Single Incident Research Articles

Can States Pick Up the Health Reform Torch?

It is impossible to recall another time when a single incident — in this case, the off-cycle election of a U.S. senator — so thoroughly implicated the long-term direction of U.S. health policy. Washington is still taking the full measure of Senator Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts, but among seasoned observers, the election's potential fallout for health reform was evident even before the first votes were cast.1 The political narrative of the Brown victory is the stuff of legend: the loss of a Senate seat held by an iconic figure who devoted his half-century political career to the very issue . . .

Quantum tunneling and reflection of a molecule with a single bound state

In this article, we present the results of studies on the quantum mechanical tunneling and reflection of a diatomic, homonuclear molecule with a single bound state incident upon a potential barrier. In the first study, we investigate the tunneling of a molecule using a time-dependent formulation. The molecular wave function is modeled as a Gaussian wave packet, and its propagation is calculated numerically using Crank-Nicholson integration. It is found that a molecule may transition between the bound state and an unbound state numerous times during the process of reflection from or transmission past the barrier. It is also found that, in addition to reflecting and transmitting, the molecule may also temporarily straddle the potential barrier in an unbound state. In the second study, we consider the case of a molecule incident in the bound state upon a step potential with energy less than the step. We show that in the limit where the binding energy ${e}_{0}$ approaches zero and the step potential ${V}_{0}$ goes to infinity, the molecule cannot remain in a bound state if the center of mass gets closer to the step than an arbitrarily large distance ${x}_{0}$ which increases as the magnitude of ${e}_{0}$ decreases, as ${V}_{0}$ increases, or both. We also show that, for ${e}_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${V}_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, if the molecule is incident in the bound state, it is reflected in the bound state with probability equal to unity, when the center of mass reaches the reflection distance ${x}_{0}$. We verify that the unbound states exhibit the expected physical behavior. We discuss some surprising results. Connections between our results and investigations done in cold atoms, excitons, Cooper pairs, and Rydberg atoms are discussed.

Splitting induced generation of soliton trains in layered waveguides

We report first experimental registration of the splitting induced generation of a soliton train from a single incident strain soliton in two- and three-layered elastic waveguides. The origin is in the nonlinear response of the wave to an abrupt change of physical properties of the waveguide. We show a good agreement between our experimental results and theoretical estimates, based on a weakly nonlinear solution for the doubly dispersive (Boussinesq type) equation with piecewise constant coefficients for the waveguide made of a piecewise isotropic nonlinearly elastic material.

Review

160 Michigan Historical Review Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, while another was the strengthening of federal laws to control water pollution, which were eventually consolidated in the Clean Water Act of l977. The Environmental Protection Agency failed to help in the fight against invasive species because it exempted ship-ballast waters from federal water-pollution-control measures in l973 and maintained that position until 2008. Ballast waters of ocean freighters entering the St. Lawrence Seaway and the muddy slop left in holds after they were flushed with sea water carried invasive species. The Coast Guard is characterized as an ineffective enforcer of environmental regulations for ships. Costconscious commercial shipping interests resisted cleaning up ballast waters. Responsibility for these ineffective measures was shared by scientists, a number of governmental agencies, and politicians who failed to act in time to prevent severe spoliation of the Great Lakes. Controversies and differences of opinion were legion. Finally in 2008, by court order, the Environmental Protection Agency required all ocean freighters entering the Great Lakes to flush their ballast water before entering the St. Lawrence Seaway. This was two years after Canada had implemented a similar rule. Unfortunately, this act was similar to locking the barn door after the horse was stolen, because zebra and quagga mussels had been rapidly spreading in the lakes for two decades. Alexander devotes much of Pandora’s Locks to the damage they have done in the Great Lakes and to their spread to the West Coast. This elaborately researched and engagingly written work deserves the serious attention of a wide readership, especially with the current threat of a new invasion by Asian carp, which is capable of making massive negative changes in the Great Lakes, the largest single source of fresh water in the world. Margaret Beattie Bogue Emerita Professor of History and Liberal Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison Arnie Bernstein. Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2009. Pp. 200. Illustrations. Notes. Selective bibliography. Cloth, $50.00; paper, $18.95. Andrew Kehoe struggled as a youth and young man in Bath Township, Michigan, losing both loved ones and job prospects. Despite enduring various conflicts and traumas, Kehoe managed to Book Reviews 161 obtain a measure of stability and respectability. He married; he dressed impeccably, even when he worked on his farm; he joined civic organizations, including the school board; and he developed a liking for the card game euchre. Although they bristled at his quick temper and wondered about the explosions on his farm, Kehoe’s neighbors knew him as a well-mannered man who kept to himself. That Kehoe is remembered at all is due to the fact that he engineered the deadliest act of mass murder in a school in American history and the most lethal terrorist attack in the country until the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. In Bath Massacre: America’s First School Bombing, Arnie Bernstein offers an exhaustive account of the events surrounding Kehoe’s claim to immortality: the destruction of the Bath Consolidated School. On May 18, 1927, Kehoe detonated a massive cache of explosives secreted in the school, destroying the building and killing and maiming students and teachers. As rescuers gathered at the scene, Kehoe approached in his car and in a move familiar to anyone reading the news from Iraq and Afghanistan detonated a pile of dynamite within his vehicle, killing himself and a school-board rival and sending shrapnel from scrap metal—carefully gathered beforehand—into the living and dead alike. All told, Kehoe killed forty-five people, including his wife. This affecting and thoroughly researched book is at its heart a local history gathered around a single tragic incident. Bernstein is fond of the minor details of small-town life, such as the procurement of a heated carriage for transporting students to and from school in Michigan winters and Kehoe’s mortgage payments. In troubling contrast to these quotidian details are meticulous descriptions of the human suffering Kehoe caused. There is a line where the recounting of the vivid details of the death throes of children ceases to be illustrative of the crimes of a monster and becomes exploitative, if not pornographic...

