Closed cycle high-repetition-rate pulsed HF laser

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Michael R.; Morris, A. V.; Gorton, Eric K.

1997-04-01

The design and performance of a closed cycle high repetition rate HF laser is described. A short pulse, glow discharge is formed in a 10 SF6:1 H2 gas mixture at a total pressure of approximately 110 torr within a 15 by 0.5 by 0.5 cm3 volume. Transverse, recirculated gas flow adequate to enable repetitive operation up to 3 kHz is imposed by a centrifugal fan. The fan also forces the gas through a scrubber cell to eliminate ground state HF from the gas stream. An automated gas make-up system replenishes spent gas removed by the scrubber. Typical mean laser output powers up to 3 W can be maintained for extended periods of operation.

Scaling of black silicon processing time by high repetition rate femtosecond lasers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nava Giorgio

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Surface texturing of silicon substrates is performed by femtosecond laser irradiation at high repetition rates. Various fabrication parameters are optimized in order to achieve very high absorptance in the visible region from the micro-structured silicon wafer as compared to the unstructured one. A 70-fold reduction of the processing time is demonstrated by increasing the laser repetition rate from 1 kHz to 200 kHz. Further scaling up to 1 MHz can be foreseen.

No evidence of purported lunar effect on hospital admission rates or birth rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Margot, Jean-Luc

2015-01-01

Studies indicate that a fraction of nursing professionals believe in a "lunar effect"-a purported correlation between the phases of the Earth's moon and human affairs, such as birth rates, blood loss, or fertility. This article addresses some of the methodological errors and cognitive biases that can explain the human tendency of perceiving a lunar effect where there is none. This article reviews basic standards of evidence and, using an example from the published literature, illustrates how disregarding these standards can lead to erroneous conclusions. Román, Soriano, Fuentes, Gálvez, and Fernández (2004) suggested that the number of hospital admissions related to gastrointestinal bleeding was somehow influenced by the phases of the Earth's moon. Specifically, the authors claimed that the rate of hospital admissions to their bleeding unit is higher during the full moon than at other times. Their report contains a number of methodological and statistical flaws that invalidate their conclusions. Reanalysis of their data with proper procedures shows no evidence that the full moon influences the rate of hospital admissions, a result that is consistent with numerous peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses. A review of the literature shows that birth rates are also uncorrelated to lunar phases. Data collection and analysis shortcomings, as well as powerful cognitive biases, can lead to erroneous conclusions about the purported lunar effect on human affairs. Adherence to basic standards of evidence can help assess the validity of questionable beliefs.

Comparison on different repetition rate locking methods in Er-doped fiber laser

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kangwen; Zhao, Peng; Luo, Jiang; Huang, Kun; Hao, Qiang; Zeng, Heping

2018-05-01

We demonstrate a systematic comparative research on the all-optical, mechanical and opto-mechanical repetition rate control methods in an Er-doped fiber laser. A piece of Yb-doped fiber, a piezoelectric transducer and an electronic polarization controller are simultaneously added in the laser cavity as different cavity length modulators. By measuring the cavity length tuning ranges, the output power fluctuations, the temporal and frequency repetition rate stability, we show that all-optical method introduces the minimal disturbances under current experimental condition.

Novel fast-neutron activation counter for high repetition rate measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, S.; Springham, S. V.; Zhang, T.; Rawat, R. S.; Tan, T. L.; Krishnan, M.; Beg, F. N.; Lee, S.; Schmidt, H.; Lee, P.

2006-01-01

A fast-neutron beryllium activation counter has been constructed for neutron measurements on a high repetition rate deuterium plasma focus. Beryllium activation is especially suitable for measurements of DD neutron yields. The cross section for the relevant reaction, 9 Be(n,α) 6 He, results in a maximum sensitivity at the characteristic energy of the DD neutrons (∼2.5 MeV) and practically no sensitivity to neutrons with energies 6 He enabled the shot-to-shot neutron yield from the plasma focus to be measured for repetition rates from 0.2 to 3 Hz (and for a range of deuterium gas pressures). With careful analysis, the shot-to-shot yield can be measured up to a maximum repetition rate of 3 Hz, beyond which the pileup of counts from the previous shots reduces the accuracy of the measurements to an unacceptable level. This new beryllium activation counter has been cross-checked against an indium activation counter to obtain absolute neutron yields. At a charging voltage of 12.5 kV (bank energy of 2.2 kJ), the average neutron yield was found to be (7.9±0.7)x10 7 per shot (standard deviation of 4x10 7 ). It was found that activation of the plasma focus construction materials (especially aluminum) must be taken into account

Generation of plasma X-ray sources via high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Baguckis, Artūras; Plukis, Artūras; Reklaitis, Jonas; Remeikis, Vidmantas; Giniūnas, Linas; Vengris, Mikas

2017-12-01

In this study, we present the development and characterization of Cu plasma X-ray source driven by 20 W average power high repetition rate femtosecond laser in ambient atmosphere environment. The peak Cu- Kα photon flux of 2.3 × 109 photons/s into full solid angle is demonstrated (with a process conversion efficiency of 10-7), using pulses with peak intensity of 4.65 × 1014 W/cm2. Such Cu- Kα flux is significantly larger than others found in comparable experiments, performed in air environment. The effects of resonance plasma absorption process, when optimized, are shown to increase measured flux by the factor of 2-3. The relationship between X-ray photon flux and plasma-driving pulse repetition rate is quasi-linear, suggesting that fluxes could further be increased to 1010 photons/s using even higher average powers of driving radiation. These results suggest that to fully utilize the potential of high repetition rate laser sources, novel target material delivery systems (for example, jet-based ones) are required. On the other hand, this study demonstrates that high energy lasers currently used for plasma X-ray sources can be conveniently and efficiently replaced by high average power and repetition rate laser radiation, as a way to increase the brightness of the generated X-rays.

Patterning crystalline indium tin oxide by high repetition rate femtosecond laser-induced crystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Chung-Wei; Lin, Cen-Ying; Shen, Wei-Chih; Lee, Yi-Ju; Chen, Jenq-Shyong

2010-01-01

A method is proposed for patterning crystalline indium tin oxide (c-ITO) patterns on amorphous ITO (a-ITO) thin films by femtosecond laser irradiation at 80 MHz repetition rate followed by chemical etching. In the proposed approach, the a-ITO film is transformed into a c-ITO film over a predetermined area via the heat accumulation energy supplied by the high repetition rate laser beam, and the unirradiated a-ITO film is then removed using an acidic etchant solution. The fabricated c-ITO patterns are observed using scanning electron microscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The crystalline, optical, electrical properties were measured by X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometer, and four point probe station, respectively. The experimental results show that a high repetition rate reduces thermal shock and yields a corresponding improvement in the surface properties of the c-ITO patterns.

A high-repetition rate LWFA for studies of laser propagation and electron generation

Science.gov (United States)

He, Zhaohan; Easter, James; Hou, Bixue; Krushelnick, Karl; Nees, John; Thomas, Alec

2010-11-01

Advances in ultrafast optics today have enabled laser systems to deliver ever shorter and more intense pulses. When focused, such laser pulses can easily exceed relativistic intensities where the wakefield created by the strong laser electric field can be used to accelerate electrons. Laser wakefield acceleration of electrons holds promise for future compact electron accelerators or drivers of other radiation sources in many scientific, medical and engineering applications. We present experimental studies of laser wakefield acceleration using the λ-cubed laser at the University of Michigan -- a table-top high-power laser system operating at 500 Hz repetition rate. The high repetition rate allows statistical studies of laser propagation and electron acceleration which are not accessible with typical sub-0.1 Hz repetition rate systems. In addition, we compare the experiments with particle-in-cell simulations using the code OSIRIS.

High energy high repetition-rate thin-disk amplifier for OPCPA pumping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, Michael

2013-08-15

The development of a pump laser system for a high power and high repetition rate optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) is presented in this thesis. The OPCPA system requires pump pulse energies in the range of tens of millijoules at high repetition rates with sub-picosecond pulse durations. This can be achieved to some extend with Innoslab amplifier technology. However, scaling to higher pulse energies at high repetition rates may be problematic. With the thin-disk amplifier presented in this thesis, output energies of 140 mJ at 100 kHz repetition rate could be achieved in burst-mode operation, which is a world record for this type of laser amplifier. Due to its material and spectral properties, ytterbium doped YAG (Yb:YAG) is used as a gain medium for the high power amplifier stages. The low quantum defect and the comparatively large emission bandwidth makes this material the choice for high power operation and sub-picosecond compressed pulse durations. The output beam profile as well as the shape of the output bursts is ideal to pump an OPCPA system. An OPCPA output energy in the millijoule range with repetition rates of 100 kHz to 1 MHz is needed to generate seed pulses for the FEL and for the application as pump-probe laser at the FEL facility. Since the development of this laser system needs to meet requirements set by the Free-Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH), the amplifier is conceived for burst-mode operation. The main requirement is a high intra-burst pulse repetition rate of more than 100 kHz and a uniform pulse train (burst) with equal properties for every pulse. The burst-mode is an operation mode where the laser never reaches a lasing equilibrium, which means that the behavior of the amplifier is similar to a switch-on of the laser system for every burst. This makes the development of the amplifier system difficult. Therefore, an analytical model has been developed to study the amplification process during the burst. This includes the

High energy high repetition-rate thin-disk amplifier for OPCPA pumping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, Michael

2013-08-01

The development of a pump laser system for a high power and high repetition rate optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) is presented in this thesis. The OPCPA system requires pump pulse energies in the range of tens of millijoules at high repetition rates with sub-picosecond pulse durations. This can be achieved to some extend with Innoslab amplifier technology. However, scaling to higher pulse energies at high repetition rates may be problematic. With the thin-disk amplifier presented in this thesis, output energies of 140 mJ at 100 kHz repetition rate could be achieved in burst-mode operation, which is a world record for this type of laser amplifier. Due to its material and spectral properties, ytterbium doped YAG (Yb:YAG) is used as a gain medium for the high power amplifier stages. The low quantum defect and the comparatively large emission bandwidth makes this material the choice for high power operation and sub-picosecond compressed pulse durations. The output beam profile as well as the shape of the output bursts is ideal to pump an OPCPA system. An OPCPA output energy in the millijoule range with repetition rates of 100 kHz to 1 MHz is needed to generate seed pulses for the FEL and for the application as pump-probe laser at the FEL facility. Since the development of this laser system needs to meet requirements set by the Free-Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH), the amplifier is conceived for burst-mode operation. The main requirement is a high intra-burst pulse repetition rate of more than 100 kHz and a uniform pulse train (burst) with equal properties for every pulse. The burst-mode is an operation mode where the laser never reaches a lasing equilibrium, which means that the behavior of the amplifier is similar to a switch-on of the laser system for every burst. This makes the development of the amplifier system difficult. Therefore, an analytical model has been developed to study the amplification process during the burst. This includes the

High-repetition-rate hydrogen chamber: Preliminary studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1967-01-01

This report is a conclusion to the tests realised with an experimental bubbles chamber in view to study the possibilities to increase the repetition rate. The more important parameters (the evolution of the bubbles, the expansion system) are considered in a theoretical way. Then the hardware is described. To end, experimental results are compared with the first evaluations. The calculations and the experimentation are against an oscillation system for the expansion. A system with a locking is to he considered. (authors) [fr

Repetition rate stabilization of an erbium-doped all-fiber laser via opto-mechanical control of the intracavity group velocity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Xuling; He, Boqu; Zhao, Jian; Liu, Yang; Bai, Dongbi; Wang, Chao; Liu, Geping; Luo, Daping; Liu, Fengjiang; Li, Wenxue; Zeng, Heping; Yang, Kangwen; Hao, Qiang

2015-01-01

We present a method for stabilizing the repetition rate of an erbium-doped all-fiber laser by inserting an electronic polarization controller (EPC) in the fiber laser cavity. The device exhibited good integration, low cost, and convenient operation. Such a repetition rate stabilization may facilitate an all-fiber laser comb system with high integration. The repetition rate was phase-locked to a Rb reference more than 72 h with a low feedback voltage applied to one channel of the EPC. The repetition rate was 74.6 MHz. The standard deviation and the repetition rate linewidth were 1.4 and 1.7 mHz, respectively

Trends in hospital admission rates for anorexia nervosa in Oxford (1968-2011) and England (1990-2011): database studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Josephine; Hall, Nick; Yeates, David G R; Goldacre, Michael

2016-02-01

To report on long-term trends in hospital admission rates for anorexia nervosa using two English datasets. We used data on hospital day-case and inpatient care across five decades in the Oxford Record Linkage Study (ORLS), and similar data for all England from 1990. We analysed rates of admission for anorexia nervosa in people aged 10-44 years, using hospital episodes (counting every admission) and first-recorded admissions (counting only the first record for each person). Former Oxford NHS Region; and England. None; anonymous statistical records were used. In the longstanding ORLS, the age-standardised first-recorded admission rate for women was 2.7 (95% confidence interval 1.6-3.8) per 100,000 female population aged 10-44 years in 1968-1971; 2.7 (2.1-3.3) in 1992-1996; and 6.3 (5.5-7.2) in 2007-2011. Male rates were zero in the 1960s; 0.07 (0.0-0.1) per 100,000 men in 1992-1996; and 0.4 (0.2-0.6) in 2007-2011. In England, female rates increased from 4.2 (4.0-4.4) in 1998-2001 to 6.9 (6.7-7.1) in 2007-2011; and the corresponding male rates were 0.2 (0.1-0.3) and 0.5 (0.4-0.6). Episode-based admission rates rose more than person-based rates. The highest rates by far were in girls and women aged 15-19 years. In recent years, anorexia nervosa has become a greater burden on secondary care: not only have admission rates increased but so too have multiple admissions per person with anorexia nervosa. The increase in admission rates might reflect an increase in prevalence rates of anorexia nervosa in the general population, but other explanations, including lower clinical thresholds for admission, are possible and are discussed. © The Royal Society of Medicine.

High-power pre-chirp managed amplification of femtosecond pulses at high repetition rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Li, Wenxue; Zhao, Jian; Bai, Dongbi; Luo, Daping; Zeng, Heping

2015-01-01

Femtosecond pulses at 250 MHz repetition rate from a mode-locked fiber laser are amplified to high power in a pre-chirp managed amplifier. The experimental strategy offers a potential towards high-power ultrashort laser pulses at high repetition rates. By investigating the laser pulse evolution in the amplification processes, we show that self-similar evolution, finite gain bandwidth and mode instabilities determine pulse characteristics in different regimes. Further average power scaling is limited by the mode instabilities. Nevertheless, this laser system enables us to achieve sub-50 fs pulses with an average power of 93 W. (letter)

Operation and Thermal Modeling of the ISIS H– Source from 50 to 2 Hz Repetition Rates

CERN Document Server

Pereira, H; Lettry, J

2013-01-01

CERN’s Linac4 accelerator H− ion source, currently under construction, will operate at a 2 Hz repetition rate, with pulse length of 0.5 ms and a beam current of 80 mA. Its reliability must exceed 99 % with a mandatory 3 month uninterrupted operation period. A Penning ion source is successfully operated at ISIS; at 50 Hz repetition rate it reliably provides 55 mA H− pulses of 0.25 ms duration over 1 month. The discharge plasma ignition is very sensitive to the temperatures of the discharge region, especially of its cathode. The investigation by modeling and measurement of operation parameters suitable for arc ignition and H− production at 2 Hz is of paramount importance and must be understood prior to the implementation of discharge ion sources in the Linac4 accelerator. In its original configuration, the ISIS H− source delivers beam only if the repetition rate is above 12.5 Hz, this paper describes the implementation of a temperature control of the discharge region aiming at lower repetition rate op...

Probing background ionization: positive streamers with varying pulse repetition rate and with a radioactive admixture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nijdam, S; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Ebert, U; Wormeester, G

2011-01-01

Positive streamers need a source of free electrons ahead of them to propagate. A streamer can supply these electrons by itself through photo-ionization, or the electrons can be present due to external background ionization. Here we investigate the effects of background ionization on streamer propagation and morphology by changing the gas composition and the repetition rate of the voltage pulses, and by adding a small amount of radioactive 85 Kr. We find that the general morphology of a positive streamer discharge in high-purity nitrogen depends on background ionization: at lower background ionization levels the streamers branch more and have a more feather-like appearance. This is observed both when varying the repetition rate and when adding 85 Kr, though side branches are longer with the radioactive admixture. But velocities and minimal diameters of streamers are virtually independent of the background ionization level. In air, the inception cloud breaks up into streamers at a smaller radius when the repetition rate and therefore the background ionization level is higher. When measuring the effects of the pulse repetition rate and of the radioactive admixture on the discharge morphology, we found that our estimates of background ionization levels are consistent with these observations; this gives confidence in the estimates. Streamer channels generally do not follow the paths of previous discharge channels for repetition rates of up to 10 Hz. We estimate the effect of recombination and diffusion of ions and free electrons from the previous discharge and conclude that the old trail has largely disappeared at the moment of the next voltage pulse; therefore the next streamers indeed cannot follow the old trail.

High-q microring resonator with narrow free spectral range for pulse repetition rate multiplication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Ji, Hua; Frandsen, Lars Hagedorn

2009-01-01

We demonstrate a silicon-on-insulator microring resonator with a free-spectral-range of 0.32 nm, an extinction ratio of 27 dB, and a quality factor of ~140900 at 1550 nm that is used for pulse repetition-rate multiplication from 10 to 40 GHz.......We demonstrate a silicon-on-insulator microring resonator with a free-spectral-range of 0.32 nm, an extinction ratio of 27 dB, and a quality factor of ~140900 at 1550 nm that is used for pulse repetition-rate multiplication from 10 to 40 GHz....

Reduction of the beam pulse repetition rate of the Hamburg Isochronous Cyclotron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krause, H; Langkau, R; Schirm, N [Hamburg Univ. (F.R. Germany). 1. Inst. fuer Experimentalphysik

1976-04-01

A system for the reduction of the beam pulse repetition rate of the energy-variable Hamburg Isochronous Cyclotron comprising beam pulse supression in the cyclotron center and in the external beam is described.

On the mechanisms governing the repetition rate of mode-locked semiconductor lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mulet, Josep; Mørk, Jesper

2004-01-01

We investigate the mechanisms influencing the synchronization locking range of mode-locked lasers. We find that changes in repetition rates can be accomodated through a joint interplay of dispersion and pulse shaping effects....

Ultraviolet excimer laser ablation: the effect of wavelength and repetition rate on in vivo guinea pig skin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morelli, J.; Kibbi, A.G.; Farinelli, W.; Boll, J.; Tan, O.T.

1987-06-01

Multiple dermatologic conditions that are currently treated with traditional cold-knife surgery are amenable to laser therapy. The ideal surgical treatment would be precise and total removal of abnormal tissue with maximal sparing of remaining structures. The ultraviolet (UV) excimer laser is capable of such precise tissue removal due to the penetration depth of 193 nm and 248 nm irradiation of 1 micron per pulse. This type of ablative tissue removal requires a high repetition rate for efficient lesional destruction. Excimer laser radiation at 193 nm is capable of high repetition rates, which are necessary while 248 nm radiation causes increasing nonspecific thermal injury as the laser repetition rate is increased.

Very high repetition-rate electro-optical cavity-dumped Nd: YVO4 laser with optics and dynamics stabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xuesong; Shi, Zhaohui; Huang, Yutao; Fan, Zhongwei; Yu, Jin; Zhang, Jing; Hou, Liqun

2015-02-01

In this paper, a very high repetition-rate, short-pulse, electro-optical cavity-dumped Nd: YVO4 laser is experimentally and theoretically investigated. The laser performance is optimized from two aspects. Firstly, the laser resonator is designed for a good thermal stability under large pump power fluctuation through optics methods. Secondly, dynamics simulation as well as experiments verifies that cavity dumping at very high repetition rate has better stability than medium/high repetition rate. At 30 W, 880 nm pump power, up to 500 kHz, constant 5 ns, stable 1064 nm fundamental-mode laser pulses can be obtained with 10 W average output power.

Vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy of lipid bilayers at repetition rates up to 100 kHz

Science.gov (United States)

Yesudas, Freeda; Mero, Mark; Kneipp, Janina; Heiner, Zsuzsanna

2018-03-01

Broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation (BB-VSFG) spectroscopy has become a well-established surface analytical tool capable of identifying the orientation and structure of molecular layers. A straightforward way to boost the sensitivity of the technique could be to increase the laser repetition rate beyond that of standard BB-VSFG spectrometers, which rely on Ti:sapphire lasers operating at repetition rates of 1-5 kHz. Nevertheless, possible thermally induced artifacts in the vibrational spectra due to higher laser average powers are unexplored. Here, we discuss laser power induced temperature accumulation effects that distort the BB-VSFG spectra of 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine at an interface between two transparent phases at repetition rates of 5, 10, 50, and 100 kHz at constant pulse energy. No heat-induced distortions were found in the spectra, suggesting that the increase in the laser repetition rate provides a feasible route to an improved signal-to-noise ratio or shorter data acquisition times in BB-VSFG spectroscopy for thin films on transparent substrates. The results have implications for future BB-VSFG spectrometers pushing the detection limit for molecular layers with low surface coverage.

Effect of Bench Press Load Knowledge on Repetitions, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Attentional Focus.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaudoin, Christina M; Cox, Zachary; Dundore, Tyler; Thomas, Tayler; Kim, Johnathon; Pillivant, Daniel

2018-02-01

Beaudoin, CM, Cox, Z, Dundore, T, Thomas, T, Kim, J, and Pillivant, D. Effect of bench press load knowledge on repetitions, rating of perceived exertion, and attentional focus. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 514-519, 2018-Few studies have examined the role of the teleoanticipation during resistance training. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of bench press (BP) load knowledge on repetitions completed, ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs), and attentional focus (% associative). Thirty-six recreationally active resistance-trained men (n = 25) and women (n = 11) participated in this study (age = 20.97 ± 1.87 years; ht = 174.12 ± 9.41 cm; and mass = 80.14 ± 14.03 kg). All subjects completed 3 testing sessions: (a) 1 repetition maximum (1RM) BP determination; (b) submaximal BP repetitions to fatigue known load (KL); and (c) submaximal BP repetitions to fatigue unknown load (UL). Known load and UL sessions were randomized and counterbalanced and both completed at 70% 1RM. An estimated weight ratio was computed using the subject's estimate of the UL weight relative to the KL weight. An independent samples t-test revealed no significant testing order difference for the estimated weight ratio. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variances revealed no significant differences in the number of repetitions (p = 0.63), RPE (p = 0.18), or attentional focus (% associative) (p = 0.93) between the KL and UL conditions. Pearson correlations found a moderate positive association between KL repetitions completed and % associative focus when the UL was completed before the KL. Load knowledge did not influence the number of repetitions, RPE, or attentional focus while completing the BP. Further research examining the use of pacing strategies, RPE, and attentional focus during KL and UL conditions are warranted.

Advances in high repetition rate, ultra-short, gigawatt laser systems for time-resolved spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiMauro, L.F.

1991-01-01

The objective of this article is to emphasize the current advances in the development of high-repetition rate amplifier pumps. Although this review highlights amplifier pump development, any recent data from achieved outputs via the tunable amplifier section is also discussed. The first section describes desirable parameters attributable to the pump amplifier while the rest of the article deals with specific examples for various options. The pump amplifiers can be characterized into two distinct classes; those achieving operation in the hundred hertz regime and those performing at repetition rates ≥1kHz. 23 refs., 4 figs

Ultrafast, high repetition rate, ultraviolet, fiber-laser-based source: application towards Yb+ fast quantum-logic.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Mahmood Irtiza; Petrasiunas, Matthew Joseph; Bentley, Christopher D B; Taylor, Richard L; Carvalho, André R R; Hope, Joseph J; Streed, Erik W; Lobino, Mirko; Kielpinski, David

2016-07-25

Trapped ions are one of the most promising approaches for the realization of a universal quantum computer. Faster quantum logic gates could dramatically improve the performance of trapped-ion quantum computers, and require the development of suitable high repetition rate pulsed lasers. Here we report on a robust frequency upconverted fiber laser based source, able to deliver 2.5 ps ultraviolet (UV) pulses at a stabilized repetition rate of 300.00000 MHz with an average power of 190 mW. The laser wavelength is resonant with the strong transition in Ytterbium (Yb+) at 369.53 nm and its repetition rate can be scaled up using high harmonic mode locking. We show that our source can produce arbitrary pulse patterns using a programmable pulse pattern generator and fast modulating components. Finally, simulations demonstrate that our laser is capable of performing resonant, temperature-insensitive, two-qubit quantum logic gates on trapped Yb+ ions faster than the trap period and with fidelity above 99%.

Development of a high repetition rate laser-plasma accelerator for ultra-fast electron diffraction experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaurepaire, B.

2009-01-01

Electronic microscopy and electron diffraction allowed the understanding of the organization of atoms in matter. Using a temporally short source, one can measure atomic displacements or modifications of the electronic distribution in matter. To date, the best temporal resolution for time resolved diffraction experiments is of the order of a hundred femto-seconds (fs). Laser accelerators are good candidates to reach the femtosecond temporal resolution in electron diffraction experiments. Such accelerators used to work at a low repetition rate, so that it was necessary to develop a new one operating at a high repetition rate in order to accumulate a large amount of data. In this thesis, a laser-plasma accelerator operating at the kHz repetition rate was developed and built. This source generates electron bunches at 100 keV from 3 mJ and 25 fs laser pulses. The physics of the acceleration has been studied, and the effect of the laser wavefront on the electron transverse distribution has been demonstrated. (author)

High-energy, high-repetition-rate picosecond pulses from a quasi-CW diode-pumped Nd:YAG system.

Science.gov (United States)

Noom, Daniel W E; Witte, Stefan; Morgenweg, Jonas; Altmann, Robert K; Eikema, Kjeld S E

2013-08-15

We report on a high-power quasi-CW pumped Nd:YAG laser system, producing 130 mJ, 64 ps pulses at 1064 nm wavelength with a repetition rate of 300 Hz. Pulses from a Nd:YVO(4) oscillator are first amplified by a regenerative amplifier to the millijoule level and then further amplified in quasi-CW diode-pumped Nd:YAG modules. Pulsed diode pumping enables a high gain at repetition rates of several hundred hertz, while keeping thermal effects manageable. Birefringence compensation and multiple thermal-lensing-compensated relay-imaging stages are used to maintain a top-hat beam profile. After frequency doubling, 75 mJ pulses are obtained at 532 nm. The intensity stability is better than 1.1%, which makes this laser an attractive pump source for a high-repetition-rate optical parametric amplification system.

[Evaluation of hospital admissions: admission guidelines implementation in a pediatric emergency department].

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Manuel; Warshawsky, Sheila S; Rosen, Shirley; Barak, Nurit; Press, Joseph

2004-10-01

To develop and implement locally tailored pediatric admission guidelines for use in a pediatric emergency department and evaluate the appropriateness of admissions based on these guidelines. Our Study was based on the development of admission guidelines by senior physicians, using the Delphi Consensus Process, for use in the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) at Soroka University Medical Center (Soroka). We evaluated the appropriateness of admissions to the pediatric departments of Soroka on 33 randomly selected days in 1999 and 2000 prior to guideline implementation and 30 randomly selected days in 2001, after guideline implementation. A total of 1037 files were evaluated. A rate of 12.4% inappropriate admissions to the pediatric departments was found based on locally tailored admission guidelines. There was no change in the rate of inappropriate admissions after implementation of admission guidelines in PED. Inappropriate admissions were associated with age above 3 years, hospital stay of two days or less and the season. The main reasons for evaluating an admission as inappropriate were that the admission did not comply with the guidelines and that the case could be managed in an ambulatory setting. There were distinctive differences in the characteristics of the Bedouin and Jewish populations admitted to the pediatric departments, although no difference was found in the rate of inappropriate admissions between these populations. Patient management in Soroka PED is tailored to the conditions of this medical center and to the characteristics of the population it serves. The admission guidelines developed reflect these special conditions. Lack of change in the rate of inappropriate admissions following implementation of the guidelines indicates that the guidelines reflect the physicians' approach to patient management that existed in Soroka PED prior to guideline implementation. Hospital admission guidelines have a role in the health management system; however

High-repetition-rate hydrogen chamber: Preliminary studies; Chambre a hydrogene a haut taux de repetition: Etudes preliminaires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1967-01-01

This report is a conclusion to the tests realised with an experimental bubbles chamber in view to study the possibilities to increase the repetition rate. The more important parameters (the evolution of the bubbles, the expansion system) are considered in a theoretical way. Then the hardware is described. To end, experimental results are compared with the first evaluations. The calculations and the experimentation are against an oscillation system for the expansion. A system with a locking is to he considered. (authors) [French] Ce rapport est une conclusion aux essais realises avec une chambre a bulles experimentale en vue d'etudier les possibilites d'accroitre les taux de repetition. Les parametres les plus importants (evolution des bulles, mecanique de la detente) sont etudies par voie theorique. Puis l'appareillage est decrit. Enfin, les resultats experimentaux sont compares aux evaluations donnees au debut. Ces calculs et cette experimentation ne sont pas en faveur d'un systeme oscillant pour la detente et il faut envisager un systeme avec verrouillage. (auteurs)

Effects of high repetition rate and beam size on hard tissue damage due to subpicosecond laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Beop-Min; Feit, Michael D.; Rubenchik, Alexander M.; Joslin, Elizabeth J.; Eichler, Juergen; Stoller, Patrick C.; Da Silva, Luiz B.

2000-01-01

We report the effects of the repetition rate and the beam size on the threshold for ultrashort laser pulse induced damage in dentin. The observed results are explained as cumulative thermal effects. Our model is consistent with the experimental results and explains the dependence of the threshold on repetition rate, beam size, and exposure time. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

A high repetition rate XUV seeding source for FLASH2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willner, Arik

2012-05-01

Improved performance of free-electron laser (FEL) light sources in terms of timing stability, pulse shape and spectral properties of the amplified FEL pulses is of interest in material science, the fields of ultrafast dynamics, biology, chemistry and even special branches in industry. A promising scheme for such an improvement is direct seeding with high harmonic generation (HHG) in a noble gas target. A free-electron laser seeded by an external extreme ultraviolet (XUV) source is planned for FLASH2 at DESY in Hamburg. The requirements for the XUV/soft X-ray source can be summarized as follows: A repetition rate of at least 100 kHz in a 10 Hz burst is needed at variable wavelengths from 10 to 40 nm and pulse energies of several nJ within a single laser harmonic. This application requires a laser amplifier system with exceptional parameters, mJ-level pulse energy, 10-15 fs pulse duration at 100 kHz (1 MHz) burst repetition rate. A new optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) system is under development in order to meet these requirements, and very promising results have been achieved in the last three years. In parallel to this development, a new HHG concept is necessary to sustain high average power of the driving laser system and to generate harmonics with high conversion efficiencies. Currently, the highest conversion efficiency with HHG has been demonstrated using gas-filled capillary targets. For our application, only a free-jet target can be used for HHG, in order to overcome damage threshold limitations of HHG target optics at a high repetition rate. A novel dual-gas multijet gas target has been developed and first experiments show remarkable control of the degree of phase matching forming the basis for improved control of the harmonic photon flux and the XUV pulse characteristics. The basic idea behind the dual-gas concept is the insertion of matching zones in between multiple HHG sources. These matching sections are filled with hydrogen which

A high repetition rate XUV seeding source for FLASH2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Willner, Arik

2012-05-15

Improved performance of free-electron laser (FEL) light sources in terms of timing stability, pulse shape and spectral properties of the amplified FEL pulses is of interest in material science, the fields of ultrafast dynamics, biology, chemistry and even special branches in industry. A promising scheme for such an improvement is direct seeding with high harmonic generation (HHG) in a noble gas target. A free-electron laser seeded by an external extreme ultraviolet (XUV) source is planned for FLASH2 at DESY in Hamburg. The requirements for the XUV/soft X-ray source can be summarized as follows: A repetition rate of at least 100 kHz in a 10 Hz burst is needed at variable wavelengths from 10 to 40 nm and pulse energies of several nJ within a single laser harmonic. This application requires a laser amplifier system with exceptional parameters, mJ-level pulse energy, 10-15 fs pulse duration at 100 kHz (1 MHz) burst repetition rate. A new optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) system is under development in order to meet these requirements, and very promising results have been achieved in the last three years. In parallel to this development, a new HHG concept is necessary to sustain high average power of the driving laser system and to generate harmonics with high conversion efficiencies. Currently, the highest conversion efficiency with HHG has been demonstrated using gas-filled capillary targets. For our application, only a free-jet target can be used for HHG, in order to overcome damage threshold limitations of HHG target optics at a high repetition rate. A novel dual-gas multijet gas target has been developed and first experiments show remarkable control of the degree of phase matching forming the basis for improved control of the harmonic photon flux and the XUV pulse characteristics. The basic idea behind the dual-gas concept is the insertion of matching zones in between multiple HHG sources. These matching sections are filled with hydrogen which

Characterization of a high repetition-rate laser-driven short-pulsed neutron source

Science.gov (United States)

Hah, J.; Nees, J. A.; Hammig, M. D.; Krushelnick, K.; Thomas, A. G. R.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate a repetitive, high flux, short-pulsed laser-driven neutron source using a heavy-water jet target. We measure neutron generation at 1/2 kHz repetition rate using several-mJ pulse energies, yielding a time-averaged neutron flux of 2 × 105 neutrons s‑1 (into 4π steradians). Deuteron spectra are also measured in order to understand source characteristics. Analyses of time-of-flight neutron spectra indicate that two separate populations of neutrons, ‘prompt’ and ‘delayed’, are generated at different locations. Gamma-ray emission from neutron capture 1H(n,γ) is also measured to confirm the neutron flux.

Repetition rate multiplication of frequency comb using all-pass fiber resonator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Lijun; Yang, Honglei; Zhang, Hongyuan; Wei, Haoyun; Li, Yan, E-mail: liyan@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instruments, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2016-09-15

We propose a stable method for repetition rate multiplication of a 250-MHz Er-fiber frequency comb by a phase-locked all-pass fiber ring resonator, whose phase-locking configuration is simple. The optical path length of the fiber ring resonator is automatically controlled to be accurately an odd multiple of half of the original cavity length using an electronical phase-locking unit with an optical delay line. As for shorter cavity length of the comb, high-order odd multiple is preferable. Because the power loss depends only on the net-attenuation of the fiber ring resonator, the energetic efficiency of the proposed method is high. The input and output optical spectrums show that the spectral width of the frequency comb is clearly preserved. Besides, experimental results show less pulse intensity fluctuation and 35 dB suppression ratio of side-modes while providing a good long-term and short-term frequency stability. Higher-order repetition rate multiplication to several GHz can be obtained by using several fiber ring resonators in cascade configuration.

Repetition rate multiplication of frequency comb using all-pass fiber resonator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Lijun; Yang, Honglei; Zhang, Hongyuan; Wei, Haoyun; Li, Yan

2016-01-01

We propose a stable method for repetition rate multiplication of a 250-MHz Er-fiber frequency comb by a phase-locked all-pass fiber ring resonator, whose phase-locking configuration is simple. The optical path length of the fiber ring resonator is automatically controlled to be accurately an odd multiple of half of the original cavity length using an electronical phase-locking unit with an optical delay line. As for shorter cavity length of the comb, high-order odd multiple is preferable. Because the power loss depends only on the net-attenuation of the fiber ring resonator, the energetic efficiency of the proposed method is high. The input and output optical spectrums show that the spectral width of the frequency comb is clearly preserved. Besides, experimental results show less pulse intensity fluctuation and 35 dB suppression ratio of side-modes while providing a good long-term and short-term frequency stability. Higher-order repetition rate multiplication to several GHz can be obtained by using several fiber ring resonators in cascade configuration.

Diffusively cooled thin-sheath high-repetition-rate TEA and TEMA lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Yatsiv, Shaul; Gabay, Amnon; Sintov, Yoav

1993-05-01

Transverse electric atmospheric (TEA), or multi atmospheric (TEMA) lasers deliver intense short laser pulses of considerable energies. Recurrent high repetition rate pulse trains afford substantial average power levels. In a high rep-rate operation the gas flows across the cavity and is externally cooled to maintain a reasonably low temperature. The gas flow gear and heat exchanger are bulky and costly. In this work we present a repetitively pulsed TEA or TEMA laser that combines energy and peak power features in an individual pulse with the substantial average power levels of a pulse train in a thin layer of gas. Excess heat is disposed of, by conduction through the gas, to cooled enclosing walls. The gas does not flow. The method applies to vibrational transition molecular lasers in the infrared, where elevated temperatures are deleterious to the laser operation. The gist of the method draws on the law that heat conductivity in gases does not depend on their pressure. The fact lends unique operational flexibility and compactness, desirable for industrial and research purposes.

High repetition rate laser-driven MeV ion acceleration at variable background pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Joseph; Ngirmang, Gregory; Orban, Chris; Feister, Scott; Morrison, John; Frische, Kyle; Chowdhury, Enam; Roquemore, W. M.

2017-10-01

Ultra-intense laser-plasma interactions (LPI) can produce highly energetic photons, electrons, and ions with numerous potential real-world applications. Many of these applications will require repeatable, high repetition targets that are suitable for LPI experiments. Liquid targets can meet many of these needs, but they typically require higher chamber pressure than is used for many low repetition rate experiments. The effect of background pressure on the LPI has not been thoroughly studied. With this in mind, the Extreme Light group at the Air Force Research Lab has carried out MeV ion and electron acceleration experiments at kHz repetition rate with background pressures ranging from 30 mTorr to >1 Torr using a submicron ethylene glycol liquid sheet target. We present these results and provide two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation results that offer insight on the thresholds for the efficient acceleration of electrons and ions. This research is supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under LRIR Project 17RQCOR504 under the management of Dr. Riq Parra and Dr. Jean-Luc Cambier. Support was also provided by the DOD HPCMP Internship Program.

Compact and high repetition rate Kerr-lens mode-locked 532 nm Nd:YVO4 laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zuohan; Peng, Jiying; Yuan, Ruixia; Yao, Jianquan; Zheng, Yi; Wang, Tongtong

2015-01-01

A compact and feasible CW Kerr-lens-induced mode-locked 532 nm Nd:YVO 4 laser system was experimentally demonstrated for the first time with theoretical analysis. Kerr-lens mode locking with intracavity second harmonic generation provides a promising method to generate a high-repetition-rate picosecond green laser. With an incident pump power of 6 W, the average output power of mode locking was 258 mW at a high repetition rate of 1.1 GHz. (paper)

Optimization and phase matching of fiber-laser-driven high-order harmonic generation at high repetition rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabasse, Amélie; Machinet, Guillaume; Dubrouil, Antoine; Cormier, Eric; Constant, Eric

2012-11-15

High-repetition-rate sources are very attractive for high-order harmonic generation (HHG). However, due to their pulse characteristics (low energy, long duration), those systems require a tight focusing geometry to achieve the necessary intensity to generate harmonics. In this Letter, we investigate theoretically and experimentally the optimization of HHG in this geometry, to maximize the extreme UV (XUV) photon flux and improve the conversion efficiency. We analyze the influence of atomic gas media (Ar, Kr, or Xe), gas pressure, and interaction geometries (a gas jet and a finite and a semi-infinite gas cell). Numerical simulations allow us to define optimal conditions for HHG in this tight focusing regime and to observe the signature of on-axis phase matching. These conditions are implemented experimentally using a high-repetition-rate Yb-doped fiber laser system. We achieve optimization of emission with a recorded XUV photon flux of 4.5×10(12) photons/s generated in Xe at 100 kHz repetition rate.

Laser-diode pumped self-mode-locked praseodymium visible lasers with multi-gigahertz repetition rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuxia; Yu, Haohai; Zhang, Huaijin; Di Lieto, Alberto; Tonelli, Mauro; Wang, Jiyang

2016-06-15

We demonstrate efficient laser-diode pumped multi-gigahertz (GHz) self-mode-locked praseodymium (Pr3+) visible lasers with broadband spectra from green to deep red for the first time to our knowledge. With a Pr3+-doped GdLiF4 crystal, stable self-mode-locked visible pulsed lasers at the wavelengths of 522 nm, 607 nm, 639 nm, and 720 nm have been obtained with the repetition rates of 2.8 GHz, 3.1 GHz, 3.1 GHz, and 3.0 GHz, respectively. The maximum output power was 612 mW with the slope efficiency of 46.9% at 639 nm. The mode-locking mechanism was theoretically analyzed. The stable second-harmonic mode-locking with doubled repetition frequency was also realized based on the Fabry-Perot effect formed in the laser cavity. In addition, we find that the polarization directions were turned with lasing wavelengths. This work may provide a new way for generating efficient ultrafast pulses with high- and changeable-repetition rates in the visible range.

Oral-diadochokinetic rates for Hebrew-speaking school-age children: real words vs. non-words repetition.

Science.gov (United States)

Icht, Michal; Ben-David, Boaz M

2015-02-01

Oral-diadochokinesis (DDK) tasks are a common tool for evaluating speech disorders. Usually, these tasks involve repetitions of non-words. It has been suggested that repeating real words can be more suitable for preschool children. But, the impact of using real words with elementary school children has not been studied yet. This study evaluated oral-DDK rates for Hebrew-speaking elementary school children using non-words and real words. The participants were 60 children, 9-11 years old, with normal speech and language development, who were asked to repeat "pataka" (non-word) and "bodeket" (Hebrew real word). Data replicate the advantage generally found for real word repetition with preschoolers. Children produced real words faster than non-words for all age groups, and repetition rates were higher for the older children. The findings suggest that adding real words to the standard oral-DDK task with elementary school children may provide a more comprehensive picture of oro-motor function.

Admission rates and costs associated with emergency presentation of urolithiasis: analysis of the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample 2006-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Samuel H; Cashy, John; Pearl, Jeffrey A; Stein, Daniel M; Perry, Kent; Nadler, Robert B

2013-12-01

We sought to examine a large nationwide (United States) sample of emergency department (ED) visits to determine data related to utilization and costs of care for urolithiasis in this setting. Nationwide Emergency Department Sample was analyzed from 2006 to 2009. All patients presenting to the ED with a diagnosis of upper tract urolithiasis were analyzed. Admission rates and total cost were compared by region, hospital type, and payer type. Numbers are weighted estimates that are designed to approximate the total national rate. An average of 1.2 million patients per year were identified with the diagnosis of urolithiasis out of 120 million visits to the ED annually. Overall average rate of admission was 19.21%. Admission rates were highest in the Northeast (24.88%), among teaching hospitals (22.27%), and among Medicare patients (42.04%). The lowest admission rates were noted for self-pay patients (9.76%) and nonmetropolitan hospitals (13.49%). The smallest increases in costs over time were noted in the Northeast. Total costs were least in nonmetropolitan hospitals; however, more patients were transferred to other hospitals. When assessing hospital ownership status, private for-profit hospitals had similar admission rates compared with private not-for-profit hospitals (16.6% vs 15.9%); however, costs were 64% and 48% higher for ED and inpatient admission costs, respectively. Presentation of urolithiasis to the ED is common, and is associated with significant costs to the medical system, which are increasing over time. Costs and rates of admission differ by region, payer type, and hospital type, which may allow us to identify the causes for cost discrepancies and areas to improve efficiency of care delivery.

A Simulation of the Effects of Varying Repetition Rate and Pulse Width of Nanosecond Discharges on Premixed Lean Methane-Air Combustion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moon Soo Bak

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Two-dimensional kinetic simulation has been carried out to investigate the effects of repetition rate and pulse width of nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges on stabilizing premixed lean methane-air combustion. The repetition rate and pulse width are varied from 10 kHz to 50 kHz and from 9 ns to 2 ns while the total power is kept constant. The lower repetition rates provide larger amounts of radicals such as O, H, and OH. However, the effect on stabilization is found to be the same for all of the tested repetition rates. The shorter pulse width is found to favor the production of species in higher electronic states, but the varying effects on stabilization are also found to be small. Our results indicate that the total deposited power is the critical element that determines the extent of stabilization over this range of discharge properties studied.

Low-timing-jitter, stretched-pulse passively mode-locked fiber laser with tunable repetition rate and high operation stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yuanshan; Zhang, Jian-Guo; Chen, Guofu; Zhao, Wei; Bai, Jing

2010-01-01

We design a low-timing-jitter, repetition-rate-tunable, stretched-pulse passively mode-locked fiber laser by using a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM), a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM), and a tunable optical delay line in the laser configuration. Low-timing-jitter optical pulses are stably produced when a SESAM and a 0.16 m dispersion compensation fiber are employed in the laser cavity. By inserting a tunable optical delay line between NALM and SESAM, the variable repetition-rate operation of a self-starting, passively mode-locked fiber laser is successfully demonstrated over a range from 49.65 to 50.47 MHz. The experimental results show that the newly designed fiber laser can maintain the mode locking at the pumping power of 160 mW to stably generate periodic optical pulses with width less than 170 fs and timing jitter lower than 75 fs in the 1.55 µm wavelength region, when the fundamental repetition rate of the laser is continuously tuned between 49.65 and 50.47 MHz. Moreover, this fiber laser has a feature of turn-key operation with high repeatability of its fundamental repetition rate in practice

MHz repetition rate solid-state driver for high current induction accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooksby, C; Caporaso, G; Goerz, D; Hanks, R; Hickman, B; Kirbie, H; Lee, B; Saethre, R.

1999-01-01

A research team from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Bechtel Nevada Corporation is developing an all solid-state power source for high current induction accelerators. The original power system design, developed for heavy-ion fusion accelerators, is based on the simple idea of using an array of field effect transistors to switch energy from a pre-charged capacitor bank to an induction accelerator cell. Recently, that idea has been expanded to accommodate the greater power needs of a new class of high-current electron accelerators for advanced radiography. For this purpose, we developed a 3-stage induction adder that uses over 4,000 field effect transistors to switch peak voltages of 45 kV at currents up to 4.8 kA with pulse repetition rates of up to 2 MHz. This radically advanced power system can generate a burst of five or more pulses that vary from 200 ns to 2 ampersand micro;s at a duty cycle of up to 25%. Our new source is precise, robust, flexible, and exceeds all previous drivers for induction machines by a factor of 400 in repetition rate and a factor of 1000 in duty cycle

Pulsed laser deposition of SrRuO3 thin-films: The role of the pulse repetition rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Schraknepper

2016-12-01

Full Text Available SrRuO3 thin-films were deposited with different pulse repetition rates, fdep, epitaxially on vicinal SrTiO3 substrates by means of pulsed laser deposition. The measurement of several physical properties (e.g., composition by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the out-of-plane lattice parameter, the electric conductivity, and the Curie temperature consistently reveals that an increase in laser repetition rate results in an increase in ruthenium deficiency in the films. By the same token, it is shown that when using low repetition rates, approaching a nearly stoichiometric cation ratio in SrRuO3 becomes feasible. Based on these results, we propose a mechanism to explain the widely observed Ru deficiency of SrRuO3 thin-films. Our findings demand these theoretical considerations to be based on kinetic rather than widely employed thermodynamic arguments.

High repetition rate ultrashort laser cuts a path through fog

Science.gov (United States)

de la Cruz, Lorena; Schubert, Elise; Mongin, Denis; Klingebiel, Sandro; Schultze, Marcel; Metzger, Thomas; Michel, Knut; Kasparian, Jérôme; Wolf, Jean-Pierre

2016-12-01

We experimentally demonstrate that the transmission of a 1030 nm, 1.3 ps laser beam of 100 mJ energy through fog increases when its repetition rate increases to the kHz range. Due to the efficient energy deposition by the laser filaments in the air, a shockwave ejects the fog droplets from a substantial volume of the beam, at a moderate energy cost. This process opens prospects for applications requiring the transmission of laser beams through fogs and clouds.

Photocathodes for High Repetition Rate Light Sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben-Zvi, Ilan [Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy. Center for Accelerator Science and Education

2014-04-20

This proposal brought together teams at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Stony Brook University (SBU) to study photocathodes for high repetition rate light sources such as Free Electron Lasers (FEL) and Energy Recovery Linacs (ERL). Below details the Principal Investigators and contact information. Each PI submits separately for a budget through his corresponding institute. The work done under this grant comprises a comprehensive program on critical aspects of the production of the electron beams needed for future user facilities. Our program pioneered in situ and in operando diagnostics for alkali antimonide growth. The focus is on development of photocathodes for high repetition rate Free Electron Lasers (FELs) and Energy Recovery Linacs (ERLs), including testing SRF photoguns, both normal-­conducting and superconducting. Teams from BNL, LBNL and Stony Brook University (SBU) led this research, and coordinated their work over a range of topics. The work leveraged a robust infrastructure of existing facilities and the support was used for carrying out the research at these facilities. The program concentrated in three areas: a) Physics and chemistry of alkali-­antimonide cathodes (BNL – LBNL) b) Development and testing of a diamond amplifier for photocathodes (SBU -­ BNL) c) Tests of both cathodes in superconducting RF photoguns (SBU) and copper RF photoguns (LBNL) Our work made extensive use of synchrotron radiation materials science techniques, such as powder-­ and single-­crystal diffraction, x-­ray fluorescence, EXAFS and variable energy XPS. BNL and LBNL have many complementary facilities at the two light sources associated with these laboratories (NSLS and ALS, respectively); use of these will be a major thrust of our program and bring our understanding of these complex materials to a new level. In addition, CHESS at Cornell will be used to continue seamlessly throughout the NSLS dark period and

Diagnostic for a high-repetition rate electron photo-gun and first measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Filippetto, D.; Doolittle, L.; Huang, G.; Norum, E.; Portmann, G.; Qian, H.; Sannibale, F.

2015-05-01

The APEX electron source at LBNL combines the high-repetition-rate with the high beam brightness typical of photoguns, delivering low emittance electron pulses at MHz frequency. Proving the high beam quality of the beam is an essential step for the success of the experiment, opening the doors of the high average power to brightness-hungry applications as X-Ray FELs, MHz ultrafast electron diffraction etc.. As first step, a complete characterization of the beam parameters is foreseen at the Gun beam energy of 750 keV. Diagnostics for low and high current measurements have been installed and tested, and measurements of cathode lifetime and thermal emittance in a RF environment with mA current performed. The recent installation of a double slit system, a deflecting cavity and a high precision spectrometer, allow the exploration of the full 6D phase space. Here we discuss the present layout of the machine and future upgrades, showing the latest results at low and high repetition rate, together with the tools and techniques used.

Influence of Music Style and Rate on Repetitive Finger Tapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Stegemöller, Elizabeth L; Tatz, Joshua R; Warnecke, Alison; Hibbing, Paul; Bates, Brandon; Zaman, Andrew

2018-03-09

Auditory cues, including music, are commonly used in the treatment of persons with Parkinson's disease. Yet, how music style and movement rate modulate movement performance in persons with Parkinson's disease have been neglected and remain limited in healthy young populations. The purpose of this study was to determine how music style and movement rate influence movement performance in healthy young adults. Healthy participants were asked to perform repetitive finger movements at two pacing rates (70 and 140 beats per minute) for the following conditions: (a) a tone only, (b) activating music, and (c) relaxing music. Electromyography, movement kinematics, and variability were collected. Results revealed that the provision of music, regardless of style, reduced amplitude variability at both pacing rates. Intermovement interval was longer, and acceleration variability was reduced during both music conditions at the lower pacing rate only. These results may prove beneficial for designing therapeutic interventions for persons with Parkinson's disease.

300-MHz-repetition-rate, all-fiber, femtosecond laser mode-locked by planar lightwave circuit-based saturable absorber.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chur; Kim, Dohyun; Cheong, YeonJoon; Kwon, Dohyeon; Choi, Sun Young; Jeong, Hwanseong; Cha, Sang Jun; Lee, Jeong-Woo; Yeom, Dong-Il; Rotermund, Fabian; Kim, Jungwon

2015-10-05

We show the implementation of fiber-pigtailed, evanescent-field-interacting, single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT)-based saturable absorbers (SAs) using standard planar lightwave circuit (PLC) fabrication processes. The implemented PLC-CNT-SA device is employed to realize self-starting, high-repetition-rate, all-fiber ring oscillators at telecommunication wavelength. We demonstrate all-fiber Er ring lasers operating at 303-MHz (soliton regime) and 274-MHz (stretched-pulse regime) repetition-rates. The 303-MHz (274-MHz) laser centered at 1555 nm (1550 nm) provides 7.5 nm (19 nm) spectral bandwidth. After extra-cavity amplilfication, the amplified pulse train of the 303-MHz (274-MHz) laser delivers 209 fs (178 fs) pulses. To our knowledge, this corresponds to the highest repetition-rates achieved for femtosecond lasers employing evanescent-field-interacting SAs. The demonstrated SA fabrication method, which is based on well-established PLC processes, also shows a potential way for mass-producible and lower-cost waveguide-type SA devices suitable for all-fiber and waveguide lasers.

Efficient high-peak-power and high-repetition-rate eye-safe laser using an intracavity KTP OPO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, J; Jiao, Z X; Wang, B; He, G Y

2015-01-01

An efficient high-peak-power and high-repetition-rate intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YVO 4 laser is demonstrated. We achieved 1.5 W output power of 1.5 μm at 10 kHz repetition rate with the pulse duration of 6 ns. The maximum peak power of 25 kW and the maximum pulse energy of 150 μJ have been obtained. The maximum conversion efficiency of 9.5% is achieved with respect to a laser diode power of 10.5 W. (paper)

Development of a Watt-level gamma-ray source based on high-repetition-rate inverse Compton scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mihalcea, D.; Murokh, A.; Piot, P.; Ruan, J.

2017-07-01

A high-brilliance (~10²² photon s^-1 mm^-2 mrad^-2 /0.1%) gamma-ray source experiment is currently being planned at Fermilab (E_γ≃1.1 MeV). The source implements a high-repetition-rate inverse Compton scattering by colliding electron bunches formed in a ~300-MeV superconducting linac with a high-intensity laser pulse. This paper describes the design rationale along with some of technical challenges associated to producing high-repetition-rate collision. The expected performances of the gamma-ray source are also presented.

A simple sub-nanosecond ultraviolet light pulse generator with high repetition rate and peak power.

