Approximal Caries Detection by DIFOTI: In Vitro

The aim of the present study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy/efficacy of digital imaging fiber-optic transillumination (DIFOTI) with film and digital radiography, in detection of approximal caries lesions. One hundred and twelve approximal surfaces were scored for caries, using DIFOTI images film and digital radiographs. All three sets of images were examined twice by 8 observers, with a minimal interval of one week between examinations. Validation of histological sections served as a reference standard. Reproducibility, based on intra- and interobserver agreement, was similar for all three methods. At diagnostic threshold D1 (enamel and dentin caries), DIFOTI showed significantly higher sensitivity, but differences in specificity between methods were nonsignificant. Diagnostic accuracy in the form of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was significantly higher for DIFOTI. At diagnostic threshold D3 (dentin caries), the differences in sensitivity and AUC among methods were nonsignificant, but DIFOTI showed significantly lower specificity. Compared with the radiographs, DIFOTI showed closer agreement, expressed as weighted kappa values, with the reference standard. The results show that under in vitro conditions, the diagnostic accuracy of DIFOTI in detecting early approximal enamel lesions is greater than that of film and digital radiography, while the potential for detecting lesions in dentin is similar for all three methods

Angle-Resolved Environmental X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy: A New Laboratory Setup for Photoemission Studies at Pressures up to 0.4 Torr

The paper presents the development and demonstrates the capabilities of a new laboratory-based environmental X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy system incorporating an electrostatic lens and able to acquire spectra up to 0.4 Torr. The incorporation of a two-dimensional detector provides imaging capabilities and allows the acquisition of angle-resolved data in parallel mode over an angular range of 14° without tilting the sample. The sensitivity and energy resolution of the spectrometer have been investigated by analyzing a standard Ag foil both under high vacuum (10−8 Torr) conditions and at elevated pressures of N2 (0.4 Torr). The possibility of acquiring angle-resolved data at different pressures has been demonstrated by analyzing a silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) sample. The collected angle-resolved spectra could be effectively used for the determination of the thickness of the native silicon oxide layer

Measuring quality of experience in pervasive systems using probabilistic context-aware approach

In this paper, we pioneer a context-aware approach for quality of experience (QoE) modeling, reasoning and inferencing in mobile and pervasive computing environments. The proposed model is based upon Context Spaces Theory (CST) and influence diagrams (IDs) to handle uncertain and hidden complex inter-dependencies between user-perceived and network level QoS and to calculate overall QoE of the users. This helps in user-related media, network and device adaptation, creating user-level SLAs and minimizing network churn. We perform experimentation to validate the proposed approach and the results verify its modeling and inferencing capabilities. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers of very low birth weight infants 2-3 years post-partum

We examined symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants 2-3 years post-partum, compared with mothers of term, normal weight infants. Mothers were asked to report current symptoms relating specifically to the birth of their infant using The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Mothers of VLBW infants recorded significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms overall (median scores: VLBW 25 [range 2-82], versus controls: 0 [range 0-5], P∈<∈0.001), and in all sub-categories (p∈<∈0.001). These findings suggest that mothers of VLBW infants have a relatively high prevalence of symptoms of PTSD at 2-3 years postnatal