The Effect of an Educational Video on the Acceptance of Nanotechnology

The effect of an educational video on the acceptance of nanotechnology was studied using an internet based system to collect data. Analysis includes comparison between majors, gender, college, and overall trends with the general acceptance and the acceptance of specific types of nanotechnology. As the knowledge of nanotechnology increased the general acceptance decreased even though acceptance within specific areas of nanotechnology increased

Measuring Creativity for Innovation Management

Identifying the extent and nature of the creativity of new products is a key for innovation management. The revised Creative Solution Diagnosis Scale (CSDS) is a 27-item scale based on a theoretical model of functional creativity, consisting of five main criteria: Relevance & Effectiveness, Problematization, Propulsion, Elegance and Genesis. The CSDS offers potential for differentiated assessments of product creativity as part of the larger process of innovation. Non-expert judges rated a series of mousetrap designs using a 30-item version of the CSDS. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a simple structure that corresponded closely to the a priori theoretical model of functional creativity. The untrained judges were able to use the scale with a high degree of reliability and internal consistency. The scale offers a tool for managing innovation, especially for stimulating creativity and diagnosing the creativity of products

Emergency department diagnosis of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis using bedside ultrasonography

A 27-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a 1-day history of severe right upper extremity pain and swelling. The patient's status is post open reduction internal fixation for a left tibial plateau fracture, which was complicated by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis. A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line was subsequently placed for intravenous antibiotic therapy. Emergency department bedside ultrasound examination of both the right axillary vein and subclavian vein near the PICC line tip revealed deep venous thrombosis of both veins. Bedside upper extremity vascular ultrasonography can assist in the rapid diagnosis of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis in the emergency department

Expedient Iodocyclization Approach Toward Polysubstituted 3H-Benzo[e]indoles

A facile and expedient iodocyclization of 4-(2-prop-1-ynylphenyl)-1H-pyrroles towards the synthesis of polysubstituted 3H-benzo[e]indoles is reported. The transformation was optimized and the best results were obtained by using iodine (1.2 equiv,) in dichloromethane, and potassium carbonate as base. The starting 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted pyrroles were efficiently obtained by means of a nickel(II) chloride-promoted four-component (nitromethane, amine, 2-alkynylbenzaldehyde and ethyl acetoacetate) reaction. Further functionalization of the resulting 5-iodoheterocycles was also explored.Fil: Martins, Guilherme M.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de Qu ímica; BrasilFil: Zeni, Gilson. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de Qu ímica; BrasilFil: Back, David F.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de Qu ímica; BrasilFil: Kaufman, Teodoro Saul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Silveira, Claudio C.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Departamento de Qu ímica; Brasi

Finite-Connectivity Spin-Glass Phase Diagrams and Low Density Parity Check Codes

We obtain phase diagrams of regular and irregular finite connectivity spin-glasses. Contact is firstly established between properties of the phase diagram and the performances of low density parity check codes (LDPC) within the Replica Symmetric (RS) ansatz. We then study the location of the dynamical and critical transition of these systems within the one step Replica Symmetry Breaking theory (RSB), extending similar calculations that have been performed in the past for the Bethe spin-glass problem. We observe that, away from the Nishimori line, in the low temperature region, the location of the dynamical transition line does change within the RSB theory, in comparison with the (RS) case. For LDPC decoding over the binary erasure channel we find, at zero temperature and rate R=1/4 an RS critical transition point located at p_c = 0.67 while the critical RSB transition point is located at p_c = 0.7450, to be compared with the corresponding Shannon bound 1-R. For the binary symmetric channel (BSC) we show that the low temperature reentrant behavior of the dynamical transition line, observed within the RS ansatz, changes within the RSB theory; the location of the dynamical transition point occurring at higher values of the channel noise. Possible practical implications to improve the performances of the state-of-the-art error correcting codes are discussed.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figure

Hydrochloric Acid Infusion for the Treatment of Metabolic Alkalosis in Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients

Background: Older reports of use of hydrochloric acid (HCl) infusions for treatment of metabolic alkalosis document variable dosing strategies and risk. Objectives: This study sought to characterize use of HCl infusions in surgical intensive care unit patients for the treatment of metabolic alkalosis. Methods: This retrospective review included patients who received a HCl infusion for \u3e8 hours. The primary end point was to evaluate the utility of common acid-base equations for predicting HCl dose requirements. Secondary end points evaluated adverse effects, efficacy, duration of therapy, and total HCl dose needed to correct metabolic alkalosis. Data on demographics, potential causes of metabolic alkalosis, fluid volume, and duration of diuretics as well as laboratory data were collected. Results: A total of 30 patients were included, and the average HCl infusion rate was 10.5 ± 3.7 mEq/h for an average of 29 ± 14.6 hours. Metabolic alkalosis was primarily diuretic-induced (n = 26). Efficacy was characterized by reduction in the median total serum CO2 from 34 to 27 mM/L (P \u3c 0.001). The change in chloride ion deficit and change in apparent strong ion difference (SIDa) were not correlated with total HCl administered. There were no documented serious adverse effects related to HCl infusions. Conclusion: HCl was effective for treating metabolic alkalosis, and no serious adverse events were seen. In this clinical setting, the baseline chloride ion deficit and SIDa were not useful for prediction of total HCl dose requirement, and serial monitoring of response is recommended

