A Study of K-12 Teachers in Small School Districts : Their Levels of Stress, the Source of Stress, and the Effect of Initiating Coping Strategies

Problem. This study explored the relationship between K-12 regular education teachers in school districts with fewer than 2,500 students and their levels of stress as it related to the sources of stress, demographic variables, and initiation of coping strategies. Method. The subjects of this study were 329 K-12 teachers. They completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Education form, a demographic/coping mechanism form, and Stressor Source Check List. Results. (1) Classroom, building, and community issues affected teachers\u27 attitudes toward their profession:Stress levels, as measured by the MBI, were reflected in their identification of sources of stress in the work environment. (2) A teacher\u27s gender was related to the risk of burnout: Female teachers were less likely to experience burnout than were male teachers. (3) A teacher\u27s marital status was related to the risk of burnout: Both divorced and widowed teachers were less likely to approach levels of burnout than married or single teachers. (4) A teacher\u27s teaching assignment was related to the risk of burnout: Elementary teachers were less likely to experience burnout than were high-school teachers, and junior-high/middle-school teachers were more likely to experience burnout than either of the other two groups. (5) A teacher\u27s years of experience were related to the risk of burnout: Teachers with 6-15 and 16-25 years of teaching experience were less likely to experience burnout than were teachers with 0-5 and 26-plus years of teaching experience. Conclusions. A small school district effect is suggested by the following deviation from literature citations: (1)The subjects in this study placed less significance on stressor issues related to building concerns. (2) Gender- and stress-related findings suggest an effect related to the sense of belonging associated with working in a small community. (3) A stress pattern related to years of teaching experience was found

Autofluorescence lifetime augmented reality as a means for real-time robotic surgery guidance in human patients.

Due to loss of tactile feedback the assessment of tumor margins during robotic surgery is based only on visual inspection, which is neither significantly sensitive nor specific. Here we demonstrate time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) as a novel technique to complement the visual inspection of oral cancers during transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in real-time and without the need for exogenous contrast agents. TRFS enables identification of cancerous tissue by its distinct autofluorescence signature that is associated with the alteration of tissue structure and biochemical profile. A prototype TRFS instrument was integrated synergistically with the da Vinci Surgical robot and the combined system was validated in swine and human patients. Label-free and real-time assessment and visualization of tissue biochemical features during robotic surgery procedure, as demonstrated here, not only has the potential to improve the intraoperative decision making during TORS but also other robotic procedures without modification of conventional clinical protocols

40-MHz all-fiber acoustooptic frequency shifter

We report the development of a 40 MHz four-port all-fibre frequency shifter operating at a wavelength of 1.55 µm. The device has a high conversion efficiency, low drive power requirement and is manufactured from standard telecommunications fibre

Evaluation of tantalum for mercury containment in the SNAP-8 boiler

Corrosion testing of tantalum for mercury containment in SNAP 8 boile

Temperature Effects on Metabolic Rate of Juvenile Pacific Bluefin Tuna \u3ci\u3eThunnus Orientalis\u3c/i\u3e

Pacific bluefin tuna inhabit a wide range of thermal environments across the Pacific ocean. To examine how metabolism varies across this thermal range, we studied the effect of ambient water temperature on metabolic rate of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, swimming in a swim tunnel. Rate of oxygen consumption (MO2) was measured at ambient temperatures of 8–25°C and swimming speeds of 0.75–1.75 body lengths (BL) s–1. Pacific bluefin swimming at 1 BL s–1 per second exhibited a U-shaped curve of metabolic rate vs ambient temperature, with a thermal minimum zone between 15°C to 20°C. Minimum MO2 of 175±29 mg kg–1 h–1–1 was recorded at 15°C, while both cold and warm temperatures resulted in increased metabolic rates of 331±62 mg kg–1 h–1–1 at 8°C and 256±19 mg kg–1 h–1–1 at 25°C. Tailbeat frequencies were negatively correlated with ambient temperature. Additional experiments indicated that the increase in MO2 at low temperature occurred only at low swimming speeds. Ambient water temperature data from electronic tags implanted in wild fish indicate that Pacific bluefin of similar size to the experimental fish used in the swim tunnel spend most of their time in ambient temperatures in the metabolic thermal minimum zone

The Effectiveness of Prophylactic Ankle Braces in Reducing the Incidence of Acute Ankle Injuries in Adolescent Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic

Clinical Scenario: Ankle injuries constitute a large number of injuries sustained by adolescent athletes participating in high school athletics. Prophylactic ankle bracing may be an effective and efficient method to reduce the incidence of ankle injuries in adolescent athletes in the secondary-school setting. Clinical Question: Do prophylactic ankle braces reduce the incidence of acute ankle injuries in adolescent athletes? Summary of Key Findings: Two of the three included studies reported that prophylactic ankle braces reduced the incidence of ankle injuries compared with no ankle bracing. Clinical Bottom Line: There is moderate evidence to support the use of prophylactic ankle braces in adolescent athletes, particularly those who participate in football and basketball, to reduce the incidence of acute ankle injuries. Strength of Recommendation: Grade B evidence exists that prophylactic ankle braces reduce the incidence of acute ankle injuries in adolescent athletes