Theoretical and experimental analysis of excessively tilted fiber gratings

We have theoretically and experimentally investigated the dual-peak feature of tilted fiber gratings with excessively tilted structure (named as Ex-TFGs). We have explained the dual-peak feature by solving eigenvalue equations for TM0m and TE0m of a circular waveguide, in which the TE (transverse electric) and TM (transverse magnetic) core modes are coupled into TE and TM cladding modes, respectively. Meanwhile, in the experiment, we have verified that one of the dual peaks at the shorter wavelength is due to the TM mode coupling whereas the other one at the longer wavelength arises from TE mode coupling when a linearly polarized light launched into the Ex-TFG. We have also investigated the peak separation of TE and TM cladding mode for different surrounding medium refractive indexes (SRI), revealed that the dual peaks separation is decreasing as increasing of SRI, which agrees very well with the theoretical analysis results.

Wound healing studies and interfacial phenomena:use and relevance of the corneal model

The interaction of the wound dressing as a biomaterial with the wound bed is the central issue of this chapter. The interfacial phenomenon that encompasses the biological and biochemical consequences that arise when a biomaterial is introduced to a host biological environment is discussed. A great deal can be learned from observations arising from the behaviour of biomaterials at other body sites; one particularly relevant body site in the context of wound healing is the anterior eye. The cornea, tear film and posterior surface of the contact lens provide an informative model of the parallel interface that exists between the chronic wound bed, wound fluid and the dressing biomaterial. © 2011 Woodhead Publishing Limited All rights reserved.

Medical conditions and depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in older adults with and without generalized anxiety disorder

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine medical illness and anxiety, depressive, and somatic symptoms in older medical patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHOD: A case-control study was designed and conducted in the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Geriatrics Clinics. A total of fifty-four older medical patients with GAD and 54 matched controls participated. MEASUREMENTS: The measurements used for this study include: Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule. RESULTS: Older medical patients with GAD reported higher levels of somatic symptoms, anxiety, and depression than other older adults, as well as higher rates of diabetes and gastrointestinal conditions. In a multivariate model that included somatic symptoms, medical conditions, and depressive and anxiety symptoms, anxiety symptoms were the only significant predictors of GAD. CONCLUSION: These results suggest first, that older medical patients with GAD do not primarily express distress as somatic symptoms; second, that anxiety symptoms in geriatric patients should not be discounted as a byproduct of medical illness or depression; and third, that older adults with diabetes and gastrointestinal conditions may benefit from screening for anxiety.

Short and long hydroperiod Everglades periphyton mats: Community characterization and experimental hydroperiod manipulation

Hydroperiod, or the distribution, duration and timing of flooding affects both plant and animal distributions. The Florida Everglades is currently undergoing restoration that will result in altered hydroperiods. This study was conducted in Everglades National Park to document the variability in periphyton community structure and function between long and short hydroperiod Everglades marshes. Periphyton is an important primary producer and important food resource in the Everglades. Periphyton is also involved in marl soil formation and nutrient cycling. Although periphyton is an important component of the Everglades landscape, little is known about periphyton structural-functional variation between hydroperiods. ^ For this study diatoms, as well as fresh algae slides of diatoms, cyanobacteria and green algae were identified and enumerated. Short verse long hydroperiod soil and water column nutrients were compared. Short and long hydroperiod algal periphyton mat productivity rates were compared using BOD incubations. Experimental manipulations were performed to determine the effects of desiccation duration and rewetting on periphyton productivity, community structure, and nutrient flux. ^ Variation in periphyton community structure was significantly greater between hydroperiods than within hydroperiods. Short and long hydroperiod periphyton mats have the same algal species, it is the distribution and abundance that varies between hydroperiods. Long hydroperiod mats have greater diatom abundance while short hydroperiod mats have greater relative filamentous cyanobacterial abundance. ^ Long hydroperiod mats had greater net primary production (npp) than short hydroperiod mats. Short hydroperiod mats respond to rewetting more rapidly than do long hydroperiod mats. Dry short hydroperiod mats became net primary producers within 24 hours of rehydration. Increasing desiccation duration led to greater cyanobacterial abundance in long hydroperiod mats and decreased diatom abundance in both long and short hydroperiod mats. ^

Judging psychology experts: Can judges and attorneys distinguish between clinical and experimental psychologists?