Diagnosis and treatment of thoracic aortic intramural hematoma

AbstractPurpose: This report reviews our recent experience with nine patients who had intramural hematoma of the thoracic aorta.Methods: This was a retrospective study of all patients who had intramural hematoma at our institution from 1989 to 1994. Patients who had identifiable intimal flap, tear, or penetrating aortic ulcer were excluded from the study.Results: Among these nine elderly patients (mean age, 76 years), the most common presentation was chest or back pain. Intramural hematoma was diagnosed by a variety of high-resolution imaging techniques. The descending thoracic aorta alone was involved in seven patients, whereas the ascending aorta was affected in the other two patients. One patient had evidence of an aneurysm (5.0 cm diameter) in the region of the hematoma. All patients were initially managed nonsurgically with blood pressure control. Both patients who had ascending aortic involvement had progression of aortic hematoma, which resulted in death in one case and in successful surgery in the other. Six of the seven patients who had descending aortic involvement alone were successfully managed without aortic surgery. The patient who had intramural hematoma and associated aortic aneurysm, however, had severe, recurrent pain and underwent successful aortic replacement. Another patient had recurrent pain associated with hypertension, but was successfully managed nonsurgically with antihypertensive therapy. All eight survivors are doing well at a median follow-up of 19 months.Conclusions: Intramural hematoma appears to be a distinct entity, although overlap with aortic dissection or penetrating aortic ulcer exists. Aggressive control of blood pressure with intensive care unit monitoring has been our initial management. Patients who have involvement of the descending thoracic aorta alone can frequently be managed without surgery in the absence of coexisting aneurysmal dilatation or disease progression. Our experience suggests that a more aggressive approach with early surgery is warranted in patients who have ascending aortic involvement or those who have coexisting aneurysm and intramural hematoma. (J Vasc Surg 1996;24;1022-9.

Herschel Search for O_2 toward the Orion Bar

We report the results of a search for molecular oxygen (O_2) toward the Orion Bar, a prominent photodissociation region at the southern edge of the H II region created by the luminous Trapezium stars. We observed the spectral region around the frequency of the O_2 NJ = 33-12 transition at 487 GHz and the 5_(4)-3_(4) transition at 774 GHz using the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared on the Herschel Space Observatory. Neither line was detected, but the 3σ upper limits established here translate to a total line-of-sight O2 column density <1.5 × 10^(16) cm^(–2) for an emitting region whose temperature is between 30 K and 250 K, or <1 × 10^(16) cm^(–2) if the O_2 emitting region is primarily at a temperature of ≲100 K. Because the Orion Bar is oriented nearly edge-on relative to our line of sight, the observed column density is enhanced by a factor estimated to be between 4 and 20 relative to the face-on value. Our upper limits imply that the face-on O_2 column density is less than 4 × 10^(15) cm^(–2), a value that is below, and possibly well below, model predictions for gas with a density of 10^(4)-10^(5) cm^(–3) exposed to a far-ultraviolet flux 10^4 times the local value, conditions inferred from previous observations of the Orion Bar. The discrepancy might be resolved if (1) the adsorption energy of O atoms to ice is greater than 800 K; (2) the total face-on A V of the Bar is less than required for O_2 to reach peak abundance; (3) the O_2 emission arises within dense clumps with a small beam filling factor; or (4) the face-on depth into the Bar where O_2 reaches its peak abundance, which is density dependent, corresponds to a sky position different from that sampled by our Herschel beams

Cluster Winds Blow along Supercluster Axes

Within Abell galaxy clusters containing Wide-Angle Tailed radio sources, there is evidence of a ``prevailing wind'' which directs the WAT jets. We study the alignment of nine WAT jets and nearby clusters to test the idea that this wind may be a fossil of drainage along large-scale filaments. We also test this idea with a study of the alignment of WAT jets and filament axes. Statistical tests indicate no significant alignment of WAT jets towards nearest neighbour clusters, but a highly significant alignment with the long axis of the supercluster in which the cluster lies