Science.gov (United States)

Binh, P H; Trong, V D; Renucci, P; Marie, X

2013-08-01

We present a simple ultraviolet sub-nanosecond pulse generator using commercial ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with peak emission wavelengths of 290 nm, 318 nm, 338 nm, and 405 nm. The generator is based on step recovery diode, short-circuited transmission line, and current-shaping circuit. The narrowest pulses achieved have 630 ps full width at half maximum at repetition rate of 80 MHz. Optical pulse power in the range of several hundreds of microwatts depends on the applied bias voltage. The bias voltage dependences of the output optical pulse width and peak power are analysed and discussed. Compared to commercial UV sub-nanosecond generators, the proposed generator can produce much higher pulse repetition rate and peak power.

Research on the optoacoustic communication system for speech transmission by variable laser-pulse repetition rates

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hongyan; Qiu, Hongbing; He, Ning; Liao, Xin

2018-06-01

For the optoacoustic communication from in-air platforms to submerged apparatus, a method based on speech recognition and variable laser-pulse repetition rates is proposed, which realizes character encoding and transmission for speech. Firstly, the theories and spectrum characteristics of the laser-generated underwater sound are analyzed; and moreover character conversion and encoding for speech as well as the pattern of codes for laser modulation is studied; lastly experiments to verify the system design are carried out. Results show that the optoacoustic system, where laser modulation is controlled by speech-to-character baseband codes, is beneficial to improve flexibility in receiving location for underwater targets as well as real-time performance in information transmission. In the overwater transmitter, a pulse laser is controlled to radiate by speech signals with several repetition rates randomly selected in the range of one to fifty Hz, and then in the underwater receiver laser pulse repetition rate and data can be acquired by the preamble and information codes of the corresponding laser-generated sound. When the energy of the laser pulse is appropriate, real-time transmission for speaker-independent speech can be realized in that way, which solves the problem of underwater bandwidth resource and provides a technical approach for the air-sea communication.

Heavy-duty high-repetition-rate generators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heesch, van E.J.M.; Yan, K.; Pemen, A.J.M.

2002-01-01

We present our results on high-power repetitive pulse sources for continuous operation. Two 1-10-kW systems using advanced spark gap technology and a transmission line transformer have been tested for several hundred hours at a 60-MW pulse level. High reliability and above 90% overall efficiency are

The impact of a proactive chronic care management program on hospital admission rates in a German health insurance society.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamar, Brent; Wells, Aaron; Gandy, William; Haaf, Andreas; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Rula, Elizabeth Y

2010-12-01

Hospital admissions are the source of significant health care expenses, although a large proportion of these admissions can be avoided through proper management of chronic disease. In the present study, we evaluate the impact of a proactive chronic care management program for members of a German insurance society who suffer from chronic disease. Specifically, we tested the impact of nurse-delivered care calls on hospital admission rates. Study participants were insured individuals with coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who consented to participate in the chronic care management program. Intervention (n  = 17,319) and Comparison (n  = 5668) groups were defined based on records of participating (or not participating) in telephonic interactions. Changes in admission rates were calculated from the year prior to (Base) and year after program commencement. Comparative analyses were adjusted for age, sex, region of residence, and disease severity (stratification of 3 [least severe] to 1 [most severe]). Overall, the admission rate in the Intervention group decreased by 6.2% compared with a 14.9% increase in the Comparison group (P  management care calls can help reduce hospital admissions among German health insurance members with chronic disease.

High repetition rate, high energy, actively Q-switched all-in-fiber laser

Science.gov (United States)

Lecourt, J. B.; Bertrand, A.; Guillemet, S.; Hernandez, Y.; Giannone, D.

2010-05-01

We report an actively Q-switched Ytterbium-doped all-in-fibre laser delivering 10ns pulses with high repetition rate (from 100kHz to 1MHz). The laser operation has been validated at three different wavelengths (1040, 1050 and 1064nm). The laser can deliver up to 20Watts average power with an high beam quality (M2 = 1).

A fast 30 kV 5 kHz repetition rate resonant capacitor charger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beckers, F.J.C.M.; Huiskamp, T.; van Heesch, E.J.M.; Pemen, A.J.M.

2016-01-01

A novel circuit topology of a fast 30 kV resonant capacitor charger is presented in this paper. The charger is designed for high repetition rate spark gap based pulsed power modulators. A spark gap can fire spontaneously (pre-firing) during charging of a capacitor bank due to poor dielectric

An optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier for seeding high repetition rate free-electron lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Höppner, H; Hage, A; Tanikawa, T; Schulz, M; Faatz, B; Riedel, R; Prandolini, M J; Teubner, U; Tavella, F

2015-01-01

High repetition rate free-electron lasers (FEL), producing highly intense extreme ultraviolet and x-ray pulses, require new high power tunable femtosecond lasers for FEL seeding and FEL pump-probe experiments. A tunable, 112 W (burst mode) optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA) is demonstrated with center frequencies ranging from 720–900 nm, pulse energies up to 1.12 mJ and a pulse duration of 30 fs at a repetition rate of 100 kHz. Since the power scalability of this OPCPA is limited by the OPCPA-pump amplifier, we also demonstrate a 6.7–13.7 kW (burst mode) thin-disk OPCPA-pump amplifier, increasing the possible OPCPA output power to many hundreds of watts. Furthermore, third and fourth harmonic generation experiments are performed and the results are used to simulate a seeded FEL with high-gain harmonic generation. (paper)

Impact of visual repetition rate on intrinsic properties of low frequency fluctuations in the visual network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Chia Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Visual processing network is one of the functional networks which have been reliably identified to consistently exist in human resting brains. In our work, we focused on this network and investigated the intrinsic properties of low frequency (0.01-0.08 Hz fluctuations (LFFs during changes of visual stimuli. There were two main questions to be discussed in this study: intrinsic properties of LFFs regarding (1 interactions between visual stimuli and resting-state; (2 impact of repetition rate of visual stimuli. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed scanning sessions that contained rest and visual stimuli in various repetition rates with a novel method. The method included three numerical approaches involving ICA (Independent Component Analyses, fALFF (fractional Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation, and Coherence, to respectively investigate the modulations of visual network pattern, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity during changes of visual stimuli. We discovered when resting-state was replaced by visual stimuli, more areas were involved in visual processing, and both stronger low frequency fluctuations and higher interregional functional connectivity occurred in visual network. With changes of visual repetition rate, the number of areas which were involved in visual processing, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity in this network were also modulated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To combine the results of prior literatures and our discoveries, intrinsic properties of LFFs in visual network are altered not only by modulations of endogenous factors (eye-open or eye-closed condition; alcohol administration and disordered behaviors (early blind, but also exogenous sensory stimuli (visual stimuli with various repetition rates. It demonstrates that the intrinsic properties of LFFs are valuable to represent physiological states of human brains.

Experimental investigation of different regimes of mode-locking in a high repetition rate passively mode-locked semiconductor quantum-dot laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Kéfélian, Fabien; O'Donoghue, Shane; Todaro, Maria Teresa; McInerney, John; Huyet, Guillaume

2009-04-13

We report experimental investigations on a two-section 16-GHz repetition rate InAs/GaAs quantum dot passively mode-locked laser. Near the threshold current, pseudo-periodic Q-switching with complex dynamics is exhibited. Mode-locking operation regimes characterized by different repetition rates and timing jitter levels are encountered up to twice the threshold current. Evolution of the RF spectrum and optical spectrum with current is compared. The different mode-locked regimes are shown to be associated with different spectral and temporal shapes, ranging from 1.3 to 6 ps. This point is discussed by introducing the existence of two different supermodes. Repetition rate evolution and timing jitter increase is attributed to the coupling between the dominant and the secondary supermodes.

Dropout rates in medical students at one school before and after the installation of admission tests in Austria.

Science.gov (United States)

Reibnegger, Gilbert; Caluba, Hans-Christian; Ithaler, Daniel; Manhal, Simone; Neges, Heide Maria; Smolle, Josef

2011-08-01

Admission to medical studies in Austria since academic year 2005-2006 has been regulated by admission tests. At the Medical University of Graz, an admission test focusing on secondary-school-level knowledge in natural sciences has been used for this purpose. The impact of this important change on dropout rates of female versus male students and older versus younger students is reported. All 2,860 students admitted to the human medicine diploma program at the Medical University of Graz from academic years 2002-2003 to 2008-2009 were included. Nonparametric and semiparametric survival analysis techniques were employed to compare cumulative probability of dropout between demographic groups. Cumulative probability of dropout was significantly reduced in students selected by active admission procedure versus those admitted openly (P students was only 0.145 (95% CI, 0.106-0.198). Among openly admitted students, but not for selected ones, the cumulative probabilities for dropout were higher for females (P students (P dropout hazard is highest during the second year of study. The introduction of admission testing significantly decreased the cumulative probability for dropout. In openly admitted students a significantly higher risk for dropout was found in female students and in older students, whereas no such effects can be detected after admission testing. Future research should focus on the sex dependence, with the aim of improving success rates among female applicants on the admission tests.

Drop-out and admission cancel rate among the students in a selected medical college.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahed, F; Latif, S A; Mahamud, M M; Nessa, A; Hossain, M A; Sultana, S Z; Hossain, M B

2011-04-01

A record based descriptive type of study was carried out among the under-graduate students of Mymensingh Medical College from the session 1966-67 to 2006-07. The academic years were divided into four decades and admission was followed into three categories such as retained, cancellation and drop-out. Total number of the students was 5892. Among them 3848(65.30%) were male and 2044(34.69%) were female. Out of 5892 students drop-out was 282(4.78%) and admission cancel was 304(5.15%). It was also found that drop-out in male was 232(6.02%) and in female was 50(2.44%) and admission cancel in male was 266(5.87%) and in female was 78(3.81%). The difference was found statistically significant (pcancel rate is decreasing from the very beginning to till now. It was also observed that all drop-out and admission cancellation were in first & second year students. There was no continuation of their class roll numbers in third year registration.

Meaningful Words and Non-Words Repetitive Articulatory Rate (Oral Diadochokinesis) in Persian Speaking Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamani, Peyman; Rezai, Hossein; Garmatani, Neda Tahmasebi

2017-08-01

Repetitive articulatory rate or Oral Diadochokinesis (oral-DDK) shows a guideline for appraisal and diagnosis of subjects with oral-motor disorder. Traditionally, meaningless words repetition has been utilized in this task and preschool children have challenges with them. Therefore, we aimed to determine some meaningful words in order to test oral-DDK in Persian speaking preschool children. Participants were 142 normally developing children, (age range 4-6 years), who were asked to produce /motæka, golabi/ as two meaningful Persian words and /pa-ta-ka/ as non-word in conventional oral-DDK task. We compared the time taken for 10-times fast repetitions of two meaningful Persian words and the tri-syllabic nonsense word /pa-ta-ka/. Praat software was used to calculate the average time that subjects took to produce the target items. In 4-5 year old children, [Formula: see text] of time taken for 10-times repetitions of /pa-ta-ka, motæka, golabi/ were [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] seconds respectively, and in 5-6 year old children were [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] seconds respectively. Findings showed that the main effect of type of words on oral diadochokinesis was significant ([Formula: see text]). Children repeated meaningful words /motæka, golabi/ faster than the non-word /pa-ta-ka/. Sex and age factors had no effect on time taken for repetition of oral-DDK test. It is suggested that Speech Therapists can use meaningful words to facilitate oral-DDK test for children.

Seasonal Admission Rates of Geriatric Patients with Musculoskeletal Problems to Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Clinics

OpenAIRE

Sari, Zubeyir; Yurdalan, Saadet Ufuk; Polat, Mine Gulden; Ozgul, Bahar; Kanberoglu, Ayfer; Onel, Selma

2013-01-01

Seasonal variations in the admission rates of geriatric patients with musculoskeletal problems to physical therapy and rehabilitation clinics were examined in this study. Totally 2257 patients (1802, 79.84% female; 455, 20.16% male) over the age of 65 years (mean age 72.32±5.67years) who were admitted to Duygu Private Hospital and Burcu Private Physical Therapy Branch Center in Istanbul were included. Monthly admissions and seasonal distribution were retrospectively calculated for 2 years. Ad...

Optically stabilized Erbium fiber frequency comb with hybrid mode-locking and a broad tunable range of repetition rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Honglei; Wu, Xuejian; Zhang, Hongyuan; Zhao, Shijie; Yang, Lijun; Wei, Haoyun; Li, Yan

2016-12-01

We present an optically stabilized Erbium fiber frequency comb with a broad repetition rate tuning range based on a hybrid mode-locked oscillator. We lock two comb modes to narrow-linewidth reference lasers in turn to investigate the best performance of control loops. The control bandwidth of fast and slow piezoelectric transducers reaches 70 kHz, while that of pump current modulation with phase-lead compensation is extended to 32 kHz, exceeding laser intrinsic response. Eventually, simultaneous lock of both loops is realized to totally phase-stabilize the comb, which will facilitate precision dual-comb spectroscopy, laser ranging, and timing distribution. In addition, a 1.8-MHz span of the repetition rate is achieved by an automatic optical delay line that is helpful in manufacturing a secondary comb with a similar repetition rate. The oscillator is housed in a homemade temperature-controlled box with an accuracy of ±0.02  K, which not only keeps high signal-to-noise ratio of the beat notes with reference lasers, but also guarantees self-starting at the same mode-locking every time.

Highly efficient, versatile, self-Q-switched, high-repetition-rate microchip laser generating Ince–Gaussian modes for optical trapping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jun Dong; Yu He; Xiao Zhou; Shengchuang Bai [Department of Electronics Engineering, School of Information Science and Engineering, Xiamen, 361005 (China)

2016-03-31

Lasers operating in the Ince-Gaussian (IG) mode have potential applications for optical manipulation of microparticles and formation of optical vortices, as well as for optical trapping and optical tweezers. Versatile, self-Q-switched, high-peak-power, high-repetition-rate Cr, Nd:YAG microchip lasers operating in the IG mode are implemented under tilted, tightly focused laser-diode pumping. An average output power of over 2 W is obtained at an absorbed pump power of 6.4 W. The highest optical-to-optical efficiency of 33.2% is achieved at an absorbed pump power of 3.9 W. Laser pulses with a pulse energy of 7.5 μJ, pulse width of 3.5 ns and peak power of over 2 kW are obtained. A repetition rate up to 335 kHz is reached at an absorbed pump power of 5.8 W. Highly efficient, versatile, IG-mode lasers with a high repetition rate and a high peak power ensure a better flexibility in particle manipulation and optical trapping. (control of laser radiation parameters)

Design of a high repetition rate S-band photocathode gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Janghui; Cox, Matthew; Huang, Houcheng; Pande, Shivaji

2011-01-01

Photocathode RF guns have been developed in many laboratories for generating high quality electron beams for free-electron lasers based on linear accelerators. Such guns can generate electron beams with an exceptionally high peak current as well as a small transverse emittance. Their applications have been recently expanded for ultrafast electron diffraction, coherent terahertz radiation, and X-ray or γ-ray radiation by Compton scattering. In this paper, we design an S-band normal-conducting gun with capabilities of high quality beam generation and high repetition rate operation. The RF design and thermal analysis of the gun cavity and coupler are introduced. Optimal position of the gun focusing solenoid for low emittance beam generation is found by performing particle tracking simulations. Then, the gun system is designed to be able to afford the optimal solenoid position. The cooling-water channel surrounding the gun cavity and coupler is designed and analyzed numerically. The pressure in the gun is simulated with a vacuum model containing the detailed inner structure of the gun. An injector for a free-electron laser application is designed by using this gun and the beam dynamics simulation is shown. A cold test with a prototype gun for confirmation of the RF design is reported. - Highlights: → We design an S-band gun for low emittance beam generation and high repetition rate operation. → The RF design and thermal analysis of the gun cavity and coupler are studied. → An FEL injector is designed by using this gun and the beam dynamics simulation is shown. → A cold test with a prototype gun for confirmation of the RF design is reported.

Studies of a Linac Driver for a High Repetition Rate X-Ray FEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venturini, M.; Corlett, J.; Doolittle, L.; Filippetto, D.; Papadopoulos, C.; Penn, G.; Prosnitz, D.; Qiang, J.; Reinsch, M.; Ryne, R.; Sannibale, F.; Staples, J.; Wells, R.; Wurtele, J.; Zolotorev, M.; Zholents, A.

2011-01-01

We report on on-going studies of a superconducting CW linac driver intended to support a high repetition rate FEL operating in the soft x-rays spectrum. We present a pointdesign for a 1.8 GeV machine tuned for 300 pC bunches and delivering low-emittance, low-energy spread beams as needed for the SASE and seeded beamlines.

Environmentally stable picosecond Yb fiber laser with low repetition rate

Science.gov (United States)

Baumgartl, M.; Abreu-Afonso, J.; Díez, A.; Rothhardt, M.; Limpert, J.; Tünnermann, A.

2013-04-01

A SESAM-mode-locked, all-polarization-maintaining Ytterbium fiber laser producing picosecond pulses with narrow spectral bandwidth is presented. A simple linear all-fiber cavity without dispersion compensation is realized using a uniform fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Different cavity lengths are investigated and repetition rates down to 0.7 MHz are obtained. Bandwidth and pulse duration of the output pulses are mainly determined by the choice of FBG. Pulses between 30 and 200 ps are generated employing different FBGs with bandwidths between 17 and 96 pm. The experimental results are in good agreement with numerical simulations. The laser holds great potential for simple amplification setups without pulse picking.

High speed surface cleaning by a high repetition rated TEA-CO2 laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunemi, Akira; Hirai, Ryo; Hagiwara, Kouji; Nagasaka, Keigo; Tashiro, Hideo

1994-01-01

We demonstrated the feasibility of high speed cleaning of solid surfaces by the laser ablation technique using a TEA-CO 2 laser. The laser pulses with the repetition rate of 1 kHz were applied to paint, rust, moss and dirt attached on the surfaces. The attachments were effectively removed without the damage of bulk surfaces by the irradiation of line-focused sequential pulses with an energy of 300 mJ/pulse. A cleaning rate reached to 17 m 2 /hour for the case of paint removal from iron surfaces. (author)

Phase-stable, multi-µJ femtosecond pulses from a repetition-rate tunable Ti:Sa-oscillator-seeded Yb-fiber amplifier

Science.gov (United States)

Saule, T.; Holzberger, S.; De Vries, O.; Plötner, M.; Limpert, J.; Tünnermann, A.; Pupeza, I.

2017-01-01

We present a high-power, MHz-repetition-rate, phase-stable femtosecond laser system based on a phase-stabilized Ti:Sa oscillator and a multi-stage Yb-fiber chirped-pulse power amplifier. A 10-nm band around 1030 nm is split from the 7-fs oscillator output and serves as the seed for subsequent amplification by 54 dB to 80 W of average power. The µJ-level output is spectrally broadened in a solid-core fiber and compressed to 30 fs with chirped mirrors. A pulse picker prior to power amplification allows for decreasing the repetition rate from 74 MHz by a factor of up to 4 without affecting the pulse parameters. To compensate for phase jitter added by the amplifier to the feed-forward phase-stabilized seeding pulses, a self-referencing feed-back loop is implemented at the system output. An integrated out-of-loop phase noise of less than 100 mrad was measured in the band from 0.4 Hz to 400 kHz, which to the best of our knowledge corresponds to the highest phase stability ever demonstrated for high-power, multi-MHz-repetition-rate ultrafast lasers. This system will enable experiments in attosecond physics at unprecedented repetition rates, it offers ideal prerequisites for the generation and field-resolved electro-optical sampling of high-power, broadband infrared pulses, and it is suitable for phase-stable white light generation.

Social Factors Determine the Emergency Medical Admission Workload

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seán Cournane

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We related social factors with the annual rate of emergency medical admissions using census small area statistics. All emergency medical admissions (70,543 episodes in 33,343 patients within the catchment area of St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, were examined between 2002 and 2016. Deprivation Index, Single-Parent status, Educational level and Unemployment rates were regressed against admission rates. High deprivation areas had an approximately fourfold (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR 4.0 (3.96, 4.12 increase in annual admission rate incidence/1000 population from Quintile 1(Q1, from 9.2/1000 (95% Confidence Interval (CI: 9.0, 9.4 to Q5 37.3 (37.0, 37.5. Single-Parent families comprised 40.6% of households (95% CI: 32.4, 49.7; small areas with more Single Parents had a higher admission rate-IRR (Q1 vs. for Q5 of 2.92 (95% CI: 2.83, 3.01. The admission incidence rate was higher for Single-Parent status (IRR 1.50 (95% CI: 1.46, 1.52 where the educational completion level was limited to primary level (Incidence Rate Ratio 1.45 (95% CI: 1.43, 1.47. Small areas with higher educational quintiles predicted lower Admission Rates (IRR 0.85 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.86. Social factors strongly predict the annual incidence rate of emergency medical admissions.

Differential Effects of Temperature Extremes on Hospital Admission Rates for Respiratory Disease between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Donna; Bambrick, Hilary; Tait, Peter; Goldie, James; Schultz, Rosalie; Webb, Leanne; Alexander, Lisa; Pitman, Andrew

2015-01-01

The health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians may be exacerbated by climate change if temperature extremes have disproportionate adverse effects on Indigenous people. To explore this issue, we analysed the effect of temperature extremes on hospital admissions for respiratory diseases, stratified by age, Indigenous status and sex, for people living in two different climates zones in the Northern Territory during the period 1993–2011. We examined admissions for both acute and chronic respiratory diagnoses, controlling for day of the week and seasonality variables. Our analysis showed that: (1) overall, Indigenous hospital admission rates far exceeded non-Indigenous admission rates for acute and chronic diagnoses, and Top End climate zone admission rates exceeded Central Australia climate zone admission rates; (2) extreme cold and hot temperatures were associated with inconsistent changes in admission rates for acute respiratory disease in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and older adults; and (3) no response to cold or hot temperature extremes was found for chronic respiratory diagnoses. These findings support our two hypotheses, that extreme hot and cold temperatures have a different effect on hospitalisations for respiratory disease between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and that these health risks vary between the different climate zones. We did not, however, find that there were differing responses to temperature extremes in the two populations, suggesting that any increased vulnerability to climate change in the Indigenous population of the Northern Territory arises from an increased underlying risk to respiratory disease and an already greater existing health burden. PMID:26633456

Differential Effects of Temperature Extremes on Hospital Admission Rates for Respiratory Disease between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna Green

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians may be exacerbated by climate change if temperature extremes have disproportionate adverse effects on Indigenous people. To explore this issue, we analysed the effect of temperature extremes on hospital admissions for respiratory diseases, stratified by age, Indigenous status and sex, for people living in two different climates zones in the Northern Territory during the period 1993–2011. We examined admissions for both acute and chronic respiratory diagnoses, controlling for day of the week and seasonality variables. Our analysis showed that: (1 overall, Indigenous hospital admission rates far exceeded non-Indigenous admission rates for acute and chronic diagnoses, and Top End climate zone admission rates exceeded Central Australia climate zone admission rates; (2 extreme cold and hot temperatures were associated with inconsistent changes in admission rates for acute respiratory disease in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and older adults; and (3 no response to cold or hot temperature extremes was found for chronic respiratory diagnoses. These findings support our two hypotheses, that extreme hot and cold temperatures have a different effect on hospitalisations for respiratory disease between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and that these health risks vary between the different climate zones. We did not, however, find that there were differing responses to temperature extremes in the two populations, suggesting that any increased vulnerability to climate change in the Indigenous population of the Northern Territory arises from an increased underlying risk to respiratory disease and an already greater existing health burden.

High repetition rate driver circuit for modulation of injection lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dornan, B.R.; Goel, J.; Wolkstein, H.J.

1981-01-01

An injection laser modulator comprises a self-biased field effect transistor (FET) and an injection laser to provide a quiescent state during which lasing of the injection laser occurs in response to a high repetition rate signal of pulse coded modulation (pcm). The modulator is d.c. coupled to an input pulse source of pcm rendering it compatible with an input pulse referenced to ground and not being subject to voltage level shifting of the input pulse. The modulator circuit in its preferred and alternate embodiments provides various arrangements for high impedance input and low impedance output matching. In addition, means are provided for adjusting the bias of the FET as well as the bias of the injection laser

Improved repetition rate mixed isotope CO{sub 2} TEA laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohn, D. B., E-mail: dbctechnology@earthlink.net [DBC Technology Corp., 4221 Mesa St, Torrance, California 90505 (United States)

2014-09-15

A compact CO{sub 2} TEA laser has been developed for remote chemical detection that operates at a repetition rate of 250 Hz. It emits 700 mJ/pulse at 10.6 μm in a multimode beam with the {sup 12}C{sup 16}O{sub 2} isotope. With mixed {sup 12}C{sup 16}O{sub 2} plus {sup 13}C{sup 16}O{sub 2} isotopes it emits multiple lines in both isotope manifolds to improve detection of a broad range of chemicals. In particular, output pulse energies are 110 mJ/pulse at 9.77 μm, 250 mJ/pulse at 10 μm, and 550 mJ/pulse at 11.15 μm, useful for detection of the chemical agents Sarin, Tabun, and VX. Related work shows capability for long term sealed operation with a catalyst and an agile tuner at a wavelength shift rate of 200 Hz.

Investigation on repetition rate and pulse duration influences on ablation efficiency of metals using a high average power Yb-doped ultrafast laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lopez J.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Ultrafast lasers provide an outstanding processing quality but their main drawback is the low removal rate per pulse compared to longer pulses. This limitation could be overcome by increasing both average power and repetition rate. In this paper, we report on the influence of high repetition rate and pulse duration on both ablation efficiency and processing quality on metals. All trials have been performed with a single tunable ultrafast laser (350 fs to 10ps.

Performance of a high repetition pulse rate laser system for in-gas-jet laser ionization studies with the Leuven laser ion source LISOL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrer, R.; Sonnenschein, V.T.; Bastin, B.; Franchoo, S.; Huyse, M.; Kudryavtsev, Yu.; Kron, T.; Lecesne, N.; Moore, I.D.; Osmond, B.; Pauwels, D.; Radulov, D.; Raeder, S.; Rens, L.

2012-01-01

The laser ionization efficiency of the Leuven gas cell-based laser ion source was investigated under on- and off-line conditions using two distinctly different laser setups: a low-repetition rate dye laser system and a high-repetition rate Ti:sapphire laser system. A systematic study of the ion signal dependence on repetition rate and laser pulse energy was performed in off-line tests using stable cobalt and copper isotopes. These studies also included in-gas-jet laser spectroscopy measurements on the hyperfine structure of 63 Cu. A final run under on-line conditions in which the radioactive isotope 59 Cu (T 1/2 = 81.5 s) was produced, showed a comparable yield of the two laser systems for in-gas-cell ionization. However, a significantly improved time overlap by using the high-repetition rate laser system for in-gas-jet ionization was demonstrated by an increase of the overall duty cycle, and at the same time, pointed to the need for a better shaped atomic jet to reach higher ionization efficiencies.

Repetition and the Concept of Repetition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arne Grøn

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper offers a description of the meaning of the category of repetition. Firstly, it is pointed out that Constantin uses repetition as a concept that means the creation of epochs; the passing from Greece to Modernity is accomplished distinguishing between recollection, a concept that looks back to the past, and repetition, a concept that looks forward to future. Secondly, it is showed that the category of repetition, as a religious category, relates with what Climacus calls “ethic despair” and with what Vigilius calls “second ethics”; it is through repetition that it can be understood that sin finds its place in ethics and these shows the tension between it and dogmatics. And thirdly, it is showed that the descovery of the new category of repetition is a rediscovery of what Kierkegaard calls category of spirit; repetition has for its object the individuality, and coming to be oneself is what Kierkegaard undertands as liberty. At the end of the paper it is questioned if the category of repetition is inconsistent with the book Repetition.

Upper arm elevation and repetitive shoulder movements: a general population job exposure matrix based on expert ratings and technical measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalbøge, Annett; Hansson, Gert-Åke; Frost, Poul; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Heilskov-Hansen, Thomas; Svendsen, Susanne Wulff

2016-08-01

We recently constructed a general population job exposure matrix (JEM), The Shoulder JEM, based on expert ratings. The overall aim of this study was to convert expert-rated job exposures for upper arm elevation and repetitive shoulder movements to measurement scales. The Shoulder JEM covers all Danish occupational titles, divided into 172 job groups. For 36 of these job groups, we obtained technical measurements (inclinometry) of upper arm elevation and repetitive shoulder movements. To validate the expert-rated job exposures against the measured job exposures, we used Spearman rank correlations and the explained variance[Formula: see text] according to linear regression analyses (36 job groups). We used the linear regression equations to convert the expert-rated job exposures for all 172 job groups into predicted measured job exposures. Bland-Altman analyses were used to assess the agreement between the predicted and measured job exposures. The Spearman rank correlations were 0.63 for upper arm elevation and 0.64 for repetitive shoulder movements. The expert-rated job exposures explained 64% and 41% of the variance of the measured job exposures, respectively. The corresponding calibration equations were y=0.5%time+0.16×expert rating and y=27°/s+0.47×expert rating. The mean differences between predicted and measured job exposures were zero due to calibration; the 95% limits of agreement were ±2.9% time for upper arm elevation >90° and ±33°/s for repetitive shoulder movements. The updated Shoulder JEM can be used to present exposure-response relationships on measurement scales. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Variation in Admission Rates of Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in Coronary Care Unit According to Different Seasons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashari, M. N.; Soomro, K.

2015-01-01

Objective:Environmental stresses, especially extreme cold and hot weathers, have tendency to have more admissions for acute coronary syndromes. Due to scarcity of local data, we studied the variation in patient admission rates with acute coronary syndrome according to different seasons. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Coronary Care Unit, Civil Hospital and Pakistan Steel Hospital, Karachi, from January 2011 to December 2011. Methodology: The study group comprised consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina, Non ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI), ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) admitted to the coronary care unit. Patients with stable angina and valvular heart disease were excluded. Data was analyzed for admission according to different seasons, (winter, spring, summer and autumn). Results: The mean age of the 428 cases was 48.5 ± 10.4 years (range 27 to 73 years). Among the study group, 261 (61%) and 167 (39%) cases were male and female respectively. ST-elevation myocardial infarction, non ST-elevation myocardial infarction and unstable angina were present in 206 (48%), 128 (30%) and 94 (22%) respectively. Among the 428 patients, 184 (43%) cases had hypertension, 133 (31%) cases were smokers, 103 (24%) cases had dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus and 08 (2%) cases had history of premature coronary artery disease. The number of patients admissions with acute coronary syndrome tended to change with sudden change in season. It increased in Winter 158 (36.9%) and Summer 130 (30.3%) in comparison to Spring 80 (18.69%) and Autumn 60 (14.02%) season. Conclusion: It was found variation in admission rates of acute coronary syndrome patients according to different seasons. The number of admissions not only increased in the cold season (winter) but also in hot season (summer) with sudden changes in temperature. (author)

The Predictive Validity of using Admissions Testing and Multiple Mini-interviews in Undergraduate University Admissions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Makransky, Guido; Havmose, Philip S.; Vang, Maria Louison

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive validity of a two-step admissions procedure that included a cognitive ability test followed by multiple mini-interviews (MMI) used to assess non-cognitive skills compared to a grade-based admissions relative to subsequent drop-out rates...... and academic achievement after one and two years of study. The participants consisted of the entire population of 422 psychology students who were admitted to the University of Southern Denmark between 2010 and 2013. The results showed significantly lower drop-out rates after the first year of study, and non......-significant lower drop-out rates after the second year of study for the admission procedure that included the assessment of non-cognitive skills though the MMI. Furthermore, this admission procedure resulted in a significant lower risk of failing the final exam after the first and second year of study, compared...

Elemental redistribution behavior in tellurite glass induced by high repetition rate femtosecond laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Yu; Zhou, Jiajia; Khisro, Said Nasir; Zhou, Shifeng; Qiu, Jianrong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Abnormal elements redistribution behavior was observed in tellurite glass. • The refractive index and Raman intensity distribution changed significantly. • The relative glass composition remained unchanged while the glass density changed. • First time report on the abnormal element redistribution behavior in glass. • The glass network structure determines the elemental redistribution behavior. - Abstract: The success in the fabrication of micro-structures in glassy materials using femtosecond laser irradiation has proved its potential applications in the construction of three-dimensional micro-optical components or devices. In this paper, we report the elemental redistribution behavior in tellurite glass after the irradiation of high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses. The relative glass composition remained unchanged while the glass density changed significantly, which is quite different from previously reported results about the high repetition rate femtosecond laser induced elemental redistribution in silicate glasses. The involved mechanism is discussed with the conclusion that the glass network structure plays the key role to determine the elemental redistribution. This observation not only helps to understand the interaction process of femtosecond laser with glassy materials, but also has potential applications in the fabrication of micro-optical devices

Bright high-repetition-rate source of narrowband extreme-ultraviolet harmonics beyond 22 eV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, He [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division; Xu, Yiming [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division; Ulonska, Stefan [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division; Robinson, Joseph S. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division; Ranitovic, Predrag [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division; Kaindl, Robert A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Materials Sciences Division

2015-06-11

Novel table-top sources of extreme-ultraviolet light based on high-harmonic generation yield unique insight into the fundamental properties of molecules, nanomaterials or correlated solids, and enable advanced applications in imaging or metrology. Extending high-harmonic generation to high repetition rates portends great experimental benefits, yet efficient extreme-ultraviolet conversion of correspondingly weak driving pulses is challenging. In this article, we demonstrate a highly-efficient source of femtosecond extreme-ultraviolet pulses at 50-kHz repetition rate, utilizing the ultraviolet second-harmonic focused tightly into Kr gas. In this cascaded scheme, a photon flux beyond ≈3 × 10¹³ s^-1 is generated at 22.3 eV, with 5 × 10^-5 conversion efficiency that surpasses similar harmonics directly driven by the fundamental by two orders-of-magnitude. The enhancement arises from both wavelength scaling of the atomic dipole and improved spatio-temporal phase matching, confirmed by simulations. Finally, spectral isolation of a single 72-meV-wide harmonic renders this bright, 50-kHz extreme-ultraviolet source a powerful tool for ultrafast photoemission, nanoscale imaging and other applications.

Development of ultra high speed photographic system using high repetition rate visible laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Min; Cha, Byung Hun; Kim, Sung Ho; Kim, Jung Bog; Lim, Chang Hwan; Cha, Hyung Ki; Song, Kyu Seok; Lee, Byung Deok; Rhi, Jong Hoon; Baik, Dae Hyun; Han, Jae Min; Rho, Si Pyo; Lee, Byung Cheol; Jeong, Do Yung; Choi, An Seong; Jeong, Chan Ik; Park, Dae Ung; Jeong, Sung Min; Lee, Sang Kil; Kim, Heon Jun; Jang, Rae gak; Jo, Do Hun; Park, Min Young

1992-12-01

The goal of this project is to develop and commercialize a high speed photographic system equipped with a high repetition rate visible laser. The developed system provides the characteristics of high time resolution and large number of frames. The system consists of 10 W air cooled CVL or a 30 W water cooled CVL, a rotating drum-type high speed camera with the framing rate of 35,000 fps, and a automatic control device. The system has the performance of 10 nsec time resolution, 35,000 fps framing rate, and 250 picture frames. The high speed photographic systems are widely applied to the fields such as high-efficient engine development, high-speed vibration analysis, shock wave propagation study, flow visualization analysis, weapon development, etc. (Author)

Repetition rates in heavy ion beam driven fusion reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Robert R.

1986-01-01

The limits on the cavity gas density required for beam propagation and condensation times for material vaporized by target explosions can determine the maximum repetition rate of Heavy Ion Beam (HIB) driven fusion reactors. If the ions are ballistically focused onto the target, the cavity gas must have a density below roughly 10-4 torr (3×1012 cm-3) at the time of propagation; other propagation schemes may allow densities as high as 1 torr or more. In some reactor designs, several kilograms of material may be vaporized off of the target chamber walls by the target generated x-rays, raising the average density in the cavity to 100 tor or more. A one-dimensional combined radiation hydrodynamics and vaporization and condensation computer code has been used to simulate the behavior of the vaporized material in the target chambers of HIB fusion reactors.

Repetition rates in heavy ion beam driven fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, R.R.

1986-01-01

The limits on the cavity gas density required for beam propagation and condensation times for material vaporized by target explosions can determine the maximum repetition rate of Heavy Ion Beam (HIB) driven fusion reactors. If the ions are ballistically focused onto the target, the cavity gas must have a density below roughly 10 -4 torr (3 x 10 12 cm -3 ) at the time of propagation; other propagation schemes may allow densities as high as 1 torr or more. In some reactor designs, several kilograms of material may be vaporized off of the target chamber walls by the target generated x-rays, raising the average density in the cavity to 100 tor or more. A one-dimensional combined radiation hydrodynamics and vaporization and condensation computer code has been used to simulate the behavior of the vaporized material in the target chambers of HIB fusion reactors

Improving the ablation efficiency of excimer laser systems with higher repetition rates through enhanced debris removal and optimized spot pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Arba-Mosquera, Samuel; Klinner, Thomas

2014-03-01

To evaluate the reasons for the required increased radiant exposure for higher-repetition-rate excimer lasers and determine experimentally possible compensations to achieve equivalent ablation profiles maintaining the same single-pulse energies and radiant exposures for laser repetition rates ranging from 430 to 1000 Hz. Schwind eye-tech-solutions GmbH and Co. KG, Kleinostheim, Germany. Experimental study. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) plates were photoablated. The pulse laser energy was maintained during all experiments; the effects of the flow of the debris removal, the shot pattern for the correction, and precooling the PMMA plates were evaluated in terms of achieved ablation versus repetition rate. The mean ablation performance ranged from 88% to 100%; the variability between the profile measurements ranged from 1.4% to 6.2%. Increasing the laser repetition rate from 430 Hz to 1000 Hz reduced the mean ablation performance from 98% to 91% and worsened the variability from 1.9% to 4.3%. Increasing the flow of the debris removal, precooling the PMMA plates to -18°C, and adapting the shot pattern for the thermal response of PMMA to excimer ablation helped stabilize the variability. Only adapting the shot pattern for the thermal response of PMMA to excimer ablation helped stabilize the mean ablation performance. The ablation performance of higher-repetition-rate excimer lasers on PMMA improved with improvements in the debris removal systems and shot pattern. More powerful debris removal systems and smart shot patterns in terms of thermal response improved the performance of these excimer lasers. Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-average-power 2 μm few-cycle optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier at 100 kHz repetition rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Shamir, Yariv; Rothhardt, Jan; Hädrich, Steffen; Demmler, Stefan; Tschernajew, Maxim; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

2015-12-01

Sources of long wavelengths few-cycle high repetition rate pulses are becoming increasingly important for a plethora of applications, e.g., in high-field physics. Here, we report on the realization of a tunable optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier at 100 kHz repetition rate. At a central wavelength of 2 μm, the system delivered 33 fs pulses and a 6 W average power corresponding to 60 μJ pulse energy with gigawatt-level peak powers. Idler absorption and its crystal heating is experimentally investigated for a BBO. Strategies for further power scaling to several tens of watts of average power are discussed.

[How medical students perform academically by admission types?].

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Se-Hoon; Lee, Keumho; Hur, Yera; Kim, Ji-Ha

2013-09-01

Despite the importance of selecting students whom are capable for medical education and to become a good doctor, not enough studies have been done in the category. This study focused on analysing the medical students' academic performance (grade point average, GPA) differences, flunk and dropout rates by admission types. From 2004 to 2010, we gathered 369 Konyang University College of Medicine's students admission data and analyzed the differences between admission method and academic achievement, differences in failure and dropout rates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), ordinary least square, and logistic regression were used. The rolling students showed higher academic achievement from year 1 to 3 than regular students (p dropout rate by admission types, regular admission type students showed higher drop out rate than the rolling ones which demonstrates admission types gives significant effect on flunk or dropout rates in medical students (p students tend to show lower flunk rate and dropout rates and perform better academically. This implies selecting students primarily by Korean College Scholastic Ability Test does not guarantee their academic success in medical education. Thus we suggest a more in-depth comprehensive method of selecting students that are appropriate to individual medical school's educational goal.

Association between Reported Elder Abuse and Rates of Admission to the Skilled Nursing Facilities: Findings from a Longitudinal Population-Based Cohort Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, XinQi; Simon, Melissa A.

2013-01-01

Background Elder abuse is common and is a frank violation of an older adult’s fundamental rights to be safe and free of violence. Our prior study indicates elder abuse is independently associated with mortality. This study aims to quantify the relationship between overall elder abuse and specific subtypes of elder abuse and rate of admission to skilled nursing facilities (SNF). Methods A prospective population-based study is conducted in Chicago of community-dwelling older adults who participated in the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP). Of the 6,674 participants in the CHAP study, 106 participants were reported to social services agency for elder abuse. The primary predictor was elder abuse reported to social services agency. The outcome of interest was the annual rate of admission to SNF obtained from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Poisson regression models were used to assess these longitudinal relationships. Results The average annual rate of SNF for those without elder abuse was 0.14(0.58) and for those with elder abuse was 0.66(1.63). After adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic variables, medical commorbidities, cognitive and physical function, and psychosocial wellbeing, older adults who have been abused had higher rates of SNF admission (RR, 4.60 (2.85–7.42)). Psychological abuse (RR, 2.31(1.17–4.56)), physical abuse (RR, 2.36(1.19–4.66)), financial exploitation (RR, 2.81(1.53–5.17)) and caregiver neglect (RR, 4.73(3.03–7.40)) were associated with increased rates of admission to SNF, after considering the same confounders. Elder abuse is associated with higher rate of SNF stay of great than 30 days (RR, 6.27(3.68–10.69). Conclusion Elder abuse was associated with increased rates of admission to SNF in this community population. Specific subtypes of elder abuse had differential association with increased rate of admission to SNF. PMID:23816799

A mode-locked external-cavity quantum-dot laser with a variable repetition rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jian; Jin Peng; Li Xin-Kun; Wei Heng; Wu Yan-Hua; Wang Fei-Fei; Chen Hong-Mei; Wu Ju; Wang Zhan-Guo

2013-01-01

A mode-locked external-cavity laser emitting at 1.17-μm wavelength using an InAs/GaAs quantum-dot gain medium and a discrete semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is demonstrated. By changing the external-cavity length, repetition rates of 854, 912, and 969 MHz are achieved respectively. The narrowest −3-dB radio-frequency linewidth obtained is 38 kHz, indicating that the laser is under stable mode-locking operation. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

High-power 355 nm ultraviolet lasers operating at ultrahigh repetition rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H; Liu, Q; Yan, P; Gong, M

2013-01-01

In this letter, we demonstrate a novel 355 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser operating at ultrahigh repetition rate from 300 kHz to 1 MHz. The hybrid fiber-MOPA–bulk amplifiers based IR source exhibits a high average power of 105 W with near-diffraction-limited beam quality, narrow linewidth and high polarization extinction ratio. Two-cascaded LBO crystals are employed for high efficiency frequency tripling, and a maximum 43.7 W of average UV power is achieved at 400 kHz, corresponding to a conversion efficiency as high as 41.6%. The pulse duration of the UV pulse can be tuned from 5 to 10 ns with good pulse peak stability (better than 2.2% (RMS)). (letter)

A 7.8 kV nanosecond pulse generator with a 500 Hz repetition rate

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, M.; Liao, H.; Liu, M.; Zhu, G.; Yang, Z.; Shi, P.; Lu, Q.; Sun, X.

2018-04-01

Pseudospark switches are widely used in pulsed power applications. In this paper, we present the design and performance of a 500 Hz repetition rate high-voltage pulse generator to drive TDI-series pseudospark switches. A high-voltage pulse is produced by discharging an 8 μF capacitor through a primary windings of a setup isolation transformer using a single metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) as a control switch. In addition, a self-break spark gap is used to steepen the pulse front. The pulse generator can deliver a high-voltage pulse with a peak trigger voltage of 7.8 kV, a peak trigger current of 63 A, a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ~30 ns, and a rise time of 5 ns to the trigger pin of the pseudospark switch. During burst mode operation, the generator achieved up to a 500 Hz repetition rate. Meanwhile, we also provide an AC heater power circuit for heating a H2 reservoir. This pulse generator can be used in circuits with TDI-series pseudospark switches with either a grounded cathode or with a cathode electrically floating operation. The details of the circuits and their implementation are described in the paper.

Regional variation in hospital admission rates in the Netherlands, Belgium, Northern France and Nordrhein-Westfalen.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordt, M. van; Zee, J. van der; Groenewegen, P.P.

1992-01-01

For the analysis of regional variations in hospital admission rates a model was set up, including both supply and demand indicators. Data were gathered for regions in four health care systems (the Dutch, Belgian, French and German), for 1982, 1979, 1974 (France 1982 only). Hospital bed supply proved

The effect of laser repetition rate on the LASiS synthesis of biocompatible silver nanoparticles in aqueous starch solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zamiri R

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Reza Zamiri,1 Azmi Zakaria,1,* Hossein Abbastabar Ahangar,2 Majid Darroudi,3 Golnoosh Zamiri,1 Zahid Rizwan,1 Gregor PC Drummen4,* 1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; 3Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; 4Bionanoscience and Bio-Imaging Program, Cellular Stress and Ageing Program, Bio&Nano-Solutions, Düsseldorf, Germany*These authors contributed to this work equallyAbstract: Laser ablation-based nanoparticle synthesis in solution is rapidly becoming popular, particularly for potential biomedical and life science applications. This method promises one pot synthesis and concomitant bio-functionalization, is devoid of toxic chemicals, does not require complicated apparatus, can be combined with natural stabilizers, is directly biocompatible, and has high particle size uniformity. Size control and reduction is generally determined by the laser settings; that the size and size distribution scales with laser fluence is well described. Conversely, the effect of the laser repetition rate on the final nanoparticle product in laser ablation is less well-documented, especially in the presence of stabilizers. Here, the influence of the laser repetition rate during laser ablation synthesis of silver nanoparticles in the presence of starch as a stabilizer was investigated. The increment of the repetition rate does not negatively influence the ablation efficiency, but rather shows increased productivity, causes a red-shift in the plasmon resonance peak of the silver–starch nanoparticles, an increase in mean particle size and size distribution, and a distinct lack of agglomerate formation. Optimal results were achieved at 10 Hz repetition rate, with a mean particle size of ~10 nm and a

Optimization of graffiti removal on natural stone by means of high repetition rate UV laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorucci, M.P.; López, A.J.; Ramil, A.; Pozo, S.; Rivas, T.

2013-01-01

The use of laser for graffiti removal is a promising alternative to conventional cleaning methods, though irradiation parameters must be carefully selected in order to achieve the effective cleaning without damaging the substrate, especially when referring to natural stone. From a practical point of view, once a safe working window is selected, it is necessary to determine the irradiation conditions to remove large paint areas, with minimal time consumption. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic procedure to select the optimum parameters for graffiti removal by means of the 3rd harmonic of a high repetition rate nanosecond Nd:YVO 4 laser. Ablation thresholds of four spray paint colors were determined and the effect of pulse repetition frequency, beam diameter and line scan separation was analyzed, obtaining a set of values which optimize the ablation process.

Optimization of graffiti removal on natural stone by means of high repetition rate UV laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fiorucci, M.P., E-mail: m.p.fiorucci@udc.es [Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas, Universidade da Coruña, 15403 Ferrol (Spain); Dpto. Enxeñaría dos Recursos Naturais e Medio Ambiente, E.T.S.E. Minas, Universidade de Vigo, 36200 Vigo (Spain); López, A.J., E-mail: ana.xesus.lopez@udc.es [Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas, Universidade da Coruña, 15403 Ferrol (Spain); Ramil, A., E-mail: alberto.ramil@udc.es [Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas, Universidade da Coruña, 15403 Ferrol (Spain); Pozo, S., E-mail: ipozo@uvigo.es [Dpto. Enxeñaría dos Recursos Naturais e Medio Ambiente, E.T.S.E. Minas, Universidade de Vigo, 36200 Vigo (Spain); Rivas, T., E-mail: trivas@uvigo.es [Dpto. Enxeñaría dos Recursos Naturais e Medio Ambiente, E.T.S.E. Minas, Universidade de Vigo, 36200 Vigo (Spain)

2013-08-01

The use of laser for graffiti removal is a promising alternative to conventional cleaning methods, though irradiation parameters must be carefully selected in order to achieve the effective cleaning without damaging the substrate, especially when referring to natural stone. From a practical point of view, once a safe working window is selected, it is necessary to determine the irradiation conditions to remove large paint areas, with minimal time consumption. The aim of this paper is to present a systematic procedure to select the optimum parameters for graffiti removal by means of the 3rd harmonic of a high repetition rate nanosecond Nd:YVO{sub 4} laser. Ablation thresholds of four spray paint colors were determined and the effect of pulse repetition frequency, beam diameter and line scan separation was analyzed, obtaining a set of values which optimize the ablation process.

The relationship between thermal sensation and the rate of hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease in Kermanshah, Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Bakhtiyar; Karimi, Shilan

2017-11-01

Climate and weather conditions are the most important factors that influence activities and human health. Bioclimatology/biometeorology are concerned with the study of weather effects on living creatures, including humans, plants, and animals. This research was prepared in order to understand the bioclimatic condition of Kermanshah and its relation to the level of hospital admissions of cardiovascular patients in this city. In addition to the climatic variables, the statistics on the number of daily admissions of cardiovascular patients in Kermanshah during March 27, 2009 to April 30, 2015 was prepared. First, Kermanshah's bioclimatic conditions were identified on a daily basis. Then, the relationship between each of the thermal sensations with the level of hospital admissions of cardiovascular patients in Kermanshah using Levene's test, univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), Scheffe and Games-Howell post hoc tests was investigated. The results of this study showed that in each index, only very few bioclimatic conditions have had an impact on the increase of hospital admissions of cardiovascular diseases. For example, based on the equivalent temperature index (Tek or EqT), there is a significant relationship between extreme conditions and the rate of cardiovascular admissions. But, however, in the effective temperature index (TE), a significant correlation between warm/hot conditions and an increase in the number of cardiovascular admissions was seen. Based on the predicted mean vote (PMV) and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) indices, cool and cold conditions more than warm and comfort conditions have an effect on the number of hospital admissions of cardiovascular patients. Overall, the obtained results showed that the extreme climatic conditions were directly related to an increase in cardiovascular disease in Kermanshah.

Development of a cryogenic hydrogen microjet for high-intensity, high-repetition rate experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, J. B.; Göde, S.; Glenzer, S. H.

2016-11-01

The advent of high-intensity, high-repetition-rate lasers has led to the need for replenishing targets of interest for high energy density sciences. We describe the design and characterization of a cryogenic microjet source, which can deliver a continuous stream of liquid hydrogen with a diameter of a few microns. The jet has been imaged at 1 μm resolution by shadowgraphy with a short pulse laser. The pointing stability has been measured at well below a mrad, for a stable free-standing filament of solid-density hydrogen.

Power scaling of supercontinuum seeded megahertz-repetition rate optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers.

Science.gov (United States)

Riedel, R; Stephanides, A; Prandolini, M J; Gronloh, B; Jungbluth, B; Mans, T; Tavella, F

2014-03-15

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifiers with high average power are possible with novel high-power Yb:YAG amplifiers with kW-level output powers. We demonstrate a compact wavelength-tunable sub-30-fs amplifier with 11.4 W average power with 20.7% pump-to-signal conversion efficiency. For parametric amplification, a beta-barium borate crystal is pumped by a 140 W, 1 ps Yb:YAG InnoSlab amplifier at 3.25 MHz repetition rate. The broadband seed is generated via supercontinuum generation in a YAG crystal.

Efficacy Of The Repetitions In Reserve-Based Rating Of Perceived Exertion For The Bench Press In Experienced And Novice Benchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ormsbee, Michael J; Carzoli, Joseph P; Klemp, Alex; Allman, Brittany R; Zourdos, Michael C; Kim, Jeong-Su; Panton, Lynn B

2017-03-13

Autoregulation (AR) is the practice of adjusting training variables in response to athlete feedback. One component of AR postulated to enhance resistance training adaptations involves implementing a resistance training-specific rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale measuring repetitions in reserve (RIR). The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of this method using the bench press exercise. Twenty-seven college-aged men were assigned to one of two groups based upon training age: experience benchers (EB) (n=14, training age: 4.7±2.0 yrs) and novice benchers (NB) (n=13, training age: 1.1±0.6 yrs). Subjects performed one-repetition maximum (1RM) followed by single-repetition sets with loads corresponding to 60, 75, and 90% of 1RM and an 8-repetition set at 70% 1RM. Subjects reported a corresponding RPE, based on RIR, for every set. Average velocity was recorded for each single-repetition set along with the first and last repetitions of the 8-repetition set at 70% 1RM. Average velocity at 100% of 1RM in EB was slower (0.14±0.04 m[BULLET OPERATOR]s) compared to NB (0.20±0.05 m[BULLET OPERATOR]s) (pvelocity or RPE at any other intensity. Both EB (r=0.85, pvelocity and RPE at all intensities. Our findings suggest that the RIR-based RPE scale may be an efficacious approach for AR of bench press training load and volume in college-aged men.

Parameters of a trigatron-driven low-pulse-repetition-rate TEA CO2 laser preionised by a surface corona discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aram, M; Shabanzadeh, M; Mansori, F; Behjat, A

2007-01-01

The design of a TEA CO 2 laser with UV preionisation by a surface corona discharge is described and the dependences of its average output energy on the gas-flow rate, discharge voltage and pulse repetition rate are presented. The scheme of the electric circuit and the geometry of the pre-ionisation system are considered. The electric circuit is designed to produce only impulse voltage difference between the laser electrodes. The triggering system of the trigatron is used to prevent the appearance of the arc. The dependences of the current, voltage and average output energy on the gas-mixture composition and applied voltages at a low pulse repetition rate are presented. The central output wavelength of the laser was measured with an IR spectrometer. Lasing at two adjacent vibrational-rotational transitions of the CO 2 molecule was observed, which demonstrates the possibility of simultaneous lasing at several lines. (lasers)

Fluorescence fluctuation of Rhodamine 6G dye for high repetition rate laser excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Nageshwar; Patel, Hemant K.; Dixit, S.K.; Vora, H.S.

