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PubMed2005

Field-effect transistors based on self-organized molecular nanostripes.

Charge transport properties in organic semiconductors depend strongly on molecular order. Here we demonstrate field-effect transistors where drain current flows through a precisely defined array of nanostripes made of crystalline and highly ordered molecules. The molecular stripes are fabricated across the channel of the transistor by a stamp-assisted deposition of the molecular semiconductors from a solution. As the solvent evaporates, the capillary forces drive the solution to form menisci under the stamp protrusions. The solute precipitates only in the regions where the solution is confined by the menisci once the critical concentration is reached and self-organizes into molecularly ordered stripes 100-200 nm wide and a few monolayers high. The charge mobility measured along the stripes is 2 orders of magnitude larger than the values measured for spin-coated thin films.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1998

Adjustable forming of thermoplastic composites for orthopaedic applications.

The present study was focused on the development of a special thermoforming technique for manufacturing of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite parts with complex surface contours. In particular, a stamp forming process was modified to investigate the potential manufacturing advantages of thermoplastic composites in orthopaedic applications. An apparatus was designed which allowed the thermoforming procedure to be fully automatic, i.e. a cold pre-consolidated laminate panel, as the feed material, was heated up in an infrared heating zone and then transferred into a cold mould system, where it was stamp formed. Both halves of the mould were made of many tiny round metal sticks in a metal frame. This needle-bed mould allowed one to copy any contour by pushing it slightly on spring fixed sticks. The desired position of these sticks could then be adjusted by forcing the side plates of the metal frame together. To prevent any press mark of stick-tops on the composite, i.e. to achieve smooth surfaces of the themoformed composite parts, flexible rubber pads were needed to cover the mould surfaces. Experimental results showed that the surface profile of CF/PP and GF/PP composites formed by the needle-bed mould reproduced fairly well the contour of a saddle shaped, complex model sample. Unique properties of this needle-bed mould are that it can be repeatedly used, and that it can copy any complex surface contours, for example a bone surface, by simply adjusting the stick positions according to the special surface requirements.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Elderly immigrants and the saga of welfare reform.

In 1996 Congress enacted legislation which, among other things, substantially cut off Supplemental Security Income payments and food stamps for present and future legal alien residents of the United States, and made it much harder for them to qualify for Medicaid. For low-income elderly immigrants, who constituted more than two-thirds of aliens on SSI, the adverse and potential impacts were substantial in terms of economic hardship and access to health care. In the months that followed, their plight received significant attention from the media and state and local politicians who now had greater economic and social responsibilities thrust upon them. One year later, Congress restored SSI benefits only for aliens who been receiving them before August 22, 1996 and made it easier for them to qualify for Medicaid. Food stamp benefits, however, were not restored. The limited scope of this restoration of benefits means that many of today's older immigrants, as well as those in the future, will be faced with serious problems in meeting their basic income and health care needs.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Landmarks in genetics through philately: Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common chromosomal disorders; however, the molecular pathogenesis and cause remains elusive. Many advances have been made in pre-natal screening and detection, but there have been few real advances in the primary prevention or treatment of DS. DS individuals have been depicted on several philatelic materials; we present some of these stamps and philatelic covers, as well as other complementary stamps, as a means to illustrate issues relevant to this disorder.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21↗

PubMed1998

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support in patients with responding stage IV breast cancer.

Ninety-four patients underwent high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support for stage IV breast cancer. The high-dose chemotherapy consisted of the Stamp V regimen in all patients comprising cyclophosphamide, thiotepa and carboplatin (CTCb). Twenty-three patients received sequential high-dose therapies with the first consisting of high-dose melphalan and the second of Stamp V. Two patients died from chemotherapy-related complications resulting in a transplant-related mortality at 100 days of 2.2%. The progression-free survival at 3 years was 36% in patients with no evidence of disease at the first course of high-dose therapy compared with 17% in patients with remaining disease at time of the high-dose therapy (P = 0.03). There was no difference in overall survival between patients with no evidence of disease and other patients. The source of stem cells, single or double courses of high-dose therapy, positive selection of CD34+ cells, or number of involved sites had no influence on either progression-free survival or overall survival. Further studies of more intensive induction chemotherapy followed by high-dose therapy with stem cell support are indicated.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Transbronchial fine needle aspiration cytological examination: a useful tool for diagnosing primary lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining a definitive preoperative diagnosis plays a critical role in deciding upon the treatment approach for lung carcinoma. However, success in making definitive diagnoses of small primary lung cancers will require new approaches because these cancers are difficult to detect using standard biopsy procedures. METHODS: We evaluated the results of morphologic definitive diagnosis together with various clinical factors in 1003 primary lung cancers resected surgically. Patients underwent transbronchial brushing, fine needle aspiration cytology, forceps biopsy, and/or forceps biopsy-stamp cytology for preoperative diagnoses, in conjunction with the use of Diff-Quik to confirm that hits had been made on the radiographic shadows before terminating the examinations. RESULTS: Sensitivities of the diagnostic procedures for primary lung cancers were as follows: 64.8% for brushing, 56.1% for transbronchial forceps biopsy, 72.0% for transbronchial forceps biopsy-stamp cytology, and 86.4% for transbronchial fine needle aspiration. The four transbronchial biopsy procedures had a combined overall sensitivity of 92.7%. In patients with peripheral lung cancers of 2 cm or less in diameter, transbronchial fine needle aspiration had a sensitivity of 75.9%, which was the highest sensitivity for all transbronchial examinations. In the subset of 296 patients who underwent all four transbronchial biopsy examinations, transbronchial fine needle aspiration had the highest sensitivity of preoperative diagnosis of all the transbronchial examination methods. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of preoperative cytological diagnosis for primary lung cancers, especially transbronchial aspiration cytology, is high. Transbronchial fine needle aspiration cytology is useful for the preoperative diagnosis of primary lung cancer.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

