Validation of a Novel Scoring System for Changes in Skeletal Manifestations of Hypophosphatasia in Newborns, Infants, and Children: The Radiographic Global Impression of Change Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Whyte, Michael P; Fujita, Kenji P; Moseley, Scott; Thompson, David D; McAlister, William H

2018-05-01

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is the heritable metabolic disease characterized by impaired skeletal mineralization due to low activity of the tissue-nonspecific isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase. Although HPP during growth often manifests with distinctive radiographic skeletal features, no validated method was available to quantify them, including changes over time. We created the Radiographic Global Impression of Change (RGI-C) scale to assess changes in the skeletal burden of pediatric HPP. Site-specific pairs of radiographs of newborns, infants, and children with HPP from three clinical studies of asfotase alfa, an enzyme replacement therapy for HPP, were obtained at baseline and during treatment. Each pair was scored by three pediatric radiologists ("raters"), with nine raters across the three studies. Intrarater and interrater agreement was determined by weighted Kappa coefficients. Interrater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and by two-way random effects analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a mixed-model repeated measures ANOVA. Pearson correlation coefficients evaluated relationships of the RGI-C to the Rickets Severity Scale (RSS), Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument Global Function Parent Normative Score, Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, 6-Minute Walk Test percent predicted, and Z-score for height in patients aged 6 to 12 years at baseline. Eighty-nine percent (8/9) of raters showed substantial or almost perfect intrarater agreement of sequential RGI-C scores (weighted Kappa coefficients, 0.72 to 0.93) and moderate or substantial interrater agreement (weighted Kappa coefficients, 0.53 to 0.71) in patients aged 0 to 12 years at baseline. Moderate-to-good interrater reliability was observed (ICC, 0.57 to 0.65). RGI-C scores were significantly (p ≤ 0.0065) correlated with the RSS and with measures of global function, disability, endurance, and growth in the patients aged 6 to 12 years at

Looking beyond the face: a training to improve perceivers' impressions of people with facial paralysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogart, Kathleen R; Tickle-Degnen, Linda

2015-02-01

Healthcare providers and lay people alike tend to form inaccurate first impressions of people with facial movement disorders such as facial paralysis (FP) because of the natural tendency to base impressions on the face. This study tested the effectiveness of the first interpersonal sensitivity training for FP. Undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to one of two training conditions or an untrained control. Education raised awareness about FP symptoms and experiences and instructed participants to form their impressions based on cues from the body and voice rather than the face. Education+feedback added feedback about the correctness of participants' judgments. Subsequently, participants watched 30s video clips of people with FP and rated their extraversion. Participants' bias and accuracy in the two training conditions did not significantly differ, but they were significantly less biased than controls. Training did not improve the more challenging task of accurately detecting individual differences in extraversion. Educating people improves bias, but not accuracy, of impressions of people with FP. Information from the education condition could be delivered in a pamphlet to those likely to interact with this population such as healthcare providers and educators. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can physician examiners overcome their first impression when examinee performance changes?

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Timothy J; Pugh, Debra; Touchie, Claire; Chan, James; Humphrey-Murto, Susan

2018-03-20

There is an increasing focus on factors that influence the variability of rater-based judgments. First impressions are one such factor. First impressions are judgments about people that are made quickly and are based on little information. Under some circumstances, these judgments can be predictive of subsequent decisions. A concern for both examinees and test administrators is whether the relationship remains stable when the performance of the examinee changes. That is, once a first impression is formed, to what degree will an examiner be willing to modify it? The purpose of this study is to determine the degree that first impressions influence final ratings when the performance of examinees changes within the context of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Physician examiners (n = 29) viewed seven videos of examinees (i.e., actors) performing a physical exam on a single OSCE station. They rated the examinees' clinical abilities on a six-point global rating scale after 60 s (first impression or FIGR). They then observed the examinee for the remainder of the station and provided a final global rating (GRS). For three of the videos, the examinees' performance remained consistent throughout the videos. For two videos, examinee performance changed from initially strong to weak and for two videos, performance changed from initially weak to strong. The mean FIGR rating for the Consistent condition (M = 4.80) and the Strong to Weak condition (M = 4.87) were higher compared to their respective GRS ratings (M = 3.93, M = 2.73) with a greater decline for the Strong to Weak condition. The mean FIGR rating for the Weak to Strong condition was lower (3.60) than the corresponding mean GRS (4.81). This pattern of findings suggests that raters were willing to change their judgments based on examinee performance. Future work should explore the impact of making a first impression judgment explicit versus implicit and the role of context on the

Global hydrobelts: improved reporting scale for water-related issues?

Science.gov (United States)

Meybeck, M.; Kummu, M.; Dürr, H. H.

2012-08-01

Questions related to water such as its availability, water needs or stress, or management, are mapped at various resolutions at the global scale. They are reported at many scales, mostly along political or continental boundaries. As such, they ignore the fundamental heterogeneity of the hydroclimate and the natural boundaries of the river basins. Here, we describe the continental landmasses according to eight global-scale hydrobelts strictly limited by river basins, defined at a 30' (0.5°) resolution. The belts were defined and delineated, based primarily on the annual average temperature (T) and runoff (q), to maximise interbelt differences and minimise intrabelt variability. The belts were further divided into 29 hydroregions based on continental limits. This new global puzzle defines homogeneous and near-contiguous entities with similar hydrological and thermal regimes, glacial and postglacial basin histories, endorheism distribution and sensitivity to climate variations. The Mid-Latitude, Dry and Subtropical belts have northern and southern analogues and a general symmetry can be observed for T and q between them. The Boreal and Equatorial belts are unique. The hydroregions (median size 4.7 Mkm2) contrast strongly, with the average q ranging between 6 and 1393 mm yr-1 and the average T between -9.7 and +26.3 °C. Unlike the hydroclimate, the population density between the North and South belts and between the continents varies greatly, resulting in pronounced differences between the belts with analogues in both hemispheres. The population density ranges from 0.7 to 0.8 p km-2 for the North American Boreal and some Australian hydroregions to 280 p km-2 for the Asian part of the Northern Mid-Latitude belt. The combination of population densities and hydroclimate features results in very specific expressions of water-related characteristics in each of the 29 hydroregions. Our initial tests suggest that hydrobelt and hydroregion divisions are often more

Digital vs. conventional implant impressions: efficiency outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang J; Gallucci, German O

2013-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficiency, difficulty and operator's preference of a digital impression compared with a conventional impression for single implant restorations. Thirty HSDM second year dental students performed conventional and digital implant impressions on a customized model presenting a single implant. The outcome of the impressions was evaluated under an acceptance criteria and the need for retake/rescan was decided. The efficiency of both impression techniques was evaluated by measuring the preparation, working, and retake/scan time (m/s) and the number of retakes/rescans. Participants' perception on the level of difficulty for the both impressions was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire. Multiple questionnaires were obtained to assess the participants' perception on preference, effectiveness and proficiency. Mean total treatment time was of 24:42 m/s for conventional and 12:29 m/s for digital impressions (P impressions (P impression (P impression technique and 30.63 (±17.57) for digital impression technique (P = 0.006). Sixty percent of the participants preferred the digital impression, 7% the conventional impression technique and 33% preferred either technique. Digital impressions resulted in a more efficient technique than conventional impressions. Longer preparation, working, and retake time were consumed to complete an acceptable conventional impression. Difficulty was lower for the digital impression compared with the conventional ones when performed by inexperienced second year dental students. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Multidimensional Patient Impression of Change Following Interdisciplinary Pain Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Christine M; Scholten, Paul; Atchison, James

2018-04-20

To assess patient impression of change following interdisciplinary pain management utilizing a newly developed Multidimensional Patient Impression of Change (MPIC) questionnaire. A heterogeneous group of chronic pain patients (N = 601) participated in an interdisciplinary treatment program. Programs included individual and group therapies (pain psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, relaxation training/biofeedback, aerobic conditioning, patient education and medical management). Patients completed measures of pain, mood, coping, physical functioning and pain acceptance both prior to and at completion of their treatment programs. The newly developed MPIC is an expansion to the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) including seven additional domains (Pain, Mood, Sleep, Physical Functioning, Cope with Pain, Manage Pain Flare-ups, and Medication Effectiveness). The MPIC was administered to the patients post-treatment. There were statistically significant pre- to post-treatment improvements found on all outcome measures. The majority of these improvements were significantly correlated with all domains of the MPIC. The original PGIC item was significantly associated with all of the new MPIC domains and the domains were significantly associated with each other; but there were variations in the distribution of responses highlighting variation of perceived improvements among the domains. Our results support the use of the MPIC as a quick and easy post-treatment assessment screening tool. Future research is needed to examine relevant correlates to Medication Effectiveness. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The quality of fixed prosthodontic impressions: An assessment of crown and bridge impressions received at commercial laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Rau, Clayton T; Olafsson, Vilhelm G; Delgado, Alex J; Ritter, André V; Donovan, Terry E

2017-09-01

The authors evaluated and quantified clinically detectable errors commonly seen in impressions sent to commercial laboratories and determined possible relationships between finish line errors and other factors involved. The authors visited 3 large and 1 small commercial dental laboratories over a 12-month period. Three calibrated examiners evaluated the impressions. The examiners evaluated all impressions for errors by using ×2.5 magnification loupes under ambient room lighting without the aid of additional illumination. The authors evaluated 1,157 impressions; 86% of the examined impressions had at least 1 detectable error, and 55% of the noted errors were critical errors pertaining to the finish line. The largest single error categories evaluated were tissue over the finish line (49.09%), lack of unprepared stops in dual-arch impressions (25.63%), pressure of the tray on the soft tissue (25.06%), and void at the finish line (24.38%). The factors blood on the impression (odds ratio, 2.31; P impressions evaluated. The authors noted an increase in errors at the finish line with dual-arch impression techniques and in the presence of blood. Dentists have ethical, moral, and legal obligations bestowed on them by the profession and need to evaluate critically the work they send to laboratories. The authors strongly recommend an improvement in technique and reviewing of all impressions and working casts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

How the adoption of impression management goals alters impression formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Bryan; Poposki, Elizabeth M

2010-11-01

Five experiments (N = 390) tested the hypothesis that adopting an impression management goal leads the impression manager to view an interaction partner as having less of the trait he or she is attempting to express. This hypothesis was confirmed for the impression management goals of appearing introverted, extraverted, smart, confident, and happy. Experiment 2 shows that adoption of the impression goal could alter judgments even when participants could not act on the goal. Experiment 3 provides evidence that adopting an impression management goal prompted a comparison mind-set and that this comparison mind-set activation mediated target judgments. Experiment 4 rules out a potential alternative explanation and provides more direct evidence that comparison of the impression manager's self-concept mediates the impression of the target. Experiment 5 eliminates a potential confound and extends the effect to another impression goal. These experiments highlight the dynamic interplay between impression management and impression formation.

Global impression of perceived difficulties in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Reliability and validity of a new instrument assessing perceived difficulties from a patient, parent and physician perspective over the day

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dittmann Ralf W

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a brief scale developed to assess the degree of difficulties in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD. The Global Impression of Perceived Difficulties (GIPD scale reflects overall impairment, psychosocial functioning and Quality of Life (QoL as rated by patient, parents and physician at various times of the day. Methods In two open-label studies, ADHD-patients aged 6–17 years were treated with atomoxetine (target-dose 0.5–1.2 mg/kg/day. ADHD-related difficulties were assessed up to week 24 using the GIPD. Data from both studies were combined to validate the scale. Results Overall, 421 patients received atomoxetine. GIPD scores improved over time. All three GIPD-versions (patient, parent, physician were internally consistent; all items showed at least moderate item-total correlation. The scale showed good test-retest reliability over a two-week period from all three perspectives. Good convergent and discriminant validity was shown. Conclusion GIPD is an internally consistent, reliable and valid measure to assess difficulties in children with ADHD at various times of the day and can be used as indicator for psychosocial impairment and QoL. The scale is sensitive to treatment-related change.

Electronic evaluation for video commercials by impression index.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Wanzeng; Zhao, Xinxin; Hu, Sanqing; Vecchiato, Giovanni; Babiloni, Fabio

2013-12-01

How to evaluate the effect of commercials is significantly important in neuromarketing. In this paper, we proposed an electronic way to evaluate the influence of video commercials on consumers by impression index. The impression index combines both the memorization and attention index during consumers observing video commercials by tracking the EEG activity. It extracts features from scalp EEG to evaluate the effectiveness of video commercials in terms of time-frequency-space domain. And, the general global field power was used as an impression index for evaluation of video commercial scenes as time series. Results of experiment demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to track variations of the cerebral activity related to cognitive task such as observing video commercials, and help to judge whether the scene in video commercials is impressive or not by EEG signals.

Handling of Polyvinylsiloxane Versus Polyether for Implant Impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Farhan, Daniel; Lauer, Wiebke; Heydecke, Guido; Aarabi, Ghazal; Reissmann, Daniel R

2016-01-01

This study compared polyvinylsiloxane with polyether in handling dental impressions. Each participant (N = 39) made four impressions, each a combination of pickup and reseating techniques with polyether or polyvinylsiloxane, of one implant cast representing a specific clinical situation (tooth gaps, limited residual dentition, or edentulous jaw). Handling of impressions was subsequently rated by using a 12-item questionnaire with 100-mm visual analog scales. While mean satisfaction scores were higher for polyvinylsiloxane than for polyether (69.5/63.0, P < .001), differences among subgroups were statistically significant only for pickup technique, limited residual dentition, and edentulous jaw. Implant impressions made with polyvinylsiloxane using a pickup technique seem to be the best option for most clinical situations.

How Can the Evidence from Global Large-scale Clinical Trials for Cardiovascular Diseases be Improved?

Science.gov (United States)

Sawata, Hiroshi; Tsutani, Kiichiro

2011-06-29

Clinical investigations are important for obtaining evidence to improve medical treatment. Large-scale clinical trials with thousands of participants are particularly important for this purpose in cardiovascular diseases. Conducting large-scale clinical trials entails high research costs. This study sought to investigate global trends in large-scale clinical trials in cardiovascular diseases. We searched for trials using clinicaltrials.gov (URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/) using the key words 'cardio' and 'event' in all fields on 10 April, 2010. We then selected trials with 300 or more participants examining cardiovascular diseases. The search revealed 344 trials that met our criteria. Of 344 trials, 71% were randomized controlled trials, 15% involved more than 10,000 participants, and 59% were funded by industry. In RCTs whose results were disclosed, 55% of industry-funded trials and 25% of non-industry funded trials reported statistically significant superiority over control (p = 0.012, 2-sided Fisher's exact test). Our findings highlighted concerns regarding potential bias related to funding sources, and that researchers should be aware of the importance of trial information disclosures and conflicts of interest. We should keep considering management and training regarding information disclosures and conflicts of interest for researchers. This could lead to better clinical evidence and further improvements in the development of medical treatment worldwide.

Disinfection of Dental Impressions Prior to Handling at Muhimbili ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

All four dental technicians who handled the received impressions were interviewed. Questions asked were on practice and attitudes and responses were on different point scales. Results are based on information gathered from the dental technicians. Results: Of the 1,453 impressions received none were reported to have ...

Accuracy of impressions with different impression materials in angulated implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, S; Prasad, K; Vakil, H; Jain, A; Chowdhary, R

2013-01-01

To evaluate the dimensional accuracy of the resultant (duplicative) casts made from two different impression materials (polyvinyl siloxane and polyether) in parallel and angulated implants. Three definitive master casts (control groups) were fabricated in dental stone with three implants, placed at equi-distance. In first group (control), all three implants were placed parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane of the cast. In the second and third group (control), all three implants were placed at 10° and 15 o angulation respectively to the long axis of the cast, tilting towards the centre. Impressions were made with polyvinyl siloxane and polyether impression materials in a special tray, using a open tray impression technique from the master casts. These impressions were poured to obtain test casts. Three reference distances were evaluated on each test cast by using a profile projector and compared with control groups to determine the effect of combined interaction of implant angulation and impression materials on the accuracy of implant resultant cast. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in dimensional accuracy of the resultant casts made from two different impression materials (polyvinyl siloxane and polyether) by closed tray impression technique in parallel and angulated implants. On the basis of the results of this study, the use of both the impression materials i.e., polyether and polyvinyl siloxane impression is recommended for impression making in parallel as well as angulated implants.

Globalizing Lessons Learned from Regional-scale Observatories

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, S. M.

2016-02-01

The Mid Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) has accumulated a decade of experience designing, building and operating a Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System for the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). MARACOOS serves societal goals and supports scientific discovery at the scale of a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME). Societal themes include maritime safety, ecosystem decision support, coastal inundation, water quality and offshore energy. Scientific results that feed back on societal goals with better products include improved understanding of seasonal transport pathways and their impact on phytoplankton blooms and hypoxia, seasonal evolution of the subsurface Mid Atlantic Cold Pool and its impact on fisheries, biogeochemical transformations in coastal plumes, coastal ocean evolution and impact on hurricane intensities, and storm sediment transport pathways. As the global ocean observing requirements grow to support additional societal needs for information on fisheries and aquaculture, ocean acidification and deoxygenation, water quality and offshore development, global observing will necessarily evolve to include more coastal observations and forecast models at the scale of the world's many LMEs. Here we describe our efforts to share lessons learned between the observatory operators at the regional-scale of the LMEs. Current collaborators are spread across Europe, and also include Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Brazil and South Africa. Specific examples include the development of a world standard QA/QC approach for HF Radar data that will foster the sharing of data between countries, basin-scale underwater glider missions between internationally-distributed glider ports to developed a shared understanding of operations and an ongoing evaluation of the global ocean models in which the regional models for the LME will be nested, and joint training programs to develop the distributed teams of scientists and technicians

Digital versus conventional implant impressions for edentulous patients: accuracy outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Papaspyridakos, Panos; Gallucci, German O; Chen, Chun-Jung; Hanssen, Stijn; Naert, Ignace; Vandenberghe, Bart

2016-04-01

To compare the accuracy of digital and conventional impression techniques for completely edentulous patients and to determine the effect of different variables on the accuracy outcomes. A stone cast of an edentulous mandible with five implants was fabricated to serve as master cast (control) for both implant- and abutment-level impressions. Digital impressions (n = 10) were taken with an intraoral optical scanner (TRIOS, 3shape, Denmark) after connecting polymer scan bodies. For the conventional polyether impressions of the master cast, a splinted and a non-splinted technique were used for implant-level and abutment-level impressions (4 cast groups, n = 10 each). Master casts and conventional impression casts were digitized with an extraoral high-resolution scanner (IScan D103i, Imetric, Courgenay, Switzerland) to obtain digital volumes. Standard tessellation language (STL) datasets from the five groups of digital and conventional impressions were superimposed with the STL dataset from the master cast to assess the 3D (global) deviations. To compare the master cast with digital and conventional impressions at the implant level, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe's post hoc test was used, while Wilcoxon's rank-sum test was used for testing the difference between abutment-level conventional impressions. Significant 3D deviations (P impressions (P > 0.001). Digital implant impressions are as accurate as conventional implant impressions. The splinted, implant-level impression technique is more accurate than the non-splinted one for completely edentulous patients, whereas there was no difference in the accuracy at the abutment level. The implant angulation up to 15° did not affect the accuracy of implant impressions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using Teacher Impression Journals to Improve Intervention Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, SeonYeong; Ostrosky, Michaelene M.; Meyer, Lori E.; Favazza, Paddy C.; Mouzourou, Chryso; van Luling, Lisa

2016-01-01

This article describes the use of "Teacher Impression Journals" during a larger study that examined the efficacy of an intervention program designed to promote kindergarteners' positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities (i.e., the "Special Friends" program). The journals were designed to gather information about…

Transforming Global Health by Improving the Science of Scale-Up

OpenAIRE

Kruk, Margaret E.; Yamey, Gavin; Angell, Sonia Y.; Beith, Alix; Cotlear, Daniel; Guanais, Frederico; Jacobs, Lisa; Saxenian, Helen; Victora, Cesar; Goosby, Eric

2016-01-01

In its report Global Health 2035, the Commission on Investing in Health proposed that health investments can reduce mortality in nearly all low- and middle-income countries to very low levels, thereby averting 10 million deaths per year from 2035 onward. Many of these gains could be achieved through scale-up of existing technologies and health services. A key instrument to close this gap is policy and implementation research (PIR) that aims to produce generalizable evidence on what works to i...

How Can the Evidence from Global Large-scale Clinical Trials for Cardiovascular Diseases be Improved?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsutani Kiichiro

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical investigations are important for obtaining evidence to improve medical treatment. Large-scale clinical trials with thousands of participants are particularly important for this purpose in cardiovascular diseases. Conducting large-scale clinical trials entails high research costs. This study sought to investigate global trends in large-scale clinical trials in cardiovascular diseases. Findings We searched for trials using clinicaltrials.gov (URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ using the key words 'cardio' and 'event' in all fields on 10 April, 2010. We then selected trials with 300 or more participants examining cardiovascular diseases. The search revealed 344 trials that met our criteria. Of 344 trials, 71% were randomized controlled trials, 15% involved more than 10,000 participants, and 59% were funded by industry. In RCTs whose results were disclosed, 55% of industry-funded trials and 25% of non-industry funded trials reported statistically significant superiority over control (p = 0.012, 2-sided Fisher's exact test. Conclusions Our findings highlighted concerns regarding potential bias related to funding sources, and that researchers should be aware of the importance of trial information disclosures and conflicts of interest. We should keep considering management and training regarding information disclosures and conflicts of interest for researchers. This could lead to better clinical evidence and further improvements in the development of medical treatment worldwide.

Attribution of Large-Scale Climate Patterns to Seasonal Peak-Flow and Prospects for Prediction Globally

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghoon; Ward, Philip; Block, Paul

2018-02-01

Flood-related fatalities and impacts on society surpass those from all other natural disasters globally. While the inclusion of large-scale climate drivers in streamflow (or high-flow) prediction has been widely studied, an explicit link to global-scale long-lead prediction is lacking, which can lead to an improved understanding of potential flood propensity. Here we attribute seasonal peak-flow to large-scale climate patterns, including the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), using streamflow station observations and simulations from PCR-GLOBWB, a global-scale hydrologic model. Statistically significantly correlated climate patterns and streamflow autocorrelation are subsequently applied as predictors to build a global-scale season-ahead prediction model, with prediction performance evaluated by the mean squared error skill score (MSESS) and the categorical Gerrity skill score (GSS). Globally, fair-to-good prediction skill (20% ≤ MSESS and 0.2 ≤ GSS) is evident for a number of locations (28% of stations and 29% of land area), most notably in data-poor regions (e.g., West and Central Africa). The persistence of such relevant climate patterns can improve understanding of the propensity for floods at the seasonal scale. The prediction approach developed here lays the groundwork for further improving local-scale seasonal peak-flow prediction by identifying relevant global-scale climate patterns. This is especially attractive for regions with limited observations and or little capacity to develop flood early warning systems.

Impression Cytology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sevda Söker

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Impression cytology is fast, easy to perform, economical and non-invasive technique for the diagnosis of conjunctival eye diseases. Conjunctival impression cytology using cellulose acetate filter paper of the ocular surface epithelium with no side effects or contraindication. In this article, technique of conjunctival impression cytology is reviewed.

Accuracy of implant impressions without impression copings: a three-dimensional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Joo-Hyun; Son, Yong-Ha; Han, Chong-Hyun; Kim, Sunjai

2011-06-01

Implant impressions without impression copings can be used for cement-retained implant restorations. A comparison of the accuracy of implant impressions with and without impression copings is needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the dimensional accuracy of implant definitive casts that are fabricated by implant impressions with and without impression copings. An acrylic resin maxillary model was fabricated, and 3 implant replicas were secured in the right second premolar, first, and second molars. Two impression techniques were used to fabricate definitive casts (n=10). For the coping group (Group C), open tray impression copings were used for the final impressions. For the no-coping group (Group NC), cementable abutments were connected to the implant replicas, and final impressions were made assuming the abutments were prepared teeth. Computerized calculation of the centroids and long axes of the implant or stone abutment replicas was performed. The Mann-Whitney U test analyzed the amount of linear and rotational distortion between groups (α =.05). At the first molar site, Group NC showed significantly greater linear distortion along the Y-axis, with a small difference between the groups (Group C, 7.8 ± 7.4 μm; Group NC, 19.5 ± 12.2). At the second molar site, increased distortion was noted in Group NC for every linear and rotational variable, except for linear distortion along the Z-axis. Implant impression with open tray impression copings produced more accurate definitive casts than those fabricated without impression copings, especially those with greater inter-abutment distance. Copyright © 2011 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the impact cosmetic make-up has on age perception and the first impression projected.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayan, Steven H; Cho, Katherine; Siracusa, Mary; Gutierrez-Borst, Selika

2015-04-01

First impressions are lasting, consequential and defined as the immediate judgment made of another from zero acquaintance. Multiple studies have reported the benefits of cosmetic make-up. We set out to investigate the psychosocial and aesthetic effects of cosmetic make-up in order to better understand why women wear it. Twenty-seven women were recruited in order to examine the effects of cosmetic make-up on first impressions. The photographs of individual subjects wearing the control cosmetics, their own make-up, and no make-up were randomly assigned to three binders (A, B, and C). Three hundred evaluators participated (100 evaluators per book) and completed a 10-point First Impression Scale for each of the 27 photos in their binder. Statistical analysis of the collected data was conducted in SPSS using two-tailed t-tests to determine the statistical significance of the differences between first impressions of Own Make-up vs No Make-up, No Make-up vs Control Make-up, and Own Makeup vs Control Make-up. There was a significant difference in improvement in all pairings across all 8 categories in the First Impressions questionnaire particularly in perceived age between own make-up, no make-up, control make-up (41, 42, 38; Pfirst impressions, age perception, self-esteem, and the quality of life impact that cosmetic makeup has on women's appearance and confidence. Subjects wearing cosmetic make-up appeared 4 years younger than those wearing no make-up. And the control cosmetic make-up subjects on average projected a 37% better first impression than subjects wearing no make-up. We objectively quantified and qualified the benefits of applying cosmetic make-up. Make-up can reduce the perceived age, improve the first impression projected and increase the self-esteem of those who apply it.

Torque resistance of impression copings after direct implant impression: An in vitro evaluation of impression materials with and without adhesive.

Science.gov (United States)

Auroy, Pascal; Nicolas, Emanuel; Bedouin, Yvan

2017-01-01

No data are available on the ability of an impression coping to resist the manual placement of an abutment replica (implant analog) during prosthodontic laboratory procedures after a direct (pick-up) impression. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the torque resistance of impression copings after a direct impression, that is, the amount of rotational torque sufficient to induce irreversible displacement of impression copings in the impression material bulk once the impression has been made. A reference model with 5 abutment replicas was constructed. Five impression copings were screwed onto the abutment replicas, and standardized impressions were made. A controlled twisting force was applied to each impression coping. A torque tester recorded the torque variation. Three elastomeric impression materials were tested. ANOVA and the Tukey test (α=.05) were performed using an average of 30 measurements per impression material, with and without adhesive. ANOVA and the Tukey test results showed that the adhesive, cohesive, and mechanical bonds between the impression coping and the impression material depended greatly on the type of material and that the average rupture threshold of these bonds was statistically significantly different in pairwise comparisons (Ptorque. The polyether impression material is the direct impression material that showed the highest breakdown threshold for adhesive bonding when used without an adhesive. The use of an adhesive on impression copings leads to irreversible deformation of the interface at torque stresses well below the adhesive bond threshold of the same materials used without an adhesive. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An innovative nonpharmacological intervention combined with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia increased patient global improvement in pain and satisfaction after major surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuang CC

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Chia-Chun Chuang,1 Chien-Ching Lee,1,2 Li-Kai Wang,1 Bor-Shyh Lin,2 Wen-Ju Wu,1 Chung-Han Ho,3 Jen-Yin Chen1,4 1Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, 2Department of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, 3Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, 4Department of the Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether a nonpharmacological approach through implementation of a communication improvement program (named CICARE for Connect, Introduce, Communicate, Ask, Respond and Exit into standard operating procedure (SOP in acute pain service (APS improved satisfaction in patients receiving intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA.Patients and methods: This was a nonrandomized before–after study. Adult patients (aged between 20 and 80 years who received IV-PCA after major surgery were included. Implementing CICARE into SOP was conducted in APS. Anonymous questionnaires were used to measure outcomes in this prospective two-part survey. The first part completed by APS nurses contained patients’ characteristics, morphine dosage, delivery/demand ratios, IV-PCA side effects and pain at rest measured with an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS, 0–10. A score of NRS ≥4 was defined as inadequately treated pain. The ten-question second part was completed by patients voluntarily after IV-PCA was discontinued. Each question was assessed with a 5-point Likert scale (1: extremely poor; 5: excellent. Patients were separated into “before” and “after” CICARE groups. Primary outcomes were patient global impression of improvement in pain (PGI-Improvement and patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included quality of communication skills, instrument proficiency and accessibility/availability of IV-PCA.Results: The response rate was 55.3%, with 187 usable questionnaires. CICARE

Turn Management or Impression Management?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Maat, Mark; Heylen, Dirk K.J.; Ruttkay, Z.M.; Kipp, M.; Nijholt, Antinus; Vilhjálmsson, H.H.

2009-01-01

We look at how some basic choices in the management of turns influence the impression that people get from an agent. We look at scales concerning personality, emotion and interpersonal stance. We do this by a person perception study, or rather an agent perception study, using simulated conversations

Constraining the global carbon budget from global to regional scales - The measurement challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francey, R.J.; Rayner, P.J.; Allison, C.E.

2002-01-01

The Global Carbon Cycle can be modelled by a Bayesian synthesis inversion technique, where measured atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and isotopic compositions are analysed by use of an atmospheric transport model and estimates of regional sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon. The uncertainty associated to carbon flux estimates even on a regional scale can be improved considerably using the inversion technique. In this approach, besides the necessary control on the precision of atmospheric transport models and on the constraints for surface fluxes, an important component is the calibration of atmospheric CO 2 concentration and isotope measurements. The recent improved situation in respect to data comparability is discussed using results of conducted interlaboratory comparison exercises and larger scale calibration programs are proposed for the future to further improve the comparability of analytical data. (author)

Dishonest responding or true virtue? A behavioral test of impression management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zettler, I.; Hilbig, B.E.; Moshagen, M.; de Vries, R.E.

2015-01-01

Impression management or social desirability scales have been used widely to assess and control for self-favoring biases in self-reports, both in low and high demand situations. Recently, however, substantive interpretations of impression management scores have surfaced, including the simple but

Conventional Vs Digital Impressions: Acceptability, Treatment Comfort and Stress Among Young Orthodontic Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangano, Alessandro; Beretta, Matteo; Luongo, Giuseppe; Mangano, Carlo; Mangano, Francesco

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study was to compare patients' acceptability, comfort and stress with conventional and digital impressions. Thirty young orthodontic patients (15 males and 15 females) who had no previous experience of impressions were enrolled in this study. Conventional impressions for orthodontic study models of the dental arches were taken using an alginate impression material (Hydrogum ® , Zhermack Spa, Badia Polesine, Rovigo, Italy). Fifteen days later, digital impressions of both arches were acquired using an intraoral scanner (CS3600 ® , Carestream Dental, Rochester, NY, USA). Immediately after impression taking, patients' acceptability, comfort and stress were measured using two questionnaires and the State anxiety scale. Data showed no difference in terms of anxiety and stress; however, patients preferred the use of digital impressions systems instead of conventional impression techniques. Alginate impressions resulted as fast as digital impressions. Digital impressions resulted the most accepted and comfortable impression technique in young orthodontic patients, when compared to conventional techniques.

Conventional Vs Digital Impressions: Acceptability, Treatment Comfort and Stress Among Young Orthodontic Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Mangano, Alessandro; Beretta, Matteo; Luongo, Giuseppe; Mangano, Carlo; Mangano, Francesco

2018-01-01

Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare patients’ acceptability, comfort and stress with conventional and digital impressions. Materials and Methods: Thirty young orthodontic patients (15 males and 15 females) who had no previous experience of impressions were enrolled in this study. Conventional impressions for orthodontic study models of the dental arches were taken using an alginate impression material (Hydrogum®, Zhermack Spa, Badia Polesine, Rovigo, Italy). Fifteen days later, digital impressions of both arches were acquired using an intraoral scanner (CS3600®, Carestream Dental, Rochester, NY, USA). Immediately after impression taking, patients’ acceptability, comfort and stress were measured using two questionnaires and the State anxiety scale. Results: Data showed no difference in terms of anxiety and stress; however, patients preferred the use of digital impressions systems instead of conventional impression techniques. Alginate impressions resulted as fast as digital impressions. Conclusions: Digital impressions resulted the most accepted and comfortable impression technique in young orthodontic patients, when compared to conventional techniques. PMID:29492177

[The Collage Impression Scoring Scale (CIISS) may help predict sobriety for alcoholics].

Science.gov (United States)

Itoh, Mitsuru; Ishii, Takayoshi

2009-08-01

The Collage Impression Scoring Scale (CISS; Imamura, 2004) was used by 54 raters to score collages made by 24 alcoholics on admission to the hospital and at discharge. The CISS contains three factors: stability, expression and creativity. Comparisons using paired t-tests showed that the collages made at discharge had lower scores on the three CISS factors than the collages made on admission. The results for 11 alcoholics, who were followed for six months after discharge, showed that the scores for CISS factors for the abstinent group were lower than those for the relapsed drinking group. The abstinent group showed more anxiety than the relapsed drinking group. This result suggests that the abstinent alcoholics'anxieties were projected onto the collages because they were facing their internal problems more seriously. Thus the CISS was effective as a predictive index for alcoholics who maintain sobriety.

[Impressions techniques--Part 2].

Science.gov (United States)

Levartovsky, S; Masri, M; Alter, E; Pilo, R

2012-10-01

A dental impression is a positive replica of the teeth, the surrounding gingiva and the border between them; the purpose of which is to create an accurate master model. Two major techniques for impressions exist today: The conventional and the digital impressions. The current article describes both techniques. In the conventional impressions, it is important to choose a proper tray, stock or custom, and to mix the material properly. The commonly used impression techniques for making a conventional impression are described with a review on the effect of the technique on its accuracy. The effect of the wash bulk on the accuracy of the stone dies and/or the restoration is discussed, as well. The digital impressions with their advantages and disadvantages are described in comparison to the conventional impressions. Although, digital impressions eliminate some of the negative characteristics of conventional impressions, proper soft-tissue management and isolation of tooth preparation margins is still mandatory.

[Impression Formation in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Michael; Dymke, Tina; Hüttner, Susanne; Schnaubelt, Sabine

2016-06-01

The first item of any psychopathological assessment is "general impression". There is some research under the heading of "impression formation" which shows that the outer appearance of a person decides about how a person is perceived by others and how others react. Impression formation is an important factor in social interaction. This is of special importance in mental disorders, which may express themselves in a distorted impression formation. As impression formation is by and large an emotional process, measurement can be done by adjective lists. An example is the bipolar MED rating scale. Such lists can be used in therapy to help patients and therapists to understand the problem and initiate modifications. A special group intervention in occupational therapy is described. Results suggest that impression formation is quite objective, that self- and observer judgments coincide and that therapy can help to adopt a less irritating outer appearance. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Accuracy of impressions with different impression materials in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To evaluate the dimensional accuracy of the resultant (duplicative) casts made from two ... materials in a special tray, using a open tray impression technique from the master casts. These impressions were poured to obtain test casts.

Scaling a Convection-Resolving RCM to Near-Global Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Leutwyler, D.; Fuhrer, O.; Chadha, T.; Kwasniewski, G.; Hoefler, T.; Lapillonne, X.; Lüthi, D.; Osuna, C.; Schar, C.; Schulthess, T. C.; Vogt, H.

2017-12-01

In the recent years, first decade-long kilometer-scale resolution RCM simulations have been performed on continental-scale computational domains. However, the size of the planet Earth is still an order of magnitude larger and thus the computational implications of performing global climate simulations at this resolution are challenging. We explore the gap between the currently established RCM simulations and global simulations by scaling the GPU accelerated version of the COSMO model to a near-global computational domain. To this end, the evolution of an idealized moist baroclinic wave has been simulated over the course of 10 days with a grid spacing of up to 930 m. The computational mesh employs 36'000 x 16'001 x 60 grid points and covers 98.4% of the planet's surface. The code shows perfect weak scaling up to 4'888 Nodes of the Piz Daint supercomputer and yields 0.043 simulated years per day (SYPD) which is approximately one seventh of the 0.2-0.3 SYPD required to conduct AMIP-type simulations. However, at half the resolution (1.9 km) we've observed 0.23 SYPD. Besides formation of frontal precipitating systems containing embedded explicitly-resolved convective motions, the simulations reveal a secondary instability that leads to cut-off warm-core cyclonic vortices in the cyclone's core, once the grid spacing is refined to the kilometer scale. The explicit representation of embedded moist convection and the representation of the previously unresolved instabilities exhibit a physically different behavior in comparison to coarser-resolution simulations. The study demonstrates that global climate simulations using kilometer-scale resolution are imminent and serves as a baseline benchmark for global climate model applications and future exascale supercomputing systems.

Validity of the patient-reported Clinical Global Impression of Change as a measure of treatment response in men with premature ejaculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Althof, Stanley E; Brock, Gerald B; Rosen, Raymond C; Rowland, David L; Aquilina, Joseph W; Rothman, Margaret; Tesfaye, Fisseha; Bull, Scott

2010-06-01

The Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC) measures have high utility in clinical practice. However, it is unknown whether the CGIC is valued for assessing premature ejaculation (PE) symptoms and/or the relationship between CGIC and other validated PE patient-reported measures. The study aims to assess the validity of the patient-reported CGIC measure in men with PE and to examine the relationship between CGIC ratings and assessments of control, satisfaction, personal distress, and interpersonal difficulty. Data from a randomized, double-blind, 24-week phase 3 trial in 1,162 men with PE who received dapoxetine (30 mg or 60 mg) or placebo on demand provided the basis for the analysis. Patients were ≥18 years, in a stable monogamous relationship for ≥6 months, met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition-Text Revision criteria for PE for ≥6 months, and had an intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) ≤2 minutes in ≥75% of intercourse episodes. The CGIC asked patients to rate improvement or worsening of their PE compared with the start of the study using a 7-point response scale; other patient-reported measures were control over ejaculation, satisfaction with sexual intercourse, interpersonal difficulty, and personal distress related to ejaculation. Stopwatch-measured IELT was recorded. Associations between CGIC and change in other measures at study end point were assessed. The magnitude of IELT increased for each category of improvement on the CGIC: 1.63, 4.03, and 7.15 minutes for slightly better, better, and much better, respectively. Higher CGIC ratings were correlated with greater improvement in control (r = 0.73), satisfaction (r = 0.62), greater reduction in distress (r = -0.52), and interpersonal difficulty (r = -0.39). Total variance accounted for was 57.4%: control (48.7%), satisfaction (4.5%), IELT (2.8%), and distress (1.15%). The analyses support the validity of the CGIC measure in men with PE. The CGIC

Multi-scale climate modelling over Southern Africa using a variable-resolution global model

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Engelbrecht, FA

2011-12-01

Full Text Available -mail: fengelbrecht@csir.co.za Multi-scale climate modelling over Southern Africa using a variable-resolution global model FA Engelbrecht1, 2*, WA Landman1, 3, CJ Engelbrecht4, S Landman5, MM Bopape1, B Roux6, JL McGregor7 and M Thatcher7 1 CSIR Natural... improvement. Keywords: multi-scale climate modelling, variable-resolution atmospheric model Introduction Dynamic climate models have become the primary tools for the projection of future climate change, at both the global and regional scales. Dynamic...

Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP)

Science.gov (United States)

Vane, Deborah

1993-01-01

A discussion of the objectives of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) is presented in vugraph form. The objectives of GEWEX are as follows: determine the hydrological cycle by global measurements; model the global hydrological cycle; improve observations and data assimilation; and predict response to environmental change. The objectives of GCIP are as follows: determine the time/space variability of the hydrological cycle over a continental-scale region; develop macro-scale hydrologic models that are coupled to atmospheric models; develop information retrieval schemes; and support regional climate change impact assessment.

[Precision of digital impressions with TRIOS under simulated intraoral impression taking conditions].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xin; Sun, Yi-fei; Tian, Lei; Si, Wen-jie; Feng, Hai-lan; Liu, Yi-hong

2015-02-18

To evaluate the precision of digital impressions taken under simulated clinical impression taking conditions with TRIOS and to compare with the precision of extraoral digitalizations. Six #14-#17 epoxy resin dentitions with extracted #16 tooth preparations embedded were made. For each artificial dentition, (1)a silicone rubber impression was taken with individual tray, poured with type IV plaster,and digitalized with 3Shape D700 model scanner for 10 times; (2) fastened to a dental simulator, 10 digital impressions for each were taken with 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner. To assess the precision, best-fit algorithm and 3D comparison were conducted between repeated scan models pairwise by Geomagic Qualify 12.0, exported as averaged errors (AE) and color-coded diagrams. Non-parametric analysis was performed to compare the precisions of digital impressions and model images. The color-coded diagrams were used to show the deviations distributions. The mean of AE for digital impressions was 7.058 281 μm, which was greater than that of 4.092 363 μm for the model images (Pimpressions were no more than 10 μm, which meant that the consistency between the digital impressions was good. The deviations distribution was uniform in the model images,while nonuniform in the digital impressions with greater deviations lay mainly around the shoulders and interproximal surfaces. Digital impressions with TRIOS are of good precision and up to the clinical standard. Shoulders and interproximal surfaces scanning are more difficult.

Sub-seasonal predictability of water scarcity at global and local scale

Science.gov (United States)

Wanders, N.; Wada, Y.; Wood, E. F.

2016-12-01

Forecasting the water demand and availability for agriculture and energy production has been neglected in previous research, partly due to the fact that most large-scale hydrological models lack the skill to forecast human water demands at sub-seasonal time scale. We study the potential of a sub-seasonal water scarcity forecasting system for improved water management decision making and improved estimates of water demand and availability. We have generated 32 years of global sub-seasonal multi-model water availability, demand and scarcity forecasts. The quality of the forecasts is compared to a reference forecast derived from resampling historic weather observations. The newly developed system has been evaluated for both the global scale and in a real-time local application in the Sacramento valley for the Trinity, Shasta and Oroville reservoirs, where the water demand for agriculture and hydropower is high. On the global scale we find that the reference forecast shows high initial forecast skill (up to 8 months) for water scarcity in the eastern US, Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Adding dynamical sub-seasonal forecasts results in a clear improvement for most regions in the world, increasing the forecasts' lead time by 2 or more months on average. The strongest improvements are found in the US, Brazil, Central Asia and Australia. For the Sacramento valley we can accurately predict anomalies in the reservoir inflow, hydropower potential and the downstream irrigation water demand 6 months in advance. This allow us to forecast potential water scarcity in the Sacramento valley and adjust the reservoir management to prevent deficits in energy or irrigation water availability. The newly developed forecast system shows that it is possible to reduce the vulnerability to upcoming water scarcity events and allows optimization of the distribution of the available water between the agricultural and energy sector half a year in advance.

Clinical global impression of cognition in schizophrenia (CGI-CogS): reliability and validity of a co-primary measure of cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, Joseph; Cienfuegos, Angel; Boxer, Oren; Bilder, Robert

2008-11-01

Cognitive deficits are core features of schizophrenia that have been associated reliably with functional outcomes and now are a focus of treatment research. New rating scales are needed to complement current psychometric testing procedures, both to enable wider clinical use, and to serve as endpoints in clinical trials. Subjects were 35 schizophrenia patient-and-caregiver pairs recruited from the UCLA and West Los Angeles VA Outpatient Psychiatry Departments. Participants were assessed with the Clinical Global Impression of Cognition in Schizophrenia (CGI-CogS), an interview-based rating scale of cognitive functioning, on 3 occasions (baseline, 1 month, and 3 months). A computerized neurocognitive battery (Cogtest), an assessment of functioning, and symptom measures were administered at two occasions (baseline and one month). The CGI-CogS ratings generally showed a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.69 to .96), adequate levels of inter-rater reliability (ICC's=.71 to .80), and high test-retest stability (ICC's=.92 to .95). Correlations of caregiver and rater global (but not "patient only rating") CGI-CogS ratings with neurocognitive performance were in the moderate range (r's=-.27 to -.48), while most of the correlations with functional outcome were moderate to high (r's=-.41 to -.72). In fact, the CGI-CogS ratings were significantly more correlated with Social Functioning than were objective neurocognitive test scores (p=.02) and showed a trend in the same direction for predicting Instrumental Functioning (p=.06). We found moderate correlations between CGI-CogS global ratings and PANSS positive (r's=.36 to .49) and SANS negative symptoms (r=.41 to .61), but not with BPRS depression (r's=.11 to .13). An interview-based measure of cognition demonstrated high internal consistency, good inter-rater reliability, and high test-retest reliability. Caregiver ratings appear to add important clinical information over patient-only ratings. The CGI

Rethinking trait conceptions of social desirability scales: impression management as an expression of honesty-humility.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Reinout E; Zettler, Ingo; Hilbig, Benjamin E

2014-06-01

Numerous researchers have noted that, instead of response sets or styles, most social desirability scales seem to measure personality traits instead. In two studies, we investigated the substantive interpretation of the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding in terms of the HEXACO model of personality. Because of its focus on honesty and integrity, the Impression Management (IM) scale was hypothesized to be mainly related to HEXACO Honesty-Humility. In the main study among 1,106 students and well-acquainted others (friends, family, or partners), positive self-other agreement correlations were found for both IM (r = .45) and Self-Deceptive Enhancement (SDE; r = .34), supporting a trait conception of IM and SDE. In both self- and other ratings, the most important predictors of SDE were (low) Emotionality, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness. IM was associated with Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, but Honesty-Humility was by far its most important predictor. In a subsample (n = 465), Honesty-Humility and IM were unrelated to GPA. © The Author(s) 2013.

Improvdent: Improving dentures for patient benefit. A crossover randomised clinical trial comparing impression materials for complete dentures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gray Janine C

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background According to the UK Adult Dental Health Survey (2009 15% of adults aged 65–74, 30% aged 75–84 and 47% aged >85 years are edentulous and require complete dentures. Patients’ quality of life and nutrition status are affected by poor dentures. The quality of the dental impression is the most important issue for improving the fit and comfort of new dentures. There is paucity of RCT evidence for which impression material is best for complete dentures construction. This study aims to compare two impression materials for effectiveness and cost effectiveness. Methods/Design IMPROVDENT is a double-blind crossover trial comparing the use of alginate and silicone, two commonly used denture impression materials, in terms of patient preference and cost-effectiveness. Eighty five edentulous patients will be recruited and provided with two sets of dentures, similar in all aspects except for the impression material used (alginate or silicone. Patients will try both sets of dentures for a two-week period, unadjusted, to become accustomed to the feel of the new dentures (habituation period. Patients will then wear each set of dentures for a period of 8 weeks (in random order during which time the dentures will be adjusted for optimum comfort. Finally, patients will be given both sets of dentures for a further two weeks to wear whichever denture they prefer (confirmation period. Patients will be asked about quality of life and to rate dentures on function and comfort at the end of each trial period and asked which set they prefer at the end of the habituation period (unadjusted denture preference and confirmation period (adjusted denture preference. A health economic evaluation will estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of producing dentures from the two materials. A qualitative study will investigate the impact of dentures on behaviour and quality of life. Funding: IMPROVDENT is funded by NIHR RfPB (PB-PG-0408-16300. Discussion

Impressions of functional food consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Saher, Marieke; Arvola, Anne; Lindeman, Marjaana; Lähteenmäki, Liisa

2004-02-01

Functional foods provide a new way of expressing healthiness in food choices. The objective of this study was to apply an indirect measure to explore what kind of impressions people form of users of functional foods. Respondents (n=350) received one of eight versions of a shopping list and rated the buyer of the foods on 66 bipolar attributes on 7-point scales. The shopping lists had either healthy or neutral background items, conventional or functional target items and the buyer was described either as a 40-year-old woman or man. The attribute ratings revealed three factors: disciplined, innovative and gentle. Buyers with healthy background items were perceived as more disciplined than those having neutral items on the list, users of functional foods were rated as more disciplined than users of conventional target items only when the background list consisted of neutral items. Buyers of functional foods were regarded as more innovative and less gentle, but gender affected the ratings on gentle dimension. The impressions of functional food users clearly differ from those formed of users of conventional foods with a healthy image. The shopping list method performed well as an indirect method, but further studies are required to test its feasibility in measuring other food-related impressions.

IMPRESS: medical location-aware decision making during emergencies

Science.gov (United States)

Gkotsis, I.; Eftychidis, G.; Leventakis, G.; Mountzouris, M.; Diagourtas, D.; Kostaridis, A.; Hedel, R.; Olunczek, A.; Hahmann, S.

2017-09-01

Emergency situations and mass casualties involve several agencies and public authorities, which need to gather data from the incident scene and exchange geo-referenced information to provide fast and accurate first aid to the people in need. Tracking patients on their way to the hospitals can prove critical in taking lifesaving decisions. Increased and continuous flow of information combined by vital signs and geographic location of emergency victims can greatly reduce the response time of the medical emergency chain and improve the efficiency of disaster medicine activity. Recent advances in mobile positioning systems and telecommunications are providing the technology needed for the development of location-aware medical applications. IMPRESS is an advanced ICT platform based on adequate technologies for developing location-aware medical response during emergencies. The system incorporates mobile and fixed components that collect field data from diverse sources, support medical location and situation-based services and share information on the patient's transport from the field to the hospitals. In IMPRESS platform tracking of victims, ambulances and emergency services vehicles is integrated with medical, traffic and crisis management information into a common operational picture. The Incident Management component of the system manages operational resources together with patient tracking data that contain vital sign values and patient's status evolution. Thus, it can prioritize emergency transport decisions, based on medical and location-aware information. The solution combines positioning and information gathered and owned by various public services involved in MCIs or large-scale disasters. IMPRESS solution, were validated in field and table top exercises in cooperation with emergency services and hospitals.

Global scale groundwater flow model

Science.gov (United States)

Sutanudjaja, Edwin; de Graaf, Inge; van Beek, Ludovicus; Bierkens, Marc

2013-04-01

As the world's largest accessible source of freshwater, groundwater plays vital role in satisfying the basic needs of human society. It serves as a primary source of drinking water and supplies water for agricultural and industrial activities. During times of drought, groundwater sustains water flows in streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and thus supports ecosystem habitat and biodiversity, while its large natural storage provides a buffer against water shortages. Yet, the current generation of global scale hydrological models does not include a groundwater flow component that is a crucial part of the hydrological cycle and allows the simulation of groundwater head dynamics. In this study we present a steady-state MODFLOW (McDonald and Harbaugh, 1988) groundwater model on the global scale at 5 arc-minutes resolution. Aquifer schematization and properties of this groundwater model were developed from available global lithological model (e.g. Dürr et al., 2005; Gleeson et al., 2010; Hartmann and Moorsdorff, in press). We force the groundwtaer model with the output from the large-scale hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB (van Beek et al., 2011), specifically the long term net groundwater recharge and average surface water levels derived from routed channel discharge. We validated calculated groundwater heads and depths with available head observations, from different regions, including the North and South America and Western Europe. Our results show that it is feasible to build a relatively simple global scale groundwater model using existing information, and estimate water table depths within acceptable accuracy in many parts of the world.

In Vitro Comparative Evaluation of Different Types of Impression Trays and Impression Materials on the Accuracy of Open Tray Implant Impressions: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonam Gupta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. For a precise fit of multiple implant framework, having an accurate definitive cast is imperative. The present study evaluated dimensional accuracy of master casts obtained using different impression trays and materials with open tray impression technique. Materials and Methods. A machined aluminum reference model with four parallel implant analogues was fabricated. Forty implant level impressions were made. Eight groups (n=5 were tested using impression materials (polyether and vinylsiloxanether and four types of impression trays, two being custom (self-cure acrylic and light cure acrylic and two being stock (plastic and metal. The interimplant distances were measured on master casts using a coordinate measuring machine. The collected data was compared with a standard reference model and was statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Results. Statistically significant difference (p0.05 was observed between varied stock and custom trays. Conclusions. The polyether impression material proved to be more accurate than vinylsiloxanether impression material. The rigid nonperforated stock trays, both plastic and metal, could be an alternative for custom trays for multi-implant impressions when used with medium viscosity impression materials.

Use of digital impression systems with intraoral scanners for fabricating restorations and fixed dental prostheses.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeuchi, Yoshimasa; Koizumi, Hiroyasu; Furuchi, Mika; Sato, Yohei; Ohkubo, Chikahiro; Matsumura, Hideo

2018-01-01

Accurate impressions are essential in fabri-cating dental restorations and fixed dental prostheses. During the last decade, digital impression systems have improved substantially. This review discusses the accuracy of digital impression systems for fabrication of dental restorations and fixed dental prostheses. A literature search in PubMed was performed for the period from July 2010 through June 2017. The search keywords were Cerec, digital impression, direct digitalization, indirect digitalization, and intraoral scanner. Only relevant studies are summarized and discussed in this review. In general, the latest systems have considerably reduced the time required for impression making, and the accuracy and marginal fit of digital impression systems have recently improved. Restorations and fixed dental prostheses fabricated with currently available digital impression systems and intraoral scanners exhibit clinically acceptable ranges of marginal gap in both direct and indirect procedures.

