Grey and white matter changes across the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia continuum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Lillo

Full Text Available There is increasing evidence that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD lie on a clinical, pathological and genetic continuum with patients of one disease exhibiting features of the other. Nevertheless, to date, the underlying grey matter and white matter changes across the ALS-FTD disease continuum have not been explored. In this study fifty-three participants with ALS (n = 10, ALS-FTD (n = 10 and behavioural variant FTD (bvFTD; n = 15 as well as controls (n = 18, underwent detailed clinical assessment plus structural imaging using voxel-based morphometry (VBM and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI analysis of magnetic resonance brain imaging to examine grey and white matter differences and commonalities across the continuum. Importantly, patient groups were matched for age, education, gender and disease duration. VBM and DTI results showed that changes in the ALS group were confined mainly to the motor cortex and anterior cingulate as well as their underlying white matter tracts. ALS-FTD and bvFTD showed widespread grey matter and white matter changes involving frontal and temporal lobes. Extensive prefrontal cortex changes emerged as a marker for bvFTD compared to other subtypes, while ALS-FTD could be distinguished from ALS by additional temporal lobe grey and white matter changes. Finally, ALS could be mainly distinguished from the other two groups by corticospinal tract degeneration. The present study shows for the first time that FTD and ALS overlap in anterior cingulate, motor cortex and related white matter tract changes across the whole continuum. Nevertheless, frontal and temporal atrophy as well as corticospinal tract degeneration emerged as marker for subtype classification, which will inform future diagnosis and target disease management across the continuum.

Les systèmes d’information entre formel et informel continuum, équilibre, bonnes et mauvaises pratiques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karim Baïna

2016-05-01

Full Text Available There is no doubt that formalising information systems is of great value to a company. This enables, among others, business processes, rules, services and objects models to be standardized, structured, capitalized and reused. A formal information system involves astructured organization, clearly defined roles and responsibilities and therefore a rational management. The Formal is thus more structuring, segmenting and may be associated with referential and standards. However, generalizing a formalisation approach to allinformation system perspectives or all levels of granularity can inversely be fatal to the smooth running of the business, its management, and operation. The aim of this paper is to explore information systems formal-informal continuum, to discover and understand its characteristics, patterns, anti-patterns, and the forces participating to its equilibrium

Information quality and dynamics of patients' interactions on tonsillectomy web resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Arsenault

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Information technologies have drastically altered the way patients gather health-related information. By analysing web resources on tonsillectomy, we expose information quality and dynamics of patients' interactions in the online continuum. Readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease (FRE, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG, and Gunning Fog Index (GFI. Comprehensibility and actionability were assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT. Metrics of forums included author characteristics (level of disclosure, gender, age, avatar image, etc., posts' motive (community support vs. medical information and content (word count, emoticon use, number of replies, etc.. Analysis of 6 professional medical websites, of 10 health information portals, and of 3 discussion forums totalizing 1369 posts on 358 threads, from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2014, reveals that online resources exceed understandability recommendations. Women were more present on online health forums (68.2% of authors disclosing their gender and invested themselves more in their avatar. Authors replying were significantly older than authors of original posts (39.7 ± 0.8 years vs. 29.2 ± 0.9 years, p < 0.001. The degree of self-disclosure was inversely proportional to the requests for medical information (p < 0.001. Men and women were equally seeking medical information (men: 74.0%, women: 77.0% and community support (men: 65.7%, women: 70.4%, however women responded more supportively (women 86.2%, men 59.1%, p < 0.001. The dynamics of patients' interactions used to overcome accessibility difficulties encountered is complex. This work outlines the necessity for comprehensible medical information to adequately answer patients' needs.

Continuum gamma-ray spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, R.M.

1981-06-01

When angular momentum is added to a nucleus, it is, of course, carried by the individual nucleons, but two limiting types of behavior may be distinguished: (1) a small number of high-j particles align with the rotation axis and (2) the nucleus is deformed and rotates as a whole. At high spin all nuclei seem to show a compromise utilizing both motions. The excited nuclei left as products of (HI,xn) reactions have so many pathways down that none of the γ-ray transitions have enough intensity to be seen individually until the population gathers near the yrast line. This occurs usually between spin 20 to 40 h-bar. All our information on the higher states comes from their continuum spectra. With the new techniques that are developing, including the use of multiplicity filters, total-energy spectrometers, energy correlation studies, crystal balls, and observation of giant dipole resonances in the continuum spectra, there is hope to learn much about the nature of the high-spin states

The hidden and informal curriculum across the continuum of training: A cross-sectional qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Doja, Asif; Bould, M Dylan; Clarkin, Chantalle; Eady, Kaylee; Sutherland, Stephanie; Writer, Hilary

2016-04-01

The hidden and informal curricula refer to learning in response to unarticulated processes and constraints, falling outside the formal medical curriculum. The hidden curriculum has been identified as requiring attention across all levels of learning. We sought to assess the knowledge and perceptions of the hidden and informal curricula across the continuum of learning at a single institution. Focus groups were held with undergraduate and postgraduate learners and faculty to explore knowledge and perceptions relating to the hidden and informal curricula. Thematic analysis was conducted both inductively by research team members and deductively using questions structured by the existing literature. Participants highlighted several themes related to the presence of the hidden and informal curricula in medical training and practice, including: the privileging of some specialties over others; the reinforcement of hierarchies within medicine; and a culture of tolerance towards unprofessional behaviors. Participants acknowledged the importance of role modeling in the development of professional identities and discussed the deterioration in idealism that occurs. Common issues pertaining to the hidden curriculum exist across all levels of learners, including faculty. Increased awareness of these issues could allow for the further development of methods to address learning within the hidden curriculum.

STATCONT: A statistical continuum level determination method for line-rich sources

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Schilke, P.; Ginsburg, A.; Cesaroni, R.; Schmiedeke, A.

2018-01-01

STATCONT is a python-based tool designed to determine the continuum emission level in spectral data, in particular for sources with a line-rich spectrum. The tool inspects the intensity distribution of a given spectrum and automatically determines the continuum level by using different statistical approaches. The different methods included in STATCONT are tested against synthetic data. We conclude that the sigma-clipping algorithm provides the most accurate continuum level determination, together with information on the uncertainty in its determination. This uncertainty can be used to correct the final continuum emission level, resulting in the here called `corrected sigma-clipping method' or c-SCM. The c-SCM has been tested against more than 750 different synthetic spectra reproducing typical conditions found towards astronomical sources. The continuum level is determined with a discrepancy of less than 1% in 50% of the cases, and less than 5% in 90% of the cases, provided at least 10% of the channels are line free. The main products of STATCONT are the continuum emission level, together with a conservative value of its uncertainty, and datacubes containing only spectral line emission, i.e., continuum-subtracted datacubes. STATCONT also includes the option to estimate the spectral index, when different files covering different frequency ranges are provided.

Passing waves from atomistic to continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiang; Diaz, Adrian; Xiong, Liming; McDowell, David L.; Chen, Youping

2018-02-01

Progress in the development of coupled atomistic-continuum methods for simulations of critical dynamic material behavior has been hampered by a spurious wave reflection problem at the atomistic-continuum interface. This problem is mainly caused by the difference in material descriptions between the atomistic and continuum models, which results in a mismatch in phonon dispersion relations. In this work, we introduce a new method based on atomistic dynamics of lattice coupled with a concurrent atomistic-continuum method to enable a full phonon representation in the continuum description. This permits the passage of short-wavelength, high-frequency phonon waves from the atomistic to continuum regions. The benchmark examples presented in this work demonstrate that the new scheme enables the passage of all allowable phonons through the atomistic-continuum interface; it also preserves the wave coherency and energy conservation after phonons transport across multiple atomistic-continuum interfaces. This work is the first step towards developing a concurrent atomistic-continuum simulation tool for non-equilibrium phonon-mediated thermal transport in materials with microstructural complexity.

Physical rehabilitation interventions for adult patients with critical illness across the continuum of recovery: an overview of systematic reviews protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Bronwen; O'Neill, Brenda; Salisbury, Lisa; McDowell, Kathryn; Blackwood, Bronagh

2015-09-29

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit with critical illness often experience significant physical impairments, which typically persist for many years following resolution of the original illness. Physical rehabilitation interventions that enhance restoration of physical function have been evaluated across the continuum of recovery following critical illness including within the intensive care unit, following discharge to the ward and beyond hospital discharge. Multiple systematic reviews have been published appraising the expanding evidence investigating these physical rehabilitation interventions, although there appears to be variability in review methodology and quality. We aim to conduct an overview of existing systematic reviews of physical rehabilitation interventions for adult intensive care patients across the continuum of recovery. This protocol has been developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) guidelines. We will search the Cochrane Systematic Review Database, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica Database and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases. We will include systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials of adult patients, admitted to the intensive care unit and who have received physical rehabilitation interventions at any time point during their recovery. Data extraction will include systematic review aims and rationale, study types, populations, interventions, comparators, outcomes and quality appraisal method. Primary outcomes of interest will focus on findings reflecting recovery of physical function. Quality of reporting and methodological quality will be appraised using the PRISMA checklist and the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews tool. We anticipate the findings from this novel overview of systematic reviews will contribute to the

Continuum mechanics of anisotropic materials

CERN Document Server

Cowin, Stephen C

2013-01-01

Continuum Mechanics of Anisotropic Materials(CMAM) presents an entirely new and unique development of material anisotropy in the context of an appropriate selection and organization of continuum mechanics topics. These features will distinguish this continuum mechanics book from other books on this subject. Textbooks on continuum mechanics are widely employed in engineering education, however, none of them deal specifically with anisotropy in materials. For the audience of Biomedical, Chemical and Civil Engineering students, these materials will be dealt with more frequently and greater accuracy in their analysis will be desired. Continuum Mechanics of Anisotropic Materials' author has been a leader in the field of developing new approaches for the understanding of anisotropic materials.

Atom-to-continuum methods for gaining a fundamental understanding of fracture.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDowell, David Lynn (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA); Reedy, Earl David, Jr.; Templeton, Jeremy Alan; Jones, Reese E.; Moody, Neville Reid; Zimmerman, Jonathan A.; Belytschko, Ted. (Northwestern University, Evanston, IL); Zhou, Xiao Wang; Lloyd, Jeffrey T. (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA); Oswald, Jay (Northwestern University, Evanston, IL); Delph, Terry J. (Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA); Kimmer, Christopher J. (Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN)

2011-08-01

This report describes an Engineering Sciences Research Foundation (ESRF) project to characterize and understand fracture processes via molecular dynamics modeling and atom-to-continuum methods. Under this aegis we developed new theory and a number of novel techniques to describe the fracture process at the atomic scale. These developments ranged from a material-frame connection between molecular dynamics and continuum mechanics to an atomic level J integral. Each of the developments build upon each other and culminated in a cohesive zone model derived from atomic information and verified at the continuum scale. This report describes an Engineering Sciences Research Foundation (ESRF) project to characterize and understand fracture processes via molecular dynamics modeling and atom-to-continuum methods. The effort is predicated on the idea that processes and information at the atomic level are missing in engineering scale simulations of fracture, and, moreover, are necessary for these simulations to be predictive. In this project we developed considerable new theory and a number of novel techniques in order to describe the fracture process at the atomic scale. Chapter 2 gives a detailed account of the material-frame connection between molecular dynamics and continuum mechanics we constructed in order to best use atomic information from solid systems. With this framework, in Chapter 3, we were able to make a direct and elegant extension of the classical J down to simulations on the scale of nanometers with a discrete atomic lattice. The technique was applied to cracks and dislocations with equal success and displayed high fidelity with expectations from continuum theory. Then, as a prelude to extension of the atomic J to finite temperatures, we explored the quasi-harmonic models as efficient and accurate surrogates of atomic lattices undergoing thermo-elastic processes (Chapter 4). With this in hand, in Chapter 5 we provide evidence that, by using the appropriate

A constitutive model of soft tissue: From nanoscale collagen to tissue continuum

KAUST Repository

Tang, Huang

2009-04-08

Soft collagenous tissue features many hierarchies of structure, starting from tropocollagen molecules that form fibrils, and proceeding to a bundle of fibrils that form fibers. Here we report the development of an atomistically informed continuum model of collagenous tissue. Results from full atomistic and molecular modeling are linked with a continuum theory of a fiber-reinforced composite, handshaking the fibril scale to the fiber and continuum scale in a hierarchical multi-scale simulation approach. Our model enables us to study the continuum-level response of the tissue as a function of cross-link density, making a link between nanoscale collagen features and material properties at larger tissue scales. The results illustrate a strong dependence of the continuum response as a function of nanoscopic structural features, providing evidence for the notion that the molecular basis for protein materials is important in defining their larger-scale mechanical properties. © 2009 Biomedical Engineering Society.

Continuum robots and underactuated grasping

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N. Giri

2011-02-01

Full Text Available We discuss the capabilities of continuum (continuous backbone robot structures in the performance of under-actuated grasping. Continuum robots offer the potential of robust grasps over a wide variety of object classes, due to their ability to adapt their shape to interact with the environment via non-local continuum contact conditions. Furthermore, this capability can be achieved with simple, low degree of freedom hardware. However, there are practical issues which currently limit the application of continuum robots to grasping. We discuss these issues and illustrate via an experimental continuum grasping case study.

This paper was presented at the IFToMM/ASME International Workshop on Underactuated Grasping (UG2010, 19 August 2010, Montréal, Canada.

Measuring Patients' Experience of Rehabilitation Services Across the Care Continuum. Part I: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

McMurray, Josephine; McNeil, Heather; Lafortune, Claire; Black, Samantha; Prorok, Jeanette; Stolee, Paul

2016-01-01

To identify empirically tested survey instruments designed to measure patient experience across a rehabilitative care system. A comprehensive search was conducted of the MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO), and PsycINFO (APA PsycNET) databases from 2004 to 2014. Further searches were conducted in relevant journals and the reference lists of the final accepted articles. Of 2472 articles identified, 33 were selected for inclusion and analysis. Articles were excluded if they were unrelated to rehabilitative care, were anecdotal or descriptive reports, or had a veterinary, mental health, palliative care, dental, or pediatric focus. Four reviewers performed the screening process. Interrater reliability was confirmed through 2 rounds of title review (30 articles each) and 1 round of abstract review (10 articles), with an average κ score of .69. Data were extracted related to the instrument, study setting, and patient characteristics, including treated disease, type of rehabilitation (eg, occupational or physical therapy), methodology, sample size, and level of evidence. There were 25 discrete measurement instruments identified in the 33 articles evaluated. Seven of the instruments originated outside of the rehabilitative care sector, and only 1 measured service experience across the care continuum. As providers move to integrate rehabilitative care across the continuum from hospital to home, patients experience a system of care. Research is required to develop psychometrically tested instruments that measure patients' experience across a rehabilitative system. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Spencer, A J M

2004-01-01

The mechanics of fluids and the mechanics of solids represent the two major areas of physics and applied mathematics that meet in continuum mechanics, a field that forms the foundation of civil and mechanical engineering. This unified approach to the teaching of fluid and solid mechanics focuses on the general mechanical principles that apply to all materials. Students who have familiarized themselves with the basic principles can go on to specialize in any of the different branches of continuum mechanics. This text opens with introductory chapters on matrix algebra, vectors and Cartesian ten

Continuum limbed robots for locomotion

Science.gov (United States)

Mutlu, Alper

This thesis focuses on continuum robots based on pneumatic muscle technology. We introduce a novel approach to use these muscles as limbs of lightweight legged robots. The flexibility of the continuum legs of these robots offers the potential to perform some duties that are not possible with classical rigid-link robots. Potential applications are as space robots in low gravity, and as cave explorer robots. The thesis covers the fabrication process of continuum pneumatic muscles and limbs. It also provides some new experimental data on this technology. Afterwards, the designs of two different novel continuum robots - one tripod, one quadruped - are introduced. Experimental data from tests using the robots is provided. The experimental results are the first published example of locomotion with tripod and quadruped continuum legged robots. Finally, discussion of the results and how far this technology can go forward is presented.

The Virtuality Continuum Revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijholt, Antinus; Traum, D.; Zhai, Sh.; Kellogg, W.

2005-01-01

We survey the themes and the aims of a workshop devoted to the state-of-the-art virtuality continuum. In this continuum, ranging from fully virtual to real physical environments, allowing for mixed, augmented and desktop virtual reality, several perspectives can be taken. Originally, the emphasis

A continuum model for pressure-flow relationship in human pulmonary circulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Wei; Zhou, Qinlian; Gao, Jian; Yen, R T

2011-06-01

A continuum model was introduced to analyze the pressure-flow relationship for steady flow in human pulmonary circulation. The continuum approach was based on the principles of continuum mechanics in conjunction with detailed measurement of vascular geometry, vascular elasticity and blood rheology. The pulmonary arteries and veins were considered as elastic tubes and the "fifth-power law" was used to describe the pressure-flow relationship. For pulmonary capillaries, the "sheet-flow" theory was employed and the pressure-flow relationship was represented by the "fourth-power law". In this paper, the pressure-flow relationship for the whole pulmonary circulation and the longitudinal pressure distribution along the streamlines were studied. Our computed data showed general agreement with the experimental data for the normal subjects and the patients with mitral stenosis and chronic bronchitis in the literature. In conclusion, our continuum model can be used to predict the changes of steady flow in human pulmonary circulation.

HIV continuum of care in Europe and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, R S; Rice, B; Rüütel, K; Delpech, V; Attawell, K A; Hales, D K; Velasco, C; Amato-Gauci, A J; Pharris, A; Tavoschi, L; Noori, T

2017-08-01

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) supports countries to monitor progress in their response to the HIV epidemic. In line with these monitoring responsibilities, we assess how, and to what extent, the continuum of care is being measured across countries. The ECDC sent out questionnaires to 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia in 2014. Nominated country representatives were questioned on how they defined and measured six elements of the continuum. We present our results using three previously described frameworks [breakpoints; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets; diagnosis and treatment quadrant]. Forty countries provided data for at least one element of the continuum. Countries reported most frequently on the number of people diagnosed with HIV infection (37; 93%), and on the number in receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) (35; 88%). There was little consensus across countries in their approach to defining linkage to, and retention in, care. The most common breakpoint (>19% reduction between two adjacent elements) related to the estimated number of people living with HIV who were diagnosed (18 of 23; 78%). We present continuum data from multiple countries that provide both a snapshot of care provision and a baseline against which changes over time in care provision across Europe and Central Asia may be measured. To better inform HIV testing and treatment programmes, standard data collection approaches and definitions across the HIV continuum of care are needed. If countries wish to ensure an unbroken HIV continuum of care, people living with HIV need to be diagnosed promptly, and ART needs to be offered to all those diagnosed. © 2017 The Authors. HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.

Structural equation modeling of the proximal–distal continuum of adherence drivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McHorney CA

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Colleen A McHorney,1 Ning Jackie Zhang,2 Timothy Stump,3 Xiaoquan Zhao41US Outcomes Research, Merck, North Wales, PA, 2University of Central Florida, Orlando, 3Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 4George Mason University, Fairfax, USAObjectives: Nonadherence to prescription medications has been shown to be significantly influenced by three key medication-specific beliefs: patients' perceived need for the prescribed medication, their concerns about the prescribed medication, and perceived medication affordability. Structural equation modeling was used to test the predictors of these three proximal determinants of medication adherence using the proximal–distal continuum of adherence drivers as the organizing conceptual framework.Methods: In Spring 2008, survey participants were selected from the Harris Interactive Chronic Illness Panel, an internet-based panel of hundreds of thousands of adults with chronic disease. Respondents were eligible for the survey if they were aged 40 years and older, resided in the US, and reported having at least one of six chronic diseases: asthma, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, osteoporosis, or other cardiovascular disease. A final sample size of 1072 was achieved. The proximal medication beliefs were measured by three multi-item scales: perceived need for medications, perceived medication concerns, and perceived medication affordability. The intermediate sociomedical beliefs and skills included four multi-item scales: perceived disease severity, knowledge about the prescribed medication, perceived immunity to side effects, and perceived value of nutraceuticals. Generic health beliefs and skills consisted of patient engagement in their care, health information-seeking tendencies, internal health locus of control, a single-item measure of self-rated health, and general mental health. Structural equation modeling was used to model proximal–distal continuum of adherence drivers.Results: The

Notes on continuum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Chaves, Eduardo W V

2013-01-01

This publication is aimed at students, teachers, and researchers of Continuum Mechanics and focused extensively on stating and developing Initial Boundary Value equations used to solve physical problems. With respect to notation, the tensorial, indicial and Voigt notations have been used indiscriminately.   The book is divided into twelve chapters with the following topics: Tensors, Continuum Kinematics, Stress, The Objectivity of Tensors, The Fundamental Equations of Continuum Mechanics, An Introduction to Constitutive Equations, Linear Elasticity, Hyperelasticity, Plasticity (small and large deformations), Thermoelasticity (small and large deformations), Damage Mechanics (small and large deformations), and An Introduction to Fluids. Moreover, the text is supplemented with over 280 figures, over 100 solved problems, and 130 references.

Changing public stigma with continuum beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Corrigan, Patrick W; Schmidt, Annie; Bink, Andrea B; Nieweglowski, Katherine; Al-Khouja, Maya A; Qin, Sang; Discont, Steve

2017-10-01

Given the egregious effect of public stigma on the lives of people with mental illness, researchers have sought to unpack and identify effective components of anti-stigma programs. We expect to show that continuum messages have more positive effect on stigma and affirming attitudes (beliefs that people with mental illness recover and should be personally empowered) than categorical perspectives. The effect of continuum beliefs will interact with contact strategies. A total of 598 research participants were randomly assigned to online presentations representing one of the six conditions: three messages (continuum, categorical, or neutral control) by two processes (education or contact). Participants completed measures of continuum beliefs (as a manipulation check), stigma and affirming attitudes after viewing the condition. Continuum messages had significantly better effect on views that people with mental illness are "different," a finding that interacted with contact. Continuum messages also had better effects on recovery beliefs, once again an effect that interacted significantly with contact. Implications of these findings for improving anti-stigma programs are discussed.

Why primary care practices should become digital health information hubs for their patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Aaron; Nowak, Samantha

2014-11-25

Two interesting health care trends are currently occurring: 1) patient-facing technologies, such as personal health records, patient portals, and mobile health apps, are being adopted at rapid rates, and 2) primary care, which includes family practice, is being promoted as essential to reducing health care costs and improving health care outcomes. While these trends are notable and commendable, both remain subject to significant fragmentation and incentive misalignments, which has resulted in significant data coordination and value generation challenges. In particular, patient-facing technologies designed to increase care coordination, often fall prey to the very digital fragmentation issues they are supposed to overcome. Additionally, primary care providers are treating patients that may have considerable health information histories, but generating a single view of such multi-source data is nearly impossible. We contribute to this debate by proposing that primary care practices become digital health information hubs for their patients. Such hubs would offer health data coordination in a medically professional setting with the benefits of expert, trustworthy advice coupled with active patient engagement. We acknowledge challenges including: costs, information quality and provenance, willingness-to-share information and records, willingness-to-use (by both providers and patients), primary care scope creep, and determinations of technical and process effectiveness. Even with such potential challenges, we strongly believe that more debate is needed on this topic prior to full implementation of various health information technology incentives and reform programs currently being designed and enacted throughout the world. Ultimately, if we do not provide a meaningful way for the full spectrum of health information to be used by both providers and patients, especially early in the health care continuum, effectively improving health outcomes may remain elusive. We view

Multiscale volatility duration characteristics on financial multi-continuum percolation dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Min; Wang, Jun

A random stock price model based on the multi-continuum percolation system is developed to investigate the nonlinear dynamics of stock price volatility duration, in an attempt to explain various statistical facts found in financial data, and have a deeper understanding of mechanisms in the financial market. The continuum percolation system is usually referred to be a random coverage process or a Boolean model, it is a member of a class of statistical physics systems. In this paper, the multi-continuum percolation (with different values of radius) is employed to model and reproduce the dispersal of information among the investors. To testify the rationality of the proposed model, the nonlinear analyses of return volatility duration series are preformed by multifractal detrending moving average analysis and Zipf analysis. The comparison empirical results indicate the similar nonlinear behaviors for the proposed model and the actual Chinese stock market.

Extension versus Bending for Continuum Robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Grimes

2008-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we analyze the capabilities of a novel class of continuous-backbone ("continuum" robots. These robots are inspired by biological "trunks, and tentacles". However, the capabilities of established continuum robot designs, which feature controlled bending but not extension, fall short of those of their biological counterparts. In this paper, we argue that the addition of controlled extension provides dual and complementary functionality, and correspondingly enhanced performance, in continuum robots. We present an interval-based analysis to show how the inclusion of controllable extension significantly enhances the workspace and capabilities of continuum robots.

Progress toward bridging from atomistic to continuum modeling to predict nuclear waste glass dissolution.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zapol, Peter (Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL); Bourg, Ian (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Berkeley, CA); Criscenti, Louise Jacqueline; Steefel, Carl I. (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Berkeley, CA); Schultz, Peter Andrew

2011-10-01

This report summarizes research performed for the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Subcontinuum and Upscaling Task. The work conducted focused on developing a roadmap to include molecular scale, mechanistic information in continuum-scale models of nuclear waste glass dissolution. This information is derived from molecular-scale modeling efforts that are validated through comparison with experimental data. In addition to developing a master plan to incorporate a subcontinuum mechanistic understanding of glass dissolution into continuum models, methods were developed to generate constitutive dissolution rate expressions from quantum calculations, force field models were selected to generate multicomponent glass structures and gel layers, classical molecular modeling was used to study diffusion through nanopores analogous to those in the interfacial gel layer, and a micro-continuum model (K{mu}C) was developed to study coupled diffusion and reaction at the glass-gel-solution interface.

Integral equation hierarchy for continuum percolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Given, J.A.

1988-01-01

In this thesis a projection operator technique is presented that yields hierarchies of integral equations satisfied exactly by the n-point connectedness functions in a continuum version of the site-bond percolation problem. The n-point connectedness functions carry the same structural information for a percolation problem as then-point correlation functions do for a thermal problem. This method extends the Potts model mapping of Fortuin and Kastelyn to the continuum by exploiting an s-state generalization of the Widom-Rowlinson model, a continuum model for phase separation. The projection operator technique is used to produce an integral equation hierarchy for percolation similar to the Born-Green heirarchy. The Kirkwood superposition approximation (SA) is extended to percolation in order to close this hierarchy and yield a nonlinear integral equation for the two-point connectedness function. The fact that this function, in the SA, is the analytic continuation to negative density of the two-point correlation function in a corresponding thermal problem is discussed. The BGY equation for percolation is solved numerically, both by an expansion in powers of the density, and by an iterative technique due to Kirkwood. It is argued both analytically and numerically, that the BYG equation for percolation, unlike its thermal counterpart, shows non-classical critical behavior, with η = 1 and γ = 0.05 ± .1. Finally a sequence of refinements to the superposition approximations based in the theory of fluids by Rice and Lekner is discussed

Total joint arthroplasty: practice variation of physiotherapy across the continuum of care in Alberta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Allyson Jones

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comprehensive and timely rehabilitation for total joint arthroplasty (TJA is needed to maximize recovery from this elective surgical procedure for hip and knee arthritis. Administrative data do not capture the variation of treatment for rehabilitation across the continuum of care for TJA, so we conducted a survey for physiotherapists to report practice for TJA across the continuum of care. The primary objective was to describe the reported practice of physiotherapy for TJA across the continuum of care within the context of a provincial TJA clinical pathway and highlight possible gaps in care. Method A cross-sectional on-line survey was accessible to licensed physiotherapists in Alberta, Canada for 11 weeks. Physiotherapists who treated at least five patients with TJA annually were asked to complete the survey. The survey consisted of 58 questions grouped into pre-operative, acute care and post-acute rehabilitation. Variation of practice was described in terms of number, duration and type of visits along with goals of care and program delivery methods. Results Of the 80 respondents, 26 (33 % stated they worked in small centres or rural settings in Alberta with the remaining respondents working in two large urban sites. The primary treatment goal differed for each phase across the continuum of care in that pre-operative phase was directed at improving muscle strength, functional activities were commonly reported for acute care, and post-acute phase was directed at improving joint range-of-motion. Proportionally, more physiotherapists from rural areas treated patients in out-patient hospital departments (59 %, whereas a higher proportion in urban physiotherapists saw patients in private clinics (48 %. Across the continuum of care, treatment was primarily delivered on an individual basis rather than in a group format. Conclusions Variation of practice reported with pre-and post-operative care in the community will stimulate

Total joint arthroplasty: practice variation of physiotherapy across the continuum of care in Alberta.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, C Allyson; Martin, Ruben San; Westby, Marie D; Beaupre, Lauren A

2016-11-04

Comprehensive and timely rehabilitation for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is needed to maximize recovery from this elective surgical procedure for hip and knee arthritis. Administrative data do not capture the variation of treatment for rehabilitation across the continuum of care for TJA, so we conducted a survey for physiotherapists to report practice for TJA across the continuum of care. The primary objective was to describe the reported practice of physiotherapy for TJA across the continuum of care within the context of a provincial TJA clinical pathway and highlight possible gaps in care. A cross-sectional on-line survey was accessible to licensed physiotherapists in Alberta, Canada for 11 weeks. Physiotherapists who treated at least five patients with TJA annually were asked to complete the survey. The survey consisted of 58 questions grouped into pre-operative, acute care and post-acute rehabilitation. Variation of practice was described in terms of number, duration and type of visits along with goals of care and program delivery methods. Of the 80 respondents, 26 (33 %) stated they worked in small centres or rural settings in Alberta with the remaining respondents working in two large urban sites. The primary treatment goal differed for each phase across the continuum of care in that pre-operative phase was directed at improving muscle strength, functional activities were commonly reported for acute care, and post-acute phase was directed at improving joint range-of-motion. Proportionally, more physiotherapists from rural areas treated patients in out-patient hospital departments (59 %), whereas a higher proportion in urban physiotherapists saw patients in private clinics (48 %). Across the continuum of care, treatment was primarily delivered on an individual basis rather than in a group format. Variation of practice reported with pre-and post-operative care in the community will stimulate dialogue within the profession as to what is the minimal

Continuum emission in the 1980 July 1 solar flare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zirin, H.; Neidig, D.F.

1981-01-01

Comparison of continuum measurements of the 1980 July 1 flare at Big Bear Solar Observatory and Sacramento Peak Observatory show strong blue emission kernels with the ratio of Balmer continuum (Bac):lambda3862 continuum:continuum above 4275 A to be about 10:5:1. The blue continuum at 3862 A is too strong to be explained by unresolved lines. The Bac intensity was 2.5 times the photosphere and the strongest lambda3862 continuum was 2 times the photosphere. The brightest continuum kernel occurred late in the flare, after the hard X-ray peak and related in time to an isolated peak in the 2.2 MeV line, suggesting that the continuum was excited by protons above 20 MeV

Health information needs, source preferences and engagement behaviours of women with metastatic breast cancer across the care continuum: protocol for a scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Carol A; Martin, M Pilar; Jones, Ray B

2017-02-17

The health information needs, information source preferences and engagement behaviours of women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) depend on personal characteristics such as education level, prior knowledge, clinical complications, comorbidities and where they are in the cancer journey. A thorough understanding of the information behaviours of women living with mBC is essential to the provision of optimal care. A preliminary literature review suggests that there is little research on this topic, but that there may be lessons from a slightly broader literature. This review will identify what is known and what is not known about the health information needs, acquisition and influences of women with mBC across the care continuum. Findings will help to identify research needs and specific areas where in-depth systematic reviews may be feasible, as well as inform evidence-based interventions to address the health information needs of female patients with mBC with different demographics and characteristics and across the mBC journey. A scoping review will be performed using the guidelines of Arksey and O'Malley as updated by subsequent authors to systematically search scientific and grey literature for articles in English that discuss the health information needs, source preferences, engagement styles, and associated personal and medical attributes of women ≥18 years living with mBC at different stages of the disease course. A variety of databases (including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Academic Search Premier, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and PQDT Open), oncology, patient advocacy and governmental websites will be searched from inception to present day. Research and non-research literature will be included; no study designs will be excluded. The six-stage Arksey and O'Malley scoping review methodological framework involves

HIV care continuum in Rwanda: a cross-sectional analysis of the national programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Nsanzimana, Sabin; Kanters, Steve; Remera, Eric; Forrest, Jamie I; Binagwaho, Agnes; Condo, Jeanine; Mills, Edward J

2015-05-01

Rwanda has made remarkable progress towards HIV care programme with strong national monitoring and surveillance. Knowledge about the HIV care continuum model can help to improve outcomes in patients. We aimed to quantify engagement, mortality, and loss to follow-up of patients along the HIV care continuum in Rwanda in 2013. We collated data for individuals with HIV who participated in the national HIV care programme in Rwanda and calculated the numbers of individuals or proportions of the population at each stage and the transition probabilities between stages of the continuum. We calculated factors associated with mortality and loss to follow-up by fitting Cox proportional hazards regression models, one for the stage of care before antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and another for stage of care during ART. An estimated 204,899 individuals were HIV-positive in Rwanda in 2013. Among these individuals, 176,174 (86%) were in pre-ART or in ART stages and 129,405 (63%) had initiated ART by the end of 2013. 82·1% (95% CI 80·7-83·4) of patients with viral load measurements (n=3066) were virally suppressed (translating to 106,371 individuals or 52% of HIV-positive individuals). Mortality was 0·6% (304 patients) in the pre-ART stage and 1·0% (1255 patients) in the ART stage; 2247 (3·9%) patients were lost to follow-up in pre-ART stage and 2847 (2·2%) lost in ART stage. Risk factors for mortality among patients in both pre-ART and ART stages included older age, CD4 cell count at initiation, and male sex. Risk factors for loss to follow-up among patients at both pre-ART and ART stages included younger age (age 10-29 year) and male sex. The HIV care continuum is a multitrajectory pathway in which patients have many opportunities to leave and re-engage in care. Knowledge about the points at which individuals are most likely to leave care could improve large-scale delivery of HIV programmes. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All

Universal scaling of permeability through the granular-to-continuum transition

Science.gov (United States)

Wadsworth, F. B.; Scheu, B.; Heap, M. J.; Kendrick, J. E.; Vasseur, J.; Lavallée, Y.; Dingwell, D. B.

2015-12-01

Magmas fragment forming a transiently granular material, which can weld back to a fluid-continuum. This process results in dramatic changes in the gas-volume fraction of the material, which impacts the gas permeability. We collate published data for the gas-volume fraction and permeability of volcanic and synthetic materials which have undergone this process to different amounts and note that in all cases there exists a discontinuity in the relationship between these two properties. By discriminating data for which good microstructural information are provided, we use simple scaling arguments to collapse the data in both the still-granular, high gas-volume fraction regime and the fluid-continuum low gas-volume fraction regime such that a universal description can be achieved. We use this to argue for the microstructural meaning of the well-described discontinuity between gas-permeability and gas-volume fraction and to infer the controls on the position of this transition between dominantly granular and dominantly fluid-continuum material descriptions. As a specific application, we consider the transiently granular magma transported through and deposited in fractures in more-coherent magmas, thought to be a primary degassing pathway in high viscosity systems. We propose that our scaling coupled with constitutive laws for densification can provide insights into the longevity of such degassing channels, informing sub-surface pressure modelling at such volcanoes.

Performance-based shape optimization of continuum structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Qingquan

2010-01-01

This paper presents a performance-based optimization (PBO) method for optimal shape design of continuum structures with stiffness constraints. Performance-based design concepts are incorporated in the shape optimization theory to achieve optimal designs. In the PBO method, the traditional shape optimization problem of minimizing the weight of a continuum structure with displacement or mean compliance constraints is transformed to the problem of maximizing the performance of the structure. The optimal shape of a continuum structure is obtained by gradually eliminating inefficient finite elements from the structure until its performance is maximized. Performance indices are employed to monitor the performance of optimized shapes in an optimization process. Performance-based optimality criteria are incorporated in the PBO method to identify the optimum from the optimization process. The PBO method is used to produce optimal shapes of plane stress continuum structures and plates in bending. Benchmark numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the PBO method for generating the maximum stiffness shape design of continuum structures. It is shown that the PBO method developed overcomes the limitations of traditional shape optimization methods in optimal design of continuum structures. Performance-based optimality criteria presented can be incorporated in any shape and topology optimization methods to obtain optimal designs of continuum structures.

Area Regge calculus and continuum limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khatsymovsky, V.M.

2002-01-01

Encountered in the literature generalisations of general relativity to independent area variables are considered, the discrete (generalised Regge calculus) and continuum ones. The generalised Regge calculus can be either with purely area variables or, as we suggest, with area tensor-connection variables. Just for the latter, in particular, we prove that in analogy with corresponding statement in ordinary Regge calculus (by Feinberg, Friedberg, Lee and Ren), passing to the (appropriately defined) continuum limit yields the generalised continuum area tensor-connection general relativity

[Continuum based fast Fourier transform processing of infrared spectrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qing-Jie; Lin, Qi-Zhong; Wang, Qin-Jun; Li, Hui; Li, Shuai

2009-12-01

To recognize ground objects with infrared spectrum, high frequency noise removing is one of the most important phases in spectrum feature analysis and extraction. A new method for infrared spectrum preprocessing was given combining spectrum continuum processing and Fast Fourier Transform (CFFT). Continuum was firstly removed from the noise polluted infrared spectrum to standardize hyper-spectra. Then the spectrum was transformed into frequency domain (FD) with fast Fourier transform (FFT), separating noise information from target information After noise eliminating from useful information with a low-pass filter, the filtered FD spectrum was transformed into time domain (TD) with fast Fourier inverse transform. Finally the continuum was recovered to the spectrum, and the filtered infrared spectrum was achieved. Experiment was performed for chlorite spectrum in USGS polluted with two kinds of simulated white noise to validate the filtering ability of CFFT by contrast with cubic function of five point (CFFP) in time domain and traditional FFT in frequency domain. A circle of CFFP has limited filtering effect, so it should work much with more circles and consume more time to achieve better filtering result. As for conventional FFT, Gibbs phenomenon has great effect on preprocessing result at edge bands because of special character of rock or mineral spectra, while works well at middle bands. Mean squared error of CFFT is 0. 000 012 336 with cut-off frequency of 150, while that of FFT and CFFP is 0. 000 061 074 with cut-off frequency of 150 and 0.000 022 963 with 150 working circles respectively. Besides the filtering result of CFFT can be improved by adjusting the filter cut-off frequency, and has little effect on working time. The CFFT method overcomes the Gibbs problem of FFT in spectrum filtering, and can be more convenient, dependable, and effective than traditional TD filter methods.

Continuum mechanics of single-substance bodies

CERN Document Server

Eringen, A Cemal

1975-01-01

Continuum Physics, Volume II: Continuum Mechanics of Single-Substance Bodies discusses the continuum mechanics of bodies constituted by a single substance, providing a thorough and precise presentation of exact theories that have evolved during the past years. This book consists of three parts-basic principles, constitutive equations for simple materials, and methods of solution. Part I of this publication is devoted to a discussion of basic principles irrespective of material geometry and constitution that are valid for all kinds of substances, including composites. The geometrical notions, k

Continuum of eLearning: 2012 Project Summary Report

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

multimedia, and Continuum of eLearning | Purpose and Vision 19 << UNCLASSIFIED>> (limited) situated learning. Future versions of the CoL self-paced...Continuum of eLearning : 2012 Project Summary Report Continuum of eLearning The Next Evolution of Joint Training on JKO October 2012 Joint...Technical Report November 2011 – August 2012 Continuum of eLearning : 2012 Project Summary Report N00140-06-D-0060 David T. Fautua, Sae Schatz, Andrea

Continuum spectra in light-ion reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamura, T.; Udagawa, T. [Texas Univ., Austin (USA). Dept. of Physics; Ikegami, H.; Muraoka, M [eds.

1980-01-01

Recent developments in the use of multi-step direct reaction method, to fit continuum cross sections of light-ion reactions, are reviewed. There has been a long-standing difficulty in reproducing sufficiently large (p, p') continuum cross section, but it has now been all but removed. It will be discussed in some detail, how this was achieved. Analyses of very recent data on analyzing powers in the continuum of (p, p') and (p, ..cap alpha..) reactions will also be discussed. Finally, analysis of the breakup of h into d and p will be presented.

A Web-based patient information system--identification of patients' information needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassling, Linda; Babic, Ankica; Lönn, Urban; Casimir-Ahn, Henrik

2003-06-01

Research described here was carried out to explore possibilities of creating a web-based patient information system within the areas of thoracic surgery. Data were collected to distinguish and assess the actual information needs of patients (1) prior to surgical treatment, (2) before discharge, and (3) 8 months after the hospitalization using a follow-up questionnaire. Interviews were performed with patients undergoing heart surgery. The study included material of 19 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (12) and valve replacement (7), age 35-74, 13 males and 6 females with nonacademic background. Patient satisfaction with given information was high. Analysis of the interviews held at the hospital resulted in seven different categories describing and giving a picture of the patients' information needs and apprehension of received care. The results found in this study can be used as guidance for developers in their design and development process of a health information system.

Giant resonances in the deformed continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakatsukasa, T.; Yabana, K.

2004-01-01

Giant resonances in the continuum for deformed nuclei are studied with the time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) theory in real time and real space. The continuum effect is effectively taken into account by introducing a complex Absorbing Boundary Condition (ABC). (orig.)

Fundamentals of continuum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Rudnicki, John W

2014-01-01

A concise introductory course text on continuum mechanics Fundamentals of Continuum Mechanics focuses on the fundamentals of the subject and provides the background for formulation of numerical methods for large deformations and a wide range of material behaviours. It aims to provide the foundations for further study, not just of these subjects, but also the formulations for much more complex material behaviour and their implementation computationally.  This book is divided into 5 parts, covering mathematical preliminaries, stress, motion and deformation, balance of mass, momentum and energ

Introduction to continuum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Lai, W Michael; Rubin, David

1996-01-01

Introduction to Continuum Mechanics is a recently updated and revised text which is perfect for either introductory courses in an undergraduate engineering curriculum or for a beginning graduate course.Continuum Mechanics studies the response of materials to different loading conditions. The concept of tensors is introduced through the idea of linear transformation in a self-contained chapter, and the interrelation of direct notation, indicial notation, and matrix operations is clearly presented. A wide range of idealized materials are considered through simple static and dynamic problems, a

The shadow continuum : testing the records continuum model through the Djogdja Documenten and the migrated archives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Karabinos, Michael Joseph

2015-01-01

This dissertation tests the universal suitability of the records continuum model by using two cases from the decolonization of Southeast Asia. The continuum model is a new model of records visualization invented in the 1990s that sees records as free to move throughout four ‘dimensions’ rather than

ValuedCare program: a population health model for the delivery of evidence-based care across care continuum for hip fracture patients in Eastern Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Mittal, Chikul; Lee, Hsien Chieh Daniel; Goh, Kiat Sern; Lau, Cheng Kiang Adrian; Tay, Leeanna; Siau, Chuin; Loh, Yik Hin; Goh, Teck Kheng Edward; Sandi, Chit Lwin; Lee, Chien Earn

2018-05-30

To test a population health program which could, through the application of process redesign, implement multiple evidence-based practices across the continuum of care in a functionally integrated health delivery system and deliver highly reliable and consistent evidence-based surgical care for patients with fragility hip fractures in an acute tertiary general hospital. The ValuedCare (VC) program was developed in three distinct phases as an ongoing collaboration between the Geisinger Health System (GHS), USA, and Changi General Hospital (CGH), Singapore, modelled after the GHS ProvenCare® Fragile Hip Fracture Program. Clinical outcome data on consecutive hip fracture patients seen in 12 months pre-intervention were then compared with the post-intervention group. Both pre- and post-intervention groups were followed up across the continuum of care for a period of 12 months. VC patients showed significant improvement in median time to surgery (97 to 50.5 h), as well as proportion of patients operated within 48 h from hospital admission (48% from 18.8%) as compared to baseline pre-intervention data. These patients also had significant reduction (p value based care for hip fracture patients at Changi General Hospital. This has also reflected successful change management and interdisciplinary collaboration within the organization through the program. There is potential for testing this methodology as a quality improvement framework replicable to other disease groups in a functionally integrated healthcare system.

Elementary Continuum Mechanics for Everyone - and Some More

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Byskov, Esben

Quite trivially, Continuum mechanics per se deals with the description of deformations of three-dimensional continua i.e. models whose properties are independent of scale in that the continuum does not possess a structure. Thus, continuum mechanics does not try to model the atomic structure...

Elementary Continuum Mechanics for Everyone - And Some More

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Byskov, Esben

Quite trivially, Continuum mechanics per se deals with the description of deformations of three-dimensional continua i.e. models whose properties are independent of scale in that the continuum does not possess a structure. Thus, continuum mechanics does not try to model the atomic structure...

A Cyclical Approach to Continuum Modeling: A Conceptual Model of Diabetic Foot Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha L. Carvour

2017-12-01

Full Text Available “Cascade” or “continuum” models have been developed for a number of diseases and conditions. These models define the desired, successive steps in care for that disease or condition and depict the proportion of the population that has completed each step. These models may be used to compare care across subgroups or populations and to identify and evaluate interventions intended to improve outcomes on the population level. Previous cascade or continuum models have been limited by several factors. These models are best suited to processes with stepwise outcomes—such as screening, diagnosis, and treatment—with a single defined outcome (e.g., treatment or cure for each member of the population. However, continuum modeling is not well developed for complex processes with non-sequential or recurring steps or those without singular outcomes. As shown here using the example of diabetic foot care, the concept of continuum modeling may be re-envisioned with a cyclical approach. Cyclical continuum modeling may permit incorporation of non-sequential and recurring steps into a single continuum, while recognizing the presence of multiple desirable outcomes within the population. Cyclical models may simultaneously represent the distribution of clinical severity and clinical resource use across a population, thereby extending the benefits of traditional continuum models to complex processes for which population-based monitoring is desired. The models may also support communication with other stakeholders in the process of care, including health care providers and patients.

Continuum capture in the three-body problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellin, I.A.

1980-01-01

The three-body problem, especially the problem of electron capture to the continuum in heavy particle collisions is reviewed. Major topics covered include: second born-induced asymmetry in electron capture to the continuum; historical context, links to other tests of atomic scattering theory; experiments characterizing the velocity distribution of ECC electrons; other atomic physics tests of high velocity Born expansions; atom capture; capture by positrons; and pion capture to the continuum

Computational Continuum Mechanics

CERN Document Server

Shabana, Ahmed A

2011-01-01

This text presents the theory of continuum mechanics using computational methods. Ideal for students and researchers, the second edition features a new chapter on computational geometry and finite element analysis.

Variational principles of continuum mechanics I fundamentals

CERN Document Server

Berdichevskii, V L

2009-01-01

This is a concise and understandable book about variational principles of continuum mechanics. The book is accessible to applied mathematicians, physicists and engineers who have an interest in continuum mechanics.

Variational principles of continuum mechanics II applications

CERN Document Server

Berdichevsky, Victor L

2009-01-01

This concise and understandable book about variational principles of continuum mechanics presents the classical models. The book is accessible to applied mathematicians, physicists and engineers who have an interest in continuum mechanics.

Information in general medical practices: the information processing model.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowe, Sarah; Tully, Mary P; Cantrill, Judith A

2010-04-01

The need for effective communication and handling of secondary care information in general practices is paramount. To explore practice processes on receiving secondary care correspondence in a way that integrates the information needs and perceptions of practice staff both clinical and administrative. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a wide range of practice staff (n = 36) in nine practices in the Northwest of England. Analysis was based on the framework approach using N-Vivo software and involved transcription, familiarization, coding, charting, mapping and interpretation. The 'information processing model' was developed to describe the six stages involved in practice processing of secondary care information. These included the amendment or updating of practice records whilst simultaneously or separately actioning secondary care recommendations, using either a 'one-step' or 'two-step' approach, respectively. Many factors were found to influence each stage and impact on the continuum of patient care. The primary purpose of processing secondary care information is to support patient care; this study raises the profile of information flow and usage within practices as an issue requiring further consideration.

