Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that has the potential to change the future of aviation supply chains and how the aviation industry designs, manufactures and repairs aircraft in the ...future. The purpose of this research was to shed light on the current and future states of AM in the aviation industry. From focus groups with nearly 50 aviation professionals from aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, maintenance repair overhaul providers, and AM service providers and AM production firms, we found that the adoption of AM will be triggered by the accumulated AM experience in the industry, the stability of AM technology and the development of new aircraft generations. For AM to be finally adopted, aircraft OEMs must actively manage several success factors and monitor numerous control factors identified and discussed in this research. AM will supplement traditional manufacturing processes at least in the short to midterm, likely grow exponentially and offer benefits for players in the aviation supply chain.
•We review a total of 120 genetic association studies on vitamin D pathway SNP.•Significant associations reported for a total of 55 SNP in 11 vitamin D pathway genes.•44 studies report 114 findings ...of SNP which determine metabolite concentration.•76 studies report 105 findings of SNP which affect non-skeletal health outcomes.•Infectious and auto-immune related disease were most frequent to associate with SNP.•Limited overlap of SNP predicting vitamin D status and SNP affecting disease outcomes.
Polymorphisms in genes encoding proteins involved in vitamin D metabolism and transport are recognised to influence vitamin D status. Syntheses of genetic association studies linking these variants to non-skeletal health outcomes are lacking. We therefore conducted a literature review to identify reports of statistically significant associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 11 vitamin D pathway genes (DHCR7, CYP2R1, CYP3A4, CYP27A1, DBP, LRP2, CUB, CYP27B1, CYP24A1, VDR and RXRA) and non-bone health outcomes and circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25OH2D). A total of 120 genetic association studies reported positive associations, of which 44 investigated determinants of circulating 25(OH)D and/or 1,25(OH)2D concentrations, and 76 investigated determinants of non-skeletal health outcomes. Statistically significant associations were reported for a total of 55 SNP in the 11 genes investigated. There was limited overlap between genetic determinants of vitamin D status and those associated with non-skeletal health outcomes: polymorphisms in DBP, CYP2R1 and DHCR7 were the most frequent to be reported to associate with circulating concentrations of 25(OH)D, while polymorphisms in VDR were most commonly reported to associate with non-skeletal health outcomes, among which infectious and autoimmune diseases were the most represented.
The first dorsal metacarpal artery free flap is widely known for its use as a pedicled flap in thumb and hand reconstruction; however, its potential for use as a free flap is less well known. We ...previously described successful use of the first dorsal metacarpal artery free flap for salvage of a subtotal nasal reconstruction. In this retrospective study, we have expanded our experience to 7 consecutive cases in which a FDMFF was utilized to salvage a nasal reconstruction. Single island flaps were used in 6 of 7 cases, in one case a double island configuration was utilized. Sites restored included the columella (5 patients), membranous septum (1 patient), and nasal sidewall (1 patient). Vascular repairs were to the angular artery and vein (2 patients) or the vascular pedicle of a prior free flap (5 patients). There were no flap failures or major complications. The dorsal hand donor sites were uniformly closed using full-thickness skin grafts. All of the salvage nasal reconstructions were brought to a successful completion. Donor site morbidity was minimal with no compromise in hand function noted. Owing to its thinness, consistent anatomy, ease of harvest, and minimal donor site morbidity, the FDMFF has proved to be a very useful flap for restoration of small, but critical, nasal defects arising during the course of nasal reconstruction.
Zebrafish have great potential to contribute to our understanding of behavioral genetics and thus to contribute to our understanding of the etiology of psychiatric disease. However, progress is ...dependent upon the rate at which behavioral assays addressing complex behavioral phenotypes are designed, reported and validated. Here we critically review existing behavioral assays with particular focus on the use of adult zebrafish to explore executive processes and phenotypes associated with human psychiatric disease. We outline the case for using zebrafish as models to study impulse control and attention, discussing the validity of applying extant rodent assays to zebrafish and evidence for the conservation of relevant neural circuits.