2013-01-01

In this paper, fluorescence from Rhodamine 6G dye for stationary and flowing liquid medium, excited by copper vapor laser, operating at 6 kHz pulse repetition frequency, was investigated. Large fluctuations in spectral width (about 5 nm) and spectral intensity in the fluorescence from stationary dye solution were observed, while fluctuations in the spectral width diminish in a flowing dye medium. However, this increases spectral intensity and slightly red shifts the fluorescence peak emission wavelength. Theoretical analysis was carried out to explain the observed results by incorporating the temperature induced refractive index, beam deflection and spectral variation in stationary dye solution. Numerical analysis of thermal load and contour of temperature in the optical pumped region inside the dye cell in stationary, 0.2 and 1.5 m/s flow velocity was also investigated to support our analysis. - Highlights: ► High repetition rate excitation generates inhomogeneity in the gain medium. ► Fluorescence of Rhodamine 6G in stationary and flowing medium was carried out. ► Fluorescence fluctuations lessen in flowing medium in contrast to stationary medium. ► Our theoretical and numerical analysis enlightens the experimented outcome trend.

The Association Between Medicolegal and Professional Concerns and Chest Pain Admission Rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooker, Julie A; Hastings, Jeffrey W; Major-Monfried, Hannah; Maron, Chad P; Winkel, Maia; Wijeratne, H R Sagara; Fleischman, William; Weingart, Scott; Newman, David H

2015-07-01

For patients in whom acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a concern, disposition decisions are complex and multifactorial and have traditionally been a source of considerable variation. An important factor in disposition decisions for these patients may be physician-perceived medicolegal risk and related professional concerns. The study aim was to determine, at the point of care, how much less frequently physicians report that they would admit possible ACS patients if there was either zero or a defined medicolegal risk. This was a point-of-care emergency physician survey. Research assistants approached physicians at or immediately following the moment of disposition decisions for patients who were being admitted for ACS. The primary outcome measures were the proportion of physicians reporting that patients would not have been admitted if medicolegal issues were of no concern and the proportion of physicians reporting that patients would not have been admitted if there was an "acceptable miss rate" of 1% to 2% for ACS patients. During the 3-month study period, 576 patients were admitted to an inpatient unit or to the ED observation protocol. Physicians were approached in 271 cases, and 259 surveys were completed. When presented with hypothetical zero medicolegal risk, physicians answered that they would not have admitted the patients in 30% of cases. With a hypothetical 1% to 2% acceptable miss rate, physicians indicated that they would not have admitted the patients in 29% of the cases. ED medicolegal and professional concerns may substantially increase admissions for possible ACS. An acceptable miss rate or a zero medicolegal risk environment could potentially lead to a major reduction in admissions that physicians feel to be clinically unnecessary. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Hospital admission and mortality rates in anorexia nervosa: experience from an integrated medical-psychiatric outpatient treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

De Filippo, E; Signorini, A; Bracale, R; Pasanisi, F; Contaldo, F

2000-12-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated medical-psychiatric treatment of major eating disorders. Historical cohort study. Outpatient Unit for Protein Energy Malnutrition of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, "Federico II" University of Naples, time of study: January 1994 to December 1997 PARTICIPANTS: 147 female patients with restrictive or bulimic anorexia nervosa (mean age 19.8 +/- 13.7, BMI 14.7 +/- 2.1 Kg/m2) consecutively attending the outpatient unit between January 1994 and December 1997. Hospitalization and mortality rates were evaluated up to Jan 1999 with a minimum follow-up of 18 months. There were 23 admissions to the Clinical Nutrition ward for 19 patients (i.e. 12.9%) mostly due to severe protein energy malnutrition, and 2 deaths, only 1 strictly related to anorexia (mortality rate 0.7%). Integrated outpatient medical-psychiatric treatment for major eating disorders is an effective and inexpensive procedure that reduces mortality and admissions due to medical complications in the medium term.

Tunable dispersion compensator based on uniform fiber Bragg grating and its application to tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young-Geun; Lee, Sang

2005-11-14

A new technique to control the chromatic dispersion of a uniform fiber Bragg grating based on the symmetrical bending is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The specially designed two translation stages with gears and a sawtooth wheel can simultaneously induce the tension and compression strain corresponding to the bending direction. The tension and compression strain can effectively control the chirp ratio along the fiber grating attached on a flexible cantilever beam and consequently the dispersion value without the center wavelength shift. We successfully achieve the wide tuning range of chromatic dispersion without the center wavelength shift, which is less than 0.02 nm. We also reduce the group delay ripple as low as ~+/-5 ps. And we also demonstrate the application of the proposed tunable dispersion compensation technique to the tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication and obtain high-quality pulses at repetition rates of 20 ~ 40 GHz.

2 ~ 5 times tunable repetition-rate multiplication of a 10 GHz pulse source using a linearly tunable, chirped fiber Bragg grating.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ju Han; Chang, You; Han, Young-Geun; Kim, Sang; Lee, Sang

2004-08-23

We experimentally demonstrate a simple scheme for the tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication based on the fractional Talbot effect in a linearly tunable, chirped fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The key component in this scheme is our linearly tunable, chirped FBG with no center wavelength shift, which was fabricated with the S-bending method using a uniform FBG. By simply tuning the group velocity dispersion of the chirped FBG, we readily multiply an original 8.5 ps, 10 GHz soliton pulse train by a factor of 2 ~ 5 to obtain high quality pulses at repetition-rates of 20 ~ 50 GHz without significantly changing the system configuration.

Closed-cycle 1-kHz-pulse-repetition-frequency HF(DF) laser

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Michael R.; Morris, A. V.; Gorton, Eric K.

1998-05-01

We describe the design and performance of a closed cycle, high pulse repetition frequency HF(DF) laser. A short duration, glow discharge is formed in a 10 SF6:1 H2(D2) gas mixture at a total pressure of approximately 110 torr. A pair of profiled electrodes define a 15 X 0.5 X 0.5 cm3 discharge volume through which gas flow is forced in the direction transverse to the optical axis. A centrifugal fan provides adequate gas flow to enable operation up to 3 kHz repetition frequency. The fan also passes the gas through a scrubber cell in which ground state HF(DF) is eliminated from the gas stream. An automated gas make-up system replenishes the spent fuel gases removed by the scrubber. Total gas admission is regulated by monitoring the system pressure, whilst the correct fuel balance is maintained through measurement of the discharge voltage. The HF(DF) generation rate is determined to be close to 5 X 1019 molecules per second per watt of laser output. Typical mean laser output powers of up to 3 watts can be delivered for extended periods of time. The primary limitation to life is found to be the discharge pre- ionization system. A distributed resistance corona pre- ionizer is shown to be advantageous when compared with an alternative arc array scheme.

[Influence of postcode on paediatric admissions in Seville].

Science.gov (United States)

Tornero Patricio, Sebastián; Charris-Castro, Liliana; Granero Asencio, Mercedes; Daponte Codina, Antonio

2017-12-01

The postcode (where the home is situated) is an indicator of socioeconomic status and is associated with morbidity, mortality, and the use of health services. The aim of this study was to analyse its effects on paediatric admissions and to determine the rates of the most common causes of paediatric admissions in Seville. An observational cross-sectional study with two analysis units: under 15 year-old "admissions" in public hospitals in Seville (n=2,660) and "city districts" of Seville (n=11). The independent variable analysed was whether the postcode of the admitted patients was within a Regional Government designated "area with social transformation needs". The analysis of the admissions was performed using X 2 -test, Fisher test and Student-t test, with the description of rates using the calculation of crude and specific rates, and by rate ratio. Children living in districts with a lower socioeconomic status were on average 7 months younger (P<.001), and they were significantly more likely to be admitted via the emergency department (P<.001). There was no statistical difference detected in either the length of hospital stay or mortality. The crude admission rate ratio was higher in districts with a lower socioeconomic status (1.8), with a higher specific rate ratio detected in admissions due to asthma, respiratory infections, inguinal hernia, and epilepsy/convulsions. Paediatric hospital admission rates of the main diagnoses were higher in districts with a lower socioeconomic status. Children living in these districts were more likely to be admitted younger and via the emergency department. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Daily weather variables and affective disorder admissions to psychiatric hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

McWilliams, Stephen; Kinsella, Anthony; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard

2014-12-01

Numerous studies have reported that admission rates in patients with affective disorders are subject to seasonal variation. Notwithstanding, there has been limited evaluation of the degree to which changeable daily meteorological patterns influence affective disorder admission rates. A handful of small studies have alluded to a potential link between psychiatric admission rates and meteorological variables such as environmental temperature (heat waves in particular), wind direction and sunshine. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test, ARIMA and time-series regression analyses to examine whether daily meteorological variables—namely wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, rainfall, hours of sunshine, sunlight radiation and temperature—influence admission rates for mania and depression across 12 regions in Ireland over a 31-year period. Although we found some very weak but interesting trends for barometric pressure in relation to mania admissions, daily meteorological patterns did not appear to affect hospital admissions overall for mania or depression. Our results do not support the small number of papers to date that suggest a link between daily meteorological variables and affective disorder admissions. Further study is needed.

LASERS: Parameters of a trigatron-driven low-pulse-repetition-rate TEA CO2 laser preionised by a surface corona discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Aram, M.; Behjat, A.; Shabanzadeh, M.; Mansori, F.

2007-01-01

The design of a TEA CO2 laser with UV preionisation by a surface corona discharge is described and the dependences of its average output energy on the gas-flow rate, discharge voltage and pulse repetition rate are presented. The scheme of the electric circuit and the geometry of the pre-ionisation system are considered. The electric circuit is designed to produce only impulse voltage difference between the laser electrodes. The triggering system of the trigatron is used to prevent the appearance of the arc. The dependences of the current, voltage and average output energy on the gas-mixture composition and applied voltages at a low pulse repetition rate are presented. The central output wavelength of the laser was measured with an IR spectrometer. Lasing at two adjacent vibrational-rotational transitions of the CO2 molecule was observed, which demonstrates the possibility of simultaneous lasing at several lines.

Gigahertz repetition rate, sub-femtosecond timing jitter optical pulse train directly generated from a mode-locked Yb:KYW laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Heewon; Kim, Hyoji; Shin, Junho; Kim, Chur; Choi, Sun Young; Kim, Guang-Hoon; Rotermund, Fabian; Kim, Jungwon

2014-01-01

We show that a 1.13 GHz repetition rate optical pulse train with 0.70 fs high-frequency timing jitter (integration bandwidth of 17.5 kHz-10 MHz, where the measurement instrument-limited noise floor contributes 0.41 fs in 10 MHz bandwidth) can be directly generated from a free-running, single-mode diode-pumped Yb:KYW laser mode-locked by single-wall carbon nanotube-coated mirrors. To our knowledge, this is the lowest-timing-jitter optical pulse train with gigahertz repetition rate ever measured. If this pulse train is used for direct sampling of 565 MHz signals (Nyquist frequency of the pulse train), the jitter level demonstrated would correspond to the projected effective-number-of-bit of 17.8, which is much higher than the thermal noise limit of 50 Ω load resistance (~14 bits).

Using Roadside Billboard Posters to Increase Admission Rates to Problem Gambling Services: Reflections on Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderwood, Kimberly A; Wellington, William J

2015-07-01

Based on the stimulus-response model of advertising, this study sought to increase admission rates to a local problem gambling service (PGS) in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, by adding a series of locally based 10 foot by 20 foot roadside billboard posters to PGS's existing communications tools for a 24-week period. Using proof of performance reports, a pre-post survey of new callers to PGS, a website visit counter, and a media awareness survey, the findings showed that at least some individuals were influenced by billboard exposure, but admission rates continued to decline during the billboard campaign period. While one possible explanation for the communications failure was that the whole PGS communications campaign was below the minimal threshold for communications perception, another possible explanation is that the stimulus-response model of advertising used may not have been appropriate for such advertising that targets behavior change. Reflections on using an information-processing model instead of a stimulus-response model, and considerations of a two-step flow of communication, are provided. Recommendations are made regarding matching communications messages to stages of behavior change, use of online promotion, and strategies for future research. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Emotional response to musical repetition.

Science.gov (United States)

Livingstone, Steven R; Palmer, Caroline; Schubert, Emery

2012-06-01

Two experiments examined the effects of repetition on listeners' emotional response to music. Listeners heard recordings of orchestral music that contained a large section repeated twice. The music had a symmetric phrase structure (same-length phrases) in Experiment 1 and an asymmetric phrase structure (different-length phrases) in Experiment 2, hypothesized to alter the predictability of sensitivity to musical repetition. Continuous measures of arousal and valence were compared across music that contained identical repetition, variation (related), or contrasting (unrelated) structure. Listeners' emotional arousal ratings differed most for contrasting music, moderately for variations, and least for repeating musical segments. A computational model for the detection of repeated musical segments was applied to the listeners' emotional responses. The model detected the locations of phrase boundaries from the emotional responses better than from performed tempo or physical intensity in both experiments. These findings indicate the importance of repetition in listeners' emotional response to music and in the perceptual segmentation of musical structure.

Local macroeconomic trends and hospital admissions for child abuse, 2000-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Joanne N; Medina, Sheyla P; Feudtner, Chris; Luan, Xianqun; Localio, Russell; Fieldston, Evan S; Rubin, David M

2012-08-01

To examine the relationship between local macroeconomic indicators and physical abuse admission rates to pediatric hospitals over time. Retrospective study of children admitted to 38 hospitals in the Pediatric Hospital Information System database. Hospital data were linked to unemployment, mortgage delinquency, and foreclosure data for the associated metropolitan statistical areas. Primary outcomes were admission rates for (1) physical abuse in children <6 years old, (2) non-birth, non-motor vehicle crash-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) in infants <1 year old (which carry high risk for abuse), and (3) all-cause injuries. Poisson fixed-effects regression estimated trends in admission rates and associations between those rates and trends in unemployment, mortgage delinquency, and foreclosure. Between 2000 and 2009, rates of physical abuse and high-risk TBI admissions increased by 0.79% and 3.1% per year, respectively (P ≤ .02), whereas all-cause injury rates declined by 0.80% per year (P < .001). Abuse and high-risk TBI admission rates were associated with the current mortgage delinquency rate and with the change in delinquency and foreclosure rates from the previous year (P ≤ .03). Neither abuse nor high-risk TBI rates were associated with the current unemployment rate. The all-cause injury rate was negatively associated with unemployment, delinquency, and foreclosure rates (P ≤ .007). Multicenter hospital data show an increase in pediatric admissions for physical abuse and high-risk TBI during a time of declining all-cause injury rate. Abuse and high-risk TBI admission rates increased in relationship to local mortgage delinquency and foreclosure trends.

HIGH REPETITION RATE MICROCHIP ER3+,YB3+:YAL3(BO34 DIODE-PUMPED LASER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. N. Gorbachenya

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Diode-pumped passively Q-switched microchip Er,Yb:YAl3(BO34 laser for range-finding has been demonstrated. By using a Co2+:MgAl2O4 as a saturable absorber TEM00–mode Q-switched average output power of 315 mW was demonstrated at 1522 nm with pulse duration of 5 ns and pulse energy of 5,25 μJ at a repetition rate of 60 kHz.

High voltage nanosecond generator with pulse repetition rate of 1,000 p.p.s.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gubanov, V P; Korovin, S D; Stepchenko, A S [High Current Electronics Institute, Tomsk (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

A compact high voltage nanosecond generator is described with a pulse repetition rate up to 1000 p.p.s. The generator includes a 30-Ohm coaxial forming line charged by a built-in Tesla transformer with a high coupling coefficient, and a high voltage (N{sub 2}) gas gap switch with gas blowing between the electrodes. The maximum forming line charge voltage is 450 kV, the pulse duration is about 4 ns, and its amplitude for a matched load is up to 200 kV. (author). 3 figs., 9 refs.

Actual laser removal of black soiling crust from siliceous sandstone by high pulse repetition rate equipment: effects on surface morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iglesias-Campos, M. A.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This research project studies the role of pulse repetition rate in laser removal of black soiling crust from siliceous sandstone, and specifically, how laser fluence correlates with high pulse repetition rates in cleaning practice. The aim is to define practical cleaning processes and determine simple techniques for evaluation based on end-users’ perspective (restorers. Spot and surface tests were made using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system with a wide range of pulse repetition rates (5–200 Hz, systematically analysed and compared by macrophotography, portable microscope, stereomicroscope with 3D visualizing and area roughness measurements, SEM imaging and spectrophotometry. The results allow the conclusion that for operation under high pulse repetition rates the average of total energy applied per spot on a treated surface should be attendant upon fluence values in order to provide a systematic and accurate description of an actual laser cleaning intervention.En este trabajo se estudia el papel de la frecuencia de repetición en la limpieza láser de costras de contaminación sobre una arenisca silícea, y concretamente, como se relaciona fluencia y frecuencias elevadas en una limpieza real. Se pretende definir un procedimiento práctico de limpieza y determinar técnicas sencillas de evaluación desde el punto de vista de los usuarios finales (restauradores. Para el estudio se realizaron diferentes ensayos en spot y en superficie mediante un equipo Q-switched Nd:YAG con un amplio rango de frecuencias (5–200 Hz, que se analizaron y compararon sistemáticamente mediante macrofotografía, microscopio portátil, estereomicroscopio con visualización 3D y mediciones de rugosidad en área, imágenes SEM y espectrofotometría. Los resultados permiten proponer que, al trabajar con altas frecuencias, la media de la energía total depositada por spot en la superficie debería acompañar los valores de fluencia para describir y comprender mejor una

Inpatient Psychiatric Admission Rates in a U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training Population

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-20

Please know that if you are a Graduate Health Sciences Education student and your department has told you they cannot fund your publication, the 59th...author must complete page two of this form: a. In Section 2, add the funding source for your study (e.g., S9 MOW CRD Graduate Health Sciences...U.S. AIR FORCE BASIC MILITARY TRAINING POPULATION Background: Mental health admission rates for those with no active mental health disorders have

Decrease in mortality rate and hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction after the enactment of the smoking ban law in São Paulo city, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Tania M O; Scholz, Jaqueline; de Masi, Eduardo; Nobre, Moacyr R C; Filho, Roberto Kalil

2017-11-01

Smoking restriction laws have spread worldwide during the last decade. Previous studies have shown a decline in the community rates of myocardial infarction after enactment of these laws. However, data are scarce about the Latin American population. In the first phase of this study, we reported the successful implementation of the law in São Paulo city, with a decrease in carbon monoxide rates in hospitality venues. To evaluate whether the 2009 implementation of a comprehensive smoking ban law in São Paulo city was associated with a reduction in rates of mortality and hospital admissions for myocardial infarction. We performed a time-series study of monthly rates of mortality and hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction from January 2005 to December 2010. The data were derived from DATASUS, the primary public health information system available in Brazil and from Mortality Information System (SIM). Adjustments and analyses were performed using the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with exogenous variables (ARIMAX) method modelled by environmental variables and atmospheric pollutants to evaluate the effect of smoking ban law in mortality and hospital admission rate. We also used Interrupted Time Series Analysis (ITSA) to make a comparison between the period pre and post smoking ban law. We observed a reduction in mortality rate (-11.9% in the first 17 months after the law) and in hospital admission rate (-5.4% in the first 3 months after the law) for myocardial infarction after the implementation of the smoking ban law. Hospital admissions and mortality rate for myocardial infarction were reduced in the first months after the comprehensive smoking ban law was implemented. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Low-threshold, nanosecond, high-repetition-rate vortex pulses with controllable helicity generated in Cr,Nd:YAG self-Q-switched microchip laser

Science.gov (United States)

He, Hong-Sen; Chen, Zhen; Li, Hong-Bin; Dong, Jun

2018-05-01

A high repetition rate, nanosecond, pulsed optical vortex beam has been generated in a Cr,Nd:YAG self-Q-switched microchip laser pumped by the annular-beam formed with a hollow focus lens. The lasing threshold for vortex pulses is 0.9 W. A pulse width of 6.5 ns and a repetition rate of over 330 kHz have been achieved. The average output power of 1 W and the slope efficiency of 46.6% have been obtained. The helicity of the optical vortices has been controlled by adjusting the tilted angle between Cr,Nd:YAG crystal and output coupler. The work provides a new method for developing pulsed optical vortices for potential applications on quantum communication and optical trapping.

Grade Repetition in Queensland State Prep Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Robyn

2012-01-01

The current study considers grade repetition rates in the early years of schooling in Queensland state schools with specific focus on the pre-schooling year, Prep. In particular, it provides empirical evidence of grade repetition in Queensland state schools along with groups of students who are more often repeated. At the same time, much of the…

Effects of Italian smoking regulation on rates of hospital admission for acute coronary events: a country-wide study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Barone-Adesi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported a reduction in acute coronary events (ACEs in the general population after the enforcement of smoking regulations, although there is uncertainty concerning the magnitude of the effect of such interventions. We conducted a country-wide evaluation of the health effects of the introduction of a smoking ban in public places, using data on hospital admissions for ACEs from the Italian population after the implementation of a national smoking regulation in January 2005. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Rates of admission for ACEs in the 20 Italian regions from January 2002 to November 2006 were analysed using mixed-effect regression models that allowed for long-term trends and seasonality. Standard methods for interrupted time-series were adopted to assess the immediate and gradual effects of the smoking ban. Effect modification by age was investigated, with the assumption that exposure to passive smoking in public places would be greater among young people. In total, 936,519 hospital admissions for ACEs occurred in the Italian population during the study period. A 4% reduction in hospital admissions for ACEs among persons aged less than 70 years was evident after the introduction of the ban (Rate Ratio [RR], 0.96; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.95-0.98. No effect was found among persons aged at least 70 years (RR 1.00; 95% CI 0.99-1.02. Effect modification by age was further suggested by analyses using narrower age categories. CONCLUSIONS: Smoke-free policies can constitute a simple and inexpensive intervention for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and thus should be included in prevention programmes.

Simultaneous vaccination with MMR and DTaP-IPV-Hib and rate of hospital admissions with any infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørup, Signe; Benn, Christine S; Poulsen, Anja

2016-01-01

, retrospective, register based cohort study of 520,859 children born in Denmark 1997-2006, who were followed from 15months to 4years of age. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of hospital admissions were estimated by Cox regression and adjusted for background factors including exact age. RESULTS: By 2years of age...

A HIGH REPETITION RATE VUV-SOFT X-RAY FEL CONCEPT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corlett, J.; Byrd, J.; Fawley, W.M.; Gullans, M.; Li, D.; Lidia, S.M.; Padmore, H.; Penn, G.; Pogorelov, I.; Qiang, J.; Robin, D.; Sannibale, F.; Staples, J.W.; Steier, C.; Venturini, M.; Virostek, S.; Wan, W.; Wells, R.; Wilcox, R.; Wurtele, J.; Zholents, A.

2007-01-01

We report on design studies for a seeded FEL light source that is responsive to the scientific needs of the future. The FEL process increases radiation flux by several orders of magnitude above existing incoherent sources, and offers the additional enhancements attainable by optical manipulations of the electron beam: control of the temporal duration and bandwidth of the coherent output, reduced gain length in the FEL, utilization of harmonics to attain shorter wavelengths, and precise synchronization of the x-ray pulse with seed laser systems. We describe an FEL facility concept based on a high repetition rate RF photocathode gun, that would allow simultaneous operation of multiple independent FEL's, each producing high average brightness, tunable over the VUV-soft x-ray range, and each with individual performance characteristics determined by the configuration of the FEL. SASE, enhanced-SASE (ESASE), seeded, harmonic generation, and other configurations making use of optical manipulations of the electron beam may be employed, providing a wide range of photon beam properties to meet varied user demands

Age and admission times as predictive factors for failure of admissions to discharge-stream short-stay units.

Science.gov (United States)

Shetty, Amith L; Shankar Raju, Savitha Banagar; Hermiz, Arsalan; Vaghasiya, Milan; Vukasovic, Matthew

2015-02-01

Discharge-stream emergency short-stay units (ESSU) improve ED and hospital efficiency. Age of patients and time of hospital presentations have been shown to correlate with increasing complexity of care. We aim to determine whether an age and time cut-off could be derived to subsequently improve short-stay unit success rates. We conducted a retrospective audit on 6703 (5522 inclusions) patients admitted to our discharge-stream short-stay unit. Patients were classified as appropriate or inappropriate admissions, and deemed successful if discharged out of the unit within 24 h; and failures if they needed inpatient admission into the hospital. We calculated short-stay unit length of stay for patients in each of these groups. A 15% failure rate was deemed as acceptable key performance indicator (KPI) for our unit. There were 197 out of 4621 (4.3%, 95% CI 3.7-4.9%) patients up to the age of 70 who failed admission to ESSU compared with 67 out of 901 (7.4%, 95% CI 5.9-9.3%, P 70 years of age have higher rates of failure after admission to discharge-stream ESSU. Although in appropriately selected discharge-stream patients, no age group or time-band of presentation was associated with increased failure rate beyond the stipulated KPI. © 2014 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Repetitive Stress Injuries

Science.gov (United States)

... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Repetitive Stress Injuries KidsHealth / For Teens / Repetitive Stress Injuries What's ... t had any problems since. What Are Repetitive Stress Injuries? Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) are injuries that ...

Solar radiation is inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaime, Francisca; Riutort, Maria C; Alvarez-Lobos, Manuel; Hoyos-Bachiloglu, Rodrigo; Camargo, Carlos A; Borzutzky, Arturo

To explore the associations between latitude and solar radiation with inflammatory bowel disease admission rates in Chile, the country with the largest variation in solar radiation in the world. This is an ecological study, which included data on all hospital-admitted population for inflammatory bowel disease between 2001 and 2012, according to different latitudes and solar radiation exposures in Chile. The data were acquired from the national hospital discharge database from the Department of Health Statistics and Information of the Chilean Ministry of Health. Between 2001 and 2012 there were 12,869 admissions due to inflammatory bowel disease (69% ulcerative colitis, 31% Crohn's disease). Median age was 36 years (IQR: 25-51); 57% were female. The national inflammatory bowel disease admission rate was 6.52 (95% CI: 6.40-6.63) per 100,000 inhabitants with increasing rates over the 12-year period. In terms of latitude, the highest admission rates for pediatric ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as adult ulcerative colitis, were observed in the southernmost region with lowest annual solar radiation. Linear regression analysis showed that regional solar radiation was inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admissions in Chile (β: -.44, p = .03). Regional solar radiation was inversely associated with inflammatory bowel disease admission rates in Chile; inflammatory bowel disease admissions were highest in the southernmost region with lowest solar radiation. Our results support the potential role of vitamin D deficiency on inflammatory bowel disease flares.

Nanosecond radar system based on repetitive pulsed relativistic BWO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunkin, B.V.; Gaponov-Grekhov, A.V.; Eltchaninov, A.S.; Zagulov, F.Ya.; Korovin, S.D.; Mesyats, G.A.; Osipov, M.L.; Otlivantchik, E.A.; Petelin, M.I.; Prokhorov, A.M.

1993-01-01

The paper presents the results of studies of a nanosecond radar system based on repetitive pulsed relativistic BWO. A pulsed power repetitive accelerator producing electron beams of electron energy 500-700 keV and current 5 kA in pulses of duraction 10 ns with a repetition rate of 100 pps is described. The results of experiments with a high-voltage gas-filled spark gap and a cold-cathode vacuum diode under the conditions of high repetition rates are given. Also presented are the results of studies of a relativistic BWO operating with a wavelength of 3 cm. It is shown that for a high-current beam electron energy of 500-700 keV, the BWO efficiency can reach 35%, the microwave power being 10 9 W. A superconducting solenoid creating a magnetic field of 30 kOe was used for the formation and transportation of the high-current electron beam. In conclusion, the outcome of tests of a nanosecond radar station based on a pulsed power repetitive accelerator and a relativistic BWO is reported

Analysis of the burns profile and the admission rate of severely burned adult patient to the National Burn Center of Chile after the 2010 earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

Albornoz, Claudia; Villegas, Jorge; Sylvester, Marilu; Peña, Veronica; Bravo, Iside

2011-06-01

Chile is located in the Ring of Fire, in South America. An earthquake 8.8° affected 80% of the population in February 27th, 2010. This study was conducted to assess any change in burns profile caused by the earthquake. This was an ecologic study. We compared the 4 months following the earthquake in 2009 and 2010. age, TBSA, deep TBSA, agent, specific mortality rate and rate of admissions to the National burn Center of Chile. Mann-Whitney test and a Poisson regression were performed. Age, agent, TBSA and deep TBSA percentages did not show any difference. Mortality rate was lower in 2010 (0.52 versus 1.22 per 1,000,000 habitants) but no meaningful difference was found (Poisson regression p = 0.06). Admission rate was lower in 2010, 4.6 versus 5.6 per 1,000,000 habitants, but no differences were found (p = 0.26). There was not any admissions directly related to the earthquake. As we do not have incidence registries in Chile, we propose to use the rate of admission to the National Burn Reference Center as an incidence estimator. There was not any significant difference in the burn profile, probably because of the time of the earthquake (3 am). We conclude the earthquake did not affect the way the Chilean people get burned. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Seasonal variations in hospital admissions for mania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Medici, Clara Reece; Vestergaard, Claus Høstrup; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan

2016-01-01

in summer. Higher admission rates were associated with more sunshine, more ultraviolet radiation, higher temperature and less snow but were unassociated with rainfall. We did not find a secular trend in the seasonal pattern. Finally, neither gender nor admission status impacted on the overall seasonal...

A hospital-based palliative care service for patients with advanced organ failure in sub-Saharan Africa reduces admissions and increases home death rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Desrosiers, Taylor; Cupido, Clint; Pitout, Elizabeth; van Niekerk, Lindi; Badri, Motasim; Gwyther, Liz; Harding, Richard

2014-04-01

Despite emerging data of cost savings under palliative care in various regions, no such data have been generated in response to the high burden of terminal illness in Africa. This evaluation of a novel hospital-based palliative care service for patients with advanced organ failure in urban South Africa aimed to determine whether the service reduces admissions and increases home death rates compared with the same fixed time period of standard hospital care. Data on admissions and place of death were extracted from routine hospital activity records for a fixed period before death, using standard patient daily expense rates. Data from the first 56 consecutive deaths under the new service (intervention group) were compared with 48 consecutive deaths among patients immediately before the new service (historical controls). Among the intervention and control patients, 40 of 56 (71.4%) and 47 of 48 (97.9%), respectively, had at least one admission (P home death was achieved by 33 of 56 (58.9%) and nine of 48 (18.8%), respectively (P ≤ 0.001). These data demonstrate that an outpatient hospital-based service reduced admissions and improved the rate of home deaths and offers a feasible and cost-effective model for such settings. Copyright © 2014 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Observation of Repetition-Rate Dependent Emission From an Un-Gated Thermionic Cathode Rf Gun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edelen, J. P.; Sun, Y.; Harris, J.R.; Lewellen, J.W.

2017-06-02

Recent work at Fermilab in collaboration with the Advanced Photon Source and members of other national labs, designed an experiment to study the relationship between the RF repetition rate and the average current per RF pulse. While existing models anticipate a direct relationship between these two parameters we observed an inverse relationship. We believe this is a result of damage to the barium coating on the cathode surface caused by a change in back-bombardment power that is unaccounted for in the existing theories. These observations shed new light on the challenges and fundamental limitations associated with scaling an ungated thermionic cathode RF gun to high average current.

Using preventive home monitoring to reduce hospital admission rates and reduce costs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dinesen, Birthe Irene; Haesum, Lisa K E; Soerensen, Natascha

2012-01-01

We studied whether preventive home monitoring of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could reduce the frequency of hospital admissions and lower the cost of hospitalization. Patients were recruited from a health centre, general practitioner (GP) or the pulmonary hospital ward....... They were randomized to usual care or tele-rehabilitation with a telehealth monitoring device installed in their home for four months. A total of 111 patients were suitable for inclusion and consented to be randomized: 60 patients were allocated to intervention and three were lost to follow...... of admissions was €3461 per patient in the intervention group and €4576 in the control group; this difference was not significant. The Kaplan-Meier estimates for time to hospital admission were longer for the intervention group than the controls, but the difference was not significant. Future work requires...

Testing of super conducting low-beta 704 Mhz cavities at 50 Hz pulse repetition rate in view of SPL- first results

CERN Document Server

Höfle, W; Lollierou, J; Valuch, D; Chel, S; Devanz, G; Desmons, M; Piquet, O; Paparella, R; Pierini, P

2010-01-01

In the framework of the preparatory phase for the luminosity upgrade of the LHC (SLHC-PP ) it is foreseen to characterize two superconducting RF cavities and demonstrate compliance of the required SPL field stability in amplitude and phase using a prototype LLRF system. We report on the preparation for testing of two superconducting low-beta cavities at 50 Hz pulse repetition rate including the setting-up of the low level RF control system to evaluate the performance of the piezo-tuning system and cavity field stability in amplitude and phase. Results from tests with 50 Hz pulse repetition rate are presented. Simulations of the RF system will be used to predict the necessary specifications for power and bandwidth to control the cavity field and derive specifications for the RF system and its control. Exemplary results of the simulation are presented.

Admission rates in a general practitioner-based versus a hospital specialist based, hospital-at-home model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, Christian Backer; Ankersen, Ejnar Skytte; Lindberg, Mats J

2018-01-01

. CONCLUSIONS: The GP based HaH model was more effective than the hospital specialist model in avoiding hospital admissions within 7 days among elderly patients with an acute medical condition with no differences in mental or physical recovery rates or deaths between the two models. REGISTRATION: No. NCT......BACKGROUND: Hospital at home (HaH) is an alternative to acute admission for elderly patients. It is unclear if should be cared for a primarily by a hospital intern specialist or by the patient's own general practitioner (GP). The study assessed whether a GP based model was more effective than...... Denmark, including + 65 years old patients with an acute medical condition that required acute hospital in-patient care. The patients were randomly assigned to hospital specialist based model or GP model of HaH care. Five physical and cognitive performance tests were performed at inclusion and after 7...

International trends in admissions and drug sales for asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, R; Anderson, H R; Strachan, D P; Maier, W; Watson, L

2006-02-01

To test whether national patterns of asthma drug use, particularly inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), are related to the rate of acute severe asthma exacerbations. The relation of international trends in hospital admissions for asthma with asthma drug sales was examined using country-specific regressions over the period 1990-1999. Pooled estimates of the regression coefficients were calculated using random effects models. Data on asthma admissions and asthma drug sales (including the sub-category ICS) were obtained from 11 countries. There was a negative relationship between falling admissions and rising sales of respiratory drugs and ICS in 9 of these 11 countries. A pooled estimate of the change in asthma admission rate per 10,000 associated with a unit increase in sales rate was -6.3 (95% CI -10.4 - -2.3) for all asthma drugs and -11.2 (95% CI -19.7 - -2.8) for ICS. At the national level, there is good evidence that over the last decade, increased sales of asthma drugs, and ICS in particular, were associated with a decline in rates of hospital admission for asthma. This is consistent with a beneficial effect of increasing use of asthma drugs, but other explanations such as decreasing prevalence could also be responsible.

Human sensory-evoked responses differ coincident with either "fusion-memory" or "flash-memory", as shown by stimulus repetition-rate effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baird Bill

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: A new method has been used to obtain human sensory evoked-responses whose time-domain waveforms have been undetectable by previous methods. These newly discovered evoked-responses have durations that exceed the time between the stimuli in a continuous stream, thus causing an overlap which, up to now, has prevented their detection. We have named them "A-waves", and added a prefix to show the sensory system from which the responses were obtained (visA-waves, audA-waves, somA-waves. Results: When A-waves were studied as a function of stimulus repetition-rate, it was found that there were systematic differences in waveshape at repetition-rates above and below the psychophysical region in which the sensation of individual stimuli fuse into a continuity. The fusion phenomena is sometimes measured by a "Critical Fusion Frequency", but for this research we can only identify a frequency-region [which we call the STZ (Sensation-Transition Zone]. Thus, the A-waves above the STZ differed from those below the STZ, as did the sensations. Study of the psychophysical differences in auditory and visual stimuli, as shown in this paper, suggest that different stimulus features are detected, and remembered, at stimulation rates above and below STZ. Conclusion: The results motivate us to speculate that: 1 Stimulus repetition-rates above the STZ generate waveforms which underlie "fusion-memory" whereas rates below the STZ show neuronal processing in which "flash-memory" occurs. 2 These two memories differ in both duration and mechanism, though they may occur in the same cell groups. 3 The differences in neuronal processing may be related to "figure" and "ground" differentiation. We conclude that A-waves provide a novel measure of neural processes that can be detected on the human scalp, and speculate that they may extend clinical applications of evoked response recordings. If A-waves also occur in animals, it is likely that A-waves will provide

Human sensory-evoked responses differ coincident with either "fusion-memory" or "flash-memory", as shown by stimulus repetition-rate effects

Science.gov (United States)

Jewett, Don L; Hart, Toryalai; Larson-Prior, Linda J; Baird, Bill; Olson, Marram; Trumpis, Michael; Makayed, Katherine; Bavafa, Payam

2006-01-01

Background: A new method has been used to obtain human sensory evoked-responses whose time-domain waveforms have been undetectable by previous methods. These newly discovered evoked-responses have durations that exceed the time between the stimuli in a continuous stream, thus causing an overlap which, up to now, has prevented their detection. We have named them "A-waves", and added a prefix to show the sensory system from which the responses were obtained (visA-waves, audA-waves, somA-waves). Results: When A-waves were studied as a function of stimulus repetition-rate, it was found that there were systematic differences in waveshape at repetition-rates above and below the psychophysical region in which the sensation of individual stimuli fuse into a continuity. The fusion phenomena is sometimes measured by a "Critical Fusion Frequency", but for this research we can only identify a frequency-region [which we call the STZ (Sensation-Transition Zone)]. Thus, the A-waves above the STZ differed from those below the STZ, as did the sensations. Study of the psychophysical differences in auditory and visual stimuli, as shown in this paper, suggest that different stimulus features are detected, and remembered, at stimulation rates above and below STZ. Conclusion: The results motivate us to speculate that: 1) Stimulus repetition-rates above the STZ generate waveforms which underlie "fusion-memory" whereas rates below the STZ show neuronal processing in which "flash-memory" occurs. 2) These two memories differ in both duration and mechanism, though they may occur in the same cell groups. 3) The differences in neuronal processing may be related to "figure" and "ground" differentiation. We conclude that A-waves provide a novel measure of neural processes that can be detected on the human scalp, and speculate that they may extend clinical applications of evoked response recordings. If A-waves also occur in animals, it is likely that A-waves will provide new methods for

Laterality of repetitive finger movement performance and clinical features of Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Stegemöller, Elizabeth; Zaman, Andrew; MacKinnon, Colum D; Tillman, Mark D; Hass, Chris J; Okun, Michael S

2016-10-01

Impairments in acoustically cued repetitive finger movement often emerge at rates near to and above 2Hz in persons with Parkinson's Disease (PD) in which some patients move faster (hastening) and others move slower (bradykinetic). The clinical features impacting this differential performance of repetitive finger movement remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare repetitive finger movement performance between the more and less affected side, and the difference in clinical ratings among performance groups. Forty-one participants diagnosed with idiopathic PD completed an acoustically cued repetitive finger movement task while "on" medication. Eighteen participants moved faster, 10 moved slower, and 13 were able to maintain the appropriate rate at rates above 2Hz. Clinical measures of laterality, disease severity, and the UPDRS were obtained. There were no significant differences between the more and less affected sides regardless of performance group. Comparison of disease severity, tremor, and rigidity among performance groups revealed no significant differences. Comparison of posture and postural instability scores revealed that the participants that demonstrated hastening had worse posture and postural instability scores. Consideration of movement rate during the clinical evaluation of repetitive finger movement may provide additional insight into varying disease features in persons with PD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Professional perspectives on systemic barriers to admission avoidance: learning from a system dynamics study of older people's admission pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Bronagh; Lattimer, Valerie; Wintrup, Julie; Brailsford, Sally

2015-06-01

There is debate worldwide about the best way to manage increased healthcare demand within ageing populations, particularly rising rates of unplanned and avoidable hospital admissions. To understand health and social care professionals' perspectives on barriers to admission avoidance throughout the admissions journey, in particular: the causes of avoidable admissions in older people; drivers of admission and barriers to use of admission avoidance strategies; and improvements to reduce unnecessary admissions. A qualitative framework analysis of interview data from a System dynamics (SD) modelling study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty health and social care professionals with experience of older people's admissions. The interviews were used to build understanding of factors facilitating or hindering admission avoidance across the admissions system. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: understanding the needs of the patient group; understanding the whole system; and systemwide access to expertise in care of older people. There were diverse views on the underlying reasons for avoidable admissions and recognition of the need for whole-system approaches to service redesign. Participants recommended system redesign that recognises the specific needs of older people, but there was no consensus on underlying patient needs or specific service developments. Access to expertise in management of older and frailer patients was seen as a barrier to admission avoidance throughout the system. Providing access to expertise and leadership in care of frail older people across the admissions system presents a challenge for service managers and nurse educators but is seen as a prerequisite for effective admission avoidance. System redesign to meet the needs of frail older people requires agreement on causes of avoidable admission and underlying patient needs. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A long-pulse repetitive operation magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Yu-Wei; Zhong, Hui-Huang; Zhang, Jian-De; Shu, Ting; Liu, Jin Liang

2014-01-01

The improved magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) is a gigawatt-class L-band high power microwave tube. It has allowed us to generate 3.1 GW pulse of 40 ns duration in the single-pulse operation and 500 MW pulse of 25 ns duration in the repetition rate operation. However, because of the severe impedance mismatch, the power conversion efficiency is only about 4% in the repetition rate operation. In order to eliminate the impedance mismatch and obtain repetitive long-pulse high-power microwave (HPM), a series of experiments are carried out and the recent progress is presented in this paper. In the single-pulse operation, when the diode voltage is 466 kV and current is 41.6 kA, the radiated microwave power is above 2.2 GW, the pulse duration is above 102 ns, the microwave frequency is about 1.74 GHz, and the power conversion efficiency is about 11.5%. In the repetition rate operation, under the condition of the diode voltage about 400 kV, beam current about 38 kA, the radiated microwave power is about 1.0 GW, the pulse duration is about 85 ns. Moreover, the radiated microwave power and the pulse duration decline little by little when the shot numbers increase gradually. The experimental results show that the impedance matching is a vital factor for HPM systems and one of the major technical challenges is to improve the cathode for the repetition rate operation MILO

A long-pulse repetitive operation magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yu-Wei; Zhong, Hui-Huang; Zhang, Jian-De; Shu, Ting; Liu, Jin Liang [College of Optoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073 (China)

2014-05-15

The improved magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) is a gigawatt-class L-band high power microwave tube. It has allowed us to generate 3.1 GW pulse of 40 ns duration in the single-pulse operation and 500 MW pulse of 25 ns duration in the repetition rate operation. However, because of the severe impedance mismatch, the power conversion efficiency is only about 4% in the repetition rate operation. In order to eliminate the impedance mismatch and obtain repetitive long-pulse high-power microwave (HPM), a series of experiments are carried out and the recent progress is presented in this paper. In the single-pulse operation, when the diode voltage is 466 kV and current is 41.6 kA, the radiated microwave power is above 2.2 GW, the pulse duration is above 102 ns, the microwave frequency is about 1.74 GHz, and the power conversion efficiency is about 11.5%. In the repetition rate operation, under the condition of the diode voltage about 400 kV, beam current about 38 kA, the radiated microwave power is about 1.0 GW, the pulse duration is about 85 ns. Moreover, the radiated microwave power and the pulse duration decline little by little when the shot numbers increase gradually. The experimental results show that the impedance matching is a vital factor for HPM systems and one of the major technical challenges is to improve the cathode for the repetition rate operation MILO.

A long-pulse repetitive operation magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yu-Wei; Zhong, Hui-Huang; Zhang, Jian-De; Shu, Ting; Liu, Jin Liang

2014-05-01

The improved magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) is a gigawatt-class L-band high power microwave tube. It has allowed us to generate 3.1 GW pulse of 40 ns duration in the single-pulse operation and 500 MW pulse of 25 ns duration in the repetition rate operation. However, because of the severe impedance mismatch, the power conversion efficiency is only about 4% in the repetition rate operation. In order to eliminate the impedance mismatch and obtain repetitive long-pulse high-power microwave (HPM), a series of experiments are carried out and the recent progress is presented in this paper. In the single-pulse operation, when the diode voltage is 466 kV and current is 41.6 kA, the radiated microwave power is above 2.2 GW, the pulse duration is above 102 ns, the microwave frequency is about 1.74 GHz, and the power conversion efficiency is about 11.5%. In the repetition rate operation, under the condition of the diode voltage about 400 kV, beam current about 38 kA, the radiated microwave power is about 1.0 GW, the pulse duration is about 85 ns. Moreover, the radiated microwave power and the pulse duration decline little by little when the shot numbers increase gradually. The experimental results show that the impedance matching is a vital factor for HPM systems and one of the major technical challenges is to improve the cathode for the repetition rate operation MILO.

The effects of daily weather variables on psychosis admissions to psychiatric hospitals.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McWilliams, Stephen

2012-08-02

Several studies have noted seasonal variations in admission rates of patients with psychotic illnesses. However, the changeable daily meteorological patterns within seasons have never been examined in any great depth in the context of admission rates. A handful of small studies have posed interesting questions regarding a potential link between psychiatric admission rates and meteorological variables such as environmental temperature (especially heat waves) and sunshine. In this study, we used simple non-parametric testing and more complex ARIMA and time-series regression analysis to examine whether daily meteorological patterns (wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, rainfall, sunshine, sunlight and temperature) exert an influence on admission rates for psychotic disorders across 12 regions in Ireland. Although there were some weak but interesting trends for temperature, barometric pressure and sunshine, the meteorological patterns ultimately did not exert a clinically significant influence over admissions for psychosis. Further analysis is needed.

The effects of daily weather variables on psychosis admissions to psychiatric hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

McWilliams, Stephen; Kinsella, Anthony; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard

2013-07-01

Several studies have noted seasonal variations in admission rates of patients with psychotic illnesses. However, the changeable daily meteorological patterns within seasons have never been examined in any great depth in the context of admission rates. A handful of small studies have posed interesting questions regarding a potential link between psychiatric admission rates and meteorological variables such as environmental temperature (especially heat waves) and sunshine. In this study, we used simple non-parametric testing and more complex ARIMA and time-series regression analysis to examine whether daily meteorological patterns (wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, rainfall, sunshine, sunlight and temperature) exert an influence on admission rates for psychotic disorders across 12 regions in Ireland. Although there were some weak but interesting trends for temperature, barometric pressure and sunshine, the meteorological patterns ultimately did not exert a clinically significant influence over admissions for psychosis. Further analysis is needed.

Research of narrow pulse width, high repetition rate, high output power fiber lasers for deep space exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yan-feng; Li, Hong-zuo; Wang, Yan; Hao, Zi-qiang; Xiao, Dong-Ya

2013-08-01

As human beings expand the research in unknown areas constantly, the deep space exploration has become a hot research topic all over the world. According to the long distance and large amount of information transmission characteristics of deep space exploration, the space laser communication is the preferred mode because it has the advantages of concentrated energy, good security, and large information capacity and interference immunity. In a variety of laser source, fibre-optical pulse laser has become an important communication source in deep space laser communication system because of its small size, light weight and large power. For fiber lasers, to solve the contradiction between the high repetition rate and the peak value power is an important scientific problem. General Q technology is difficult to obtain a shorter pulse widths, This paper presents a DFB semiconductor laser integrated with Electro-absorption modulator to realize the narrow pulse width, high repetition rate of the seed source, and then using a two-cascaded high gain fiber amplifier as amplification mean, to realize the fibre-optical pulse laser with pulse width 3ns, pulse frequency 200kHz and peak power 1kW. According to the space laser atmospheric transmission window, the wavelength selects for 1.06um. It is adopted that full fibre technology to make seed source and amplification, pumping source and amplification of free-space coupled into fiber-coupled way. It can overcome that fibre lasers are vulnerable to changes in external conditions such as vibration, temperature drift and other factors affect, improving long-term stability. The fiber lasers can be modulated by PPM mode, to realize high rate modulation, because of its peak power, high transmission rate, narrow pulse width, high frequency stability, all technical indexes meet the requirements of the exploration of deep space communication technology.

A feasible repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation clinical protocol in migraine prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Zardouz, Shawn; Shi, Lei; Leung, Albert

2016-01-01

This case series was conducted to determine the clinical feasibility of a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol for the prevention of migraine (with and without aura). Five patients with migraines underwent five repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation sessions separated in 1- to 2-week intervals for a period of 2 months at a single tertiary medical center. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied to the left motor cortex with 2000 pulses (20 trains with 1s inter-train interval) delivered per session, at a frequency of 10 Hz and 80% resting motor threshold. Pre- and post-treatment numerical rating pain scales were collected, and percent reductions in intensity, frequency, and duration were generated. An average decrease in 37.8%, 32.1%, and 31.2% were noted in the intensity, frequency, and duration of migraines post-repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, respectively. A mean decrease in 1.9±1.0 (numerical rating pain scale ± standard deviation; range: 0.4-2.8) in headache intensity scores was noted after the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation sessions. The tested repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol is a well-tolerated, safe, and effective method for migraine prevention.

Optimal Admission to Higher Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albæk, Karsten

This paper constructs higher education admission rules that maximise graduation rates and thus increase the skill level of the work force. An application shows that students with a low level in mathematics in secondary school ought to find it easier to be admitted to an economics programme than...... to law or psychology programmes, even though economics is the most difficult programme from which to graduate without a strong background in mathematics. Indirect gains from optimal admission include the potential of making whole cohorts of students more able to graduate with a higher education degree....

Trends in hospital admissions, re-admissions, and in-hospital mortality among HIV-infected patients between 1993 and 2013: Impact of hepatitis C co-infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Meijide, Héctor; Mena, Álvaro; Rodríguez-Osorio, Iria; Pértega, Sonia; Castro-Iglesias, Ángeles; Rodríguez-Martínez, Guillermo; Pedreira, José; Poveda, Eva

2017-01-01

New patterns in epidemiological characteristics of people living with HIV infection (PLWH) and the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) have changed the profile of hospital admissions in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in hospital admissions, re-admissions, and mortality rates in HIV patients and to analyze the role of HCV co-infection. A retrospective cohort study conducted on all hospital admissions of HIV patients between 1993 and 2013. The study time was divided in two periods (1993-2002 and 2003-2013) to be compared by conducting a comparative cross-sectional analysis. A total of 22,901 patient-years were included in the analysis, with 6917 hospital admissions, corresponding to 1937 subjects (75% male, mean age 36±11 years, 37% HIV/HCV co-infected patients). The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (5-16), and the 30-day hospital re-admission rate was 20.1%. A significant decrease in hospital admissions related with infectious and psychiatric diseases was observed in the last period (2003-2013), but there was an increase in those related with malignancies, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and chronic respiratory diseases. In-hospital mortality remained high (6.8% in the first period vs. 6.3% in the second one), with a progressive increase of non-AIDS-defining illness deaths (37.9% vs. 68.3%, P<.001). The admission rate significantly dropped after 1996 (4.9% yearly), but it was less pronounced in HCV co-infected patients (1.7% yearly). Hospital admissions due to infectious and psychiatric disorders have decreased, with a significant increase in non-AIDS-defining malignancies, cardiovascular, and chronic respiratory diseases. In-hospital mortality is currently still high, but mainly because of non-AIDS-defining illnesses. HCV co-infection increased the hospital stay and re-admissions during the study period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y

Repetition code of 15 qubits

Science.gov (United States)

Wootton, James R.; Loss, Daniel

2018-05-01

The repetition code is an important primitive for the techniques of quantum error correction. Here we implement repetition codes of at most 15 qubits on the 16 qubit ibmqx3 device. Each experiment is run for a single round of syndrome measurements, achieved using the standard quantum technique of using ancilla qubits and controlled operations. The size of the final syndrome is small enough to allow for lookup table decoding using experimentally obtained data. The results show strong evidence that the logical error rate decays exponentially with code distance, as is expected and required for the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers. The results also give insight into the nature of noise in the device.

Design and implementation of fast charging circuit for repetitive compact torus injector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onchi, T.; McColl, D.; Dreval, M.; Wolfe, S.; Xiao, C.; Hirose, A.

2014-01-01

A novel circuit for compact torus (CT) injector operated at high repetition rates has been developed. The core technology adopted in the present work is to charge a large storage capacitor bank and quickly charge the CT capacitor bank through a stack of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). A system consisting of IGBTs and slow banks for the repetitive operation has been developed and installed for each discharge circuit of the University of Saskatchewan Compact Torus Injector (USCTI). A repetition rate up to 1.7 Hz and a burst of 8 CTs have been achieved

Decline in admissions for childhood asthma, a 26-year period population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikalsen, Ingvild Bruun; Skeiseid, Liliane; Tveit, Line Merete; Engelsvold, David Hugo; Øymar, Knut

2015-12-01

The prevalence of childhood asthma has increased, although the rate of hospitalization for asthma seems to decrease. In Norway, the rate of hospital admission for childhood asthma from 1984 to 2000 increased. The aim of this study was to assess further trends in hospital admissions for childhood asthma up to 2010. A population-based study including children 1-13 yrs of age hospitalized for asthma during six periods from 1984/1985 to 2009/2010 in Rogaland, Norway, was performed. Medical records from 1536 admissions (1050 children) were studied; and gender, age, number of admissions, length of hospital stay, medications and symptoms were recorded. For all age groups, the rate of admissions per 10.000 increased from 20.1 in 1984/85 to 33.7 in 1989/90, but declined to 14.4 in 2009/2010. Rates were highest in boys (OR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.69, 2.09), younger age groups (OR 2.51; 2.38, 2.64) and decreased from 1984 to 2010 (OR 0.92; 0.88, 0.94). The rates of readmissions were higher than for primary admissions (OR 1.33; 1.19, 1.47). From 1984 to 2010, there was an increased use of inhaled corticosteroids prior to admission (6 to 51%) and started at discharge (7 to 37%), and systemic steroids given during admission (19 to 83%). There has been a substantial decline in the rate of hospital admissions for childhood asthma after 1989/1990, with major differences between age groups and genders. The decline could be due to improved care of children with asthma or a real reduction in asthma exacerbations. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yingli; Liang, Wei; Yang, Shichang; Dai, Ping; Shen, Lijuan; Wang, Changhong

2013-10-05

This study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of auditory hallucination of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Online literature retrieval was conducted using PubMed, ISI Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases from January 1985 to May 2012. Key words were "transcranial magnetic stimulation", "TMS", "repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation", and "hallucination". Selected studies were randomized controlled trials assessing therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hallucination in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Experimental intervention was low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in left temporoparietal cortex for treatment of auditory hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Control groups received sham stimulation. The primary outcome was total scores of Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale, Auditory Hallucination Subscale of Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale-Auditory Hallucination item, and Hallucination Change Scale. Secondary outcomes included response rate, global mental state, adverse effects and cognitive function. Seventeen studies addressing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders were screened, with controls receiving sham stimulation. All data were completely effective, involving 398 patients. Overall mean weighted effect size for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus sham stimulation was statistically significant (MD = -0.42, 95%CI: -0.64 to -0.20, P = 0.000 2). Patients receiving repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation responded more frequently than sham stimulation (OR = 2.94, 95%CI: 1.39 to 6.24, P = 0.005). No significant differences were found between active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and sham stimulation for

High-repetition-rate laser-proton acceleration from a condensed hydrogen jet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obst, Lieselotte; Zeil, Karl; Metzkes, Josefine; Schlenvoigt, Hans-Peter; Rehwald, Martin; Sommer, Philipp; Brack, Florian; Schramm, Ulrich [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden (Germany); Goede, Sebastian; Gauthier, Maxence; Roedel, Christian; MacDonald, Michael; Schumaker, William; Glenzer, Siegfried [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford (United States)

2016-07-01

Applications of laser-accelerated protons demand a stable source of energetic particles at high repetition rates. We present the results of our experimental campaign in cooperation with MEC/SLAC at the 10Hz Ti:Sa laser Draco of Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), employing a pure condensed hydrogen jet as a renewable target. Draco delivers pulses of 30 fs and 5 J at 800 nm, focused to a 3 μm spot by an F/2.5 off-axis parabolic mirror. The jet's nominal electron density is approximately 30 times the critical density and its thickness is 2 μm, 5 μm or 10 μm, depending on the applied aperture on the source. Ion diagnostics reveal mono-species proton acceleration in a solid angle of at least +/-45 with respect to the incoming laser beam, with maximum energies of around 5 MeV. The expanding jet could be monitored on-shot with a temporally synchronized probe beam perpendicular to the pump laser axis. Recorded probe images resemble those of z-pinch experiments with metal wires and indicate an m=0 instability in the plasma.