Ufo-element presentation in metamodel structure of triune continuum paradigm

OpenAIRE

Ukrayinets, ?.

2006-01-01

This paper describes results of UFO-element formal description in metamodel structure of Triune Continuum Paradigm. This can promote the solution of a problem of development of methods of mutual system-object UFO- and UML-models transformation for providing of more effective information systems designing, in particular, for visual modelling CASE-tools Rational Rose and UFO-Toolkit integration.

Memory binding in clinical and non-clinical psychotic experiences: how does the continuum model fare?

Science.gov (United States)

Chhabra, S; Badcock, J C; Maybery, M T

2013-07-01

Both clinical and non-clinical auditory hallucinations (AH) have been associated with source memory deficits, supporting a continuum of underlying cognitive mechanisms, though few studies have employed the same task in patient and nonpatient samples. Recent commentators have called for more debate on the continuum model of psychosis. Consequently, the current study investigated the continuity model of AH with reference to memory binding. We used an identical voice and word recognition memory task to assess binding in two separate studies of: (1) healthy hallucination-prone individuals and controls (30 high and 30 low scorers on the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale-Revised) and (2) schizophrenia patient samples (32 with AH, 32 without AH) and 32 healthy controls. There was no evidence of impaired binding in high hallucination-prone, compared to low hallucination-prone individuals. In contrast, individuals with schizophrenia (both with and without AH) had difficulties binding (remembering "who said what"), alongside difficulties remembering individual words and voices. Binding ability and memory for voices were also negatively linked to the loudness of hallucinated voices reported by patients with AH. These findings suggest that different mechanisms may exist in clinical and non-clinical hallucinators, adding to the growing debate on the continuum model of psychotic symptoms.

Lattice gravity near the continuum limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feinberg, G.; Friedberg, R.; Lee, T.D.; Ren, H.C.

1984-01-01

We prove that the lattice gravity always approaches the usual continuum limit when the link length l -> 0, provided that certain general boundary conditions are satisfied. This result holds for any lattice, regular or irregular. Furthermore, for a given lattice, the deviation from its continuum limit can be expressed as a power series in l 2 . General formulas for such a perturbative calculation are given, together with a number of illustrative examples, including the graviton propagator. The lattice gravity satisfies all the invariance properties of Einstein's theory of general relativity. In addition, it is symmetric under a new class of transformations that are absent in the usual continuum theory. The possibility that the lattice theory (with a nonzero l) may be more fundamental is discussed. (orig.)

Continuum Level Density in Complex Scaling Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, R.; Myo, T.; Kato, K.

2005-01-01

A new calculational method of continuum level density (CLD) at unbound energies is studied in the complex scaling method (CSM). It is shown that the CLD can be calculated by employing the discretization of continuum states in the CSM without any smoothing technique

RENEWAL OF BASIC LAWS AND PRINCIPLES FOR POLAR CONTINUUM THEORIES (Ⅱ)-MICROMORPHIC CONTINUUM THEORY AND COUPLE STRESS THEORY

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

戴天民

2003-01-01

The purpose is to reestablish the balance laws of momentum, angular momentumand energy and to derive the corresponding local and nonlocal balance equations formicromorphic continuum mechanics and couple stress theory. The desired results formicromorphic continuum mechanics and couple stress theory are naturally obtained via directtransitions and reductions from the coupled conservation law of energy for micropolarcontinuum theory, respectively. The basic balance laws and equation s for micromorphiccontinuum mechanics and couple stress theory are constituted by combining these resultsderived here and the traditional conservation laws and equations of mass and microinertiaand the entropy inequality. The incomplete degrees of the former related continuum theoriesare clarified. Finally, some special cases are conveniently derived.

Elucidating a Goal-Setting Continuum in Brain Injury Rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Anne W; Le Dorze, Guylaine; Trentham, Barry; Polatajko, Helene J; Dawson, Deirdre R

2015-08-01

For individuals with brain injury, active participation in goal setting is associated with better rehabilitation outcomes. However, clinicians report difficulty engaging these clients in goal setting due to perceived or real deficits (e.g., lack of awareness). We conducted a study using grounded theory methods to understand how clinicians from occupational therapy facilitate client engagement and manage challenges inherent in goal setting with this population. Through constant comparative analysis, a goal-setting continuum emerged. At one end of the continuum, therapists embrace client-determined goals and enable clients to decide their own goals. At the other, therapists accept preset organization-determined goals (e.g., "the goal is discharge") and pay little attention to client input. Although all participants aspired to embrace client-determined goal setting, most felt powerless to do so within perceived organizational constraints. Views of advocacy and empowerment help to explain our findings and inform more inclusive practice. © The Author(s) 2015.

Identification of a transcriptional signature for the wound healing continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Peake, Matthew A; Caley, Mathew; Giles, Peter J; Wall, Ivan; Enoch, Stuart; Davies, Lindsay C; Kipling, David; Thomas, David W; Stephens, Phil

2014-01-01

There is a spectrum/continuum of adult human wound healing outcomes ranging from the enhanced (nearly scarless) healing observed in oral mucosa to scarring within skin and the nonhealing of chronic skin wounds. Central to these outcomes is the role of the fibroblast. Global gene expression profiling utilizing microarrays is starting to give insight into the role of such cells during the healing process, but no studies to date have produced a gene signature for this wound healing continuum. Microarray analysis of adult oral mucosal fibroblast (OMF), normal skin fibroblast (NF), and chronic wound fibroblast (CWF) at 0 and 6 hours post-serum stimulation was performed. Genes whose expression increases following serum exposure in the order OMF healing phenotype (the dysfunctional healing group), whereas genes with the converse pattern are potentially associated with a positive/preferential healing phenotype (the enhanced healing group). Sixty-six genes in the enhanced healing group and 38 genes in the dysfunctional healing group were identified. Overrepresentation analysis revealed pathways directly and indirectly associated with wound healing and aging and additional categories associated with differentiation, development, and morphogenesis. Knowledge of this wound healing continuum gene signature may in turn assist in the therapeutic assessment/treatment of a patient's wounds. PMID:24844339

Physics of the continuum of borromean nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaagen, J S; Rogde, T [Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Bergen (Norway); Danilin, B V [RRC The Kurchatov Inst., Kurchatov, Moscow (Russian Federation); Ershov, S N [JINR, Dubna, Moscow (Russian Federation); Thompson, I J [Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom); Zhukov, M V [Chalmers Univ. of Technology and Goeteborg Univ., Goeteborg (Sweden); RNBT Collaboration

1998-06-01

The continuum states of two-neutron halo nuclei are calculated in the method of hyperspherical harmonics. Using DWIA theory appropriate for dilute halo matter we have probed the structure of the low-lying {sup 6}He continuum via calculations of charge-exchange and inelastic scattering. (orig.)

Gamma-ray continuum spectra from heavy ion reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beene, J.R.; Halbert, M.L.; Hensley, D.C.; Sarantites, D.G.; Westerberg, L.W.; Geoffroy, K.; Woodward, R.

1979-01-01

A detailed quantitative analysis of the yrast continuum was attempted by subtracting the underlying statistical continnuum in a way that makes allowance for ignorance of its detailed shape. This procedure makes it possible to obtain the moment of inertia as a function of spin over a wide range of spins. The results of this continuum spectra shape analysis can be used to calculate the first and second moments of the continuum multiplicity distribution. Continuum spectra were taken during the bombardment of 150 Nd by 115- and 130-MeV beams of 20 Ne, also the first and second moments of the γ-ray multiplicity distribution as a function of the gamma energy. The moment of inertia versus spin and the deduced Yrast continuua are shown. 10 references

A New Conceptual Model for the Continuum of Land Rights | Whittal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An aspect of this is land value and the degree of simplicity/complexity in land value is found to be well-aligned with the land rights types in the former continuum model. This is adopted as a suitable substitute for the former measure of informality/formality when locating land rights types on the horizontal axis. Legitimacy ...

Measurements of the low-energy gamma-ray continuum emission from the Galactic Center direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardim, M.V.A.; Martin, I.M.; Jardim, J.O.D.

1982-07-01

The measurement of the gamma-ray continuum emission from the Galactic Center (GC) can provide us information about the physical processes taking place there at the site of emission. Using the data obtained with a balloon-borne gamma-ray telescope to measure gamma-rays in the energy interval between 0,3 and 3 MeV, which was launched on March 28, 1980 from Cachoeira Paulista (SP), we calculeted two points for the continuum spectrum in the range between 0,34 and 0,67 MeV. The points are related to the GC emission radiated in the longitude interval - 31 0 0 . The measurements are compatible with the observations in 1969 and 1972 by Haymes et alii and Johnson, respectively. The power law spectrum suggests that the main component for the gamma-ray continuum emission below 10 MeV is dominated by the bremsstrahlung due to relativistic electrons. (Author) [pt

Loop quantization as a continuum limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manrique, Elisa; Oeckl, Robert; Weber, Axel; Zapata, Jose A

2006-01-01

We present an implementation of Wilson's renormalization group and a continuum limit tailored for loop quantization. The dynamics of loop-quantized theories is constructed as a continuum limit of the dynamics of effective theories. After presenting the general formalism we show as a first explicit example the 2D Ising field theory, an interacting relativistic quantum field theory with local degrees of freedom quantized by loop quantization techniques

Continuum emission from classical nova winds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harkness, R.P.

1983-01-01

The emergent continuum of a slow classical nova during outburst is considered in the quasi-steady optically thick, transonic wind model. Models are presented for various steady mass loss rates and are related to the evolution of slow novae during decline and early post-maximum. The continuum emission is found to depart radically from a blackbody spectrum and to exhibit features common to highly extended stellar atmospheres. (author)

Continuum solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, G.; Pusch, M.; Soff, G.

1987-10-01

We construct explicit solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation for continuum states. The role of the energy in the single-particle Klein-Gordon theory is elucidated. Special emphasis is laid on the determination of resonance states in the continuum for overcritical potentials. As examples for long-range interaction we depict solutions for the Coulomb potential of a point-like nucleus as an extended nucleus. The square-well potential and the exponential potential are treated to exemplify pecularities of short-range interactions. We also derive continuum solutions for a scalar interaction of square-well type. Finally we discuss the behaviour of a spin-0 particle in an external homogeneous magnetic field. (orig.)

Web-based audiovisual patient information system--a study of preoperative patient information in a neurosurgical department.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautschi, Oliver P; Stienen, Martin N; Hermann, Christel; Cadosch, Dieter; Fournier, Jean-Yves; Hildebrandt, Gerhard

2010-08-01

In the current climate of increasing awareness, patients are demanding more knowledge about forthcoming operations. The patient information accounts for a considerable part of the physician's daily clinical routine. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of the information is understood by the patient after solely verbal elucidation. To optimise information delivery, different auxiliary materials are used. In a prospective study, 52 consecutive stationary patients, scheduled for an elective lumbar disc operation were asked to use a web-based audiovisual patient information system. A combination of pictures, text, tone and video about the planned surgical intervention is installed on a tablet personal computer presented the day before surgery. All patients were asked to complete a questionnaire. Eighty-four percent of all participants found that the audiovisual patient information system lead to a better understanding of the forthcoming operation. Eighty-two percent found that the information system was a very helpful preparation before the pre-surgical interview with the surgeon. Ninety percent of all participants considered it meaningful to provide this kind of preoperative education also to patients planned to undergo other surgical interventions. Eighty-four percent were altogether "very content" with the audiovisual patient information system and 86% would recommend the system to others. This new approach of patient information had a positive impact on patient education as is evident from high satisfaction scores. Because patient satisfaction with the informed consent process and understanding of the presented information improved substantially, the audiovisual patient information system clearly benefits both surgeons and patients.

Continuum of active nuclei of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boisson, C.; Durret, F.

1987-01-01

Most of the luminosity of active galactic nuclei (NAG) is radiated in the form of a continuum extending from radio to X-ray energies. It is important to understand the origin of this continuum in order to explain the relative importance of thermal and non-thermal processes in the different classes of NAG. We present here the observational aspect. A detailed study of the mechanisms will be presented by J.L. Masnou [fr

Workplace disaster preparedness and response: the employee assistance program continuum of services.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Jan; Blum, Dorothy

2005-01-01

Response programs for workplace critical and traumatic events are becoming an acknowledged and sought after standard of care. The current trauma literature recognizes what goes on in the workplace between the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and management. The authors have taken this intra-organizational relationship, assimilated the information, and developed a model that recognizes and supports management throughout the continuum of response to workplace traumatic events. The model recognizes the EAP as an important workplace resource and tool in management's ability to strike the balance of managing the workforce while assisting in recovery following workplace trauma. The introduced concept defines the continuum and highlights the before, during, and after phases, showing how EAP supports management in most effectively doing their job.

Continuum damage mechanics: Present state and future trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaboche, J.L.

1987-01-01

Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) has developed since the initial works of Kachanov and Rabotnov. The paper gives a review of its main features, of the present possibilities and of further developments. Several aspects are considered successively: damage definitions and measures, damage growth equations and anisotropy effects, and use of CDM for local approaches of fracture. Various materials, loading conditions and damaging processes are incorporated in the same general framework. Particular attention is given to the possible connections between different definitions of damage, especially between the CDM definition and the information obtained from material science. (orig.)

Continuum simulations of water flow past fullerene molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Popadic, A.; Praprotnik, M.; Koumoutsakos, P.

2015-01-01

We present continuum simulations of water flow past fullerene molecules. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are complemented with the Navier slip boundary condition with a slip length that is extracted from related molecular dynamics simulations. We find that several quantities of interest...... as computed by the present model are in good agreement with results from atomistic and atomistic-continuum simulations at a fraction of the cost. We simulate the flow past a single fullerene and an array of fullerenes and demonstrate that such nanoscale flows can be computed efficiently by continuum flow...

Patient information in radiooncology. Results of a patient survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefer, C.; Dietl, B.; Putnik, K.; Altmann, D.; Herbst, M.; Marienhagen, J.

2002-01-01

Background: As a result of increased interest and public demand, providing patients with adequate information about radiooncology has become more and more difficult for the doctor. Insufficient patient information can not only cause anxiety for the patient, but can also lead to legal action against the physician. In order to gain a deeper insight into our clinical practice of providing patient information, we developed a special questionnaire. We describe our first experiences in using this questionnaire at our institute. Patients and methods: We examine the amount of information and level of satisfaction, as well as the agreement of assessment between patient and physician after the provision of standard patient information before and at the end of radiotherapy. 51 consecutive patients were interviewed with a newly designed questionnaire. The first questioning with 13 items was carried out before radiotherapy and the second with ten items was done at the end of treatment. Sum scores for information and satisfaction were defined and agreement was measured by the weighted κ coefficient. Results: Global level of information and satisfaction was good, and a significant increase in information level and a significant decline in satisfaction were seen between questionnaire 1 and 2. Agreement between patient and physician was fair, for example intent of treatment resulted in a κ coefficient of 0.34, and poor for the doctor's role with a κ coefficient of -0.002. Only 52% of the patients who received palliative radiotherapy rated correctly the non-curative intent of treatment, whereas 86% of the patients who received curative radiotherapy made a correct statement. Before radiotherapy, emotional state was often both negatively and positively assessed by the patients. Conclusion: Our short questionnaire is simple and easy to understand. It provides insights into patient information with respect to assessment of the information, satisfaction level, and agreement between

Continuum mechanics for engineers

CERN Document Server

Mase, G Thomas; Mase, George E

2009-01-01

Continuum TheoryContinuum MechanicsStarting OverNotationEssential MathematicsScalars, Vectors and Cartesian TensorsTensor Algebra in Symbolic Notation - Summation ConventionIndicial NotationMatrices and DeterminantsTransformations of Cartesian TensorsPrincipal Values and Principal DirectionsTensor Fields, Tensor CalculusIntegral Theorems of Gauss and StokesStress PrinciplesBody and Surface Forces, Mass DensityCauchy Stress PrincipleThe Stress TensorForce and Moment Equilibrium; Stress Tensor SymmetryStress Transformation LawsPrincipal Stresses; Principal Stress DirectionsMaximum and Minimum Stress ValuesMohr's Circles For Stress Plane StressDeviator and Spherical Stress StatesOctahedral Shear StressKinematics of Deformation and MotionParticles, Configurations, Deformations and MotionMaterial and Spatial CoordinatesLangrangian and Eulerian DescriptionsThe Displacement FieldThe Material DerivativeDeformation Gradients, Finite Strain TensorsInfinitesimal Deformation TheoryCompatibility EquationsStretch RatiosRot...

Identification of a transcriptional signature for the wound healing continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Peake, Matthew A; Caley, Mathew; Giles, Peter J; Wall, Ivan; Enoch, Stuart; Davies, Lindsay C; Kipling, David; Thomas, David W; Stephens, Phil

2014-01-01

There is a spectrum/continuum of adult human wound healing outcomes ranging from the enhanced (nearly scarless) healing observed in oral mucosa to scarring within skin and the nonhealing of chronic skin wounds. Central to these outcomes is the role of the fibroblast. Global gene expression profiling utilizing microarrays is starting to give insight into the role of such cells during the healing process, but no studies to date have produced a gene signature for this wound healing continuum. Microarray analysis of adult oral mucosal fibroblast (OMF), normal skin fibroblast (NF), and chronic wound fibroblast (CWF) at 0 and 6 hours post-serum stimulation was performed. Genes whose expression increases following serum exposure in the order OMF healing phenotype (the dysfunctional healing group), whereas genes with the converse pattern are potentially associated with a positive/preferential healing phenotype (the enhanced healing group). Sixty-six genes in the enhanced healing group and 38 genes in the dysfunctional healing group were identified. Overrepresentation analysis revealed pathways directly and indirectly associated with wound healing and aging and additional categories associated with differentiation, development, and morphogenesis. Knowledge of this wound healing continuum gene signature may in turn assist in the therapeutic assessment/treatment of a patient's wounds. © 2014 The Authors. Wound Repair and Regeneration published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Wound Healing Society.

Map of fluid flow in fractal porous medium into fractal continuum flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Balankin, Alexander S; Elizarraraz, Benjamin Espinoza

2012-05-01

This paper is devoted to fractal continuum hydrodynamics and its application to model fluid flows in fractally permeable reservoirs. Hydrodynamics of fractal continuum flow is developed on the basis of a self-consistent model of fractal continuum employing vector local fractional differential operators allied with the Hausdorff derivative. The generalized forms of Green-Gauss and Kelvin-Stokes theorems for fractional calculus are proved. The Hausdorff material derivative is defined and the form of Reynolds transport theorem for fractal continuum flow is obtained. The fundamental conservation laws for a fractal continuum flow are established. The Stokes law and the analog of Darcy's law for fractal continuum flow are suggested. The pressure-transient equation accounting the fractal metric of fractal continuum flow is derived. The generalization of the pressure-transient equation accounting the fractal topology of fractal continuum flow is proposed. The mapping of fluid flow in a fractally permeable medium into a fractal continuum flow is discussed. It is stated that the spectral dimension of the fractal continuum flow d(s) is equal to its mass fractal dimension D, even when the spectral dimension of the fractally porous or fissured medium is less than D. A comparison of the fractal continuum flow approach with other models of fluid flow in fractally permeable media and the experimental field data for reservoir tests are provided.

Factors That Influence Linkages to HIV Continuum of Care Services: Implications for Multi-Level Interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogério M. Pinto

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Worldwide, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV continuum of care involves health promotion providers (e.g., social workers and health educators linking patients to medical personnel who provide HIV testing, primary care, and antiretroviral treatments. Regrettably, these life-saving linkages are not always made consistently and many patients are not retained in care. To design, test and implement effective interventions, we need to first identify key factors that may improve linkage-making. To help close this gap, we used in-depth interviews with 20 providers selected from a sample of 250 participants in a mixed-method longitudinal study conducted in New York City (2012–2017 in order to examine the implementation of HIV services for at-risk populations. Following a sociomedical framework, we identified provider-, interpersonal- and environmental-level factors that influence how providers engage patients in the care continuum by linking them to HIV testing, HIV care, and other support services. These factors occurred in four domains of reference: Providers’ Professional Knowledge Base; Providers’ Interprofessional Collaboration; Providers’ Work-Related Changes; and Best Practices in a Competitive Environment. Of particular importance, our findings show that a competitive environment and a fear of losing patients to other agencies may inhibit providers from engaging in linkage-making. Our results suggest relationships between factors within and across all four domains; we recommend interventions to modify factors in all domains for maximum effect toward improving care continuum linkage-making. Our findings may be applicable in different areas of the globe with high HIV prevalence.

Frequency chirpings in Alfven continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ge; Berk, Herb; Breizman, Boris; Zheng, Linjin

2017-10-01

We have used a self-consistent mapping technique to describe both the nonlinear wave-energetic particle resonant interaction and its spatial mode structure that depends upon the resonant energetic particle pressure. At the threshold for the onset of the energetic particle mode (EPM), strong chirping emerges in the lower continuum close to the TAE gap and then, driven by strong continuum damping, chirps rapidly to lower frequencies in the Alfven continuum. An adiabatic theory was developed that accurately replicated the results from the simulation where the nonlinearity was only due to the EPM resonant particles. The results show that the EPM-trapped particles have their action conserved during the time of rapid chirping. This adiabaticity enabled wave trapped particles to be confined within their separatrix, and produce even larger resonant structures, that can produce a large amplitude mode far from linearly predicted frequencies. In the present work we describe the effect of additional MHD nonlinearity to this calculation. We studied how the zonal flow component and its nonlinear feedback to the fundamental frequency and found that the MHD nonlinearity doesn't significantly alter the frequency chirping response that is predicted by the calculation that neglects the MHD nonlinearity.

Defining and testing a granular continuum element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rycroft, Chris H.; Kamrin, Ken; Bazant, Martin Z.

2007-12-03

Continuum mechanics relies on the fundamental notion of amesoscopic volume "element" in which properties averaged over discreteparticles obey deterministic relationships. Recent work on granularmaterials suggests a continuum law may be inapplicable, revealinginhomogeneities at the particle level, such as force chains and slow cagebreaking. Here, we analyze large-scale Discrete-Element Method (DEM)simulations of different granular flows and show that a "granularelement" can indeed be defined at the scale of dynamical correlations,roughly three to five particle diameters. Its rheology is rather subtle,combining liquid-like dependence on deformation rate and solid-likedependence on strain. Our results confirm some aspects of classicalplasticity theory (e.g., coaxiality of stress and deformation rate),while contradicting others (i.e., incipient yield), and can guide thedevelopment of more realistic continuum models.

Hyperbolic conservation laws in continuum physics

CERN Document Server

Dafermos, Constantine M

2016-01-01

This is a masterly exposition and an encyclopedic presentation of the theory of hyperbolic conservation laws. It illustrates the essential role of continuum thermodynamics in providing motivation and direction for the development of the mathematical theory while also serving as the principal source of applications. The reader is expected to have a certain mathematical sophistication and to be familiar with (at least) the rudiments of analysis and the qualitative theory of partial differential equations, whereas prior exposure to continuum physics is not required. The target group of readers would consist of (a) experts in the mathematical theory of hyperbolic systems of conservation laws who wish to learn about the connection with classical physics; (b) specialists in continuum mechanics who may need analytical tools; (c) experts in numerical analysis who wish to learn the underlying mathematical theory; and (d) analysts and graduate students who seek introduction to the theory of hyperbolic systems of conser...

SEACAS Theory Manuals: Part II. Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attaway, S.W.; Laursen, T.A.; Zadoks, R.I.

1998-09-01

This report summarizes the key continuum mechanics concepts required for the systematic prescription and numerical solution of finite deformation solid mechanics problems. Topics surveyed include measures of deformation appropriate for media undergoing large deformations, stress measures appropriate for such problems, balance laws and their role in nonlinear continuum mechanics, the role of frame indifference in description of large deformation response, and the extension of these theories to encompass two dimensional idealizations, structural idealizations, and rigid body behavior. There are three companion reports that describe the problem formulation, constitutive modeling, and finite element technology for nonlinear continuum mechanics systems.

Influence of gyroradius and dissipation on the Alfven-wave continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.; Tang, W.M.; Taylor, J.B.

1982-01-01

It is well known that in ideal magnetohydrodynamics there is a continuous spectrum of real frequencies associated with a singularity of the shear Alfven waves on the surface k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = omega. It is also known that the introduction of first-order gyroradius effects eliminates the continuum. In the present work we examine the influence of the full gyroradius response and of dissipation on the continuum. In the absence of dissipation we first confirm that if only first-order gyroradius effects are incorporated, the continuum disappears. However, when the full gyroradius response is included, this discrete spectrum vanishes, and a new continuum (associated with singularities at k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = 0) appears. The introduction of collisional dissipation removes the original MHD continuum leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero with the collision rate as ν/sup 1/3/. collisions also remove the new continuum of the full gyroradius model leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero as (log ν) -1 . Collisionless Landau damping has a similar effect

A Behavioral Continuum: A Look at Personality Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, George; Kirk, Nancy A.

1985-01-01

Suggests that narcissistic, borderline, and antisocial personality disorders are not discrete diagnostic categories, but that they lie along a continuum and have in common the dimensions of degree of self-centeredness and degree of differentiation. Presents evidence supporting existence of continuum of behavior rather than discrete diagnostic…

Teaching Continuum Mechanics in a Mechanical Engineering Program

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yucheng

2011-01-01

This paper introduces a graduate course, continuum mechanics, which is designed for and taught to graduate students in a Mechanical Engineering (ME) program. The significance of continuum mechanics in engineering education is demonstrated and the course structure is described. Methods used in teaching this course such as topics, class…

The Co-creation Continuum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ind, Nicholas; Iglesias, Oriol; Markovic, Stefan

2017-01-01

-creation - from tactical market research tool to strategic collaborative innovation method, and shows that brands can be positioned along a continuum between these two polarities. This article also presents the implications for those that want to seize the potential of co-creation....

Effects of continuum breakdown on hypersonic aerothermodynamics for reacting flow

Science.gov (United States)

Holman, Timothy D.; Boyd, Iain D.

2011-02-01

This study investigates the effects of continuum breakdown on the surface aerothermodynamic properties (pressure, stress, and heat transfer rate) of a sphere in a Mach 25 flow of reacting air in regimes varying from continuum to a rarefied gas. Results are generated using both continuum [computational fluid dynamics (CFD)] and particle [direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC)] approaches. The DSMC method utilizes a chemistry model that calculates the backward rates from an equilibrium constant. A preferential dissociation model is modified in the CFD method to better compare with the vibrationally favored dissociation model that is utilized in the DSMC method. Tests of these models are performed to confirm their validity and to compare the chemistry models in both numerical methods. This study examines the effect of reacting air flow on continuum breakdown and the surface properties of the sphere. As the global Knudsen number increases, the amount of continuum breakdown in the flow and on the surface increases. This increase in continuum breakdown significantly affects the surface properties, causing an increase in the differences between CFD and DSMC. Explanations are provided for the trends observed.

Bursts and shocks in a continuum shell model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ken Haste; Bohr, Tomas; Jensen, M.H.

1998-01-01

We study a burst event, i.e., the evolution of an initial condition having support only in a finite interval of k-space, in the continuum shell model due to Parisi. We show that the continuum equation without forcing or dissipation can be explicitly written in characteristic form and that the right...

Patient representatives' views on patient information in clinical cancer trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dellson, Pia; Nilbert, Mef; Carlsson, Christina

2016-01-01

of future simplified and more attractive informed consent forms. CONCLUSIONS: The emotional and cognitive responses to written patient information reported by patient representatives provides a basis for revised formats in future trials and add to the body of information that support use of plain language......BACKGROUND: Patient enrolment into clinical trials is based on oral information and informed consent, which includes an information sheet and a consent certificate. The written information should be complete, but at the same time risks being so complex that it may be questioned if a fully informed...... consent is possible to provide. We explored patient representatives' views and perceptions on the written trial information used in clinical cancer trials. METHODS: Written patient information leaflets used in four clinical trials for colorectal cancer were used for the study. The trials included phase I...

Optimising the use of cetuximab in the continuum of care for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Richard M; Montagut, Clara; Wainberg, Zev A; Ronga, Philippe; Audhuy, François; Taieb, Julien; Stintzing, Sebastian; Siena, Salvatore; Santini, Daniele

2018-01-01

benefit can be extended, adding to established continuum-of-care strategies in patients with mCRC.

[Verbal patient information through nurses--a case of stroke patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Christmann, Elli; Holle, Regina; Schüssler, Dörte; Beier, Jutta; Dassen, Theo

2004-06-01

The article represents results of a theoretical work in the field of nursing education, with the topic: Verbal Patient Information through Nurses--A Case of Stroke Patients. The literature review and analysis show that there is a shortage in (stroke) patient information generally and a lack of successful concepts and strategies for the verbal (stroke) patient information through nurses in hospitals. The authors have developed a theoretical basis for health information as a nursing intervention and this represents a model of health information as a "communicational teach-and-learn process", which is of general application to all patients. The health information takes place as a separate nursing intervention within a non-public, face-to-face communication situation and in the steps-model of the nursing process. Health information is seen as a learning process for patients and nurses too. We consider learning as information production (constructivism) and information processing (cognitivism). Both processes are influenced by different factors and the illness-situation of patients, personality information content and the environment. For a successful health information output, it is necessary to take care of these aspects and this can be realized through a constructivational understanding of didactics. There is a need for an evaluation study to prove our concept of health information.

Progress and trends in patients' mindset on dental implants. I: level of information, sources of information and need for patient information.

Science.gov (United States)

Pommer, Bernhard; Zechner, Werner; Watzak, Georg; Ulm, Christian; Watzek, Georg; Tepper, Gabor

2011-02-01

Little is known about the level of information on implant dentistry in the public. A representative opinion poll on dental implants in the Austrian population was published in 2003 (Clinical Oral Implants Research 14:621-642). Seven years later, the poll was rerun to assess the up-to-date information level and evaluate recent progress and trends in patients' mindset on dental implants. One thousand adults--representative for the Austrian population--were presented with a total of 19 questionnaire items regarding the level and the sources of information about dental implants as well as the subjective and objective need for patient information. Compared with the survey of 2003, the subjective level of patient information about implant dentistry has significantly increased in the Austrian population. The patients' implant awareness rate was 79%. The objective level of general knowledge about dental implants was still all but satisfactory revealing unrealistic patient expectations. Three-quarters trusted their dentists for information about dental implants, while one-quarter turned to the media. The patients' wish for high-quality implant restorations was significantly higher than in 2003, yet the majority felt that only specialists should perform implant dentistry. This representative survey reveals that dentists are still the main source of patient information, but throws doubt on the quality of their public relations work. Dentists must improve communication strategies to provide their patients with comprehensible, legally tenable information on dental implants and bridge information gaps in the future. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Lyman continuum observations of solar flares

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, M. E.; Noyes, R. W.

1978-01-01

A study is made of Lyman continuum observations of solar flares, using data obtained by the EUV spectroheliometer on the Apollo Telescope Mount. It is found that there are two main types of flare regions: an overall 'mean' flare coincident with the H-alpha flare region, and transient Lyman continuum kernels which can be identified with the H-alpha and X-ray kernels observed by other authors. It is found that the ground level hydrogen population in flares is closer to LTE than in the quiet sun and active regions, and that the level of Lyman continuum formation is lowered in the atmosphere from a mass column density .000005 g/sq cm in the quiet sun to .0003 g/sq cm in the mean flare, and to .001 g/sq cm in kernels. From these results the amount of chromospheric material 'evaporated' into the high temperature region is derived, which is found to be approximately 10 to the 15th g, in agreement with observations of X-ray emission measures.

A Coupling Tool for Parallel Molecular Dynamics-Continuum Simulations

KAUST Repository

Neumann, Philipp; Tchipev, Nikola

2012-01-01

We present a tool for coupling Molecular Dynamics and continuum solvers. It is written in C++ and is meant to support the developers of hybrid molecular - continuum simulations in terms of both realisation of the respective coupling algorithm

Geometric continuum regularization of quantum field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1989-01-01

An overview of the continuum regularization program is given. The program is traced from its roots in stochastic quantization, with emphasis on the examples of regularized gauge theory, the regularized general nonlinear sigma model and regularized quantum gravity. In its coordinate-invariant form, the regularization is seen as entirely geometric: only the supermetric on field deformations is regularized, and the prescription provides universal nonperturbative invariant continuum regularization across all quantum field theory. 54 refs

ALMA BAND 8 CONTINUUM EMISSION FROM ORION SOURCE I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirota, Tomoya; Matsumoto, Naoko [Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Machida, Masahiro N.; Matsushita, Yuko [Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Motogi, Kazuhito; Honma, Mareki [Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Hoshigaoka2-12, Mizusawa-ku, Oshu-shi, Iwate 023-0861 (Japan); Kim, Mi Kyoung [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Hwaam-dong 61-1, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Burns, Ross A., E-mail: tomoya.hirota@nao.ac.jp [Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe, Postbus 2, 7990 AA, Dwingeloo (Netherlands)

2016-12-20

We have measured continuum flux densities of a high-mass protostar candidate, a radio source I in the Orion KL region (Orion Source I) using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) at band 8 with an angular resolution of 0.″1. The continuum emission at 430, 460, and 490 GHz associated with Source I shows an elongated structure along the northwest–southeast direction perpendicular to the so-called low-velocity bipolar outflow. The deconvolved size of the continuum source, 90 au × 20 au, is consistent with those reported previously at other millimeter/submillimeter wavelengths. The flux density can be well fitted to the optically thick blackbody spectral energy distribution, and the brightness temperature is evaluated to be 700–800 K. It is much lower than that in the case of proton–electron or H{sup −} free–free radiations. Our data are consistent with the latest ALMA results by Plambeck and Wright, in which the continuum emission was proposed to arise from the edge-on circumstellar disk via thermal dust emission, unless the continuum source consists of an unresolved structure with a smaller beam filling factor.

Assessing continuum postulates in simulations of granular flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rycroft, Chris; Kamrin, Ken; Bazant, Martin

2008-08-26

Continuum mechanics relies on the fundamental notion of a mesoscopic volume"element" in which properties averaged over discrete particles obey deterministic relationships. Recent work on granular materials suggests a continuum law may be inapplicable, revealing inhomogeneities at the particle level, such as force chains and slow cage breaking. Here, we analyze large-scale three-dimensional Discrete-Element Method (DEM) simulations of different granular flows and show that an approximate"granular element" defined at the scale of observed dynamical correlations (roughly three to five particle diameters) has a reasonable continuum interpretation. By viewing all the simulations as an ensemble of granular elements which deform and move with the flow, we can track material evolution at a local level. Our results confirm some of the hypotheses of classical plasticity theory while contradicting others and suggest a subtle physical picture of granular failure, combining liquid-like dependence on deformation rate and solid-like dependence on strain. Our computational methods and results can be used to guide the development of more realistic continuum models, based on observed local relationships betweenaverage variables.

One millimeter continuum observations of high redshift quasars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ennis, D.J.; Soifer, B.T.

1981-01-01

Upper limits to the one-millimeter continuum flux densities of the high redshift quasars B2 1225 + 31, Ton 490, and PHL 957 are presented. The upper limit to the power observed from these quasars at 1 mm is, on the average, one half of the observed power in the continuum at L-alpha. These observations are used to constrain the temperature of a hypothetical dust shell which reddens the quasar line and continuum emission by an extinction optical depth sufficient to account for the anomalously low L-alpha/H-alpha emission line ratio observed in each of these quasars. For the quasars studied, dust shell temperatures between 25 K and 50 to 95 K are prohibited by the present data. A dust shell at a temperature within this span reradiating all the power absorbed from the quasar ultraviolet continuum would produce a one-millimeter flux density greater than the measured upper limit. The average radius of the model dust shell cannot be between 70 kpc and 1 Mpc

Maintaining bone health in prostate cancer throughout the disease continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Saad, Fred; Eastham, James

2010-06-01

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most prevalent malignancy in men, with 604,506 new cases diagnosed yearly worldwide. Maintaining bone health is important during all stages of PC, including patients who experience bone loss from androgen-deprivation therapy and patients who develop bone metastases. Patients with bone metastases often experience severe bone pain and are at increased risk for potentially debilitating skeletal-related events. Bisphosphonates are a well-established treatment option for patients with bone metastases from solid tumors and bone lesions from multiple myeloma. Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is the only bisphosphonate (BP) that has been extensively studied in patients with castration-recurrent PC and is indicated for treating patients with bone metastases from PC in conjunction with standard antineoplastic therapy. This review will examine the breadth of evidence supporting a role for ZOL and emerging therapies in managing patients with PC throughout the disease continuum. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patients’ views on electronic patient information leaflets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hammar T

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Information in society and in health care is currently undergoing a transition from paper to digital formats, and the main source of information will probably be electronic in the future. Objective: To explore patients’ use and perceptions of the patient information leaflet included in the medication package, and their attitude towards a transition to an electronic version. Methods: The data was collected during October to November 2014 among individuals in South-Eastern Sweden, using a questionnaire (n=406, response rate 78% and interviews (n=15. Results: The questionnaire showed that the majority of the respondents (52% occasionally read the patient information leaflet, 37% always read it, and 11% never read it. Almost half of the patients (41% were positive towards reading the patient information leaflet electronically while 32% were hesitant and 26% neutral. A majority of the patients would request to get the patient information leaflet printed at the pharmacy if it was not included in the package. There were differences in attitude related to age and gender. The interviews showed that patients had mixed views on a transition to an electronic patient information leaflet. The patients perceived several positive aspects with an electronic patient information leaflet but were concerned about elderly patients. Conclusion: Although many were positive towards reading the patient information leaflet electronically, the majority prefer the patient information leaflet in paper form. Providing appropriate and useful eHealth services for patients to access the patient information leaflet electronically, along with education, could prepare patients for a transition to electronic patient information leaflet.

Patient representatives? views on patient information in clinical cancer trials

OpenAIRE

Dellson, Pia; Nilbert, Mef; Carlsson, Christina

2016-01-01

Background Patient enrolment into clinical trials is based on oral information and informed consent, which includes an information sheet and a consent certificate. The written information should be complete, but at the same time risks being so complex that it may be questioned if a fully informed consent is possible to provide. We explored patient representatives? views and perceptions on the written trial information used in clinical cancer trials. Methods Written patient information leaflet...

Thermal conductivity prediction of nanoscale phononic crystal slabs using a hybrid lattice dynamics-continuum mechanics technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles M. Reinke

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Recent work has demonstrated that nanostructuring of a semiconductor material to form a phononic crystal (PnC can significantly reduce its thermal conductivity. In this paper, we present a classical method that combines atomic-level information with the application of Bloch theory at the continuum level for the prediction of the thermal conductivity of finite-thickness PnCs with unit cells sized in the micron scale. Lattice dynamics calculations are done at the bulk material level, and the plane-wave expansion method is implemented at the macrosale PnC unit cell level. The combination of the lattice dynamics-based and continuum mechanics-based dispersion information is then used in the Callaway-Holland model to calculate the thermal transport properties of the PnC. We demonstrate that this hybrid approach provides both accurate and efficient predictions of the thermal conductivity.

Development of Advanced Continuum Models that Incorporate Nanomechanical Deformation into Engineering Analysis.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmerman, Jonathan A.; Jones, Reese E.; Templeton, Jeremy Alan; McDowell, David L.; Mayeur, Jason R.; Tucker, Garritt J.; Bammann, Douglas J.; Gao, Huajian

2008-09-01

Materials with characteristic structures at nanoscale sizes exhibit significantly different mechani-cal responses from those predicted by conventional, macroscopic continuum theory. For example,nanocrystalline metals display an inverse Hall-Petch effect whereby the strength of the materialdecreases with decreasing grain size. The origin of this effect is believed to be a change in defor-mation mechanisms from dislocation motion across grains and pileup at grain boundaries at mi-croscopic grain sizes to rotation of grains and deformation within grain boundary interface regionsfor nanostructured materials. These rotational defects are represented by the mathematical conceptof disclinations. The ability to capture these effects within continuum theory, thereby connectingnanoscale materials phenomena and macroscale behavior, has eluded the research community.The goal of our project was to develop a consistent theory to model both the evolution ofdisclinations and their kinetics. Additionally, we sought to develop approaches to extract contin-uum mechanical information from nanoscale structure to verify any developed continuum theorythat includes dislocation and disclination behavior. These approaches yield engineering-scale ex-pressions to quantify elastic and inelastic deformation in all varieties of materials, even those thatpossess highly directional bonding within their molecular structures such as liquid crystals, cova-lent ceramics, polymers and biological materials. This level of accuracy is critical for engineeringdesign and thermo-mechanical analysis is performed in micro- and nanosystems. The researchproposed here innovates on how these nanoscale deformation mechanisms should be incorporatedinto a continuum mechanical formulation, and provides the foundation upon which to develop ameans for predicting the performance of advanced engineering materials.4 AcknowledgmentThe authors acknowledge helpful discussions with Farid F. Abraham, Youping Chen, Terry J

Landmark lecture on cardiac intensive care and anaesthesia: continuum and conundrums.

Science.gov (United States)

Laussen, Peter C

2017-12-01

Cardiac anesthesia and critical care provide an important continuum of care for patients with congenital heart disease. Clinicians in both areas work in complex environments in which the interactions between humans and technology is critical. Understanding our contributions to outcomes (modifiable risk) and our ability to perceive and predict an evolving clinical state (low failure-to-predict rate) are important performance metrics. Improved methods for capturing continuous physiologic signals will allow for new and interactive approaches to data visualization, and for sophisticated and iterative data modeling that will help define a patient's phenotype and response to treatment (precision physiology).

On deformation of complex continuum immersed in a plane space

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalev, V. A.; Murashkin, E. V.; Radayev, Y. N.

2018-05-01

The present paper is devoted to mathematical modelling of complex continua deformations considered as immersed in an external plane space. The complex continuum is defined as a differential manifold supplied with metrics induced by the external space. A systematic derivation of strain tensors by notion of isometric immersion of the complex continuum into a plane space of a higher dimension is proposed. Problem of establishing complete systems of irreducible objective strain and extrastrain tensors for complex continuum immersed in an external plane space is resolved. The solution to the problem is obtained by methods of the field theory and the theory of rational algebraic invariants. Strain tensors of the complex continuum are derived as irreducible algebraic invariants of contravariant vectors of the external space emerging as functional arguments in the complex continuum action density. Present analysis is restricted to rational algebraic invariants. Completeness of the considered systems of rational algebraic invariants is established for micropolar elastic continua. Rational syzygies for non-quadratic invariants are discussed. Objective strain tensors (indifferent to frame rotations in the external plane space) for micropolar continuum are alternatively obtained by properly combining multipliers of polar decompositions of deformation and extra-deformation gradients. The latter is realized only for continua immersed in a plane space of the equal mathematical dimension.

Nonlocal continuum field theories

CERN Document Server

2002-01-01

Nonlocal continuum field theories are concerned with material bodies whose behavior at any interior point depends on the state of all other points in the body -- rather than only on an effective field resulting from these points -- in addition to its own state and the state of some calculable external field. Nonlocal field theory extends classical field theory by describing the responses of points within the medium by functionals rather than functions (the "constitutive relations" of classical field theory). Such considerations are already well known in solid-state physics, where the nonlocal interactions between the atoms are prevalent in determining the properties of the material. The tools developed for crystalline materials, however, do not lend themselves to analyzing amorphous materials, or materials in which imperfections are a major part of the structure. Nonlocal continuum theories, by contrast, can describe these materials faithfully at scales down to the lattice parameter. This book presents a unif...

Gene expression profiling with principal component analysis depicts the biological continuum from essential thrombocythemia over polycythemia vera to myelofibrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skov, Vibe; Thomassen, Mads; Riley, Caroline H

2012-01-01

The recent discovery of the Janus activating kinase 2 V617F mutation in most patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and half of those with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) has favored the hypothesis of a biological continuum from ET over PV to PMF. We performed gene...... with biological relevant overlaps between the different entities. Moreover, the analysis separates Janus activating kinase 2-negative ET patients from Janus activating kinase 2-positive ET patients. Functional annotation analysis demonstrates that clusters of gene ontology terms related to inflammation, immune...... system, apoptosis, RNA metabolism, and secretory system were the most significantly deregulated terms in the three different disease groups. Our results yield further support for the hypothesis of a biological continuum originating from ET over PV to PMF. Functional analysis suggests an important...

Patients in need of medicine information.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazaryan, I; Sevikyan, A

2015-01-01

Reliable medicine information is important not only for physicians and pharmacists, but also for patients [6]. However, the results of studies implemented in some countries show that patients may have slightly different needs and preferences in using sources of information [1, 4, 5, 7]. The main objective of patient medicines information is assisting consumers to achieve safe and effective use of pharmaceuticals [2, 3]. To identify patients' needs in medicine information and sources they use to receive it. We interviewed 1059 people who had visited community pharmacies in 10 regions of Armenia and Yerevan. Previously developed questionnaire was used for interviewing patients. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS program. We found that consumers need medicine information. 68.9% of respondents often use pharmaceuticals only if necessary medicines information is available. The majority of them believe that it is important to have information about therapeutic indications of pharmaceuticals to be used (91.8%), their dosage and method of administration (91.1%), contraindications (82.4%), adverse reactions (81.9%) and the simultaneous use of multiple medicines (76.5%). 58.9% of consumers value information about medicine's price. More than 70% of patients often seek information from health professionals and use medicines package information leaflets (PIL), and more than 75% of respondents mainly trust the same sources. 71.5% of respondents read package leaflets, while 42.0% of consumers do this several times. Only 36.7% of respondents completely understand information in a leaflet. Patients in Armenia need medicine information. They prefer to receive information from sources they trust.Many patients do not understand the content of package information leaflets (PILs) due to barriers, which can be removed by introducing appropriate regulatory provisions for their content and readability.

Near-infrared water vapour self-continuum at close to room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ptashnik, I.V.; Petrova, T.M.; Ponomarev, Yu.N.; Shine, K.P.; Solodov, A.A.; Solodov, A.M.

2013-01-01

The gaseous absorption of solar radiation within near-infrared atmospheric windows in the Earth's atmosphere is dominated by the water vapour continuum. Recent measurements by Baranov et al. (2011) [17] in 2500 cm −1 (4 μm) window and by Ptashnik et al. (2011) [18] in a few near-infrared windows revealed that the self-continuum absorption is typically an order of magnitude stronger than given by the MT C KD continuum model prior to version 2.5. Most of these measurements, however, were made at elevated temperatures, which makes their application to atmospheric conditions difficult. Here we report new laboratory measurements of the self-continuum absorption at 289 and 318 K in the near-infrared spectral region 1300–8000 cm −1 , using a multipass 30 m base cell with total optical path 612 m. Our results confirm the main conclusions of the previous measurements both within bands and in windows. Of particular note is that we present what we believe to be the first near-room temperature measurement using Fourier Transform Spectrometry of the self-continuum in the 6200 cm −1 (1.6 μm) window, which provides tentative evidence that, at such temperatures, the water vapour continuum absorption may be as strong as it is in 2.1 μm and 4 μm windows and up to 2 orders of magnitude stronger than the MT C KD-2.5 continuum. We note that alternative methods of measuring the continuum in this window have yielded widely differing assessment of its strength, which emphasises the need for further measurements. -- Highlights: ► New lab measurements of the near-infrared water vapour self-continuum absorption. ► First room-temperature data on the self-continuum in the 1.6 μm window. ► In the 1.6 μm window the new data exceed MT C KD-2.5 model by 2 orders of magnitude

Patient representatives' views on patient information in clinical cancer trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellson, Pia; Nilbert, Mef; Carlsson, Christina

2016-02-01

Patient enrolment into clinical trials is based on oral information and informed consent, which includes an information sheet and a consent certificate. The written information should be complete, but at the same time risks being so complex that it may be questioned if a fully informed consent is possible to provide. We explored patient representatives' views and perceptions on the written trial information used in clinical cancer trials. Written patient information leaflets used in four clinical trials for colorectal cancer were used for the study. The trials included phase I-III trials, randomized and non-randomized trials that evaluated chemotherapy/targeted therapy in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and palliative settings. Data were collected through focus groups and were analysed using inductive content analysis. Two major themes emerged: emotional responses and cognitive responses. Subthemes related to the former included individual preferences and perceptions of effect, while subthemes related to the latter were comprehensibility and layout. Based on these observations the patient representatives provided suggestions for improvement, which largely included development of future simplified and more attractive informed consent forms. The emotional and cognitive responses to written patient information reported by patient representatives provides a basis for revised formats in future trials and add to the body of information that support use of plain language, structured text and illustrations to improve the informed consent process and thereby patient enrolment into clinical trials.

