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Yorkshire, Antonia S., Martin C. Stennett, Brant Walkley, Sarah E. O'Sullivan, Lucy M. Mottram, Daniel J. Bailey, John L. Provis, Neil C. Hyatt, and Claire L. Corkhill. "Spectroscopic evaluation of UVI–cement mineral interactions: ettringite and hydrotalcite." Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 29, no. 1 (January 1, 2022): 89–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/s1600577521011553.
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Portland cement based grouts used for radioactive waste immobilization contain high replacement levels of supplementary cementitious materials, including blast-furnace slag and fly ash. The minerals formed upon hydration of these cements may have capacity for binding actinide elements present in radioactive waste. In this work, the minerals ettringite (Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12·26H2O) and hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3·4H2O) were selected to investigate the importance of minor cement hydrate phases in sequestering and immobilizing UVI from radioactive waste streams. U L III-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to probe the UVI coordination environment in contact with these minerals. For the first time, solid-state 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy was applied to probe the Al coordination environment in these UVI-contacted minerals and make inferences on the UVI coordination, in conjunction with the X-ray spectroscopy analyses. The U L III-edge XAS analysis of the UVI-contacted ettringite phases found them to be similar (>∼70%) to the uranyl oxyhydroxides present in a mixed becquerelite/metaschoepite mineral. Fitting of the EXAFS region, in combination with 27Al NMR analysis, indicated that a disordered Ca- or Al-bearing UVI secondary phase also formed. For the UVI-contacted hydrotalcite phases, the XAS and 27Al NMR data were interpreted as being similar to uranyl carbonate, that was likely Mg-containing.
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SOLLER, H., and D. BREYEL. "SIGNATURES IN THE CONDUCTANCE FOR PHASE TRANSITIONS IN EXCITONIC SYSTEMS." Modern Physics Letters B 27, no. 25 (September 23, 2013): 1350185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0217984913501856.
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In this paper, we analyze two phase transitions in exciton bilayer systems: a topological phase transition to a phase which hosts Majorana fermions and a phase transition to a Wigner crystal. Using generic simple models for different phases, we discuss the conductance properties of the latter when contacted to metallic leads and demonstrate the possibility to observe the different phase transitions by simple conductance measurements.
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Stanescu, Tudor D., Anna Sitek, and Andrei Manolescu. "Robust topological phase in proximitized core–shell nanowires coupled to multiple superconductors." Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 9 (May 22, 2018): 1512–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.9.142.
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We consider core–shell nanowires with prismatic geometry contacted with two or more superconductors in the presence of a magnetic field applied parallel to the wire. In this geometry, the lowest energy states are localized on the outer edges of the shell, which strongly inhibits the orbital effects of the longitudinal magnetic field that are detrimental to Majorana physics. Using a tight-binding model of coupled parallel chains, we calculate the topological phase diagram of the hybrid system in the presence of non-vanishing transverse potentials and finite relative phases between the parent superconductors. We show that having finite relative phases strongly enhances the stability of the induced topological superconductivity over a significant range of chemical potentials and reduces the value of the critical field associated with the topological quantum phase transition.
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Jensma, Jeanne L., Patricia L. Pike, Cheryl L. Duerksen, and Gary H. Strauss. "The importance and the Difficulty of Doing Research with a Missionary Population." Journal of Psychology and Theology 25, no. 3 (September 1997): 384–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009164719702500307.
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In a recent study, 50 mission boards were contacted and over 300 first-term missionary appointees were asked to participate in research on the predictive validity of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory. The research took place in two phases: one before the missionaries left for their respective fields and the second after approximately six months on the field. Fifty missionaries agreed to participate in the study and met the qualifications for doing so. By the end of the second phase of the research, however, only 14 missionaries had completed the study with no missing inventories. This research note highlights both the importance of doing research among missionaries and the difficulties encountered in the process.
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Liu, Hong Wei. "Influence of Powder Preparation Technology on In Situ Reactive Synthesized Ti (C,N)-TiB2 Composite Ceramics." Advanced Materials Research 744 (August 2013): 334–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.744.334.
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Mechanical adhesion method and precursor method were used to prepare Ti-B4C-C and Ti-B4C-Sucrose composite powders respectively with Ti, B4C, graphite and sucrose (precursor of C) as raw materials. Ti (C,N)-TiB2 composite ceramic preforms were prepared with the two kinds of powders by self-reactive spray forming technology. The compositions and microstructure were analyzed and observed by means of XRD and SEM. The porosity and fracture toughness of the preforms were tested. Then the influence of powder preparation technology on the microstructure and properties of the preforms were contrastively analyzed. It was shown that compared with Ti-B4C-C composite powders, Ti-B4C-Sucrose composite powders had lower interior adhesive strength, but the different composition among them mixed more uniformly and contacted tighter, which made the SHS reaction of them during the spray forming process take place more sufficiently. The two kinds of preforms were both composed of Ti (C,N)-TiB2 main phases, titanium oxide by-product phases and some pores. Whereas there were less kinds and content of by-product phases in the preforms prepared with Ti-B4C-Sucrose powders, and the materials were uniform and dense, with higher fracture toughness. The general properties of the preforms were obviously better than that of the preforms prepared with Ti-B4C-C composite powders.
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Das Gupta, K., A. F. Croxall, J. Waldie, C. A. Nicoll, H. E. Beere, I. Farrer, D. A. Ritchie, and M. Pepper. "Experimental Progress towards Probing the Ground State of an Electron-Hole Bilayer by Low-Temperature Transport." Advances in Condensed Matter Physics 2011 (2011): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/727958.
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Recently, it has been possible to design independently contacted electron-hole bilayers (EHBLs) with carrier densities cm2in each layer and a separation of 10–20 nm in a GaAs/AlGaAs system. In these EHBLs, the interlayer interaction can be stronger than the intralayer interactions. Theoretical works have indicated the possibility of a very rich phase diagram in EHBLs consisting of excitonic superfluid phases, charge density waves, and Wigner crystals. Experiments have revealed that the Coulomb drag on the hole layer shows strong nonmonotonic deviations from a behaviour expected for Fermi-liquids at low temperatures. Simultaneously, an unexpected insulating behaviour in the single-layer resistances (at a highly “metallic” regime with ) also appears in both layers despite electron mobilities of above and hole mobilities over . Experimental data also indicates that the point of equal densities () is not special.
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Virga, V., KA Houpt, and JM Scarlett. "Efficacy of amitriptyline as a pharmacological adjunct to behavioral modification in the management of aggressive behaviors in dogs." Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 37, no. 4 (July 1, 2001): 325–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.5326/15473317-37-4-325.
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The efficacy of amitriptyline as a pharmacological adjunct to behavioral modification in the clinical management of aggressive behaviors in dogs was evaluated in two phases. Twelve dogs presenting for aggressive behaviors were treated sequentially with amitriptyline (2 mg/kg body weight, per os [PO] bid) and a placebo for 4 weeks in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Standardized protocols for behavior modification were implemented throughout the trial. Owners maintained behavioral records and reported on the number of aggressive incidents as well as the dog's overall improvement at the end of each 4-week period. In the second phase, 27 cases of dogs presenting for aggressive behaviors and treated with amitriptyline were reviewed, and clients were contacted to record each dog's response to treatment. Reports were compared to those for dogs receiving behavior modification alone (i.e., placebo phase of prospective study). No significant difference was observed in the patients' responses to adjunctive amitriptyline versus behavior modification alone.
