Negotiating the Maze: Case based, Collaborative Distance Learning in Dentistry

The module was developed as an elective to give motivated senior dental students an opportunity to expand their horizons in planning oral rehabilitation. It comprised one tutor and 12 students, from five universities world-wide, communicating on the World Wide Web (WWW), to develop oral rehabilitation plans for simulated patients. Trigger material came from one of two Case Profiles and consisted of diagnostic casts and details of the clinical and radiographic examination in WWW/CD-ROM form. No background material was supplied as to the "patient's" age, sex, history or main concern(s). Students worked in groups of three, each student from a different location. Individual students were given a role within the group: "Patient", who developed a "personal background" belonging to the trigger examination material, "Academic" who identified state-of-the-art treatment options available for the dental treatment needs identified by the group and "General Practitioner" who tailored these options to the "patient's" needs and wants. Student feedback focused on their perception of their experience with the program in response to a questionnaire comprising 11 structured and four "open" questions. All students felt that the program increased their confidence in planning oral rehabilitation. Ten students felt that the "best thing about the program" was the interaction with students from other universities and the exposure to different philosophies from the different schools. Eight students mentioned their increased awareness of the importance of patient input into holistic planning. Under the heading "What was the worst thing", students cited some technical hitches and the snowball effect of two sluggish students who were not identified early enough and thus impacted negatively on the working of their groups. Student feedback showed that the module succeeded in its aims but needed modification to improve the logistics of working with an extended campu

Chemical and physical properties of lignite spoil material and their influence upon successful reclamation

Vita.A three year forage crop study was initiated in 1975 at the Big Brown mine in Freestone County, Texas, to determine the yield and reclamation potentials of various grasses and legumes on a lignite mined soil. Grasses used in the study included NK-37 bermudagrass, Coastal bermudagrass, Kleingrass, Coastal bermudagrass, and Yuchi arrowleaf clover proved to be the most productive species of the forages tested. Statistical analyses demonstrated that nitrogen was the most limiting fertilizer nutrient necessary for the production of grasses on the mined soil. Phosphorus was shown to be the most important fertilizer nutrient which must be added for adequate legume production. Nitrate-N was more effective in increasing Kleingrass production than was NH+4-N because of surface application of the nitrogen fertilizers, extremely low nitrification potentials in the mined soils, droughty soil surface conditions during summer months, and the low surface rooting density of Kleingrass. This result was also observed for Coastal bermudagrass when the nitrogen fertilization rate was less than 112 kg/ha/yr

Seismic sensing: comparison of geophones and accelerometers using laboratory and field data

Bibliography: p. 147-148some pages are in colourAccelerometers, based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and geophones are compared in theory, laboratory testing and field data. Both sensors may be considered simple harmonic oscillators. Geophone output is filtered ground velocity and represents its own domain. Modeling shows that geophone and digital accelerometer output is similar in appearance. In laboratory tests, both sensors matched their modeled responses over a wide range of amplitudes. Since the response is accurate in practice, it is used to calculate ground acceleration from geophone output. Comparison of acceleration field data at Violet Grove and Spring Coulee shows most reflection energy is effectively identical from 5 Hz to over 150 Hz. Some consistent differences were noted under strong motion and in the noise floors. In general, when sensor coupling is equivalent, the data quality is equivalent

Chemical and physical properties of lignite spoil material and their influence upon successful reclamation

Vita.A three year forage crop study was initiated in 1975 at the Big Brown mine in Freestone County, Texas, to determine the yield and reclamation potentials of various grasses and legumes on a lignite mined soil. Grasses used in the study included NK-37 bermudagrass, Coastal bermudagrass, Kleingrass, Coastal bermudagrass, and Yuchi arrowleaf clover proved to be the most productive species of the forages tested. Statistical analyses demonstrated that nitrogen was the most limiting fertilizer nutrient necessary for the production of grasses on the mined soil. Phosphorus was shown to be the most important fertilizer nutrient which must be added for adequate legume production. Nitrate-N was more effective in increasing Kleingrass production than was NH+4-N because of surface application of the nitrogen fertilizers, extremely low nitrification potentials in the mined soils, droughty soil surface conditions during summer months, and the low surface rooting density of Kleingrass. This result was also observed for Coastal bermudagrass when the nitrogen fertilization rate was less than 112 kg/ha/yr

Relationship of Physical Characteristics, Personality Traits, and Biographical Data to Success of Flight Attendants

With the EEOC requiring empirical criterion-related validity for selection procedures, predictor variables of physical characteristics, biographical data, and personality traits were related to both on-the-job performance and training performance. In the correlational analysis of the variables, a total of 455 flight attendants from a single airline were used, with half of the subjects serving as a cross-validation sample. The results showed slight relationships between biographical data and physical characteristics to training performance but no relationship between any predictor variable and job performance. The impact of race being a significant predictor of training performance was reviewed. The lack of practical information was discussed, and implications made for future research to include proper design and reliability of screening procedures before attempting criterion-related validation

The lymph node filter revealed

Stromal cells in the subcapsular sinus of the lymph node 'decide' which cells and molecules are allowed access to the deeper parenchyma. The glycoprotein PLVAP is a crucial component of this selector function

TransMedial All-Inside Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using a Reinforced Tibial Inlay Graft

Surgical reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is technically demanding. Potential challenges include visualization of the tibial footprint and drilling of the tibial tunnel without damaging posterior neurovascular structures, as well as graft selection, deployment, tensioning, and fixation. We present a novel TransMedial all-inside arthroscopic technique (technique designed by A. J. Wilson with support from Arthrex) using a single hamstring tendon graft, fixed with adjustable cortical suspensory devices. The technique simplifies the difficult steps encountered during PCL reconstruction and is safe and reproducible. All arthroscopic viewing is accomplished from the lateral portal, and femoral socket preparation is performed from the medial side with specially contoured instruments, which allow accurate marking, measuring, and anatomic positioning of the graft. The quadrupled semitendinosus graft can be augmented with composite polymer tape for increased strength and initial stability. We use outside-in drilling to create retrograde femoral and tibial sockets. Cortical suspensory fixation on the tibial side can be supplemented with anchor fixation. We use an arthroscopic tibial inlay technique that better approximates native knee anatomy. This also avoids the “killer turn,” a problem seen in transtibial PCL reconstruction techniques, which theoretically induces graft laxity due to abrasion with cyclic loading. This technique can be further adapted to allow a modified double-bundle or TriLink graft (technique designed by A. J. Wilson with support from Arthrex.)