Provider-patient in-office discussions of response to hepatitis C antiviral therapy and impact on patient comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Heidi E; Nelson, Meaghan; Martin, Paul; Cotler, Scott J

2006-04-01

Providers need to communicate projected response rates effectively to enable patients with hepatitis C virus to make informed decisions about therapy. This study used interactional sociolinguistics (1) to evaluate how gastroenterologists and allied health professionals communicate information regarding response rates to antiviral therapy, (2) to determine how these discussions relate to where the patient is in the continuum of evaluation and treatment, (3) to assess whether patients were aligned with providers in their perceptions of response rates after office visits, and (4) to identify factors that improve provider-patient alignment. Gastroenterologists, allied health professionals, and patients with hepatitis C virus were videotaped and audiotaped during regularly scheduled visits. Postvisit interviews were conducted separately with patients and providers. Visits and postvisits were transcribed and analyzed using validated sociolinguistic techniques. The phase of hepatitis C virus treatment shaped the benchmarks of response talk, although across the treatment continuum providers overwhelmingly made strategic use of positive statistics, providing motivation. In postvisit interviews, 55% of providers and patients were aligned on response rates. Patients with a favorable outcome and patients who asked response-related questions in the visit were more likely to be aligned with providers. Areas identified for improvement included the tendency to discuss response rates before an individualized assessment could be made, balancing motivation and accuracy, and assessing the patient's perspective before delivering any bad news, if necessary. Sociolinguistic analysis provides a powerful tool to evaluate provider-patient interactions and to identify ways to improve in-office communication regarding antiviral therapy.

The water vapour continuum in near-infrared windows - Current understanding and prospects for its inclusion in spectroscopic databases

Science.gov (United States)

Shine, Keith P.; Campargue, Alain; Mondelain, Didier; McPheat, Robert A.; Ptashnik, Igor V.; Weidmann, Damien

2016-09-01

Spectroscopic catalogues, such as GEISA and HITRAN, do not yet include information on the water vapour continuum that pervades visible, infrared and microwave spectral regions. This is partly because, in some spectral regions, there are rather few laboratory measurements in conditions close to those in the Earth's atmosphere; hence understanding of the characteristics of the continuum absorption is still emerging. This is particularly so in the near-infrared and visible, where there has been renewed interest and activity in recent years. In this paper we present a critical review focusing on recent laboratory measurements in two near-infrared window regions (centred on 4700 and 6300 cm-1) and include reference to the window centred on 2600 cm-1 where more measurements have been reported. The rather few available measurements, have used Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS), cavity ring down spectroscopy, optical-feedback - cavity enhanced laser spectroscopy and, in very narrow regions, calorimetric interferometry. These systems have different advantages and disadvantages. Fourier Transform Spectroscopy can measure the continuum across both these and neighbouring windows; by contrast, the cavity laser techniques are limited to fewer wavenumbers, but have a much higher inherent sensitivity. The available results present a diverse view of the characteristics of continuum absorption, with differences in continuum strength exceeding a factor of 10 in the cores of these windows. In individual windows, the temperature dependence of the water vapour self-continuum differs significantly in the few sets of measurements that allow an analysis. The available data also indicate that the temperature dependence differs significantly between different near-infrared windows. These pioneering measurements provide an impetus for further measurements. Improvements and/or extensions in existing techniques would aid progress to a full characterisation of the continuum - as an example, we

Continuum regularized Yang-Mills theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadun, L.A.

1987-01-01

Using the machinery of stochastic quantization, Z. Bern, M. B. Halpern, C. Taubes and I recently proposed a continuum regularization technique for quantum field theory. This regularization may be implemented by applying a regulator to either the (d + 1)-dimensional Parisi-Wu Langevin equation or, equivalently, to the d-dimensional second order Schwinger-Dyson (SD) equations. This technique is non-perturbative, respects all gauge and Lorentz symmetries, and is consistent with a ghost-free gauge fixing (Zwanziger's). This thesis is a detailed study of this regulator, and of regularized Yang-Mills theory, using both perturbative and non-perturbative techniques. The perturbative analysis comes first. The mechanism of stochastic quantization is reviewed, and a perturbative expansion based on second-order SD equations is developed. A diagrammatic method (SD diagrams) for evaluating terms of this expansion is developed. We apply the continuum regulator to a scalar field theory. Using SD diagrams, we show that all Green functions can be rendered finite to all orders in perturbation theory. Even non-renormalizable theories can be regularized. The continuum regulator is then applied to Yang-Mills theory, in conjunction with Zwanziger's gauge fixing. A perturbative expansion of the regulator is incorporated into the diagrammatic method. It is hoped that the techniques discussed in this thesis will contribute to the construction of a renormalized Yang-Mills theory is 3 and 4 dimensions

Continuum of Care (COC) Areas

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — The purpose of the Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Assistance Programs is to reduce the incidence of homelessness in CoC communities by assisting homeless...

Continuum methods of physical modeling continuum mechanics, dimensional analysis, turbulence

CERN Document Server

Hutter, Kolumban

2004-01-01

The book unifies classical continuum mechanics and turbulence modeling, i.e. the same fundamental concepts are used to derive model equations for material behaviour and turbulence closure and complements these with methods of dimensional analysis. The intention is to equip the reader with the ability to understand the complex nonlinear modeling in material behaviour and turbulence closure as well as to derive or invent his own models. Examples are mostly taken from environmental physics and geophysics.

Lattice Boltzmann method for multi-component, non-continuum mass diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Abhijit S; Peracchio, Aldo A; Grew, Kyle N; Chiu, Wilson K S

2007-01-01

Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in extending the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to model transport phenomena in the non-continuum regime. Most of these studies have focused on single-component flows through simple geometries. This work examines an ad hoc extension of a recently developed LBM model for multi-component mass diffusion (Joshi et al 2007 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 40 2961) to model mass diffusion in the non-continuum regime. In order to validate the method, LBM results for ternary diffusion in a two-dimensional channel are compared with predictions of the dusty gas model (DGM) over a range of Knudsen numbers. A calibration factor based on the DGM is used in the LBM to correlate Knudsen diffusivity to pore size. Results indicate that the LBM can be a useful tool for predicting non-continuum mass diffusion (Kn > 0.001), but additional research is needed to extend the range of applicability of the algorithm for a larger parameter space. Guidelines are given on using the methodology described in this work to model non-continuum mass transport in more complex geometries where the DGM is not easily applicable. In addition, the non-continuum LBM methodology can be extended to three-dimensions. An envisioned application of this technique is to model non-continuum mass transport in porous solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

Patient information comes of age.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Jeannette

2017-12-01

This virtual issue (VI) has been assembled to coincide with the 8th Annual Patient Information Conference 2013 organised by the UK Patient Information Forum (PiF). The conference theme 'Information and support - a service in its own right' is a response to policy documents and initiatives in both Scotland and England which signal the coming of age of patient/consumer information. The VI consists of a collection of open access articles and addresses the question 'What can health science librarians do to ensure that the public are able to find, appraise and use health information?' This material provides research evidence, and examples of the types of initiatives librarians have undertaken to make information a health and care service in its own right. Two recurrent messages are that health science librarians need to form partnerships with healthcare providers and they have a role to play in improving health literacy skills. © 2013 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2013 Health Libraries Group.

'What do patients want?' Tailoring medicines information to meet patients' needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Amber; Tordoff, June; Smith, Alesha

2017-11-01

Medicines information leaflets can equip patients to be in control of their own healthcare and support the safe and effective use of medicines. The design and content of leaflets influences patients' willingness to read them, and poor examples can cause patient confusion and anxiety. Researchers examined the literature over the past 8 years to determine the content and design of medicine information leaflets that patients prefer in order to read, understand, and use them effectively. It was found that existing leaflets do not meet patients' needs and appear ineffective. Leaflets lack the information patients seek and may contain non-essential material, affecting patients' perception of, and willingness to read them. Additionally, the acceptable leaflet length varies between patients. Application of good design principles improves readability, comprehension, and ability to locate information. Medicine information leaflets must meet patients' needs and be well designed. Tailoring information leaflets to patient characteristics and requirements would enhance effectiveness. Passive provision of pre-printed leaflets is outdated, unvalued and ineffective. Using automated computer systems for leaflet tailoring with the ability to further adapt patients' information might be the best way forward. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuum mechanics using Mathematica fundamentals, methods, and applications

CERN Document Server

Romano, Antonio

2014-01-01

This textbook's methodological approach familiarizes readers with the mathematical tools required to correctly define and solve problems in continuum mechanics. Covering essential principles and fundamental applications, this second edition of Continuum Mechanics using Mathematica® provides a solid basis for a deeper study of more challenging and specialized problems related to nonlinear elasticity, polar continua, mixtures, piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, magneto-fluid mechanics, and state changes (see A. Romano, A. Marasco, Continuum Mechanics: Advanced Topics and Research Trends, Springer (Birkhäuser), 2010, ISBN 978-0-8176-4869-5). Key topics and features: * Concise presentation strikes a balance between fundamentals and applications * Requisite mathematical background carefully collected in two introductory chapters and one appendix * Recent developments highlighted through coverage of more significant applications to areas such as wave propagation, fluid mechanics, porous media, linear elasticity....

ICMS Workshop on Differential Geometry and Continuum Mechanics

CERN Document Server

Grinfeld, Michael; Knops, R

2015-01-01

This book examines the exciting interface between differential geometry and continuum mechanics, now recognised as being of increasing technological significance. Topics discussed include isometric embeddings in differential geometry and the relation with microstructure in nonlinear elasticity, the use of manifolds in the description of microstructure in continuum mechanics, experimental measurement of microstructure, defects, dislocations, surface energies, and nematic liquid crystals. Compensated compactness in partial differential equations is also treated. The volume is intended for specialists and non-specialists in pure and applied geometry, continuum mechanics, theoretical physics, materials and engineering sciences, and partial differential equations. It will also be of interest to postdoctoral scientists and advanced postgraduate research students. These proceedings include revised written versions of the majority of papers presented by leading experts at the ICMS Edinburgh Workshop on Differential G...

Jumping to conclusions and the continuum of delusional beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Warman, Debbie M; Lysaker, Paul H; Martin, Joel M; Davis, Louanne; Haudenschield, Samantha L

2007-06-01

The present study examined the jumping to conclusions reasoning bias across the continuum of delusional ideation by investigating individuals with active delusions, delusion prone individuals, and non-delusion prone individuals. Neutral and highly self-referent probabilistic reasoning tasks were employed. Results indicated that individuals with delusions gathered significantly less information than delusion prone and non-delusion prone participants on both the neutral and self-referent tasks, (preferent task (p=.002). Those with delusions and those who were delusion prone reported higher confidence in their performance on the self-referent task than they did the neutral task (p=.02), indicating that high self-reference impacted information processing for individuals in both of these groups. The results are discussed in relation to previous research in the area of probabilistic reasoning and delusions.

The care continuum in acromegaly: how patients, nurses, and physicians can collaborate for successful treatment experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Plunkett C

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Cynthia Plunkett, Ariel L BarkanDivision of Endocrinology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USAAbstract: Patients with acromegaly (a condition of chronic growth hormone hypersecretion by a pituitary adenoma often require pharmacological treatment. Somatostatin analogs (SSAs such as pasireotide, lanreotide, and octreotide are frequently used as first-line medical therapy. As SSAs are delivered by regular subcutaneous or intramuscular injections, they can result in injection-related pain or anxiety and can be challenging to fit into patients’ lifestyles. When combined with the prolonged, debilitating psychological complications associated with acromegaly, these administration challenges can negatively impact compliance, adherence, and quality of life. Proactively managing patients’ expectations and providing appropriate, timely guidance are crucial for maximizing adherence, and ultimately, optimizing the treatment experience. As part of ongoing clinical research since 1997, our team at the University of Michigan has used SSAs to treat 30 patients with acromegaly. Based on our clinical experiences with multiple SSA administration regimens (long-acting intramuscular, long-acting deep subcutaneous, and twice-daily subcutaneous, we generated a dialog map that guides health care professionals through the many sensitive and complex patient communication issues surrounding this treatment process. Beginning with diagnosis, the dialog map includes discussion of treatment options, instruction on proper drug administration technique, and ensuring of appropriate follow-up care. At each step, we provide talking points that address the following: the patients’ clinical situation; their geographic, economic, and psychological concerns; and their inclination to communicate with clinicians. We have found that involving patients, nurses, and physicians as equal partners in the treatment process optimizes treatment initiation, adherence

Flare continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, R.D.

1985-01-01

This paper reviews the metre-wave continuum radiation which is related to similar solar emissions observed in the decimetre and centimetre spectral regions. This type of emission, known as Flare Contiuum, is related to the radio bursts of types II and IV. After summarising the history of the phenomenon and reviewing the observational work, the author discusses the various possible radiation mechanisms and their relation to the solar corona, the interplanetary medium and related regions. The theoretical topics covered include the role of high-energy particles, the trapping of such particles, gyro-synchrotron radiation, polarization and plasma interactions. (U.K.)

Dynamic Modelling for Planar Extensible Continuum Robot Manipulators

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

to the OCTARM continuum ma- nipulator. The OCTARM manipulator is a biologically inspired soft robot manipulator resembling an elephant trunk or an... octopus arm [18]. The OCTARM, shown in Figure 1, is a three-section robot with nine degrees of freedom. Aside from two axis bending with constant...increasing interest in designing �biologically inspired � continuum robots . Some of these designs are mimicking trunks [8], [25], tentacles [17], [21], [24

Robust tracking of dexterous continuum robots: Fusing FBG shape sensing and stereo vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Rumei Zhang; Hao Liu; Jianda Han

2017-07-01

Robust and efficient tracking of continuum robots is important for improving patient safety during space-confined minimally invasive surgery, however, it has been a particularly challenging task for researchers. In this paper, we present a novel tracking scheme by fusing fiber Bragg grating (FBG) shape sensing and stereo vision to estimate the position of continuum robots. Previous visual tracking easily suffers from the lack of robustness and leads to failure, while the FBG shape sensor can only reconstruct the local shape with integral cumulative error. The proposed fusion is anticipated to compensate for their shortcomings and improve the tracking accuracy. To verify its effectiveness, the robots' centerline is recognized by morphology operation and reconstructed by stereo matching algorithm. The shape obtained by FBG sensor is transformed into distal tip position with respect to the camera coordinate system through previously calibrated registration matrices. An experimental platform was set up and repeated tracking experiments were carried out. The accuracy estimated by averaging the absolute positioning errors between shape sensing and stereo vision is 0.67±0.65 mm, 0.41±0.25 mm, 0.72±0.43 mm for x, y and z, respectively. Results indicate that the proposed fusion is feasible and can be used for closed-loop control of continuum robots.

Theoretical Calculation and Validation of the Water Vapor Continuum Absorption

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qiancheng; Tipping, Richard H.

1998-01-01

The primary objective of this investigation is the development of an improved parameterization of the water vapor continuum absorption through the refinement and validation of our existing theoretical formalism. The chief advantage of our approach is the self-consistent, first principles, basis of the formalism which allows us to predict the frequency, temperature and pressure dependence of the continuum absorption as well as provide insights into the physical mechanisms responsible for the continuum absorption. Moreover, our approach is such that the calculated continuum absorption can be easily incorporated into satellite retrieval algorithms and climate models. Accurate determination of the water vapor continuum is essential for the next generation of retrieval algorithms which propose to use the combined constraints of multi-spectral measurements such as those under development for EOS data analysis (e.g., retrieval algorithms based on MODIS and AIRS measurements); current Pathfinder activities which seek to use the combined constraints of infrared and microwave (e.g., HIRS and MSU) measurements to improve temperature and water profile retrievals, and field campaigns which seek to reconcile spectrally-resolved and broad-band measurements such as those obtained as part of FIRE. Current widely used continuum treatments have been shown to produce spectrally dependent errors, with the magnitude of the error dependent on temperature and abundance which produces errors with a seasonal and latitude dependence. Translated into flux, current water vapor continuum parameterizations produce flux errors of order 10 W/ml, which compared to the 4 W/m' magnitude of the greenhouse gas forcing and the 1-2 W/m' estimated aerosol forcing is certainly climatologically significant and unacceptably large. While it is possible to tune the empirical formalisms, the paucity of laboratory measurements, especially at temperatures of interest for atmospheric applications, preclude tuning

Generalized Continuum: from Voigt to the Modeling of Quasi-Brittle Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamile Salim Fuina

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the use of the generalized continuum theories to incorporate the effects of the microstructure in the nonlinear finite element analysis of quasi-brittle materials and, thus, to solve mesh dependency problems. A description of the problem called numerically induced strain localization, often found in Finite Element Method material non-linear analysis, is presented. A brief historic about the Generalized Continuum Mechanics based models is presented, since the initial work of Voigt (1887 until the more recent studies. By analyzing these models, it is observed that the Cosserat and microstretch approaches are particular cases of a general formulation that describes the micromorphic continuum. After reporting attempts to incorporate the material microstructure in Classical Continuum Mechanics based models, the article shows the recent tendency of doing it according to assumptions of the Generalized Continuum Mechanics. Finally, it presents numerical results which enable to characterize this tendency as a promising way to solve the problem.

Nuclear structure investigations with inclusion of continuum states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotter, I.

1983-09-01

The influence of the continuum on the properties of discrete nuclear states is reviewed. It is described on the basis of a continuum shell model. The coupling of the discrete states to the continuum results in an additional term to the Hamiltonian, commonly used in the study of nuclear structure, and an additional term to the wavefunction of the discrete state. These additional terms characterise finite nuclei in contrast to nuclear matter. They result in some symmetry violation of the residual nuclear interaction such as charge symmetry violation, and describe the nuclear surface, respectively. The energies and widths of resonance states result from the complex eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian. The partial widths are shown to be factorisable into a spectroscopic factor and into a penetration factor if the spectroscopic factor is large. An expression for the S-matrix is derived in which instead of the so-called resonance parameters, functions appear which are calculated in the framework of the model. The line shape of resonances is also influenced by these functions. As an extreme case, a resonance may have the appearance of a cusp. The conclusions drawn are supported by the results of numerical calculations performed in the continuum shell model for light nuclei with realistic shell model wavefunctions. (author)

Continuum of Counseling Goals: A Framework for Differentiating Counseling Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Paul

1984-01-01

Presents counseling goals in a developmental continuum similar in concept to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Discusses ego development goals, socialization goals, developmental goals, self-esteem goals, and self-realization goals and describes characteristics and implications of the continuum. (JAC)

The geometry of continuum regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1987-03-01

This lecture is primarily an introduction to coordinate-invariant regularization, a recent advance in the continuum regularization program. In this context, the program is seen as fundamentally geometric, with all regularization contained in regularized DeWitt superstructures on field deformations

Continuum Damage Mechanics A Continuum Mechanics Approach to the Analysis of Damage and Fracture

CERN Document Server

Murakami, Sumio

2012-01-01

Recent developments in engineering and technology have brought about serious and enlarged demands for reliability, safety and economy in wide range of fields such as aeronautics, nuclear engineering, civil and structural engineering, automotive and production industry.  This, in turn, has caused more interest in continuum damage mechanics and its engineering applications.   This book aims to give a concise overview of the current state of damage mechanics, and then to show the fascinating possibility of this promising branch of mechanics, and to provide researchers, engineers and graduate students with an intelligible and self-contained textbook.   The book consists of two parts and an appendix.  Part I  is concerned with the foundation of continuum damage mechanics.  Basic concepts of material damage and the mechanical representation of damage state of various kinds are described in Chapters 1 and 2.  In Chapters 3-5, irreversible thermodynamics, thermodynamic constitutive theory and its application ...

Discrimination between discrete and continuum scattering from the sub-seafloor.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Charles W; Steininger, Gavin; Dosso, Stan E

2015-08-01

There is growing evidence that seabed scattering is often dominated by heterogeneities within the sediment volume as opposed to seafloor roughness. From a theoretical viewpoint, sediment volume heterogeneities can be described either by a fluctuation continuum or by discrete particles. In at-sea experiments, heterogeneity characteristics generally are not known a priori. Thus, an uninformed model selection is generally made, i.e., the researcher must arbitrarily select either a discrete or continuum model. It is shown here that it is possible to (acoustically) discriminate between continuum and discrete heterogeneities in some instances. For example, when the spectral exponent γ3>4, the volume scattering cannot be described by discrete particles. Conversely, when γ3≤2, the heterogeneities likely arise from discrete particles. Furthermore, in the range 2discrete vs continuum heterogeneities via acoustic remote sensing may lead to improved observations and concomitant increased understanding of the marine benthic environment.

Continuum gauge fields from lattice gauge fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goeckeler, M.; Kronfeld, A.S.; Schierholz, G.; Wiese, U.J.

1993-01-01

On the lattice some of the salient features of pure gauge theories and of gauge theories with fermions in complex representations of the gauge group seem to be lost. These features can be recovered by considering part of the theory in the continuum. The prerequisite for that is the construction of continuum gauge fields from lattice gauge fields. Such a construction, which is gauge covariant and complies with geometrical constructions of the topological charge on the lattice, is given in this paper. The procedure is explicitly carried out in the U(1) theory in two dimensions, where it leads to simple results. (orig.)

Expansion of continuum functions on resonance wave functions and amplitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, J.; Gareev, F.A.; Gizzatkulov, M.H.; Goncharov, S.A.

1978-01-01

To overcome difficulties encountered with wave functions of continuum spectrum (for example, in a shell model with continuum) the pole expansion (by the Mittag-Leffler theorem) of wave functions, scattering amplitudes and the Green functions with positive energies are considered. It is shown that resonance functions (the Gamov functions) form a complete set over which the continuum functions could be expanded. The general view of these expansions for final potentials and for the Coulomb repulsion potential are obtained and discussed. It is shown that the application of the method to nuclear structure calculations leads to simple algebraic equations

Non-classical solutions of a continuum model for rock descriptions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikhail A. Guzev

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The strain-gradient and non-Euclidean continuum theories are employed for construction of non-classical solutions of continuum models. The linear approximation of both models' results in identical structures in terms of their kinematic and stress characteristics. The solutions obtained in this study exhibit a critical behaviour with respect to the external loading parameter. The conclusions are obtained based on an investigation of the solution for the scalar curvature in the non-Euclidean continuum theory. The proposed analysis enables us to use different theoretical approaches for description of rock critical behaviour under different loading conditions.

Cancer Patients' Informational Needs: Qualitative Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidari, Haydeh; Mardani-Hamooleh, Marjan

2016-12-01

Understanding the informational needs of cancer patients is a requirement to plan any educative care program for them. The aim of this study was to identify Iranian cancer patients' perceptions of informational needs. The study took a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were held with 25 cancer patients in two teaching hospitals in Iran. Transcripts of the interviews underwent conventional content analysis, and categories were extracted. The results came under two main categories: disease-related informational needs and information needs related to daily life. Disease-related informational needs had two subcategories: obtaining information about the nature of disease and obtaining information about disease prognosis. Information needs related to daily life also had two subcategories: obtaining information about healthy lifestyle and obtaining information about regular activities of daily life. The findings provide deep understanding of cancer patients' informational needs in Iran.

Reducing Actuator Requirements in Continuum Robots Through Optimized Cable Routing.

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Jennifer C; White, Edward L; SunSpiral, Vytas; Kramer-Bottiglio, Rebecca

2018-02-01

Continuum manipulators offer many advantages compared to their rigid-linked counterparts, such as increased degrees of freedom and workspace volume. Inspired by biological systems, such as elephant trunks and octopus tentacles, many continuum manipulators are made of multiple segments that allow large-scale deformations to be distributed throughout the body. Most continuum manipulators currently control each segment individually. For example, a planar cable-driven system is typically controlled by a pair of cables for each segment, which implies two actuators per segment. In this article, we demonstrate how highly coupled crossing cable configurations can reduce both actuator count and actuator torque requirements in a planar continuum manipulator, while maintaining workspace reachability and manipulability. We achieve highly coupled actuation by allowing cables to cross through the manipulator to create new cable configurations. We further derive an analytical model to predict the underactuated manipulator workspace and experimentally verify the model accuracy with a physical system. We use this model to compare crossing cable configurations to the traditional cable configuration using workspace performance metrics. Our work here focuses on a simplified planar robot, both in simulation and in hardware, with the goal of extending this to spiraling-cable configurations on full 3D continuum robots in future work.

Informational needs of gastrointestinal oncology patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadakos, Janet; Urowitz, Sara; Olmstead, Craig; Jusko Friedman, Audrey; Zhu, Jason; Catton, Pamela

2015-12-01

In response to the dearth of consumer health information for patients with gastrointestinal cancers, this study examined the informational needs of these patients to build a plan for future resource development. Although studies have examined informational needs of some such cancers, no published literature has investigated the comprehensive informational needs across all sites of gastrointestinal cancer. A cross-sectional needs assessment comprising a self-administered questionnaire was conducted at an ambulatory gastrointestinal oncology clinic in Toronto, Canada. Patient informational needs were measured, including importance of information, amount desired and preferred mode of delivery. Informational needs were grouped into six domains: medical, practical, physical, emotional, social and spiritual. Eighty-two surveys were analysed. The majority of the respondents were male (53.8%), over the age of 50 (77.8%), and born outside of Canada (51.9%). While many did not speak English as a child (46.3%), and do not speak English at home (22.2%), nearly all indicated comfort with receiving health information in English (97.5%). The majority of respondents were college educated (79.3%) and married (73%). Multiple cancer types were reported; the most common being colorectal (39%), followed by pancreatic (12%) and cancers of the gallbladder or bile duct (12%). Overall, respondents placed highest importance on medical information (P < 0.001). Preferred education modalities were pamphlets, websites and one-on-one discussions with health-care professionals. This study highlights the principal informational needs of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, along with preferred modality for information delivery. This information will guide the development of educational resources for future patients. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Computational Method for Atomistic-Continuum Homogenization

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Chung, Peter

2002-01-01

The homogenization method is used as a framework for developing a multiscale system of equations involving atoms at zero temperature at the small scale and continuum mechanics at the very large scale...

Revisiting the continuum hypothesis: toward an in-depth exploration of executive functions in korsakoff syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Brion, Mélanie; Pitel, Anne-Lise; Beaunieux, Hélène; Maurage, Pierre

2014-01-01

Korsakoff syndrome (KS) is a neurological state mostly caused by alcohol-dependence and leading to disproportionate episodic memory deficits. KS patients present more severe anterograde amnesia than Alcohol-Dependent Subjects (ADS), which led to the continuum hypothesis postulating a progressive increase in brain and cognitive damages during the evolution from ADS to KS. This hypothesis has been extensively examined for memory but is still debated for other abilities, notably executive functions (EF). EF have up to now been explored by unspecific tasks in KS, and few studies explored their interactions with memory. Exploring EF in KS by specific tasks based on current EF models could thus renew the exploration of the continuum hypothesis. This paper will propose a research program aiming at: (1) clarifying the extent of executive dysfunctions in KS by tasks focusing on specific EF subcomponents; (2) determining the differential EF deficits in ADS and KS; (3) exploring EF-memory interactions in KS with innovative tasks. At the fundamental level, this exploration will test the continuum hypothesis beyond memory. At the clinical level, it will propose new rehabilitation tools focusing on the EF specifically impaired in KS.

Revisiting the continuum hypothesis: towards an in-depth exploration of executive functions in Korsakoff syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mélanie eBrion

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Korsakoff syndrome (KS is a neurological state mostly caused by alcohol-dependence and leading to disproportionate episodic memory deficits. KS patients present more severe anterograde amnesia than alcohol-dependent subjects (ADS, which led to the continuum hypothesis postulating a progressive increase in brain and cognitive damages during the evolution from ADS to KS. This hypothesis has been extensively examined for memory but is still debated for other abilities, notably executive functions (EF. EF have up to now been explored by unspecific tasks in KS, and few studies explored their interactions with memory. Exploring EF in KS by specific tasks based on current EF models could thus renew the exploration of the continuum hypothesis. This paper will propose a research program aiming at: (1 clarifying the extent of executive dysfunctions in KS by tasks focusing on specific EF subcomponents; (2 determining the differential EF deficits in ADS and KS; (3 exploring EF-memory interactions in KS with innovative tasks. At the fundamental level, this exploration will test the continuum hypothesis beyond memory. At the clinical level, it will propose new rehabilitation tools focusing on the EF specifically impaired in KS.

Temperature Dependences of Mechanisms Responsible for the Water-Vapor Continuum Absorption

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qiancheng

2014-01-01

The water-vapor continuum absorption plays an important role in the radiative balance in the Earth's atmosphere. It has been experimentally shown that for ambient atmospheric conditions, the continuum absorption scales quadratically with the H2O number density and has a strong, negative temperature dependence (T dependence). Over the years, there have been three different theoretical mechanisms postulated: far-wings of allowed transition lines, water dimers, and collision-induced absorption. The first mechanism proposed was the accumulation of absorptions from the far-wings of the strong allowed transition lines. Later, absorption by water dimers was proposed, and this mechanism provides a qualitative explanation for the continuum characters mentioned above. Despite the improvements in experimental data, at present there is no consensus on which mechanism is primarily responsible for the continuum absorption.

Surface green function matching for a three-dimensional non-local continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idiodi, J.O.A.

1985-07-01

With a view toward helping to bridge the gap, from the continuum side, between discrete and continuum models of crystalline, elastic solids, explicit results are presented for non-local stress tensors that describe exactly some lattice dynamical models that have been widely used in the literature for cubic lattices. The Surface Green Function Matching (SGFM) method, which has been used successfully for a variety of surface problems, is then extended, within a continuum approach, to a non-local continuum that models a three-dimensional discrete lattice. The practical use of the method is demonstrated by performing a fairly complete analytical study of the vibrational surface modes of the SCC semi-infinite medium. Some results are presented for the [100] direction of the (001) surface of the SCC lattice. (author)

Virioplankton Assemblage Structure in the Lower River and Ocean Continuum of the Amazon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Bruno S. de O.; Coutinho, Felipe H.; Gregoracci, Gustavo B.; Leomil, Luciana; de Oliveira, Louisi S.; Fróes, Adriana; Tschoeke, Diogo; Soares, Ana Carolina; Cabral, Anderson S.; Ward, Nicholas D.; Richey, Jeffrey E.; Krusche, Alex V.; Yager, Patricia L.; de Rezende, Carlos Eduardo; Thompson, Cristiane C.; Thompson, Fabiano L.; Imperiale, Michael J.

2017-10-04

The Amazon River watershed and its associated plume comprise a vast continental and oceanic area. The microbial activities along this continuum contribute substantially to global carbon and nutrient cycling, and yet there is a dearth of information on the diversity, abundance, and possible roles of viruses in this globally important river. The aim of this study was to elucidate the diversity and structure of virus assemblages of the Amazon River-ocean continuum. Environmental viral DNA sequences were obtained for 12 locations along the river’s lower reach (n= 5) and plume (n= 7). Sequence assembly yielded 29,358 scaffolds, encoding 82,546 viral proteins, with 15 new complete viral genomes. Despite the spatial connectivity mediated by the river, virome analyses and physical-chemical water parameters clearly distinguished river and plume ecosystems. Bacteriophages were ubiquitous in the continuum and were more abundant in the transition region. Eukaryotic viruses occurred mostly in the river, while the plume had more viruses of autotrophic organisms (Prochlorococcus,Synechococcus) and heterotrophic bacteria (Pelagibacter). The viral familiesMicroviridaeandMyoviridaewere the most abundant and occurred throughout the continuum. The major functions of the genes in the continuum involved viral structures and life cycles, and viruses from plume locations and Tapajós River showed the highest levels of functional diversity. The distribution patterns of the viral assemblages were defined not only by the occurrence of possible hosts but also by water physical and chemical parameters, especially salinity. The findings presented here help to improve understanding of the possible roles of viruses in the organic matter cycle along the river-ocean continuum.

IMPORTANCEThe Amazon River forms a vast plume in the

Promoting culturally competent chronic pain management using the clinically relevant continuum model.

Science.gov (United States)

Monsivais, Diane B

2011-06-01

This article reviews the culture of biomedicine and current practices in pain management education, which often merge to create a hostile environment for effective chronic pain care. Areas of cultural tensions in chronic pain frequently involve the struggle to achieve credibility regarding one's complaints of pain (or being believed that the pain is real) and complying with pain medication protocols. The clinically relevant continuum model is presented as a framework allowing providers to approach care from an evidence-based, culturally appropriate (patient centered) perspective that takes into account the highest level of evidence available, provider expertise, and patient preferences and values. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of continuum in weakly bound systems in structure and reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vitturi, Andrea [Dipartimento di Fisica and INFN, Padova (Italy); Perez-Bernal, Francisco [Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva (Spain)

2010-03-01

We investigate different treatments of continuum states in a simple structure case: two particles moving in a one-dimensional mean field and interacting via a density-dependent short range residual interaction. We find that in procedures that involve continuum discretization a rather large basis has to be used in order to get convergence to the exact results, in particular for the radial dependence of the two-particle wave function. This may lead to unpracticable situations in the case of many interacting particles in the continuum.

An extended continuum model considering optimal velocity change with memory and numerical tests

Science.gov (United States)

Qingtao, Zhai; Hongxia, Ge; Rongjun, Cheng

2018-01-01

In this paper, an extended continuum model of traffic flow is proposed with the consideration of optimal velocity changes with memory. The new model's stability condition and KdV-Burgers equation considering the optimal velocities change with memory are deduced through linear stability theory and nonlinear analysis, respectively. Numerical simulation is carried out to study the extended continuum model, which explores how optimal velocity changes with memory affected velocity, density and energy consumption. Numerical results show that when considering the effects of optimal velocity changes with memory, the traffic jams can be suppressed efficiently. Both the memory step and sensitivity parameters of optimal velocity changes with memory will enhance the stability of traffic flow efficiently. Furthermore, numerical results demonstrates that the effect of optimal velocity changes with memory can avoid the disadvantage of historical information, which increases the stability of traffic flow on road, and so it improve the traffic flow stability and minimize cars' energy consumptions.

Continuum analogues of contragredient Lie algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saveliev, M.V.; Vershik, A.M.

1989-03-01

We present an axiomatic formulation of a new class of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras - the generalizations of Z-graded Lie algebras with, generally speaking, an infinite-dimensional Cartan subalgebra and a contiguous set of roots. We call such algebras ''continuum Lie algebras''. The simple Lie algebras of constant growth are encapsulated in our formulation. We pay particular attention to the case when the local algebra is parametrized by a commutative algebra while the Cartan operator (the generalization of the Cartan matrix) is a linear operator. Special examples of these algebras are the Kac-Moody algebras, algebras of Poisson brackets, algebras of vector fields on a manifold, current algebras, and algebras with differential or integro-differential Cartan operator. The nonlinear dynamical systems associated with the continuum contragredient Lie algebras are also considered. (author). 9 refs

Solar radio continuum storms and a breathing magnetic field model. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

Radio noise continuum emissions observed in metric and decametric wave frequencies are, in general, associated with actively varying sunspot groups accompanied by the S-component of microwave radio emissions. These continuum emission sources, often called type I storm sources, are often associated with type III burst storm activity from metric to hectometric wave frequencies. This storm activity is, therefore, closely connected with the development of these continuum emission sources. It is shown that the S-component emission in microwave frequencies generally precedes, by several days, the emission of these noise continuum storms of lower frequencies. In order for these storms to develop, the growth of sunspot groups into complex types is very important in addition to the increase of the average magnetic field intensity and area of these groups. After giving a review on the theory of these noise continuum storm emissions, a model is briefly considered to explain the relation of the emissions to the storms

Optimal kernel shape and bandwidth for atomistic support of continuum stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulz, Manfred H; Moran, Sean J

2013-01-01

The treatment of atomistic scale interactions via molecular dynamics simulations has recently found favour for multiscale modelling within engineering. The estimation of stress at a continuum point on the atomistic scale requires a pre-defined kernel function. This kernel function derives the stress at a continuum point by averaging the contribution from atoms within a region surrounding the continuum point. This averaging volume, and therefore the associated stress at a continuum point, is highly dependent on the bandwidth and shape of the kernel. In this paper we propose an effective and entirely data-driven strategy for simultaneously computing the optimal shape and bandwidth for the kernel. We thoroughly evaluate our proposed approach on copper using three classical elasticity problems. Our evaluation yields three key findings: firstly, our technique can provide a physically meaningful estimation of kernel bandwidth; secondly, we show that a uniform kernel is preferred, thereby justifying the default selection of this kernel shape in future work; and thirdly, we can reliably estimate both of these attributes in a data-driven manner, obtaining values that lead to an accurate estimation of the stress at a continuum point. (paper)

BCS equations in the continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandulescu, N.; Liotta, R. J.; Wyss, R.

1998-01-01

The properties of nuclei close to the drip line are significantly influenced by the continuum part of the single-particle spectrum. The main role is played by the resonant states which are largely confined in the region of nuclear potential and therefore stronger coupled with the bound states in an excitation process. Resonant states are also important in the nuclei beyond the drip line. In this case the decay properties of the nucleus can be directly related to the widths of the narrow resonances occupied by the unbound nucleons. The aim of this work is to propose an alternative for evaluating the effect of the resonant part of single-particle spectrum on the pairing correlations calculated within the BCS approximation. We estimated the role of resonances in the case of the isotope 170 Sn. The Resonant-BCS (RBCS) equations are solved for the case of a seniority force. The BCS approximation based on a seniority force cannot be applied in the case of a nucleus immersed in a box if all discrete states simulating the continuum are considered. In such a case the pairing correlations will increase with the number of states in the box. In our case one can still apply a seniority force with RBCS because the effect of the continuum appears here through a finite number of physical resonances, well defined by the given mean field. Because these resonances have a spatial distribution concentrated within the region of the nuclear potential, one expects that the localization probability of nucleons, far out from the nuclear surface, to be small. The gap obtained taking correctly the contribution of resonances, according to RBCS equations, is about 1.3 MeV, while pairing gap calculated only with the bound single-particle spectrum has the value Δ = 1.10 MeV. If we introduce also the resonant states, neglecting completely their widths, the gap will increase to the value Δ = 1.880 MeV. Therefore, one cannot estimate properly the pairing correlations by supplementing the spectrum

Integrated care information technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Ian; Brimacombe, Phil

2003-02-21

Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) uses information technology (IT) to drive its Integrated Care strategy. IT enables the sharing of relevant health information between care providers. This information sharing is critical to closing the gaps between fragmented areas of the health system. The tragic case of James Whakaruru demonstrates how people have been falling through those gaps. The starting point of the Integrated Care strategic initiative was the transmission of electronic discharges and referral status messages from CMDHB's secondary provider, South Auckland Health (SAH), to GPs in the district. Successful pilots of a Well Child system and a diabetes disease management system embracing primary and secondary providers followed this. The improved information flowing from hospital to GPs now enables GPs to provide better management for their patients. The Well Child system pilot helped improve reported immunization rates in a high health need area from 40% to 90%. The diabetes system pilot helped reduce the proportion of patients with HbA1c rang:9 from 47% to 16%. IT has been implemented as an integral component of an overall Integrated Care strategic initiative. Within this context, Integrated Care IT has helped to achieve significant improvements in care outcomes, broken down barriers between health system silos, and contributed to the establishment of a system of care continuum that is better for patients.

Continuum of hepatitis C care in France: A 20-year cohort study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coralie Hermetet

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV-infected patients require a specific continuum of care (CoC from HCV screening to treatment. We assessed CoC of HCV-infected patients in a longitudinal study.We established a cohort of subjects undergoing HCV screening (high alanine aminotransferase levels or risk factors during preventive consultations at a French regional medical center from 1993 to 2013. Patients were considered to be HCV-infected if HCV RNA was detected in their serum. CoC was assessed as described by Viner et al. (Hepatology 2015: Stage 1, HCV screening; Stage 2, HCV RNA testing; Stage 3, continuing care; Stage 4, antiviral treatment. Cox multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors favoring CoC, defined as at least one course of antiviral treatment.In total, 12,993 HCV tests were performed and 478 outpatients were found to be HCV-seropositive. We included 417 seropositive patients, after excluding false positives and patients lost to follow-up. The baseline characteristics of the patients were: sex ratio (M/F 1.4; mean age 38.5 years; intravenous drug use (IDU in 55%; and 28% in unstable social situations, estimated by the EPICES deprivation score. Antiviral treatment was initiated for 179 (42.9% of the 379 (90.9% patients attending specialist consultations. CoC was associated with screening after 1997 (HR 2.0, 95%CI 1.4-2.9, age > 45 years (HR 1.5, 95%CI 1.02-2.3, patient acceptance of care (HR 9.3, 95%CI 5.4-16.10, specialist motivation for treatment (HR 10.9, 95%CI 7.4-16.0, and absence of cancer (HR 6.7, 95%CI 1.6-27.9. Other comorbid conditions, such as depression and IDU, were not associated with CoC.Our 20-year cohort study reveals the real-life continuum of care for HCV-infected patients in France. The number of patients involved in HCV care after positive testing was substantial due to the organization of healthcare in France. An improved CoC along with new direct-acting antivirals should help to decrease chronic HCV infection.

Relativistic continuum random phase approximation in spherical nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daoutidis, Ioannis

2009-01-01

Covariant density functional theory is used to analyze the nuclear response in the external multipole fields. The investigations are based on modern functionals with zero range and density dependent coupling constants. After a self-consistent solution of the Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) equations for the nuclear ground states multipole giant resonances are studied within the Relativistic Random Phase Approximation (RRPA), the small amplitude limit of the time-dependent RMF. The coupling to the continuum is treated precisely by calculating the single particle Greens-function of the corresponding Dirac equation. In conventional methods based on a discretization of the continuum this was not possible. The residual interaction is derived from the same RMF Lagrangian. This guarantees current conservation and a precise decoupling of the Goldstone modes. For nuclei with open shells pairing correlations are taken into account in the framework of BCS theory and relativistic quasiparticle RPA. Continuum RPA (CRPA) presents a robust method connected with an astonishing reduction of the numerical effort as compared to conventional methods. Modes of various multipolarities and isospin are investigated, in particular also the newly discovered Pygmy modes in the vicinity of the neutron evaporation threshold. The results are compared with conventional discrete RPA calculations as well as with experimental data. We find that the full treatment of the continuum is essential for light nuclei and the study of resonances in the neighborhood of the threshold. (orig.)

Modeling of Continuum Manipulators Using Pythagorean Hodograph Curves.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Inderjeet; Amara, Yacine; Melingui, Achille; Mani Pathak, Pushparaj; Merzouki, Rochdi

2018-05-10

Research on continuum manipulators is increasingly developing in the context of bionic robotics because of their many advantages over conventional rigid manipulators. Due to their soft structure, they have inherent flexibility, which makes it a huge challenge to control them with high performances. Before elaborating a control strategy of such robots, it is essential to reconstruct first the behavior of the robot through development of an approximate behavioral model. This can be kinematic or dynamic depending on the conditions of operation of the robot itself. Kinematically, two types of modeling methods exist to describe the robot behavior; quantitative methods describe a model-based method, and qualitative methods describe a learning-based method. In kinematic modeling of continuum manipulator, the assumption of constant curvature is often considered to simplify the model formulation. In this work, a quantitative modeling method is proposed, based on the Pythagorean hodograph (PH) curves. The aim is to obtain a three-dimensional reconstruction of the shape of the continuum manipulator with variable curvature, allowing the calculation of its inverse kinematic model (IKM). It is noticed that the performances of the PH-based kinematic modeling of continuum manipulators are considerable regarding position accuracy, shape reconstruction, and time/cost of the model calculation, than other kinematic modeling methods, for two cases: free load manipulation and variable load manipulation. This modeling method is applied to the compact bionic handling assistant (CBHA) manipulator for validation. The results are compared with other IKMs developed in case of CBHA manipulator.

Relativistic continuum random phase approximation in spherical nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daoutidis, Ioannis

2009-10-01

Covariant density functional theory is used to analyze the nuclear response in the external multipole fields. The investigations are based on modern functionals with zero range and density dependent coupling constants. After a self-consistent solution of the Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) equations for the nuclear ground states multipole giant resonances are studied within the Relativistic Random Phase Approximation (RRPA), the small amplitude limit of the time-dependent RMF. The coupling to the continuum is treated precisely by calculating the single particle Greens-function of the corresponding Dirac equation. In conventional methods based on a discretization of the continuum this was not possible. The residual interaction is derived from the same RMF Lagrangian. This guarantees current conservation and a precise decoupling of the Goldstone modes. For nuclei with open shells pairing correlations are taken into account in the framework of BCS theory and relativistic quasiparticle RPA. Continuum RPA (CRPA) presents a robust method connected with an astonishing reduction of the numerical effort as compared to conventional methods. Modes of various multipolarities and isospin are investigated, in particular also the newly discovered Pygmy modes in the vicinity of the neutron evaporation threshold. The results are compared with conventional discrete RPA calculations as well as with experimental data. We find that the full treatment of the continuum is essential for light nuclei and the study of resonances in the neighborhood of the threshold. (orig.)

Evidence against the continuum structure underlying motivation measures derived from self-determination theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Chemolli, Emanuela; Gagné, Marylène

2014-06-01

Self-determination theory (SDT) proposes a multidimensional conceptualization of motivation in which the different regulations are said to fall along a continuum of self-determination. The continuum has been used as a basis for using a relative autonomy index as a means to create motivational scores. Rasch analysis was used to verify the continuum structure of the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale and of the Academic Motivation Scale. We discuss the concept of continuum against SDT's conceptualization of motivation and argue against the use of the relative autonomy index on the grounds that evidence for a continuum structure underlying the regulations is weak and because the index is statistically problematic. We suggest exploiting the full richness of SDT's multidimensional conceptualization of motivation through the use of alternative scoring methods when investigating motivational dynamics across life domains.

Application of a Modular Particle-Continuum Method to Partially Rarefied, Hypersonic Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Deschenes, Timothy R.; Boyd, Iain D.

2011-05-01

The Modular Particle-Continuum (MPC) method is used to simulate partially-rarefied, hypersonic flow over a sting-mounted planetary probe configuration. This hybrid method uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to solve the Navier-Stokes equations in regions that are continuum, while using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) in portions of the flow that are rarefied. The MPC method uses state-based coupling to pass information between the two flow solvers and decouples both time-step and mesh densities required by each solver. It is parallelized for distributed memory systems using dynamic domain decomposition and internal energy modes can be consistently modeled to be out of equilibrium with the translational mode in both solvers. The MPC results are compared to both full DSMC and CFD predictions and available experimental measurements. By using DSMC in only regions where the flow is nonequilibrium, the MPC method is able to reproduce full DSMC results down to the level of velocity and rotational energy probability density functions while requiring a fraction of the computational time.

Information-seeking Behavior and Information Needs in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Analyzing an Online Patient Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Juyeon; Kim, Jung A

2017-07-01

A few studies have examined the specific informational needs of the population with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The aims of this study were to describe the information-seeking behavior and information needs of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their families in Korea by analyzing messages from an online patient community. A total of 1047 messages from the question and answer forum of the "Lou Gehrig's Disease Network" (http://cafe.daum.net/alsfree) from January 2010 to September 2015 were collected. The word frequency, main questions, and asker of the messages were analyzed and coded. Terms such as "hospital," "mother," "father," "gastrostomy," and "ALS" were most frequently identified. The most commonly mentioned main topic was about disease-specific information, while the most frequent subcategory was symptoms or management of symptoms. Other prominent categories concerned information about treatment, rehabilitation, and the medical system. The people who wrote the questions were mostly the son/daughter of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their family members commonly obtained information by posting their inquiries online and have a variety of questions regarding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in this study. The findings of this study can be used as a base of information for developing educational programs and resources for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their families.

