Coastal trapped waves and tidal mixing control primary production in the tropical Angolan upwelling system.

Eastern boundary upwelling systems are hotspots of marine life and primary production. The strength and seasonality of upwelling in these systems are usually related to local wind forcing. However, in some tropical upwelling systems, seasonal maxima of productivity occur when upwelling favorable winds are weak.

Propagation of Subseasonal Equatorially-Forced Coastal Trapped Waves down to the Benguela Upwelling System.

The oceanic connection between the coastal variability along the southwestern African coasts and the linear equatorial dynamics at subseasonal time-scales (<120 days) is examined using a variety of model outputs, ranging from linear to general circulation models. We focus on the equatorially-forced fast and weakly dissipative first-mode coastal trapped waves which are shown to propagate down to the southern tip of Africa. In the eastern equatorial Atlantic, the first-mode equatorial forcing is tangled with the higher-order Kelvin wave modes and is overshadowed by the dominant second baroclinic mode.

High operational and environmental stability of high-mobility conjugated polymer field-effect transistors through the use of molecular additives.

Due to their low-temperature processing properties and inherent mechanical flexibility, conjugated polymer field-effect transistors (FETs) are promising candidates for enabling flexible electronic circuits and displays. Much progress has been made on materials performance; however, there remain significant concerns about operational and environmental stability, particularly in the context of applications that require a very high level of threshold voltage stability, such as active-matrix addressing of organic light-emitting diode displays. Here, we investigate the physical mechanisms behind operational and environmental degradation of high-mobility, p-type polymer FETs and demonstrate an effective route to improve device stability.

Reducing dynamic disorder in small-molecule organic semiconductors by suppressing large-amplitude thermal motions.

Thermal vibrations and the dynamic disorder they create can detrimentally affect the transport properties of van der Waals bonded molecular semiconductors. The low-energy nature of these vibrations makes it difficult to access them experimentally, which is why we still lack clear molecular design rules to control and reduce dynamic disorder. In this study we discuss the promising organic semiconductors rubrene, 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothio-phene and 2,9-di-decyl-dinaphtho-[2,3-b:20,30-f]-thieno-[3,2-b]-thiophene in terms of an exceptionally low degree of dynamic disorder.

Association between Self-Reported Participation in Decision Making and Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective cross sectional.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the independent associations between perceived participation in clinical decision making on rehabilitation length of stay, discharge functional status, and discharge setting following inpatient rehabilitation.

Background: Active participation in the inpatient rehabilitation process, which is the most intense post-acute rehabilitation service, should lead to better patient experiences and outcomes.

Drug shortages as an impetus to improve parenteral nutrition practices.

Purpose: A medical center's implementation of adult and pediatric parenteral nutrition (PN) algorithms and other strategies for managing PN ingredient shortages are described.

Summary: In response to nationwide shortages of amino acids and other PN ingredients in 2010, a large Massachusetts teaching hospital undertook a quality-improvement initiative to ensure appropriate patient selection for PN therapy. A clinical pharmacist was designated as a nutrition support leader with responsibility for the management of PN practices.

Measurement of molecular motion in organic semiconductors by thermal diffuse electron scattering.

Many of the remarkable electrical and optical properties of organic semiconductors are governed by the interaction of electronic excitations with intra- and intermolecular vibrational modes. However, in specific systems this interaction is not understood in detail at a molecular level and this has been due, at least in part, to the lack of easy-to-use and widely available experimental probes of the structural dynamics. Here we demonstrate that thermal diffuse scattering in electron diffraction patterns from organic semiconductors, such as 6,13-bistriisopropyl-silylethynyl pentacene, allows the dominant lattice vibrational modes to be probed directly.

Increase of renal excretion of organo-mercury compounds like methlymercury by DMPS (2,3-Dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid, Dimaval).

In a highly mercury-burdened, small scale gold mining area in the Philippines, spontaneous urine samples were taken from 75 Hg intoxicated volunteers before (U1), and 2-3 hours after (U2) the oral application of 200 mg DMPS (2,3-Dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid, Dimaval). In the urine samples, the concentrations of organic and inorganic bound mercury were determined separately by CV-AAS. In U1, median concentrations of 15.

Trends in length of stay, living setting, functional outcome, and mortality following medical rehabilitation.

Context: Changes in reimbursement have reduced length of stay (LOS) for patients receiving inpatient medical rehabilitation. The impact of decreased LOS on functional status, living setting, and mortality is not known.

Objective: To examine changes in LOS, functional status, living setting, and mortality in patients completing inpatient rehabilitation.

Comparison of logistic regression and neural network analysis applied to predicting living setting after hip fracture.

Purpose: Describe and compare the characteristics of artificial neural networks and logistic regression to develop prediction models in epidemiological research.

Methods: The sample included 3708 persons with hip fracture from 46 different states included in the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation. Mean age was 75.

Satisfaction with medical rehabilitation after spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Objective: To predict satisfaction with medical rehabilitation.

Summary Of Background Data: While spinal cord injury (SCI) patient satisfaction with life and community services has been investigated, satisfaction with medical rehabilitation has not.