[Christmas seals].

Christmas seals, i. e., special stamps used to decorate or seal Christmas and New Year's mail, were created by the Danish post office clerk E. Holboell. The proceeds from the sale of the stickers were meant to alleviate the suffering of children sick with tuberculosis. The first Christmas seal, showing a portrait of Queen Louise of Denmark, was issued on December 10, 1904. The demand at the post office was enormous. The funds raised exceeded all expectations and made it possible to finance the construction of a sanatorium for tuberculosis children. The idea of Christmas seals spread quickly around the world and ended up being copied in 130 countries. At the beginning of the 20 (th) century, the small stamp with the red double-barred cross became a banner for the crusade against tuberculosis. For many patients, it also represented a symbol of hope for recovery even though this hope, given the cure rates of a sanatorium treatment, only became a reality for a few. Worldwide, Christmas seals were and are colourful and imaginatively designed, mostly with Christmas symbols or motives relating to the fight against tuberculosis. The funds raised through the sale of the seals initially helped to build hospitals and were later also used to screen persons at risk for tuberculosis, to improve housing conditions of patients and for other measures of support. With the decrease of tuberculosis, some organisations discontinued fundraising through Christmas seals while others widened their intended purpose and supported, for example, the prevention of and research on lung diseases. In Germany, Christmas seals are closely connected with the German Central Committee against Tuberculosis. Today the "Kuratorium Tuberkulose in der Welt" is the only organisation in this country that still raises funds by this means. The funds are mostly used to assist developing countries with a high burden of tuberculosis.

Art↗

PubMed1984

[Capsulotomy with the diathermy scalpel (2)].

Temperatures were measured with a newly designed bipolar electrode ("Cap-Stamp"). Since the results were satisfactory it was possible to introduce the new method in extracapsular cataract surgery on human. Initial clinical results are reported, the advantages of the new instrument are discussed and the "Cap-Stamp" is compared with conventional instruments.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Control of morphology in efficient photovoltaic diodes from discotic liquid crystals.

We report on the role of morphology in photovoltaic diodes with blend active layers composed of perylene tetracarboxdiimide (EPPTC) and hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivatives as electron and hole acceptors. Controlled annealing of HBC:EPPTC films while in conformal contact with a flat elastomeric stamp improves photovoltaic response, leading to an external quantum efficiency of 29.5% at 460 nm and an open-circuit voltage of 0.70 V. The improved performance is attributed in part to larger crystalline domains following annealing. The elastomeric stamp restricts the top surface of the thin film during annealing, leading to low surface roughness, while also allowing for greater vertical stratification of the components in the bulk. Blended HBC:EPPTC films also exhibit an unique optical absorption feature near 590 nm, which we attribute to an altered crystalline packing of EPPTC in the presence of HBC. The significance of the local structure at molecular heterojunctions in blended active layer photovoltaic diodes is discussed.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

A high-precision, low cost system for evaluating finger-tapping tasks.

Finger-tapping test is extensively employed to assess motor asymmetry in brain damaged patients and also to study the relationship between handedness and performance in normal subjects. The aim of this study was to develop a computer based finger-tapping system that could provide quantitative measures of finger-tapping performance. The system is designed to be used in a standard personnel computer without the need of any other hardware. The software is written in Borland Delphi 6.0 for Microsoft Windows 98 and higher operating systems. Beginning with the Pentium processor, it could be possible to access a time-stamp counter. The time-stamp counter is a 64-bit machine specific register that is incremented by every clock cycle, and keeps an accurate count of every cycle that occurs on the processor. By using a computer with 1 GHz processor speed it is possible to reach a high precision time resolution of 1 mus in finger-tapping tests. Our future prospects for the system are to improve it with various tools such as synchronized recording of electromyography, tapping force monitoring, monitoring of finger angle, and the response to different stimulus parameters by adding appropriate hardware and procedure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Improving the standards of care for women having caesarean sections.