Coarse-to-Fine Segmentation with Shape-Tailored Continuum Scale Spaces

KAUST Repository

Khan, Naeemullah

2017-11-09

We formulate an energy for segmentation that is designed to have preference for segmenting the coarse over fine structure of the image, without smoothing across boundaries of regions. The energy is formulated by integrating a continuum of scales from a scale space computed from the heat equation within regions. We show that the energy can be optimized without computing a continuum of scales, but instead from a single scale. This makes the method computationally efficient in comparison to energies using a discrete set of scales. We apply our method to texture and motion segmentation. Experiments on benchmark datasets show that a continuum of scales leads to better segmentation accuracy over discrete scales and other competing methods.

Coarse-to-Fine Segmentation with Shape-Tailored Continuum Scale Spaces

KAUST Repository

Khan, Naeemullah; Hong, Byung-Woo; Yezzi, Anthony; Sundaramoorthi, Ganesh

2017-01-01

We formulate an energy for segmentation that is designed to have preference for segmenting the coarse over fine structure of the image, without smoothing across boundaries of regions. The energy is formulated by integrating a continuum of scales from a scale space computed from the heat equation within regions. We show that the energy can be optimized without computing a continuum of scales, but instead from a single scale. This makes the method computationally efficient in comparison to energies using a discrete set of scales. We apply our method to texture and motion segmentation. Experiments on benchmark datasets show that a continuum of scales leads to better segmentation accuracy over discrete scales and other competing methods.

Assessment of patient's experiences across the interface between primary and secondary care: Consumer Quality Index Continuum of Care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berendsen, A.J.; Groenier, K.H.; Jong, de G.M.; Jong, de B.A.; Veen, van der W.J.; Dekker, J.; Waal, de M.W.M.; Schuling, J.

2009-01-01

0.4, except between the domains GP Approach and GP Referral. All domains clearly produced discriminating scores for groups with different characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The Consumer Quality Index (CQ-index) Continuum of Care can be a useful instrument to assess aspects of the collaboration between

Visible continuum measurements on the Alcator C Tokamak: Changes in particle transport during pellet fuelled discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foord, M.E.

1986-12-01

A spatially resolving visible light detector system is used to measure continuum radiation near 5360A on the Alcator C Tokamak. For the typically hot plasmas studied, the continuum emission is found to be dominated by bremsstrahlung radiation near this wavelength region. Accurate determinations of Z/sub eff/ are obtained from continuum measurements using independently determined temperature and density measurements. Density profiles during high density, clean pellet fueled discharges, are also determined and are used to study the changes in particle transport after injection. For discharges with sufficiently large pellet density increases, density profiles are found to become more peaked following the injection. In these cases, the profiles are found to remain peaked for the remainder of the discharge, or until a ''giant'' sawtooth or minor disruption abruptly returns the profiles to a flatter pre-pellet condition. Analysis of density profiles after pellet injection yields information about the radial diffusion and convection velocity of the plasma particles. The peakedness in the density profiles, observed after pellet injection, is attributable mostly to increases in inward convection. It is concluded that neoclassical fluxes are too small to account for these changes. 70 refs., 55 figs

Stonefly (Plecoptera) Feeding Modes: Variation Along a California River Continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Richard L. Bottorff; Allen W. Knight

1989-01-01

The distribution of Plecoptera along a California river was used to test several predictions of the River Continuum Concept about how functional feeding groups should change along a stream's length. Stoneflies were collected from stream orders 1-6 (123 km) of the Cosumnes River continuum in the central Sierra Nevada. The 69 stonefly species collected were...

Information technology for patient empowerment in healthcare

CERN Document Server

Grando, Maria Adela; Bates, David

2015-01-01

The authors explore novel information-based mechanisms that are changing the way patients are involved in their own health care. The book covers models, frameworks and technologies to improve patient-to-provider communication, patient interaction with information technologies, patient education and involvement in health care decision processes, and patient access, understanding and control over their clinical data.

Missing links in the root-soil organic matter continuum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Brien, Sarah L. [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Iversen, Colleen M [ORNL

2009-01-01

The soil environment remains one of the most complex and poorly understood research frontiers in ecology. Soil organic matter (SOM), which spans a continuum from fresh detritus to highly processed, mineral-associated organic matter, is the foundation of sustainable terrestrial ecosystems. Heterogeneous SOM pools are fueled by inputs from living and dead plants, driven by the activity of micro- and mesofauna, and are shaped by a multitude of abiotic factors. The specialization required to measure unseen processes that occur on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales has led to the partitioning of soil ecology research across several disciplines. In the organized oral session 'Missing links in the root-soil organic matter continuum' at the annual Ecological Society of America meeting in Albuquerque, NM, USA, we joined the call for greater communication and collaboration among ecologists who work at the root-soil interface (e.g. Coleman, 2008). Our goal was to bridge the gap between scientific disciplines and to synthesize disconnected pieces of knowledge from root-centric and soil-centric studies into an integrated understanding of belowground ecosystem processes. We focused this report around three compelling themes that arose from the session: (1) the influence of the rhizosphere on SOM cycling, (2) the role of soil heterotrophs in driving the transformation of root detritus to SOM, and (3) the controlling influence of the soil environment on SOM dynamics. We conclude with a discussion of new approaches for gathering data to bridge gaps in the root-SOM continuum and to inform the next generation of ecosystem models. Although leaf litter has often been considered to be the main source of organic inputs to soil, Ann Russell synthesized a convincing body of work demonstrating that roots, rather than surface residues, control the accumulation of SOM in a variety of ecosystems. Living roots, which are chemically diverse and highly dynamic, also influence a

Delineating an Epigenetic Continuum for Initiation, Transformation and Progression to Breast Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Kang Mei; Stephen, Josena K. [Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, 1 Ford Place, 1D, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States); Raju, Usha [Department of Pathology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, 1 Ford Place, 1D, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States); Worsham, Maria J., E-mail: mworsha1@hfhs.org [Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, 1 Ford Place, 1D, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States)

2011-03-29

Aberrant methylation of promoter CpG islands is a hallmark of human cancers and is an early event in carcinogenesis. We examined whether promoter hypermethylation contributes to the pathogenesis of benign breast lesions along a progression continuum to invasive breast cancer. The exploratory study cohort comprised 17 breast cancer patients with multiple benign and/or in situ lesions concurrently present with invasive carcinoma within a tumor biopsy. DNA from tumor tissue, normal breast epithelium when present, benign lesions (fibroadenoma, hyperplasia, papilloma, sclerosing adenosis, apocrine metaplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia or atypical ductal hyperplasia), and in situ lesions of lobular carcinoma and ductal carcinoma were interrogated for promoter methylation status in 22 tumor suppressor genes using the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay (MS-MLPA). Methylation specific PCR was performed to confirm hypermethylation detected by MS-MLPA. Promoter methylation was detected in 11/22 tumor suppressor genes in 16/17 cases. Hypermethylation of RASSF1 was most frequent, present in 14/17 cases, followed by APC in 12/17, and GSTP1 in 9/17 cases with establishment of an epigenetic monocloncal progression continuum to invasive breast cancer. Hypermethylated promoter regions in normal breast epithelium, benign, and premalignant lesions within the same tumor biopsy implicate RASSF1, APC, GSTP1, TIMP3, CDKN2B, CDKN2A, ESR1, CDH13, RARB, CASP8, and TP73 as early events. DNA hypermethylation underlies the pathogenesis of step-wise transformation along a monoclonal continuum from normal to preneoplasia to invasive breast cancer.

Delineating an Epigenetic Continuum for Initiation, Transformation and Progression to Breast Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Kang Mei; Stephen, Josena K.; Raju, Usha; Worsham, Maria J.

2011-01-01

Aberrant methylation of promoter CpG islands is a hallmark of human cancers and is an early event in carcinogenesis. We examined whether promoter hypermethylation contributes to the pathogenesis of benign breast lesions along a progression continuum to invasive breast cancer. The exploratory study cohort comprised 17 breast cancer patients with multiple benign and/or in situ lesions concurrently present with invasive carcinoma within a tumor biopsy. DNA from tumor tissue, normal breast epithelium when present, benign lesions (fibroadenoma, hyperplasia, papilloma, sclerosing adenosis, apocrine metaplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia or atypical ductal hyperplasia), and in situ lesions of lobular carcinoma and ductal carcinoma were interrogated for promoter methylation status in 22 tumor suppressor genes using the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay (MS-MLPA). Methylation specific PCR was performed to confirm hypermethylation detected by MS-MLPA. Promoter methylation was detected in 11/22 tumor suppressor genes in 16/17 cases. Hypermethylation of RASSF1 was most frequent, present in 14/17 cases, followed by APC in 12/17, and GSTP1 in 9/17 cases with establishment of an epigenetic monocloncal progression continuum to invasive breast cancer. Hypermethylated promoter regions in normal breast epithelium, benign, and premalignant lesions within the same tumor biopsy implicate RASSF1, APC, GSTP1, TIMP3, CDKN2B, CDKN2A, ESR1, CDH13, RARB, CASP8, and TP73 as early events. DNA hypermethylation underlies the pathogenesis of step-wise transformation along a monoclonal continuum from normal to preneoplasia to invasive breast cancer

Commitment to Quality throughout the Continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillet, Pamela

1995-01-01

This editorial by the president of the Council for Exceptional Children indicates the organization's support of a continuum of special education placements for students with special needs and calls for improving transition of students from one placement to another. (JDD)

Informed consent: using a structured interview changes patients' attitudes towards informed consent.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawes, P J; O'Keefe, L; Adcock, S

1993-09-01

Patients want to know more about their condition and its proposed treatment. Gaining patients' confidence before treatment reduces the changes of their seeking legal redress for an unexpected outcome. As part of a prospective study of informed consent for surgery we have assessed the attitudes of patients towards informed consent when different types of consent interview are used. We found that most patients are happy to do as their doctor advises but think the informal consent interview is important because it gives them information; they also want to know about most, but not all, complications of the procedure. One quarter worried about the anaesthetic, about one eighth worried about 'not waking up' and similar proportions worried about complications and other things such as pain and nausea. Most patients think that the consent form is a legal document. In addition patients who had an informal interview felt obliged to sign the consent form and thought it had medicolegal implications. In contrast those who had a structured interview felt less obliged to sign the consent form and more involved in the decision to operate.

How health information is received by diabetic patients?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firoozeh Zare-Farashbandi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Knowledge of correct information-seeking behavior by the patients can provide health specialists and health information specialists with valuable information in improving health care. This study aimed to investigate the passive receipt and active seeking of health information by diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: A survey method was used in this research on 6426 diabetic patients of whom 362 patients were selected by a no percentage stratified random sampling. The Longo information-seeking behavior questionnaire was used to collect data and they were analyzed by SPSS 20 software. Results: The most common information source by diabetic patients was practitioners (3.12. The minimum usage among the information sources were from charity organizations and emergency phone lines with a usage of close to zero. The amount of health information gained passively from each source has the lowest average of 4.18 and usage of this information in making health decision has the highest average score of 5.83. Analysis of the data related to active seeking of information showed that knowledge of available medical information from each source has the lowest average score of 3.95 and ability in using the acquired information for making medical decisions has the highest average score of 5.28. The paired t-test showed that differences between passive information receipt (41.68 and active information seeking (39.20 considered as statistically significant (P < 0.001. Conclusion: Because diabetic patients are more passive information receivers than active information seekers, the health information must be distributed by passive means to these patients. In addition, information-seeking behavior during different time periods should be investigated; to identify more effective distribution of health information.

Reverberation Mapping of the Continuum Source in Active Galactic Nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Fausnaugh, Michael Martin

I present results from a monitoring campaign of 11 active galactic nuclei (AGN) conducted in Spring of 2014. I use the reverberation mapping method to probe the interior structures of the AGN, specifically the broad line regions (BLRs) and accretion disks. One of these AGN, NGC 5548, was also subject to multi-wavelength (X-ray, UV, optical, and near-IR) monitoring using 25 ground-based telescopes and four space-based facilities. For NGC 5548, I detect lags between the continuum emission at different wavelengths that follow a trend consistent with the prediction for continuum reprocessing by an accretion disk with temperature profile T ∝ R -3/4. However, the lags imply a disk radius that is 3 times larger than the prediction from standard thin-disk models. The lags at wavelengths longer than the Vband are also equal to or greater than the lags of high-ionization-state emission lines (such as HeII lambda1640 and lambda4686), suggesting that the continuum-emitting source is of a physical size comparable to the inner broad-line region. Using optical spectra from the Large Binocular Telescope, I estimate the bias of the interband continuum lags due to BLR emission observed in the filters, and I find that the bias for filters with high levels of BLR contamination (˜20%) can be important for the shortest continuum lags. This likely has a significant impact on the u and U bands owing to Balmer continuum emission. I then develop a new procedure for the internal (night-to-night) calibration of time series spectra that can reach precisions of ˜1 millimagnitude and improves traditional techniques by up to a factor of 5. At this level, other systematic issues (e.g., the nightly sensitivity functions and Fe II contamination) limit the final precision of the observed light curves. Using the new calibration method, I next present the data and first results from the optical spectroscopic monitoring component of the reverberation mapping campaign. Five AGN were sufficiently

Lattice fluid dynamics from perfect discretizations of continuum flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katz, E.; Wiese, U.

1998-01-01

We use renormalization group methods to derive equations of motion for large scale variables in fluid dynamics. The large scale variables are averages of the underlying continuum variables over cubic volumes and naturally exist on a lattice. The resulting lattice dynamics represents a perfect discretization of continuum physics, i.e., grid artifacts are completely eliminated. Perfect equations of motion are derived for static, slow flows of incompressible, viscous fluids. For Hagen-Poiseuille flow in a channel with a square cross section the equations reduce to a perfect discretization of the Poisson equation for the velocity field with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The perfect large scale Poisson equation is used in a numerical simulation and is shown to represent the continuum flow exactly. For nonsquare cross sections one can use a numerical iterative procedure to derive flow equations that are approximately perfect. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Alfven continuum and high-frequency eigenmodes in optimized stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Wobig, H.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.; Fesenyuk, O.P.

2001-01-01

An equation of shear Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in optimized stellarators of Wendelstein line (Helias configurations) is derived. The metric tensor coefficients, which are contained in this equation, are calculated analytically. Two numerical codes are developed: the first one, COBRA (COntinuum BRanches of Alfven waves), is intended for the investigation of the structure of Alfven continuum; the second, BOA (Branches Of Alfven modes), solves the eigenvalue problem. The family of possible gaps in Alfven continuum of a Helias configuration is obtained. It is predicted that there exist gaps which arise due to or are strongly affected by the variation of the shape of the plasma cross section along the large azimuth of the torus. In such gaps, discrete eigenmodes, namely, helicity-induced eigenmodes (HAE 21 ) and mirror-induced eigenmodes (MAE) are found. It is shown that plasma inhomogeneity may suppress the AEs with a wide region of localization

Discrete-to-continuum modelling of weakly interacting incommensurate two-dimensional lattices.

Science.gov (United States)

Español, Malena I; Golovaty, Dmitry; Wilber, J Patrick

2018-01-01

In this paper, we derive a continuum variational model for a two-dimensional deformable lattice of atoms interacting with a two-dimensional rigid lattice. The starting point is a discrete atomistic model for the two lattices which are assumed to have slightly different lattice parameters and, possibly, a small relative rotation. This is a prototypical example of a three-dimensional system consisting of a graphene sheet suspended over a substrate. We use a discrete-to-continuum procedure to obtain the continuum model which recovers both qualitatively and quantitatively the behaviour observed in the corresponding discrete model. The continuum model predicts that the deformable lattice develops a network of domain walls characterized by large shearing, stretching and bending deformation that accommodates the misalignment and/or mismatch between the deformable and rigid lattices. Two integer-valued parameters, which can be identified with the components of a Burgers vector, describe the mismatch between the lattices and determine the geometry and the details of the deformation associated with the domain walls.

Evaluation of the quality of patient information to support informed shared decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Godolphin, W; Towle, A; McKendry, R

2001-12-01

(a) To find out how much patient information material on display in family physicians' offices refers to management choices, and hence may be useful to support informed and shared decision-making (ISDM) by patients and (b) to evaluate the quality of print information materials exchanged during the consultation, i.e. brought in by patients or given out by family physicians. All print information available for patients and exchanged between physicians and patients was collected in a single complete day of the office practices of 21 family physicians. A published and validated instrument (DISCERN) was used to assess quality. Community office practices in the greater Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada. The physicians were purposefully recruited by their association with the medical school Department of Family Practice, their interest in providing patients with print information and their representation of a range of practice types and location. The source of the pamphlets and these categories: available in the physicians' offices; exchanged between physician and patient; and produced with the explicit or apparent intent to support evidence-based patient choice. The quality of the print information to support ISDM, as measured by DISCERN and the ease of use and reliability of the DISCERN tool. Fewer than 50% of pamphlets available in these offices fulfilled our minimum criteria for ISDM (mentioned more than one management option). Offices varied widely in the proportion of pamphlets on display that supported ISDM and how particular the physician was in selecting materials. The DISCERN tool is quick, valid and reliable for the evaluation of patient information. The quality of patient information materials used in the consultation and available in these offices was below midpoint on the DISCERN score. Major deficiencies were with respect to the mention of choices, risks, effect of no treatment or uncertainty and reliability (source, evidence-base). Good quality

Shape Modeling of a Concentric-tube Continuum Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bai, Shaoping; Xing, Charles Chuhao

2012-01-01

Concentric-tube continuum robots feature with simple and compact structures and have a great potential in medical applications. The paper is concerned with the shape modeling of a type of concentric-tube continuum robot built with a collection of super-elastic NiTiNol tubes. The mechanics...... is modeled on the basis of energy approach for both the in-plane and out-plane cases. The torsional influences on the shape of the concentric-tube robots are considered. An experimental device was build for the model validation. The results of simulation and experiments are included and analyzed....

Fractional Quantum Field Theory: From Lattice to Continuum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasily E. Tarasov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available An approach to formulate fractional field theories on unbounded lattice space-time is suggested. A fractional-order analog of the lattice quantum field theories is considered. Lattice analogs of the fractional-order 4-dimensional differential operators are proposed. We prove that continuum limit of the suggested lattice field theory gives a fractional field theory for the continuum 4-dimensional space-time. The fractional field equations, which are derived from equations for lattice space-time with long-range properties of power-law type, contain the Riesz type derivatives on noninteger orders with respect to space-time coordinates.

Towards an improved continuum theory for phase transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tijssens, M.G.A.; James, R.D.

2003-01-01

We develop a continuum theory for martensitic phase transformations in which explicit use is made of atomistic calculations based on density functional theory. Following the work of Rabe and coworkers, branches of the phonon-dispersion relation with imaginary frequencies are selected to construct a localized basis tailored to the symmetry of the crystal lattice. This so-called Wannier basis helps to construct an effective Hamiltonian of a particularly simple form. We extend the methodology by incorporating finite deformations and passing the effective Hamiltonian fully to continuum level. The developments so far are implemented on the shape memory material NiTi

PA2 Satisfaction with information received: perceptions of the patient and the informal caregiver.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawber, R; Armour, K; Carter, C; Ferry, P; Meystre, C

2015-04-01

Provision of information to patients and families is a priority of palliative care. Lack of information on symptoms, treatment and disease progress adversely affects patients' and caregivers' abilities to self manage and participate in decision making and care. Qualitative reports of end of life care suggest caregivers seek more information than patients. Ignorance of this need may hamper health promotion strategies and limitation of patient and caregiver morbidity during end of life and bereavement processes. To compare satisfaction of dying patients with information given; to proxy satisfaction estimates on the patient's behalf. Prospective study comparing assessment of satisfaction with information received by nurse, informal caregiver and dying patient (>64 years) in hospital. Assessments made within 24 h, using patient and caregiver versions of the palliative outcome scale (POS). weighted kappa for agreement between proxy and patient. Informal caregivers overestimate dissatisfaction with level of information given compared to patients. Weighted kappa patient versus ICG 0.187 (slight agreement), n = 50. The disparity between patient and proxy information satisfaction reflects the complexity of participatory strategies to limit morbidity at the end of life. Proxy over- estimation of patient dissatisfaction with information received may reflect the caregivers own dissatisfaction. As death approaches, caregivers require more information than patients, their burden increases and they become the interpreter of patient symptoms. Ignorance may lead to overestimation of symptoms, early breakdown of social care, and unplanned admission, risking death other than in the patients preferred place. Meeting caregiver information needs may reduce caregiver burden and improve proxy assessments, reducing patient and caregiver morbidity. © 2015, Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

IUTAM-Symposium on The Generalized Cosserat Continuum and the Continuum Theory of Dislocations with Applications

CERN Document Server

1968-01-01

5 The symposium was held in Freudenstadt from 28\\h to 31 \\ ofAugust st nd 1967 and in Stuttgart from 1 to 2 of September 1967. The proposal to hold this symposium originated with the German Society of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM) late in 1964 and was examined by a committee of IUTAM especially appointed for this purpose. The basis of this examination was a report in which the present situation in the field and the possible aims of the symposium were surveyed. Briefly, the aims of the symposium were stated to be 1. the unification of the various approaches developed in recent years with the aim of penetrating into the microscopic world of matter by means of continuum theories; 2. the bridging of the gap between microscopic (or atomic) research on mechanics on one hand, and the phenomenological (or continuum mechanical) approach on the other hand; 3. the physical interpretation and the relation to actual material behaviour of the quantities and laws introduced into the new theories, together with ap...

Development of probabilistic fatigue curve for asphalt concrete based on viscoelastic continuum damage mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Himanshu Sharma

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Due to its roots in fundamental thermodynamic framework, continuum damage approach is popular for modeling asphalt concrete behavior. Currently used continuum damage models use mixture averaged values for model parameters and assume deterministic damage process. On the other hand, significant scatter is found in fatigue data generated even under extremely controlled laboratory testing conditions. Thus, currently used continuum damage models fail to account the scatter observed in fatigue data. This paper illustrates a novel approach for probabilistic fatigue life prediction based on viscoelastic continuum damage approach. Several specimens were tested for their viscoelastic properties and damage properties under uniaxial mode of loading. The data thus generated were analyzed using viscoelastic continuum damage mechanics principles to predict fatigue life. Weibull (2 parameter, 3 parameter and lognormal distributions were fit to fatigue life predicted using viscoelastic continuum damage approach. It was observed that fatigue damage could be best-described using Weibull distribution when compared to lognormal distribution. Due to its flexibility, 3-parameter Weibull distribution was found to fit better than 2-parameter Weibull distribution. Further, significant differences were found between probabilistic fatigue curves developed in this research and traditional deterministic fatigue curve. The proposed methodology combines advantages of continuum damage mechanics as well as probabilistic approaches. These probabilistic fatigue curves can be conveniently used for reliability based pavement design. Keywords: Probabilistic fatigue curve, Continuum damage mechanics, Weibull distribution, Lognormal distribution

Continuum-mediated dark matter–baryon scattering

CERN Document Server

Katz, Andrey; Sajjad, Aqil

2016-01-01

Many models of dark matter scattering with baryons may be treated either as a simple contact interaction or as the exchange of a light mediator particle. We study an alternative, in which a continuum of light mediator states may be exchanged. This could arise, for instance, from coupling to a sector which is approximately conformal at the relevant momentum transfer scale. In the non-relativistic effective theory of dark matter-baryon scattering, which is useful for parametrizing direct detection signals, the effect of such continuum mediators is to multiply the amplitude by a function of the momentum transfer q, which in the simplest case is just a power law. We develop the basic framework and study two examples: the case where the mediator is a scalar operator coupling to the Higgs portal (which turns out to be highly constrained) and the case of an antisymmetric tensor operator ${\\cal O}_{\\mu \

Comet Halley: An optical continuum study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoban, S.M.

1989-01-01

From an analysis of narrowband CCD images of Comet Halley from 1986 January, March, and April, certain dust structures which are redder than the remainder of the dust coma have become apparent. Mie calculations suggest that this reddening is due to an enhancement of particles with sizes comparable to the observing wavelengths. Although the mass range derived from the calculations presented here is somewhat uncertain as a result of the limitations of Mie theory, these values are in the expected range derived from the calculations presented here is somewhat uncertain as a result of particle sizes which would be both sensitive to radiation pressure and significantly reddened with respect to the solar spectrum at the observing wavelengths. Thus, the red envelopes are plausibly the result of size sorting by solar radiation pressure. The red jets observed on 1986 January 10, March 1 and March 9 can then be explained by the enhanced dust flux at the jet sources, and the subsequent trapping of a relative excess of intermediate mass (i.e. red) particles into the jets which are visible in the continuum images. Analysis of narrowband photometry of the optical continuum of Comet Halley reveals no correlation between the color of the dust and heliocentric distance, phase angle, strength of the continuum or gas-to-dust ratio. The photometric data are thus consistent with a post-ejection sorting mechanism. Chemical inhomogeneities of the nucleus are therefore not necessary to explain the observed structure in the color of the dust in Comet Halley

Patient-Reported Safety Information: A Renaissance of Pharmacovigilance?

Science.gov (United States)

Härmark, Linda; Raine, June; Leufkens, Hubert; Edwards, I Ralph; Moretti, Ugo; Sarinic, Viola Macolic; Kant, Agnes

2016-10-01

The role of patients as key contributors in pharmacovigilance was acknowledged in the new EU pharmacovigilance legislation. This contains several efforts to increase the involvement of the general public, including making patient adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting systems mandatory. Three years have passed since the legislation was introduced and the key question is: does pharmacovigilance yet make optimal use of patient-reported safety information? Independent research has shown beyond doubt that patients make an important contribution to pharmacovigilance signal detection. Patient reports provide first-hand information about the suspected ADR and the circumstances under which it occurred, including medication errors, quality failures, and 'near misses'. Patient-reported safety information leads to a better understanding of the patient's experiences of the ADR. Patients are better at explaining the nature, personal significance and consequences of ADRs than healthcare professionals' reports on similar associations and they give more detailed information regarding quality of life including psychological effects and effects on everyday tasks. Current methods used in pharmacovigilance need to optimise use of the information reported from patients. To make the most of information from patients, the systems we use for collecting, coding and recording patient-reported information and the methodologies applied for signal detection and assessment need to be further developed, such as a patient-specific form, development of a severity grading and evolution of the database structure and the signal detection methods applied. It is time for a renaissance of pharmacovigilance.

Spatial stochasticity and non-continuum effects in gas flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dadzie, S. Kokou, E-mail: k.dadzie@glyndwr.ac.uk [Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Glyndwr University, Mold Road, Wrexham LL11 2AW (United Kingdom); Reese, Jason M., E-mail: jason.reese@strath.ac.uk [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ (United Kingdom)

2012-02-06

We investigate the relationship between spatial stochasticity and non-continuum effects in gas flows. A kinetic model for a dilute gas is developed using strictly a stochastic molecular model reasoning, without primarily referring to either the Liouville or the Boltzmann equations for dilute gases. The kinetic equation, a stochastic version of the well-known deterministic Boltzmann equation for dilute gas, is then associated with a set of macroscopic equations for the case of a monatomic gas. Tests based on a heat conduction configuration and sound wave dispersion show that spatial stochasticity can explain some non-continuum effects seen in gases. -- Highlights: ► We investigate effects of molecular spatial stochasticity in non-continuum regime. ► Present a simplify spatial stochastic kinetic equation. ► Present a spatial stochastic macroscopic flow equations. ► Show effects of the new model on sound wave dispersion prediction. ► Show effects of the new approach in density profiles in a heat conduction.

Amplification of non-Markovian decay due to bound state absorption into continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garmon, S.; Simine, L.; Segal, D.; Petrosky, T.

2013-01-01

It is known that quantum systems yield non-exponential (power law) decay on long time scales, associated with continuum threshold effects contributing to the survival probability for a prepared initial state. For an open quantum system consisting of a discrete state coupled to continuum, we study the case in which a discrete bound state of the full Hamiltonian approaches the energy continuum as the system parameters are varied. We find in this case that at least two regions exist yielding qualitatively different power law decay behaviors; we term these the long time 'near zone' and long time 'far zone'. In the near zone the survival probability falls off according to a t -1 power law, and in the far zone i t falls off as t -3 . We show that the timescale T Q separating these two regions is inversely related to the gap between the discrete bound state energy and the continuum threshold. In the case that the bound state is absorbed into the continuum and vanishes, then the time scale T Q diverges and the survival probability follows the t -1 power law even on asymptotic scales. Conversely, one could study the case of an anti-bound state approaching the threshold before being ejected from the continuum to form a bound state. Again the t -1 power law dominates precisely at the point of ejection. (Copyright copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Mirrored continuum and molecular scale simulations of the ignition of gamma phase RDX

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, D. Scott; Chaudhuri, Santanu; Joshi, Kaushik; Lee, Kibaek

2017-01-01

We describe the ignition of an explosive crystal of gamma-phase RDX due to a thermal hot spot with reactive molecular dynamics (RMD), with first-principles trained, reactive force field based molecular potentials that represents an extremely complex reaction network. The RMD simulation is analyzed by sorting molecular product fragments into high and low molecular weight groups, to represent identifiable components that can be interpreted by a continuum model. A continuum model based on a Gibbs formulation has a single temperature and stress state for the mixture. The continuum simulation that mirrors the atomistic simulation allows us to study the atomistic simulation in the familiar physical chemistry framework and provides an essential, continuum/atomistic link.

Moving contact lines: linking molecular dynamics and continuum-scale modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Edward R; Theodorakis, Panagiotis E; Craster, Richard V; Matar, Omar K

2018-05-04

Despite decades of research, the modelling of moving contact lines has remained a formidable challenge in fluid dynamics whose resolution will impact numerous industrial, biological, and daily-life applications. On the one hand, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has the ability to provide unique insight into the microscopic details that determine the dynamic behavior of the contact line, which is not possible with either continuum-scale simulations or experiments. On the other hand, continuum-based models provide the link to the macroscopic description of the system. In this Feature Article, we explore the complex range of physical factors, including the presence of surfactants, which govern the contact line motion through MD simulations. We also discuss links between continuum- and molecular-scale modelling, and highlight the opportunities for future developments in this area.

An advanced kinetic theory for morphing continuum with inner structures

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, James

2017-12-01

Advanced kinetic theory with the Boltzmann-Curtiss equation provides a promising tool for polyatomic gas flows, especially for fluid flows containing inner structures, such as turbulence, polyatomic gas flows and others. Although a Hamiltonian-based distribution function was proposed for diatomic gas flow, a general distribution function for the generalized Boltzmann-Curtiss equations and polyatomic gas flow is still out of reach. With assistance from Boltzmann's entropy principle, a generalized Boltzmann-Curtiss distribution for polyatomic gas flow is introduced. The corresponding governing equations at equilibrium state are derived and compared with Eringen's morphing (micropolar) continuum theory derived under the framework of rational continuum thermomechanics. Although rational continuum thermomechanics has the advantages of mathematical rigor and simplicity, the presented statistical kinetic theory approach provides a clear physical picture for what the governing equations represent.

Unexpected strong attraction in the presence of continuum bound state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delfino, A.; Frederico, T.

1992-06-01

The result of few-particle ground-state calculation employing a two-particle non-local potential supporting a continuum bound state in addition to a negative-energy bound state has occasionally revealed unexpected large attraction in producing a very strongly bound ground state. In the presence of the continuum bound state the difference of phase shift between zero and infinite energies has an extra jump of φ as in the presence of an additional bound state. The wave function of the continuum bound state is identical with that of a strongly bound negative-energy state, which leads us to postulate a pseudo bound state in the two-particle system in order to explain the unexpected attraction. The role of the Pauli forbidden states is expected to be similar to these pseudo states. (author)

Use of a finite range nucleon-nucleon interaction in the continuum shell model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faes, Jean-Baptiste

2007-01-01

The unification of nuclear structure and nuclear reactions was always a great challenge of nuclear physics. The extreme complexity of finite quantum systems lead in the past to a separate development of the nuclear structure and the nuclear reactions. A unified description of structure and reactions is possible within the continuum shell model. All previous applications of this model used the zero-range residual interaction and the finite depth local potential to generate the single-particle basis. In the thesis, we have presented an extension of the continuum shell model for finite-range nucleon-nucleon interaction and an arbitrary number of nucleons in the scattering continuum. The great advantage of the present formulation is the same two-body interaction used both to generate the single-particle basis and to describe couplings to the continuum states. This formulation opens a possibility for an ab initio continuum shell model studies with the same nucleon-nucleon interaction generating the nuclear mean field, the configuration mixing and the coupling to the scattering continuum. First realistic applications of the above model has been shown for spectra of "1"7F and "1"7O, and elastic phase-shifts in the reaction "1"6O(p, p)"1"6O. (author)

Hybrid continuum-coarse-grained modeling of erythrocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Lyu, Jinming; Chen, Paul G.; Boedec, Gwenn; Leonetti, Marc; Jaeger, Marc

2018-06-01

The red blood cell (RBC) membrane is a composite structure, consisting of a phospholipid bilayer and an underlying membrane-associated cytoskeleton. Both continuum and particle-based coarse-grained RBC models make use of a set of vertices connected by edges to represent the RBC membrane, which can be seen as a triangular surface mesh for the former and a spring network for the latter. Here, we present a modeling approach combining an existing continuum vesicle model with a coarse-grained model for the cytoskeleton. Compared to other two-component approaches, our method relies on only one mesh, representing the cytoskeleton, whose velocity in the tangential direction of the membrane may be different from that of the lipid bilayer. The finitely extensible nonlinear elastic (FENE) spring force law in combination with a repulsive force defined as a power function (POW), called FENE-POW, is used to describe the elastic properties of the RBC membrane. The mechanical interaction between the lipid bilayer and the cytoskeleton is explicitly computed and incorporated into the vesicle model. Our model includes the fundamental mechanical properties of the RBC membrane, namely fluidity and bending rigidity of the lipid bilayer, and shear elasticity of the cytoskeleton while maintaining surface-area and volume conservation constraint. We present three simulation examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of this hybrid continuum-coarse-grained model for the study of RBCs in fluid flows.

Haro 11: Where is the Lyman Continuum Source?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keenan, Ryan P.; Oey, M. S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 1085 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Jaskot, Anne E. [Department of Astronomy, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063 (United States); James, Bethan L. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

2017-10-10

Identifying the mechanism by which high-energy Lyman continuum (LyC) photons escaped from early galaxies is one of the most pressing questions in cosmic evolution. Haro 11 is the best known local LyC-leaking galaxy, providing an important opportunity to test our understanding of LyC escape. The observed LyC emission in this galaxy presumably originates from one of the three bright, photoionizing knots known as A, B, and C. It is known that Knot C has strong Ly α emission, and Knot B hosts an unusually bright ultraluminous X-ray source, which may be a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus. To clarify the LyC source, we carry out ionization-parameter mapping (IPM) by obtaining narrow-band imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 and ACS cameras to construct spatially resolved ratio maps of [O iii]/[O ii] emission from the galaxy. IPM traces the ionization structure of the interstellar medium and allows us to identify optically thin regions. To optimize the continuum subtraction, we introduce a new method for determining the best continuum scale factor derived from the mode of the continuum-subtracted, image flux distribution. We find no conclusive evidence of LyC escape from Knots B or C, but instead we identify a high-ionization region extending over at least 1 kpc from Knot A. This knot shows evidence of an extremely young age (≲1 Myr), perhaps containing very massive stars (>100 M {sub ⊙}). It is weak in Ly α , so if it is confirmed as the LyC source, our results imply that LyC emission may be independent of Ly α emission.

Extracting continuum information from Ψ(t) in time-dependent wave-packet calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madsen, L. B.; Nikolopoulos, L. A. A.; Kjeldsen, T. K.; Fernandez, J.

2007-01-01

The theory of measurement projection operators in grid-based time-dependent wave-packet calculations involving electronic continua in atoms and molecules is discussed. A hierarchy of projection operators relevant in their individual restricted configuration spaces is presented. At asymptotically large distances from the scattering or interaction center the projection operators involve plane waves only. To reach this asymptotic regime, however, large propagation times and large boxes may be required. At somewhat smaller distances from the scattering center, the projection operators are expressed in terms of analytical single-center Coulomb scattering waves with incoming wave boundary conditions. If propagation of the wave packet to these asymptotic regimes is impeded, the projection operators involve the exact scattering states which are not readily available in the wave-packet calculation and hence must be supplied by an additional, typically very demanding, calculation. The present approach suggests an exact way of analyzing the timely problem of the one-electron continuum in nonperturbative calculations. A key feature is that the propagated wave packet includes every interaction of the full Hamiltonian. The practicality of the proposed method is illustrated by the nontrivial example of strong-field ionization of the molecular hydrogen ion. Finally, the extension of the presented ideas to single and double ionization of two-electron systems is discussed

Internet health information in the patient-provider dialogue.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Traci

2008-10-01

A patient discussing Internet health information with a health care provider (referred to as "patient-provider communication about Internet health information") can contribute positively to health outcomes. Although research has found that once Internet access is achieved, there are no ethnic differences in Internet health information seeking, it is unclear if there are ethnic differences in patient-provider communication about Internet health information. To help fill this gap in the literature, the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey 2005 was analyzed with Stata 9. Two sets of logistic regression analyses were conducted, one for a subsample of Internet users (n = 3,244) and one for a subsample of Internet users who are first-generation immigrants (n = 563). The dependent variable was patient-provider communication about Internet health information, which assessed whether survey participants had discussed online health information with a health care provider. The predictor variables included trust of health care provider, trust of online health information, Internet use, health care coverage, frequency of visits to health care provider, health status, and demographics. Among all Internet users, Whites had higher levels of patient-provider communication about Internet health information than Blacks and Asians. Similarly, among Internet users who are immigrants, Whites had higher levels of patient-provider communication about Internet health information than Blacks and Asians. While the digital divide is narrowing in terms of Internet access, racial differences in patient-provider communication about Internet health information may undermine the potential benefits of the information age.

The patient's opinion of informed consent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinto, I.; Paul, L.; Chimeno, P.; Fernandez, J. L.; Vigil, D.

1999-01-01

To evaluate the quality of the information provided by informed consent forms for angiography and interventional radiology on the basis of the patients opinion. A descriptive study was performed based on an anonymous survey distributed among patients who were to undergo angiography and interventional radiology, and had previously been informed and provided with the corresponding informed consent form. A descriptive and analytical statistical study was carried out to compare the responses to the questions concerning different factors (Mann-Whitney U test). Of the 182 surveys completed 75.3% corresponded to diagnostic procedures and the remaining 24.7% to therapeutic procedures. When the responses to closed-ended questions were analyzed, 90.1% of respondents considered the amount of information provided by the document to be sufficient 75.3% declared that they found the form easy to comprehend and 34.1% responded that reading it had calmed their nerves. Statistically significant differences were observed, depending on whether the form corresponded to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, concerning the questions related to comprehension of the document and to the feeling upon reading it, with those used for diagnostic procedures obtaining better scores. There was a statistically significant difference between the responses of the patients to the question concerning their feeling upon reading the document and the responses of family members, with the patients responding more favorably than their relatives. The consent forms prepared for angiography and interventional radiology procedures are acceptable to the patients concerned with respect to both the quantity and the quality of the information. (Author) 22 refs

The quantum and the continuum : Einstein's dichotomous legacies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumdar, Parthasarathi

2015-01-01

This talk begins with a summary of some of Einstein's seminal contributions in the quantum domain, like Brownian motion and the Light Quantum Hypothesis, as well as on the spacetime continuum enshrined in the theories of special and general relativity. Following up on Einstein's rationale for postulating the Light Quantum Hypothesis, we attempt to point to a possible dichotomy in his thinking about these two legacies of his, which may have been noticed by him, but was not much discussed by him in the public domain. One may speculate that this may have had something to do with his well-known distaste for the probability interpretation of quantum mechanics as a fundamental interpretation. We argue that Einstein's general relativity theory itself contains the seeds of a dramatic modification of our ideas of the Einsteinian spacetime continuum, thus underlining the dichotomy even more strongly. We then survey one modern attempt to resolve the dichotomy, at least partly, by bringing into the spacetime continuum, aspects of quantum mechanics with its underlying statistical interpretation, an approach which Einstein may not have whole-heartedly endorsed, but which seems to work so far, with good prospects for the future. (author)

Variational principles of continuum mechanics. Vol. 1. Fundamentals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berdichevsky, Victor L. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2009-07-01

The book reviews the two features of the variational approach: its use as a universal tool to describe physical phenomena and as a source for qualitative and quantitative methods of studying particular problems. Berdichevsky's work differs from other books on the subject in focusing mostly on the physical origin of variational principles as well as establishing their interrelations. For example, the Gibbs principles appear as a consequence of the Einstein formula for thermodynamic fluctuations rather than as the first principles of the theory of thermodynamic equilibrium. Mathematical issues are considered as long as they shed light on the physical outcomes and/or provide a useful technique for the direct study of variational problems. In addition, a thorough account of variational principles discovered in various branches of continuum mechanics is given. In this book, the first volume, the author covers the variational principles for systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom; the variational principles of thermodynamics; the basics of continuum mechanics; the variational principles for classical models of continuum mechanics, such as elastic and plastic bodies, and ideal and viscous fluids; and direct methods of calculus of variations. (orig.)

YM2: Continuum expectations, lattice convergence, and lassos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driver, B.K.

1989-01-01

The two dimensional Yang-Mills theory (YM 2 ) is analyzed in both the continuum and the lattice. In the complete axial gauge the continuum theory may be defined in terms of a Lie algebra valued white noise, and parallel translation may be defined by stochastic differential equations. This machinery is used to compute the expectations of gauge invariant functions of the parallel translation operators along a collection of curves C. The expectation values are expressed as finite dimensional integrals with densities that are products of the heat kernel on the structure group. The time parameters of the heat kernels are determined by the areas enclosed by the collection C, and the arguments are determined by the crossing topologies of the curves in C. The expectations for the Wilson lattice models have a similar structure, and from this it follows that in the limit of small lattice spacing the lattice expectations converge to the continuum expectations. It is also shown that the lasso variables advocated by L. Gross exist and are sufficient to generate all the measurable functions on the YM 2 -measure space. (orig.)

Architecture academic by information technologies utilization ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This research aims at studying teaching modern architecture with information technology approach. Today, information technology is used to transmit knowledge in many universities of the world. Information technology tools are potentially capable of providing engineering students with a broad continuum of curriculum in ...

Evaluation of the quality of patient information to support informed shared decision‐making

Science.gov (United States)

Godolphin, William; Towle, Angela; McKendry, Rachael

2008-01-01

Objectives (a) To find out how much patient information material on display in family physicians’ offices refers to management choices, and hence may be useful to support informed and shared decision‐making (ISDM) by patients and (b) to evaluate the quality of print information materials exchanged during the consultation, i.e. brought in by patients or given out by family physicians. Design All print information available for patients and exchanged between physicians and patients was collected in a single complete day of the office practices of 21 family physicians. A published and validated instrument (DISCERN) was used to assess quality. Setting and participants Community office practices in the greater Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada. The physicians were purposefully recruited by their association with the medical school Department of Family Practice, their interest in providing patients with print information and their representation of a range of practice types and location. Main variables studied The source of the pamphlets and these categories: available in the physicians’ offices; exchanged between physician and patient; and produced with the explicit or apparent intent to support evidence‐based patient choice. Main outcome measures The quality of the print information to support ISDM, as measured by DISCERN and the ease of use and reliability of the DISCERN tool. Results and conclusions Fewer than 50% of pamphlets available in these offices fulfilled our minimum criteria for ISDM (mentioned more than one management option). Offices varied widely in the proportion of pamphlets on display that supported ISDM and how particular the physician was in selecting materials. The DISCERN tool is quick, valid and reliable for the evaluation of patient information. The quality of patient information materials used in the consultation and available in these offices was below midpoint on the DISCERN score. Major deficiencies were with

Discrete expansions of continuum wave functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, J.; Ershov, S.N.; Gareev, F.A.; Kazacha, G.S.

1980-01-01

Different methods of expanding continuum wave functions in terms of discrete basis sets are discussed. The convergence properties of these expansions are investigated, both from a mathematical and a numerical point of view, for the case of potentials of Woods-Saxon and square well type. (orig.)

Core information sets for informed consent to surgical interventions: baseline information of importance to patients and clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Main, Barry G; McNair, Angus G K; Huxtable, Richard; Donovan, Jenny L; Thomas, Steven J; Kinnersley, Paul; Blazeby, Jane M

2017-04-26

Consent remains a crucial, yet challenging, cornerstone of clinical practice. The ethical, legal and professional understandings of this construct have evolved away from a doctor-centred act to a patient-centred process that encompasses the patient's values, beliefs and goals. This alignment of consent with the philosophy of shared decision-making was affirmed in a recent high-profile Supreme Court ruling in England. The communication of information is central to this model of health care delivery but it can be difficult for doctors to gauge the information needs of the individual patient. The aim of this paper is to describe 'core information sets' which are defined as a minimum set of consensus-derived information about a given procedure to be discussed with all patients. Importantly, they are intended to catalyse discussion of subjective importance to individuals. The model described in this paper applies health services research and Delphi consensus-building methods to an idea orginally proposed 30 years ago. The hypothesis is that, first, large amounts of potentially-important information are distilled down to discrete information domains. These are then, secondly, rated by key stakeholders in multiple iterations, so that core information of agreed importance can be defined. We argue that this scientific approach is key to identifying information important to all stakeholders, which may otherwise be communicated poorly or omitted from discussions entirely. Our methods apply systematic review, qualitative, survey and consensus-building techniques to define this 'core information'. We propose that such information addresses the 'reasonable patient' standard for information disclosure but, more importantly, can serve as a spring board for high-value discussion of importance to the individual patient. The application of established research methods can define information of core importance to informed consent. Further work will establish how best to incorporate

Mesoscopic and continuum modelling of angiogenesis

KAUST Repository

Spill, F.; Guerrero, P.; Alarcon, T.; Maini, P. K.; Byrne, H. M.

2014-01-01

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones in response to chemical signals secreted by, for example, a wound or a tumour. In this paper, we propose a mesoscopic lattice-based model of angiogenesis, in which processes that include proliferation and cell movement are considered as stochastic events. By studying the dependence of the model on the lattice spacing and the number of cells involved, we are able to derive the deterministic continuum limit of our equations and compare it to similar existing models of angiogenesis. We further identify conditions under which the use of continuum models is justified, and others for which stochastic or discrete effects dominate. We also compare different stochastic models for the movement of endothelial tip cells which have the same macroscopic, deterministic behaviour, but lead to markedly different behaviour in terms of production of new vessel cells. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Mesoscopic and continuum modelling of angiogenesis

KAUST Repository

Spill, F.

2014-03-11

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones in response to chemical signals secreted by, for example, a wound or a tumour. In this paper, we propose a mesoscopic lattice-based model of angiogenesis, in which processes that include proliferation and cell movement are considered as stochastic events. By studying the dependence of the model on the lattice spacing and the number of cells involved, we are able to derive the deterministic continuum limit of our equations and compare it to similar existing models of angiogenesis. We further identify conditions under which the use of continuum models is justified, and others for which stochastic or discrete effects dominate. We also compare different stochastic models for the movement of endothelial tip cells which have the same macroscopic, deterministic behaviour, but lead to markedly different behaviour in terms of production of new vessel cells. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Continuum deformation of multi-agent systems

CERN Document Server

Rastgoftar, Hossein

2016-01-01

This monograph presents new algorithms for formation control of multi-agent systems (MAS) based on principles of continuum mechanics. Beginning with an overview of traditional methods, the author then introduces an innovative new approach whereby agents of an MAS are considered as particles in a continuum evolving in ℝn whose desired configuration is required to satisfy an admissible deformation function. The necessary theory and its validation on a mobile-agent-based swarm test bed are considered for two primary tasks: homogeneous transformation of the MAS and deployment of a random distribution of agents on a desired configuration. The framework for this model is based on homogeneous transformations for the evolution of an MAS under no inter-agent communication, local inter-agent communication, and intelligent perception by agents. Different communication protocols for MAS evolution, the robustness of tracking of a desired motion by an MAS evolving in ℝn, and the effect of communication delays in an MAS...

