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In this article, we review our recent work on mid-infrared (mid-IR) photonic materials and devices fabricated on silicon for on-chip sensing applications. Pedestal waveguides based on silicon are demonstrated as broadband mid-IR sensors. Our low-loss mid-IR directional couplers demonstrated in SiNx waveguides are useful in differential sensing applications. Photonic crystal cavities and microdisk resonators based on chalcogenide glasses for high sensitivity are also demonstrated as effective mid-IR sensors. Polymer-based functionalization layers, to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of our sensor devices, are also presented. We discuss the design of mid-IR chalcogenide waveguides integrated with polycrystalline PbTe detectors on a monolithic silicon platform for optical sensing, wherein the use of a low-index spacer layer enables the evanescent coupling of mid-IR light from the waveguides to the detector. Finally, we show the successful fabrication processing of our first prototype mid-IR waveguide-integrated detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The indications for treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) with laminectomy and instrumented fusion remain ill-defined. Cervical laminectomy without instrumented fusion has been associated with suboptimal outcomes, particularly in the setting of cervical kyphosis. This work's purpose is to retrospectively review our experience in patients who underwent laminectomy with instrumented fusion for CSM and to assess the neurological and radiological outcomes of patients treated with this technique. Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients underwent multilevel laminectomy and instrumented fusion for CSM. The indications were patients with (1) cervical stenosis ≥ 3 spinal segments and (2) absence of a cervical kyphosis or (3) patients older than 65 years with significant medical comorbidities. Nurick myelopathy grades and cervical radiographs were obtained preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post-operatively. Perioperative complications, radiographic and clinical outcomes were assessed and reported in this paper. Results: Forty-four (81%) of patients showed improvement in Nurick grade after surgery by a mean of 17 months. Ten patients (19%) demonstrated stable but unimproved myelopathy. Increasing pre-operative Nurick grade was associated with an improved post-operative outcome (p<0.02). Increasing duration of pre-operative myelopathy was associated with a decreased likelihood of myelopathy improvement (p<0.001). Discussion: Multilevel cervical laminectomy with instrumented fusion for patients with CSM resulted in an improvement in myelopathy in the majority of cases. Efficacy was similar for patients who may not have tolerated an anterior decompression, such as elderly patients with significant medical comorbidities. Hardware-related complication rates were relatively low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: There is a worst case scenario involving a small risk of facial nerve injury and dysfunction of facial nerve monitoring. With regard to patient safety the use of a short-acting muscle relaxant and the analysis of neuromuscular blockade are necessary because these permit documentation of the temporal course of relaxation and the progress of surgery. Objectives: The use of muscle relaxant may disturb facial nerve monitoring during parotidectomy. The aim of the study was to analyze the duration of muscle relaxation in relation to the progress of surgery. Study design/Methods: Twenty-one patients who underwent parotidectomy were enrolled in this prospective study, where the short-acting muscle relaxant mivacurium (0.2 mg/kg) was used. The neuromuscular blockade was monitored on the basis of train-of-four (TOF) peripheral stimulation. The time of intubation, skin incision, facial nerve identification and the end of surgery were documented. Results: The mean times of the TOF ratios (2/4; 3/4; 4/4), skin incision, and facial nerve identification differed significantly (χ2=0.05; df = 1; p > 0.05). For the earliest skin incision (21 min), 14.3% of patients have a TOF ratio smaller than 2/4 at which a neuromuscular block of the facial nerve is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective . Executive function in activities of daily living (ADL) were investigated in 10 patients with excised frontal lobe tumours. Method . The patients with frontal lesions were compared to 10 normal controls with a neuropsychological test battery, a script generation task and a realistic implementation of complex multi-task ADL (planning and preparing a meal). Results . The patients manifested numerous basic executive deficits on the paper-pencil tests, were unimpaired on the script generation task despite an aberrant semantic structure and manifested marked anomalies in the meal preparation task. Conclusion . Frontal lobe deficits in lengthy complex multi-task ADL can be explained by impairment of several executive functions, generalized slowness of performance and paucity of behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a report of one year's participant observation in a heal chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, a self-help group. The already difficult grief after the death of a child is complicated after murder by four special issues, (a.) Anger is focused on the person who willfully caused the death and there is a drive for revenge. (b) The grief cannot be resolved until the legal processes have been completed and within the court system the parent are caught up in a procedural labyrinth in which they have no legal standing, (c) Parents are fearful about the safety of themselves and other members of their family, (d) Parent of a murdered child is a taboo social role. The self-help process of Parents of Murdered Children as it differs from other self-help for for bereaved parents is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]