Mesh implants: An overview of crucial mesh parameters

Hernia repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions that use mesh implants. This article evaluates crucial mesh parameters to facilitate selection of the most appropriate mesh implant, considering raw materials, mesh composition, structure parameters and mechanical parameters. A literature review was performed using the Pub Med database. The most important mesh parameters in the selection of a mesh implant are the raw material, structural parameters and mechanical parameters, which should match the physiological conditions. The structural parameters, especially the porosity, are the most important predictors of the biocompatibility performance of synthetic meshes. Meshes with large pores exhibit less inflammatory infiltrate, connective tissue and scar bridging, which allows increased soft tissue ingrowth. The raw material and combination of raw materials of the used mesh, including potential coatings and textile design, strongly impact the inflammatory reaction to the mesh. Synthetic meshes made from innovative polymers combined with surface coating have been demonstrated to exhibit advantageous behavior in specialized fields. Monofilament, largepore synthetic meshes exhibit advantages. The value of mesh classification based on mesh weight seems to be overestimated. Mechanical properties of meshes, such as anisotropy/isotropy, elasticity and tensile strength, are crucial parameters for predicting mesh performance after implantation.

A Review of Telemetry Data Transmission in Unconventional Petroleum Environments Focused on Information Density and Reliability

The paper addresses a literature review of the technologies used in the transmission of measuring and logging data during well drilling. It presents a discussion about efficiency in data density transmission and reliability, especially when it comes to software and automated tools. Initially, this paper analyzes the principle of the telemetry systems, considering the mud pulse telemetry, acoustic telemetry, electromagnetic telemetry and wired drill pipe telemetry. They were detailed highlighting information about functionality, data transmission and its linkage to supporting software. Focus is also given to details of the main advantages and disadvantages of each technology considering the influences of lithology, drilling fluid and formation fluids in the reliability and capacity of data transmission.

Single-Phase Velocity Determination Based in Video and Sub-Images Processing:An Optical Flow Method Implemented with Support of a Programmed MatLab Structured Script

Important in many different sectors of the industry, the determination of stream velocity has become more and more important due to measurements precision necessity, in order to determine the right production rates, determine the volumetric production of undesired fluid, establish automated controls based on these measurements avoiding over-flooding or over-production, guaranteeing accurate predictive maintenance, etc. Difficulties being faced have been the determination of the velocity of specific fluids embedded in some others, for example, determining the gas bubbles stream velocity flowing throughout liquid fluid phase. Although different and already applicable methods have been researched and already implemented within the industry, a non-intrusive automated way of providing those stream velocities has its importance, and may have a huge impact in projects budget. Knowing the importance of its determination, this developed script uses a methodology of breaking-down real-time videos media into frame images, analyzing by pixel correlations possible superposition matches for further gas bubbles stream velocity estimation. In raw sense, the script bases itself in functions and procedures already available in MatLab, which can be used for image processing and treatments, allowing the methodology to be implemented. Its accuracy after the running test was of around 97% (ninety-seven percent);the raw source code with comments had almost 3000 (three thousand) characters;and the hardware placed for running the code was an Intel Core Duo 2.13 [Ghz] and 2 [Gb] RAM memory capable workstation. Even showing good results, it could be stated that just the end point correlations were actually getting to the final solution. So that, making use of self-learning functions or neural network, one could surely enhance the capability of the application to be run in real-time without getting exhaust by iterative loops.

Software Tool Development and Application Focusing in EDF Signal Readings and Polysomnography

The EDF+ (European Data Format Plus) is a flexible and open source data format created in order to store and exchange biomedical signals. It is known worldwide and used by a large variety of specialists in the area. EDF+ signals have been subjected to many researches of clinical interest amongst diagnosing and for treatment of diseases related to sleeping disorders. Nevertheless, more complete and user-friendly tools, which use these signals, are yet too few in the market. This paper presents a new tool developed in order to read and analyze EDF+ signals, focusing in the area of sleep disorders. It includes several features, such as organizing signal channels through previous montage customizations, sleep stage bars and graphics for analyzing the quality of sleep (hypnograms). It provides easiness in the whole process of interpretation and scoring of sleep events in polysomnography exams. The software development used the C++ language, due to its great versatility and efficiency, using Visual Studio Community 2013? as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Moreover, it implements many Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques, for instance, its own set of digital filters. This paper presents an application of Polysomnography analysis software and suggests a modification on the way to interpret the EDF+ standard and its usage.

如何赢得保险资金?

威尔·迈克因托希博士的专业知识和职业经历,是谈论"保险资金投资不动产"类似话题的绝佳人选。从2010年开始,他开始关注中国市场并心得颇多,在他看来,也许是中国的监管层对2008年的金融危机心存警惕,而在金融创新和保险资金的运用方面进展缓慢。为此,威尔博士专门为本刊撰文。国际通行的"五步走"国际上保险资金通常的投资渠道是:40%的债权、30%的股权、10%的流动性证券和10%的抵押担保债券。此外大约有5%～10%的资金会用于不动产投资。

Experimental and Computational Study of the Effect of Temperature on the Electro-Polymerization Process of Thiophene

Temperature effect on the nucleation and growth mechanisms (NGM) of poly(thiophene) (PTh) was investigated through experimental and computational tools. The computational simulation method was based on a kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm. It reproduced key processes such as diffusion, oligomerization, and the precipitation of oligomers onto the electrode surface. Electrochemical synthesis conditions at temperatures between 263 and 303 K were optimized. The deconvolution of the i-t transients reflected two contributions: a progressive nucleation with three-dimensional growth controlled by diffusion and the other by charge transfer, PN3Ddif and PN3Dct, respectively. As temperature decreased, a diminution of the charge associated to each contribution was observed and the nucleation induction time increased. Experimental and computational evidence indicated that temperature does not change the nucleation and growth mechanism (NGM). This effect was ascribed to kinetic factors rather than to film conductivity. This work contrasts simulation and experimental evidence and demonstrates how computational simulations can help to understand the electrochemical process of conducting polymers formation.