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Pople, Vedant, Ayush Kanaujia, R. Vijayan, and V. Mareeswari. "Face Mask Detection for Real Time Video Streams." ECS Transactions 107, no. 1 (April 24, 2022): 8275–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/10701.8275ecst.
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The Face Mask Detection model is used to make sure a person is wearing a mask or not. This model results from the grappling situation presented by COVID-19, resulting in the mandatory use of masks at public places. Security agencies need to plant actual personnel to make sure all the people in public are wearing ‘masks’, this model will lessen the risk of people being contacted by COVID-19. This research helps us understand a broader perspective about the Face Mask Detection models by comparing different state of the art models. The model uses MobileNetV2 architecture that has inverted bottlenecks and depth-wise convolutions to filter features. The complete model is built in two phases, the first one consisting of making a Face Mask Detection model trained to detect the face and mask, and then placing it in the Real Time environment by using the OpenCV for actually predicting the usage of face mask.
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Xie, Yanyan, Mengya Gao, Yang Liu, Qiang Fu, Guoliang Wang, Yujie Dai, and Shiru Jia. "Interaction of Zn(II) and Cu(II) with ε-poly-L-lysine and properties of the complexes." E3S Web of Conferences 131 (2019): 01003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/201913101003.
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ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural food preservative with high safety to humans and a wide antimicrobial spectra. It was found that ε-PL could form precipitates when it contacted to Cu(II) and Zn(II). Thus in this study, two complexes of ZnCl2 and CuCl2 with ε-poly-L-lysine having molecular weights between 2 and 5 kDa were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis (EA), atom absorption spectrometry (AAS), chlorine assay, etc. The results show that the compositions of two complexes can be expressed as [ NH-(CH2)5-CO ] 2n•(ZnCl2)n•2nH2O and [ NH-(CH2)5-CO ] 2n•(CuCl2)n•2nH2O (n=6-18), respectively. The results of FT-IR reveal that the formation of Zn-N and Cu-N coordination bonds. X-RD patterns indicat that the two complexes are new phases different from the raw ε-PL material. On the basis of TG-DTA curves, the complexes have a coordination reaction. From the results of the bacteriostatic test, ε-PL-Zn(II) and ε-PL-Cu(II) have similar antibacterial activity to ligand ε-PL.
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Bergamasco, Massimo, A. A. Alessi, and M. Calcara. "Thermal Feedback in Virtual Environments." Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 6, no. 6 (December 1997): 617–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/pres.1997.6.6.617.
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This work refers to the study of thermal contact phenomena modeling for tactile feedback in virtual environments applications. The results of the modeling aspects for thermal replication are collected in specific functions that are used by the renderer of a virtual application. The finger temperature distribution versus time and contacted object temperature are the fundamental ways to approach, according to a specific modeling technique, the computation of the contact temperature occurring at the interface between the virtual hand and virtual object. Finger temperature distribution is then used for the control of thermal effectors. The modeling of the spatial and temporal distribution of the temperature in the human finger, when contact occurs with an external object at a defined temperature, is carried out in two phases: (a) determination of the temperature distribution in the finger when no contact is detected; and (b) determination of the temperature distribution in the finger when contact is detected. Results of the modeling are given and a procedure describing how these results can be used in the framework of a real application is presented.
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Doi, Masahiro, Yasuhisa Hasegawa, and Toshio Fukuda. "Control of Smooth Biped Walking by Means of Heel-Off Motion." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 19, no. 3 (June 20, 2007): 353–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2007.p0353.
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We propose the control method of biped walking controlled by heel liftoff that eliminates impact when the foot contacts the walking surface that makes walking unstable. In presenting sagittal motion with heel liftoff, we use an approximate 1-mass model and derive dynamics based on this model. Sagittal motion involves two centers of rotation: the ankle joint (phase 1) and the toe (phase 2). In phase 2, heel leftoff lowers the impact when the foot contacts the walking surface. 1D autonomous dynamics (phase) around the contact point is derived by applying Passive Dynamic Autonomous Control, which we proposed previously [15, 16] to dynamics in both phases. Based on this dynamics, we propose simple stabilizing control by varying the Center of Gravity (COG) trajectory in heel-off phase is proposed, and the motion period of the sagittal motion that is employed in order to synchronize the lateral and sagittal motion is calculated. Numerical simulation confirmed that walking dynamics converges at a certain state, and that heel liftoff reduced impact when the foot contacted the walking surface. We studied the energy efficiency of heel-off walking and proposed the mechanics to improve energy efficiency.
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Baghdady, Nour, Daniel Voit, Anne M. McDonell, and David W. Kubiak. "Effect of Pharmacists’ Interventions on the Appropriateness of Empiric Vancomycin Therapy in Oncology Patients with Febrile Neutropenia." Journal of King Abdulaziz University - Medical Sciences 26, no. 2 (December 31, 2019): 53–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.4197/med.26-2.6.
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The purpose of this observational study is to evaluate the effect of an active pharmacy intervention to facilitate timely discontinuation of empiric vancomycin therapy in oncology patients with febrile neutropenia who lack objective evidence of a Gram-positive infection. This was a two-phase study. Vancomycin use was evaluated retrospectively on all oncology patients with febrile neutropenia over four weeks (phase I). In a parallel four weeks a year later, vancomycin use in this patient population was evaluated prospectively (phase II). In the absence of evidence of Gram-positive infection after 72 hours of treatment initiation, the team was contacted by a pharmacist to encourage discontinuation. Usage was compared between both phases. Forty-three patients in phase I and 25 patients in phase II were treated with vancomycin with no evidence for Gram-positive infections. Pharmacists’ interventions were documented on 18 patients in phase II. Of these, 56% of interventions to discontinue vancomycin were accepted, but only 33.3% of patients had treatment stopped within 72 hours of initiation. Although not significant, a trend in more appropriate use of vancomycin in oncology patients with febrile neutropenia was observed. Pharmacist’s interventions might have played a role in this observation.
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Visser, Jacqueline JW, Johan KC Bloo, Frans A. Grobbe, and Miriam MR Vollenbroek-Hutten. "Implementation of a broadband video consultation service for children with posture and movement disorders." Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 15, no. 6 (August 31, 2009): 269–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/jtt.2009.081214.
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We evaluated the implementation of a video consultation service in a regional community of paediatric physiotherapists. Twenty-two paediatric therapists in primary care settings and a rehabilitation centre participated in this study. The implementation comprised three phases: introduction, learning and consultation. Evaluation of the implementation focused on the participants' satisfaction with regard to the implementation procedure, the education received, the technical helpdesk support and the usage of the application once put into practice. The introduction phase was very short (only two sessions) but the learning phase took much longer; it took 12 months for 21 therapists to complete the learning phase. Only 14 of the 21 therapists entered the actual consultation phase. Participants were generally satisfied with the education received and judged the helpdesk to be sufficient. The helpdesk was contacted 36 times by 14 participants. Within the 12-month study period, the therapists performed 24 video consultations. The average time to compose a question was 115 min and the average time to answer it was 43 min. Implementation of a video consultation service is possible but takes more time than initially foreseen and only about two-thirds of the professionals actually adopted it into routine practice.