Zn(ii) versus Ru(ii) phthalocyanine-sensitised solar cells. A comparison between singlet and triplet electron injectors

In this study, the injection efficiencies and photovoltaic device performances for two different phthalocyanine sensitisers—a Zn(II)Pc (TT-1) and a Ru(II)Pc (TT-35) in dye sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells were compared. These dyes have similar structures and energetics, but differ significantly in their photophysics, with TT-1 exhibiting a reasonably long lived singlet state, whilst TT-35 exhibits rapid intersystem crossing to a long lived triplet state. Time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) approach and incident photon conversion efficiency (IPCE) measurements were applied to study the injection efficiency of these two Pc dyes. A comparison of the injection efficiency determined by the two independent techniques, TCSPC and IPCE analysis, shows a good agreement. TT-35 shows higher injection efficiency in comparison to TT-1. This result is consistent with the relative energy and lifetime of the TT-35 triplet state compared to the TT-1 singlet excited state. The high injection efficiency and the long electron diffusion length shown by TT-35 make this dye an interesting red absorbing sensitizer for dye solar cells.

Terrorist Incidents in India, 1998–2004: A Quantitative Analysis of Fatality Rates

Using data from the University of Maryland's Global Terrorism Database II, this paper first provides information on the nature of terrorist incidents in India in the period 1998-2004: the Indian states that were worst affected by terrorist incidents and fatalities; the terrorist groups responsible for such incidents and their modus operandi. Next, the paper focuses on the issue of fatalities from terrorist incidents. It inquires into the extent to which the number of fatalities following an incident was influenced by the type of attack (bombings, armed assault, etc.) and the extent to which it was influenced by the type of terrorist group. By examining the number of fatalities resulting from terrorist attacks in India, the paper disentangles the influence on this number of attack type and attack group. Lastly, the paper applies Atkinson's concept of equality-adjusted income to terrorism to arrive at the concept of equality-adjusted deaths from terrorist incidents: in order to avoid spectacular incidents resulting in the loss of a large number of lives—as in New York on September 11, 2001 and in Mumbai 26–29 November 2008—“society” might be prepared to tolerate “low-grade” terrorism which resulted in a larger number of deaths in total but avoided a large number of deaths from a single iconic incident.

