Deposition parameter studies and surface acoustic wavecharacterization of PECVD silicon nitride films on lithium niobate

Silicon nitride films were deposited by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique using silane-ammonia as the reactant gas mixture. The influence of the process parameters such as flow ratio of the reactant gases, pressure, substrate temperature, RF power, time of deposition and electrode spacing on the deposition and etch rates were investigated. From the matrix of deposition conditions, the deposition parameters for high quality films applicable to surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology were found. Experimental results on the acoustic loss, reflectivity and velocity dispersion for the fabricated devices are presented     

Suspected paediatric pesticide poisoning in the UK. II--Home Accident Surveillance System 1989-1991

1. Between 1989 and 1991, 121,708 children less than 10 years old attended 22 Accident and Emergency (A & E) Departments in the UK as a result of an accident at home; 6,478 of these were cases of suspected poisoning. 2. Two hundred and fifty (124 boys and 126 girls) of 6,478 cases involved pesticides. Forty two per cent of these children were thought to have been poisoned by rodenticides, 33% by a different animal poison, 13% by an herbicide or fungicide, 7% by creosote and 5% by mothballs; a pattern similar to that observed in previous years. 3. Fifty-seven of 250 children (23%) were admitted to hospital. The proportion of children admitted to hospital between 1989 and 1991 is smaller than that observed between 1982-1988 (37%). Forty-six per cent of children were discharged home within one day and 95% within 2 days, whereas between 1982 and 1988 only 35% of children were discharged within one day. No child died during the study confirming the low morbidity. 4. Using these data we estimate that between 1989 and 1991 approximately 1,500 children annually attended an A & E Department in the UK with a diagnosis of suspected pesticide poisoning and that some 350 children were admitted each year.     

Determination of the fat content of meat using nuclear magnetic resonance

A nuclear magnetic resonance method has been used to measure the fat content of lean meat and the accuracy assessed by comparison with standard chemical methods. There were linear relationships between the nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) fat content and those determined by two standard chemical methods; the residual standard deviations being 0.2 and 0.16% of the wet weight for total and extractable fat methods, respectively.     

Radiation from a slot antenna in a ground plane coated with a moving plasma sheath

The electromagnetic radiation from a slot antenna in a conducting plane coated with a moving isotropic cold plasma layer is considered. It is assumed that the direction of motion of the layer is across the slot, which is taken to be infinitely long. An integral representation for the field radiated through the plasma layer is obtained and evaluated asymptotically in the far zone by the method of steepest descents. The migration of the poles in the integrand of this integral representation as the speed of the slab is varied is discussed and related to several calculated radiation patterns. It is found that the motion of the plasma layer has the greatest effect on the radiation pattern when the wave frequency and plasma frequency are nearly equal.     

Infant preferences for attractive faces: Rudiments of a stereotype?

Two studies, one with 2- to 3-month-olds and one with 6- to 8-month-olds, were conducted to examine infant preferences for attractive faces. A standard visual preference technique was used in which infants were shown pairs of color slides of the faces of adult women previously rated by other adults for attractiveness. The results showed that both the older and younger infants looked longer at attractive faces when the faces were presented in contrasting pairs of attractiveness (attractive/unattractive). When the faces were presented in pairs of similar levels of attractiveness (attractive/attractive vs. unattractive/unattractive) the older but not the younger infants looked longer at attractive faces. The results challenge the commonly held assumption that standards of attractiveness are learned through gradual exposure to the current cultural standard of beauty and are merely "in the eye of the beholder." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictors of mental and physical health service utilization among Vietnam veterans.

This study investigated predictors of mental and physical health care service utilization among 1,632 male (n = 1,200) and female (n = 432) Vietnam veterans who participated in the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Using Anderson's theory as a model (Anderson & Bartkus, 1973), the authors examined both direct and mediated relationships among predisposing factors (i.e., age, marital status, and combat exposure), enabling factors (e.g., household income and insurance), and need factors (e.g., medical and psychological symptomatology) and physical and mental health care utilization outcomes. Need factors were the most consistent and strongest mediators of predisposing variables for both physical and mental health care service utilization, although there were differences between male and female veterans. For men, combat exposure indirectly predicted mental health care utilization through the need variables (with the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder being greatest). For women, physical health problems mediated the relationship between combat exposure and physical health outpatient care utilization. These findings have implications for screening and outreach efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The value of digital personal dosemeters in angiography/interventional radiology: preliminary experience

New interventional procedures tend to involve longer screening times than were hitherto used in radiology. A careful audit of technique and shielding facilities needs to be performed to ensure that patient and operator doses are optimised. This paper explores the use of digital dosemeters to evaluate operator dose. Equipment related parameters, e.g. screening time, dose-area-product (DAP) readings, were not found to be strongly correlated to operator dose. The real time display on the electronic dosemeter is a non-intrusive indicator of the efficacy of operator protection strategies.     

Panel 4: Stabilizer/lubricant developments

“One-packs” vs separate stabilizer/lubricant; lower cost vs high-efficiency tins for profiles, siding, etc; antimony vs tin in pipe; multifunctional lubricants vs separates; Ba/Cd and lead stabilization—geographical considerations; future for rigid and flexible PVC stabilization—geographical considerations; future for rigid and flexible PVC stabilization and lubrication; cost effectiveness Cd-free Ba/Zn vs Ba/Cd/Zn; new developments in non-toxic Ca/Zn systems.