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Mason, Carolyn Q., and Samantha E. Goldman. "Facilitated Individualized Education Planning." Journal of Disability Policy Studies 27, no. 4 (August 3, 2016): 212–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1044207316660828.
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Facilitated individualized education planning (FIEP) presents an alternative to formalized dispute resolution procedures, which can have damaging financial and relational consequences for families and schools. Although recommended as an alternative dispute resolution practice, minimal research has examined its implementation and evaluation. In this study, we described where and how FIEP was being implemented and what types of data state educational agencies (SEAs) implementing FIEP were collecting. In two phases, we contacted representatives of each SEA in the United States, asking them to complete a survey on their state’s use of FIEP, and then to share outcome and participant feedback data and data collection forms. From 43 responses in the first phase, we found that almost half of SEAs are using FIEPs ( n = 24), and of those not currently using FIEP, 12 were considering implementing the practice in the future. In the second phase of the study, we found that six states that responded to the request for data captured similar content on meeting outcomes and participant feedback. Outcome data provided preliminary, initial evidence for the potential effectiveness of FIEP in achieving positive outcomes in the form of agreement or consensus regarding IEPs. Implications for practice, research, and policy are discussed.
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Barin, Laura, Christian P. Kamm, Anke Salmen, Holger Dressel, Pasquale Calabrese, Caroline Pot, Sven Schippling, et al. "How do patients enter the healthcare system after the first onset of multiple sclerosis symptoms? The influence of setting and physician specialty on speed of diagnosis." Multiple Sclerosis Journal 26, no. 4 (January 18, 2019): 489–500. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1352458518823955.
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Background: Diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) early is crucial to avoid future disability. However, potentially preventable delays in the diagnostic cascade from contact with a physician to definite diagnosis still occur and their causes are still unclear. Objective: To identify the possible causes of delays in the diagnostic process. Methods: We analyzed the data of the Swiss MS Registry. With logistic regression, we modeled the time from the first contact to the first consultation (contact-to-evaluation time, ⩽1 month/>1 month) and the evaluation-to-diagnosis time (⩽6 months/>6 months). Potential factors were health system characteristics, sociodemographic variables, first symptoms, and MS type. Results: We included 522 participants. Mostly, general practitioners (67%) were contacted first, without delaying the diagnosis. In contrast, first symptoms and MS type were the major contributors to delays: gait problems were associated with longer contact-to-evaluation times, depression as a concomitant symptom with longer evaluation-to-diagnosis times, and having primary progressive MS prolonged both phases. In addition, living in mountainous areas was associated with longer contact-to-evaluation times, whereas diagnosis after 2000 was associated with faster diagnoses. Conclusion: For a quicker diagnosis, awareness of MS as a differential diagnosis of gait disorders and the co-occurrence of depression at onset should be raised, and these symptoms should be attentively followed.
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Magnavita, Nicola, Paolo Maurizio Soave, and Massimo Antonelli. "Prolonged Stress Causes Depression in Frontline Workers Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in a COVID-19 Hub-Hospital in Central Italy." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 14 (July 8, 2021): 7316. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147316.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested the mental health of frontline health care workers. A repeated cross-sectional study can provide information on how their mental health evolved during the various phases of the pandemic. The intensivists of a COVID-19 hub hospital in Rome were investigated with a baseline survey during the first wave of the pandemic in April 2020, and they were contacted again in December 2020, during the second wave. Of the 205 eligible workers, 152 responded to an online questionnaire designed to measure procedural justice, occupational stress (effort/reward imbalance), sleep quality, anxiety, depression, burnout, job satisfaction, happiness, and turnover intention. Workers reported a further increase in workload and compassion fatigue, which had already risen during the first wave, and a marked reduction in the time devoted to meditation and mental activities. A low level of confidence in the adequacy of safety procedures and the need to work in isolation, together with an increased workload and lack of time for meditation, were the most significant predictors of occupational stress in a stepwise linear regression model. Occupational stress was, in turn, a significant predictor of insomnia, anxiety, low job satisfaction, burnout, and intention to leave the hospital. The number of workers manifesting symptoms of depression increased significantly to exceed 60%. Action to prevent occupational risks and enhance individual resilience cannot be postponed.
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Kim, Kyu-Sik, Min-Chul Shim, Man-Ho Park, Jung-Yeul Yun, and Kee-Ahn Lee. "Asymmetry in the Mechanical Properties of Block Ni-Cr-Al Superalloy Foam Fabricated by the Combination of Powder Alloying and Hot Rolling Processes." Korean Journal of Metals and Materials 58, no. 2 (February 5, 2020): 103–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.3365/kjmm.2020.58.2.103.
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A block Ni-Cr-Al superalloy foam with dimensions of 300 mm (width direction, WD) × 500 mm (rolling direction, RD) × 60 mm (normal direction, ND) was fabricated using powder alloying, multi-sheet stacking, and hot rolling processes. The structural characteristics, microstructure, and mechanical asymmetry of the block Ni-based foam were investigated. Analysis of the structural features showed that the interfaces between the sheets had complex strut interactions, such as contacted (deformed) and intersected struts. The average pore size along the directions was measured to be 2569.6 μm (WD), 2988.1 μm (RD), and 2493.2 μm (ND). The average thickness of the strut was 340.8 μm, and the wall thickness of the strut was 27.7 μm. The elemental distributions in the struts were uniformly controlled, and the block foam consisted of γ (matrix) and γ ' (Ni<sub>3</sub>Al) phases. Tensile properties in the ND direction showed a yield strength of 0.175 MPa, tensile strength of 0.233 MPa, and elongation of 2.54%, while the tensile properties in the RD direction were 1.27 MPa (YS), 3.01 MPa (UTS), 8.92% (El.) respectively. The foam was observed to have a compressive yield strength of 0.795 MPa in the ND direction, and that of 2.18 MPa in the RD direction were obtained. The asymmetry and anisotropy of these mechanical properties could be explained by the difference in pore sizes along the direction, and the structural characteristics of the sheet interface generated by sheet stacking and rolling.
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Thapa, Amit, Bidur KC, and Bikram Shakya. "Cost effective use of free to use apps (FAN) in neurosurgery in developing countries: from clinical decision making to educational courses, strengthening the health care delivery." Journal of Society of Surgeons of Nepal 18, no. 3 (July 25, 2016): 36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jssn.v18i3.15299.