A 6-Month Follow-Up Study of Posttraumatic Stress and Anxiety/Depressive Symptoms in Korean Children After Direct or Indirect Exposure to a Single Incident of Trauma

The aims of this study were to examine the symptoms of posttraumatic stress and anxiety/depression in Korean children after direct or indirect exposure to a single incident of trauma during a fire-escape drill and to assess the incidence of psychiatric disorders in this population. A total of 1,394 students who attended the elementary school at which the traumatic event took place were evaluated using self-administered questionnaires (the Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-Reaction Index [CPTSD-RI], State Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children [STAIC], and Children's Depression Inventory [CDI]), as well as structured diagnostic interviews (Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Version-IV [DISC-IV]) at 2 days (time point 1), 2 months (time point 2), and 6 months (time point 3) after the incident. The 335 students who witnessed the accident were defined as the direct-exposure group, and the remaining students (n = 1,059) were defined as the indirect-exposure group. The study was conducted from May to November 2007. At time point 1, the prevalence of severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depressive symptoms was 18.2%, 5.5%, and 3.4%, respectively. The prevalence of severe PTSD symptoms, as measured by the CPTSD-RI, was significantly higher in the direct-exposure group than in the indirect-exposure group (36.6% vs 12.7%, respectively; P < .001). At time point 2, the prevalence of severe PTSD symptoms was 7.4% (14.0% in the direct-exposure group and 4.9% in the indirect-exposure group, P < .001). The mean total CPTSD-RI score was significantly higher (P < .001) in the direct-exposure group than in the indirect-exposure group. At time point 3, thirty-eight of the 58 subjects (65.5%) evaluated with the DISC-IV in the direct-exposure group had 1 or more of the 7 anxiety/depressive disorders assessed, including subthreshold diagnoses. Among the diagnoses meeting full DSM-IV criteria for each disorder, agoraphobia was the most prevalent (22.4%), followed by generalized anxiety disorder (13.8%), separation anxiety disorder (6.9%), PTSD (5.2%), and social phobia (5.2%). When the subthreshold diagnoses were considered along with the full syndrome diagnoses, separation anxiety disorder was the most common diagnosis (41.4%), followed by agoraphobia (34.5%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (22.4%), PTSD (20.7%), and social phobia (20.7%). The results of this study provide important evidence that various anxiety/depressive disorders, in addition to PTSD, might follow after direct or indirect exposure to trauma. Our findings highlight the importance of comprehensive screening for psychiatric problems in children exposed to trauma of any scale.

Reports of Rape Reperpetration by Newly Enlisted Male Navy Personnel

This study examined the frequency and characteristics of repeated attempted and completed rape (ACR) incidents reported by newly enlisted male navy personnel (N=1146) who participated in a longitudinal study during the transition from civilian to military life. Overall, 13% (n=144) reported engaging in sexual behavior that approximates legal definitions of ACR since the age of 14. Among those men, most (71%) reperpetrated ACR incidents (M = 6.36, SD = 9.55). Demographic variables were unrelated to perpetration history. Regardless of time period, respondents reported perpetrating primarily completed rather than attempted rape, perpetrating multiple ACR incidents rather than a single incident, using substances to incapacitate victims more frequently than force, and knowing their victim rather than targeting a stranger in completed rape incidents.

The Social Market Roots of Democratic Peace

Democracy does not cause peace among nations. Rather, domestic conditions cause both democracy and peace. From 1961 to 2001, democratic nations engaged in numerous fatal conflicts with each other, including at least one war, yet not a single fatal militarized incident occurred between nations with contract-intensive economies—those where most people have the opportunity to participate in the market. In contract-intensive economies, individuals learn to respect the choices of others and value equal application of the law. They demand liberal democracy at home and perceive it in their interest to respect the rights of nations and international law abroad. The consequences involve more than just peace: the contract-intensive democracies are in natural alliance against any actor—state or nonstate—that seeks to challenge Westphalian law and order. Because China and Russia lack contractualist economies, the economic divide will define great power politics in the coming decade. To address the challenges posed by China and Russia, preserve the Westphalian order, and secure their citizens from terrorism, the contract-intensive powers should focus their efforts on supporting global economic opportunity, rather than on promoting democracy.

Simulation of multiple shock–shock interference using implicit anti‐diffusive WENO schemes

AbstractAccurate computations of two‐dimensional turbulent hypersonic shock–shock interactions that arise when single and dual shocks impinge on the bow shock in front of a cylinder are presented. The simulation methods used are a class of lower–upper symmetric‐Gauss–Seidel implicit anti‐diffusive weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (WENO) schemes for solving the compressible Navier–Stokes equations with Spalart–Allmaras one‐equation turbulence model. A numerical flux of WENO scheme with anti‐diffusive flux correction is adopted, which consists of first‐order and high‐order fluxes and allows for a more flexible choice of first‐order dissipative methods. Experimental flow fields of type IV shock–shock interactions with single and dual incident shocks by Wieting are computed. By using the WENO scheme with anti‐diffusive flux corrections, the present solution indicates that good accuracy is maintained and contact discontinuities are sharpened markedly as compared with the original WENO schemes on the same meshes. Computed surface pressure distribution and heat transfer rate are also compared with experimental data and other computational results and good agreement is found. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Aggression at the workplace — psychological consequences of abusive encounter with coworkers and clients