A trial judge serves as gatekeeper in the courtroom to ensure that only reliable expert witness testimony is presented to the jury. Nevertheless, research shows that while judges take seriously their gatekeeper status, legal professionals in general are unable to identify well conducted research and are unable to define falsifiability, error rates, peer review status, and scientific validity (Gatkowski et al., 2001; Kovera & McAuliff, 2000). However, the abilities to identify quality scientific research and define scientific concepts are critical to preventing "junk" science from entering courtrooms. Research thus far has neglected to address that before selecting expert witnesses, judges and attorneys must first evaluate experts' CVs rather than their scientific testimony to determine whether legal standards of admissibility have been met. The quality of expert testimony, therefore, largely depends on the ability to evaluate properly experts' credentials. Theoretical models of decision making suggest that ability/knowledge and motivation are required to process information systematically. Legal professionals (judges and attorneys) were expected to process CVs heuristically when rendering expert witness decisions due to a lack of training in areas of psychology expertise.^ Legal professionals' (N = 150) and undergraduate students' (N = 468) expert witness decisions were examined and compared. Participants were presented with one of two versions of a criminal case calling for the testimony of either a clinical psychology expert or an experimental legal psychology expert. Participants then read one of eight curricula vitae that varied area of expertise (clinical vs. legal psychology), previous expert witness experience (previous experience vs. no previous experience), and scholarly publication record (30 publications vs. no publications) before deciding whether the expert was qualified to testify in the case. Follow-up measures assessed participants' decision making processes.^ Legal professionals were not better than college students at rendering quality psychology expert witness admissibility decisions yet they were significantly more confident in their decisions. Legal professionals rated themselves significantly higher than students in ability, knowledge, and motivation to choose an appropriate psychology expert although their expert witness decisions were equally inadequate. Findings suggest that participants relied on heuristics, such as previous expert witness experience, to render decisions.^

Life, Social Studies, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Using Classroom-based Multicultural Democratic Education to Challenge Conservative Notions of Civic Education

Bok (2010) argues civic understanding could improve student happiness by improving perceptions of politics and government, but the state of civic education in public schools keeps this from happening. This study argues that this notion of civic education is conservative by exploring Bok’s premises, social studies, and civic education.

Relationship of Lifestyle Medical Advice and Non-HDL Cholesterol Control of a Nationally Representative US Sample with Hypercholesterolemia by Race/Ethnicity

Objective. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of lifestyle medical advice and non-HDL cholesterol control of a nationally representative US sample of adults with hypercholesterolemia by race/ethnicity. Methods. Data were collected by appending sociodemographic, anthropometric, and laboratory data from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2007-2008 and 2009-2010). This study acquired data from male and female adults aged ≥ 20 years (N = 11,577), classified as either Mexican American (MA), (), other Hispanic (OH) (), Black non-Hispanic (BNH) (), or White non-Hispanic (WNH) (). Results. Minorities were more likely to report having received dietary, weight management, and exercise recommendations by healthcare professionals than WNH, adjusting for confounders. Approximately 80% of those receiving medical advice followed the recommendation, regardless of race/ethnicity. Of those who received medical advice, reporting “currently controlling or losing weight” was associated with lower non-HDL cholesterol. BNH who reported “currently controlling or losing weight” had higher non-HDL cholesterol than WNH who reported following the advice. Conclusion. The results suggest that current methods of communicating lifestyle advice may not be adequate across race/ethnicity and that a change in perspective and delivery of medical recommendations for persons with hypercholesterolemia is needed.