Severe preeclampsia is a common cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity worldwide. The disease clusters in families; however, individual genetic studies have produced inconsistent results. We ...conducted a review to examine relationships between maternal genotype and severe preeclampsia. We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases for prospective and retrospective cohort and case-control studies reporting associations between genes and severe preeclampsia. Four reviewers independently undertook study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction. We performed random-effects meta-analyses by genotype and predefined functional gene group (thrombophilic, vasoactive, metabolic, immune, and cell signalling). Fifty-seven studies evaluated 50 genotypes in 5,049 cases and 16,989 controls. Meta-analysis showed a higher risk of severe preeclampsia with coagulation factor V gene (proaccelerin, labile factor) (F5) polymorphism rs6025 (odds ratio = 1.90, 95% confidence interval: 1.42, 2.54; 23 studies, I(2) = 29%), coagulation factor II (thrombin) gene (F2) mutation G20210A (rs1799963) (odds ratio = 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.14, 3.55, 9 studies, I(2) = 0%), leptin receptor gene (LEPR) polymorphism rs1137100 (odds ratio = 1.75, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 2.65; 2 studies, I(2) = 0%), and the thrombophilic gene group (odds ratio = 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 2.45, I(2) = 27%). There were no associations with other gene groups. There was moderate heterogeneity between studies and potential for bias from poor-quality genotyping and inconsistent definition of phenotype. Further studies with robust methods should investigate genetic factors that might potentially be used to stratify pregnancies according to risk of complications.
The term performance is used liberally in the computing and artificial intelligence (AI) literature, yet it is frequently deemed of a different order to the performances studied by theatre and ...performance studies and is therefore overlooked. This essay engages with these overlooked performances by considering three technological contexts that prompted creators and critics of computing to reach for the term: 1) Alan Turing's invention of the universal computing machine, where "machines perform computers"; 2) Alan Kay's invention of software as a meta-medium where "software performs media"; and 3) Brenda Laurel's articulation of computers as theatre where "machines, computers, software and humans collaborate to perform interfaces." These examples establish a milieu of performance within which AI is staged. Grounded within the author's theatre practice employing mobile computing in site-responsive performance, the essay draws on observation of audiences' capacity to overlook their own participation in algorithmic rituals that perpetuate both the event and its "artificial," virtual characters. This prompts a dialogue with Lucy Suchman on the difference between plans and their execution as "situated actions," and with Wendy Chun on the performance ontology of habit in new media, AI, machine learning, and "big data." The essay provides entry points for discussing computing and AI in and as performance, and considers the differences that theatre and performance can make to understandings of computing and AI in practice and theory.
Facial reconstruction with only free microvascular flaps has rarely produced an aesthetic result. Menick stated, "Distant skin always appears as a mismatched patch within residual normal facial ...skin." In addition, earlier techniques using a single large nasal lining flap or bilateral nasal lining vaults incurred a high incidence of airway obstruction.
The authors describe 10 consecutive patients requiring reconstruction of the nasal vestibule and columella lining from October of 1997 through May of 2005. Most of them also required reconstruction of the floor of the nose, the platform on which the alar bases and columella rest, and defects of the facial units adjacent to the nose. Aesthetic nasal reconstruction used two separate skin paddles to reconstruct the lining for the nasal vestibule and columella, an artistically constructed nasal framework made of cartilage, a forehead flap for cover, and other flaps and grafts to reconstruct adjacent facial unit defects.
The average patient age was 41.8 years (range, 10.4 to 65.3 years). Follow-up (from the time of the first operative stage) averaged 26.4 months (range, 4 to 49 months). Nine patients had functional airways, and one required nasal airway support with internal silicone tubes. At the time of publication, eight patients had normal-appearing noses, and two were awaiting secondary surgery to correct persistent deformity.
Microvascular free flaps have proved to be highly reliable and efficacious for restoration of missing elements of the nasal lining and adjacent facial soft-tissue defects in total and subtotal nasal reconstruction. Combined with a forehead flap, this aesthetic approach allows for reconstruction of the center of the face layer by layer and facial unit by facial unit. Specific attention is paid to the artistic creation of normal nasal dimensions, proportion, and form using carved and assembled cartilage grafts and by secondary subcutaneous contouring. In addition, this technique produces a patent airway.
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