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Introduction and Objective: Financial limitations and scarcity of technological knowledge is a major hurdle to good communication platform, data storage and dissemination of medical knowledge in developing countries. Out of necessity we used free to use apps in our practice. We studied the applicability and cost effective aspect of a systematic use of these apps in neurosurgery.Materials and Methods: We designed Free to use apps in neurosurgery (FAN) module in 4 phases at KMCTH over the last 3 years. We used free apps like viber, dropbox, skype and vlc media player on 3G and wifi. Users were trained in ethics and measures to ensure confidentiality and privacy of patient related data. Endpoints studied were feasibility, reliability, cost effectiveness and overall satisfaction of the users.Results: In the FAN module, viber app was used to send pictures of digital imagings (DI) using smartphones within 30 minutes enabling quick decision by the consultants. Dropbox not only helped store images but also helped quick verification of discharge summaries as early as 15 minutes increasing overall efficiency. With Skype, consultants could be contacted even when they were abroad and using FAN they remain updated of their patients. Using skype and vlc, 2 operative live workshops from abroad was transmitted live with good visual and audio reception allowing question answer sessions with the faculties. Users’ satisfaction was more than 90%.Conclusion: FAN module helped in quick reliable decision making, allowing for instantaneous communication and storing data and exchange of knowledge across countries.
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Akinradewo, Opeoluwa, Clinton Aigbavboa, and Ayodeji Oke. "Accuracy of road construction preliminary estimate: examining the influencing factors." Built Environment Project and Asset Management 10, no. 5 (June 19, 2020): 657–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/bepam-11-2019-0101.
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PurposePreparation of preliminary estimate is difficult owing to the lack of full project details in the early phases of the construction project. This paper seeks to assess the estimation techniques used for road projects and the critical factors affecting their accuracy in the Ghanaian construction industry.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative research design was adopted and questionnaire was designed to retrieve data. The target population were engineers and quantity surveyors who were contacted using an e-questionnaire through their professional bodies owing to location constraints. Retrieved data were analysed using descriptive and exploratory factor analysis. In order to compare the opinions of the respondents, the Mann–Whitney U-test was employed.FindingsThe survey revealed that subjective, parametric, comparative and analytical estimations are in use in Ghana. The most critical factors influencing the accuracy of estimation techniques are improper project planning, insufficient preliminary site investigation and usage of shortcuts, among others.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to Accra, Ghana, due to time and distance constraint.Practical implicationsFor accuracy of preliminary estimates to be improved, estimators being the custodian of the estimate are expected to be devoid of errors such as arithmetic calculation errors, inaccurate quantity measurement and error of omission. The usage of estimating software can eliminate these human errors.Originality/valueThe study will assist policymakers and stakeholders in aligning mitigative actions for factors influencing preliminary estimate of road projects with defined clusters rather than basic ranks. With attention focussed on the characteristics of each cluster, accuracy of preliminary estimate can be improved.
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Lima-Oliveira, Gabriel, Gian Cesare Guidi, Andre Valpassos Pacifici Guimaraes, Jose Abol Correa, and Giuseppe Lippi. "Preanalytical Nonconformity Management Regarding Primary Tube Mixing in Brazil." Journal of Medical Biochemistry 36, no. 1 (January 1, 2017): 39–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jomb-2016-0032.
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Summary Background: The multifaceted clinical laboratory process is divided in three essential phases: the preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical phase. Problems emerging from the preanalytical phase are responsible for more than 60% of laboratory errors. This report is aimed at highlighting and discussing nonconformity (e.g., nonstandardized procedures) in primary blood tube mixing immediately after blood collection by venipuncture with evacuated tube systems. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2015, fifty different laboratory quality managers from Brazil were contacted to request their internal audit reports on nonconformity regarding primary blood tube mixing immediately after blood collection by venipuncture performed using evacuated tube systems. Results and Conclusions: A minority of internal audits (i.e., 4%) concluded that evacuated blood tubes were not accurately mixed after collection, whereas more than half of them reported that evacuated blood tubes were vigorously mixed immediately after collection, thus magnifying the risk of producing spurious hemolysis. Despite the vast majority of centers declaring that evacuated blood tubes were mixed gently and carefully, the overall number of inversions was found to be different from that recommended by the manufacturer. Since the turbulence generated by the standard vacuum pressure inside the primary evacuated tubes seems to be sufficient for providing solubilization, mixing and stabilization between additives and blood during venipuncture, avoidance of primary tube mixing probably does not introduce a major bias in tests results and may not be considered a nonconformity during audits for accreditation.
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Gibert, Oriol, César Valderrama, María M. Martínez, Rosa Mari Darbra, Josep Oliva Moncunill, and Vicenç Martí. "Hydroxyapatite Coatings on Calcite Powder for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Water." Water 13, no. 11 (May 27, 2021): 1493. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13111493.
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An approach for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated wastewater that is gaining increasing attention is the application of hydroxyapatite (HAP)-based particles. HAP is conventionally synthesized through wet chemical precipitation of calcium and phosphate ions, although later studies have focused on HAP synthesis from solid calcite contacted with a phosphate solution under ambient conditions. This synthesis route can allow saving soluble Ca-chemicals and, thus, make the process more cost-efficient. The aim of this study was to coat natural calcite powder with a layer of HAP for the removal of Zn and Cu from contaminated water. For this purpose, a HAP layer was synthesized on calcite particles, characterized using several complementary techniques and evaluated for the removal of Zn and Cu from synthetic solutions. Sorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms, as well as the effect of sonication of the synthesized sample on its sorption performance, were determined. The results showed that calcite particles were efficiently coated with a HAP layer with high capacity in removing Zn and Cu from acidic solutions, with a qmax of 34.97 mg/g for Zn (increased to 37.88 g/mg after sonication of the sample) and 60.24 mg/g for Cu (which hardly varied with sonication). The mechanisms behind the sorption of Zn and Cu onto HAP, inferred from pH changes, the relation between metal uptake and Ca2+ release and XRD analysis, included surface complexation, ion exchange and precipitation of new Zn- and Cu-containing phases.
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Prendergast, Erica, Michele Grimason Mills, Jonathan Kurz, Joshua Goldstein, and Andrea C. Pardo. "Implementing Quantitative Electroencephalogram Monitoring by Nurses in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit." Critical Care Nurse 42, no. 2 (April 1, 2022): 32–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.4037/ccn2022680.
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Background Nonconvulsive seizures occur frequently in pediatric intensive care unit patients and can be impossible to detect clinically without electroencephalogram monitoring. Quantitative electroencephalography uses mathematical signal analysis to compress data, monitoring trends over time. Nonneurologists can identify seizures with quantitative electroencephalography, but data on its use in the clinical setting are limited. Local Problem Bedside quantitative electroencephalography was implemented and nurses received education on its use for seizure detection. This quality improvement project aimed to describe the time between nurses’ recognition of electrographic seizures and seizure treatment. Methods Education was provided in phases over several months. Retrospective medical record review evaluated quantitative electroencephalograms and medication interventions from September 2019 through March 2020. A bedside form was used to measure nurses’ use of quantitative electroencephalograms, change recognition, clinician notification, and seizure treatment. A nurse survey evaluated the education after implementation. Results Data included 44 electroencephalograms from 30 pediatric intensive care unit patients aged 18 years or less with electroencephalogram monitoring durations of 4 hours or longer. Nurses monitored quantitative electroencephalograms in 73% of cases, documented at least 1 change in the quantitative electroencephalogram display in 28% of these cases, and contacted the neurocritical care team in 78% of cases in which they documented a change. Seizure treatment was initiated in response to the nursing call in 1 patient. Time to treatment was approximately 20 minutes. Conclusions An education program for quantitative electroencephalogram interpretation by nurse providers is feasible yet complex, requiring multiple reeducation cycles.