Trends in Hospital Admission and Surgical Procedures Following ED visits for Diverticulitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret B. Greenwood-Ericksen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Diverticulitis is a common diagnosis in the emergency department (ED. Outpatient management of diverticulitis is safe in selected patients, yet the rates of admission and surgical procedures following ED visits for diverticulitis are unknown, as are the predictive patient characteristics. Our goal is to describe trends in admission and surgical procedures following ED visits for diverticulitis, and to determine which patient characteristics predict admission. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional descriptive analysis using data on ED visits from 2006-2011 to determine change in admission and surgical patterns over time. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database, a nationally representative administrative claims dataset, was used to analyze ED visits for diverticulitis. We included patients with a principal diagnosis of diverticulitis (ICD-9 codes 562.11, 562.13. We analyzed the rate of admission and surgery in all admitted patients and in low-risk patients, defined as age <50 with no comorbidities (Elixhauser. We used hierarchical multivariate logistic regression to identify patient characteristics associated with admission for diverticulitis. Results: From 2006 to 2011 ED visits for diverticulitis increased by 21.3% from 238,248 to 302,612, while the admission rate decreased from 55.7% to 48.5% (-7.2%, 95% CI [–7.78 to -6.62]; p<0.001 for trend. The admission rate among low-risk patients decreased from 35.2% in 2006 to 26.8% in 2011 (-8.4%, 95% CI [–9.6 to –7.2]; p<0.001 for trend. Admission for diverticulitis was independently associated with male gender, comorbid illnesses, higher income and commercial health insurance. The surgical rate decreased from 6.5% in 2006 to 4.7% in 2011 (-1.8%, 95% CI [–2.1 to –1.5]; p<0.001 for trend, and among low-risk patients decreased from 4.0% to 2.2% (- 1.8%, 95% CI [–4.5 to –1.7]; p<0.001 for trend. Conclusion: From 2006 to 2011 ED visits for diverticulitis increased

An Innovative Approach for Decreasing Fall Trauma Admissions from Geriatric Living Facilities: Preliminary Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Tracy; Gross, Brian; Rittenhouse, Katelyn; Harnish, Carissa; Vellucci, Ashley; Bupp, Katherine; Horst, Michael; Miller, Jo Ann; Baier, Ron; Chandler, Roxanne; Rogers, Frederick B

2015-12-01

Geriatric living facilities have been associated with a high rate of falls. We sought to develop an innovative intervention approach targeting geriatric living facilities that would reduce geriatric fall admissions to our Level II trauma center. In 2011, a Trauma Prevention Taskforce visited 5 of 28 local geriatric living facilities to present a fall prevention protocol composed of three sections: fall education, risk factor identification, and fall prevention strategies. To determine the impact of the intervention, the trauma registry was queried for all geriatric fall admissions attributed to patients living at local geriatric living facilities. The fall admission rate (total fall admissions/total beds) of the pre-intervention period (2010-2011) was compared with that of the postintervention period (2012-2013) at the 5 intervention and 23 control facilities. A P value fall admissions attributed to local geriatric living facilities (intervention: 179 fall admissions; control: 308 fall admissions). The unadjusted fall rate decreased at intervention facilities from 8.9 fall admissions/bed pre-intervention to 8.1 fall admissions/bed postintervention, whereas fall admission rates increased at control sites from 5.9 to 7.7 fall admissions/bed during the same period [control/intervention odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.32, 1.05-1.67; period OR, 95%CI = 1.55, 1.18-2.04, P = 0.002; interaction of control/intervention group and period OR 95% CI = 0.68, 0.46-1.00, P = 0.047]. An aggressive intervention program targeting high-risk geriatric living facilities resulted in a statistically significant decrease in geriatric fall admissions to our Level II trauma center.

Sustainment of spherical tokamak by means of repetitive injection of compact torus plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimamura, Shin; Matsura, Ken; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Nogi, Yasuyuki

2000-01-01

Sustainment of spherical tokamak (S.T.) has been studied. A compact torus (C.T.) plasma was injected into confinement region by magnetized coaxial gun. For start-up and sustainment of large main spherical tokamak, single pulsed injection of small C.T. is not sufficient in many cases. C.T.plasma injection of high repetition rate is required. For this purpose magnetized coaxial gun was driven with high repetition rate current. The first injected C.T. plasma could start-up S.T. without other help. The repetitive C.T. injection grew and sustained the S.T. plasma. A CCD camera with fast gated image intensifier took a cross sectional view of S.T. during the repetitive C.T. injection. (author)

Emergency department admissions are more profitable than non-emergency department admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Henneman, Philip L; Lemanski, Michael; Smithline, Howard A; Tomaszewski, Andrew; Mayforth, Janice A

2009-02-01

We compare the contribution margin per case per hospital day of emergency department (ED) admissions with non-ED admissions in a single hospital, a 600-bed, academic, tertiary referral, Level I trauma center with an annual ED census of 100,000. This was a retrospective comparison of the contribution margin per case per day for ED and non-ED inpatient admissions for fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005 (October 1 through September 30). Contribution margin is defined as net revenue minus total direct costs; it is then expressed per case per hospital day. Service lines are a set of linked patient care services. Observation admissions and outpatient services are not included. Resident expenses (eg, salary and benefits) and revenue (ie, Medicare payment of indirect medical expenses and direct medical expenses) are not included. Overhead expenses are not included (eg, building maintenance, utilities, information services support, administrative services). For fiscal year 2003 through fiscal year 2005, there were 51,213 ED and 57,004 non-ED inpatient admissions. Median contribution margin per day for ED admissions was higher than for non-ED admissions: ED admissions $769 (interquartile range $265 to $1,493) and non-ED admissions $595 (interquartile range $178 to $1,274). Median contribution margin per day varied by site of admissions, by diagnosis-related group, by service line, and by insurance type. In summary, ED admissions in our institution generate a higher contribution margin per day than non-ED admissions.

Acute admissions among immigrants and asylum seekers to a psychiatric hospital in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Iversen, Valentina Cabral; Morken, Gunnar

2003-09-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare admission rates, including admission by coercion, length of hospital stay and diagnosis among immigrants, asylum seekers and Norwegian-born patients. All admissions (n=3053) to Østmarka Hospital during the period 1995-2000 were examined. A sample including all immigrants (94) and asylum seekers (39) as well as a control group of 133 Norwegians was analysed. Immigrants and Norwegians had the same relative risk of admission (1.07). The relative risk of admission was higher for asylum seekers compared to Norwegians (8.84). There were differences in the diagnoses given at discharge in the three groups of patients, both among men (chi2=22.33, df=6, pimmigrants. The number of admissions by coercion was highest among immigrants, and lowest among asylum seekers (chi2=12.03, df=2, pimmigrants, asylum seekers had high admission rates and low frequency of admissions by coercion. Schizophrenia was frequent among female immigrants admitted to hospital.

New results on spin determination of nanosatellite BLITS from High Repetition Rate SLR data

Science.gov (United States)

Kucharski, D.; Kirchner, G.; Lim, H.-C.; Koidl, F.

2013-03-01

The nanosatellite BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) demonstrates a successful design of the new spherical lens type satellite for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). The spin parameters of the satellite were calculated from more than 1000 days of SLR data collected from 6 High Repetition Rate (HRR) systems: Beijing, Changchun, Graz, Herstmonceux, Potsdam, Shanghai.Analysis of the 892 passes (September 26, 2009-June 18, 2012) shows precession of the spin axis around orientation of the along track vector calculated at the launch epoch of the satellite RA = 9h16m39s, Dec = 43.1°. The spin period of BLITS remains stable with the mean value Tmean = 5.613 s, RMS = 11 ms. The incident angle between the spin axis and the symmetry axis of the body changes within 60° range.

Heat accumulation during high repetition rate ultrafast laser interaction: Waveguide writing in borosilicate glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Haibin; Eaton, Shane M; Li, Jianzhao; Herman, Peter R

2007-01-01

During high repetition rate (>200 kHz) ultrafast laser waveguide writing, visible heat modified zones surrounding the formed waveguide occur as a result of heat accumulation. The radii of the heat-modified zones increase with the laser net fluence, and were found to correlate with the formation of low-loss and cylindrically symmetric optical waveguides. A numerical thermal model based on the finite difference method is applied here to account for cumulative heating and diffusion effects. The model successfully shows that heat propagation and accumulation accurately predict the radius of the 'heat modified' zones observed in borosilicate glass waveguides formed across a wide range of laser exposure conditions. Such modelling promises better control of thermal effects for optimizing the fabrication and performance of three-dimensional optical devices in transparent materials

Progress in developing repetitive pulse systems utilizing inductive energy storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Honig, E.M.

1983-01-01

High-power, fast-recovery vacuum switches were used in a new repetitive counterpulse and transfer circuit to deliver a 5-kHz pulse train with a peak power of 75 MW (at 8.6 kA) to a 1-..cap omega.. load, resulting in the first demonstration of fully controlled, high-power, high-repetition-rate operation of an inductive energy-storage and transfer system with nondestructive switches. New circuits, analytical and experimental results, and feasibility of 100-kV repetitive pulse generation are discussed. A new switching concept for railgun loads is presented.

Narrow Q-switching pulse width and low mode-locking repetition rate Q-switched mode locking with a new coupled laser cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, J Y; Zheng, Y; Shen, J P; Shi, Y X

2013-01-01

An original diode-pumped Q-switched and mode-locked solid state Nd:GdVO 4 laser is demonstrated. The laser operates with double saturable absorbers and a new coupled laser cavity. The Q-switching envelope width is compressed to be about 15 ns and the mode-locking repetition rate is as low as 90 MHz. (paper)

Electron diffraction using ultrafast electron bunches from a laser-wakefield accelerator at kHz repetition rate

Science.gov (United States)

He, Z.-H.; Thomas, A. G. R.; Beaurepaire, B.; Nees, J. A.; Hou, B.; Malka, V.; Krushelnick, K.; Faure, J.

2013-02-01

We show that electron bunches in the 50-100 keV range can be produced from a laser wakefield accelerator using 10 mJ, 35 fs laser pulses operating at 0.5 kHz. It is shown that using a solenoid magnetic lens, the electron bunch distribution can be shaped. The resulting transverse and longitudinal coherence is suitable for producing diffraction images from a polycrystalline 10 nm aluminum foil. The high repetition rate, the stability of the electron source, and the fact that its uncorrelated bunch duration is below 100 fs make this approach promising for the development of sub-100 fs ultrafast electron diffraction experiments.

Electron diffraction using ultrafast electron bunches from a laser-wakefield accelerator at kHz repetition rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Z.-H.; Thomas, A. G. R.; Nees, J. A.; Hou, B.; Krushelnick, K. [Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-2099 (United States); Beaurepaire, B.; Malka, V.; Faure, J. [Laboratoire d' Optique Appliquee, ENSTA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, UMR 7639, 91761 Palaiseau (France)

2013-02-11

We show that electron bunches in the 50-100 keV range can be produced from a laser wakefield accelerator using 10 mJ, 35 fs laser pulses operating at 0.5 kHz. It is shown that using a solenoid magnetic lens, the electron bunch distribution can be shaped. The resulting transverse and longitudinal coherence is suitable for producing diffraction images from a polycrystalline 10 nm aluminum foil. The high repetition rate, the stability of the electron source, and the fact that its uncorrelated bunch duration is below 100 fs make this approach promising for the development of sub-100 fs ultrafast electron diffraction experiments.

Risk factors for readmission in schizophrenia patients following involuntary admission.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Yuan Hung

Full Text Available Individuals with schizophrenia who are involuntarily admitted may have poorer prognosis, including higher readmission rates, than those voluntarily admitted. However, little is known about the risk factors for readmission in those schizophrenia patients who are involuntarily admitted.We aim to explore the risk factors for readmission in this population.We enrolled 138 schizophrenia patients with involuntary admission from July 2008 to June 2013 and followed those patients for readmission outcomes at 3 months and at 1 year.The one-year and 3-months readmission rates were 33.3% and 15.2%, respectively. Unmarried status (adjusted odds ratio (aOR = 6.28, 95% CI: 1.48-26.62, previous history of involuntary admission (aOR = 4.08, 95% CI: 1.19-14.02, longer involuntary admission days (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07 and shorter total admission days (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05 were associated with increased risk for 1-year readmission. Younger age (aOR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18 was associated with increased risk for 3-months readmission.Unmarried status, prior history of involuntary admission, longer involuntary admission days and shorter total admission days were associated with increased risk for 1-year readmission. Healthcare providers may need to focus on patients with these risk factors to reduce subsequent readmissions.

Risk factors for readmission in schizophrenia patients following involuntary admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Yu-Yuan; Chan, Hung-Yu; Pan, Yi-Ju

2017-01-01

Individuals with schizophrenia who are involuntarily admitted may have poorer prognosis, including higher readmission rates, than those voluntarily admitted. However, little is known about the risk factors for readmission in those schizophrenia patients who are involuntarily admitted. We aim to explore the risk factors for readmission in this population. We enrolled 138 schizophrenia patients with involuntary admission from July 2008 to June 2013 and followed those patients for readmission outcomes at 3 months and at 1 year. The one-year and 3-months readmission rates were 33.3% and 15.2%, respectively. Unmarried status (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.28, 95% CI: 1.48-26.62), previous history of involuntary admission (aOR = 4.08, 95% CI: 1.19-14.02), longer involuntary admission days (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07) and shorter total admission days (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) were associated with increased risk for 1-year readmission. Younger age (aOR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18) was associated with increased risk for 3-months readmission. Unmarried status, prior history of involuntary admission, longer involuntary admission days and shorter total admission days were associated with increased risk for 1-year readmission. Healthcare providers may need to focus on patients with these risk factors to reduce subsequent readmissions.

Discerning applicants’ interests in rural medicine: a textual analysis of admission essays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carol L. Elam

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite efforts to construct targeted medical school admission processes using applicant-level correlates of future practice location, accurately gauging applicants’ interests in rural medicine remains an imperfect science. This study explores the usefulness of textual analysis to identify rural-oriented themes and values underlying applicants’ open-ended responses to admission essays. Methods: The study population consisted of 75 applicants to the Rural Physician Leadership Program (RPLP at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Using WordStat, a proprietary text analysis program, applicants’ American Medical College Application Service personal statement and an admission essay written at the time of interview were searched for predefined keywords and phrases reflecting rural medical values. From these text searches, derived scores were then examined relative to interviewers’ subjective ratings of applicants’ overall acceptability for admission to the RPLP program and likelihood of practicing in a rural area. Results: The two interviewer-assigned ratings of likelihood of rural practice and overall acceptability were significantly related. A statistically significant relationship was also found between the rural medical values scores and estimated likelihood of rural practice. However, there was no association between rural medical values scores and subjective ratings of applicant acceptability. Conclusions: That applicants’ rural values in admission essays were not related to interviewers’ overall acceptability ratings indicates that other factors played a role in the interviewers’ assessments of applicants’ acceptability for admission.

Discerning applicants' interests in rural medicine: a textual analysis of admission essays.

Science.gov (United States)

Elam, Carol L; Weaver, Anthony D; Whittler, Elmer T; Stratton, Terry D; Asher, Linda M; Scott, Kimberly L; Wilson, Emery A

2015-01-01

Despite efforts to construct targeted medical school admission processes using applicant-level correlates of future practice location, accurately gauging applicants' interests in rural medicine remains an imperfect science. This study explores the usefulness of textual analysis to identify rural-oriented themes and values underlying applicants' open-ended responses to admission essays. The study population consisted of 75 applicants to the Rural Physician Leadership Program (RPLP) at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Using WordStat, a proprietary text analysis program, applicants' American Medical College Application Service personal statement and an admission essay written at the time of interview were searched for predefined keywords and phrases reflecting rural medical values. From these text searches, derived scores were then examined relative to interviewers' subjective ratings of applicants' overall acceptability for admission to the RPLP program and likelihood of practicing in a rural area. The two interviewer-assigned ratings of likelihood of rural practice and overall acceptability were significantly related. A statistically significant relationship was also found between the rural medical values scores and estimated likelihood of rural practice. However, there was no association between rural medical values scores and subjective ratings of applicant acceptability. That applicants' rural values in admission essays were not related to interviewers' overall acceptability ratings indicates that other factors played a role in the interviewers' assessments of applicants' acceptability for admission.

Repetition and Translation Shifts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Zupan

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Repetition manifests itself in different ways and at different levels of the text. The first basic type of repetition involves complete recurrences; in which a particular textual feature repeats in its entirety. The second type involves partial recurrences; in which the second repetition of the same textual feature includes certain modifications to the first occurrence. In the article; repetitive patterns in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” and its Slovene translation; “Konec Usherjeve hiše”; are compared. The author examines different kinds of repetitive patterns. Repetitions are compared at both the micro- and macrostructural levels. As detailed analyses have shown; considerable microstructural translation shifts occur in certain types of repetitive patterns. Since these are not only occasional; sporadic phenomena; but are of a relatively high frequency; they reduce the translated text’s potential for achieving some of the gothic effects. The macrostructural textual property particularly affected by these shifts is the narrator’s experience as described by the narrative; which suffers a reduction in intensity.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hallucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders A meta-analysis***

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yingli Zhang; Wei Liang; Shichang Yang; Ping Dai; Lijuan Shen; Changhong Wang

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of auditory hal ucination of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. DATA SOURCES: Online literature retrieval was conducted using PubMed, ISI Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Control ed Trials databases from January 1985 to May 2012. Key words were “transcranial magnetic stimulation”, “TMS”, “repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation”, and “hal ucination”. STUDY SELECTION: Selected studies were randomized control ed trials assessing therapeutic ef-ficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for hal ucination in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Experimental intervention was low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in left temporoparietal cortex for treatment of auditory hal ucination in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Control groups received sham stimulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was total scores of Auditory Hal ucinations Rating Scale, Auditory Hal ucination Subscale of Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale-Auditory Hal ucination item, and Hal ucination Change Scale. Secondary outcomes included response rate, global mental state, adverse effects and cognitive function. RESULTS: Seventeen studies addressing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders were screened, with controls receiving sham stimulation. Al data were completely effective, involving 398 patients. Overal mean weighted effect size for repeti-tive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus sham stimulation was statistical y significant (MD =-0.42, 95%CI: -0.64 to -0.20, P = 0.000 2). Patients receiving repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation responded more frequently than sham stimulation (OR = 2.94, 95%CI: 1.39 to 6.24, P =0.005). No significant differences were found

A clinical repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation service in Australia: 6 years on.

Science.gov (United States)

Galletly, Cherrie A; Clarke, Patrick; Carnell, Benjamin L; Gill, Shane

2015-11-01

There is considerable research evidence for the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression. However, there is little information about its acceptability and outcomes in clinical settings. This naturalistic study reports on a clinical repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation service that has been running in Adelaide, South Australia (SA), for 6 years. During this time, 214 complete acute courses were provided to patients with treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder. Patients received either sequential bilateral or right unilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment involving either 18 or 20 sessions given over 6 or 4 weeks respectively. Data included patient demographic details, duration of depression, and medication at the beginning of their repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation course. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Of those undergoing a first-time acute treatment course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (N = 167), 28% achieved remission, while a further 12% met the criteria for a response to treatment. Most patients (N = 123, 77%) had previously been treated with five or more antidepressant medications, and 77 (47%) had previously received electroconvulsive therapy. Referral rates remained high over the 6 years, indicating acceptance of the treatment by referring psychiatrists. There were no significant adverse events, and the treatment was generally well tolerated. In all, 41 patients (25%) had a second course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and 6 (4%) patients had a third course; 21 patients subsequently received maintenance repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. This naturalistic study showed that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was well accepted by both psychiatrists and patients, and has good efficacy and safety. Furthermore

Analysis of Unplanned Intensive Care Unit Admissions in Postoperative Pediatric Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, Elizabeth K; Gabriel, Rodney A; Beutler, Sascha; Dutton, Richard P; Urman, Richard D

2017-03-01

Currently, there are only a few retrospective, single-institution studies that have addressed the prevalence and risk factors associated with unplanned admissions to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery. Based on the limited amount of studies, it appears that airway and respiratory complications put a child at increased risk for unplanned ICU admission. A more extensive and diverse analysis of unplanned postoperative admissions to the ICU is needed to address risk factors that have yet to be revealed by the current literature. To establish a rate of unplanned postoperative ICU admissions in pediatric patients using a large, multi-institution data set and to further characterize the associated risk factors. Data from the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry were analyzed. We recorded the overall risk of unplanned postoperative ICU admission in patients younger than 18 years and performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the associated patient, surgical, and anesthetic-related characteristics. Of the 324 818 cases analyzed, 211 reported an unexpected ICU admission. There was an increased likelihood of unplanned postoperative ICU in infants (age anesthesia were also associated with unplanned ICU admissions. This study establishes a rate of unplanned ICU admission following surgery in the heterogeneous pediatric population. This is the first study to utilize such a large data set encompassing a wide range of practice environments to identify risk factors leading to unplanned postoperative ICU admissions. Our study revealed that patient, surgical, and anesthetic complexity each contributed to an increased number of unplanned ICU admissions in the pediatric population.

Active power filter for harmonic compensation using a digital dual-mode-structure repetitive control approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zou, Zhixiang; Wang, Zheng; Cheng, Ming

2012-01-01

This paper presents an digital dual-mode-structure repetitive control approach for the single-phase shunt active power filter (APF), which aims to enhance the tracking ability and eliminate arbitrary order harmonic. The proposed repetitive control scheme blends the characteristics of both odd......-harmonic repetitive control and even-harmonic repetitive control. Moreover, the convergence rate is faster than conventional repetitive controller. Additionally, the parameters have been designed and optimized for the dual-mode structure repetitive control to improve the performance of APF system. Experimental...

The differential effects of maternal age, race/ethnicity and insurance on neonatal intensive care unit admission rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Jongh Beatriz E

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maternal race/ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status (SES are important factors determining birth outcome. Previous studies have demonstrated that, teenagers, and mothers with advanced maternal age (AMA, and Black/Non-Hispanic race/ethnicity can independently increase the risk for a poor pregnancy outcome. Similarly, public insurance has been associated with suboptimal health outcomes. The interaction and impact on the risk of a pregnancy resulting in a NICU admission has not been studied. Our aim was, to analyze the simultaneous interactions of teen/advanced maternal age (AMA, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on the odds of NICU admission. Methods The Consortium of Safe Labor Database (subset of n = 167,160 live births was used to determine NICU admission and maternal factors: age, race/ethnicity, insurance, previous c-section, and gestational age. Results AMA mothers were more likely than teenaged mothers to have a pregnancy result in a NICU admission. Black/Non-Hispanic mothers with private insurance had increased odds for NICU admission. This is in contrast to the lower odds of NICU admission seen with Hispanic and White/Non-Hispanic pregnancies with private insurance. Conclusions Private insurance is protective against a pregnancy resulting in a NICU admission for Hispanic and White/Non-Hispanic mothers, but not for Black/Non-Hispanic mothers. The health disparity seen between Black and White/Non-Hispanics for the risk of NICU admission is most evident among pregnancies covered by private insurance. These study findings demonstrate that adverse pregnancy outcomes are mitigated differently across race, maternal age, and insurance status.

Ethnic group variations in alcohol-related hospital admissions in England: does place matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Eleanor; Laverty, Anthony A; Majeed, Azeem; Millett, Christopher

2015-01-01

The health burden of alcohol use is socially and geographically patterned in many countries. Less is known about variations in this burden between ethnic groups and whether this differs across place of residence. National cross-sectional study using hospital admission data in England. Alcohol-related admission rates, where an alcohol-related condition was either the primary diagnosis (considered as the reason for admission) or a comorbidity, were calculated using ethnic group specific rates for English regions. In 2010/11 there were a total of 264,870 alcohol-related admissions in England. Admission rates were higher in the North of England than elsewhere (e.g. for primary diagnosis 161 per 100,000 population in the North vs. 62 per 100,000 in the South). These patterns were not uniform across ethnic groups however. For example, admission rates for alcohol-related comorbidity were four times higher among White Irish in London compared with those in the South of England (306 to 76 per 100,000) and four times higher in Indians living in the Midlands compared with those in the South of England (128 to 29 per 100,000). These patterns were similar for admissions with a comorbid alcohol-related condition. Geographical location may be an important determinant of within and between ethnic group variations in alcohol-related hospital admissions in England. While a number of factors were not examined here, this descriptive analysis suggests that this heterogeneity should be taken into account when planning interventions and services for the prevention and management of alcohol misuse.

Opioid management strategy decreases admissions in high-utilizing adults with sickle cell disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Mager, Amy; Pelot, Kristin; Koch, Kathryn; Miller, Lawrence; Hubler, Collin; Ndifor, Anisah; Coan, Canice; Leonard, Cynthia; Field, Joshua J

A subset of adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) heavily utilizes the emergency department (ED) and hospital. The objective of our study was to determine the efficacy of a multidisciplinary strategy to address unmet needs in highly utilizing adults with SCD. In a prospective study, adults with SCD with ≥10 admissions per year were assessed by a multidisciplinary team for gaps in medical, social, and psychological care. Thereafter, the team decided upon the subject's predominant domain that drove admissions and instituted an interventional plan. All plans included an opioid management strategy. Preintervention and postintervention admission rate, as well as opioid use, was compared. Twelve subjects were enrolled. Median rate of ED and hospital admissions preintervention was 25 per year. The predominant domains identified were social needs (n = 6), psychological disorder (n = 1), and substance use disorder (n = 5). Multifaceted interventional plans were developed to address a wide range of gaps in care, but an opioid management strategy was the only intervention successfully completed. Even so, when the preintervention versus postintervention admission rate was compared, regardless of the domain, there was a 40 percent decline in hospital admissions (p = 0.03). Consistent with the successful implementation of an opioid management plan, the decrease in admissions was accompanied by a 37 percent decrease in intravenous opioid use (p = 0.02) and 10 percent decrease in oral opioid use (p = 0.04). An opioid management strategy, as part of a larger effort to improve care for high-utilizing adults with SCD, decreased rate of admissions and opioid use.

Generation of nanosecond laser pulses at a 2.2-MHz repetition rate by a cw diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd3+:YVO4 laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nghia, Nguyen T; Hao, Nguyen V; Orlovich, Valentin A; Hung, Nguyen D

2011-01-01

We report a new configuration of a high-repetition rate nanosecond laser based on a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The SESAM is conventional technical solution for passive mode-locking at 1064 nm and simultaneously used as a highly reflecting mirror and a saturable absorber in a high-Q and short cavity of a cw diode-end-pumped a-cut Nd 3+ :YVO 4 laser. Two laser beams are coupled out from the cavity using an intracavity low-reflection thin splitter. The laser characteristics are investigated as functions of pump and resonator parameters. Using a 1.8-W cw pump laser diode at 808 nm, the passively Q-switched SESAMbased laser generates 22-ns pulses with an average power of 275 mW at a pulse repetition rate of 2250 kHz.

Contribution of fronto-striatal regions to emotional valence and repetition under cognitive conflict.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Ji-Won; Park, Hae-Jeong; Kim, Dai Jin; Kim, Eosu; Kim, Jae-Jin

2017-07-01

Conflict processing mediated by fronto-striatal regions may be influenced by emotional properties of stimuli. This study aimed to examine the effects of emotion repetition on cognitive control in a conflict-provoking situation. Twenty-one healthy subjects were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a sequential cognitive conflict task composed of emotional stimuli. The regional effects were analyzed according to the repetition or non-repetition of cognitive congruency and emotional valence between the preceding and current trials. Post-incongruence interference in error rate and reaction time was significantly smaller than post-congruence interference, particularly under repeated positive and non-repeated positive, respectively, and post-incongruence interference, compared to post-congruence interference, increased activity in the ACC, DLPFC, and striatum. ACC and DLPFC activities were significantly correlated with error rate or reaction time in some conditions, and fronto-striatal connections were related to the conflict processing heightened by negative emotion. These findings suggest that the repetition of emotional stimuli adaptively regulates cognitive control and the fronto-striatal circuit may engage in the conflict adaptation process induced by emotion repetition. Both repetition enhancement and repetition suppression of prefrontal activity may underlie the relationship between emotion and conflict adaptation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A compact, repetitive accelerator for military and industrial applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zutavern, F.J.; O'Malley, M.W.; Ruebush, M.H.; Rinehart, L.F.; Loubriel, G.M.; Babcock, S.R.; Denison, G.J.

1998-04-01

A compact, short pulse, repetitive accelerator has many useful military and commercial applications in biological counter proliferation, materials processing, radiography, and sterilization (medical instruments, waste, and food). The goal of this project was to develop and demonstrate a small, 700 kV accelerator, which can produce 7 kA particle beams with pulse lengths of 10--30 ns at rates up to 50 Hz. At reduced power levels, longer pulses or higher repetition rates (up to 10 kHz) could be achieved. Two switching technologies were tested: (1) spark gaps, which have been used to build low repetition rate accelerators for many years; and (2) high gain photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS), a new solid state switching technology. This plan was economical, because it used existing hardware for the accelerator, and the PCSS material and fabrication for one module was relatively inexpensive. It was research oriented, because it provided a test bed to examine the utility of other emerging switching technologies, such as magnetic switches. At full power, the accelerator will produce 700 kV and 7 kA with either the spark gap or PCSS pulser

Universal data compression and repetition times

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, Frans M J

1989-01-01

A new universal data compression algorithm is described. This algorithm encodes L source symbols at a time. For the class of binary stationary sources, its rate does not exceed [formula omitted] [formula omitted] bits per source symbol. In our analysis, a property of repetition times turns out to be

Association of Admission Glucose Level and Improvement in Pulmonary Artery Pressure in Patients with Submassive-type Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Gohbara, Masaomi; Hayakawa, Keigo; Hayakawa, Azusa; Akazawa, Yusuke; Yamaguchi, Yukihiro; Furihata, Shuta; Kondo, Ai; Fukushima, Yusuke; Tomari, Sakie; Mitsuhashi, Takayuki; Endo, Tsutomu; Kimura, Kazuo

2018-03-01

Objective The admission glucose level is a predictor of mortality even in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). However, whether or not the admission glucose level is associated with the severity of APE itself or the underlying disease of APE is unclear. Methods This study was a retrospective observational study. A pulmonary artery (PA) catheter was used to accurately evaluate the severity of APE. The percentage changes in the mean PA pressure (PAPm) upon placement and removal of the inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) were evaluated. We hypothesized that the admission glucose level was associated with the improvement in the PA pressure in patients with APE. Patients A total of consecutive 22 patients with submassive APE who underwent temporary or retrievable IVCF insertion on admission and repetitive PA catheter measurements upon placement and removal of IVCFs were enrolled. Results There was a significant positive correlation between the admission glucose levels and the percentage changes in the PAPm (r=0.543, p=0.009). A univariate linear regression analysis showed that the admission glucose level was the predictor of the percentage change in PAPm (β coefficient=0.169 per 1 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval, 0.047-0.291; p=0.009). A multivariate linear regression analysis with the forced inclusion model showed that the admission glucose level was the predictor of the percentage change in PAPm independent of diabetes mellitus, PAPm on admission, troponin positivity, and brain natriuretic peptide level (all plevel was associated with the improvement in the PAPm in patients with submassive-type APE.

200 ps FWHM and 100 MHz repetition rate ultrafast gated camera for optical medical functional imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Uhring, Wilfried; Poulet, Patrick; Hanselmann, Walter; Glazenborg, René; Zint, Virginie; Nouizi, Farouk; Dubois, Benoit; Hirschi, Werner

2012-04-01

The paper describes the realization of a complete optical imaging device to clinical applications like brain functional imaging by time-resolved, spectroscopic diffuse optical tomography. The entire instrument is assembled in a unique setup that includes a light source, an ultrafast time-gated intensified camera and all the electronic control units. The light source is composed of four near infrared laser diodes driven by a nanosecond electrical pulse generator working in a sequential mode at a repetition rate of 100 MHz. The resulting light pulses, at four wavelengths, are less than 80 ps FWHM. They are injected in a four-furcated optical fiber ended with a frontal light distributor to obtain a uniform illumination spot directed towards the head of the patient. Photons back-scattered by the subject are detected by the intensified CCD camera; there are resolved according to their time of flight inside the head. The very core of the intensified camera system is the image intensifier tube and its associated electrical pulse generator. The ultrafast generator produces 50 V pulses, at a repetition rate of 100 MHz and a width corresponding to the 200 ps requested gate. The photocathode and the Micro-Channel-Plate of the intensifier have been specially designed to enhance the electromagnetic wave propagation and reduce the power loss and heat that are prejudicial to the quality of the image. The whole instrumentation system is controlled by an FPGA based module. The timing of the light pulses and the photocathode gating is precisely adjustable with a step of 9 ps. All the acquisition parameters are configurable via software through an USB plug and the image data are transferred to a PC via an Ethernet link. The compactness of the device makes it a perfect device for bedside clinical applications.

The cost of lower respiratory tract infections hospital admissions in the Canadian Arctic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Banerji

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background . Inuit infants who reside in the Nunavut (NU regions of Arctic Canada have extremely high rates of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs associated with significant health expenditures, but the costs in other regions of Arctic Canada have not been documented. Objective . This prospective surveillance compares, across most of Arctic Canada, the rates and costs associated with LRTI admissions in infants less than 1 year of age, and the days of hospitalization and costs adjusted per live birth. Design . This was a hospital-based surveillance of LRTI admissions of infants less than 1 year of age, residing in Northwest Territories (NT, the 3 regions of Nunavut (NU; [Kitikmeot (KT, Kivalliq (KQ and Qikiqtani (QI] and Nunavik (NK from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2010. Costs were obtained from the territorial or regional governments and hospitals, and included transportation, hospital stay, physician fees and accommodation costs. The rates of LRTI hospitalizations, days of hospitalization and associated costs were calculated per live birth in each of the 5 regions. Results . There were 513 LRTI admissions during the study period. For NT, KT, KQ, QI and NK, the rates of LRTI hospitalization per 100 live births were 38, 389, 230, 202 and 445, respectively. The total days of LRTI admission per live birth were 0.25, 3.3, 2.6, 1.7 and 3 for the above regions. The average cost per live birth for LRTI admission for these regions was $1,412, $22,375, $14,608, $8,254 and $10,333. The total cost for LRTI was $1,498,232 in NT, $15,662,968 in NU and $3,874,881 in NK. Medical transportation contributed to a significant proportion of the costs. Conclusion . LRTI admission rates in NU and Nunavik are much higher than that in NT and remain among the highest rates globally. The costs of these admissions are exceptionally high due to the combination of very high rates of admission, very expensive medical evacuations and prolonged hospitalizations

Roles of repetitive sequences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bell, G.I.

1991-12-31

The DNA of higher eukaryotes contains many repetitive sequences. The study of repetitive sequences is important, not only because many have important biological function, but also because they provide information on genome organization, evolution and dynamics. In this paper, I will first discuss some generic effects that repetitive sequences will have upon genome dynamics and evolution. In particular, it will be shown that repetitive sequences foster recombination among, and turnover of, the elements of a genome. I will then consider some examples of repetitive sequences, notably minisatellite sequences and telomere sequences as examples of tandem repeats, without and with respectively known function, and Alu sequences as an example of interspersed repeats. Some other examples will also be considered in less detail.

Interaction of Repetitively Pulsed High Energy Laser Radiation With Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Hugenschmidt, Manfred

1986-10-01

The paper is concerned with laser target interaction processes involving new methods of improving the overall energy balance. As expected theoretically, this can be achieved with high repetition rate pulsed lasers even for initially highly reflecting materials, such as metals. Experiments were performed by using a pulsed CO2 laser at mean powers up to 2 kW and repetition rates up to 100 Hz. The rates of temperature rise of aluminium for example were thereby increased by lore than a factor of 3 as compared to cw-radiation of comparable power density. Similar improvements were found for the overall absorptivities that were increased by this method by more than an order of magnitude.

Impact of nursing home admission on health care use and disease status elderly dependent people one year before and one year after skilled nursing home admission based on 2012-2013 SNIIRAM data.

Science.gov (United States)

Atramont, A; Bourdel-Marchasson, I; Bonnet-Zamponi, D; Tangre, I; Fagot-Campagna, A; Tuppin, P

2017-09-18

The aim of this study was to compare disease status and health care use 1 year before and 1 year after skilled nursing home (SNH) admission. People over the age of 65 years admitted to SNH during the first quarter of 2013, covered by the national health insurance general scheme (69% of the population of this age), and still alive 1 year after admission were identified (n = 14,487, mean age: 86 years, women: 76%). Their reimbursed health care was extracted from the Système National d'Information Interrégimes de l'Assurance Maladie (SNIIRAM) [National Health Insurance Information System]. One year after nursing home admission, the most prevalent diseases were cardiovascular/neurovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases (affecting 45% and 40% of people before admission vs 51% and 53% after admission, respectively). Physical therapy use increased (43% vs 64% of people had at least one physical therapy session during the year, with an average of 47 vs 84 sessions/person during the year), while specialist consultations decreased (29% of people consulted an ophthalmologist at least once during the year before admission vs 25% after admission; 27% vs 21% consulted a cardiologist). Hospitalization rates were lower during the year following institutionalization (75% vs 40% of people were hospitalized at least once during the year), together with a lower emergency admission rate and a higher day admission rate. Analysis of the new French reimbursement database specific to SNH shows that nursing home admission is associated with a reduction of some forms of outpatient care and hospitalizations.

Evolution of repetitive explosive instabilities in space and time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilhelmsson, H.

1984-01-01

A nonlinear rate equation describing nonlinear, explosive type interaction of waves in plasmas is studied, assuming that amplitude saturation occurs due to nonlinear frequency shifts. Emphasis is put on the space dependence of the solution caused by the assumption of a given initial amplitude distribution in space. An analysis is given of the problem of repetitive peaks governed by the nonlinear rate equation for the time development of the amplitudes of plasma waves and by a Lorentzian shape distribution of the initial amplitudes. For the one-dimensional case, the peaks developed by explosive instability move in the direction of lower initial amplitude values, and the speed and the repetition rate of the peaks are determined. The possible forms of equilibria for the nonlinear rate equation in the explosive case are also studied, including, in addition to the quadratic nonlinearity, diffusion and linear damping effects. A solution to the nonlinear rate equation including diffusion is also given for the case where the quadratic nonlinearity represents recombination. (Auth.)

Influence of the laser pulse repetition rate and scanning speed on the morphology of Ag nanostructures fabricated by pulsed laser ablation of solid target in water

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Nikolov, A. S.; Balchev, I. I.; Nedyalkov, N. N.; Kostadinov, I. K.; Karashanova, D. B.; Atanasova, G. B.

2017-11-01

Nanostructures of noble metal were produced by pulsed laser ablation in liquid. A solid Ag target was immersed in double distilled water and a CuBr laser in a master oscillator—power amplifier configuration oscillating at 511 nm and emitting pulses with duration of 30 ns at a repetition rate of up to 20 kHz was employed to produce different colloids. The impact was studied of the laser pulse repetition rate and the beam scanning speed on the morphology of the nanostructures formed. Further, the optical extinction spectra of the colloids in the UV/VIS range were measured and used to make an indirect assessment of the changes in the shape and size distribution of the nanostructures. The transmission values in the near UV range were used to estimate the efficiency of the ablation process under the different experimental conditions implemented. A visualization of the nanostructures was made possible by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structure and phase composition of the nanoparticles were studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), while the alteration of the target surface caused by the impact of the high-repetition-rate laser illumination was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optimal conditions were determined yielding the highest efficiency in terms of amount of ablated material.

Generation of tunable, high repetition rate frequency combs with equalized spectra using carrier injection based silicon modulators

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Nagarjun, K. P.; Selvaraja, Shankar Kumar; Supradeepa, V. R.

2016-03-01

High repetition-rate frequency combs with tunable repetition rate and carrier frequency are extensively used in areas like Optical communications, Microwave Photonics and Metrology. A common technique for their generation is strong phase modulation of a CW-laser. This is commonly implemented using Lithium-Niobate based modulators. With phase modulation alone, the combs have poor spectral flatness and significant number of missing lines. To overcome this, a complex cascade of multiple intensity and phase modulators are used. A comb generator on Silicon based on these principles is desirable to enable on-chip integration with other functionalities while reducing power consumption and footprint. In this work, we analyse frequency comb generation in carrier injection based Silicon modulators. We observe an interesting effect in these comb generators. Enhanced absorption accompanying carrier injection, an undesirable effect in data modulators, shapes the amplitude here to enable high quality combs from a single modulator. Thus, along with reduced power consumption to generate a specific number of lines, the complexity has also been significantly reduced. We use a drift-diffusion solver and mode solver (Silvaco TCAD) along with Soref-Bennett relations to calculate the variations in refractive indices and absorption of an optimized Silicon PIN - waveguide modulator driven by an unbiased high frequency (10 Ghz) voltage signal. Our simulations demonstrate that with a device length of 1 cm, a driving voltage of 2V and minor shaping with a passive ring-resonator filter, we obtain 37 lines with a flatness better than 5-dB across the band and power consumption an order of magnitude smaller than Lithium-Niobate modulators.

A Nonword Repetition Task for Speakers with Misarticulations: The Syllable Repetition Task (SRT)

Science.gov (United States)

Shriberg, Lawrence D.; Lohmeier, Heather L.; Campbell, Thomas F.; Dollaghan, Christine A.; Green, Jordan R.; Moore, Christopher A.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Conceptual and methodological confounds occur when non(sense) word repetition tasks are administered to speakers who do not have the target speech sounds in their phonetic inventories or who habitually misarticulate targeted speech sounds. In this article, the authors (a) describe a nonword repetition task, the Syllable Repetition Task…

A high repetition rate transverse beam profile diagnostic for laser-plasma proton sources

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Dover, Nicholas; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Sakaki, Hironao; Kando, Masaki; Nishitani, Keita

2016-10-01

The recently upgraded J-KAREN-P laser can provide PW peak power and intensities approaching 1022 Wcm-2 at 0.1 Hz. Scaling of sheath acceleration to such high intensities predicts generation of protons to near 100 MeV, but changes in electron heating mechanisms may affect the emitted proton beam properties, such as divergence and pointing. High repetition rate simultaneous measurement of the transverse proton distribution and energy spectrum are therefore key to understanding and optimising the source. Recently plastic scintillators have been used to measure online proton beam transverse profiles, removing the need for time consuming post-processing. We are therefore developing a scintillator based transverse proton beam profile diagnostic for use in ion acceleration experiments using the J-KAREN-P laser. Differential filtering provides a coarse energy spectrum measurement, and time-gating allows differentiation of protons from other radiation. We will discuss the design and implementation of the diagnostic, as well as proof-of-principle results from initial experiments on the J-KAREN-P system demonstrating the measurement of sheath accelerated proton beams up to 20 MeV.

Regional Variation in Neonatal Intensive Care Admissions and the Relationship to Bed Supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Wade N; Wasserman, Jared R; Goodman, David C

2018-01-01

To characterize geographic variation in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates across the entire birth cohort and evaluate the relationship between regional bed supply and NICU admission rates. This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. 2013 US birth certificate and 2012 American Hospital Association data were used to assign newborns and NICU beds to neonatal intensive care regions. Descriptive statistics of admission rates were calculated across neonatal intensive care regions. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between bed supply and individual odds of admission, with adjustment for maternal and newborn characteristics. Among 3 304 364 study newborns, the NICU admission rate was 7.2 per 100 births and varied across regions for all birth weight categories. IQRs in admission rates were 84.5-93.2 per 100 births for 500-1499 g, 35.3-46.1 for 1500-2499 g, and 3.5-5.5 for ≥2500 g. Adjusted odds of admission for newborns of very low birth weight were unrelated to regional bed supply; however, newborns ≥2500 g in regions with the highest NICU bed supply were significantly more likely to be admitted to a NICU than those in regions with the lowest (aOR 1.20 [1.03-1.40]). There is persistent underuse of NICU care for newborns of very low birth weight that is not associated with regional bed supply. Among larger newborns, we find evidence of supply-sensitive care, raising concerns about the potential overuse of expensive and unnecessary care. Rather than improving access to needed care, NICU expansion may instead further deregionalize neonatal care, exacerbating underuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heart rate at admission is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes: Results from 58 European hospitals: The European Hospital Benchmarking by Outcomes in acute coronary syndrome Processes study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Magnus T; Pereira, Marta; Araujo, Carla; Malmivaara, Anti; Ferrieres, Jean; Degano, Irene R; Kirchberger, Inge; Farmakis, Dimitrios; Garel, Pascal; Torre, Marina; Marrugat, Jaume; Azevedo, Ana

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between heart rate at admission and in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Consecutive ACS patients admitted in 2008-2010 across 58 hospitals in six participant countries of the European Hospital Benchmarking by Outcomes in ACS Processes (EURHOBOP) project (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Spain). Cardiogenic shock patients were excluded. Associations between heart rate at admission in categories of 10 beats per min (bpm) and in-hospital mortality were estimated by logistic regression in crude models and adjusting for age, sex, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, known heart failure, renal failure, previous stroke and ischaemic heart disease. In total 10,374 patients were included. In both STEMI and NSTE-ACS patients, a U-shaped relationship between admission heart rate and in-hospital mortality was found. The lowest risk was observed for heart rates between 70-79 bpm in STEMI and 60-69 bpm in NSTE-ACS; risk of mortality progressively increased with lower or higher heart rates. In multivariable models, the relationship persisted but was significant only for heart rates >80 bpm. A similar relationship was present in both patients with or without diabetes, above or below age 75 years, and irrespective of the presence of atrial fibrillation or use of beta-blockers. Heart rate at admission is significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with both STEMI and NSTE-ACS. ACS patients with admission heart rate above 80 bpm are at highest risk of in-hospital mortality.

Custody, care and country of origin: demographic and diagnostic admission statistics at an inner-city adult psychiatry unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Brendan D; Emechebe, Afam; Anamdi, Chike; Duffy, Richard; Murphy, Niamh; Rock, Catherine

2015-01-01

Involuntary detention is a feature of psychiatric care in many countries. We previously reported an involuntary admission rate of 67.7 per 100,000 population per year in inner-city Dublin (January 2008-December 2010), which was higher than Ireland's national rate (38.5). We also found that the proportion of admissions that was involuntary was higher among individuals born outside Ireland (33.9%) compared to those from Ireland (12.0%), apparently owing to increased diagnoses of schizophrenia in the former group. In the present study (January 2011-June 2013) we again found that the proportion of admissions that was involuntary was higher among individuals from outside Ireland (32.5%) compared to individuals from Ireland (9.9%) (pIreland (206.1 voluntary admissions per 100,000 population per year; deprivation-adjusted rate: 158.5) compared to individuals from Ireland (775.1; deprivation-adjusted rate: 596.2). Overall, admission rates in our deprived, inner-city catchment area remain higher than national rates and this may be attributable to differential effects of Ireland's recent economic problems on different areas within Ireland. The relatively low rate of voluntary admission among individuals born outside Ireland may be attributable to different patterns of help-seeking which mental health services in Ireland need to take into account in future service-planning. Other jurisdictions could also usefully focus attention not just on rates on involuntary admission among individuals born elsewhere, but also rates of voluntary admission which may provide useful insights for service-planning and delivery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preventable Admissions on a General Medicine Service: Prevalence, Causes and Comparison with AHRQ Prevention Quality Indicators-A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Krishna K; Vakharia, Nirav; Pile, James; Howell, Erik H; Rothberg, Michael B

2016-06-01

Rates of preventable admissions will soon be publicly reported and used in calculating performance-based payments. The current method of assessing preventable admissions, the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Preventable Quality Indicators (PQI) rate, is drawn from claims data and was originally designed to assess population-level access to care. To identify the prevalence and causes of preventable admissions by attending physician review and to compare its performance with the PQI tool in identifying preventable admissions. Cross-sectional survey. General medicine service at an academic medical center. Consecutive inpatient admissions from December 1-15, 2013. Survey of inpatient attending physicians regarding the preventability of the admissions, primary contributing factors and feasibility of prevention. For the same patients, the PQI tool was applied to determine the claims-derived preventable admission rate. Physicians rated all 322 admissions and classified 122 (38 %) as preventable, of which 31 (25 %) were readmissions. Readmissions were more likely to be rated preventable than other admissions (49 % vs. 35 %, p = 0.04). Application of the AHRQ PQI methodology identified 75 (23 %) preventable admissions. Thirty-one admissions (10 %) were classified as preventable by both methods, and the majority of admissions considered preventable by the AHRQ PQI method (44/78) were not considered preventable by physician assessment (K = 0.04). Of the preventable admissions, physicians assigned patient factors in 54 (44 %), clinician factors in 36 (30 %) and system factors in 32 (26 %). A large proportion of admissions to a general medicine service appeared preventable, but AHRQ's PQI tool was unable to identify these admissions. Before initiation of the PQI rate for use in pay-for-performance programs, further study is warranted.

Variability of intensive care admission decisions for the very elderly.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ariane Boumendil

Full Text Available Although increasing numbers of very elderly patients are requiring intensive care, few large sample studies have investigated ICU admission of very elderly patients. Data on pre triage by physicians from other specialities is limited. This observational cohort study aims at examining inter-hospital variability of ICU admission rates and its association with patients' outcomes. All patients over 80 years possibly qualifying for ICU admission who presented to the emergency departments (ED of 15 hospitals in the Paris (France area during a one-year period were prospectively included in the study. Main outcome measures were ICU eligibility, as assessed by the ED and ICU physicians; in-hospital mortality; and vital and functional status 6 months after the ED visit. 2646 patients (median age 86; interquartile range 83-91 were included in the study. 94% of participants completed follow-up (n = 2495. 12.4% (n = 329 of participants were deemed eligible for ICU admission by ED physicians and intensivists. The overall in-hospital and 6-month mortality rates were respectively 27.2% (n = 717 and 50.7% (n = 1264. At six months, 57.5% (n = 1433 of patients had died or had a functional deterioration. Rates of patients deemed eligible for ICU admission ranged from 5.6% to 38.8% across the participating centers, and this variability persisted after adjustment for patients' characteristics. Despite this variability, we found no association between level of ICU eligibility and either in-hospital death or six-month death or functional deterioration. In France, the likelihood that a very elderly person will be admitted to an ICU varies widely from one hospital to another. Influence of intensive care admission on patients' outcome remains unclear.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00912600.

Implementation of a multidisciplinary guideline improves preterm infant admission temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Harer, M W; Vergales, B; Cady, T; Early, A; Chisholm, C; Swanson, J R

2017-11-01

Hypothermia is a common problem in preterm infants immediately following delivery.Local problem:The rate of admission hypothermia in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was above the rate of comparable NICUs in the Vermont Oxford Network. To reduce the rate of preterm admission hypothermia, a quality improvement (QI) project was implemented, utilizing the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) methodology. A guideline for delivery room thermoregulation management in <35-week infants at the University of Virginia was created and put into practice by a multidisciplinary team. Clinical practice changes in the guideline included: increasing operating room temperatures, obtaining a 10-min axillary temperature, using an exothermic mattress for all infants <35 weeks, and using a polyethylene wrap for infants <32 weeks. The baseline rate of hypothermia (<36.5 °CC) was 63%. Three PDSA cycles data were completed on 168 consecutive preterm births. The post-implementation rate of hypothermia (<36.5 °C) was reduced to 30% (P<0.001). The incidence of moderate hypothermia (< 36 °C) was reduced from a baseline of 29% to a rate of 9% (P<0.001). Use of a multidisciplinary guideline to increase preterm NICU admission temperatures resulted in a decrease in hypothermic infants.

Haben repetitive DNA-Sequenzen biologische Funktionen?

Science.gov (United States)

John, Maliyakal E.; Knöchel, Walter

1983-05-01

By DNA reassociation kinetics it is known that the eucaryotic genome consists of non-repetitive DNA, middle-repetitive DNA and highly repetitive DNA. Whereas the majority of protein-coding genes is located on non-repetitive DNA, repetitive DNA forms a constitutive part of eucaryotic DNA and its amount in most cases equals or even substantially exceeds that of non-repetitive DNA. During the past years a large body of data on repetitive DNA has accumulated and these have prompted speculations ranging from specific roles in the regulation of gene expression to that of a selfish entity with inconsequential functions. The following article summarizes recent findings on structural, transcriptional and evolutionary aspects and, although by no means being proven, some possible biological functions are discussed.