Global scale analysis and evaluation of an improved mechanistic representation of plant nitrogen and carbon dynamics in the Community Land Model (CLM)

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, B.; Riley, W. J.; Koven, C. D.; Randerson, J. T.; Mu, M.; Kattge, J.; Rogers, A.; Reich, P. B.

2014-12-01

In many ecosystems, nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for plant growth and productivity. However mechanistic representation of nitrogen uptake linked to root traits, and functional nitrogen allocation among different leaf enzymes involved in respiration and photosynthesis is currently lacking in Earth System models. The linkage between nitrogen availability and plant productivity is simplistically represented by potential photosynthesis rates, and is subsequently downregulated depending on nitrogen supply and other nitrogen consumers in the model (e.g., nitrification). This type of potential photosynthesis rate calculation is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, plants do not photosynthesize at potential rates and then downregulate. Secondly, there is considerable subjectivity on the meaning of potential photosynthesis rates. Thirdly, there exists lack of understanding on modeling these potential photosynthesis rates in a changing climate. In addition to model structural issues in representing photosynthesis rates, the role of plant roots in nutrient acquisition have been largely ignored in Earth System models. For example, in CLM4.5, nitrogen uptake is linked to leaf level processes (e.g., primarily productivity) rather than root scale process involved in nitrogen uptake. We present a new plant model for CLM with an improved mechanistic presentation of plant nitrogen uptake based on root scale Michaelis Menten kinetics, and stronger linkages between leaf nitrogen and plant productivity by inferring relationships observed in global databases of plant traits (including the TRY database and several individual studies). We also incorporate improved representation of plant nitrogen leaf allocation, especially in tropical regions where significant over-prediction of plant growth and productivity in CLM4.5 simulations exist. We evaluate our improved global model simulations using the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) framework. We conclude that

Two-step impression/ injection, an alternative putty/ wash impression technique: case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Caputi, S; Murmura, G; Sinjari, B; Varvara, G

2012-01-01

We here describe a new technique for making a definitive impression that we refer to as the two-step impression/injection technique. This technique initially follows the classical one-step putty/ light-body impression technique with the polymerization of the putty and the light-body compound. This is then followed by the second step: injection of extra-light-body compound into the preparation through a hole in the metal stock tray. The aim of this additional step is to control the wash bulk and minimize the changes that can produce unfavorable impression results. This new two-step impression/injection technique allows displacement of soft tissues, such as the tongue, during the first seating of the putty and wash materials, while in the second step, the extra-light-body compound records all of the finer details without being compressed.

A Comparative Evaluation of the Linear Dimensional Accuracy of Four Impression Techniques using Polyether Impression Material.

Science.gov (United States)

Manoj, Smita Sara; Cherian, K P; Chitre, Vidya; Aras, Meena

2013-12-01

There is much discussion in the dental literature regarding the superiority of one impression technique over the other using addition silicone impression material. However, there is inadequate information available on the accuracy of different impression techniques using polyether. The purpose of this study was to assess the linear dimensional accuracy of four impression techniques using polyether on a laboratory model that simulates clinical practice. The impression material used was Impregum Soft™, 3 M ESPE and the four impression techniques used were (1) Monophase impression technique using medium body impression material. (2) One step double mix impression technique using heavy body and light body impression materials simultaneously. (3) Two step double mix impression technique using a cellophane spacer (heavy body material used as a preliminary impression to create a wash space with a cellophane spacer, followed by the use of light body material). (4) Matrix impression using a matrix of polyether occlusal registration material. The matrix is loaded with heavy body material followed by a pick-up impression in medium body material. For each technique, thirty impressions were made of a stainless steel master model that contained three complete crown abutment preparations, which were used as the positive control. Accuracy was assessed by measuring eight dimensions (mesiodistal, faciolingual and inter-abutment) on stone dies poured from impressions of the master model. A two-tailed t test was carried out to test the significance in difference of the distances between the master model and the stone models. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for multiple group comparison followed by the Bonferroni's test for pair wise comparison. The accuracy was tested at α = 0.05. In general, polyether impression material produced stone dies that were smaller except for the dies produced from the one step double mix impression technique. The ANOVA revealed a highly

Clinical improvement in patients with borderline personality disorder after treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: preliminary results.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes-López, Julian; Ricardo-Garcell, Josefina; Armas-Castañeda, Gabriela; García-Anaya, María; Arango-De Montis, Iván; González-Olvera, Jorge J; Pellicer, Francisco

2018-01-01

Current treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD) consists of psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions. However, the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could be beneficial to improve some BPD symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical improvement in patients with BPD after application of rTMS over the right or left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Twenty-nine patients with BPD from the National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico, were randomized in two groups to receive 15 sessions of rTMS applied over the right (1 Hz, n=15) or left (5 Hz, n=14) DLPFC. Improvement was measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale for BPD (CGI-BPD), Borderline Evaluation of Severity Over Time (BEST), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Intragroup comparison showed significant (p < 0.05) reductions in every psychopathologic domain of the CGI-BPD and in the total scores of all scales in both groups. Both protocols produced global improvement in severity and symptoms of BPD, particularly in impulsiveness, affective instability, and anger. Further studies are warranted to explore the therapeutic effect of rTMS in BPD. NCT02273674

Impression Generation of Indonesian Cultural Paintings for Mobile Application with Culture Dependent Color-Impression Metric Creation Contents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devira Nanda Kuswhara

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Painting is one of complex image reflecting observations and feelings of the artist to the environment. This condition extends the need of painting impression generation system since common people with lack of art experience would have difficulties to interpret the painting. From this point of view we presents a new model to provide representative impressions of paintings by providing a color-impression metric taken from public survey and implement it for mobile application. The new model provides analytical functions to generate the representative impression of the image query. The functions consist of two main section: (1 The cultural-dependent color-impression metric creation which consist of conducting survey, applying normalized 3D color vector quantization to image dataset, generating image-impression metric, and generating color- impression metric; and (2 Impression generation of image query which consist of applying normalized 3D color vector quantization to image query and measuring the similarity between image query andcolor-impression metric. To perform our proposed impression generation system, we examine our system with Indonesian cultural image dataset and 5 different mobile devices. Our proposed system performs main color impression precision result with average precision of more than 60%. Brightness intensity and zooming affects the retrieved impressions. Rotating captures of an image generate the same retrieved impressions. The system also performs average response time vary in range 41263 to 117434 milliseconds from all devices. Keywords: impression generation system, color based impression, cultural computing, mobile application.

Using friends as sensors to detect global-scale contagious outbreaks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Garcia-Herranz

Full Text Available Recent research has focused on the monitoring of global-scale online data for improved detection of epidemics, mood patterns, movements in the stock market political revolutions, box-office revenues, consumer behaviour and many other important phenomena. However, privacy considerations and the sheer scale of data available online are quickly making global monitoring infeasible, and existing methods do not take full advantage of local network structure to identify key nodes for monitoring. Here, we develop a model of the contagious spread of information in a global-scale, publicly-articulated social network and show that a simple method can yield not just early detection, but advance warning of contagious outbreaks. In this method, we randomly choose a small fraction of nodes in the network and then we randomly choose a friend of each node to include in a group for local monitoring. Using six months of data from most of the full Twittersphere, we show that this friend group is more central in the network and it helps us to detect viral outbreaks of the use of novel hashtags about 7 days earlier than we could with an equal-sized randomly chosen group. Moreover, the method actually works better than expected due to network structure alone because highly central actors are both more active and exhibit increased diversity in the information they transmit to others. These results suggest that local monitoring is not just more efficient, but also more effective, and it may be applied to monitor contagious processes in global-scale networks.

Three-dimensional accuracy of a digitally coded healing abutment implant impression system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Simon D; Tan, Keson B; Teoh, K H; Cheng, Ansgar C; Nicholls, Jack I

2014-01-01

This study examined the three-dimensional (3D) accuracy of the Encode Impression System (EN) in transferring the locations of two implants from master models to test models and compared this to the direct impression (DI) technique. The effect of interimplant angulation on the 3D accuracy of both impression techniques was also evaluated. Seven sectional polymethyl methacrylate mandibular arch master models were fabricated with implants in the first premolar and first molar positions. The implants were placed parallel to each other or angulated mesiodistally or buccolingually with total divergent angles of 10, 20, or 30 degrees. Each master model was secured onto an aluminum block containing a gauge block, which defined the local coordinate references. Encode healing abutments were attached to the implants before impressions were made for the EN test models; pickup impression copings were attached for the DI test models. For the seven test groups of each impression technique, a total of 70 test models were fabricated (n = 5). The EN test models were sent to Biomet 3i for implant analog placement. The centroid of each implant or implant analog and the angular orientation of the long axis relative to the x- and y-axes were measured with a coordinate measuring machine. Statistical analyses were performed. Impression technique had a significant effect on y distortion, global linear distortion, and absolute xz and yz angular distortions. Interimplant angulation had significant effects on x and y distortions. However, neither impression technique nor interimplant angulation had a significant effect on z distortion. Distortions were observed with both impression techniques. However, the results suggest that EN was less accurate than DI.

Groundwater development stress: Global-scale indices compared to regional modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Alley, William; Clark, Brian R.; Ely, Matt; Faunt, Claudia

2018-01-01

The increased availability of global datasets and technologies such as global hydrologic models and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites have resulted in a growing number of global-scale assessments of water availability using simple indices of water stress. Developed initially for surface water, such indices are increasingly used to evaluate global groundwater resources. We compare indices of groundwater development stress for three major agricultural areas of the United States to information available from regional water budgets developed from detailed groundwater modeling. These comparisons illustrate the potential value of regional-scale analyses to supplement global hydrological models and GRACE analyses of groundwater depletion. Regional-scale analyses allow assessments of water stress that better account for scale effects, the dynamics of groundwater flow systems, the complexities of irrigated agricultural systems, and the laws, regulations, engineering, and socioeconomic factors that govern groundwater use. Strategic use of regional-scale models with global-scale analyses would greatly enhance knowledge of the global groundwater depletion problem.

Impression block with orientator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brilin, V I; Ulyanova, O S

2015-01-01

Tool review, namely the impression block, applied to check the shape and size of the top of fish as well as to determine the appropriate tool for fishing operation was realized. For multiple application and obtaining of the impress depth of 3 cm and more, the standard volumetric impression blocks with fix rods are used. However, the registered impress of fish is not oriented in space and the rods during fishing are in the extended position. This leads to rods deformation and sinking due to accidental impacts of impression block over the borehole irregularity and finally results in faulty detection of the top end of fishing object in hole. The impression blocks with copy rods and fixed magnetic needle allow estimating the object configuration and fix the position of magnetic needle determining the position of the top end of object in hole. However, the magnetic needle fixation is realized in staged and the rods are in extended position during fishing operations as well as it is in standard design. The most efficient tool is the impression block with copy rods which directs the examined object in the borehole during readings of magnetic needles data from azimuth plate and averaging of readings. This significantly increases the accuracy of fishing toll direction. The rods during fishing are located in the body and extended only when they reach the top of fishing object

The endoscopy Global Rating Scale-Canada: development and implementation of a quality improvement tool.

Science.gov (United States)

MacIntosh, Donald; Dubé, Catherine; Hollingworth, Roger; Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Sander; Daniels, Sandra; Ghattas, George

2013-02-01

Increasing use of gastrointestinal endoscopy, particularly for colorectal cancer screening, and increasing emphasis on health care quality highlight the need for endoscopy facilities to review the quality of the service they offer. To adapt the United Kingdom Global Rating Scale (UK-GRS) to develop a web-based and patient-centred tool to assess and improve the quality of endoscopy services provided. Based on feedback from 22 sites across Canada that completed the UK endoscopy GRS, and integrating results of the Canadian consensus on safety and quality indicators in endoscopy and other Canadian consensus reports, a working group of endoscopists experienced with the GRS developed the GRS-Canada (GRS-C). The GRS-C mirrors the two dimensions (clinical quality and quality of the patient experience) and 12 patient-centred items of the UK-GRS, but was modified to apply to Canadian health care infrastructure, language and current practice. Each item is assessed by a yes⁄no response to eight to 12 statements that are divided into levels graded D (basic) through A (advanced). A core team consisting of a booking clerk, charge nurse and the physician responsible for the unit is recommended to complete the GRS-C twice yearly. The GRS-C is intended to improve endoscopic services in Canada by providing endoscopy units with a straightforward process to review the quality of the service they provide.

An evaluation of student and clinician perception of digital and conventional implant impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang J; Macarthur, Robert X; Gallucci, German O

2013-11-01

The accuracy and efficiency of digital implant impressions should match conventional impressions. Comparisons should be made with clinically relevant data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difficulty level and operator's perception between dental students and experienced clinicians when making digital and conventional implant impressions. Thirty experienced dental professionals and 30 second-year dental students made conventional and digital impressions of a single implant model. A visual analog scale (VAS) and multiple-choice questionnaires were used to assess the participant's perception of difficulty, preference, and effectiveness. Wilcoxon signed-rank test within the groups and Wilcoxon rank-sum test between the groups were used for statistical analysis (α=.05). On a 0 to 100 VAS, the student group scored a mean difficulty level of 43.1 (±18.5) for the conventional impression technique and 30.6 (±17.6) for the digital impression technique (P=.006). The clinician group scored a mean (standard deviation) difficulty level of 30.9 (±19.6) for conventional impressions and 36.5 (±20.6) for digital impressions (P=.280). Comparison between groups showed a mean difficulty level with the conventional impression technique significantly higher in the student group (P=.030). The digital impression was not significantly different between the groups (P=.228). Sixty percent of the students preferred the digital impression and 7% the conventional impression; 33% expressed no preference. In the clinician group, 33% preferred the digital impression and 37% the conventional impression; 30% had no preference. Seventy-seven percent of the student group felt most effective with digital impressions, 10% with conventional impressions, and 13% with either technique, whereas 40% of the clinician group chose the digital impression as the most effective technique, 53% the conventional impression, and 7% either technique. The conventional impression was more difficult to

A Comparative Evaluation of the Linear Dimensional Accuracy of Four Impression Techniques using Polyether Impression Material

OpenAIRE

Manoj, Smita Sara; Cherian, K. P.; Chitre, Vidya; Aras, Meena

2013-01-01

There is much discussion in the dental literature regarding the superiority of one impression technique over the other using addition silicone impression material. However, there is inadequate information available on the accuracy of different impression techniques using polyether. The purpose of this study was to assess the linear dimensional accuracy of four impression techniques using polyether on a laboratory model that simulates clinical practice. The impression material used was Impregu...

ETI: Our first impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Albert A.; Johnson, Joel T.

2000-06-01

Despite scant or ambiguous information, people are capable of developing comprehensive and detailed impressions. Consequently, if the detection of an electromagnetically-active civilization is announced, many people will rapidly form impressions of what the extraterrestrials and their civilization are "like". First impressions are crucial, not only because of their immediate psychological, social, and political consequences on Earth, but because they can influence the future of interstellar communication. Initial impressions will rest less on hard data than on the nature and tone of the "evidence" that is gleaned from the transmission; the interpretation and dissemination of this evidence; and the hard wiring, psychological programming, cultural conditioning, and social influence processes that shape human perception. We consider how dispositional inferences, implicit theories of personality, negatively toned or adverse information, physical appearance, prior expectations, the confirmation bias, and thinking and unthinking approaches to attitude formation are likely to affect human impressions of ETI.

Comparison of Adaptation between the Major Connectors Fabricated from Intraoral Digital Impressions and Extraoral Digital Impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Ning; Ruan, Yaye; Sun, Jian; Xiong, Yaoyang; Jiao, Ting

2018-01-11

The objective was to compare the adaptation between the major connectors of removable partial dentures derived from intraoral digital impressions and extraoral digital impressions. Twenty-four volunteers were enrolled. Each volunteer received an intraoral digital impression and one extraoral digital impression digitized from conventional gypsum impression. A software was used to create the major connectors on digital impression datasets. After all the virtual major connectors designed from Group intraoral digital impressions (Group I) and Group extraoral digital impressions (Group E) were directly fabricated by 3D printing technique, the adaptation of the final major connectors in volunteers' mouths were measured. The adaptation ranged from 159.87 to 577.99 μm in Group I while from 120.83 to 536.17 μm in Group E. The adaptation of major connectors in Group I were found better at the midline palatine suture while the adaptation of major connectors in Group E were found better at the two sides of the palatal vault. In both groups, the highest accuracy in adaptation was revealed at the anterior margin of the major connectors. It is feasible to manufacture the major connectors by digital impression and 3D printing technique. Both the adaptation of the two kinds of digital impressions were clinical acceptable.

Giving the wrong impression: food and beverage brand impressions delivered to youth through popular movies.

Science.gov (United States)

Skatrud-Mickelson, Monica; Adachi-Mejia, Anna M; MacKenzie, Todd A; Sutherland, Lisa A

2012-06-01

Marketing on television showcases less-healthful options, with emerging research suggesting movies promote similar products. Given the obesity epidemic, understanding advertising to youth should be a public health imperative. The objective of this study was to estimate youth impressions to food and beverages delivered through movies. Impressions were calculated by dividing US receipts annually into average movie ticket prices, then multiplying this by the number of brand appearances. Examination by ratings, product types and ages were conducted by Spearman rank correlation coefficient tests. Youth in the USA saw over 3 billion food, beverage or food-retail establishment (FRE) impressions on average, annually from 1996 to 2005. Those aged 12-18 viewed over half of all impressions, with PG-13-rated movies containing 61.5% of impressions. There were no significant trends in brand appearances by food, beverage or FRE impressions over the decade, although there was a decreasing trend in R-rated impressions for both foods (Pbeverages (Pfood and beverage impressions annually to youth. Given the public health crisis of obesity, future research should further investigate these trends, as well as the potential association of these unhealthy exposures in youth.

Prospects for improving the representation of coastal and shelf seas in global ocean models

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Jason; Hyder, Patrick; Ashworth, Mike; Harle, James; Hewitt, Helene T.; Liu, Hedong; New, Adrian L.; Pickles, Stephen; Porter, Andrew; Popova, Ekaterina; Icarus Allen, J.; Siddorn, John; Wood, Richard

2017-02-01

Accurately representing coastal and shelf seas in global ocean models represents one of the grand challenges of Earth system science. They are regions of immense societal importance through the goods and services they provide, hazards they pose and their role in global-scale processes and cycles, e.g. carbon fluxes and dense water formation. However, they are poorly represented in the current generation of global ocean models. In this contribution, we aim to briefly characterise the problem, and then to identify the important physical processes, and their scales, needed to address this issue in the context of the options available to resolve these scales globally and the evolving computational landscape.We find barotropic and topographic scales are well resolved by the current state-of-the-art model resolutions, e.g. nominal 1/12°, and still reasonably well resolved at 1/4°; here, the focus is on process representation. We identify tides, vertical coordinates, river inflows and mixing schemes as four areas where modelling approaches can readily be transferred from regional to global modelling with substantial benefit. In terms of finer-scale processes, we find that a 1/12° global model resolves the first baroclinic Rossby radius for only ˜ 8 % of regions benefit of improved resolution and process representation using 1/12° global- and basin-scale northern North Atlantic nucleus for a European model of the ocean (NEMO) simulations; the latter includes tides and a k-ɛ vertical mixing scheme. These are compared with global stratification observations and 19 models from CMIP5. In terms of correlation and basin-wide rms error, the high-resolution models outperform all these CMIP5 models. The model with tides shows improved seasonal cycles compared to the high-resolution model without tides. The benefits of resolution are particularly apparent in eastern boundary upwelling zones.To explore the balance between the size of a globally refined model and that of

A dynamic global-coefficient mixed subgrid-scale model for large-eddy simulation of turbulent flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Satbir; You, Donghyun

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A new SGS model is developed for LES of turbulent flows in complex geometries. ► A dynamic global-coefficient SGS model is coupled with a scale-similarity model. ► Overcome some of difficulties associated with eddy-viscosity closures. ► Does not require averaging or clipping of the model coefficient for stabilization. ► The predictive capability is demonstrated in a number of turbulent flow simulations. -- Abstract: A dynamic global-coefficient mixed subgrid-scale eddy-viscosity model for large-eddy simulation of turbulent flows in complex geometries is developed. In the present model, the subgrid-scale stress is decomposed into the modified Leonard stress, cross stress, and subgrid-scale Reynolds stress. The modified Leonard stress is explicitly computed assuming a scale similarity, while the cross stress and the subgrid-scale Reynolds stress are modeled using the global-coefficient eddy-viscosity model. The model coefficient is determined by a dynamic procedure based on the global-equilibrium between the subgrid-scale dissipation and the viscous dissipation. The new model relieves some of the difficulties associated with an eddy-viscosity closure, such as the nonalignment of the principal axes of the subgrid-scale stress tensor and the strain rate tensor and the anisotropy of turbulent flow fields, while, like other dynamic global-coefficient models, it does not require averaging or clipping of the model coefficient for numerical stabilization. The combination of the global-coefficient eddy-viscosity model and a scale-similarity model is demonstrated to produce improved predictions in a number of turbulent flow simulations

Accuracy of a new elastomeric impression material for complete-arch dental implant impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Baig, Mirza R; Buzayan, Muaiyed M; Yunus, Norsiah

2018-05-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of multi-unit dental implant casts obtained from two elastomeric impression materials, vinyl polyether silicone (VPES) and polyether (PE), and to test the effect of splinting of impression copings on the accuracy of implant casts. Forty direct impressions of a mandibular reference model fitted with six dental implants and multibase abutments were made using VPES and PE, and implant casts were poured (N = 20). The VPES and PE groups were split into four subgroups of five each, based on splinting type: (a) no splinting; (b) bite registration polyether; (c) bite registration addition silicone; and (d) autopolymerizing acrylic resin. The accuracy of implant-abutment replica positions was calculated on the experimental casts, in terms of interimplant distances in the x, y, and z-axes, using a coordinate measuring machine; values were compared with those measured on the reference model. Data were analyzed using non-parametrical Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests at α = .05. The differences between the two impression materials, VPES and PE, regardless of splinting type, were not statistically significant (P>.05). Non-splinting and splinting groups were also not significantly different for both PE and VPES (P>.05). The accuracy of VPES impression material seemed comparable with PE for multi-implant abutment-level impressions. Splinting had no effect on the accuracy of implant impressions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Giving the wrong impression: food and beverage brand impressions delivered to youth through popular movies

Science.gov (United States)

Skatrud-Mickelson, Monica; Adachi-Mejia, Anna M.; MacKenzie, Todd A.; Sutherland, Lisa A.

2012-01-01

Background Marketing on television showcases less-healthful options, with emerging research suggesting movies promote similar products. Given the obesity epidemic, understanding advertising to youth should be a public health imperative. The objective of this study was to estimate youth impressions to food and beverages delivered through movies. Methods Impressions were calculated by dividing US receipts annually into average movie ticket prices, then multiplying this by the number of brand appearances. Examination by ratings, product types and ages were conducted by Spearman rank correlation coefficient tests. Results Youth in the USA saw over 3 billion food, beverage or food–retail establishment (FRE) impressions on average, annually from 1996 to 2005. Those aged 12–18 viewed over half of all impressions, with PG-13-rated movies containing 61.5% of impressions. There were no significant trends in brand appearances by food, beverage or FRE impressions over the decade, although there was a decreasing trend in R-rated impressions for both foods (P< 0.01) and beverages (P< 0.01), but not FREs (P= 0.08). Conclusions Movies promote billions of food and beverage impressions annually to youth. Given the public health crisis of obesity, future research should further investigate these trends, as well as the potential association of these unhealthy exposures in youth. PMID:22076600

From Global to Cloud Resolving Scale: Experiments with a Scale- and Aerosol-Aware Physics Package and Impact on Tracer Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Grell, G. A.; Freitas, S. R.; Olson, J.; Bela, M.

2017-12-01

We will start by providing a summary of the latest cumulus parameterization modeling efforts at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) will be presented on both regional and global scales. The physics package includes a scale-aware parameterization of subgrid cloudiness feedback to radiation (coupled PBL, microphysics, radiation, shallow and congestus type convection), the stochastic Grell-Freitas (GF) scale- and aerosol-aware convective parameterization, and an aerosol aware microphysics package. GF is based on a stochastic approach originally implemented by Grell and Devenyi (2002) and described in more detail in Grell and Freitas (2014, ACP). It was expanded to include PDF's for vertical mass flux, as well as modifications to improve the diurnal cycle. This physics package will be used on different scales, spanning global to cloud resolving, to look at the impact on scalar transport and numerical weather prediction.

Accuracy of Digital Impressions and Fitness of Single Crowns Based on Digital Impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xin; Lv, Pin; Liu, Yihong; Si, Wenjie; Feng, Hailan

2015-01-01

In this study, the accuracy (precision and trueness) of digital impressions and the fitness of single crowns manufactured based on digital impressions were evaluated. #14-17 epoxy resin dentitions were made, while full-crown preparations of extracted natural teeth were embedded at #16. (1) To assess precision, deviations among repeated scan models made by intraoral scanner TRIOS and MHT and model scanner D700 and inEos were calculated through best-fit algorithm and three-dimensional (3D) comparison. Root mean square (RMS) and color-coded difference images were offered. (2) To assess trueness, micro computed tomography (micro-CT) was used to get the reference model (REF). Deviations between REF and repeated scan models (from (1)) were calculated. (3) To assess fitness, single crowns were manufactured based on TRIOS, MHT, D700 and inEos scan models. The adhesive gaps were evaluated under stereomicroscope after cross-sectioned. Digital impressions showed lower precision and better trueness. Except for MHT, the means of RMS for precision were lower than 10 μm. Digital impressions showed better internal fitness. Fitness of single crowns based on digital impressions was up to clinical standard. Digital impressions could be an alternative method for single crowns manufacturing. PMID:28793417

Accuracy of Digital Impressions and Fitness of Single Crowns Based on Digital Impressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Yang

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, the accuracy (precision and trueness of digital impressions and the fitness of single crowns manufactured based on digital impressions were evaluated. #14-17 epoxy resin dentitions were made, while full-crown preparations of extracted natural teeth were embedded at #16. (1 To assess precision, deviations among repeated scan models made by intraoral scanner TRIOS and MHT and model scanner D700 and inEos were calculated through best-fit algorithm and three-dimensional (3D comparison. Root mean square (RMS and color-coded difference images were offered. (2 To assess trueness, micro computed tomography (micro-CT was used to get the reference model (REF. Deviations between REF and repeated scan models (from (1 were calculated. (3 To assess fitness, single crowns were manufactured based on TRIOS, MHT, D700 and inEos scan models. The adhesive gaps were evaluated under stereomicroscope after cross-sectioned. Digital impressions showed lower precision and better trueness. Except for MHT, the means of RMS for precision were lower than 10 μm. Digital impressions showed better internal fitness. Fitness of single crowns based on digital impressions was up to clinical standard. Digital impressions could be an alternative method for single crowns manufacturing.

The influence of sequence of impressions on children's anxiety and discomfort.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaakko, Tarja; Horn, Michael T; Weinstein, Philip; Kaufman, Eliezer; Leggott, Penelope; Coldwell, Susan E

2003-01-01

Laboratory studies with adults and children have found lower pain reports when pain proceeds from high to low rather than from low to high. However, pediatric dentists often ease children into difficult procedures (from easiest to most difficult). This study investigated the influence of order during a clinical procedure that involved taking maxillary and mandibular alginate impressions. Subjects were 24 children aged 5 to 6 years (preoperational stage) and 24 children aged 9 to 10 years (concrete operational stage). Children were randomly assigned to either start with the mandibular (presumed to be easier) or start with the maxillary (presumed to be harder) impressions. Discomfort during the sequence of impressions was measured using the "Affective Facial Scale." A telephone interview was conducted 2 weeks later to evaluate the memory of discomfort. The results indicated that the older children who started with the mandibular (easier) impression and ended with the maxillary (more uncomfortable) impression reported significantly lower discomfort than older children who started with the maxillary impression and ended with the mandibular (Mann-Whitney U, Z = -2.08; P < .037). The same tendency was noted 2 weeks later on a telephone interview. By phone, 92% of the older children who started with the mandibular impression rated the sequence of impressions as "not at all bad," while only 58% of the older children who started with the maxillary impression rated the overall experience as "not at all bad" (chi2 = 3.56, P < .059). The younger children did not show any significant difference in their ratings of discomfort at either of the assessment periods. Consistent with clinical practice, this study observed that older children benefit from beginning an appointment with an easier procedure and working up to a more difficult one.

Substance Use as Impression Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Mark J.; Getz, J. Greg

1996-01-01

Examines the function of substance use as an impression management tactic. Introductory psychology students (n=377) responded to a survey instrument measuring self-monitoring, perceived success in impression management, interaction anxiety, and self-esteem. Results suggest that alcohol use may serve an impression management function. (JPS)

Improvement of autism spectrum disorder symptoms in three children by using gastrin-releasing peptide,

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Michelin Becker

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To evaluate the safety, tolerability and potential therapeutic effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in three children with autistic spectrum disorder. Methods: Case series study with the intravenous administration of gastrin-releasing peptide in the dose of 160 pmol/kg for four consecutive days. To evaluate the results, parental impressions the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI Scale. Each child underwent a new peptide cycle after two weeks. The children were followed for four weeks after the end of the infusions. Results: The gastrin-releasing peptide was well tolerated and no child had adverse effects. Two children had improved social interaction, with a slight improvement in joint attention and the interaction initiatives. Two showed reduction of stereotypes and improvement in verbal language. One child lost his compulsion to bathe, an effect that lasted two weeks after each infusion cycle. Average reduction in CARS score was 2.8 points. CGI was "minimally better" in two children and "much better" in one. Conclusions: This study suggests that the gastrin-releasing peptide is safe and may be effective in improving key symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, but its results should be interpreted with caution. Controlled clinical trials-randomized, double-blinded, and with more children-are needed to better evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in autism.

Dental impression technique using optoelectronic devices

Science.gov (United States)

Sinescu, Cosmin; Barua, Souman; Topala, Florin Ionel; Negrutiu, Meda Lavinia; Duma, Virgil-Florin; Gabor, Alin Gabriel; Zaharia, Cristian; Bradu, Adrian; Podoleanu, Adrian G.

2018-03-01

INTRODUCTION: The use of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) as a non-invasive and high precision quantitative information providing tool has been well established by researches within the last decade. The marginal discrepancy values can be scrutinized in optical biopsy made in three dimensional (3D) micro millimetre scale and reveal detailed qualitative and quantitative information of soft and hard tissues. OCT-based high resolution 3D images can provide a significant impact on finding recurrent caries, restorative failure, analysing the precision of crown preparation, and prosthetic elements marginal adaptation error with the gingiva and dental hard tissues. During the CAD/CAM process of prosthodontic restorations, the circumvent of any error is important for the practitioner and the technician to reduce waste of time and material. Additionally, OCT images help to achieve a new or semi-skilled practitioner to analyse their crown preparation works and help to develop their skills faster than in a conventional way. The aim of this study is to highlight the advantages of OCT in high precision prosthodontic restorations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 preparations of frontal and lateral teeth were performed for 7 different patients. The impressions of the prosthetic fields were obtained both using a conventional optoelectronic system (Apolo Di, Syrona) and a Spectral Domain using OCT (Dental prototype, working at 860 nm). For the conventional impression technique the preparation margins were been prelevated by gingival impregnated cords. No specific treatments were performed by the OCT impression technique. RESULTS: The scanning performed by conventional optoelectronic system proved to be quick and accurate in terms of impression technology. The results were represented by 3D virtual models obtained after the scanning procedure was completed. In order to obtain a good optical impression a gingival retraction cord was inserted between the prepared tooth and the gingival

Dimensional Accuracy of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic VPS Impression Materials Using Different Impression Techniques - An Invitro Study

Science.gov (United States)

Pilla, Ajai; Pathipaka, Suman

2016-01-01

Introduction The dimensional stability of the impression material could have an influence on the accuracy of the final restoration. Vinyl Polysiloxane Impression materials (VPS) are most frequently used as the impression material in fixed prosthodontics. As VPS is hydrophobic when it is poured with gypsum products, manufacturers added intrinsic surfactants and marketed as hydrophilic VPS. These hydrophilic VPS have shown increased wettability with gypsum slurries. VPS are available in different viscosities ranging from very low to very high for usage under different impression techniques. Aim To compare the dimensional accuracy of hydrophilic VPS and hydrophobic VPS using monophase, one step and two step putty wash impression techniques. Materials and Methods To test the dimensional accuracy of the impression materials a stainless steel die was fabricated as prescribed by ADA specification no. 19 for elastomeric impression materials. A total of 60 impressions were made. The materials were divided into two groups, Group1 hydrophilic VPS (Aquasil) and Group 2 hydrophobic VPS (Variotime). These were further divided into three subgroups A, B, C for monophase, one-step and two-step putty wash technique with 10 samples in each subgroup. The dimensional accuracy of the impressions was evaluated after 24 hours using vertical profile projector with lens magnification range of 20X-125X illumination. The study was analyzed through one-way ANOVA, post-hoc Tukey HSD test and unpaired t-test for mean comparison between groups. Results Results showed that the three different impression techniques (monophase, 1-step, 2-step putty wash techniques) did cause significant change in dimensional accuracy between hydrophilic VPS and hydrophobic VPS impression materials. One-way ANOVA disclosed, mean dimensional change and SD for hydrophilic VPS varied between 0.56% and 0.16%, which were low, suggesting hydrophilic VPS was satisfactory with all three impression techniques. However, mean

Controlling for Response Bias in Self-Ratings of Personality: A Comparison of Impression Management Scales and the Overclaiming Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Sascha; Moshagen, Morten

2018-04-12

Self-serving response distortions pose a threat to the validity of personality scales. A common approach to deal with this issue is to rely on impression management (IM) scales. More recently, the overclaiming technique (OCT) has been proposed as an alternative and arguably superior measure of such biases. In this study (N = 162), we tested these approaches in the context of self- and other-ratings using the HEXACO personality inventory. To the extent that the OCT and IM scales can be considered valid measures of response distortions, they are expected to account for inflated self-ratings in particular for those personality dimensions that are prone to socially desirable responding. However, the results show that neither the OCT nor IM account for overly favorable self-ratings. The validity of IM as a measure of response biases was further scrutinized by a substantial correlation with other-rated honesty-humility. As such, this study questions the use of both the OCT and IM to assess self-serving response distortions.

Neither here, nor there: impression management does not predict expatriate adjustment and job performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HANNAH JACKSON FOLDES

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Social desirability scale scores reflect substantive individual differences related to personality. The objective of the current study was to examine whether social desirability, and impression management specifically (a component of social desirability, is predictive of adjustment and job performance for expatriates. Based on theoretical considerations, it was proposed that impression management might be linked to expatriate job performance in a predictive and mediated relationship through adjustment. Job performance ratings provided by host country national co-workers were obtained for 308 expatriates on assignment in Turkey. Expatriates responded to a measure of personality and cross cultural adjustment. It was found that impression management scale scores were not related to either adjustment or job performance. These results are discussed in the broader context of research on social desirability, expatriate job performance, and expatriate research in general.

Effects of implant system, impression technique, and impression material on accuracy of the working cast.

Science.gov (United States)

Wegner, Kerstin; Weskott, Katharina; Zenginel, Martha; Rehmann, Peter; Wöstmann, Bernd

2013-01-01

This in vitro study aimed to identify the effects of the implant system, impression technique, and impression material on the transfer accuracy of implant impressions. The null hypothesis tested was that, in vitro and within the parameters of the experiment, the spatial relationship of a working cast to the placement of implants is not related to (1) the implant system, (2) the impression technique, or (3) the impression material. A steel maxilla was used as a reference model. Six implants of two different implant systems (Standard Plus, Straumann; Semados, Bego) were fixed in the reference model. The target variables were: three-dimensional (3D) shift in all directions, implant axis direction, and rotation. The target variables were assessed using a 3D coordinate measuring machine, and the respective deviations of the plaster models from the nominal values of the reference model were calculated. Two different impression techniques (reposition/pickup) and four impression materials (Aquasil Ultra, Flexitime, Impregum Penta, P2 Magnum 360) were investigated. In all, 80 implant impressions for each implant system were taken. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of variance. The implant system significantly influenced the transfer accuracy for most spatial dimensions, including the overall 3D shift and implant axis direction. There was no significant difference between the two implant systems with regard to rotation. Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant effect on transfer accuracy only for the implant system. Within the limits of the present study, it can be concluded that the transfer accuracy of the intraoral implant position on the working cast is far more dependent on the implant system than on the selection of a specific impression technique or material.

Comparison of Accuracy Between a Conventional and Two Digital Intraoral Impression Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Junaid; Rodriguez, Jose; Weisbloom, Michael; Petridis, Haralampos

To compare the accuracy (ie, precision and trueness) of full-arch impressions fabricated using either a conventional polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) material or one of two intraoral optical scanners. Full-arch impressions of a reference model were obtained using addition silicone impression material (Aquasil Ultra; Dentsply Caulk) and two optical scanners (Trios, 3Shape, and CEREC Omnicam, Sirona). Surface matching software (Geomagic Control, 3D Systems) was used to superimpose the scans within groups to determine the mean deviations in precision and trueness (μm) between the scans, which were calculated for each group and compared statistically using one-way analysis of variance with post hoc Bonferroni (trueness) and Games-Howell (precision) tests (IBM SPSS ver 24, IBM UK). Qualitative analysis was also carried out from three-dimensional maps of differences between scans. Means and standard deviations (SD) of deviations in precision for conventional, Trios, and Omnicam groups were 21.7 (± 5.4), 49.9 (± 18.3), and 36.5 (± 11.12) μm, respectively. Means and SDs for deviations in trueness were 24.3 (± 5.7), 87.1 (± 7.9), and 80.3 (± 12.1) μm, respectively. The conventional impression showed statistically significantly improved mean precision (P < .006) and mean trueness (P < .001) compared to both digital impression procedures. There were no statistically significant differences in precision (P = .153) or trueness (P = .757) between the digital impressions. The qualitative analysis revealed local deviations along the palatal surfaces of the molars and incisal edges of the anterior teeth of < 100 μm. Conventional full-arch PVS impressions exhibited improved mean accuracy compared to two direct optical scanners. No significant differences were found between the two digital impression methods.

Clinical marginal fit of zirconia crowns and patients' preferences for impression techniques using intraoral digital scanner versus polyvinyl siloxane material.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakornwimon, Nawapat; Leevailoj, Chalermpol

2017-09-01

The use of digital intraoral scanners is increasing; however, evidence of its precision in making crown impressions clinically remains scarce. Patients should also feel more comfortable with digital impressions, but only a few studies evaluating this subject have been performed. The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the marginal fit of monolithic zirconia crowns and patients' preferences for digital impressions versus polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impressions. Sixteen participants with indications for single molar crowns were included. After crown preparation, digital impressions by intraoral scanner and PVS impressions were made. The participants were asked to complete a 6-item questionnaire with a visual analog scale related to perceptions of each of the following topics: time involved, taste/smell, occlusal registration, size of impression tray/scanner, gag reflex, and overall preference. Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing monolithic zirconia crowns were fabricated from both impressions. The crowns were evaluated intraorally, and a blinded examiner measured the marginal discrepancy of silicone replicas under a stereomicroscope. Intraexaminer reliability was evaluated by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient. Data for patients' preferences and marginal discrepancies were analyzed using the paired t test (α=.05). Visual analog scale scores for digital impressions were statistically significantly higher than those for PVS impressions in every topic (Pdigital group on all sides (P>.05). No differences were found in the clinical marginal fit of zirconia crowns fabricated from either digital impressions compared with PVS impressions. Furthermore, patients' satisfaction with digital impressions was significantly higher than with conventional impressions. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Significant uncertainty in global scale hydrological modeling from precipitation data errors

Science.gov (United States)

Sperna Weiland, Frederiek C.; Vrugt, Jasper A.; van Beek, Rens (L.) P. H.; Weerts, Albrecht H.; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2015-10-01

In the past decades significant progress has been made in the fitting of hydrologic models to data. Most of this work has focused on simple, CPU-efficient, lumped hydrologic models using discharge, water table depth, soil moisture, or tracer data from relatively small river basins. In this paper, we focus on large-scale hydrologic modeling and analyze the effect of parameter and rainfall data uncertainty on simulated discharge dynamics with the global hydrologic model PCR-GLOBWB. We use three rainfall data products; the CFSR reanalysis, the ERA-Interim reanalysis, and a combined ERA-40 reanalysis and CRU dataset. Parameter uncertainty is derived from Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) using monthly discharge data from five of the largest river systems in the world. Our results demonstrate that the default parameterization of PCR-GLOBWB, derived from global datasets, can be improved by calibrating the model against monthly discharge observations. Yet, it is difficult to find a single parameterization of PCR-GLOBWB that works well for all of the five river basins considered herein and shows consistent performance during both the calibration and evaluation period. Still there may be possibilities for regionalization based on catchment similarities. Our simulations illustrate that parameter uncertainty constitutes only a minor part of predictive uncertainty. Thus, the apparent dichotomy between simulations of global-scale hydrologic behavior and actual data cannot be resolved by simply increasing the model complexity of PCR-GLOBWB and resolving sub-grid processes. Instead, it would be more productive to improve the characterization of global rainfall amounts at spatial resolutions of 0.5° and smaller.

Improved data for integrated modeling of global environmental change

Science.gov (United States)

Lotze-Campen, Hermann

2011-12-01

The assessment of global environmental changes, their impact on human societies, and possible management options requires large-scale, integrated modeling efforts. These models have to link biophysical with socio-economic processes, and they have to take spatial heterogeneity of environmental conditions into account. Land use change and freshwater use are two key research areas where spatial aggregation and the use of regional average numbers may lead to biased results. Useful insights can only be obtained if processes like economic globalization can be consistently linked to local environmental conditions and resource constraints (Lambin and Meyfroidt 2011). Spatially explicit modeling of environmental changes at the global scale has a long tradition in the natural sciences (Woodward et al 1995, Alcamo et al 1996, Leemans et al 1996). Socio-economic models with comparable spatial detail, e.g. on grid-based land use change, are much less common (Heistermann et al 2006), but are increasingly being developed (Popp et al 2011, Schneider et al 2011). Spatially explicit models require spatially explicit input data, which often constrains their development and application at the global scale. The amount and quality of available data on environmental conditions is growing fast—primarily due to improved earth observation methods. Moreover, systematic efforts for collecting and linking these data across sectors are on the way (www.earthobservations.org). This has, among others, also helped to provide consistent databases on different land cover and land use types (Erb et al 2007). However, spatially explicit data on specific anthropogenic driving forces of global environmental change are still scarce—also because these cannot be collected with satellites or other devices. The basic data on socio-economic driving forces, i.e. population density and wealth (measured as gross domestic product per capita), have been prepared for spatially explicit analyses (CIESIN, IFPRI

Globalization: Ecological consequences of global-scale connectivity in people, resources and information

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Globalization is a phenomenon affecting all facets of the Earth System. Within the context of ecological systems, it is becoming increasingly apparent that global connectivity among terrestrial systems, the atmosphere, and oceans is driving many ecological dynamics at finer scales and pushing thresh...

NASA/MSFC FY88 Global Scale Atmospheric Processes Research Program Review

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Greg S. (Editor); Leslie, Fred W. (Editor); Arnold, J. E. (Editor)

1989-01-01

Interest in environmental issues and the magnitude of the environmental changes continues. One way to gain more understanding of the atmosphere is to make measurements on a global scale from space. The Earth Observation System is a series of new sensors to measure globally atmospheric parameters. Analysis of satellite data by developing algorithms to interpret the radiance information improves the understanding and also defines requirements for these sensors. One measure of knowledge of the atmosphere lies in the ability to predict its behavior. Use of numerical and experimental models provides a better understanding of these processes. These efforts are described in the context of satellite data analysis and fundamental studies of atmospheric dynamics which examine selected processes important to the global circulation.

Patients' preferences when comparing analogue implant impressions using a polyether impression material versus digital impressions (Intraoral Scan) of dental implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wismeijer, Daniel; Mans, Ronny; van Genuchten, Michiel; Reijers, Hajo A

2014-10-01

The primary objective of this clinical study was to assess the patients' perception of the difference between an analogue impression approach on the one hand and an intra-oral scan (IO scan) on the other when restoring implants in the non-aesthetic zone. A second objective was to analyse the difference in time needed to perform these two procedures. Thirty consecutive patients who had received 41 implants (Straumann tissue level) in the non-aesthetic zone in an implant-based referral practice setting in the Netherlands. As they were to receive crown and or bridge work on the implants, in one session, the final impressions were taken with both an analogue technique and with an intraoral scan. Patients were also asked if, directly after the treatment was carried out, they would be prepared to fill out a questionnaire on their perception of both techniques. The time involved following these two procedures was also recorded. The preparatory activities of the treatment, the taste of the impression material and the overall preference of the patients were significantly in favour of the IO scan. The bite registration, the scan head and gag reflex positively tended to the IO scan, but none of these effects were significant. The overall time involved with the IO scan was more negatively perceived than the analogue impression. Overall less time was involved when following the analogue impression technique than with the IO scan. The overall preference of the patients in our sample is significantly in favour of the approach using the IO scan. This preference relates mainly to the differences between the compared approaches with respect to taste effects and their preparatory activities. The patients did perceive the duration of IO scan more negatively than the analogue impression approach. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of digital and conventional impression techniques: evaluation of patients' perception, treatment comfort, effectiveness and clinical outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuzbasioglu, Emir; Kurt, Hanefi; Turunc, Rana; Bilir, Halenur

2014-01-30

The purpose of this study was to compare two impression techniques from the perspective of patient preferences and treatment comfort. Twenty-four (12 male, 12 female) subjects who had no previous experience with either conventional or digital impression participated in this study. Conventional impressions of maxillary and mandibular dental arches were taken with a polyether impression material (Impregum, 3 M ESPE), and bite registrations were made with polysiloxane bite registration material (Futar D, Kettenbach). Two weeks later, digital impressions and bite scans were performed using an intra-oral scanner (CEREC Omnicam, Sirona). Immediately after the impressions were made, the subjects' attitudes, preferences and perceptions towards impression techniques were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. The perceived source of stress was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Scale. Processing steps of the impression techniques (tray selection, working time etc.) were recorded in seconds. Statistical analyses were performed with the Wilcoxon Rank test, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. There were significant differences among the groups (p < 0.05) in terms of total working time and processing steps. Patients stated that digital impressions were more comfortable than conventional techniques. Digital impressions resulted in a more time-efficient technique than conventional impressions. Patients preferred the digital impression technique rather than conventional techniques.

Top-down constraints on disturbance dynamics in the terrestrial carbon cycle: effects at global and regional scales

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloom, A. A.; Exbrayat, J. F.; van der Velde, I.; Peters, W.; Williams, M.

2014-01-01

Large uncertainties preside over terrestrial carbon flux estimates on a global scale. In particular, the strongly coupled dynamics between net ecosystem productivity and disturbance C losses are poorly constrained. To gain an improved understanding of ecosystem C dynamics from regional to global

Large-Scale and Global Hydrology. Chapter 92

Science.gov (United States)

Rodell, Matthew; Beaudoing, Hiroko Kato; Koster, Randal; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Famiglietti, James S.; Lakshmi, Venkat

2016-01-01

Powered by the sun, water moves continuously between and through Earths oceanic, atmospheric, and terrestrial reservoirs. It enables life, shapes Earths surface, and responds to and influences climate change. Scientists measure various features of the water cycle using a combination of ground, airborne, and space-based observations, and seek to characterize it at multiple scales with the aid of numerical models. Over time our understanding of the water cycle and ability to quantify it have improved, owing to advances in observational capabilities, the extension of the data record, and increases in computing power and storage. Here we present some of the most recent estimates of global and continental ocean basin scale water cycle stocks and fluxes and provide examples of modern numerical modeling systems and reanalyses.Further, we discuss prospects for predicting water cycle variability at seasonal and longer scales, which is complicated by a changing climate and direct human impacts related to water management and agriculture. Changes to the water cycle will be among the most obvious and important facets of climate change, thus it is crucial that we continue to invest in our ability to monitor it.

Ventral impressions on the hypopharynx

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daschner, H.; Hannig, C.

1991-01-01

Two impressions can be seen on the ventral aspect of the hypopharynx and upper oesophagus; on static images it is difficult to differentiate these from small tumours. In order to evaluate this region more accurately, we have examined 150 patients by means of rapid rate cinematography. In 52.6% we found a constant irregular or convex impression formed by the cricoid; in the other cases this was not seen or was quite minimal. In 93% a sub-cricoid impression could be demonstrated which was due to lax mucosa. Characteristically this showed a variable appearance during the passage of a bolus. Only the cricoid impression was associated with dysphagia. (orig.) [de

Relative utility of a visual analogue scale vs. a six-point Likert scale in the measurement of global subject outcome in patients with low back pain receiving physiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harland, N J; Dawkin, M J; Martin, D

2015-03-01

Patients' subjective impression of change is an important construct to measure following physiotherapy, but little evidence exists about the best type of measure to use. To compare the construct validity and utility of two forms of a global subjective outcome scale (GSOS) in patients with back pain: Likert and visual analogue scale (VAS) GSOS. Two samples of patients attending physiotherapy for back pain completed a questionnaire battery at discharge from physiotherapy including either a Likert or VAS GSOS. One hundred and eighty-seven {79 males, mean age 52.1 [standard deviation (SD) 15.5] years} patients completed the Likert GSOS and a separate sample of 144 patients [62 males, mean age 55.7 (SD 15.9) years] completed the VAS GSOS upon discharge from physiotherapy. The two versions of the GSOS were compared using pre- and post-treatment changes in scores using a VAS (pain), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (18-item version) and catastrophising subscale of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire 24. Both versions of the GSOS showed significant (PPhysiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Historical Evolution of Dental Impression Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadiochos, Ioannis; Papadiochou, Sofia; Emmanouil, Ioannis

The concept of impression making process in dentistry began in the mid 1800s. Dentists realized that the construction of a prosthetic restoration required both a detailed capture of the oral tissues along with stone cast fabrications. To accomplish these goals, impression materials were essential. Beeswax represents the first impression material, while important bechmarks during the historical evolution of dental impression materials are considered to be the introduction of dental trays in the early 1800s and the invention of the gutta-percha, thermoplastic resins and plaster of Paris. The double (corrective) impression technique, along with the functional impression concept that was established after mid 1800s, are also identified as pivotal innovations. During the 20th century, the advances in material development slowed significantly since the majority of the current impression materials had already been invented. However, the introduction of elastomeric impression materials in the field of prosthodontics that offered the advantages of accuracy and dimensional stability substantially upgraded both the impression accuracy and the quality of the final restoration. Presently, the dental practitioner has access to a variety of impression materials and should be aware of their properties, indications and limitations as well. Futhermore, while continuous attempts are being made to enhance these materials, the ideal impression material has yet to be developed. The purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive review about the historical development of impression dental materials. Copyright American Academy of the History of Dentistry.

Accounting Narratives and Impression Management

OpenAIRE

Brennan, Niamh; Merkl-Davies, Doris M.

2013-01-01

This chapter focuses on impression management in accounting communication. Impression management entails the construction of an impression by organisations with the intention to appeal to their audiences, including shareholders, stakeholders, the general public, and the media. If successful, it undermines the quality of financial reporting and capital misallocations may result. What is more, wider social and political consequences include unwarranted support by non-financial...

Neither here, nor there: impression management does not predict expatriate adjustment and job performance

OpenAIRE

HANNAH JACKSON FOLDES; DENIZ S. ONES; HANDAN KEPIR SINANGIL

2006-01-01

Social desirability scale scores reflect substantive individual differences related to personality. The objective of the current study was to examine whether social desirability, and impression management specifically (a component of social desirability), is predictive of adjustment and job performance for expatriates. Based on theoretical considerations, it was proposed that impression management might be linked to expatriate job performance in a predictive and mediated relationship through ...

Object detection based on improved color and scale invariant features

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mengyang; Men, Aidong; Fan, Peng; Yang, Bo

2009-10-01

A novel object detection method which combines color and scale invariant features is presented in this paper. The detection system mainly adopts the widely used framework of SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform), which consists of both a keypoint detector and descriptor. Although SIFT has some impressive advantages, it is not only computationally expensive, but also vulnerable to color images. To overcome these drawbacks, we employ the local color kernel histograms and Haar Wavelet Responses to enhance the descriptor's distinctiveness and computational efficiency. Extensive experimental evaluations show that the method has better robustness and lower computation costs.