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Ludwar, Bjoern Ch, Colin G. Evans, Jian Jing, and Elizabeth C. Cropper. "Two Distinct Mechanisms Mediate Potentiating Effects of Depolarization on Synaptic Transmission." Journal of Neurophysiology 102, no. 3 (September 2009): 1976–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00418.2009.
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Two distinct mechanisms mediate potentiating effects of depolarization on synaptic transmission. Recently there has been renewed interest in a type of plasticity in which a neuron's somatic membrane potential influences synaptic transmission. We study mechanisms that mediate this type of control at a synapse between a mechanoafferent, B21, and B8, a motor neuron that receives chemical synaptic input. Previously we demonstrated that the somatic membrane potential determines spike propagation within B21. Namely, B21 must be centrally depolarized if spikes are to propagate to an output process. We now demonstrate that this will occur with central depolarizations that are only a few millivolts. Depolarizations of this magnitude are not, however, sufficient to induce synaptic transmission to B8. B21-induced postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) are only observed if B21 is centrally depolarized by ≥10 mV. Larger depolarizations have a second impact on B21. They induce graded changes in the baseline intracellular calcium concentration that are virtually essential for the induction of chemical synaptic transmission. During motor programs, subthreshold depolarizations that increase calcium concentrations are observed during one of the two antagonistic phases of rhythmic activity. Chemical synaptic transmission from B21 to B8 is, therefore, likely to occur in a phase-dependent manner. Other neurons that receive mechanoafferent input are electrically coupled to B21. Differential control of spike propagation and chemical synaptic transmission may, therefore, represent a mechanism that permits selective control of afferent transmission to different types of neurons contacted by B21. Afferent transmission to neurons receiving chemical synaptic input will be phase specific, whereas transmission to electrically coupled followers will be phase independent.
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Feinberg, Adina E., Sergio A. Acuna, David Smith, Brian Kashin, Aaron Mocon, Brian Yau, Jenny Chiu, and Sanjho Srikandarajah. "Optimizing opioid prescriptions after laparoscopic appendectomy and cholecystectomy." Canadian Journal of Surgery 64, no. 1 (February 2021): E69—E75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1503/cjs.001319.
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Background: There has been an increase in opioid usage and opioid-related deaths. Opioids prescribed to surgical patients have similarly increased. The aim of this study was to assess opioid consumption in patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and to determine whether a standardized prescription could affect opioid consumption without affecting patient satisfaction. Methods: Patients undergoing LA or LC were recruited prospectively during 2 time periods (April to June 2017 and November 2017 to January 2018). In the first phase, surgeons continued their usual postoperative analgesia prescribing patterns. In the second phase, a standardized prescription was implemented. Patients were contacted by telephone and a questionnaire was completed for both phases of the study. The primary outcome was the quantity of opioids prescribed and consumed. Results: In the first phase, 166 patients who underwent LC or LA were recruited. The median number of prescribed opioid tablets was 20 and the median number consumed was 2. Ninety-five percent of patients reported satisfaction with their analgesia. Based on these results, a standardized prescription for multimodal analgesia was implemented for the second phase, consisting of 10 opioid tablets. In the second phase, 129 patients who underwent LA or LC were recruited. There was a significant decrease in the median number of opioid pills filled (10) and consumed (0), with no difference in reported satisfaction with analgesia. Conclusion: Patients are prescribed an excess of opioids after LA or LC. Implementation of a standardized prescription based on a quality improvement intervention was effective at decreasing the number of opioids prescribed and consumed.
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Ungar, Rachel, Rifky Tkatch, Yan Cheng, Sandra Kraemer, Michael McGinn, and Ellen Wicker. "Preliminary Impact of a Social Connection Program on Older Adults." Innovation in Aging 5, Supplement_1 (December 1, 2021): 915. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igab046.3317.
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Abstract Background: Research demonstrates social connections decrease loneliness and improves life satisfaction among older adults. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited social connectedness, specifically for older adults. Thus, programs aiming to increase social connectedness among older adults are imperative. Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to determine if the telephonic Peer-to-Peer (P2P) program can improve social connectedness and loneliness among older adults. A secondary objective was to determine whether additional improvements in life satisfaction and perception of aging were achieved. Methods: Eligible older adults (age 65+) were recruited via outbound calls and/or a mailer. Participants were mailed a T1 survey, completed intervention training, and matched into a dyad. The matched dyad engaged in weekly telephone calls for 12 weeks. Post 12 weeks, participants completed a T2 survey, and a T3 four weeks later. Results: Overall, 7,544 individuals were contacted to participate, and 759 expressed interest in participation. A total of 475 participants (62%) completed a T1, 372 (78%) completed training, and 348 (94%) were matched. Gender distribution was skewed towards females (74%), and most were 65-74 years old (53%). Preliminary results show significant differences between lonely and not lonely participants, with lonely participants reporting more negative health associations across all measures. Conclusion: Once agreeing to participate, results showed a high likelihood of continuing in P2P, thus demonstrating a social connectedness opportunity for older adults. Delay in mailing and scheduling training may contribute to challenges in attrition. However, developing automated processes utilizing technology may decrease lag time for future phases.
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Basu, Chaitali, Virendra Kumar Paul, and M. G. Matt Syal. "PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFITTING IN MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS." Journal of Green Building 14, no. 2 (March 2019): 109–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3992/1943-4618.14.2.109.
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The energy performance of an existing building is the amount of energy consumed to meet various needs associated with the standardized use of a building and is reflected in one or more indicators known as Building Energy Performance Indicators (EnPIs). These indicators are distributed amongst six main factors influencing energy consumption: climate, building envelope, building services and energy systems, building operation and maintenance, occupants' activities and behaviour, and indoor environmental quality. Any improvement made to either the existing structure or the physical and operational upgrade of a building system that enhances energy performance is considered an energy efficiency retrofit. The main goal of this research is to support the implementation of multifamily residential building energy retrofits through expert knowledge consensus on EnPIs for energy efficiency retrofit planning. The research methodology consists of a comprehensive literature review which has identified 35 EnPIs for assessing performance of existing residential buildings, followed by a ranking questionnaire survey of experts in the built-environment to arrive at a priority listing of indicators based on mean rank. This was followed by concordance analysis and measure of standard deviation. A total of 280 experts were contacted globally for the survey, and 106 completed responses were received resulting in a 37.85% response rate. The respondents were divided into two groups for analysis: academician/researchers and industry practitioners. The primary outcome of the research is a priority listing of EnPIs based on the quantitative data from the knowledge-base of experts from these two groups. It is the outcome of their perceptions of retrofitting factors and corresponding indicators. A retrofit strategy consists of five phases for retrofitting planning in which the second phase comprises an energy audit and performance assessment and diagnostics. This research substantiates the performance assessment process through the identification of EnPIs.