Repetitive Pediatric Anesthesia in a Non-Hospital Setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchsbaum, Jeffrey C.; McMullen, Kevin P.; Douglas, James G.; Jackson, Jeffrey L.; Simoneaux, R. Victor; Hines, Matthew; Bratton, Jennifer; Kerstiens, John; Johnstone, Peter A.S.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Repetitive sedation/anesthesia (S/A) for children receiving fractionated radiation therapy requires induction and recovery daily for several weeks. In the vast majority of cases, this is accomplished in an academic center with direct access to pediatric faculty and facilities in case of an emergency. Proton radiation therapy centers are more frequently free-standing facilities at some distance from specialized pediatric care. This poses a potential dilemma in the case of children requiring anesthesia. Methods and Materials: The records of the Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center were reviewed for patients requiring anesthesia during proton beam therapy (PBT) between June 1, 2008, and April 12, 2012. Results: A total of 138 children received daily anesthesia during this period. A median of 30 fractions (range, 1-49) was delivered over a median of 43 days (range, 1-74) for a total of 4045 sedation/anesthesia procedures. Three events (0.0074%) occurred, 1 fall from a gurney during anesthesia recovery and 2 aspiration events requiring emergency department evaluation. All 3 children did well. One aspiration patient needed admission to the hospital and mechanical ventilation support. The other patient returned the next day for treatment without issue. The patient who fell was not injured. No patient required cessation of therapy. Conclusions: This is the largest reported series of repetitive pediatric anesthesia in radiation therapy, and the only available data from the proton environment. Strict adherence to rigorous protocols and a well-trained team can safely deliver daily sedation/anesthesia in free-standing proton centers

Repetitive nanosecond electron accelerators type URT-1 for radiation technology

Science.gov (United States)

Sokovnin, S. Yu.; Balezin, M. E.

2018-03-01

The electron accelerator URT-1М-300 for mobile installation was created for radiation disinfecting to correct drawbacks that were found the URT-1M electron accelerator operation (the accelerating voltage up to 1 МV, repetition rate up to 300 pps, electron beam size 400 × 100 mm, the pulse width about 100 ns). Accelerator configuration was changed that allowed to reduce significantly by 20% tank volume with oil where is placed the system of formation high-voltage pulses, thus the average power of the accelerator is increased by 6 times at the expense of increase in pulses repetition rate. Was created the system of the computerized monitoring parameters (output parameters and thermal mode) and remote control of the accelerator (charge voltage, pulse repetition rate), its elements and auxiliary systems (heat of the thyratron, vacuum system), the remote control panel is connected to the installation by the fiber-optical channel, what lightens the work for service personnel. For generating an electron beam up to 400 mm wide there are used metal- ceramic] and metal-dielectric cold cathodes of several emission elements (plates) with a non-uniform distribution of the electron beam current density on the output foil ± 15%. It was found that emission drop of both type of cathodes, during the operation at the high repetition rate (100 pps) is substantial at the beginning of the process, and then proceeds rather slowly that allows for continuous operation up to 40 h. Experiments showed that linear dependence of the voltage and a signal from the pin-diode remains within the range of the charge voltage 45-65 kV. Thus, voltage increases from 690 to 950 kV, and the signal from the pin-diode - from (2,8-4,6)*104 Gy/s. It allows to select electron energy quite precisely with consideration of the radiation technology requirements.

High repetition rate tunable femtosecond pulses and broadband amplification from fiber laser pumped parametric amplifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, T V; Schmidt, O; Bruchmann, C; Limpert, J; Aguergaray, C; Cormier, E; Tünnermann, A

2006-05-29

We report on the generation of high energy femtosecond pulses at 1 MHz repetition rate from a fiber laser pumped optical parametric amplifier (OPA). Nonlinear bandwidth enhancement in fibers provides the intrinsically synchronized signal for the parametric amplifier. We demonstrate large tunability extending from 700 nm to 1500 nm of femtosecond pulses with pulse energies as high as 1.2 muJ when the OPA is seeded by a supercontinuum generated in a photonic crystal fiber. Broadband amplification over more than 85 nm is achieved at a fixed wavelength. Subsequent compression in a prism sequence resulted in 46 fs pulses. With an average power of 0.5 W these pulses have a peak-power above 10 MW. In particular, the average power and pulse energy scalability of both involved concepts, the fiber laser and the parametric amplifier, will enable easy up-scaling to higher powers.

A dispersion-balanced Discrete Fourier Transform of repetitive pulse sequences using temporal Talbot effect

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Pousa, Carlos R.

2017-11-01

We propose a processor based on the concatenation of two fractional temporal Talbot dispersive lines with balanced dispersion to perform the DFT of a repetitive electrical sequence, for its use as a controlled source of optical pulse sequences. The electrical sequence is used to impart the amplitude and phase of a coherent train of optical pulses by use of a modulator placed between the two Talbot lines. The proposal has been built on a representation of the action of fractional Talbot effect on repetitive pulse sequences and a comparison with related results and proposals. It is shown that the proposed system is reconfigurable within a few repetition periods, has the same processing rate as the input optical pulse train, and requires the same technical complexity in terms of dispersion and pulse width as the standard, passive pulse-repetition rate multipliers based on fractional Talbot effect.

Application of a high-repetition-rate laser diagnostic system for single-cycle-resolved imaging in internal combustion engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hult, Johan; Richter, Mattias; Nygren, Jenny; Aldén, Marcus; Hultqvist, Anders; Christensen, Magnus; Johansson, Bengt

2002-08-20

High-repetition-rate laser-induced fluorescence measurements of fuel and OH concentrations in internal combustion engines are demonstrated. Series of as many as eight fluorescence images, with a temporal resolution ranging from 10 micros to 1 ms, are acquired within one engine cycle. A multiple-laser system in combination with a multiple-CCD camera is used for cycle-resolved imaging in spark-ignition, direct-injection stratified-charge, and homogeneous-charge compression-ignition engines. The recorded data reveal unique information on cycle-to-cycle variations in fuel transport and combustion. Moreover, the imaging system in combination with a scanning mirror is used to perform instantaneous three-dimensional fuel-concentration measurements.

Word Recognition during Reading: The Interaction between Lexical Repetition and Frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Lowder, Matthew W.; Choi, Wonil; Gordon, Peter C.

2013-01-01

Memory studies utilizing long-term repetition priming have generally demonstrated that priming is greater for low-frequency words than for high-frequency words and that this effect persists if words intervene between the prime and the target. In contrast, word-recognition studies utilizing masked short-term repetition priming typically show that the magnitude of repetition priming does not differ as a function of word frequency and does not persist across intervening words. We conducted an eye-tracking while reading experiment to determine which of these patterns more closely resembles the relationship between frequency and repetition during the natural reading of a text. Frequency was manipulated using proper names that were high-frequency (e.g., Stephen) or low-frequency (e.g., Dominic). The critical name was later repeated in the sentence, or a new name was introduced. First-pass reading times and skipping rates on the critical name revealed robust repetition-by-frequency interactions such that the magnitude of the repetition-priming effect was greater for low-frequency names than for high-frequency names. In contrast, measures of later processing showed effects of repetition that did not depend on lexical frequency. These results are interpreted within a framework that conceptualizes eye-movement control as being influenced in different ways by lexical- and discourse-level factors. PMID:23283808

Transient thermal stress wave and vibrational analyses of a thin diamond crystal for X-ray free-electron lasers under high-repetition-rate operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bo; Wang, Songwei; Wu, Juhao

2018-01-01

High-brightness X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) are perceived as fourth-generation light sources providing unprecedented capabilities for frontier scientific researches in many fields. Thin crystals are important to generate coherent seeds in the self-seeding configuration, provide precise spectral measurements, and split X-ray FEL pulses, etc. In all of these applications a high-intensity X-ray FEL pulse impinges on the thin crystal and deposits a certain amount of heat load, potentially impairing the performance. In the present paper, transient thermal stress wave and vibrational analyses as well as transient thermal analysis are carried out to address the thermomechanical issues for thin diamond crystals, especially under high-repetition-rate operation of an X-ray FEL. The material properties at elevated temperatures are considered. It is shown that, for a typical FEL pulse depositing tens of microjoules energy over a spot of tens of micrometers in radius, the stress wave emission is completed on the tens of nanoseconds scale. The amount of kinetic energy converted from a FEL pulse can reach up to ∼10 nJ depending on the layer thickness. Natural frequencies of a diamond plate are also computed. The potential vibrational amplitude is estimated as a function of frequency. Due to the decreasing heat conductivity with increasing temperature, a runaway temperature rise is predicted for high repetition rates where the temperature rises abruptly after ratcheting up to a point of trivial heat damping rate relative to heat deposition rate.

Implementation of a Diabetes Educator Care Model to Reduce Paediatric Admission for Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Deeb, Asma; Yousef, Hana; Abdelrahman, Layla; Tomy, Mary; Suliman, Shaker; Attia, Salima; Al Suwaidi, Hana

2016-01-01

Introduction. Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication that can be life-threatening. Management of DKA needs admission in a specialized center and imposes major constraints on hospital resources. Aim. We plan to study the impact of adapting a diabetes-educator care model on reducing the frequency of hospital admission of children and adolescents presenting with DKA. Method. We have proposed a model of care led by diabetes educators for children and adolescents with diabetes. The team consisted of highly trained nurses. The model effectiveness is measured by comparing the rate of hospital admission for DKA over 4-year period to the baseline year prior to implementing the model. Results. There were 158 admissions for DKA over a 5-year period. Number of patients followed up in the outpatient diabetes clinics increased from 37 to 331 patients at the start and the end of the study years. Admission rate showed a downward trend over the five-year period. Percentage of admission for DKA is reduced from 210% to 1.8% (P 0.001). Conclusion. Diabetes educator care model is an effective and a sustainable measure to reduce hospital admission for DKA in children and adolescents.

Peadiatric social admission

OpenAIRE

Carter Anand, Janet

2009-01-01

The phenomenon of paediatric social admission describes the hospitalisation of children for medicallynon- urgent and/or social reasons. Much of the research in this field has been in relation to avoidable admissions which have been identified, studied and condoned based on strict medical criteria. Such research has tended to mask the significance of social factors and the commonplace practice of Paediatric Social Admission. This paper examines decision making from the perspective of the healt...

Does mental health service integration affect compulsory admissions?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André I. Wierdsma

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Over recent years, the number of compulsory admissions in many countries has increased, probably as a result of the shift from inpatient to outpatient mental health care. This might be mitigated by formal or collaborative relationships between services. Methods: In a retrospective record linkage study, we compared two neighboring districts, varying in level of service integration. Two periods were combined: 1991–1993 and 2001–2003. We included patients aged 18–60, who had a first emergency compulsory admission (n=830. Their psychiatric history was assessed, and service-use after admission was monitored over a 12-month follow-up. Results: Over a 10-year period, compulsory admission rates increased by 47%. Difference in relative increase between the integrated and non-integrated services was 14%. Patient characteristics showed different profiles in the two districts. Length of stay was >10 days shorter in the integrated district, where the proportion of involuntary readmissions decreased more, and where aftercare was swift and provided to about 10% more patients than in the non-integrated district. Conclusions: Services outcomes showed better results where mental healthcare was more integrated. However, limited effects were found and other factors than integration of services may be more important in preventing compulsory admissions.

Analysis of National Trends in Admissions for Pulmonary Embolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Sean B; Geske, Jeffrey B; Kathuria, Parul; Cuttica, Michael; Schimmel, Daniel R; Courtney, D Mark; Waterer, Grant W; Wunderink, Richard G

2016-07-01

Pulmonary embolism (PE) remains a significant cause of hospital admission and health-care costs. Estimates of PE incidence came from the 1990s, and data are limited to describe trends in hospital admissions for PE over the past decade. We analyzed Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from 1993 to 2012 to identify patients admitted with PE. We included admissions with International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes listing PE as the principal diagnosis as well as admissions with PE listed secondary to principal diagnoses of respiratory failure or DVT. Massive PE was defined by mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, or nonseptic shock. Outcomes included hospital lengths of stay, adjusted charges, and all-cause hospital mortality. Linear regression was used to analyze changes over time. Admissions for PE increased from 23 per 100,000 in 1993 to 65 per 100,000 in 2012 (P < .001). The percent of admissions meeting criteria for massive PE decreased (5.3% to 4.4%, P = .002), but the absolute number of admissions for massive PE increased (from 1.5 to 2.8 per 100,000, P < .001). Median length of stay decreased from 8 (interquartile range [IQR], 6-11) to 4 (IQR, 3-6) days (P < .001). Adjusted hospital charges increased from $16,475 (IQR, $10,748-$26,211) in 1993 to $25,728 (IQR, $15,505-$44,493) in 2012 (P < .001). All-cause hospital mortality decreased from 7.1% to 3.2% (P < .001), but population-adjusted deaths during admission for PE increased from 1.6 to 2.1 per 100,000 (P < .001). Total admissions and hospital charges for PE have increased over the past two decades. However, the population-adjusted admission rate has increased disproportionately to the incidence of patients with severe PE. We hypothesize that these findings reflect a concerning national movement toward more admissions of less severe PE. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Repetition and lag effects in movement recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, C R; Buckolz, E

1982-03-01

Whether repetition and lag improve the recognition of movement patterns was investigated. Recognition memory was tested for one repetition, two-repetitions massed, and two-repetitions distributed with movement patterns at lags of 3, 5, 7, and 13. Recognition performance was examined both immediately afterwards and following a 48 hour delay. Both repetition and lag effects failed to be demonstrated, providing some support for the claim that memory is unaffected by repetition at a constant level of processing (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). There was, as expected, a significant decrease in recognition memory following the retention interval, but this appeared unrelated to repetition or lag.

Prediction of the Maximum Number of Repetitions and Repetitions in Reserve From Barbell Velocity.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Ramos, Amador; Torrejón, Alejandro; Feriche, Belén; Morales-Artacho, Antonio J; Pérez-Castilla, Alejandro; Padial, Paulino; Haff, Guy Gregory

2018-03-01

To provide 2 general equations to estimate the maximum possible number of repetitions (XRM) from the mean velocity (MV) of the barbell and the MV associated with a given number of repetitions in reserve, as well as to determine the between-sessions reliability of the MV associated with each XRM. After determination of the bench-press 1-repetition maximum (1RM; 1.15 ± 0.21 kg/kg body mass), 21 men (age 23.0 ± 2.7 y, body mass 72.7 ± 8.3 kg, body height 1.77 ± 0.07 m) completed 4 sets of as many repetitions as possible against relative loads of 60%1RM, 70%1RM, 80%1RM, and 90%1RM over 2 separate sessions. The different loads were tested in a randomized order with 10 min of rest between them. All repetitions were performed at the maximum intended velocity. Both the general equation to predict the XRM from the fastest MV of the set (CV = 15.8-18.5%) and the general equation to predict MV associated with a given number of repetitions in reserve (CV = 14.6-28.8%) failed to provide data with acceptable between-subjects variability. However, a strong relationship (median r 2  = .984) and acceptable reliability (CV  .85) were observed between the fastest MV of the set and the XRM when considering individual data. These results indicate that generalized group equations are not acceptable methods for estimating the XRM-MV relationship or the number of repetitions in reserve. When attempting to estimate the XRM-MV relationship, one must use individualized relationships to objectively estimate the exact number of repetitions that can be performed in a training set.

Evaluation of Performance Status and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Specific Comorbidity Index on Unplanned Admission Rates in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Outpatient Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Obiozor, Cynthia; Subramaniam, Dipti P; Divine, Clint; Shune, Leyla; Singh, Anurag K; Lin, Tara L; Abhyankar, Sunil; Chen, G John; McGuirk, Joseph; Ganguly, Siddhartha

2017-10-01

Although outpatient autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is safe and feasible in most instances, some patients undergoing planned outpatient transplantation for multiple myeloma (MM) will need inpatient admission for transplantation-related complications. We aim to evaluate the difference, if any, between outpatient and inpatient ASCT cohorts of MM patients in terms of admission rate, transplantation outcome, and overall survival. We also plan to assess whether the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) can predict unplanned admissions after adjusting for confounding factors. Patients with MM (n = 448) who underwent transplantation at our institution between 2009 and 2014 were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were grouped into 3 cohorts: cohort A, planned inpatient ASCT (n = 216); cohort B, unplanned inpatient admissions (n = 57); and cohort C, planned outpatient SCT (n = 175). The statistical approach included descriptive, bivariate, and survival analyses. There were no differences among the 3 cohorts in terms of type of myeloma, stage at diagnosis, time from diagnosis to transplantation, CD34 cell dose, engraftment kinetics, and 100-day response rates. Serum creatinine was higher and patients were relatively older in both the planned inpatient (median age, 62 years; range, 33 to 80 years) and unplanned (median age, 59 years; range, 44 to 69 years) admission cohorts compared with the outpatient-only cohort (median age, 57 years; range, 40 to 70 years) (P Performance status (cohort A: median, 90%; range, 60% to 100%; cohort B: 80%, 50% to 100%; cohort C: 80%, 60% to 100%) was lower (P performance status (KPS 2 also appeared to be associated with worse outcomes compared with HCT-CI 0 to 1, the the difference did not reach statistical significance (hazard ratio, 1.41l 95% confidence interval, 0.72 to 2.76). Only 1 patient out of 448 died from a transplantation

If you negate, you may forget: negated repetitions impair memory compared with affirmative repetitions.

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Mayo, Ruth; Schul, Yaacov; Rosenthal, Meytal

2014-08-01

One of the most robust laws of memory is that repeated activation improves memory. Our study shows that the nature of repetition matters. Specifically, although both negated repetition and affirmative repetition improve memory compared with no repetition, negated repetition hinders memory compared with affirmative repetition. After showing participants different entities, we asked them about features of these entities, leading to either "yes" or "no" responses. Our findings show that correctly negating an incorrect feature of an entity elicits an active forgetting effect compared with correctly affirming its true features. For example, after seeing someone drink a glass of white wine, answering "no" to "was it red wine?" may lead one to greater memory loss of the individual drinking wine at all compared with answering "yes" to "was it white wine?" We find this negation-induced forgetting effect in 4 experiments that differ in (a) the meaning given for the negation, (b) the type of stimuli (visual or verbal), and (c) the memory measure (recognition or free recall). We discuss possible underlying mechanisms and offer theoretical and applied implications of the negation-induced forgetting effect in relation to other known inhibition effects. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Patterns of admission to acute psychiatric in-patient facilities: a national survey in Italy.

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Preti, A; Rucci, P; Santone, G; Picardi, A; Miglio, R; Bracco, R; Norcio, B; de Girolamo, G

2009-03-01

A proper understanding of patterns of care represents a crucial step in improving clinical decision making and enhancing service provision. Only a few studies, however, have explored global patterns of psychiatric admissions nationwide, and none have been undertaken in Italy. Sociodemographic, clinical and treatment-related information was collected for 1577 patients admitted to 130 public and 36 private in-patient facilities in Italy during an index period in the year 2004. All patients were also rated using the 24-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) rating scales. Non-affective psychoses (36%) were the most common diagnoses and accounted to a large extent for compulsory admissions. Private facilities were more likely to admit patients with organic mental disorders and substance abuse/dependence and less likely to admit patients with non-affective psychoses. Overall, 77.8% of patients had been receiving treatment by a mental health professional in the month prior to admission. In 54% of cases, the admission was solicited by patients' family members. The main factors preceding admission were impairment in work or social functioning, social withdrawal, and conflict with family members. Agitation, delusions and/or hallucinations, and the presence of multiple problems were associated with compulsory admissions, whereas depressive and anxiety symptoms were associated with voluntary admissions. In a mixed, public-private psychiatric care system, like the Italian one, public and private facilities admit patients with widely different clinical characteristics and needs. Family support represents an important resource for most patients, and interventions specifically addressed to relieving family burden are warranted.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Three-Dimensional Unsteady Turbulent Flow and Excitation Force in Partial Admission Air Turbine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yonghui Xie

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Air turbines are widely used to convert kinetic energy into power output in power engineering. The unsteady performance of air turbines with partial admission not only influences the aerodynamic performance and thermodynamic efficiency of turbine but also generates strong excitation force on blades to impair the turbine safely operating. Based on three-dimensional viscous compressible Navier-stokes equations, the present study employs RNG (Renormalization group k-ε turbulence model with finite volume discretization on air turbine with partial admission. Numerical models of four different admission rates with full annulus are built and analyzed via CFD (computational fluid dynamics modeling unsteady flows. Results indicate that the unsteady time-averaged isentropic efficiency is lower than the steady isentropic efficiency, and this difference rises as unsteady isentropic efficiency fluctuates stronger when the admission rate is reduced. The rotor axial and tangential forces with time are provided for all four admission rates. The low frequency excitation forces generated by partial admission are extraordinarily higher than the high frequency excitation forces by stator wakes.

Repetitive Questioning Exasperates Caregivers

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R. C. Hamdy MD

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Repetitive questioning is due to an impaired episodic memory and is a frequent, often presenting, problem in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (amnestic type. It is due to the patients’ difficulties learning new information, retaining it, and recalling it, and is often aggravated by a poor attention span and easy distractibility. A number of factors may trigger and maintain repetitive questioning. Caregivers should try to identify and address these triggers. In the case discussion presented, it is due to the patient’s concerns about her and her family’s safety triggered by watching a particularly violent movie aired on TV. What went wrong in the patient/caregiver interaction and how it could have been avoided or averted are explored. Also reviewed are the impact of repetitive questioning, the challenges it raises for caregivers, and some effective intervention strategies that may be useful to diffuse the angst that caregivers experience with repetitive questioning.

Re-admissions, re-operations and length of stay in hospital after aseptic revision knee replacement in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg-Larsen, M.; Jørgensen, C. C.; Hansen, Torben Bæk

2014-01-01

of hospital stay was four days (interquartile range: 3 to 5), with a 90 days re-admission rate of 9.9%, re-operation rate of 3.5% and mortality rate of 0.2%. The age ranges of 51 to 55 years (p = 0.018), 76 to 80 years (p re-admission...

Increasing Short-Stay Unplanned Hospital Admissions among Children in England; Time Trends Analysis ’97–‘06

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Sonia; Bottle, Alex; Gilbert, Ruth; Sharland, Mike

2009-01-01

Background Timely care by general practitioners in the community keeps children out of hospital and provides better continuity of care. Yet in the UK, access to primary care has diminished since 2004 when changes in general practitioners' contracts enabled them to ‘opt out’ of providing out-of-hours care and since then unplanned pediatric hospital admission rates have escalated, particularly through emergency departments. We hypothesised that any increase in isolated short stay admissions for childhood illness might reflect failure to manage these cases in the community over a 10 year period spanning these changes. Methods and Findings We conducted a population based time trends study of major causes of hospital admission in children 2 days. By 2006, 67.3% of all unplanned admissions were isolated short stays <2 days. The increases in admission rates were greater for common non-infectious than infectious causes of admissions. Conclusions Short stay unplanned hospital admission rates in young children in England have increased substantially in recent years and are not accounted for by reductions in length of in-hospital stay. The majority are isolated short stay admissions for minor illness episodes that could be better managed by primary care in the community and may be evidence of a failure of primary care services. PMID:19829695

Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries

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... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries KidsHealth / For Parents / Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries What's in this article? ...

All-Cause Hospital Admissions Among Older Adults After a Natural Disaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Sue Anne; Abir, Mahshid; Choi, HwaJung; Cooke, Colin; Iwashyna, Theodore

2017-08-05

We characterize hospital admissions among older adults for any cause in the 30 days after a significant natural disaster in the United States. The main outcome was all-cause hospital admissions in the 30 days after natural disaster. Separate analyses were conducted to examine all-cause hospital admissions excluding the 72 hours after the disaster, ICU admissions, all-cause inhospital mortality, and admissions by state. A self-controlled case series analysis using the 2011 Medicare Provider and Analysis Review was conducted to examine exposure to natural disaster by elderly adults located in zip codes affected by tornadoes during the 2011 southeastern superstorm. Spatial data of tornado events were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Severe Report database, and zip code data were obtained from the US Census Bureau. All-cause hospital admissions increased by 4% for older adults in the 30 days after the April 27, 2011, tornadoes (incidence rate ratio 1.04; 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.07). When the first 3 days after the disaster that may have been attributed to immediate injuries were excluded, hospitalizations for any cause also remained higher than when compared with the other 11 months of the year (incidence rate ratio 1.04; 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.07). There was no increase in ICU admissions or inhospital mortality associated with the natural disaster. When data were examined by individual states, Alabama, which had the highest number of persons affected, had a 9% increase in both hospitalizations and ICU admissions. When all time-invariant characteristics were controlled for, this natural disaster was associated with a significant increase in all-cause hospitalizations. This analysis quantifies acute care use after disasters through examining all-cause hospitalizations and represents an important contribution to building models of resilience-the ability to recover from a disaster-and hospital surge capacity

Delirium During Postacute Nursing Home Admission and Risk for Adverse Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosar, Cyrus M; Thomas, Kali S; Inouye, Sharon K; Mor, Vincent

2017-07-01

To identify the rate of delirium present during admission to postacute care (PAC) in the nursing home setting and to determine whether patients with delirium had higher risk for adverse outcomes. Retrospective cohort study. US Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes, 2011 to 2014. Individuals admitted to all US nursing homes for PAC, aged ≥65 years, and without prior history of nursing home residence (n = 5,588,702). Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 admission assessments identified delirium based upon Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) items. Robust Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted relative risks (aRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for death following PAC admission, and for 30-day discharge outcomes including re-hospitalization from PAC, discharge home, and functional improvement. Delirium was identified in 4.3% of new postacute nursing home admissions. Mortality within 30 days of PAC admission was observed in 16.3% of patients with delirium and 5.8% of patients without delirium (aRR = 2.27, CI = 2.24-2.30). The rate of 30-day readmission from PAC was 21.3% for patients with delirium compared with 15.1% among patients without delirium (aRR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.40, 1.43). 26.9% of patients with delirium were discharged home within 30 days of admission compared to 52.5% of patients without delirium (aRR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.57, 0.58). 48.9% of patients with delirium showed functional improvement at discharge compared to 59.9% of patients without delirium (aRR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.82, 0.83). Patients with delirium present upon PAC admission were at high risk for mortality and 30-day re-hospitalization and were less likely to have timely discharge to home or to improve in physical function at discharge. Early identification and care planning for individuals with delirium at PAC admission may be essential to improve outcomes. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

The role of short-term memory impairment in nonword repetition, real word repetition, and nonword decoding: A case study.

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Peter, Beate

2018-01-01

In a companion study, adults with dyslexia and adults with a probable history of childhood apraxia of speech showed evidence of difficulty with processing sequential information during nonword repetition, multisyllabic real word repetition and nonword decoding. Results suggested that some errors arose in visual encoding during nonword reading, all levels of processing but especially short-term memory storage/retrieval during nonword repetition, and motor planning and programming during complex real word repetition. To further investigate the role of short-term memory, a participant with short-term memory impairment (MI) was recruited. MI was confirmed with poor performance during a sentence repetition and three nonword repetition tasks, all of which have a high short-term memory load, whereas typical performance was observed during tests of reading, spelling, and static verbal knowledge, all with low short-term memory loads. Experimental results show error-free performance during multisyllabic real word repetition but high counts of sequence errors, especially migrations and assimilations, during nonword repetition, supporting short-term memory as a locus of sequential processing deficit during nonword repetition. Results are also consistent with the hypothesis that during complex real word repetition, short-term memory is bypassed as the word is recognized and retrieved from long-term memory prior to producing the word.

Short-Pulse-Width Repetitively Q-Switched ~2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser

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Xiaojing Ren

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A short-pulse-width repetitively Q-switched 2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser is demonstrated using a specially designed mechanical switch, a metal plate carved with slits of both slit-width and duty-cycle optimized. With a 20% transmission output coupler, stable pulse trains with durations (full-width at half-maximum, FWHM of 27–38 ns were generated with a repetition rate within the range of 0.26–4 kHz. The peak power at a 0.26 kHz repetition rate was ~3 kW.

A medical admission unit reduces duration of hospital stay and number of readmissions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vork, Jan C; Brabrand, Mikkel; Folkestad, Lars

2011-01-01

Political initiatives promoting a more efficient emergency admission process have triggered a reorganisation of the Danish health system with a view to creating fewer and larger admission units counting more experienced physicians. At our hospital, a medical admission unit (MAU) was established. ...... present the effect of this on the length of hospital stay, mortality rates and the number of readmissions for the last year with the previous structure and the first year of the new MAU structure....

Hospital admission patterns subsequent to diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children : a systematic review

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Waugh Norman

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with type 1 diabetes are known to have a higher hospital admission rate than the underlying population and may also be admitted for procedures that would normally be carried out on a day surgery basis for non-diabetics. Emergency admission rates have sometimes been used as indicators of quality of diabetes care. In preparation for a study of hospital admissions, a systematic review was carried out on hospital admissions for children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, whilst under the age of 15. The main thrust of this review was to ascertain where there were gaps in the literature for studies investigating post-diagnosis hospitalisations, rather than to try to draw conclusions from the disparate data sets. Methods A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane LibrarMEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted for the period 1986 to 2006, to identify publications relating to hospital admissions subsequent to the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes under the age of 15. Results Thirty-two publications met all inclusion criteria, 16 in Northern America, 11 in Europe and 5 in Australasia. Most of the studies selected were focussed on diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA or diabetes-related hospital admissions and only four studies included data on all admissions. Admission rates with DKA as primary diagnosis varied widely between 0.01 to 0.18 per patient-year as did those for other diabetes-related co-morbidity ranging from 0.05 to 0.38 per patient year, making it difficult to interpret data from different study designs. However, people with Type 1 diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalised than the non-diabetic populations and stay in hospital twice as long. Conclusion Few studies report on all admissions to hospital in patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes whilst under the age of 15 years. Health care costs for type 1 patients are higher than those for the general population and information on associated patterns of

Nonflexible Lie-admissible algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myung, H.C.

1978-01-01

We discuss the structure of Lie-admissible algebras which are defined by nonflexible identities. These algebras largely arise from the antiflexible algebras, 2-varieties and associator dependent algebras. The nonflexible Lie-admissible algebras in our discussion are in essence byproducts of the study of nonassociative algebras defined by identities of degree 3. The main purpose is to discuss the classification of simple Lie-admissible algebras of nonflexible type

Synergy Repetition Training versus Task Repetition Training in Acquiring New Skill.

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Patel, Vrajeshri; Craig, Jamie; Schumacher, Michelle; Burns, Martin K; Florescu, Ionut; Vinjamuri, Ramana

2017-01-01

Traditionally, repetitive practice of a task is used to learn a new skill, exhibiting as immediately improved performance. Research suggests, however, that a more experience-based rather than exposure-based training protocol may allow for better transference of the skill to related tasks. In synergy-based motor control theory, fundamental motor skills, such as hand grasping, are represented with a synergy subspace that captures essential motor patterns. In this study, we propose that motor-skill learning through synergy-based mechanisms may provide advantages over traditional task repetition learning. A new task was designed to highlight the range of motion and dexterity of the human hand. Two separate training strategies were tested in healthy subjects: task repetition training and synergy training versus a control. All three groups showed improvements when retested on the same task. When tested on a similar, but different set of tasks, only the synergy group showed improvements in accuracy (9.27% increase) compared to the repetition (3.24% decline) and control (3.22% decline) groups. A kinematic analysis revealed that although joint angular peak velocities decreased, timing benefits stemmed from the initial feed-forward portion of the task (reaction time). Accuracy improvements may have derived from general improved coordination among the four involved fingers. These preliminary results warrant further investigation of synergy-based motor training in healthy individuals, as well as in individuals undergoing hand-based rehabilitative therapy.

Choppers to optimise the repetition rate multiplication technique on a direct geometry neutron chopper spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vickery, A.; Deen, P. P.

2014-01-01

In recent years the use of repetition rate multiplication (RRM) on direct geometry neutron spectrometers has been established and is the common mode of operation on a growing number of instruments. However, the chopper configurations are not ideally optimised for RRM with a resultant 100 fold flux difference across a broad wavelength band. This paper presents chopper configurations that will produce a relative constant (RC) energy resolution and a relative variable (RV) energy resolution for optimised use of RRM. The RC configuration provides an almost uniform ΔE/E for all incident wavelengths and enables an efficient use of time as the entire dynamic range is probed with equivalent statistics, ideal for single shot measurements of transient phenomena. The RV energy configuration provides an almost uniform opening time at the sample for all incident wavelengths with three orders of magnitude in time resolution probed for a single European Spallation Source (ESS) period, which is ideal to probe complex relaxational behaviour. These two chopper configurations have been simulated for the Versatile Optimal Resolution direct geometry spectrometer, VOR, that will be built at ESS

Association Between ICU Admission During Morning Rounds and Mortality

Science.gov (United States)

Gajic, Ognjen; Morales, Ian J.; Keegan, Mark T.; Peters, Steve G.; Hubmayr, Rolf D.

2009-01-01

Background: No previous study has evaluated the association between admission to ICUs during round time and patient outcome. The objective of this study was to determine the association between round-time ICU admission and patient outcome. Methods: This retrospective study included 49,844 patients admitted from October 1994 to December 2007 to four ICUs (two surgical, one medical, and one multispecialty) of an academic medical center. Of these patients, 3,580 were admitted to the ICU during round time (8:00 am to 10:59 am) and 46,264 were admitted during nonround time (from 1:00 pm to 6:00 am). The medical ICU had 24-h/7-day per week intensivist coverage during the last 2 years of the study. We compared the baseline characteristics and outcome of patients admitted to the ICU between the two groups. Data were abstracted from the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) III database. Results: The round-time and non-round-groups were similar in gender, ethnicity, and age. The predicted hospital mortality rate of the round time group was higher (17.4% vs 12.3% predicted, respectively; p < 0.001). The hospital length of stay was similar between the two groups. The round-time group had a higher hospital mortality rate (16.2% vs 8.8%, respectively; p < 0.001). Most of the round-time ICU admissions and deaths occurred in the medical ICU. Round-time admission was an independent risk factor for hospital death (odds ratio, 1.321; 95% CI, 1.178 to 1.481). This independent association was present for the whole study period except for the last 2 years. Conclusions: Patients admitted to the ICU during morning rounds have higher severity of illness and mortality rates. PMID:19505985

The BioMedical Admissions Test for medical student selection: issues of fairness and bias.

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Emery, Joanne L; Bell, John F; Vidal Rodeiro, Carmen L

2011-01-01

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) forms part of the undergraduate medical admission process at the University of Cambridge. The fairness of admissions tests is an important issue. Aims were to investigate the relationships between applicants' background variables and BMAT scores, whether they were offered a place or rejected and, for those admitted, performance on the first year course examinations. Multilevel regression models were employed with data from three combined applicant cohorts. Admission rates for different groups were investigated with and without controlling for BMAT performance. The fairness of the BMAT was investigated by determining, for those admitted, whether scores predicted examination performance equitably. Despite some differences in applicants' BMAT performance (e.g. by school type and gender), BMAT scores predicted mean examination marks equitably for all background variables considered. The probability of achieving a 1st class examination result, however, was slightly under-predicted for those admitted from schools and colleges entering relatively few applicants. Not all differences in admission rates were accounted for by BMAT performance. However, the test constitutes only one part of a compensatory admission system in which other factors, such as interview performance, are important considerations. Results are in support of the equity of the BMAT.

Nonimmigrant Admissions - Annual Report

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Geography of hospital admissions for multiple sclerosis in England and comparison with the geography of hospital admissions for infectious mononucleosis: a descriptive study

Science.gov (United States)

Ramagopalan, Sreeram V; Hoang, Uy; Seagroatt, Valerie; Handel, Adam; Ebers, George C; Giovannoni, Gavin

2011-01-01

Objective It is well recognised that variation in the geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) exists. Early studies in England have shown the disease to have been more common in the North than the South. However, this could be an artefact of inaccurate diagnosis and ascertainment, and recent data on MS prevalence are lacking. In the present study, data were analysed to provide a more contemporary map of the distribution of MS in England and, as infectious mononucleosis (IM) has been shown to be associated with the risk of MS, the geographical distribution of IM with that of MS was compared. Methods Analysis of linked statistical abstracts of hospital data for England between 1999 and 2005. Results There were 56 681 MS patients. The admission rate for MS was higher in females (22/105; 95% CI 21.8 to 22.3) than males (10.4/105; 95% CI 10.2 to 10.5). The highest admission rate for MS was seen for residents of Cumbria and Lancashire (North of England) (20.1/105; 95% CI 19.3 to 20.8) and the lowest admission rate was for North West London residents (South of England) (12.4/105; 95% CI 11.8 to 13.1). The geographical distributions of IM and MS were significantly correlated (weighted regression coefficient (r (w))=0.70, p<0.0001). Admission rates for MS were lowest in the area quintile with the highest level of deprivation and they were also lowest in the area quintile with the highest percentage of population born outside the UK. A significant association between northernliness and MS remained after adjustment for deprivation and UK birthplace. Conclusions The results show the continued existence of a latitude gradient for MS in England and show a correlation with the distribution of IM. The data have implications for healthcare provision, because lifetime costs of MS exceed £1 million per case in the UK, as well as for studies of disease causality and prevention. PMID:21212107

Oral Polio Vaccination and Hospital Admissions With Non-Polio Infections in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørup, Signe; Stensballe, Lone G; Krause, Tyra Grove

2016-01-01

Background.  Live vaccines may have nonspecific beneficial effects on morbidity and mortality. This study examines whether children who had the live-attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV) as the most recent vaccine had a different rate of admissions for infectious diseases than children with inactiv......Background.  Live vaccines may have nonspecific beneficial effects on morbidity and mortality. This study examines whether children who had the live-attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV) as the most recent vaccine had a different rate of admissions for infectious diseases than children...... with inactivated diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-polio-Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (DTaP-IPV-Hib) or live measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) as their most recent vaccine. Methods.  A nationwide, register-based, retrospective cohort study of 137 403 Danish children born 1997-1999, who had received 3 doses...... of DTaP-IPV-Hib, were observed from 24 months (first OPV dose) to 36 months of age. Results.  Oral polio vaccine was associated with a lower rate of admissions with any type of non-polio infection compared with DTaP-IPV-Hib as most recent vaccine (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.85; 95% confidence...

44 CFR 68.9 - Admissible evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Admissible evidence. 68.9 Section 68.9 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF... admissible. (b) Documentary and oral evidence shall be admissible. (c) Admissibility of non-expert testimony...

High power, repetitive stacked Blumlein pulse generators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davanloo, F; Borovina, D L; Korioth, J L; Krause, R K; Collins, C B [Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States). Center for Quantum Electronics; Agee, F J [US Air Force Phillips Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM (United States); Kingsley, L E [US Army CECOM, Ft. Monmouth, NJ (United States)

1997-12-31

The repetitive stacked Blumlein pulse power generators developed at the University of Texas at Dallas consist of several triaxial Blumleins stacked in series at one end. The lines are charged in parallel and synchronously commuted with a single switch at the other end. In this way, relatively low charging voltages are multiplied to give a high discharge voltage across an arbitrary load. Extensive characterization of these novel pulsers have been performed over the past few years. Results indicate that they are capable of producing high power waveforms with rise times and repetition rates in the range of 0.5-50 ns and 1-300 Hz, respectively, using a conventional thyratron, spark gap, or photoconductive switch. The progress in the development and use of stacked Blumlein pulse generators is reviewed. The technology and the characteristics of these novel pulsers driving flash x-ray diodes are discussed. (author). 4 figs., 5 refs.

Physician Networks and Ambulatory Care-sensitive Admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Casalino, Lawrence P; Pesko, Michael F; Ryan, Andrew M; Nyweide, David J; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Sun, Xuming; Mendelsohn, Jayme; Moody, James

2015-06-01

Research on the quality and cost of care traditionally focuses on individual physicians or medical groups. Social network theory suggests that the care a patient receives also depends on the network of physicians with whom a patient's physician is connected. The objectives of the study are: (1) identify physician networks; (2) determine whether the rate of ambulatory care-sensitive hospital admissions (ACSAs) varies across networks--even different networks at the same hospital; and (3) determine the relationship between ACSA rates and network characteristics. We identified networks by applying network detection algorithms to Medicare 2008 claims for 987,000 beneficiaries in 5 states. We estimated a fixed-effects model to determine the relationship between networks and ACSAs and a multivariable model to determine the relationship between network characteristics and ACSAs. We identified 417 networks. Mean size: 129 physicians; range, 26-963. In the fixed-effects model, ACSA rates varied significantly across networks: there was a 46% difference in rates between networks at the 25th and 75th performance percentiles. At 95% of hospitals with admissions from 2 networks, the networks had significantly different ACSA rates; the mean difference was 36% of the mean ACSA rate. Networks with a higher percentage of primary-care physicians and networks in which patients received care from a larger number of physicians had higher ACSA rates. Physician networks have a relationship with ACSAs that is independent of the physicians in the network. Physician networks could be an important focus for understanding variations in medical care and for intervening to improve care.

Increasing arterial oxygen partial pressure during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is associated with improved rates of hospital admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Spindelboeck, Walter; Schindler, Otmar; Moser, Adrian; Hausler, Florian; Wallner, Simon; Strasser, Christa; Haas, Josef; Gemes, Geza; Prause, Gerhard

2013-06-01

As recent clinical data suggest a harmful effect of arterial hyperoxia on patients after resuscitation from cardiac arrest (CA), we aimed to investigate this association during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the earliest and one of the most crucial phases of recirculation. We analysed 1015 patients who from 2003 to 2010 underwent out-of-hospital CPR administered by emergency medical services serving 300,000 inhabitants. Inclusion criteria for further analysis were nontraumatic background of CA and patients >18 years of age. One hundred and forty-five arterial blood gas analyses including oxygen partial pressure (paO2) measurement were obtained during CPR. We observed a highly significant increase in hospital admission rates associated with increases in paO2 in steps of 100 mmHg (13.3 kPa). Subsequently, data were clustered according to previously described cutoffs (≤ 60 mmHg [8 kPa

Using the MDRD value as an outcome predictor in emergency medical admissions.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Chin, Jun Liong

2011-10-01

Both physiological- and laboratory-derived variables, alone or in combination, have been used to predict mortality among acute medical admissions. Using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) not as an estimate of glomerular filtration rate but as an outcome predictor for hospital mortality, we examined the relationship between the MDRD value and in-hospital death during an emergency medical admission.

Exact Repetition as Input Enhancement in Second Language Acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Eva Dam; Vinther, Thora

2003-01-01

Reports on two studies on input enhancement used to support learners' selection of focus of attention in Spanish second language listening material. Input consisted of video recordings of dialogues between native speakers. Exact repetition and speech rate reduction were examined for effect on comprehension, acquisition of decoding strategies, and…

A Stunning Admission

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Helen

2012-01-01

Few people set out to become admissions counselors, say people in the profession. But the field is requiring skills that are more demanding and varied than ever. And at a time when universities are looking especially hard at the bottom line, people in admissions need to constantly learn new things and make themselves indispensable. Counselors…

Increased length of stay and costs associated with weekend admissions for failure to thrive.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Rachel T; Bennett, William E; Finnell, S Maria E; Downs, Stephen M; Carroll, Aaron E

2013-03-01

To evaluate whether admission day of the week affects the length of stay (LOS) and health care costs for failure to thrive (FTT) admissions. Administrative data were obtained for all children aged <2 years (N = 23 332) with a primary admission diagnosis of FTT from 2003-2011 from 42 freestanding US hospitals. Demographic characteristics, day of admission, LOS, costs per stay, number of discharge diagnoses, primary discharge diagnoses, primary procedure code, number of radiologic and laboratory units billed during admission were obtained for each admission. Linear regression and zero-truncated Poisson regression were used for analysis. Weekend admission was significantly correlated with increased LOS and increased average cost (P < .002). This finding was also true for children with both admission and discharge diagnoses of FTT (P < .001). The number of procedures for children admitted on the weekend was not significantly different compared with children admitted on the weekdays (incident rate ratio [IRR]:1.04 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-1.09]). However, weekend admissions did have more radiologic studies (IRR: 1.13 [95% CI: 1.10-1.16]) and laboratory tests (IRR: 1.39 [95% CI: 1.38-1.40]) performed. If one-half of weekend admissions in 2010 with both admission and discharge diagnoses of FTT were converted to Monday admissions, total savings in health care dollars for 2010 would be $534, 145. Scheduled FTT admissions on weekends increased LOS and health care costs compared with weekday admissions of similar levels of complexity. Reduction in planned weekend admissions for FTT could significantly reduce health care costs.

The effect of the pulse repetition rate on the fast ionization wave discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bang-Dou; Carbone, Emile; Takashima, Keisuke; Zhu, Xi-Ming; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Pu, Yi-Kang

2018-06-01

The effect of the pulse repetition rate (PRR) on the generation of high energy electrons in a fast ionization wave (FIW) discharge is investigated by both experiment and modelling. The FIW discharge is driven by nanosecond high voltage pulses and is generated in helium with a pressure of 30 mbar. The axial electric field (E z ), as the driven force of high energy electron generation, is strongly influenced by PRR. Both the measurement and the model show that, during the breakdown, the peak value of E z decreases with the PRR, while after the breakdown, the value of E z increases with the PRR. The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is calculated with a model similar to Boeuf and Pitchford (1995 Phys. Rev. E 51 1376). It is found that, with a low value of PRR, the EEDF during the breakdown is strongly non-Maxwellian with an elevated high energy tail, while the EEDF after the breakdown is also non-Maxwellian but with a much depleted population of high energy electrons. However, with a high value of PRR, the EEDF is Maxwellian-like without much temporal variation both during and after the breakdown. With the calculated EEDF, the temporal evolution of the population of helium excited species given by the model is in good agreement with the measured optical emission, which also depends critically on the shape of the EEDF.

Exploring unplanned ICU admissions: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlayen, Annemie; Verelst, Sandra; Bekkering, Geertruida E; Schrooten, Ward; Hellings, Johan; Claes, Nerée

anesthetic procedures (UIA). 2) Only a few studies examined patients on general wards being at risk for clinical deterioration. The overall incidence of surgical and medical adverse events compared with ICU admissions ranged from 1.1% to 37.2%. 3) The third category of studies examined patients that were readmitted on ICUs. ICU readmission rates varied from 0% to 18.3%. Nine studies explicitly reported on the preventability of adverse outcomes. The preventability rates of the adverse events varied from 17% to 76.5%. Preventable adverse events are further synthesized by type of event and patterns of preventability are being formulated. Consequences of the adverse events included a mean length of ICU stay that ranged from 1.5 days to 10.4 days for the patient's first stay in ICU. Mortality rates varied between 0% and 58%. Adverse events are a persistent and an important reason for admission to the ICU. However, there is relatively weak evidence to estimate an overall incidence and preventability rate of these events. In addition, estimates on preventability are prone to subjective judgments. Variability in methodology and definitions, and poor reporting in studies may be the main reasons for study heterogeneity. Unplanned intensive care admission within 24 hours of a procedure with an anesthetist in attendance (UIA) is a recommended clinical indicator in surgical patients. Several authors recommend early detection of patients with clinical instability on general wards and the implementation of rapid response teams. Step-down or intermediate care units could be a useful strategy for patients that require monitoring to avoid ICU readmissions. There is a need for further studies on the detection of adverse events. The poor quality of current research evidence and the heterogeneity across studies requires that planning of future studies should aim to standardize measures of outcomes to allow for comparisons across studies. This area of research is important in order to identify

Time-gated single-photon detection module with 110 ps transition time and up to 80 MHz repetition rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buttafava, Mauro, E-mail: mauro.buttafava@polimi.it; Boso, Gianluca; Ruggeri, Alessandro; Tosi, Alberto [Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Dalla Mora, Alberto [Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica, Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy)

2014-08-15

We present the design and characterization of a complete single-photon counting module capable of time-gating a silicon single-photon avalanche diode with ON and OFF transition times down to 110 ps, at repetition rates up to 80 MHz. Thanks to this sharp temporal filtering of incoming photons, it is possible to reject undesired strong light pulses preceding (or following) the signal of interest, allowing to increase the dynamic range of optical acquisitions up to 7 decades. A complete experimental characterization of the module highlights its very flat temporal response, with a time resolution of the order of 30 ps. The instrument is fully user-configurable via a PC interface and can be easily integrated in any optical setup, thanks to its small and compact form factor.

Time-gated single-photon detection module with 110 ps transition time and up to 80 MHz repetition rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buttafava, Mauro; Boso, Gianluca; Ruggeri, Alessandro; Tosi, Alberto; Dalla Mora, Alberto

2014-01-01

We present the design and characterization of a complete single-photon counting module capable of time-gating a silicon single-photon avalanche diode with ON and OFF transition times down to 110 ps, at repetition rates up to 80 MHz. Thanks to this sharp temporal filtering of incoming photons, it is possible to reject undesired strong light pulses preceding (or following) the signal of interest, allowing to increase the dynamic range of optical acquisitions up to 7 decades. A complete experimental characterization of the module highlights its very flat temporal response, with a time resolution of the order of 30 ps. The instrument is fully user-configurable via a PC interface and can be easily integrated in any optical setup, thanks to its small and compact form factor

A comparison of inpatient admissions in 2012 from two European countries

OpenAIRE

Tittle, Victoria; Cenderello, Giovanni; Pasa, Ambra; Patel, Preya; Artioli, Stefania; Dentone, Chiara; Fraccaro, Paolo; Giacomini, Mauro; Setti, Maurizio; Di Biagio, Antonio; Nelson, Mark

2014-01-01

Introduction: This study compares the trends of HIV inpatient admissions between a London tertiary HIV centre (United Kingdom) and four infectious disease wards in Italy (IT) to recognize common patterns across Europe. Methods: Data regarding HIV inpatient admissions was collected by using discharge diagnostic codes from 1 January to 31 December 2012, including patient demographics, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) history, CD4, viral load (VL) and mortality rates. Discharge diagnoses w...

The Multidisk Diode-Pumped High Power Yb:YAG Laser Amplifier of High-Intensity Laser System with 1 kHz Repetition Rate

Science.gov (United States)

Kuptsov, G. V.; Petrov, V. V.; Petrov, V. A.; Laptev, A. V.; Kirpichnikov, A. V.; Pestryakov, E. V.

2018-04-01

The source of instabilities in the multidisk diode-pumped high power Yb:YAG laser amplifier with cryogenic closed-loop cooling in the laser amplification channel of the high-intensity laser system with 1 kHz repetition rate was determined. Dissected copper mounts were designed and used to suppress instabilities and to achieve repeatability of the system. The equilibrium temperature dependency of the active elements on average power was measured. The seed laser for the multidisk amplifier was numerically simulated and designed to allow one to increase pulses output energy after the amplifier up to 500 mJ.

Design study of a low-emittance high-repetition rate thermionic rf gun

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Opanasenko

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We propose a novel gridless continuous-wave radiofrequency (rf thermionic gun capable of generating nC ns electron bunches with a rms normalized slice emittance close to the thermal level of 0.3 mm mrad. In order to gate the electron emission, an externally heated thermionic cathode is installed into a stripline-loop conductor. Two high-voltage pulses propagating towards each other in the stripline-loop overlap in the cathode region and create a quasielectrostatic field gating the electron emission. The repetition rate of pulses is variable and can reach up to one MHz with modern solid-state pulsers. The stripline attached to a rf gun cavity wall has with the wall a common aperture that allows the electrons to be injected into the rf cavity for further acceleration. Thanks to this innovative gridless design, simulations suggest that the bunch emittance is approximately at the thermal level after the bunch injection into the cavity provided that the geometry of the cathode and aperture are properly designed. Specifically, a concave cathode is adopted to imprint an Ƨ-shaped distribution onto the beam transverse phase-space to compensate for an S-shaped beam distribution created by the spherical aberration of the aperture-cavity region. In order to compensate for the energy spread caused by rf fields of the rf gun cavity, a 3rd harmonic cavity is used. A detailed study of the electrodynamics of the stripline and rf gun cavity as well as the beam optics and bunch dynamics are presented.

All-fiber interferometer-based repetition-rate stabilization of mode-locked lasers to 10-14-level frequency instability and 1-fs-level jitter over 1  s.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Dohyeon; Kim, Jungwon

2017-12-15

We report on all-fiber Michelson interferometer-based repetition-rate stabilization of femtosecond mode-locked lasers down to 1.3×10 -14 frequency instability and 1.4 fs integrated jitter in a 1 s time scale. The use of a compactly packaged 10 km long single-mode fiber (SMF)-28 fiber link as a timing reference allows the scaling of phase noise at a 10 GHz carrier down to -80  dBc/Hz at 1 Hz Fourier frequency. We also tested a 500 m long low-thermal-sensitivity fiber as a reference and found that, compared to standard SMF-28 fiber, it can mitigate the phase noise divergence by ∼10  dB/dec in the 0.1-1 Hz Fourier frequency range. These results suggest that the use of a longer low-thermal-sensitivity fiber may achieve sub-femtosecond integrated timing jitter with sub-10 -14 -level frequency instability in repetition rate by a simple and robust all-fiber-photonic method.

Repetitive Questioning II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. C. Hamdy MD

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Repetitive questioning is a major problem for caregivers, particularly taxing if they are unable to recognize and understand the reasons why their loved one keeps asking the same question over and over again. Caregivers may be tempted to believe that the patient does not even try to remember the answer given or is just getting obnoxious. This is incorrect. Repetitive questioning is due to the underlying disease: The patient’s short term memory is impaired and he is unable to register, encode, retain and retrieve the answer. If he is concerned about a particular topic, he will keep asking the same question over and over again. To the patient each time she asks the question, it is as if she asked it for the first time. Just answering repetitive questioning by providing repeatedly the same answer is not sufficient. Caregivers should try to identify the underlying cause for this repetitive questioning. In an earlier case study, the patient was concerned about her and her family’s safety and kept asking whether the doors are locked. In this present case study, the patient does not know how to handle the awkward situation he finds himself in. He just does not know what to do. He is not able to adjust to the new unexpected situation. So he repeatedly wants to reassure himself that he is not intruding by asking the same question over and over again. We discuss how the patient’s son-in-law could have avoided this situation and averted the catastrophic ending.