How turn-taking strategies influence users’ impressions of an agent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Maat, Mark; Truong, Khiet Phuong; Heylen, Dirk K.J.; Allbeck, Jan; Badler, Norman; Bickmore, Timothy; Pelachaud, Catherine; Safonova, Alla

Different turn-taking strategies of an agent influence the impression that people have of it. We recorded conversations of a human with an interviewing agent, controlled by a wizard and using a particular turn-taking strategy. A questionnaire with 27 semantic differential scales concerning

A high-resolution global-scale groundwater model

Science.gov (United States)

de Graaf, I. E. M.; Sutanudjaja, E. H.; van Beek, L. P. H.; Bierkens, M. F. P.

2015-02-01

Groundwater is the world's largest accessible source of fresh water. It plays a vital role in satisfying basic needs for drinking water, agriculture and industrial activities. During times of drought groundwater sustains baseflow to rivers and wetlands, thereby supporting ecosystems. Most global-scale hydrological models (GHMs) do not include a groundwater flow component, mainly due to lack of geohydrological data at the global scale. For the simulation of lateral flow and groundwater head dynamics, a realistic physical representation of the groundwater system is needed, especially for GHMs that run at finer resolutions. In this study we present a global-scale groundwater model (run at 6' resolution) using MODFLOW to construct an equilibrium water table at its natural state as the result of long-term climatic forcing. The used aquifer schematization and properties are based on available global data sets of lithology and transmissivities combined with the estimated thickness of an upper, unconfined aquifer. This model is forced with outputs from the land-surface PCRaster Global Water Balance (PCR-GLOBWB) model, specifically net recharge and surface water levels. A sensitivity analysis, in which the model was run with various parameter settings, showed that variation in saturated conductivity has the largest impact on the groundwater levels simulated. Validation with observed groundwater heads showed that groundwater heads are reasonably well simulated for many regions of the world, especially for sediment basins (R2 = 0.95). The simulated regional-scale groundwater patterns and flow paths demonstrate the relevance of lateral groundwater flow in GHMs. Inter-basin groundwater flows can be a significant part of a basin's water budget and help to sustain river baseflows, especially during droughts. Also, water availability of larger aquifer systems can be positively affected by additional recharge from inter-basin groundwater flows.

Scale-dependency of the global mean surface temperature trend and its implication for the recent hiatus of global warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yong; Franzke, Christian L E

2015-08-11

Studies of the global mean surface temperature trend are typically conducted at a single (usually annual or decadal) time scale. The used scale does not necessarily correspond to the intrinsic scales of the natural temperature variability. This scale mismatch complicates the separation of externally forced temperature trends from natural temperature fluctuations. The hiatus of global warming since 1999 has been claimed to show that human activities play only a minor role in global warming. Most likely this claim is wrong due to the inadequate consideration of the scale-dependency in the global surface temperature (GST) evolution. Here we show that the variability and trend of the global mean surface temperature anomalies (GSTA) from January 1850 to December 2013, which incorporate both land and sea surface data, is scale-dependent and that the recent hiatus of global warming is mainly related to natural long-term oscillations. These results provide a possible explanation of the recent hiatus of global warming and suggest that the hiatus is only temporary.

The endoscopy Global Rating Scale – Canada: Development and implementation of a quality improvement tool

Science.gov (United States)

MacIntosh, Donald; Dubé, Catherine; Hollingworth, Roger; van Zanten, Sander Veldhuyzen; Daniels, Sandra; Ghattas, George

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Increasing use of gastrointestinal endoscopy, particularly for colorectal cancer screening, and increasing emphasis on health care quality highlight the need for endoscopy facilities to review the quality of the service they offer. OBJECTIVE: To adapt the United Kingdom Global Rating Scale (UK-GRS) to develop a web-based and patient-centred tool to assess and improve the quality of endoscopy services provided. METHODS: Based on feedback from 22 sites across Canada that completed the UK endoscopy GRS, and integrating results of the Canadian consensus on safety and quality indicators in endoscopy and other Canadian consensus reports, a working group of endoscopists experienced with the GRS developed the GRS-Canada (GRS-C). RESULTS: The GRS-C mirrors the two dimensions (clinical quality and quality of the patient experience) and 12 patient-centred items of the UK-GRS, but was modified to apply to Canadian health care infrastructure, language and current practice. Each item is assessed by a yes/no response to eight to 12 statements that are divided into levels graded D (basic) through A (advanced). A core team consisting of a booking clerk, charge nurse and the physician responsible for the unit is recommended to complete the GRS-C twice yearly. CONCLUSION: The GRS-C is intended to improve endoscopic services in Canada by providing endoscopy units with a straightforward process to review the quality of the service they provide. PMID:23472242

Management of the flabby ridge using a modified window technique and polyvinylsiloxane impression material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nawaf Labban

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Flabby ridge is a common clinical finding affecting the alveolar ridges of the mandibular or maxillary arches. The anterior region of maxilla is the most affected area in edentulous patients. Dentures on flabby ridges have compromised stability, support, and retention unless adequate measures for its management are employed. Methods applied for flabby ridge management, include surgical removal and augmentation, special impression techniques, balanced distribution of occlusal loads and implant therapy. Special impressions often involve window technique for static impression of flabby area, which present multiple challenges. The purpose of this technique report is to present a modified window technique for the impression of anterior maxillary flabby tissues for improved and controlled application of polyvinylsiloxane impression material that are routinely available in dental practice.

21 CFR 872.6880 - Preformed impression tray.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6880 Preformed impression tray. (a) Identification. A preformed impression tray is a metal or plastic device intended to hold impression material... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Preformed impression tray. 872.6880 Section 872...

Comparison of digital and conventional impression techniques: evaluation of patients’ perception, treatment comfort, effectiveness and clinical outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to compare two impression techniques from the perspective of patient preferences and treatment comfort. Methods Twenty-four (12 male, 12 female) subjects who had no previous experience with either conventional or digital impression participated in this study. Conventional impressions of maxillary and mandibular dental arches were taken with a polyether impression material (Impregum, 3 M ESPE), and bite registrations were made with polysiloxane bite registration material (Futar D, Kettenbach). Two weeks later, digital impressions and bite scans were performed using an intra-oral scanner (CEREC Omnicam, Sirona). Immediately after the impressions were made, the subjects’ attitudes, preferences and perceptions towards impression techniques were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. The perceived source of stress was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Scale. Processing steps of the impression techniques (tray selection, working time etc.) were recorded in seconds. Statistical analyses were performed with the Wilcoxon Rank test, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were significant differences among the groups (p < 0.05) in terms of total working time and processing steps. Patients stated that digital impressions were more comfortable than conventional techniques. Conclusions Digital impressions resulted in a more time-efficient technique than conventional impressions. Patients preferred the digital impression technique rather than conventional techniques. PMID:24479892

Assessing Impression Management With the MMPI-2 in Child Custody Litigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Arce, Ramón; Fariña, Francisca; Seijo, Dolores; Novo, Mercedes

2015-12-01

Forensic psychological evaluation of parents in child custody litigation is primarily focused on evaluating parenting capacity and underreporting. The biased responses of underreporting have been classified as Impression Management (IM) or as Self-Deceptive Positivity (S-DP), which are regarded to be conscious or unconscious in nature, respectively. A field study was undertaken to assess impression management on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) in child custody cases, the accuracy of the MMPI-2 scales in classifying IM, and what parents in child custody litigation actually manipulate in terms of IM. A total of 244 parents in child custody litigation and 244 parents under standard instructions were administered the MMPI-2. The results revealed that the L, Mp, Wsd, and Od scales discriminated between both samples of parents; the rate of satisfactory classification (i.e., odds ratio ranged from 5.7 for Wsd to 23.3 for Od) and an incremental validity of Od over Mp and Wsd. As for the effects of IM, the results show IM effects in the Basic Clinical Scales, the Restructured Clinical Scales, the Personality Psychopathology Five Scales, the Content Scales, and the Supplementary Scales. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to the forensic evaluation of parents in child custody litigation. © The Author(s) 2014.

How good are our impressions? An audit of alginate impression quality in the production of removable prostheses.

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, Richard

2014-05-01

Impressions are taken regularly in practice giving vital information to the dental laboratory, but are there quality assurance systems in place to make sure that they are up to a sufficient standard? As dental professionals we have to appreciate that dental technicians can only work with the information given to them. This makes the skill of taking a good impression vital in order for us as clinicians to provide prostheses of good quality. This paper outlines an audit of alginate impressions and their quality in the making of removable prostheses. To record the quality of impression taking, and how one's own ability to critique an impression may differ from that of our colleagues.

Improvement of autism spectrum disorder symptoms in three children by using gastrin-releasing peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Michele Michelin; Bosa, Cleonice; Oliveira-Freitas, Vera Lorentz; Goldim, José Roberto; Ohlweiler, Lygia; Roesler, Rafael; Schwartsmann, Gilberto; Riesgo, Rudimar Dos Santos

2016-01-01

To evaluate the safety, tolerability and potential therapeutic effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in three children with autistic spectrum disorder. Case series study with the intravenous administration of gastrin-releasing peptide in the dose of 160pmol/kg for four consecutive days. To evaluate the results, parental impressions the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale. Each child underwent a new peptide cycle after two weeks. The children were followed for four weeks after the end of the infusions. The gastrin-releasing peptide was well tolerated and no child had adverse effects. Two children had improved social interaction, with a slight improvement in joint attention and the interaction initiatives. Two showed reduction of stereotypes and improvement in verbal language. One child lost his compulsion to bathe, an effect that lasted two weeks after each infusion cycle. Average reduction in CARS score was 2.8 points. CGI was "minimally better" in two children and "much better" in one. This study suggests that the gastrin-releasing peptide is safe and may be effective in improving key symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, but its results should be interpreted with caution. Controlled clinical trials-randomized, double-blinded, and with more children-are needed to better evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in autism. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Sulcus depth reproduction with polyvinyl siloxane impression material: effects of hydrophilicity and impression temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Hidekazu; Finger, Werner J; Kurokawa, Rie; Furukawa, Masae; Komatsu, Masashi

2010-03-01

To determine the sulcus penetration ability of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression materials by impression technique, temperature, and sulcus width. Hydrophilic Flexitime (FLE; Heraeus Kulzer) and its hydrophobic counterpart (EXP) without surfactant were investigated, using light (L), monophase (M), and heavy (H) consistencies. A truncated steel cone surrounded by a 2-mm-deep and 50-, 100-, or 200-microm-wide sulcus, simulating the gingival tissue with agar, served as the test model. Impressions were made with single-mix (L or M) and double-mix (LM or LH) techniques at 23 degrees C and 37 degrees C, respectively. The reproduced sulcus heights were measured with a 3D laser scanner. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD (P 1.9 mm); FLE-M, -LM, and-LH reproductions were shorter with narrow sulci. Reproductions of 50- and 100-microm sulci with EXP-L were shallower than with FLE-L. The shortest reproduction was, however, greater than 1.6 mm. In spite of some significant differences found in sulcus-reproducing ability with hydrophilic and hydrophobic impression materials applied at different impression-making temperatures and with different techniques, the practical relevance is limited.

Scaling behaviour of the global tropopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Varotsos

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Detrended fluctuation analysis is applied to the time series of the global tropopause height derived from the 1980–2004 daily radiosonde data, in order to detect long-range correlations in its time evolution.

Global tropopause height fluctuations in small time-intervals are found to be positively correlated to those in larger time intervals in a power-law fashion. The exponent of this dependence is larger in the tropics than in the middle and high latitudes in both hemispheres. Greater persistence is observed in the tropopause of the Northern than in the Southern Hemisphere. A plausible physical explanation of the fact that long-range correlations in tropopause variability decreases with increasing latitude is that the column ozone fluctuations (that are closely related with the tropopause ones exhibit long range correlations, which are larger in tropics than in the middle and high latitudes at long time scales.

This finding for the tropopause height variability should reduce the existing uncertainties in assessing the climatic characteristics. More specifically the reliably modelled values of a climatic variable (i.e. past and future simulations must exhibit the same scaling behaviour with that possibly existing in the real observations of the variable under consideration. An effort has been made to this end by applying the detrended fluctuation analysis to the global mean monthly land and sea surface temperature anomalies during the period January 1850–August 2008. The result obtained supports the findings presented above, notably: the correlations between the fluctuations in the global mean monthly land and sea surface temperature display scaling behaviour which must characterizes any projection.

21 CFR 872.3660 - Impression material.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3660 Impression material. (a) Identification. Impression material is a device composed of materials such as alginate or polysulfide intended to be placed... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Impression material. 872.3660 Section 872.3660...

21 CFR 872.6570 - Impression tube.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6570 Impression tube. (a) Identification. An impression tube is a device consisting of a hollow copper tube intended to take an impression of a single tooth...) Classification. Class I (general controls). The device is exempt from the premarket notification procedures in...

Two-piece impression procedure for implant-retained orbital prostheses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozcelik, Tuncer Burak; Yilmaz, Burak

2012-01-01

Obtaining an accurate impression of facial tissues with undercuts and extraoral implants has always been a challenge for both clinicians and patients. This report describes a three-step, two-piece technique that enables an accurate and comfortable impression of undercut tissues and extraoral implants in an orbital defect. An impression of the basal tissue surface of the defect area was made using a medium-body polyether impression material followed by an impression of the entire face of the patient made with a polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression material. First, the PVS impression material was removed; second, the impression posts were removed from the magnets; and third, the polyether impression was removed from the defect. The impression posts were attached to the implant analogs and placed in the negative spaces in the polyether impression. The polyether impression, which carries the implant analogs and impression posts, was placed in the PVS impression through the negative spaces. This technique minimizes trauma to the soft tissues and implants during impression making and also does not require additional materials.

Climate Controls AM Fungal Distributions from Global to Local Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Kivlin, S. N.; Hawkes, C.; Muscarella, R.; Treseder, K. K.; Kazenel, M.; Lynn, J.; Rudgers, J.

2016-12-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have key functions in terrestrial biogeochemical processes; thus, determining the relative importance of climate, edaphic factors, and plant community composition on their geographic distributions can improve predictions of their sensitivity to global change. Local adaptation by AM fungi to plant hosts, soil nutrients, and climate suggests that all of these factors may control fungal geographic distributions, but their relative importance is unknown. We created species distribution models for 142 AM fungal taxa at the global scale with data from GenBank. We compared climate variables (BioClim and soil moisture), edaphic variables (phosphorus, carbon, pH, and clay content), and plant variables using model selection on models with (1) all variables, (2) climatic variables only (including soil moisture) and (3) resource-related variables only (all other soil parameters and NPP) using the MaxEnt algorithm evaluated with ENMEval. We also evaluated whether drivers of AM fungal distributions were phylogenetically conserved. To test whether global correlates of AM fungal distributions were reflected at local scales, we then surveyed AM fungi in nine plant hosts along three elevation gradients in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, USA. At the global scale, the distributions of 55% of AM fungal taxa were affected by both climate and soil resources, whereas 16% were only affected by climate and 29% were only affected by soil resources. Even for AM fungi that were affected by both climate and resources, the effects of climatic variables nearly always outweighed those of resources. Soil moisture and isothermality were the main climatic and NPP and soil carbon the main resource related factors influencing AM fungal distributions. Distributions of closely related AM fungal taxa were similarly affected by climate, but not by resources. Local scale surveys of AM fungi across elevations confirmed that climate was a key driver of AM fungal

Digital Versus Conventional Impressions in Fixed Prosthodontics: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahlholm, Pekka; Sipilä, Kirsi; Vallittu, Pekka; Jakonen, Minna; Kotiranta, Ulla

2018-01-01

To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the evidence of possible benefits and accuracy of digital impression techniques vs. conventional impression techniques. Reports of digital impression techniques versus conventional impression techniques were systematically searched for in the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and Web of Science. A combination of controlled vocabulary, free-text words, and well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria guided the search. Digital impression accuracy is at the same level as conventional impression methods in fabrication of crowns and short fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). For fabrication of implant-supported crowns and FDPs, digital impression accuracy is clinically acceptable. In full-arch impressions, conventional impression methods resulted in better accuracy compared to digital impressions. Digital impression techniques are a clinically acceptable alternative to conventional impression methods in fabrication of crowns and short FDPs. For fabrication of implant-supported crowns and FDPs, digital impression systems also result in clinically acceptable fit. Digital impression techniques are faster and can shorten the operation time. Based on this study, the conventional impression technique is still recommended for full-arch impressions. © 2016 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Scale-dependency of the global mean surface temperature trend and its implication for the recent hiatus of global warming

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yong; Franzke, Christian L. E.

2015-01-01

Studies of the global mean surface temperature trend are typically conducted at a single (usually annual or decadal) time scale. The used scale does not necessarily correspond to the intrinsic scales of the natural temperature variability. This scale mismatch complicates the separation of externally forced temperature trends from natural temperature fluctuations. The hiatus of global warming since 1999 has been claimed to show that human activities play only a minor role in global warming. Most likely this claim is wrong due to the inadequate consideration of the scale-dependency in the global surface temperature (GST) evolution. Here we show that the variability and trend of the global mean surface temperature anomalies (GSTA) from January 1850 to December 2013, which incorporate both land and sea surface data, is scale-dependent and that the recent hiatus of global warming is mainly related to natural long-term oscillations. These results provide a possible explanation of the recent hiatus of global warming and suggest that the hiatus is only temporary. PMID:26259555

Matching Social and Biophysical Scales in Extensive Livestock Production as a Basis for Adaptation to Global Change

Science.gov (United States)

Sayre, N. F.; Bestelmeyer, B.

2015-12-01

Global livestock production is heterogeneous, and its benefits and costs vary widely across global contexts. Extensive grazing lands (or rangelands) constitute the vast majority of the land dedicated to livestock production globally, but they are relatively minor contributors to livestock-related environmental impacts. Indeed, the greatest potential for environmental damage in these lands lies in their potential for conversion to other uses, including agriculture, mining, energy production and urban development. Managing such conversion requires improving the sustainability of livestock production in the face of fragmentation, ecological and economic marginality and climate change. We present research from Mongolia and the United States demonstrating methods of improving outcomes on rangelands by improving the fit between the scales of social and biophysical processes. Especially in arid and semi-arid settings, rangelands exhibit highly variable productivity over space and time and non-linear or threshold dynamics in vegetation; climate change is projected to exacerbate these challenges and, in some cases, diminish overall productivity. Policy and governance frameworks that enable landscape-scale management and administration enable range livestock producers to adapt to these conditions. Similarly, livestock breeds that have evolved to withstand climate and vegetation change improve producers' prospects in the face of increasing variability and declining productivity. A focus on the relationships among primary production, animal production, spatial connectivity, and scale must underpin adaptation strategies in rangelands.

Does a web-based feedback training program result in improved reliability in clinicians' ratings of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale?

Science.gov (United States)

Støre-Valen, Jakob; Ryum, Truls; Pedersen, Geir A F; Pripp, Are H; Jose, Paul E; Karterud, Sigmund

2015-09-01

The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale is used in routine clinical practice and research to estimate symptom and functional severity and longitudinal change. Concerns about poor interrater reliability have been raised, and the present study evaluated the effect of a Web-based GAF training program designed to improve interrater reliability in routine clinical practice. Clinicians rated up to 20 vignettes online, and received deviation scores as immediate feedback (i.e., own scores compared with expert raters) after each rating. Growth curves of absolute SD scores across the vignettes were modeled. A linear mixed effects model, using the clinician's deviation scores from expert raters as the dependent variable, indicated an improvement in reliability during training. Moderation by content of scale (symptoms; functioning), scale range (average; extreme), previous experience with GAF rating, profession, and postgraduate training were assessed. Training reduced deviation scores for inexperienced GAF raters, for individuals in clinical professions other than nursing and medicine, and for individuals with no postgraduate specialization. In addition, training was most beneficial for cases with average severity of symptoms compared with cases with extreme severity. The results support the use of Web-based training with feedback routines as a means to improve the reliability of GAF ratings performed by clinicians in mental health practice. These results especially pertain to clinicians in mental health practice who do not have a masters or doctoral degree. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Students’ Impression towards Science Virtual Test (SVT) on Digestive System Topic

Science.gov (United States)

Mahfira, C.; Sanjaya, Y.; Rusyati, L.

2018-05-01

During the past few years, technology has significantly support the improvements in assessment.Computer-based test (CBT) comes up as a new type of assessment which offers many benefits. The implementation of computer-based test in term of students’ perspective gives rise to numbers of mixed reactions. Students’ impression is one of the essential things for the implementation of SVT. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impression of students toward SVT. The method used in this research was descriptive method. The participant was 98 students from Junior High School “X” in East Bandung. Students’ impression questionnaire was used as the instrument. There are four aspects tested in this instrument which are students’ experience, technical activity, preference and media of SVT. The result shows that SVT generally gives positive impression to students. Students have a positive experience and did not encounter significant problem when implementing SVT. Students prefer to use SVT and students think the media of SVT is already good.

The effect of impression volume and double-arch trays on the registration of maximum intercuspation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Sara M; Millstein, Philip L; Kinnunen, Taru H; Wright, Robert F

2009-12-01

The type of double-arch trays used may affect occlusion. The purpose of this study was to determine what effect, if any, double-arch tray design and impression material volume had on the registration of maximum intercuspation (MI). Quadrant impressions were made on articulated fracture-resistant dental casts mounted in maximum intercuspation occlusion. Three types of sideless double-arch impression trays were used: First Bite with nylon webbing, Sultan's 3-Way with double crosshatch webbing, and Premium's 3-in-1 Tray with single crosshatch webbing. Vinyl polysiloxane impression material (Aquasil Ultra Rigid Fast Set) was distributed at 2 different volumes (5.4 ml and 8.3 ml), and 60 impressions were made (n=10). A weight of 1.2 kg was placed on the upper arm of an Artex articulator, ensuring complete closure. The impressions were allowed to polymerize for 5 minutes. After polymerization, specimens were placed on a light box, and a camera set at a fixed distance was used to capture the light transmission that was projected through the impression material. The camera transferred the information to an image analysis program (ImageJ). This system allowed the different amounts of light projected through the impression to be translated into a gray scale value (GSV), which was assigned a thickness value, in millimeters, of a specified occlusal contact area. To assess reliability of the experimental design, 10 control impressions were made by directly applying impression material onto the typodont. These were analyzed in the same manner as the impressions made with trays. A 2-way ANOVA comparing volume by tray type was used (alpha=.05). This was followed by a Tukey HSD test. There was no main effect for volume of impression material (P=.71). Tray type was significantly different (Precord making.

Improvement of Global and Regional Mean Sea Level Trends Derived from all Altimetry Missions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ablain, Michael; Benveniste, Jérôme; Faugere, Yannice; Larnicol, Gilles; Cazenave, Anny; Johannessen, Johnny A.; Stammer, Detlef; Timms, Gary

2012-07-01

The global mean sea level (GMSL) has been calculated on a continual basis since January 1993 using data from satellite altimetry missions. The global mean sea level (MSL) deduced from TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and Jason-2 is increasing with a global trend of 3.2 mm from 1993 to 2010 applying the post glacial rebound (MSL Aviso website http://www.jason.oceanobs.com/msl). Besides, the regional sea level trends bring out an inhomogeneous repartition of the ocean elevation with local MSL slopes ranging from +/- 8 mm/year. A study published in 2009 [Ablain et al., 2009] has shown that the global MSL trend uncertainty was estimated at +/-0.6 mm/year with a confidence interval of 90%. The main sources of errors at global and regional scales are due to the orbit calculation and the wet troposphere correction. But others sea-level components have also a significant impact on the long-term stability of MSL as for instance the stability of instrumental parameters and the atmospheric corrections. Thanks to recent studies performed in Sea Level Essential Climate Variable Project in the frame of the Climate Change Initiative, an ESA Programme, in addition to activities performed within the SALP/CNES, strong improvements have been provided for the estimation of the global and regional MSL trends. In this paper, we propose to describe them; they concern the orbit calculation thanks to new gravity fields, the atmospheric corrections thanks to ERA-interim reanalyses, the wet troposphere corrections thanks to the stability improvement, and also empirical corrections allowing us to link regional time series together better. These improvements are described at global and regional scale for all the altimetry missions.

Disinfection of dental impressions - compliance to accepted standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Almortadi, N; Chadwick, R G

2010-12-18

The responsibility of ensuring impressions have been cleaned and disinfected before dispatch to the dental laboratory lies solely with the dentist. Uncertainty of impression disinfection risks both the health of the receiving dental technician and potential repeat disinfection of an already disinfected impression with detrimental consequences for its dimensions. To ascertain, from the perspectives of dentists and dental technicians, current impression decontamination and disinfection practices with, in the case of the technicians, an estimate of the relative prevalence of contaminated voids within apparently disinfected impressions. Anonymous postal questionnaire. Dentist (n = 200) and dental technician (n = 200) potential participants, selected at random from the registers held by the General Dental Council, were invited to complete an anonymous postal questionnaire that sought to establish current practices and perceived effectiveness of impression disinfection. Questionnaire return rates of 42.1% and 31.2% were recorded for dentists and dental technicians respectively. A wide range of solutions, at different dilutions of the same product, was used by the dentists to disinfect dental impressions. 37.2% rinsed the impressions with water, and 2.6% always brushed debris away, before disinfection. 24.7% of dentists did not inform the laboratory of disinfection. Irrespective of the disinfection status of the received impressions, 50% of the responding dental technicians disinfected all impressions. 95% of them had received blood-contaminated impressions. 15% had encountered blood-filled voids upon trimming back the peripheries of impressions. 64.7% were confident that the impressions received by them had been disinfected by the dentists. Compliance with good practice is less than ideal and education in impression disinfection for both dentists and dental technicians is required to address this.

Effects of climate variability on global scale flood risk

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, P.; Dettinger, M. D.; Kummu, M.; Jongman, B.; Sperna Weiland, F.; Winsemius, H.

2013-12-01

In this contribution we demonstrate the influence of climate variability on flood risk. Globally, flooding is one of the worst natural hazards in terms of economic damages; Munich Re estimates global losses in the last decade to be in excess of $240 billion. As a result, scientifically sound estimates of flood risk at the largest scales are increasingly needed by industry (including multinational companies and the insurance industry) and policy communities. Several assessments of global scale flood risk under current and conditions have recently become available, and this year has seen the first studies assessing how flood risk may change in the future due to global change. However, the influence of climate variability on flood risk has as yet hardly been studied, despite the fact that: (a) in other fields (drought, hurricane damage, food production) this variability is as important for policy and practice as long term change; and (b) climate variability has a strong influence in peak riverflows around the world. To address this issue, this contribution illustrates the influence of ENSO-driven climate variability on flood risk, at both the globally aggregated scale and the scale of countries and large river basins. Although it exerts significant and widespread influences on flood peak discharges in many parts of the world, we show that ENSO does not have a statistically significant influence on flood risk once aggregated to global totals. At the scale of individual countries, though, strong relationships exist over large parts of the Earth's surface. For example, we find particularly strong anomalies of flood risk in El Niño or La Niña years (compared to all years) in southern Africa, parts of western Africa, Australia, parts of Central Eurasia (especially for El Niño), the western USA (especially for La Niña), and parts of South America. These findings have large implications for both decadal climate-risk projections and long-term future climate change

The scaling structure of the global road network.

Science.gov (United States)

Strano, Emanuele; Giometto, Andrea; Shai, Saray; Bertuzzo, Enrico; Mucha, Peter J; Rinaldo, Andrea

2017-10-01

Because of increasing global urbanization and its immediate consequences, including changes in patterns of food demand, circulation and land use, the next century will witness a major increase in the extent of paved roads built worldwide. To model the effects of this increase, it is crucial to understand whether possible self-organized patterns are inherent in the global road network structure. Here, we use the largest updated database comprising all major roads on the Earth, together with global urban and cropland inventories, to suggest that road length distributions within croplands are indistinguishable from urban ones, once rescaled to account for the difference in mean road length. Such similarity extends to road length distributions within urban or agricultural domains of a given area. We find two distinct regimes for the scaling of the mean road length with the associated area, holding in general at small and at large values of the latter. In suitably large urban and cropland domains, we find that mean and total road lengths increase linearly with their domain area, differently from earlier suggestions. Scaling regimes suggest that simple and universal mechanisms regulate urban and cropland road expansion at the global scale. As such, our findings bear implications for global road infrastructure growth based on land-use change and for planning policies sustaining urban expansions.

Impression management as symbolic capital

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lueg, Klarissa; Nielsen, Camilla

2015-01-01

in Germany and LinkedIn in Denmark. We summarize those differences and relate them to different cultural contexts and impression management practices. Our sample consists of Danish Higher Executives (HEs)/managers (e.g., CEOs) and companies that have profiles on both SNS, thus reaching out to both the German......Social Network Sites (SNS) play an increasingly important role in the European business world, especially with respect to cross-cultural impression management. Departing from the Bourdieusian concept of “capital,” this paper analyzes the differences in the use of two popular business SNS: XING...... and the Danish markets. It is apparent that even business experts operating in both markets could better adapt to the standards and possibilities offered by the German SNS with respect to impression management. We introduce a set of recommendations to foster SNS-related and culture-sensitive impression...

Primary sources of selected POPs: regional and global scale emission inventories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breivik, Knut; Alcock, Ruth; Li Yifan; Bailey, Robert E.; Fiedler, Heidelore; Pacyna, Jozef M

2004-03-01

During the last decade, a number of studies have been devoted to the sources and emissions of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) at regional and global scales. While significant improvements in knowledge have been achieved for some pesticides, the quantitative understanding of the emission processes and emission patterns for 'non-pesticide' POPs are still considered limited. The key issues remaining for the non-pesticide POPs are in part determined by their general source classification. For industrial chemicals, such as the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), there is considerable uncertainty with respect to the relative importance of atmospheric emissions from various source categories. For PCBs, temperature is discussed as a potential key factor influencing atmospheric emission levels and patterns. When it comes to the unintentional by-products of combustion and industrial processes (PCDD/Fs), there is still a large uncertainty with respect to the relative contribution of emissions from unregulated sources such as backyard barrel burning that requires further consideration and characterisation. For hexachlorobenzene (HCB), the relative importance of primary and secondary atmospheric emissions in controlling current atmospheric concentrations remains one of the key uncertainties. While these and other issues may remain unresolved, knowledge concerning the emissions of POPs is a prerequisite for any attempt to understand and predict the distribution and fate of these chemicals on a regional and global scale as well as to efficiently minimise future environmental burdens. - Knowledge of primary emissions is a prerequisite for understanding and predicting POPs on a regional/global scale.

Primary sources of selected POPs: regional and global scale emission inventories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breivik, Knut; Alcock, Ruth; Li Yifan; Bailey, Robert E.; Fiedler, Heidelore; Pacyna, Jozef M.

2004-01-01

During the last decade, a number of studies have been devoted to the sources and emissions of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) at regional and global scales. While significant improvements in knowledge have been achieved for some pesticides, the quantitative understanding of the emission processes and emission patterns for 'non-pesticide' POPs are still considered limited. The key issues remaining for the non-pesticide POPs are in part determined by their general source classification. For industrial chemicals, such as the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), there is considerable uncertainty with respect to the relative importance of atmospheric emissions from various source categories. For PCBs, temperature is discussed as a potential key factor influencing atmospheric emission levels and patterns. When it comes to the unintentional by-products of combustion and industrial processes (PCDD/Fs), there is still a large uncertainty with respect to the relative contribution of emissions from unregulated sources such as backyard barrel burning that requires further consideration and characterisation. For hexachlorobenzene (HCB), the relative importance of primary and secondary atmospheric emissions in controlling current atmospheric concentrations remains one of the key uncertainties. While these and other issues may remain unresolved, knowledge concerning the emissions of POPs is a prerequisite for any attempt to understand and predict the distribution and fate of these chemicals on a regional and global scale as well as to efficiently minimise future environmental burdens. - Knowledge of primary emissions is a prerequisite for understanding and predicting POPs on a regional/global scale

Global-scale combustion sources of organic aerosols: sensitivity to formation and removal mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Tsimpidi, Alexandra P.; Karydis, Vlassis A.; Pandis, Spyros N.; Lelieveld, Jos

2017-06-01

Organic compounds from combustion sources such as biomass burning and fossil fuel use are major contributors to the global atmospheric load of aerosols. We analyzed the sensitivity of model-predicted global-scale organic aerosols (OA) to parameters that control primary emissions, photochemical aging, and the scavenging efficiency of organic vapors. We used a computationally efficient module for the description of OA composition and evolution in the atmosphere (ORACLE) of the global chemistry-climate model EMAC (ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry). A global dataset of aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) measurements was used to evaluate simulated primary (POA) and secondary (SOA) OA concentrations. Model results are sensitive to the emission rates of intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) and POA. Assuming enhanced reactivity of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and IVOCs with OH substantially improved the model performance for SOA. The use of a hybrid approach for the parameterization of the aging of IVOCs had a small effect on predicted SOA levels. The model performance improved by assuming that freshly emitted organic compounds are relatively hydrophobic and become increasingly hygroscopic due to oxidation.

Impression Management and Entrepreneurial Experience

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halbinger, Maria; Reichstein, Toke

2016-01-01

into entrepreneurship. Analyzing individual-level data collected through online survey, field studies and experiments in hacker-and makerspaces, we find that impression management behavior that focuses others, i.e. accommodative impression management is positively associated with entrepreneurial experience while self...

Evaluation of accuracy of complete-arch multiple-unit abutment-level dental implant impressions using different impression and splinting materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Buzayan, Muaiyed; Baig, Mirza Rustum; Yunus, Norsiah

2013-01-01

This in vitro study evaluated the accuracy of multiple-unit dental implant casts obtained from splinted or nonsplinted direct impression techniques using various splinting materials by comparing the casts to the reference models. The effect of two different impression materials on the accuracy of the implant casts was also evaluated for abutment-level impressions. A reference model with six internal-connection implant replicas placed in the completely edentulous mandibular arch and connected to multi-base abutments was fabricated from heat-curing acrylic resin. Forty impressions of the reference model were made, 20 each with polyether (PE) and polyvinylsiloxane (PVS) impression materials using the open tray technique. The PE and PVS groups were further subdivided into four subgroups of five each on the bases of splinting type: no splinting, bite registration PE, bite registration addition silicone, or autopolymerizing acrylic resin. The positional accuracy of the implant replica heads was measured on the poured casts using a coordinate measuring machine to assess linear differences in interimplant distances in all three axes. The collected data (linear and three-dimensional [3D] displacement values) were compared with the measurements calculated on the reference resin model and analyzed with nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney). No significant differences were found between the various splinting groups for both PE and PVS impression materials in terms of linear and 3D distortions. However, small but significant differences were found between the two impression materials (PVS, 91 μm; PE, 103 μm) in terms of 3D discrepancies, irrespective of the splinting technique employed. Casts obtained from both impression materials exhibited differences from the reference model. The impression material influenced impression inaccuracy more than the splinting material for multiple-unit abutment-level impressions.

Examination of the Position Accuracy of Implant Abutments Reproduced by Intra-Oral Optical Impression

Science.gov (United States)

Odaira, Chikayuki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Kondo, Hisatomo

2016-01-01

An impression technique called optical impression using intraoral scanner has attracted attention in digital dentistry. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the optical impression, comparing a virtual model reproduced by an intraoral scanner to a working cast made by conventional silicone impression technique. Two implants were placed on a master model. Working casts made of plaster were fabricated from the master model by silicone impression. The distance between the ball abutments and the angulation between the healing abutments of 5 mm and 7 mm height at master model were measured using Computer Numerical Control Coordinate Measuring Machine (CNCCMM) as control. Working casts were then measured using CNCCMM, and virtual models via stereo lithography data of master model were measured by a three-dimensional analyzing software. The distance between ball abutments of the master model was 9634.9 ± 1.2 μm. The mean values of trueness of the Lava COS and working casts were 64.5 μm and 22.5 μm, respectively, greater than that of control. The mean of precision values of the Lava COS and working casts were 15.6 μm and 13.5 μm, respectively. In the case of a 5-mm-height healing abutment, mean angulation error of the Lava COS was greater than that of the working cast, resulting in significant differences in trueness and precision. However, in the case of a 7-mm-height abutment, mean angulation errors of the Lava COS and the working cast were not significantly different in trueness and precision. Therefore, distance errors of the optical impression were slightly greater than those of conventional impression. Moreover, the trueness and precision of angulation error could be improved in the optical impression using longer healing abutments. In the near future, the development of information technology could enable improvement in the accuracy of the optical impression with intraoral scanners. PMID:27706225

Improving global health: counting reasons why.

Science.gov (United States)

Selgelid, Michael J

2008-08-01

This paper examines cumulative ethical and self-interested reasons why wealthy developed nations should be motivated to do more to improve health care in developing countries. Egalitarian and human rights reasons why wealthy nations should do more to improve global health are that doing so would (1) promote equality of opportunity (2) improve the situation of the worst-off, (3) promote respect of the human right to have one's most basic needs met, and (4) reduce undeserved inequalities in well-being. Utilitarian reasons for improving global health are that this would (5) promote the greater good of humankind, and (6) achieve enormous benefits while requiring only small sacrifices. Libertarian reasons are that this would (7) amend historical injustices and (8) meet the obligation to amend injustices that developed world countries have contributed to. Self-interested reasons why wealthy nations should do more to improve global health are that doing so would (9) reduce the threat of infectious diseases to developed countries, (10) promote developed countries' economic interests, and (11) promote global security. All of these reasons count, and together they add up to make an overwhelmingly powerful case for change. Those opposed to wealthy government funding of developing world health improvement would most likely appeal, implicitly or explicitly to the idea that coercive taxation for redistributive purposes would violate the right of an individual to keep his hard-earned income. The idea that this reason not to improve global health should outweigh the combination of rights and values embodied in the eleven reasons enumerated above, however is implausibly extreme, morally repugnant and perhaps imprudent.

Global terrestrial biogeochemistry: Perturbations, interactions, and time scales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braswell, B.H. Jr.

1996-12-01

Global biogeochemical processes are being perturbed by human activity, principally that which is associated with industrial activity and expansion of urban and agricultural complexes. Perturbations have manifested themselves at least since the beginning of the 19th Century, and include emissions of CO{sub 2} and other pollutants from fossil fuel combustion, agricultural emissions of reactive nitrogen, and direct disruption of ecosystem function through land conversion. These perturbations yield local impacts, but there are also global consequences that are the sum of local-scale influences. Several approaches to understanding the global-scale implications of chemical perturbations to the Earth system are discussed. The lifetime of anthropogenic CO{sub 2} in the atmosphere is an important concept for understanding the current and future commitment to an altered atmospheric heat budget. The importance of the terrestrial biogeochemistry relative to the lifetime of excess CO{sub 2} is demonstrated using dynamic, aggregated models of the global carbon cycle.

Impressed by impression management: Newcomer reactions to ingratiated supervisors.

Science.gov (United States)

Foulk, Trevor A; Long, David M

2016-10-01

Organizational newcomers are unfamiliar with many aspects of their workplace and look for information to help them reduce uncertainty and better understand their new environment. One aspect critical to newcomers is the disposition of their supervisor-the person who arguably can impact the newcomer's career the most. To form an impression of their new supervisor, newcomers look to social cues from coworkers who have interpersonal contact with the supervisor. In the present research, we investigate the ways newcomers use observed ingratiation-a common impression management strategy whereby coworkers try to appear likable (Schlenker, 1980)-to form impressions of a supervisor's warmth. Research on social influence cannot easily account for how third parties will interpret ingratiation, as the behaviors linked to ingratiation suggest something positive about the target, yet the unsavory aspects of the behavior imply it may not have the same effects as other positive behaviors. Our findings suggest that newcomers are unique in that they are motivated to learn about their new supervisor, and are prone to ignore those unsavory aspects and infer something positive about a supervisor targeted with ingratiation. Our findings also suggest that this effect can be weakened based on the supervisor's response. In other words, newcomers rely less on evidence from a coworker's ingratiation in the presence of direct behaviors from the supervisor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of Storage Time and Temperature on Dimensional Stability of Impressions Made with Zinc Oxide Impression Paste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sareh Habibzadeh

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of storage time and temperature on dimensional stability of impressions made with Cavex Outline zinc oxide impression paste.Materials and Methods: A round stainless steel mold with five grooves (three horizontal and two vertical was used in this in-vitro experimental study. Cavex Outline impression paste was prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions and applied to the mold. The mold was placed on a block and stored at 35°C and 100% humidity for setting. The impressions were poured with stone immediately and also after 30, 120, 240 and 420 minutes and 24 hours. The distance between the vertical lines on the casts was measured and compared with that in the immediately poured cast.Results: Storage in a refrigerator and at room temperature for zero to seven hours had no significant effect on dimensional stability of the impressions; however, 24 hours of storage in a refrigerator or at room temperature decreased the dimensional stability of Cavex Outline (P=0.001. Also, a significant association was found between dimensional changes following 24 hours of storage in a refrigerator (4°C and at room temperature (23°C; P<0.01.Conclusions: The optimal pouring time of Cavex Outline impressions with stone is between zero to seven hours, and 24 hours of storage significantly decreases the dimensional stability.Keywords: Dental Impression Materials; Zinc Oxide; Cavex

Preliminary impression techniques for microstomia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Aswini Kumar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Prosthetic rehabilitation of microstomia patients presents difficulties at all the stages. The difficulty starts with the preliminary impression making. This is due to the tongue rigidity and the decreased oral opening. A maximum oral opening which is smaller than the size of the tray can make prosthetic treatment challenging. Due to the restricted mouth opening, insertion and removal of the impression trays is extremely cumbersome and various modifications of the trays have been used in the past. Among these are the flexible trays and the sectional trays used with different modes of reassembling the segments extra orally after the impression is made. This article reviews the literature published from 1971 to 2015 concerning preliminary impression techniques used in making impressions for patients with microstomia based on various tray designs. An electronic search was performed across three databases (PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scolar for relevant citations. The keywords/combinations used for the search were microstomia, limited/constricted/restricted mouth opening/oral access, trismus, sectional trays, impressions and prosthetic/prosthodontic rehabilitation. The search was limited to papers written in English which resulted in a total of 45 related articles of which 17 articles were included for discussion of this review.

Impression mismanagement : People as inept self-presenters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steinmetz, J.F.; Sezer, O.; Sedikides, C.

2017-01-01

People routinely manage the impressions they make on others, attempting to project a favorable self-image. The bulk of the literature has portrayed people as savvy self-presenters who typically succeed at conveying a desired impression. When people fail at making a favorable impression, such as when

Effects of Impression Coping Design, Impression Technique, and Dental Undercuts on the Accuracy of Implant Impressions Assessed by 3-Dimensional Optical Scanning: An In Vitro Study.

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Sabouhi, Mahmoud; Bajoghli, Farshad; Dakhilalian, Mansour; Beygi, Ali; Abolhasani, Majid

2016-04-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of the type and design of the impression copings on the accuracy of implant impressions in 2 different conditions. A reference model with 2 implants inserted in bilateral mandibular canines was fabricated. The posterior teeth were inserted as tilted to simulate intra-oral undercuts. The teeth were eliminated to create an edentulous condition. Three different impression techniques were performed (open high retentive [OH], open low retentive [OL], closed [C]) for each condition. Total of 48 casts were made. Two scan-bodies were secured on each cast, scanned by an optical scanner. Then, they were compared to the scan of the reference model, and the calculated mean errors were analyzed with a 2-way ANOVA and Tukey test. There was no significant difference between the complete and partially edentulous groups (F = 3.252, P = 0.079). There was significant difference between the different designs of the impression copings (F = 31.789, P impression copings was more important than the undercuts. The accuracy of the closed tray coping was greater than the low retentive coping and equal to the high retentive coping.

Optimizing rice yields while minimizing yield-scaled global warming potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittelkow, Cameron M; Adviento-Borbe, Maria A; van Kessel, Chris; Hill, James E; Linquist, Bruce A

2014-05-01

To meet growing global food demand with limited land and reduced environmental impact, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasingly evaluated with respect to crop productivity, i.e., on a yield-scaled as opposed to area basis. Here, we compiled available field data on CH4 and N2 O emissions from rice production systems to test the hypothesis that in response to fertilizer nitrogen (N) addition, yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) will be minimized at N rates that maximize yields. Within each study, yield N surplus was calculated to estimate deficit or excess N application rates with respect to the optimal N rate (defined as the N rate at which maximum yield was achieved). Relationships between yield N surplus and GHG emissions were assessed using linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models. Results indicate that yields increased in response to increasing N surplus when moving from deficit to optimal N rates. At N rates contributing to a yield N surplus, N2 O and yield-scaled N2 O emissions increased exponentially. In contrast, CH4 emissions were not impacted by N inputs. Accordingly, yield-scaled CH4 emissions decreased with N addition. Overall, yield-scaled GWP was minimized at optimal N rates, decreasing by 21% compared to treatments without N addition. These results are unique compared to aerobic cropping systems in which N2 O emissions are the primary contributor to GWP, meaning yield-scaled GWP may not necessarily decrease for aerobic crops when yields are optimized by N fertilizer addition. Balancing gains in agricultural productivity with climate change concerns, this work supports the concept that high rice yields can be achieved with minimal yield-scaled GWP through optimal N application rates. Moreover, additional improvements in N use efficiency may further reduce yield-scaled GWP, thereby strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of rice systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The global financial crisis and health: scaling up our effort.

Science.gov (United States)

Labonté, Ronald

2009-01-01

Economic events of the past year are beginning to create hardships for tens of thousands of Canadians. There are likely to be health effects as well, to the extent that unemployment and poverty rates rise. Conditions, however, will be much worse for those living in poorer countries. High-income countries are committing trillions of dollars in countercyclical spending and banking bail-outs. Poorer countries need to do the same, but lack the resources to do so. Yet foreign aid and fairer trade are widely expected to be among the first high-income country victims of the recession fallout as nations turn inwards and protectionist. This is neither good for global health nor necessary given the scale of untaxed (or unfairly taxed) wealth that could be harnessed for a truly global rescue package. Policy choices confront us. The Canadian public health community must hold our political leadership accountable for making those choices that will improve health globally and not further imperil the well-being of much of the world's population in efforts to secure our own future economic revival.

The Stanford Microsurgery and Resident Training (SMaRT) Scale: validation of an on-line global rating scale for technical assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Satterwhite, Thomas; Son, Ji; Carey, Joseph; Echo, Anthony; Spurling, Terry; Paro, John; Gurtner, Geoffrey; Chang, James; Lee, Gordon K

2014-05-01

We previously reported results of our on-line microsurgery training program, showing that residents who had access to our website significantly improved their cognitive and technical skills. In this study, we report an objective means for expert evaluators to reliably rate trainees' technical skills under the microscope, with the use of our novel global rating scale. "Microsurgery Essentials" (http://smartmicrosurgery.com) is our on-line training curriculum. Residents were randomly divided into 2 groups: 1 group reviewed this online resource and the other did not. Pre- and post-tests consisted of videotaped microsurgical sessions in which the trainee performed "microsurgery" on 3 different models: latex glove, penrose drain, and the dorsal vessel of a chicken foot. The SMaRT (Stanford Microsurgery and Resident Training) scale, consisting of 9 categories graded on a 5-point Likert scale, was used to assess the trainees. Results were analyzed with ANOVA and Student t test, with P less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Seventeen residents participated in the study. The SMaRT scale adequately differentiated the performance of more experienced senior residents (PGY-4 to PGY-6, total average score=3.43) from less experienced junior residents (PGY-1 to PGY-3, total average score=2.10, P0.05). Additionally, junior residents who had access to our website showed a significant increase in their graded technical performance by 0.7 points when compared to residents who did not have access to the website who showed an improvement of only 0.2 points (P=0.01). Our SMaRT scale is valid and reliable in assessing the microsurgical skills of residents and other trainees. Current trainees are more likely to use self-directed on-line education because of its easy accessibility and interactive format. Our global rating scale can help ensure residents are achieving appropriate technical milestones.

Social impressions while drinking account for the relationship between alcohol-related problems and social anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckner, Julia D; Matthews, Russell A

2012-04-01

Individuals with elevated social anxiety appear particularly vulnerable to experiencing alcohol-related problems; yet we know little about factors that may account for this relationship. One possibility is that socially anxious individuals hold beliefs about the impressions they make on others while drinking and these beliefs play an important role in their drinking behaviors. The present study used exploratory factor analysis among participants with clinically elevated social anxiety (n=166) to develop a measure, the Social Impressions while Drinking Scale (SIDS), to assess beliefs regarding others' impressions of drinking behaviors that may be particularly relevant to socially anxious individuals. A valuations scale was also developed to assess the importance of each belief. Empirically-derived subscales were identified with adequate reliability. Among socially anxious participants, the Gregarious and Sexual Facilitation subscales were uniquely related to drinking problems and frequency respectively. Individuals with clinically meaningful social anxiety achieved higher scores on all SIDS subscales compared to those with lower social anxiety (n=166). Several SIDS scales mediated the relations between social anxiety group status and drinking problems (Interaction Fears, Observation Fears, Aggression, Gregariousness). Results highlight the importance of examining beliefs specific to high-risk populations in assessing their alcohol-related behaviors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global scale ionospheric irregularities associated with thunderstorm activity

CERN Document Server

Pulinets, S A

2002-01-01

The potential difference near 280 kV exists between ground and ionosphere. This potential difference is generated by thunderstorm discharges all over the world, and return current closes the circuit in the areas of fair weather (so-called fair weather current). The model calculations and experimental measurements clearly demonstrate non-uniform latitude-longitude distribution of electric field within the atmosphere. The recent calculations show that the strong large scale vertical atmospheric electric field can penetrate into the ionosphere and create large scale irregularities of the electron concentration. To check this the global distributions of thunderstorm activity obtained with the satellite monitoring for different seasons were compared with the global distributions of ionosphere critical frequency (which is equivalent to peak electron concentration) obtained with the help of satellite topside sounding. The similarity of the obtained global distributions clearly demonstrates the effects of thunderstor...