Improvement in the uptake of prophylactic antibiotics at caesarean section was chosen as a priority at the 1994 ASQUAM (Achieving Sustainable Quality in Maternity) meeting. The interventions used were guidelines, cyclical audit of cases and a patient-specific reminder stamp in the notes. A more detailed qualitative assessment of standards of communication and outcome was undertaken on a smaller cohort of women. Data on antibiotic prophylaxis were obtained from an audit record completed for every caesarean section undertaken at North Staffordshire Hospital from 1996 to 1998. Information on morbidity following caesarean section and on counselling was obtained from a review of the case records of a consecutive series of 75 caesarean sections and from a telephone call. In the baseline audit, 75% of women had received antibiotics; this increased to 92% in the remainder of 1996, 95% in 1997 and 98% in 1998. Fifty-eight of the 75 women were contactable by telephone (77%); of these 16 (28%) had a 'wound infection', 12 of which developed after discharge from hospital. Only 25 women (43%) remembered being counselled about the caesarean section. It is possible to achieve significant improvements in the quality of care for women having caesarean sections through the use of local guidelines, cyclical audit and reminder stamps. However, this audit, with community follow-up, raises questions about the adequacy of single dose prophylaxis. It also suggests the need for improved compliance with RCOG communication following caesarean section guidelines.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Macrophage fusion: the making of osteoclasts and giant cells.

The fusion of cells is a fundamental biological event that is essential for a variety of developmental and homeostatic processes. Fusion is required for the formation of multinucleated osteoclasts and giant cells, although the mechanisms that govern these processes are poorly understood. A new study now reveals an unexpected role for the receptor, dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), in this process. The potential mechanism by which DC-STAMP governs fusion and the implications of this finding will be discussed.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed1999

Economic determinants and dietary consequences of food insecurity in the United States.

This paper reviews recent research on the economic determinants and dietary consequences of food insecurity and hunger in the United States. The new Current Population Study (CPS) food insecurity and hunger measure shows that hunger rates decline sharply with rising incomes. Despite this strong relationship, confirmed in other national datasets, a one-to-one correspondence between poverty-level incomes and hunger does not exist. In 1995, 13.1% of those in poverty experienced hunger and half of those experiencing hunger had incomes above the poverty level. Panel data indicate that those who are often food insufficient are much more likely than food-sufficient households to have experienced recent events that stress household budgets, such as losing a job, gaining a household member or losing food stamps. Cross-sectional work also demonstrates the importance of food stamps because benefit levels are inversely related to food insufficiency. Concern for the dietary consequences of domestic food insufficiency is well placed; recent research shows that the odds of consuming intakes <50% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) are higher for adult women and elderly individuals from food-insufficient households. Preschoolers from food-insufficient households do not consume significantly lower amounts than those from food-sufficient households, but mean intakes for the rest of members in those very same households are significantly lower for the food insufficient. This research highlights the importance of food insecurity and hunger indicators, further validates the use of self-reported measures and points to areas of need for future research and interventions.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes among human infants and toddlers.

The U.S. Household Food Security Scale, developed with federal support for use in national surveys, is an effective research tool. This study uses these new measures to examine associations between food insecurity and health outcomes in young children. The purpose of this study was to determine whether household food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes in a sentinel population ages < or = 36 mo. We conducted a multisite retrospective cohort study with cross-sectional surveys at urban medical centers in 5 states and Washington DC, August 1998-December 2001. Caregivers of 11,539 children ages < or = 36 mo were interviewed at hospital clinics and emergency departments (ED) in central cities. Outcome measures included child's health status, hospitalization history, whether child was admitted to hospital on day of ED visit (for subsample interviewed in EDs), and a composite growth-risk variable. In this sample, 21.4% of households were food insecure (6.8% with hunger). In a logistic regression, after adjusting for confounders, food-insecure children had odds of "fair or poor" health nearly twice as great [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.66-2.18], and odds of being hospitalized since birth almost a third larger (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.16-1.48) than food-secure children. A dose-response relation appeared between fair/poor health status and severity of food insecurity. Effect modification occurred between Food Stamps and food insecurity; Food Stamps attenuated (but did not eliminate) associations between food insecurity and fair/poor health. Food insecurity is associated with health problems for young, low-income children. Ensuring food security may reduce health problems, including the need for hospitalizations.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children↗

PubMed2002

Welfare use as a life course event: toward a new understanding of the U.S. safety net.

