Techtronic Industries (United States)

The Yugoslav state was founded on 1 December 1918, when Serbia and Montenegro united with the South Slavic provinces of the disintegrated Austria–Hungary. This state emerged from the unification of South Slavs, each being at a different stage of identity formation. Yugoslavia was destroyed in 1941 during World War II, but it was later re-established as a federal republic, with a strong internal cohesion built on the ideals of “brotherhood and unity.” However, in 1991, the Yugoslav state collapsed once again. The experience of living in a common state was different for each of the nations involved, and today’s national historiographies present different perspectives on the Yugoslav era. This study aims to explore the main historical narratives of each nation, emphasising diverging interpretations. Among these national historiographies, the Serbian one tends to adopt a more positive view of the former state, while Slovenian historians regard the years spent in Yugoslavia as a developmental phase that also yielded certain achievements. Croatian historiography, on the other hand, perceives the Yugoslav period primarily as a time of resistance against Serbian dominance and centralism in the context of national development.

ABSTRACT In recent years, many US entities, including the Department of Defense, have initiated hundreds of remedial investigations (RIs) at sites with per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination. Although this work generally follows traditional guidance, considerable autonomy is given to the consultant conducting the RI, leading to variable methodologies and associated outcomes, all else equal. Thus, there is a need for a conceptual and systematic framework for conducting an RI for PFAS, especially considering growing knowledge related to the novelty of their fate and transport and ubiquity in the environment. To address this need, at least as it pertains to defining the nature and extent of contamination, we summarize various methods presented to date and recommend a standard of practice that balances trade‐offs between technical rigor and cost as a systematic guide for practitioners consistent with the state of the science.

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an emerging neuromodulation therapy for chronic pain, yet its use in clinical practice varies significantly. Although temporary PNS is widely incorporated, either as a screening trial or a treatment itself, the evidence supporting the use of temporary PNS prior to permanent implantation is limited. We aimed to compare pain relief, opioid consumption, and adverse events between an approach implementing temporary PNS before permanent implantation (temporary-to-permanent (TTP)) vs proceeding directly to permanent PNS implantation (direct-to-permanent (DTP)). A multicenter retrospective study was undertaken at seven major academic institutions from January 1, 2014, to January 1, 2024. Adult patients who underwent permanent PNS implantation for the treatment of chronic pain conditions were included and were divided into TTP or DTP cohorts based on their clinical approach. The dual primary outcomes were pain relief and opioid consumption (in oral morphine equivalents) at 6 months compared with baseline before any PNS therapy. Multivariable Tobit regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of pain relief at 6 months using a stepwise approach. A total of 130 patients were analyzed (54 in TTP approach, 76 in DTP approach). Patient-reported percentage pain relief was 56.7%±27.9% at 6 months compared with baseline (before PNS implantation) in the TTP cohort, and 45.1%±33.6% in the DTP cohort. The estimated mean percentage pain relief at 6 months was similar in the TTP and DTP cohorts (between-group difference 15.24%; 95% CI -0.32 to 30.80, p=0.052), with consistent findings after sensitivity analysis with multiple imputation. Opioid consumption declined similarly in the TTP (-3.1±9.9 mg) and DTP (-2.1±8.1 mg) cohorts at 6 months with no statistical difference between cohorts (mean between-group difference: -1.00, 95% CI -4.57 to 2.57, p=0.580), and with consistent findings after sensitivity analysis. Device explantation rates and adverse event profiles were comparable between cohorts. Although temporary PNS is widely performed prior to permanent PNS implantation, there was no evidence that the TTP approach is associated with superior analgesic outcomes compared with the DTP approach. Further, patients in both approaches achieved clinically meaningful pain relief at 6 months compared with baseline status prior to PNS therapy.