Continuum multiple-scattering approach to electron-molecule scattering and molecular photoionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehmer, J.L.; Dill, D.

1979-01-01

The multiple-scattering approach to the electronic continuum of molecules is described. The continuum multiple-scattering model (CMSM) was developed as a survey tool and, as such was required to satisfy two requirements. First, it had to have a very broad scope, which means (i) molecules of arbitrary geometry and complexity containing any atom in the periodic system, (ii) continuum electron energies from 0-1000 eV, and (iii) capability to treat a large range of processes involving both photoionization and electron scattering. Second, the structure of the theory was required to lend itself to transparent, physical interpretation of major spectral features such as shape resonances. A comprehensive theoretical framework for the continuum multiple scattering method is presented, as well as its applications to electron-molecule scattering and molecular photoionization. Highlights of recent applications in these two areas are reviewed. The major impact of the resulting studies over the last few years has been to establish the importance of shape resonances in electron collisions and photoionization of practically all (non-hydride) molecules

Molecular-state close-coupling theory including continuum states. I. Derivation of close-coupled equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thorson, W.R.; Bandarage, G.

1988-01-01

We formulate a close-coupling theory of slow ion-atom collisions based on molecular (adiabatic) electronic states, and including the electronic continuum. The continuum is represented by packet states spanning it locally and constructed explicitly from exact continuum states. Particular attention is given to two fundamental questions: (1) Unbound electrons can escape from the local region spanned by the packet states. We derive close-coupled integral equations correctly including the escape effects; the ''propagator'' generated by these integral equations does not conserve probability within the close-coupled basis. Previous molecular-state formulations including the continuum give no account of escape effects. (2) Nonadiabatic couplings of adiabatic continuum states with the same energy are singular, reflecting the fact that an adiabatic description of continuum behavior is not valid outside a local region. We treat these singularities explicitly and show that an accurate representation of nonadiabatic couplings within the local region spanned by a set of packet states is well behaved. Hence an adiabatic basis-set description can be used to describe close coupling to the continuum in a local ''interaction region,'' provided the effects of escape are included. In principle, the formulation developed here can be extended to a large class of model problems involving many-electron systems and including models for Penning ionization and collisional detachment processes

Realistic Gamow shell model for resonance and continuum in atomic nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, F. R.; Sun, Z. H.; Wu, Q.; Hu, B. S.; Dai, S. J.

2018-02-01

The Gamow shell model can describe resonance and continuum for atomic nuclei. The model is established in the complex-moment (complex-k) plane of the Berggren coordinates in which bound, resonant and continuum states are treated on equal footing self-consistently. In the present work, the realistic nuclear force, CD Bonn, has been used. We have developed the full \\hat{Q}-box folded-diagram method to derive the realistic effective interaction in the model space which is nondegenerate and contains resonance and continuum channels. The CD-Bonn potential is renormalized using the V low-k method. With choosing 16O as the inert core, we have applied the Gamow shell model to oxygen isotopes.

Accidental bound states in the continuum in an open Sinai billiard

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pilipchuk, A.S. [Kirensky Institute of Physics, Federal Research Center KSC SB RAS, 660036 Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation); Siberian Federal University, 660080 Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation); Sadreev, A.F., E-mail: almas@tnp.krasn.ru [Kirensky Institute of Physics, Federal Research Center KSC SB RAS, 660036 Krasnoyarsk (Russian Federation)

2017-02-19

The fundamental mechanism of the bound states in the continuum is the full destructive interference of two resonances when two eigenlevels of the closed system are crossing. There is, however, a wide class of quantum chaotic systems which display only avoided crossings of eigenlevels. As an example of such a system we consider the Sinai billiard coupled with two semi-infinite waveguides. We show that notwithstanding the absence of degeneracy bound states in the continuum occur due to accidental decoupling of the eigenstates of the billiard from the waveguides. - Highlights: • Bound states in the continuum in open chaotic billiards occur to accidental vanishing of coupling of eigenstate of billiard with waveguides.

Photofragmentation of water and hydrogen sulphide in the first continuum: A critical survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, K.A.

1987-06-01

Photofragmentation of H 2 O and H 2 S in the first absorption continuum has been investigated experimentally and theoretically by several authors. The fragmentation dynamics of both molecules are reviewed in this article. While the excited 1 B 1 state in H 2 O is responsible for the first continuum, ambiguity exists in the true nature of the upper state of the first continuum in H 2 S. From the evidence available so far, it is proposed that both in water and hydrogen sulphide, a single state of B 1 symmetry, which is of Rydberg type for short internuclear distances and of valence type for large internuclear distances, is the possible upper state which dissociates to produce the absorption continuum. (author). Refs

Visible continuum pulses based on enhanced dispersive wave generation for endogenous fluorescence imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Quan; Chen, Zhongyun; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Zhihong; Luo, Qingming; Fu, Ling

2017-09-01

In this study, we demonstrate endogenous fluorescence imaging using visible continuum pulses based on 100-fs Ti:sapphire oscillator and a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber. Broadband (500-700 nm) and high-power (150 mW) continuum pulses are generated through enhanced dispersive wave generation by pumping femtosecond pulses at the anomalous dispersion region near zero-dispersion wavelength of high-nonlinear photonic crystal fibers. We also minimize the continuum pulse width by determining the proper fiber length. The visible-wavelength two-photon microscopy produces NADH and tryptophan images of mice tissues simultaneously. Our 500-700 nm continuum pulses support extending nonlinear microscopy to visible wavelength range that is inaccessible to 100-fs Ti:sapphire oscillators and other applications requiring visible laser pulses.

Information Needs of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgical Oncology Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Jacqueline; Kacikanis, Anna; Nyhof-Young, Joyce; Gallinger, Steven; Ruthig, Elke

2017-09-01

A marked knowledge gap exists concerning the information needs of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgical oncology patients. We investigated the comprehensive information needs of this patient population, including the type and amount of information desired, as well as the preferred method of receiving information. A questionnaire was administered to patients being treated surgically for cancers of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, or bile ducts at Toronto General Hospital, part of the University Health Network, in Toronto, Canada. The questionnaire examined patients' information needs across six domains of information: medical, practical, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Among 36 respondents, the importance of information and amount of information desired differed significantly by domain (both p < 0.001). This group of patients rated information in the medical and physical domains as most important, though they also desired specific items of information from the emotional, practical, and social domains. Patients' overwhelming preference was to receive information via a one-on-one consultation with a healthcare provider. It is important for healthcare providers working with HPB surgical oncology patients to be comprehensive when providing information related to patients' cancer diagnosis, prognosis, associated symptoms, and side effects of treatment. Certain emotional, practical, and social issues (e.g., fears of cancer recurrence, drug coverage options, relationship changes) should be addressed as well. Face-to-face interactions should be the primary mode of delivering information to patients. Our findings are being used to guide the training of healthcare providers and the development of educational resources specific to HPB surgical oncology patients.

Fundamentals of continuum mechanics – classical approaches and new trends

Science.gov (United States)

Altenbach, H.

2018-04-01

Continuum mechanics is a branch of mechanics that deals with the analysis of the mechanical behavior of materials modeled as a continuous manifold. Continuum mechanics models begin mostly by introducing of three-dimensional Euclidean space. The points within this region are defined as material points with prescribed properties. Each material point is characterized by a position vector which is continuous in time. Thus, the body changes in a way which is realistic, globally invertible at all times and orientation-preserving, so that the body cannot intersect itself and as transformations which produce mirror reflections are not possible in nature. For the mathematical formulation of the model it is also assumed to be twice continuously differentiable, so that differential equations describing the motion may be formulated. Finally, the kinematical relations, the balance equations, the constitutive and evolution equations and the boundary and/or initial conditions should be defined. If the physical fields are non-smooth jump conditions must be taken into account. The basic equations of continuum mechanics are presented following a short introduction. Additionally, some examples of solid deformable continua will be discussed within the presentation. Finally, advanced models of continuum mechanics will be introduced. The paper is dedicated to Alexander Manzhirov’s 60th birthday.

Gating mechanisms of mechanosensitive channels of large conductance, I: a continuum mechanics-based hierarchical framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xi; Cui, Qiang; Tang, Yuye; Yoo, Jejoong; Yethiraj, Arun

2008-07-01

A hierarchical simulation framework that integrates information from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations into a continuum model is established to study the mechanical response of mechanosensitive channel of large-conductance (MscL) using the finite element method (FEM). The proposed MD-decorated FEM (MDeFEM) approach is used to explore the detailed gating mechanisms of the MscL in Escherichia coli embedded in a palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylethanolamine lipid bilayer. In Part I of this study, the framework of MDeFEM is established. The transmembrane and cytoplasmic helices are taken to be elastic rods, the loops are modeled as springs, and the lipid bilayer is approximated by a three-layer sheet. The mechanical properties of the continuum components, as well as their interactions, are derived from molecular simulations based on atomic force fields. In addition, analytical closed-form continuum model and elastic network model are established to complement the MDeFEM approach and to capture the most essential features of gating. In Part II of this study, the detailed gating mechanisms of E. coli-MscL under various types of loading are presented and compared with experiments, structural model, and all-atom simulations, as well as the analytical models established in Part I. It is envisioned that such a hierarchical multiscale framework will find great value in the study of a variety of biological processes involving complex mechanical deformations such as muscle contraction and mechanotransduction.

An improved particle population balance equation in the continuum-slip regime

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xie Mingliang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An improved moment model is proposed to solve the population balance equation for Brownian coagulation in the continuum-slip regime, and it reduces to a known one in open literature when the non-linear terms in the slip correction factor are ignored. The present model shows same asymptotic behavior as that in the continuum regime.

77 FR 45421 - Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing: Continuum of Care Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-31

... which service providers are familiar. The following highlights key definitions used in the Continuum of... Continuum of Care in 1995. Local grantees and stakeholders are familiar with the Continuum of Care as the... violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In developing the baseline requirements for a...

Pairing in the BCS and LN approximations using continuum single particle level density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Id Betan, R.M.; Repetto, C.E.

2017-01-01

Understanding the properties of drip line nuclei requires to take into account the correlations with the continuum spectrum of energy of the system. This paper has the purpose to show that the continuum single particle level density is a convenient way to consider the pairing correlation in the continuum. Isospin mean-field and isospin pairing strength are used to find the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) and Lipkin–Nogami (LN) approximate solutions of the pairing Hamiltonian. Several physical properties of the whole chain of the Tin isotope, as gap parameter, Fermi level, binding energy, and one- and two-neutron separation energies, were calculated and compared with other methods and with experimental data when they exist. It is shown that the use of the continuum single particle level density is an economical way to include explicitly the correlations with the continuum spectrum of energy in large scale mass calculation. It is also shown that the computed properties are in good agreement with experimental data and with more sophisticated treatment of the pairing interaction.

There is a continuum ambiguity for elastic πN amplitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkinson, D.; Roo, M. de; Polman, T.J.T.M.

1984-01-01

The implicit-function method of constructing phase-factor continuum ambiguities in phase-shift analysis is briefly reviewed, and new numerical examples are given of ambiguities in πN phase shifts at 1997 MeV. Since the ambiguous amplitudes differ by more than 5%, while the corresponding cross sections and polarizations are equal, to better than a computational accuracy of 0.007%, numerical credence is given to the theoretical claim that the continuum ambiguity exists. (orig.)

Pattern approach to MR imaging in patients with end-stage hepatic failure: a proposal for a new disease entity ''hepatic encephalopathy continuum''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ho Kyun; Lee, Hui Joong; Lee, Wonho; Kim, Yong Sun; Jang, Han Won; Byun, Kyung Hwan

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and the characteristics of MR images of patients with end-stage hepatic failure. We reviewed the MR findings and clinical features of 31 consecutive patients (20 men, 11 women=31, mean age 58.7 years) who had been diagnosed with clinical hepatic encephalopathy. Associations between the lesion locations on each MR sequence were analyzed using a binominal test. The clinical and MR findings were compared in relation to the etiology and clinical status. The most frequently involved site, seen as high signal intensity on T2-W images, was the corpus callosum (20 patients), followed by the dentate nucleus (16 patients) and the globus pallidus (13 patients). Significant associations were seen between the pallidus and the crus cerebri, between the crus cerebri and the red nucleus, between the crus cerebri and the dentate nucleus, and between the red nucleus and the dentate nucleus on the T2-W and DW images (P<0.004). The crus cerebri, red nucleus, and dentate nucleus were involved concurrently with the corpus callosum more frequently in hepatic encephalopathy grades 3 and 4. Concurrent involvement of the globus pallidus-crus cerebri-red nucleus-dentate nucleus axis was the main MR pattern in end-stage hepatic encephalopathy, which connected with various areas of the brain. We hypothesize that these overlapping MR features could be regarded as an entity denoted as the ''hepatic encephalopathy continuum''. (orig.)

A survey of infrared continuum versus line radiation from metal halide lamps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, M; Herd, M T; Lawler, J E

2008-01-01

Near-infrared radiation (near-IR) losses from the arcs of six commercial metal halide high intensity discharge (MH-HID) lamps with various power levels and with both Na/Sc and rare earth doses were surveyed in this paper. A radiometrically calibrated Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used. Lamps with rare earth doses have appreciably better color rendering indices (CRIs) than lamps with Na/Sc doses. The ratios of near-IR continuum emission over near-IR line emission from these six lamps were compared. The near-IR continuum dominates near-IR losses from lamps with rare earth doses and the continuum is significant, but not dominant, from lamps with Na/Sc doses. There was no strong dependence of this ratio on input power or color temperature (T c ). Total near-IR losses were estimated using absolutely calibrated, horizontal irradiance measurements. Estimated total near-IR losses were correlated with CRI. The lamps with rare earth doses yield the best CRIs, but have appreciably higher near-IR losses due primarily to continuum processes. One of these rare earth MH-HID lamps was used in a more detailed study of the microscopic physics of the continuum mechanism (Herd M T and Lawler E 2007 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 40 3386)

Toward a patient-centered ambulatory after-visit summary: Identifying primary care patients' information needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Martina A; Moore, Joi L; Steege, Linsey M; Koopman, Richelle J; Belden, Jeffery L; Canfield, Shannon M; Kim, Min S

2018-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the information needs of primary care patients as they review clinic visit notes to inform information that should be contained in an after-visit summary (AVS). We collected data from 15 patients with an acute illness and 14 patients with a chronic disease using semi-structured interviews. The acute patients reviewed seven major sections, and chronic patients reviewed eight major sections of a simulated, but realistic visit note to identify relevant information needs for their AVS. Patients in the acute illness group identified the Plan, Assessment and History of Present Illness the most as important note sections, while patients in the chronic care group identified Significant Lab Data, Plan, and Assessment the most as important note sections. This study was able to identify primary care patients' information needs after clinic visit. Primary care patients have information needs pertaining to diagnosis and treatment, which may be the reason why both patient groups identified Plan and Assessment as important note sections. Future research should also develop and assess an AVS based on the information gathered in this study and evaluate its usefulness among primary care patients. The results of this study can be used to inform the development of an after-visit summary that assists patients to fully understand their treatment plan, which may improve treatment adherence.

On the Nature of Off-limb Flare Continuum Sources Detected by SDO /HMI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinzel, P.; Kašparová, J. [Astronomical Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, 25165 Ondřejov (Czech Republic); Kleint, L.; Krucker, S., E-mail: pheinzel@asu.cas.cz [University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Bahnhofstrasse 6, 5210 Windisch (Switzerland)

2017-09-20

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory has provided unique observations of off-limb flare emission. White-light continuum enhancements were detected in the “continuum” channel of the Fe 6173 Å line during the impulsive phase of the observed flares. In this paper we aim to determine which radiation mechanism is responsible for such enhancement being seen above the limb, at chromospheric heights around or below 1000 km. Using a simple analytical approach, we compare two candidate mechanisms, the hydrogen recombination continuum (Paschen) and the Thomson continuum due to scattering of disk radiation on flare electrons. Both mechanisms depend on the electron density, which is typically enhanced during the impulsive phase of a flare as the result of collisional ionization (both thermal and also non-thermal due to electron beams). We conclude that for electron densities higher than 10{sup 12} cm{sup −3}, the Paschen recombination continuum significantly dominates the Thomson scattering continuum and there is some contribution from the hydrogen free–free emission. This is further supported by detailed radiation-hydrodynamical (RHD) simulations of the flare chromosphere heated by the electron beams. We use the RHD code FLARIX to compute the temporal evolution of the flare-heating in a semi-circular loop. The synthesized continuum structure above the limb resembles the off-limb flare structures detected by HMI, namely their height above the limb, as well as the radiation intensity. These results are consistent with recent findings related to hydrogen Balmer continuum enhancements, which were clearly detected in disk flares by the IRIS near-ultraviolet spectrometer.

Introduction to continuum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Rubin, David; Lai, W Michael

1994-01-01

Continuum mechanics studies the response of materials to different loading conditions. The concept of tensors is introduced through the idea of linear transformation in a self-contained chapter, and the interrelation of direct notation, indicial notation and matrix operations is clearly presented. A wide range of idealized materials are considered through simple static and dynamic problems, and the book contains an abundance of illustrative examples and problems, many with solutions. Through the addition of more advanced material (solution of classical elasticity problems, constitutive e

Do Patients Feel Well Informed in a Radiation Oncology Service?

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez-Jimenez, Esther; Mateos, Pedro; Ortiz, Irene; Aymar, Neus; Vidal, Meritxell; Roncero, Raquel; Pardo, Jose; Soto, Carmen; Fuentes, Concepción; Sabater, Sebastià

2018-04-01

Information received by cancer patients has gained importance in recent decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of information received by oncological patients in a radiotherapy department and to measure the importance of the other information sources. A cross-sectional study was conducted, evaluating patients who received radiotherapy. All the patients were asked two questionnaires: the EORTC QLQ-INFO26 module evaluating their satisfaction with received information, and a questionnaire analyzing other sources of information search. One hundred patients between 27 and 84 years were enrolled. Breast cancer (26 %) was the commonest cancer. Patients felt better informed about the medical tests and secondly about the performed treatment. The younger patients were those who were more satisfied with the information received and patients with no formal education felt less satisfied, with statistically significant differences. Patients did not seek external information; at the most, they asked relatives and other people with cancer. Patients were satisfied with the received information, although a high percentage would like more information. In general, patients did not search for external information sources. Age and educational level seem to influence in the satisfaction with the received information.

Preoperative Surgical Discussion and Information Retention by Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Feiner, David E; Rayan, Ghazi M

2016-10-01

To assess how much information communicated to patients is understood and retained after preoperative discussion of upper extremity procedures. A prospective study was designed by recruiting patients prior to undergoing upper extremity surgical procedures after a detailed discussion of their operative technique, postoperative care and treatment outcomes. Patients were given the same 20-item questionnaire to fill out twice, at two pre operative visits. An independent evaluator filled out a third questionnaire as a control. Various discussion points of the survey were compared among the 3 questionnaires and retained information and perceived comprehension were evaluated. The average patients' age was 50.3 (27-75) years The average time between the two surveys preoperative 1 and preoperative 2 was 40.7 (7-75) days,. The average patient had approximately 2 years of college or an associate's degree. Patients initially retained 73% (52-90%) of discussion points presented during preoperative 1 and 61% (36-85%) of the information at preoperative 2 p = .002. 50% of patients felt they understood 100% of the discussion, this dropped to only 10% at their preoperative 2 visit. 15% of our patients did not know what type of anesthesia they were having at preoperative 2. A communication barrier between patients and physicians exists when patients are informed about their preoperative surgical discussion. The retention of information presented is worsened with elapsing time from the initial preoperative discussion to the second preoperative visit immediately prior to surgery. Methods to enhance patients' retention of information prior to surgery must be sought and implemented which will improve patients' treatment outcome.

Equations of motion for anisotropic nonlinear elastic continuum in gravitational field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, S.N.

1994-01-01

Equations of motion for anisotropic nonlinear elastic continuum in the gravitational field are written in the form convenient for numerical calculations. The energy-stress tensor is expressed through scalar and tensor products of three vectors frozen in the continuum. Examples of expansion of the energy-stress tensor into scalar and tensor invariants corresponding to some crystal classes are given. 47 refs

Continuum effects in the scattering of exotic nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Druet, T. [Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Physique Quantique, C.P. 165/82, Brussels (Belgium); Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Physique Nucleaire Theorique et Physique Mathematique, Brussels (Belgium); Descouvemont, P. [Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Physique Nucleaire Theorique et Physique Mathematique, Brussels (Belgium)

2012-10-15

We discuss continuum effects in the scattering of exotic nuclei, and more specifically on the {sup 11}Be + {sup 64}Zn scattering. {sup 11}Be is a typical example of an exotic nucleus, with a low binding energy. Elastic, inelastic and breakup cross-sections of the {sup 11}Be + {sup 64}Zn system are computed in the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channel formalism, at energies near the Coulomb barrier. We show that converged cross-sections need high angular momenta as well as as large excitation energies in the wave functions of the projectile. Extensions to other systems are simulated by different collision energies, and by varying the binding energy of {sup 11}Be. (orig.)

Identifying health disparities across the tobacco continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagan, Pebbles; Moolchan, Eric T; Lawrence, Deirdre; Fernander, Anita; Ponder, Paris K

2007-10-01

Few frameworks have addressed work-force diversity, inequities and inequalities as part of a comprehensive approach to eliminating tobacco-related health disparities. This paper summarizes the literature and describes the known disparities that exist along the tobacco disease continuum for minority racial and ethnic groups, those living in poverty, those with low education and blue-collar and service workers. The paper also discusses how work-force diversity, inequities in research practice and knowledge allocation and inequalities in access to and quality of health care are fundamental to addressing disparities in health. We examined the available scientific literature and existing public health reports to identify disparities across the tobacco disease continuum by minority racial/ethnic group, poverty status, education level and occupation. Results indicate that differences in risk indicators along the tobacco disease continuum do not explain fully tobacco-related cancer consequences among some minority racial/ethnic groups, particularly among the aggregate groups, blacks/African Americans and American Indians/Alaska Natives. The lack of within-race/ethnic group data and its interactions with socio-economic factors across the life-span contribute to the inconsistency we observe in the disease causal paradigm. More comprehensive models are needed to understand the relationships among disparities, social context, diversity, inequalities and inequities. A systematic approach will also help researchers, practitioners, advocates and policy makers determine critical points for interventions, the types of studies and programs needed and integrative approaches needed to eliminate tobacco-related disparities.

Patients' information-seeking activity is associated with treatment compliance in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittet, Valérie; Rogler, Gerhard; Mottet, Christian; Froehlich, Florian; Michetti, Pierre; de Saussure, Philippe; Burnand, Bernard; Vader, John-Paul

2014-06-01

Despite the chronic and relapsing nature of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), at least 30% to 45% of the patients are noncompliant to treatment. IBD patients often seek information about their disease. To examine the association between information-seeking activity and treatment compliance among IBD patients. To compare information sources and concerns between compliant and noncompliant patients. We used data from the Swiss IBD cohort study, and from a qualitative survey conducted to assess information sources and concerns. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for noncompliance were calculated. Differences in the proportions of information sources and concerns were compared between compliant and noncompliant patients. A total of 512 patients were included. About 18% (n = 99) of patients were reported to be noncompliant to drug treatment and two-thirds (n = 353) were information seekers. The OR for noncompliance among information seekers was 2.44 (95%CI: 1.34-4.41) after adjustment for confounders and major risk factors. General practitioners were 15.2% more often consulted (p = 0.019) among compliant patients, as were books and television (+13.1%; p = 0.048), whereas no difference in proportions was observed for sources such as internet or gastroenterologists. Information on tips for disease management were 14.2% more often sought among noncompliant patients (p = 0.028). No difference was observed for concerns on research and development on IBD or therapies. In Switzerland, IBD patients noncompliant to treatment were more often seeking disease-related information than compliant patients. Daily management of symptoms and disease seemed to be an important concern of those patients.

Nonlinear continuum mechanics and large inelastic deformations

CERN Document Server

Dimitrienko, Yuriy I

2010-01-01

This book provides a rigorous axiomatic approach to continuum mechanics under large deformation. In addition to the classical nonlinear continuum mechanics - kinematics, fundamental laws, the theory of functions having jump discontinuities across singular surfaces, etc. - the book presents the theory of co-rotational derivatives, dynamic deformation compatibility equations, and the principles of material indifference and symmetry, all in systematized form. The focus of the book is a new approach to the formulation of the constitutive equations for elastic and inelastic continua under large deformation. This new approach is based on using energetic and quasi-energetic couples of stress and deformation tensors. This approach leads to a unified treatment of large, anisotropic elastic, viscoelastic, and plastic deformations. The author analyses classical problems, including some involving nonlinear wave propagation, using different models for continua under large deformation, and shows how different models lead t...

A continuum model for flow induced by metachronal coordination between beating cilia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hussong, J.; Breugem, W.P.; Westerweel, J.

2011-01-01

In this numerical study we investigate the flow induced by metachronal coordination between beating cilia arranged in a densely packed layer by means of a continuum model. The continuum approach allows us to treat the problem as two-dimensional as well as stationary, in a reference frame moving with

Continuum emission of excited sodium dimer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pardo, A.; Poyato, J.M.L.; Alonso, J.I.; Rico, F.R.

1980-01-01

A study has been made of the behaviour of excited molecular sodium using high-power Ar + laser radiation. A continuum emission was observed in the red wavelength region. This emission was thought to be caused by the formation of excited triatomic molecules. Energy transfer was observed from excited molecules to atoms. (orig.)

Reproducing the nonlinear dynamic behavior of a structured beam with a generalized continuum model

Science.gov (United States)

Vila, J.; Fernández-Sáez, J.; Zaera, R.

2018-04-01

In this paper we study the coupled axial-transverse nonlinear vibrations of a kind of one dimensional structured solids by application of the so called Inertia Gradient Nonlinear continuum model. To show the accuracy of this axiomatic model, previously proposed by the authors, its predictions are compared with numeric results from a previously defined finite discrete chain of lumped masses and springs, for several number of particles. A continualization of the discrete model equations based on Taylor series allowed us to set equivalent values of the mechanical properties in both discrete and axiomatic continuum models. Contrary to the classical continuum model, the inertia gradient nonlinear continuum model used herein is able to capture scale effects, which arise for modes in which the wavelength is comparable to the characteristic distance of the structured solid. The main conclusion of the work is that the proposed generalized continuum model captures the scale effects in both linear and nonlinear regimes, reproducing the behavior of the 1D nonlinear discrete model adequately.

Contracts, covenants and advance care planning: an empirical study of the moral obligations of patient and proxy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fins, Joseph J; Maltby, Barbara S; Friedmann, Erika; Greene, Michele G; Norris, Kaye; Adelman, Ronald; Byock, Ira

2005-01-01

Previously we had speculated that the patient-proxy relationship existed on a contractual to covenantal continuum. In order to assess this hypothesis, and to better understand the moral obligations of the patient-proxy relationship, we surveyed 50 patient-proxy pairs as well as 52 individuals who had acted as proxies for someone who had died. Using structured vignettes representative of three distinct disease trajectories (cancer, acute stroke, and congestive heart failure), we assessed whether respondents believed that proxies should follow explicit instructions regarding life-sustaining therapy and act contractually or whether more discretionary or covenantal judgments were ethically permissible. Additional variables included the valence of initial patient instructions--for example, "to do nothing" or "to do everything"--as well as the quality of information available to the proxy. Responses were graded on a contractual to covenantal continuum using a modified Likert scale employing a prospectively scored survey instrument. Our data indicate that the patient-proxy relationship exists on a contractual to covenantal continuum and that variables such as disease trajectory, the clarity of prognosis, instructional valence, and the quality of patient instructions result in statistically significant differences in response. The use of interpretative or covenantal judgment was desired by patients and proxies when the prognosis was grim, even if initial instructions were to pursue more aggressive care. Nonetheless, there was a valence effect: patients and proxies intended that negative instructions to be left alone be heeded. These data suggest that the delegation of patient self-determination is morally complex. Advance care planning should take into account both the exercise of autonomy and the interpretative burdens assumed by the proxy. Patients and proxies think inductively and contextually. Neither group viewed deviation from patient instructions as a violation of

Online information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conell, Jörn; Bauer, Rita; Glenn, Tasha

2016-01-01

alternative information sources remain important. Most patients do not discuss Internet findings with their doctor, and concern remains about the quality of online information especially related to prescription drugs. Patients may not rate search skills accurately, and may not understand limitations of online...... privacy. More patient education about online information searching is needed and physicians should recommend a few high quality websites....

Patient information and education with modern media: the Spine Society of Europe Patient Line.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellisé, Ferran; Sell, P

2009-08-01

The role of the patient as an active partner in health care, and not just a passive object of diagnostic testing and medical treatment, is widely accepted. Providing information to patients is considered a crucial issue and the central focus in patient educational activities. It is necessary to educate patients on the nature of the outcomes and the benefits and risks of the procedures to involve them in the decision-making process and enable them to achieve fully informed consent. Information materials must contain scientifically reliable information and be presented in a form that is acceptable and useful to patients. Given the mismatch between public beliefs and current evidence, strategies for changing the public perceptions are required. Traditional patient education programmes have to face the potential barriers of storage, access problems and the need to keep content materials up to date. A computer-based resource provides many advantages, including "just-in-time" availability and a private learning environment. The use of the Internet for patient information needs will continue to expand as Internet access becomes readily available. However, the problem is no longer in finding information, but in assessing the credibility and validity of it. Health Web sites should provide health information that is secure and trustworthy. The large majority of the Web sites providing information related to spinal disorders are of limited and poor quality. Patient Line (PL), a patient information section in the Web site of Eurospine, was born in 2005 to offer patients and the general population the accumulated expertise represented by the members of the society and provide up-to-date information related to spinal disorders. In areas where evidence is scarce, Patient Line provides a real-time opinion of the EuroSpine membership. The published data reflect the pragmatic and the common sense range of treatments offered by the Eurospine membership. The first chapters have been

Continuum-regularized quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan Huesum; Halpern, M.B.

1987-01-01

The recent continuum regularization of d-dimensional Euclidean gravity is generalized to arbitrary power-law measure and studied in some detail as a representative example of coordinate-invariant regularization. The weak-coupling expansion of the theory illustrates a generic geometrization of regularized Schwinger-Dyson rules, generalizing previous rules in flat space and flat superspace. The rules are applied in a non-trivial explicit check of Einstein invariance at one loop: the cosmological counterterm is computed and its contribution is included in a verification that the graviton mass is zero. (orig.)

Consequences of inelastic discrete-level neutron-collision mechanics for inelastic continuum scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoogenboom, J.E. (Technische Hogeschool Delft (Netherlands))

1983-01-01

From the collision mechanics of inelastic discrete-level scattering several properties are derived for the secondary-neutron energy distribution (SNED) for inelastic continuum scattering, when conceived as scattering with continuously-distributed inelastic levels. Using assumptions about the level density and neutron cross section the SNED can be calculated and some examples are shown. A formula is derived to calculate from a given inelastic continuum SNED a function, which is proportional to the level density and the neutron cross section. From this relation further conditions follow for the SNED. Representations for the inelastic continuum SNED currently in use do not, in general, satisfy most of the derived conditions.

Consequences of inelastic discrete-level neutron-collision mechanics for inelastic continuum scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoogenboom, J.E.

1983-01-01

From the collision mechanics of inelastic discrete-level scattering several properties are derived for the secondary-neutron energy distribution (SNED) for inelastic continuum scattering, when conceived as scattering with continuously-distributed inelastic levels. Using assumptions about the level density and neutron cross section the SNED can be calculated and some examples are shown. A formula is derived to calculate from a given inelastic continuum SNED a function, which is proportional to the level density and the neutron cross section. From this relation further conditions follow for the SNED. Representations for the inelastic continuum SNED currently in use do not, in general, satisfy most of the derived conditions. (author)

A Coupling Tool for Parallel Molecular Dynamics-Continuum Simulations

KAUST Repository

Neumann, Philipp

2012-06-01

We present a tool for coupling Molecular Dynamics and continuum solvers. It is written in C++ and is meant to support the developers of hybrid molecular - continuum simulations in terms of both realisation of the respective coupling algorithm as well as parallel execution of the hybrid simulation. We describe the implementational concept of the tool and its parallel extensions. We particularly focus on the parallel execution of particle insertions into dense molecular systems and propose a respective parallel algorithm. Our implementations are validated for serial and parallel setups in two and three dimensions. © 2012 IEEE.

Managing Innovation to Maximize Value Along the Discovery-Translation-Application Continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldman, S A; Terzic, A

2017-01-01

Success in pharmaceutical development led to a record 51 drugs approved in the past year, surpassing every previous year since 1950. Technology innovation enabled identification and exploitation of increasingly precise disease targets ensuring next generation diagnostic and therapeutic products for patient management. The expanding biopharmaceutical portfolio stands, however, in contradistinction to the unsustainable costs that reflect remarkable challenges of clinical development programs. This annual Therapeutic Innovations issue juxtaposes advances in translating molecular breakthroughs into transformative therapies with essential considerations for lowering attrition and improving the cost-effectiveness of the drug-development paradigm. Realizing the discovery-translation-application continuum mandates a congruent approval, adoption, and access triad. © 2016 ASCPT.

Continuum gauge theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stora, R.

1976-09-01

The mathematics of gauge fields and some related concepts are discussed: some corrections on the principal fiber bundles emphasize the idea that the present formulation of continuum theories is incomplete. The main ingredients used through the construction of the renormalized perturbation series are then described: the Faddeev Popov argument, and the Faddeev Popov Lagrangian; the Slavnov symmetry and the nature of the Faddeev Popov ghost fields; the Slavnov identity, with an obstruction: the Adler Bardeen anomaly, and its generalization to the local cohomology of the gauge Lie algebra. Some smooth classical configurations of gauge fields which ought to play a prominent role in the evaluation of the functional integral describing the theory are also reviewed

Continuum damage model for ferroelectric materials and its application to multilayer actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Gellmann, Roman; Ricoeur, Andreas

2016-05-01

In this paper a micromechanical continuum damage model for ferroelectric materials is presented. As a constitutive law it is implemented into a finite element (FE) code. The model is based on micromechanical considerations of domain switching and its interaction with microcrack growth and coalescence. A FE analysis of a multilayer actuator is performed, showing the initiation of damage zones at the electrode tips during the poling process. Further, the influence of mechanical pre-stressing on damage evolution and actuating properties is investigated. The results provided in this work give useful information on the damage of advanced piezoelectric devices and their optimization.

Continuum absorption in the vicinity of the toroidicity-induced Alfvén gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, M.; Breizman, B. N.; Zheng, L. J.; Chen, Eugene Y.

2015-01-01

Excitation of Alfvén modes is commonly viewed as a concern for energetic particle confinement in burning plasmas. The 3.5 MeV alpha particles produced by fusion may be affected as well as other fast ions in both present and future devices. Continuum damping of such modes is one of the key factors that determine their excitation thresholds and saturation levels. This work examines the resonant dissipative response of the Alfvén continuum to an oscillating driving current when the driving frequency is slightly outside the edges of the toroidicity-induced spectral gap. The problem is largely motivated by the need to describe the continuum absorption in the frequency sweeping events. Akey element of this problem is the negative interference of the two closely spaced continuum crossing points.Weexplain why the lower and upper edges of the gap can have very different continuum absorption features. Lastly, the difference is associated with an eigenmode whose frequency can be arbitrarily close to the upper edge of the gap whereas the lower edge of the gap is always a finite distance away from the closest eigenmode

Assessing patients' experiences with communication across the cancer care continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazor, Kathleen M; Street, Richard L; Sue, Valerie M; Williams, Andrew E; Rabin, Borsika A; Arora, Neeraj K

2016-08-01

To evaluate the relevance, performance and potential usefulness of the Patient Assessment of cancer Communication Experiences (PACE) items. Items focusing on specific communication goals related to exchanging information, fostering healing relationships, responding to emotions, making decisions, enabling self-management, and managing uncertainty were tested via a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Analyses examined response frequencies, inter-item correlations, and coefficient alpha. A total of 366 adults were included in the analyses. Relatively few selected Does Not Apply, suggesting that items tap relevant communication experiences. Ratings of whether specific communication goals were achieved were strongly correlated with overall ratings of communication, suggesting item content reflects important aspects of communication. Coefficient alpha was ≥.90 for each item set, indicating excellent reliability. Variations in the percentage of respondents selecting the most positive response across items suggest results can identify strengths and weaknesses. The PACE items tap relevant, important aspects of communication during cancer care, and may be useful to cancer care teams desiring detailed feedback. The PACE is a new tool for eliciting patients' perspectives on communication during cancer care. It is freely available online for practitioners, researchers and others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complexity and multifractal behaviors of multiscale-continuum percolation financial system for Chinese stock markets

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Yayun; Wang, Jun; Xu, Kaixuan

2017-04-01

A new financial agent-based time series model is developed and investigated by multiscale-continuum percolation system, which can be viewed as an extended version of continuum percolation system. In this financial model, for different parameters of proportion and density, two Poisson point processes (where the radii of points represent the ability of receiving or transmitting information among investors) are applied to model a random stock price process, in an attempt to investigate the fluctuation dynamics of the financial market. To validate its effectiveness and rationality, we compare the statistical behaviors and the multifractal behaviors of the simulated data derived from the proposed model with those of the real stock markets. Further, the multiscale sample entropy analysis is employed to study the complexity of the returns, and the cross-sample entropy analysis is applied to measure the degree of asynchrony of return autocorrelation time series. The empirical results indicate that the proposed financial model can simulate and reproduce some significant characteristics of the real stock markets to a certain extent.

Multiscale synchrony behaviors of paired financial time series by 3D multi-continuum percolation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, M.; Wang, J.; Wang, B. T.

2018-02-01

Multiscale synchrony behaviors and nonlinear dynamics of paired financial time series are investigated, in an attempt to study the cross correlation relationships between two stock markets. A random stock price model is developed by a new system called three-dimensional (3D) multi-continuum percolation system, which is utilized to imitate the formation mechanism of price dynamics and explain the nonlinear behaviors found in financial time series. We assume that the price fluctuations are caused by the spread of investment information. The cluster of 3D multi-continuum percolation represents the cluster of investors who share the same investment attitude. In this paper, we focus on the paired return series, the paired volatility series, and the paired intrinsic mode functions which are decomposed by empirical mode decomposition. A new cross recurrence quantification analysis is put forward, combining with multiscale cross-sample entropy, to investigate the multiscale synchrony of these paired series from the proposed model. The corresponding research is also carried out for two China stock markets as comparison.

JPL Project Information Management: A Continuum Back to the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Reiz, Julie M.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the practices and architecture that support information management at JPL. This practice has allowed concurrent use and reuse of information by primary and secondary users. The use of this practice is illustrated in the evolution of the Mars Rovers from the Mars Pathfinder to the development of the Mars Science Laboratory. The recognition of the importance of information management during all phases of a project life cycle has resulted in the design of an information system that includes metadata, has reduced the risk of information loss through the use of an in-process appraisal, shaping of project's appreciation for capturing and managing the information on one project for re-use by future projects as a natural outgrowth of the process. This process has also assisted in connection of geographically disbursed partners into a team through sharing information, common tools and collaboration.

Identification of a transcriptional signature for the wound healing continuum

OpenAIRE

Peake, Matthew A; Caley, Mathew; Giles, Peter J; Wall, Ivan; Enoch, Stuart; Davies, Lindsay C; Kipling, David; Thomas, David W; Stephens, Phil

2014-01-01

There is a spectrum/continuum of adult human wound healing outcomes ranging from the enhanced (nearly scarless) healing observed in oral mucosa to scarring within skin and the nonhealing of chronic skin wounds. Central to these outcomes is the role of the fibroblast. Global gene expression profiling utilizing microarrays is starting to give insight into the role of such cells during the healing process, but no studies to date have produced a gene signature for this wound healing continuum. Mi...

Knowledge, information and communication among cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parvez, T.; Saeed, N.; Pervaiz, K.

2001-01-01

Objective: Knowledge, information and communication, within oncology, are a core clinical strength for the out-come of the disease and inadequate communication, can cause distress for the patient and their families. Design: A senior doctor conducted this study by filling in the performa after interviewing the subject of the study. Place and duration of study: This study was done in Oncology Department of Service Hospital, Lahore and was completed in four months. Subjects and Method: One hundred cancer patients were interviewed regarding their knowledge about their disease, its causes, prognosis, and information supplied by the health-care providers. They were also asked about their satisfaction regarding this information, deficiencies and pitfalls in this information, need for more information, which should supply the information from among the hospital team or their relative, attitude of the family and their communication regarding the disease. Results: Study revealed that the knowledge about the disease and its causes was present in 53% and 7% respectively. The patients (59%) wanted more information. Majority perceived that the information was not adequate and needed more information and 68% thought that more information would reduce their anxiety. The attitude of family was found encouraging in 87% of patients and 42% were communicating with other family members regarding their diseases. Conclusion: Knowledge about the disease and its cause should be increasingly supplied by the doctors, as it will reduce the anxiety and have a good effect on health. Communication among the family members needs to be improved. (author)

Continuum Physics

CERN Document Server

Hertel, Peter

2012-01-01

This small book on the properties of continuously distributed matter covers a huge field. It sets out the governing principles of continuum physics and illustrates them by carefully chosen examples. These examples comprise structural mechanics and elasticity, fluid media, electricity and optics, thermoelectricity, fluctuation phenomena and more, from Archimedes' principle via Brownian motion to white dwarfs. Metamaterials, pattern formation by reaction-diffusion and surface plasmon polaritons are dealt with as well as classical topics such as Stokes' formula, beam bending and buckling, crystal optics and electro- and magnetooptic effects, dielectric waveguides, Ohm's law, surface acoustic waves, to mention just some.   The set of balance equations for content, flow and production of particles, mass, charge, momentum, energy and entropy is augmented by material, or constitutive equations. They describe entire classes of materials, such as viscid fluids and gases, elastic media, dielectrics or electrical con...

Sexual Orientation: Categories or Continuum? Commentary on Bailey et al. (2016).

Science.gov (United States)

Savin-Williams, Ritch C

2016-09-01

Bailey et al. (2016) have provided an excellent, state-of-the-art overview that is a major contribution to our understanding of sexual orientation. However, whereas Bailey and his coauthors have examined the physiological, behavioral, and self-report data of sexual orientation and see categories, I see a sexual and romantic continuum. After noting several objections concerning the limitations of the review and methodological shortcomings characteristic of sexual-orientation research in general, I present evidence from research investigating in-between sexualities to support an alternative, continuum-based perspective regarding the nature of sexual orientation for both women and men. A continuum conceptualization has potential implications for investigating the prevalence of nonheterosexuals, sexual-orientation differences in gender nonconformity, causes of sexual orientation, and political issues. © The Author(s) 2016.

Transport of optical excitations on dendrimers in the continuum approximation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlaming, S.M.; Heijs, D.J.; Knoester, J.

2005-01-01

We study the incoherent transport of optical excitations created at the rim of a dendritic molecule to a trap occurring at the core. The corresponding discrete random walk is treated in a continuum approximation, resulting in a diffusion-like process which admits semi-analytical solutions. The thus obtained arrival time distribution for the excitation at the trap is compared with the one for the original, discrete problem. In the case of an inward bias or even a weak outward one, the agreement is very good and the continuum approximation provides a good alternative description of the energy transfer process, even for small dendrimers. In the case of a strong outward bias, the mean trapping time, which sets the time scale for the entire distribution, depends exponentially on the number of generations in both approaches, but with a different base. The failure of the continuum approximation for this case is explained from the peaked behavior of the excitation density near the rim

Continuum description for jointed media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.K.

1982-04-01

A general three-dimensional continuum description is presented for a material containing regularly spaced and approximately parallel jointing planes within a representative elementary volume. Constitutive relationships are introduced for linear behavior of the base material and nonlinear normal and shear behavior across jointing planes. Furthermore, a fracture permeability tensor is calculated so that deformation induced alterations to the in-situ values can be measured. Examples for several strain-controlled loading paths are presented

Adaptive spacetime method using Riemann jump conditions for coupled atomistic-continuum dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraczek, B.; Miller, S.T.; Haber, R.B.; Johnson, D.D.

2010-01-01

We combine the Spacetime Discontinuous Galerkin (SDG) method for elastodynamics with the mathematically consistent Atomistic Discontinuous Galerkin (ADG) method in a new scheme that concurrently couples continuum and atomistic models of dynamic response in solids. The formulation couples non-overlapping continuum and atomistic models across sharp interfaces by weakly enforcing jump conditions, for both momentum balance and kinematic compatibility, using Riemann values to preserve the characteristic structure of the underlying hyperbolic system. Momentum balances to within machine-precision accuracy over every element, on each atom, and over the coupled system, with small, controllable energy dissipation in the continuum region that ensures numerical stability. When implemented on suitable unstructured spacetime grids, the continuum SDG model offers linear computational complexity in the number of elements and powerful adaptive analysis capabilities that readily bridge between atomic and continuum scales in both space and time. A special trace operator for the atomic velocities and an associated atomistic traction field enter the jump conditions at the coupling interface. The trace operator depends on parameters that specify, at the scale of the atomic spacing, the position of the coupling interface relative to the atoms. In a key finding, we demonstrate that optimizing these parameters suppresses spurious reflections at the coupling interface without the use of non-physical damping or special boundary conditions. We formulate the implicit SDG-ADG coupling scheme in up to three spatial dimensions, and describe an efficient iterative solution scheme that outperforms common explicit schemes, such as the Velocity Verlet integrator. Numerical examples, in 1dxtime and employing both linear and nonlinear potentials, demonstrate the performance of the SDG-ADG method and show how adaptive spacetime meshing reconciles disparate time steps and resolves atomic-scale signals in

Postoperative information needs and communication barriers of esophageal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Henselmans, Inge; Jacobs, Marc; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I; de Haes, Hanneke C J M; Sprangers, Mirjam A G; Smets, Ellen M A

2012-07-01

Given the poor prognosis of esophageal cancer and the impact of surgery on health-related quality of life (HRQL), addressing patients' postoperative information needs is important. This study aimed to examine (1) the content and type of patients' information needs and (2) patient perceived facilitators and barriers to patient participation. Interviews were conducted with 20 purposefully selected esophageal cancer patients. Open and structured questions were alternated. The transcribed interviews were analysed inductively and deductively, using MAXqda. Patients' post-operative information needs concerned HRQL, medical care and prognosis, covering several sub-domains. Different types of needs were identified, e.g., requests for information about cause, course and self-management. Barriers to patient participation mostly reflected beliefs and skills, and could be categorized into agenda and communication barriers. Facilitators of patient participation reflected physician, patient and interaction characteristics, companion support and pre-visit preparation. Many patients saw merit in pre-visit preparation interventions; few endorsed skill-building interventions. This study listed the postoperative information needs of esophageal cancer patients. Moreover, it gained insight into patient-perceived barriers and facilitators of patient participation. The findings demonstrate what information physicians should have available and informs interventions to support patients in meeting their information needs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lay-friendliness in translated Patient Information Leaflets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Matilde Nisbeth; Zethsen, Karen Korning

This paper seeks to empirically explore the claim that translated Danish Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) are less lay-friendly than their English source texts. The last two decades have seen an increased focus on providing patients with lay-friendly, easily understood information, enabling them...... to make informed decisions concerning their health. For this purpose, many new genres have been created, one such genre being the PIL, a mandatory text which in an EU context has to accompany all medication informing patients about dosage, side effects etc. Legally, the PIL genre is required to ensure lay......-friendly information as it must be “written and designed to be clear and understandable, enabling the users to act appropriately” (Article 63(2) of EU Directive 2001/83/EC). Despite the legal requirements and the intensified focus on lay-friendly health communication, many studies have shown that PILs are often...

Patient information regarding medical radiation exposure is inadequate: Patients' experience in a university hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ukkola, L.; Oikarinen, H.; Henner, A.; Haapea, M.; Tervonen, O.

