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Adinkra symbols are ubiquitous cultural artifacts in Ghana, West Africa. This qualitative multiple case study examined how proverbial meanings of Adinkra symbols impacted the cultural identity development of five Ghanaian emerging young adults. Using semi-structured interviews and an Adinkra printmaking activity, this study revealed six major themes describing how Adinkra symbols and their meanings inform participants' cultural identity. These themes included: exposure to Adinkra symbolism; religion, spiritual, and moral guidance; cultural significance and grounding; meaning making through visual expression; Ghanaian identity expression; and respect for parents, elders, and community. This study has implications for understanding how explicit cultural messages contribute to positive cultural identity development of Ghanaian emerging young adults, and how printmaking can be used as a creative method to promote positive mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this article is to determine the racial predilection of C-shaped canal configuration in a mandibular second molar. Background: Unusual root canal anatomy always poses a diagnostic and treatment challenge. Identification of such variation is important for the success of root canal treatment outcome. C-shaped canal configuration is such an aberrant morphology of molar teeth that vary in different population and is commonly seen in a mandibular second molar. Thus, knowledge of racial predilection of C-shaped canal configuration in different population for early diagnosis is obligatory. Materials and Methods: An exhaustive search was undertaken to identify published research articles related to C-shaped canal configuration in mandibular second molars. Forty-three research articles were analyzed which included 12,481 mandibular second molars. Chi-square test using value of P < 0.05 was performed to assess the statistical significance of this anomalous anatomic variation among the different population. Results: Statistical test revealed a significant variation between the Asian and nonAsian population. The highest incidence of racial predilection was observed in China (Asia) with 93.1%, and the minimum was observed in America with 2.7%. Conclusion: This research reported that racial predilection of C-shaped canal configuration in mandibular second molar varies significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the schedule of events related to visualization and computer animation from November 1996 to October 1997. IEEE International Workshop on Robot and Human Communication in Tsukuba, Japan; International Conference on Multi-Media Modeling in Toulouse, France; IEEE Virtual Reality Annual International Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Terminal PV1 Negativity in NHANES III Introduction Deep terminal negativity of P wave in V1 (DTNPV1), defined as negative P prime larger than one small box (1 mm, or 0.1 mV), could be easily detected by simple visual inspection of the resting 12-lead ECG. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between DTNPV1 and all-cause-, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III). Methods and Results After exclusion of participants with atrial fibrillation and missing data, DTNPV1 was automatically measured from standard 12-lead ECG in 8,146 participants. Minnesota and Novacode algorithms were used for the determination of major and minor ECG abnormalities. National Death Index was used to identify the date and cause of death. During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, a total of 2,975 deaths (1,303 CVD and 742 IHD deaths) occurred. After adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, IHD, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, diabetes, body mass index, smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, use of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications, and ECG abnormalities, DTNPV1 was associated with significantly increased risk of all-cause death (HR [95% CI]: 1.30 [1.10, 1.53]; P = 0.002), CVD death (HR [95% CI]: 1.36 [1.08, 1.72]; P = 0.010), and IHD death (HR [95% CI]: 1.36 [1.00, 1.85]; P = 0.047). Conclusion In a large sample of the adult United States population, DTNPV1 is independently associated with increased risk of death due to all-cause, CVD, and IHD, findings suggesting its potential usefulness as a simple marker to identify individuals at risk of poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NASA's vision for space exploration stresses the cultivation of human-robotic systems. Similar systems are also envisaged for a variety of hazardous earthbound applications such as urban search and rescue. Recent research has pointed out that to reduce human workload, costs, fatigue driven error and risk, intelligent robotic systems will need to be a significant part of mission design. However, little attention has been paid to joint human-robot teams. Making human-robot collaboration natural and efficient is crucial. In particular, grounding, situational awareness, a common frame of reference and spatial referencing are vital in effective communication and collaboration. Augmented Reality (AR), the overlaying of computer graphics onto the real worldview, can provide the necessary means for a human-robotic system to fulfill these requirements for effective collaboration. This article reviews the field of human-robot interaction and augmented reality, investigates the potential avenues for creating natural human-robot collaboration through spatial dialogue utilizing AR and proposes a holistic architectural design for human-robot collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the significance in human, scientific and technical terms of the first experiment in telerobotic surgery in July 7, 1993. Remote control of a robot in Milan, Italy by a surgeon in Pasadena, California; Goal of performing a surgical operation on a model containing a pig's organs; Double satellite link transmission.

The article focuses on the Japanese immigrant labor contractors and the Northern Pacific and the great Northern railroad companies. Japanese immigrant labor contractors flourished briefly in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a period coinciding with labor emigration from Japan. The Japanese laborers were non-English-speaking immigrants who, new to a totally alien land, relied upon these labor contractors for initial employment upon arriving on the Pacific Coast. The contractors funneled the laborers principally into the agricultural, railroad, lumber, fishing and mining industries in the western United States. Of these industries, next to agriculture, the railroad enterprise absorbed the largest number. Beginning in the 1880s, Japanese contractors supplied Japanese laborers to numerous railroad systems, to such an extent that by 1906 the total number peaked to over thirteen thousand. In treating the early history of Japanese immigrants to the United States, historians have emphasized the movement to exclude them from the country, highlighting origins, causes and development of the exclusion movement as well as the adverse repercussions it had on United States-Japan relations.

The article focuses on the search for anti-angiogenic substances and isolated bastadin 6 and other related compounds as selective inhibitors for proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in the U.S. Researchers have isolated four novel steroidal alkaloids named cortistatins A(1), B(2), C(3) and D(4), which exhibited highly selective anti-proliferative characteristics.

To examine characteristics and short-term perioperative outcomes related to minimally invasive pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancy. This comparative effectiveness study is a retrospective population-based analysis of the National Inpatient Sample from 10/2009-9/2015. Women with cervical, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar malignancies who underwent pelvic exenteration were evaluated based on the use of laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery. Patient demographics and intraoperative/postoperative complications related to a minimally invasive surgical approach were assessed. Among 1,159 women who underwent pelvic exenteration, 39 (3.4%) had the procedure performed via a minimally invasive approach. The majority of minimally invasive cases were robotic-assisted (n =25, 64.1%). Women in the minimally invasive group were more likely to be White and have cervical cancer, but less likely to be obese and receive vaginal reconstruction or colostomy when compared to those in the open surgery group (all, P <0.05). Overall perioperative complication rates were similar between the minimally invasive and open surgery groups (74.4% versus 78.9%, P =0.549), but the minimally invasive group had a decreased risk of high-risk complications compared to the open surgery group (adjusted-odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.09-0.65). Specifically, a minimally invasive approach was associated with decreased incidence of hemorrhage and sepsis compared to an open approach (all, P <0.05). The minimally invasive group had a shorter length of stay (median, 9 versus 15 days) and lower total charge (median, $118,711 versus $213,640) compared to the open surgery group (both, P<0.001). Laparotomy remains the main surgical approach for pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancy in the United States. Minimally invasive pelvic exenteration need to be carefully evaluated before widely adopting this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]