Ultrafast high-repetition imaging of fuel sprays using picosecond fiber laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Purwar, Harsh; Wang, Hongjie; Tang, Mincheng; Idlahcen, Saïd; Rozé, Claude; Blaisot, Jean-Bernard; Godin, Thomas; Hideur, Ammar

2015-12-28

Modern diesel injectors operate at very high injection pressures of about 2000 bar resulting in injection velocities as high as 700 m/s near the nozzle outlet. In order to better predict the behavior of the atomization process at such high pressures, high-resolution spray images at high repetition rates must be recorded. However, due to extremely high velocity in the near-nozzle region, high-speed cameras fail to avoid blurring of the structures in the spray images due to their exposure time. Ultrafast imaging featuring ultra-short laser pulses to freeze the motion of the spray appears as an well suited solution to overcome this limitation. However, most commercial high-energy ultrafast sources are limited to a few kHz repetition rates. In the present work, we report the development of a custom-designed picosecond fiber laser generating ∼ 20 ps pulses with an average power of 2.5 W at a repetition rate of 8.2 MHz, suitable for high-speed imaging of high-pressure fuel jets. This fiber source has been proof tested by obtaining backlight images of diesel sprays issued from a single-orifice injector at an injection pressure of 300 bar. We observed a consequent improvement in terms of image resolution compared to standard white-light illumination. In addition, the compactness and stability against perturbations of our fiber laser system makes it particularly suitable for harsh experimental conditions.

Trends in alcohol-related admissions to hospital by age, sex and socioeconomic deprivation in England, 2002/03 to 2013/14

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark A Green

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prevalence of alcohol-related harms in England are among the highest in Europe and represents an important policy issue. Understanding how alcohol-related trends vary by demographic factors is important for informing policy debates. The aim of our study was to examine trends in alcohol-related admissions to hospital in England, with a focus on variations by sex, age and socioeconomic deprivation. Methods We used data on hospital admissions for England for the financial years 2002/03 to 2013/14. Our four main outcome variables were acute and chronic conditions wholly and partially attributable to alcohol consumption. We also looked at four specific conditions wholly attributable to alcohol. Socioeconomic deprivation was measured using the English Indices of Deprivation of a patient’s residence (categorised by quintile. We calculated crude rates, age-specific rates (visualised by Lexis plots and directly standardised rates by deprivation category, separately for males and females. Results Total admissions for all alcohol-attributable admissions increased from 201,398 in 2002/03 to 303,716 in 2013/14. The relative increase of these admissions was larger than compared to non-alcohol attributable admissions. Acute admissions wholly attributable to alcohol had the largest relative increase of our outcome measures, and displayed a bimodal distribution with higher rates in adolescence/young adults and middle age. Chronic conditions wholly attributable to alcohol were concentrated in middle age (particularly males. While admission rates were generally higher for males, females had higher rates of hospitalisations due to ‘Intentional self-poisoning due to alcohol’. We also found evidence of wide social inequalities by level of deprivation, which were wider for men than compared to women across all of our outcome measures other than ‘Intentional self-poisoning due to alcohol’. Conclusions Our study expands the evidence base to

Contact heat-evoked temporal summation: tonic versus repetitive-phasic stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Granot, Michal; Granovsky, Yelena; Sprecher, Elliot; Nir, Rony-Reuven; Yarnitsky, David

2006-06-01

Temporal summation (TS) is usually evoked by repetitive mechanical or electrical stimuli, and less commonly by tonic heat pain. The present study aimed to examine the TS induction by repetitive-phasic versus tonic heat pain stimuli. Using 27 normal volunteers, we compared the extent of summation by three calculation methods: start-to-end pain rating difference, percent change, and double-logarithmic regression of successive ratings along the stimulation. Subjects were tested twice, and the reliability of each of the paradigms was obtained. In addition, personality factors related to pain catastrophizing and anxiety level were also correlated with the psychophysical results. Both paradigms induced significant TS, with similar increases for the repetitive-phasic and the tonic paradigms, as measured on 0-100 numerical pain scale (from 52.9+/-11.7 to 80.2+/-15.5, p<0.001; and from 38.5+/-13.3 to 75.8+/-18.3, p<0.001, respectively). The extent of summation was significantly correlated between the two paradigms, when calculated by absolute change (r=0.543, p=0.004) and by regression (r=0.438, p=0.025). Session-to-session variability was similar for both paradigms, relatively large, yet not biased. As with other psychophysical parameters, this poses some limitations on TS assessment in individual patients over time. The extent of TS induced by both paradigms was found to be associated with anxiety level and pain catastrophizing. Despite some dissimilarity between the repetitive-phasic and the tonic paradigms, the many similarities suggest that the two represent a similar physiological process, even if not precisely the same. Future clinical applications of these tests will determine the clinical relevance of the TS paradigms presented in this study.

Partial admission effect on the performance and vibration of a supersonic impulse turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hang Gi; Shin, Ju Hyun; Choi, Chang-Ho; Jeong, Eunhwan; Kwon, Sejin

2018-04-01

This study experimentally investigates the effects of partial admission on the performance and vibration outcomes of a supersonic impulse turbine with circular nozzles. The turbine of a turbopump for a gas-generator-type liquid rocket engine in the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II is of the supersonic impulse type with the partial admission configuration for obtaining a high specific power. Partial admission turbines with a low-flow-rate working gas exhibit benefits over turbines with full admission, such as loss reduction, ease of controllability of the turbine power output, and simple turbine configurations with separate starting sections. However, the radial force of the turbine rotor due to the partial admission causes an increase in turbine vibration. Few experimental studies have previously been conducted regarding the partial admission effects on supersonic impulse turbines with circular nozzles. In the present study, performance tests of supersonic impulse turbines with circular nozzles were conducted for various partial admission ratios using a turbine test facility with high-pressure air in order to investigate the resulting aerodynamic performance and vibration. Four types of turbines with partial admission ratios of 0.17, 0.42, 0.75 and 0.83 were tested. Results show that the efficiencies at the design point increase linearly as the partial admission ratios increase. Moreover, as the velocity ratios increase, the difference in efficiency from the reference turbine with a partial admission ratio of 0.83 becomes increasingly significant, and the magnitudes of these differences are proportional to the square of the velocity ratios. Likewise, the decrease in the partial admission ratio results in an increase in the turbine vibration level owing to the increase in the radial force.

Accumulation effects in modulation spectroscopy with high-repetition-rate pulses: Recursive solution of optical Bloch equations

Science.gov (United States)

Osipov, Vladimir Al.; Pullerits, Tõnu

2017-10-01

Application of the phase-modulated pulsed light for advance spectroscopic measurements is the area of growing interest. The phase modulation of the light causes modulation of the signal. Separation of the spectral components of the modulations allows to distinguish the contributions of various interaction pathways. The lasers with high repetition rate used in such experiments can lead to appearance of the accumulation effects, which become especially pronounced in systems with long-living excited states. Recently it was shown that such accumulation effects can be used to evaluate parameters of the dynamical processes in the material. In this work we demonstrate that the accumulation effects are also important in the quantum characteristics measurements provided by modulation spectroscopy. In particular, we consider a model of quantum two-level system driven by a train of phase-modulated light pulses, organized in analogy with the two-dimensional spectroscopy experiments. We evaluate the harmonics' amplitudes in the fluorescent signal and calculate corrections appearing from the accumulation effects. We show that the corrections can be significant and have to be taken into account at analysis of experimental data.

Repetitive learning control of continuous chaotic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Maoyin; Shang Yun; Zhou Donghua

2004-01-01

Combining a shift method and the repetitive learning strategy, a repetitive learning controller is proposed to stabilize unstable periodic orbits (UPOs) within chaotic attractors in the sense of least mean square. If nonlinear parts in chaotic systems satisfy Lipschitz condition, the proposed controller can be simplified into a simple proportional repetitive learning controller

Novel porcine repetitive elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nonneman Dan J

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Repetitive elements comprise ~45% of mammalian genomes and are increasingly known to impact genomic function by contributing to the genomic architecture, by direct regulation of gene expression and by affecting genomic size, diversity and evolution. The ubiquity and increasingly understood importance of repetitive elements contribute to the need to identify and annotate them. We set out to identify previously uncharacterized repetitive DNA in the porcine genome. Once found, we characterized the prevalence of these repeats in other mammals. Results We discovered 27 repetitive elements in 220 BACs covering 1% of the porcine genome (Comparative Vertebrate Sequencing Initiative; CVSI. These repeats varied in length from 55 to 1059 nucleotides. To estimate copy numbers, we went to an independent source of data, the BAC-end sequences (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, covering approximately 15% of the porcine genome. Copy numbers in BAC-ends were less than one hundred for 6 repeat elements, between 100 and 1000 for 16 and between 1,000 and 10,000 for 5. Several of the repeat elements were found in the bovine genome and we have identified two with orthologous sites, indicating that these elements were present in their common ancestor. None of the repeat elements were found in primate, rodent or dog genomes. We were unable to identify any of the replication machinery common to active transposable elements in these newly identified repeats. Conclusion The presence of both orthologous and non-orthologous sites indicates that some sites existed prior to speciation and some were generated later. The identification of low to moderate copy number repetitive DNA that is specific to artiodactyls will be critical in the assembly of livestock genomes and studies of comparative genomics.

Document retrieval on repetitive string collections.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagie, Travis; Hartikainen, Aleksi; Karhu, Kalle; Kärkkäinen, Juha; Navarro, Gonzalo; Puglisi, Simon J; Sirén, Jouni

2017-01-01

Most of the fastest-growing string collections today are repetitive, that is, most of the constituent documents are similar to many others. As these collections keep growing, a key approach to handling them is to exploit their repetitiveness, which can reduce their space usage by orders of magnitude. We study the problem of indexing repetitive string collections in order to perform efficient document retrieval operations on them. Document retrieval problems are routinely solved by search engines on large natural language collections, but the techniques are less developed on generic string collections. The case of repetitive string collections is even less understood, and there are very few existing solutions. We develop two novel ideas, interleaved LCPs and precomputed document lists , that yield highly compressed indexes solving the problem of document listing (find all the documents where a string appears), top- k document retrieval (find the k documents where a string appears most often), and document counting (count the number of documents where a string appears). We also show that a classical data structure supporting the latter query becomes highly compressible on repetitive data. Finally, we show how the tools we developed can be combined to solve ranked conjunctive and disjunctive multi-term queries under the simple [Formula: see text] model of relevance. We thoroughly evaluate the resulting techniques in various real-life repetitiveness scenarios, and recommend the best choices for each case.

REPETITIVE STRENGTH AMONG STUDENTS OF AGE 14

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Besim Halilaj

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The study involved 82 male students of the primary school “Qamil Ilazi” in Kaçanik-Kosovo.Four movement tests, which test the repetitive strength, were conducted: 1. Pull-up, 2. Sit-Up, 3. Back extension, 4. Push-up.The main goal of this study was to verify the actual motor status, respectively the component of the repetitive strength among students of age 14 of masculine gender. In addition to verifying the actual motor status, another objective was to verify the relationship between the variables employed.Basic statistical parameters show a distribution which is not significantly different from the normal distribution, yielded highly correlative values among the repetitive strength tests. Space factorization resulted in extracting two latent squares defined as repetitive strength of arms factor, and repetitive strength of body factor.

Advice on Admissions Transparency

Science.gov (United States)

Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 2018

2018-01-01

Admissions transparency means that prospective domestic undergraduate students can easily find good quality admissions information that allows them to compare courses and providers and make informed study choices. In October 2016 the Higher Education Standards Panel (HESP) made recommendations to achieve greater transparency in higher education…

Evaluation of the Academic Performance of Private Admission ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The pass rate in all phases of medical study as well as the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) was lower among private admission students. This difference is proportionate to the difference in grades obtained at SSCE and number of re-sits. Conclusion: The academic performance of medical students in Sudan is ...

Incidence, admission rates, and economic burden of pediatric emergency department visits for urinary tract infection: data from the nationwide emergency department sample, 2006 to 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Sood, Akshay; Penna, Frank J; Eleswarapu, Sriram; Pucheril, Dan; Weaver, John; Abd-El-Barr, Abd-El-Rahman; Wagner, Jordan C; Lakshmanan, Yegappan; Menon, Mani; Trinh, Quoc-Dien; Sammon, Jesse D; Elder, Jack S

2015-10-01

The Emergency Department (ED) is being increasingly utilized as a pathway for management of acute conditions such as the urinary tract infections (UTIs). We sought to assess the contemporary trends in pediatric UTI associated ED visits, subsequent hospitalization, and corresponding financial expenditure, using a large nationally representative pediatric cohort. Further, we describe the predictors of admission following a UTI associated ED visit. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS; 2006-2011) was queried to assess temporal-trends in pediatric (age ≤17 years) ED visits for a primary diagnosis of UTI (ICD9 CM code 590.X, 595.0, and 599.0), subsequent hospital admission, and total charges. These trends were examined using the estimated annual percent change (EAPC) method. Multivariable regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations (GEE) identified the predictors of hospital admission. Of the 1,904,379 children presenting to the ED for management of UTI, 86 042 (4.7%) underwent hospital admission. Female ED visits accounted for almost 90% of visits and increased significantly (EAPC 3.28%; p = 0.003) from 709 visits per 100 000 in 2006 to 844 visits per 100 000 in 2011. Male UTI incidence remained unchanged over the study-period (p = 0.292). The overall UTI associated ED visits also increased significantly during the study-period (EAPC 3.14%; p = 0.006) because of the increase in female UTI associated ED visits. Overall hospital admissions declined significantly over the study-period (EAPC -5.59%; p = 0.021). Total associated charges increased significantly at an annual rate of 18.26%, increasing from 254 million USD in 2006 to 464 million USD in 2011 (p predictors of admission included younger age (p pediatric UTI is on the rise. This rise in incidence could be due to several factors, including increasing prevalence of metabolic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome in children predisposing them to infections, or

The impact of migration on deaths and hospital admissions from work-related injuries in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Alison; Peters, Susan; Felipe, Nieves; Lenguerrand, Erik; Harding, Seeromanie

2016-02-01

The shift from an industrial to a service-based economy has seen a decline in work-related injuries (WRIs) and mortality. How this relates to migrant workers, who traditionally held high-risk jobs is unknown. This study examined deaths and hospital admissions from WRI, among foreign and Australian-born workers. Tabulated population data from the 1991 to 2011 censuses, national deaths 1991-2002 and hospital admission for 2001-10. Direct age standardised mortality and hospital admission rates (DSRs) and rate ratios (RRs) were derived to examine differences in work-related mortality/hospital admissions by gender, country of birth, employment skill level and years of residence in Australia. DSRs and RRs were generally lower or no different between Australian and foreign-born workers. Among men, mortality DSRs were lower for nine of 16 country of birth groups, and hospital admissions DSRs for 14 groups. An exception was New Zealand-born men, with 9% (95%CI 9-13) excess mortality and 24% (95%CI 22-26) excess hospital admissions. Four decades ago, foreign-born workers were generally at higher risk of WRI than Australian-born. This pattern has reversed. The local-born comprise 75% of the population and a pro-active approach to health and safety regulation could achieve large benefits. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

A vacuum-sealed, gigawatt-class, repetitively pulsed high-power microwave source

Science.gov (United States)

Xun, Tao; Fan, Yu-wei; Yang, Han-wu; Zhang, Zi-cheng; Chen, Dong-qun; Zhang, Jian-de

2017-06-01

A compact L-band sealed-tube magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator (MILO) has been developed that does not require bulky external vacuum pump for repetitive operations. This device with a ceramic insulated vacuum interface, a carbon fiber array cathode, and non-evaporable getters has a base vacuum pressure in the low 10-6 Pa range. A dynamic 3-D Monte-Carlo model for the molecular flow movement and collision was setup for the MILO chamber. The pulse desorption, gas evolution, and pressure distribution were exactly simulated. In the 5 Hz repetition rate experiments, using a 600 kV diode voltage and 48 kA beam current, the average radiated microwave power for 25 shots is about 3.4 GW in 45 ns pulse duration. The maximum equilibrium pressure is below 4.0 × 10-2 Pa, and no pulse shortening limitations are observed during the repetitive test in the sealed-tube condition.

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2005

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2016

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2010

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2006

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admission: Fiscal Year 2007

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2014

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2008

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2012

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Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions - Fiscal Year 2013

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Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2009

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Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2015

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Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2011

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Nonimmigrant Admissions: Fiscal Year 2004

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary admission into the United States. The major purposes for which nonimmigrant admission may be authorized include...

Dual-Comb Coherent Raman Spectroscopy with Lasers of 1-GHz Pulse Repetition Frequency

OpenAIRE

Mohler, Kathrin J.; Bohn, Bernhard J.; Yan, Ming; Hänsch, Theodor W.; Picqué, Nathalie

2016-01-01

We extend the technique of multiplex coherent Raman spectroscopy with two femtosecond mode-locked lasers to oscillators of a pulse repetition frequency of 1 GHz. We demonstrate spectra of liquids, which span 1100 cm$^{-1}$ of Raman shifts. At a resolution of 6 cm$^{-1}$, their measurement time may be as short as 5 microseconds for a refresh rate of 2 kHz. The waiting period between acquisitions is improved ten-fold compared to previous experiments with two lasers of 100-MHz repetition frequen...

Continuous admission to primary school and mental health problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.A. Reijneveld (Sijmen); C.H. Wiefferink (Carin); E. Brugman (Emily); F.C. Verhulst (Frank); S.P. Verloove-Vanhorick; A.D.C. Paulussen (Aimée)

2006-01-01

textabstractBackground: Younger children in a school class have higher rates of mental health problems if admission to primary school occurs once a year. This study examines whether this relative age effect also occurs if children are admitted to school continuously throughout the year. Methods: We

Continuous admission to primary school and mental health problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijneveld, S.A.; Wiefferink, C.H.; Brugman, E.; Verhulst, F.C.; Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.; Paulussen, T.G.W.

2006-01-01

Background: Younger children in a school class have higher rates of mental health problems if admission to primary school occurs once a year. This study examines whether this relative age effect also occurs if children are admitted to school continuously throughout the year. Methods: We assessed

Admission Systems and Student Mobility: A Proposal for an EU-Wide Registry for University Admission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecile Hoareau McGrath

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Europe’s higher education systems are struggling to respond to the established mass demand for higher education, especially given the proportional decline in available resources per student and, more generally the demand for an ever longer education and reduction of the population of working age due to demographic decline. In addition, growing student mobility puts pressure on admission systems to set up relevant procedures for applicants who wish to enter a country. Admission systems to higher education constitute one key element in the mitigation of these challenges. Admissions can regulate student flows, and play a key role in guaranteeing the acquisition of skills in higher education by matching student profiles to their desired courses of study. This article puts European admission systems in perspective. The issue of regulation of student mobility is topical, given the broader and salient discussion on migration flows in Europe. The article uses international comparisons with systems such as the US, Australia and Japan, to provide a critical overview of the role of admission systems in an often overlooked but yet fundamental part of the European Higher Education Area, namely student mobility. The paper also argues for the creation of an information-sharing EU registry on admissions practices for mobile students.

The Effects of Increasing the Capacity of Admission in Emergency Ward in increasing the Rate of Patient Acceptance at the Time of Crisis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Geravandi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background & Aim: The emergency ward at the time of a disaster is the most important ward for providing therapy service to the injured. The purpose of this research study was to study of the effects of increasing the capacity of admission in emergency ward in increasing the rate of patient acceptance at the time of crisis at Razi Educational Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: The present interventional study was performed to determine role of the increase of capacity to emergency ward in increase rate of patient acceptance at the time of disaster. After one year a re-evaluation of the capacity of the emergency department was conducted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The results of this study showed that the capacity to accept patients was 16 injured in time of disasters at the emergency ward before reform measures. After performing reforms, this capacity increased to 42 patients. The findings also showed that the implementation of appropriate capacity building increased 2.6 times, thus led to increasing the readiness and service delivery in times of crisis and emergency department of the disaster. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it could be concluded that planning and action to be carried out in hospital emergency departments by the crisis committee increased the admission capacity of the injured during the crisis.

Modified personal interviews: resurrecting reliable personal interviews for admissions?

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Mark D; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan Mahan; Woods, Nicole N; Fechtig, Lindsey; Anderson, Geoff

2012-10-01

Traditional admissions personal interviews provide flexible faculty-student interactions but are plagued by low inter-interview reliability. Axelson and Kreiter (2009) retrospectively showed that multiple independent sampling (MIS) may improve reliability of personal interviews; thus, the authors incorporated MIS into the admissions process for medical students applying to the University of Toronto's Leadership Education and Development Program (LEAD). They examined the reliability and resource demands of this modified personal interview (MPI) format. In 2010-2011, LEAD candidates submitted written applications, which were used to screen for participation in the MPI process. Selected candidates completed four brief (10-12 minutes) independent MPIs each with a different interviewer. The authors blueprinted MPI questions to (i.e., aligned them with) leadership attributes, and interviewers assessed candidates' eligibility on a five-point Likert-type scale. The authors analyzed inter-interview reliability using the generalizability theory. Sixteen candidates submitted applications; 10 proceeded to the MPI stage. Reliability of the written application components was 0.75. The MPI process had overall inter-interview reliability of 0.79. Correlation between the written application and MPI scores was 0.49. A decision study showed acceptable reliability of 0.74 with only three MPIs scored using one global rating. Furthermore, a traditional admissions interview format would take 66% more time than the MPI format. The MPI format, used during the LEAD admissions process, achieved high reliability with minimal faculty resources. The MPI format's reliability and effective resource use were possible through MIS and employment of expert interviewers. MPIs may be useful for other admissions tasks.

32 CFR 575.2 - Admission; general.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... MILITARY ACADEMY § 575.2 Admission; general. (a) In one major respect, the requirements for admission to the United States Military Academy differ from the normal requirements for admission to a civilian college or university; each candidate must obtain an official nomination to the Academy. The young person...

An Admissions Officer's Credentials

Science.gov (United States)

Chronicle of Higher Education, 2007

2007-01-01

Marilee Jones has resigned as a dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after admitting that she had misrepresented her academic degrees when first applying to work at the university in 1979. As one of the nation's most prominent admissions officers--and a leader in the movement to make the application process less…

Relationship between redistribution on exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy and repetitive ventricular premature beats in patients with recent myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, H.; Iwasaka, T.; Sugiura, T.; Shimada, T.; Nakamori, H.; Kimura, Y.; Inada, M.

1991-01-01

The relationship between myocardial ischemia detected by exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy and repetitive ventricular premature beats (VPBs) during ambulatory monitoring was evaluated in 57 patients with recent myocardial infarction. Multivariate analysis was performed to obtain the relatively important factor related to repetitive VPBs with the use of the following variables: age, redistribution, left ventricular ejection fraction, serum potassium and magnesium concentration, QRS score, left ventricular aneurysm, and the number of diseased vessels. Thirty-five patients had redistribution, but only three of them had repetitive VPBs during exercise testing. The average heart rate before 79% of 398 episodes of repetitive VPBs during ambulatory monitoring was in the range of 56 to 70/min. These data indicate that most of repetitive VPBs during ambulatory monitoring were not provoked by exercise-induced acute myocardial ischemia. However, redistribution was found to be an important factor associated with repetitive VPBs. The electrical abnormality relating to a substrate characterized by chronic reversible ischemia may explain the association between redistribution and repetitive VPBs

Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Intensive Swallowing Rehabilitation for Chronic Stroke Dysphagia: A Case Series Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryo Momosaki

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to clarify the safety and feasibility of a 6-day protocol of bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS combined with intensive swallowing rehabilitation for chronic poststroke dysphagia. In-hospital treatment was provided to 4 poststroke patients (age at treatment: 56-80 years; interval between onset of stroke and treatment: 24-37 months with dysphagia. Over 6 consecutive days, each patient received 10 sessions of rTMS at 3 Hz applied to the pharyngeal motor cortex bilaterally, followed by 20 min of intensive swallowing rehabilitation exercise. The swallowing function was evaluated by the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS, Modified Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MMASA, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS, laryngeal elevation delay time (LEDT and Repetitive Saliva-Swallowing Test (RSST on admission and at discharge. All patients completed the 6-day treatment protocol and none showed any adverse reactions throughout the treatment. The combination treatment improved laryngeal elevation delay time in all patients. Our proposed protocol of rTMS plus swallowing rehabilitation exercise seems to be safe and feasible for chronic stroke dysphagia, although its efficacy needs to be confirmed in a large number of patients.

The relative contribution of provider and ED-level factors to variation among the top 15 reasons for ED admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Khojah, Imad; Li, Suhui; Luo, Qian; Davis, Griffin; Galarraga, Jessica E; Granovsky, Michael; Litvak, Ori; Davis, Samuel; Shesser, Robert; Pines, Jesse M

2017-09-01

We examine adult emergency department (ED) admission rates for the top 15 most frequently admitted conditions, and assess the relative contribution in admission rate variation attributable to the provider and hospital. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of ED encounters (≥18years) from 19 EDs and 603 providers (January 2012-December 2013), linked to the Area Health Resources File for county-level information on healthcare resources. "Hospital admission" was the outcome, a composite of inpatient, observation, or intra-hospital transfer. We studied the 15 most commonly admitted conditions, and calculated condition-specific risk-standardized hospital admission rates (RSARs) using multi-level hierarchical generalized linear models. We then decomposed the relative contribution of provider-level and hospital-level variation for each condition. The top 15 conditions made up 34% of encounters and 49% of admissions. After adjustment, the eight conditions with the highest hospital-level variation were: 1) injuries, 2) extremity fracture (except hip fracture), 3) skin infection, 4) lower respiratory disease, 5) asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (A&C), 6) abdominal pain, 7) fluid/electrolyte disorders, and 8) chest pain. Hospital-level intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) ranged from 0.042 for A&C to 0.167 for extremity fractures. Provider-level ICCs ranged from 0.026 for abdominal pain to 0.104 for chest pain. Several patient, hospital, and community factors were associated with admission rates, but these varied across conditions. For different conditions, there were different contributions to variation at the hospital- and provider-level. These findings deserve consideration when designing interventions to optimize admission decisions and in value-based payment programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Task Instructions on Students' Use of Repetition in Argumentative Discourse

Science.gov (United States)

Gilabert, Sandra; Garcia-Mila, Merce; Felton, Mark K.

2013-11-01

The reasoning belief of argumentum ad nauseam assumes that when someone repeats something often enough, he or she becomes more convincing. The present paper analyses the use of this strategy by seventh-grade students in an argumentation task. Sixty-five students (mean age: 12.2, SD = 0.4) from a public school in a mid-sized urban environment took part in the study. The students were asked to either argue to convince an opposing partner or argue to reach consensus with an opposing partner on three dilemmas that dealt with energy sources. Data were gathered according to a between-groups design that included one independent variable (argumentative goal: to convince vs. to reach consensus) and one dependent variable (the degree of argumentative repetitions). We predicted that in the condition to convince their partner, the students would use the repetition strategy more often in their attempts to be persuasive. Our findings show that the mean number of argumentative repetitions was significantly higher for the persuasion group for both of the most frequent argumentative structures (claim and claim data). The mean percentage of repeated claims for the persuasion condition was 86.2 vs. 69.0 for the consensus condition. For the claim data, the mean percentage for the persuasion group was 35.2 vs. 24.3 for the consensus group. Also, students in the persuasion group tended to repeat one idea many times rather than repeating many ideas a few times within the same argumentative structure. The results of our study support the hypothesis that the goal of the argumentative task mediates argumentative discourse and, more concretely, the rate of repetitions and the conceptual diversity of the statements. These differences in rates of repetition and conceptual diversity are related to the amount of learning produced by the instructional goal. We apply Mercer's idea that not all classroom argumentation tasks promote learning equally.

RS-20 type repetitive generator with planar configuration of plasma opening switch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agalakov, V P; Barinov, N U; Belenki, G S [Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation); and others

1997-12-31

The existing experience with the production of repetitive rate accelerators with a high peak power (in excess of 10{sup 10} W) and an average power above 50 kW makes it possible to resolve a number of physics and technology tasks which are connected with the reliability and life of the accelerator. The design and results on optimization of a simple plasma opening switch (POS) are discussed. The final design of the POS provided voltages of up to 2 MV and had a life of more than 105 pulses including 4 hours of continuous operation under 4 Hz repetition rate and wall plug power 65 kW. This unit was tested at the RS-20 type accelerator both at the Kurchatov Institute and at the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in China. (author). 5 figs., 1 ref.

Admission Test and Pregnancy Outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Setareh Akhavan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The admission test (AT has been carried out for many years, but there are still debates about the prognostic value of the test. Therefore, we aimed to examine the value of the AT in predicting the adverse outcome in neonates. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 425 pregnant women with normal vaginal delivery were studied between2009 and 2014at Vali-e-Asr Hospital. Based on the results, the women were divided into 2groups of normal and abnormal ATs. All the patients were followed up until the birth of their baby, when the status of mother and neonate was determined. The main outcomes of the study were cesarean rate, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU admission, fetus demise, neonatal acidosis, and Apgar score. The independent t-test, chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS (version 17. Results: Of 425 pregnant women studied, 142 (33.4% had abnormal ATs with a mean age of 29 (±4.5 years. Multivariate analysis showed that an abnormal AT was able to predict the incidence of cesarean section, intrauterine growth restriction, turned cord, and Apgar<7, but it could not predict neonatal death and hypoxia. Conclusion: The AT was shown to be a useful screening test with risk factors such as oligohydramnios, bloody amniotic fluid, meconium amniotic fluid, intrauterine growth restriction, and turned cord. Additionally, the test was also able to predict NICU admission and the need for cesarean section, but it could not predict the occurrence of neonatal death.

Dual-comb coherent Raman spectroscopy with lasers of 1-GHz pulse repetition frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohler, Kathrin J; Bohn, Bernhard J; Yan, Ming; Mélen, Gwénaëlle; Hänsch, Theodor W; Picqué, Nathalie

2017-01-15

We extend the technique of multiplex coherent Raman spectroscopy with two femtosecond mode-locked lasers to oscillators of a pulse repetition frequency of 1 GHz. We demonstrate a spectra of liquids, which span 1100  cm-1 of Raman shifts. At a resolution of 6  cm-1, their measurement time may be as short as 5 μs for a refresh rate of 2 kHz. The waiting period between acquisitions is improved 10-fold compared to previous experiments with two lasers of 100-MHz repetition frequencies.

Semantic priming, not repetition priming, is to blame for false hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Chad S

2017-08-01

Contextual and sensory information are combined in speech perception. Conflict between the two can lead to false hearing, defined as a high-confidence misidentification of a spoken word. Rogers, Jacoby, and Sommers (Psychology and Aging, 27(1), 33-45, 2012) found that older adults are more susceptible to false hearing than are young adults, using a combination of semantic priming and repetition priming to create context. In this study, the type of context (repetition vs. sematic priming) responsible for false hearing was examined. Older and young adult participants read and listened to a list of paired associates (e.g., ROW-BOAT) and were told to remember the pairs for a later memory test. Following the memory test, participants identified words masked in noise that were preceded by a cue word in the clear. Targets were semantically associated to the cue (e.g., ROW-BOAT), unrelated to the cue (e.g., JAW-PASS), or phonologically related to a semantic associate of the cue (e.g., ROW-GOAT). How often each cue word and its paired associate were presented prior to the memory test was manipulated (0, 3, or 5 times) to test effects of repetition priming. Results showed repetitions had no effect on rates of context-based listening or false hearing. However, repetition did significantly increase sensory information as a basis for metacognitive judgments in young and older adults. This pattern suggests that semantic priming dominates as the basis for false hearing and highlights context and sensory information operating as qualitatively different bases for listening and metacognition.

Direct writing of sub-wavelength ripples on silicon using femtosecond laser at high repetition rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Changxin; Li, Xiaohong; Liu, Kaijun; Zhu, Min; Qiu, Rong; Zhou, Qiang

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The NSRs and DSRs are obtained on silicon surface. • With increasing direct writing speed, the NSRs suddenly changes and becomes the DSRs. • We develop a Sipe–Drude interference theory by considering the thermal excitation. - Abstract: The near sub-wavelength and deep sub-wavelength ripples on monocrystalline silicon were formed in air by using linearly polarized and high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses (f = 76 MHz, λ = 800 nm, τ = 50 fs). The effects of laser pulse energy, direct writing speed and laser polarization on silicon surface morphology are studied. When the laser pulse energy is 2 nJ/pulse and the direct writing speed varies from 10 to 25 mm/s, the near sub-wavelength ripples (NSRs) with orientation perpendicular to the laser polarization are generated. While the direct writing speed reaches 30 mm/s, the direction of the obtained deep sub-wavelength ripples (DSRs) suddenly changes and becomes parallel to the laser polarization, rarely reported so far for femtosecond laser irradiation of silicon. Meanwhile, we extend the Sipe–Drude interference theory by considering the thermal excitation, and numerically calculate the efficacy factor for silicon irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses. The revised Sipe–Drude interference theoretical results show good agreement with the periods and orientations of sub-wavelength ripples.

Repetition and Emotive Communication in Music Versus Speech

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Hellmuth eMargulis

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Music and speech are often placed alongside one another as comparative cases. Their relative overlaps and disassociations have been well explored (e.g. Patel, 2010. But one key attribute distinguishing these two domains has often been overlooked: the greater preponderance of repetition in music in comparison to speech. Recent fMRI studies have shown that familiarity – achieved through repetition – is a critical component of emotional engagement with music (Pereira et al., 2011. If repetition is fundamental to emotional responses to music, and repetition is a key distinguisher between the domains of music and speech, then close examination of the phenomenon of repetition might help clarify the ways that music elicits emotion differently than speech.

Feature-based motion control for near-repetitive structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Best, de J.J.T.H.

2011-01-01

In many manufacturing processes, production steps are carried out on repetitive structures which consist of identical features placed in a repetitive pattern. In the production of these repetitive structures one or more consecutive steps are carried out on the features to create the final product.

Interspersion of highly repetitive DNA with single copy DNA in the genome of the red crab, Geryon quinquedens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christie, N.T. (Univ. of Tennessee, Oak Ridge); Skinner, D.M.

1979-02-01

Kinetic analysis of the reassociation of 420 nucleotide (NT) long fragments has shown that essentially all of the repetitive sequences of the DNA of the red crab Geryon quinquedens are highly repetitive. There are negligible amounts of low and intermediate repetitive DNAs. Though atypical of most eukaryotes, this pattern has been observed in al other brachyurans (true crabs) studied. The major repetitive component is subdivided into short runs of 300 NT and longer runs of greater than 1200 NT while the minor component has an average sequence length of 400 NT. Both components reassociate at rates commonly observed for satellite DNAs. Unique among eukaryotes the organization of the genome includes single copy DNA contiguous to short runs (300 NT) of both repetitive components. Although patent satellites are not present, subsets of the repetitive DNA have been isolated by either restriction endonuclease digestion or by centrifugation in Ag/sup +/ or Hg/sup 2 +//Cs/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ density gradients.

Relationship to carcinogenesis of repetitive low-dose radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ootsuyama, Akira

2016-01-01

We studied the carcinogenic effects caused by repetitive irradiation at a low dose, which has received attention in recent years, and examined the experimental methods used to evaluate radiation-induced carcinogenesis. For this experiment, we selected a mouse with as few autochthonous cancers as possible. Skin cancer was selected as the target for analysis, because it is a rare cancer in mice. Beta-rays were selected as the radiation source. The advantage of using beta-rays is weaker penetration power into tissues, thus protecting organs, such as the digestive and hematogenous organs. The benefit of our experimental method is that only skin cancer requires monitoring, and it is possible to perform long-term experiments. The back skin of mice was exposed repetitively to beta-rays three times a week until the occurrence of cancer or death, and the dose per exposure ranged from 0.5 to 11.8 Gy. With the high-dose range (2.5-11.8 Gy), the latency period and carcinogenic rate were almost the same in each experimental group. When the dose was reduced to 1-1.5 Gy, the latency period increased, but the carcinogenic rate remained. When the dose was further reduced to 0.5 Gy, skin cancer never happened, even though we continued irradiation until death of the last mouse in this group. The lifespan of 0.5 Gy group mice was the same as that of the controls. We showed that the 0.5 Gy dose did not cause cancer, even in mice exposed repetitively throughout their life span, and thus refer to 0.5 Gy as the threshold-like dose. (author)

Periodic structures on germanium induced by high repetition rate femtosecond laser

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xiaoming; Li, Xiaohong; Zhang, Yanbin; Xie, Changxin; Liu, Kaijun; Zhou, Qiang

2018-05-01

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are studied on germanium surface in air by the femtosecond pulsed laser with repetition frequency of 76 MHz and wavelength λ of 800 nm. Three types of LIPSS were found and they are low-spatial-frequency LIPSS (LSFL), high-spatial-frequency LIPSS (HSFL), and LSFL superimposed with HSFL. The period ΛLSFL of LSFL shrinks quickly from approximately 650 nm to 400 nm (∼λ/2) when lowering the scanning speed. Comparatively, the period ΛHSFL of HSFL keeps almost constant between 90 and 100 nm (∼λ/8) when the scanning speed and the laser pulse energy vary. LSFL and HSFL coexist when the laser pulse energy is around 3.3 nJ/pulse and the scanning speed ranges between 3 and 8 mm/s. The surface plasmon polariton waves make a contribution to the formation of LIPSS and the fourth harmonic generation (FHG) might be involved in the formation of HSFL.

Differentiating youth who are bullied from other victims of peer-aggression: the importance of differential power and repetition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ybarra, Michele L; Espelage, Dorothy L; Mitchell, Kimberly J

2014-08-01

To examine whether (1) among youth who report being bullied, differential power and repetition are useful in identifying youth who are more or less affected by the victimization experience and (2) bullying and more generalized peer aggression are distinct or overlapping constructs. Data for the Teen Health and Technology study were collected online between August 2010 and January 2011 from 3,989 13- to 18-year-olds. Data from the Growing up with Media study (Wave 3) were collected online in 2008 from 1,157 12- to 17-year-olds. In the Teen Health and Technology study, youth who reported neither differential power nor repetition had the lowest rates of interference with daily functioning. Youth who reported either differential power or repetition had higher rates, but the highest rates of interference with daily functioning were observed among youth who reported both differential power and repetition. In the Growing up with Media study, youth were victims of online generalized peer aggression (30%) or both online generalized peer aggression and cyberbullying (16%) but rarely cyberbullying alone (1%). Both differential power and repetition are key in identifying youth who are bullied and at particular risk for concurrent psychosocial challenge. Each feature needs to be measured directly. Generalized peer aggression appears to be a broader form of violence compared with bullying. It needs to be recognized that youth who are victimized but do not meet the criteria of bullying have elevated rates of problems. They are an important, albeit nonbullied, group of victimized youth to be included in research. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute electroconvulsive therapy followed by maintenance electroconvulsive therapy decreases hospital re-admission rates of older patients with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Shelef, Assaf; Mazeh, Doron; Berger, Uri; Baruch, Yehuda; Barak, Yoram

2015-06-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for patients with severe mental illness (SMI). Maintenance ECT (M-ECT) is required for many elderly patients experiencing severe recurrent forms of mood disorders, whereas M-ECT for schizophrenia patients is a poorly studied treatment. We report on the outcomes in aged patients with SMI: schizophrenia and severe affective disorders treated by M-ECT of varying duration to prevent relapse after a successful course of acute ECT. The study measured the effectiveness of M-ECT in preventing hospital readmissions and reducing admission days. A retrospective chart review of 42 consecutive patients comparing the number and length of psychiatric admissions before and after the start of M-ECT was used. We analyzed diagnoses, previous ECT treatments, number of ECT treatments, and number and length of psychiatric admissions before and after M-ECT. Mean age in our sample was 71.5 (6.9) years. Twenty-two (52%) patients experienced severe affective disorders and 20 (48%) experienced schizophrenia. Patients were administered 92.8 (85.9) M-ECT treatments. Average duration of the M-ECT course was 34 (29.8) months. There were on average 1.88 admissions before M-ECT and only 0.38 admissions in the M-ECT period (P < 0.001). Duration of mean hospitalization stay decreased from 215.9 to 12.4 days during the M-ECT (P < 0.01). Our findings suggest that acute ECT followed by M-ECT is highly effective in selected elderly patients with SMIs.

Grade Repetition and Primary School Dropout in Uganda

Science.gov (United States)

Kabay, Sarah

2016-01-01

Research on education in low-income countries rarely focuses on grade repetition. When addressed, repetition is typically presented along with early school dropout as the "wasting" of educational resources. Simplifying grade repetition in this way often fails to recognize significant methodological concerns and also overlooks the unique…

Analogous selection processes in declarative and procedural working memory: N-2 list-repetition and task-repetition costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gade, Miriam; Souza, Alessandra S; Druey, Michel D; Oberauer, Klaus

2017-01-01

Working memory (WM) holds and manipulates representations for ongoing cognition. Oberauer (Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 51, 45-100, 2009) distinguishes between two analogous WM sub-systems: a declarative WM which handles the objects of thought, and a procedural WM which handles the representations of (cognitive) actions. Here, we assessed whether analogous effects are observed when participants switch between memory sets (declarative representations) and when they switch between task sets (procedural representations). One mechanism assumed to facilitate switching in procedural WM is the inhibition of previously used, but currently irrelevant task sets, as indexed by n-2 task-repetition costs (Mayr & Keele, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 129(1), 4-26, 2000). In this study we tested for an analogous effect in declarative WM. We assessed the evidence for n-2 list-repetition costs across eight experiments in which participants switched between memory lists to perform speeded classifications, mental arithmetic, or a local recognition test. N-2 list-repetition costs were obtained consistently in conditions assumed to increase interference between memory lists, and when lists formed chunks in long-term memory. Further analyses across experiments revealed a substantial contribution of episodic memory to n-2 list-repetition costs, thereby questioning the interpretation of n-2 repetition costs as reflecting inhibition. We reanalyzed the data of eight task-switching experiments, and observed that episodic memory also contributes to n-2 task-repetition costs. Taken together, these results show analogous processing principles in declarative and procedural WM, and question the relevance of inhibitory processes for efficient switching between mental sets.

The Golden Ratio of Gait Harmony: Repetitive Proportions of Repetitive Gait Phases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Iosa

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In nature, many physical and biological systems have structures showing harmonic properties. Some of them were found related to the irrational number known as the golden ratio that has important symmetric and harmonic properties. In this study, the spatiotemporal gait parameters of 25 healthy subjects were analyzed using a stereophotogrammetric system with 25 retroreflective markers located on their skin. The proportions of gait phases were compared with , the value of which is about 1.6180. The ratio between the entire gait cycle and stance phase resulted in 1.620 ± 0.058, that between stance and the swing phase was 1.629 ± 0.173, and that between swing and the double support phase was 1.684 ± 0.357. All these ratios did not differ significantly from each other (, , repeated measure analysis of variance or from (, resp., t-tests. The repetitive gait phases of physiological walking were found in turn in repetitive proportions with each other, revealing an intrinsic harmonic structure. Harmony could be the key for facilitating the control of repetitive walking. Harmony is a powerful unifying factor between seemingly disparate fields of nature, including human gait.

Effect of loading on unintentional lifting velocity declines during single sets of repetitions to failure during upper and lower extremity muscle actions.

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo, M; González-Badillo, J J; Häkkinen, K; Ibáñez, J; Kraemer, W J; Altadill, A; Eslava, J; Gorostiaga, E M

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different loads on repetition speed during single sets of repetitions to failure in bench press and parallel squat. Thirty-six physical active men performed 1-repetition maximum in a bench press (1 RM (BP)) and half squat position (1 RM (HS)), and performed maximal power-output continuous repetition sets randomly every 10 days until failure with a submaximal load (60 %, 65 %, 70 %, and 75 % of 1RM, respectively) during bench press and parallel squat. Average velocity of each repetition was recorded by linking a rotary encoder to the end part of the bar. The values of 1 RM (BP) and 1 RM (HS) were 91 +/- 17 and 200 +/- 20 kg, respectively. The number of repetitions performed for a given percentage of 1RM was significantly higher (p bench press performance. Average repetition velocity decreased at a greater rate in bench press than in parallel squat. The significant reductions observed in the average repetition velocity (expressed as a percentage of the average velocity achieved during the initial repetition) were observed at higher percentage of the total number of repetitions performed in parallel squat (48 - 69 %) than in bench press (34 - 40 %) actions. The major finding in this study was that, for a given muscle action (bench press or parallel squat), the pattern of reduction in the relative average velocity achieved during each repetition and the relative number of repetitions performed was the same for all percentages of 1RM tested. However, relative average velocity decreased at a greater rate in bench press than in parallel squat performance. This would indicate that in bench press the significant reductions observed in the average repetition velocity occurred when the number of repetitions was over one third (34 %) of the total number of repetitions performed, whereas in parallel squat it was nearly one half (48 %). Conceptually, this would indicate that for a given exercise (bench press or squat) and

Subjective duration distortions mirror neural repetition suppression.

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Pariyadath, Vani; Eagleman, David M

2012-01-01

Subjective duration is strongly influenced by repetition and novelty, such that an oddball stimulus in a stream of repeated stimuli appears to last longer in duration in comparison. We hypothesize that this duration illusion, called the temporal oddball effect, is a result of the difference in expectation between the oddball and the repeated stimuli. Specifically, we conjecture that the repeated stimuli contract in duration as a result of increased predictability; these duration contractions, we suggest, result from decreased neural response amplitude with repetition, known as repetition suppression. Participants viewed trials consisting of lines presented at a particular orientation (standard stimuli) followed by a line presented at a different orientation (oddball stimulus). We found that the size of the oddball effect correlates with the number of repetitions of the standard stimulus as well as the amount of deviance from the oddball stimulus; both of these results are consistent with a repetition suppression hypothesis. Further, we find that the temporal oddball effect is sensitive to experimental context--that is, the size of the oddball effect for a particular experimental trial is influenced by the range of duration distortions seen in preceding trials. Our data suggest that the repetition-related duration contractions causing the oddball effect are a result of neural repetition suppression. More generally, subjective duration may reflect the prediction error associated with a stimulus and, consequently, the efficiency of encoding that stimulus. Additionally, we emphasize that experimental context effects need to be taken into consideration when designing duration-related tasks.

Subjective duration distortions mirror neural repetition suppression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vani Pariyadath

Full Text Available Subjective duration is strongly influenced by repetition and novelty, such that an oddball stimulus in a stream of repeated stimuli appears to last longer in duration in comparison. We hypothesize that this duration illusion, called the temporal oddball effect, is a result of the difference in expectation between the oddball and the repeated stimuli. Specifically, we conjecture that the repeated stimuli contract in duration as a result of increased predictability; these duration contractions, we suggest, result from decreased neural response amplitude with repetition, known as repetition suppression.Participants viewed trials consisting of lines presented at a particular orientation (standard stimuli followed by a line presented at a different orientation (oddball stimulus. We found that the size of the oddball effect correlates with the number of repetitions of the standard stimulus as well as the amount of deviance from the oddball stimulus; both of these results are consistent with a repetition suppression hypothesis. Further, we find that the temporal oddball effect is sensitive to experimental context--that is, the size of the oddball effect for a particular experimental trial is influenced by the range of duration distortions seen in preceding trials.Our data suggest that the repetition-related duration contractions causing the oddball effect are a result of neural repetition suppression. More generally, subjective duration may reflect the prediction error associated with a stimulus and, consequently, the efficiency of encoding that stimulus. Additionally, we emphasize that experimental context effects need to be taken into consideration when designing duration-related tasks.

Tunable, high-repetition-rate, dual-signal-wavelength femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on BiB3O6

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Meng, Xianghao; Wang, Zhaohua; Tian, Wenlong; Fang, Shaobo; Wei, Zhiyi

2018-01-01

We have demonstrated a high-repetition-rate tunable femtosecond dual-signal-wavelength optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on BiB3O6 (BiBO) crystal, synchronously pumped by a frequency-doubled mode-locked Yb:KGW laser. The cavity is simple since no dispersion compensators are used in the cavity. The wavelength range of dual-signal is widely tunable from 710 to 1000 nm. Tuning is accomplished by rotating phase-matching angle of BiBO, and optimizing cavity length and output coupler. Using a 3.75 W pump laser, the maximum average dual-signal output power is 760 mW at 707 and 750 nm, leading to a conversion efficiency of 20.3% not taking into account the idler power. Our experimental results show a non-critical phase-matching configuration pumped by a high peak power laser source. The operation of the dual-signal benefits from the balance of phase matching and group velocity mismatching between the two signals.

500 MW peak power degenerated optical parametric amplifier delivering 52 fs pulses at 97 kHz repetition rate.

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Rothhardt, J; Hädrich, S; Röser, F; Limpert, J; Tünnermann, A

2008-06-09

We present a high peak power degenerated parametric amplifier operating at 1030 nm and 97 kHz repetition rate. Pulses of a state-of-the art fiber chirped-pulse amplification (FCPA) system with 840 fs pulse duration and 410 microJ pulse energy are used as pump and seed source for a two stage optical parametric amplifier. Additional spectral broadening of the seed signal in a photonic crystal fiber creates enough bandwidth for ultrashort pulse generation. Subsequent amplification of the broadband seed signal in two 1 mm BBO crystals results in 41 microJ output pulse energy. Compression in a SF 11 prism compressor yields 37 microJ pulses as short as 52 fs. Thus, pulse shortening of more than one order of magnitude is achieved. Further scaling in terms of average power and pulse energy seems possible and will be discussed, since both concepts involved, the fiber laser and the parametric amplifier have the reputation to be immune against thermo-optical effects.

Test-Retest Reliability of Rating of Perceived Exertion and Agreement With 1-Repetition Maximum in Adults.

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Bove, Allyn M; Lynch, Andrew D; DePaul, Samantha M; Terhorst, Lauren; Irrgang, James J; Fitzgerald, G Kelley

2016-09-01

Study Design Clinical measurement. Background It has been suggested that rating of perceived exertion (RPE) may be a useful alternative to 1-repetition maximum (1RM) to determine proper resistance exercise dosage. However, the test-retest reliability of RPE for resistance exercise has not been determined. Additionally, prior research regarding the relationship between 1RM and RPE is conflicting. Objectives The purpose of this study was to (1) determine test-retest reliability of RPE related to resistance exercise and (2) assess agreement between percentages of 1RM and RPE during quadriceps resistance exercise. Methods A sample of participants with and without knee pathology completed a series of knee extension exercises and rated the perceived difficulty of each exercise on a 0-to-10 RPE scale, then repeated the procedure 1 to 2 weeks later for test-retest reliability. To determine agreement between RPE and 1RM, participants completed knee extension exercises at various percentages of their 1RM (10% to 130% of predicted 1RM) and rated the perceived difficulty of each exercise on a 0-to-10 RPE scale. Percent agreement was calculated between the 1RM and RPE at each resistance interval. Results The intraclass correlation coefficient indicated excellent test-retest reliability of RPE for quadriceps resistance exercises (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.895; 95% confidence interval: 0.866, 0.918). Overall percent agreement between RPE and 1RM was 60%, but agreement was poor within the ranges that would typically be used for training (50% 1RM for muscle endurance, 70% 1RM and greater for strength). Conclusion Test-retest reliability of perceived exertion during quadriceps resistance exercise was excellent. However, agreement between the RPE and 1RM was poor, especially in common training zones for knee extensor strengthening. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(9):768-774. Epub 5 Aug 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6498.

Shock-tube study of the decomposition of tetramethylsilane using gas chromatography and high-repetition-rate time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Sela, P; Peukert, S; Herzler, J; Fikri, M; Schulz, C

2018-04-25

The decomposition of tetramethylsilane was studied in shock-tube experiments in a temperature range of 1270-1580 K and pressures ranging from 1.5 to 2.3 bar behind reflected shock waves combining gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and high-repetition-rate time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HRR-TOF-MS). The main observed products were methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6), and acetylene (C2H2). In addition, the formation of a solid deposit was observed, which was identified to consist of silicon- and carbon-containing nanoparticles. A kinetics sub-mechanism with 13 silicon species and 20 silicon-containing reactions was developed. It was combined with the USC_MechII mechanism for hydrocarbons, which was able to simulate the experimental observations. The main decomposition channel of TMS is the Si-C bond scission forming methyl (CH3) and trimethylsilyl radicals (Si(CH3)3). The rate constant for TMS decomposition is represented by the Arrhenius expression ktotal[TMS → products] = 5.9 × 1012 exp(-267 kJ mol-1/RT) s-1.

The Developmental Trajectory of Nonword Repetition

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Chiat, Shula

2006-01-01

In line with the original presentation of nonword repetition as a measure of phonological short-term memory (Gathercole & Baddeley, 1989), the theoretical account Gathercole (2006) puts forward in her Keynote Article focuses on phonological storage as the key capacity common to nonword repetition and vocabulary acquisition. However, evidence that…

Global Repetition Influences Contextual Cueing

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Zang, Xuelian; Zinchenko, Artyom; Jia, Lina; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

Our visual system has a striking ability to improve visual search based on the learning of repeated ambient regularities, an effect named contextual cueing. Whereas most of the previous studies investigated contextual cueing effect with the same number of repeated and non-repeated search displays per block, the current study focused on whether a global repetition frequency formed by different presentation ratios between the repeated and non-repeated configurations influence contextual cueing effect. Specifically, the number of repeated and non-repeated displays presented in each block was manipulated: 12:12, 20:4, 4:20, and 4:4 in Experiments 1–4, respectively. The results revealed a significant contextual cueing effect when the global repetition frequency is high (≥1:1 ratio) in Experiments 1, 2, and 4, given that processing of repeated displays was expedited relative to non-repeated displays. Nevertheless, the contextual cueing effect reduced to a non-significant level when the repetition frequency reduced to 4:20 in Experiment 3. These results suggested that the presentation frequency of repeated relative to the non-repeated displays could influence the strength of contextual cueing. In other words, global repetition statistics could be a crucial factor to mediate contextual cueing effect. PMID:29636716

Imbalance between abstract and concrete repetitive thinking modes in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Maurage, Pierre; Philippot, Pierre; Grynberg, Delphine; Leleux, Dominique; Delatte, Benoît; Mangelinckx, Camille; Belge, Jan-Baptist; Constant, Eric

2017-10-01

Repetitive thoughts can be divided in two modes: abstract/analytic (decontextualized and dysfunctional) and concrete/experiential (problem-focused and adaptive). They constitute a transdiagnostic process involved in many psychopathological states but have received little attention in schizophrenia, as earlier studies only indexed increased ruminations (related to dysfunctional repetitive thoughts) without jointly exploring both modes. This study explored the two repetitive thinking modes, beyond ruminations, to determine their imbalance in schizophrenia. Thirty stabilized patients with schizophrenia and 30 matched controls completed the Repetitive Response Scale and the Mini Cambridge-Exeter Repetitive Thought Scale, both measuring repetitive thinking modes. Complementary measures related to schizophrenic symptomatology, depression and anxiety were also conducted. Compared to controls, patients with schizophrenia presented an imbalance between repetitive thinking modes, with increased abstract/analytic and reduced concrete/experiential thoughts, even after controlling for comorbidities. Schizophrenia is associated with stronger dysfunctional repetitive thoughts (i.e. abstract thinking) and impaired ability to efficiently use repetitive thinking for current problem-solving (i.e. concrete thinking). This imbalance confirms the double-faced nature of repetitive thinking modes, whose influence on schizophrenia's symptomatology should be further investigated. The present results also claim for evaluating these processes in clinical settings and for rehabilitating the balance between opposite repetitive thinking modes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seasonality of hospital admissions and birth dates among inpatients with eating disorders: a nationwide population-based retrospective study.

