University of Nebraska Omaha

About: University of Nebraska Omaha is a education organization based out in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 4526 authors who have published 8905 publications receiving 213914 citations. The organization is also known as: UNO & University of Omaha.

Maximizing Specific Loss Power for Magnetic Hyperthermia by Hard-Soft Mixed Ferrites.

Abstract: Maximized specific loss power and intrinsic loss power approaching theoretical limits for alternating-current (AC) magnetic-field heating of nanoparticles are reported. This is achieved by engineering the effective magnetic anisotropy barrier of nanoparticles via alloying of hard and soft ferrites. 22 nm Co0.03 Mn0.28 Fe2.7 O4 /SiO2 nanoparticles reach a specific loss power value of 3417 W g-1metal at a field of 33 kA m-1 and 380 kHz. Biocompatible Zn0.3 Fe2.7 O4 /SiO2 nanoparticles achieve specific loss power of 500 W g-1metal and intrinsic loss power of 26.8 nHm2 kg-1 at field parameters of 7 kA m-1 and 380 kHz, below the clinical safety limit. Magnetic bone cement achieves heating adequate for bone tumor hyperthermia, incorporating an ultralow dosage of just 1 wt% of nanoparticles. In cellular hyperthermia experiments, these nanoparticles demonstrate high cell death rate at low field parameters. Zn0.3 Fe2.7 O4 /SiO2 nanoparticles show cell viabilities above 97% at concentrations up to 500 µg mL-1 within 48 h, suggesting toxicity lower than that of magnetite.

Efficacy of a computerized local anesthesia device in pediatric dentistry.

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a computerized anesthesia delivery system in reducing pain during injections when compared with a traditional delivery system (ie, syringe) Methods: Subjects consisted of 57 patients between the ages of 5 and 13 needing operative dentistry using local anesthesia Patients were randomly assigned to either the computerized or traditional anesthesia delivery system Inferior alveolar block injections, palatal, and buccal infiltrations were the only injections administered throughout this study Pain behavior was videotaped and coded throughout the study Pain perceptions were rated using a 10 point visual analogue rating scale Subjects were also asked to rate their overall satisfaction and approval of the dentist and the treatment received Results: Results of multivariate analysis of variance indicated that there were no significant differences between the computerized and the traditional method of administering local anesthesia when comparing pain ratings and pain behavior Average pain ratings for the computerized method were 45 while the average ratings for the traditional method were 36 In addition, all subjects reported overall satisfaction with their dental treatment and that they would be willing to return in the future Conclusions: A computerized anesthesia injection method was found to be comparable to the traditional method of anesthesia injection (Pediatr Dent 21:421-424, 1999)

The effect of anterior cruciate ligament recontruction on lower extremity relative phase dynamics during walking and running

Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to use relative phase dynamics to evaluate gait in individuals with a reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during walking and running. Relative phase dynamics can describe the coordination strategies between the interacting segments at the lower extremity. Ten subjects who had undergone ACL reconstruction using the central third of their patellar tendon and ten healthy controls walked and ran on a treadmill at a self-selected pace. Relative phase dynamics were calculated for the foot-shank and shank-thigh coordinative relationships. Statistical differences between the groups were noted for the foot-shank relationship (p < 0.05) during both walking and running and for the shank-thigh relationship (p < 0.05) during walking. Our results indicate that current ACL reconstructive techniques may result in altered relative phase dynamics. These changes in relative phase dynamics could be related to a loss of sensory information about joint position and velocity that is typically provided by the intact ACL. Additionally, relative phase adaptations could be a learned response from the early stages of postsurgical rehabilitation. Relative phase dynamics provide quantitative information about the dynamic status of the ACL-reconstructed knee that cannot be gained from the conventional time-series evaluation of gait analysis data. Relative phase dynamics measures should supplement the conventional gait analysis measures that are used today for the clinical evaluation of the functional dynamic stability of the reconstructed knee. The examination of relative phase dynamics could be clinically important for the quantification of new ACL surgical interventions and of patient performance at various stages of rehabilitation. Further research should incorporate relative phase dynamics to understand the influence of ACL reconstruction on coordination and functional patient outcomes.

The Sound of Trust: Voice as a Measurement of Trust During Interactions with Embodied Conversational Agents

Abstract: Trust is a critical component in effective collaboration, decision-making and negotiation. The goal of effective team leaders should be to send signals and messages that increase trust. We attempt to determine if signals can vary perceptions of trustworthiness and if nonverbal behaviors, such as the voice, contain indicators of trust. In order to investigate the relationship between trust and vocal dynamics, this article presents a study that explores how the voice, measured unobtrusively, reflects a person’s current level of perceived trust. We used an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) to maximize consistency and control in questioning, timing, and interviewer nonverbal behavior, thus eliminating potential confounds that may be introduced due to interaction adaptation. Participants ( $$\text{ N}=88$$ ) completed a face-to-face interview with the ECA and reported their perceptions of the ECA’s trustworthiness. The results of the study revealed that vocal pitch was inversely related to perceived trust, but temporally variant; vocal pitch early in the interview reflected trust. The ECA was perceived as more trustworthy when smiling. While the results of this research suggest a relationship between vocal pitch and perceived levels of trust, more work needs to be done to clarify the causal relationship. Similarly, additional study needs to be done in order to integrate additional behavioral measurements that account for variation across diverse situations, people, and cultures.

Debriefs: Teams learning from doing in context.

Abstract: Debriefs are a type of work meeting in which teams discuss, interpret, and learn from recent events during which they collaborated. In a variety of forms, debriefs are found across a wide range of organizational types and settings. Well-conducted debriefs can improve team effectiveness by 25% across a variety of organizations and settings. For example, the U.S. military adopted debriefs decades ago to promote learning and performance across the various services. Subsequently, debriefs have been introduced in the medical field, the fire service, aviation, education, and in a variety of organizational training and simulation environments. After a discussion of various purposes for which debriefs have been used, we proceed with a historical review of development of the concepts and use in industries and contexts. We then review the psychological factors relevant to debrief effectiveness and the outcomes for individuals, teams, and organizations that deploy debriefs. Future directions of particular interest to team researchers across a variety of psychological disciplines are presented along with a review of how best to implement debriefs from a practical perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record