A prospective study of short- and long-term outcomes after traumatic brain injury in children: Behavior and achievement.

Longitudinal behavior and achievement outcomes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) were investigated in 53 children with severe TBI, 56 children with moderate TBI, and 80 children with orthopedic injuries not involving brain insult. Measures of preinjury child and family status and of postinjury achievement skills were administered shortly after injury. Assessments were repeated 3 times across a mean follow-up interval of 4 years. Results from mixed model analysis revealed persisting sequelae of TBI. Recovery of math skills was observed in the severe TBI group but only for children from less stressed families. Social disadvantage in children with TBI predicted more adverse behavioral sequelae and less favorable changes in some outcome measures. The findings suggest that pediatric TBI has long-term effects on behavior and achievement but that postinjury progress is influenced by the family environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian graduate training in psychology.

As a result of a questionnaire sent to all Canadian graduate training schools in psychology, a tabulation was made of a) qualifications for admission to each programme, b) graduate training specialty in each department, c) broad numerical comparisons of size of university with number applying and accepted for study. Overall the results indicate that the minimum qualifications for entry are a B average in 7 or 8 undergraduate psychology courses including basic experimental psychology and statistics. Qualifying years are usually offered to those who do not reach these minima. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gasdynamic lasers

It is not enough to depend upon diffusivity to dissipate the heat from a gas laser. Under the circumstances, average power outputs are too limited. By generating flow within the gas and deriving the benefits of forced convection, performance is improved. But if flow can be used to improve power outputs, it also can be used to advance a step further and generate the conditions that are necessary for lasing action?thereby creating a gasdynamic laser. This article covers the theory behind such a device and describes an experimental unit that has proved the merit of the concept.     

Ethernet PON (ePON): Design and Analysis of an Optical Access Network

With the expansion of services offered over the Internet, the last mile bottleneck problems continue to exacerbate. A passive optical network (PON) is a technology viewed by many as an attractive solution to this problem. In this study, we propose the design and analysis of a PON architecture which has an excellent performance-to-cost ratio. This architecture uses the time-division multiplexing (TDM) approach to deliver data encapsulated in Ethernet packets from a collection of optical network units (ONUs) to a central optical line terminal (OLT) over the PON access network. The OLT, in turn, is connected to the rest of the Internet. A simulation model is used to analyze the systems performance such as bounds on packets delay and queue occupancy. Then, we discuss the possibility of improving the bandwidth utilization by means of timeslot size adjustment, and by packet scheduling.     

Distribution of natural thorium in the tissues of a whole body

The distribution of thorium in the tissues of a whole body donor to the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries is described. This case, identified by the USTUR as Case 0212, had two documented intakes of plutonium and americium from occupational accidents while employed at Hanford but no known occupational exposure to thorium. Concentrations of 239+240Pu, 241Am, and 232Th in the tissues are compared and the distribution of these isotopes in this case is evaluated. The distribution data for 232Th are compared to those from previous studies of thorium in human tissues resulting from environmental exposure and to an individual exposed to Thorotrast (colloidal ThO2) in a medical diagnostic procedure. The 232Th distribution data from this work are also compared against ICRP 30 and ICRP 69 models for the behaviour of thorium in the human body.