A Response Surface Methodology Approach to Improve Adhesive Bonding of Pulsed Laser Treated CFRP Composites.

In this work, a response surface-designed experiment approach was used to determine the optimal settings of laser treatment as a method of surface preparation for CFRP prior to bonding. A nanosecond pulsed Ytterbium-doped-fiber laser source was used in combination with a scanning system. A Face-centered Central Composite Design was used to model the tensile shear strength (TSS) of adhesive bonded joints and investigate the effects of varying three parameters, namely, power, pitch, and lateral overlap.

Study and implementation of a performance set of indicators for the nurse manager in a frailty hospital.

Introduction: Hospitals are known to be the most complex entities to manage. In fact, the main problem in healthcare are the expensive needs with limited resources. During the last years the complexity of the nurse manager role has gradually changed from assistance to management.

Alloxan-induced diabetes causes morphological and ultrastructural changes in rat liver that resemble the natural history of chronic fatty liver disease in humans.

Purpose: This study evaluated the long-term effects of alloxan-induced diabetes in rat liver.

Methods: Thirty nondiabetic control rats (NC) and 30 untreated diabetic (UD) rats were divided into three subgroups sacrificed after 6, 14, or 26 weeks. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed.

Ascorbic acid iontophoresis for chondral gain in rats with arthritis.

Objectives: To examine the cellularity and thickness of the articular cartilage of the femur in rats with arthritis after treatment with iontophoresis.

Methods: To evaluate these objectives, a histological analysis was performed on hematoxylin and eosin, where cellularity and cartilage thickness were observed and evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by manual counting by 700.09µm² area.

IVF cycle cost estimation using Activity Based Costing and Monte Carlo simulation.

The Authors present a new methodological approach in stochastic regime to determine the actual costs of an healthcare process. The paper specifically shows the application of the methodology for the determination of the cost of an Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment in Italy. The reason of this research comes from the fact that deterministic regime is inadequate to implement an accurate estimate of the cost of this particular treatment.