2017-01-01

Introduction: It is suspected that little or no information is provided to patients regarding radiological examinations. The purpose was to evaluate the coverage, content and source of this information in a university hospital. Methods: Altogether 147 patients (18–85 years) were interviewed after different examinations using a questionnaire. The patients had undergone 35 low (<1 mSv), 66 medium (1–10), and 46 high (>10) dose examinations. They were asked if they were informed about radiation use, the course or indication of the examination, the consequences of not having the examination, other options, the dose and risks of radiation, the source for the information and if any consent was enquired. Results: 52 (35%) patients did not receive any information while 95 (65%) obtained some information. Fifty-six (38%) patients received an information letter, and 75 (51%) obtained oral information, mainly from the referrer or the radiographer. The information was mostly about indication, course or radiation use, very seldom about radiation risks and the other areas. Those with a nuclear medicine examination received information more often than those with other medium- or high-dose examinations (p = 0.004). The patients scored the received information as 2.2 (mean, SD 1.3) on a Likert scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (good). Conclusion: Patients obtained inadequate information regarding radiological examinations in a university hospital. The information was provided non-systematically from various sources. The results help to set up practical guidelines for systematic information and to follow up their efficiency. The mode of operation might be helpful elsewhere in the future. - Highlights: • Patients obtained inadequate information regarding medical radiation exposure. • The information was provided non-systematically from various sources. • Patients with nuclear examinations were informed better than with other modalities. • In addition to general guidelines

On the continuum limit of curvature squared actions in the Regge calculus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eliezer, D.

1989-01-01

We evaluate the continuum limit of a family of curvature squared actions for the Regge calculus proposed by Hamber and Williams. The answers depend on how the continuum limit is defined. When the link lengths are defined as the distance in an embedding space between the endpoints of the link, we find that no member of this family approaches the continuum limit correctly. Defining the link lengths as the length of a geodesic between the endpoints of the link, we find that a unique member is selected, and we prove for the general two dimensional compact manifold that this Regge calculus action converges to ∫R 2 √d d 2 x. (orig.)

Kinematics optimization and static analysis of a modular continuum robot used for minimally invasive surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Fei; Ju, Feng; Bai, Dong Ming; Chen, Bai

2018-02-01

For the outstanding compliance and dexterity of continuum robot, it is increasingly used in minimally invasive surgery. The wide workspace, high dexterity and strong payload capacity are essential to the continuum robot. In this article, we investigate the workspace of a cable-driven continuum robot that we proposed. The influence of section number on the workspace is discussed when robot is operated in narrow environment. Meanwhile, the structural parameters of this continuum robot are optimized to achieve better kinematic performance. Moreover, an indicator based on the dexterous solid angle for evaluating the dexterity of robot is introduced and the distal end dexterity is compared for the three-section continuum robot with different range of variables. Results imply that the wider range of variables achieve the better dexterity. Finally, the static model of robot based on the principle of virtual work is derived to analyze the relationship between the bending shape deformation and the driven force. The simulations and experiments for plane and spatial motions are conducted to validate the feasibility of model, respectively. Results of this article can contribute to the real-time control and movement and can be a design reference for cable-driven continuum robot.

Continuum approximation of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martina, L.

1979-01-01

A continuum approximation method is applied in order to discuss the connection between some properties of the infinite Fermi-Pasta-Ulam lattice and the ones displayed by the Korteweg-de Vries equation

Creation New Patient Information Leaflets with Diabetes by Pharmacists and Assesment Conducted by Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Arai, Motoharu; Maeda, Kazuto; Satoh, Hiroki; Miki, Akiko; Sawada, Yasufumi

2016-10-01

We created a draft of new patient information leaflets to ensure patients' proper use of drugs and to highlight safety issues and improvement plans extracted and proposed by small group discussions (SGD) with pharmacists. A total of 3 SGDs (participants: 15 pharmacists) were conducted with the aim of improving patient information leaflets for oral diabetes drugs. First, the disadvantages and advantages of the current instructions as well as requests for ideal patient information leaflets were obtained from participants. Conventional patient information leaflets that could be improved were useful to understand drug efficacy, adverse effects, and instructions for daily consumption of medicines, and to encourage patients to re-check drugs at home and inform their family of the measures to be taken in the case of adverse effects from the standpoint of patients. However, some disadvantages arose; for example, the instructions were difficult to read because of small lettering and illustrations and too much text. It was not tailored for individual patients, and descriptions about serious adverse effects caused patients much anxiety. Therefore, we have created a draft of new patient information leaflets with diabetes that are simpler and easier to understand and use concise wording and illustrations that are impactful.

Informing patients of risks inherent in treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, Richard; Tengnah, Cassam

2009-11-01

Consent to treatment lies at the heart of autonomous decision making by patients who are entitled to make a free choice about whether to accept or refuse treatment. To help patients arrive at their decision district nurses must ensure that they give sufficient information about the nature and risks inherent in the treatment to allow an informed choice to be made. This article considers how much information regarding risks needs to be disclosed. It discusses how the law requires a different level of disclosure for patients who ask no questions about risks, those who make general enquiries about risks and those who ask specific questions about the risks inherent in treatment.

Kinematics and the implementation of an elephant's trunk manipulator and other continuum style robots

Science.gov (United States)

Hannan, Michael W.; Walker, Ian D.

2003-01-01

Traditionally, robot manipulators have been a simple arrangement of a small number of serially connected links and actuated joints. Though these manipulators prove to be very effective for many tasks, they are not without their limitations, due mainly to their lack of maneuverability or total degrees of freedom. Continuum style (i.e., continuous "back-bone") robots, on the other hand, exhibit a wide range of maneuverability, and can have a large number of degrees of freedom. The motion of continuum style robots is generated through the bending of the robot over a given section; unlike traditional robots where the motion occurs in discrete locations, i.e., joints. The motion of continuum manipulators is often compared to that of biological manipulators such as trunks and tentacles. These continuum style robots can achieve motions that could only be obtainable by a conventionally designed robot with many more degrees of freedom. In this paper we present a detailed formulation and explanation of a novel kinematic model for continuum style robots. The design, construction, and implementation of our continuum style robot called the elephant trunk manipulator is presented. Experimental results are then provided to verify the legitimacy of our model when applied to our physical manipulator. We also provide a set of obstacle avoidance experiments that help to exhibit the practical implementation of both our manipulator and our kinematic model. c2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient-Centered Tools for Medication Information Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Lauren; Feiner, Steven; Elhadad, Noémie; Vawdrey, David; Tran, Tran H

2014-05-20

Recent research focused on online health information seeking highlights a heavy reliance on general-purpose search engines. However, current general-purpose search interfaces do not necessarily provide adequate support for non-experts in identifying suitable sources of health information. Popular search engines have recently introduced search tools in their user interfaces for a range of topics. In this work, we explore how such tools can support non-expert, patient-centered health information search. Scoping the current work to medication-related search, we report on findings from a formative study focused on the design of patient-centered, medication-information search tools. Our study included qualitative interviews with patients, family members, and domain experts, as well as observations of their use of Remedy, a technology probe embodying a set of search tools. Post-operative cardiothoracic surgery patients and their visiting family members used the tools to find information about their hospital medications and were interviewed before and after their use. Domain experts conducted similar search tasks and provided qualitative feedback on their preferences and recommendations for designing these tools. Findings from our study suggest the importance of four valuation principles underlying our tools: credibility, readability, consumer perspective, and topical relevance.

Satisfaction with information provided to Danish cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ross, Lone; Petersen, Morten Aagaard; Johnsen, Anna Thit

2013-01-01

To validate five items (CPWQ-inf) regarding satisfaction with information provided to cancer patients from health care staff, assess the prevalence of dissatisfaction with this information, and identify factors predicting dissatisfaction.......To validate five items (CPWQ-inf) regarding satisfaction with information provided to cancer patients from health care staff, assess the prevalence of dissatisfaction with this information, and identify factors predicting dissatisfaction....

Information Security in Distributed Healthcare : Exploring the Needs for Achieving Patient Safety and Patient Privacy

OpenAIRE

Åhlfeldt, Rose-Mharie

2008-01-01

In healthcare, patient information is a critical factor. The right information at the right time is a necessity in order to provide the best possible care for a patient. Patient information must also be protected from unauthorized access in order to protect patient privacy. It is furthermore common for patients to visit more than one healthcare provider, which implies a need for cross border healthcare and continuity in the patient process. This thesis is focused on information security in he...

Coupling Strategies Investigation of Hybrid Atomistic-Continuum Method Based on State Variable Coupling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Different configurations of coupling strategies influence greatly the accuracy and convergence of the simulation results in the hybrid atomistic-continuum method. This study aims to quantitatively investigate this effect and offer the guidance on how to choose the proper configuration of coupling strategies in the hybrid atomistic-continuum method. We first propose a hybrid molecular dynamics- (MD- continuum solver in LAMMPS and OpenFOAM that exchanges state variables between the atomistic region and the continuum region and evaluate different configurations of coupling strategies using the sudden start Couette flow, aiming to find the preferable configuration that delivers better accuracy and efficiency. The major findings are as follows: (1 the C→A region plays the most important role in the overlap region and the “4-layer-1” combination achieves the best precision with a fixed width of the overlap region; (2 the data exchanging operation only needs a few sampling points closer to the occasions of interactions and decreasing the coupling exchange operations can reduce the computational load with acceptable errors; (3 the nonperiodic boundary force model with a smoothing parameter of 0.1 and a finer parameter of 20 can not only achieve the minimum disturbance near the MD-continuum interface but also keep the simulation precision.

A morphing strategy to couple non-local to local continuum mechanics

KAUST Repository

Lubineau, Gilles

2012-06-01

A method for coupling non-local continuum models with long-range central forces to local continuum models is proposed. First, a single unified model that encompasses both local and non-local continuum representations is introduced. This model can be purely non-local, purely local or a hybrid depending on the constitutive parameters. Then, the coupling between the non-local and local descriptions is performed through a transition (morphing) affecting only the constitutive parameters. An important feature is the definition of the morphing functions, which relies on energy equivalence. This approach is useful in large-scale modeling of materials that exhibit strong non-local effects. The computational cost can be reduced while maintaining a reasonable level of accuracy. Efficiency, robustness and basic properties of the approach are discussed using one- and two-dimensional examples. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

A morphing strategy to couple non-local to local continuum mechanics

KAUST Repository

Lubineau, Gilles; Azdoud, Yan; Han, Fei; Rey, Christian C.; Askari, Abe H.

2012-01-01

A method for coupling non-local continuum models with long-range central forces to local continuum models is proposed. First, a single unified model that encompasses both local and non-local continuum representations is introduced. This model can be purely non-local, purely local or a hybrid depending on the constitutive parameters. Then, the coupling between the non-local and local descriptions is performed through a transition (morphing) affecting only the constitutive parameters. An important feature is the definition of the morphing functions, which relies on energy equivalence. This approach is useful in large-scale modeling of materials that exhibit strong non-local effects. The computational cost can be reduced while maintaining a reasonable level of accuracy. Efficiency, robustness and basic properties of the approach are discussed using one- and two-dimensional examples. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Patient decision making in the face of conflicting medication information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Elstad

2012-08-01

Full Text Available When patients consult more than one source of information about their medications, they may encounter conflicting information. Although conflicting information has been associated with negative outcomes, including worse medication adherence, little is known about how patients make health decisions when they receive conflicting information. The objective of this study was to explore the decision making strategies that individuals with arthritis use when they receive conflicting medication information. Qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 20 men and women with arthritis. Interview vignettes posed scenarios involving conflicting information from different sources (e.g., doctor, pharmacist, and relative, and respondents were asked how they would respond to the situation. Data analysis involved inductive coding to identify emergent themes and deductive contextualization to make meaning from the emergent themes. In response to conflicting medication information, patients used rules of thumb, trial and error, weighed benefits and risks, and sought more information, especially from a doctor. Patients relied heavily on trial and error when there was no conflicting information involved in the vignette. In contrast, patients used rules of thumb as a unique response to conflicting information. These findings increase our understanding of what patients do when they receive conflicting medication information. Given that patient exposure to conflicting information is likely to increase alongside the proliferation of medication information on the Internet, patients may benefit from assistance in identifying the most appropriate decision strategies for dealing with conflicting information, including information about best information sources.

A study into the information needs of patients with urological cancers and the development of layered patient information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Petit, V.

2017-01-01

Patients are nowadays increasingly responsible for their own care process. However, it has been shown that patients experience difficulties in managing their own disease. In order to empower patients, they need to have sufficient knowledge on the care process. Patients who are well informed are more

Continuum Navier-Stokes modelling of water ow past fullerene molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walther, J. H.; Popadic, A.; Koumoutsakos, P.

We present continuum simulations of water flow past fullerene molecules. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are complemented with the Navier slip boundary condition with a slip length that is extracted from related molecular dynamics simulations. We find that several quantities of interest...... as computed by the present model are in good agreement with results from atomistic and atomistic-continuum simulations at a fraction of the computational cost. We simulate the flow past a single fullerene and an array of fullerenes and demonstrate that such nanoscale flows can be computed efficiently...

Continuum Navier-Stokes modelling of water flow past fullerene molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walther, J. H.; Popadic, A.; Koumoutsakos, P.

We present continuum simulations of water flow past fullerene molecules. The governing Navier-Stokes equations are complemented with the Navier slip boundary condition with a slip length that is extracted from related molecular dynamics simulations. We find that several quantities of interest...... as computed by the present model are in good agreement with results from atomistic and atomistic-continuum simulations at a fraction of the computational cost. We simulate the flow past a single fullerene and an array of fullerenes and demonstrate that such nanoscale flows can be computed efficiently...

The continuum of spreading depolarizations in acute cortical lesion development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartings, Jed A; Shuttleworth, C William; Kirov, Sergei A

2017-01-01

A modern understanding of how cerebral cortical lesions develop after acute brain injury is based on Aristides Leão's historic discoveries of spreading depression and asphyxial/anoxic depolarization. Treated as separate entities for decades, we now appreciate that these events define a continuum....... The causal role of these waves in lesion development has been proven by real-time monitoring of electrophysiology, blood flow, and cytotoxic edema. The spreading depolarization continuum further applies to other models of acute cortical lesions, suggesting that it is a universal principle of cortical lesion...

Roles for Information professionals in patient education: Librarians' perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan L. MacDonald

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Through an examination of librarians’ contributions to the PEPTalk research project, this article highlights roles for information professionals at various stages in the design and clinical implementation of an information system that delivers patient education. The Personal Education Plan (PEPTalk was a collaborative, multi-disciplinary research project (2005-2006 based at the University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Hospital that designed an information system to provide web-based health information resources to both patients and clinicians under a shared umbrella of patient education. This article provides an overview of the PEPTalk project methods and outcomes, and documents the contributions of librarians throughout the design and clinical implementation stages of the project. Librarians brought expertise about information seeking behaviours of both patients and clinicians to the project; liaised across institutional and professional boundaries; developed a classification system for online learning objects, and educated project team about information and health literacies. The contributions of librarians on the PEPTalk project illustrate the need for boundary spanners, information brokers, knowledge translators, and change champions in the design and implementation of patient education delivery systems. There are new roles emergent at the intersections of clinical practice and health information provision. There is a need for the traditional skills and expertise of librarians and other information professionals in tailoring health information. Yet the design and implementation of patient education systems also require the development of new skills and the application of advanced information literacy as it pertains to both clinicians and patients.

Light at the end of the tunnel: a vision for an empowered nursing profession across the continuum of care.

Science.gov (United States)

Dingel-Stewart, Sylvia; LaCoste, Janice

2004-01-01

Lacking political stewardship, healthcare in America is shaped primarily by rapidly changing market forces seeking to stem the tide of rising healthcare costs. However, nursing's voice in this process is fragmented and unfocused. Staff nurses' focus and commitment are to quality care rendered at the bedside and in interactions with the patient. With this narrow focus, staff nurses are paralyzed by the constant change and unable to move to a broader, more integrative view of healthcare-one that encompasses quality care, policymaking, and healthcare finance. Using the theory of transformative learning, nurse administrators and managers can influence nurses' frames of reference and expand their view to be more inclusive. Nurses who are successful in this transformation process will emerge with a new view of self-visible and empowered. These newly transformed nurses see themselves more as healthcare engineers than as technicians coordinating care across the continuum, and creating fluid working relationships to prevent the dis-continuum of care of patients falling through the cracks of the current healthcare system.

Double-continuum wave functions and double-photoionization cross sections of two-electron systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwary, S.N.

1996-09-01

The present review briefly presents the growing experimental as well as theoretical interests in recent years in the double-continuum wave functions and double-photoionization cross sections of two-electron systems. The validity of existing double-continuum wave functions is analyzed and the importance of electronic correlations in both the initial as well as final states wave functions involved in the transition amplitude for double-photoionization process is demonstrated. At present, we do not have comprehensive and practical double-continuum wave functions which account the full correlation of two-electron in the continuum. Basic difficulties in making accurate theoretical calculations of double ionization by a single high energy photon especially in the vicinity of the threshold, where the correlation plays an important role, are discussed. Illuminating, illustrative and representative examples are presented in order to show the present status and the progress in this field. Future challenges and directions, in high-precision double-photoionization cross sections calculations, have been discussed and suggested. (author). 133 refs, 9 figs

Three-body continuum states on a Lagrange mesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Descouvemont, P.; Tursunov, E.; Baye, D.

2006-01-01

Three-body continuum states are investigated with the hyperspherical method on a Lagrange mesh. The R-matrix theory is used to treat the asymptotic behaviour of scattering wave functions. The formalism is developed for neutral as well as for charged systems. We point out some specificities of continuum states in the hyperspherical method. The collision matrix can be determined with a good accuracy by using propagation techniques. The method is applied to the 6 He (=α+n+n) and 6 Be (=α+p+p) systems, as well as to 14 Be (=Be12+n+n). For 6 He, we essentially recover results of the literature. Application to 14 Be suggests the existence of an excited 2 + state below threshold. The calculated B(E2) value should make this state observable with Coulomb excitation experiments

PCE: web tools to compute protein continuum electrostatics

Science.gov (United States)

Miteva, Maria A.; Tufféry, Pierre; Villoutreix, Bruno O.

2005-01-01

PCE (protein continuum electrostatics) is an online service for protein electrostatic computations presently based on the MEAD (macroscopic electrostatics with atomic detail) package initially developed by D. Bashford [(2004) Front Biosci., 9, 1082–1099]. This computer method uses a macroscopic electrostatic model for the calculation of protein electrostatic properties, such as pKa values of titratable groups and electrostatic potentials. The MEAD package generates electrostatic energies via finite difference solution to the Poisson–Boltzmann equation. Users submit a PDB file and PCE returns potentials and pKa values as well as color (static or animated) figures displaying electrostatic potentials mapped on the molecular surface. This service is intended to facilitate electrostatics analyses of proteins and thereby broaden the accessibility to continuum electrostatics to the biological community. PCE can be accessed at . PMID:15980492

Impact of line parameter database and continuum absorption on GOSAT TIR methane retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, A.; Saitoh, N.; Nonogaki, R.; Imasu, R.; Shiomi, K.; Kuze, A.

2017-12-01

The current methane retrieval algorithm (V1) at wavenumber range from 1210 cm-1 to 1360 cm-1 including CH4 ν 4 band from the thermal infrared (TIR) band of Thermal and Near-infrared Sensor for Carbon Observation Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) onboard Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) uses LBLRTM V12.1 with AER V3.1 line database and MT CKD 2.5.2 continuum absorption model to calculate optical depth. Since line parameter databases have been updated and the continuum absorption may have large uncertainty, the purpose of this study is to assess the impact on {CH}4 retrieval from the choice of line parameter databases and the uncertainty of continuum absorption. We retrieved {CH}4 profiles with replacement of line parameter database from AER V3.1 to AER v1.0, HITRAN 2004, HITRAN 2008, AER V3.2, or HITRAN 2012 (Rothman et al. 2005, 2009, and 2013. Clough et al., 2005), we assumed 10% larger continuum absorption coefficients and 50% larger temperature dependent coefficient of continuum absorption based on the report by Paynter and Ramaswamy (2014). We compared the retrieved CH4 with the HIPPO CH4 observation (Wofsy et al., 2012). The difference from HIPPO observation of AER V3.2 was the smallest and 24.1 ± 45.9 ppbv. The differences of AER V1.0, HITRAN 2004, HITRAN 2008, and HITRAN 2012 were 35.6 ± 46.5 ppbv, 37.6 ± 46.3 ppbv, 32.1 ± 46.1 ppbv, and 35.2 ± 46.0 ppbv, respectively. Maximum {CH}4 retrieval differences were -0.4 ppbv at the layer of 314 hPa when we used 10% larger absorption coefficients of {H}2O foreign continuum. Comparing AER V3.2 case to HITRAN 2008 case, the line coupling effect reduced difference by 8.0 ppbv. Line coupling effects were important for GOSAT TIR {CH}4 retrieval. Effects from the uncertainty of continuum absorption were negligible small for GOSAT TIR CH4 retrieval.

Quasi continuum vibrational of molecules and isotopic selectivity properties induced by collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelie, Christian

1990-01-01

This research thesis proposes an overview of knowledge on vibrationally highly excited states of molecules. The author shows that the statistic quasi-continuum formed by these states is preceded by a quasi continuum of weak transitions with a lower energy, and that these transitions remain structured and very narrow up to the dissociation energy and beyond. Collisions between molecules excited in their quasi continuum are then studied. The author particularly analyses a new phenomenon of isotopic selectivity which is important for the dissociation of a molecule colliding another molecule. It appears that this selectivity regarding selectivity is due to a selectivity of transferred energy which paradoxically increases with the molecule vibrational content because of a resonance phenomenon of energies transferred by dipole-dipole interaction [fr

The process of developing audiovisual patient information: challenges and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchison, Catherine; McCreaddie, May

2007-11-01

The aim of this project was to produce audiovisual patient information, which was user friendly and fit for purpose. The purpose of the audiovisual patient information is to inform patients about randomized controlled trials, as a supplement to their trial-specific written information sheet. Audiovisual patient information is known to be an effective way of informing patients about treatment. User involvement is also recognized as being important in the development of service provision. The aim of this paper is (i) to describe and discuss the process of developing the audiovisual patient information and (ii) to highlight the challenges and opportunities, thereby identifying implications for practice. A future study will test the effectiveness of the audiovisual patient information in the cancer clinical trial setting. An advisory group was set up to oversee the project and provide guidance in relation to information content, level and delivery. An expert panel of two patients provided additional guidance and a dedicated operational team dealt with the logistics of the project including: ethics; finance; scriptwriting; filming; editing and intellectual property rights. Challenges included the limitations of filming in a busy clinical environment, restricted technical and financial resources, ethical needs and issues around copyright. There were, however, substantial opportunities that included utilizing creative skills, meaningfully involving patients, teamworking and mutual appreciation of clinical, multidisciplinary and technical expertise. Developing audiovisual patient information is an important area for nurses to be involved with. However, this must be performed within the context of the multiprofessional team. Teamworking, including patient involvement, is crucial as a wide variety of expertise is required. Many aspects of the process are transferable and will provide information and guidance for nurses, regardless of specialty, considering developing this

Perspectives of patients with haematological cancer on how clinicians meet their information needs: "Managing" information versus "giving" it.

Science.gov (United States)

Atherton, Kirsten; Young, Bridget; Kalakonda, Nagesh; Salmon, Peter

2018-03-23

Practitioners treating patients with haematological cancers have extensive clinical information available to give to patients, and patients need to be informed. However, many patients want to be protected from having information that is too detailed or threatening. To illuminate how practitioners can address this dilemma and help patients feel appropriately informed, we explored patients' experience of feeling informed or uninformed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 patients who had been diagnosed with haematological cancer and had recently received results from clinical investigations or from evaluations of treatment response. Inductive and interpretive analysis of the transcribed audio-recorded interviews drew on constant comparison. Patients described the need for practitioners carefully to manage the information that they provided, and many felt alarmed by information that they did not experience as having been managed for them. A few patients who had difficulty trusting practitioners were not content with the information provided. These findings can be understood using attachment theory, whereby practitioners' careful management of information demonstrates their care for patients, and patients' trust in the practitioner enables them to feel informed. It follows that, when patients do not feel informed, the solution will not necessarily be more information but might be to help patients feel more secure in a caring clinical relationship. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Continuum radiation of argon plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Yachkov, L.G.

1995-01-01

A simple completely analytical method of the calculation of radiative continuum of plasmas is derived and an analysis of experimental data on continuum radiation of argon plasma is made. The method is based on the semiclassical quantum defect theory. To calculate radial matrix elements of dipole transitions the asymptotic expansion in powers of E c /ω 2/3 , with an accuracy to the linear term, where E, is the arithmetic mean of the initial and final energies of the transition, is used. This expansion has the same form for free-free, free-bound and bound-bound transitions. If the quantum defects are also approximated by a linear function of energy, the integration over the electron energy (the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is assumed) can be performed in analytical form. For Rydberg states the sum of photoionization continua can be replaced by an integral. We have calculated the absorption coefficient pf argon plasma. The photoionization cross section is calculated for all the states of 4s, 5s, 6s, 4p, 5p, 3d, 4d, 4s', 5s', 6s', 4p', 5p', 3d' and 4d' configurations taking into account P-coupling and multiplet splitting (56 states). Other excited states are allowed for by the integral formula together with free-free transitions

What cancer patients find in the internet: the visibility of evidence-based patient information - analysis of information on German websites.

Science.gov (United States)

Liebl, Patrick; Seilacher, Eckart; Koester, Marie-Jolin; Stellamanns, Jan; Zell, Joerg; Hübner, Jutta

2015-01-01

The internet is an easy and always accessible source of information for cancer patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the information provided on German websites. We developed an instrument based on criteria for patient information from the German Network for Evidence-based Medicine, the Agency for Quality in Medicine, HONcode, DISCERN, and the afgis. We simulated a patient's search and derived the websites for evaluation. We analyzed the visibility of each website and evaluated the websites using the developed instrument. We analyzed 77 websites. The highest visibility index was shown by 4 profit websites. Websites from professional societies and self-help groups have low rankings. Concerning quality, websites from non-profit providers and self-help groups are on top. Websites with a profit interest have the lowest average score. A discrepancy exists between the visibility and the quality of the analyzed websites. With the internet becoming an important source of information on cancer treatments for patients, this may lead to false information and wrong decisions. We provide a list of suggestions as to how this risk may be reduced by complementary information from the physician and from trustworthy websites. © 2015 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Registries: Improving Care across the SCI Care Continuum by Identifying Knowledge Gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Dvorak, Marcel F; Cheng, Christiana L; Fallah, Nader; Santos, Argelio; Atkins, Derek; Humphreys, Suzanne; Rivers, Carly S; White, Barry A B; Ho, Chester; Ahn, Henry; Kwon, Brian K; Christie, Sean; Noonan, Vanessa K

2017-10-15

Timely access and ongoing delivery of care and therapeutic interventions is needed to maximize recovery and function after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). To ensure these decisions are evidence-based, access to consistent, reliable, and valid sources of clinical data is required. The Access to Care and Timing Model used data from the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR) to generate a simulation of healthcare delivery for persons after tSCI and to test scenarios aimed at improving outcomes and reducing the economic burden of SCI. Through model development, we identified knowledge gaps and challenges in the literature and current health outcomes data collection throughout the continuum of SCI care. The objectives of this article were to describe these gaps and to provide recommendations for bridging them. Accurate information on injury severity after tSCI was hindered by difficulties in conducting neurological assessments and classifications of SCI (e.g., timing), variations in reporting, and the lack of a validated SCI-specific measure of associated injuries. There was also limited availability of reliable data on patient factors such as multi-morbidity and patient-reported measures. Knowledge gaps related to structures (e.g., protocols) and processes (e.g., costs) at each phase of care have prevented comprehensive evaluation of system performance. Addressing these knowledge gaps will enhance comparative and cost-effectiveness evaluations to inform decision-making and standards of care. Recommendations to do so were: standardize data element collection and facilitate database linkages, validate and adopt more outcome measures for SCI, and increase opportunities for collaborations with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

Asymmetric continuum extreme processes in solids and fluids

CERN Document Server

Teisseyre, Roman

2014-01-01

This book deals with a class of basic deformations in asymmetric continuum theory. It describes molecular deformations and transport velocities in fluids, strain deformations in solids as well as the molecular transport, important in fracture processes.

Monitoring the HIV continuum of care in key populations across Europe and Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, A E; Attawell, K; Hales, D; Rice, B D; Pharris, A; Supervie, V; Van Beckhoven, D; Delpech, V C; An der Heiden, M; Marcus, U; Maly, M; Noori, T

2018-05-08

The aim of the study was to measure and compare national continuum of HIV care estimates in Europe and Central Asia in three key subpopulations: men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID) and migrants. Responses to a 2016 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) survey of 55 European and Central Asian countries were used to describe continuums of HIV care for the subpopulations. Data were analysed using three frameworks: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets; breakpoint analysis identifying reductions between adjacent continuum stages; quadrant analysis categorizing countries using 90% cut-offs for continuum stages. Overall, 29 of 48 countries reported national data for all HIV continuum stages (numbers living with HIV, diagnosed, receiving treatment and virally suppressed). Six countries reported all stages for MSM, seven for PWID and two for migrants. Thirty-one countries did not report data for MSM (34 for PWID and 41 for migrants). In countries that provided key-population data, overall, 63%, 40% and 41% of MSM, PWID and migrants living with HIV were virally suppressed, respectively (compared with 68%, 65% and 68% nationally, for countries reporting key-population data). Variation was observed between countries, with higher outcomes in subpopulations in Western Europe compared with Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Few reporting countries can produce the continuum of HIV care for the three key populations. Where data are available, differences exist in outcomes between the general and key populations. While MSM broadly mirror national outcomes (in the West), PWID and migrants experience poorer treatment and viral suppression. Countries must develop continuum measures for key populations to identify and address inequalities. © 2018 British HIV Association.

Information source exploitation/exploration and NPD decision-making

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Kristina Risom

different Scandinavian companies. Data was analyzed using hierarchical regression models across decision criteria dimensions and NPD stages as well as analyzing the combination of selected information sources. Rather than forwarding one optimal search behavior for the entire NPD process, we find optimal...... information search behavior at either end of the exploitation/exploration continuum. Additionally, we find that overexploitation and overexploration is caused by managerial bias. This creates managerial misbehavior at gate decision-points of the NPD process.......The purpose of this study is to examine how the exploration/exploitation continuum is applied by decision-makers in new product gate decision-making. Specifically, we analyze at gate decision-points how the evaluation of a new product project is affected by the information source exploitation...

Continuum limit of gl(M vertical stroke N) spin chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candu, Constantin

2011-03-01

We study the spectrum of an integrable antiferromagnetic Hamiltonian of the gl(M vertical stroke N) spin chain of alternating fundamental and dual representations. After extensive numerical analysis, we identify the vacuum and low lying excitations and with this knowledge perform the continuum limit, while keeping a finite gap. All antiferromagnetic gl(n+N vertical stroke N) spin chains with n>0 and N≠0 are shown to possess in the continuum limit 2n-2 multiplets of massive particles which scatter with gl(n) Gross-Neveu like S-matrices, namely their eigenvalues do not depend on N. We argue that the continuum theory is the gl(M vertical stroke N) Gross-Neveu model, that is the massive deformation of the gl(M vertical stroke N) 1 Wess-Zumino-Witten model. As we can see ion the example of gl(2m vertical stroke 1) spin chains, the full particle spectrum is much richer. Our analysis suggests that for a complete characterization of the latter it is not enough to restrict to large volume calculations, as we do in this work. (orig.)

Investigation of the continuum radiation from a high pressure argon arc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glasser, J.; Chapelle, J.

1975-01-01

At the high electronic densities existing in high temperature strongly correlated plasmas (with number of electrons in the Debye sphere Nd<<1) it is sometimes difficult to find lines for which Stark broadening allows determination of electronic density. Since the broadening effect is rather strong, the lines overlap or could not be easily extracted from the intense continuous background. The continuum emission in the UV, visible and near infra-red regions, principally due to the radiative recombination, could thus be widely used for the diagnostics of such plasmas. So far a limited number of data on the continuum emission of Argon plasma is available. At the same time certain discrepancies between theoretical predictions and experiments have also been found. The aim of this work is to obtain more elaborated data on the Argon continuum emission at high pressure, where the differences were found to be the largest. (Auth.)

Accommodating state shifts within the conceptual framework of the wetland continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Mushet, David M.; McKenna, Owen; LaBaugh, James W.; Euliss, Ned H.; Rosenberry, Donald O.

2018-01-01

The Wetland Continuum is a conceptual framework that facilitates the interpretation of biological studies of wetland ecosystems. Recently summarized evidence documenting how a multi-decadal wet period has influenced aspects of wetland, lake and stream systems in the southern prairie-pothole region of North America has revealed the potential for wetlands to shift among alternate states. We propose that incorporation of state shifts into the Wetland Continuum, as originally proposed or as modified by Hayashi et al., is a relatively simple matter if one allows for shifts of wetlands along the horizontal, groundwater axis of the framework under conditions of extreme and sustained wet or dry conditions. We suggest that the ease by which state shifts can be accommodated within both the original and modified frameworks of the Wetland Continuum is a testament to the robustness of the concept when it is related to the alternative-stable-state concept.

The effect of interface state continuum on the impedance spectroscopy of semiconductor heterojunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brus, V V

2013-01-01

A quantitative analysis of the impedance spectroscopy of semiconductor heterojunctions was carried out in the presence of interface state continuum at the heterojunction interface. A comparison of the impedance spectroscopy of semiconductor heterojunctions simulated in the context of the interface state continuum model with that simulated in the scope of the single-level state model was carried and possible misinterpretations were considered. The previously proposed approaches for the determination of the interface-state-related parameters and for the calculation of the actual barrier capacitance (the single-level state model) were modified in order to take into account the effect of interface state continuum. (paper)

A comparison of synthetic and measured solar continuum intensities and limb darkening coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayres, T.R.

1978-01-01

Absolute continuum intensities and wavelength-dependent low-order polynomial fits to optical and infrared continuum limb darkening provide useful discriminants among single-component models of the solar photosphere. The thermal structure in best quantitative agreement with the recent center-limb measurements by Pierce and Slaughter (1977) and by Pierce et.al. (1977) is the semi-empirical model by Vernazza, Avrett and Loeser (VAL). However, the VAL model M temperatures must be scaled upward by a factor of 1.015+-0.005 to be consistent with the Labs and Neckel absolute calibration of continuum high points in the optical region 0.40-0.65 μm. (Auth.)

Continuum contributions to dipole oscillator-strength sum rules for hydrogen in finite basis sets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oddershede, Jens; Ogilvie, John F.; Sauer, Stephan P. A.

2017-01-01

Calculations of the continuum contributions to dipole oscillator sum rules for hydrogen are performed using both exact and basis-set representations of the stick spectra of the continuum wave function. We show that the same results are obtained for the sum rules in both cases, but that the conver......Calculations of the continuum contributions to dipole oscillator sum rules for hydrogen are performed using both exact and basis-set representations of the stick spectra of the continuum wave function. We show that the same results are obtained for the sum rules in both cases......, but that the convergence towards the final results with increasing excitation energies included in the sum over states is slower in the basis-set cases when we use the best basis. We argue also that this conclusion most likely holds also for larger atoms or molecules....

Continuum mechanics of electromagnetic solids

CERN Document Server

Maugin, GA

1988-01-01

This volume is a rigorous cross-disciplinary theoretical treatment of electromechanical and magnetomechanical interactions in elastic solids. Using the modern style of continuum thermomechanics (but without excessive formalism) it starts from basic principles of mechanics and electromagnetism, and goes on to unify these two fields in a common framework. It treats linear and nonlinear static and dynamic problems in a variety of elastic solids such as piezoelectrics, electricity conductors, ferromagnets, ferroelectrics, ionic crystals and ceramics. Chapters 1-3 are introductory, describing the e

An Experimental Comparison of a Co-Design Visualizing Personal Drug Information and Patient Information Leaflets: Usability Aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Khodambashi, Soudabeh; Haugland, Dagrun; Ellingsberg, Anette; Kottum, Hanne; Sund, Janne Kutschera; Nytrø, Øystein

2017-01-01

Providing patients with specific information about their own drugs can reduce unintentional misuse and improve compliance. Searching for information is time-consuming when information is not personalized and is written using medical vocabulary that is difficult for patients to understand. In this study we explored patient information needs regarding visualizing of drug information and interrelationships by conducting a total of four co-design workshops with patients, other users and pharmacists. We developed a prototype and drug ontology to support reasoning about drug interactions. We evaluated individual performance in finding information, understanding the drug interactions, and learning from the provided information in the prototype compared to using patient information leaflets (PILs). We concluded that interactive visualization of drug information helps individuals find information about drugs, their side effects and interactions more quickly and correctly compared to using PILs. Our study is limited to co-morbid patients with transient ischaemic attack with several chronic diseases.

Understanding the Data Complexity continuum to reduce data management costs and increase data usability through partnerships with the National Centers for Environmental Information

Science.gov (United States)

Mesick, S.; Weathers, K. W.

2017-12-01

Data complexity can be seen as a continuum from complex to simple. The term data complexity refers to data collections that are disorganized, poorly documented, and generally do not follow best data management practices. Complex data collections are challenging and expensive to manage. Simplified collections readily support automated archival processes, enhanced discovery and data access, as well as production of services that make data easier to reuse. In this session, NOAA NCEI scientific data stewards will discuss the data complexity continuum. This talk will explore data simplification concepts, methods, and tools that data managers can employ which may offer more control over data management costs and processes, while achieving policy goals for open data access and ready reuse. Topics will include guidance for data managers on best allocation of limited data management resources; models for partnering with NCEI to accomplish shared data management goals; and will demonstrate through case studies the benefits of investing in documentation, accessibility, and services to increase data value and return on investment.

Health Information Exchange: What do patients want?

Science.gov (United States)

Medford-Davis, Laura N; Chang, Lawrence; Rhodes, Karin V

2017-12-01

To determine whether emergency department patients want to share their medical records across health systems through Health Information Exchange and if so, whether they prefer to sign consent or share their records automatically, 982 adult patients presenting to an emergency department participated in a questionnaire-based interview. The majority (N = 906; 92.3%) were willing to share their data in a Health Information Exchange. Half (N = 490; 49.9%) reported routinely getting healthcare outside the system and 78.6 percent reported having records in other systems. Of those who were willing to share their data in a Health Information Exchange, 54.3 percent wanted to sign consent but 90 percent of those would waive consent in the case of an emergency. Privacy and security were primary concerns of patients not willing to participate in Health Information Exchange and preferring to sign consent. Improved privacy and security protections could increase participation, and findings support consideration of "break-the-glass" provider access to Health Information Exchange records in an emergent situation.

A Geometry Deformation Model for Braided Continuum Manipulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Hadi Sadati

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Continuum manipulators have gained significant attention in the robotic community due to their high dexterity, deformability, and reachability. Modeling of such manipulators has been shown to be very complex and challenging. Despite many research attempts, a general and comprehensive modeling method is yet to be established. In this paper, for the first time, we introduce the bending effect in the model of a braided extensile pneumatic actuator with both stiff and bendable threads. Then, the effect of the manipulator cross-section deformation on the constant curvature and variable curvature models is investigated using simple analytical results from a novel geometry deformation method and is compared to experimental results. We achieve 38% mean reference error simulation accuracy using our constant curvature model for a braided continuum manipulator in presence of body load and 10% using our variable curvature model in presence of extensive external loads. With proper model assumptions and taking to account the cross-section deformation, a 7–13% increase in the simulation mean error accuracy is achieved compared to a fixed cross-section model. The presented models can be used for the exact modeling and design optimization of compound continuum manipulators by providing an analytical tool for the sensitivity analysis of the manipulator performance. Our main aim is the application in minimal invasive manipulation with limited workspaces and manipulators with regional tunable stiffness in their cross section.

Information needs of patients with whiplash associated disorders: A Delphi study of patient beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterling, Joanna; Maujean, Annick; Sterling, Michele

2018-02-01

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) result in significant personal and economic costs. Patient education and reassurance are recommended treatments for acute WAD but the information needs of patients have not been investigated. To determine what information whiplash-injured patients believe is important to help recovery in the acute stage of injury. A Delphi design survey series with three rounds. Thirty-three participants who had sustained a whiplash injury within the last three years were invited to participate. Participants were asked to provide five statements, in response to an open-ended question, regarding what they believed was the most important information to provide to patients following a whiplash injury. Nineteen patients responded and 85 statements were collected and reviewed independently by two of the authors to remove duplicates. The importance of the remaining items was rated by the participants in the second survey round. Items rated by >50% of participants as important were included in the third survey round. To be deemed key information, >80% of participants had to rate an item as important in this final round. Eighteen items met the criteria for key information. These points addressed four areas: assessment and treatment, recovery and symptoms, patient attitudes during treatment and relationships with health practitioners. The key information points endorsed by patients in this study may provide useful information to constitute a basis for reassurance and education provided to patients with WAD. The results also suggest that improved relationships between patients with whiplash and health practitioners is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing primordial non-Gaussianity via iSW measurements with SKA continuum surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raccanelli, Alvise; Doré, Olivier, E-mail: alvise@jhu.edu, E-mail: olivier.dore@caltech.edu [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 (United States); Bacon, David J.; Maartens, Roy, E-mail: David.Bacon@port.ac.uk, E-mail: roy.maartens@gmail.com [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth P01 3FX (United Kingdom); and others

2015-01-01

The Planck CMB experiment has delivered the best constraints so far on primordial non-Gaussianity, ruling out early-Universe models of inflation that generate large non-Gaussianity. Although small improvements in the CMB constraints are expected, the next frontier of precision will come from future large-scale surveys of the galaxy distribution. The advantage of such surveys is that they can measure many more modes than the CMB—in particular, forthcoming radio surveys with the Square Kilometre Array will cover huge volumes. Radio continuum surveys deliver the largest volumes, but with the disadvantage of no redshift information. In order to mitigate this, we use two additional observables. First, the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect—the cross-correlation of the radio number counts with the CMB temperature anisotropies—helps to reduce systematics on the large scales that are sensitive to non-Gaussianity. Second, optical data allows for cross-identification in order to gain some redshift information. We show that, while the single redshift bin case can provide a σ(f{sub NL}) ∼ 20, and is therefore not competitive with current and future constraints on non-Gaussianity, a tomographic analysis could improve the constraints by an order of magnitude, even with only two redshift bins. A huge improvement is provided by the addition of high-redshift sources, so having cross-ID for high-z galaxies and an even higher-z radio tail is key to enabling very precise measurements of f{sub NL}. We use Fisher matrix forecasts to predict the constraining power in the case of no redshift information and the case where cross-ID allows a tomographic analysis, and we show that the constraints do not improve much with 3 or more bins. Our results show that SKA continuum surveys could provide constraints competitive with CMB and forthcoming optical surveys, potentially allowing a measurement of σ(f{sub NL}) ∼ 1 to be made. Moreover, these measurements would act as a useful check

Tailored patient information using a database system: Increasing patient compliance in a day surgery setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grode, Jesper Nicolai Riis; Grode, Louise; Steinsøe, Ulla

rehabilitation. The hospital is responsible of providing the patients with accurate information enabling the patient to prepare for surgery. Often patients are overloaded with uncoordinated information, letters and leaflets. The contribution of this project is a database system enabling health professionals...... to empower patients through tailored individualized information. Performing 6500 operations per year at our Day Surgery Centre, health professionals need a computer based system to create individualized information material. Health professionals must be able to adapt the information material quickly...... was established to support these requirements. A relational database system holds all information pieces in a granular, structured form. Each individual piece of information can be joined with other pieces thus supporting the tailoring of information. A web service layer caters for integration with output systems...

Continuum damage mechanics method for fatigue growth of surface cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Xiqiao; He Shuyan

1997-01-01

With the background of leak-before-break (LBB) analysis of pressurized vessels and pipes in nuclear plants, the fatigue growth problem of either circumferential or longitudinal semi-elliptical surface cracks subjected to cyclic loading is studied by using a continuum damage mechanics method. The fatigue damage is described by a scalar damage variable. From the damage evolution equation at the crack tip, a crack growth equation similar to famous Paris' formula is derived, which shows the physical meaning of Paris' formula. Thereby, a continuum damage mechanics approach is developed to analyze the configuration evolution of surface cracks during fatigue growth

Relativistic continuum physics for the description of heavy ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lukacs, Bela

1986-01-01

The application of relativistic continuum physics to the description of the nuclear fireball evolution from the start of expansion to the breaking is discussed. The basic formalism and basic assumptions of relativistic hydrodynamics and thermodynamics are analyzed in detail. The four basic assumptions are not valid in the case of nuclear fireball produced in heavy ion collisions, but thermodynamics can be extended in different ways to incorporate anisotropy, fluctuations, gradients and the lack of the local equilibrium. The extended continuum formalism is applicable to the description of the nuclear fireball dynamics, including the nuclear - quark matter phase transition. (D.Gy.)

Bound states in continuum: Quantum dots in a quantum well

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prodanović, Nikola, E-mail: elnpr@leeds.ac.uk [Institute of Microwaves and Photonics, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Milanović, Vitomir [School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 73, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Ikonić, Zoran; Indjin, Dragan; Harrison, Paul [Institute of Microwaves and Photonics, School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)

2013-11-01

We report on the existence of a bound state in the continuum (BIC) of quantum rods (QR). QRs are novel elongated InGaAs quantum dot nanostructures embedded in the shallower InGaAs quantum well. BIC appears as an excited confined dot state and energetically above the bottom of a well subband continuum. We prove that high height-to-diameter QR aspect ratio and the presence of a quantum well are indispensable conditions for accommodating the BIC. QRs are unique semiconductor nanostructures, exhibiting this mathematical curiosity predicted 83 years ago by Wigner and von Neumann.

Static third-harmonic lines in widely variable fiber continuum generation

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Haohua; Zhao, Youbo; Liu, Yuan; Boppart, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

An intriguing phenomenon of third-harmonic generation under fiber continuum generation is the emission of an anharmonic signal. One popular interpretation of this effect has developed into a general theory of fiber third-harmonic generation. Here we produce "static" third-harmonic lines dictated fully by fiber properties independent of pump parameters, in contrast to the signals of all known phase-matched nonlinear optical processes that vary dynamically with these parameters. We argue that the anharmonic signal is an illusion of the continuum generation, that it is in fact harmonic, and that this theory should be reevaluated.

Pattern approach to MR imaging in patients with end-stage hepatic failure: a proposal for a new disease entity 'hepatic encephalopathy continuum'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ho Kyun [Catholic University of Daegu, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Daegu (Korea); Lee, Hui Joong; Lee, Wonho; Kim, Yong Sun [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Daegu (Korea); Jang, Han Won [Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Daegu (Korea); Byun, Kyung Hwan [Pochon CHA University, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Kumi CHA Hospital, Kumi (Korea)

2008-08-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and the characteristics of MR images of patients with end-stage hepatic failure. We reviewed the MR findings and clinical features of 31 consecutive patients (20 men, 11 women=31, mean age 58.7 years) who had been diagnosed with clinical hepatic encephalopathy. Associations between the lesion locations on each MR sequence were analyzed using a binominal test. The clinical and MR findings were compared in relation to the etiology and clinical status. The most frequently involved site, seen as high signal intensity on T2-W images, was the corpus callosum (20 patients), followed by the dentate nucleus (16 patients) and the globus pallidus (13 patients). Significant associations were seen between the pallidus and the crus cerebri, between the crus cerebri and the red nucleus, between the crus cerebri and the dentate nucleus, and between the red nucleus and the dentate nucleus on the T2-W and DW images (P<0.004). The crus cerebri, red nucleus, and dentate nucleus were involved concurrently with the corpus callosum more frequently in hepatic encephalopathy grades 3 and 4. Concurrent involvement of the globus pallidus-crus cerebri-red nucleus-dentate nucleus axis was the main MR pattern in end-stage hepatic encephalopathy, which connected with various areas of the brain. We hypothesize that these overlapping MR features could be regarded as an entity denoted as the 'hepatic encephalopathy continuum'. (orig.)

