulates which are necessary and sufficient for that are postulates of S4 plus modal postulates which mimic structural rules. For example, the modal postulates which Girard has recently considered in linear logic are necessary and sufficient for the modal analogue of the deduction theorem.All this may lead towards results about functional completeness in categories. When functional completeness, which is analogous to the deduction theorem, fails, we may perhaps envisage a modal analogue of functional completeness in a modal category, of which our original category is a full subcategory.     

Photo-Chemically-Deposited and Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Catalyst Material Surface Structures During CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol: EXAFS,XANES and XPS Analyses of Phases After Oxidation,Reduction, and Reaction

Catalysis Letters - Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 or novel rate catalysts, prepared with a photochemical deposition method, were studied under functional CH3OH synthesis conditions at the set temperature...     

Differential Subcellular Distribution of Cytokinins: How Does Membrane Transport Fit into the Big Picture?

Cytokinins are a class of phytohormones, signalling molecules specific to plants. They act as regulators of diverse physiological processes in complex signalling pathways. It is necessary for plants to continuously regulate cytokinin distribution among different organs, tissues, cells, and compartments. Such regulatory mechanisms include cytokinin biosynthesis, metabolic conversions and degradation, as well as cytokinin membrane transport. In our review, we aim to provide a thorough picture of the latter. We begin by summarizing cytokinin structures and physicochemical properties. Then, we revise the elementary thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of cytokinin membrane transport. Next, we review which membrane-bound carrier proteins and protein families recognize cytokinins as their substrates. Namely, we discuss the families of “equilibrative nucleoside transporters” and “purine permeases”, which translocate diverse purine-related compounds, and proteins AtPUP14, AtABCG14, AtAZG1, and AtAZG2, which are specific to cytokinins. We also address long-distance cytokinin transport. Putting all these pieces together, we finally discuss cytokinin distribution as a net result of these processes, diverse in their physicochemical nature but acting together to promote plant fitness.