The effects of dislocations on crystallographic twins and domain wall motion in magnetite at the Verwey transition.

Pure magnetite experiences a first-order phase transition (the Verwey transition) near 120-125 K wherein the mineral's symmetry changes from cubic to monoclinic. This transformation results in the formation of fine-scale crystallographic twins and is accompanied by a profound change in magnetic properties. The Verwey transition is critical to a variety of applications in environmental magnetism and paleomagnetism because its expression is diagnostic for the presence of stoichiometric (or nearly stoichiometric) magnetite and cycling through the Verwey transition tends to remove the majority of multidomain magnetic remanence. Internal and external stresses demonstrably affect the onset of the Verwey transition. Dislocations create localized internal stress fields and have been cited as a possible source of an altered Verwey transition in deformed samples. To further investigate this behavior, a laboratory-deformed magnetite sample was examined inside a transmission electron microscope as it was cooled through the Verwey transition. Operating the microscope in the Fresnel mode of Lorentz microscopy enabled imaging of the interactions between dislocations, magnetic domain walls, and low-temperature crystallographic twin formation during the phase transition. To relate the observed changes to more readily measurable bulk sample magnetic behavior, low-temperature magnetic measurements were also taken using SQUID magnetometry. This study allows us, for the first time, to observe the Verwey transition in a defect-rich area. Dislocations, and their associated stress fields, impede the development of monoclinic magnetite twin structures during the phase transition and increase the remanence of a magnetite sample after cooling and warming through the Verwey transition.

Retrospective study on de novo postoperative urinary incontinence after pelvic organ prolapse surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Reported incidences of de novo urinary incontinence (UI) following pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery in preoperatively continent women vary between 2% and 43%. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and the types of de novo UI and differences between operations in different compartments. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of 678 women with POP surgery using native tissue repair during a 3-year period. Patients completed three modified prolapse questions from the International Consultation on Incontinence-Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire- Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) before undergoing surgery and 3 months postoperatively. Patients who were totally dry and scored 0 on ICIQ-UI SF before surgery were included in the study (N=299). The patients developing new onset UI on ICIQ-UI SF postoperatively were interviewed by telephone after median 30 months. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients (11%) developed subjective de novo UI at 3 months follow-up. The majority of patients (N=16) reported stress UI. The risk of developing de novo UI increased with parity (p=0.03). We found no difference between operations in different compartments. At long-term follow-up 12 patients became continent without incontinence surgery or medical treatment leaving only 21 patients (7%) incontinent. CONCLUSION: The risk of developing de novo UI after prolapse surgery with native tissue repair is low and improves over time. Parity is significantly associated with the risk of developing de novo UI. There is no difference in the incidence of de novo incontinence between operations in different compartments.

Long-term follow-up of sexual function in women before and after tension-free vaginal tape operation for stress urinary incontinence.

INTRODUCTION: This prospective study investigates sexual function in women after a tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) operation and compares short-term and long-term effects. METHODS: Sixty-three women had a TVT operation performed at Aalborg University Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, between November 2008 and June 2010. Patients completed the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) before undergoing surgery, 6 months postoperatively, and at the long-term follow-up (mean 4 years and 9 months). RESULTS: Forty-four women completed the two questionnaires all three times. Preoperatively, mean PISQ-12 was 33.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 28.9-38.6] and the ICIQ-UI SF was 15.2 (14.4-16.0). Postoperatively the PISQ-12 increased significantly and the ICIQ-UI-SF decreased significantly, to 36.7 (31.5-41.9) and 2.5 (1.3-3.8), respectively, at the 6-months follow-up and 35.8 (33.6-38.1) and 4.9 (3.4-6.3), respectively, at the long-term follow-up. The greates improvement was in the physical domain of the PISQ-12. Women experienced less negative emotional reactions during intercourse, less coital incontinence, and less fear of being incontinent during intercourse after the TVT operation. CONCLUSION: This study shows that a woman's sex life does not deteriorate after a TVT operation, that their sexual function improves somewhat, and that results are sustained over time.

