Abstract Sometimes, even a cursory remark at the end of lecture, if growing out deep intelligence and directed to sensitive mind, can have momentous consequences. This was case in episode recounted here, which linked Ericksen de Gennes, albeit indirectly.

PURPOSE To assess the efficacy of an adjustable inspiratory occlusion valve in experimental bronchopleural fistula during mechanical ventilation. METHODS We studied six mechanically ventilated pigs in a surgically created, reproducible model of bronchopleural fistula managed with mechanical ventilation and water-sealed thoracic drainage. An adjustable inspiratory occlusion valve was placed be...

AIMS To investigate the effect of a pneumatic tube system (PTS) on the results of samples sent for blood gas analysis to a central laboratory. METHODS Blood gas samples were analysed immediately or sent via the PTS to the laboratory for analysis. In addition, samples sent via the PTS in a pressure sealed container were compared with those sent non-pressure sealed to the laboratory. RESULTS ...

The resistance to destruction of spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger hermetically sealed in various polymeric films and exposed to ethylene oxide with and without relative humidity was determined. The effect of desiccation was also determined. The order of increased resistance to sterilization with regard to type of polymeric film was found to be: polyethylene equal to polyvinyl chloride, le...

Secret sharing is a mechanism by which a trusted dealer holding a secret “splits” the secret into many “shares” and distributes the shares to a collection of parties. Associated with the sharing is a monotone access structure, that specifies which parties are “qualified” and which are not: any qualified subset of parties can (efficiently) reconstruct the secret, but no unqualified subset can le...

In this study, a Fe-based amorphous metallic coating (AMC) was sealed with three sealants, i.e., stearic acid, aluminum phosphate and cerium salt, respectively. Two types of electrochemical tests, namely the ex situ impedance spectroscopy test in potentiostatic polarization test, were conducted to evaluate erosion–corrosion resistance as-sprayed as-sealed AMCs. The results show that phosphate–s...

A Visual Cryptography (VC)-based system for sharing multiple secret images is proposed. Several weighted transparencies are generated so that people can reveal multiple secret images by stacking qualified subsets of some transparencies together. The transparency with relatively larger weight decides which secret image will be revealed. The proposed method has the following characteristics: deco...