Satisfaction with medical rehabilitation in patients with orthopedic impairment.

Objective: To examine patient satisfaction after orthopedic impairment at 80 to 180 days after inpatient rehabilitation.

Design: Retrospective design examining records from facilities subscribing to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSmr).

Setting: Information submitted to UDSmr from 1997 to 1998 by 177 hospital and rehabilitation facilities from 40 states.

Effect of functional gain on satisfaction with medical rehabilitation after stroke.

Objective: To examine the association between gain in motor and cognitive functional status with patient satisfaction 3-6 mo after rehabilitation discharge.

Design: Patient satisfaction and changes in functional status were examined in 18,375 patients with stroke who received inpatient medical rehabilitation. Information was obtained from 144 hospitals and rehabilitation facilities contributing records to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation and the National Follow-up Services.

Hospital readmission of persons with hip fracture following medical rehabilitation.

A significant percentage of older adults hospitalized and treated for hip fracture are readmitted to a hospital within six months. We analyzed information from a national database, the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation. Records for 8,236 patients (1994-98) who received inpatient medical rehabilitation following treatment for hip fracture were examined.

Disparity in health services and outcomes for persons with hip fracture and lower extremity joint replacement.

Objective: Examine disparity in health services and outcomes for adults with a hip fracture or lower extremity joint replacement.

Materials And Methods: This study examined 28,522 patient records including 12,328 (mean age 76.6 years) with hip fracture and 16,194 (mean age 71.

Prediction of follow-up living setting in patients with lower limb joint replacement.

Objective: The living setting to which older adults are discharged from medical rehabilitation has important social and economic implications. This study was undertaken to develop statistical models to predict living setting after medical rehabilitation in persons with lower limb joint replacement.

Design: Information submitted from 1994 through 1998 to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation was examined.

Predicting follow-up living setting in patients with stroke.

Objective: To examine living setting at 3- to 6-month follow-up for inpatients with functional impairments discharged from medical rehabilitation.

Design: Retrospective performed by using information from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR) representing medical rehabilitation patients across the United States.

Setting: National survey data.

Satisfaction with medical rehabilitation in patients with cerebrovascular impairment.

Objective: Overall satisfaction has important social and economic implications for patients who have received inpatient medical rehabilitation. We conducted this study to examine the overall satisfaction level at 3- to 6-mo follow-up for inpatients with cerebrovascular impairments discharged from medical rehabilitation.

Design: The study was retrospective using information from a national database representative of medical rehabilitation patients across the United States.

Comparison of logistic regression and neural networks to predict rehospitalization in patients with stroke.

Context: Rehospitalization following inpatient medical rehabilitation has important health and economic implications for patients who have experienced a stroke.

Objective: Compare logistic regression and neural networks in predicting rehospitalization at 3-6-month follow-up for patients with stroke discharged from medical rehabilitation.

Design: The study was retrospective using information from a national database representative of medical rehabilitation patients across the US.

Characteristics of persons rehospitalized after stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: To develop classification models for risk of hospital readmission 80 to 180 days after discharge based the demographic and functional characteristics of persons discharged from acute inpatient rehabilitation after stroke.

Design: Retrospective, using information from US facilities subscribing to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDS(MR)).

Setting: Information submitted to the UDS(MR) from 1994 through 1996 by 167 hospital and rehabilitation facilities from 40 states was examined.

Length of stay and hospital readmission for persons with disabilities.

Objectives: Length of stay (LOS) and hospital readmission for persons receiving medical rehabilitation were examined.

Methods: A total of 96,473 patient records (1994-1998) were analyzed. Mean age of patients was 68.

Intermodal agreement of follow-up telephone functional assessment using the Functional Independence Measure in patients with stroke.

Objective: To examine the intermodal agreement of Functional Independence Measure (FIM) ratings when obtained by two commonly used approaches: telephone interview and in-person assessment of functional performance.

Design: A random sample of 40 persons with hemiparesis was tested by two registered nurses trained in FIM definitions and telephone interview techniques. The two assessments occurred within 5 days of each other.

[Symptoms and respiratory function in a group of Gruyère cheese processors in Comté].

We have analysed the symptoms and respiratory function of a group of cheese processors making gruyère Comté in relation to a group of controls: 96 male cheese workers (mean age 36 +/- 11.1) and 97 controls who were of the male sex and of comparable age, height, weight and smoking habits. The cheese workers had a lower educational and professional level (p less than 0.

Psychological stress reduction during dental procedures.

Behavioral methods of patient stress reduction during amalgam restorations were evaluated. Eighty adult patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 20 each: a control group, a relaxation group, a perceived control group, and an active distraction group. Both relaxation and distraction were found to be effective in reducing patient discomfort.

The use of relaxation and distraction to reduce psychological stress during dental procedures.

Relaxation and distraction techniques designed to reduce stress during operative dental procedures were evaluated with a number of different measures. The results indicate that both techniques can be effective in alleviating anxiety and reducing stress. Some findings suggested that relaxation was more effective with women than with men whereas distraction may be more effective with men than with women.