The sensitivity of soil respiration to soil temperature, moisture, and carbon supply at the global scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Hursh, Andrew; Ballantyne, Ashley; Cooper, Leila; Maneta, Marco; Kimball, John; Watts, Jennifer

2017-05-01

Soil respiration (Rs) is a major pathway by which fixed carbon in the biosphere is returned to the atmosphere, yet there are limits to our ability to predict respiration rates using environmental drivers at the global scale. While temperature, moisture, carbon supply, and other site characteristics are known to regulate soil respiration rates at plot scales within certain biomes, quantitative frameworks for evaluating the relative importance of these factors across different biomes and at the global scale require tests of the relationships between field estimates and global climatic data. This study evaluates the factors driving Rs at the global scale by linking global datasets of soil moisture, soil temperature, primary productivity, and soil carbon estimates with observations of annual Rs from the Global Soil Respiration Database (SRDB). We find that calibrating models with parabolic soil moisture functions can improve predictive power over similar models with asymptotic functions of mean annual precipitation. Soil temperature is comparable with previously reported air temperature observations used in predicting Rs and is the dominant driver of Rs in global models; however, within certain biomes soil moisture and soil carbon emerge as dominant predictors of Rs. We identify regions where typical temperature-driven responses are further mediated by soil moisture, precipitation, and carbon supply and regions in which environmental controls on high Rs values are difficult to ascertain due to limited field data. Because soil moisture integrates temperature and precipitation dynamics, it can more directly constrain the heterotrophic component of Rs, but global-scale models tend to smooth its spatial heterogeneity by aggregating factors that increase moisture variability within and across biomes. We compare statistical and mechanistic models that provide independent estimates of global Rs ranging from 83 to 108 Pg yr -1 , but also highlight regions of uncertainty

Effects of impression levels and trays on the accuracy of impressions taken from angulated implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Geramipanah, Farideh; Sahebi, Majid; Davari, Maryam; Hajimahmoudi, Mohammadreza; Rakhshan, Vahid

2015-09-01

It is crucial to keep the misfit of the abutment-fixture unit at the lowest possible rate. There are a few controversial studies on the accuracy of impression making of angulated implants, and much fewer (and controversial) studies on the abutment-level impression technique, which is a convenient and clinically favorable method. Besides, there are no studies on comparison of sectional vs. full-arch trays. We aimed to assess these. A trapezoidal model with four angulated implants installed at 20° and 30° buccal tilts was fabricated. Forty impressions were taken from this model, with two groups of full-arch and sectional custom trays (n = 2 × 20), each divided into two subgroups of implant-level and abutment-level techniques (n = 2 × 2 × 10 in four subgroups). Absolute and non-absolute linear and angular impression errors were estimated by comparing the fabricated casts with the model, using a coordinate measuring machine. The effects of sectional/full-arch trays and abutment-level and fixture-level techniques on impression accuracies were analyzed using one- and two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA), Tukey, Mann-Whitney, and one-sample t-tests (α = 0.05, Mann-Whitney's α using the Bonferroni Bonferroni method). No significant differences between the absolute linear errors of the two trays (P = 0.100 [ANOVA]) and the two levels (P = 0.400 [ANOVA]) were observed. The assessment of absolute angular errors showed no significant differences (all P values ≥ 0.4 [ANOVA]). The difference between the linear errors in the full-arch vs. sectional trays was not significant in the fixture-level group (P = 0.290). However, in the abutment-level group, the linear error was significantly greater in the sectional tray compared to full-arch tray (P = 0.013, α = 0.025 [Mann-Whitney]). Using sectional trays might not be advantageous over full-arch trays. Sectional trays are not recommended for taking abutment-level impressions. The abutment

Rating scale for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: scale development and clinimetric testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cianci, Vittoria; Ferlazzo, Edoardo; Condino, Francesca; Mauvais, Hélène Somma; Farnarier, Guy; Labate, Angelo; Latella, Maria Adele; Gasparini, Sara; Branca, Damiano; Pucci, Franco; Vazzana, Francesco; Gambardella, Antonio; Aguglia, Umberto

2011-06-01

Our aim was to develop a clinimetric scale evaluating motor phenomena, associated features, and severity of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Sixty video/EEG-recorded PNES induced by suggestion maneuvers were evaluated. We examined the relationship between results from this scale and results from the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale to validate this technique. Interrater reliabilities of the PNES scale for three raters were analyzed using the AC1 statistic, Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The relationship between the CGI and PNES scales was evaluated with Spearman correlations. The AC1 statistic demonstrated good interrater reliability for each phenomenon analyzed (tremor/oscillation, tonic; clonic/jerking, hypermotor/agitation, atonic/akinetic, automatisms, associated features). KCC and the ICC showed moderate interrater agreement for phenomenology, associated phenomena, and total PNES scores. Spearman's correlation of mean CGI score with mean total PNES score was 0.69 (Pscale described here accurately evaluates the phenomenology of PNES and could be used to assess and compare subgroups of patients with PNES. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of silicone and alginate impressions for complete dentures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulme, C; Yu, G; Browne, C; O'Dwyer, J; Craddock, H; Brown, S; Gray, J; Pavitt, S; Fernandez, C; Godfrey, M; Dukanovic, G; Brunton, P; Hyde, T P

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess the cost effectiveness of silicone and alginate impressions for complete dentures. Cost effectiveness analyses were undertaken alongside a UK single centre, double blind, controlled, crossover clinical trial. Taking the perspective of the healthcare sector, effectiveness is measured using the EuroQol (EQ-5D-3L) which provides a single index value for health status that may be combined with time to produce quality adjusted life years (QALYs); and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-EDENT). Incremental cost effectiveness ratios are presented representing the additional cost per one unit gained. Mean cost was higher in the silicone impression group (£388.57 vs. £363.18). Negligible between-group differences were observed in QALY gains; the silicone group had greater mean OHIP-EDENT gains. The additional cost using silicone was £3.41 per change of one point in the OHIP-EDENT. The silicone group was more costly, driven by the cost of materials. Changes in the EQ-5D and QALY gains over time and between arms were not statistically significant. Change in OHIP-EDENT score showed greater improvement in the silicone group and the difference between arms was statistically significant. Given negligible QALY gains and low level of resource use, results must be treated with caution. It is difficult to make robust claims about the comparative cost-effectiveness. Silicone impressions for complete dentures improve patients' quality of life (OHIP-EDENT score). The extra cost of silicone impressions is £30 per patient. Dentists, patients and health care funders need to consider the clinical and financial value of silicone impressions. Different patients, different dentists, different health funders will have individual perceptions and judgements. ISRCTN01528038. NIHR-RfPB grant PB-PG-0408-16300. This article forms part of a project for which the author (TPH) won the Senior Clinical Unilever Hatton Award of the International Assocation for Dental

Biodiversity and Climate Modeling Workshop Series: Identifying gaps and needs for improving large-scale biodiversity models

Science.gov (United States)

Weiskopf, S. R.; Myers, B.; Beard, T. D.; Jackson, S. T.; Tittensor, D.; Harfoot, M.; Senay, G. B.

2017-12-01

At the global scale, well-accepted global circulation models and agreed-upon scenarios for future climate from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are available. In contrast, biodiversity modeling at the global scale lacks analogous tools. While there is great interest in development of similar bodies and efforts for international monitoring and modelling of biodiversity at the global scale, equivalent modelling tools are in their infancy. This lack of global biodiversity models compared to the extensive array of general circulation models provides a unique opportunity to bring together climate, ecosystem, and biodiversity modeling experts to promote development of integrated approaches in modeling global biodiversity. Improved models are needed to understand how we are progressing towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, many of which are not on track to meet the 2020 goal, threatening global biodiversity conservation, monitoring, and sustainable use. We brought together biodiversity, climate, and remote sensing experts to try to 1) identify lessons learned from the climate community that can be used to improve global biodiversity models; 2) explore how NASA and other remote sensing products could be better integrated into global biodiversity models and 3) advance global biodiversity modeling, prediction, and forecasting to inform the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The 1st In-Person meeting focused on determining a roadmap for effective assessment of biodiversity model projections and forecasts by 2030 while integrating and assimilating remote sensing data and applying lessons learned, when appropriate, from climate modeling. Here, we present the outcomes and lessons learned from our first E-discussion and in-person meeting and discuss the next steps for future meetings.

Dental impressions using 3D digital scanners: virtual becomes reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Birnbaum, Nathan S; Aaronson, Heidi B

2008-10-01

The technologies that have made the use of three-dimensional (3D) digital scanners an integral part of many industries for decades have been improved and refined for application to dentistry. Since the introduction of the first dental impressioning digital scanner in the 1980s, development engineers at a number of companies have enhanced the technologies and created in-office scanners that are increasingly user-friendly and able to produce precisely fitting dental restorations. These systems are capable of capturing 3D virtual images of tooth preparations, from which restorations may be fabricated directly (ie, CAD/CAM systems) or fabricated indirectly (ie, dedicated impression scanning systems for the creation of accurate master models). The use of these products is increasing rapidly around the world and presents a paradigm shift in the way in which dental impressions are made. Several of the leading 3D dental digital scanning systems are presented and discussed in this article.

Improving predictions of large scale soil carbon dynamics: Integration of fine-scale hydrological and biogeochemical processes, scaling, and benchmarking

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, W. J.; Dwivedi, D.; Ghimire, B.; Hoffman, F. M.; Pau, G. S. H.; Randerson, J. T.; Shen, C.; Tang, J.; Zhu, Q.

2015-12-01

Numerical model representations of decadal- to centennial-scale soil-carbon dynamics are a dominant cause of uncertainty in climate change predictions. Recent attempts by some Earth System Model (ESM) teams to integrate previously unrepresented soil processes (e.g., explicit microbial processes, abiotic interactions with mineral surfaces, vertical transport), poor performance of many ESM land models against large-scale and experimental manipulation observations, and complexities associated with spatial heterogeneity highlight the nascent nature of our community's ability to accurately predict future soil carbon dynamics. I will present recent work from our group to develop a modeling framework to integrate pore-, column-, watershed-, and global-scale soil process representations into an ESM (ACME), and apply the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) package for evaluation. At the column scale and across a wide range of sites, observed depth-resolved carbon stocks and their 14C derived turnover times can be explained by a model with explicit representation of two microbial populations, a simple representation of mineralogy, and vertical transport. Integrating soil and plant dynamics requires a 'process-scaling' approach, since all aspects of the multi-nutrient system cannot be explicitly resolved at ESM scales. I will show that one approach, the Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation, improves predictions of forest nitrogen and phosphorus experimental manipulations and leads to very different global soil carbon predictions. Translating model representations from the site- to ESM-scale requires a spatial scaling approach that either explicitly resolves the relevant processes, or more practically, accounts for fine-resolution dynamics at coarser scales. To that end, I will present recent watershed-scale modeling work that applies reduced order model methods to accurately scale fine-resolution soil carbon dynamics to coarse-resolution simulations. Finally, we

Building capacity in biodiversity monitoring at the global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Schmeller, Dirk S.; Bohm, Monika; Arvanitidis, Christos; Barber-Meyer, Shannon; Brummitt, Neil; Chandler, Mark; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Costello, Mark J.; Ding, Hui; García-Moreno, Jaime; Gill, Michael J.; Haase, Peter; Jones, Miranda; Juillard, Romain; Magnusson, William E.; Martin, Corinne S.; McGeoch, Melodie A.; Mihoub, Jean-Baptiste; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Proença, Vânia; Peng, Cui; Regan, Eugenie; Schmiedel, Ute; Simsika, John P.; Weatherdon, Lauren; Waterman, Carly; Xu, Haigen; Belnap, Jayne

2017-01-01

Human-driven global change is causing ongoing declines in biodiversity worldwide. In order to address these declines, decision-makers need accurate assessments of the status of and pressures on biodiversity. However, these are heavily constrained by incomplete and uneven spatial, temporal and taxonomic coverage. For instance, data from regions such as Europe and North America are currently used overwhelmingly for large-scale biodiversity assessments due to lesser availability of suitable data from other, more biodiversity-rich, regions. These data-poor regions are often those experiencing the strongest threats to biodiversity, however. There is therefore an urgent need to fill the existing gaps in global biodiversity monitoring. Here, we review current knowledge on best practice in capacity building for biodiversity monitoring and provide an overview of existing means to improve biodiversity data collection considering the different types of biodiversity monitoring data. Our review comprises insights from work in Africa, South America, Polar Regions and Europe; in government-funded, volunteer and citizen-based monitoring in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The key steps to effectively building capacity in biodiversity monitoring are: identifying monitoring questions and aims; identifying the key components, functions, and processes to monitor; identifying the most suitable monitoring methods for these elements, carrying out monitoring activities; managing the resultant data; and interpreting monitoring data. Additionally, biodiversity monitoring should use multiple approaches including extensive and intensive monitoring through volunteers and professional scientists but also harnessing new technologies. Finally, we call on the scientific community to share biodiversity monitoring data, knowledge and tools to ensure the accessibility, interoperability, and reporting of biodiversity data at a global scale.

Downplaying Positive Impressions: Compensation Between Warmth and Competence in Impression Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Holoien, Deborah Son; Fiske, Susan T

2013-01-01

The compensation effect demonstrates a negative relationship between the dimensions of warmth and competence in impression formation in comparative contexts. However, does compensation between warmth and competence extend to impression management? Two studies examined whether people actively downplay their warmth in order to appear competent and downplay their competence in order to appear warm. In Studies 1a and 1b, participants selected words pretested to be high or low in warmth and competence to include in an e-mail message to people they wanted to impress. As predicted, participants downplayed their competence when they wanted to appear warm (Study 1a) and downplayed their warmth when they wanted to appear competent (Study 1b). In Studies 2a and 2b, compensation also occurred when participants introduced themselves to another person, as evidenced by the questions they selected to answer about themselves, their self-reported goals, and their open-ended introductions. Compensation occurred uniquely between warmth and competence and not for other dimensions, such as healthiness (Study 2a) and political interest (Study 2b), which suggests that the compensation effect extends beyond a mere zero-sum exchange between dimensions.

Relationship between the clinical global impression of severity for schizoaffective disorder scale and established mood scales for mania and depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Turkoz, Ibrahim; Fu, Dong-Jing; Bossie, Cynthia A; Sheehan, John J; Alphs, Larry

2013-08-15

This analysis explored the relationship between ratings on HAM-D-17 or YMRS and those on the depressive or manic subscale of CGI-S for schizoaffective disorder (CGI-S-SCA). This post hoc analysis used the database (N=614) from two 6-week, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of paliperidone ER versus placebo in symptomatic subjects with schizoaffective disorder assessed using HAM-D-17, YMRS, and CGI-S-SCA scales. Parametric and nonparametric regression models explored the relationships between ratings on YMRS and HAM-D-17 and on depressive and manic domains of the CGI-S-SCA from baseline to the 6-week end point. A clinically meaningful improvement was defined as a change of 1 point in the CGI-S-SCA score. No adjustment was made for multiplicity. Multiple linear regression models suggested that a 1-point change in the depressive domain of CGI-S-SCA corresponded to an average 3.6-point (SE=0.2) change in HAM-D-17 score. Similarly, a 1-point change in the manic domain of CGI-S-SCA corresponded to an average 5.8-point (SE=0.2) change in YMRS score. Results were confirmed using local and cumulative logistic regression models in addition to equipercentile linking. Lack of subjects scoring over the complete range of possible scores may limit broad application of the analyses. Clinically meaningful score changes in depressive and manic domains of CGI-S-SCA corresponded to approximately 4- and 6-point score changes on HAM-D-17 and YMRS, respectively, in symptomatic subjects with schizoaffective disorder. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bifactor and Item Response Theory Analyses of Interviewer Report Scales of Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Reise, Steven P.; Ventura, Joseph; Keefe, Richard S. E.; Baade, Lyle E.; Gold, James M.; Green, Michael F.; Kern, Robert S.; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Seidman, Larry J.; Bilder, Robert

2011-01-01

A psychometric analysis of 2 interview-based measures of cognitive deficits was conducted: the 21-item Clinical Global Impression of Cognition in Schizophrenia (CGI-CogS; Ventura et al., 2008), and the 20-item Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS; Keefe et al., 2006), which were administered on 2 occasions to a sample of people with…

Neural correlates of self-deception and impression-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrow, Tom F D; Burgess, Jenny; Wilkinson, Iain D; Hunter, Michael D

2015-01-01

Self-deception and impression-management comprise two types of deceptive, but generally socially acceptable behaviours, which are common in everyday life as well as being present in a number of psychiatric disorders. We sought to establish and dissociate the 'normal' brain substrates of self-deception and impression-management. Twenty healthy participants underwent fMRI scanning at 3T whilst completing the 'Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding' test under two conditions: 'fake good', giving the most desirable impression possible and 'fake bad' giving an undesirable impression. Impression-management scores were more malleable to manipulation via 'faking' than self-deception scores. Response times to self-deception questions and 'fake bad' instructions were significantly longer than to impression-management questions and 'fake good' instructions respectively. Self-deception and impression-management manipulation and 'faking bad' were associated with activation of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC). Impression-management manipulation was additionally associated with activation of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left posterior middle temporal gyrus. 'Faking bad' was additionally associated with activation of right vlPFC, left temporo-parietal junction and right cerebellum. There were no supra-threshold activations associated with 'faking good'. Our neuroimaging data suggest that manipulating self-deception and impression-management and more specifically 'faking bad' engages a common network comprising mPFC and left vlPFC. Shorter response times and lack of dissociable neural activations suggests that 'faking good', particularly when it comes to impression-management, may be our most practiced 'default' mode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trends in complete denture impressions in pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vohra, F.; Rashid, H.; Hanif, A.

2015-01-01

Multiple materials and techniques have been reported for complete denture impressions in literature. The aim of the study was to assess the trends in complete denture impression materials and techniques among general dental practitioners (GDP) and specialists (SP) in Pakistan. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, self-designed-structured questionnaires were distributed among 500 dentists in Pakistan. The three-part questionnaire enquired about the demographic features, preferred impression materials, impression techniques and related procedures commonly used in their clinical practice. A comparison between the responses of SP and GDP was also drawn. Frequency distribution and Chi-square test were performed to compare the responses. Results: A total of 294 questionnaires were completed at a response rate of 58.8%. 75% of GDP used alginate for primary impressions and 66% of SP preferred impression compound for the same. A majority of both SP and GDP favoured the used of custom trays (SP 81%, GDP 85%) and selective pressure technique (SP 84%, GDP 53%) for final impression. However, 85% of GDP used zinc-oxide eugenol and 62% of SP favoured elastomeric materials for the same. Most of the SP and GDP used chemical cured resin custom trays (SP 54%, GDP 75%), however, 86% of SP used spaced trays and almost 60% of GDP preferred close-fitting trays. Conclusions: The practice of GDP and SP with regards to CD impression materials and techniques differed significantly. Continued education and training for GDP and SP with respect to procedures and techniques related to CD is recommended. (author)

Making a Great First Impression

Science.gov (United States)

Evenson, Renee

2007-01-01

Managers and business owners often base hiring decisions on first impressions. That is why it is so important to teach students to make a great first impression--before they go on that first job interview. Managers do not have unrealistic expectations, they just want to hire people who they believe can develop into valuable employees. A nice…

The Bidimensional Impression Management Index (BIMI): measuring agentic and communal forms of impression management.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasberg, Sabrina A; Rogers, Katherine H; Paulhus, Delroy L

2014-01-01

Measures of impression management have yet to incorporate two-factor models of person perception. The 2 primary factors are often labeled agency and communion. In Study 1, we assembled a new measure of impression management—the Bidimensional Impression Management Index (BIMI): It comprises 2 subscales designed specifically to tap agentic and communal content. Both subscales showed adequate alpha reliabilities under both honest and faking conditions. In Study 2, the BIMI was cross-validated in a new sample: The subscales remained relatively independent, and their reliabilities remained solid. A coherent pattern of personality correlates also supported the validities of both subscales. In Study 3, the differential sensitivity of the 2 subscales was demonstrated by manipulating the job type in simulated job applications. Implications and applications of the BIMI are discussed.

Global scale ionospheric irregularities associated with thunderstorm activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulinets, Sergey A.; Depuev, Victor H.

2003-01-01

The potential difference near 280 kV exists between ground and ionosphere. This potential difference is generated by thunderstorm discharges all over the world, and return current closes the circuit in the areas of fair weather (so-called fair weather current). The model calculations and experimental measurements clearly demonstrate non-uniform latitude-longitude distribution of electric field within the atmosphere. The recent calculations show that the strong large scale vertical atmospheric electric field can penetrate into the ionosphere and create large scale irregularities of the electron concentration. To check this the global distributions of thunderstorm activity obtained with the satellite monitoring for different seasons were compared with the global distributions of ionosphere critical frequency (which is equivalent to peak electron concentration) obtained with the help of satellite topside sounding. The similarity of the obtained global distributions clearly demonstrates the effects of thunderstorm electric fields onto the Earth's ionosphere. (author)

Making a Good Impression at Work: National Differences in Employee Impression Management Behaviors in Japan, Korea, and the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Krieg, Alexander; Ma, Li; Robinson, Patricia

2018-02-17

Impression management has important implications for success at work. This study explores differences in impression management in the East and West by examining the use of self-promotion, ingratiation, and exemplification directed towards three targets: supervisors, peers, and subordinates among 945 company employees from Japan, Korea, and the United States. Our results show that Korean employees used all three strategies most frequently, followed by United States, and then Japanese employees. Japanese and Korean employees used impression management strategies differentially across the three targets, and U.S. employees used impression management equally across targets. This elucidates how cultural trends in hierarchical relationships impact social behavior within the workplace. A follow-up mediation analysis found that relational or labor mobility fully mediated country differences in impression management, suggesting that culture is also reflected in larger social ecological trends in employee's ability and likelihood to change jobs, which also account for impression management strategy usage. Theoretical and practical implications for international business are discussed. This research may be useful in aligning strategies foreign employees might employ for using impression management when in Japan, Korea, and the United States.

Emergence of global scaling behaviour in the coupled Earth-atmosphere interaction

OpenAIRE

Fallah, Bijan; Saberi, Abbas Ali; Sodoudi, Sahar

2016-01-01

Scale invariance property in the global geometry of Earth may lead to a coupled interactive behaviour between various components of the climate system. One of the most interesting correlations exists between spatial statistics of the global topography and the temperature on Earth. Here we show that the power-law behaviour observed in the Earth topography via different approaches, resembles a scaling law in the global spatial distribution of independent atmospheric parameters. We report on obs...

ENSO impacts on flood risk at the global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Philip; Dettinger, Michael; Jongman, Brenden; Kummu, Matti; Winsemius, Hessel

2014-05-01

We present the impacts of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on society and the economy, via relationships between ENSO and the hydrological cycle. We also discuss ways in which this knowledge can be used in disaster risk management and risk reduction. This contribution provides the most recent results of an ongoing 4-year collaborative research initiative to assess and map the impacts of large scale interannual climate variability on flood hazard and risk at the global scale. We have examined anomalies in flood risk between ENSO phases, whereby flood risk is expressed in terms of indicators such as: annual expected damage; annual expected affected population; annual expected affected Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We show that large anomalies in flood risk occur during El Niño or La Niña years in basins covering large parts of the Earth's surface. These anomalies reach statistical significance river basins covering almost two-thirds of the Earth's surface. Particularly strong anomalies exist in southern Africa, parts of western Africa, Australia, parts of Central Eurasia (especially for El Niño), the western USA (especially La Niña anomalies), and parts of South America. We relate these anomalies to possible causal relationships between ENSO and flood hazard, using both modelled and observed data on flood occurrence and extremity. The implications for flood risk management are many-fold. In those regions where disaster risk is strongly influenced by ENSO, the potential predictably of ENSO could be used to develop probabilistic flood risk projections with lead times up to several seasons. Such data could be used by the insurance industry in managing risk portfolios and by multinational companies for assessing the robustness of their supply chains to potential flood-related interruptions. Seasonal forecasts of ENSO influence of peak flows could also allow for improved flood early warning and regulation by dam operators, which could also reduce overall risks

Using Scaling to Understand, Model and Predict Global Scale Anthropogenic and Natural Climate Change

Science.gov (United States)

Lovejoy, S.; del Rio Amador, L.

2014-12-01

The atmosphere is variable over twenty orders of magnitude in time (≈10-3 to 1017 s) and almost all of the variance is in the spectral "background" which we show can be divided into five scaling regimes: weather, macroweather, climate, macroclimate and megaclimate. We illustrate this with instrumental and paleo data. Based the signs of the fluctuation exponent H, we argue that while the weather is "what you get" (H>0: fluctuations increasing with scale), that it is macroweather (Hdecreasing with scale) - not climate - "that you expect". The conventional framework that treats the background as close to white noise and focuses on quasi-periodic variability assumes a spectrum that is in error by a factor of a quadrillion (≈ 1015). Using this scaling framework, we can quantify the natural variability, distinguish it from anthropogenic variability, test various statistical hypotheses and make stochastic climate forecasts. For example, we estimate the probability that the warming is simply a giant century long natural fluctuation is less than 1%, most likely less than 0.1% and estimate return periods for natural warming events of different strengths and durations, including the slow down ("pause") in the warming since 1998. The return period for the pause was found to be 20-50 years i.e. not very unusual; however it immediately follows a 6 year "pre-pause" warming event of almost the same magnitude with a similar return period (30 - 40 years). To improve on these unconditional estimates, we can use scaling models to exploit the long range memory of the climate process to make accurate stochastic forecasts of the climate including the pause. We illustrate stochastic forecasts on monthly and annual scale series of global and northern hemisphere surface temperatures. We obtain forecast skill nearly as high as the theoretical (scaling) predictability limits allow: for example, using hindcasts we find that at 10 year forecast horizons we can still explain ≈ 15% of the

Continent-scale global change attribution in European birds - combining annual and decadal time scales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Søgaard; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Thorup, Kasper

2016-01-01

foundation for attributing species responses to global change may be achieved by complementing an attributes-based approach by one estimating the relationship between repeated measures of organismal and environmental changes over short time scales. To assess the benefit of this multiscale perspective, we...... on or in the peak of the breeding season with the largest effect sizes observed in cooler parts of species' climatic ranges. Our results document the potential of combining time scales and integrating both species attributes and environmental variables for global change attribution. We suggest such an approach......Species attributes are commonly used to infer impacts of environmental change on multiyear species trends, e.g. decadal changes in population size. However, by themselves attributes are of limited value in global change attribution since they do not measure the changing environment. A broader...

The Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease: international validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Rodríguez-Blázquez, Carmen; Forjaz, Maria João; de Pedro, Jesús

2009-01-30

This study sought to provide further information about the psychometric properties of the Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease (CISI-PD), in a large, international, cross-culturally diverse sample. Six hundred and fourteen patients with PD participated in the study. Apart from the CISI-PD, assessments were based on Hoehn & Yahr (HY) staging, the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Motor (SCOPA-M), -Cognition (SCOPA-COG) and -Psychosocial (SCOPA-PS), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The total CISI-PD score displayed no floor or ceiling effects. Internal consistency was 0.81, the test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.84, and item homogeneity was 0.52. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.07) confirmed CISI-PD's unifactorial structure. The CISI-PD showed adequate convergent validity with SCOPA-COG and SCOPA-M (r(S) = 0.46-0.85, respectively) and discriminative validity for HY stages and disease duration (P validation study, thus showing that the CISI-PD is a valid instrument to measure clinical impression of severity in PD. Its simplicity and easy application make it an attractive and useful tool for clinical practice and research.

Burger or yogurt? Indulgent consumption in impression management contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yin-Hui; Huang, Molly C-J; Chuang, Shih-Chieh; Ju, Ying Rung

2015-10-01

We conducted three studies to investigate indulgent choice in settings with and without impression management by public-private manipulation with evaluation. Study 1 showed that the participants were less indulgent under public scrutiny due to the employment of impression management. Study 2 focused on the impression management context to test the moderate effect of self-consciousness in two impression managed contexts. Study 3 focused on context without impression management to test the moderate effects of self-awareness on choices. We found that depending on differences in primed personality, individuals tended to make choices other than those they favoured privately when anticipating that others might form impressions of them based on the decisions made. The findings of all three studies support our basic prediction that people are less indulgent under impression management and suggest that people tend to manage their impression by eating healthier (less indulgently) in public. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Improvement of global and regional mean sea level derived from satellite altimetry multi missions

Science.gov (United States)

Ablain, M.; Faugere, Y.; Larnicol, G.; Picot, N.; Cazenave, A.; Benveniste, J.

2012-04-01

With the satellite altimetry missions, the global mean sea level (GMSL) has been calculated on a continual basis since January 1993. 'Verification' phases, during which the satellites follow each other in close succession (Topex/Poseidon--Jason-1, then Jason-1--Jason-2), help to link up these different missions by precisely determining any bias between them. Envisat, ERS-1 and ERS-2 are also used, after being adjusted on these reference missions, in order to compute Mean Sea Level at high latitudes (higher than 66°N and S), and also to improve spatial resolution by combining all these missions together. The global mean sea level (MSL) deduced from TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and Jason-2 provide a global rate of 3.2 mm from 1993 to 2010 applying the post glacial rebound (MSL aviso website http://www.jason.oceanobs.com/msl). Besides, the regional sea level trends bring out an inhomogeneous repartition of the ocean elevation with local MSL slopes ranging from + 8 mm/yr to - 8 mm/year. A study published in 2009 [Ablain et al., 2009] has shown that the global MSL trend unceratainty was estimated at +/-0.6 mm/year with a confidence interval of 90%. The main sources of errors at global and regional scales are due to the orbit calculation and the wet troposphere correction. But others sea-level components have also a significant impact on the long-term stability of MSL as for instance the stability of instrumental parameters and the atmospheric corrections. Thanks to recent studies performed in the frame of the SALP project (supported by CNES) and Sea-level Climate Change Initiative project (supported by ESA), strong improvements have been provided for the estimation of the global and regional MSL trends. In this paper, we propose to describe them; they concern the orbit calculation thanks to new gravity fields, the atmospheric corrections thanks to ERA-interim reanalyses, the wet troposphere corrections thanks to the stability improvement, and also empirical corrections

A comparison of enhancement techniques for footwear impressions on dark and patterned fabrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrugia, Kevin J; Bandey, Helen; Dawson, Lorna; Daéid, Niamh Nic

2013-11-01

The use of chemical enhancement techniques on porous substrates, such as fabrics, poses several challenges predominantly due to the occurrence of background staining and diffusion as well as visualization difficulties. A range of readily available chemical and lighting techniques were utilized to enhance footwear impressions made in blood, soil, and urine on dark and patterned fabrics. Footwear impressions were all prepared at a set force using a specifically built footwear rig. In most cases, results demonstrated that fluorescent chemical techniques were required for visualization as nonfluorescent techniques provided little or no contrast with the background. Occasionally, this contrast was improved by oblique lighting. Successful results were obtained for the enhancement of footwear impressions in blood; however, the enhancement of footwear impressions in urine and soil on dark and patterned fabrics was much more limited. The results demonstrate that visualization and fluorescent enhancement on porous substrates such as fabrics is possible. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Toward a global multi-scale heliophysics observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Semeter, J. L.

2017-12-01

We live within the only known stellar-planetary system that supports life. What we learn about this system is not only relevant to human society and its expanding reach beyond Earth's surface, but also to our understanding of the origins and evolution of life in the universe. Heliophysics is focused on solar-terrestrial interactions mediated by the magnetic and plasma environment surrounding the planet. A defining feature of energy flow through this environment is interaction across physical scales. A solar disturbance aimed at Earth can excite geospace variability on scales ranging from thousands of kilometers (e.g., global convection, region 1 and 2 currents, electrojet intensifications) to 10's of meters (e.g., equatorial spread-F, dispersive Alfven waves, plasma instabilities). Most "geospace observatory" concepts are focused on a single modality (e.g., HF/UHF radar, magnetometer, optical) providing a limited parameter set over a particular spatiotemporal resolution. Data assimilation methods have been developed to couple heterogeneous and distributed observations, but resolution has typically been prescribed a-priori and according to physical assumptions. This paper develops a conceptual framework for the next generation multi-scale heliophysics observatory, capable of revealing and quantifying the complete spectrum of cross-scale interactions occurring globally within the geospace system. The envisioned concept leverages existing assets, enlists citizen scientists, and exploits low-cost access to the geospace environment. Examples are presented where distributed multi-scale observations have resulted in substantial new insight into the inner workings of our stellar-planetary system.

Perceiving active listening activates the reward system and improves the impression of relevant experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamichi, Hiroaki; Yoshihara, Kazufumi; Sasaki, Akihiro T; Sugawara, Sho K; Tanabe, Hiroki C; Shinohara, Ryoji; Sugisawa, Yuka; Tokutake, Kentaro; Mochizuki, Yukiko; Anme, Tokie; Sadato, Norihiro

2015-01-01

Although active listening is an influential behavior, which can affect the social responses of others, the neural correlates underlying its perception have remained unclear. Sensing active listening in social interactions is accompanied by an improvement in the recollected impressions of relevant experiences and is thought to arouse positive feelings. We therefore hypothesized that the recognition of active listening activates the reward system, and that the emotional appraisal of experiences that had been subject to active listening would be improved. To test these hypotheses, we conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on participants viewing assessments of their own personal experiences made by evaluators with or without active listening attitude. Subjects rated evaluators who showed active listening more positively. Furthermore, they rated episodes more positively when they were evaluated by individuals showing active listening. Neural activation in the ventral striatum was enhanced by perceiving active listening, suggesting that this was processed as rewarding. It also activated the right anterior insula, representing positive emotional reappraisal processes. Furthermore, the mentalizing network was activated when participants were being evaluated, irrespective of active listening behavior. Therefore, perceiving active listening appeared to result in positive emotional appraisal and to invoke mental state attribution to the active listener.

Synthesis and review: Tackling the nitrogen management challenge: from global to local scales

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Stefan; Bekunda, Mateete; Howard, Clare M.; Karanja, Nancy; Winiwarter, Wilfried; Yan, Xiaoyuan; Bleeker, Albert; Sutton, Mark A.

2016-12-01

One of the ‘grand challenges’ of this age is the anthropogenic impact exerted on the nitrogen cycle. Issues of concern range from an excess of fixed nitrogen resulting in environmental pressures for some regions, while for other regions insufficient fixed nitrogen affects food security and may lead to health risks. To address these issues, nitrogen needs to be managed in an integrated fashion, at a variety of scales (from global to local). Such management has to be based on a thorough understanding of the sources of reactive nitrogen released into the environment, its deposition and effects. This requires a comprehensive assessment of the key drivers of changes in the nitrogen cycle both spatially, at the field, regional and global scale and over time. In this focus issue, we address the challenges of managing reactive nitrogen in the context of food production and its impacts on human and ecosystem health. In addition, we discuss the scope for and design of management approaches in regions with too much and too little nitrogen. This focus issue includes several contributions from authors who participated at the N2013 conference in Kampala in November 2013, where delegates compiled and agreed upon the ‘Kampala Statement-for-Action on Reactive Nitrogen in Africa and Globally’. These contributions further underline scientifically the claims of the ‘Kampala Statement’, that simultaneously reducing pollution and increasing nitrogen available in the food system, by improved nitrogen management offers win-wins for environment, health and food security in both developing and developed economies. The specific messages conveyed in the Kampala Statement focus on improving nitrogen management (I), including the reduction of nitrogen losses from agriculture, industry, transport and energy sectors, as well as improving waste treatment and informing individuals and institutions (II). Highlighting the need for innovation and increased awareness among stakeholders (III

First Impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Coen, Frank

1969-01-01

The unreliability of first impressions and subjective judgments is the subject of both Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and Lionel Trilling's "Of This Time, Of That Place"; consequently, the works are worthwhile parallel studies for high school students. Austen, by means of irony and subtle characterization, dramatizes the…

Look at me, I'm happy and creative: The effect of impression management on behavior in social presence.

Science.gov (United States)

Uziel, Liad

2010-12-01

The present research tested competing approaches to individual differences in impression management (as measured with social desirability scales) and their implication for behavior in social contexts. A defensiveness approach argues that impression management is a source of defensive self-presentation, which causes performance impairment in public social settings. The competing adjustment approach argues that impression management measures friendliness and self-control, which should bring about performance facilitation in public social settings. To decide between these approaches, two experiments utilized a social facilitation paradigm, whereby task performance was compared between an alone and a public condition. The results supported the predictions of the adjustment approach. Across different tasks, a high impression management score was associated with performance facilitation in social presence, expressed in greater creativity, positive implicit affect, and high self-control. The results reveal previously unnoticed constructive effects of impression management, supporting the reframing of the trait as reflecting interpersonally oriented self-control.

Effects of risperidone on core symptoms of autistic disorder based on childhood autism rating scale: an open label study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaeli, Padideh; Nikvarz, Naemeh; Alaghband-Rad, Javad; Alimadadi, Abbas; Tehrani-Doost, Mehdi

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of risperidone in patients afflicted by autistic disorder especially with regards to its three core symptoms, including "relating to others", "communication skills", and "stereotyped behaviors" based on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). An 8-week open-label study of risperidone for treatment of autistic disorder in children 4-17 years old was designed. Risperidone dose titration was as follow: 0.02 mg/kg/day at the first week, 0.04 mg/kg/day at the second week, and 0.06 mg/kg/day at the third week and thereafter. The outcome measures were scores obtained by CARS, Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Fifteen patients completed this study. After 8 weeks, CARS total score decreased significantly, (P=0.001). At the end of the study, social interactions and verbal communication skills of the patients were significantly improved (Pautistic disorder.

Bringing the Global Scale to Education in Natural Resources Management

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, D. P.

2017-12-01

Given the ominous trajectory of rapid global environmental change, environmental managers must grapple with global scale structures, processes, and concepts. The concept of the Anthropocene Epoch, albeit contested, is highly integrative across disciplines and temporal scales, and thus potentially helpful in the context of educating environmental managers. It can be framed temporally in terms of the geologic history of the global environment, the initiation and acceleration of anthropogenic impacts on the environment, and a future global environment that is highly dependent on human decisions. A key lesson from Earth's pre-human geologic history is that global climate has generally been linked to greenhouse gas concentrations, and many mass extinction events were associated with high greenhouse gas concentrations. The pervasive impacts of the contemporary technosphere on the biosphere point especially to the need to conserve biosphere capital. Scenarios of Earth's future environment, based on Earth system models, suggest that business-as-usual technologies and economic practices will set the stage for a biophysical environment that is hostile (if not inimical) to a high technology global civilization. These lessons can inform and inspire sub-global management efforts to mitigate and adapt to global environmental change.

Single Visit Feeding Appliance for 1-day-old Neonate with Cleft Palate Using Safe Dental Putty-Gauze Hybrid Impression Technique for Maxillary Impression.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathee, Manu

2015-01-01

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common craniofacial anomalies of humans. Intraoral impression making is the first clinical step in the fabrication of feeding appliance for infants with oro-nasal communication. It is difficult to control the flow of the impression material in the cleft area and undercuts in a child patient. This clinical report presents a simple and safe impression technique for maxillary impression making in neonates and infants with cleft palate. A gauze piece was used to confine the impression material during functional movements of sucking while impression making in an awake child to avoid the risk of aspiration or swallowing.

A multicenter, open-label trial to evaluate the quality of life in adults with ADHD treated with long-acting methylphenidate (OROS MPH): Concerta Quality of Life (CONQoL) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattos, Paulo; Louzã, Mário Rodrigues; Palmini, André Luís Fernandes; de Oliveira, Irismar Reis; Rocha, Fábio Lopes

2013-07-01

The available literature provides few studies on the effectiveness of methylphenidate in improving quality of life in individuals with ADHD. To assess the effectiveness of methylphenidate OROS formulation (OROS MPH) through QoL in adults with ADHD. A 12-week, multicenter, open-label trial involving 60 patients was used. The measures used were Adult Self-Rating Scale, Adult ADHD Quality of Life Scale (AAQoL), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and safety measures. A significance statistic level of 5% was adopted. Analyses included 60 patients (66.7% male; M age = 31.1 years) for safety and 58 patients for effectiveness. All AAQoL subscales improved from baseline to Week 12 (p < .0001), as well as the Total AAQoL (p < .0001). A significant reduction on Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I), HAM-D, STAI, and ASRS scores was observed (p < .0001). No serious adverse event was reported. Treatment of adult ADHD patients with OROS MPH improves QoL.

The ecology of dust: local- to global-scale perspectives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whicker, Jeffrey J [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Field, Jason P [UA; Belnap, Jayne [NON LANL; Breshears, David D [UA; Neff, Jason [CU; Okin, Gregory S [UCLA; Painter, Thomas H [UNIV OF ARIZONA; Ravi, Sujith [UNIV OF ARIZONA; Reheis, Marith C [UCLA; Reynolds, Richard L [NON LANL

2009-01-01

Emission and redistribution of dust due to wind erosion in drylands drives major biogeochemical dynamics and provides important aeolian environmental connectivity at scales from individual plants up to the global scale. Yet, perhaps because most relevant research on aeolian processes has been presented in a geosciences rather than ecological context, most ecological studies do not explicitly consider dust-driven processes. To bridge this disciplinary gap, we provide a general overview of the ecological importance of dust, examine complex interactions between wind erosion and ecosystem dynamics from the plant-interspace scale to regional and global scales, and highlight specific examples of how disturbance affects these interactions and their consequences. Changes in climate and intensification of land use will both likely lead to increased dust production. To address these challenges, environmental scientists, land managers and policy makers need to more explicitly consider dust in resource management decisions.

A simple method for fabricating custom sectional impression trays for making definitive impressions in patients with microstomia

OpenAIRE

Bachhav, Vinay Chila; Aras, Meena Ajay

2012-01-01

Objective: A maximum mouth opening that is smaller than the size of a complete denture can make prosthetic treatment challenging. This article describes a simple technique used to fabricate maxillary and mandibular custom sectional impression trays for making definitive impressions in patients with microstomia.

The Tunneling Method for Global Optimization in Multidimensional Scaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Groenen, Patrick J. F.; Heiser, Willem J.

1996-01-01

A tunneling method for global minimization in multidimensional scaling is introduced and adjusted for multidimensional scaling with general Minkowski distances. The method alternates a local search step with a tunneling step in which a different configuration is sought with the same STRESS implementation. (SLD)

Effects of Music on Image Impression and Relationship between Impression and Physical Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Keiko; Mitsukura, Yasue

Auditory information plays an integral role in AV media because even identical images are perceived differently when they are matched with different music. However, we now present a few studies in which the changes in subjective perceptions were analyzed on the basis of the physical properties of the perceived items. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of music on image impression in terms of the physical properties of images. In this paper, we first elucidate the changes in subjective impressions when the image is presented by itself and when it is presented with music. Secondly, to clarify the relation between the impression of an image or music and physical properties, we compare the different image or music perceptions with each other and also compare their respective physical properties, which include color information, structural information, and frequency characteristics. As a result, the color information of an image containing green or saturation colors and the power of the music were strongly correlated with adjectives expressing activity. Moreover, the entropy of saturation correlated with words expressing spatial extent.

Dimensional accuracy of digital dental models from cone-beam computed tomography scans of alginate impressions according to time elapsed after the impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang-Mi; Hou, Yanan; Cho, Jin-Hyoung; Hwang, Hyeon-Shik

2016-02-01

Our objective was to investigate the dimensional accuracy of digital dental models obtained from the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of alginate impressions according to the time elapsed after the impressions were taken. Alginate impressions were obtained of 20 adults using 2 alginate materials: Alginoplast (Heraeus Kulzer, Hanau, Germany) and Cavex (Cavex Holland, Haarlem, The Netherlands). These impressions were stored in wet conditions and scanned by CBCT immediately after impression-taking and after storage times of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours. After reconstruction of the 3-dimensional digital dental models, the models were measured, and the data were analyzed to determine the dimensional changes according to the time elapsed. The changes within the measurement error were regarded as clinically acceptable in this study. The measurement errors ranged from 0.27 to 0.29 mm in the digital dental models obtained from CBCT scans of the alginate impressions. All measurements showed decreasing accuracy with greater elapsed time after the impressions were taken. Changes above the measurement error occurred at 24 and 36 hours for Cavex and Alginoplast, respectively. Digital dental models can be obtained from CBCT scans of alginate impressions without sending them to a remote laboratory. However, the impressions need to be scanned within 24 hours; otherwise, dimensional changes lead to errors that exceed the error of measurement. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Digital versus analog complete-arch impressions for single-unit premolar implant crowns: Operating time and patient preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Schepke, Ulf; Meijer, Henny J A; Kerdijk, Wouter; Cune, Marco S

2015-09-01

Digital impression-making techniques are supposedly more patient friendly and less time-consuming than analog techniques, but evidence is lacking to substantiate this assumption. The purpose of this in vivo within-subject comparison study was to examine patient perception and time consumption for 2 complete-arch impression-making methods: a digital and an analog technique. Fifty participants with a single missing premolar were included. Treatment consisted of implant therapy. Three months after implant placement, complete-arch digital (Cerec Omnicam; Sirona) and analog impressions (semi-individual tray, Impregum; 3M ESPE) were made, and the participant's opinion was evaluated with a standard questionnaire addressing several domains (inconvenience, shortness of breath, fear of repeating the impression, and feelings of helplessness during the procedure) with the visual analog scale. All participants were asked which procedure they preferred. Operating time was measured with a stopwatch. The differences between impressions made for maxillary and mandibular implants were also compared. The data were analyzed with paired and independent sample t tests, and effect sizes were calculated. Statistically significant differences were found in favor of the digital procedure regarding all subjective domains (P<.001), with medium to large effect sizes. Of all the participants, over 80% preferred the digital procedure to the analog procedure. The mean duration of digital impression making was 6 minutes and 39 seconds (SD=1:51) versus 12 minutes and 13 seconds (SD=1:24) for the analog impression (P<.001, effect size=2.7). Digital impression making for the restoration of a single implant crown takes less time than analog impression making. Furthermore, participants preferred the digital scan and reported less inconvenience, less shortness of breath, less fear of repeating the impression, and fewer feelings of helplessness during the procedure. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council

21 CFR 872.3670 - Resin impression tray material.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3670 Resin impression tray material. (a) Identification. Resin impression tray material is a device intended for use in a two-step dental mold fabricating... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Resin impression tray material. 872.3670 Section...

A novel convective-scale regional reanalysis COSMO-REA2: Improving the representation of precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Wahl

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric reanalyses are a state-of-the-art tool to generate consistent and realistic state estimates of the atmospheric system. They provide a synthesis of various heterogeneous observational systems and model simulations using a physical model together with a data assimilation scheme. Current reanalyses are mainly global, while regional reanalyses are emerging for North America, the polar region, and most recently for Europe. However, deep convection is still parameterized even in the regional reanalyses. A novel convective-scale regional reanalysis system for Central Europe (COSMO-REA2 has been developed by the Hans-Ertel Center for Weather Research – Climate Monitoring Branch. The system is based on the COSMO model and uses observational nudging for regional data assimilation. In addition to conventional observations, radar-derived rain rates are assimilated using latent heat nudging. With a horizontal grid-spacing of 2 km, the model runs without parameterization of deep moist convection. COSMO-REA2 produces horizontal wind fields that represent a realistic energy spectrum for horizontal scales above 14 km. COSMO-REA2 is currently available for seven years from 2007 to 2013.This study illustrates the improved representation of local precipitation over Germany by the convective-scale reanalysis COSMO-REA2 compared to coarser gridded European and global reanalyses. A systematic verification using rain gauge data reveals the added value of high-resolution regional atmospheric reanalyses on different time scales. On monthly to annual time scales, regional reanalyses yield better estimates of the spatial variability of precipitation patterns which can not be provided by coarser gridded global models. On hourly to daily time scales, the convective-scale reanalysis substantially improves the representation of local precipitation in two ways. On the one hand, COSMO-REA2 shows an enhanced representation of observed frequencies of local

Can we measure patients' perception during dental impressions? The Burdens in Dental Impression-Making Questionnaire - BiDIM-Q.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsirogiannis, Panagiotis; Neophytou, Sophia; Reul, Anika; Heydecke, Guido; Reissmann, Daniel R

2017-01-01

To develop a reliable and valid instrument for the comprehensive assessment of patients' burdens during dental impression making, the Burdens in Dental Impression Making Questionnaire, BiDIM-Q. The item pool was generated in a convenience sample of 20 prosthodontic patients using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The final instrument was tested in 145 consecutively recruited patients, and psychometric properties of the BiDIM-Q were determined. Four different impression materials were used according to the manufacturers' instructions and indications: alginate, c-silicone, polyvinylsiloxane, and polyether. The final BiDIM-Q consisting of 12 items showed sufficient reliability, indicated by Cronbach's alpha of .82 and an average inter-item correlation of .29. Validity was supported by Pearson correlation coefficients for the correlation between the instrument's total score with the patients' overall satisfaction rating (r=.63), and by the correlation matrix for the correlations of the patients' perceptions with the practitioners' satisfaction ratings. Overall, patient perceived burdens were low with highest burdens observed when using polyether in partially dentate patients for pick-up impressions, while lowest burdens were reported when using c-silicone for impressions of edentulous jaws. The BiDIM-Q is a reliable and valid tool for assessing patient-based process-related quality of care in dentistry allowing a deeper insight into patients' perspective during dental impression making. Copyright © 2016 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continental and global scale flood forecasting systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Emerton, Rebecca E.; Stephens, Elisabeth M.; Pappenberger, Florian; Pagano, Thomas P.; Weerts, A.H.; Wood, A.; Salamon, Peter; Brown, James D.; Hjerdt, Niclas; Donnelly, Chantal; Baugh, Calum A.; Cloke, Hannah L.

2016-01-01

Floods are the most frequent of natural disasters, affecting millions of people across the globe every year. The anticipation and forecasting of floods at the global scale is crucial to preparing for severe events and providing early awareness where local flood models and warning services may not

Carbon budgets of biological soil crusts at micro-, meso-, and global scales

Science.gov (United States)

Sancho, Leopoldo G; Belnap, Jayne; Colesie, Claudia; Raggio, Jose; Weber, Bettina

2016-01-01

The importance of biocrusts in the ecology of arid lands across all continents is widely recognized. In spite of this broad distribution, contributions of biocrusts to the global biogeochemical cycles have only recently been considered. While these studies opened a new view on the global role of biocrusts, they also clearly revealed the lack of data for many habitats and of overall standards for measurements and analysis. In order to understand carbon cycling in biocrusts and the progress which has been made during the last 15 years, we offer a multi-scale approach covering different climatic regions. We also include a discussion on available measurement techniques at each scale: A micro-scale section focuses on the individual organism level, including modeling based on the combination of field and lab data. The meso-scale section addresses the CO2 exchange of a complete ecosystem or at the community level. Finally, we consider the contribution of biocrusts at a global scale, giving a general perspective of the most relevant findings regarding the role of biological soil crusts in the global terrestrial carbon cycle.

White light scanner-based repeatability of 3-dimensional digitizing of silicon rubber abutment teeth impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Jin-Hun; Lee, Kyung-Tak; Kim, Hae-Young; Kim, Ji-Hwan; Kim, Woong-Chul

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the repeatability of the digitizing of silicon rubber impressions of abutment teeth by using a white light scanner and compare differences in repeatability between different abutment teeth types. Silicon rubber impressions of a canine, premolar, and molar tooth were each digitized 8 times using a white light scanner, and 3D surface models were created using the point clouds. The size of any discrepancy between each model and the corresponding reference tooth were measured, and the distribution of these values was analyzed by an inspection software (PowerInspect 2012, Delcamplc., Birmingham, UK). Absolute values of discrepancies were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple comparisons (α=.05). The discrepancy between the impressions for the canine, premolar, and molar teeth were 6.3 µm (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4-7.2), 6.4 µm (95% CI, 5.3-7.6), and 8.9 µm (95% CI, 8.2-9.5), respectively. The discrepancy of the molar tooth impression was significantly higher than that of other tooth types. The largest variation (as mean [SD]) in discrepancies was seen in the premolar tooth impression scans: 26.7 µm (95% CI, 19.7-33.8); followed by canine and molar teeth impressions, 16.3 µm (95% CI, 15.3-17.3), and 14.0 µm (95% CI, 12.3-15.7), respectively. The repeatability of the digitizing abutment teeth's silicon rubber impressions by using a white light scanner was improved compared to that with a laser scanner, showing only a low mean discrepancy between 6.3 µm and 8.9 µm, which was in an clinically acceptable range. Premolar impression with a long and narrow shape showed a significantly larger discrepancy than canine and molar impressions. Further work is needed to increase the digitizing performance of the white light scanner for deep and slender impressions.

A double-blind placebo-controlled study of controlled release fluvoxamine for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Westenberg, Herman G M; Stein, Dan J; Yang, Haichen; Li, David; Barbato, Luigi M

2004-02-01

This was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter study to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of fluvoxamine in a controlled release (CR) formulation for treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD). A total of 300 subjects with GSAD were randomly assigned to receive either fluvoxamine CR (N = 149) or placebo (N = 151) for 12 weeks. Mean changes from baseline to end point in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Clinical Global Impression Severity of Illness Scale (CGI-S), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), as well as the mean end point scores in Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement Scale (PGI) were compared between the fluvoxamine CR and placebo treatment groups. Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), adverse event, and other safety parameters were also assessed. The results demonstrated that fluvoxamine CR was significantly superior to placebo in decreasing LSAS total score (primary measure) starting at week 4. At end point, there was a mean change from baseline of -36.1 +/- 2.7 (37% reduction) in the LSAS total score in the fluvoxamine CR group compared with -27.3 +/- 2.4 (28% reduction) in the placebo group (P = 0.020 for mean change). Fluvoxamine CR was also significantly superior to placebo in SDS, CGI-S, CGI-I at end point (secondary measures). When compared with placebo, fluvoxamine CR did not cause any significant weight gain or clinically significant sexual dysfunction as measured by ASEX. In summary, fluvoxamine CR is an efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder.

