Strong interrelationship between anomalous electric-field induced lattice strain along non-polar direction and domain reorientation in pseudorhombohedral piezoelectric ceramic BiScO3-PbTiO3

The lattice strain and domain switching behaviour was investigated as a function of cyclic field and grain orientation for a pseudorhombohedral composition of the high Curie point piezoelectric system xBiScO3 - (1-x)PbTiO3 (x = 0.40) by in-situ electric field diffraction technique with high energy synchrotron x-rays. Along the field direction, the system exhibts five time large strain along 100 as compared to the 111 direction. A one-to-one correspondence between the 200 lattice strain and the 111 domain switching suggests a strong correlation between the two phenomena.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Low temperature dielectric relaxation in ordinary perovskite ferroelectrics: enlightenment from high-energy x-ray diffraction

Ordinary ferroelectrics exhibit a second order phase transition that is characterized by a sharp peak in the dielectric permittivity at a frequency-independent temperature. Furthermore, these materials show a low temperature dielectric relaxation that appears to be a common behavior of perovskite systems. Tetragonal lead zirconate titanate is used here as a model system in order to explore the origin of such an anomaly, since there is no consensus about the physical phenomenon involved in it. Crystallographic and domain structure studies are performed from temperature dependent synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurement. Results indicate that the dielectric relaxation cannot be associated with crystallographic or domain configuration changes. The relaxation process is then parameterized by using the Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann phenomenological equation. Results allow us to hypothesize that the observed phenomenon is due to changes in the dynamic behavior of the ferroelectric domains related to the fluctuation of the local polarization.Postprint (author's final draft

Theoretical analysis of nucleation and growth of ZnO nanostructures in vapour phase transport growth

This paper discusses the growth atmosphere, condensing species and nucleation conditions relevant to vapour phase transport growth of ZnO nanostructures, including the molecular parameters and thermodynamics of the gas phase ZnO molecule and its importance compared to atomic Zn and molecular O2. The partial pressure of molecular ZnO in a Zn/O2 mix at normal ZnO growth temperatures is 6x10^-7 of the Zn partial pressures. In typical vapour phase transport growth conditions, using carbothermal reduction, the Zn vapour is always undersaturated while the ZnO vapour is always supersaturated. In the case of the ZnO vapour, our analysis suggests that the barrier to homogeneous nucleation (or heterogeneous nucleation at unseeded/uncatalysed areas of the substrates) is too large for nucleation of this species to take place, which is consistent with experimental evidence that nanostructures will not grow on unseeded areas of substrates. In the presence of suitable accommodation sites, due to ZnO seeds, growth can occur via Zn vapour condensation (followed by oxidation) and via direct condensation of molecular ZnO (whose flux at the surface, although less than that of Zn vapour, is still sufficient to yield an appreciable nanostructure deposit). The balance between these two condensing species is likely to be a sensitive function of growth parameters and could explain both the diversity of reported nanostructure morphologies and the challenges to be faced in developing reproducible and scalable growth systems for specific applicable morphologies

Special Education Teachers and Burnout: the Factors That Contribute to it and Effective Strategies That Combat it

This thesis will explore the reasons behind teacher burnout in special education. The field of special education has increased dramatically throughout the years. As more research is being done to determine the various disabilities out there, the need for special education teachers increases. There is a gentleman by the name of Maslach that discovered the term “burnout”. According to Maslach there are three different components of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. After researching this topic the four findings that contribute to teacher burnout include: stress management, workplace characteristics, benefits of mindfulness, and identifying the disabilities that affect teacher burnout the most. Stress management focuses on how the special education teacher manages their stress. Workplace characteristics can also play a role in teacher burnout. This could include the special education teacher’s age, how long they have been in the field, and how much collaboration they have with other teachers and support staff in their building. Mindfulness is a tool that special education teachers can use to assist them with burnout. The most common disabilities that are associated with burnout are students with Developmental Cognitive Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Emotional Behavior Disorders

Increasing confidence and changing behaviors in primary care providers engaged in genetic counselling.

BackgroundScreening and counseling for genetic conditions is an increasingly important part of primary care practice, particularly given the paucity of genetic counselors in the United States. However, primary care physicians (PCPs) often have an inadequate understanding of evidence-based screening; communication approaches that encourage shared decision-making; ethical, legal, and social implication (ELSI) issues related to screening for genetic mutations; and the basics of clinical genetics. This study explored whether an interactive, web-based genetics curriculum directed at PCPs in non-academic primary care settings was superior at changing practice knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors when compared to a traditional educational approach, particularly when discussing common genetic conditions.MethodsOne hundred twenty one PCPs in California and Pennsylvania physician practices were randomized to either an Intervention Group (IG) or Control Group (CG). IG physicians completed a 6 h interactive web-based curriculum covering communication skills, basics of genetic testing, risk assessment, ELSI issues and practice behaviors. CG physicians were provided with a traditional approach to Continuing Medical Education (CME) (clinical review articles) offering equivalent information.ResultsPCPs in the Intervention Group showed greater increases in knowledge compared to the Control Group. Intervention PCPs were also more satisfied with the educational materials, and more confident in their genetics knowledge and skills compared to those receiving traditional CME materials. Intervention PCPs felt that the web-based curriculum covered medical management, genetics, and ELSI issues significantly better than did the Control Group, and in comparison with traditional curricula. The Intervention Group felt the online tools offered several advantages, and engaged in better shared decision making with standardized patients, however, there was no difference in behavior change between groups with regard to increases in ELSI discussions between PCPs and patients.ConclusionWhile our intervention was deemed more enjoyable, demonstrated significant factual learning and retention, and increased shared decision making practices, there were few differences in behavior changes around ELSI discussions. Unfortunately, barriers to implementing behavior change in clinical genetics is not unique to our intervention. Perhaps the missing element is that busy physicians need systems-level support to engage in meaningful discussions around genetics issues. The next step in promoting active engagement between doctors and patients may be to put into place the tools needed for PCPs to easily access the materials they need at the point-of-care to engage in joint discussions around clinical genetics