Sexual function in women before and after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual function in women before and after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using native tissue repair. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: Danish university hospital, between December 2008 and May 2010. POPULATION: Eighty-one patients who had a POP operation with native tissue repair performed. METHODS: The patients completed a validated Danish questionnaire on prolapse, the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire - 12 Short Form (PISQ-12-SF), and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) before undergoing surgery and six months postoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in PISQ-12-SF measures six months after the operation in different types of POP operations. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the PISQ-12-SF score (mean ± SD) was 35.2 ± 4.6 and postoperatively 38.3 ± 3.9, giving a significant difference of 3.0 ± 3.8. (p < 0.05). Thirty-seven women (72%) improved their PISQ-12-SF score postoperatively, nine (18%) had an equal score, and five (10%) reported a lower score. There was no significant difference in the PISQ-12-SF scores between different operations. The ICIQ-UI-SF showed an overall improvement in incontinence postoperatively with a small correlation to PISQ-12-SF. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients who undergo operation for different kinds of POP using native tissue repair, experience an improvement in their sexual life postoperatively. Most women with preoperative urinary incontinence experienced cure or improvement after POP surgery.

Sexual function in women before and after tension-free vaginal tape operation for stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sexual function in women before and after tension-free vaginal tape operation for stress urinary incontinence. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Aalborg University Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics between November 2008 and June 2010. POPULATION: Sixty-three women who had a tension-free vaginal tape operation performed. METHODS: Patients completed the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) before undergoing surgery and 6 months postoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in PISQ-12 measures 6 months after the tension-free vaginal tape operation. RESULTS: Twelve women were excluded because of non-completed questionnaires. Preoperatively the PISQ-12 score was 33.7 and postoperatively 36.7, giving a significant difference of 3.0 (p < 0.05). Forty women (78%) scored higher postoperatively, five (10%) scored the same and six (12%) reported lower scores postoperatively. Only PISQ-12 questions in the physical domain were significantly improved. These values were elevated close to the maximum score. Preoperatively 18 women (35%) experienced coital incontinence always, often or sometimes. Postoperatively this was only the case in two women. CONCLUSION: Most women experience an improvement in sexual life after a tension-free vaginal tape procedure mainly because of absence of incontinence during sexual activity or absence of fear of incontinence during sexual activity.

A retrospective study on telephone follow-up of anterior colporrhaphy by a specialized nurse.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aim of the study was to evaluate a new follow-up practice after anterior colporrhaphy for central cystocele involving nurse telephone follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up of all 84 patients with an anterior colporrhaphy operation during 2011 was performed. Standard postoperative procedure in uncomplicated cases of cystocele operation (first-time cystocele operation, no preoperative incontinence or voiding difficulties, and no immediate postoperative complications) was a telephone interview performed by a continence nurse 3 months after patient surgery. A local checklist comprising questions concerning complications, voiding dysfunction, and sexual life, as well as questions from the International Consultation on Incontinence Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) were used. Complex cases were followed by the surgeon with a consultation including gynecological examination after 3 months. RESULTS: Out of 84 patients with a cystocele operation, 59 were uncomplicated and had a telephone follow-up. Forty-four (75 %) were satisfied and needed no further consultation in the hospital. One patient could not be contacted. Fourteen patients had a consultation, three before the telephone consultation because of bleeding, five because of anxiety, and one each because of voiding dysfunction and prolapse symptoms. Four patients had persisting urinary incontinence and were incorrectly scheduled for a telephone interview. CONCLUSIONS: Selecting uncomplicated cases for a nurse telephone follow-up after cystocele operation is feasible in a majority of cases. This allows doctors to see more new patients and focus on difficult cases, as well as saving time and money.

The Buttermilk Creek complex and the origins of Clovis at the Debra L. Friedkin site, Texas.