Marginal adaptation of CAD-CAM onlays: Influence of preparation design and impression technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Fernanda Ferruzzi; Neto, Constantino Fernandes; Rubo, José H; Santos, Gildo Coelho; Moraes Coelho Santos, Maria Jacinta

2018-03-15

Factors that may affect the marginal adaptation of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) restorations include preparation design, impression technique, and CAD-CAM system. The influence of impression technique and preparation design on CAD-CAM partial coverage restorations has not been fully addressed. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the influence of direct and indirect digital impression techniques and 2 preparation designs on the marginal adaptation of CAD-CAM onlays. Two mesio-occlusal buccal onlay preparations with reduction of the mesiobuccal cusp were made: conventional preparation (CP) with a 1.2-mm modified shoulder margin and modified preparation (MP) flat cuspal reduction without shoulder. Virtual models were generated from each preparation by using a digital scanner (BlueCam; Dentsply Sirona) from the plastic teeth (direct digital impression) or from the stone dies (indirect digital impression). Onlays were designed using a CAD-CAM system (CEREC 4.0; Dentsply Sirona), and nanoceramic resin blocks (Lava Ultimate Restorative; 3M ESPE) were milled using the CEREC MCX milling machine. Marginal discrepancy was evaluated using an optical stereomicroscope at ×25 magnification in 18 locations distributed along the margins of the preparation. The data were analyzed by using 3-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey HSD test (α=.05). CP presented a statistically significant reduced average marginal adaptation (59 ±50 μm) than did MP (69 ±58 μm) (Pmarginal discrepancy in the mesial and buccal locations of MP when compared with CP. Regarding impression techniques, the buccal location presented the smallest average marginal discrepancy in restorations fabricated with indirect impression when compared with direct impression (42 ±33 μm and 60 ±39 μm) (Pmargin presented improved marginal adaptation compared with modified preparation with flat cuspal reduction. Direct and indirect digital impression techniques produced

Lifting bloody footwear impressions using alginate casts followed by chemical enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiesner, Sarena; Izraeli, Elad; Shor, Yaron; Domb, Avi

2013-05-01

A method for lifting bloody footwear impressions using alginate casts and enhancing the lifted impressions with amido black is presented. On rough or dark substrates, background interferences may conceal significant details of footwear impressions. Illumination with alternative light sources and chemically enhancing the bloody footwear impressions may reveal additional details, but sometimes, lifting footwear impressions prior to enhancing is the only way to expose hidden details (by using blood reagents not adequate on the original). Several cast formulations were tested for lifting the footwear impressions. The best results were achieved using Aroma fine®. Enhancement of the footwear impressions was attempted with several reagents prior to lifting, during the casting process, and on the lifted footwear impressions. Applying amido black to footwear impressions lifted with alginate produced the sharpest and most detailed footwear impressions. Alginate castings followed by chemical enhancement with amido black may produce high-quality footwear impressions for comparison. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Treatment comfort, time perception, and preference for conventional and digital impression techniques: A comparative study in young patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Burhardt, Lukasz; Livas, Christos; Kerdijk, Wouter; van der Meer, Wicher Joerd; Ren, Yijin

2016-08-01

The aim of this crossover study was to assess perceptions and preferences for impression techniques in young orthodontic patients receiving alginate and 2 different digital impressions. Thirty-eight subjects aged 10 to 17 years requiring impressions for orthodontic treatment were randomly allocated to 3 groups that differed in the order that an alginate impressions and 2 different intraoral scanning procedures were administered. After each procedure, the patients were asked to score their perceptions on a 5-point Likert scale for gag reflex, queasiness, difficulty to breathe, uncomfortable feeling, perception of the scanning time, state of anxiety, and use of a powder, and to select the preferred impression system. Chairside time and maximal mouth opening were also registered. More queasiness (P = 0.00) and discomfort (P = 0.02) during alginate impression taking of the maxilla were perceived compared with the scans with the CEREC Omnicam (Sirona Dental Systems, Bensheim, Germany). There were no significant differences in perceptions between the alginate impressions and the Lava C.O.S. (3M ESPE, St Paul, Minn) and between the 2 scanners. Chairside times for the alginate impressions (9.7 ± 1.8 minutes) and the CEREC Omnicam (10.7 ± 1.8 minutes) were significantly lower (P <0.001) than for the Lava C.O.S. (17.8 ± 4.0 minutes). Digital impressions were favored by 51% of the subjects, whereas 29% chose alginate impressions, and 20% had no preference. Regardless of the significant differences in the registered times among the 3 impression-taking methods, the distributions of the Likert scores of time perception and maximal mouth opening were similar in all 3 groups. Young orthodontic patients preferred the digital impression techniques over the alginate method, although alginate impressions required the shortest chairside time. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute and long-term treatment of late-life major depressive disorder: duloxetine versus placebo.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Michael; Oakes, Tina Myers; Raskin, Joel; Liu, Peng; Shoemaker, Scarlett; Nelson, J Craig

2014-01-01

To compare the efficacy of duloxetine with placebo on depression in elderly patients with major depressive disorder. Multicenter, 24-week (12-week short-term and 12-week continuation), randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. United States, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico. Age 65 years or more with major depressive disorder diagnosis (one or more previous episode); Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥20; Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score ≥20. Duloxetine 60 or 120 mg/day or placebo; placebo rescue possible. Primary-Maier subscale of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) at week 12. Secondary-Geriatric Depression Scale, HAMD-17 total score, cognitive measures, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Numeric Rating Scales (NRS) for pain, Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale, Patient Global Impression of Improvement in acute phase and acute plus continuation phase of treatment. Compared with placebo, duloxetine did not show significantly greater improvement from baseline on Maier subscale at 12 weeks, but did show significantly greater improvement at weeks 4, 8, 16, and 20. Similar patterns for Geriatric Depression Scale and Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale emerged, with significance also seen at week 24. There was a significant treatment effect for all BPI items and 4 of 6 NRS pain measures in the acute phase, most BPI items and half of the NRS measures in the continuation phase. More duloxetine-treated patients completed the study (63% versus 55%). A significantly higher percentage of duloxetine-treated patients versus placebo discontinued due to adverse event (15.3% versus 5.8%). Although the antidepressant efficacy of duloxetine was not confirmed by the primary outcome, several secondary measures at multiple time points suggested efficacy. Duloxetine had significant and meaningful beneficial effects on pain. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Global Lessons In Frugal Innovation To Improve Health Care Delivery In The United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatti, Yasser; Taylor, Andrea; Harris, Matthew; Wadge, Hester; Escobar, Erin; Prime, Matt; Patel, Hannah; Carter, Alexander W; Parston, Greg; Darzi, Ara W; Udayakumar, Krishna

2017-11-01

In a 2015 global study of low-cost or frugal innovations, we identified five leading innovations that scaled successfully in their original contexts and that may provide insights for scaling such innovations in the United States. We describe common themes among these diverse innovations, critical factors for their translation to the United States to improve the efficiency and quality of health care, and lessons for the implementation and scaling of other innovations. We highlight promising trends in the United States that support adapting these innovations, including growing interest in moving care out of health care facilities and into community and home settings; the growth of alternative payment models and incentives to experiment with new approaches to population health and care delivery; and the increasing use of diverse health professionals, such as community health workers and advanced practice providers. Our findings should inspire policy makers and health care professionals and inform them about the potential for globally sourced frugal innovations to benefit US health care.

Assessing the accuracy of elastomeric Impression materials in reline method

OpenAIRE

MH. Shahrodi; M. Emamie

1995-01-01

The accuracy of relined impressions is usually acceptable and in some cases is even more accurate than principal impression. Relined Polysulfide and condensational silicone impressions are more accurate than polyether impressions. The reline method compared to retaking them is more economic and needs less chair time.

Globalization of Brewing and Economies of Scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Erik Strøjer; Wu, Yanqing

The globalization of the brewing industry after the turn of the century through a large wave of mergers and acquisitions has changed the structure of the world beer markets. The paper tracks the development in industry concentrations from 2002 to 2012 and points to high transportation costs...... for beers and economies of scale in advertising and sales efforts as the main factors behind the wave of cross-country mergers and acquisitions. Using firm-level data from the largest breweries, the estimations verify significant economies of scale in marketing and distribution costs. Based on information...

Accuracy of implant transfer with open-tray and closed-tray impression techniques and surface detail reproduction of the tooth during impression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakimeh Siadat

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Accurate recording of implant location is required to achieve passive fit and have the implants without stress concentration. The aim of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the dimensional and angular accuracy of open-tray and closed-tray impression techniques using polyether impression material and also to assess the surface detail reproduction of the tooth while impression making.Materials and Methods: One reference metal model with 2 implants (Implantium on the position of the maxillary second premolar and first molar and one molar tooth for evaluation of surface details was prepared. 27 polyether impressions of these models were made (9 using open-tray, 9 using closed-tray techniques and 9 were made just of the surface of the teeth without any implants. Impressions were poured with ADA type IV stone. Coordinate Measuring Machine was used for measuring the dimensional accuracy and video measuring machine for surface detail reproduction. All of these measurements were compared with the measurements on the reference model. Data were analyzed by and compared by T-test and One-way ANOVA.Results: There was a significant statistical difference between open-tray and closed-tray techniques (P0.05.Conclusion: The accuracy of open-tray impression technique was more than closed-tray technique. The surface detail reproduction of the tooth was not affected by impression technique.

Global Scale Attribution of Anthropogenic and Natural Dust Sources and their Emission Rates Based on MODIS Deep Blue Aerosol Products

Science.gov (United States)

Ginoux, Paul; Prospero, Joseph M.; Gill, Thomas E.; Hsu, N. Christina; Zhao, Ming

2012-01-01

Our understanding of the global dust cycle is limited by a dearth of information about dust sources, especially small-scale features which could account for a large fraction of global emissions. Here we present a global-scale high-resolution (0.1 deg) mapping of sources based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Deep Blue estimates of dust optical depth in conjunction with other data sets including land use. We ascribe dust sources to natural and anthropogenic (primarily agricultural) origins, calculate their respective contributions to emissions, and extensively compare these products against literature. Natural dust sources globally account for 75% of emissions; anthropogenic sources account for 25%. North Africa accounts for 55% of global dust emissions with only 8% being anthropogenic, mostly from the Sahel. Elsewhere, anthropogenic dust emissions can be much higher (75% in Australia). Hydrologic dust sources (e.g., ephemeral water bodies) account for 31% worldwide; 15% of them are natural while 85% are anthropogenic. Globally, 20% of emissions are from vegetated surfaces, primarily desert shrublands and agricultural lands. Since anthropogenic dust sources are associated with land use and ephemeral water bodies, both in turn linked to the hydrological cycle, their emissions are affected by climate variability. Such changes in dust emissions can impact climate, air quality, and human health. Improved dust emission estimates will require a better mapping of threshold wind velocities, vegetation dynamics, and surface conditions (soil moisture and land use) especially in the sensitive regions identified here, as well as improved ability to address small-scale convective processes producing dust via cold pool (haboob) events frequent in monsoon regimes.

Global-scale attribution of anthropogenic and natural dust sources and their emission rates based on MODIS Deep Blue aerosol products

Science.gov (United States)

Ginoux, Paul; Prospero, Joseph M.; Gill, Thomas E.; Hsu, N. Christina; Zhao, Ming

2012-09-01

Our understanding of the global dust cycle is limited by a dearth of information about dust sources, especially small-scale features which could account for a large fraction of global emissions. Here we present a global-scale high-resolution (0.1°) mapping of sources based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Deep Blue estimates of dust optical depth in conjunction with other data sets including land use. We ascribe dust sources to natural and anthropogenic (primarily agricultural) origins, calculate their respective contributions to emissions, and extensively compare these products against literature. Natural dust sources globally account for 75% of emissions; anthropogenic sources account for 25%. North Africa accounts for 55% of global dust emissions with only 8% being anthropogenic, mostly from the Sahel. Elsewhere, anthropogenic dust emissions can be much higher (75% in Australia). Hydrologic dust sources (e.g., ephemeral water bodies) account for 31% worldwide; 15% of them are natural while 85% are anthropogenic. Globally, 20% of emissions are from vegetated surfaces, primarily desert shrublands and agricultural lands. Since anthropogenic dust sources are associated with land use and ephemeral water bodies, both in turn linked to the hydrological cycle, their emissions are affected by climate variability. Such changes in dust emissions can impact climate, air quality, and human health. Improved dust emission estimates will require a better mapping of threshold wind velocities, vegetation dynamics, and surface conditions (soil moisture and land use) especially in the sensitive regions identified here, as well as improved ability to address small-scale convective processes producing dust via cold pool (haboob) events frequent in monsoon regimes.

A Validation Study of the Impression Replica Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Segerström, Sofia; Wiking-Lima de Faria, Johanna; Braian, Michael; Ameri, Arman; Ahlgren, Camilla

2018-04-17

To validate the well-known and often-used impression replica technique for measuring fit between a preparation and a crown in vitro. The validation consisted of three steps. First, a measuring instrument was validated to elucidate its accuracy. Second, a specimen consisting of male and female counterparts was created and validated by the measuring instrument. Calculations were made for the exact values of three gaps between the male and female. Finally, impression replicas were produced of the specimen gaps and sectioned into four pieces. The replicas were then measured with the use of a light microscope. The values received from measuring the specimen were then compared with the values received from the impression replicas, and the technique was thereby validated. The impression replica technique overvalued all measured gaps. Depending on location of the three measuring sites, the difference between the specimen and the impression replicas varied from 47 to 130 μm. The impression replica technique overestimates gaps within the range of 2% to 11%. The validation of the replica technique enables the method to be used as a reference when testing other methods for evaluating fit in dentistry. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Predictors for health improvement in patients with fibromyalgia: a 2-year follow-up study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Eijk-Hustings, Yvonne; Kroese, Mariëlle; Boonen, Annelies; Bessems-Beks, Monique; Landewé, Robert

2015-01-01

Fibromyalgia (FM) has a high impact on all aspects of health. The effect from interventions is usually small and characterized by uncertainty. Better insight in predictors for improved health is essential. The present study aimed to understand predictors for patient global impression of change and

Improved simulation of tropospheric ozone by a global-multi-regional two-way coupling model system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Yan

2016-02-01

with the ground measurements from 0.53 to 0.68, and it reduces the mean model bias from 10.8 to 6.7 ppb. Regionally, the coupled system reduces the bias by 4.6 ppb over Europe, 3.9 ppb over North America and 3.1 ppb over other regions. The two-way coupling brings O3 vertical profiles much closer to the HIPPO (for remote areas and MOZAIC (for polluted regions data, reducing the tropospheric (0–9 km mean bias by 3–10 ppb at most MOZAIC sites and by 5.3 ppb for HIPPO profiles. The two-way coupled simulation also reduces the global tropospheric column ozone by 3.0 DU (9.5 %, annual mean, bringing them closer to the OMI data in all seasons. Additionally, the two-way coupled simulation also reduces the global tropospheric mean hydroxyl radical by 5 % with improved estimates of methyl chloroform and methane lifetimes. Simulation improvements are more significant in the Northern Hemisphere, and are mainly driven by improved representation of spatial inhomogeneity in chemistry/emissions. Within the nested domains, the two-way coupled simulation reduces surface ozone biases relative to typical GEOS-Chem one-way nested simulations, due to much improved LBCs. The bias reduction is 1–7 times the bias reduction from the global to the one-way nested simulation. Improving model representations of small-scale processes is important for understanding the global and regional tropospheric chemistry.

Full arch scans: conventional versus digital impressions--an in-vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ender, A; Mehl, A

2011-01-01

The digital intraoral impression has become a central part of the CAD/CAM technique. The objective of the present study was to compare the accuracy (trueness and precision) of digital impressions of the full arch with that of conventional impressions on the in-vitro model. For this purpose, a master model was acquired with a new reference scanning process, the measuring trueness of which was +/- 4.1 microm and the precision +/- 2.5 microm. On the one hand, conventional impressions and then plaster models (n = 5) were produced from this master model, and on the other hand, digital impressions were made with the Cerec AC Bluecam and the Lava COS system (each n = 5). The plaster models were also scanned with the reference scanner. The available data records were superimposed and the differences determined. The deviation from the master model defines the trueness of the impression method. The deviations of the models among one another demonstrate the precision of the method. The trueness of the impressions was 55 +/- 21.8 microm in the conventional impression group, for digital impressions with Cerec Bluecam it was 49 +/- 14.2 microm and for digital impressions with Lava COS 40.3 +/- 14.1 microm. The precision was 61.3 +/- 17.9 microm for conventional impression with Impregum, 30.9 +/- 7.1 microm for digital impression with the Cerec Bluecam and 60.1 +/- 31.3 microm for digital impression with Lava COS. These in-vitro results show that accuracy of the digital impression is similar to that of the conventional impression. These results will have to be confirmed in further clinical studies.

A rare allergy to a polyether dental impression material.

Science.gov (United States)

Mittermüller, Pauline; Szeimies, Rolf-Markus; Landthaler, Michael; Schmalz, Gottfried

2012-08-01

Polyether impression materials have been used in dentistry for more than 40 years. Allergic reactions to these materials such as reported in the 1970s ceased after replacement of a catalyst. Very recently, however, patients have started to report symptoms that suggest a new allergic reaction from polyether impression materials. Here, we report on the results of allergy testing with polyether impression materials as well as with its components. Eight patients with clinical symptoms of a contact allergy (swelling, redness or blisters) after exposure to a polyether impression material were subjected to patch tests, two of them additionally to a prick test. A further patient with atypical symptoms of an allergy (nausea and vomiting after contact with a polyether impression material in the oral cavity) but with a history of other allergic reaction was also patch tested. The prick tests showed no immediate reactions in the two patients tested. In the patch tests, all eight patients with typical clinical symptoms showed positive reactions to the mixed polyether impression materials, to the base paste or to a base paste component. The patient with the atypical clinical symptoms did not show any positive patch test reactions. Polyether impression materials may evoke type IV allergic reactions. The causative agent was a component of the base paste. In consideration of the widespread use of this impression material (millions of applications per year) and in comparison to the number of adverse reactions from other dental materials, the number of such allergic reactions is very low. In very scarce cases, positive allergic reactions to polyether impression materials are possible.

Surgical treatment of Chiari malformation complicated with basilar impression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan MA

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of small craniotomic posterior fossa decompression combined with occipital-cervical bone graft fusion and internal fixation on Chiari malformation complicated with basilar impression.Methods The clinical data of 16 cases(7 males and 9 females,aged 17 to 65 years,mean 36.4 of Chiari malformation complicated with basilar impression from 2006 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.The diagnoses for all the patients were confirmed by radiology.Small craniotomic posterior fossa decompression was performed in all patients,cerebellar tonsils were resected,and then one-stage occipital-cervical bone graft fusion using autogenous iliac bone and internal wiring fixation were performed.Neck support was used for 3 months after surgery.Results Symptoms were significantly improved in all cases after surgical operation.No patient died or infected.Cerebrospinal fluid leakage was found at draining site in one case.Transient pain of scapular and chest was found in one case and disappeared spontaneously.A 6-months follow-up showed that 6 patients were cured,9 improved and 1 unchanged according to Symon and Lavender standard.Postoperative MRI showed the reconstructed cisterna magna was clear in all patients,no cerebellar ptosis was found,and the occipital-cervical graft bone was fused.Conclusion In patients with Chiari malformation complicated with basilar impression,small craniotomic posterior fossa decompression combined with one-stage occipital-cervical bone graft fusion and internal wiring fixation has a clear and definite effect,it can increase the volume of posterior fossa and alleviate the ventral brain stem compression simultaneously,and reconstruct the stability of cranio-cervical junction.

Impression Management Training: Conceptualization and Application to Personal Selling.

Science.gov (United States)

Leathers, Dale G.

1988-01-01

Discusses the importance of impression management, an individual's conscious attempt to exercise control over selected communicative behaviors and cues for purposes of making a desired impression. Provides a comprehensive conceptualization of the impression-management process, and demonstrates how this process can facilitate effective training of…

Preliminary Study of Intravenous Amantadine Treatment for Ataxia Management in Patients with Probable Multiple System Atrophy with Predominant Cerebellar Ataxia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinyoung Youn

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia is a disabling neurologic disease. However, effective management has not yet been established. We conducted a short-term, open-label preliminary study to assess the benefits of intravenous amantadine treatment in patients with probable multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia. Methods: Twenty patients (10 male, 10 female with probable multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia received 400 mg of amantadine by intravenous per day for 5 days. Ataxia severity was evaluated by the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale before and after intravenous amantadine therapy and all subjects reported subjective improvement after intravenous amantadine treatment using a patient global impression scale. We analyzed the total and subscale scores by the ataxia scale and patient global impression scale. Results: The mean age was 57.4 years (range: 47–72 and the mean disease duration was 30.8 months (range: 11–79. The ataxia severity significantly decreased after intravenous amantadine therapy from 42.5 to 37.3 (p < 0.001. The mean patient global impression scale for improvement was 2.9 and there were no side effects of intravenous amantadine treatment observed. When we assessed responders, the duration of intravenous amantadine effect was more than 1 month in 4 subjects of 7 responders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that intravenous amantadine treatment can be a safe management option in cerebellar ataxia, although the mechanism is unclear. Thus, further double-blind, long-term studies with a larger sample size are needed.

Social relevance enhances memory for impressions in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Brittany S; Gutchess, Angela H

2012-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that older adults have difficulty retrieving contextual material over items alone. Recent research suggests this deficit can be reduced by adding emotional context, allowing for the possibility that memory for social impressions may show less age-related decline than memory for other types of contextual information. Two studies investigated how orienting to social or self-relevant aspects of information contributed to the learning and retrieval of impressions in young and older adults. Participants encoded impressions of others in conditions varying in the use of self-reference (Experiment 1) and interpersonal meaningfulness (Experiment 2), and completed memory tasks requiring the retrieval of specific traits. For both experiments, age groups remembered similar numbers of impressions. In Experiment 1 using more self-relevant encoding contexts increased memory for impressions over orienting to stimuli in a non-social way, regardless of age. In Experiment 2 older adults had enhanced memory for impressions presented in an interpersonally meaningful relative to a personally irrelevant way, whereas young adults were unaffected by this manipulation. The results provide evidence that increasing social relevance ameliorates age differences in memory for impressions, and enhances older adults' ability to successfully retrieve contextual information.

Impression Management and Organizational Performance: the Portuguese case

OpenAIRE

Borges, Maria de Fátima Ribeiro

2013-01-01

This study assesses the influence of performance in the adoption of impression management strategies. The study conducts a content analysis of a sample of 45 chairman’s statements, included in the annual reports for 2010 Portuguese companies in the non-finance sector. Findings indicate that performance does not explain impression management.Consistent with social psychology theory of impression management, larger companies present a favourable image of the firm, however consistent with ...

Adjunctive minocycline treatment for major depressive disorder: A proof of concept trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Olivia M; Kanchanatawan, Buranee; Ashton, Melanie; Mohebbi, Mohammadreza; Ng, Chee Hong; Maes, Michael; Berk, Lesley; Sughondhabirom, Atapol; Tangwongchai, Sookjaroen; Singh, Ajeet B; McKenzie, Helen; Smith, Deidre J; Malhi, Gin S; Dowling, Nathan; Berk, Michael

2017-08-01

Conventional antidepressant treatments result in symptom remission in 30% of those treated for major depressive disorder, raising the need for effective adjunctive therapies. Inflammation has an established role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder, and minocycline has been shown to modify the immune-inflammatory processes and also reduce oxidative stress and promote neuronal growth. This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial examined adjunctive minocycline (200 mg/day, in addition to treatment as usual) for major depressive disorder. This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial investigated 200 mg/day adjunctive minocycline (in addition to treatment as usual) for major depressive disorder. A total of 71 adults with major depressive disorder ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition) were randomised to this 12-week trial. Outcome measures included the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (primary outcome), Clinical Global Impression-Improvement and Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Social and Occupational Functioning Scale and the Range of Impaired Functioning Tool. The study was registered on the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register: www.anzctr.org.au , #ACTRN12612000283875. Based on mixed-methods repeated measures analysis of variance at week 12, there was no significant difference in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores between groups. However, there were significant differences, favouring the minocycline group at week 12 for Clinical Global Impression-Improvement score - effect size (95% confidence interval) = -0.62 [-1.8, -0.3], p = 0.02; Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire score - effect size (confidence interval) = -0.12 [0.0, 0.2], p minocycline may be a useful adjunct to improve global experience, functioning and quality of life in people with

Spatial Scaling of Global Rainfall and Flood Extremes

Science.gov (United States)

Devineni, Naresh; Lall, Upmanu; Xi, Chen; Ward, Philip

2014-05-01

Floods associated with severe storms are a significant source of risk for property, life and supply chains. These property losses tend to be determined as much by the duration and spatial extent of flooding as by the depth and velocity of inundation. High duration floods are typically induced by persistent rainfall (up to 30 day duration) as seen recently in Thailand, Pakistan, the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, France, and Germany. Events related to persistent and recurrent rainfall appear to correspond to the persistence of specific global climate patterns that may be identifiable from global, historical data fields, and also from climate models that project future conditions. In this paper, we investigate the statistical properties of the spatial manifestation of the rainfall exceedances and floods. We present the first ever results on a global analysis of the scaling characteristics of extreme rainfall and flood event duration, volumes and contiguous flooded areas as a result of large scale organization of long duration rainfall events. Results are organized by latitude and with reference to the phases of ENSO, and reveal surprising invariance across latitude. Speculation as to the potential relation to the dynamical factors is presented

The global land rush: what the evidence reveals about scale and geography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cotula, Lorenzo; Polack, Emily

2012-04-15

In developing countries, millions of people depend on land for their food and livelihoods. But a global 'land rush' — moves to acquire large tracts of land across the world — is increasing competition for this vital resource. A growing body of evidence points to the scale, geography, players and key characteristics of the phenomenon. Some of this is based on media reports and some on country level inventories. Much of the data cannot be compared due to variations in methodology, timescale and the differing criteria for what makes a land deal. Further improving data and analysis is critical. But while exact numbers will keep changing, all evidence indicates that land acquisitions are happening quickly and on a large scale. So we urgently need to get on with developing appropriate responses.

Global terrain classification using Multiple-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain (MERIT) to address susceptibility of landslides and other geohazards

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Iwahashi, J.; Yamazaki, D.; Matsuoka, M.; Thamarux, P.; Herrick, J.; Yong, A.; Mital, U.

2017-12-01

A seamless model of landform classifications with regional accuracy will be a powerful platform for geophysical studies that forecast geologic hazards. Spatial variability as a function of landform on a global scale was captured in the automated classifications of Iwahashi and Pike (2007) and additional developments are presented here that incorporate more accurate depictions using higher-resolution elevation data than the original 1-km scale Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model (DEM). We create polygon-based terrain classifications globally by using the 280-m DEM interpolated from the Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain DEM (MERIT; Yamazaki et al., 2017). The multi-scale pixel-image analysis method, known as Multi-resolution Segmentation (Baatz and Schäpe, 2000), is first used to classify the terrains based on geometric signatures (slope and local convexity) calculated from the 280-m DEM. Next, we apply the machine learning method of "k-means clustering" to prepare the polygon-based classification at the globe-scale using slope, local convexity and surface texture. We then group the divisions with similar properties by hierarchical clustering and other statistical analyses using geological and geomorphological data of the area where landslides and earthquakes are frequent (e.g. Japan and California). We find the 280-m DEM resolution is only partially sufficient for classifying plains. We nevertheless observe that the categories correspond to reported landslide and liquefaction features at the global scale, suggesting that our model is an appropriate platform to forecast ground failure. To predict seismic amplification, we estimate site conditions using the time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the upper 30-m (VS30) measurements compiled by Yong et al. (2016) and the terrain model developed by Yong (2016; Y16). We plan to test our method on finer resolution DEMs and report our findings to obtain a more globally consistent terrain model as there

Single Visit Feeding Appliance for 1-day-old Neonate with Cleft Palate Using Safe Dental Putty-Gauze Hybrid Impression Technique for Maxillary Impression

OpenAIRE

Rathee, Manu

2015-01-01

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common craniofacial anomalies of humans. Intraoral impression making is the first clinical step in the fabrication of feeding appliance for infants with oro-nasal communication. It is difficult to control the flow of the impression material in the cleft area and undercuts in a child patient. This clinical report presents a simple and safe impression technique for maxillary impression making in neonates and infants with cleft palate. A gauze piece was us...

Global-scale hydrological response to future glacier mass loss

Science.gov (United States)

Huss, Matthias; Hock, Regine

2018-01-01

Worldwide glacier retreat and associated future runoff changes raise major concerns over the sustainability of global water resources1-4, but global-scale assessments of glacier decline and the resulting hydrological consequences are scarce5,6. Here we compute global glacier runoff changes for 56 large-scale glacierized drainage basins to 2100 and analyse the glacial impact on streamflow. In roughly half of the investigated basins, the modelled annual glacier runoff continues to rise until a maximum (`peak water') is reached, beyond which runoff steadily declines. In the remaining basins, this tipping point has already been passed. Peak water occurs later in basins with larger glaciers and higher ice-cover fractions. Typically, future glacier runoff increases in early summer but decreases in late summer. Although most of the 56 basins have less than 2% ice coverage, by 2100 one-third of them might experience runoff decreases greater than 10% due to glacier mass loss in at least one month of the melt season, with the largest reductions in central Asia and the Andes. We conclude that, even in large-scale basins with minimal ice-cover fraction, the downstream hydrological effects of continued glacier wastage can be substantial, but the magnitudes vary greatly among basins and throughout the melt season.

Sport fans' impressions of gay male athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Jamonn; Cothren, Denise; Rogers, Ross; Kistler, Lindsay; Osowski, Anne; Greenauer, Nathan; End, Christian

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine sport fans' impressions of gay male athletes. Participants formed impressions of a fictional athlete from their favorite team after reading a short scenario about the player. The scenarios described the athlete as being gay or straight, and either becoming a distraction or not causing a distraction to the team. While males' ratings of the athlete did not significantly differ, female fans formed significantly more positive impressions of the gay male player than the straight athlete. These results are discussed in terms of the ingroup bias and the shifting culture of homophobia in sport.

Impression cytology diagnosis of ulcerative eyelid malignancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, S; Lyngdoh, A D; Pushker, N; Meel, R; Bajaj, M S; Chawla, B

2015-02-01

The utility of impression cytology in ocular diseases has predominantly been restricted to the diagnosis of dry eye, limbal stem cell deficiency and conjunctival neoplasias. Its role in malignant eyelid lesions remains largely unexplored. Although scrape cytology is more popular for cutaneous lesions, impression cytology, being non-traumatic, has an advantage in small and delicate areas such as the eyelid. The present study has been designed to evaluate its role in the diagnosis and management of malignant eyelid lesions. Thirty-two histopathologically proven malignant eyelid lesions diagnosed over a 2-year period, including 13 basal cell carcinomas, 11 sebaceous carcinomas, four squamous cell carcinomas, two malignant melanomas and two poorly differentiated carcinomas, formed the study group. The results of impression cytology were compared with those of histopathology in the study group and with an age- and sex-matched group of benign cases as controls. The sensitivity of impression cytology was 84% (27/32) for the diagnosis of malignancy and 28% (9/32) for categorization of the type of malignancy. Impression cytology is a simple, useful, non-invasive technique for the detection of malignant ulcerative eyelid lesions. It is especially useful as a follow-up technique for the detection of recurrences. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Accuracy of Digital vs. Conventional Implant Impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang J.; Betensky, Rebecca A.; Gianneschi, Grace E.; Gallucci, German O.

2015-01-01

The accuracy of digital impressions greatly influences the clinical viability in implant restorations. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of gypsum models acquired from the conventional implant impression to digitally milled models created from direct digitalization by three-dimensional analysis. Thirty gypsum and 30 digitally milled models impressed directly from a reference model were prepared. The models were scanned by a laboratory scanner and 30 STL datasets from each group were imported to an inspection software. The datasets were aligned to the reference dataset by a repeated best fit algorithm and 10 specified contact locations of interest were measured in mean volumetric deviations. The areas were pooled by cusps, fossae, interproximal contacts, horizontal and vertical axes of implant position and angulation. The pooled areas were statistically analysed by comparing each group to the reference model to investigate the mean volumetric deviations accounting for accuracy and standard deviations for precision. Milled models from digital impressions had comparable accuracy to gypsum models from conventional impressions. However, differences in fossae and vertical displacement of the implant position from the gypsum and digitally milled models compared to the reference model, exhibited statistical significance (p<0.001, p=0.020 respectively). PMID:24720423

Quality improvement and emerging global health priorities

Science.gov (United States)

Mensah Abrampah, Nana; Syed, Shamsuzzoha Babar; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Nambiar, Bejoy; Iqbal, Usman; Garcia-Elorrio, Ezequiel; Chattu, Vijay Kumar; Devnani, Mahesh; Kelley, Edward

2018-01-01

Abstract Quality improvement approaches can strengthen action on a range of global health priorities. Quality improvement efforts are uniquely placed to reorient care delivery systems towards integrated people-centred health services and strengthen health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This article makes the case for addressing shortfalls of previous agendas by articulating the critical role of quality improvement in the Sustainable Development Goal era. Quality improvement can stimulate convergence between health security and health systems; address global health security priorities through participatory quality improvement approaches; and improve health outcomes at all levels of the health system. Entry points for action include the linkage with antimicrobial resistance and the contentious issue of the health of migrants. The work required includes focussed attention on the continuum of national quality policy formulation, implementation and learning; alongside strengthening the measurement-improvement linkage. Quality improvement plays a key role in strengthening health systems to achieve UHC. PMID:29873793

Fabrication of customized sectional impression trays in management of patients with limited mouth opening: a simple and unique approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna Ch, Vamsi; Mahendranadh Reddy, K; Gupta, Nidhi; Mahadev Shastry, Y; Chandra Sekhar, N; Aditya, Venkat; Reddy, G V K Mohan

2013-01-01

Impression making is not only important but is also the most significant step in the fabrication of any fixed or removable prosthesis. Proper impression making may be hindered by certain pathologic conditions. Reduced mouth opening is one of the common mechanical obstructions for proper orientation of the impression tray in the patient's mouth. In patients with trismus induced by submucous fibrosis, the procedure may be even more difficult to carry out because of reduced tissue resiliency and obliteration of vestibular spaces. Use of sectional trays offers one of the alternatives to overcome the problem of restricted mouth opening. Fabrication of customized impression trays according to the patient dentition improves the accuracy of impression making. The present case reports describe the fabrication of sectional custom trays designed for dentulous patients with chronic tobacco-induced submucous fibrosis.

Bioremediation at a global scale: from the test tube to planet Earth.

Science.gov (United States)

de Lorenzo, Víctor; Marlière, Philippe; Solé, Ricard

2016-09-01

Planet Earth's biosphere has evolved over billions of years as a balanced bio-geological system ultimately sustained by sunpower and the large-scale cycling of elements largely run by the global environmental microbiome. Humans have been part of this picture for much of their existence. But the industrial revolution started in the XIX century and the subsequent advances in medicine, chemistry, agriculture and communications have impacted such balances to an unprecedented degree - and the problem has nothing but exacerbated in the last 20 years. Human overpopulation, industrial growth along with unsustainable use of natural resources have driven many sites and perhaps the planetary ecosystem as a whole, beyond recovery by spontaneous natural means, even if the immediate causes could be stopped. The most conspicuous indications of such a state of affairs include the massive change in land use, the accelerated increase in the levels of greenhouse gases, the frequent natural disasters associated to climate change and the growing non-recyclable waste (e.g. plastics and recalcitrant chemicals) that we release to the Environment. While the whole planet is afflicted at a global scale by chemical pollution and anthropogenic emissions, the ongoing development of systems and synthetic biology, metagenomics, modern chemistry and some key concepts from ecological theory allow us to tackle this phenomenal challenge and propose large-scale interventions aimed at reversing and even improving the situation. This involves (i) identification of key reactions or processes that need to be re-established (or altogether created) for ecosystem reinstallation, (ii) implementation of such reactions in natural or designer hosts able to self-replicate and deliver the corresponding activities when/where needed in a fashion guided by sound ecological modelling, (iii) dispersal of niche-creating agents at a global scale and (iv) containment, monitoring and risk assessment of the whole process

Complete Denture Impression Techniques Practiced by Private Dental Practitioners: A Survey

OpenAIRE

Kakatkar, Vinay R.

2012-01-01

Impression making is an important step in fabricating complete dentures. A survey to know the materials used and techniques practiced while recording complete denture impressions was conducted. It is disheartening to know that 33 % practitioners still use base plate custom trays to record final impressions. 8 % still use alginate for making final impressions. An acceptable technique for recording CD impressions is suggested.

Global and local confinement scaling laws of NBI-heated gas-puffing plasmas on LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamazaki, K.; Miyazawa, J.; Sakakibara, S.; Yamada, H.; Narihara, K.; Tanaka, K.; Osakabe, M.

2003-01-01

The relation between global confinement scaling laws and local transport characteristics is evaluated on the Large Helical Device (LHD). Previous 'new LHD' global scaling laws are revised using the precise plasma edge definition and the recent LHD data of 4th, 5th and 6th experimental campaigns. Strong Gyro-Bohm-like feature of global confinement is reconfirmed. The magnetic field dependence and geometrical scale dependence are stronger than the conventional scaling laws. Using same database of LHD data, the radial profiles of transport coefficients are evaluated, and it is reconfirmed that the local transport in the core is Gyro-Bohm-like, and that near the boundary is strong Gyro-Bohm-like. The global confinement property is consistent with effective transport coefficient near the edge. (author)

Scaling-up treatment of depression and anxiety: a global return on investment analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chisholm, Dan; Sweeny, Kim; Sheehan, Peter; Rasmussen, Bruce; Smit, Filip; Cuijpers, Pim; Saxena, Shekhar

2016-05-01

Depression and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and disabling disorders, which result not only in an enormous amount of human misery and lost health, but also lost economic output. Here we propose a global investment case for a scaled-up response to the public health and economic burden of depression and anxiety disorders. In this global return on investment analysis, we used the mental health module of the OneHealth tool to calculate treatment costs and health outcomes in 36 countries between 2016 and 2030. We assumed a linear increase in treatment coverage. We factored in a modest improvement of 5% in both the ability to work and productivity at work as a result of treatment, subsequently mapped to the prevailing rates of labour participation and gross domestic product (GDP) per worker in each country. The net present value of investment needed over the period 2016-30 to substantially scale up effective treatment coverage for depression and anxiety disorders is estimated to be US$147 billion. The expected returns to this investment are also substantial. In terms of health impact, scaled-up treatment leads to 43 million extra years of healthy life over the scale-up period. Placing an economic value on these healthy life-years produces a net present value of $310 billion. As well as these intrinsic benefits associated with improved health, scaled-up treatment of common mental disorders also leads to large economic productivity gains (a net present value of $230 billion for scaled-up depression treatment and $169 billion for anxiety disorders). Across country income groups, resulting benefit to cost ratios amount to 2·3-3·0 to 1 when economic benefits only are considered, and 3·3-5·7 to 1 when the value of health returns is also included. Return on investment analysis of the kind reported here can contribute strongly to a balanced investment case for enhanced action to address the large and growing burden of common mental disorders worldwide. Grand

Influence of Custom Trays, Dual-Arch Passive, Flexed Trays and Viscosities of Elastomeric Impression Materials on Working Dies

Science.gov (United States)

Kohli, Shivani; Kalsi, Rupali

2016-01-01

Introduction Dual arch impression technique signifies an essential improvement in fixed prosthodontics and has numerous benefits over conventional impression techniques. The accuracy of working dies fabricated from dual arch impression technique remains in question because there is little information available in the literature. Aim This study was conducted to compare the accuracy of working dies fabricated from impressions made from two different viscosities of impression materials using metal, plastic dual arch trays and custom made acrylic trays. Materials and Methods The study samples were grouped into two groups based on the viscosity of impression material used i.e. Group I (monophase), whereas Group II consisted of Dual Mix technique using a combination of light and heavy body material. These were further divided into three subgroups A, B and C depending on the type of impression tray used (metal dual arch tray, plastic dual arch tray and custom made tray). Measurements of the master cast were made using profile projector. Descriptive statistics like mean, Standard Deviation (SD) were calculated for all the groups. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for multiple group comparisons. A p-value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results The gypsum dies obtained with the three types of impression trays using two groups of impression materials were smaller than the master models in dimensions. Conclusion The plastic dual arch trays produced dies which were the least accurate of the three groups. There was no significant difference in the die dimensions obtained using the two viscosities of impression materials. PMID:27437342

Large-scale hydrological modeling for calculating water stress indices: implications of improved spatiotemporal resolution, surface-groundwater differentiation, and uncertainty characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Laura; Venkatesh, Aranya; Karuppiah, Ramkumar; Pfister, Stephan

2015-04-21

Physical water scarcities can be described by water stress indices. These are often determined at an annual scale and a watershed level; however, such scales mask seasonal fluctuations and spatial heterogeneity within a watershed. In order to account for this level of detail, first and foremost, water availability estimates must be improved and refined. State-of-the-art global hydrological models such as WaterGAP and UNH/GRDC have previously been unable to reliably reflect water availability at the subbasin scale. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was tested as an alternative to global models, using the case study of the Mississippi watershed. While SWAT clearly outperformed the global models at the scale of a large watershed, it was judged to be unsuitable for global scale simulations due to the high calibration efforts required. The results obtained in this study show that global assessments miss out on key aspects related to upstream/downstream relations and monthly fluctuations, which are important both for the characterization of water scarcity in the Mississippi watershed and for water footprints. Especially in arid regions, where scarcity is high, these models provide unsatisfying results.

A Randomised Controlled Trial of complete denture impression materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hyde, T.P.; Craddock, H.L.; Gray, J.C.; Pavitt, S.H.; Hulme, C.; Godfrey, M.; Fernandez, C.; Navarro-Coy, N.; Dillon, S.; Wright, J.; Brown, S.; Dukanovic, G.; Brunton, P.A.

2014-01-01

Objectives There is continuing demand for non-implant prosthodontic treatment and yet there is a paucity of high quality Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) evidence for best practice. The aim of this research was to provide evidence for best practice in prosthodontic impressions by comparing two impression materials in a double-blind, randomised, crossover, controlled, clinical trial. Methods Eighty-five patients were recruited, using published eligibility criteria, to the trial at Leeds Dental Institute, UK. Each patient received two sets of dentures; made using either alginate or silicone impressions. Randomisations determined the order of assessment and order of impressions. The primary outcome was patient blinded preference for unadjusted dentures. Secondary outcomes were patient preference for the adjusted dentures, rating of comfort, stability and chewing efficiency, experience of each impression, and an OHIP-EDENT questionnaire. Results Seventy-eight (91.8%) patients completed the primary assessment. 53(67.9%) patients preferred dentures made from silicone impressions while 14(17.9%) preferred alginate impressions. 4(5.1%) patients found both dentures equally satisfactory and 7 (9.0%) found both equally unsatisfactory. There was a 50% difference in preference rates (in favour of silicone) (95%CI 32.7–67.3%, p alginate as their material of choice for secondary impressions for complete dentures. Trial Registration: ISRCTN 01528038.

 This article forms part of a project for which the author (TPH) won the Senior Clinical Unilever Hatton Award of the International Assocation for Dental Research, Capetown, South Africa, June 2014. PMID:24995473

Comparative study of the effects of bupropion and escitalopram on Internet gaming disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jinuk; Park, Jeong Ha; Han, Doug Hyun; Roh, Sungwon; Son, Ji Hyun; Choi, Tae Young; Lee, Hyuk; Kim, Tae Ho; Lee, Young Sik

2016-11-01

We compared the efficacy of bupropion and escitalopram treatments in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) patients. We recruited 119 adolescents and adults with IGD. We treated these participants for 6 weeks in three groups as follows: 44 participants were treated with bupropion SR (bupropion group), 42 participants were treated with escitalopram (escitalopram group), and 33 patients without any medication were observed in the community (observation group). At baseline and at the 6-week follow-up visit, all subjects were evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale, the Young Internet Addiction Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the ADHD Rating Scale, and the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales. Both the escitalopram group and the bupropion group showed improvement on all clinical symptom scales after 6 weeks of treatment compared to the observation group. Additionally, the bupropion group showed greater improvement on scores for the Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale, the Young Internet Addiction Scale, the ADHD Rating Scale, and the Behavioral Inhibition Scale than the escitalopram group. Both bupropion and escitalopram were effective in treating and managing IGD symptoms. Moreover, bupropion appeared to be more effective than escitalopram in improving attention and impulsivity in IGD patients. In addition, attention and impulsivity seem to be important for the management of IGD. © 2016 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2016 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Valuing Women in Management: An Impression Management Perspective of Gender Diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, William L., III; And Others

1994-01-01

Applies a model of impression management to explore the process whereby women in organizations present themselves to others and the impressions they create. Devotes particular attention to how these impressions influence women's experiences in organizations. Suggests future research direction for clarifying the impact of gender impression and…

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS-6): First validation study in Parkinson's disease population.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrosio, Leire; Portillo, Mari Carmen; Rodriguez-Blazquez, Carmen; Martínez-Castrillo, Juan Carlos; Rodriguez-Violante, Mayela; Serrano-Dueñas, Marcos; Campos-Arillo, Víctor; Garretto, Nelida Susana; Arakaki, Tomoko; Álvarez, Mario; Pedroso-Ibáñez, Ivonne; Carvajal, Ana; Martinez-Martin, Pablo

2016-04-01

To explore the psychometric attributes of a new Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS-6) in a wide Spanish-speaking population with Parkinson's disease (PD). This was an international, cross-sectional study. Several rater-based and patient-reported outcomes measures for evaluation of PD (e.g., Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Motor) and other constructs (e.g., Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, Scale for Living with Chronic Illness) were applied together with the SLS-6. Acceptability, scaling assumptions, reliability, precision, and construct validity were tested. The study included 324 patients from five countries, with age (mean ± standard deviation) 66.67 ± 10.68 years. None of the SLS-6 items had missing values and all acceptability parameters fulfilled the standard criteria. Scaling assumptions allowed the calculation of a summary index from items 2 to 6, complementary to the global evaluation (item 1). For these five items, Cronbach's alpha was 0.85; the corrected item-total correlation 0.53-0.73; inter-item correlation, 0.45-0.70, with an item homogeneity index of 0.55. The standard error of measurement, based on Cronbach's alpha for a single observation, was 3.48. SLS-6 correlations were moderate to strong (rs ≥ 0.35) with the patient-reported outcomes and weak to moderate with the rater-based assessments used in the study. The SLS-6 total score was significantly different according to PD severity levels established according to Hoehn and Yahr staging, Clinical Impression of Severity Index, and Patient-Based Global Impression of Severity scale. The results suggest that SLS-6 is an easy, feasible, acceptable, consistent, precise and valid measure to evaluate satisfaction with life in PD patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved Hydrology over Peatlands in a Global Land Modeling System

Science.gov (United States)

Bechtold, M.; Delannoy, G.; Reichle, R.; Koster, R.; Mahanama, S.; Roose, Dirk

2018-01-01

Peatlands of the Northern Hemisphere represent an important carbon pool that mainly accumulated since the last ice age under permanently wet conditions in specific geological and climatic settings. The carbon balance of peatlands is closely coupled to water table dynamics. Consequently, the future carbon balance over peatlands is strongly dependent on how hydrology in peatlands will react to changing boundary conditions, e.g. due to climate change or regional water level drawdown of connected aquifers or streams. Global land surface modeling over organic-rich regions can provide valuable global-scale insights on where and how peatlands are in transition due to changing boundary conditions. However, the current global land surface models are not able to reproduce typical hydrological dynamics in peatlands well. We implemented specific structural and parametric changes to account for key hydrological characteristics of peatlands into NASA's GEOS-5 Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM, Koster et al. 2000). The main modifications pertain to the modeling of partial inundation, and the definition of peatland-specific runoff and evapotranspiration schemes. We ran a set of simulations on a high performance cluster using different CLSM configurations and validated the results with a newly compiled global in-situ dataset of water table depths in peatlands. The results demonstrate that an update of soil hydraulic properties for peat soils alone does not improve the performance of CLSM over peatlands. However, structural model changes for peatlands are able to improve the skill metrics for water table depth. The validation results for the water table depth indicate a reduction of the bias from 2.5 to 0.2 m, and an improvement of the temporal correlation coefficient from 0.5 to 0.65, and from 0.4 to 0.55 for the anomalies. Our validation data set includes both bogs (rain-fed) and fens (ground and/or surface water influence) and reveals that the metrics improved less for fens. In

Accuracy of stone casts obtained by different impression materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Cláudia Lapria Faria

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Several impression materials are available in the Brazilian marketplace to be used in oral rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of different impression materials used for fixed partial dentures following the manufacturers' instructions. A master model representing a partially edentulous mandibular right hemi-arch segment whose teeth were prepared to receive full crowns was used. Custom trays were prepared with auto-polymerizing acrylic resin and impressions were performed with a dental surveyor, standardizing the path of insertion and removal of the tray. Alginate and elastomeric materials were used and stone casts were obtained after the impressions. For the silicones, impression techniques were also compared. To determine the impression materials' accuracy, digital photographs of the master model and of the stone casts were taken and the discrepancies between them were measured. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and Duncan's complementary test. Polyether and addition silicone following the single-phase technique were statistically different from alginate, condensation silicone and addition silicone following the double-mix technique (p .05 to alginate and addition silicone following the double-mix technique, but different from polysulfide. The results led to the conclusion that different impression materials and techniques influenced the stone casts' accuracy in a way that polyether, polysulfide and addition silicone following the single-phase technique were more accurate than the other materials.

A randomised controlled trial of complete denture impression materials.

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Hyde, T P; Craddock, H L; Gray, J C; Pavitt, S H; Hulme, C; Godfrey, M; Fernandez, C; Navarro-Coy, N; Dillon, S; Wright, J; Brown, S; Dukanovic, G; Brunton, P A

2014-08-01

There is continuing demand for non-implant prosthodontic treatment and yet there is a paucity of high quality Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) evidence for best practice. The aim of this research was to provide evidence for best practice in prosthodontic impressions by comparing two impression materials in a double-blind, randomised, crossover, controlled, clinical trial. Eighty-five patients were recruited, using published eligibility criteria, to the trial at Leeds Dental Institute, UK. Each patient received two sets of dentures; made using either alginate or silicone impressions. Randomisations determined the order of assessment and order of impressions. The primary outcome was patient blinded preference for unadjusted dentures. Secondary outcomes were patient preference for the adjusted dentures, rating of comfort, stability and chewing efficiency, experience of each impression, and an OHIP-EDENT questionnaire. Seventy-eight (91.8%) patients completed the primary assessment. 53(67.9%) patients preferred dentures made from silicone impressions while 14(17.9%) preferred alginate impressions. 4(5.1%) patients found both dentures equally satisfactory and 7 (9.0%) found both equally unsatisfactory. There was a 50% difference in preference rates (in favour of silicone) (95%CI 32.7-67.3%, pUnilever Hatton Award of the International Assocation for Dental Research, Capetown, South Africa, June 2014. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Custom sectional impression trays with interlocking type handle for microstomia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernandes Aquaviva

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Making impressions in microstomia patients is often cumbersome. A modification of standard impression procedure is often necessary while treating such patients. This article describes the fabrication of a custom sectional impression tray with interlocking type of a handle for definitive impression procedures in a microstomia patient.

Accuracy of 3 different impression techniques for internal connection angulated implants.

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Tsagkalidis, George; Tortopidis, Dimitrios; Mpikos, Pavlos; Kaisarlis, George; Koidis, Petros

2015-10-01

Making implant impressions with different angulations requires a more precise and time-consuming impression technique. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the accuracy of nonsplinted, splinted, and snap-fit impression techniques of internal connection implants with different angulations. An experimental device was used to allow a clinical simulation of impression making by means of open and closed tray techniques. Three different impression techniques (nonsplinted, acrylic-resin splinted, and indirect snap-fit) for 6 internal-connected implants at different angulations (0, 15, 25 degrees) were examined using polyether. Impression accuracy was evaluated by measuring the differences in 3-dimensional (3D) position deviations between the implant body/impression coping before the impression procedure and the coping/laboratory analog positioned within the impression, using a coordinate measuring machine. Data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA. Means were compared with the least significant difference criterion at Pimpression technique exhibited a higher accuracy than the other techniques studied when increased implant angulations at 25 degrees were involved. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Spatial Scaling of Global Rainfall Extremes

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Devineni, N.; Xi, C.; Lall, U.; Rahill-Marier, B.

2013-12-01

Floods associated with severe storms are a significant source of risk for property, life and supply chains. These property losses tend to be determined as much by the duration of flooding as by the depth and velocity of inundation. High duration floods are typically induced by persistent rainfall (upto 30 day duration) as seen recently in Thailand, Pakistan, the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, France, and Germany. Events related to persistent and recurrent rainfall appear to correspond to the persistence of specific global climate patterns that may be identifiable from global, historical data fields, and also from climate models that project future conditions. A clear understanding of the space-time rainfall patterns for events or for a season will enable in assessing the spatial distribution of areas likely to have a high/low inundation potential for each type of rainfall forcing. In this paper, we investigate the statistical properties of the spatial manifestation of the rainfall exceedances. We also investigate the connection of persistent rainfall events at different latitudinal bands to large-scale climate phenomena such as ENSO. Finally, we present the scaling phenomena of contiguous flooded areas as a result of large scale organization of long duration rainfall events. This can be used for spatially distributed flood risk assessment conditional on a particular rainfall scenario. Statistical models for spatio-temporal loss simulation including model uncertainty to support regional and portfolio analysis can be developed.

Irrational Delay Revisited: Examining Five Procrastination Scales in a Global Sample

OpenAIRE

Frode Svartdal; Piers Steel

2017-01-01

Source at http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01927 Scales attempting to measure procrastination focus on different facets of the phenomenon, yet they share a common understanding of procrastination as an unnecessary, unwanted, and disadvantageous delay. The present paper examines in a global sample (N = 4,169) five different procrastination scales – Decisional Procrastination Scale (DPS), Irrational Procrastination Scale (IPS), Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS), Adult Inventory of Procr...

17 CFR 200.61 - Impressions of influence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Impressions of influence. 200...; CONDUCT AND ETHICS; AND INFORMATION AND REQUESTS Canons of Ethics § 200.61 Impressions of influence. A... influence him, that any person unduly enjoys his favor or that he is affected in any way by the rank...

Empirical scaling law connecting persistence and severity of global terrorism

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Gao, Jianbo; Fang, Peng; Liu, Feiyan

2017-09-01

Terrorism and counterterrorism have both been evolving rapidly. From time to time, there have been debates on whether the new terrorism is evolutionary or revolutionary. Such debate often becomes more heated after major terrorist activities, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the November 13, 2015 coordinated Paris terror attack. Using country-wide terrorism data since 1970, we show that there exist scaling laws governing the continuity and persistence of world-wide terrorism, with the long-term scaling parameter for each country closely related to its yearly global terrorism index. This suggests that the new terrorism is more accurately considered evolutionary. It is further shown that the imbalance in the seesaw of terrorism and counterterrorism is not only responsible for the scaling behavior found here, but also provides new means of quantifying the severity of the global terrorism.

