Rectangular-bore, high-gain laser plasma tube

Rectangular-bore tube improves population inversion obtained from upper and terminal laser states, resulting in a significant increase in unsaturated gain factor. Radial field produces efficient pumping of upper laser state. Narrow tube dimensions cause increased diffusion flow of neon is metastable states to tube walls

Experiments on Jet Flows and Jet Noise Far- Field Spectra and Directivity Patterns

Jet flows and jet noise far-field spectral and direction pattern

A flexible quantum efficiency measurement device for photosensors testing

This paper presents a new quantum efficiency setup based on a 2D motorized stage, a wide spectrum xenon lamp, a beam splitter system, and two calibrated photodiodes for measuring the quantum efficiency (QE) of photosensors from PMTs (1 to 10 inches) to SIPM and photodiodes. The large area covered by the 2D stages permit to study the quantum efficiency of a matrix of multichannel photosensors in an automated way and PMTs with diameter up to ten inches. The setup offers high precision and accuracy in characterizing the quantum efficiency versus wavelength over the range of 250 nm to 1100 nm and in two dimensions with a positioning precision of ten microns. The setup monitors the light intensity synchronously with the output current yield from photosensors under test. This ensures the accuracy and repeatability of the measurements. The motorized stage allows precise positioning of the light source with respect to the active area. Moreover, the emission spectrum of the xenon lamp provides a broad range of illumination in terms of dynamics and wavelength span

Occupational Therapy Group Programming for Adolescents with Developmental and Learning Disabilities: A Retrospective Documentation Review

Background: Individuals with learning disabilities have higher rates of unemployment, are less likely to live independently, and have lower rates of college graduation. Occupational therapists who serve this population need to capture outcomes for programming effectively to determine best practice to address these needs. A retrospective documentation review of occupational therapy transition group programming was completed to identify themes and to assess fieldwork student documentation clarity. Method: Analysis of 162 de-identified treatment notes from the years 2014–2018 was completed for six high school students (HSS) (13 to 20 years of age) who previously participated in a high school transition program for adolescents with disabilities. A five-phase analysis process consisted of: (a) review of all treatment notes to determine common areas of intervention; (b) provision of an initial peer debriefing session with one transition program licensed occupational therapist to confirm identified themes; (c) synthesis of HSS strengths/weaknesses; (d) analysis of the fieldwork students’ (FWS) documentation to determine clinical reasoning and clarity; and (e) follow-up peer debriefing with two transition program licensed occupational therapists to re-confirm all findings. Results: Analysis suggested group transition programming was used to facilitate HSS development in the following areas: attention and group participation, social behaviors, abilities to serve as a leader, participation in group discussion, adherence to group rules, fine motor skills, bilateral coordination skills, and hand strength. Conclusion: This retrospective analysis provides evidence that occupational therapy transition group programming is designed to facilitate smoother transitions for adolescents with disabilities in areas unique to occupational therapy practice. Analysis highlighted the need for more standardized methods of documentation for FWS and transition program occupational therapists

Increasing Competency for Parents of Adolescents with Executive Functioning Deficits: Enhancing Occupational Performance with Mindfulness

Background: Executive functions are higher order cognitive processes occurring in the frontal lobe that influence cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions. Adolescents with executive functioning deficits are at risk for difficulties in all domains of occupational functioning. Parents of these adolescents often live in a persistent state of stress that leads to highly reactive exchanges with their children. Studies have shown that a mindful approach to parenting can enhance a parent’s caregiving ability and self-awareness in the family unit. Methods: A pretest/posttest study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-week mindful parenting program. Four parents of adolescents with executive function deficits participated in six consecutive group sessions for 1.5 hr each, one time per week, to learn mindful strategies. Results: Although most results were not found to be statistically significant, findings demonstrated promising trends for three of the parents. Statistically significant results indicated that one parent experienced improved communication with his or her adolescent, two had fewer concerns at school for their adolescent, three showed increased ability to problem-solve, one decreased his or her perfectionistic parenting skills, and one was more likely to be in the middle between the other parent and their adolescent. Conclusions: Support for parents after program conclusion may be necessary to promote lasting change. Further research is needed with larger groups and longer periods to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness programs for parents with adolescents with executive functioning deficits

Integration of Molecular Data in the Prognostic Stratification and Management of Endometrial Carcinoma

In the last years, the TCGA-based molecular classifier have been progressively integrated in the management of endometrial carcinoma. While molecular assays are increasingly available across pathology laboratories, the additional costs will expectedly be compensated by a reduction in overtreatments and a prevention of recurrences. The additional time might be shortened by assessing molecular markers on biopsy specimens. Retrospective data suggest that the molecular classifier will have a major impact of on the risk stratification, with many patients having their risk class down- or upstaged based on POLE mutations or p53 abnormalities, respectively. However, there are still several issues to be resolved, such as the prognostic value of the TCGA classifier in each FIGO stage, or the type of adjuvant treatment most suitable for each molecular group. Other issues regard the prognostic stratification of the mismatch repair-deficient and “no specific molecular profile” groups, which currently follows the same criteria; however, the former seems to be prognostically consistent regardless of FIGO grade and histotype, whereas the latter appears highly heterogeneous. Numerous clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and molecular markers have been proposed to refine the TCGA classification, but their prognostic value is still undefined. Hopefully, prospective data collected in the next years will help resolving these issues

Probing the Ultrastructure of Spheroids and Their Uptake of Magnetic Nanoparticles by FIB–SEM

Spheroids are 3D cellular systems largely adopted as model for high-throughput screening of molecules and diagnostics tools. Furthermore, those cellular platforms also represent a model for testing new delivery carries for selective targeting. The coupling between the 3D cell environment and the nanovectors can be explored at the macroscale by optical microscopy. However, the nanomaterial-cell interplay finds major action at the single cell and extracellular matrix level with nanoscale interactions. Electron microscopy offers the resolution to investigate those interactions; however, the specimen preparation finds major drawbacks in its operation time and preciseness. In this context, focused ion beam and scanning electron microscopy (FIB–SEM) allows for fast processing and high resolution of the cell-nanomaterial interface. Here, in fact, a novel approach is shown to prepare large-area 3D spheroid cell culture specimens for FIB–SEM. Sectioning procedures are explored to preserve the peculiar structure of spheroids and their interaction with magnetic nanovectors. The results pave the way for advanced investigations of 3D cellular systems with nano and micromaterials relevant to tissue engineering, bioelectronics, and diagnostics

NASA follow-on to the Bangladesh Agro-Climatic Environmental Monitoring Project

The NASA responsibility and activities for the follow-on to the original Agro-Climatic Environmental Monitoring Project (ACEMP) which was completed during 1987 is described. Five training sessions which comprise the NASA ACEMP follow-on are: Agrometeorology, Meteorology of Severe Storms Using GEMPAK, Satellite Oceanography, Hydrology, and Meteorology with TOVS. The objective of the follow-on is to train Bangladesh Government staff in the use of satellite data for remote sensing applications. This activity also encourages the scientific connection between NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and The Bangladesh Space and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO)

The use of near-infrared imaging with indocyanine green in the ovarian tissue transplantation: a case report

The request for fertility preservation has consistently increased in recent years. To our knowledge this case report is the first to describe the application of near-infrared intraoperative imaging using indocyanine green (NIR-ICG) during ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT), to assist surgeon choosing the site of implantation of ovarian fragments. OTT was performed in a 42-year-old woman using NIR-ICG to evaluate the vascularisation of peritoneal area as the site of implantation for the ovarian graft. we believe this new approach could be useful in identifying the best reimplantation site