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Seo, G. T., T. S. Lee, B. H. Moon, and J. H. Lim. "Ultrafiltration combined with ozone for domestic laundry wastewater reclamation and reuse." Water Supply 1, no. 5-6 (June 1, 2001): 387–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2001.0138.
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Ozone was incorporated into an ultrafiltration system to produce higher quality reclaimed water from domestic laundry wastewater. Characteristics of the wastewater for initial washing waste were 488~2,847 mg/L COD, 62~674 mg/L MBAS, and 38~857 mg/L SS. The wastewater was contacted with ozone in a 10L storage tank and circulated through the membrane module for inner pressurized cross-flow filtration. The concentrate was returned back to the contact tank. The membrane used in this experiment was hollow fiber polysulfone UF membrane with MWCO 5,000 and 10,000. It has an effective filtration area of 0.06m2. The experiment was carried out in two phases with either continuous or intermittent ozone injection. For intermittent ozone injection, the mode of injection interval was changed to 5 min./5 min. and 5 min./10 min. for injection/idling. Ozone was dosed at the concentration of 1.5 mg/L. The permeate quality of UF (MWCO 5,000) was 57 mg/L as COD and 5 mg/L as MBAS at continuous ozone injection with removal of 95% in COD and 96.9% in MBAS. Using UF with MWCO 10,000, it was 93.7% and 95.5% of COD and MBAS, respectively. And using intermittent ozone injection, the removal efficiency was 93% in COD and 93.5% in MBAS without any deterioration in COD and MBAS removal. It could reduce the treatment cost. Using ozone injection, fouling of the membrane was also controlled by increasing organic degradation. The flux of UF (MWCO 5,000 and 10,000) was 0.13 and 0.20 m/d for 3 hour filtration (TMP 40≈45 kPa) without ozone injection. It was increased to 0.18 and 0.24m/d by ozone injection. The reclaimed water quality could be estimated well enough to reuse for rinsing purposes.
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Kolvunen, Kimmo, and Patrick A. C. Gane. "PAPER INK INTERACTIONS. Impact of oil-binder interaction on pore structure in paper coating as studied by internal reflectance Part 1 : implications of pore volume loss for print drying." Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal 27, no. 4 (November 1, 2012): 757–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.3183/npprj-2012-27-04-p757-764.
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Abstract The absorption of liquid into a pore network structure depends on porosity, pore size distribution, surface free energy of the involved phases, and external pressure. In the case of ink setting on coated paper, significant decrease of accessible pore volume can take place due to swelling of latex binder particles when contacted with the vehicle of oil-based ink. The reduction in pore network connectivity can be detected by an optical retlectance measurement procedure based on the refractive index differences between the coating components and the surrounding medium present in the interparticle pores. In this study, GCC mode l coatings with latices displaying differing oil uptake and swelling characteristics were exposed to liquid supersource imbibition without external pressure. Effects of both linseed oil and minerat oil were studied. In the case of free liquid propagation, i.e. in coatings with low content of binders, a linearly increasing trend of logarithmic retlectance gradient in the coating thickness is observed as a function of time, indicating deceleration of the wetting front propagation in consequence of the establishment of the flow resistive viscous factors at long timescales, and the subsequent approach of the saturation point at the wetting front. In contrast, in the case of restricted propagation, due to high binder content of swelling Iatex particles, a deviation of the logarithmic retlectance gradient from the linear trend is observed as saturation is approached. However, the relationship between spatial logarithmic retlectance gradient and liquid uptake per unit cross-sectional porosity continues to follow linear trends irrespective of the binder if the porosity is corrected for the loss due to swelling, thus enabling the effect of the binder on the structure to be studied in isolation.
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Bandyopadhyay, Soham, Ronnie E. Baticulon, Murtaza Kadhum, Muath Alser, Daniel K. Ojuka, Yara Badereddin, Archith Kamath, et al. "Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from COVID-19: a systematic review." BMJ Global Health 5, no. 12 (December 2020): e003097. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003097.
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ObjectivesTo estimate COVID-19 infections and deaths in healthcare workers (HCWs) from a global perspective during the early phases of the pandemic.DesignSystematic review.MethodsTwo parallel searches of academic bibliographic databases and grey literature were undertaken until 8 May 2020. Governments were also contacted for further information where possible. There were no restrictions on language, information sources used, publication status and types of sources of evidence. The AACODS checklist or the National Institutes of Health study quality assessment tools were used to appraise each source of evidence.Outcome measuresPublication characteristics, country-specific data points, COVID-19-specific data, demographics of affected HCWs and public health measures employed.ResultsA total of 152 888 infections and 1413 deaths were reported. Infections were mainly in women (71.6%, n=14 058) and nurses (38.6%, n=10 706), but deaths were mainly in men (70.8%, n=550) and doctors (51.4%, n=525). Limited data suggested that general practitioners and mental health nurses were the highest risk specialities for deaths. There were 37.2 deaths reported per 100 infections for HCWs aged over 70 years. Europe had the highest absolute numbers of reported infections (119 628) and deaths (712), but the Eastern Mediterranean region had the highest number of reported deaths per 100 infections (5.7).ConclusionsCOVID-19 infections and deaths among HCWs follow that of the general population around the world. The reasons for gender and specialty differences require further exploration, as do the low rates reported in Africa and India. Although physicians working in certain specialities may be considered high risk due to exposure to oronasal secretions, the risk to other specialities must not be underestimated. Elderly HCWs may require assigning to less risky settings such as telemedicine or administrative positions. Our pragmatic approach provides general trends, and highlights the need for universal guidelines for testing and reporting of infections in HCWs.
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Resseguier, Noémie, Natacha Rosso-Delsemme, Any Beltran Anzola, Karine Baumstarck, Vanessa Milien, Laurent Ardillon, Sophie Bayart, et al. "Determinants of adherence and consequences of the transition from adolescence to adulthood among young people with severe haemophilia (TRANSHEMO): study protocol for a multicentric French national observational cross-sectional study." BMJ Open 8, no. 7 (July 2018): e022409. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022409.
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IntroductionSevere haemophilia is a rare disease characterised by spontaneous bleeding from early childhood, which may lead to various complications, especially in joints. It is nowadays possible to avoid these complications thanks to substitutive therapies for which the issue of adherence is major. The transition from adolescence to adulthood in young people with severe haemophilia is a critical period as it is associated with a high risk of lack of adherence to healthcare, which might have serious consequences on daily activities and on quality of life.Methods and analysisWe present the protocol for a cross-sectional, observational, multicentric study to assess the differences between adolescents and young adults with severe haemophilia in France through the transition process, especially on adherence to healthcare. This study is based on a mixed methods design, with two complementary and consecutive phases, comparing data from a group of adolescents (aged 14–17 years) with those from a group of young adults (aged 20–29 years). The quantitative phase focuses on the determinants (medical, organisational, sociodemographic and social and psychosocial and behavioural factors) of adherence to healthcare (considered as a marker of the success of transition). The qualitative phase explores participants’ views in more depth to explain and refine the results from the quantitative phase. Eligible patients are contacted by the various Haemophilia Treatment Centres participating in the French national registry FranceCoag.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the French Ethics Committee and by the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (number: 2016-A01034-47). Study findings will be disseminated to the scientific and medical community in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. Results will be popularised to be communicated via the French association for people with haemophilia to participants and to the general public.Trial registration numberNCT02866526; Pre-results.