The fungicidal effect of ultraviolet light on impression materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, H.; Nahara, Y.; Tamamoto, M.; Hamada, T.

1991-01-01

The effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on fungi and impression materials were tested. UV light (250 microW/cm2) killed most Candida organisms (10(3) cells/ml) within 5 minutes. UV light (8000 microW/cm2) killed most C. albicans (10(7) cells/ml) within 2 minutes of exposure. The effect of UV light on dimensional change and surface roughness of impression materials (irreversible hydrocolloid, agar, and silicone rubber) was tested. The results showed that neither dimensional change nor surface roughness of the impression materials were affected. The results of this study indicate that UV light disinfects impression materials that are contaminated with Candida organisms

Accuracy of Referring Provider and Endoscopist Impressions of Colonoscopy Indication.

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Naveed, Mariam; Clary, Meredith; Ahn, Chul; Kubiliun, Nisa; Agrawal, Deepak; Cryer, Byron; Murphy, Caitlin; Singal, Amit G

2017-07-01

Background: Referring provider and endoscopist impressions of colonoscopy indication are used for clinical care, reimbursement, and quality reporting decisions; however, the accuracy of these impressions is unknown. This study assessed the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and overall accuracy of methods to classify colonoscopy indication, including referring provider impression, endoscopist impression, and administrative algorithm compared with gold standard chart review. Methods: We randomly sampled 400 patients undergoing a colonoscopy at a Veterans Affairs health system between January 2010 and December 2010. Referring provider and endoscopist impressions of colonoscopy indication were compared with gold-standard chart review. Indications were classified into 4 mutually exclusive categories: diagnostic, surveillance, high-risk screening, or average-risk screening. Results: Of 400 colonoscopies, 26% were performed for average-risk screening, 7% for high-risk screening, 26% for surveillance, and 41% for diagnostic indications. Accuracy of referring provider and endoscopist impressions of colonoscopy indication were 87% and 84%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of the administrative algorithm (45%; P 90%) for determining screening (vs nonscreening) indication, but specificity of the administrative algorithm was lower (40.3%) compared with referring provider (93.7%) and endoscopist (84.0%) impressions. Accuracy of endoscopist, but not referring provider, impression was lower in patients with a family history of colon cancer than in those without (65% vs 84%; P =.001). Conclusions: Referring provider and endoscopist impressions of colonoscopy indication are both accurate and may be useful data to incorporate into algorithms classifying colonoscopy indication. Copyright © 2017 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Inherent variation in multiple shoe-sole test impressions.

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Shor, Yaron; Wiesner, Sarena; Tsach, Tsadok; Gurel, Ron; Yekutieli, Yoram

2018-04-01

Shoeprints left at crime scenes are seldom perfect. Many prints are distorted or contaminated by various materials. Noisy background often contributes to vagueness on the shoeprints as well. Test impressions made from the suspect's shoes in the laboratory are considered a genuine replication of the shoe-sole. This naïve attitude is far from being correct. Consecutive test impressions made in the laboratory under strict similar conditions revealed differences among the exemplars of the same sole. Some of them are minor, but some are major, and can mislead the less experienced practitioners during the comparison process. This article focuses on the inherent within source variability between controlled shoeprints made from the same shoe, as it appears on the RACs. To describe and analyze this variability, repeated test impressions were prepared, and datasets were created. Several RACs were marked on each test impression, using an expert assisting software tool (developed in the authors' lab). The variance in repeated test impressions is demonstrated and possible sources are discussed. This variance should be considered when trying to establish the degree of matching between individual characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Accuracy of a self-perforating impression tray for dental implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Marotti, Juliana; Tortamano, Pedro; Castilho, Tatiana R R N; Steagall, Washington; Wolfart, Stefan; Haselhuhn, Klaus

2014-10-01

Difficulties are involved in impression making with conventional open impression trays. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of transferring implant impressions with a self-perforating impression tray. A reference model of a mandible was fabricated, and 4 implants were placed in the regions of the first premolars and lateral incisors (implants 1, 2, 3, 4). Ten impressions of the reference model with polyvinyl siloxane were made for each group; control (conventional open impression tray) and test (self-perforating impression tray; Miratray Implant). A metal bar was screw-retained on implant 1, and the gaps generated at the vestibular face of implants 3 and 4 were measured by optical microcopy. The 2-way ANOVA and least square difference post hoc test were used (α=.05). Higher mean (±SD) values were obtained for the test group than for the control group for both implants: implant 3: 150 ±84 μm for the test group, 73 ±63 μm for the control group (P=.019); implant 4: 129 ±65 μm for the test group, 62 ±61 μm for the control group (P=.04). The self-perforating impression tray provided less accuracy than the conventional open tray. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new method for the recovery and evidential comparison of footwear impressions using 3D structured light scanning.

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Thompson, T J U; Norris, P

2018-05-01

Footwear impressions are one of the most common forms of evidence to be found at a crime scene, and can potentially offer the investigator a wealth of intelligence. Our aim is to highlight a new and improved technique for the recovery of footwear impressions, using three-dimensional structured light scanning. Results from this preliminary study demonstrate that this new approach is non-destructive, safe to use and is fast, reliable and accurate. Further, since this is a digital method, there is also the option of digital comparison between items of footwear and footwear impressions, and an increased ability to share recovered footwear impressions between forensic staff thus speeding up the investigation. Copyright © 2018 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale: Initial Validation of a New Measure of Global Self-Esteem.

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Harris, Michelle A; Donnellan, M Brent; Trzesniewski, Kali H

2018-01-01

This article introduces the Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale (LSE), a short measure of global self-esteem suitable for populations drawn from across the lifespan. Many existing measures of global self-esteem cannot be used across multiple developmental periods due to changes in item content, response formats, and other scale characteristics. This creates a need for a new lifespan scale so that changes in global self-esteem over time can be studied without confounding maturational changes with alterations in the measure. The LSE is a 4-item measure with a 5-point response format using items inspired by established self-esteem scales. The scale is essentially unidimensional and internally consistent, and it converges with existing self-esteem measures across ages 5 to 93 (N = 2,714). Thus, the LSE appears to be a useful measure of global self-esteem suitable for use across the lifespan as well as contexts where a short measure is desirable, such as populations with short attention spans or large projects assessing multiple constructs. Moreover, the LSE is one of the first global self-esteem scales to be validated for children younger than age 8, which provides the opportunity to broaden the field to include research on early formation and development of global self-esteem, an area that has previously been limited.

In vivo precision of conventional and digital methods for obtaining quadrant dental impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ender, Andreas; Zimmermann, Moritz; Attin, Thomas; Mehl, Albert

2016-09-01

Quadrant impressions are commonly used as alternative to full-arch impressions. Digital impression systems provide the ability to take these impressions very quickly; however, few studies have investigated the accuracy of the technique in vivo. The aim of this study is to assess the precision of digital quadrant impressions in vivo in comparison to conventional impression techniques. Impressions were obtained via two conventional (metal full-arch tray, CI, and triple tray, T-Tray) and seven digital impression systems (Lava True Definition Scanner, T-Def; Lava Chairside Oral Scanner, COS; Cadent iTero, ITE; 3Shape Trios, TRI; 3Shape Trios Color, TRC; CEREC Bluecam, Software 4.0, BC4.0; CEREC Bluecam, Software 4.2, BC4.2; and CEREC Omnicam, OC). Impressions were taken three times for each of five subjects (n = 15). The impressions were then superimposed within the test groups. Differences from model surfaces were measured using a normal surface distance method. Precision was calculated using the Perc90_10 value. The values for all test groups were statistically compared. The precision ranged from 18.8 (CI) to 58.5 μm (T-Tray), with the highest precision in the CI, T-Def, BC4.0, TRC, and TRI groups. The deviation pattern varied distinctly depending on the impression method. Impression systems with single-shot capture exhibited greater deviations at the tooth surface whereas high-frame rate impression systems differed more in gingival areas. Triple tray impressions displayed higher local deviation at the occlusal contact areas of upper and lower jaw. Digital quadrant impression methods achieve a level of precision, comparable to conventional impression techniques. However, there are significant differences in terms of absolute values and deviation pattern. With all tested digital impression systems, time efficient capturing of quadrant impressions is possible. The clinical precision of digital quadrant impression models is sufficient to cover a broad variety of

Comparison of intraoral scanning and conventional impression techniques using 3-dimensional superimposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Ye-Kyu; Huh, Yoon-Hyuk; Cho, Lee-Ra; Park, Chan-Jin

2015-12-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the appropriate impression technique by analyzing the superimposition of 3D digital model for evaluating accuracy of conventional impression technique and digital impression. Twenty-four patients who had no periodontitis or temporomandibular joint disease were selected for analysis. As a reference model, digital impressions with a digital impression system were performed. As a test models, for conventional impression dual-arch and full-arch, impression techniques utilizing addition type polyvinylsiloxane for fabrication of cast were applied. 3D laser scanner is used for scanning the cast. Each 3 pairs for 25 STL datasets were imported into the inspection software. The three-dimensional differences were illustrated in a color-coded map. For three-dimensional quantitative analysis, 4 specified contact locations(buccal and lingual cusps of second premolar and molar) were established. For twodimensional quantitative analysis, the sectioning from buccal cusp to lingual cusp of second premolar and molar were acquired depending on the tooth axis. In color-coded map, the biggest difference between intraoral scanning and dual-arch impression was seen (Pimpression and the smallest difference was seen between dual-arch and full-arch impression. The two- and three-dimensional deviations between intraoral scanner and dual-arch impression was bigger than full-arch and dual-arch impression (P.05).

In vivo precision of conventional and digital methods for obtaining quadrant dental impressions

OpenAIRE

Ender, Andreas; Zimmermann, Moritz; Attin, Thomas; Mehl, Albert

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES Quadrant impressions are commonly used as alternative to full-arch impressions. Digital impression systems provide the ability to take these impressions very quickly; however, few studies have investigated the accuracy of the technique in vivo. The aim of this study is to assess the precision of digital quadrant impressions in vivo in comparison to conventional impression techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS Impressions were obtained via two conventional (metal full-arch tray, CI, ...

Accuracy of Different Implant Impression Techniques: Evaluation of New Tray Design Concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, David Yu; Cader, Fathima Nashmie; Abduo, Jaafar; Palamara, Joseph

2017-12-29

To evaluate implant impression accuracy with a new tray design concept in comparison to nonsplinted and splinted impression techniques for a 2-implant situation. A reference bar titanium framework was fabricated to fit on 2 parallel implants. The framework was used to generate a resin master model with 2 implants that fit precisely against the framework. Three impression techniques were evaluated: (1) nonsplinted, (2) splinted, and (3) nonsplinted with modified tray impressions. All the trays were fabricated from light-cured acrylic resin material with openings that corresponded to the implant impression copings. Ten impressions were taken for each technique using poly(vinyl siloxane) impression material. The impressions were poured with type IV dental stone to generate the test casts. A rosette strain gauge was bonded to the middle of the framework. As the framework retaining screws were tightened on each test cast, the developed strains were recorded until the completion of the tightening to 35 Ncm. The generated strains of the rosette strain gauge were used to calculate the maximum principal strain. A statistically significant difference was observed among the different impression techniques. The modified tray design impression technique was associated with the least framework strains, which indicates greater accuracy compared with the other techniques. There was no significant difference between the splinted and the nonsplinted impression techniques. The new tray design concept appeared to produce more accurate implant impressions than the other techniques. Despite the statistical difference among the impression techniques, the clinical significance of this difference is yet to be determined. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Effects of Milnacipran on Neurocognition, Pain, and Fatigue in Fibromyalgia: A 13-Week, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeong Lan; Rele, Shilpa; Marks, David M.; Masand, Prakash S.; Yerramsetty, Pallavi; Millet, Robert A.; Keefe, Richard S.

2013-01-01

Objective: To investigate whether milnacipran is safe and effective in improving cognitive function in patients with fibromyalgia. Method: Patients were randomly assigned to receive milnacipran or placebo for 6 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout and then crossover to the other arm for another 6 weeks. The overall trial lasted 13 weeks and was conducted between July 2011 and May 2013. Assessments were performed at each visit. Neurocognition was measured by the Brief Assessment of Cognition (BAC) and MATRICS. Pain was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Global assessment of fibromyalgia symptoms was measured by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and tender point examination. Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Severity Scale. Functional outcome was evaluated by the Health Assessment Questionnaire. The Clinical Global Impressions–Severity of Illness (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales and the Patients Clinical Global Impression of Change were used to measure the global impression of severity and improvement. Results: 26 subjects were screened, and 20 subjects completed the trial. The change in verbal memory (P = .001) and the composite T score (P = .044) of the BAC and the change in the attention-vigilance domain T score (P = .042) were significantly improved, but there were no differences between the drug and placebo groups. The changes in the CGI-S scores were not significant, but the changes in the Clinical Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scores showed worsening in the placebo group at week 1 (P = .032), week 2 (P = .024), week 4 (P = .024), and week 6 (P = .60) compared to baseline. The change in FIQ scores was not significant. Conclusions: Milnacipran may have a potential role in the improvement of pain, disability, and mood. The effect of milnacipran on cognition in fibromyalgia needs further research. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01829243 PMID

Virtual First Impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Bergren, Martha Dewey

2005-01-01

Frequently, a nurse's first and only contact with a graduate school, legislator, public health official, professional organization, or school nursing colleague is made through e-mail. The format, the content, and the appearance of the e-mail create a virtual first impression. Nurses can manage their image and the image of the profession by…

Improvement in cerebral function with treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Michael J; Francis, Jennifer; Friedlander, Joshua; Banks-Williams, Lisa; Lande, Raymond G; Taylor, Patricia; Blair, James; McLellan, Jennifer; Law, Wendy; Tarpley, Vanita; Patt, Ivy; Yu, Henry; Mallinger, Alan; Difede, Joann; Rizzo, Albert; Rothbaum, Barbara

2010-10-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are signature illnesses of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but current diagnostic and therapeutic measures for these conditions are suboptimal. In our study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to try to differentiate military service members with: PTSD and mTBI, PTSD alone, mTBI alone, and neither PTSD nor mTBI. Those with PTSD are then randomized to virtual reality exposure therapy or imaginal exposure. fMRI is repeated after treatment and along with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores to compare with baseline. Twenty subjects have completed baseline fMRI scans, including four controls and one mTBI only; of 15 treated for PTSD, eight completed posttreatment scans. Most subjects have been male (93%) and Caucasian (83%), with a mean age of 34. Significant improvements are evident on fMRI scans, and corroborated by CGI scores, but CAPS scores improvements are modest. In conclusion, CGI scores and fMRI scans indicate significant improvement in PTSD in both treatment arms, though CAPS score improvements are less robust. © 2010 Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease.

Top-down constraints on disturbance dynamics in the terrestrial carbon cycle: effects at global and regional scales

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, A. A.; Exbrayat, J. F.; van der Velde, I.; Peters, W.; Williams, M.

2014-12-01

Large uncertainties preside over terrestrial carbon flux estimates on a global scale. In particular, the strongly coupled dynamics between net ecosystem productivity and disturbance C losses are poorly constrained. To gain an improved understanding of ecosystem C dynamics from regional to global scale, we apply a Markov Chain Monte Carlo based model-data-fusion approach into the CArbon DAta-MOdel fraMework (CARDAMOM). We assimilate MODIS LAI and burned area, plant-trait data, and use the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) and maps of above ground biomass as prior knowledge for initial conditions. We optimize model parameters based on (a) globally spanning observations and (b) ecological and dynamic constraints that force single parameter values and parameter inter-dependencies to be representative of real world processes. We determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of major terrestrial C fluxes and model parameter values on a global scale (GPP = 123 +/- 8 Pg C yr-1 & NEE = -1.8 +/- 2.7 Pg C yr-1). We further show that the incorporation of disturbance fluxes, and accounting for their instantaneous or delayed effect, is of critical importance in constraining global C cycle dynamics, particularly in the tropics. In a higher resolution case study centred on the Amazon Basin we show how fires not only trigger large instantaneous emissions of burned matter, but also how they are responsible for a sustained reduction of up to 50% in plant uptake following the depletion of biomass stocks. The combination of these two fire-induced effects leads to a 1 g C m-2 d-1reduction in the strength of the net terrestrial carbon sink. Through our simulations at regional and global scale, we advocate the need to assimilate disturbance metrics in global terrestrial carbon cycle models to bridge the gap between globally spanning terrestrial carbon cycle data and the full dynamics of the ecosystem C cycle. Disturbances are especially important because their quick occurrence may have

Regional-Scale Forcing and Feedbacks from Alternative Scenarios of Global-Scale Land Use Change

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. D.; Chini, L. P.; Collins, W.; Janetos, A. C.; Mao, J.; Shi, X.; Thomson, A. M.; Torn, M. S.

2011-12-01

Future patterns of land use change depend critically on the degree to which terrestrial carbon management strategies, such as biological carbon sequestration and biofuels, are utilized in order to mitigate global climate change. Furthermore, land use change associated with terrestrial carbon management induces biogeophysical changes to surface energy budgets that perturb climate at regional and possibly global scales, activating different feedback processes depending on the nature and location of the land use change. As a first step in a broader effort to create an integrated earth system model, we examine two scenarios of future anthropogenic activity generated by the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) within the full-coupled Community Earth System Model (CESM). Each scenario stabilizes radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols at 4.5 W/m^2. In the first, stabilization is achieved through a universal carbon tax that values terrestrial carbon equally with fossil carbon, leading to modest afforestation globally and low biofuel utilization. In the second scenario, stabilization is achieved with a tax on fossil fuel and industrial carbon alone. In this case, biofuel utilization increases dramatically and crop area expands to claim approximately 50% of forest cover globally. By design, these scenarios exhibit identical climate forcing from atmospheric constituents. Thus, differences among them can be attributed to the biogeophysical effects of land use change. In addition, we utilize offline radiative transfer and offline land model simulations to identify forcing and feedback mechanisms operating in different regions. We find that boreal deforestation has a strong climatic signature due to significant albedo change coupled with a regional-scale water vapor feedback. Tropical deforestation, on the other hand, has more subtle effects on climate. Globally, the two scenarios yield warming trends over the 21st century that differ by 0.5 degrees Celsius. This

[Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the internalized stigma of mental illness scale].

Science.gov (United States)

Ersoy, Mehmet Akif; Varan, Azmi

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI) in patients with psychiatric disorders. The study included 203 patients diagnosed with various psychiatric disorders in a psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital. The reliability of the scale was assessed by investigation of its internal consistency and split-half reliability. The convergent validity of the scale was demonstrated by the relationship between the Turkish form of the ISMI and various criteria scales. Cronbach's alpha value was 0.93 for the entire scale and ranged between 0.63 and 0.87 for the 5 subscales of the ISMI. In terms of convergent validity, the total score of the Turkish ISMI significantly correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Clinical Global Impression Scale, and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale scores. All values were in the expected direction. In the light of the findings, it was concluded that the Turkish version of ISMI could be used as a reliable and valid tool in assessing internalized stigma of the Turkish psychiatric patients.

Applying the global RCP-SSP-SPA scenario framework at sub-national scale: A multi-scale and participatory scenario approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kebede, Abiy S; Nicholls, Robert J; Allan, Andrew; Arto, Iñaki; Cazcarro, Ignacio; Fernandes, Jose A; Hill, Chris T; Hutton, Craig W; Kay, Susan; Lázár, Attila N; Macadam, Ian; Palmer, Matthew; Suckall, Natalie; Tompkins, Emma L; Vincent, Katharine; Whitehead, Paul W

2018-09-01

To better anticipate potential impacts of climate change, diverse information about the future is required, including climate, society and economy, and adaptation and mitigation. To address this need, a global RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways), SSP (Shared Socio-economic Pathways), and SPA (Shared climate Policy Assumptions) (RCP-SSP-SPA) scenario framework has been developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR5). Application of this full global framework at sub-national scales introduces two key challenges: added complexity in capturing the multiple dimensions of change, and issues of scale. Perhaps for this reason, there are few such applications of this new framework. Here, we present an integrated multi-scale hybrid scenario approach that combines both expert-based and participatory methods. The framework has been developed and applied within the DECCMA 1 project with the purpose of exploring migration and adaptation in three deltas across West Africa and South Asia: (i) the Volta delta (Ghana), (ii) the Mahanadi delta (India), and (iii) the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta (Bangladesh/India). Using a climate scenario that encompasses a wide range of impacts (RCP8.5) combined with three SSP-based socio-economic scenarios (SSP2, SSP3, SSP5), we generate highly divergent and challenging scenario contexts across multiple scales against which robustness of the human and natural systems within the deltas are tested. In addition, we consider four distinct adaptation policy trajectories: Minimum intervention, Economic capacity expansion, System efficiency enhancement, and System restructuring, which describe alternative future bundles of adaptation actions/measures under different socio-economic trajectories. The paper highlights the importance of multi-scale (combined top-down and bottom-up) and participatory (joint expert-stakeholder) scenario methods for addressing uncertainty in adaptation decision

The quality of impressions for crowns and bridges: an assessment of the work received at three commercial dental laboratories. assessing the quality of the impressions of prepared teeth.

Science.gov (United States)

Storey, D; Coward, T J

2013-06-01

The literature is limited in studies directly assessing the quality of impressions for crowns and bridges in the UK. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of impressions for conventional crown and bridgework received by commercial dental laboratories. Three dental laboratories were visited over a 3-month period. All impressions for conventional crowns and bridges that arrived on the days of the visits were examined prior to any laboratory processing. A total of 206 impression cases were examined and assessed against criteria laid out in a custom-designed assessment form. Defects were commonly found in the recording of prepared teeth. Overall, 44.2% of impression cases were unsatisfactory. NHS impressions were more than twice as likely to be unsatisfactory compared to private impressions. If the results of this survey are typical then the general quality of impressions for fixed crown and bridgework is unacceptable. This is particularly true for work completed under the NHS contract.

Trueness and precision of digital impressions obtained using an intraoral scanner with different head size in the partially edentulous mandible.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayama, Hironari; Fueki, Kenji; Wadachi, Juro; Wakabayashi, Noriyuki

2018-03-01

It remains unclear whether digital impressions obtained using an intraoral scanner are sufficiently accurate for use in fabrication of removable partial dentures. We therefore compared the trueness and precision between conventional and digital impressions in the partially edentulous mandible. Mandibular Kennedy Class I and III models with soft silicone simulated-mucosa placed on the residual edentulous ridge were used. The reference models were converted to standard triangulated language (STL) file format using an extraoral scanner. Digital impressions were obtained using an intraoral scanner with a large or small scanning head, and converted to STL files. For conventional impressions, pressure impressions of the reference models were made and working casts fabricated using modified dental stone; these were converted to STL file format using an extraoral scanner. Conversion to STL file format was performed 5 times for each method. Trueness and precision were evaluated by deviation analysis using three-dimensional image processing software. Digital impressions had superior trueness (54-108μm), but inferior precision (100-121μm) compared to conventional impressions (trueness 122-157μm, precision 52-119μm). The larger intraoral scanning head showed better trueness and precision than the smaller head, and on average required fewer scanned images of digital impressions than the smaller head (pdigital impressions. Digital impressions are partially comparable to conventional impressions in terms of accuracy; the use of a larger scanning head may improve the accuracy for removable partial denture fabrication. Copyright © 2018 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IMPRESS Integrated Project-An overview paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarvis, D.J.; Voss, D.

2005-01-01

IMPRESS is an acronym for Intermetallic Materials Processing in Relation to Earth and Space Solidification. This project was selected by the European Commission and recently started in November 2004. The main scientific objective of IMPRESS is to gain a better understanding of the links between materials processing routes, structure and final properties of intermetallic alloys. Technically speaking, the project aims to develop and test two distinct prototypes based on intermetallic materials, namely gas turbine blades and Raney-type catalytic powder. Numerous material processing routes are being explored within the project with a strong emphasis on solidification. For turbine blade manufacturing, the principal processes under study are tilt casting, counter-gravity casting and centrifugal casting. For catalytic powder production, the focus is placed on gas atomisation and vapour condensation processes. IMPRESS combines a wide range of fundamental studies of solidification both on ground and in space, as well as industrial process development. This paper will describe some of the different facets related to solidification

Accuracy of five implant impression technique: effect of splinting materials and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sung-Bum

2011-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dimensional stability of splinting material on the accuracy of master casts. MATERIALS AND METHODS A stainless steel metal model with 6 implants embedded was used as a master model. Implant level impressions were made after square impression copings were splinted using 5 different techniques as follows. (1) Splinted with autopolymerizing resin and sectioned, reconnected to compensate polymerization shrinkage before the impression procedure. (2) Splinted with autopolymerizing resin just before impression procedure. (3) Primary impression made with impression plaster and secondary impression were made over with polyether impression material. (4) Splinted with impression plaster. (5) Splinted with VPS bite registration material. From master model, 5 impressions and 5 experimental casts, total 25 casts were made for each of 5 splinting methods. The distortion values of each splinting methods were measured using coordinate measuring machine, capable of recordings in the x-, y-, z-axes. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a confidence level of 95% was used to evaluate the data and Tukey's studentized range test was used to determine significant differences between the groups. RESULTS Group 1 showed best accuracy followed by Group 3 & 4. Group 2 and 5 showed relatively larger distortion value than other groups. No significant difference was found between group 3, 4, 5 in x-axis, group 2, 3, 4 in y-axis and group 1, 3, 4, 5 in z-axis (Pimpression copings with autopolymerizing resin following compensation of polymerization shrinkage and splinting method with impression plaster can enhance the accuracy of master cast and impression plaster can be used simple and effective splinting material for implant impression procedure. PMID:22259700

Comparison of intraoral scanning and conventional impression techniques using 3-dimensional superimposition

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Ye-Kyu

2015-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to evaluate the appropriate impression technique by analyzing the superimposition of 3D digital model for evaluating accuracy of conventional impression technique and digital impression. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four patients who had no periodontitis or temporomandibular joint disease were selected for analysis. As a reference model, digital impressions with a digital impression system were performed. As a test models, for conventional impression dual-arch and full-arch, impression techniques utilizing addition type polyvinylsiloxane for fabrication of cast were applied. 3D laser scanner is used for scanning the cast. Each 3 pairs for 25 STL datasets were imported into the inspection software. The three-dimensional differences were illustrated in a color-coded map. For three-dimensional quantitative analysis, 4 specified contact locations(buccal and lingual cusps of second premolar and molar) were established. For twodimensional quantitative analysis, the sectioning from buccal cusp to lingual cusp of second premolar and molar were acquired depending on the tooth axis. RESULTS In color-coded map, the biggest difference between intraoral scanning and dual-arch impression was seen (Pimpression and the smallest difference was seen between dual-arch and full-arch impression. CONCLUSION The two- and three-dimensional deviations between intraoral scanner and dual-arch impression was bigger than full-arch and dual-arch impression (P.05). PMID:26816576

Digital vs. conventional full-arch implant impressions: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Sarah; Weber, Hans Peter; Finkelman, Matthew; El Rafie, Khaled; Kudara, Yukio; Papaspyridakos, Panos

2017-11-01

To test whether or not digital full-arch implant impressions with two different intra-oral scanners (CEREC Omnicam and True Definition) have the same accuracy as conventional ones. The hypothesis was that the splinted open-tray impressions would be more accurate than digital full-arch impressions. A stone master cast representing an edentulous mandible using five internal connection implant analogs (Straumann Bone Level RC, Basel, Switzerland) was fabricated. The three median implants were parallel to each other, the far left implant had 10°, and the far right had 15° distal angulation. A splinted open-tray technique was used for the conventional polyether impressions (n = 10) for Group 1. Digital impressions (n = 10) were taken with two intra-oral optical scanners (CEREC Omnicam and 3M True Definition) after connecting polymer scan bodies to the master cast for groups 2 and 3. Master cast and conventional impression test casts were digitized with a high-resolution reference scanner (Activity 880 scanner; Smart Optics, Bochum, Germany) to obtain digital files. Standard tessellation language (STL) datasets from the three test groups of digital and conventional impressions were superimposed with the STL dataset from the master cast to assess the 3D deviations. Deviations were recorded as root-mean-square error. To compare the master cast with conventional and digital impressions at the implant level, Welch's F-test was used together with Games-Howell post hoc test. Group I had a mean value of 167.93 μm (SD 50.37); Group II (Omnicam) had a mean value of 46.41 μm (SD 7.34); Group III (True Definition) had a mean value of 19.32 μm (SD 2.77). Welch's F-test was used together with the Games-Howell test for post hoc comparisons. Welch's F-test showed a significant difference between the groups (P digital implant impressions using True Definition scanner and Omnicam were significantly more accurate than the conventional impressions with the splinted open

Risperidone in psychotic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: an open trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozarić-Kovacić, Dragica; Pivac, Nela; Mück-Seler, Dorotea; Rothbaum, Barbara Olasov

2005-07-01

Psychotic symptoms that frequently occur in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) complicate its pharmacotherapy. We hypothesized that war veterans with psychotic PTSD, resistant to prior antidepressant treatment, would respond well to 6 weeks of treatment with the atypical antipsychotic risperidone, given as a monotherapy. Twenty-six male war veterans with psychotic PTSD (DSM-IV) completed the 6-week inpatient treatment with risperidone (2-4 mg/day) during the period from November 1999 through December 2002. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to endpoint (6 weeks) in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total and subscale scores. Secondary outcome measures were changes in PTSD Interview (PTSD-I) and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness scale (CGI-S) total and subscale scores. Clinical improvement was assessed by CGI-S, CGI-Improvement scale, and Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale, while adverse events were recorded by Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale. Treatment with risperidone for either 3 or 6 weeks in an open trial significantly reduced total and subscales scores on the PANSS and on the PTSD-I and CGI-S when compared to baseline scores in patients with psychotic PTSD. Our preliminary data from the open trial indicate that risperidone decreased most of the psychotic and PTSD symptoms. Psychotic PTSD patients, unresponsive to antidepressant treatment, improved significantly after treatment for either 3 or 6 weeks with risperidone.

Comparison of olanzapine and risperidone in the EMBLEM Study: translation of randomized controlled trial findings into clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Novick, Diego; Reed, Catherine; Haro, Josep Maria; Gonzalez-Pinto, Ana; Perrin, Elena; Aguado, Jaume; Tohen, Mauricio

2010-09-01

Data from the EMBLEM Study, a 2-year, prospective, observational study of health outcomes associated with acute treatment of patients experiencing a manic/mixed episode of bipolar disorder, was used to compare the effectiveness of olanzapine monotherapy versus risperidone monotherapy, and to investigate whether the treatment effects were similar to those reported in a 3-week, randomized controlled trial assessing the same treatments. Symptom severity measures included the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the 5-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and the Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar Disorder Scale. A total of 245 EMBLEM inpatients were analyzed with YMRS >or=20: olanzapine (n=209), risperidone (n=36). Both the treatment groups had similar improvements in YMRS from baseline to 6 weeks, but there was a significantly greater improvement in 5-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in the olanzapine group. There was a similar improvement in Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar Disorder Scale in both the groups and the occurrence of treatment-emergent adverse events and weight gain did not differ between the treatment groups. The EMBLEM results partly support those of the randomized controlled trial, which suggests olanzapine and risperidone have similar improvements in mania but that olanzapine monotherapy may be more effective than risperidone monotherapy in the treatment of depressive symptoms associated with mania. Limitations include differences in study design, patient population, and length of follow-up.

Nonstandard scaling law of fluctuations in finite-size systems of globally coupled oscillators.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Isao; Tanaka, Gouhei; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2013-08-01

Universal scaling laws form one of the central issues in physics. A nonstandard scaling law or a breakdown of a standard scaling law, on the other hand, can often lead to the finding of a new universality class in physical systems. Recently, we found that a statistical quantity related to fluctuations follows a nonstandard scaling law with respect to the system size in a synchronized state of globally coupled nonidentical phase oscillators [I. Nishikawa et al., Chaos 22, 013133 (2012)]. However, it is still unclear how widely this nonstandard scaling law is observed. In the present paper, we discuss the conditions required for the unusual scaling law in globally coupled oscillator systems and validate the conditions by numerical simulations of several different models.

Efficient Topology Estimation for Large Scale Optical Mapping

CERN Document Server

Elibol, Armagan; Garcia, Rafael

2013-01-01

Large scale optical mapping methods are in great demand among scientists who study different aspects of the seabed, and have been fostered by impressive advances in the capabilities of underwater robots in gathering optical data from the seafloor. Cost and weight constraints mean that low-cost ROVs usually have a very limited number of sensors. When a low-cost robot carries out a seafloor survey using a down-looking camera, it usually follows a predefined trajectory that provides several non time-consecutive overlapping image pairs. Finding these pairs (a process known as topology estimation) is indispensable to obtaining globally consistent mosaics and accurate trajectory estimates, which are necessary for a global view of the surveyed area, especially when optical sensors are the only data source. This book contributes to the state-of-art in large area image mosaicing methods for underwater surveys using low-cost vehicles equipped with a very limited sensor suite. The main focus has been on global alignment...

Leaf optical properties shed light on foliar trait variability at individual to global scales

Science.gov (United States)

Shiklomanov, A. N.; Serbin, S.; Dietze, M.

2017-12-01

Recent syntheses of large trait databases have contributed immensely to our understanding of drivers of plant function at the global scale. However, the global trade-offs revealed by such syntheses, such as the trade-off between leaf productivity and resilience (i.e. "leaf economics spectrum"), are often absent at smaller scales and fail to correlate with actual functional limitations. An improved understanding of how traits vary among communities, species, and individuals is critical to accurate representations of vegetation ecophysiology and ecological dynamics in ecosystem models. Spectral data from both field observations and remote sensing platforms present a rich and widely available source of information on plant traits. Here, we apply Bayesian inversion of the PROSPECT leaf radiative transfer model to a large global database of over 60,000 field spectra and plant traits to (1) comprehensively assess the accuracy of leaf trait estimation using PROSPECT spectral inversion; (2) investigate the correlations between optical traits estimable from PROSPECT and other important foliar traits such as nitrogen and lignin concentrations; and (3) identify dominant sources of variability and characterize trade-offs in optical and non-optical foliar traits. Our work provides a key methodological contribution by validating physically-based retrieval of plant traits from remote sensing observations, and provides insights about trait trade-offs related to plant acclimation, adaptation, and community assembly.

Environmental degradation, global food production, and risk for large-scale migrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doeoes, B.R.

1994-01-01

This paper attempts to estimate to what extent global food production is affected by the ongoing environmental degradation through processes, such as soil erosion, salinization, chemical contamination, ultraviolet radiation, and biotic stress. Estimates have also been made of available opportunities to improve food production efficiency by, e.g., increased use of fertilizers, irrigation, and biotechnology, as well as improved management. Expected losses and gains of agricultural land in competition with urbanization, industrial development, and forests have been taken into account. Although estimated gains in food production deliberately have been overestimated and losses underestimated, calculations indicate that during the next 30-35 years the annual net gain in food production will be significantly lower than the rate of world population growth. An attempt has also been made to identify possible scenarios for large-scale migrations, caused mainly by rapid population growth in combination with insufficient local food production and poverty. 18 refs, 7 figs, 6 tabs

Towards understanding resprouting at the global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Pausas, Juli G.; Pratt, R. Brandon; Keeley, Jon E.; Jacobsen, Anna L.; Ramirez, Aaron R.; Vilagrosa, Alberto; Paula, Susana; Kanekua-Pia, Iolana N.; Davis, Stephen D.

2016-01-01

Understanding and predicting plant response to disturbance is of paramount importance in our changing world. Resprouting ability is often considered a simple qualitative trait and used in many ecological studies. Our aim is to show some of the complexities of resprouting while highlighting cautions that need be taken in using resprouting ability to predict vegetation responses across disturbance types and biomes. There are marked differences in resprouting depending on the disturbance type, and fire is often the most severe disturbance because it includes both defoliation and lethal temperatures. In the Mediterranean biome, there are differences in functional strategies to cope with water deficit between resprouters (dehydration avoiders) and nonresprouters (dehydration tolerators); however, there is little research to unambiguously extrapolate these results to other biomes. Furthermore, predictions of vegetation responses to changes in disturbance regimes require consideration not only of resprouting, but also other relevant traits (e.g. seeding, bark thickness) and the different correlations among traits observed in different biomes; models lacking these details would behave poorly at the global scale. Overall, the lessons learned from a given disturbance regime and biome (e.g. crown-fire Mediterranean ecosystems) can guide research in other ecosystems but should not be extrapolated at the global scale.

Global resource sharing

CERN Document Server

Frederiksen, Linda; Nance, Heidi

2011-01-01

Written from a global perspective, this book reviews sharing of library resources on a global scale. With expanded discovery tools and massive digitization projects, the rich and extensive holdings of the world's libraries are more visible now than at any time in the past. Advanced communication and transmission technologies, along with improved international standards, present a means for the sharing of library resources around the globe. Despite these significant improvements, a number of challenges remain. Global Resource Sharing provides librarians and library managers with a comprehensive

An Effective Model for Improving Global Health Nursing Competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sun-Joo

2016-01-01

This paper proposed an effective model for improving global health nursing competence among undergraduate students. A descriptive case study was conducted by evaluation of four implemented programs by the author. All programs were conducted with students majoring in nursing and healthcare, where the researcher was a program director, professor, or facilitator. These programs were analyzed in terms of students' needs assessment, program design, and implementation and evaluation factors. The concept and composition of global nursing competence, identified within previous studies, were deemed appropriate in all of our programs. Program composition varied from curricular to extracurricular domains. During the implementation phase, some of the programs included non-Korean students to improve cultural diversity and overcome language barriers. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted to assess program efficacy. Data triangulation from students' reflective journals was examined. Additionally, students' awareness regarding changes within global health nursing, improved critical thinking, cultural understanding, and global leadership skills were investigated pre- and post-program implementation. The importance of identifying students' needs regarding global nursing competence when developing appropriate curricula is discussed.

An Effective Model for Improving Global Health Nursing Competence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunjoo Kang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper developed an effective model for improving global health nursing competence among undergraduate students. A descriptive case study was conducted by implementing four programs. All programs were conducted with students majoring nursing and healthcare, where the researcher was a program director, professor, or facilitator. These programs were analyzed in terms of students’ needs assessment, program design, and implementation and evaluation factors. The concept and composition of global nursing competence, identified within previous studies, were deemed appropriate in all of our programs. Program composition varied from curricular to extracurricular domains. During the implementation phase, most of the programs included non-Korean students to improve cultural diversity and overcome language barriers. Qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted to assess program efficacy. Data triangulation from students’ reflective journals was examined. Additionally, students’ awareness regarding changes within global health nursing, improved critical thinking, cultural understanding, and global leadership skills were investigated pre and post-program implementation. We discuss how identifying students’ needs regarding global nursing competence when developing appropriate curricula.

Reco level Smin and subsystem Smin: improved global inclusive variables for measuring the new physics mass scale in MET events at hadron colliders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konar, Partha; /Florida U.; Kong, Kyoungchul; /SLAC; Matchev, Konstantin T.; Park, Myeonghun; /Florida U.

2011-08-11

The variable {radical}s{sub min} was originally proposed in [1] as a model-independent, global and fully inclusive measure of the new physics mass scale in missing energy events at hadron colliders. In the original incarnation of {radical}s{sub min}, however, the connection to the new physics mass scale was blurred by the effects of the underlying event, most notably initial state radiation and multiple parton interactions. In this paper we advertize two improved variants of the {radical}s{sub min} variable, which overcome this problem. First we show that by evaluating the {radical}s{sub min} variable at the RECO level, in terms of the reconstructed objects in the event, the effects from the underlying event are significantly diminished and the nice correlation between the peak in the {radical}s{sub min}{sup (reco)} distribution and the new physics mass scale is restored. Secondly, the underlying event problem can be avoided altogether when the {radical}s{sub min} concept is applied to a subsystem of the event which does not involve any QCD jets. We supply an analytic formula for the resulting subsystem {radical}s{sub min}{sup (sub)} variable and show that its peak exhibits the usual correlation with the mass scale of the particles produced in the subsystem. Finally, we contrast {radical}s{sub min} to other popular inclusive variables such as H{sub T}, M{sub Tgen} and M{sub TTgen}. We illustrate our discussion with several examples from supersymmetry, and with dilepton events from top quark pair production.

Effects of Lighting Direction on the Impression of Faces and Objects and the Role of Gaze Direction in the Impression-Forming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keiichi Horibata

2011-10-01

Full Text Available We examined whether lighting direction, left or right, has an influence on the impression of faces and objects, and the role of gaze direction in the impression-forming. In the first experiment, we examined how lighting directions influenced the impression of faces and objects. On each trial, a pair of faces or objects was presented on top of each other. Left side was brighter in one and right side was brighter in the other. The participants were asked to answer which face or object was more preferable. The results showed that the participants preferred left-brighter faces and objects significantly more frequently than right-brighter stimuli (p < .05, chi-square test. The effect was especially strong in the upright faces. The results suggested that faces and objects give better impressions when they are lit from the left. In the second experiment, we examined whether eye-movement would play a role in our preference for left-brighter faces and objects. We recorded eye-movements of the participants while doing the same task as the first experiment. The results showed that the participants' preference for left-brighter faces were stronger when the participant started viewing from the left. The gaze direction may modulate our impression-formation (Shimojo et al. 2003.

Global Oral Health Inequalities

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, I.; Tabak, L.A.

2011-01-01

Despite impressive worldwide improvements in oral health, inequalities in oral health status among and within countries remain a daunting public health challenge. Oral health inequalities arise from a complex web of health determinants, including social, behavioral, economic, genetic, environmental, and health system factors. Eliminating these inequalities cannot be accomplished in isolation of oral health from overall health, or without recognizing that oral health is influenced at multiple individual, family, community, and health systems levels. For several reasons, this is an opportune time for global efforts targeted at reducing oral health inequalities. Global health is increasingly viewed not just as a humanitarian obligation, but also as a vehicle for health diplomacy and part of the broader mission to reduce poverty, build stronger economies, and strengthen global security. Despite the global economic recession, there are trends that portend well for support of global health efforts: increased globalization of research and development, growing investment from private philanthropy, an absolute growth of spending in research and innovation, and an enhanced interest in global health among young people. More systematic and far-reaching efforts will be required to address oral health inequalities through the engagement of oral health funders and sponsors of research, with partners from multiple public and private sectors. The oral health community must be “at the table” with other health disciplines and create opportunities for eliminating inequalities through collaborations that can harness both the intellectual and financial resources of multiple sectors and institutions. PMID:21490232

Use of Clinical UV Chamber to Disinfect Dental Impressions: A Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aeran, Himanshu; Sharma, Sakshi; Kumar, Varun; Gupta, Neelu

2015-08-01

Dental impressions are potential source of infection in a prosthodontic practice. Risk of transmission of infection through saliva, blood etc is considered as hazard for both dentist as well as dental auxiliary staff. A number of methods are currently employed for disinfecting the impressions which are technique sensitive and time consuming. This study focuses on disinfecting impression using dental UV chamber which is commonly employed for storing sterilized instruments. The aim of this invitro study was to evaluate the use of clinical UV chamber to disinfect various impression materials at different time intervals and its comparison with 2% glutaraldehyde using standard immersion technique. Total sample size of 180 specimens was taken from three different impression materials. The impressions were made from 30 dentulous subjects. A total of ten impressions were made for each impression material i.e. alginate, addition silicone and polyether impression material. Six punch samples were taken from each impression. Out of 6 punch sample, one was kept as control, second was disinfected by immersing in freshly prepared 2% glutaraldehyde solution for 10 minutes and remaining four were exposed to UV rays for 3 minutes, 6 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes using dental UV chamber. Amount of disinfection achieved was evaluated by counting the colonies over the culture plates with the help of digital colony. The results showed that the mean CFUs for alginate were found to be i.e. 11797.40 ± 5989.73 (mean ± SD). The mean CFUs for addition silicone impression material was found 7095.40 with a standard deviation of 4268.83 and the mean CFUs for polyether impression material was found to be 2168.92 ± 1676 (mean ± SD). For alginate and addition silicone impression material, disinfection was achieved on exposure to UV rays for a period of 10 minutes. However, for polyether impression material 3 minutes of exposure to UV rays was sufficient to cause complete disinfection.

Outcome dependency alters the neural substrates of impression formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ames, Daniel L.; Fiske, Susan T.

2015-01-01

How do people maintain consistent impressions of other people when other people are often inconsistent? The present research addresses this question by combining recent neuroscientific insights with ecologically meaningful behavioral methods. Participants formed impressions of real people whom they met in a personally involving situation. fMRI and supporting behavioral data revealed that outcome dependency (i.e., depending on another person for a desired outcome) alters previously identified neural dynamics of impression formation. Consistent with past research, a functional localizer identified a region of dorsomedial PFC previously linked to social impression formation. In the main task, this ROI revealed the predicted patterns of activity across outcome dependency conditions: greater BOLD response when information confirmed (vs. violated) social expectations if participants were outcome-independent and the reverse pattern if participants were outcome-dependent. We suggest that, although social perceivers often discount expectancy-disconfirming information as noise, being dependent on another person for a desired outcome focuses impression-formation processing on the most diagnostic information, rather than on the most tractable information. PMID:23850465

Agricultural insecticides threaten surface waters at the global scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Stehle, Sebastian; Schulz, Ralf

2015-05-05

Compared with nutrient levels and habitat degradation, the importance of agricultural pesticides in surface water may have been underestimated due to a lack of comprehensive quantitative analysis. Increasing pesticide contamination results in decreasing regional aquatic biodiversity, i.e., macroinvertebrate family richness is reduced by ∼30% at pesticide concentrations equaling the legally accepted regulatory threshold levels (RTLs). This study provides a comprehensive metaanalysis of 838 peer-reviewed studies (>2,500 sites in 73 countries) that evaluates, for the first time to our knowledge on a global scale, the exposure of surface waters to particularly toxic agricultural insecticides. We tested whether measured insecticide concentrations (MICs; i.e., quantified insecticide concentrations) exceed their RTLs and how risks depend on insecticide development over time and stringency of environmental regulation. Our analysis reveals that MICs occur rarely (i.e., an estimated 97.4% of analyses conducted found no MICs) and there is a complete lack of scientific monitoring data for ∼90% of global cropland. Most importantly, of the 11,300 MICs, 52.4% (5,915 cases; 68.5% of the sites) exceeded the RTL for either surface water (RTLSW) or sediments. Thus, the biological integrity of global water resources is at a substantial risk. RTLSW exceedances depend on the catchment size, sampling regime, and sampling date; are significantly higher for newer-generation insecticides (i.e., pyrethroids); and are high even in countries with stringent environmental regulations. These results suggest the need for worldwide improvements to current pesticide regulations and agricultural pesticide application practices and for intensified research efforts on the presence and effects of pesticides under real-world conditions.

Patients' preferences when comparing analogue implant impressions using a polyether impression material versus digital impressions (Intraoral Scan) of dental implants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wismeijer, D.; Mans, R.S.; Van Genuchten, M.J.I.M; Reijers, H.A.

2014-01-01

Objectives: The primary objective of this clinical study was to assess the patients' perception of the difference between an analogue impression approach on the one hand and an intra-oral scan (IO scan) on the other when restoring implants in the non-aesthetic zone. A second objective was to analyse

Patients' preferences when comparing analogue implant impressions using a polyether impression material versus digital impressions (Intraoral Scan) of dental implants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wismeijer, D.; Mans, R.; van Genugten, M.; Reijers, H.A.

2014-01-01

Objectives The primary objective of this clinical study was to assess the patients' perception of the difference between an analogue impression approach on the one hand and an intra-oral scan (IO scan) on the other when restoring implants in the non-aesthetic zone. A second objective was to analyse

Impression Management: The Web Presence of College Presidents

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Joanne Cardin

2013-01-01

Leadership profile pages on organizational websites have become staged opportunities for impression management. This research uses content analysis to examine the strategies of assertive impression management used to construct the leadership Web presence of the 70 presidents of national public universities, as identified in the "US News and…

Comparison Of The Dimensional Stability Of Alginate Impressions ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methodology: Alginate impressions of a master model of truncated metal cones were made and disinfected with 1% sodium hypochlorite constituted from 3.5% household bleach using the spray and immersion technique for 10;20 and 30 minutes. Impressions were cast in dental stone and the linear dimensional differences ...

Effect of Polyvinyl Siloxane Viscosity on Accuracy of Dental Implant Impressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Ghahremanloo

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of dental implant impressions obtained by a combination of different impression techniques and viscosities of polyvinyl siloxane (PVS.Materials and Methods: Four parallel fixtures were placed between mental foramina in a master model of lower dental arch. Three different viscosities (putty/light body, medium body/light body, and monophase: heavy body and direct and indirect techniques (six groups were used, and seven impressions were obtained from each group (n=42. To measure the accuracy of impressions, drift, horizontal, and vertical angles of the implants, as well as the hex rotation of the implants in casts were evaluated using a digitizer device (1μm accuracy, in comparison with master arch. Data were analyzed using five-factor two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test.Results: The accuracy of impressions was assessed and the results showed that direct technique was not significantly different from indirect technique (P>0.05. Also, there were no significant differences between the mentioned viscosities except for the horizontal angle (P=0.006.Conclusions: Viscosity of impression materials is of high significance for the accuracy of dental impressions.Keywords: Dental Materials; Dental Implants; Dental Impression Technique; Viscosity; Vinyl Polysiloxane; Dimensional Measurement Accuracy

Effects of disinfecting alginate impressions on the scratch hardness of stone models.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraguchi, Hisako; Nakagawa, Hisami; Wakashima, Mitsuru; Miyanaga, Kohichi; Saigo, Masataka; Nishiyama, Minoru

2006-03-01

This study investigated the effects of disinfecting alginate impressions on the scratch depth of resultant stone models. Eleven brands of alginate impression material and two disinfectants, 1% sodium hypochlorite and 2% glutaraldehyde, were used. Impressions were immersed in disinfectant solutions or stored in sealed bags after spraying with disinfectants, and then poured with a type V dental stone. The scratch depth of the stone model obtained from disinfected impression was measured. The storage of alginate impressions after spraying with disinfectants did not increase the scratch depth of resultant stone models. However, the effect of immersion in disinfectants on scratch depth varied with the brand of the alginate impression material.

Can We Use Regression Modeling to Quantify Mean Annual Streamflow at a Global-Scale?

Science.gov (United States)

Barbarossa, V.; Huijbregts, M. A. J.; Hendriks, J. A.; Beusen, A.; Clavreul, J.; King, H.; Schipper, A.

2016-12-01

Quantifying mean annual flow of rivers (MAF) at ungauged sites is essential for a number of applications, including assessments of global water supply, ecosystem integrity and water footprints. MAF can be quantified with spatially explicit process-based models, which might be overly time-consuming and data-intensive for this purpose, or with empirical regression models that predict MAF based on climate and catchment characteristics. Yet, regression models have mostly been developed at a regional scale and the extent to which they can be extrapolated to other regions is not known. In this study, we developed a global-scale regression model for MAF using observations of discharge and catchment characteristics from 1,885 catchments worldwide, ranging from 2 to 106 km2 in size. In addition, we compared the performance of the regression model with the predictive ability of the spatially explicit global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB [van Beek et al., 2011] by comparing results from both models to independent measurements. We obtained a regression model explaining 89% of the variance in MAF based on catchment area, mean annual precipitation and air temperature, average slope and elevation. The regression model performed better than PCR-GLOBWB for the prediction of MAF, as root-mean-square error values were lower (0.29 - 0.38 compared to 0.49 - 0.57) and the modified index of agreement was higher (0.80 - 0.83 compared to 0.72 - 0.75). Our regression model can be applied globally at any point of the river network, provided that the input parameters are within the range of values employed in the calibration of the model. The performance is reduced for water scarce regions and further research should focus on improving such an aspect for regression-based global hydrological models.

Dissonance and harmony between global and regional-scale seismic anisotropy and mantle dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, T. W.

2017-12-01

Huge numbers of SKS splitting observations and improved surface-wave based models of azimuthal anisotropy have advanced our understanding of how convection is recorded in mantle fabrics in the upper mantle. However, we are still debating the relative importance of frozen to actively forming olivine fabrics, subduction zone anisotropy lacks a clear reference model, and regional marine studies yield conflicting evidence as to what exactly is going on at the base of the plates and below. Here, I review the degree of agreement between regional and global observations of seismic anisotropy and how well those may be matched by first-order mantle convection models. Updated bean counting can help contextualize the spatial scales of alignment, and I discuss several examples of the relative roles of plate shear to mantle density anomalies and frozen-in structure for oceanic and continental plates. Resolution of seismological models is globally uneven, but there are some locales where such exercises may yield information on the relative strength of asthenosphere and mantle. Another long-standing question is how olivine fabrics record flow under different stress and volatile conditions. I illustrate how different petrological assumptions might be used to reconcile observations of azimuthal dependency of wave speeds for both Love and Rayleigh waves, and how this could improve our models of the upper mantle, much in the spirit of Montagner's vectorial tomography. This is but one approach to improve the regional realism of global geodynamic background models to understand where in space and time dissonance arises, and if a harmonious model may yet be constructed given our assumptions about the workings of the mantle.