Relationship of Lifestyle Medical Advice and Non-HDL Cholesterol Control of a Nationally Representative US Sample with Hypercholesterolemia by Race/Ethnicity

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of lifestyle medical advice and non-HDL cholesterol control of a nationally representative US sample of adults with hypercholesterolemia by race/ethnicity. Methods: Data were collected by appending sociodemographic, anthropometric, and laboratory data from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2007-2008 and 2009-2010). This study acquired data from male and female adults aged ≥ 20 years (N = 11,577), classified as either Mexican American (MA), (), other Hispanic (OH) (), Black non-Hispanic (BNH) (), or White non-Hispanic (WNH) (). Results: Minorities were more likely to report having received dietary, weight management, and exercise recommendations by healthcare professionals than WNH, adjusting for confounders. Approximately 80% of those receiving medical advice followed the recommendation, regardless of race/ethnicity. Of those who received medical advice, reporting “currently controlling or losing weight” was associated with lower non-HDL cholesterol. BNH who reported “currently controlling or losing weight” had higher non-HDL cholesterol than WNH who reported following the advice. Conclusion: The results suggest that current methods of communicating lifestyle advice may not be adequate across race/ethnicity and that a change in perspective and delivery of medical recommendations for persons with hypercholesterolemia is needed.

Reducing Health Disparities: Medical advice and health behavior of minorities with diabetes

OBJECTIVE: to examine the relationships among reported medical advice, diabetes education, health insurance and health behavior of individuals with diabetes by race/ethnicity and gender. METHOD: Secondary analysis of data (N = 654) for adults ages > or = 21 years with diabetes acquired through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2007-2008 comparing Black, non-Hispanics (BNH) and Mexican-Americans (MA) with White, non-Hispanics (WNH). The NHANES survey design is a stratified, multistage probability sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Sample weights were applied in accordance with NHANES specifications using the complex sample module of IBM SPSS version 18. RESULTS: The findings revealed statistical significant differences in reported medical advice given. BNH [OR = 1.83 (1.16, 2.88), p = 0.013] were more likely than WNH to report being told to reduce fat or calories. Similarly, BNH [OR = 2.84 (1.45, 5.59), p = 0.005] were more likely than WNH to report that they were told to increase their physical activity. Mexican-Americans were less likely to self-monitor their blood glucose than WNH [OR = 2.70 (1.66, 4.38), p < 0.001]. There were differences by race/ethnicity for reporting receiving recent diabetes education. Black, non-Hispanics were twice as likely to report receiving diabetes education than WNH [OR = 2.29 (1.36, 3.85), p = 0.004]. Having recent diabetes education increased the likelihood of performing several diabetes self-management behaviors independent of race. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant differences in reported medical advice received for diabetes care by race/ethnicity. The results suggest ethnic variations in patient-provider communication and may be a consequence of their health beliefs, patient-provider communication as well as length of visit and access to healthcare. These findings clearly demonstrate the need for government sponsored programs, with a patient-centered approach, augmenting usual medical care for diabetes. Moreover, the results suggest that public policy is needed to require the provision of diabetes education at least every two years by public health insurance programs and recommend this provision for all private insurance companies

Medical mycology and fungal immunology : new research perspectives addressing a major world health challenge

Peer reviewed

Medical technician and skilled worker at lab at Hackensack, NJ hospital

General note: Title and date provided by Bettye Lane.

Activity and expression of Na/K-ATPase in thoracic aorta of normal pregnant and experimental preeclamptic rats

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Theoretical modeling and experimental validation of fluid-loaded micro rectangular plates

This paper presents a theoretical model on the vibration analysis of micro scale fluid-loaded rectangular isotropic plates, based on the Lamb's assumption of fluid-structure interaction and the Rayleigh-Ritz energy method. An analytical solution for this model is proposed, which can be applied to most cases of boundary conditions. The dynamical experimental data of a series of microfabricated silicon plates are obtained using a base-excitation dynamic testing facility. The natural frequencies and mode shapes in the experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical simulations for the lower order modes. The presented theoretical and experimental investigations on the vibration characteristics of the micro scale plates are of particular interest in the design of microplate based biosensing devices. Copyright © 2009 by ASME.