We observed a new approach being adopted in the software industry that combines a business model with strong technical support. This Product Flow Model combines aspects of the Product Line model with workflow concepts for virtual enterprises. The Product Flow Model (PFM) addresses the costly ongoing maintenance of major products being delivered to customers. When such maintenance is provided by...

OBJECTIVE To determine which anthropometric measurement is the most reliable alternative for fat distribution as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DESIGN Population-based survey carried out in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A total of 376 individuals (200 women) with a mean age of 36.5 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.0 (+/-3.1) kg/m2 underwent ...

OBJECTIVES To determine the ability of children and adolescents with acute asthma exacerbations to adhere to national guidelines for proper metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and peak flow meter (PFM) technique and to define characteristics associated with improper use. DESIGN A prospective study in which the patients were instructed to use a placebo MDI or a PFM in the emergency department exactly a...

OBJECTIVES This retrospective survey assessed the clinical survival of zirconia-based crowns (PFZ) and conventional porcelain- fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns on posterior teeth in private practice. METHOD AND MATERIALS A print survey of 13 private practitioners was conducted to assess the long-term survival of previously placed full-coverage crowns. The practitioners reported a total of 2,182 pr...

We report here on the extension of Passive Flux Meter (PFM) applications for measuring fluxes of oxyanions in groundwater, and present results for laboratory and field studies. Granular activated carbon, with and without impregnated silver (GAC and SI-GAC, respectively), was modified with a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA), to enhance the anion exchange capacity (AEC). La...

Inspired by biological information scheme, pulse frequency modulation (PFM) technique is robust for noise sources due to its digital encode of analog signals. In a viewpoint of image sensors, PFM is also useful for a wide dynamic range and has already been demonstrated over 60 dB. We have designed a pixel circuit of a CMOS image sensor using PFM for the next generation architecture of vision ch...

Myofascial trigger points (MTPs) have been described as focal areas of tenderness within a muscle belly and have been identified as sources of pain. Soft-tissue manual therapy (MTP release) can be used to manage trigger point pain. Interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) are characterized by symptoms of pelvic pain, frequency, urgency and nocturia, but the definitions and di...

BACKGROUND The present study compared the effectiveness of Family-Based DOTS (FB-DOTS) versus Professional-Family Mix DOTS (PFM-DOTS) in smear positive tuberculosis (TB) patients. METHODS This semi-experimental study was performed in Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center of Tabriz in 2011-2012, among 57 TB patients recruited into either FB-DOTS or PFM-DOTS groups. At the baseline of ...

We examined pelvic floor muscles (PFM) activity (%MVC) in twenty nulliparous women by body position during exercise as well as the activation of abdominal muscles and the gluteus maximus during voluntary contractions of the PFMs. Pelvic floor muscle activity was recorded using a vaginal probe during five experimental trials. Activation of transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and gluteus max...

BACKGROUND Nowadays establishing communication and educating patients to enhance their knowledge regarding disease and treatment process at home is one of the most important principles in providing patient care. MATERIALS AND METHODS A semi-experimental study was done on 57 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis in two care groups namely professional - family mix directly observed treatm...