Compelling archaeological evidence of an occupation older than Clovis (~12.8 to 13.1 thousand years ago) in North America is present at only a few sites, and the stone tool assemblages from these sites are small and varied. The Debra L. Friedkin site, Texas, contains an assemblage of 15,528 artifacts that define the Buttermilk Creek Complex, which stratigraphically underlies a Clovis assemblage and dates between ~13.2 and 15.5 thousand years ago. The Buttermilk Creek Complex confirms the emerging view that people occupied the Americas before Clovis and provides a large artifact assemblage to explore Clovis origins.

Effects of magnetic interactions in antiferromagnetic ferrihydrite particles.

The effects of magnetic interactions in the magnetic properties of six-line ferrihydrite particles were investigated by studying the behavior of aggregated versus coated particles. Four different coating agents (sugar, alginate, lactate and ascorbate) were employed in order to obtain dispersed particles and prevent particle agglomeration; one sub-sample was allowed to dry with no coating agent. The five sets of ferrihydrite particles were from the same batch and the size was estimated as 3.6 ± 0.4 nm in length. Low temperature magnetization, ac susceptibility and Mössbauer spectroscopy data showed contrasting blocking temperatures for uncoated and coated samples with a decrease of T(P) from about 50 K to 12 K, respectively. The contributions from magnetic interactions were recognized in magnetic measurements and the effective anisotropy constant for non-interacting ferrihydrite was estimated as (100 ± 10) × 10(3) J m(-3). Overall, employing sugar and alginate as coating agents was more successful in preventing particle aggregation and magnetic interactions. In contrast, ascorbate and lactate were unsuitable due to the chemical reaction between the coating agent and ferrihydrite surface.

The use of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) among personnel and students in health care: a review.

BACKGROUND: Health care personnel need access to updated information anywhere and at any time, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) has the potential to meet these requirements. A PDA is a mobile tool which has been employed widely for various purposes in health care practice, and the level of its use is expected to increase. Loaded with suitable functions and software applications, a PDA might qualify as the tool that personnel and students in health care need. In Sweden today, despite its leadership role in mobile technologies, PDAs are not commonly used, and there is a lack of suitable functions and software applications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present review was to obtain an overview of existing research on the use of PDAs among personnel and students in health care. METHODS: The literature search included original peer-reviewed research articles written in English and published from 1996 to 2008. All study designs were considered for inclusion. We excluded reviews and studies focusing on the use of PDAs in classroom situations. From March 2006 to the last update in May 2008, we searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, IngentaConnect, and a local search engine (ELIN@Kalmar). We conducted a content analysis, using Nielsen's Model of System Acceptability as a theoretical framework in structuring and presenting the results. RESULTS: From the 900 references initially screened, 172 articles were selected and critically assessed until 48 articles remained. The majority originated in North-America (USA: n=24, Canada: n=11). The categories which emerged from our content analysis coincided to a certain extent to Nielsen's Model of System Acceptability (social and practical acceptability), including usefulness (utility and usability) subcategories such as learnability, efficiency, errors, and satisfaction. The studies showed that health care personnel and students used PDAs in patient care with varied frequency. Most of the users were physicians. There is some evidence that the use of a PDA in health care settings might improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals, but the evidence is not strong, with most studies being descriptive, and only 6 randomized controlled trials. Several special software programs have been created and tested for PDAs, and a wide range of situations for their use have been reported for different patient groups. Drug and medical information were commonly accessed by PDA users, and the PDA was often viewed as the preferred tool when compared to paper-based documents. Some users regarded the PDA easy to operate, while others found it difficult in the beginning. CONCLUSIONS: This overview of the use of PDAs revealed a positive attitude towards the PDA, which was regarded as a feasible and convenient tool. The possibility of immediate access to medical information has the potential to improve patient care. The PDA seems to be a valuable tool for personnel and students in health care, but there is a need for further intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, action research, and studies with various health care groups in order to identify its appropriate functions and software applications.