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Liang, Chih-Sung; Chung, Chi-Hsiang; Tsai, Chia-Kuang; Chien, Wu-Chien

2018-04-01

Seasonal variation exists in the psychopathology of eating disorders. However, it is still unknown whether there is seasonal variation in eating disorder symptom severity. This study investigated seasonal trends in hospital admissions and birth dates among patients with eating disorders in Taiwan (25°N). Subgroup analyses by gender and comorbid affective disorders were also of interest. Data on all hospital admissions between 2000 and 2013 were collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, and 1954 patients with eating disorders were identified. Hospital admissions and birth dates were recorded by day. The four seasons and cross-seasons were defined by solstices and equinoxes. The expected distribution of births was determined using data from all patients hospitalized from 2000 to 2013 (n = 13,139,306). Hospital admissions among patients with eating disorders exceeded the rate of expected hospital admissions in the summer season (p distributions of birth dates among these patients did not differ from the expected distributions. Interestingly, hospital admissions among patients with comorbid affective disorders exceeded the rates of hospital admissions among non-affective patients during the spring (p = 0.004). Moreover, the number of non-affective patients born during autumn exceeded the birth rates of affective patients during this season (p = 0.001). Gender and comorbid affective disorders were not associated with cross-seasonal differences in either hospitalizations or dates of birth. Affective psychopathology in inpatients with eating disorders may substantially contribute to symptom severity that waxes and wanes with the seasons. Moreover, the seasonal distribution of birth dates was significantly different in patients without comorbid affective disorders.

Cardiovascular diseases-related hospital admissions of patients with inflammatory arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ursum, J.; Nielen, M.M.J.; Twisk, J.W.R.; Peters, M.J.L.; Schellevis, F.G.; Nurmohamed, M.T.; Korevaar, J.C.

2015-01-01

Objective: Patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), suggesting a high rate of CVD-related hospitalizations, but data on this topic are limited. Our study addressed hospital admissions for CVD in a primary care-based population of patients

Direct electron acceleration in plasma waveguides for compact high-repetition-rate x-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, M-W; Jovanovic, I

2014-01-01

Numerous applications in fundamental and applied research, security, and industry require robust, compact sources of x-rays, with a particular recent interest in monochromatic, spatially coherent, and ultrafast x-ray pulses in well-collimated beams. Such x-ray sources usually require production of high-quality electron beams from compact accelerators. Guiding a radially polarized laser pulse in a plasma waveguide has been proposed for realizing direct laser acceleration (DLA), where the electrons are accelerated by the axial electric field of a co-propagating laser pulse (Serafim et al 2000 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 28 1190). A moderate laser peak power is required for DLA when compared to laser wakefield acceleration, thus offering the prospect for high repetition rate operation. By using a density-modulated plasma waveguide for DLA, the acceleration distance can be extended with pulse guiding, while the density-modulation with proper axial structure can realize the quasi-phase matching between the laser pulses and electrons for a net gain accumulation (York et al 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 195001; York et al 2008 J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 25 B137; Palastro et al 2008 Phys. Rev. E 77 036405). We describe the development and application of a test particle model and particle-in-cell model for DLA. Experimental setups designed for fabrication of optically tailored plasma waveguides via the ignitor-heater scheme, and for generation and characterization of radially polarized short pulses used to drive DLA, are presented. (paper)

Hospital readmission performance and patterns of readmission: retrospective cohort study of Medicare admissions

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Angela F; Lin, Zhenqiu; Bueno, Héctor; Ross, Joseph S; Horwitz, Leora I; Barreto-Filho, José Augusto; Kim, Nancy; Suter, Lisa G; Bernheim, Susannah M; Drye, Elizabeth E; Krumholz, Harlan M

2013-01-01

Objectives To determine whether high performing hospitals with low 30 day risk standardized readmission rates have a lower proportion of readmissions from specific diagnoses and time periods after admission or instead have a similar distribution of readmission diagnoses and timing to lower performing institutions. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. Participants Patients aged 65 and older who were readmitted within 30 days after hospital admission for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, or pneumonia in 2007-09. Main outcome measures Readmission diagnoses were classified with a modified version of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ condition categories, and readmission timing was classified by day (0-30) after hospital discharge. Hospital 30 day risk standardized readmission rates over the three years of study were calculated with public reporting methods of the US federal government, and hospitals were categorized with bootstrap analysis as having high, average, or low readmission performance for each index condition. High and low performing hospitals had ≥95% probability of having an interval estimate respectively less than or greater than the national 30 day readmission rate over the three year period of study. All remaining hospitals were considered average performers. Results For readmissions in the 30 days after the index admission, there were 320 003 after 1 291 211 admissions for heart failure (4041 hospitals), 102 536 after 517 827 admissions for acute myocardial infarction (2378 hospitals), and 208 438 after 1 135 932 admissions for pneumonia (4283 hospitals). The distribution of readmissions by diagnosis was similar across categories of hospital performance for all three conditions. High performing hospitals had fewer readmissions for all common diagnoses. Median time to readmission was similar by hospital performance for heart failure and acute myocardial

Optimal admission to higher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albæk, Karsten

2016-01-01

that documents the relevance of theory and illustrates how to apply optimal admission procedures. Indirect gains from optimal admission procedures include the potential for increasing entire cohorts of students' probability of graduating with a higher education degree, thereby increasing the skill level...

Genomic Organization and Physical Mapping of Tandemly Arranged Repetitive DNAs in Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus).

Science.gov (United States)

Biltueva, Larisa S; Prokopov, Dimitry Y; Makunin, Alexey I; Komissarov, Alexey S; Kudryavtseva, Anna V; Lemskaya, Natalya A; Vorobieva, Nadezhda V; Serdyukova, Natalia A; Romanenko, Svetlana A; Gladkikh, Olga L; Graphodatsky, Alexander S; Trifonov, Vladimir A

2017-01-01

Acipenseriformes represent a phylogenetically basal clade of ray-finned fish characterized by unusual genomic traits, including paleopolyploid states of extant genomes with high chromosome numbers and slow rates of molecular evolution. Despite a high interest in this fish group, only a limited number of studies have been accomplished on the isolation and characterization of repetitive DNA, karyotype standardization is not yet complete, and sex chromosomes are still to be identified. Here, we applied next-generation sequencing and cluster analysis to characterize major fractions of sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) repetitive DNA. Using FISH, we mapped 16 tandemly arranged sequences on sterlet chromosomes and found them to be unevenly distributed in the genome with a tendency to cluster in particular regions. Some of the satellite DNAs might be used as specific markers to identify individual chromosomes and their paralogs, resulting in the unequivocal identification of at least 18 chromosome pairs. Our results provide an insight into the characteristic genomic distribution of the most common sterlet repetitive sequences. Biased accumulation of repetitive DNAs in particular chromosomes makes them especially interesting for further search for cryptic sex chromosomes. Future studies of these sequences in other acipenserid species will provide new perspectives regarding the evolution of repetitive DNA within the genomes of this fish order. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Regional variation in rates of pediatric perforated appendicitis.

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Sarda, Samir; Short, Heather L; Hockenberry, Jason M; McCarthy, Ian; Raval, Mehul V

2017-09-01

While trends in perforated appendicitis (PA) rates have been studied, regional variability in pediatric admissions for PA remains unknown. A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of the 2006-2012 Kids' Inpatient Database was conducted to examine variation in PA admission rates by region of the United States and insurance status. PA rates were calculated and reported as per 1000 admissions in accordance with national quality measure specifications. National PA rates per 1000 admissions for 2006, 2009, and 2012 were 313.9, 279.2, and 309.1, respectively. Similarly, all regions demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in PA rates between 2006 and 2009 (pappendicitis, geographic region and insurance status appear to be associated with perforation upon presentation. Understanding regional variation in pediatric PA rates may inform health policymakers in the constantly evolving insurance coverage landscape. Level III Treatment Study - Retrospective comparative study of appendicitis presentation in children by region of the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Air Pollution on Cardiovascular and Respiratory Causes of Emergency Admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahi, Ali Mohammad; Omraninava, Ali; Goli, Mitra; Soheilarezoomand, Hamid Reza; Mirzaei, Nader

2014-01-01

Today, air pollution is one of the critical problems in metropolitans and necessary preparations are needed for confronting this crisis. The present study was based on the goal of determining the relationship of air pollutant levels with the rate of emergency admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular patients. In the present retrospective cross-sectional study, all respiratory and cardiovascular patients, referred to emergency department during 2012, were assessed. The meteorological and air pollution data were collected. Information regarding the numbers and dates (month, day) of admission for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases was achieved from the hospital's electronic registration system. The relation of air pollution and respiratory and cardiovascular admissions were analyzed by generalize additive model (GAM). 5922 patients were assessed which included 4048 (68.36%) cardiovascular and 1874 (31.64%) respiratory. Carbon monoxide (CO) level was an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease on the same day (RR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.25- 1.77; Prespiratory admissions. The increased level of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) like O3 led to growth in the admissions to emergency department. The findings of the present study suggested that rising levels of CO and O3 during two days leads to a significant increase in cardiovascular admission on the third day. Furthermore, increase in O3, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and CO levels causes a rise in respiratory admissions to emergency department.

Coarse Particulate Air Pollution Associated with Increased Risk of Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Diseases in a Tropical City, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Meng-Hsuan; Chiu, Hui-Fen; Yang, Chun-Yuh

2015-10-16

This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an association between coarse particles (PM₂.₅-₁₀) levels and frequency of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases (RD) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Hospital admissions for RD including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and pneumonia, and ambient air pollution data levels for Kaohsiung were obtained for the period from 2006 to 2010. The relative risk of hospital admissions for RD was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. For the single pollutant model (without adjustment for other pollutants), increased rate of admissions for RD were significantly associated with higher coarse PM levels only on cool days (pollutant models, PM₂.₅-₁₀ levels remained significantly correlated with higher rate of RD admissions even controlling for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, or ozone on cool days. This study provides evidence that higher levels of PM₂.₅-₁₀ enhance the risk of hospital admissions for RD on cool days.

Hospital admissions in children with down syndrome: experience of a population-based cohort followed from birth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Fitzgerald

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Children with Down syndrome, the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, are prone to multiple and varied health-related problems. This study describes patterns of hospitalisations for children and young people with Down syndrome in Western Australia. METHODS: Birth records were linked to the Western Australian population-based Intellectual Disability database to identify all children born with Down syndrome in Western Australia between 1 January, 1983 and 31 December, 1999. These records were linked to the Hospital Morbidity Data System to provide information on all hospitalisations up to 31 December, 2004. Hospitalisation data, coded using ICD-9CM or ICD-10 (v0.5 were grouped into clinically relevant categories using the primary diagnosis. Rates of hospital admission for all and specific diagnoses were expressed in 1000-person-years at-risk and median age at first admission and length of stay were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 405 children, 395 had one or more hospital admissions, totalling 3786 admissions for all children and an estimated 39.5 person-years in hospital. On average, children were admitted 9.7 times, with an estimated rate of 757.2 admissions per 1000pyr (95% CI: 680, 843. A quarter of all admissions occurred in the first year of life. The average hospital length of stay was 3.8 days (95% CI: 3.7, 4.1. Upper respiratory tract conditions affected the most children (58.5% and accounted for 12.1% of all admissions. Other disorders which affected a high percentage of children were ear/hearing conditions (50.6%, disorders of the oral cavity (38.0% and lower respiratory tract conditions (37.5%. Overall, children with Down syndrome were hospitalised at a rate five times (95% CI = 4.3-6.2 that of the general population. CONCLUSION: Children with Down syndrome are at increased risk of morbidity for varied causes underlining the importance of comprehensive and targeted primary care for this group.

Repetitive thinking, executive functioning, and depressive mood in the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Philippot, Pierre; Agrigoroaei, Stefan

2017-11-01

Previous findings and the depressive-executive dysfunction hypothesis suggest that the established association between executive functioning and depression is accounted for by repetitive thinking. Investigating the association between executive functioning, repetitive thinking, and depressive mood, the present study empirically tested this mediational model in a sample of older adults, while focusing on both concrete and abstract repetitive thinking. This latter distinction is important given the potential protective role of concrete repetitive thinking, in contrast to the depletive effect of abstract repetitive thinking. A sample of 43 elderly volunteers, between 75 and 95 years of age, completed tests of executive functioning (the Stroop test, the Trail Making test, and the Fluency test), and questionnaires of repetitive thinking and depression. Positive correlations were observed between abstract repetitive thinking and depressive mood, and between concrete repetitive thinking and executive functioning; a negative correlation was observed between depressive mood and executive functioning. Further, mediational analysis evidenced that the relation between executive functioning and depressive mood was mediated by abstract repetitive thinking. The present data provide, for the first time, empirical support to the depressive-executive dysfunction hypothesis: the lack of executive resources would favor a mode of abstract repetitive thinking, which in turn would deplete mood. It suggests that clinical intervention targeting depression in the elderly should take into consideration repetitive thinking modes and the executive resources needed to disengage from rumination.

Effects of message repetition and negativity on credibility judgments and political attitudes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ernst, N.; Kühne, R.; Wirth, W.

2017-01-01

Research on the truth effect has demonstrated that statements are rated as more credible when they are repeatedly presented. However, current research indicates that there are limits to the truth effect and that too many repetitions can decrease message credibility. This study investigates whether

Psychiatric admissions fall following the Christchurch earthquakes: an audit of inpatient data.

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Beaglehole, Ben; Bell, Caroline; Beveridge, John; Frampton, Chris

2015-04-01

Following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, there was the widespread perception that the demand for inpatient mental health services would increase. However, our clinical observation was to the contrary, with substantial reductions in inpatient utilisation being noted. We therefore examined psychiatric bed occupancy and admission data to improve understanding of the impact of the disaster on mental health services. We audited acute psychiatric bed occupancy and admission rates prior to and following a major earthquake. After the earthquake, total bed occupancy reduced from an average of 93% to 79%. Daily admissions also reduced by 20.2% for the 30 days following the earthquake. All diagnostic groups, with the exception of the 'Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders' category, contributed to the reduction. No rebound to increased occupancy or admissions was seen over the study period. The study confirmed our clinical observation that demand for acute inpatient psychiatric services were markedly reduced after the February 2011 earthquake. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

Coerced hospital admission and symptom change--a prospective observational multi-centre study.

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Thomas W Kallert

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Coerced admission to psychiatric hospitals, defined by legal status or patient's subjective experience, is common. Evidence on clinical outcomes however is limited. This study aimed to assess symptom change over a three month period following coerced admission and identify patient characteristics associated with outcomes. METHOD: At study sites in 11 European countries consecutive legally involuntary patients and patients with a legally voluntary admission who however felt coerced, were recruited and assessed by independent researchers within the first week after admission. Symptoms were assessed on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Patients were re-assessed after one and three months. RESULTS: The total sample consisted of 2326 legally coerced patients and 764 patients with a legally voluntary admission who felt coerced. Symptom levels significantly improved over time. In a multivariable analysis, higher baseline symptoms, being unemployed, living alone, repeated hospitalisation, being legally a voluntary patient but feeling coerced, and being initially less satisfied with treatment were all associated with less symptom improvement after one month and, other than initial treatment satisfaction, also after three months. The diagnostic group was not linked with outcomes. DISCUSSION: On average patients show significant but limited symptom improvements after coerced hospital admission, possibly reflecting the severity of the underlying illnesses. Social factors, but not the psychiatric diagnosis, appear important predictors of outcomes. Legally voluntary patients who feel coerced may have a poorer prognosis than legally involuntary patients and deserve attention in research and clinical practice.

Admission to acute care hospitals for adolescent substance abuse: a national descriptive analysis

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Chisolm Deena J

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Use of alcohol and illicit drugs by adolescents remains a problem in the U.S. Case identification and early treatment can occur within a broad variety of healthcare and non-healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals. The objective of this study is to describe the extent and nature of adolescent admissions to the acute inpatient setting for substance abuse (SA. We use the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ 2000 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids Inpatient Database (HCUP-KID which includes over 2.5 million admissions for youth age 20 and under to 2,784 hospitals in 27 states in the year 2000. Specifically, this analysis estimates national number of admissions, mean total charges, and mean lengths of stay for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 admitted to an acute care hospital for the following diagnostic categories from the AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software categories: "alcohol-related mental disorders" and "substance-related mental disorders". Frequency and percentage of total admissions were calculated for demographic variables of age, gender and income and for hospital characteristic variables of urban/rural designation and children's hospital designation. Results SA admissions represented 1.25 percent of adolescent admissions to acute care hospitals. Nearly 90 percent of the admission occurred in non-Children's hospitals. Most were for drug dependence (38% or non-dependent use of alcohol or drugs (35%. Costs were highest for drug dependence admissions. Nearly half of admissions had comorbid mental health diagnoses. Higher rates of admission were seen in boys, in older adolescents, and in "self-pay" patients. Alcohol and drug rehabilitation/detoxification, alone or in combination with psychological and psychiatric evaluation and therapy, was documented for 38 percent of admissions. Over 50 percent of cases had no documentation of treatment specific to substance use behavior

GHz-rate optical parametric amplifier in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ke-Yao; Foster, Amy C

2015-01-01

We demonstrate optical parametric amplification operating at GHz-rates at telecommunications wavelengths using a hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguide through the nonlinear optical process of four-wave mixing. We investigate how the parametric amplification scales with repetition rate. The ability to achieve amplification at GHz-repetition rates shows hydrogenated amorphous silicon’s potential for telecommunication applications and a GHz-rate optical parametric oscillator. (paper)

The Impact of Prematriculation Admission Characteristics on Graduation Rates in an Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Michael; Morin, Anna K

2015-10-25

Objective. To evaluate the impact of admission characteristics on graduation in an accelerated doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Methods. Selected prematriculation characteristics of students entering the graduation class years of 2009-2012 on the Worcester and Manchester campuses of MCPHS University were analyzed and compared for on-time graduation. Results. Eighty-two percent of evaluated students (699 of 852) graduated on time. Students who were most likely to graduate on-time attended a 4-year school, previously earned a bachelor's degree, had an overall prematriculation grade point average (GPA) greater than or equal to 3.6, and graduated in the spring just prior to matriculating to the university. Factors that reduced the likelihood of graduating on time were also identified. Work experience had a marginal impact on graduating on time. Conclusion. Although there is no certainty in college admission decisions, prematriculation characteristics can help predict the likelihood for academic success of students in an accelerated PharmD program.

Generation of fast-rise time, repetitive, (sub) nanosecond, high-voltage pulses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huiskamp, T.; Pemen, A.J.M.

2017-01-01

In this contribution we present our fast-rise time nanosecond pulse generator, capable of generating up to 50 kV (positive and negative) rectangular pulses at a repetition rate of up to 1 kHz and with a rise time of less than 200 picoseconds. We focus on the general concepts involved in the design

Causes of Hospital Admissions in Domus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skov Benthien, Kirstine; Nordly, Mie; von Heymann-Horan, Annika

2018-01-01

CONTEXT: Avoidable hospital admissions are important negative indicators of quality of end-of-life care. Specialized palliative care (SPC) may support patients remaining at home. OBJECTIVES: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate if SPC at home could prevent hospital admissions...... in patients with incurable cancer. METHODS: These are secondary results of Domus: a randomized controlled trial of accelerated transition to SPC with psychological intervention at home (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01885637). Participants were patients with incurable cancer and limited antineoplastic treatment...... significantly in overall potentially avoidable admissions. Both groups felt mostly safe about their place of care. CONCLUSION: The intervention did not prevent hospital admissions. Likely, any intervention effects were outweighed by increased identification of problems in the intervention group leading...

Directed PCR-free engineering of highly repetitive DNA sequences

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Preissler Steffen

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Highly repetitive nucleotide sequences are commonly found in nature e.g. in telomeres, microsatellite DNA, polyadenine (poly(A tails of eukaryotic messenger RNA as well as in several inherited human disorders linked to trinucleotide repeat expansions in the genome. Therefore, studying repetitive sequences is of biological, biotechnological and medical relevance. However, cloning of such repetitive DNA sequences is challenging because specific PCR-based amplification is hampered by the lack of unique primer binding sites resulting in unspecific products. Results For the PCR-free generation of repetitive DNA sequences we used antiparallel oligonucleotides flanked by restriction sites of Type IIS endonucleases. The arrangement of recognition sites allowed for stepwise and seamless elongation of repetitive sequences. This facilitated the assembly of repetitive DNA segments and open reading frames encoding polypeptides with periodic amino acid sequences of any desired length. By this strategy we cloned a series of polyglutamine encoding sequences as well as highly repetitive polyadenine tracts. Such repetitive sequences can be used for diverse biotechnological applications. As an example, the polyglutamine sequences were expressed as His6-SUMO fusion proteins in Escherichia coli cells to study their aggregation behavior in vitro. The His6-SUMO moiety enabled affinity purification of the polyglutamine proteins, increased their solubility, and allowed controlled induction of the aggregation process. We successfully purified the fusions proteins and provide an example for their applicability in filter retardation assays. Conclusion Our seamless cloning strategy is PCR-free and allows the directed and efficient generation of highly repetitive DNA sequences of defined lengths by simple standard cloning procedures.

Holistic Admissions in Nursing: We Can Do This.

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Glazer, Greer; Clark, Angela; Bankston, Karen; Danek, Jennifer; Fair, Malika; Michaels, Julia

2016-01-01

Research shows that holistic admissions review practices can increase diversity across students without decreasing the workforce preparedness and academic success of students. Therefore, many disciplines have readily adopted the widespread use of holistic admissions review. Despite its proven effectiveness in addressing student diversity, nursing has been slow to implement holistic admissions review. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the barriers to implementing holistic admissions review in nursing and the feasibility of adopting holistic admissions review across nursing programs. A biphasic qualitative research study was conducted with nursing deans from across the United States. Qualitative data collection consisted of two phases of focus group discussions conducted over a 3-month period. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The categories and subcategories identified in Phase 1 informed the discussion in Phase 2. One overarching category from Phase 1 was identified, which was the lack of nursing schools' knowledge regarding holistic admissions review. Four subcategories also identified in Phase 1 included the need for better dissemination of evidence, the need for additional support from university leaders and administrators, the need for legal guidance to facilitate implementation of holistic admissions review, and ensuring appropriate resources to support the holistic admissions review process. Three categories emerged in Phase 2, which included everyone's buy-in is required, the need for a model, and a need for training. The adoption of holistic admissions review in nursing may be feasible. However, certain barriers need to be overcome so that nursing schools can successfully take on this process. Therefore, five recommendations have been developed to assist nursing schools in the implementation of holistic admissions review. These recommendations include increasing knowledge and understanding of holistic

Holistic Admissions in Nursing: We Can Do This

Science.gov (United States)

GLAZER, GREER; CLARK, ANGELA; BANKSTON, KAREN; DANEK, JENNIFER; FAIR, MALIKA; MICHAELS, JULIA

2016-01-01

Research shows that holistic admissions review practices can increase diversity across students without decreasing the workforce preparedness and academic success of students. Therefore, many disciplines have readily adopted the widespread use of holistic admissions review. Despite its proven effectiveness in addressing student diversity, nursing has been slow to implement holistic admissions review. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the barriers to implementing holistic admissions review in nursing and the feasibility of adopting holistic admissions review across nursing programs. A biphasic qualitative research study was conducted with nursing deans from across the United States. Qualitative data collection consisted of two phases of focus group discussions conducted over a 3-month period. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The categories and subcategories identified in Phase 1 informed the discussion in Phase 2. One overarching category from Phase 1 was identified, which was the lack of nursing schools’ knowledge regarding holistic admissions review. Four subcategories also identified in Phase 1 included the need for better dissemination of evidence, the need for additional support from university leaders and administrators, the need for legal guidance to facilitate implementation of holistic admissions review, and ensuring appropriate resources to support the holistic admissions review process. Three categories emerged in Phase 2, which included everyone’s buy-in is required, the need for a model, and a need for training. The adoption of holistic admissions review in nursing may be feasible. However, certain barriers need to be overcome so that nursing schools can successfully take on this process. Therefore, five recommendations have been developed to assist nursing schools in the implementation of holistic admissions review. These recommendations include increasing knowledge and understanding of

[Big data, Roemer's law and avoidable hospital admissions].

Science.gov (United States)

van der Horst, H E

2016-01-01

From an analysis of data from 23 European countries to determine the impact of primary care on avoidable hospital admissions for uncontrolled diabetes it appeared that, contrary to expectation, countries with strong primary care did not have a lower rate of avoidable hospital admission. It is clear that Roemer's law, 'a bed built is a bed filled,' still applies. However, the validity of this sort of analysis can be questioned, as these data are highly aggregated, and registration quality differs between countries. It is also questionable if these datasets can be considered as 'big data' as there are relatively small numbers per country. Big data analyses are useful for discerning patterns and formulating hypotheses, but not for proving causality. An unwanted side effect of this kind of analysis might be that policymakers use these not so valid results to underpin their policy to their advantage.

Lingual Kinematics during Rapid Syllable Repetition in Parkinson's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Min Ney; Murdoch, Bruce E.; Whelan, Brooke-Mai

2012-01-01

Background: Rapid syllable repetition tasks are commonly used in the assessment of motor speech disorders. However, little is known about the articulatory kinematics during rapid syllable repetition in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Aims: To investigate and compare lingual kinematics during rapid syllable repetition in dysarthric…

Effect of air pollution control on mortality and hospital admissions in Ireland.

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Dockery, Douglas W; Rich, David Q; Goodman, Patrick G; Clancy, Luke; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; George, Prethibha; Kotlov, Tania

2013-07-01

During the 1980s the Republic of Ireland experienced repeated severe pollution episodes. Domestic coal burning was a major source of this pollution. In 1990 the Irish government introduced a ban on the marketing, sale, and distribution of coal in Dublin. The ban was extended to Cork in 1995 and to 10 other communities in 1998 and 2000. We previously reported decreases in particulate black smoke (BS*) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations, measured as total gaseous acidity, in Dublin after the 1990 coal ban (Clancy et al. 2002). In the current study we explored and compared the effectiveness of the sequential 1990, 1995, and 1998 bans in reducing community air pollution and in improving public health. We compiled records of daily BS, total gaseous acidity (SO2), and counts of cause-specific deaths from 1981 to 2004 for Dublin County Borough (1990 ban), county Cork (1995 ban), and counties Limerick, Louth, Wexford, and Wicklow (1998 ban). We also compiled daily counts of hospital admissions for cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive diagnoses for Cork County Borough (1991 to 2004) and counties Limerick, Louth, Wexford, and Wicklow (1993 to 2004). We compared pre-ban and post-ban BS and SO2 concentrations for each city. Using interrupted time-series methods, we estimated the change in cause-specific, directly standardized mortality rates in each city or county after the corresponding local coal ban. We regressed weekly age- and sex-standardized mortality rates against an indicator of the post- versus pre-ban period, adjusting for influenza epidemics, weekly mean temperature, and a season smooth of the standardized mortality rates in Coastal counties presumably not affected by the bans. We compared these results with similar analyses in Midlands counties also presumably unaffected by the bans. We also estimated the change in cause-specific, directly standardized, weekly hospital admissions rates normalized for underreporting in each city or county after the 1995

Structure preserving transformations for Newtonian Lie-admissible equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantrijn, F.

1979-01-01

Recently, a new formulation of non-conservative mechanics has been presented in terms of Hamilton-admissible equations which constitute a generalization of the conventional Hamilton equations. The algebraic structure entering the Hamilton-admissible description of a non-conservative system is that of a Lie-admissible algebra. The corresponding geometrical treatment is related to the existence of a so-called symplectic-admissible form. The transformation theory for Hamilton-admissible systems is currently investigated. The purpose of this paper is to describe one aspect of this theory by identifying the class of transformations which preserve the structure of Hamilton-admissible equations. Necessary and sufficient conditions are established for a transformation to be structure preserving. Some particular cases are discussed and an example is worked out

Reducing the rate and duration of Re-ADMISsions among patients with unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder using smartphone-based monitoring and treatment - the RADMIS trials: study protocol for two randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Faurholt-Jepsen, Maria; Frost, Mads; Martiny, Klaus; Tuxen, Nanna; Rosenberg, Nicole; Busk, Jonas; Winther, Ole; Bardram, Jakob Eyvind; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2017-06-15

Unipolar and bipolar disorder combined account for nearly half of all morbidity and mortality due to mental and substance use disorders, and burden society with the highest health care costs of all psychiatric and neurological disorders. Among these, costs due to psychiatric hospitalization are a major burden. Smartphones comprise an innovative and unique platform for the monitoring and treatment of depression and mania. No prior trial has investigated whether the use of a smartphone-based system can prevent re-admission among patients discharged from hospital. The present RADMIS trials aim to investigate whether using a smartphone-based monitoring and treatment system, including an integrated clinical feedback loop, reduces the rate and duration of re-admissions more than standard treatment in unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder. The RADMIS trials use a randomized controlled, single-blind, parallel-group design. Patients with unipolar disorder and patients with bipolar disorder are invited to participate in each trial when discharged from psychiatric hospitals in The Capital Region of Denmark following an affective episode and randomized to either (1) a smartphone-based monitoring system including (a) an integrated feedback loop between patients and clinicians and (b) context-aware cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) modules (intervention group) or (2) standard treatment (control group) for a 6-month trial period. The trial started in May 2017. The outcomes are (1) number and duration of re-admissions (primary), (2) severity of depressive and manic (only for patients with bipolar disorder) symptoms; psychosocial functioning; number of affective episodes (secondary), and (3) perceived stress, quality of life, self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated manic symptoms (only for patients with bipolar disorder), recovery, empowerment, adherence to medication, wellbeing, ruminations, worrying, and satisfaction (tertiary). A total of 400 patients (200 patients with

Negative effects of item repetition on source memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyungmi; Yi, Do-Joon; Raye, Carol L; Johnson, Marcia K

2012-08-01

In the present study, we explored how item repetition affects source memory for new item-feature associations (picture-location or picture-color). We presented line drawings varying numbers of times in Phase 1. In Phase 2, each drawing was presented once with a critical new feature. In Phase 3, we tested memory for the new source feature of each item from Phase 2. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated and replicated the negative effects of item repetition on incidental source memory. Prior item repetition also had a negative effect on source memory when different source dimensions were used in Phases 1 and 2 (Experiment 3) and when participants were explicitly instructed to learn source information in Phase 2 (Experiments 4 and 5). Importantly, when the order between Phases 1 and 2 was reversed, such that item repetition occurred after the encoding of critical item-source combinations, item repetition no longer affected source memory (Experiment 6). Overall, our findings did not support predictions based on item predifferentiation, within-dimension source interference, or general interference from multiple traces of an item. Rather, the findings were consistent with the idea that prior item repetition reduces attention to subsequent presentations of the item, decreasing the likelihood that critical item-source associations will be encoded.

Design and development of repetitive capacitor charging power supply based on series-parallel resonant converter topology.

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Patel, Ankur; Nagesh, K V; Kolge, Tanmay; Chakravarthy, D P

2011-04-01

LCL resonant converter based repetitive capacitor charging power supply (CCPS) is designed and developed in the division. The LCL converter acts as a constant current source when switching frequency is equal to the resonant frequency. When both resonant inductors' values of LCL converter are same, it results in inherent zero current switching (ZCS) in switches. In this paper, ac analysis with fundamental frequency approximation of LCL resonant tank circuit, frequency dependent of current gain converter followed by design, development, simulation, and practical result is described. Effect of change in switching frequency and resonant frequency and change in resonant inductors ratio on CCPS will be discussed. An efficient CCPS of average output power of 1.2 kJ/s, output voltage 3 kV, and 300 Hz repetition rate is developed in the division. The performance of this CCPS has been evaluated in the laboratory by charging several values of load capacitance at various repetition rates. These results indicate that this design is very feasible for use in capacitor-charging applications. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Trends in substance use admissions among older adults.

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Chhatre, Sumedha; Cook, Ratna; Mallik, Eshita; Jayadevappa, Ravishankar

2017-08-22

Substance abuse is a growing, but mostly silent, epidemic among older adults. We sought to analyze the trends in admissions for substance abuse treatment among older adults (aged 55 and older). Treatment Episode Data Set - Admissions (TEDS-A) for period between 2000 and 2012 was used. The trends in admission for primary substances, demographic attributes, characteristics of substance abused and type of admission were analyzed. While total number of substance abuse treatment admissions between 2000 and 2012 changed slightly, proportion attributable to older adults increased from 3.4% to 7.0%. Substantial changes in the demographic, substance use pattern, and treatment characteristics for the older adult admissions were noted. Majority of the admissions were for alcohol as the primary substance. However there was a decreasing trend in this proportion (77% to 64%). The proportion of admissions for following primary substances showed increase: cocaine/crack, marijuana/hashish, heroin, non-prescription methadone, and other opiates and synthetics. Also, admissions for older adults increased between 2000 and 2012 for African Americans (21% to 28%), females (20% to 24%), high school graduates (63% to 75%), homeless (15% to 19%), unemployed (77% to 84%), and those with psychiatric problems (17% to 32%).The proportion of admissions with prior history of substance abuse treatment increased from 39% to 46% and there was an increase in the admissions where more than one problem substance was reported. Ambulatory setting continued to be the most frequent treatment setting, and individual (including self-referral) was the most common referral source. The use of medication assisted therapy remained low over the years (7% - 9%). The changing demographic and substance use pattern of older adults implies that a wide array of psychological, social, and physiological needs will arise. Integrated, multidisciplinary and tailored policies for prevention and treatment are necessary to

Understanding inappropriate hospital admissions of patients presenting to the Emergency Department.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Siliquini

2005-06-01

Full Text Available

Objectives. To identify 1 the characteristics of patients receiving non acute (inappropriate care and 2 the variables associated to inappropriate hospital use, in order to 3 estimate the relevance of the problem and to 4 focus future concurrent reviews and efforts to allocate patients to alternative health care settings.

Design. A prospective review of a random sample of adult patients who presented to the Emergency Department of the Molinette Hospital. Patients were assessed at admission and on day 3, 5and 8 using the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (Italian validated version. Patients: 490 overall; 312 (64 % medical and 178 (36 % surgical.

Outcome measures. Acute (appropriate and non acute (inappropriate admissions, Major Disease Category, costs, mean weights of Diagnosis Related Groups, and length of stay (days.

Results. The proportion of patients requiring acute care declined rapidly from presentation (84.5% to the fifth day of admission (60.9%. Patients admitted during weekends showed a higher rate of inappropriate stay on day 5 (P=0.04. The proportion of inappropriate admissions was higher for medical rather than surgical patients (P=0.07 at presentation and at day 5 (P < 0.01. Traditional social-demographic variables were not significant risk indicators for inappropriate admissions. The likelihood ratio for inappropriate admission at presentation was significantly higher for minor illnesses and disturbances (P=0.03.

Inappropriate stay on day 5 was significantly associated with lower cost (P < 0.01, lower mean DRG weight (P < 0.01 and shorter length of stay (P=0.05 for medical but not for surgical admissions.

Conclusions. Traditional epidemiological indicators are inadequate to target prospective concurrent reviews. Qualitative studies focusing on patient physician dialogue in different situations and contexts could

The emergency to home project: impact of an emergency department care coordinator on hospital admission and emergency department utilization among seniors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Christopher Matthew; Freiheit, Elizabeth A; Podruzny, Lesley; Kingsly, Alianu Akawakun; Wang, Dongmei; Davenport, Jamie; Gutscher, Abram; Askin, Cathy; Taylor, Allison; Lee, Vivian; Choo, Queenie; Lang, Eddy Samuel

2014-01-01

Seniors comprise 14% to 21% of all emergency department (ED) visits, yet are disproportionately larger users of ED and inpatient resources. ED care coordinators (EDCCs) target seniors at risk for functional decline and connect them to home care and other community services in hopes of avoiding hospitalization. The goal of this study was to measure the association between the presence of EDCCs and admission rates for seniors aged ≥ 65. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, recidivism at 30 days, and revisit resulting in admission at 30 days. This was a matched pairs study using administrative data from eight EDs in six Alberta cities. Four of these hospitals were intervention sites, in which patients were seen by an EDCC, while the other four sites had no EDCC presence. All seniors aged ≥ 65 with a discharge diagnosis of fall or musculoskeletal pathology were included. Cases were matched by CTAS category, age, gender, mode of arrival, and home living environment. McNemar's test for matched pairs was used to compare admission and recidivism rates at EDCC and non-EDCC hospitals. A paired t-test was used to compare length of stay between groups. There were no statistically significant differences for baseline admission rate, revisit rate at 30 days, and readmission rate at 30 days between EDCC and non-EDCC patients. This study showed no reduction in senior patients' admission rates, recidivism at 30 days, or hospital length of stay when comparing seniors seen by an EDCC with those not seen by an EDCC.

The impact of rotavirus vaccination on emergency department visits and hospital admissions for acute diarrhea in children under 5 years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Locatelli Pedro Paulo

Full Text Available Summary Introduction: Acute diarrheal disease is the second cause of death in children under 5 years. In Brazil, from 2003 to 2009, acute diarrhea was responsible for nearly 100,000 hospital admissions per year and 4% of the deaths in children under 5 years. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute diarrhea worldwide. In 2006, the rotavirus monovalent vaccine (RV1 was added to the Brazilian National Immunization Program. Objectives: To analyze the impact of the RV1 on emergency department (ED visits and hospital admissions for acute diarrhea. Method: A retrospective ecologic study at the University Hospital, University of São Paulo. The study analyzed the pre-vaccine (2003–2005 and the post-vaccine (2007–2009 periods. We screened the main diagnosis of all ED attendances and hospital admissions of children under 5 years in an electronic registry system database and calculated the rates of ED visits and hospital admissions. The reduction rate was analyzed according to the following formula: reduction (% = (1 - odds ratio x 100. Results: The rates of ED visits for acute diarrhea was 85.8 and 80.9 per 1,000 total ED visits in the pre and post vaccination periods, respectively, resulting in 6% reduction (95CI 4 to 9%, p<0.001. The rates of hospital admissions for acute diarrhea was 40.8 per 1,000 in the pre-vaccine period and dropped to 24.9 per 1,000 hospitalizations, resulting in 40% reduction (95CI 22 to 54%, p<0.001. Conclusion: The introduction of the RV1 vaccine resulted in 6% reduction in the ED visits and 40% reduction in hospital admissions for acute diarrhea.

The impact of rotavirus vaccination on emergency department visits and hospital admissions for acute diarrhea in children under 5 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulo, Rodrigo Locatelli Pedro; Rodrigues, André Broggin Dutra; Machado, Beatriz Marcondes; Gilio, Alfredo Elias

2016-09-01

Acute diarrheal disease is the second cause of death in children under 5 years. In Brazil, from 2003 to 2009, acute diarrhea was responsible for nearly 100,000 hospital admissions per year and 4% of the deaths in children under 5 years. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute diarrhea worldwide. In 2006, the rotavirus monovalent vaccine (RV1) was added to the Brazilian National Immunization Program. To analyze the impact of the RV1 on emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for acute diarrhea. A retrospective ecologic study at the University Hospital, University of São Paulo. The study analyzed the pre-vaccine (2003-2005) and the post-vaccine (2007-2009) periods. We screened the main diagnosis of all ED attendances and hospital admissions of children under 5 years in an electronic registry system database and calculated the rates of ED visits and hospital admissions. The reduction rate was analyzed according to the following formula: reduction (%) = (1 - odds ratio) x 100. The rates of ED visits for acute diarrhea was 85.8 and 80.9 per 1,000 total ED visits in the pre and post vaccination periods, respectively, resulting in 6% reduction (95CI 4 to 9%, p<0.001). The rates of hospital admissions for acute diarrhea was 40.8 per 1,000 in the pre-vaccine period and dropped to 24.9 per 1,000 hospitalizations, resulting in 40% reduction (95CI 22 to 54%, p<0.001). The introduction of the RV1 vaccine resulted in 6% reduction in the ED visits and 40% reduction in hospital admissions for acute diarrhea.

Self-esteem level and stability, admission functional status, and depressive symptoms in acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

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Vickery, Chad D; Sepehri, Arash; Evans, Clea C; Jabeen, Linsa N

2009-11-01

Explore the relationship of self-esteem level, self-esteem stability, and admission functional status on discharge depressive symptoms in acute stroke rehabilitation. One hundred twenty stroke survivors serially completed a measure of state self-esteem during inpatient rehabilitation and completed a measure of depressive symptoms at discharge. Functional status was rated at admission using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Regressions explored main effects and interactions of self-esteem level and stability and admission FIM self-care, mobility, and cognitive functioning on discharge depressive symptoms. After controlling for potential moderating variables, self-esteem level interacted with FIM self-care and cognitive functioning to predict discharge depressive symptoms, such that survivors with lower self-rated self-esteem and poorer functional status indicated higher levels of depressive symptoms. Self-esteem stability interacted with FIM mobility functioning, such that self-esteem instability in the presence of lower mobility functioning at admission was related to higher depressive symptoms at discharge. These results suggest that self-esteem variables may moderate the relationship between functional status and depressive symptoms. Self-esteem level and stability may differentially moderate functional domains, although this conclusion requires further empirical support.

Exponentiation and deformations of Lie-admissible algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myung, H.C.

1982-01-01

The exponential function is defined for a finite-dimensional real power-associative algebra with unit element. The application of the exponential function is focused on the power-associative (p,q)-mutation of a real or complex associative algebra. Explicit formulas are computed for the (p,q)-mutation of the real envelope of the spin 1 algebra and the Lie algebra so(3) of the rotation group, in light of earlier investigations of the spin 1/2. A slight variant of the mutated exponential is interpreted as a continuous function of the Lie algebra into some isotope of the corresponding linear Lie group. The second part of this paper is concerned with the representation and deformation of a Lie-admissible algebra. The second cohomology group of a Lie-admissible algebra is introduced as a generalization of those of associative and Lie algebras in the Hochschild and Chevalley-Eilenberg theory. Some elementary theory of algebraic deformation of Lie-admissible algebras is discussed in view of generalization of that of associative and Lie algebras. Lie-admissible deformations are also suggested by the representation of Lie-admissible algebras. Some explicit examples of Lie-admissible deformation are given in terms of the (p,q)-mutation of associative deformation of an associative algebra. Finally, we discuss Lie-admissible deformations of order one

Outpatient admissions and hospital costs of Syrian refugees in a Turkish university hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Tahirbegolli, Bernard; Çavdar, Sabanur; Çetinkaya Sümer, Esin; Akdeniz, Sıdıka I; Vehid, Suphi

2016-07-01

To examine the most frequent admitted polyclinics, diagnoses, and the costs of Syrian refugee patient in a Turkish university hospital in the metropolitan city of Istanbul, Western part of Turkey.  Research methodology consist of analyzing outpatient admissions to the Hospital Polyclinics of Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey from January-June 2014. We carried out diagnosis groups as classified in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification, and analyzed the hospital cost of first admission through records based in the hospital information system.  Median age of 251 Syrian refugee patients is 19 years, inter quartile rate 7-34 years. Patients aged 65 and older compared with those until 18 years and 19 to 64 years aged groups have made statistically significant (p less than 0.001) less hospital admissions. The Most frequented clinic was the emergency clinic. On June there have been significantly (p less than 0.001) more admissions compared with other months. The most common diagnoses were diseases of the respiratory system. The costs of per admission was estimated nearly 48 US Dollar/per patient and the total amount of hospital admissions was 12,031.93 US Dollar.  On the specified dates, the clinics were mostly frequented from Syrian refugees until 18 years group. The most common presenting symptoms are respiratory diseases and most frequented clinic is emergency.

Analysis of Inappropriate Admissions of Residents of Medicalized Nursing Homes to Emergency Departments: A Prospective Multicenter Study in Burgundy.

Science.gov (United States)

Manckoundia, Patrick; Menu, Didier; Turcu, Alin; Honnart, Didier; Rossignol, Sylvie; Alixant, Jean-Christophe; Sylvestre, Franck-Henry; Bailly, Vanessa; Dion, Michèle; Putot, Alain

2016-07-01

To determine the rate of inappropriate admissions to emergency departments (EDs) and to identify determinants of these admissions. Prospective multicenter study. Burgundy (France), EDs and medical nursing homes (MNHs). 1000 Burgundy MNH residents admitted to EDs, from April 17 to June 20, 2013. For each subject, a questionnaire was completed. Data included age, gender, type of health professional who referred the resident to the ED (THP), whether or not a medical dispatcher organized the transfer to the ED, transport mode, reason for admission to the ED, level of independence according to the Groupes Iso-Ressource score (GIRS), and diagnosis made in the ED. The French version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol grid was applied to each admission to the ED, and in some situations, the expert committee ruled on the appropriateness of the admission to the ED. MNH characteristics were also recorded. Two groups were constituted according to the appropriateness or not of admission to the ED. Mean age of the 1000 residents was 87. There were 706 women. Two-thirds were referred to the EDs by a physician, mainly a general practitioner. In 91.7%, the transfer to the ED was organized by a medical dispatcher, and 8.8% were transported by medicalized transport. More than 95% had a GIRS ≤4. Among the admissions to EDs, 18.1% were inappropriate. Female gender (P = .017), nonmedicalized transport (P = .002), public MNH (P = .044), and nonaccess to a geriatric opinion in an emergency (P = .043) were determinants of inappropriate admission to EDs. In this first study on admissions to EDs of MNH residents using French data, we found a lower rate of admissions to the ED than that reported in the literature. Female gender, nonmedicalized transport, public MNH, and nonaccess to a geriatric opinion in an emergency were associated with inappropriate admission to EDs. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier

Dehydration is an independent predictor of discharge outcome and admission cost in acute ischaemic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, C-H; Lin, S-C; Lin, J-R; Yang, J-T; Chang, Y-J; Chang, C-H; Chang, T-Y; Huang, K-L; Ryu, S-J; Lee, T-H

2014-09-01

Our aim was to investigate the influence of admission dehydration on the discharge outcome in acute ischaemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Between January 2009 and December 2011, 4311 ischaemic and 1371 hemorrhagic stroke patients from the stroke registry of Chang Gung healthcare system were analyzed. The eligible patients were identified according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. In total, 2570 acute ischaemic and 573 acute hemorrhagic stroke patients were finally recruited. According to the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) to creatinine (Cr) ratio (BUN/Cr), these patients were divided into dehydrated (BUN/Cr ≥ 15) and non-dehydrated (BUN/Cr dehydration had higher infection rates (P = 0.006), worse discharge BI (62.8 ± 37.4 vs. 73.4 ± 32.4, P dehydration. However, acute hemorrhagic stroke with or without admission dehydration showd no difference in admission costs (P = 0.618) and discharge outcomes (BI, P = 0.058; mRS, P = 0.058). Admission dehydration is associated with worse discharge outcomes and higher admission costs in acute ischaemic stroke but not in hemorrhagic stroke. © 2014 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2014 EAN.

A randomized trial of a standard dose of Edmonston-Zagreb measles vaccine given at 4.5 months of age: effect on total hospital admissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Cesario L; Benn, Christine S; Andersen, Andreas; Balé, Carlito; Schaltz-Buchholzer, Frederik; Do, Vu An; Rodrigues, Amabelia; Aaby, Peter; Ravn, Henrik; Whittle, Hilton; Garly, May-Lill

2014-06-01

Observational studies and trials from low-income countries indicate that measles vaccine has beneficial nonspecific effects, protecting against non-measles-related mortality. It is not known whether measles vaccine protects against hospital admissions. Between 2003 and 2007, 6417 children who had received the third dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine were randomly assigned to receive measles vaccine at 4.5 months or no measles vaccine; all children were offered measles vaccine at 9 months of age. Using hospital admission data from the national pediatric ward in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, we compared admission rates between enrollment and the 9-month vaccination in Cox models, providing admission hazard rate ratios (HRRs) for measles vaccine versus no measles vaccine. All analyses were conducted stratified by sex and reception of neonatal vitamin A supplementation (NVAS). Before enrollment the 2 groups had similar admission rates. Following enrollment, the measles vaccine group had an admission HRR of 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], .52-.95), with a ratio of 0.53 (95% CI, .32-.86) for girls and 0.86 (95% CI, .58-1.26) for boys. For children who had not received NVAS, the admission HRR was 0.53 (95% CI, .34-.84), with an effect of 0.30 (95% CI, .13-.70) for girls and 0.73 (95% CI, .42-1.28) for boys (P = .08, interaction test). The reduction in admissions was separately significant for measles infection (admission HRR, 0 [95% CI, 0-.24]) and respiratory infections (admission HRR, 0.37 [95% CI, .16-.89]). Early measles vaccine may have major benefits for infant morbidity patterns and healthcare costs. Clinical trials registration NCT00168558.

Pre-Lexical Disorders in Repetition Conduction Aphasia

Science.gov (United States)

Sidiropoulos, Kyriakos; de Bleser, Ria; Ackermann, Hermann; Preilowski, Bruno

2008-01-01

At the level of clinical speech/language evaluation, the repetition type of conduction aphasia is characterized by repetition difficulties concomitant with reduced short-term memory capacities, in the presence of fluent spontaneous speech as well as unimpaired naming and reading abilities. It is still unsettled which dysfunctions of the…

Evidence for the involvement of a nonlexical route in the repetition of familiar words: A comparison of single and dual route models of auditory repetition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanley, J Richard; Dell, Gary S; Kay, Janice; Baron, Rachel

2004-03-01

In this paper, we attempt to simulate the picture naming and auditory repetition performance of two patients reported by Hanley, Kay, and Edwards (2002), who were matched for picture naming score but who differed significantly in their ability to repeat familiar words. In Experiment 1, we demonstrate that the model of naming and repetition put forward by Foygel and Dell (2000) is better able to accommodate this pattern of performance than the model put forward by Dell, Schwartz, Martin, Saffran, and Gagnon (1997). Nevertheless, Foygel and Dell's model underpredicted the repetition performance of both patients. In Experiment 2, we attempt to simulate their performance using a new dual route model of repetition in which Foygel and Dell's model is augmented by an additional nonlexical repetition pathway. The new model provided a more accurate fit to the real-word repetition performance of both patients. It is argued that the results provide support for dual route models of auditory repetition.

Association of mortality with out-of-hours admission in patients with perforated peptic ulcer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, N V; Møller, M H

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Perforated peptic ulcer is a serious emergency surgical condition. The aim of the present nationwide cohort study was to evaluate the association between mortality and out-of-hours admission in patients surgically treated for perforated peptic ulcer. METHODS: All Danish patients...... surgically treated for benign gastric or duodenal perforated peptic ulcer in Denmark between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2013 were included. Patients were identified through The Danish Clinical Register of Emergency Surgery. The association between 90-day mortality and time and day of admission...... with the primary analysis. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 25.6% (186/726). CONCLUSION: No statistically significant adjusted association between 90-day mortality and out-of-hours admission was found in patients surgically treated for perforated peptic ulcer....

High-repetition intra-cavity source of Compton radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pogorelsky, I; Polyanskiy, M; Agustsson, R; Campese, T; Murokh, A; Ovodenko, A; Shaftan, T

2014-01-01

We report our progress in developing a high-power Compton source for a diversity of applications ranging from university-scale compact x-ray light sources and metrology tools for EUV lithography, to high-brilliance gamma-sources for nuclear analysis. Our conceptual approach lies in multiplying the source’s repetition rate and increasing its average brightness by placing the Compton interaction point inside the optical cavity of an active laser. We discuss considerations in its design, our simulations, and tests of the laser’s cavity that confirm the feasibility of the proposed concept. (paper)

Clinical Predictors of Intensive Care Unit Admission for Asthmatic Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Hasan Kargar Maher

2015-07-01

Full Text Available IntroductionChildren with severe asthma attack are a challenging group of patients who could be difficult to treat and leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Asthma attack severity is qualitatively estimated as mild, moderate and severe attacks and respiratory failure based on conditions such as respiration status, feeling of dyspnea, and the degree of unconsciousness. part of which are subjective rather than objective. We investigated clinical findings as predictors of severe attack and probable requirement for Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU admission.Materials and MethodsIn a cross sectional and analytical study 120 patients with asthma attack were enrolled from April 2010 to April 2014 (80 admitted in the ward and 40 in pediatric intensive care unit. Predictors of PICU admission were investigated regarding to initial heart rate(HR, respiratory rate (RR, Arterial Oxygen Saturation(SaO2 and PaCo2 and clinically evident cyanosis.ResultsInitial heart rate(p-value=0.02, respiratory rate (p-value=0.03, Arterial Oxygen Saturation(p-value=0.02 and PaCo2(p-value=0.03 and clinically evident cyanosis were significantly different in two groups(Ward admitted and PICU admittedConclusion There was a significant correlation between initial vital sign and blood gas analysis suggesting usefulness of these factors as predictors of severe asthma attack and subsequent clinical course.

