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Sn ejecta particle-size distributions from the break-up of a microsheet in a vacuum will be presented. The micro-sheet was created from a high explosive driven shock wave passing through a precision groove machined into a Sn sample. The particle-size measurements were carried out using an ultraviolet in-line Fraunhofer holography diagnostic. The diagnostic will be presented along with particle-size distributions over most of the ejecta velocities throughout the microsheet.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease worldwide; however, few cases are reported in the US. Brucella melitensis infections are primarily acquired via consumption of high-risk foods or travel to endemic areas. We describe a case of B. melitensis infection in a Tennessee soldier following deployment in Iraq. Initial symptoms included knee and back pain. Culture of an aspirate of the left sacroiliac joint yielded B. melitensis. Genetic analysis indicated that this isolate came from the Middle East. Investigation of laboratory workers identified risky exposures and positive serology prompting post-exposure prophylaxis. Military personnel and other travellers should be advised to reduce risk regarding food consumption and animal contact in endemic areas. Additionally, medical providers should remain vigilant for non-endemic zoonoses among recent travellers.

To investigate ophthalmology residency program leadership expectations regarding resident competency in retinal procedures by graduation and to investigate resident experience performing retinal procedures.A survey was emailed to the program director at each accredited US ophthalmology training program.Completed surveys were received from 37/117 (32%) programs. Most respondents identified panretinal photocoagulation (100%), laser for retinal tear (100%), laser for diabetic macular edema (94%), laser for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (92%), intravitreal injection (83%), and vitreous tap/intravitreal injection (78%) as procedures residency graduates should be competent to perform; 89%, 3%, 64%, 17%, 14%, and 3% reported residents perform20 such cases, respectively, as primary surgeon, and 0%, 56%, 6%, 37%, 46%, and 63% reported residents perform one to five such cases, respectively. Competency in scleral buckling and pars plana vitrectomy was expected by 17% and 19%, respectively.Most respondents expect residency graduates to be competent in retinal laser and injection procedures. Competency in incisional retinal procedures is generally not expected. For some laser and injection procedures, a substantial proportion of residents perform one to five cases as primary surgeon.

Introduction Some patients with gastroparesis (GP) require sustained central intravenous (IV) access for hydration, medication, and/or nutrition, leaving them at risk for venous thrombosis. Patients We studied a group of 53 patients with GP for identifiable risk factors of clinically significant thrombosis. Patients requiring prolonged central IV access fell into two groups: those who had clinical incidence of IV catheter-related thrombosis (CLOT, n = 14) and those who did not form IV catheter thrombosis (NOCLOT, n = 39). Methods We analyzed and compared clinical symptoms, serum coagulation studies, and autoimmune antibodies in the CLOT and NOCLOT groups. Results Patients in the CLOT group had statistically more Scl 70 antibodies than did the NOCLOT group, and another autoantibody, Ku 66, was found in higher titers in the NOCLOT group than in the CLOT group. Other autoimmune and coagulation factors were not statistically different between the two groups, although a subgroup of CLOT patients had lower plasma protein S levels. Conclusion We conclude that the presence of Scl 70 autoantibodies is associated with increased clotting risk in this group of GP patients and the Ku 66 antibody may be associated with decreased risk of thrombosis in patients with GP. These findings, coupled with lower protein S levels in some CLOT patients, suggests that autoimmune factors may be associated with GP patients who thrombose IV access versus patients who do not.

Risk assessment is a methodology which has been used to evaluate the safety of major public projects, notably aerospace programs, liquefied natural gas import facilities, and nuclear power plants. This article begins with a review of public attitudes toward risk and then describes the basic components of a risk assessment. Subsequent critical analysis suggests the pitfalls inherent in the technique, especially in regard to the establishing of a criterion of safety against which the results of a risk assessment will be compared. The author identifies three such criteria and rejects two of them, including the one most commonly used in federal government agency decision‐making, as unreliable or philosophically unacceptable. The article concludes with comments on the applicability of risk assessment in coastal zone management.