An impressive start

CERN Multimedia

2011-01-01

This has been an excellent week for the LHC, with a succession of fills rapidly increasing the number of proton bunches to 194 per beam. This has allowed the experiments to reach a peak luminosity of 2.5 × 1032 cm-2s-1, thereby surpassing the record for 2010 where we reached 2.0 × 1032 cm-2s-1. At the time of writing, the integrated luminosity delivered by the LHC in 2011 is around 28 inverse picobarns, which is already more than half of the total 2010 dataset.   These are impressive numbers, but what impresses me most is how quickly the LHC operators are now able to turn the machine around between fills, and how well LHC running has been incorporated into the overall operation of CERN’s accelerator complex. The flexibility of the LHC was illustrated on Thursday when we started a short phase of running at 1.38 TeV per beam, equivalent to the energy-per-nucleon of a lead-ion run. This lower energy data will be used by the experiments, in particular by ALICE, to compare...

The effects of traited and situational impression management on a personality test: an empirical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MICHAEL S. HENRY

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Studies examining impression management (IM in self-report measures typically assume that impression management is either a 1 trait or 2 situational variable, which has led to often conflicting results (Stark, Chernyshenko, Chan, Lee and Drasgow. 2001. This study examined the item-level and scale-level responses on six empirically-derived facets of conscientiousness from the California Psychological Inventory (CPI between high and low IM groups. Subjects (N = 6,220 were participants in a management assessment conducted by an external consulting firm. Subjects participated in the assessment as part of either 1 a selection or promotional process, or 2 a feedback and development process, and two specific occupational groups (sales/marketing and accounting/finance were examined. Using the IRT-based DFIT framework (Raju, Van der Linden & Fleer, 1995, the item-level and scale-level differences were examined for the situational IM and traited IM approaches. The results indicated that relatively little DIF/DTF was present and that the differences between the two approaches to examining IM may not be as great as previously suggested.

Retrospective chart review of a referenced EEG database in assisting medication selection for treatment of depression in patients with eating disorders

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Greenblatt JM

2011-09-01

Full Text Available James M Greenblatt1, Craig Sussman1, Mariko Jameson1, Lee Yuan1, Daniel A Hoffman2, Dan V Iosifescu31Comprehensive Psychiatric Resources, Waltham, MA, USA; 2Neuro-Therapy Clinic Inc, Denver, CO, USA; 3Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USABackground: A retrospective chart review was undertaken in a private clinic to examine the clinical outcomes for patients with an eating disorder comorbid with depression or bipolar illness who underwent a referenced electroencephalographic (EEG database analysis to help guide medication selection.Method: We examined 33 charts for patients with the primary psychiatric diagnosis of an eating disorder and comorbid major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder who underwent a quantitative EEG database assessment to provide additional information for choices of medication. The current analysis includes data from 22 subjects who accepted treatments based on information from the referenced-EEG medication database. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Clinical Global Impression-Improvement, and hospitalization data were examined for these patients.Results: Patients whose EEG data was used for clinical treatment reported significant decreases in associated depressive symptoms (HDRS scores, overall severity of illness (Clinical Global Impression-Severity, and overall clinical global improvement (Clinical Global Impression-Improvement. This cohort also reported fewer inpatient, residential, and partial hospitalization program days following referenced-EEG compared with the two-year period prior to treatment.Conclusion: These findings are consistent with previously reported data for patients with eating disorders and suggest the need for future studies using EEG data correlated with those from other patients with similar quantitative EEG features.Keywords: eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, depression, referenced-EEG, chart review

Intraoral digital impressions to enhance implant esthetics.

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Hinds, Kenneth F

2014-09-01

Providing an accurate soft-tissue transfer for anterior implants is not a new concept; however, it is currently an especially relevant one. There are numerous documented cases in which residual excess cement with cement-retained implant restorations was a contributing cause in periimplantitis. In 2012, Wadhwani et al reported the importance of placing the crown abutment margins supragingivally for ease of cement removal as a possible solution to address this important issue. Therefore, if placement of the crown abutment margin location is imperative, making an impression that reproduces the soft tissue is equally critical. In 1997, this author introduced the "custom impression coping" to achieve such an accurate transfer. Given the wide use of intraoral digital impressions in 2014, this discussion describes how to fabricate a "custom scan body" using that technology to replicate the transition zone in the virtual environment.

Auditory and visual spatial impression: Recent studies of three auditoria

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Nguyen, Andy; Cabrera, Densil

2004-10-01

Auditory spatial impression is widely studied for its contribution to auditorium acoustical quality. By contrast, visual spatial impression in auditoria has received relatively little attention in formal studies. This paper reports results from a series of experiments investigating the auditory and visual spatial impression of concert auditoria. For auditory stimuli, a fragment of an anechoic recording of orchestral music was convolved with calibrated binaural impulse responses, which had been made with the dummy head microphone at a wide range of positions in three auditoria and the sound source on the stage. For visual stimuli, greyscale photographs were used, taken at the same positions in the three auditoria, with a visual target on the stage. Subjective experiments were conducted with auditory stimuli alone, visual stimuli alone, and visual and auditory stimuli combined. In these experiments, subjects rated apparent source width, listener envelopment, intimacy and source distance (auditory stimuli), and spaciousness, envelopment, stage dominance, intimacy and target distance (visual stimuli). Results show target distance to be of primary importance in auditory and visual spatial impression-thereby providing a basis for covariance between some attributes of auditory and visual spatial impression. Nevertheless, some attributes of spatial impression diverge between the senses.

Digitization of dental alginate impression: Three-dimensional evaluation of point cloud.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, So-Ri; Lee, Wan-Sun; Kim, Woong-Chul; Kim, Hea-Young; Kim, Ji-Hwan

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the digitization of alginate impressions by analyzing differences between the scan data of two types of impressions (alginate and rubber) taken from the master die and the scan data for the master die. The master die and impressions were digitized using a dental laser scanner (7 series, Dental Wings, Montreal, Canada). The crown portion of the abutment teeth in the digital data of 20 impressions was divided into three regions: cervical surface, middle surface, and occlusal surface. An independent t-test showed a significant difference (palginate and rubber). One-way ANOVA and Tukey's honest significant difference test revealed a significant difference (palginate impressions in the future.

Influence of ENSO on coastal flood hazard and exposure at the global-scale

Science.gov (United States)

Muis, S.; Haigh, I. D.; Guimarães Nobre, G.; Aerts, J.; Ward, P.

2017-12-01

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant signal of interannual climate variability. The unusually warm (El Niño) and cold (La Niña) oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific drives interannual variability in both mean and extreme sea levels, which in turn may influence the probabilities and impacts of coastal flooding. We assess the influence of ENSO on coastal flood hazard and exposure using daily timeseries from the Global Time and Surge Reanalysis (GTSR) dataset (Muis et al., 2016). As the GTSR timeseries do not include steric effects (i.e. density differences), we improve the GTSR timeseries by adding steric sea levels. Evaluation against observed sea levels shows that the including steric sea levels leads to a much better representation of the seasonal and interannual variability. We show that sea level anomalies occur during ENSO years with higher sea levels during La Niña in the South-Atlantic, Indian Ocean and the West Pacific, whereas sea levels are lower in the east Pacific. The pattern is generally inversed for El Niño. We also find an effect of ENSO in the number of people exposed to coastal flooding. Although the effect is minor at the global-scale, it may be important for flood risk management to consider at the national or sub national levels. Previous studies at the global-scale have used tide gauge observation to assess the influence of ENSO on extreme sea levels. The advantage of our approach over observations is that GTSR provides a consistent dataset with a full global coverage for the period 1979-2014. This allows us to assess ENSO's influence on sea level extremes anywhere in the world. Furthermore, it enables us to also calculate the impacts of extreme sea levels in terms of coastal flooding and exposed population. ReferencesMuis et al (2016) A global reanalysis of storm surges and extreme sea levels. Nature Communications.7:11969. doi:10.1038/ncomms11969.

A Framework on Impression Management in Negotiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathiasen, Ditte Dahl; Esbjerg, Lars

2014-01-01

In this paper we develop a dramaturgical framework to provide us with a new understanding of how negotiators use impression management behaviour during the negotiation process to position themselves in an endeavour to reach a desirable outcome.......In this paper we develop a dramaturgical framework to provide us with a new understanding of how negotiators use impression management behaviour during the negotiation process to position themselves in an endeavour to reach a desirable outcome....

Genome-wide evolutionary dynamics of influenza B viruses on a global scale.

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Pinky Langat

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The global-scale epidemiology and genome-wide evolutionary dynamics of influenza B remain poorly understood compared with influenza A viruses. We compiled a spatio-temporally comprehensive dataset of influenza B viruses, comprising over 2,500 genomes sampled worldwide between 1987 and 2015, including 382 newly-sequenced genomes that fill substantial gaps in previous molecular surveillance studies. Our contributed data increase the number of available influenza B virus genomes in Europe, Africa and Central Asia, improving the global context to study influenza B viruses. We reveal Yamagata-lineage diversity results from co-circulation of two antigenically-distinct groups that also segregate genetically across the entire genome, without evidence of intra-lineage reassortment. In contrast, Victoria-lineage diversity stems from geographic segregation of different genetic clades, with variability in the degree of geographic spread among clades. Differences between the lineages are reflected in their antigenic dynamics, as Yamagata-lineage viruses show alternating dominance between antigenic groups, while Victoria-lineage viruses show antigenic drift of a single lineage. Structural mapping of amino acid substitutions on trunk branches of influenza B gene phylogenies further supports these antigenic differences and highlights two potential mechanisms of adaptation for polymerase activity. Our study provides new insights into the epidemiological and molecular processes shaping influenza B virus evolution globally.

Genome-wide evolutionary dynamics of influenza B viruses on a global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Langat, Pinky; Bowden, Thomas A.; Edwards, Stephanie; Gall, Astrid; Rambaut, Andrew; Daniels, Rodney S.; Russell, Colin A.; Pybus, Oliver G.; McCauley, John

2017-01-01

The global-scale epidemiology and genome-wide evolutionary dynamics of influenza B remain poorly understood compared with influenza A viruses. We compiled a spatio-temporally comprehensive dataset of influenza B viruses, comprising over 2,500 genomes sampled worldwide between 1987 and 2015, including 382 newly-sequenced genomes that fill substantial gaps in previous molecular surveillance studies. Our contributed data increase the number of available influenza B virus genomes in Europe, Africa and Central Asia, improving the global context to study influenza B viruses. We reveal Yamagata-lineage diversity results from co-circulation of two antigenically-distinct groups that also segregate genetically across the entire genome, without evidence of intra-lineage reassortment. In contrast, Victoria-lineage diversity stems from geographic segregation of different genetic clades, with variability in the degree of geographic spread among clades. Differences between the lineages are reflected in their antigenic dynamics, as Yamagata-lineage viruses show alternating dominance between antigenic groups, while Victoria-lineage viruses show antigenic drift of a single lineage. Structural mapping of amino acid substitutions on trunk branches of influenza B gene phylogenies further supports these antigenic differences and highlights two potential mechanisms of adaptation for polymerase activity. Our study provides new insights into the epidemiological and molecular processes shaping influenza B virus evolution globally. PMID:29284042

Optical 3D scans for orthodontic diagnostics performed on full-arch impressions. Completeness of surface structure representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Annike B; Kilic, Fatih; Schmidt, Falko; Rübel, Sebastian; Lapatki, Bernd G

2015-11-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the completeness of surface structure representation offered by full-arch impression scans in different situations of tooth (mal)alignment and whether this completeness could be improved by performing rescans on the same impressions reduced sequentially to different levels of gingival height and by adding extra single scans to the number of single scans recommended by the manufacturer. Three pairs of full-arch resin models were used as reference, characterized either by normal occlusion, by anterior diastematic protrusion (and edentulous spaces in the lower posterior segments), or by anterior crowding. An alginate impression of each arch was taken and digitized with a structured-light scanner, followed by three rescans with the impression cut back to 10, 5, and 1 mm of gingival height. Both the initial scan and the rescans were performed both with 19 basic single scans and with 10 extra single scans. Each impression scan was analyzed for quantitative completeness relative to its homologous direct scan of the original resin model. In addition, the topography of voids in the resultant digital model was assessed by visual inspection. Compared to the homologous reference scans of the original resin models, completeness of the original impression scans--in the absence of both gingival cutback and extra single scans--was 97.23 ± 0.066% in the maxilla or 95.72 ± 0.070% in the mandible with normal occlusion, 91.11 ± 0.132% or 96.07 ± 0.109% in the arches with anterior diastematic protrusion, and 98.24 ± 0.085% or 93.39 ± 0.146% in those with anterior crowding. Gingival cutback and extra single scans were found to improve these values up to 100.35 ± 0.066% or 99.53 ± 0.070% in the arches with normal occlusion, 91.77 ± 0.132% or 97.95 ± 0.109% in those with anterior diastematic protrusion, and 98.59 ± 0.085% or 98.96 ± 0.146% in those with anterior crowding. In strictly quantitative terms, the impression scans did capture

Use of a Reflective Ultraviolet Imaging System (RUVIS) on Two-Dimensional Dust Impressions Created with Footwear on Multiple Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Engelson, Brian Aaron

paper, steel sheet metal, vinyl flooring, wood flooring, and carpet. Heel impressions were applied to the various substrates utilizing vacuum collected dust and normal walking pressure. Each substrate was then explored and photographed in ambient fluorescent light, oblique white light at 0°, 15°, 30°, and 0° with the light source below the surface plane of the substrate, and 254 nm UV light at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90° and 0° with the light source below the surface plane of the substrate. All pictures were evaluated for clarity and visible detail of the footwear impression and the amount of background interference present, selecting for the best images within a lighting condition group. Additional intra- and intergroup comparisons were carried out to explore differences created by the various lighting conditions. Enhanced images were then created with the best scored pictures and evaluated for additional modifications in impression visibility and background interference. Photographs of footwear impressions in dust illuminated with ambient fluorescent light proved to be the most difficult conditions under which a footwear impression could be visualized. However, both oblique white light and 254 nm UV light lighting conditions showed improvements in either visualization or background dropout, or both, over ambient light conditions. An assessment of the white light and 254 nm UV light RUVIS images also demonstrated that the best angles for the light source for all substrates were oblique 0 and oblique 0° below the surface plane of the substrate lighting. It was found that white light photographs generally provided higher visibility ratings, while RUVIS 254 nm UV light photographs provided better grades for reducing background interference. Enhanced images of white light conditions provided generally poorer quality and quantity of details, while enhanced RUVIS images seemed to improve upon these areas. The use of a RUVIS to capture photographs of

Effect of Polyvinyl Siloxane Viscosity on Accuracy of Dental Implant Impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghahremanloo, Ahmad; Seifi, Mahdieh; Ghanbarzade, Jalil; Abrisham, Seyyed Mohammad; Javan, Rashid Abdolah

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of dental implant impressions obtained by a combination of different impression techniques and viscosities of polyvinyl siloxane (PVS). Four parallel fixtures were placed between mental foramina in a master model of lower dental arch. Three different viscosities (putty/light body, medium body/light body, and monophase: heavy body) and direct and indirect techniques (six groups) were used, and seven impressions were obtained from each group (n=42). To measure the accuracy of impressions, drift, horizontal, and vertical angles of the implants, as well as the hex rotation of the implants in casts were evaluated using a digitizer device (1μm accuracy), in comparison with master arch. Data were analyzed using five-factor two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. The accuracy of impressions was assessed and the results showed that direct technique was not significantly different from indirect technique (P>0.05). Also, there were no significant differences between the mentioned viscosities except for the horizontal angle (P=0.006). Viscosity of impression materials is of high significance for the accuracy of dental impressions.

Accuracy evaluation of intraoral optical impressions: A clinical study using a reference appliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Atieh, Mohammad A; Ritter, André V; Ko, Ching-Chang; Duqum, Ibrahim

2017-09-01

Trueness and precision are used to evaluate the accuracy of intraoral optical impressions. Although the in vivo precision of intraoral optical impressions has been reported, in vivo trueness has not been evaluated because of limitations in the available protocols. The purpose of this clinical study was to compare the accuracy (trueness and precision) of optical and conventional impressions by using a novel study design. Five study participants consented and were enrolled. For each participant, optical and conventional (vinylsiloxanether) impressions of a custom-made intraoral Co-Cr alloy reference appliance fitted to the mandibular arch were obtained by 1 operator. Three-dimensional (3D) digital models were created for stone casts obtained from the conventional impression group and for the reference appliances by using a validated high-accuracy reference scanner. For the optical impression group, 3D digital models were obtained directly from the intraoral scans. The total mean trueness of each impression system was calculated by averaging the mean absolute deviations of the impression replicates from their 3D reference model for each participant, followed by averaging the obtained values across all participants. The total mean precision for each impression system was calculated by averaging the mean absolute deviations between all the impression replicas for each participant (10 pairs), followed by averaging the obtained values across all participants. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (α=.05), first to assess whether a systematic difference in trueness or precision of replicate impressions could be found among participants and second to assess whether the mean trueness and precision values differed between the 2 impression systems. Statistically significant differences were found between the 2 impression systems for both mean trueness (P=.010) and mean precision (P=.007). Conventional impressions had higher accuracy with a mean trueness of 17.0 �

The Importance of Subtextual Impression Management and Business Faculty.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaney, Lillian H.; Lyden, Julie A.

1998-01-01

College students (n=265) reported their impressions of business faculty's personal appearance, body language, behavior, and office appearance. Findings indicate that impression management is useful for professors who want to convey credibility, authority, and interest in students. (JOW)

Production of a calcium silicate cement material from alginate impression material.

Science.gov (United States)

Washizawa, Norimasa; Narusawa, Hideaki; Tamaki, Yukimichi; Miyazaki, Takashi

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biomaterials from daily dental waste. Since alginate impression material contains silica and calcium salts, we aimed to synthesize calcium silicate cement from alginate impression material. Gypsum-based investment material was also investigated as control. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that although firing the set gypsum-based and modified investment materials at 1,200°C produced calcium silicates, firing the set alginate impression material did not. However, we succeeded when firing the set blend of pre-fired set alginate impression material and gypsum at 1,200°C. SEM observations of the powder revealed that the featured porous structures of diatomite as an alginate impression material component appeared useful for synthesizing calcium silicates. Experimentally fabricated calcium silicate powder was successfully mixed with phosphoric acid solution and set by depositing the brushite. Therefore, we conclude that the production of calcium silicate cement material is possible from waste alginate impression material.

Dimensional Changes of Alginate Dental Impression Materials-An Invitro Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Manisha M; Thombare, Ram U

2015-08-01

Dentists are always looking ahead for more dimensionally stable material for accurate and successful fabrication of prosthesis in this competitive world. Arrival of newer materials and increased material market puts dentists in dilemma for selection of material. The study evaluated the effect of variations in time of pour and temperature on dimensional stability of three brands of commercially available alginates. Velplast, Marieflex & Zelgan alginate impression materials were evaluated by measuring dimensional accuracy of the master cast. A die was prepared and mounted on the apparatus for the ease of impression making. The prepared casts were categorized into five groups and made up of three brands of alginate impression material with variation in time of pour viz: immediate, 20&40 minutes interval and with varying temperature of 25(0)C, 30(0)C & 40(0)C. Impressions showed least distortion at varying degrees of temperature for 20 minutes, but the values obtained by storing of alginate impressions for 20 minutes at 30(0)C were found to be nearly accurate than the values obtained by storing of impression at 40(0)C. However, storing showed shrinkage of impressions. Marieflex showed better accuracy in comparison with other two materials. Maintenance of temperature and humidity play key role during storage & transport to prevent distortion. But the study suggests immediate pouring which will minimize the distortion. The manipulation instructions, temperature of mixing water, environment & water powder ratio also plays key role in minimizing the distortion.

Functional Impressions in Complete Denture and Overdenture Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hrvoje Kršek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tooth loss can cause loss of occlusal, masticatory, esthetic, physiognomic, phonetic and psychosocial function of patients. The most frequently used treatment method of completely edentulous patients and patients with a small number of remaining teeth are complete dentures or overdentures. One of the most important clinical and laboratory procedures in their fabrication is functional impression taking. The aim of this paper was to present procedures of taking functional impressions in fabrication of complete dentures and overdentures, using standardized techniques and materials. An accurate functional impression together with other correctly performed clinical and laboratory procedures ensure good retention and stability of dentures, which is a precondition for restoring patients’ lost functions.

Impression Management and the Control of Social Anxieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Rowland S.

Impression management refers to the concept that people engaged in interaction will attempt to control the image of themselves that others form. This provides a foundation for social interaction, giving others information about who we are and what to expect from us. A central concern of impression management is the manner in which we are evaluated…

A Paradigm shift in the concept for making dental impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayar, Sanjna; Mahadevan, R

2015-04-01

Digital dental impression is a revolutionary technological advancement that so surpasses the accuracy and efficiency of former techniques for obtaining replicas of prepared teeth for the purpose of fabricating restorations that its adoption by dentists is rapidly eclipsing the use of elastomeric impression materials. The ultimate goals of dentists dedicated to quality restorative dentistry are to make their treatment of patients as accurate, stressless, and efficient as possible. By elimination of the everyday problems described above, there is no question that the significant advantages of digital impressions will make intraoral digital scanning standard procedure in most dental offices within the next several years. Furthermore, digital impressions have proven to reduce remakes and returns, as well as increase overall efficiency. The patient also benefits by being provided a far more positive experience. Finally, through the use of digital impression making, it has been determined that laboratory products become more consistent and require less chair time at insertion.

A Paradigm shift in the concept for making dental impressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjna Nayar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Digital dental impression is a revolutionary technological advancement that so surpasses the accuracy and efficiency of former techniques for obtaining replicas of prepared teeth for the purpose of fabricating restorations that its adoption by dentists is rapidly eclipsing the use of elastomeric impression materials. The ultimate goals of dentists dedicated to quality restorative dentistry are to make their treatment of patients as accurate, stressless, and efficient as possible. By elimination of the everyday problems described above, there is no question that the significant advantages of digital impressions will make intraoral digital scanning standard procedure in most dental offices within the next several years. Furthermore, digital impressions have proven to reduce remakes and returns, as well as increase overall efficiency. The patient also benefits by being provided a far more positive experience. Finally, through the use of digital impression making, it has been determined that laboratory products become more consistent and require less chair time at insertion.

Terrestrial nitrogen-carbon cycle interactions at the global scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaehle, S

2013-07-05

Interactions between the terrestrial nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycles shape the response of ecosystems to global change. However, the global distribution of nitrogen availability and its importance in global biogeochemistry and biogeochemical interactions with the climate system remain uncertain. Based on projections of a terrestrial biosphere model scaling ecological understanding of nitrogen-carbon cycle interactions to global scales, anthropogenic nitrogen additions since 1860 are estimated to have enriched the terrestrial biosphere by 1.3 Pg N, supporting the sequestration of 11.2 Pg C. Over the same time period, CO2 fertilization has increased terrestrial carbon storage by 134.0 Pg C, increasing the terrestrial nitrogen stock by 1.2 Pg N. In 2001-2010, terrestrial ecosystems sequestered an estimated total of 27 Tg N yr(-1) (1.9 Pg C yr(-1)), of which 10 Tg N yr(-1) (0.2 Pg C yr(-1)) are due to anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. Nitrogen availability already limits terrestrial carbon sequestration in the boreal and temperate zone, and will constrain future carbon sequestration in response to CO2 fertilization (regionally by up to 70% compared with an estimate without considering nitrogen-carbon interactions). This reduced terrestrial carbon uptake will probably dominate the role of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle in the climate system, as it accelerates the accumulation of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere. However, increases of N2O emissions owing to anthropogenic nitrogen and climate change (at a rate of approx. 0.5 Tg N yr(-1) per 1°C degree climate warming) will add an important long-term climate forcing.

Global Ocean Circulation in Thermohaline Coordinates and Small-scale and Mesoscale mixing: An Inverse Estimate.

Science.gov (United States)

Groeskamp, S.; Zika, J. D.; McDougall, T. J.; Sloyan, B.

2016-02-01

I will present results of a new inverse technique that infers small-scale turbulent diffusivities and mesoscale eddy diffusivities from an ocean climatology of Salinity (S) and Temperature (T) in combination with surface freshwater and heat fluxes.First, the ocean circulation is represented in (S,T) coordinates, by the diathermohaline streamfunction. Framing the ocean circulation in (S,T) coordinates, isolates the component of the circulation that is directly related to water-mass transformation.Because water-mass transformation is directly related to fluxes of salt and heat, this framework allows for the formulation of an inverse method in which the diathermohaline streamfunction is balanced with known air-sea forcing and unknown mixing. When applying this inverse method to observations, we obtain observationally based estimates for both the streamfunction and the mixing. The results reveal new information about the component of the global ocean circulation due to water-mass transformation and its relation to surface freshwater and heat fluxes and small-scale and mesoscale mixing. The results provide global constraints on spatially varying patterns of diffusivities, in order to obtain a realistic overturning circulation. We find that mesoscale isopycnal mixing is much smaller than expected. These results are important for our understanding of the relation between global ocean circulation and mixing and may lead to improved parameterisations in numerical ocean models.

Work plan for testing silicone impression material and fixture on pool cell capsule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundeen, J.E.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this work plan is to provide a safe procedure to test a cesium capsule impression fixture at Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF). The impression will be taken with silicone dental impression material pressed down upon the capsule using the impression fixture. This test will evaluate the performance of the fixture and impression material under high radiation and temperature conditions on a capsule in a WESF pool cell

Extrusion-mixing compared with hand-mixing of polyether impression materials?

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Caroline; Kinsella, Daniel; Fleming, Garry J P

2010-12-01

The hypotheses tested were two-fold (a) whether altering the base:catalyst ratio influences working time, elastic recovery and strain in compression properties of a hand-mixed polyether impression material and (b) whether an extrusion-mixed polyether impression material would have a significant advantage over a hand-mixed polyether impression material mixed to the optimum base:catalyst ratio. The polyether was hand-mixed at the optimum (manufacturers recommended) base:catalyst ratios (7:1) and further groups were made by increasing or decreasing the catalyst length by 25%. Additionally specimens were also made from an extrusion-mixed polyether impression material and compared with the optimum hand-mixed base:catalyst ratio. A penetrometer assembly was used to measure the working time (n=5). Five cylindrical specimens for each hand-mixed and extrusion mixed group investigated were employed for elastic recovery and strain in compression testing. Hand-mixing polyether impression materials with 25% more catalyst than that recommended significantly decreased the working time while hand-mixing with 25% less catalyst than that recommended significantly increased the strain in compression. The extrusion-mixed polyether impression material provided similar working time, elastic recovery and strain in compression to the hand-mixed polyether mixed at the optimum base:catalyst ratio.

The public impression of radiation as a product of science communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hak Soo; Ha, Hyo Suk; Oh, Mi Young; Choi, Jin Myeung

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to observe how the public impression of radiation is changing over the North Korea’s nuclear bomb test. We found that the nuclear bomb test brought more negative impressions of radiation, but, in one year, more positive ones prevailed as in the pre-bomb-test. Those positive impressions were found to be composed of useful and positive elements mostly relative to health care. This suggests that we need to apply radiation (fusion) technology to solving everyday life problems in order to bring more positive impressions of radiation

Digital impression-taking: Fundamentals and benefits in orthodontics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lecocq, Guillaume

2016-06-01

The digital era has burst into our offices in a big way. 3D camera technology has improved, enabling us to record our impressions and the occlusion in a digital format file. This file can then be used to make set-ups and manufacture orthodontic devices. Like any new technology, it needs to be studied and understood in order to grasp it fully and master the information and digital flow which can be generated between one's office and any external party involved in treatment, such as laboratories or other colleagues. Copyright © 2016 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional accuracy of different impression techniques for dental implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadreza Nakhaei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Accurate impression making is an essential prerequisite for achieving a passive fit between the implant and the superstructure. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the three-dimensional accuracy of open-tray and three closed-tray impression techniques. Materials and Methods: Three acrylic resin mandibular master models with four parallel implants were used: Biohorizons (BIO, Straumann tissue-level (STL, and Straumann bone-level (SBL. Forty-two putty/wash polyvinyl siloxane impressions of the models were made using open-tray and closed-tray techniques. Closed-tray impressions were made using snap-on (STL model, transfer coping (TC (BIO model and TC plus plastic cap (TC-Cap (SBL model. The impressions were poured with type IV stone, and the positional accuracy of the implant analog heads in each dimension (x, y and z axes, and the linear displacement (ΔR were evaluated using a coordinate measuring machine. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests (α = 0.05. Results: The ΔR values of the snap-on technique were significantly lower than those of TC and TC-Cap techniques (P < 0.001. No significant differences were found between closed and open impression techniques for STL in Δx, Δy, Δz and ΔR values (P = 0.444, P = 0.181, P = 0.835 and P = 0.911, respectively. Conclusion: Considering the limitations of this study, the snap-on implant-level impression technique resulted in more three-dimensional accuracy than TC and TC-Cap, but it was similar to the open-tray technique.

The quality of impressions for crowns and bridges: an assessment of the work received at three commercial dental laboratories. assessing qualities of impressions that may lead to occlusal discrepancies with indirect restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Storey, D; Coward, T J

2014-03-01

There are few published studies that directly assess the quality of impressions for crowns and bridges in the UK. This paper considers aspects of impression quality with particular attention to factors causing potential occlusal discrepancies in the final restoration. To this end three dental laboratories were visited over a 3-month period. All impressions for conventional crown and bridgework that arrived on the days of the visits were examined and assessed against criteria defined on a custom-designed assessment form. A total of 206 impression cases were considered in this study. Flexible impression trays were used for 65% of working impressions. Their use was more common for NHS work than for private work. 31.9% of all alginate impressions examined were not adequately fixed to the tray. Visible contamination of impressions was not uncommon.

The benefits of global scaling in multi-criteria decision analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie P. Monat

2009-10-01

Full Text Available When there are multiple competing objectives in a decision-making process, Multi-Attribute Choice scoring models are excellent tools, permitting the incorporation of both subjective and objective attributes. However, their accuracy depends upon the subjective techniques used to construct the attribute scales and their concomitant weights. Conventional techniques using local scales tend to overemphasize small differences in attribute measures, which may yield erroneous conclusions. The Range Sensitivity Principle (RSP is often invoked to adjust attribute weights when local scales are used. In practice, however, decision makers often do not follow the prescriptions of the Range Sensitivity Principle and under-adjust the weights, resulting in potentially poor decisions. Examples are discussed as is a proposed solution: the use of global scales instead of local scales.

Impression management within the Zulu culture: Exploring tactics in the work context

OpenAIRE

Mtshelwane, Debrah; Nel, Jan Alewyn; Brink, Lizelle

2016-01-01

Orientation: Impression management tactics are utilised differently by people depending on the situation and the others around them. Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the impression management tactics Zulu people display when they want to impress people in a work context. Motivation for this study: Organisations are competing for talented employees and people who contribute to the return on investment for the organisation. Individuals display impression tactic...

Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to basilar impression: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurus Marques de Almeida Holanda

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We report a rare case of trigeminal neuralgia. A 23-year-old woman with a history of 1 year of typical trigeminal neuralgia manifested the characteristics of basilar impression. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI demonstrated basilar impression, deformity of the posterior fossa with asymmetry of petrous bone, and compression of medulla oblongata in the topography of the odontoid apophysis. The operation was performed through a suboccipital craniectomy. The neuralgia disappeared after surgery and remains completely resolved until today. This is the second reported case of trigeminal neuralgia in a patient with basilar impression in Brazil.

Single Stage Silicone Border Molded Closed Mouth Impression Technique-Part II.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, E G R

2011-09-01

Functioning of a complete denture depends to a great extent on the impression technique. Several impression techniques have been described in the literature since the turn of this century when Greene [Clinical courses in dental prothesis, 1916] brothers introduced the first scientific system of recording dental impression. Advocates of each technique have their own claim of superiority over the other. The introduction of elastomeric impression materials [Skinner and Cooper, J Am Dent Assoc 51:523-536, 1955] has made possible new techniques of recording impression for complete denture construction. These rubber like materials are of two types; one has a polysulfide base and is popularily known as polysulfide rubber (Thiokol and Mercaptan). The other variety has a silicone base known as silicone rubber or silicone elastomer. Silicone elastomers are available in four different consistencies; a thin easy flowing light bodied material,a creamy medium bodied material, a highly viscous heavy bodied material and a kneadable putty material. This paper describes an active closed mouth impression technique with one stage border molding using putty silicone material as a substitute for low fusing compound.

Effect of Splinting on Dimensional Accuracy of Impressions Made of Implants with Different Subgingival Alignments.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyabanaki, Elaheh; Shamshiri, Ahmed Reza; Alikhasi, Marzieh; Monzavi, Abbas

2017-01-01

Placement of implants at deeper levels of gingiva is sometimes inevitable because of issues like esthetics or bone availability. The accuracy of impressions may be affected in these situations. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of splinting and length of impression copings on the accuracy of impressions made of deeply placed implants. A metal model with two parallel implants (Implantium; Dentium) was fabricated. One hundred and twenty impressions were made using the direct impression technique with and without splinting the impression copings (using short and long impression copings). Impressions were made of implants at three subgingival levels (1, 3, and 6 mm) using regular viscosity poly(vinyl siloxane). The impressions were poured with type IV dental stone. Displacements in the x, y, and z axes, as well as rotational discrepancies and interimplant distances were measured with a coordinate measuring machine. Data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and nonparametric adjusted rank transform tests. There was less rotational displacement using longer impression copings at different subgingival positions of the implants, either with splinted or nonsplinted direct technique (p impressions at different apico-coronal levels of implants than the splinted technique using short impression copings (p impression copings yielded better results than shorter ones in both splinted and nonsplinted techniques. Also, nonsplinted short impression copings produced more accurate impressions than splinted short impression copings. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

On global H-mode scaling laws for JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kardaun, O.; Lackner, K.; Thomsen, K.; Christiansen, J.; Cordey, J.; Gottardi, N.; Keilhacker, M.; Smeulders, P.

1989-01-01

Investigation of the scaling of the energy confinement time τ E with various plasma parameters has since long been an interesting, albeit not uncontroversial topic in plasma physics. Various global scaling laws have been derived for ohmic as well as (NBI and/or RF heated) L-mode discharges. Due to the scarce availability of computerised, extensive and validated H-mode datasets, systematic statistical analysis of H-mode scaling behaviour has hitherto been limited. A common approach is to fit the available H-mode data by an L-mode scaling law (e.g., Kaye-Goldston, Rebut-Lallia) with one or two adjustable constant terms. In this contribution we will consider the alternative approach of fitting all free parameters of various simple scaling models to two recently compiled datasets consisting of about 140 ELM-free and 40 ELMy H-mode discharges, measured at JET in the period 1986-1988. From this period, approximately all known H-mode shots have been included that satisfy the following criteria: D-injected D + discharges with no RF heating, a sufficiently long (≥300 ms) and regular P NBI flat-top, and validated main diagnostics. (author) 13 refs., 1 tab

Impression Management in Survey Responding: Easier for Collectivists or Individualists?

Science.gov (United States)

Riemer, Hila; Shavitt, Sharon

2012-01-01

Three experiments indicate that when individualists and collectivists engage in impression management on self-reports, they do so through different psychological mechanism s. Collectivists do so through a relatively automatic process. Thus, they can impression manage even when cognitively busy. Individualists impression manage through a more effortful process. Therefore, they can do so only when the situation permits effortful processing. These findings highlight distinct conditions under which social norms may influence consumer self-reports across cultures. PMID:23175618

Impression Management in Survey Responding: Easier for Collectivists or Individualists?

Science.gov (United States)

Riemer, Hila; Shavitt, Sharon

2011-04-01

Three experiments indicate that when individualists and collectivists engage in impression management on self-reports, they do so through different psychological mechanism s. Collectivists do so through a relatively automatic process. Thus, they can impression manage even when cognitively busy. Individualists impression manage through a more effortful process. Therefore, they can do so only when the situation permits effortful processing. These findings highlight distinct conditions under which social norms may influence consumer self-reports across cultures.

Water dependency and water exploitation at global scale as indicators of water security

Science.gov (United States)

De Roo, A. P. J.; Beck, H.; Burek, P.; Bernard, B.

2015-12-01

A water dependency index has been developed indicating the dependency of water consumption from upstream sources of water, sometimes across (multiple) national border. This index is calculated at global scale using the 0.1 global LISFLOOD hydrological modelling system forced by WFDEI meteorological data for the timeframe 1979-2012. The global LISFLOOD model simulates the most important hydrological processes, as well as water abstraction and consumption from various sectors, and flood routing, at daily scale, with sub-timesteps for routing and subgrid parameterization related to elevation and landuse. The model contains also options for water allocation, to allow preferences of water use for particular sectors in water scarce periods. LISFLOOD is also used for the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS), the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS), continental scale climate change impact studies on floods and droughts. The water dependency indicator is calculated on a monthly basis, and various annual and multiannual indicators are derived from it. In this study, the indicator will be compared against water security areas known from other studies. Other indicators calculated are the Water Exploitation Index (WEI+), which is a commonly use water security indicator in Europe, and freshwater resources per capita indicators at regional, national and river basin scale. Several climate scnearios are run to indicate future trends in water security.

Experimental study on the use of spacer foils in two-step putty and wash impression procedures using silicone impression materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Karsten; Davids, Andreas; Range, Ursula; Richter, Gert; Boening, Klaus; Reitemeier, Bernd

2015-04-01

The 2-step putty and wash impression technique is commonly used in fixed prosthodontics. However, cutting sluiceways to allow the light-body material to drain is time-consuming. A solution might be the use of a spacer foil. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of spacer foil on the margin reproduction and dimensional accuracy of 2-step putty and wash impressions. Two methods of creating space for the wash material in a 2-step putty and wash impression were compared: the traditional cutout technique and a spacer foil. Eleven commercially available combinations of silicone impression materials were included in the study. The impressions and the cast production were carried out under standardized conditions. All casts were measured with a 3-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring machine. Preparation margin reproduction and the diameters and spacing of the stone cast dies were measured (α=.05). The 2 methods showed significant differences (P<.05) in the reproduction of the preparation margins (complete reproduction cutout, 90% to 98%; foil, 74% to 91%). The use of a foil resulted in greater dimensional accuracy of the cast dies compared to the cutout technique. Cast dies from the cutout technique were significantly smaller than the metallic original cast (cutout median, 4.55 mm to 4.61 mm; foil median, 4.61 to 4.64). Spacing between the dies revealed only a few additional significant differences between the techniques. When spacer foils were used, dies were obtained that better corresponded to the original tooth. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impression management and food intake. Current directions in research.

Science.gov (United States)

Vartanian, Lenny R

2015-03-01

This paper reviews recent research on consumption stereotypes (judgments of others based on what they eat) and impression management (modifying one's eating behavior in order to create a particular impression). A major recent focus in the literature has been on masculinity and meat eating, with research showing that meat is strongly associated with masculinity, and that individuals who follow a meat-based diet are perceived as more masculine than are individuals who follow a vegetarian diet. Although direct evidence for impression management through food intake remains sparse, a number of methodological approaches (including priming techniques and ecological valid assessments) are described that could be used in future research to identify the motives underlying people's eating behavior. Consumption stereotypes and impression management may be important influences on people's eating behavior, but the complexities of how, when, and for whom these factors influence food intake are still not well understood. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of acupuncture in controlling the gag reflex in patients requiring an upper alginate impression: an audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosted, P; Bundgaard, M; Fiske, J; Pedersen, A M L

2006-12-09

A pronounced gag reflex (GR) can be a problem to both the acceptance and delivery of dental treatment. Despite a range of management strategies, some patients cannot accept even simple dental treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of acupuncture point CV-24 in controlling a profound gag reflex during dental treatment requiring an upper alginate impression. Members of the British Dental Acupuncture Society were invited to take part in an audit of the role of acupuncture point CV-24 in controlling the gag reflex. They were issued with patient inclusion criteria, a standardised procedure instruction sheet and a recording form. All patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria had an upper dental alginate impression taken (or an attempt made at it) before acupuncture, and a second upper alginate impression taken immediately after acupuncture of point CV-24. The GR assessment was undertaken prior to insertion of the acupuncture needle using the Gagging Severity Index (GSI); and after the acupuncture and impression taking using the Gagging Prevention Index (GPI). Both the GSI and GPI were recorded at three stages of the dental impression taking procedure, ie, when the empty impression tray was tried in the mouth, when the loaded tray was inserted into the mouth, and on completion of the impression taking. Twenty-one dentists submitted 64 case reports of which 37 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Prior to acupuncture all 37 patients (20 females and 17 males with a mean age of 46.8 years) were unable to accept the impression taking. After acupuncture of point CV-24, an improvement of between 51-55% (mean 53%) for the three stages of impression taking was noticed. Thirty patients (81%) were able to accept the impression taking, whereas seven (19%) remained unable to tolerate the procedure. Assessed by the GSI and GPI, there was a significant decrease in GR scores at all three stages of the impression taking procedure (median 3 vs 1; 4 vs 2; 4 vs 2; p dental

Atomoxetine treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults with assessment of functional outcomes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Durell, Todd M; Adler, Lenard A; Williams, Dave W; Deldar, Ahmed; McGough, James J; Glaser, Paul E; Rubin, Richard L; Pigott, Teresa A; Sarkis, Elias H; Fox, Bethany K

2013-02-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant impairment in multiple functional domains. This trial evaluated efficacy in ADHD symptoms and functional outcomes in young adults treated with atomoxetine. Young adults (18-30 years old) with ADHD were randomized to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with atomoxetine (n = 220) or placebo (n = 225). The primary efficacy measure of ADHD symptom change was Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS): Investigator-Rated: Screening Version Total ADHD Symptoms score with adult prompts. Secondary outcomes scales included the Adult ADHD Quality of Life-29, Clinical Global Impression-ADHD-Severity, Patient Global Impression-Improvement, CAARS Self-Report, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Self-Report, and assessments of depression, anxiety, sleepiness, driving behaviors, social adaptation, and substance use. Atomoxetine was superior to placebo on CAARS: Investigator-Rated: Screening Version (atomoxetine [least-squares mean ± SE, -13.6 ± 0.8] vs placebo [-9.3 ± 0.8], 95% confidence interval [-6.35 to -2.37], P < 0.001), Clinical Global Impression-ADHD-Severity (atomoxetine [-1.1 ± 0.1] vs placebo [-0.7 ± 0.1], 95% confidence interval [-0.63 to -0.24], P < 0.001), and CAARS Self-Report (atomoxetine [-11.9 ± 0.8] vs placebo [-7.8 ± 0.7], 95% confidence interval [-5.94 to -2.15], P < 0.001) but not on Patient Global Impression-Improvement. In addition, atomoxetine was superior to placebo on Adult ADHD Quality of Life-29 and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Self-Report. Additional assessments failed to detect significant differences (P ≥ 0.05) between atomoxetine and placebo. The adverse event profile was similar to that observed in other atomoxetine studies. Nausea, decreased appetite, insomnia, dry mouth, irritability, dizziness, and dyspepsia were reported significantly more often with atomoxetine than with placebo. Atomoxetine reduced

Do first impressions count? Frailty judged by initial clinical impression predicts medium-term mortality in vascular surgical patients.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, B R; Batterham, A M; Hollingsworth, A C; Durrand, J W; Danjoux, G R

2016-06-01

Recognising frailty during pre-operative assessment is important. Frail patients experience higher mortality rates and are less likely to return to baseline functional status following the physiological insult of surgery. We evaluated the association between an initial clinical impression of frailty and all-cause mortality in 392 patients attending our vascular pre-operative assessment clinic. Prevalence of frailty assessed by the initial clinical impression was 30.6% (95% CI 26.0-35.2%). There were 133 deaths in 392 patients over a median follow-up period of 4 years. Using Cox regression, adjusted for age, sex, revised cardiac risk index and surgery (yes/no), the hazard ratio for mortality for frail vs. not-frail was 2.14 (95% CI 1.51-3.05). The time to 20% mortality was 16 months in the frail group and 33 months in the not-frail group. The initial clinical impression is a useful screening tool to identify frail patients in pre-operative assessment. © 2016 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Impression management within the Zulu culture: Exploring tactics in the work context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debrah Mtshelwane

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Impression management tactics are utilised differently by people depending on the situation and the others around them. Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the impression management tactics Zulu people display when they want to impress people in a work context. Motivation for this study: Organisations are competing for talented employees and people who contribute to the return on investment for the organisation. Individuals display impression tactics to influence the perceptions of others in the workplace, especially pertaining to performance appraisals and promotional opportunities. Research approach, design and method: The social constructivism paradigm was employed in conducting this study, following a phenomenological approach. The research sample consisted of 30 Zulu-speaking individuals from various organisations who were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The researcher used thematic analysis to analyse the data. Main findings: The main findings in this study included impression management tactics that are used by Zulu people when attempting to impress people in the work context. The findings were divided into different categories (colleagues and supervisor. Conscientiousness,interpersonal amiability, openness and relational action are the themes that were reported as the most common impression management features people display at their workplace with colleagues. Themes that were reported when impressing a supervisor include conscientiousness,integrity, relational action and skilfulness. Practical/managerial implications: This study provides organisations with knowledge on the impression management tactics utilised by isiZulu employees. The nature of this information enables management to not misinterpret the use of certain tactics and will lead to more understanding and resilience by organisations and colleagues when working with isiZulu individuals. Contribution/value-add: This study

Lithium monotherapy associated clinical improvement effects on amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortex resting state connectivity in bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Altinay, Murat; Karne, Harish; Anand, Amit

2018-01-01

This study, for the first time, investigated lithium monotherapy associated effects on amygdala- ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) resting-state functional connectivity and correlation with clinical improvement in bipolar disorder (BP) METHODS: Thirty-six medication-free subjects - 24 BP (12 hypomanic BPM) and 12 depressed (BPD)) and 12 closely matched healthy controls (HC), were included. BP subjects were treated with lithium and scanned at baseline, after 2 weeks and 8 weeks. HC were scanned at same time points but were not treated. The effect of lithium was studied for the BP group as a whole using two way (group, time) ANOVA while regressing out effects of state. Next, correlation between changes in amygdala-vMPFC resting-state connectivity and clinical global impression (CGI) of severity and improvement scale scores for overall BP illness was calculated. An exploratory analysis was also conducted for the BPD and BPM subgroups separately. Group by time interaction revealed that lithium monotherapy in patients was associated with increase in amygdala-medial OFC connectivity after 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.05 (cluster-wise corrected)) compared to repeat testing in healthy controls. Increased amygdala-vMPFC connectivity correlated with clinical improvement at week 2 and week 8 as measured with the CGI-I scale. The results pertain to open-label treatment and do not account for non-treatment related improvement effects. Only functional connectivity was measured which does not give information regarding one regions effect on the other. Lithium monotherapy in BP is associated with modulation of amygdala-vMPFC connectivity which correlates with state-independent global clinical improvement. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dimensional Stability of Two Polyvinyl Siloxane Impression Materials in Different Time Intervals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aalaei Sh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Statement of the Problem: Dental prosthesis is usually made indirectly; there- fore dimensional stability of the impression material is very important. Every few years, new impression materials with different manufacturers’ claims regarding their better properties are introduced to the dental markets which require more research to evaluate their true dimensional changes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate dimensional stability of additional silicone impression material (Panasil® and Affinis® in different time intervals. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, using two additional silicones (Panasil® and Affinis®, we made sixty impressions of standard die in similar conditions of 23 °C and 59% relative humidity by a special tray. The die included three horizontal and two vertical lines that were parallel. The vertical line crossed the horizontal ones at a point that served as reference for measurement. All impressions were poured with high strength dental stone. The dimensions were measured by stereo-microscope by two examiners in three interval storage times (1, 24 and 168 hours.The data were statistically analyzed using t-test and ANOVA. Results: All of the stone casts were larger than the standard die. Dimensional changes of Panasil and Affinis were 0.07%, 0.24%, 0.27% and 0.02%, 0.07%, 0.16% after 1, 24 and 168 hours, respectively. Dimensional change for two impression materials wasn’t significant in the interval time, expect for Panasil after one week (p = 0.004. Conclusions: According to the limitations of this study, Affinis impressions were dimensionally more stable than Panasil ones, but it was not significant. Dimensional change of Panasil impression showed a statistically significant difference after one week. Dimensional changes of both impression materials were based on ADA standard limitation in all time intervals (< 0.5%; therefore, dimensional stability of this impression was accepted at least

Improving weapons fallout time series on a global basis using precipitation data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palsson, S.E.; Howard, B.J.; Aoyama, M.

2004-01-01

The fallout from the atmospheric weapons tests in the late fifties and early sixties forms the main source of man made radionuclides in the terrestrial environment. It is important to be able to distinguish global fallout from other sources of man-made radioactivity, and therefore to have good methods of quantifying the level of global fallout in areas where it has not previously been measured. Because global fallout was deposited over many years, model validation can require knowledge about deposition time series which are not available through direct measurements. This can be especially important for sparsely populated areas with vulnerable ecosystems, where high transfer of radionuclides, particularly radiocaesium, may occur. The UNSCEAR reports describe the global data and show how the deposition was dependent on latitude. Others have successfully used a model assuming a proportional relationship between deposition and precipitation (e.g. on a regional scale within the AMAP project and on a local scale in some countries, such as Iceland and Sweden). This paper describes a study where different data sets were combined to test, at a local scale to a global scale, how well the proportional relationship between precipitation and deposition holds and to what degree other effects (e.g. dependence on latitude as in the UNSCEAR model) need to be taken into account. It makes use of the Integrated Global Fallout Database of the Meteorological Research Institute of Japan which has been used previously to demonstrate the relationship between precipitation and deposition and subsequently to make an estimate of the total fallout amount of 137 Cs in the mid latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The study described in this paper provides a fuller description of global deposition than the latitude or precipitation based studies alone. Applied in a simple model as presented here, this enable better deposition estimation (including time dependency), especially if precipitation

From global circulation to flood loss: Coupling models across the scales

Science.gov (United States)

Felder, Guido; Gomez-Navarro, Juan Jose; Bozhinova, Denica; Zischg, Andreas; Raible, Christoph C.; Ole, Roessler; Martius, Olivia; Weingartner, Rolf

2017-04-01

The prediction and the prevention of flood losses requires an extensive understanding of underlying meteorological, hydrological, hydraulic and damage processes. Coupled models help to improve the understanding of such underlying processes and therefore contribute the understanding of flood risk. Using such a modelling approach to determine potentially flood-affected areas and damages requires a complex coupling between several models operating at different spatial and temporal scales. Although the isolated parts of the single modelling components are well established and commonly used in the literature, a full coupling including a mesoscale meteorological model driven by a global circulation one, a hydrologic model, a hydrodynamic model and a flood impact and loss model has not been reported so far. In the present study, we tackle the application of such a coupled model chain in terms of computational resources, scale effects, and model performance. From a technical point of view, results show the general applicability of such a coupled model, as well as good model performance. From a practical point of view, such an approach enables the prediction of flood-induced damages, although some future challenges have been identified.

Accuracy of the One-Stage and Two-Stage Impression Techniques: A Comparative Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamshidy, Ladan; Mozaffari, Hamid Reza; Faraji, Payam; Sharifi, Roohollah

2016-01-01

Introduction . One of the main steps of impression is the selection and preparation of an appropriate tray. Hence, the present study aimed to analyze and compare the accuracy of one- and two-stage impression techniques. Materials and Methods . A resin laboratory-made model, as the first molar, was prepared by standard method for full crowns with processed preparation finish line of 1 mm depth and convergence angle of 3-4°. Impression was made 20 times with one-stage technique and 20 times with two-stage technique using an appropriate tray. To measure the marginal gap, the distance between the restoration margin and preparation finish line of plaster dies was vertically determined in mid mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual (MDBL) regions by a stereomicroscope using a standard method. Results . The results of independent test showed that the mean value of the marginal gap obtained by one-stage impression technique was higher than that of two-stage impression technique. Further, there was no significant difference between one- and two-stage impression techniques in mid buccal region, but a significant difference was reported between the two impression techniques in MDL regions and in general. Conclusion . The findings of the present study indicated higher accuracy for two-stage impression technique than for the one-stage impression technique.

A metric study of insole foot impressions in footwear of identical twins.