Patient-provider discussion of online health information: results from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jae Eun

2013-01-01

Increasing numbers of people have turned to the Internet for health information. Little has been done beyond speculation to empirically investigate patients' discussion of online health information with health care professionals (HCPs) and patients' perception of HCPs' reactions to such discussion. The author analyzed data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) to identify the characteristics of patients (a) who search for health information on the Internet, (b) who discuss the information found on the Internet with HCPs, and (c) who positively assess HCPs' reaction to the online information. Findings show that men were more likely than were women to have a conversation on online information with HCPs. It is unfortunate that patients who had trouble understanding or trusting online health information were no more likely to ask questions to or seek guidance from HCPs. Reactions of HCPs to online information were perceived as particularly negative by certain groups of patients, such as those who experienced poor health and those who had more concerns about the quality of their searched information. Results are discussed for their implications for patient empowerment and patient-HCP relationships.

A Computerized Hospital Patient Information Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Wig, Eldon D.

1982-01-01

The information processing needs of a hospital are many, with varying degrees of complexity. The prime concern in providing an integrated hospital information management system lies in the ability to process the data relating to the single entity for which every hospital functions - the patient. This paper examines the PRIMIS computer system developed to accommodate hospital needs with respect to a central patient registry, inpatients (i.e., Admission/Transfer/Discharge), and out-patients. Finally, the potential for expansion to permit the incorporation of more hospital functions within PRIMIS is examined.

Development of patient centric virtual organizations (PCVOs) in clinical environment for patient information management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohyuddin; Gray, W A; Bailey, Hazel; Jones, Wendy; Morrey, David

2007-01-01

A novel Virtual Organization framework which incorporates wireless technology support is presented in the research work. The Virtual Organization is designed for a clinical environment to provide better patient information management and enhanced collaborative working of multidisciplinary care teams. The analysis studies the current clinical practices and looks at the general patient information resource structure currently in use for patient care. Based on this problem analysis and current requirements of the multi-disciplinary care team members, we propose a generic and sustainable Patient Centric Virtual Organization (PCVO) framework to complement the functionality of the existing infrastructure by incorporating wireless technologies support for improved patient information provision at the point of care. The preliminary results of the study identify and classify the specific point of care tasks suited to appropriate information resources needed by the care team members. This paper concentrates on the patient information management aspects brought in by incorporating wireless technologies at the point of care using patient information resources in a decentralized and distributed computing environment. This applied research is carried out in the secondary and tertiary care sector in the cancer domain. For the analysis and results of the pilot project, we have used a case study of a local NHS Cancer Hospital.

Inferring giant planets from ALMA millimeter continuum and line observations in (transition) disks

Science.gov (United States)

Facchini, S.; Pinilla, P.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; de Juan Ovelar, M.

2018-05-01

Context. Radial gaps or cavities in the continuum emission in the IR-mm wavelength range are potential signatures of protoplanets embedded in their natal protoplanetary disk are. Hitherto, models have relied on the combination of mm continuum observations and near-infrared scattered light images to put constraints on the properties of embedded planets. Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations are now probing spatially resolved rotational line emission of CO and other chemical species. These observations can provide complementary information on the mechanism carving the gaps in dust and additional constraints on the purported planet mass. Aims: We investigate whether the combination of ALMA continuum and CO line observations can constrain the presence and mass of planets embedded in protoplanetary disks. Methods: We post-processed azimuthally averaged 2D hydrodynamical simulations of planet-disk models, in which the dust densities and grain size distributions are computed with a dust evolution code that considers radial drift, fragmentation, and growth. The simulations explored various planet masses (1 MJ ≤ Mp ≤ 15 MJ) and turbulent parameters (10-4 ≤ α ≤ 10-3). The outputs were then post-processed with the thermochemical code DALI, accounting for the radially and vertically varying dust properties. We obtained the gas and dust temperature structures, chemical abundances, and synthetic emission maps of both thermal continuum and CO rotational lines. This is the first study combining hydrodynamical simulations, dust evolution, full radiative transfer, and chemistry to predict gas emission of disks hosting massive planets. Results: All radial intensity profiles of 12CO, 13CO, and C18O show a gap at the planet location. The ratio between the location of the gap as seen in CO and the peak in the mm continuum at the pressure maximum outside the orbit of the planet shows a clear dependence on planet mass and is independent of disk

Heavy quark masses in the continuum limit of quenched Lattice QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Divitiis, G.M.; Guagnelli, M.; Palombi, F.; Petronzio, R.; Tantalo, N.

2003-01-01

We compute charm and bottom quark masses in the quenched approximation and in the continuum limit of lattice QCD. We make use of a step scaling method, previously introduced to deal with two scale problems, that allows to take the continuum limit of the lattice data. We determine the RGI quark masses and make the connection to the MS-bar scheme. The continuum extrapolation gives us a value m b RGI =6.73(16) GeV for the b-quark and m c RGI =1.681(36) GeV for the c-quark, corresponding, respectively, to m b MS-bar (m b MS-bar =4.33(10) GeV and m c MS-bar (m c MS-bar =1.319(28) GeV. The latter result, in agreement with current estimates, is for us a check of the method. Using our results on the heavy quark masses we compute the mass of the B c meson, M B c =6.46(15) GeV

Landau-Zener transitions and Dykhne formula in a simple continuum model

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, Yujin; Garmon, Savannah

The Landau-Zener model describing the interaction between two linearly driven discrete levels is useful in describing many simple dynamical systems; however, no system is completely isolated from the surrounding environment. Here we examine a generalizations of the original Landau-Zener model to study simple environmental influences. We consider a model in which one of the discrete levels is replaced with a energy continuum, in which we find that the survival probability for the initially occupied diabatic level is unaffected by the presence of the continuum. This result can be predicted by assuming that each step in the evolution for the diabatic state evolves independently according to the Landau-Zener formula, even in the continuum limit. We also show that, at least for the simplest model, this result can also be predicted with the natural generalization of the Dykhne formula for open systems. We also observe dissipation as the non-escape probability from the discrete levels is no longer equal to one.

Series Pneumatic Artificial Muscles (sPAMs) and Application to a Soft Continuum Robot.

Science.gov (United States)

Greer, Joseph D; Morimoto, Tania K; Okamura, Allison M; Hawkes, Elliot W

2017-01-01

We describe a new series pneumatic artificial muscle (sPAM) and its application as an actuator for a soft continuum robot. The robot consists of three sPAMs arranged radially round a tubular pneumatic backbone. Analogous to tendons, the sPAMs exert a tension force on the robot's pneumatic backbone, causing bending that is approximately constant curvature. Unlike a traditional tendon driven continuum robot, the robot is entirely soft and contains no hard components, making it safer for human interaction. Models of both the sPAM and soft continuum robot kinematics are presented and experimentally verified. We found a mean position accuracy of 5.5 cm for predicting the end-effector position of a 42 cm long robot with the kinematic model. Finally, closed-loop control is demonstrated using an eye-in-hand visual servo control law which provides a simple interface for operation by a human. The soft continuum robot with closed-loop control was found to have a step-response rise time and settling time of less than two seconds.

Continuum photon spectrum from Z1Z1 annihilations in universal extra dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melbéus, Henrik; Merle, Alexander; Ohlsson, Tommy

2012-01-01

We calculate the continuum photon spectrum from the pair annihilation of a Z 1 LKP in non-minimal universal extra dimensions. We find that, due to the preferred annihilation into W + W - pairs, the continuum flux of collinear photons is relatively small compared to the standard case of the B 1 as the LKP. This conclusion applies in particular to the spectral endpoint, where also the additional fermionic contributions are not large enough to increase the flux significantly. When searching for the line signal originating from Z 1 Z 1 annihilations, this is actually a perfect situation, since the continuum signal can be regarded as background to the smoking gun signature of a peak in the photon flux at an energy that is nearly equal to the mass of the dark matter particle. This signal, in combination with (probably) a non-observation of the continuum signal at lower photon energies, constitutes a perfect handle to probe the hypothesis of the Z 1 LKP being the dominant component of the dark matter observed in the Universe.

Factors affecting patients' online health information-seeking behaviours: The role of the Patient Health Engagement (PHE) Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Graffigna, Guendalina; Barello, Serena; Bonanomi, Andrea; Riva, Giuseppe

2017-10-01

To identify the variables affecting patients' online health information-seeking behaviours by examining the relationships between patient participation in their healthcare and online health information-seeking behaviours. A cross-sectional survey of Italian chronic patients (N=352) was conducted on patient's online health information-seeking behaviours and patient participation-related variables. Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted to test the hypothesis. This study showed how the healthcare professionals' ability to support chronic patients' autonomy affect patients' participation in their healthcare and patient's online health information-seeking behaviours. However, results do not confirm that the frequency of patients' online health-information seeking behavior has an impact on their adherence to medical prescriptions. Assuming a psychosocial perspective, we have discussed how patients' engagement - conceived as the level of their emotional elaboration of the health condition - affects the patients' ability to search for and manage online health information. To improve the effectiveness of patients' online health information-seeking behaviours and to enhance the effectiveness of technological interventions in this field, healthcare providers should target assessing and improving patient engagement and patient empowerment in their healthcare. It is important that health professionals acknowledge patients' online health information-seeking behaviours that they discuss the information offered by patients and guide them to reliable and accurate web sources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Informed consent for phase I studies: evaluation of quantity and quality of information provided to patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomamichel, M; Sessa, C; Herzig, S; de Jong, J; Pagani, O; Willems, Y; Cavalli, F

1995-04-01

The process by which patients are informed and their consent is obtained in phase I trials has thus far been only marginally studied. Since 1986 we have followed an oral procedure, consisting of three consecutive conversations in which the investigator responsible for phase I studies, the research nurse and the patients' relatives and/or friends also participate, followed by the patients signing of a written consent form. It is required that six items of information considered essential by our staff be conveyed to patients by the responsible investigator. Meerwein's model, which defines three main dimensions of the informing process (the information itself, the emotional and interactive aspects), has been studied to ascertain whether it can be applied to evaluate the quality of the information proffered. Thirty-two conversations were taped, transcribed and evaluated by one psychiatrist and one psychologist. A quantitative analysis of information was performed by calculating the number of patients to whom the essential items of information had been conveyed. The qualitative analysis was performed by rating on a five-point scoring system, from 1 (very bad) to 5 (excellent), the three dimensions of the informing process for each patient and by calculating for each dimension the mean score of the constituent items. Complete information about the characteristics of the phase I drug and the modalities of the treatment and follow up was given to almost 80% of the patients. All but one of the items of the information dimension scored 3.5 or higher, with the one related to the assessment by the doctor of the patient's understanding at the end of the consultation scoring less than 3 in 53% of the patients. All items of the emotional dimension scored higher than 3.5. Greater difficulty was encountered by the physician with the interactive dimension, the lowest mean scores being reported on the items related to the doctor's awareness of the indirectly expressed anxieties of

Delivering Breast Reconstruction Information to Patients: Women Report on Preferred Information Delivery Styles and Options.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Carmen; Sharma, Vishal; Temple-Oberle, Claire

2018-02-01

To discover missed opportunities for providing information to women undergoing breast reconstruction in an effort to decrease regret and improve patient education, teaching modalities, and satisfaction. Thirty- to 45-minute semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring patient experiences with information provision on breast reconstruction. Purposeful sampling was used to include women with a variety of reconstruction types at different time points along their recovery. Using grounded theory methodology, 2 independent reviewers analyzed the transcripts and generated thematic codes based on patient responses. BREAST-Q scores were also collected to compare satisfaction scores with qualitative responses. Patients were interested in a wide variety of topics related to breast reconstruction including the pros and cons of different options, nipple-sparing mastectomies, immediate breast reconstruction, oncological safety/monitoring and the impact of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, secondary procedures (balancing, nipple reconstruction), post-operative recovery, and long-term expectations. Patients valued accessing information from multiple sources, seeing numerous photographs, being guided to reliable information online, and having access to a frequently asked questions file or document. Information delivery via interaction with medical personnel and previously reconstructed patients was most appreciated. Compared with BREAST-Q scores for satisfaction with the plastic surgeon (mean: 95.7, range: 60-100), informational satisfaction scores were lower at 74.7 (50-100), confirming the informational gaps expressed by interviewees. Women having recently undergone breast reconstruction reported key deficiencies in information provided prior to surgery and identified preferred information delivery options. Addressing women's educational needs is important to achieve appropriate expectations and improve satisfaction.

PATI: Patient accessed tailored information: A pilot study to evaluate the effect on preoperative breast cancer patients of information delivered via a mobile application.

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, N M; O'Connell, E P; Lehane, E A; Livingstone, V; Maher, B; Kaimkhani, S; Cil, T; Relihan, N; Bennett, M W; Redmond, H P; Corrigan, M A

2016-12-01

The information needs of cancer patients are highly variable. Literature suggests an improved ability to modulate personalised stress, increased patient involvement with decision making, greater satisfaction with treatment choices and reduced anxiety levels in cancer patients who have access to information. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effects of a mobile information application on anxiety levels of patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. An application was developed for use with Apple iPad containing information on basic breast cancer biology, different treatments used and surgical techniques. Content and face validity studies were performed. A randomized control trial was designed, with a 1:2 allocation. Data collected include basic demographics and type of surgery. Questionnaires used included: the HADS, Mini-MAC, information technology familiarity and information satisfaction. A total of 39 women participated. 13 women had access to an iPad containing additional information and 26 women acted as controls. The mean age was 54 and technology familiarity was similar among both groups. Anxiety and depression scores at seven days were significantly lower in control patients without access to the additional information provided by the mobile application (p = 0.022 and 0.029 respectively). Anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients is both multifactorial and significant, with anxiety levels directly correlating with reduced quality of life. Intuitively, information should improve anxiety levels, however, we have demonstrated that surgical patients with less information reported significantly lower anxiety. We advise the thorough testing and auditing of information initiatives before deployment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Double photoionization of helium: A new correlated double continuum wave function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macri, P.A.; Kornberg, M.A.; Miraglia, J.E. [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Inst. de Astron. y Fisica del Espacio; Garibotti, C.R.; Gasaneo, G.; Colavecchia, F.D. [Centro Atomico Bariloche, Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, 8400 S.C. de Bariloche, Rio Negro (Argentina)

1997-10-01

In this work we discuss the failures and goodness of using the product of two and three Coulomb waves to represent the double-continuum wave function of two electrons in the field of an ion. Furthermore, we present a new wave function for the double continuum, which takes into account the non-diagonal part of the kinetic energy. It satisfies the correct boundary conditions for large particle separations, and treats the electronic interaction in a more realistic way than the previously enunciated models. (orig.). 14 refs.

Informed patients: legal fiction or reality?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brink-Muinen, A. van den; Dulmen, S. van; Bensing, J.

2003-01-01

Background: Shared decision making is based on the assumption that it is acceptable, even important and probably favourable to involve patients in the decision-making process. To achieve this goal, patients need to be informed about the content and the aim of the treatment, alternative treatments,

Topology and layout optimization of discrete and continuum structures

Science.gov (United States)

Bendsoe, Martin P.; Kikuchi, Noboru

1993-01-01

The basic features of the ground structure method for truss structure an continuum problems are described. Problems with a large number of potential structural elements are considered using the compliance of the structure as the objective function. The design problem is the minimization of compliance for a given structural weight, and the design variables for truss problems are the cross-sectional areas of the individual truss members, while for continuum problems they are the variable densities of material in each of the elements of the FEM discretization. It is shown how homogenization theory can be applied to provide a relation between material density and the effective material properties of a periodic medium with a known microstructure of material and voids.

Antieigenvalue analysis for continuum mechanics, economics, and number theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustafson Karl

2016-01-01

Full Text Available My recent book Antieigenvalue Analysis, World-Scientific, 2012, presented the theory of antieigenvalues from its inception in 1966 up to 2010, and its applications within those forty-five years to Numerical Analysis, Wavelets, Statistics, Quantum Mechanics, Finance, and Optimization. Here I am able to offer three further areas of application: Continuum Mechanics, Economics, and Number Theory. In particular, the critical angle of repose in a continuum model of granular materials is shown to be exactly my matrix maximum turning angle of the stress tensor of the material. The important Sharpe ratio of the Capital Asset Pricing Model is now seen in terms of my antieigenvalue theory. Euclid’s Formula for Pythagorean triples becomes a special case of my operator trigonometry.

What information do patients need following a whiplash injury? The perspectives of patients and physiotherapists.

Science.gov (United States)

Maujean, Annick; Sterling, Joanna; Sterling, Michele

2018-05-01

The aims of the present study were to identify information that individuals with whiplash associated disorders (WAD) need to know in the early stages of recovery and to establish whether there is a difference between what physiotherapists and whiplash-injured patients perceive as important information. Forty-one participants were recruited (20 whiplash-injured patients, 21 physiotherapists). Participants were asked to provide five statements to one open-ended question about what they believe is the most important information individuals with WAD need to know in the early stages of recovery. Participants provided 182 statements which were reviewed independently and organised into themes by two of the authors. Six key themes emerged from the statements. These included general information about whiplash injury, treatment and recovery, reassurance, provision of poor information and patients' interaction with general practitioners, maintaining daily activities, and compensation claims and litigation. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed on the type of general whiplash information that should be provided however, major differences were found with regard to information pertaining to compensation claims and litigation and maintaining daily activities. The findings of this study provide some insight into the type of information that WAD individuals require in the early stages of recovery. Implications for Rehabilitation The provision of reassurance can be an effective communication tool to decrease patients concerns about their injury and help strengthen the patient-health practitioner relationship. Although clinical guidelines for the management of whiplash injuries recommend that individuals must remain physically active post-injury, statements from the patient group indicate that this information is not always provided and clearly explained to patients. Keeping in line with the patient centred care approach of being responsive to patient needs and values, it is

Multiple Temperature Model for Near Continuum Flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

XU, Kun; Liu, Hongwei; Jiang, Jianzheng

2007-01-01

In the near continuum flow regime, the flow may have different translational temperatures in different directions. It is well known that for increasingly rarefied flow fields, the predictions from continuum formulation, such as the Navier-Stokes equations, lose accuracy. These inaccuracies may be partially due to the single temperature assumption in the Navier-Stokes equations. Here, based on the gas-kinetic Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) equation, a multitranslational temperature model is proposed and used in the flow calculations. In order to fix all three translational temperatures, two constraints are additionally proposed to model the energy exchange in different directions. Based on the multiple temperature assumption, the Navier-Stokes relation between the stress and strain is replaced by the temperature relaxation term, and the Navier-Stokes assumption is recovered only in the limiting case when the flow is close to the equilibrium with the same temperature in different directions. In order to validate the current model, both the Couette and Poiseuille flows are studied in the transition flow regime

The impact of health information technology on patient safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Yasser K; Federico, Frank

2017-12-01

Since the original Institute of Medicine (IOM) report was published there has been an accelerated development and adoption of health information technology with varying degrees of evidence about the impact of health information technology on patient safety.  This article is intended to review the current available scientific evidence on the impact of different health information technologies on improving patient safety outcomes. We conclude that health information technology improves patient's safety by reducing medication errors, reducing adverse drug reactions, and improving compliance to practice guidelines. There should be no doubt that health information technology is an important tool for improving healthcare quality and safety. Healthcare organizations need to be selective in which technology to invest in, as literature shows that some technologies have limited evidence in improving patient safety outcomes.

Identity of Particles and Continuum Hypothesis

Science.gov (United States)

Berezin, Alexander A.

2001-04-01

Why all electrons are the same? Unlike other objects, particles and atoms (same isotopes) are forbidden to have individuality or personal history (or reveal their hidden variables, even if they do have them). Or at least, what we commonly call physics so far was unable to disprove particle's sameness (Berezin and Nakhmanson, Physics Essays, 1990). Consider two opposing hypotheses: (A) particles are indeed absolutely same, or (B) they do have individuality, but it is beyond our capacity to demonstrate. This dilemma sounds akin to undecidability of Continuum Hypothesis of existence (or not) of intermediate cardinalities between integers and reals (P.Cohen). Both yes and no of it are true. Thus, (alleged) sameness of electrons and atoms may be a physical translation (embodiment) of this fundamental Goedelian undecidability. Experiments unlikely to help: even if we find that all electrons are same within 30 decimal digits, could their masses (or charges) still differ in100-th digit? Within (B) personalized informationally rich (infinitely rich?) digital tails (starting at, say, 100-th decimal) may carry individual record of each particle history. Within (A) parameters (m, q) are indeed exactly same in all digits and their sameness is based on some inherent (meta)physical principle akin to Platonism or Eddington-type numerology.

Nematic Liquid Crystals: From Maier-Saupe to a Continuum Theory

KAUST Repository

Ball, John M.

2010-07-20

We define a continuum energy functional that effectively interpolates between the mean-field Maier-Saupe energy and the continuum Landau-de Gennes energy functional and can describe both spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous systems. In the mean-field approach the main macroscopic variable, the Q-tensor order parameter, is defined in terms of the second moment of a probability distribution function. This definition imposes certain constraints on the eigenvalues of the Q-tensor order parameter, which may be interpreted as physical constraints. We define a thermotropic bulk potential which blows up whenever the eigenvalues of the Q-tensor order parameter approach physically unrealistic values. As a consequence, the minimizers of this continuum energy functional have physically realistic order parameters in all temperature regimes. We study the asymptotics of this bulk potential and show that this model also predicts a first-order nematic-isotropic phase transition, whilst respecting the physical constraints. In contrast, in the Landau-de Gennes framework the Q-tensor order parameter is often defined independently of the probability distribution function, and the theory makes physically unrealistic predictions about the equilibrium order parameters in the low-temperature regime. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Continuum limit of gl(M vertical stroke N) spin chains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Candu, Constantin [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany). Gruppe Theorie

2011-03-15

We study the spectrum of an integrable antiferromagnetic Hamiltonian of the gl(M vertical stroke N) spin chain of alternating fundamental and dual representations. After extensive numerical analysis, we identify the vacuum and low lying excitations and with this knowledge perform the continuum limit, while keeping a finite gap. All antiferromagnetic gl(n+N vertical stroke N) spin chains with n>0 and N{ne}0 are shown to possess in the continuum limit 2n-2 multiplets of massive particles which scatter with gl(n) Gross-Neveu like S-matrices, namely their eigenvalues do not depend on N. We argue that the continuum theory is the gl(M vertical stroke N) Gross-Neveu model, that is the massive deformation of the gl(M vertical stroke N){sub 1} Wess-Zumino-Witten model. As we can see ion the example of gl(2m vertical stroke 1) spin chains, the full particle spectrum is much richer. Our analysis suggests that for a complete characterization of the latter it is not enough to restrict to large volume calculations, as we do in this work. (orig.)

Continuum modelling for carbon and boron nitride nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thamwattana, Ngamta; Hill, James M

2007-01-01

Continuum based models are presented here for certain boron nitride and carbon nanostructures. In particular, certain fullerene interactions, C 60 -C 60 , B 36 N 36 -B 36 N 36 and C 60 -B 36 N 36 , and fullerene-nanotube oscillator interactions, C 60 -boron nitride nanotube, C 60 -carbon nanotube, B 36 N 36 -boron nitride nanotube and B 36 N 36 -carbon nanotube, are studied using the Lennard-Jones potential and the continuum approach, which assumes a uniform distribution of atoms on the surface of each molecule. Issues regarding the encapsulation of a fullerene into a nanotube are also addressed, including acceptance and suction energies of the fullerenes, preferred position of the fullerenes inside the nanotube and the gigahertz frequency oscillation of the inner molecule inside the outer nanotube. Our primary purpose here is to extend a number of established results for carbon to the boron nitride nanostructures

Continuum mechanical and computational aspects of material behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fried, Eliot; Gurtin, Morton E.

2000-02-10

The focus of the work is the application of continuum mechanics to materials science, specifically to the macroscopic characterization of material behavior at small length scales. The long-term goals are a continuum-mechanical framework for the study of materials that provides a basis for general theories and leads to boundary-value problems of physical relevance, and computational methods appropriate to these problems supplemented by physically meaningful regularizations to aid in their solution. Specific studies include the following: the development of a theory of polycrystalline plasticity that incorporates free energy associated with lattice mismatch between grains; the development of a theory of geometrically necessary dislocations within the context of finite-strain plasticity; the development of a gradient theory for single-crystal plasticity with geometrically necessary dislocations; simulations of dynamical fracture using a theory that allows for the kinking and branching of cracks; computation of segregation and compaction in flowing granular materials.

Nano-Continuum Modeling of a Nuclear Glass Specimen Altered for 25 Years

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steefel, Carl

2014-01-06

The purpose of this contribution is to report on preliminary nano-continuum scale modeling of nuclear waste glass corrosion. The focus of the modeling is an experiment involving a French glass SON68 specimen leached for 25 years in a granitic environment. In this report, we focus on capturing the nano-scale concentration profiles. We use a high resolution continuum model with a constant grid spacing of 1 nanometer to investigate the glass corrosion mechanisms.

Systematic classical continuum limits of integrable spin chains and emerging novel dualities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avan, Jean; Doikou, Anastasia; Sfetsos, Konstadinos

2010-01-01

We examine certain classical continuum long wave-length limits of prototype integrable quantum spin chains. We define the corresponding construction of classical continuum Lax operators. Our discussion starts with the XXX chain, the anisotropic Heisenberg model and their generalizations and extends to the generic isotropic and anisotropic gl n magnets. Certain classical and quantum integrable models emerging from special 'dualities' of quantum spin chains, parametrized by c-number matrices, are also presented.

Continuum theory for nanotube piezoelectricity.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalski, P J; Sai, Na; Mele, E J

2005-09-09

We develop and solve a continuum theory for the piezoelectric response of one-dimensional nanotubes and nanowires, and apply the theory to study electromechanical effects in boron-nitride nanotubes. We find that the polarization of a nanotube depends on its aspect ratio, and a dimensionless constant specifying the ratio of the strengths of the elastic and electrostatic interactions. The solutions of the model as these two parameters are varied are discussed. The theory is applied to estimate the electric potential induced along the length of a boron-nitride nanotube in response to a uniaxial stress.

Modelos contínuos do solvente: fundamentos Continuum solvation models: fundamentals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josefredo R. Pliego Jr

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Continuum solvation models are nowadays widely used in the modeling of solvent effects and the range of applications goes from the calculation of partition coefficients to chemical reactions in solution. The present work presents a detailed explanation of the physical foundations of continuum models. We discuss the polarization of a dielectric and its representation through the volume and surface polarization charges. The Poisson equation for a dielectric was obtained and we have also derived and discuss the apparent surface charge method and its application for free energy of solvation calculations.

[From Aliya to immigration, or the reading of a migratory continuum].

Science.gov (United States)

Berthomiere, W

1996-01-01

The author aims "to redraw the migratory trajectories which followed one another from the birth of the State [of Israel] until now....[He reads] these mobilities with the idea of [investigating] the migratory continuum in which the dialectic ¿centre-periphery' has with time become more complicated and more diversified. [The] reading presents the main periods of this continuum through a description of the Jewish mobilities and their impacts on the edification of the Israeli national ethos....[The author analyzes] the transformation in the ¿Israel-Diaspora' relations and [identifies] post-Zionist Jewish territoriality." (EXCERPT)

Control of density fluctuations in atomistic-continuum simulations of dense liquids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kotsalis, E.M.; Walther, Jens Honore; Koumoutsakos, P.

2007-01-01

with a continuum solver for the simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations. The lack of periodic boundary conditions in the molecular dynamics simulations hinders the proper accounting for the virial pressure leading to spurious density fluctuations at the continuum-atomistic interface. An ad hoc boundary force...... is usually employed to remedy this situation.We propose the calculation of this boundary force using a control algorithm that explicitly cancels the density fluctuations. The results demonstrate that the present approach outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. The conceptual and algorithmic simplicity...

Continuum-Kinetic Models and Numerical Methods for Multiphase Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Nault, Isaac Michael

This thesis presents a continuum-kinetic approach for modeling general problems in multiphase solid mechanics. In this context, a continuum model refers to any model, typically on the macro-scale, in which continuous state variables are used to capture the most important physics: conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. A kinetic model refers to any model, typically on the meso-scale, which captures the statistical motion and evolution of microscopic entitites. Multiphase phenomena usually involve non-negligible micro or meso-scopic effects at the interfaces between phases. The approach developed in the thesis attempts to combine the computational performance benefits of a continuum model with the physical accuracy of a kinetic model when applied to a multiphase problem. The approach is applied to modeling a single particle impact in Cold Spray, an engineering process that intimately involves the interaction of crystal grains with high-magnitude elastic waves. Such a situation could be classified a multiphase application due to the discrete nature of grains on the spatial scale of the problem. For this application, a hyper elasto-plastic model is solved by a finite volume method with approximate Riemann solver. The results of this model are compared for two types of plastic closure: a phenomenological macro-scale constitutive law, and a physics-based meso-scale Crystal Plasticity model.

Exploring open innovation with a patient focus in drug discovery: an evolving paradigm of patient engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Allarakhia, Minna

2015-06-01

It is suggested in this article that patient engagement should occur further upstream during the drug discovery stage. 'Lead patients', namely those patients who are proactive with respect to their health, possess knowledge of their disease and resulting symptoms. They are also well informed about the conventional as well as non-conventional treatments for disease management; and so can provide a nuanced perspective to drug design. Understanding how patients view the management of their diseases and how they view the use of conventional versus non-conventional interventions is of imperative importance to researchers. Indeed, this can provide insight into how conventional treatments might be designed from the outset to encourage compliance and positive health outcomes. Consequently, a continuum of lead patient engagement is employed that focuses on drug discovery processes ranging from participative, informative to collaborative engagement. This article looks at a variety of open innovation models that are currently employed across this engagement spectrum. It is no longer sufficient for industry stakeholders to consider conventional therapies as the only mechanisms being sought after by patients. Without patient engagement, the industry risks being re-prioritized in terms of its role in the patient journey towards not only recovery of health, but also sustained health and wellness before disease onset.

Perceptions of pharmacists and patients on information provision and their influence on patient satisfaction in Japanese community pharmacies.

Science.gov (United States)

Takaki, Hiroko; Abe, Takeru; Hagihara, Akihito

2015-12-01

The provision of information is now considered a major area in pharmacist-patient interactions. However, few reports have simultaneously evaluated patient and pharmacist perceptions with regard to the pharmacist's information provision. The aims were to clarify the perceptions of pharmacists and patients regarding information provision and the level of influence of those perceptions on patient satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey with respect to information provision was conducted for patients and pharmacists in community pharmacies in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. In total, 407 patient-pharmacist pairs were included in a t-test and multilevel analysis. The levels of patient perception regarding information provision were significantly higher than the levels of pharmacist perception in all variables. The pharmacists' perceived level of information provision concerning medication effects had a negative and significant association with patient satisfaction, while the patients' perceived level of information provision by the pharmacist had a positive and significant association with patient satisfaction. Higher patient expectations regarding the level of information provision concerning medication side effects and older age of the pharmacist were adversely related to patient satisfaction. Both pharmacist and patient perceptions of the information provision by pharmacists personalized to the patient had positive associations with patient satisfaction. Pharmacist perceptions related to the information provision were not associated with patient satisfaction. The present study highlights accurate information provision, building good patient-pharmacist relationships, and improving pharmaceutical care in community pharmacy settings. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How do we model continuum QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornwall, J.M.

1986-01-01

The nonperturbative aspects of continuum QCD are so complex that one can only hope to approach them through well-motivated models. The author reviews the general properties that any such model must have, based on the understanding of the gluon condensate in the QCD vacuum. A specific, practical model is proposed motivated by a picture of the condensate as made of thick vortex sheets self-consistently constructed from dynamically massive gluons. (author)

Numerical Simulation of Transitional, Hypersonic Flows using a Hybrid Particle-Continuum Method

Science.gov (United States)

Verhoff, Ashley Marie

Analysis of hypersonic flows requires consideration of multiscale phenomena due to the range of flight regimes encountered, from rarefied conditions in the upper atmosphere to fully continuum flow at low altitudes. At transitional Knudsen numbers there are likely to be localized regions of strong thermodynamic nonequilibrium effects that invalidate the continuum assumptions of the Navier-Stokes equations. Accurate simulation of these regions, which include shock waves, boundary and shear layers, and low-density wakes, requires a kinetic theory-based approach where no prior assumptions are made regarding the molecular distribution function. Because of the nature of these types of flows, there is much to be gained in terms of both numerical efficiency and physical accuracy by developing hybrid particle-continuum simulation approaches. The focus of the present research effort is the continued development of the Modular Particle-Continuum (MPC) method, where the Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques in regions of the flow field where continuum assumptions are valid, and the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is used where strong thermodynamic nonequilibrium effects are present. Numerical solutions of transitional, hypersonic flows are thus obtained with increased physical accuracy relative to CFD alone, and improved numerical efficiency is achieved in comparison to DSMC alone because this more computationally expensive method is restricted to those regions of the flow field where it is necessary to maintain physical accuracy. In this dissertation, a comprehensive assessment of the physical accuracy of the MPC method is performed, leading to the implementation of a non-vacuum supersonic outflow boundary condition in particle domains, and more consistent initialization of DSMC simulator particles along hybrid interfaces. The relative errors between MPC and full DSMC results are greatly reduced as a

HYBRID CONTINUUM-DISCONTINUUM MODELLING OF ROCK FRACUTRE PROCESS IN BRAZILIAN TENSILE STRENGTH TEST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huaming An

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A hybrid continuum-discontinuum method is introduced to model the rock failure process in Brazilian tensile strength (BTS test. The key component of the hybrid continuum-discontinuum method, i.e. transition from continuum to discontinuum through fracture and fragmentation, is introduced in detail. A laboratory test is conducted first to capture the rock fracture pattern in the BTS test while the tensile strength is calculated according to the peak value of the loading forces. Then the proposed method is used to model the rock behaviour during BTS test. The stress propagation is modelled and compared with those modelled by finite element method in literatures. In addition, the crack initiation and propagation are captured and compared with the facture patter in laboratory test. Moreover, the force-loading displacement curve is obtained which represents a typical brittle material failure process. Furthermore, the stress distributions along the vertical direction are compared with the theoretical solution. It is concluded that the hybrid continuum-discontinuum method can model the stress propagation process and the entire rock failure process in BTS test. The proposed method is a valuable numerical tool for studying the rock behaviour involving the fracture and fragmentation processes.

Hybrid molecular–continuum methods: From prototypes to coupling software

KAUST Repository

Neumann, Philipp; Eckhardt, Wolfgang; Bungartz, Hans-Joachim

2014-01-01

In this contribution, we review software requirements in hybrid molecular-continuum simulations. For this purpose, we analyze a prototype implementation which combines two frameworks-the Molecular Dynamics framework MarDyn and the framework Peano

Information needs of patients with spondyloarthritis about their disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Almodóvar, Raquel; Gratacós, Jordi; Zarco, Pedro

2017-06-02

1. To describe the information provided to, or inquired about, by patients with axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis. 2. To analyze improvements. Analysis of the discourse of focus groups (with patients, some of them from patient associations, and rheumatologists). The discussion included the identification of elements that shape the reality being studied, describing the relationship among them and summarizing the results by: 1)thematic segmentation; 2)categorization according to situations, relationships, opinions, feelings or others; 3)coding of the various categories, and 4)interpretation of results. Representativeness was ensured by using a typological framework. Rheumatologists are the main source of information. Patient associations have a fundamental role and are well-regarded. Internet is used with caution due to its limited reliability. Patients are interested in: disease characteristics and treatments, the course and prognosis, and social, administrative and other kinds of support. More information is needed (objective and constructive, avoiding a catastrophic tone); it should be provided progressively, adjusted to patients features and needs. There are areas for improvement including: the standardization and updating of contents (based on scientific evidence), the optimization of informative materials (written, electronic), and other resources such as nursing and primary care. Rheumatologists are the main and most reliable source of information for patients with spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Patient associations have an important role and are well-regarded. Changes in the content, format and sources of information are required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Coupling effects of resonant and discretized non-resonant continuum states in 4He+6Li scattering at 10 MeV/A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, T.; Kanungo, R.; Samanta, C.; Ghosh, S.; Basu, P.; Rebel, H.

1996-01-01

Alpha- particle scattering from the resonant (3 + 1 ) and non-resonant continuum states of 6 Li is studied at incident energy 10 MeV/A. The α+d breakup continuum part within the excitation energy E ex = 1.475-2.475 MeV is discretized in two energy bins. Unlike the results at higher incident energies, here the coupled-channel calculations show significant breakup continuum coupling effects on the elastic and inelastic scattering. It is shown that even when the continuum-continuum coupling effects are strong, the experimental data of the ground state and the resonant as well as discretized non-resonant continuum states impose stringent constraint on the coupling strengths of the non-resonant continuum states. (orig.). With 2 figs., 1 tab

The continuum of monocyte phenotypes: Experimental evidence and prognostic utility in assessing cardiovascular risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Cignarella, Andrea; Tedesco, Serena; Cappellari, Roberta; Fadini, Gian Paolo

2018-03-30

The monocyte-macrophage cell lineage represents a major player in innate immunity, and is involved in many physiologic and pathologic conditions. Particularly, monocyte-macrophages play a very important role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Monocyte heterogeneity is well recognized but the biologic and clinical meaning of the various monocyte subtypes is not entirely understood. Traditionally, monocytes can be divided in classical, intermediate, and nonclassical based on expression of the surface antigens CD14 and CD16. While macrophage diversity is now well recognized to organize as a continuum, monocyte subsets have long been considered as separated entities. However, mounting evidence obtained by tracking the ontology of human monocytes help clarifying that monocytes mature from classical to nonclassical ones, through an intermediate phenotype. This concept is therefore best depicted as a continuum, whereas the subdivision into discrete CD14/CD16 subsets appears an oversimplification. In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting the existence of a monocyte continuum along with the technical challenges of monocyte characterization. In particular, we describe the advantage of considering monocytes along a continuous distribution for the evaluation of cardiovascular risk. We make the point that small transition along the monocyte continuum better reflects cardiovascular risk than a simplified analysis of discrete monocyte subsets. Recognizing the monocyte continuum can be helpful to model other pathophysiologic conditions where these cells are involved. ©2018 Society for Leukocyte Biology.

Non compact continuum limit of two coupled Potts models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernier, Éric; Jacobsen, Jesper Lykke; Saleur, Hubert

2014-01-01

We study two Q-state Potts models coupled by the product of their energy operators, in the regime 2  3 (2) vertex model. It corresponds to a selfdual system of two antiferromagnetic Potts models, coupled ferromagnetically. We derive the Bethe ansatz equations and study them numerically for two arbitrary twist angles. The continuum limit is shown to involve two compact bosons and one non compact boson, with discrete states emerging from the continuum at appropriate twists. The non compact boson entails strong logarithmic corrections to the finite-size behaviour of the scaling levels, an understanding of which allows us to correct an earlier proposal for some of the critical exponents. In particular, we infer the full set of magnetic scaling dimensions (watermelon operators) of the Potts model. (paper)

Continuum de Auto-Determinação: validade para a sua aplicação no contexto desportivo Self-Determination Continuum: validity for its application in the sport's context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helder Miguel Fernandes

2005-12-01

Full Text Available A motivação intrínseca e os seus benefícios têm sido uma das principais áreas de investigação da Psicologia do Desporto. Contudo, o mesmo não se verifica quanto ao conhecimento do modo como os comportamentos são regulados e internalizados intrinsecamente pelos indivíduos. O propósito do presente estudo foi definir a validade de aplicação do continuum de auto-determinação (Deci & Ryan, 1985 no contexto da Educação Física. Uma amostra de 1099 alunos (544 moças e 555 rapazes com uma média de 14,66±0,75 anos de idade, respondeu a uma adaptação e tradução do questionário de Goudas, Biddle e Fox (1994 que visa medir as formas motivacionais definidas no continuum. Os procedimentos de modelação por equações estruturais evidenciaram suporte empírico para a utilização do continuum de auto-determinação na compreensão do modo como os alunos regulam intrinsecamente o seu comportamento neste contexto. São sugeridas algumas linhas de intervenção considerando os resultados obtidos.Intrinsic motivation and associated benefits has been one of the main investigation areas in Sport Psychology. However, the same is not denoted for the knowledge as behaviors are intrinsically regulated and internalized by individuals. The purpose of the present study is to define the validity of the self-determination's continuum application (Deci & Ryan, 1985 in the Physical Education context. A sample of 1099 students (544 girls and 555 boys with an average age of 14.66±0.75 years old answered an adaptation and translation of the Goudas, Biddle and Fox (1994 questionnaire that measures the motivational types delimited in the continuum. Structural equation modeling procedures evidenced empiric support for the self-determination's continuum use in the understanding of the way students intrinsically regulate their behavior in this context. Some lines of intervention are suggested considering the obtained results.

Evaluating radiotherapy patients' need for information: a study using a patient information booklet; Evaluation des besoins en information des patients suivis en radiotherapi: etude effectuee sur la base du livret de la radiotherapie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonnet, V.; Romestaing, P.; Gerard, J.P.; Mornex, F. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lyon-Sud, Dept. d' Oncologie-Radiotherapie, 69 - Pierre-Benite (France); Couvreur, C. [Institut Gustave Roussy, Dept. d' Oncologie-Radiotherapie, 94 - Villejuif (France); Demachy, P. [Centre Hospitalier V. Dupouy, Centre de Radiologie et de Traitement des Tumeurs, 95 - Argenteuil (France); Kimmel, F. [Centre de Radiologie et de Traitement des Tumeurs, 92 - Meudon-la-Foret (France); Milan, H. [Centre Georges-Francois-Leclerc, 21 - Dijon (France); Noel, D. [Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, Dept. d' Oncologie-Radiotherapie, 75 - Paris (France); Pace, M. [Hopital d' Annecy, Dept. d' Oncologie-Radiotherapie, 74 - Annecy (France); Raison, C. [Centre Catherine-de-Sienne, 44 - Nantes (France); Compagnon, C. [Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, 75 -Paris (France); Pigeon, P. [Isis Research, 69 - Lyon (France)

2000-08-01

The French Radiotherapy-Oncology Society (SFRO) and the National Trade of Radiotherapists-Oncologists (SNRO) elaborated and published a patient information booklet on radiotherapy, in 1999. This present study appraises the pertinence of the form and substance of this booklet one year after its release. Eight radiotherapy centers participated in this research which evaluated 162 patients at treatment initiation. The conclusions of this study demonstrated the importance of clearly informing patients of their disease, treatment, and the secondary effects of treatment. It is essential to emphasize that 97% of the patients declared that an information booklet is a real necessity, and that the one provided by the SFRO responds to the majority of their concerns. Obtaining technical and practical knowledge resulted in a reassurance about their treatment. The most revealing result is that 87% requested direct communication about their illness, and that cancer be named by this word and not other, evasive terms. Seventy-two percent of the patients requested more information about their cancer, different treatment options, and quality of life issues in an attempt to psychologically prepare themselves to face an illness for which they have little control. Patients refuse to be passive, and claim the right to become 'partners' of the medical teams, concerning their treatment and recovery. (authors)

Testing a continuum structure of self-determined motivation: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Joshua L; Gagné, Marylène; Bureau, Julien S

2017-12-01

Self-determination theory proposes a multidimensional representation of motivation comprised of several factors said to fall along a continuum of relative autonomy. The current meta-analysis examined the relationships between these motivation factors in order to demonstrate how reliably they conformed to a predictable continuum-like pattern. Based on data from 486 samples representing over 205,000 participants who completed 1 of 13 validated motivation scales, the results largely supported a continuum-like structure of motivation and indicate that self-determination is central in explaining human motivation. Further examination of heterogeneity indicated that while regulations were predictably ordered across domains and scales, the exact distance between subscales varied across samples in a way that was not explainable by a set of moderators. Results did not support the inclusion of integrated regulation or the 3 subscales of intrinsic motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation to know, to experience stimulation, and to achieve) due to excessively high interfactor correlations and overlapping confidence intervals. Recommendations for scale refinements and the scoring of motivation are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

From discrete particles to continuum fields in mixtures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weinhart, Thomas; Thornton, Anthony Richard; Yu, A; Dong, K; Yang, R; Luding, S; Luding, Stefan

2013-01-01

We present a novel way to extract continuum fields from discrete particle systems that is applicable to flowing mixtures as well as boundaries and interfaces. The mass and momentum balance equations for mixed flows are expressed in terms of the partial densities, velocities, stresses and interaction

Health information sources for different types of information used by Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Bo; Su, Zhaohui; Liu, Yihao; Wang, Mo; Zhang, Ming

2017-08-01

Little is known about the information sources of Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers, yet this knowledge is critical for providing patient-centred care. To assess and compare the information sources used by Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers. The validated Health Information Wants Questionnaire (HIWQ) was translated and administered in March 2014. The oncology department of a general hospital in south-west China. A convenience sample of 198 individuals, including 79 patients with cancer (mean age=55.24, SD=13.80) and 119 family caregivers (mean age=46.83, SD=14.61). Ratings on the HIWQ items assessing information sources for different types of information. The interaction between information source and group was significant (F 3,576 =6.32, Pinformation than patients from the Internet. Caregivers and patients did not differ in the amount of information they obtained from doctors/nurses, interpersonal contacts or mass media. The interaction between information type and information source was significant (F 18,3456 =6.38, Pinformation of all types from doctors/nurses than from the other three sources and obtained more information from interpersonal contacts than from mass media or the Internet. The information sources of Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers were similar, with an important difference that caregivers obtained more online information than patients. These findings have important implications for patient care and education in China where the family typically plays a major role in the care and decision making. © 2016 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dissipation consistent fabric tensor definition from DEM to continuum for granular media

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X. S.; Dafalias, Y. F.

2015-05-01

In elastoplastic soil models aimed at capturing the impact of fabric anisotropy, a necessary ingredient is a measure of anisotropic fabric in the form of an evolving tensor. While it is possible to formulate such a fabric tensor based on indirect phenomenological observations at the continuum level, it is more effective and insightful to have the tensor defined first based on direct particle level microstructural observations and subsequently deduce a corresponding continuum definition. A practical means able to provide such observations, at least in the context of fabric evolution mechanisms, is the discrete element method (DEM). Some DEM defined fabric tensors such as the one based on the statistics of interparticle contact normals have already gained widespread acceptance as a quantitative measure of fabric anisotropy among researchers of granular material behavior. On the other hand, a fabric tensor in continuum elastoplastic modeling has been treated as a tensor-valued internal variable whose evolution must be properly linked to physical dissipation. Accordingly, the adaptation of a DEM fabric tensor definition to a continuum constitutive modeling theory must be thermodynamically consistent in regards to dissipation mechanisms. The present paper addresses this issue in detail, brings up possible pitfalls if such consistency is violated and proposes remedies and guidelines for such adaptation within a recently developed Anisotropic Critical State Theory (ACST) for granular materials.

New examples of continuum graded Lie algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savel'ev, M.V.

1989-01-01

Several new examples of continuum graded Lie algebras which provide an additional elucidation of these algebras are given. Here, in particular, the Kac-Moody algebras, the algebra S 0 Diff T 2 of infinitesimal area-preserving diffeomorphisms of the torus T 2 , the Fairlie, Fletcher and Zachos sine-algebras, etc., are described as special cases of the cross product Lie algebras. 8 refs

A continuum of executive function deficits in early subcortical vascular cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudo, Felipe Kenji; Amado, Patricia; Alves, Gilberto Sousa; Laks, Jerson; Engelhardt, Eliasz

2017-01-01

Subcortical Vascular Cognitive Impairment (SVCI) is a clinical continuum of vascular-related cognitive impairment, including Vascular Mild Cognitive Impairment (VaMCI) and Vascular Dementia. Deficits in Executive Function (EF) are hallmarks of the disorder, but the best methods to assess this function have yet to be determined. The insidious and almost predictable course of SVCI and the multidimensional concept of EF suggest that a temporal dissociation of impairments in EF domains exists early in the disorder. This study aims to review and analyze data from the literature about performance of VaMCI patients on the most used EF tests through a meta-analytic approach. Medline, Web of Knowledge and PsycINFO were searched, using the terms: "vascular mild cognitive impairment" OR "vascular cognitive impairment no dementia" OR "vascular mild neurocognitive disorder" AND "dysexecutive" OR "executive function". Meta-analyses were conducted for each of the selected tests, using random-effect models. Systematic review showed major discrepancies among the results of the studies included. Meta-analyses evidenced poorer performance on the Trail-Making Test part B and the Stroop color test by VaMCI patients compared to controls. A continuum of EF impairments has been proposed in SVCI. Early deficits appear to occur in cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control.