Does Attending a Regional Medical Campus Influence the Training Outcomes of Family Medicine Residents?

Introduction: Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) is the largest medical school in the nation, with its main campus located in Indianapolis and eight regional medical campuses (RMC) distributed across the state. In this study, we compared the survey responses of family medicine residents who had attended medical school at the main campus in Indianapolis versus an RMC to see if there were any noticeable differences in their residency training outcomes. Methods: From 2012 to 2017, in the spring of each year, a cross-sectional survey was administered to all final-year family medicine residents graduating from the eleven family medicine residency programs in Indiana. A total of 519 out of 520 residents completed the survey. Of whom, 132 respondents indicated they had graduated from IUSM; 45 reported they had attended the Indianapolis campus and 87 had attended one of the RMCs in the state. Our dataset for this study was comprised of these 132 respondents. Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used to compare responses between groups. P-values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: In the ACGME competency areas, the residents who attended an RMC versus the Indianapolis campus were significantly more likely to report being fully competent in Medical Knowledge (90% vs. 76%, p = 0.032) and Systems-Based Practice (83% vs. 64%, p = 0.019). Additionally, the residents who attended an RMC compared to their Indianapolis counterparts reported significantly higher rates of being trained to serve rural populations (73% vs. 52%, p = 0.017) as well as being fully competent to serve rural populations (69% vs. 42%, p = 0.003). However, the residents who attended an RMC were no more likely to establish a practice in a rural area than were the residents who attended Indianapolis (18% vs. 17%, p = 0.845). Conclusions: Based on these self-reported data, the family medicine residents who attended an RMC may perceive themselves to be better-prepared in a few core competency areas, as well as in serving rural populations, compared to those who attended the Indianapolis campus. These findings suggest that IUSM’s complex statewide system of medical education may offer some unique advantages in preparing students for residency, especially in family medicine

Temperature dependence of field-response mechanisms in 0.4Ba(Zr\u3csub\u3e0.2\u3c/sub\u3eTi\u3csub\u3e0.8\u3c/sub\u3e)O\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e-0.6(Ba\u3csub\u3e0.7\u3c/sub\u3eCa\u3csub\u3e0.3\u3c/sub\u3e)TiO\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e

Understanding the temperature dependence of how ferroelectric materials respond to electric fields is critical for determining how best to use these materials in applications. Here, temperature dependent in situ x-ray diffraction is used to study how field-response mechanism Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 evolves with temperature. Increasing the measurement temperature was found to slightly reduce the extent of domain reversal and the magnitude of the 111 lattice strain. Instead, these results indicate that temperature predominantly impacted the angular dependence of the 002/200 lattice strain. We attribute the observed differences in 002/200 lattice strain to the flattening of the free-energy near the tetragonal-orthorhombic phase boundary, where the flattening of the energy landscape promotes a polarization rotation response during the application of electric fields at room temperature

Tracking Medical Students and Graduates from Hometown to Practice using Geographic Information Systems, 2011-2017

Background: Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) through its statewide system provides medical education and clinical experiences across Indiana for more than 1,450 medical students in nine regions, including Indianapolis and eight regional medical campuses (RMCs). The majority of medical students begin their education distributed among the RMCs, and some students continue clinical experiences at the RMCs for their third and fourth years. Methods: We used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to visualize and document the contribution of our RMCs in Indiana to the physician workforce pipeline. Using data from the 2011-2017 graduating classes, we created a geospatial database that linked key information from student records and public domain sources (e.g., hometown, campus assignment, PGY1 specialty, and practice) with their corresponding locational information. ArcGIS 10.5 GIS software was used to produce a series of maps to visualize patterns in student outcomes among the RMCs over time. Results: By using GIS to track medical trainees from hometown to practice, we can provide accurate visualization of extensive geographic data. The maps revealed similarities and differences among the RMCs not fully appreciated until visually mapped, including the specialty choice of students from different campuses and the proportion of graduates practicing in medically underserved areas of the state. Conclusions: GIS maps and their analyses can identify strengths and distinctions among the RMCs while providing accurate descriptions of the role of geography in the professional development journey of the physician workforce. This ongoing project is a major step toward integrating GIS as a familiar tool in academic administration and health workforce research to assist future decision-making by the school leadership

The Effect of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol on T-Cell Mitochondrial Respiration

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