The aim of the study was to evaluate the consequences of the exposure to workplace aggression from coworkers and clients. Participants belonged to two professional groups: nurses (N = 1163) and public service workers (N = 391). Aggression from coworkers and clients/patients was analysed separately. Several multiple regression models were tested to assess the effect of work-related aggression experienced by the subjects on their job satisfaction, professional functioning and mental health status. The frequency and type of violent behaviours against employee was measured by Exposure to Workplace Aggression Questionnaire (EWAQ), level of burnout was determined by Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), mental health status by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the level of work satisfaction was measured by 22-items survey, developed at NIOM Work Psychology Department. In the regression models, several possible confounders were controlled (sex, age, individual direct reaction to aggressive act, and physical health status). Results of our study point to adverse consequences of exposure to aggression at workplace, irrespective of its source. Employees experiencing workplace aggression are less satisfied with work, show symptoms of burnout, and their general health is poorer. We assume that aggression towards coworkers by peers and supervisors, as the phenomenon reflecting quality of long term interpersonal relationships, may affect health and functioning of workers stronger than a single incident in the short term contacts with clients. Aggression from clients usually results in compassion of peers, and it is perceived as the organisational problem that should be solved. On the contrary, dealing with an aggressive coworker usually is perceived as employee's own business and results in the sense of unfairness and isolation.

&amp;lsquo;Heroes&amp;rsquo; as victims: Role reversal in the Fire andRescue Service

This study focuses on firefighters who become casualties during occupational incidents involving colleague fatalities. It reports a case study of a single critical incident which occurred 14 years prior to the research being conducted. The incident resulted in serious casualties and deaths of both the general public and members of the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). Relevant FRS personnel completed two measures of traumatic reactions, with all participants showing evidence of posttraumatic stress; scores indicated mild severity, but chronic duration of symptoms. Interviews were then conducted using a grounded theory approach. Three core categories emerged: coping strategies, aspects of guilt, and individual reliance on the watch (watches are close co-worker teams who provide cover on a shift rotation). Findings suggest that, when placed in a situation of extreme trauma where familiar coping strategies are inoperable, firefighters revert to excessive employment of avoidance. They become heavily reliant on w...

Responses to perceived voice in decision‐making among congregational members

PurposeChurches require an active congregation to provide services to their members and community. This study aims to examine the conditions under which perceived voice in decision‐making is related to church satisfaction and when satisfaction is related to withdrawal.Design/methodology/approachA total of 193 congregational members from an urban African‐American ministry were surveyed about their responses to a recent decision.FindingsAlthough members without perceived voice within the church were less satisfied when the amount of their financial contributions was high, the same association was not present when it came to the amount of hours spent volunteering within the church. Church members with low satisfaction levels scaled back their involvement in the church and considered terminating their membership. Among those who were dissatisfied, newer church members considered exiting from the church to a greater extent than did long‐term members.Research limitations/implicationsBecause only one congregation was used, the findings might not generalize to congregations drawn from other denominations or who have a different demographic profile. Also, using self‐reports about a single critical incident may limit the generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsIn order to enhance congregational involvement, church leadership should create opportunities for member voice and especially for those who make large financial donations.Originality/valueThis is the first study investigating how congregational members react to perceived voice in church decision‐making. It also demonstrates how perceived voice is related to financial contributions to churches.

Relationships between memory inconsistency for traumatic events following 9/11 and PTSD in disaster restoration workers

The present study examined the relationships between memories for a single incident traumatic event – the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) – and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 2641 disaster restoration workers deployed at the WTC site in the aftermath of the attack were evaluated longitudinally, one year apart, for PTSD, using clinical interviews. Their recollection of the traumatic events was also assessed at these times. The results showed that recall of traumatic events amplified over time and that increased endorsement of traumas at Time 2 was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms. It was also shown that, of all the exposure variables targeted, memory of the perception of life threat and of seeing human remains were differentially associated with PTSD symptoms. Implications of the results are also discussed.