Science.gov (United States)

Nirenberg, Michael S; Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj

2017-11-01

Foot impressions are of utmost importance in crime scene investigations. Foot impressions are available in the form of barefoot prints, sock-clad footprints, and as impressions within footwear. Sometimes suspects leave their footwear at the crime scene, and the insole of this footwear may contain the foot impression of the suspect which may be important evidence linking him or her to the crime. The task of identification based on the analysis of footprints can be challenging when the footprints belonging to one of the identical twin is available for examination. The present study is based on the quantitative measures of the foot impressions in the footwear of adult identical twins. The study was conducted on four sets of female monozygotic twins from the United States of America. A total of 17 length and breadth measurements were taken on each foot impression. A combination of Reel Method and Extended Gunn Method was utilized to produce the measurements. The measurements of the foot impressions were compared among the twins on the right and the left side. Differences were found in the various footprint measurements among the twins. The study's sample size was not large enough to apply robust statistical tests, but the study is significant in that it presents the first detailed comparative analysis of a large number of measurements of insole foot impressions of adult twins. The observations derived from the study are likely to assist forensic investigations in cases involving the foot impressions of the twins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Precision of guided scanning procedures for full-arch digital impressions in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Moritz; Koller, Christina; Rumetsch, Moritz; Ender, Andreas; Mehl, Albert

2017-11-01

System-specific scanning strategies have been shown to influence the accuracy of full-arch digital impressions. Special guided scanning procedures have been implemented for specific intraoral scanning systems with special regard to the digital orthodontic workflow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the precision of guided scanning procedures compared to conventional impression techniques in vivo. Two intraoral scanning systems with implemented full-arch guided scanning procedures (Cerec Omnicam Ortho; Ormco Lythos) were included along with one conventional impression technique with irreversible hydrocolloid material (alginate). Full-arch impressions were taken three times each from 5 participants (n = 15). Impressions were then compared within the test groups using a point-to-surface distance method after best-fit model matching (OraCheck). Precision was calculated using the (90-10%)/2 quantile and statistical analysis with one-way repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni test was performed. The conventional impression technique with alginate showed the lowest precision for full-arch impressions with 162.2 ± 71.3 µm. Both guided scanning procedures performed statistically significantly better than the conventional impression technique (p Cerec Omnicam Ortho were 74.5 ± 39.2 µm and for group Ormco Lythos 91.4 ± 48.8 µm. The in vivo precision of guided scanning procedures exceeds conventional impression techniques with the irreversible hydrocolloid material alginate. Guided scanning procedures may be highly promising for clinical applications, especially for digital orthodontic workflows.

The Scaling LInear Macroweather model (SLIM): using scaling to forecast global scale macroweather from months to decades

Science.gov (United States)

Lovejoy, S.; del Rio Amador, L.; Hébert, R.

2015-03-01

At scales of ≈ 10 days (the lifetime of planetary scale structures), there is a drastic transition from high frequency weather to low frequency macroweather. This scale is close to the predictability limits of deterministic atmospheric models; so that in GCM macroweather forecasts, the weather is a high frequency noise. But neither the GCM noise nor the GCM climate is fully realistic. In this paper we show how simple stochastic models can be developped that use empirical data to force the statistics and climate to be realistic so that even a two parameter model can outperform GCM's for annual global temperature forecasts. The key is to exploit the scaling of the dynamics and the enormous stochastic memories that it implies. Since macroweather intermittency is low, we propose using the simplest model based on fractional Gaussian noise (fGn): the Scaling LInear Macroweather model (SLIM). SLIM is based on a stochastic ordinary differential equations, differing from usual linear stochastic models (such as the Linear Inverse Modelling, LIM) in that it is of fractional rather than integer order. Whereas LIM implicitly assumes there is no low frequency memory, SLIM has a huge memory that can be exploited. Although the basic mathematical forecast problem for fGn has been solved, we approach the problem in an original manner notably using the method of innovations to obtain simpler results on forecast skill and on the size of the effective system memory. A key to successful forecasts of natural macroweather variability is to first remove the low frequency anthropogenic component. A previous attempt to use fGn for forecasts had poor results because this was not done. We validate our theory using hindcasts of global and Northern Hemisphere temperatures at monthly and annual resolutions. Several nondimensional measures of forecast skill - with no adjustable parameters - show excellent agreement with hindcasts and these show some skill even at decadal scales. We also compare

Impression Procedures for Metal Frame Removable Partial Dentures as Applied by General Dental Practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Fokkinga, Wietske A; van Uchelen, Judith; Witter, Dick J; Mulder, Jan; Creugers, Nico H J

2016-01-01

This pilot study analyzed impression procedures for conventional metal frame removable partial dentures (RPDs). Heads of RPD departments of three dental laboratories were asked to record features of all incoming impressions for RPDs during a 2-month period. Records included: (1) impression procedure, tray type (stock/custom), impression material (elastomer/alginate), use of border-molding material (yes/no); and (2) RPD type requested (distal-extension/tooth-bounded/combination). Of the 132 total RPD impressions, 111 (84%) involved custom trays, of which 73 (55%) were combined with an elastomer. Impression border-molding material was used in 4% of the cases. Associations between impression procedure and RPD type or dentists' year/university of graduation were not found.

GloFAS-Seasonal: Operational Seasonal Ensemble River Flow Forecasts at the Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Emerton, Rebecca; Zsoter, Ervin; Smith, Paul; Salamon, Peter

2017-04-01

Seasonal hydrological forecasting has potential benefits for many sectors, including agriculture, water resources management and humanitarian aid. At present, no global scale seasonal hydrological forecasting system exists operationally; although smaller scale systems have begun to emerge around the globe over the past decade, a system providing consistent global scale seasonal forecasts would be of great benefit in regions where no other forecasting system exists, and to organisations operating at the global scale, such as disaster relief. We present here a new operational global ensemble seasonal hydrological forecast, currently under development at ECMWF as part of the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS). The proposed system, which builds upon the current version of GloFAS, takes the long-range forecasts from the ECMWF System4 ensemble seasonal forecast system (which incorporates the HTESSEL land surface scheme) and uses this runoff as input to the Lisflood routing model, producing a seasonal river flow forecast out to 4 months lead time, for the global river network. The seasonal forecasts will be evaluated using the global river discharge reanalysis, and observations where available, to determine the potential value of the forecasts across the globe. The seasonal forecasts will be presented as a new layer in the GloFAS interface, which will provide a global map of river catchments, indicating whether the catchment-averaged discharge forecast is showing abnormally high or low flows during the 4-month lead time. Each catchment will display the corresponding forecast as an ensemble hydrograph of the weekly-averaged discharge forecast out to 4 months, with percentile thresholds shown for comparison with the discharge climatology. The forecast visualisation is based on a combination of the current medium-range GloFAS forecasts and the operational EFAS (European Flood Awareness System) seasonal outlook, and aims to effectively communicate the nature of a seasonal

Functional Impressions in Complete Denture and Overdenture Treatment

OpenAIRE

Hrvoje Kršek; Nikša Dulčić

2015-01-01

Tooth loss can cause loss of occlusal, masticatory, esthetic, physiognomic, phonetic and psychosocial function of patients. The most frequently used treatment method of completely edentulous patients and patients with a small number of remaining teeth are complete dentures or overdentures. One of the most important clinical and laboratory procedures in their fabrication is functional impression taking. The aim of this paper was to present procedures of taking functional impressions in fab...

The (in)effectiveness of Global Land Policies on Large-Scale Land Acquisition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoog, S.M.

2014-01-01

Due to current crises, large-scale land acquisition (LSLA) is becoming a topic of growing concern. Public data from the ‘Land Matrix Global Observatory’ project (Land Matrix 2014a) demonstrates that since 2000, 1,664 large-scale land transactions in low- and middle-income countries were reported,

Group cognitive behavioral therapy to improve the quality of care to opioid-treated patients with chronic noncancer pain: a practice improvement project.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitten, Stacey K; Stanik-Hutt, Julie

2013-07-01

To enhance outcomes of patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) treated with opioids in a primary care setting by implementing an evidence-based quality improvement project. The project consisted of the implementation of a 6-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program. Twenty-two patients with CNCP completed the program. Impact of the project was evaluated by comparing pre- and postintervention participant self-reports of mood on the Beck Depression Inventory and functional status on the Brief Pain Inventory and Short Form-36. Patient perception of treatment benefit was also measured using the Patient Global Impression of Change. Qualitative provider perceptions of the program were also collected. Paired t-test statistics were used to analyze the data. Mood (including negative attitude, performance difficulty, and physical complaints), and patient impression of treatment benefit improved significantly after CBT was added. Primary care providers reported that the CBT supported their overall management of these complex patients. The addition of a CBT program improved selected outcomes in this self-selected sample of patients with CNCP treated with opioids. ©2012 The Author(s) ©2012 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Randomized controlled within-subject evaluation of digital and conventional workflows for the fabrication of lithium disilicate single crowns. Part I: digital versus conventional unilateral impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Benic, Goran I; Mühlemann, Sven; Fehmer, Vincent; Hämmerle, Christoph H F; Sailer, Irena

2016-11-01

Trials comparing the overall performance of fully digital and conventional workflows in reconstructive dentistry are needed. The purpose of the first part of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to determine whether optical impressions produce different results from conventional impressions with respect to time efficiency and patient and operator perceptions of the clinical workflow. Three digital impressions and 1 conventional impression were made in each of 10 participants according to a randomly generated sequence. The digital systems were Lava COS, iTero, and Cerec Bluecam. The conventional impression was made with the closed-mouth technique and polyvinyl siloxane material. The time needed for powdering, impressions, and interocclusal record was recorded. Patient and clinician perceptions of the procedures were rated by means of visual analog scales. The paired t test with Bonferroni correction was applied to detect differences (α=.05/6=.0083). The mean total working time ±standard deviation amounted to 260 ±66 seconds for the conventional impression, 493 ±193 seconds for Lava, 372 ±126 seconds for iTero, and 357 ±55 seconds for Cerec. The total working time for the conventional impression was significantly lower than that for Lava and Cerec. With regard to the working time without powdering, the differences between the methods were not statistically significant. The patient rating (very uncomfortable=0; comfortable=100) measured 61 ±34 for conventional impression, 71 ±18 for Lava, 66 ±20 for iTero, and 48 ±18 for Cerec. The differences were not statistically significant. The clinician rating (simple=0; very difficult=100) was 13 ±13 for the conventional impression, 54 ±27 for Lava, 22 ±11 for iTero, and 36 ±23 for Cerec. The differences between the conventional impression and Lava and between iTero and Lava were statistically significant. The conventional impression was more time-effective than the digital impressions. In terms of

Optimization Model for Mitigating Global Warming at the Farm Scale: An Application to Japanese Rice Farms

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Kiyotaka Masuda

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In Japan, greenhouse gas emissions from rice production, especially CH4 emissions in rice paddy fields, are the primary contributors to global warming from agriculture. When prolonged midseason drainage for mitigating CH4 emissions from rice paddy fields is practiced with environmentally friendly rice production based on reduced use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, Japanese rice farmers can receive an agri-environmental direct payment. This paper examines the economic and environmental effects of the agri-environmental direct payment on the adoption of a measure to mitigate global warming in Japanese rice farms using a combined application of linear programming and life cycle assessment at the farm scale. Eco-efficiency, which is defined as net farm income divided by global warming potential, is used as an integrated indicator for assessing the economic and environmental feasibilities. The results show that under the current direct payment level, the prolonged midseason drainage technique does not improve the eco-efficiency of Japanese rice farms because the practice of this technique in environmentally friendly rice production causes large economic disadvantages in exchange for small environmental advantages. The direct payment rates for agri-environmental measures should be determined based on the condition that environmentally friendly agricultural practices improve eco-efficiency compared with conventional agriculture.

Evaluation of oral scanning in comparison to impression using three-dimensional registration

Science.gov (United States)

Brogle-Kim, Yur-Chung; Deyhle, Hans; Müller, Bert; Schulz, Georg; Bormann, Therese; Beckmann, Felix; Jäger, Kurt

2012-10-01

Crown and bridge restorations are one of the main treatment methods in fixed prosthodontics. The fabrication requires data on the patient's denture shape. This information is generally obtained as a hard copy from an impression mold. Alternatively, one can acquire the data electronically using oral optical three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques, which determine the surface of the denture. The aim of the study was to quantitatively compare the accuracy of three dimensional scanning with that of conventional impressions and give a statement how far the scanner provides a clinical alternative with equal or better precision. Data from 10 teeth were acquired in the dental office with a polyether impression material and an oral scanner. Data from the impressions were digitalized by means of micro computed tomography. The data were then 3D registered to identify the potential differences between impression and optical scan. We could demonstrate that the oral scanner's data and the conventional impressions are comparable.

Interpretation of appearance: the effect of facial features on first impressions and personality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wolffhechel, Karin Marie Brandt; Fagertun, Jens; Jacobsen, Ulrik Plesner

2014-01-01

Appearance is known to influence social interactions, which in turn could potentially influence personality development. In this study we focus on discovering the relationship between self-reported personality traits, first impressions and facial characteristics. The results reveal that several...... personality traits can be read above chance from a face, and that facial features influence first impressions. Despite the former, our prediction model fails to reliably infer personality traits from either facial features or first impressions. First impressions, however, could be inferred more reliably from...... facial features. We have generated artificial, extreme faces visualising the characteristics having an effect on first impressions for several traits. Conclusively, we find a relationship between first impressions, some personality traits and facial features and consolidate that people on average assess...

A high resolution global scale groundwater model

Science.gov (United States)

de Graaf, Inge; Sutanudjaja, Edwin; van Beek, Rens; Bierkens, Marc

2014-05-01

As the world's largest accessible source of freshwater, groundwater plays a vital role in satisfying the basic needs of human society. It serves as a primary source of drinking water and supplies water for agricultural and industrial activities. During times of drought, groundwater storage provides a large natural buffer against water shortage and sustains flows to rivers and wetlands, supporting ecosystem habitats and biodiversity. Yet, the current generation of global scale hydrological models (GHMs) do not include a groundwater flow component, although it is a crucial part of the hydrological cycle. Thus, a realistic physical representation of the groundwater system that allows for the simulation of groundwater head dynamics and lateral flows is essential for GHMs that increasingly run at finer resolution. In this study we present a global groundwater model with a resolution of 5 arc-minutes (approximately 10 km at the equator) using MODFLOW (McDonald and Harbaugh, 1988). With this global groundwater model we eventually intend to simulate the changes in the groundwater system over time that result from variations in recharge and abstraction. Aquifer schematization and properties of this groundwater model were developed from available global lithological maps and datasets (Dürr et al., 2005; Gleeson et al., 2010; Hartmann and Moosdorf, 2013), combined with our estimate of aquifer thickness for sedimentary basins. We forced the groundwater model with the output from the global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB (van Beek et al., 2011), specifically the net groundwater recharge and average surface water levels derived from routed channel discharge. For the parameterization, we relied entirely on available global datasets and did not calibrate the model so that it can equally be expanded to data poor environments. Based on our sensitivity analysis, in which we run the model with various hydrogeological parameter settings, we observed that most variance in groundwater

Should Global Items on Student Rating Scales Be Used for Summative Decisions?

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, Ronald A.

2013-01-01

One of the simplest indicators of teaching or course effectiveness is student ratings on one or more global items from the entire rating scale. That approach seems intuitively sound and easy to use. Global items have even been recommended by a few researchers to get a quick-read, at-a-glance summary for summative decisions about faculty. The…

Collection of Wet-Origin Footwear Impressions on Various Surfaces Using an Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Sungwook; Park, Miseon

2018-01-19

Electrostatic dust print lift method is known to be able to recover only dry-origin footwear impression. However, the wet-origin footwear impression could also be recovered using this method. As the amount of dust accumulated before deposition of the wet-origin footwear impression increased, the intensity of the footwear impression lifted with this method became stronger. If the footwear impression is not affected by moisture after it is made, the 28-h old wet-origin footwear impression could be recovered using this method. The intensity of the lifted footwear impression did not decrease significantly even when the number of sequential steps increased as long as the shoe sole is wet. However, when the moisture on the shoe sole depleted, the intensity of the footwear impression decreased sharply. This method has the advantage of being able to enhance the footwear impression without being affected by the footwear impressions deposited in the past. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Evaluation of Neuropsychiatric Function in Phenylketonuria: Psychometric Properties of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Inattention Subscale in Phenylketonuria.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyrwich, Kathleen W; Auguste, Priscilla; Yu, Ren; Zhang, Charlie; Dewees, Benjamin; Winslow, Barbara; Yu, Shui; Merilainen, Markus; Prasad, Suyash

2015-06-01

Previous qualitative research among adults and parents of children with phenylketonuria (PKU) has identified inattention as an important psychiatric aspect of this condition. The parent-reported ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD RS-IV) and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) have been validated for measuring inattention symptoms in persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, their psychometric attributes for measuring PKU-related inattention have not been established. The primary objective of this investigation was to demonstrate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the ADHD RS-IV and ASRS inattention symptoms subscales in a randomized controlled trial of patients with PKU aged 8 years or older. A post hoc analysis investigated the psychometric properties (Rasch model fit, reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness) of the ADHD RS-IV and ASRS inattention subscales using data from a phase 3b, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in those with PKU aged 8 years or older. The Rasch results revealed good model fit, and reliability analyses revealed strong internal consistency reliability (α ≥ 0.87) and reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.87) for both measures. Both inattention measures demonstrated the ability to discriminate between known groups (P < 0.001) created by the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale. Correlations between the ADHD RS-IV and the ASRS with the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale and the age-appropriate Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Working Memory subscale were consistently moderate to strong (r ≥ 0.56). Similarly, results of the change score correlations were of moderate magnitude (r ≥ 0.43) for both measures when compared with changes over time in Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Working Memory subscales. These findings of reliability, validity, and responsiveness of both the ADHD RS-IV and the ASRS inattention scales

Current and future levels of mercury atmospheric pollution on a global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Pacyna, Jozef M.; Travnikov, Oleg; De Simone, Francesco; Hedgecock, Ian M.; Sundseth, Kyrre; Pacyna, Elisabeth G.; Steenhuisen, Frits; Pirrone, Nicola; Munthe, John; Kindbom, Karin

2016-10-01

An assessment of current and future emissions, air concentrations, and atmospheric deposition of mercury worldwide is presented on the basis of results obtained during the performance of the EU GMOS (Global Mercury Observation System) project. Emission estimates for mercury were prepared with the main goal of applying them in models to assess current (2013) and future (2035) air concentrations and atmospheric deposition of this contaminant. The combustion of fossil fuels (mainly coal) for energy and heat production in power plants and in industrial and residential boilers, as well as artisanal and small-scale gold mining, is one of the major anthropogenic sources of Hg emissions to the atmosphere at present. These sources account for about 37 and 25 % of the total anthropogenic Hg emissions globally, estimated to be about 2000 t. Emissions in Asian countries, particularly in China and India, dominate the total emissions of Hg. The current estimates of mercury emissions from natural processes (primary mercury emissions and re-emissions), including mercury depletion events, were estimated to be 5207 t year-1, which represents nearly 70 % of the global mercury emission budget. Oceans are the most important sources (36 %), followed by biomass burning (9 %). A comparison of the 2035 anthropogenic emissions estimated for three different scenarios with current anthropogenic emissions indicates a reduction of these emissions in 2035 up to 85 % for the best-case scenario. Two global chemical transport models (GLEMOS and ECHMERIT) have been used for the evaluation of future mercury pollution levels considering future emission scenarios. Projections of future changes in mercury deposition on a global scale simulated by these models for three anthropogenic emissions scenarios of 2035 indicate a decrease in up to 50 % deposition in the Northern Hemisphere and up to 35 % in Southern Hemisphere for the best-case scenario. The EU GMOS project has proved to be a very important

Current and future levels of mercury atmospheric pollution on a global scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. M. Pacyna

2016-10-01

Full Text Available An assessment of current and future emissions, air concentrations, and atmospheric deposition of mercury worldwide is presented on the basis of results obtained during the performance of the EU GMOS (Global Mercury Observation System project. Emission estimates for mercury were prepared with the main goal of applying them in models to assess current (2013 and future (2035 air concentrations and atmospheric deposition of this contaminant. The combustion of fossil fuels (mainly coal for energy and heat production in power plants and in industrial and residential boilers, as well as artisanal and small-scale gold mining, is one of the major anthropogenic sources of Hg emissions to the atmosphere at present. These sources account for about 37 and 25 % of the total anthropogenic Hg emissions globally, estimated to be about 2000 t. Emissions in Asian countries, particularly in China and India, dominate the total emissions of Hg. The current estimates of mercury emissions from natural processes (primary mercury emissions and re-emissions, including mercury depletion events, were estimated to be 5207 t year−1, which represents nearly 70 % of the global mercury emission budget. Oceans are the most important sources (36 %, followed by biomass burning (9 %. A comparison of the 2035 anthropogenic emissions estimated for three different scenarios with current anthropogenic emissions indicates a reduction of these emissions in 2035 up to 85 % for the best-case scenario. Two global chemical transport models (GLEMOS and ECHMERIT have been used for the evaluation of future mercury pollution levels considering future emission scenarios. Projections of future changes in mercury deposition on a global scale simulated by these models for three anthropogenic emissions scenarios of 2035 indicate a decrease in up to 50 % deposition in the Northern Hemisphere and up to 35 % in Southern Hemisphere for the best-case scenario. The EU GMOS project has

Global Stability of Complex-Valued Genetic Regulatory Networks with Delays on Time Scales

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Wang Yajing

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the global exponential stability of complex-valued genetic regulatory networks with delays is investigated. Besides presenting conditions guaranteeing the existence of a unique equilibrium pattern, its global exponential stability is discussed. Some numerical examples for different time scales.

Accuracy of the One-Stage and Two-Stage Impression Techniques: A Comparative Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ladan Jamshidy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. One of the main steps of impression is the selection and preparation of an appropriate tray. Hence, the present study aimed to analyze and compare the accuracy of one- and two-stage impression techniques. Materials and Methods. A resin laboratory-made model, as the first molar, was prepared by standard method for full crowns with processed preparation finish line of 1 mm depth and convergence angle of 3-4°. Impression was made 20 times with one-stage technique and 20 times with two-stage technique using an appropriate tray. To measure the marginal gap, the distance between the restoration margin and preparation finish line of plaster dies was vertically determined in mid mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual (MDBL regions by a stereomicroscope using a standard method. Results. The results of independent test showed that the mean value of the marginal gap obtained by one-stage impression technique was higher than that of two-stage impression technique. Further, there was no significant difference between one- and two-stage impression techniques in mid buccal region, but a significant difference was reported between the two impression techniques in MDL regions and in general. Conclusion. The findings of the present study indicated higher accuracy for two-stage impression technique than for the one-stage impression technique.

Irrational Delay Revisited: Examining Five Procrastination Scales in a Global Sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Svartdal, Frode; Steel, Piers

2017-01-01

Scales attempting to measure procrastination focus on different facets of the phenomenon, yet they share a common understanding of procrastination as an unnecessary, unwanted, and disadvantageous delay. The present paper examines in a global sample ( N = 4,169) five different procrastination scales - Decisional Procrastination Scale (DPS), Irrational Procrastination Scale (IPS), Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS), Adult Inventory of Procrastination Scale (AIP), and General Procrastination Scale (GPS), focusing on factor structures and item functioning using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Item Response Theory. The results indicated that The PPS (12 items selected from DPS, AIP, and GPS) measures different facets of procrastination even better than the three scales it is based on. An even shorter version of the PPS (5 items focusing on irrational delay), corresponds well to the nine-item IPS. Both scales demonstrate good psychometric properties and appear to be superior measures of core procrastination attributes than alternative procrastination scales.

Assessing flood risk at the global scale: model setup, results, and sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, Philip J; Jongman, Brenden; Weiland, Frederiek Sperna; Winsemius, Hessel C; Bouwman, Arno; Ligtvoet, Willem; Van Beek, Rens; Bierkens, Marc F P

2013-01-01

Globally, economic losses from flooding exceeded $19 billion in 2012, and are rising rapidly. Hence, there is an increasing need for global-scale flood risk assessments, also within the context of integrated global assessments. We have developed and validated a model cascade for producing global flood risk maps, based on numerous flood return-periods. Validation results indicate that the model simulates interannual fluctuations in flood impacts well. The cascade involves: hydrological and hydraulic modelling; extreme value statistics; inundation modelling; flood impact modelling; and estimating annual expected impacts. The initial results estimate global impacts for several indicators, for example annual expected exposed population (169 million); and annual expected exposed GDP ($1383 billion). These results are relatively insensitive to the extreme value distribution employed to estimate low frequency flood volumes. However, they are extremely sensitive to the assumed flood protection standard; developing a database of such standards should be a research priority. Also, results are sensitive to the use of two different climate forcing datasets. The impact model can easily accommodate new, user-defined, impact indicators. We envisage several applications, for example: identifying risk hotspots; calculating macro-scale risk for the insurance industry and large companies; and assessing potential benefits (and costs) of adaptation measures. (letter)

In vivo evaluation of inter-operator reproducibility of digital dental and conventional impression techniques.

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Emi Kamimura

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the inter-operator reproducibility of three-dimensional (3D images of teeth captured by a digital impression technique to a conventional impression technique in vivo.Twelve participants with complete natural dentition were included in this study. A digital impression of the mandibular molars of these participants was made by two operators with different levels of clinical experience, 3 or 16 years, using an intra-oral scanner (Lava COS, 3M ESPE. A silicone impression also was made by the same operators using the double mix impression technique (Imprint3, 3M ESPE. Stereolithography (STL data were directly exported from the Lava COS system, while STL data of a plaster model made from silicone impression were captured by a three-dimensional (3D laboratory scanner (D810, 3shape. The STL datasets recorded by two different operators were compared using 3D evaluation software and superimposed using the best-fit-algorithm method (least-squares method, PolyWorks, InnovMetric Software for each impression technique. Inter-operator reproducibility as evaluated by average discrepancies of corresponding 3D data was compared between the two techniques (Wilcoxon signed-rank test.The visual inspection of superimposed datasets revealed that discrepancies between repeated digital impression were smaller than observed with silicone impression. Confirmation was forthcoming from statistical analysis revealing significantly smaller average inter-operator reproducibility using a digital impression technique (0.014± 0.02 mm than when using a conventional impression technique (0.023 ± 0.01 mm.The results of this in vivo study suggest that inter-operator reproducibility with a digital impression technique may be better than that of a conventional impression technique and is independent of the clinical experience of the operator.

In vivo evaluation of inter-operator reproducibility of digital dental and conventional impression techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Kamimura, Emi; Tanaka, Shinpei; Takaba, Masayuki; Tachi, Keita; Baba, Kazuyoshi

2017-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the inter-operator reproducibility of three-dimensional (3D) images of teeth captured by a digital impression technique to a conventional impression technique in vivo. Materials and methods Twelve participants with complete natural dentition were included in this study. A digital impression of the mandibular molars of these participants was made by two operators with different levels of clinical experience, 3 or 16 years, using an intra-oral scanner (Lava COS, 3M ESPE). A silicone impression also was made by the same operators using the double mix impression technique (Imprint3, 3M ESPE). Stereolithography (STL) data were directly exported from the Lava COS system, while STL data of a plaster model made from silicone impression were captured by a three-dimensional (3D) laboratory scanner (D810, 3shape). The STL datasets recorded by two different operators were compared using 3D evaluation software and superimposed using the best-fit-algorithm method (least-squares method, PolyWorks, InnovMetric Software) for each impression technique. Inter-operator reproducibility as evaluated by average discrepancies of corresponding 3D data was compared between the two techniques (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Results The visual inspection of superimposed datasets revealed that discrepancies between repeated digital impression were smaller than observed with silicone impression. Confirmation was forthcoming from statistical analysis revealing significantly smaller average inter-operator reproducibility using a digital impression technique (0.014± 0.02 mm) than when using a conventional impression technique (0.023 ± 0.01 mm). Conclusion The results of this in vivo study suggest that inter-operator reproducibility with a digital impression technique may be better than that of a conventional impression technique and is independent of the clinical experience of the operator. PMID:28636642

Developing the Perfect Pitch: Creating a Positive First Impression through Social Media

Science.gov (United States)

Edmiston, Dawn

2016-01-01

Too often we take for granted first impressions and how others perceive us, but such perceptions frequently form the basis for personal and professional success. Today, many first impressions are made online through search engine results and social networks. To ensure that students make a positive first impression, this teaching innovation…

NEWS Climatology Project: The State of the Water Cycle at Continental to Global Scales

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Rodell, Matthew; LEcuyer, Tristan; Beaudoing, Hiroko Kato; Olson, Bill

2011-01-01

NASA's Energy and Water Cycle Study (NEWS) program fosters collaborative research towards improved quantification and prediction of water and energy cycle consequences of climate change. In order to measure change, it is first necessary to describe current conditions. The goal of the NEWS Water and Energy Cycle Climatology project is to develop "state of the global water cycle" and "state of the global energy cycle" assessments based on data from modern ground and space based observing systems and data integrating models. The project is a multiinstitutional collaboration with more than 20 active contributors. This presentation will describe results of the first stage of the water budget analysis, whose goal was to characterize the current state of the water cycle on mean monthly, continental scales. We examine our success in closing the water budget within the expected uncertainty range and the effects of forcing budget closure as a method for refining individual flux estimates.

A Comparative Analysis of Master Casts Obtained using Different Surface Treatments on Impression Copings for Single Tooth Implant Replacement -An In vitro Study.

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Abrol, Surbhi; Nagpal, Archana; Kaur, Rupandeep; Verma, Ramit; Katna, Vishal; Gupt, Parikshit

2017-08-01

Minor rotation of impression coping secured in the impression is an avoidable error that needs to be minimized to ensure precise positioning of implant analog in master cast. The aim of the study was to compare the precision in obtaining master casts by improving the stability of impression copings in the impression with the use of tray adhesive along various surface treatments to increase surface area and by mechanical locking. A total of 60 samples were made (15 samples for each group). A total of 15 samples for Group I were prepared with untreated impression copings, 15 samples for Group II with impression copings treated and modified by application of tray adhesive only. Group III includes 15 samples which were fabricated with impression copings modified by making four vertical grooves on surface of impression coping and coated with adhesive. Group IV had 15 samples which were fabricated with impression copings sandblasted with 50 μm aluminum oxide powder and coated with adhesive. Profile projector was used to evaluate the rotational accuracy of the implant analogs by comparing Molar Implant Angle (MIA) and Premolar Implant Angle (PIA) of test samples with reference model. One-way ANOVA and Student t-test were used to analyze the data. One-way ANOVA didn't show any significant differences for both MIA and PIA between the Groups I, II, III and IV. Student's unpaired t-test revealed no significant difference in the mean MIA and mean PIA. Conclusion: Though results were statistically non-significant, all types of surface treatments of the impression copings showed more accurate transfer than those with no treatment. Sandblasted and adhesive coated impression copings showed minimum amount of rotation followed by those with vertical slots and adhesive coated impression copings.

Management of excessive movable tissue: a modified impression technique.

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Shum, Michael H C; Pow, Edmond H N

2014-08-01

Excessive movable tissue is a challenge in complete denture prosthetics. A modified impression technique is presented with polyvinyl siloxane impression material and a custom tray with relief areas and perforations in the area of the excessive movable tissue. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved scaling of temperature-accelerated dynamics using localization

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Shim, Yunsic; Amar, Jacques G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606 (United States)

2016-07-07

While temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD) is a powerful method for carrying out non-equilibrium simulations of systems over extended time scales, the computational cost of serial TAD increases approximately as N{sup 3} where N is the number of atoms. In addition, although a parallel TAD method based on domain decomposition [Y. Shim et al., Phys. Rev. B 76, 205439 (2007)] has been shown to provide significantly improved scaling, the dynamics in such an approach is only approximate while the size of activated events is limited by the spatial decomposition size. Accordingly, it is of interest to develop methods to improve the scaling of serial TAD. As a first step in understanding the factors which determine the scaling behavior, we first present results for the overall scaling of serial TAD and its components, which were obtained from simulations of Ag/Ag(100) growth and Ag/Ag(100) annealing, and compare with theoretical predictions. We then discuss two methods based on localization which may be used to address two of the primary “bottlenecks” to the scaling of serial TAD with system size. By implementing both of these methods, we find that for intermediate system-sizes, the scaling is improved by almost a factor of N{sup 1/2}. Some additional possible methods to improve the scaling of TAD are also discussed.

Improved scaling of temperature-accelerated dynamics using localization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shim, Yunsic; Amar, Jacques G.

2016-01-01

While temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD) is a powerful method for carrying out non-equilibrium simulations of systems over extended time scales, the computational cost of serial TAD increases approximately as N 3 where N is the number of atoms. In addition, although a parallel TAD method based on domain decomposition [Y. Shim et al., Phys. Rev. B 76, 205439 (2007)] has been shown to provide significantly improved scaling, the dynamics in such an approach is only approximate while the size of activated events is limited by the spatial decomposition size. Accordingly, it is of interest to develop methods to improve the scaling of serial TAD. As a first step in understanding the factors which determine the scaling behavior, we first present results for the overall scaling of serial TAD and its components, which were obtained from simulations of Ag/Ag(100) growth and Ag/Ag(100) annealing, and compare with theoretical predictions. We then discuss two methods based on localization which may be used to address two of the primary “bottlenecks” to the scaling of serial TAD with system size. By implementing both of these methods, we find that for intermediate system-sizes, the scaling is improved by almost a factor of N 1/2 . Some additional possible methods to improve the scaling of TAD are also discussed.

Analysis of the Involvement and Impressions of the Local Community on the Tourism Development of Ilocos Norte

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Orpia Cherie B.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tourism development is not possible without the involvement of the local community in various development stage and tourism activities. They can be involved right from planning, construction, operation, and promotion activities. It generates investment, foreign exchange and employment to the locals. This study sought how the local community is involved and what are their impressions in Ilocos Norte’s Tourism developments. It also sought to determine the demographic qualities differentiates against tourism development involvement and their impressions. The study used non-probability convenience sampling in various towns in Ilocos Norte. Questionnaire type of survey and unstructured interviews were employed to the locals and to the local government units. Local residents perceive the tourism activities to provide employment opportunities, income, foreign exchange, and promote cultural heritage. Very few perceive to be a contributor to pollution and depletion of natural resources.. Most people have an impression that it has improved their way of life thru more access to their town, business opportunities, and more infrastructure. However, most of them has an impression that cleanliness and safety has gotten worse. Most people like to participate in tourism activities thru investment, employment and planning.

Facial first impressions and partner preference models: Comparable or distinct underlying structures?

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South Palomares, Jennifer K; Sutherland, Clare A M; Young, Andrew W

2017-12-17

Given the frequency of relationships nowadays initiated online, where impressions from face photographs may influence relationship initiation, it is important to understand how facial first impressions might be used in such contexts. We therefore examined the applicability of a leading model of verbally expressed partner preferences to impressions derived from real face images and investigated how the factor structure of first impressions based on potential partner preference-related traits might relate to a more general model of facial first impressions. Participants rated 1,000 everyday face photographs on 12 traits selected to represent (Fletcher, et al. 1999, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 72) verbal model of partner preferences. Facial trait judgements showed an underlying structure that largely paralleled the tripartite structure of Fletcher et al.'s verbal preference model, regardless of either face gender or participant gender. Furthermore, there was close correspondence between the verbal partner preference model and a more general tripartite model of facial first impressions derived from a different literature (Sutherland et al., 2013, Cognition, 127, 105), suggesting an underlying correspondence between verbal conceptual models of romantic preferences and more general models of facial first impressions. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Act local, think global: how the Malawi experience of scaling up antiretroviral treatment has informed global policy

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Anthony D. Harries

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART in Malawi was based on a public health approach adapted to its resource-poor setting, with principles and practices borrowed from the successful tuberculosis control framework. From 2004 to 2015, the number of new patients started on ART increased from about 3000 to over 820,000. Despite being a small country, Malawi has made a significant contribution to the 15 million people globally on ART and has also contributed policy and service delivery innovations that have supported international guidelines and scale up in other countries. The first set of global guidelines for scaling up ART released by the World Health Organization (WHO in 2002 focused on providing clinical guidance. In Malawi, the ART guidelines adopted from the outset a more operational and programmatic approach with recommendations on health systems and services that were needed to deliver HIV treatment to affected populations. Seven years after the start of national scale-up, Malawi launched a new strategy offering all HIV-infected pregnant women lifelong ART regardless of the CD4-cell count, named Option B+. This strategy was subsequently incorporated into a WHO programmatic guide in 2012 and WHO ART guidelines in 2013, and has since then been adopted by the majority of countries worldwide. In conclusion, the Malawi experience of ART scale-up has become a blueprint for a public health response to HIV and has informed international efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Act local, think global: how the Malawi experience of scaling up antiretroviral treatment has informed global policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harries, Anthony D; Ford, Nathan; Jahn, Andreas; Schouten, Erik J; Libamba, Edwin; Chimbwandira, Frank; Maher, Dermot

2016-09-06

The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Malawi was based on a public health approach adapted to its resource-poor setting, with principles and practices borrowed from the successful tuberculosis control framework. From 2004 to 2015, the number of new patients started on ART increased from about 3000 to over 820,000. Despite being a small country, Malawi has made a significant contribution to the 15 million people globally on ART and has also contributed policy and service delivery innovations that have supported international guidelines and scale up in other countries. The first set of global guidelines for scaling up ART released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002 focused on providing clinical guidance. In Malawi, the ART guidelines adopted from the outset a more operational and programmatic approach with recommendations on health systems and services that were needed to deliver HIV treatment to affected populations. Seven years after the start of national scale-up, Malawi launched a new strategy offering all HIV-infected pregnant women lifelong ART regardless of the CD4-cell count, named Option B+. This strategy was subsequently incorporated into a WHO programmatic guide in 2012 and WHO ART guidelines in 2013, and has since then been adopted by the majority of countries worldwide. In conclusion, the Malawi experience of ART scale-up has become a blueprint for a public health response to HIV and has informed international efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

"Annotated Lectures": Student-Instructor Interaction in Large-Scale Global Education

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Roger Diehl

2009-10-01

Full Text Available We describe an "Annotated Lectures" system, which will be used in a global virtual teaching and student collaboration event on embodied intelligence presented by the University of Zurich. The lectures will be broadcasted via video-conference to lecture halls of different universities around the globe. Among other collaboration features, an "Annotated Lectures" system will be implemented in a 3D collaborative virtual environment and used by the participating students to make annotations to the video-recorded lectures, which will be sent to and answered by their supervisors, and forwarded to the lecturers in an aggregated way. The "Annotated Lectures" system aims to overcome the issues of limited studentinstructor interaction in large-scale education, and to foster an intercultural and multidisciplinary discourse among students who review the lectures in a group. After presenting the concept of the "Annotated Lectures" system, we discuss a prototype version including a description of the technical components and its expected benefit for large-scale global education.

Effect of Polyvinyl Siloxane Viscosity on Accuracy of Dental Implant Impressions

OpenAIRE

Ghahremanloo, Ahmad; Seifi, Mahdieh; Ghanbarzade, Jalil; Abrisham, Seyyed Mohammad; Javan, Rashid Abdolah

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of dental implant impressions obtained by a combination of different impression techniques and viscosities of polyvinyl siloxane (PVS).Materials and Methods: Four parallel fixtures were placed between mental foramina in a master model of lower dental arch. Three different viscosities (putty/light body, medium body/light body, and monophase: heavy body) and direct and indirect techniques (six groups) were used, and seven impressions...

Effects of Inconsistent Behaviors on Person Impressions: A Multidimensional Study.

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Vonk, Roos

1995-01-01

Examined effects of unexpected behavioral information on person impressions. Inconsistency was manipulated with respect to Implicit Personality Theory. Found that behaviors with inconsistent evaluation implications did not affect impressions and that effects of inconsistent information depended on dimension of contrast, valence of initial…

21 CFR 872.3661 - Optical Impression Systems for CAD/CAM.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... of sensor and a computer with software. (b) Classification. Class II (Special Controls). The device... entitled “Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Optical Impression Systems for Computer Assisted.../CAM. (a) Identification. An optical impression system for computer assisted design and manufacturing...

Accuracy of different impression materials in parallel and nonparallel implants

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Mahroo Vojdani

2015-01-01

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, in parallel conditions, the type of impression material cannot affect the accuracy of the implant impressions; however, in nonparallel conditions, polyvinyl siloxane is shown to be a better choice, followed by vinyl siloxanether and polyether respectively.

Three-dimensional accuracy of plastic transfer impression copings for three implant systems.

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Teo, Juin Wei; Tan, Keson B; Nicholls, Jack I; Wong, Keng Mun; Uy, Joanne

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the three-dimensional accuracy of indirect plastic impression copings and direct implant-level impression copings from three implant systems (Nobel Biocare [NB], Biomet 3i [3i], and Straumann [STR]) at three interimplant buccolingual angulations (0, 8, and 15 degrees). Two-implant master models were used to simulate a three-unit implant fixed partial denture. Test models were made from Impregum impressions using direct implant-level impression copings (DR). Abutments were then connected to the master models for impressions using the plastic impression copings (INDR) at three different angulations for a total of 18 test groups (n = 5 in each group). A coordinate measuring machine was used to measure linear distortions, three-dimensional (3D) distortions, angular distortions, and absolute angular distortions between the master and test models. Three-way analysis of variance showed that the implant system had a significant effect on 3D distortions and absolute angular distortions in the x- and y-axes. Interimplant angulation had a significant effect on 3D distortions and absolute angular distortions in the y-axis. Impression technique had a significant effect on absolute angular distortions in the y-axis. With DR, the NB and 3i systems were not significantly different. With INDR, 3i appeared to have less distortion than the other systems. Interimplant angulations did not significantly affect the accuracy of NBDR, 3iINDR, and STRINDR. The accuracy of INDR and DR was comparable at all interimplant angulations for 3i and STR. For NB, INDR was comparable to DR at 0 and 8 degrees but was less accurate at 15 degrees. Three-dimensional accuracy of implant impressions varied with implant system, interimplant angulation, and impression technique.

Individual Differences and Rating Errors in First Impressions of Psychopathy

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Christopher T. A. Gillen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The current study is the first to investigate whether individual differences in personality are related to improved first impression accuracy when appraising psychopathy in female offenders from thin-slices of information. The study also investigated the types of errors laypeople make when forming these judgments. Sixty-seven undergraduates assessed 22 offenders on their level of psychopathy, violence, likability, and attractiveness. Psychopathy rating accuracy improved as rater extroversion-sociability and agreeableness increased and when neuroticism and lifestyle and antisocial characteristics decreased. These results suggest that traits associated with nonverbal rating accuracy or social functioning may be important in threat detection. Raters also made errors consistent with error management theory, suggesting that laypeople overappraise danger when rating psychopathy.

Antimicrobial Property of Hydrocolloid Impression Material Incorporated with Silver Nanoparticles Against Staphylococcus Aureus

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Wangchuk Norbu Penden

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Dental impressions can easily become contaminated with patient’s blood and saliva which are capable of transmitting infectious diseases to dental personnel. The addition of antimicrobial agents into impression materials could be effective in reducing the chances of cross-infection. Silver nanoparticles have been applied in dentistry as a potent antimicrobial agent. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles incorporated to irreversible hydrocolloid impression material against Staphylococcus aureus. Silver nanoparticles (AgZrPO4, National Direct Network Company, Thailand at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.00% and 1.50% w/w were added to powder of impression materials (Kromopan, Lascod, Ilaty. Impression material samples were prepared on sterile plate in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction. After setting, a 100 microliter of S. aureus ATCC6538 suspension (106 cells/mL were inoculated on the surface of the impression sample and left for 10 minutes. The amount of S. aureus on the surface was quantified using imprint technique on Mannitol Salt agar. Impression materials incorporated with AgZrPO4 showed antimicrobial property against S. aureus (up to 95% reduction compared with control (impression material without AgZrPO4. Even though the mechanism of antimicrobial action was not clearly understood, AgZrPO4 incorporated to impression material was demonstrated to possess an inhibitory effect against pathogenic bacteria. Further studies are needed to investigate physical properties of the material and the clinical usage.

Digital versus conventional impressions for fixed prosthodontics: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Chochlidakis, Konstantinos M; Papaspyridakos, Panos; Geminiani, Alessandro; Chen, Chun-Jung; Feng, I Jung; Ercoli, Carlo

2016-08-01

Limited evidence is available for the marginal and internal fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital impressions compared with those fabricated with conventional impressions. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare marginal and internal fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital techniques to those fabricated using conventional impression techniques and to determine the effect of different variables on the accuracy of fit. Medline, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were electronically searched and enriched by hand searches. Studies evaluating the fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital and conventional impression techniques were identified. Pooled data were statistically analyzed, and factors affecting the accuracy of fit were identified, and their impact on accuracy of fit outcomes were assessed. Dental restorations fabricated with digital impression techniques exhibited similar marginal misfit to those fabricated with conventional impression techniques (P>.05). Both marginal and internal discrepancies were greater for stone die casts, whereas digital dies produced restorations with the smallest discrepancies (Pdigital impression was used to generate stereolithographic (SLA)/polyurethane dies, misfit values were intermediate. The fabrication technique, the type of restoration, and the impression material had no effect on misfit values (P>.05), whereas die and restoration materials were statistically associated (Pdigital impression technique provided better marginal and internal fit of fixed restorations than conventional techniques did. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of different abutment level impression techniques in All-On-4 dental implants

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Marzieh Alikhasi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Passive fit of prosthetic frameworks is a major concern in implant dentistry. Impression technique is one of the several variables that may affect the outcome of dental implants. The purpose of this study was to compare the three dimensional accuracy of direct and indirect abutment level implant impressions ofALL-ON-4 treatment plan.Materials and Methods: A reference acrylic resin model with four Branemark fixtures was made according to All-On-4 treatment plan. Multiunit abutments were screwed into the fixtures and two special trays were made for direct and indirect impression techniques. Ten direct and ten indirect impression techniques with respective impression transfers were made. Impressions were poured with stone and the positional accuracy of the abutment analogues in each dimension of x, y, and z axes and also angular displacement (Δθ were evaluated using a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM. Data were analyzed using T- test.Results: The results showed that direct impression technique was significantly more accurate than indirect technique (P<0.001.Conclusion: The results showed that the accuracy of direct impression technique was significantly more than that of indirect technique in Δθ and Δr coordinate and also Δx, Δy, Δz.

Representing leaf and root physiological traits in CLM improves global carbon and nitrogen cycling predictions

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Ghimire, Bardan; Riley, William J.; Koven, Charles D.; Mu, Mingquan; Randerson, James T.

2016-06-01

In many ecosystems, nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for plant growth and productivity. However, current Earth System Models (ESMs) do not mechanistically represent functional nitrogen allocation for photosynthesis or the linkage between nitrogen uptake and root traits. The current version of CLM (4.5) links nitrogen availability and plant productivity via (1) an instantaneous downregulation of potential photosynthesis rates based on soil mineral nitrogen availability, and (2) apportionment of soil nitrogen between plants and competing nitrogen consumers assumed to be proportional to their relative N demands. However, plants do not photosynthesize at potential rates and then downregulate; instead photosynthesis rates are governed by nitrogen that has been allocated to the physiological processes underpinning photosynthesis. Furthermore, the role of plant roots in nutrient acquisition has also been largely ignored in ESMs. We therefore present a new plant nitrogen model for CLM4.5 with (1) improved representations of linkages between leaf nitrogen and plant productivity based on observed relationships in a global plant trait database and (2) plant nitrogen uptake based on root-scale Michaelis-Menten uptake kinetics. Our model improvements led to a global bias reduction in GPP, LAI, and biomass of 70%, 11%, and 49%, respectively. Furthermore, water use efficiency predictions were improved conceptually, qualitatively, and in magnitude. The new model's GPP responses to nitrogen deposition, CO2 fertilization, and climate also differed from the baseline model. The mechanistic representation of leaf-level nitrogen allocation and a theoretically consistent treatment of competition with belowground consumers led to overall improvements in global carbon cycling predictions.

Development and validation of a new global well-being outcomes rating scale for integrative medicine research

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Bell Iris R

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Researchers are finding limitations of currently available disease-focused questionnaire tools for outcome studies in complementary and alternative medicine/integrative medicine (CAM/IM. Methods Three substudies investigated the new one-item visual analogue Arizona Integrative Outcomes Scale (AIOS, which assesses self-rated global sense of spiritual, social, mental, emotional, and physical well-being over the past 24 hours and the past month. The first study tested the scale's ability to discriminate unhealthy individuals (n = 50 from healthy individuals (n = 50 in a rehabilitation outpatient clinic sample. The second study examined the concurrent validity of the AIOS by comparing ratings of global well-being to degree of psychological distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI in undergraduate college students (N = 458. The third study evaluated the relationships between the AIOS and positively- and negatively-valenced tools (Positive and Negative Affect Scale and the Positive States of Mind Scale in a different sample of undergraduate students (N = 62. Results Substudy (i Rehabilitation patients scored significantly lower than the healthy controls on both forms of the AIOS and a current global health rating. The AIOS 24-hours correlated moderately and significantly with global health (patients r = 0.50; controls r = 0.45. AIOS 1-month correlations with global health were stronger within the controls (patients r = 0.36; controls r = 0.50. Controls (r = 0.64 had a higher correlation between the AIOS 24-hour and 1-month forms than did the patients (r = 0.33, which is consistent with the presumptive improvement in the patients' condition over the previous 30 days in rehabilitation. Substudy (ii In undergraduate students, AIOS scores were inversely related to distress ratings, as measured by the global severity index on the BSI (rAIOS24h = -0.42, rAIOS1month = -0.40. Substudy (iii AIOS scores were significantly

In vivo precision of conventional and digital methods of obtaining complete-arch dental impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ender, Andreas; Attin, Thomas; Mehl, Albert

2016-03-01

Digital impression systems have undergone significant development in recent years, but few studies have investigated the accuracy of the technique in vivo, particularly compared with conventional impression techniques. The purpose of this in vivo study was to investigate the precision of conventional and digital methods for complete-arch impressions. Complete-arch impressions were obtained using 5 conventional (polyether, POE; vinylsiloxanether, VSE; direct scannable vinylsiloxanether, VSES; digitized scannable vinylsiloxanether, VSES-D; and irreversible hydrocolloid, ALG) and 7 digital (CEREC Bluecam, CER; CEREC Omnicam, OC; Cadent iTero, ITE; Lava COS, LAV; Lava True Definition Scanner, T-Def; 3Shape Trios, TRI; and 3Shape Trios Color, TRC) techniques. Impressions were made 3 times each in 5 participants (N=15). The impressions were then compared within and between the test groups. The cast surfaces were measured point-to-point using the signed nearest neighbor method. Precision was calculated from the (90%-10%)/2 percentile value. The precision ranged from 12.3 μm (VSE) to 167.2 μm (ALG), with the highest precision in the VSE and VSES groups. The deviation pattern varied distinctly according to the impression method. Conventional impressions showed the highest accuracy across the complete dental arch in all groups, except for the ALG group. Conventional and digital impression methods differ significantly in the complete-arch accuracy. Digital impression systems had higher local deviations within the complete arch cast; however, they achieve equal and higher precision than some conventional impression materials. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Digitization of simulated clinical dental impressions: virtual three-dimensional analysis of exactness.

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Persson, Anna S K; Odén, Agneta; Andersson, Matts; Sandborgh-Englund, Gunilla

2009-07-01

To compare the exactness of simulated clinical impressions and stone replicas of crown preparations, using digitization and virtual three-dimensional analysis. Three master dies (mandibular incisor, canine and molar) were prepared for full crowns, mounted in full dental arches in a plane line articulator. Eight impressions were taken using an experimental monophase vinyl polysiloxane-based material. Stone replicas were poured in type IV stone (Vel-Mix Stone; Kerr). The master dies and the stone replicas were digitized in a touch-probe scanner (Procera) Forte; Nobel Biocare AB) and the impressions in a laser scanner (D250, 3Shape A/S), to create virtual models. The resulting point-clouds from the digitization of the master dies were used as CAD-Reference-Models (CRM). Discrepancies between the points in the pointclouds and the corresponding CRM were measured by a matching-software (CopyCAD 6.504 SP2; Delcam Plc). The distribution of the discrepancies was analyzed and depicted on color-difference maps. The discrepancies of the digitized impressions and the stone replicas compared to the CRM were of similar size with a mean+/-SD within 40microm, with the exception of two of the digitized molar impressions. The precision of the digitized impressions and stone replicas did not differ significantly (F=4.2; p=0.053). However, the shape affected the digitization (F=5.4; p=0.013) and the interaction effect of shape and digitization source (impression or stone replica) was pronounced (F=28; pimpressions varied with shape. Both impressions and stone replicas can be digitized repeatedly with a high reliability.

At face value: Visual antecedents of impression formation in servicescapes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, J.W.M.; van Rompay, Thomas Johannes Lucas; Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.; Mc.Gill, Ann L.; Shavitt, Sharon

2009-01-01

Consumers may base employee impressions on physical appearance and displayed personal objects. In a scenario experiment, using photos of a physician and a 360-degree panorama of his consultation room, we examined the effects of appearance and tangibles on impression formation. Study 1 shows that

Strategies for managing impressions of racial identity in the workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Laura Morgan; Cha, Sandra E; Kim, Sung Soo