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Nance, Anna R., Lori S. Saiki, Elizabeth G. Kuchler, Conni DeBlieck, and Susan Forster-Cox. "Hepatitis C Treatment at a Rural Navajo Health Clinic Using Project ECHO." Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care 20, no. 2 (December 11, 2020): 133–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v20i2.634.
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Purpose: Hepatitis C incidence is higher among American Indian/Alaskan Native populations than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. Chronic Hepatitis C complications include cirrhosis of the liver, end stage liver disease, and hepatocellular cancer. Direct acting antiviral treatment taken orally results in > 90% cure, yet rural primary care providers lack the training and confidence to treat and monitor patients with chronic Hepatitis C. Rural patients are reluctant to travel to urban areas for Hepatitis C treatment. Project ECHO is an innovative tele-mentoring program where specialists mentor primary care providers via videoconferencing to treat diseases they would otherwise be unable to manage. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase Hepatitis C treatment at a rural Navajo health clinic through partnership with Project ECHO specialists.
Methods: This quality improvement project was guided by Lippitt’s Phases of Change Theory. The systematic process plan included a protocol for roles and expectations of all members of the healthcare team, a documentation and communication plan, and a tracking system for monitoring patient progress through the plan of care. Outcomes were analyzed by descriptive statistics.
Findings: Following partnership with Project ECHO, six patients (31.6%) consented to receiving Hepatitis C treatment at the rural Navajo health clinic. All six were contacted by outreach staff at multiple points during the project. Five (26.3%) completed the full course of drug therapy. Four (21.1%) completed follow-up lab work, of which three (15.8%) had a documented cure by sustained virologic response.
Conclusions: Hepatitis C care via Project ECHO-rural clinic partnership was affordable, feasible and not excessively time consuming for a facility with substantial patient outreach resources.
Key words: Rural health clinic, Hepatitis C, Project ECHO, tele-mentoring, Native American
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Ohmann, Christian, David Moher, Maximilian Siebert, Edith Motschall, and Florian Naudet. "Status, use and impact of sharing individual participant data from clinical trials: a scoping review." BMJ Open 11, no. 8 (August 2021): e049228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049228.
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ObjectivesTo explore the impact of data-sharing initiatives on the intent to share data, on actual data sharing, on the use of shared data and on research output and impact of shared data.Eligibility criteriaAll studies investigating data-sharing practices for individual participant data (IPD) from clinical trials.Sources of evidenceWe searched the Medline database, the Cochrane Library, the Science Citation Index Expanded and the Social Sciences Citation Index via Web of Science, and preprints and proceedings of the International Congress on Peer Review and Scientific Publication. In addition, we inspected major clinical trial data-sharing platforms, contacted major journals/publishers, editorial groups and some funders.Charting methodsTwo reviewers independently extracted information on methods and results from resources identified using a standardised questionnaire. A map of the extracted data was constructed and accompanied by a narrative summary for each outcome domain.Results93 studies identified in the literature search (published between 2001 and 2020, median: 2018) and 5 from additional information sources were included in the scoping review. Most studies were descriptive and focused on early phases of the data-sharing process. While the willingness to share IPD from clinical trials is extremely high, actual data-sharing rates are suboptimal. A survey of journal data suggests poor to moderate enforcement of the policies by publishers. Metrics provided by platforms suggest that a large majority of data remains unrequested. When requested, the purpose of the reuse is more often secondary analyses and meta-analyses, rarely re-analyses. Finally, studies focused on the real impact of data-sharing were rare and used surrogates such as citation metrics.ConclusionsThere is currently a gap in the evidence base for the impact of IPD sharing, which entails uncertainties in the implementation of current data-sharing policies. High level evidence is needed to assess whether the value of medical research increases with data-sharing practices.
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Hanssen, Ingrid, Flora M. Mkhonto, Hilde Øieren, Malmsey LM Sengane, Anne Lene Sørensen, and Phuong Thai Minh Tran. "Pre-decision regret before transition of dependents with severe dementia to long-term care." Nursing Ethics 29, no. 2 (September 28, 2021): 344–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09697330211015339.
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Background: To place a dependent with severe dementia in a nursing home is a painful and difficult decision to make. In collectivistic oriented societies or families, children tend to be socialised to care for ageing parents and to experience guilt and shame if they violate this principle. Leaving the care to professional caregivers does not conform with the cultural expectations of many ethnic groups and becomes a sign of the family’s moral failure. Research design: Qualitative design with individual in-depth interviews with nurses, family members and dementia care coordinators in Norway, Montenegro, Serbia and South Africa. Braun and Clarke’s six analytic phases were used. Ethical considerations: The project was approved by the Regional Committee for Research, South-Eastern Norway; the Norwegian Centre for Research Data; the Ethics Committee; University of Limpopo, MEDUNSA Campus, South Africa; and by the local heads of the respective nursing homes or home care services. Interviewees were informed orally and in writing and signed an informed consent form. Findings: Healthcare professionals tend to be contacted only when the situation becomes unmanageable. Interviewees talked about feelings of obligation, shame and stigma in their societies regarding dementia, particularly in connection with institutionalisation of family members. Many lacked support during the decision-making process and were in a squeeze between their own needs and the patients’ need of professional care, and the feeling of duty and worry about being stigmatised by their surroundings. This conflict may be a source of pre-decision regret. Conclusion: Family caregivers need help to understand the behaviours of persons with dementia and how to access the formal and informal services available. Thus, they may provide effective support to patients and family carers alike. Supportive interventions for caregivers need to be tailored to meet the individual needs of both the caregiver and the persons with dementia.
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Robertson, McKaylee M., Sarah Gorrell Kulkarni, Madhura Rane, Shivani Kochhar, Amanda Berry, Mindy Chang, Chloe Mirzayi, et al. "Cohort profile: a national, community-based prospective cohort study of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outcomes in the USA—the CHASING COVID Cohort study." BMJ Open 11, no. 9 (September 2021): e048778. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048778.
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PurposeThe Communities, Households and SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology (CHASING) COVID Cohort Study is a community-based prospective cohort study launched during the upswing of the USA COVID-19 epidemic. The objectives of the cohort study are to: (1) estimate and evaluate determinants of the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, disease and deaths; (2) assess the impact of the pandemic on psychosocial and economic outcomes and (3) assess the uptake of pandemic mitigation strategies.ParticipantsWe began enrolling participants from 28 March 2020 using internet-based strategies. Adults≥18 years residing anywhere in the USA or US territories were eligible. 6740 people are enrolled in the cohort, including participants from all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Participants are contacted regularly to complete study assessments, including interviews and dried blood spot specimen collection for serologic testing.Findings to dateParticipants are geographically and sociodemographically diverse and include essential workers (19%). 84.2% remain engaged in cohort follow-up activities after enrolment. Data have been used to assess SARS-CoV-2 cumulative incidence, seroincidence and related risk factors at different phases of the US pandemic; the role of household crowding and the presence of children in the household as potential risk factors for severe COVID-19 early in the US pandemic; to describe the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and its relationship to COVID-19 outcomes and other potential stressors; to identify preferences for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing when community transmission is on the rise via a discrete choice experiment and to assess vaccine hesitancy over time and its relationship to vaccine uptake.Future plansThe CHASING COVID Cohort Study has outlined a research agenda that involves ongoing monitoring of the incidence and determinants of SARS-CoV-2 outcomes, mental health outcomes and economic outcomes. Additional priorities include assessing the incidence, prevalence and correlates of long-haul COVID-19.
