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Presets a study which examined the defects leading to haze formation after diffusion of the transition metals cobalt, nickel, copper, and palladium by means of transmission electron microscopy and preferential etching. Experimental procedure; Result of the preferential etching of cobalt-diffuses silicon wafers; Formation of etch pits after preferential etching of nickel-diffused silicon wafers.

OBJECTIVE: To improve diabetes screening efforts, the American Diabetes Association now recommends haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) as a diagnostic test, increasing access to patients found in acute care environments. However, the influence of acute illness and care on HbA(1c) levels has not been well studied. To address this, we evaluated for intra-patient differences in HbA(1c) assessed in the emergency department (ED) and after recovery from the acute illness. METHODS: Adult patients with no known history of diabetes were tested for HbA(1c) during an ED and scheduled follow-up visit. HbA(1c) differences between the two visits were compared using limits of agreement with 95% confidence intervals. The frequency of individuals who changed diagnostic categories (using >=6.5% to classify newly diagnosed diabetes) from ED to follow-up was determined. RESULTS: A total of 589 patients were included with a mean age of 50 years, and 57/589 (9.7%) had an ED HbA(1c) >= 6.5% with the average follow-up visit 45 days after the ED visit. The mean ED HbA(1c) was 5.67% (±0.86), and the follow-up HbA(1c) was 5.65% (±0.89), (difference -0.0129%, 95% limits of agreement -0.740, 0.714). The ED and follow-up HbA(1c) was highly correlated (r² = 0.829). Although on follow-up almost all patients were classified in the same diagnostic category as in the ED, 17 patients had an HbA(1c) >= 6.5% in the ED and an HbA(1c) < 6.5%. On follow-up most patients (14/17) still fell in an abnormal range (6.0-6.5%). CONCLUSION: The HbA(1c) value is not substantially affected by acute illness and is feasible as a screening assay for diabetes in the acute care setting such as an ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) is recommended for identifying diabetes and prediabetes. Because HbA(1c) does not fluctuate with recent eating or acute illness, it can be measured in a variety of clinical settings. Although outpatient studies identified HbA(1c)-screening cutoff values for diabetes and prediabetes, HbA(1c)-screening thresholds have not been determined for acute-care settings. Using follow-up fasting blood glucose (FBG) and the 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as the criterion gold standard, we determined optimal HbA(1c)-screening cutoffs for undiagnosed dysglycemia in the emergency department setting.Research Design and Methods: This was a prospective observational study of adults aged ≥18 years with no known history of hyperglycemia presenting to an emergency department with acute illness. Outpatient FBS and 2-h OGTT were performed after recovery from the acute illness, resulting in diagnostic categorizations of prediabetes, diabetes, and dysglycemia (prediabetes or diabetes). Optimal cutoffs were determined and performance data identified for cut points.Results: A total of 618 patients were included, with a mean age of 49.7 (±14.9) years and mean HbA(1c) of 5.68% (±0.86). On the basis of an OGTT, the prevalence of previously undiagnosed prediabetes and diabetes was 31.9 and 10.5%, respectively. The optimal HbA(1c)-screening cutoff for prediabetes was 5.7% (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.659, sensitivity = 55%, and specificity = 71%), for dysglycemia 5.8% (AUC = 0.717, sensitivity = 57%, and specificity = 79%), and for diabetes 6.0% (AUC = 0.868, sensitivity = 77%, and specificity = 87%).Conclusions: We identified HbA(1c) cut points to screen for prediabetes and diabetes in an emergency department adult population. The values coincide with published outpatient study findings and suggest that an emergency department visit provides an opportunity for HbA(1c)-based dysglycemia screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Couple research has shown spousal support is associated with better treatment adherence, illness adaptation and blood sugar control in studies of individuals with diabetes. However, few studies have investigated gender differences and how they impact spousal supporting behaviors. In this study, seventy-four individuals (patients and spouses) participated in semi-structured interviews regarding spousal support relating to diabetes management. Transcripts of these interviews were rigorously coded and analyzed by a team of researchers. A sampling of quotes is provided illustrating gender differences in the areas of dietary and regimen specific support as well as perceptions of nagging behavior. Potential explanations for differences and implications for clinicians are discussed including the role of marital therapists on collaborative treatment teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary When aspirating ovarian follicles in pregnant mares to obtain oocytes for in vitro fertilisation (IVF), the effect of the manipulation on circulating concentrations of progesterone may be an important consideration in terms of the maintenance of pregnancy. The object of this study was to compare the effects of 3 different forms of transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (Treatment 1, no aspiration, n = 4; Treatment 2, aspirate only follicles >20 mm in diameter, n = 7; Treatment 3, aspirate all visible follicles, n = 7) on peripheral plasma progesterone concentrations between Days 21 and 150 of gestation in 9 mares carrying intraspecies horse and 9 mares carrying interspecies mule conceptuses. The 3 follicle aspiration treatments were applied at the peak of each follicular wave as determined by follicular mapping by means of transrectal ultrasonography on alternate days. The plasma progesterone profile in mares undergoing Treatment 1 was in close agreement with those reported previously in pregnant mares. A decline in plasma progesterone levels occurred after Day 53 of gestation in Treatments 2 and 3 mares, indicating that the follicular aspiration procedures did interfere with the formation of secondary corpora lutea. However, the levels in individual mares never dropped low enough to endanger the pregnancy. Mares carrying mule pregnancies exhibited higher mean plasma progesterone concentrations between Days 39 and 45 of gestation than mares carrying horse pregnancies, equivalent levels between Days 46 and 66 despite the lower circulating concentrations of chorionic gonadotropin (mule CG) in their blood during this period and lower progesterone levels between Days 67 and 150 of gestation. The results indicate that the primary corpus luteum in the pregnant mare may be more sensitive to mule CG than horse CG. Furthermore, the earlier disappearance of CG from the circulation in mares carrying mule fetuses is reflected by an earlier decline in plasma progesterone concentrations in this type of equine pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency dependence of the phase velocity and attenuation of ultrasonic waves were measured as a function of time during the polymerization (curing) reaction of epoxy resins. The phase velocity and attenuation were evaluated from the amplitude and phase spectra of ultrasonic signals transmitted through a layer of curing epoxy resin. The measurements were made in the frequency range of 2-20 MHz. From the experimental data follows an important conclusion: The attenuation coefficient increases linearly with frequency at all stages of the curing reaction from the viscous liquid to the solid state. The slope of the attenuation coefficient as a function of frequency is strongly dependent on the time of cure (degree of cure). The linear behavior of attenuation versus frequency suggests that the attenuation effect cannot be explained by classical viscothermal absorption or relaxation theory. This type of behavior (so-called hysteresis behavior) is poorly understood on the molecular level and was found previously for some highly viscous liquids, for solid polymers, and for biological tissue. The phase velocity data were evaluated from the phase spectrum of the transmitted signal. The ultrasonic velocity changes with time according to an S-shaped curve. It is also moderately dependent on the frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]