Perceived need for information of patients with haematological malignancies: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rood, Janneke A J; Eeltink, Corien M; van Zuuren, Florence J; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M; Huijgens, Peter C

2015-02-01

To provide insight into the perceived need for information of patients with haematological malignancies. Providing timely and accurate information to patients diagnosed with a haematological malignancy is a challenge in clinical practice; treatment often has to start promptly, with little time to inform patients. Literature review. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from all available literature to May 2013 in the databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO and PubMed (Medline). Relevant studies were reviewed regarding the perceived need for information on various topics, sources of information and satisfaction with information provided. The initial search revealed 215 articles, fourteen of which were relevant. Patients need basic information on the disease (diagnosis and diagnostics), treatment (various treatment options, side effects and duration), prognosis (curability and prolonging life) and all other topics (recovery, self-care and psychosocial functioning). Need for detailed information varied between studies. Patients expressed a higher need for medical than for psychosocial information. Patients preferred to receive information from their doctors the most, followed by nurses. Most studies described patients' satisfaction with the information provided. Based on the limited number of data available, medical information is for patients of higher priority compared to psychosocial information. Patients need basic information on diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and all other topics. Need for detailed information varied between studies. Patients were satisfied with the provided information, preferably offered by doctors and nurses. The perceived need for information and satisfaction with the information provided differs strongly between patients. In clinical practice, more attention is needed for information tailored to the patient, taking into account important moderating factors such as age, type of cancer, time

Continuum shell-model study of 16O and 40Ca

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heil, V.; Stock, W.

1976-06-01

Continuum shell-model calculations of the E1 and E2 strengths in 16 O and 40 Ca are presented. A consistent microscopic description of both the giant resonances and isospin forbidden E1- transitions between bound states can be achieved through 1) a careful choice of the single-particle potential, 2) the use of a finite-range residual interaction (including the Coulomb particle-hole force), and 3) the removal of spurious states. The results obtained within the separation expansion approximation of Birkholz are in reasonable agreement with measured photonucleon angular distributions and formfactors for electroexcitation. The influence of the continuum on the isospin mixing in bound states is found to be very strong. (orig.) [de

Radio continuum emission from young stellar objects in L1641

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, J.A.; Snell, R.L.; Strom, K.M.

1990-01-01

The results of a 6 and 20 cm radio continuum survey of young stellar objects in the L1641 region located south of the Orion Nebula are presented. Four are identified as low-luminosity young stellar objects in L1641 and three more as Herbig-Haro or Herbig-Haro-like objects. These objects have bolometric luminosities between 80 and 300 solar, and their 6-20 cm spectral index suggests optically thick, free-free emission. They are characterized by a rising spectrum between 2.2 and 25 microns, have no optical counterparts, and are associated with stellar wind activity. Thus, detectable radio continuum emission may be produced only by the youngest and most luminous objects in L1641. 34 refs

[Shared decision-making based on equal information. Patient guidelines as a tool for patient counseling].

Science.gov (United States)

Sänger, Sylvia; Kopp, Ina; Englert, Gerhard; Brunsmann, Frank; Quadder, Bernd; Ollenschläger, Günter

2007-06-15

In discussions on the quality of cross-sectorial health-care services high importance is attributed to patient education and patient counseling, with guideline-based patient information being considered a crucial tool. Guideline-based patient information is supposed to serve patients as a decision-making basis and, in addition, to also support the implementation of the guidelines themselves. The article highlights how patient guidelines for National Disease Management Guidelines in Germany--within the scope of patient education and patient counseling--may provide a uniform information platform for physicians and patients aiming to promote shared decision-making. The authors will also address the issue which contents should be included in patient guidelines in order to meet these requirements and which measures are required to review their quality. The present paper continues the series of articles on the Program for German National Disease Management Guidelines.

The Eating Disorders Continuum, Self-Esteem, and Perfectionism

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Lisa D.; Lightsey, Owen Richard

2008-01-01

Among 261 undergraduate women, increased severity of eating disorders along a continuum was associated with decreased self-esteem, increased perfectionism, and increased scores on 7 subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory-2. Women with eating disorders differed from both symptomatic women and asymptomatic women on all variables, whereas…

Patient information about radiation therapy: a survey in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubert, Annie; Kantor, Guy; Dilhuydy, Jean-Marie; Toulouse, Claude; Germain, Colette; Le Polles, Gisele; Salamon, Roger; Scalliet, Pierre

1997-01-01

Background and purpose: We performed a survey to evaluate the present status and means of information given to patients treated by radiotherapy. A short questionnaire was sent, with the help of ESTRO, to 746 European heads of department with a request to send specific documents used for informing the patient. Within 2 months (March and April 1996) we received 290 answers (39%) and 97 centres sent documents. Materials and methods: Analysis of the questionnaire and the documents was performed quantitatively with usual statistical methods and qualitatively with a socio-anthropological method of content analysis. Results: Analysis of the questionnaire shows the major role of the radiation oncologist in giving information and writing documents. The 298 different samples sent from 97 centres represent a wide panel with a booklet of general information (59 booklets/57 centres), practical advice and specific explanations (177 documents/49 centres) and informed consent (36 documents/28 centres). The anthropological study was centred on the way information was given, evaluation of the patient's understanding and analysis of documents sent. Conclusion: This preliminary survey needs to be completed by a study, including the patient's point of view and needs, about the information given

Informal Caregiving for Cancer Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Romito, Francesca; Goldzweig, Gil; Cormio, Claudia; Hagedoorn, Mariët; Andersen, Barbara L.

2013-01-01

According to the recent worldwide estimation by the GLOBOCAN project, in total, 12.7 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths occurred in 2008. The worldwide number of cancer survivors within 5 years of diagnosis has been estimated at be almost 28.8 million. Informal caregivers, such as family members and close friends, provide essential support to cancer patients. The authors of this report provide an overview of issues in the study of informal caregivers for cancer patients and long-term survivors in the United States and Europe, characterizing the caregivers commonly studied; the resources currently available to them; and their unmet needs, their psychosocial outcomes, and the psychosocial interventions tailored to their special circumstances. A broad overview of the state of research and knowledge, both in Europe and the United States, and observations on the directions for future research are provided. PMID:23695928

Patients' use of the Internet for pain-related medical information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, Maaike J.; Versteegen, Gerbrig J.; van Wijhe, Marten

Objective: Patients increasingly use the Internet for medical information. For doctor-patient communication it is important to gain insight into the use and impact of medical Internet searches of patients. This study aims to evaluate patients' use of the Internet for information about their pain

The Asymptotic Expansion of Lattice Loop Integrals Around the Continuum Limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becher, Thomas G

2002-01-01

We present a method of computing any one-loop integral in lattice perturbation theory by systematically expanding around its continuum limit. At any order in the expansion in the lattice spacing, the result can be written as a sum of continuum loop integrals in analytic regularization and a few genuine lattice integrals (''master integrals''). These lattice master integrals are independent of external momenta and masses and can be computed numerically. At the one-loop level, there are four master integrals in a theory with only bosonic fields, seven in HQET and sixteen in QED or QCD with Wilson fermions

Schizophrenia and the neurodevelopmental continuum:evidence from genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Owen, Michael J; O'Donovan, Michael C

2017-10-01

The idea that disturbances occurring early in brain development contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, often referred to as the neurodevelopmental hypothesis, has become widely accepted. Despite this, the disorder is viewed as being distinct nosologically, and by implication pathophysiologically and clinically, from syndromes such as autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability, which typically present in childhood and are grouped together as "neurodevelopmental disorders". An alternative view is that neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, rather than being etiologically discrete entities, are better conceptualized as lying on an etiological and neurodevelopmental continuum, with the major clinical syndromes reflecting the severity, timing and predominant pattern of abnormal brain development and resulting functional abnormalities. It has also been suggested that, within the neurodevelopmental continuum, severe mental illnesses occupy a gradient of decreasing neurodevelopmental impairment as follows: intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Recent genomic studies have identified large numbers of specific risk DNA changes and offer a direct and robust test of the predictions of the neurodevelopmental continuum model and gradient hypothesis. These findings are reviewed in detail. They not only support the view that schizophrenia is a disorder whose origins lie in disturbances of brain development, but also that it shares genetic risk and pathogenic mechanisms with the early onset neurodevelopmental disorders (intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders and ADHD). They also support the idea that these disorders lie on a gradient of severity, implying that they differ to some extent quantitatively as well as qualitatively. These findings have important implications for nosology, clinical practice and research. © 2017 World

Quasi-bound states in continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Hiroaki; Hatano, Naomichi; Garmon, Sterling; Petrosky, Tomio

2007-08-01

We report the prediction of quasi-bound states (resonant states with very long lifetimes) that occur in the eigenvalue continuum of propagating states for a wide region of parameter space. These quasi-bound states are generated in a quantum wire with two channels and an adatom, when the energy bands of the two channels overlap. A would-be bound state that lays just below the upper energy band is slightly destabilized by the lower energy band and thereby becomes a resonant state with a very long lifetime (a second QBIC lays above the lower energy band). (author)

Information technology-based standardized patient education in psychiatric inpatient care.

Science.gov (United States)

Anttila, Minna; Koivunen, Marita; Välimäki, Maritta

2008-10-01

This paper is a report of a study to describe nurses' experiences of information technology-based standardized patient education in inpatient psychiatric care. Serious mental health problems are an increasing global concern. Emerging evidence supports the implementation of practices that are conducive to patient self-management and improved patient outcomes among chronically ill patients with mental health problems. In contrast, the attitude of staff towards information technology has been reported to be contradictory in mental health care. After 1 year of using an Internet-based portal (Mieli.Net) developed for patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis, all 89 participating nurses were asked to complete questionnaires about their experiences. The data were collected in 2006. Fifty-six participants (63%) returned completed questionnaires and the data were analysed using content analysis. Nurses' experiences of the information technology-based standardized patient education were categorized into two major categories describing the advantages and obstacles in using information technology. Nurses thought that it brought the patients and nurses closer to each other and helped nurses to provide individual support for their patients. However, the education was time-consuming. Systematic patient education using information technology is a promising method of patient-centred care which supports nurses in their daily work. However, it must fit in with clinical activities, and nurses need some guidance in understanding its benefits. The study data can be used in policy-making when developing methods to improve the transparency of information provision in psychiatric nursing.

Information security requirements in patient-centred healthcare support systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsalamah, Shada; Gray, W Alex; Hilton, Jeremy; Alsalamah, Hessah

2013-01-01

Enabling Patient-Centred (PC) care in modern healthcare requires the flow of medical information with the patient between different healthcare providers as they follow the patient's treatment plan. However, PC care threatens the stability of the balance of information security in the support systems since legacy systems fall short of attaining a security balance when sharing their information due to compromises made between its availability, integrity, and confidentiality. Results show that the main reason for this is that information security implementation in discrete legacy systems focused mainly on information confidentiality and integrity leaving availability a challenge in collaboration. Through an empirical study using domain analysis, observations, and interviews, this paper identifies a need for six information security requirements in legacy systems to cope with this situation in order to attain the security balance in systems supporting PC care implementation in modern healthcare.

1300 micron continuum observations of the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldsmith, P.F.; Snell, R.L.; Lis, D.C.

1987-01-01

Observations with 23-arcsec angular resolution are obtained of the continuum emission at 1300 microns wavelength from the central region of the Sgr B2 molecular cloud, which contains the north and middle high-mass star-forming regions and associated radio continuum and maser sources. The spatial resolution of the present data shows that the 1300-micron continuum emission peak is located at Sgr B2(N), in contrast to the midinfrared emission, which is centered on Sgr B2(M). Comparison with 53 micron data having comparable angular resolution suggests that there is optically thick foreground dust which prevents detection of Sgr B2(N) at wavelengths not greater than 100 microns. Within the about 1.5 x 3.5 pc region mapped, the total mass is 500,000 solar masses and the mean H2 density is 300,000/cu cm, somewhat larger than found in previous investigations. 27 references

Jumping to conclusions style along the continuum of delusions: delusion-prone individuals are not hastier in decision making than healthy individuals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne Ho-wai So

Full Text Available Literature comparing 'jumping to conclusions' (JTC between patients and healthy controls has demonstrated the importance of the reasoning bias in the development of delusions. When groups that vary along the entire delusional continuum are included, the relationship between JTC and delusionality is less clear. This study compared JTC and delusional dimensions between 28 patients with delusions, 35 delusion-prone individuals and 32 non-delusion-prone individuals. Delusion proneness was defined by an established threshold based on the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory. Two versions of the beads task (85:15 and 60:40 were used to measure JTC. As hypothesized, patients manifested hastier data gathering than the two non-clinical groups on both beads tasks. However, delusion-prone individuals did not manifest a hastier decision making style than non-delusion prone individuals. Instead, non-delusion-prone participants showed more JTC bias than delusion-prone individuals on the easier beads task. There was no evidence for a dose-response relationship between JTC and delusional dimensions, with correlations between JTC and PDI scores found in the non-delusion-prone group only. The present finding confirms the link between an extreme JTC bias and the presence of clinical delusions, and argues against a linear relationship between JTC and delusionality along the symptomatic continuum.

Vibrational quasi-continuum in unimolecular multiphoton dissociation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Fernandez, P.; Gonzalez-Diaz, P.F.

1987-04-01

The vibrational quasi-continuum of the boron trifluoride molecule has been qualitatively studied and the formalism extended to treat N-normal-mode molecules. The anharmonic potential curves for the BF/sub 3/ normal modes have been calculated, and the computed anharmonicity constants have been tested against the fundamental frequencies. The potential curve of the wagging mode has been simulated by an internal rotation of one of the fluoride atoms. The vibrational-energy levels and wave functions have been calculated applying second-order perturbation theory. The quasi-continuum energy levels of BF/sub 3/ have been obtained by means of a method based in forming adequate linear combinations of wave functions belonging to the N-1 modes resulting from removing the i.r.-active mode;the associated energies have been minimized using a constrained minimization procedure. It has been found that the energy pattern of the N-1 vibrational modes possesses an energy density high enough for constituting a vibrational heat bath and, finally, it has been verified that the ''fictitious'' pattern of the active mode is included in the pattern of the N-1 modes.

Prioritization of the hemodialysis patients' preferences in acquisition of health information: A strategy for patient education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Babamohamadi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Full training according to the information needs of patients reduces health care costs and increases the quality of care. The present study was conducted aims to prioritize the preferences of hemodialysis patients in acquisition of health information to be able to provide training according to these preferences and their prioritization after achieving them. This study was a descriptive cross-sectional one which was conducted on all hemodialysis patients who visited Kowsar Hospital in Semnan within the year 2014-2015. Data collecting tool was researcher-made questionnaire which assessed physical information needs of patients in four areas of nutrition, energy, pain and discomfort, sleep and rest. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using the descriptive statistics.71 hemodialysis patients participated in this study. 68.6%, 50.7%, 42.6% and 46.7% of patients expressed acquisition information regarding hematopoietic foods, how to increase mobility, how to relieve itching during dialysis and mental activities before sleep as their first priorities, respectively. The results of this study showed that hemodialysis patients need to know what kinds of information in the field of physical problems. To facilitate adaptation and selfcare of patients, providing information and training based on the real needs of patients will be helpful.

Recall in older cancer patients: measuring memory for medical information.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Jesse; van Weert, Julia; van der Meulen, Nienke; van Dulmen, Sandra; Heeren, Thea; Bensing, Jozien

2008-04-01

Remembering medical treatment information may be particularly taxing for older cancer patients, but to our knowledge this ability has never been assessed in this specific age group only. Our purpose in this study was to investigate older cancer patients' recall of information after patient education preceding chemotherapy. We constructed a recall questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions, completion items, and open-ended questions related to information about treatment and recommendations on how to handle side effects. Immediately after a nursing consultation preceding chemotherapy treatment, 69 older patients (M = 71.8 years, SD = 4.1) completed the questionnaire. We checked recall against the actual communication in video recordings of the consultations. On average, 82.2 items were discussed during the consultations. The mean percentage of information recalled correctly was 23.2% for open-ended questions, 68.0% for completion items, and 80.2% for multiple-choice questions. Older cancer patients are confronted with a lot of information. Recall of information strongly depended on question format; especially active reproduction appeared to be poor. To improve treatment outcomes, it is important that cancer patients are able to actively retrieve knowledge about how to prevent and recognize adverse side effects and that this is checked by the health professional. We make suggestions on how to make information more memorable for older cancer patients.

Cellular Automata in Topology Optimization of Continuum Structures ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper, an optimization algorithm based on cellular automata (CA) is developed for topology optimization of continuum structures with shear and flexural behavior. The design domain is divided into small triangle elements and each cell is considered as a finite element. The stress analysis is performed by the Constant ...

Understanding the medicines information-seeking behaviour and information needs of South African long-term patients with limited literacy skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Sonal; Dowse, Ros

2015-10-01

Although much health information-seeking behaviour (HISB) research has been reported in patients with good literacy skills, little is known about HISB in patients with limited literacy skills served by under-resourced health-care systems. To investigate medicine information-seeking behaviour and information needs in patients with limited literacy. Using a question guide, four focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to explore themes related to information needs, information-seeking practices and awareness of and ability to utilize information sources. Twenty-two isiXhosa-speaking long-term patients with limited formal education were recruited from a primary health-care clinic in South Africa. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. NVivo(®) was used for initial coding of transcripts. Codes were analysed, and potential themes and subthemes in the entire data set were identified and refined. The results of this study reflect a passive, disempowered patient. Poor awareness of information sources, lack of health-related knowledge and stigma contributed to a lack of information-seeking practice, thus potentially adversely influencing patient-provider interactions. Patients neither asked questions nor were encouraged to ask questions. All expressed an unmet need for information and a desire for receiving the illustrated written medicines-related information displayed in the FGDs. The main sources of information were health-care professionals, followed by family and friends. The significant level of patient disempowerment and passivity reported amongst patients underpinned their inability to actively seek information. Neither sources of information nor types of appropriate medicines information could be identified. Unmet information needs and a desire for information were reported. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Brief note on the statistical calculation of final continuum reaction cross sections of light nuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Toru

2003-01-01

The level density parameters are determined to reproduce level structure and/or resonance level spacing of the nucleus. In the statistical compound nucleus model, cross sections to discrete levels decrease abruptly, and continuum level cross section increase strongly above the energy point where the continuum levels switched on. In the present study, for the nucleus which level scheme were well determined up to higher excitation energy more than 10 MeV, discrete level cross sections were calculated and summed up and compared with the cross section to the assumed continuum level corresponding to the discrete levels above several MeV excitation energy. Calculation of the (n, n') cross sections were made with CASTHY code of Moldauer model option using level density parameters determined with former method. It is shown that the assumed continuum cross section is fairly large compared with the summed up cross section. Origins of the discrepancy were discussed. (J.P.N.)

Evaluation the Effectiveness of the US Navy Leadership Continuum Curricula

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Duncan-White, Delores

1997-01-01

.... A Leadership Continuum Survey Questionnaire was developed to identified and analyze the student's attitudes concerning the effectiveness of the knowledge and skills taught in the course and how these...

Modified Continuum Mechanics Modeling on Size-Dependent Properties of Piezoelectric Nanomaterials: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi Yan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Piezoelectric nanomaterials (PNs are attractive for applications including sensing, actuating, energy harvesting, among others in nano-electro-mechanical-systems (NEMS because of their excellent electromechanical coupling, mechanical and physical properties. However, the properties of PNs do not coincide with their bulk counterparts and depend on the particular size. A large amount of efforts have been devoted to studying the size-dependent properties of PNs by using experimental characterization, atomistic simulation and continuum mechanics modeling with the consideration of the scale features of the nanomaterials. This paper reviews the recent progresses and achievements in the research on the continuum mechanics modeling of the size-dependent mechanical and physical properties of PNs. We start from the fundamentals of the modified continuum mechanics models for PNs, including the theories of surface piezoelectricity, flexoelectricity and non-local piezoelectricity, with the introduction of the modified piezoelectric beam and plate models particularly for nanostructured piezoelectric materials with certain configurations. Then, we give a review on the investigation of the size-dependent properties of PNs by using the modified continuum mechanics models, such as the electromechanical coupling, bending, vibration, buckling, wave propagation and dynamic characteristics. Finally, analytical modeling and analysis of nanoscale actuators and energy harvesters based on piezoelectric nanostructures are presented.

Modified Continuum Mechanics Modeling on Size-Dependent Properties of Piezoelectric Nanomaterials: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Zhi; Jiang, Liying

2017-01-26

Piezoelectric nanomaterials (PNs) are attractive for applications including sensing, actuating, energy harvesting, among others in nano-electro-mechanical-systems (NEMS) because of their excellent electromechanical coupling, mechanical and physical properties. However, the properties of PNs do not coincide with their bulk counterparts and depend on the particular size. A large amount of efforts have been devoted to studying the size-dependent properties of PNs by using experimental characterization, atomistic simulation and continuum mechanics modeling with the consideration of the scale features of the nanomaterials. This paper reviews the recent progresses and achievements in the research on the continuum mechanics modeling of the size-dependent mechanical and physical properties of PNs. We start from the fundamentals of the modified continuum mechanics models for PNs, including the theories of surface piezoelectricity, flexoelectricity and non-local piezoelectricity, with the introduction of the modified piezoelectric beam and plate models particularly for nanostructured piezoelectric materials with certain configurations. Then, we give a review on the investigation of the size-dependent properties of PNs by using the modified continuum mechanics models, such as the electromechanical coupling, bending, vibration, buckling, wave propagation and dynamic characteristics. Finally, analytical modeling and analysis of nanoscale actuators and energy harvesters based on piezoelectric nanostructures are presented.

The impact of health information technology on patient safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasser K. Alotaibi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Since the original Institute of Medicine (IOM report was published there has been an accelerated development and adoption of health information technology with varying degrees of evidence about the impact of health information technology on patient safety. This article is intended to review the current available scientific evidence on the impact of different health information technologies on improving patient safety outcomes. We conclude that health information technology improves patient’s safety by reducing medication errors, reducing adverse drug reactions, and improving compliance to practice guidelines. There should be no doubt that health information technology is an important tool for improving healthcare quality and safety. Healthcare organizations need to be selective in which technology to invest in, as literature shows that some technologies have limited evidence in improving patient safety outcomes.

Numerical Study on Couette Flow in Nanostructured Channel using Molecular-continuum Hybrid Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Youngjin; Jeong, Myunggeun; Ha, Man Yeong [Pusan Nat’l Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

A molecular-continuum hybrid method was developed to simulate microscale and nanoscale fluids where continuum fluidic cannot be used to predict Couette flow. Molecular dynamics simulation is used near the solid surface where the flow cannot be predicted by continuum fluidic, and Navier-Stokes equations are used in the other regions. Numerical simulation of Couette flow was performed using the hybrid method to investigate the effect of solid-liquid interaction and surface roughness in a nanochannel. It was found that the solid-liquid interaction and surface roughness influence the boundary condition. When the surface energy is low, slippage occurs near the solid surface, and the magnitude of slippage decreases with increase in surface energy. When the surface energy is high, a locking boundary condition is formed. The roughness disturbs slippage near the solid surface and promotes the locking boundary condition.

Illness Beliefs, Treatment Beliefs and Information Needs as Starting Points for Patient Information: The Evaluation of an Intervention for Patients with Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Glattacker, Manuela; Heyduck, Katja; Meffert, Cornelia; Jakob, Teresa

2018-02-16

Patients with depression are often dissatisfied with disease- and therapy-related information. The objective of this study was to evaluate an intervention that applied the Common Sense Model to the provision of information during inpatient rehabilitation for patients with depression. The intervention was evaluated in a sequential control group design. Analyses of covariance were used to assess differences between the control and intervention groups. Changes with respect to illness and treatment beliefs (personal control, treatment control, coherence and concerns about medicines), satisfaction with information about medicines, illness and rehabilitation, and depressive burden were selected as primary outcome measures. We observed significant between-group differences indicating the intervention group's superiority in terms of satisfaction with information regarding medicines. However, the two groups' changes during rehabilitation did not differ in terms of the other outcomes. The intervention resulted in patients judging that their medication information needs had been more thoroughly fulfilled than those patients who received care-as-usual information. However, the intervention did not prove to be effective when the other outcome variables are considered. Taken together and bearing in mind the limitations of our study-particularly the non-randomised design-our results should be replicated in a randomised controlled trial.

Photon pairs: Quantum chromodynamics continuum and the Higgs ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Resummation is needed to obtain reliable predictions in the range of transverse momentum where the cross-section is the largest. Results are compared with data from the Fermilab Tevatron and predictions are made for the large hadron collider. The QCD continuum is shown to have a softer spectrum than the Higgs boson ...

[Subjective Level of Information and Information Needs of Patients with an Approved Rehabilitation Application and Patients at the End of Rehabilitation Results of a Written Survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Walther, Anna Lena; Schreiber, Dora; Falk, Johannes; Deck, Ruth

2017-08-01

Aim The aim of the study was to identify the subjective level of information and information needs of patients with an approved rehabilitation application and patients at the end of rehabilitation with regard to preferred subjects and kind of information transfer. Method Written survey with N=283 patients with approved rehabilitation application and N=388 patients at the end of rehabilitation. Results Both groups reported high information needs particularly regarding treatments during rehabilitation, rehabilitation aftercare and rehabilitation aims. A conversation with their physician, a brochure and a website are the preferred information pathways. Conclusion Taking into account the topics for which both groups require information and the preference regarding the kind of information transfer can make a valuable contribution for the development of needs-oriented information material. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Do patients' information needs decrease over the course of radiotherapy?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Douma, Kirsten F. L.; Koning, Caro C. E.; Zandbelt, Linda C.; de Haes, Hanneke C. J. M.; Smets, Ellen M. A.

2012-01-01

We aimed to investigate if cancer patients' information needs decrease during radiotherapy and if so, which patient, consultation and radiation oncologist characteristics are associated with a decrease in information needs over time. In this longitudinal study, patients (n = 104) completed a

Informing cancer patient based on his type of personality: the suspicious (paranoid) patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallergis, G

2013-01-01

Imparting bad news had always been an unpleasant task for the physician, as shown from ancient years to our days. In the healthcare sector and as far as the cancer patient is concerned, the imparting of bad news is performed by the patient's doctor within a therapeutic relationship of course. The fundamental question is how a therapist could tailor the information to any patient and if "Is it possible to determine who should be told what, when and how ?". The aim of this paper was to describe the suspicious character or type of personality thoroughly so that any physician can make a diagnosis and tailor the information strategy to the patient's needs. As method of research was used the qualitative method through groups with doctors and nurses, while research within groups lasted for 5 years. The degree of informing of the suspicious personality in the range "minimal - small - medium - large - very large" is : the degree of denial varies between large and very large. The degree of informing varies between medium and small and sometimes minimal. Informing the Family: The hardest family to deal with. Pay attention to litigious mania. Avoid confrontation or be drawn into agreeing with the family views.

Informal patient payments in oncology practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fomenko, Tetiana

2012-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In Europe, new cases of cancer are diagnosed in 4 million people yearly, of whom 837 000 die. In Ukraine of 160 000 new cases almost 100 000 die. With proper treatment, one third of cancer cases is curable, but informal payments (IPP in health care limit access to treatment. We aimed to explore the experience of people treated for cancer to identify obstacles in obtaining health care and the expert opinion about health care for cancer patients in Ukraine.METHODS: The study is exploratory. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 convenience sample patients or their relatives as well as with three experts between October 2011 – April 2012. RESULTS. Solicitation or receipt of IPP depends on the organizational culture. Respondents do not mind about IPP, but want this to be their own decision. IPP are often considered a “thank” to the medical staff for the service. The significant percentage of expenditures while in treatment for patients is due to purchases of medicines at their own expense. The problem of a long process of diagnostics and incomplete information by the medical staff about the stage of cancer and possible prognoses are essential for the respondents. According to experts not sufficient number of specialists and equipment for proper diagnosis and treatment is another problem. The attitude of medical staff to the patient with cancer largely depends on the personal features of the staff.CONCLUSIONS: Significant problems perceived by cancer patients are related to purchase of medicines at their own expense, structural and organizational features of hospitals, where they are staying for the treatment. Informal payments largely depend on the personal qualities of medical staff. The government must ensure fairness and equal access in getting care in oncology practice because it mainly affects the health of the nation.

Continuum model for water movement in an unsaturated fractured rock mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, R.R.; Klavetter, E.A.

1988-01-01

The movement of fluids in a fractured, porous medium has been the subject of considerable study. This paper presents a continuum model that may be used to evaluate the isothermal movement of water in an unsaturated, fractured, porous medium under slowly changing conditions. This continuum model was developed for use in evaluating the unsaturated zone at the Yucca Mountain site as a potential repository for high-level nuclear waste. Thus its development has been influenced by the conditions thought to be present at Yucca Mountain. A macroscopic approach and a microscopic approach are used to develop a continuum model to evaluate water movement in a fractured rock mass. Both approaches assume that the pressure head in the fractures and the matrix are identical in a plane perpendicular to flow. Both approaches lead to a single-flow equation for a fractured rock mass. The two approaches are used to calculate unsaturated hydrologic properties, i.e., relative permeability and saturation as a function of pressure head, for several types of tuff underlying Yucca Mountain, using the best available hydrologic data for the matrix and the fractures. Rock mass properties calculated by both approaches are similar

Argon plasma jet continuum emission investigation by using different spectroscopic methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dgheim, J

2007-01-01

Radiation and temperature fields of the continuum field are determined by using different spectroscopic methods based on the spectral emission of an argon plasma jet. An interferential filter of bandwidth 2.714 nm centred at a wavelength of 633 nm is used to observe only the continuum emission and to eliminate the self-absorption phenomenon. An optical multichannel analyser (OMA) of an MOS detector is used to measure argon plasma jet volumetric emissivity under atmospheric pressure and high temperatures. An emission spectroscopic method is used to measure the Stark broadening of the hydrogen line H β and to determine the electron density. The local thermodynamic equilibrium is established and its limit is stated. The local electron temperature is determined by two methods (the continuum emission relation and the LTE relations), and the total Biberman factor is measured. The results given by the OMA are compared with those given by the imagery method. At a given wavelength, the Biberman factor, which depends on the electron temperature and the electron density, may serve as an indicator to show where the LTE prevails along the argon plasma jet core length

Gaps along the HIV care continuum: findings among a population seeking sexual health care services in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathela, Preeti; Jamison, Kelly; Braunstein, Sarah L; Schillinger, Julia A; Tymejczyk, Olga; Nash, Denis

2018-03-02

Linkage/re-linkage to HIV care for virally unsuppressed persons with new sexually transmitted infections is critical for ending the HIV epidemic. We quantified HIV care continuum gaps, and viral suppression, among HIV-positive patients attending New York City (NYC) sexual health clinics (SHC). 1,649 HIV-positive patients and a 10% sample of 11,954 patients with unknown HIV status on clinic visit date (DOV) were matched against the NYC HIV registry. Using registry diagnosis dates, we categorized matched HIV-positive patients as "new-positives" (newly diagnosed on DOV), "recent-positives (diagnosed ≤90 days before DOV), "prevalent-positives" (diagnosed >90 days before DOV), and "unknown-positives" (previously diagnosed, but status unknown to clinic on DOV). We assessed HIV care continuum outcomes before and after DOV for new-positives, prevalent-positives, and unknown-positives using registry laboratory data. In addition to 1,626 known HIV-positive patients, 5% of the unknown sample (63/1,196) matched to the registry, signifying that about 630 additional HIV-positive patients attended SHCs. Of new-positives, 65% were linked to care after DOV. Of prevalent-positives, 66% were in care on DOV; 43% of the out-of-care were re-linked after DOV. Of unknown-positives, 40% were in care on DOV; 21% of the out-of-care re-linked after DOV. Viral suppression was achieved by: 88% of in-care unknown-positives, 76% in-care prevalent-positives, 50% new-positives, 42% out-of-care prevalent-positives, and 16% out-of-care unknown-positives. Many HIV-positive persons, including those with uncontrolled HIV infection, attend SHCs and potentially contribute to HIV spread. However, HIV status often is not known to staff, resulting in missed linkage/re-linkage to care opportunities. Better outcomes could be facilitated by real-time ascertainment of HIV status and HIV care status.

Teaching Genetic Counseling Skills: Incorporating a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum Model to Address Psychosocial Complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shugar, Andrea

2017-04-01

Genetic counselors are trained health care professionals who effectively integrate both psychosocial counseling and information-giving into their practice. Preparing genetic counseling students for clinical practice is a challenging task, particularly when helping them develop effective and active counseling skills. Resistance to incorporating these skills may stem from decreased confidence, fear of causing harm or a lack of clarity of psycho-social goals. The author reflects on the personal challenges experienced in teaching genetic counselling students to work with psychological and social complexity, and proposes a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum model and methodology to guide students in the use of advanced counseling skills.

On the physical origin for the geometric theory of continuum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenther, H.

1984-01-01

It is explained, that the basic notion for a geometric picture of the continuum mechanics is a four dimensional material manifold. The four dimensional mechanical affinity is then the unified field for any defect distribution in the general time dependent case. The minimal number of geometric relations being valid for any continuum is formulated as a set of pure affine relations. The state variables of the theory are additional tensor fields as e.g. deformation defining a metric. A material with a well defined deformation has a Newton-Cartan structure. Only if defects are included into the dynamical determination by additional equilibrium conditions, the theory has a pseudo relativistic structure. (author)

Tests of the discretized-continuum method in three-body dipole strengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinilla, E.C., E-mail: epinilla@ulb.ac.be [Physique Nucleaire Theorique et Physique Mathematique, C.P. 229, Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Baye, D., E-mail: dbaye@ulb.ac.be [Physique Quantique, C.P. 165/82, Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Physique Nucleaire Theorique et Physique Mathematique, C.P. 229, Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Descouvemont, P., E-mail: pdesc@ulb.ac.be [Physique Nucleaire Theorique et Physique Mathematique, C.P. 229, Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Horiuchi, W., E-mail: whoriuchi@riken.jp [RIKEN Nishina Center, Wako 351-0918 (Japan); Suzuki, Y., E-mail: suzuki@nt.sc.niigata-u.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Niigata University, Niigata 950-2181 (Japan); RIKEN Nishina Center, Wako 351-0918 (Japan)

2011-08-15

We investigate the {sup 6}He dipole distribution in a three-body {alpha}+n+n model. Two approaches are used to describe the three-body 1{sup -} continuum: the discretized-continuum method, where the scattering wave functions are approximated by square-integrable functions, and the R-matrix formalism, where their asymptotic behaviour is taken into account. We show that some ambiguity exists in the pseudostate method, owing to the smoothing technique, necessary to derive continuous distributions. We show evidence for the important role of the halo structure in the E1 dipole strength. We also address the treatment of Pauli forbidden states in the three-body wave functions.

Perceived social support following percutaneous coronary intervention is a crucial factor in patients with coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kähkönen, Outi; Kankkunen, Päivi; Miettinen, Heikki; Lamidi, Marja-Leena; Saaranen, Terhi

2017-05-01

To describe perceived social support among patients with coronary heart disease following percutaneous coronary intervention. A low level of social support is considered a risk factor for coronary heart disease in healthy individuals and reduces the likelihood that people diagnosed with coronary heart disease will have a good prognosis. A descriptive cross-sectional study. A survey of 416 patients was conducted in 2013. A self-report instrument, Social Support of People with Coronary Heart Disease, was used. The instrument comprises three dimensions of social support: informational, emotional, functional supports and 16 background variables. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, mean sum variables and multivariate logistic regression. Perceived informational support was primarily high, but respondents' risk factors were not at the target level. The weakest items of informational support were advice on physical activity, continuum of care and rehabilitation. Regarding the items of emotional support, support from other cardiac patients was the weakest. The weakest item of functional support was respondents' sense of the healthcare professionals' care of patients coping with their disease. Background variables associated with perceived social support were gender, marital status, level of formal education, profession, physical activity, duration of coronary heart disease and previous myocardial infarction. Healthcare professionals should pay extra attention to women, single patients, physically inactive patients, those demonstrating a lower level of education, those with a longer duration of CHD, and respondents without previous acute myocardial infarction. Continuum of care and counselling are important to ensure especially among them. This study provides evidence that healthcare professionals should be more aware of the individual needs for social support among patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention

From Informed Consent to Negotiated Consent.

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Harry R.

1988-01-01

Considers informed consent standard inadequate for insuring autonomy in long term care. Argues for complex standard of "negotiated consent." Illuminates philosophical argument by qualitative data from interviews with physicians, nurses, and social workers in nursing homes, which demonstrated continuum of interventions ranging from…

The effect of giving detailed information about intravenous radiopharmaceutical administration on the anxiety level of patients who request more information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaya, E.; Ciftci, I.; Demirel, R.; Gecici, O.; Cigerci, Y.

2010-01-01

Nuclear medicine procedures use radiopharmaceuticals, which produce radiation and potential adverse reactions, albeit at a low rate. It is the patient's ethical, legal, and medical right to be informed of the potential side effects of procedures applied to them. Our purpose was to determine the effect of providing information about intravenous radiopharmaceutical administration on the anxiety level of patients who request more information. This study was completed in two separate Nuclear Medicine Departments. The study included 620 (247 M, 373 F) patients who had been referred for myocardial perfusion, bone, dynamic renal, and thyroid scintigraphic examinations. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they requested more information or not. Group 1 consisted of 388 patients who wanted to receive more information about the procedure, while Group 2 consisted of 232 patients who did not request additional information. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T) was used to determine a patient's anxiety level. After simple information was given, state and trait anxiety levels were measured in both groups. We gave detailed information to the patients in Group 1 and then measured state anxiety again. Detailed information included an explanation of the radiopharmaceutical risk and probable side effects due to the scan procedure. There was no statistical difference between Groups 1 and 2 in STAI-T or STAI-S scores after simple information was given (p=0.741 and p=0.945, respectively). The mean value of STAI-S score was increased after the provision of detailed information and there was a statistically significant difference between after simple information STAI-S and after detailed information STAI-S (p<0.001). The STAI-S score was increased in 246 patients and decreased in 110 patients after detailed information, while there was no change in 32 patients. After detailed information, the greatest increase in STAI-S score was seen in the

Two Kinds of Scaffolding: The Dialectical Process within the Authenticity-Generalizibility (A-G Continuum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hung W. L. David

2002-10-01

Full Text Available Recent developments of situated cognition seem to be incompatible with traditional views of school based-learning where abstract or generalized knowledge is emphasized. In this paper, we are advocating that authenticity (as emphasized by situated cognitivists and generalizibility (as advocated by cognitivists are compatible. From an instructional perspective, it should not be for one or the other, but rather the scaffolding of the dialecticism between authenticity and generalizibility. In this paper, we first discuss the problems relating to the radical view of situated cognition and cognitivist approaches to learning and instruction. We then contend that authenticity and generalizibility are compatible and introduce the notion of the Authenticity-Generalizibility (A-G continuum, where from an instructional perspective, the emphasis should be scaffolding within such a continuum. We hypothesize that learners would have richer and deeper understandings of a subject or domain when they have opportunities to experience the full range of learning activities within the A-G continuum. Finally, we proposed two kinds of IT scaffolds, one to assist student moving towards the authenticity end of the continuum and the other vice versa.

Some topics in continuum theory of liquid crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Claire

2000-07-01

Since advancements by Ericksen and Leslie in the 1960's, interest in the continuum theory for liquid crystals has escalated. In this thesis, we present the well established continuum theory for nematics, and apply it to the simple Tsvetkov experiment. This analysis is further extended by studying a similar geometric setup which allows additional degrees of freedom. Steady state solutions are studied, and stable/unstable solutions discussed. The bulk of this thesis however, is concerned with the smectic continuum theory. The theory presented allows variable layer spacing, and hence goes beyond the scope of that proposed by Leslie, Stewart and Nakagawa in 1991. With this theory, we initially study a sample of SmA liquid crystal in the bookshelf geometry between two parallel plates, and subject to a strongly anchored pretilt at the boundaries. Weakly anchored solutions are also briefly discussed at the end of this chapter. This work is extended by considering the same problem with a SmC sample, and the distinct differences between the SmA and SmC solutions are highlighted. Symmetric chevron solutions of C1 and C2 type are discussed fully, and energy considerations are made to find the physically realistic configurations. Again, the last part of this chapter is dedicated to solutions subject to weak anchoring. Finally, we take a brief look at Freedericksz transitions when a magnetic field is applied across a cell containing a SmA sample in the bookshelf geometry. The Freedericksz thresholds for two possible deformations are obtained by linearising the appropriate equation, and solving the resulting eigenvalue problem. Numerical calculations finally show where the transitions occur, and confirm the accuracy of the threshold values obtained analytically. (author)

Some topics in continuum theory of liquid crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, Claire

2000-01-01

Since advancements by Ericksen and Leslie in the 1960's, interest in the continuum theory for liquid crystals has escalated. In this thesis, we present the well established continuum theory for nematics, and apply it to the simple Tsvetkov experiment. This analysis is further extended by studying a similar geometric setup which allows additional degrees of freedom. Steady state solutions are studied, and stable/unstable solutions discussed. The bulk of this thesis however, is concerned with the smectic continuum theory. The theory presented allows variable layer spacing, and hence goes beyond the scope of that proposed by Leslie, Stewart and Nakagawa in 1991. With this theory, we initially study a sample of SmA liquid crystal in the bookshelf geometry between two parallel plates, and subject to a strongly anchored pretilt at the boundaries. Weakly anchored solutions are also briefly discussed at the end of this chapter. This work is extended by considering the same problem with a SmC sample, and the distinct differences between the SmA and SmC solutions are highlighted. Symmetric chevron solutions of C1 and C2 type are discussed fully, and energy considerations are made to find the physically realistic configurations. Again, the last part of this chapter is dedicated to solutions subject to weak anchoring. Finally, we take a brief look at Freedericksz transitions when a magnetic field is applied across a cell containing a SmA sample in the bookshelf geometry. The Freedericksz thresholds for two possible deformations are obtained by linearising the appropriate equation, and solving the resulting eigenvalue problem. Numerical calculations finally show where the transitions occur, and confirm the accuracy of the threshold values obtained analytically. (author)

Photon pairs: Quantum chromodynamics continuum and the Higgs ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

is the largest. Results are compared with data from the Fermilab Tevatron and predictions are made for the large hadron collider. The QCD continuum is shown to have a softer spectrum than the Higgs boson signal at the LHC. Keywords. Higgs; photon pairs; quantum chromodynamics. PACS Nos 12.15.Ji; 12.38.Cy; 13.85.

Patients want granular privacy control over health information in electronic medical records.

Science.gov (United States)

Caine, Kelly; Hanania, Rima

2013-01-01

To assess patients' desire for granular level privacy control over which personal health information should be shared, with whom, and for what purpose; and whether these preferences vary based on sensitivity of health information. A card task for matching health information with providers, questionnaire, and interview with 30 patients whose health information is stored in an electronic medical record system. Most patients' records contained sensitive health information. No patients reported that they would prefer to share all information stored in an electronic medical record (EMR) with all potential recipients. Sharing preferences varied by type of information (EMR data element) and recipient (eg, primary care provider), and overall sharing preferences varied by participant. Patients with and without sensitive records preferred less sharing of sensitive versus less-sensitive information. Patients expressed sharing preferences consistent with a desire for granular privacy control over which health information should be shared with whom and expressed differences in sharing preferences for sensitive versus less-sensitive EMR data. The pattern of results may be used by designers to generate privacy-preserving EMR systems including interfaces for patients to express privacy and sharing preferences. To maintain the level of privacy afforded by medical records and to achieve alignment with patients' preferences, patients should have granular privacy control over information contained in their EMR.

Sensitivity filtering from a continuum mechanics perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigmund, Ole; Maute, Kurt

2012-01-01

In topology optimization filtering is a popular approach for preventing numerical instabilities. This short note shows that the well-known sensitivity filtering technique, that prevents checkerboards and ensures mesh-independent designs in density-based topology optimization, is equivalent to min...... to minimizing compliance for nonlocal elasticity problems known from continuum mechanics. Hence, the note resolves the long-standing quest for finding an explanation and physical motivation for the sensitivity filter....

Recall in older cancer patients: measuring memory for medical information.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, J.; Weert, J. van; Meulen, N. van der; Dulmen, S. van; Heeren, T.; Bensing, J.

2008-01-01

PURPOSE: Remembering medical treatment information may be particularly taxing for older cancer patients, but to our knowledge this ability has never been assessed in this specific age group only. Our purpose in this study was to investigate older cancer patients' recall of information after patient

Recall in older cancer patients: Measuring memory for medical information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, J.; van Weert, J.; van der Meulen, N.; van Dulmen, S.; Heeren, T.; Bensing, J.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Remembering medical treatment information may be particularly taxing for older cancer patients, but to our knowledge this ability has never been assessed in this specific age group only. Our purpose in this study was to investigate older cancer patients' recall of information after patient

Postoperative information needs and communication barriers of esophageal cancer patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Henselmans, Inge; Jacobs, Marc; van Berge Henegouwen, Mark I.; de Haes, Hanneke C. J. M.; Sprangers, Mirjam A. G.; Smets, Ellen M. A.

2012-01-01

Objective: Given the poor prognosis of esophageal cancer and the impact of surgery on health-related quality of life (HRQL), addressing patients' postoperative information needs is important. This study aimed to examine (1) the content and type of patients' information needs and (2) patient

Definition of information technology architectures for continuous data management and medical device integration in diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernando, M Elena; Pascual, Mario; Salvador, Carlos H; García-Sáez, Gema; Rodríguez-Herrero, Agustín; Martínez-Sarriegui, Iñaki; Gómez, Enrique J

2008-09-01

The growing availability of continuous data from medical devices in diabetes management makes it crucial to define novel information technology architectures for efficient data storage, data transmission, and data visualization. The new paradigm of care demands the sharing of information in interoperable systems as the only way to support patient care in a continuum of care scenario. The technological platforms should support all the services required by the actors involved in the care process, located in different scenarios and managing diverse information for different purposes. This article presents basic criteria for defining flexible and adaptive architectures that are capable of interoperating with external systems, and integrating medical devices and decision support tools to extract all the relevant knowledge to support diabetes care.

The doubt-certainty continuum in psychopathology, lay thinking, and science.

Science.gov (United States)

Ron, Omri; Oren, Ela; Dar, Reuven

2016-12-01

This paper presents a theoretical model suggesting that doubt and certainty are two extremes of a continuum. Different people can be located in different locations on this continuum, according to how much they tend to seek refutation vs. confirmation. In both ends of the continuum lay mental disorders, which can be seen as extreme deviations from the usual relatively stable equilibrium between the two thinking processes. One end is defined by excessive skepticism and manifested as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a disorder characterized by incessant doubt. The other end is defined by excessive certainty and lack of doubt, manifested as delusional disorders. Throughout this article, we demonstrate that the differences between normative thoughts and delusional thoughts are relatively vague, and that in general, the human default tendency is to prefer certainty over doubt. This preference is reflected in the confirmation bias as well as in other cognitive constructs such as overconfidence and stereotypes. Recent perspectives on these biases suggest that the human preference for confirmation can be explained in evolutionary terms as adaptive and rational. A parallel view of the scientific enterprise suggests that it also requires a certain equilibrium between skepticism and confirmation. We conclude by discussing the importance of the dialectic relationship between confirmation and refutation in both lay thinking and scientific thought. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.