What proportion of the American population uses a social safety net program during the course of adulthood? To address this question, we constructed a series of life tables using 30 years of longitudinal data. Our results indicate that two-thirds of Americans between the ages of 20 and 65 will at some point reside in a household that receives benefits from a means-tested welfare program (food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, or other cash welfare). Such assistance is often in the form of in-kind programs, such as food stamps or Medicaid. The findings also indicate that the use of welfare tends to take place over fairly short intervals of time. For example, although 65 percent of Americans will use welfare by age 65, only 15.9 percent will do so for five or more consecutive years. However, once the use of welfare occurs, it is quite likely to occur again at some point during adulthood. Our results suggest that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the use of the United States social safety net is a mainstream experience.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Characteristics, roles, and responsibilities of the Designated Institutional Official (DIO) position in graduate medical education.

PURPOSE: In 1998, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) added the stipulation that each institution providing graduate medical education (GME) have a Designated Institutional Official (DIO). Little is known about the effect of new accreditation requirements on GME practice and outcomes. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey designed to provide descriptive data about DIOs and to validate a DIO Responsibility Scale (DIORS). METHOD: DIOs were identified by the ACGME. The following delivery strategy was used to administer the survey from January 2004 to May 2004: prenotice letter; survey with self-addressed, stamped return envelope and cover letter; thank-you/reminder postcard; and replacement survey with new cover letter and self-addressed, stamped return envelope. RESULTS: Completed surveys were received from 243 of 363 DIOs (66.9%). Responses indicated wide ranges in DIO titles, report titles, time spent accomplishing responsibilities, DIO-specific salaries, credentials, and Graduate Medical Education Committee reporting arrangements. DIOs reported confusion or overlap between DIO and program director roles (72.0%), decreasing funding for GME (50.6%), and inadequate support staff (25.1%). The 11-item DIO Responsibility Scale demonstrated a Cronbach alpha of .86 and a statistically significant relationship to five variables selected to establish construct validity. CONCLUSIONS: The wide variability in DIO characteristics found in this study supports the premise that the DIO role is underdeveloped. The authors established the reliability and validity of the DIORS, which now may be used in future research of the DIO role. The data from this study may be used by DIOs and institutions to develop the role further, improve DIO performance, and create more useful job descriptions.

Accreditation↗

PubMed2002

Assessment of backside wear from the analysis of 55 retrieved tibial inserts.

Fifty-five retrieved tibial inserts with four different locking mechanisms were evaluated for evidence for polyethylene wear between the inferior surface of the tibial insert and metal tray. This type of wear will be referred to as backside wear. Backside wear was assessed by evaluating manufacturer's stamped markings on the inferior polyethylene surface. Because these markings are embossed into the polyethylene surface, they were used as indicators of backside wear. Decreases in the depths of markings indicated that backside wear was clearly evident, regardless of design, in 24 (44%) of the inserts. In eight of these 24 inserts, the manufacturer's stamped markings were removed completely. The amount of polyethylene wear was as a high as 591 mg from the inferior surface. This corresponds to a polyethylene wear rate from the backside of the tibial insert of greater than 100 mg per year, which is two to four times higher than wear rates associated with total hip replacements. The current work provides direct evidence of backside wear in all four tibial insert designs. Backside wear of tibial inserts can be a significant contributor to polyethylene wear in total knee arthroplasty. Close attention should be given to the fixation of tibial inserts to metal trays by manufacturers and surgeons.

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee↗

PubMed2000

Association between recovery outcomes for work-related low back disorders and personal, family, and work factors.

STUDY DESIGN: Incident cases of work-related low back disorders were identified in an automotive metal stamping plant. Individuals were asked to recall health and work habits at the time of diagnosis of the work-related disorder and to report their current low back pain and physical functioning. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate five measures of health outcomes for work-related low back disorders in an industrial population and to determine potentially modifiable correlates of recovery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The factors that influence recovery in actively working adults and how to best measure recovery outcome in this population are not well known. METHODS: Eighty-eight hourly employees of a metal stamping plant who experienced a work-related low back disorder were interviewed. Health status, health habits, and family and work relations were assessed with a structured interview to determine their association with various recovery outcomes (low back pain, low back pain disability, physical functioning, general physical health, and lost workdays). Interview information was supplemented with data from the plant's Occupational Safety and Health Administration Form 200 log. RESULTS: The clinical measures of recovery from the work-related low back disorders examined had similar overall predictive ability. However, in multivariate analyses, different potentially modifiable prognostic variables emerged as significant among them. Poorer self-rated health status and high personal stress were correlated with low back pain disability. Higher levels of cigarette smoking were correlated with higher levels of low back pain disability, lower physical functioning, and more severe low back pain at follow-up. CONCLUSION: The choice of measure of recovery from work-related low back disorders should be made in the context of the rehabilitation intervention goal. Interventions designed to modify and promote healthful personal behavior should be given more emphasis in rehabilitation efforts for work-related low back disorders.

Adult↗