Case Study Materials; Strategies for Design and Use

Case materials are excellent teaching tools. They offer variety, complement traditional methods, serve as a bridge between theory and practice, and are particularly useful in learning how to solve problems, and to evaluate and judge. Case materials are problem oriented descriptions of a believable event which provides sufficient detail to allow the readers to analyze the problem/solution process. Three levels of case materials are defined: (a) case problems, which are short “snapshot” depictions of a single incident; (b) case studies, which include information on the background and context of a situation; and (c) referenced case studies, which include citations and author insight. Development steps for case problems and studies are provided. Ways in which these materials can be used for instruction are discussed. Case materials can be used for assessment and testing if care is exercised. A checklist is recommended. Case materials are useful to explore research issues and test tentative hypotheses.

Single-photon Transistors Based on the Interaction of an Emitter and Surface Plasmons

A symmetrical approach is suggested (Chang DE et al. Nat Phys 3:807, 2007) to realize a single-photon transistor, where the presence (or absence) of a single incident photon in a ‘gate’ field is sufficient to allow (prevent) the propagation of a subsequent ‘signal’ photon along the nanowire, on condition that the ‘gate’ field is symmetrically incident from both sides of an emitter simultaneously. We present a scheme for single-photon transistors based on the strong emitter-surface-plasmon interaction. In this scheme, coherent absorption of an incoming ‘gate’ photon incident along a nanotip by an emitter located near the tip of the nanotip results in a state flip in the emitter, which controls the subsequent propagation of a ‘signal’ photon in a nanowire perpendicular to the axis of the nanotip.

Unique determination of a perfectly conducting ball by a finite number of electric far field data

In this paper,we prove uniqueness in determining a perfectly conducting ball in the inverse electromagnetic scattering problem by a finite number of electric far field patterns with a single incident direction and polarization. It is emphasized that we use only one electric far field pattern datum to uniquely determine the radius of a ball if it is centered at the origin with radius R < 2 / k . Furthermore, if its center was not given as a prior information, three more measurement data must be added to uniquely determine its center. The main tool used here is some new results on zeros of spherical Bessel and spherical Neumann functions.

Laryngeal manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Chronic laryngeal signs and symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are often referred to as reflux laryngitis or laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). It is estimated that up to 15% of all visits to otolaryngology offices are because of manifestations of LPR. Damage to laryngeal mucosa may be the result of reflux of gastroduodenal contents, whether chronic or a single incident. The most common presenting symptoms of LPR include hoarseness, sore throat, throat clearing, and chronic cough. The diagnosis of LPR is usually made on the basis of presenting symptoms and associated laryngeal signs, including laryngeal edema and erythema. The current recommendation for managing these patients is empiric therapy with twice-daily proton pump inhibitors for 1 to 2 months. Other causes of laryngeal irritation are considered in most of those who are unresponsive to such therapy. Surgical fundoplication is most effective in those who are responsive to acid-suppressive therapy.

THE KATRINA OIL SPILL RESPONSE: THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND POST-DISASTER UPDATES

ABSTRACT In addition to the loss of life and property caused by Hurricane Katrina, the powerful storm caused significant environmental injury. The destruction and failure of hundreds of oil facilities and oil storage tanks resulted in many oil spills. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received reports that more than 8 million gallons of crude oil were discharged throughout the region. The largest single incident resulted in the loss of an estimated 90,000 bbls of crude oil from two large storage tanks in a very remote location near Cox Bay, Louisiana. Other authors will describe how the initial response managers overcame the incredible challenges of managing multiple oil spills in an enormous area devoid of support infrastructure, human resources and the logistical networks normally present. By January 2006, most of the oil spills from facilities impacted by Hurricane Katrina had entered the natural recovery phase while the response had transitioned from the initial disaster response phase to a more traditional response. However, in February 2008, there are still several sites that require continued clean-up and monitoring by federal and state officials. This paper will review the final stages of the federal government'S response to the Katrina-related oil spills and include planning and prevention measures that could reduce the risk of oil spills during similar storm events. Some of the topics included are: Hurricane Planning in Southeastern Louisiana'S Coastal Zone and consideration for improving facility Hurricane and Contingency Plans.

A global uniqueness for formally determined inverse electromagnetic obstacle scattering

It is proved that a perfect conducting obstacle in , consisting of finitely many solid polyhedra, is uniquely determined by the far-field pattern corresponding to a single incident electromagnetic plane wave.