In recent years, cordless power tools (CPT) have brought numerous innovations enhancing portability, flexibility and efficiency in various industries. A key innovation in this field is the integration of brushless DC (BLDC) motors, although cost reduction remains a priority. One of the major cost factors in cordless BLDC motors is the expense of magnets. Ferrite magnets, with their abundant supply and lower cost, can be used as a viable alternative. This paper proposes a low-cost ferrite brushless DC motor for CPT applications to address this issue. Using a benchmark rare-earth magnet motor, a 10-pole, 12-slot outrunner motor with arced C12 ferrite magnets has been proposed. The stator and rotor design parameters of the proposed design have been optimized using trial-and-error method and design considerations. Key elements involved in the mechanical assembly of the proposed design are detailed in the paper. Furthermore, the proposed ferrite motor’s electromagnetic performance has been simulated and compared to the benchmark. The structural and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the proposed design have been provided. Finally, a functional prototype of the ferrite magnet motor has been built and its experimental results have been validated against simulation data.

An optimised sports nutrition formulation achieving the correct blend of electrolytes with antioxidants and vitamins is integral towards meeting the demanding performance in professional sports arena. In this work, we describe a pilot study carried out to understand the effect of a novel phytonutrient- and electrolyte-fortified sports nutrition composition, PerformLyte TM , developed in our laboratories, in boosting the performance of trained male cyclists. PerformLyte TM is a unique fortified formulation comprising of polyphenolic antioxidants, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, as well as carotenoids, sulforaphanes, exotic spices, sea water-derived electrolytes, and vitamin C, encapsulated in proprietary patent-pending Prodosome absorption technology, enabling sustained and targeted release. Consumption of this unique formulation of phytonutrients and electrolytes for a period of two weeks resulted in enhanced energy homeostasis, elevated production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and synergized nitric oxide production in trained cyclists which are key parameters for sports nutrition, endurance, and vitality. The formulation was devoid of L-arginine, a traditionally used ergogenic supplement in sports nutrition formulation and that is known to boost nitric oxide production in the body at the cost of several side-effects. The present work is believed to provide useful insights for developing optimised nutrient formulations to meet the needs of futuristic sports performances.

Rotating forms of suspension culture allow cells to aggregate into spheroids, prevent the de-differentiating influence of 2D culture, and, perhaps most importantly of all, provide physiologically relevant, in vivo levels of shear stress. Rotating suspension culture technology has not been widely implemented, in large part because the vessels are prohibitively expensive, labor-intensive to use, and are difficult to scale for industrial applications. Our solution addresses each of these challenges in a new vessel called a cell spinpod. These small 3.5 mL capacity vessels are constructed from injection-molded thermoplastic polymer components. They contain self-sealing axial silicone rubber ports, and fluoropolymer, breathable membranes. Here we report the two-fluid modeling of the flow and stresses in cell spinpods. Cell spinpods were used to demonstrate the effect of fluid shear stress on renal cell gene expression and cellular functions, particularly membrane and xenobiotic transporters, mitochondrial function, and myeloma light chain, cisplatin and doxorubicin, toxicity. During exposure to myeloma immunoglobulin light chains, rotation increased release of clinically validated nephrotoxicity cytokine markers in a toxin-specific pattern. Addition of cisplatin or doxorubicin nephrotoxins reversed the enhanced glucose and albumin uptake induced by fluid shear stress in rotating cell spinpod cultures. Cell spinpods are a simple, inexpensive, easily automated culture device that enhances cellular functions for in vitro studies of nephrotoxicity.

Thermoluminescence (TL), optical absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) have been used to characterize point defects in Mg-doped stoichiometric LiNbO3. A broad TL emission, peaking at 440 nm, is observed near 94 K when these crystals are irradiated at 77 K and then rapidly warmed. X rays and below-band-gap lasers (325 and 355 nm) are equally effective in producing the TL peak. During excitation, holes are trapped on oxygen ions adjacent to lithium vacancies and electrons are trapped on niobium ions at regular lattice sites. These defects both have characteristic EPR spectra, and the trapped electron center has an optical absorption band peaking at 1200 nm. Upon warming, the electrons become thermally unstable near 94 K and migrate to the trapped-hole sites where radiative recombination occurs. We suggest that the near-edge charge-transfer absorption band from Fe3+ impurities, nominally present, provides the mechanism by which below-band-gap light initially produces the separately trapped holes and electrons.