Thermopower-based hot electron thermometry of helium surface states at 1.6 K

We have developed a method to probe the temperature of surface state electrons (SSE) above a superfluid Helium-4 surface using the Seebeck effect. In contrast to previously used SSE thermometry, this technique does not require detailed knowledge of the non-linear mobility. We demonstrate the use of this method by measuring energy relaxation of SSE at 1.6 K in a microchannel device with 0.6\:\mu\mbox{m} deep helium. In this regime, both vapor atom scattering and 2-ripplon scattering contribute to energy relaxation to which we compare our measurements. We conclude that this technique provides a reliable measure of electron temperature while requiring a less detailed understanding of the electron interactions with the environment than previously utilized thermometry techniques

Near-peer teaching in osteopathy clinical education

Osteopathy students learning in university clinics forms a substantial portion of the Australian students\u27 clinical education program of activities and within them, junior students are encouraged to observe more senior students during their consultations with patients. This is near-peer teaching. However, scholarly analysis of this component of osteopathy education is underrepresented in the literature. For that reason, this commentary describes the underpinning educational theory and how near-peer clinical education is used in osteopathy in the Australian context. Some challenges and opportunities of this approach are discussed. Near-peer clinical education has the ability to enhance a junior and senior students\u27 clinical education, to strengthen the notion of a community of learning, and also to develop a student\u27s ability to educate others - potentially developing future clinical educators. Research into near-peer clinical education in the health professions is in its infancy worldwide and therefore presents an opportunity for osteopathy teaching institutions to not only evaluate its use, but contribute to the ongoing discourse

The ν=5/2\nu=5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall State in the Presence of Alloy Disorder

We report quantitative measurements of the impact of alloy disorder on the $\nu=5/2$ fractional quantum Hall state. Alloy disorder is controlled by the aluminum content $x$ in the Al$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$As channel of a quantum well. We find that the $\nu=5/2$ state is suppressed with alloy scattering. To our surprise, in samples with alloy disorder the $\nu=5/2$ state appears at significantly reduced mobilities when compared to samples in which alloy disorder is not the dominant scattering mechanism. Our results highlight the distinct roles of the different types of disorder present in these samples, such as the short-range alloy and the long-range Coulomb disorder

Detection of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Development of an Automated Case-Finding Algorithm Using Administrative Data

ICD-9 codes are conventionally used to identify pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) from administrative data for surveillance purposes. This approach may include non-PID cases. To refine PID case identification among women with ICD-9 codes suggestive of PID, a case-finding algorithm was developed using additional variables. Potential PID cases were identified among women aged 15–44 years at Group Health (GH) and Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) and verified by medical record review. A classification and regression tree analysis was used to develop the algorithm at GH; validation occurred at KPCO. The positive predictive value (PPV) for using ICD-9 codes alone to identify clinical PID cases was 79%. The algorithm identified PID appropriate treatment and age 15–25 years as predictors. Algorithm sensitivity (GH = 96.4%; KPCO = 90.3%) and PPV (GH = 86.9%; KPCO = 84.5%) were high, but specificity was poor (GH = 45.9%; KPCO = 37.0%). In GH, the algorithm offered a practical alternative to medical record review to further improve PID case identification

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Metabolites May Alter Thyroid Hormone Levels in Men

Background: Phthalates are used extensively in many personal-care and consumer products, resulting in widespread nonoccupational human exposure through multiple routes and media. A limited number of animal studies suggest that exposure to phthalates may be associated with altered thyroid function, but human data are lacking. Methods: Concurrent samples of urine and blood were collected from 408 men. We measured urinary concentrations of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), the hydrolytic metabolite of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and other phthalate monoester metabolites, along with serum levels of free thyroxine (T$_4$), total triiodothyronine (T$_3$), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Oxidative metabolites of DEHP were measured in urine from only 208 of the men. Results: We found an inverse association between MEHP urinary concentrations and free T$_4$ and T$_3$ serum levels, although the relationships did not appear to be linear when MEHP concentrations were categorized by quintiles. There was evidence of a plateau at the fourth quintile, which was associated with a 0.11 ng/dL decrease in free T$_4$ [95% confidence interval (CI), –0.18 to –0.03] and a 0.05 ng/mL decrease in T$_3$ (95% CI, –0.10 to 0.01) compared with the first (lowest) MEHP quintile. The inverse relationship between MEHP and free T$_4$ remained when we adjusted for oxidative metabolite concentrations; this simultaneously demonstrated a suggestive positive association with free T$_4$. Conclusions: Urinary MEHP concentrations may be associated with altered free T$_4$ and/or total T$_3$ levels in adult men, but additional study is needed to confirm the observed findings. Future studies must also consider oxidative DEHP metabolites relative to MEHP as a potential marker of metabolic susceptibility to DEHP exposure