Incidence and risk factors for neonatal tetanus in admissions to Kilifi County Hospital, Kenya.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fredrick Ibinda

Full Text Available Neonatal Tetanus (NT is a preventable cause of mortality and neurological sequelae that occurs at higher incidence in resource-poor countries, presumably because of low maternal immunisation rates and unhygienic cord care practices. We aimed to determine changes in the incidence of NT, characterize and investigate the associated risk factors and mortality in a prospective cohort study including all admissions over a 15-year period at a County hospital on the Kenyan coast, a region with relatively high historical NT rates within Kenya.We assessed all neonatal admissions to Kilifi County Hospital in Kenya (1999-2013 and identified cases of NT (standard clinical case definition admitted during this time. Poisson regression was used to examine change in incidence of NT using accurate denominator data from an area of active demographic surveillance. Logistic regression was used to investigate the risk factors for NT and factors associated with mortality in NT amongst neonatal admissions. A subset of sera from mothers (n = 61 and neonates (n = 47 were tested for anti-tetanus antibodies.There were 191 NT admissions, of whom 187 (98% were home deliveries. Incidence of NT declined significantly (Incidence Rate Ratio: 0.85 (95% Confidence interval 0.81-0.89, P<0.001 but the case fatality (62% did not change over the study period (P = 0.536. Younger infant age at admission (P = 0.001 was the only independent predictor of mortality. Compared to neonatal hospital admittee controls, the proportion of home births was higher among the cases. Sera tested for antitetanus antibodies showed most mothers (50/61, 82% had undetectable levels of antitetanus antibodies, and most (8/9, 89% mothers with detectable antibodies had a neonate without protective levels.Incidence of NT in Kilifi County has significantly reduced, with reductions following immunisation campaigns. Our results suggest immunisation efforts are effective if sustained and efforts should continue to

Muscle activation strategies during strength training with heavy loading versus repetitions to failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sundstrup, Emil; Jakobsen, Markus D; Andersen, Christoffer H

2012-01-01

. Electromyographic (EMG) amplitude and median power frequency (MPF) of specific shoulder and neck muscles was analysed and the Borg CR10 scale was used to rate perceived loading immediately after each set of exercise. During the failure set normalized EMG was significantly lower during the first repetition...

Relationship between the number of repetitions and selected percentages of one repetition maximum in free weight exercises in trained and untrained men.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimano, Tomoko; Kraemer, William J; Spiering, Barry A; Volek, Jeff S; Hatfield, Disa L; Silvestre, Ricardo; Vingren, Jakob L; Fragala, Maren S; Maresh, Carl M; Fleck, Steven J; Newton, Robert U; Spreuwenberg, Luuk P B; Häkkinen, Keijo

2006-11-01

Resistance exercise intensity is commonly prescribed as a percent of 1 repetition maximum (1RM). However, the relationship between percent 1RM and the number of repetitions allowed remains poorly studied, especially using free weight exercises. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximal number of repetitions that trained (T) and untrained (UT) men can perform during free weight exercises at various percentages of 1RM. Eight T and 8 UT men were tested for 1RM strength. Then, subjects performed 1 set to failure at 60, 80, and 90% of 1RM in the back squat, bench press, and arm curl in a randomized, balanced design. There was a significant (p squat than the bench press or arm curl at 60% 1RM for T and UT. At 80 and 90% 1RM, there were significant differences between the back squat and other exercises; however, differences were much less pronounced. No differences in number of repetitions performed at a given exercise intensity were noted between T and UT (except during bench press at 90% 1RM). In conclusion, the number of repetitions performed at a given percent of 1RM is influenced by the amount of muscle mass used during the exercise, as more repetitions can be performed during the back squat than either the bench press or arm curl. Training status of the individual has a minimal impact on the number of repetitions performed at relative exercise intensity.

A retrospective study of the impact of a telephone alert service (Healthy Outlook) on hospital admissions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarran, Christophe; Halpin, David; Levy, Mark L; Prigmore, Samantha; Sachon, Patrick

2014-10-23

Healthy Outlook is a service delivered by the UK Met Office directly to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that has been in place since 2006. Its objective is to reduce the severity and length of COPD exacerbations, hence improving the quality of life and life expectancy. To assess the effect of the Healthy Outlook service on hospital admission rates of all general practitioners that have used the service. Control practices were selected for each of the 661 participating practices. The number of hospital admissions for each practice was extracted from the Hospital Episode Statistics database. The differences in admission rates per practice between the first year of use of the Healthy Outlook service and the previous year were compared by paired t-test analyses. For admissions with a primary diagnosis of COPD, the difference between participating and control practices was -0.8% (95% confidence interval (CI)=-1.8 to 0.2%; P=0.13). For admissions with a primary or co-morbid diagnosis of COPD, the difference was -2.3% (95% CI=-4.2 to -0.4%; P=0.02). Participation in the Healthy Outlook service reduces hospital admission rates for patients coded on discharge with COPD (including co-morbid).

32 CFR 776.66 - Bar admission and disciplinary matters.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bar admission and disciplinary matters. 776.66... ADVOCATE GENERAL Rules of Professional Conduct § 776.66 Bar admission and disciplinary matters. (a) Bar admission and disciplinary matters. A covered attorney, in connection with any application for bar admission...

Changes in patellofemoral pain resulting from repetitive impact landings are associated with the magnitude and rate of patellofemoral joint loading.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkins, Lee T; James, C Roger; Yang, Hyung Suk; Sizer, Phillip S; Brismée, Jean-Michel; Sawyer, Steven F; Powers, Christopher M

2018-03-01

Although a relationship between elevated patellofemoral forces and pain has been proposed, it is unknown which joint loading variable (magnitude, rate) is best associated with pain changes. The purpose of this study was to examine associations among patellofemoral joint loading variables and changes in patellofemoral pain across repeated single limb landings. Thirty-one females (age: 23.5(2.8) year; height: 166.8(5.8) cm; mass: 59.6(8.1) kg) with PFP performed 5 landing trials from 0.25 m. The dependent variable was rate of change in pain obtained from self-reported pain scores following each trial. Independent variables included 5-trial averages of peak, time-integral, and average and maximum development rates of the patellofemoral joint reaction force obtained using a previously described model. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate individual associations between rate of change in pain and each independent variable (α = 0.05). Stepwise linear multiple regression (α enter  = 0.05; α exit  = 0.10) was used to identify the best predictor of rate of change in pain. Subjects reported an average increase of 0.38 pain points with each landing trial. Although, rate of change in pain was positively correlated with peak force (r = 0.44, p = 0.01), and average (r = 0.41, p = 0.02) and maximum force development rates (r = 0.39, p = 0.03), only the peak force entered the predictive model explaining 19% of variance in rate of change in pain (r 2  = 0.19, p = 0.01). Peak patellofemoral joint reaction force was the best predictor of the rate of change in pain following repetitive singe limb landings. The current study supports the theory that patellofemoral joint loading contributes to changes in patellofemoral pain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding work related musculoskeletal pain: does repetitive work cause stress symptoms?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonde, J. P.; Mikkelsen, S.; Andersen, JH

2005-01-01

for development of regional pain in repetitive work, stress symptoms would likely be on the causal path. AIMS: To examine whether objective measures of repetitive monotonous work are related to occurrence and development of stress symptoms. METHODS: In 1994-95, 2033 unskilled workers with continuous repetitive...... Profile Inventory. RESULTS: Repetitive work, task cycle time, and quantified measures of repetitive upper extremity movements including force requirements were not related to occurrence of stress symptoms at baseline or development of stress symptoms during three years of follow up. CONCLUSIONS......: The findings do not indicate that repetitive work is associated with stress symptoms, but small effects cannot be ruled out. Thus the results question the importance of mental stress mechanisms in the causation of regional pain related to repetitive work. However, the findings should be interpreted...

Inverted U-shaped model: How frequent repetition affects perceived risk

OpenAIRE

Xi Lu; Xiaofei Xie; Lu Liu

2015-01-01

We asked how repeated media reports on technological hazards influence an individual's risk perception. We looked for two contradictory effects, an increasing effect of repetition on perceived risk with the first few repetitions and a decreasing effect with later repetitions, leading to the inverted U-shaped pattern. In an experiment, we demonstrated the inverted U-shaped relationship between the repetition and perceived risk in the context of food risk. The finding broaden...

Service philosophies for hospital admission planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adan, I.J.B.F.; Vissers, J.M.H.; Vissers, J.M.H.; Beech, R.

2005-01-01

The ‘traditional’ service philosophy underlying hospital admission planning has been one of optimising the use of scarce hospital resources without paying much attention to the level of service offered to patients. As patients nowadays do not accept long waiting times for hospital admission, it

Consultant input in acute medical admissions and patient outcomes in hospitals in England: a multivariate analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek Bell

Full Text Available Recent recommendations for physicians in the UK outline key aspects of care that should improve patient outcomes and experience in acute hospital care. Included in these recommendations are Consultant patterns of work to improve timeliness of clinical review and improve continuity of care. This study used a contemporaneous validated survey compared with clinical outcomes derived from Hospital Episode Statistics, between April 2009 and March 2010 from 91 acute hospital sites in England to evaluate systems of consultant cover for acute medical admissions. Clinical outcomes studied included adjusted case fatality rates (aCFR, including the ratio of weekend to weekday mortality, length of stay and readmission rates. Hospitals that had an admitting Consultant presence within the Acute Medicine Unit (AMU, or equivalent for a minimum of 4 hours per day (65% of study group had a lower aCFR compared with hospitals that had Consultant presence for less than 4 hours per day (p40 acute medical admissions per day had a lower aCFR compared to hospitals with fewer than 40 admissions per day (p<0.03 and had a lower 7 day re-admission rate (p<0.02. This study is the first large study to explore the potential relationships between systems of providing acute medical care and clinical outcomes. The results show an association between well-designed systems of Consultant working practices, which promote increased patient contact, and improved patient outcomes in the acute hospital setting.

Measurement of acoustic velocity components in a turbulent flow using LDV and high-repetition rate PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Léon, Olivier; Piot, Estelle; Sebbane, Delphine; Simon, Frank

2017-06-01

The present study provides theoretical details and experimental validation results to the approach proposed by Minotti et al. (Aerosp Sci Technol 12(5):398-407, 2008) for measuring amplitudes and phases of acoustic velocity components (AVC) that are waveform parameters of each component of velocity induced by an acoustic wave, in fully turbulent duct flows carrying multi-tone acoustic waves. Theoretical results support that the turbulence rejection method proposed, based on the estimation of cross power spectra between velocity measurements and a reference signal such as a wall pressure measurement, provides asymptotically efficient estimators with respect to the number of samples. Furthermore, it is shown that the estimator uncertainties can be simply estimated, accounting for the characteristics of the measured flow turbulence spectra. Two laser-based measurement campaigns were conducted in order to validate the acoustic velocity estimation approach and the uncertainty estimates derived. While in previous studies estimates were obtained using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV), it is demonstrated that high-repetition rate particle image velocimetry (PIV) can also be successfully employed. The two measurement techniques provide very similar acoustic velocity amplitude and phase estimates for the cases investigated, that are of practical interest for acoustic liner studies. In a broader sense, this approach may be beneficial for non-intrusive sound emission studies in wind tunnel testings.

Scheduling admissions and reducing variation in bed demand

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bekker, R.; Out, P.

2011-01-01

Variability in admissions and lengths of stay inherently leads to variability in bed occupancy. The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of these sources of variability on the required amount of capacity and to determine admission quota for scheduled admissions to regulate the occupancy

Day of surgery admission for the elective surgical in-patient: successful implementation of the Elective Surgery Programme.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Concannon, E S

2012-09-11

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study was to determine the impact of (1) ring fencing in-patient general surgical beds and (2) introducing a pre-operative assessment clinic (PAC) on the day of surgery admission (DOSA) rate in a single Irish institution. The secondary aim was to analyse the impact of an increased rate of DOSA on cost efficiency and patient satisfaction. METHODS: An 18-month period was examined following ring-fencing of elective and emergency surgical beds. A PAC was established during the study period. Prospectively collected data pertaining to all surgical admissions were retrieved using patient administration system software (Powerterm Pro, Eircom Software) and a database of performance information from Irish Public Health Services (HealthStat). RESULTS: Ring-fencing and PAC establishment was associated with a significant increase in the overall DOSA rate from 56 to 85 %, surpassing the national target rate of DOSA (75 %). Data relating specifically to general surgery admissions mirrored this increase in DOSA rate from a median of 5 patients per month, before the advent of ring-fencing and PAC, to 42 patients per month (p < 0.0387). 100 patient surveys demonstrated high levels of satisfaction with DOSA, with a preference compared to admission one night pre-operatively. Cost analysis demonstrated overall savings of 340,370 Euro from this change in practice. CONCLUSION: The present study supports the practice of DOSA through the introduction of ring-fenced surgical beds and PAC. This has been shown to improve hospital resource utilisation and streamline surgical service provision in these economically challenging times.

Central Hemodynamics Measured During 5 Repetition Maximum Free Weight Resistance Exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Jonathan S; McLester, Cherilyn N; Evans, Thomas W; McLester, John R; Calloway, Jimmy P

2018-01-01

The PhysioFlow™ is a piece of equipment that uses bioimpedance cardiography to measure central hemodynamics. The purpose of this research was to explore the novel approach of monitoring central hemodynamics during free weight resistance exercise using bioimpedance cardiography throughout a 5 repetition maximum (5RM). Thirty participants ranging from beginner to advanced lifters (16 males and 14 females) completed a 5RM for back squat, seated push press, and bicep curl while connected to the PhysioFlow™ to assess the response of heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (Q), and ejection fraction (EF). Participants were cued for form and to breathe normally throughout the lifts. The PhysioFlow™ detected an increase in HR and Q for all lifts between rest and each repetition ( p 0.05) and no changes in EF or SV were detected when all repetitions were compared to each other for all lifts ( p > 0.05). In conclusion, the PhysioFlow™ was able to detect changes in HR and Q during dynamic free weight resistance exercise. This novel approach may provide a mechanism for monitoring central hemodynamics during free weight resistance training. However, more research needs to be conducted as the exercise protocol for this investigation did not allow for a comparison to a reference method.

Translation of Syntactic Repetitions as Formal-Aesthetic Marker in Das Brot

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Rosyidah

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Translating repetition as a formal-aesthetic marker in a literary text is a hard task and challenge for translators. The topic of this study is translation of syntactic repetition as formal-aesthetic marker in literary text. The problems examined include: (1 the syntactic repetitions in the source text and (2 the strategies to translate these repetitions carried out by the students. This is a case study with a qualitative approach which is aimed to describe the syntactic repetitions as formal aesthetic markers in the German short story Das Brot written by Wolfgang Borchert and to explain the strategies used by Indonesian students to translate the syntactic repetitions. The research data are repetitive sentences gained from the German short story and from the translated versions done by 60 students. The analysis was carried out interactively and sociosemiotically. The results show that there were repetitions at the sentence level including sentence parts, sentences and content repetition in the source text. The strategies used by the students to translate the repetitions of sentence part and sentence were exact preservation and modified preservation with reduction, implicitation and addition of extra words, avoidance with deletion, explicitation, implicitation, nominalization, and synonymy. In the meantime, content repetitions were translated using the strategy of exact preservation and preservation with modification by adding extra words and using role-based terms of address. Thus, the results lead to two new variations of modified preservation, namely preservation by adding extra words and by changing addressing terms and one new variation of avoidance that is explicitation.

Predicting Appropriate Admission of Bronchiolitis Patients in the Emergency Department: Rationale and Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Gang; Stone, Bryan L; Johnson, Michael D; Nkoy, Flory L

2016-03-07

In young children, bronchiolitis is the most common illness resulting in hospitalization. For children less than age 2, bronchiolitis incurs an annual total inpatient cost of $1.73 billion. Each year in the United States, 287,000 emergency department (ED) visits occur because of bronchiolitis, with a hospital admission rate of 32%-40%. Due to a lack of evidence and objective criteria for managing bronchiolitis, ED disposition decisions (hospital admission or discharge to home) are often made subjectively, resulting in significant practice variation. Studies reviewing admission need suggest that up to 29% of admissions from the ED are unnecessary. About 6% of ED discharges for bronchiolitis result in ED returns with admission. These inappropriate dispositions waste limited health care resources, increase patient and parental distress, expose patients to iatrogenic risks, and worsen outcomes. Existing clinical guidelines for bronchiolitis offer limited improvement in patient outcomes. Methodological shortcomings include that the guidelines provide no specific thresholds for ED decisions to admit or to discharge, have an insufficient level of detail, and do not account for differences in patient and illness characteristics including co-morbidities. Predictive models are frequently used to complement clinical guidelines, reduce practice variation, and improve clinicians' decision making. Used in real time, predictive models can present objective criteria supported by historical data for an individualized disease management plan and guide admission decisions. However, existing predictive models for ED patients with bronchiolitis have limitations, including low accuracy and the assumption that the actual ED disposition decision was appropriate. To date, no operational definition of appropriate admission exists. No model has been built based on appropriate admissions, which include both actual admissions that were necessary and actual ED discharges that were unsafe. The

Mathematics Admission Test Remarks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ideon Erge

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Since 2014, there have been admission tests in mathematics for applicants to the Estonian University of Life Sciences for Geodesy, Land Management and Real Estate Planning; Civil Engineering; Hydraulic Engineering and Water Pollution Control; Engineering and Technetronics curricula. According to admission criteria, the test must be taken by students who have not passed the specific mathematics course state exam or when the score was less than 20 points. The admission test may also be taken by those who wish to improve their state exam score. In 2016, there were 126 such applicants of whom 63 took the test. In 2015, the numbers were 129 and 89 and in 2014 150 and 47 accordingly. The test was scored on scale of 100. The arithmetic average of the score was 30.6 points in 2016, 29.03 in 2015 and 18.84 in 2014. The test was considered to be passed with 1 point in 2014 and 20 points in 2015 and 2016. We analyzed test results and gave examples of problems which were solved exceptionally well or not at all.

[Infiltration characteristics of soil water on loess slope land under intermittent and repetitive rainfall conditions].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi; Shao, Ming-An

2008-07-01

Based on the experiments of controlled intermittent and repetitive rainfall on slope land, the infiltration and distribution characteristics of soil water on loess slope land were studied. The results showed that under the condition of intermittent rainfall, the cumulative runoff during two rainfall events increased linearly with time, and the wetting front also increased with time. In the interval of the two rainfall events, the wetting front increased slowly, and the infiltration rate was smaller on steeper slope than on flat surface. During the second rainfall event, there was an obvious decreasing trend of infiltration rate with time. The cumulative infiltration on 15 degrees slope land was larger than that of 25 degrees slope land, being 178 mm and 88 mm, respectively. Under the condition of repetitive rainfall, the initial infiltration rate during each rainfall event was relatively large, and during the first rainfall, both the infiltration rate and the cumulative infiltration at various stages were larger than those during the other three rainfall events. However, after the first rainfall, there were no obvious differences in the infiltration rate among the next three rainfall events. The more the rainfall event, the deeper the wetting front advanced.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency in Children Is Associated with Grade Repetition and School Absenteeism, Independent of Folate, Iron, Zinc, or Vitamin A Status Biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Duong, Minh-Cam; Mora-Plazas, Mercedes; Marín, Constanza; Villamor, Eduardo

2015-07-01

Micronutrients are essential to neurocognitive development; yet their role in educational outcomes is unclear. We examined the associations of micronutrient status biomarkers with the risk of grade repetition and rates of school absenteeism in a cohort of school children. We recruited 3156 children aged 5-12 y from public schools in Bogota, Colombia. Circulating ferritin, hemoglobin, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin B-12; erythrocyte folate; and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were measured in blood samples obtained at the beginning of the year. Absenteeism was recorded weekly during the school year, and grade repetition was determined the next year. Risk ratios for grade repetition and rate ratios for absenteeism were estimated by categories of micronutrient status indicators with use of Poisson regression, adjusting for potential confounders. The risk of grade repetition was 4.9%, and the absenteeism rate was 3.8 d per child-year of observation. Vitamin B-12 deficiency (educational outcomes and neurocognitive development of school children need to be determined in intervention studies. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Effect of advanced age and vital signs on admission from an ED observation unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Caterino, Jeffrey M; Hoover, Emily M; Moseley, Mark G

2013-01-01

The primary objective was to determine the relationship between advanced age and need for admission from an emergency department (ED) observation unit. The secondary objective was to determine the relationship between initial ED vital signs and admission. We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study of ED patients placed in an ED-based observation unit. Multivariable penalized maximum likelihood logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of need for hospital admission. Age was examined continuously and at a cutoff of 65 years or more. Vital signs were examined continuously and at commonly accepted cutoffs.We additionally controlled for demographics, comorbid conditions, laboratory values, and observation protocol. Three hundred patients were enrolled, 12% (n = 35) were 65 years or older, and 11% (n = 33) required admission. Admission rates were 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07%-14.9%) in older adults and 12.1% (95% CI, 8.4%-16.6%) in younger adults. In multivariable analysis, age was not associated with admission (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; 95% CI, 0.05-1.67). Predictors of admission included systolic pressure 180 mm Hg or greater (OR, 4.19; 95% CI, 1.08-16.30), log Charlson comorbidity score (OR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.57-5.46), and white blood cell count 14,000/mm(3) or greater (OR, 11.35; 95% CI, 3.42-37.72). Among patients placed in an ED observation unit, age 65 years or more is not associated with need for admission. Older adults can successfully be discharged from these units. Systolic pressure 180 mm Hg or greater was the only predictive vital sign. In determining appropriateness of patients selected for an ED observation unit, advanced age should not be an automatic disqualifying criterion. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mortality among HIV/AIDS in-patients on admission in a tertiary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Annals of Biomedical Sciences ... and mortality in Nigeria and the disease has led to a sharp increase in the admission rate in many hospitals especially those offering care to those infected. ... The major factors leading to these deaths were late presentation to hospital, poor adherence to therapy and financial insolvency.

Trend of urban-rural disparities in hospital admissions and medical expenditure in China from 2003 to 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Rong; Wang, Yupeng; Bao, Han; Wang, Zhiqiang; Li, Yongquan; Su, Shaofei; Liu, Meina

2014-01-01

To assess the trend of urban-rural disparities in hospital admissions and medical expenditure between 2003 and 2011 in the context of Chinese health-care system reform. The data were from three different national surveys: the Third National Health Services Survey in 2003, the Fourth National Health Services Survey in 2008 and the national health-care reform phased assessment survey in 2011. There were 151421, 143380 and 48356 respondents aged 15 years or older in 2003, 2008 and 2011, respectively. The health insurance coverage expanded considerably from 27.7% in 2003 to 96.4% in 2011 among respondents aged 15 years or older. Hospitalization rate increased rapidly from 4.1% in 2003 to 9.6% in 2011. Urban respondents had higher hospital admissions than rural respondents, and the RR (95% CI) of hospitalization was 1.23 (1.17-1.30), 1.06 (1.02-1.10) and 1.16 (1.10-1.23) in 2003, 2008 and 2011, respectively. The urban-rural disparity in hospital admissions significantly narrowed over time. Urban respondents had a higher admission rate if insured and a lower admission if not insured than their rural counterparts. Of the six medical expenditure measures, the disparities in reimbursement rate and the proportion of hospitalization direct cost to the total consumer spending significantly narrowed. The health insurance coverage has been continually expanding and health service utilization has been substantially improved. Urban-rural disparities have been narrowed but still exist. Therefore, policy-makers should focus on increasing investment and reimbursement levels, developing a uniform standard health insurance system for urban and rural residents and improving the medical assistance system.

Pattern of non-communicable diseases among medical admissions ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Medical admissions due to non-communicable diseases were carefully selected and analyzed. There were 1853 cases of various non-communicable diseases out of a total medical admission of 3294 constituting 56.2% of total medical admissions. Diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine and renal systems were the most ...

RPERT: Repetitive-Projects Evaluation and Review Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Remon Fayek Aziz

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Estimating expected completion probability of any repetitive construction project with a specified/certain duration including repetitive identical activities by using program evaluation and review technique is the most essential part in construction areas since the activities were had optimistic, most likely and pessimistic durations. This paper focuses on the calculation of expected completion probability of any repetitive construction project within a specified/certain duration (contract duration by using Line Of Balance technique (LOB in case of single or multiple number of crews integrated with Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT. Repetitive-Projects Evaluation and Review Technique (RPERT, which is a simplified software, will generate the expected project completion probability of a specified/certain duration (contract duration. RPERT software is designed by java programming code system to provide a number of new and unique capabilities, including: (1 Viewing the expected project completion probability according to a set of specified durations per each identical activity (optimistic time, most likely time, and pessimistic time in the analyzed project; (2 Providing seamless integration with available project time calculations. In order to provide the aforementioned capabilities of RPERT, the system is implemented and developed in four main modules: (1 A user interface module; (2 A database module; (3 A running module; and (4 A processing module. At the end, an illustrative example will be presented to demonstrate and verify the applications of proposed software (RPERT, by using probabilistic calculations for repetitive construction projects.

High power all-solid-state fourth harmonic generation of 266 nm at the pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Q; Yan, X P; Fu, X; Gong, M; Wang, D S

2009-01-01

14.8 W UV laser at 266 nm was reported with the extra cavity frequency quartered configuration. The fundamental frequency IR source is a high-power high-beam-quality acoustic-optic Q-switched Nd:YVO 4 master-oscillator-power-amplifier laser. The type-I phase-matched LBO and type-I phase-matched BBO crystals were used as the extra-cavity frequency doubled and quartered crystal respectively. 14.8 W UV laser of 266 nm was obtained at the pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz with the conversion efficiency of 18.3% from green to UV, and the pulse duration of the UV laser was 10 ns corresponding to the pulse peak power of 14.8 kW. At 150 kHz, 11.5 W power output was obtained. The highest peak power of 21 kW was also achieved at 80 kHz with the average output power of 14.5 W

Deaths and hospital admissions as a result of home injuries among young and middle-aged New Zealand adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kool, Bridget; Chelimo, Carol; Robinson, Elizabeth; Ameratunga, Shanthi

2011-12-16

New Zealand lacks a comprehensive national profile of home injuries, this information is necessary to develop effective targeted injury prevention initiatives. This study describes the epidemiology of unintentional home injuries resulting in death or admission to hospital among young and middle-age New Zealanders. Cases were selected from Ministry of Health public hospital discharge (2000-2009) and mortality data (1998-2007), and included all 20-64 year olds where the place of injury occurrence was classified as 'home'. Only initial hospitalisations with a stay of 24 hours or longer were included. The circumstances of injury were coded according to the ICD-10 external cause categories. Mean annual rates of death or hospitalisation were calculated using census and intercensal denominator data. On average 4000 young and middle-age adults are admitted to hospital and 60 die annually as a result of unintentional injuries sustained at home. Overall, mortality rates were highest amongst males, older adults (50 to 64 years), and Māori. The leading causes of unintentional home injury deaths were poisoning, falls, and burns. Hospitalisation rates were highest among males, the older age groups (> 40 years), and Maori. As age increased so did the incidence of hospital admission. The leading contributors resulting in admission to hospital were falls, cutting or piercing, overexertion, and poisoning. Injuries due to falls had the highest median length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality rate. As deprivation increased so did the frequency of hospital admissions due to fall and cutting or piercing injuries. Poisonings and falls are the leading causes of unintentional home injury death among young and middle-aged New Zealanders. In addition, falls are a significant contributor to home injury resulting in admission to hospital. The large numbers of home injuries occurring each year in New Zealand, mean that even moderately successful injury prevention interventions could

Preventive Psychiatric Admission for Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pilot Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koekkoek, B.W.; Snoek, R. van der; Oosterwijk, K.; Meijel, B.K.G. van

2010-01-01

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to establish the preliminary effects of preventive psychiatric admission of patients with severe borderline personality disorder (BPD) on the rate of agreement over treatment, patient service use, and patient views on the intervention. DESIGN AND METHODS. A

Individual and hospital-related determinants of potentially inappropriate admissions emerging from administrative records.

Science.gov (United States)

Fusco, Marco; Buja, Alessandra; Piergentili, Paolo; Golfetto, Maria Teresa; Serafin, Gianni; Gallo, Silvia; Dalla Barba, Livio; Baldo, Vincenzo

2016-11-01

The appropriate use of health care is an important issue in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent of potentially inappropriate hospital admissions and their individual, clinical and hospital-related determinants. Medical records were analyzed for the year 2014 held by the Local Heath Unit n. 13 in the Veneto Region of north-east Italy (19,000 records). The outcomes calculated were: admissions for conditions amenable to day hospital care; brief medical admissions; outlier lengths of stay for elderly patients' medical admissions; and medical admissions to surgical wards. Univariate analyses and logistic regression models were used to test associations with demographic, clinical and hospital ward covariates, including organizational indicators. Inappropriate reliance on acute care beds ranged from 6% to 28%, depending on the type of quality indicator analyzed. Some individual features, and wards' specific characteristics were associated with at least one of the phenomena of inappropriate hospital resource usage. In particular, male gender, younger age and transferals seemed to affect inappropriate admissions to surgical wards. Potentially avoidable admissions featuring inpatients amenable to day hospital care were associated with subjects with fewer comorbidities and lower case-mix wards, while inappropriately short medical stays were influenced by patients' higher functional status and local residency and by lower bed occupancy rates. In conclusion, inappropriately long hospital stays for elderly cases were associated with patients with multiple pathologies in wards with a low bed-occupancy. Education level and citizenship did not seem to influence inappropriate admissions. Some individual, clinical ad structural characteristics of patients and wards emerging from administrative records could be associated with inappropriate reliance on acute hospital beds. Analyzing the indicators considered in this study could generate

Apparent temperature and cause-specific emergency hospital admissions in Greater Copenhagen, Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Wichmann, Janine; Andersen, Zorana; Ketzel, Matthias; Ellermann, Thomas; Loft, Steffen

2011-01-01

One of the key climate change factors, temperature, has potentially grave implications for human health. We report the first attempt to investigate the association between the daily 3-hour maximum apparent temperature (Tapp(max)) and respiratory (RD), cardiovascular (CVD), and cerebrovascular (CBD) emergency hospital admissions in Copenhagen, controlling for air pollution. The study period covered 1 January 2002-31 December 2006, stratified in warm and cold periods. A case-crossover design was applied. Susceptibility (effect modification) by age, sex, and socio-economic status was investigated. For an IQR (8°C) increase in the 5-day cumulative average of Tapp(max), a 7% (95% CI: 1%, 13%) increase in the RD admission rate was observed in the warm period whereas an inverse association was found with CVD (-8%, 95% CI: -13%, -4%), and none with CBD. There was no association between the 5-day cumulative average of Tapp(max) during the cold period and any of the cause-specific admissions, except in some susceptible groups: a negative association for RD in the oldest age group and a positive association for CVD in men and the second highest SES group. In conclusion, an increase in Tapp(max) is associated with a slight increase in RD and decrease in CVD admissions during the warmer months.

Population-based characteristics of fatal and hospital admissions for poisoning in Fiji: TRIP Project-11

Science.gov (United States)

Peiris-John, Roshini; Kafoa, Berlin; Wainiqolo, Iris; Reddy, Ravi Krishnan; McCaig, Eddie; Ameratunga, Shanthi N

2013-01-01

This study investigated the incidence and characteristics of poisoning fatalities and hospital admissions among indigenous Fijians and Indians in Viti Levu, Fiji. Individuals with a mechanism of injury classified as poisoning were identified using the Fiji injury surveillance in hospitals system, a population-based registry established for 12 months in Viti Levu, and analysed using population-based denominators. The mean annual rates of fatalities and hospitalisations were 2.3 and 26.0 per 100 000, respectively. Over two-thirds of poisonings occurred among people of Indian ethnicity. Most intentional poisoning admissions occurred among women (58.3%) and in 15–29-year-old individuals (73.8%). Unintentional poisoning admission rates were highest among Indian boys aged 0–14 years. While over 75% of events occurred at home, the substances involved were not systematically identified. The findings indicate the need for a strategy that addresses the differing contexts across age group, gender and ethnicity, and a lead agency responsible for implementing and monitoring its effectiveness. PMID:23353079

Improving the residency admissions process by integrating a professionalism assessment: a validity and feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajwa, Nadia M; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Belli, Dominique; Vu, Nu Viet; Park, Yoon Soo

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to provide validity and feasibility evidence in measuring professionalism using the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) scores as part of a residency admissions process. In 2012 and 2013, three standardized-patient-based P-MEX encounters were administered to applicants invited for an interview at the University of Geneva Pediatrics Residency Program. Validity evidence was gathered for P-MEX content (item analysis); response process (qualitative feedback); internal structure (inter-rater reliability with intraclass correlation and Generalizability); relations to other variables (correlations); and consequences (logistic regression to predict admission). To improve reliability, Kane's formula was used to create an applicant composite score using P-MEX, structured letter of recommendation (SLR), and structured interview (SI) scores. Applicant rank lists using composite scores versus faculty global ratings were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Seventy applicants were assessed. Moderate associations were found between pairwise correlations of P-MEX scores and SLR (r = 0.25, P = .036), SI (r = 0.34, P = .004), and global ratings (r = 0.48, P applicants using composite score versus global rating differed significantly (z = 5.41, P improve the reliability of the residency admissions process by improving applicant composite score reliability.

Effect of pulse repetition rate and number of pulses in the analysis of polypropylene and high density polyethylene by nanosecond infrared laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leme, Flavio O. [Laboratorio de Quimica Analitica ' Henrique Bergamin Filho' , Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Centenario 303, 13416-000 Piracicaba, SP (Brazil); Godoi, Quienly [Laboratorio de Quimica Analitica ' Henrique Bergamin Filho' , Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Centenario 303, 13416-000 Piracicaba, SP (Brazil); Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Kiyataka, Paulo H.M. [Centro de Tecnologia de Embalagens, Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Av. Brasil 2880, 13070-178 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Santos, Dario [Departamento de Ciencias Exatas e da Terra, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Rua Prof. Artur Riedel 275, 09972-270 Diadema, SP (Brazil); Agnelli, Jose A.M. [Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis, km 235, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); and others

2012-02-01

Pulse repetition rates and the number of laser pulses are among the most important parameters that do affect the analysis of solid materials by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, and the knowledge of their effects is of fundamental importance for suggesting analytical strategies when dealing with laser ablation processes of polymers. In this contribution, the influence of these parameters in the ablated mass and in the features of craters was evaluated in polypropylene and high density polyethylene plates containing pigment-based PbCrO{sub 4}. Surface characterization and craters profile were carried out by perfilometry and scanning electron microscopy. Area, volume and profile of craters were obtained using Taylor Map software. A laser induced breakdown spectroscopy system consisted of a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 5 ns) and an Echelle spectrometer equipped with ICCD detector were used. The evaluated operating conditions consisted of 10, 25 and 50 laser pulses at 1, 5 and 10 Hz, 250 mJ/pulse (85 J cm{sup -2}), 2 {mu}s delay time and 6 {mu}s integration time gate. Differences in the topographical features among craters of both polymers were observed. The decrease in the repetition rate resulted in irregular craters and formation of edges, especially in polypropylene sample. The differences in the topographical features and ablated masses were attributed to the influence of the degree of crystallinity, crystalline melting temperature and glass transition temperature in the ablation process of the high density polyethylene and polypropylene. It was also observed that the intensities of chromium and lead emission signals obtained at 10 Hz were two times higher than at 5 Hz by keeping the number of laser pulses constant.

Undergraduate Admissions | NSU

Science.gov (United States)

. Continuing Education Financial Aid Career Development Regional Campuses International Affairs Veterans Admissions Honors College Experiential Education Study Abroad Research Opportunities Career Preparation SharkLink California Disclosure International Affairs Undergraduate Advising Career Development Libraries at

Rethinking Dental School Admission Criteria: Correlation Between Pre-Admission Variables and First-Year Performance for Six Classes at One Dental School.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, Kevin C; Rieken, Susan

2018-04-01

Admissions committees in dental schools are charged with the responsibility of selecting candidates who will succeed in school and become successful members of the profession. Identifying students who will have academic difficulty is challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of pre-admission variables for the first-year performance of six classes at one U.S. dental school. The authors hypothesized that the variables undergraduate grade point average (GPA), undergraduate science GPA (biology, chemistry, and physics), and Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores would predict the level of performance achieved in the first year of dental school, measured by year-end GPA. Data were collected in 2015 from school records for all 297 students in the six cohorts who completed the first year (Classes of 2007 through 2013). In the results, statistically significant correlations existed between all pre-admission variables and first-year GPA, but the associations were only weak to moderate. Lower performing students at the end of the first year (lowest 10% of GPA) had, on average, lower pre-admission variables than the other students, but the differences were small (≤10.8% in all categories). When all the pre-admission variables were considered together in a multiple regression analysis, a significant association was found between pre-admission variables and first-year GPA, but the association was weak (adjusted R 2 =0.238). This weak association suggests that these students' first-year dental school GPAs were mostly determined by factors other than the pre-admission variables studied and has resulted in the school's placing greater emphasis on other factors for admission decisions.

Thin liquid sheet target capabilities for ultra-intense laser acceleration of ions at a kHz repetition rate

Science.gov (United States)

Klim, Adam; Morrison, J.; Orban, C.; Chowdhury, E.; Frische, K.; Feister, S.; Roquemore, M.

2017-10-01

The success of laser-accelerated ion experiments depends crucially on a number of factors including how thin the targets can be created. We present experimental results demonstrating extremely thin (under 200 nm) glycol sheet targets that can be used for ultra-intense laser-accelerated ion experiments conducted at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Importantly, these experiments operate at a kHz repetition rate and the recovery time of the liquid targets is fast enough to allow the laser to interact with a refreshed, thin target on every shot. These thin targets can be used to produce energetic electrons, light ions, and neutrons as well as x-rays, we present results from liquid glycol targets which are useful for proton acceleration experiments via the mechanism of Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA). In future work, we will create thin sheets from deuterated water in order to perform laser-accelerated deuteron experiments. This research was sponsored by the Quantum and Non-Equilibrium Processes Division of the AFOSR, under the management of Dr. Enrique Parra, and support from the DOD HPCMP Internship Program.

Cardiotocography versus intermittent auscultation of fetal heart on admission to labour ward for assessment of fetal wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Devane, Declan; Lalor, Joan G; Daly, Sean; McGuire, William; Cuthbert, Anna; Smith, Valerie

2017-01-26

The admission cardiotocograph (CTG) is a commonly used screening test consisting of a short (usually 20 minutes) recording of the fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine activity performed on the mother's admission to the labour ward. This is an update of a review published in 2012. To compare the effects of admission cardiotocography with intermittent auscultation of the FHR on maternal and infant outcomes for pregnant women without risk factors on their admission to the labour ward. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register to 30 November 2016 and we planned to review the reference list of retrieved papers All randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing admission CTG with intermittent auscultation of the FHR for pregnant women between 37 and 42 completed weeks of pregnancy and considered to be at low risk of intrapartum fetal hypoxia and of developing complications during labour. Two authors independently assessed trial eligibility and quality, and extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. We included no new trials in this update. We included four trials involving more than 13,000 women which were conducted in the UK and Ireland and included women in labour. Three trials were funded by the hospitals where the trials took place and one trial was funded by the Scottish government. No declarations of interest were made in two trials; the remaining two trials did not mention declarations of interest. Overall, the studies were assessed as low risk of bias. Results reported in the 2012 review remain unchanged.Although not statistically significant using a strict P auscultation (risk ratio (RR) 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00 to 1.44, 4 trials, 11,338 women, I² = 0%, moderate quality evidence). There was no clear difference in the average treatment effect across included trials between women allocated to admission CTG and women allocated to intermittent auscultation in instrumental vaginal birth (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.95 to 1

BARTER: Behavior Profile Exchange for Behavior-Based Admission and Access Control in MANETs

Science.gov (United States)

Frias-Martinez, Vanessa; Stolfo, Salvatore J.; Keromytis, Angelos D.

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) are very dynamic networks with devices continuously entering and leaving the group. The highly dynamic nature of MANETs renders the manual creation and update of policies associated with the initial incorporation of devices to the MANET (admission control) as well as with anomaly detection during communications among members (access control) a very difficult task. In this paper, we present BARTER, a mechanism that automatically creates and updates admission and access control policies for MANETs based on behavior profiles. BARTER is an adaptation for fully distributed environments of our previously introduced BB-NAC mechanism for NAC technologies. Rather than relying on a centralized NAC enforcer, MANET members initially exchange their behavior profiles and compute individual local definitions of normal network behavior. During admission or access control, each member issues an individual decision based on its definition of normalcy. Individual decisions are then aggregated via a threshold cryptographic infrastructure that requires an agreement among a fixed amount of MANET members to change the status of the network. We present experimental results using content and volumetric behavior profiles computed from the ENRON dataset. In particular, we show that the mechanism achieves true rejection rates of 95% with false rejection rates of 9%.

Multivariate prediction of spontaneous repetitive responses in ventricular myocardium exposed in vitro to simulated ischemic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiariti, M; Puddu, P E; Rouet, R

1994-06-01

Guinea-pig ventricular myocardium was partly exposed to normal Tyrode's superfusion and partly to altered conditions (using modified Tyrode's solution) set to simulate acute myocardial ischemia (PO2 80 +/- 10 mmHg; no glucose; pH 7.00 +/- 0.05; K+ 12 mM). Using a double-chamber tissue bath and standard microelectrode technique, the occurrence of spontaneous repetitive responses was investigated during simulated ischemia (occlusion) and after reperfusing the previously ischemic superfused tissue with normal Tyrode's solution (reperfusion). In 62 experiments (42 animals) the effects of: (1) duration of simulated ischemia (1321 +/- 435 s), (2) stimulation rate (1002 +/- 549 ms) and (3) number of successive simulated ischemic periods (occlusions) (1.58 +/- 0.92) on: (1) resting membrane potential, (2) action potential amplitude, (3) duration of 50 and 90% action potentials and (4) maximal upstroke velocity of action potential were studied. All variables were considered as gradients (delta) between normal and ischemic tissue. Both during occlusion and upon reperfusion, spontaneous repetitive responses were coded as single, couplets, salvos (three to nine and > 10) or total spontaneous repetitive responses (coded present when at least one of the above-mentioned types was seen). The incidence of total spontaneous repetitive responses was 31% (19/62) on occlusion and 85% (53/62) upon reperfusion. Cox's models (forced and stepwise) were used to predict multivariately the occurrence of arrhythmic events considered as both total spontaneous repetitive responses and as separate entities. These models were applicable since continuous monitoring of the experiments enabled exact timing of spontaneous repetitive response onset during both occlusion and reperfusion. In predicting reperfusion spontaneous repetitive responses, total spontaneous repetitive responses and blocks observed during the occlusion period were also considered. Total occlusion spontaneous repetitive responses

49 CFR 1114.3 - Admissibility of business records.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Admissibility of business records. 1114.3 Section... § 1114.3 Admissibility of business records. Any writing or record, whether in the form of an entry in a... be admissible as evidence thereof if it appears that it was made in the regular course of business...

Understanding work related musculoskeletal pain: does repetitive work cause stress symptoms?

Science.gov (United States)

Bonde, J P; Mikkelsen, S; Andersen, J H; Fallentin, N; Baelum, J; Svendsen, S W; Thomsen, J F; Frost, P; Kaergaard, A

2005-01-01

Pain in the neck and upper extremity is reported with high frequency in repetitive work. Mechanical overload of soft tissues seems a plausible mechanism, but psychological factors have received considerable attention during the past decade. If psychological factors are important for development of regional pain in repetitive work, stress symptoms would likely be on the causal path. To examine whether objective measures of repetitive monotonous work are related to occurrence and development of stress symptoms. In 1994-95, 2033 unskilled workers with continuous repetitive work and 813 workers with varied work were enrolled. Measures of repetitiveness and force requirements were quantified using video observations to obtain individual exposure estimates. Stress symptoms were recorded at baseline and after approximately one, two, and three years by the Setterlind Stress Profile Inventory. Repetitive work, task cycle time, and quantified measures of repetitive upper extremity movements including force requirements were not related to occurrence of stress symptoms at baseline or development of stress symptoms during three years of follow up. The findings do not indicate that repetitive work is associated with stress symptoms, but small effects cannot be ruled out. Thus the results question the importance of mental stress mechanisms in the causation of regional pain related to repetitive work. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution because the stress inventory has not been validated against a gold standard.

Fractional averaging of repetitive waveforms induced by self-imaging effects

Science.gov (United States)

Romero Cortés, Luis; Maram, Reza; Azaña, José

2015-10-01

We report the theoretical prediction and experimental observation of averaging of stochastic events with an equivalent result of calculating the arithmetic mean (or sum) of a rational number of realizations of the process under test, not necessarily limited to an integer record of realizations, as discrete statistical theory dictates. This concept is enabled by a passive amplification process, induced by self-imaging (Talbot) effects. In the specific implementation reported here, a combined spectral-temporal Talbot operation is shown to achieve undistorted, lossless repetition-rate division of a periodic train of noisy waveforms by a rational factor, leading to local amplification, and the associated averaging process, by the fractional rate-division factor.

Perceptions of admission committee members: some aspects on individual admission to dental education at Karolinska Institutet.

Science.gov (United States)

Röding, Karin

2005-08-01

The aim of the study was to generate an overall impression of the admission committee's (AC) perspective on individualised admission procedures, derived from some perceived experience of the individual committee members using semi-structured interviews. Qualitative research was used and data were collected by use of interviews. The results show that the committee members are highly committed to the task and try to identify desirable, non-cognitive attributes in the applicants, such as motivation, empathy, drive, and tenacity: 'emotional intelligence'. The committee members were of the opinion that it was possible to identify these attributes in an applicant. The AC further believes that the admissions procedure influences academic achievements because students regard themselves as specially selected and therefore aspire to higher achievements.

Vital Signs Predict Rapid-Response Team Activation Within Twelve Hours of Emergency Department Admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Walston, James M; Cabrera, Daniel; Bellew, Shawna D; Olive, Marc N; Lohse, Christine M; Bellolio, M Fernanda

2016-05-01

Rapid-response teams (RRTs) are interdisciplinary groups created to rapidly assess and treat patients with unexpected clinical deterioration marked by decline in vital signs. Traditionally emergency department (ED) disposition is partially based on the patients' vital signs (VS) at the time of hospital admission. We aimed to identify which patients will have RRT activation within 12 hours of admission based on their ED VS, and if their outcomes differed. We conducted a case-control study of patients presenting from January 2009 to December 2012 to a tertiary ED who subsequently had RRT activations within 12 hours of admission (early RRT activations). The medical records of patients 18 years and older admitted to a non-intensive care unit (ICU) setting were reviewed to obtain VS at the time of ED arrival and departure, age, gender and diagnoses. Controls were matched 1:1 on age, gender, and diagnosis. We evaluated VS using cut points (lowest 10%, middle 80% and highest 10%) based on the distribution of VS for all patients. Our study adheres to the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines for reporting observational studies. A total of 948 patients were included (474 cases and 474 controls). Patients who had RRT activations were more likely to be tachycardic (odds ratio [OR] 2.02, 95% CI [1.25-3.27]), tachypneic (OR 2.92, 95% CI [1.73-4.92]), and had lower oxygen saturations (OR 2.25, 95% CI [1.42-3.56]) upon arrival to the ED. Patients who had RRT activations were more likely to be tachycardic at the time of disposition from the ED (OR 2.76, 95% CI [1.65-4.60]), more likely to have extremes of systolic blood pressure (BP) (OR 1.72, 95% CI [1.08-2.72] for low BP and OR 1.82, 95% CI [1.19-2.80] for high BP), higher respiratory rate (OR 4.15, 95% CI [2.44-7.07]) and lower oxygen saturation (OR 2.29, 95% CI [1.43-3.67]). Early RRT activation was associated with increased healthcare utilization and worse outcomes including

Repetitive exposure: Brain and reflex measures of emotion and attention

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Vera; Bradley, Margaret M.; Codispoti, Maurizio; Lang, Peter J.

2010-01-01

Effects of massed repetition on the modulation of the late positive potential elicited during affective picture viewing were investigated in two experiments. Despite a difference in the number of repetitions across studies (from 5 to 30), results were quite similar: the late positive potential continued to be enhanced when viewing emotional, compared to neutral, pictures. On the other hand, massed repetition did prompt a reduction in the late positive potential that was most pronounced for emotional pictures. Startle probe P3 amplitude generally increased with repetition, suggesting diminished attention allocation to repeated pictures. The blink reflex, however, continued to be modulated by hedonic valence, despite massive massed repetition. Taken together, the data suggest that the amplitude of the late positive potential during picture viewing reflects both motivational significance and attention allocation. PMID:20701711

False confessions, expert testimony, and admissibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Clarence; Weiss, Kenneth J; Pouncey, Claire

2010-01-01

The confession of a criminal defendant serves as a prosecutor's most compelling piece of evidence during trial. Courts must preserve a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial while upholding the judicial interests of presenting competent and reliable evidence to the jury. When a defendant seeks to challenge the validity of that confession through expert testimony, the prosecution often contests the admissibility of the expert's opinion. Depending on the content and methodology of the expert's opinion, testimony addressing the phenomenon of false confessions may or may not be admissible. This article outlines the scientific and epistemological bases of expert testimony on false confession, notes the obstacles facing its admissibility, and provides guidance to the expert in formulating opinions that will reach the judge or jury. We review the 2006 New Jersey Superior Court decision in State of New Jersey v. George King to illustrate what is involved in the admissibility of false-confession testimony and use the case as a starting point in developing a best-practice approach to working in this area.

Admission Glycaemia and Acute Insulin Resistance in Heart Failure Complicating Acute Coronary Syndrome.

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Lazzeri, Chiara; Valente, Serafina; Chiostri, Marco; D'Alfonso, Maria Grazia; Spini, Valentina; Angelotti, Paola; Gensini, Gian Franco

2015-11-01

Few data are so far available on the relation between increased glucose values and insulin resistance and mortality at short-term in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). The present investigation, performed in 409 consecutive patients with AHF complicating acute coronary syndrome (ACS), was aimed at assessing the prognostic role of admission glycaemia and acute insulin resistance (as indicated by the Homeostatic Model Assessment - HOMA index) for death during Intensive Cardiac Care (ICCU) stay. Admission glucose tertiles were considered. In our series, diabetic patients accounted for the 33%. Patients in the third glucose tertiles exhibited the lowest LVEF (both on admission and at discharge), a higher use of mechanical ventilation, intra-aortic balloon pump and inotropic drugs and the highest in-ICCU mortality rate. In the overall population, hyperglycaemic patients (both diabetic and non diabetic) were 227 (227/409, 55.5%). Admission glycaemia was an independent predictor of in-ICCU mortality, together with admission LVEF and eGFR, while acute insulin resistance (as indicated by HOMA-index) was not associated with early death. The presence of admission hyperglycaemia in non-diabetic patients was independently associated with in-ICCU death while hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients was not. According to our results, hyperglycaemia is a common finding in patients with ACS complicated by AHF and it is an independent predictor of early death. Non-diabetic patients with hyperglycaemia are the subgroup with the highest risk of early death. Copyright © 2015 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is perfectionism associated with academic burnout through repetitive negative thinking?

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Garratt-Reed, David; Howell, Joel; Hayes, Lana; Boyes, Mark

2018-01-01

Academic burnout is prevalent among university students, although understanding of what predicts burnout is limited. This study aimed to test the direct and indirect relationship between two dimensions of perfectionism (Perfectionistic Concerns and Perfectionistic Strivings) and the three elements of Academic Burnout (Exhaustion, Inadequacy, and Cynicism) through Repetitive Negative Thinking. In a cross-sectional survey, undergraduate students ( n  = 126, M age = 23.64, 79% female) completed well-validated measures of Perfectionism, Repetitive Negative Thinking, and Academic Burnout. Perfectionistic Concerns was directly associated with all elements of burnout, as well as indirectly associated with Exhaustion and Cynicism via Repetitive Negative Thinking. Perfectionistic Strivings was directly associated with less Inadequacy and Cynicism; however, there were no indirect associations between Perfectionistic Strivings and Academic Burnout operating through Repetitive Negative Thinking. Repetitive Negative Thinking was also directly related to more burnout Exhaustion and Inadequacy, but not Cynicism. It is concluded that future research should investigate whether interventions targeting Perfectionistic Concerns and Repetitive Negative Thinking can reduce Academic Burnout in university students.

Repetition Enhancement of Amygdala and Visual Cortex Functional Connectivity Reflects Nonconscious Memory for Negative Visual Stimuli.

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Kark, Sarah M; Slotnick, Scott D; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2016-12-01

Most studies using a recognition memory paradigm examine the neural processes that support the ability to consciously recognize past events. However, there can also be nonconscious influences from the prior study episode that reflect repetition suppression effects-a reduction in the magnitude of activity for repeated presentations of stimuli-that are revealed by comparing neural activity associated with forgotten items to correctly rejected novel items. The present fMRI study examined the effect of emotional valence (positive vs. negative) on repetition suppression effects. Using a standard recognition memory task, 24 participants viewed line drawings of previously studied negative, positive, and neutral photos intermixed with novel line drawings. For each item, participants made an old-new recognition judgment and a sure-unsure confidence rating. Collapsed across valence, repetition suppression effects were found in ventral occipital-temporal cortex and frontal regions. Activity levels in the majority of these regions were not modulated by valence. However, repetition enhancement of the amygdala and ventral occipital-temporal cortex functional connectivity reflected nonconscious memory for negative items. In this study, valence had little effect on activation patterns but had a larger effect on functional connectivity patterns that were markers of nonconscious memory. Beyond memory and emotion, these findings are relevant to other cognitive and social neuroscientists that utilize fMRI repetition effects to investigate perception, attention, social cognition, and other forms of learning and memory.

OPTIMAL PRICE OF ADMISSION BANTIMURUNG NATURAL PARK, SOUTH SULAWESI

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Wahyudi Isnan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The number of visitors to the Bantimurung natural park fluctuated allegedly due to the increase of the price of admission ticket. The aim of the study is to analyze optimal price of admission ticket and willingness of visitors to pay admission ticket to the Park. The study was conducted in Bantimurung natural park, South Sulawsi, from January to April 2013.117 number of samples was taken by using convenience sampling method. Analysis of optimal prices and the willingness of visitors to pay for ecotourism to the Park were conducted by creating tourism demand function, which then simulated the price of admission, into the equation function of tourist demand. The results showed that the optimal price of the admission ticket was at the price of Rp75,000. At the optimal price of admission ticket of Rp75,000 the Park would earn revenues of Rp18,230,700,000. An average value of the visitor willingness to pay was Rp118,032, with price of admission ticket was Rp75,000, then, the average visitor will get consumer surplus of Rp43,032. If the management of Bantimurung natural park desiring to increase the total revenue, then the price of admission ticket can be increased to be Rp75,000.