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The use of lubricants without conversion layers is a global target of the cold forging industry. Compared to conventional lubricant systems based on zinc phosphate coatings, these fluctuate more in their tribological properties. In a worldwide round robin test, thirteen different lubricants were compared in tests with six different tribometers. The results show significant differences in friction coefficients both between different lubricants and between tribometers. A multiple regression model describing the dependence of the coefficient of friction on tribological loads allows for a consistent merging of the data. The model is successfully validated by a full-forward extrusion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: We examined the reach and impact of five decision aids (DAs) routinely distributed to breast cancer patients as part of a shared decision making demonstration project. METHODS: From 2005 to 2008, we surveyed patients' change in knowledge and decisional conflict (DC) before and after their review of DAs. Using bivariate tests, we identified significant predictors of change in knowledge or decisional conflict and entered significant predictors into a multivariate regression model. RESULTS: We distributed 1553 DAs to 1098 patients and received 549 completed surveys. The DAs were associated with increased knowledge and decreased DC. For knowledge, significant predictors of above-average change included: lower baseline knowledge and viewing the surgery decision aid. For decisional conflict, significant predictors of above-average change included: higher decisional conflict; viewing any of the early-stage cancer DAs; and Hispanic ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: DAs used in routine care were associated with significant knowledge gains and reductions in decisional conflict. Some subsets of patients (those reporting low baseline knowledge, high DC, or Hispanic ethnicity) may benefit more than others. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Breast cancer patients benefit overall from routine distribution of DAs. Our exploratory findings may be useful in generating hypotheses to identify target populations who would most benefit from reviewing DAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semi-magic nuclei 138Ba, 140Ce, and 144Sm have been investigated in photon scattering experiments up to an excitation energy of about 10 MeV. The distribution of the electric dipole strength shows a resonance like structure at energies between 5.5 and 8 MeV exhausting up to 1% of the isovector E1 Energy Weighted Sum Rule. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

OBJECTIVE: Decision Services (DS) provide support for breast cancer patients at the University of California, San Francisco to help ensure patient-centered care. METHODS: We examined a case study to explore whether our program practices matched our program theory, and what the patient in the case thought was effective and ineffective about our decision support interventions. RESULTS: The patient relied on a decision aid to educate her husband about her condition; felt that her question list contributed to a productive and efficient consultation with her oncologist; credited an audio-recording with helping her remember to follow-up with a genetic counselor; and reviewed the consultation summary 30 days into treatment in order to reflect on her decision. The patient rated the interventions highly on surveys, and experienced desirable reductions in decisional conflict, and improvements in knowledge. However, the question-prompting intervention was associated with a small decrease in self-efficacy, and the patient criticized the decision aid for omitting mention of a prognostic test. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates how decision support interventions can be deployed to promote patient-centered care. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Breast care centers should consider distributing decision aids and assisting patients in listing questions, recording consultations, and obtaining written consultation summaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Explore the validity of using patient reports to measure shared decision making (SDM). METHODS: 178 patients diagnosed with breast cancer obtained SDM assistance in a university-based clinic. Trained observers rated physician SDM behaviors and surveyed patients. We calculated the frequency with which patients and observers reported maximum SDM behaviors for each survey item. We also calculated agreement frequency between patients and observers. RESULTS: Over 90% of patients rated doctors as reflecting SDM competencies. Patients reported doctors making recommendations more than soliciting their preferred choice (90% vs. 69%, p<0.001). Patients heard benefits discussed 'a lot' more often than they heard risks and side effects discussed 'a lot' (81% vs. 58%, p<0.001). Agreement between patients and observers was 75%. In cases of disagreement, patients more frequently perceived SDM behaviors than did observers (15% vs. 9%, p=0.002), suggesting a possible agreement bias. CONCLUSIONS: High agreement supports further investigation into using patients as efficient and effective raters of SDM. Patient ratings may be inflated by agreement bias. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Doctors presentations may be biased toward discussing benefits more than risks. Policy makers can solicit patient ratings of SDM as long as they are aware of possibly inflated ratings due to agreement bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using home-built experimental setups, electrical properties and electromechanical characterization of two systems based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were investigated at room temperature. The first system is formed by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) either isolated or in small groups on a gold substrate, while the second one concerns a macroscale three-dimensional entanglement of CNTs in powder form. The local electrical resistance on systems of the first type was measured using an atomic force microscopy with a conductive tip and showed a narrow distribution of resistance values as well for isolated CNTs as for small groups of them. However, in this latter case the average resistance value has been found to be one order of magnitude higher than that of individual CNTs, which was attributed to the contact resistance between CNTs. This parameter was then studied from a statistical viewpoint through electromechanical tests performed at a macroscopic scale. They consisted in applying an external compression to CNTs powder samples and measuring the evolution of the electrical resistance across the pressed material. These tests demonstrated an outstanding decrease of the electrical resistance resulting from the increasing number of random connections between CNTs under compression, and the experimental curves were fitted with an analytical model. Furthermore, it was deduced from this model that the elementary contact resistance between CNTs decreases under compression. The stability of this electrical contact was verified over several durations and under different constant applied loads. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A simple and easy-to-handle semi-analytical model able to describe heat transport in heterostructures of length varying from the nano to the microscale is presented. It consists in redefining three intrinsic parameters: the ballistic thermal conductance, the effective thermal conductivity, and the interface thermal conductance by using two temperatures T + and T − distinguishing the phonon populations according to the direction of their velocities instead of the standard pseudo-temperature T. The resulting model agrees well with the thermal conductance and temperature profiles predicted by advanced Monte Carlo simulation in all phonon transport regimes, i.e. diffusive, ballistic, and quasi-ballistic regimes, even in the presence of multiple interfaces. It is able to provide new insights into the interpretation of thermal properties of complex nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We implemented and monitored a clinical service, Consultation Planning, Recording and Summarizing (CPRS), in which trained facilitators elicit patient questions for doctors, and then audio-record, and summarize the doctor-patient consultations.Methods: We trained 8 schedulers to offer CPRS to breast cancer patients making treatment decisions, and trained 14 premedical interns to provide the service. We surveyed a convenience sample of patients regarding their self-efficacy and decisional conflict. We solicited feedback from physicians, schedulers, and CPRS staff on our implementation of CPRS.Results: 278 patients used CPRS over the 22-month study period, an exploitation rate of 32% compared to our capacity. 37 patients responded to surveys, providing pilot data showing improvements in self-efficacy and decisional conflict. Physicians, schedulers, and premedical interns recommended changes in the program's locations; delivery; products; and screening, recruitment and scheduling processes.Conclusion: Our monitoring of this implementation found elements of success while surfacing recommendations for improvement.Practice Implications: We made changes based on study findings. We moved Consultation Planning to conference rooms or telephone sessions; shortened the documents produced by CPRS staff; diverted slack resources to increase recruitment efforts; and obtained a waiver of consent in order to streamline and improve ongoing evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on photon scattering experiments to measure the detailed dipole strength distribution between about 3 and 10 MeV in the Ca isotopic chain and in nuclei. A concentration of electric dipole strength carrying a considerable part of the total E1 sum rule strength is observed in all examined nuclei below the particle threshold. The experimental results are compared to theoretical predictions and future approaches to study the excitation mode are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The cross section and the astrophysical reaction rate of the reaction 197Au(γ,n)196Au have been measured close above the reaction threshold at Ethr=8.071MeV using the method of photoactivation. The results are compared to those of several previous measurements as well as to theoretical calculations. The relevance of the reaction 197Au(γ,n)196Au as astandard for photoactivation experiments is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]