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Calman T’ien, L., C. Galorport, J. J. Telford, and R. A. Enns. "A75 AUTOMATED FOLLOW-UP USING A PATIENT-GUIDED COMPLICATION TRACKING SYSTEM (PACTS): AN UPDATE ON PROGRESS." Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology 5, Supplement_1 (February 21, 2022): 86–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jcag/gwab049.074.
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Abstract Background In recent years, there has been an increase in automated interventions in medicine. The COVID-19 outbreak has further fueled this rise. In response to the pandemic, Healthcare systems have developed a multitude of technological strategies for case identification and contact tracing. It is in this evolving digital landscape, that a PAtient-guided Complication Tracking System (PACTS) was launched. PACTS allows clinics to track complications using the Short Message Service (SMS). This program also offers opportunities to augment medical services and support patients having complications. Before PACTS can be widely implemented in clinics, research needs to be conducted to investigate its potential as a complication tracking software. Aims To assess the outcomes of an automated follow-up program implemented at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. Methods A prospective study was designed to contact outpatients one-week post-procedure using PACTS. This program was delivered in two phases. Stage 1 ran from November 2019-March 2020. During this pilot stage, patients having a colonoscopy or gastroscopy were asked to participate in the study. Stage 2 ran from August 2020-August 2021. For this phase, patients having a colonoscopy, gastroscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy were automatically enrolled in the study. An independent t-test was completed to assess response rate differences between stages. SMS responses were recorded and patients having unplanned events were contacted by phone to categorize complications. Adverse events (AE) were defined as side-effects requiring telehealth follow-up or emergency room visitation. Severe adverse events (SAE) were classified as complications requiring admission to hospital (>24 hrs). Results SMS prompts were sent to 6975 patients and the overall mean response rate was 89%. The mean response rates from Stages 1 and 2 were 92% and 88% respectively. The independent t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in response rates between phases, two-sample t(174) = 4.56, p = 9.58 x 10–6. 498 (8%) of SMS respondents reported having unplanned events. Of these patients, 372 (75%) were reached by phone and 257 (69%) were confirmed to have had a side effect. 65 of these complications were AEs and of these, 3 cases were SAEs. The most common AEs were abdominal pain (37%), bleeding (35%), nausea and vomiting (14%). Conclusions The high response rates achieved during this study provide further evidence for the use of automated follow-up systems in medicine. This study also demonstrates the potential of PACTS as a complication tracking software. Future research should devise strategies to optimize the collection of complication data using an SMS-based service. Funding Agencies None, NRC
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Lei, Yuming, and Monica A. Perez. "Phase-dependent deficits during reach-to-grasp after human spinal cord injury." Journal of Neurophysiology 119, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 251–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00542.2017.
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Most cervical spinal cord injuries result in asymmetrical functional impairments in hand and arm function. However, the extent to which reach-to-grasp movements are affected in humans with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) remains poorly understood. Using kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) recordings in hand and arm muscles we studied the different phases of unilateral self-paced reach-to-grasp movements (arm acceleration, hand opening and closing) to a small cylinder in the more and less affected arms of individuals with cervical SCI and in age-matched controls. We found that SCI subjects showed prolonged movement duration in both arms during arm acceleration, and hand opening and closing compared with controls. Notably, the more affected arm showed an additional increase in movement duration at the time to close the hand compared with the less affected arm. Also, the time at which the index finger and thumb contacted the object and the variability of finger movement trajectory were increased in the more compared with the less affected arm of SCI participants. Participants with prolonged movement duration during hand closing were those with more pronounced deficits in sensory function. The muscle activation ratio between the first dorsal interosseous and abductor pollicis brevis muscles decreased during hand closing in the more compared with the less affected arm of SCI participants. Our results suggest that deficits in movement kinematics during reach-to-grasp movements are more pronounced at the time to close the hand in the more affected arm of SCI participants, likely related to deficits in EMG muscle activation and sensory function. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Humans with cervical spinal cord injury usually present asymmetrical functional impairments in hand and arm function. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that deficits in movement kinematics during reaching and grasping movements are more pronounced at the time to close the hand in the more affected arm of spinal cord injury. We suggest that this is in part related to deficits in muscle activation ratios between hand muscles and a decrease in sensory function.
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Van Roessel, I. M. A. A., N. I. Mazur, S. K. Shah, L. Bont, and R. Van Der Graaf. "Post-trial Access in Maternal Vaccine Trials." American Journal of Perinatology 36, S 02 (June 25, 2019): S41—S47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1691799.
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AbstractProvisions for post-trial access (PTA) of the experimental intervention are required before the start of a clinical trial. Although there has been ample attention for PTA in the context of preventive vaccine research, discussions on PTA barely include maternal vaccine trials in which mother–infant pairs are exposed to the intervention. In maternal vaccination trials, specific PTA arrangements are required because pregnancy is transient and PTA may apply to the next pregnancy or the child. In this article, we examine the application and adherence to PTA in the context of maternal vaccine trials. We focused on differences between publications before and after 2000 when international ethical guidance documents formalized PTA requirements. Randomized maternal vaccine trials were included after a systematic search for clinical trials in phases II and III with a maternal vaccine as intervention. We used PTA as defined at the time of publication in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki (DoH) or in the ethical guidelines of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS). In addition, we investigated whether PTA was included in the trial design. Therefore, we contacted principal investigators (PI’s) of the publications found in the review to fill out a questionnaire regarding provisions for PTA. Before and after 2000, no trial articles examined in the systematic review described PTA in their trial publication (0/7, 0% and 0/17, 0%, respectively). In addition, more than half of the PI’s of the trials found were not familiar with PTA recommendations in international ethical guidelines. Most cases of PTA included making knowledge available by publishing the results of the trial. The revision of the DoH in 2002 and the CIOMS ethical guidelines in 2002 has not resulted in increased PTA provisions for maternal vaccination trials. PTA is a shared responsibility of various stakeholders including sponsors, Institutional Review Boards, regulators, political entities, and researchers. Inclusion of PTA provisions in trial protocols and publications on maternal vaccination trials is essential to increase transparency on the form and content of these provisions.
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Prouvost, Laurent, Gary A. Pope, and Bruce Rouse. "Microemulsion Phase Behavior: A Thermodynamic Modeling of the Phase Partitioning of Amphiphilic Species." Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal 25, no. 05 (October 1, 1985): 693–703. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/12586-pa.
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Abstract A thermodynamic model is presented for modeling the partitioning of amphiphilic species between the different partitioning of amphiphilic species between the different phases of systems typically used for chemical flooding. phases of systems typically used for chemical flooding. The model, an extension of the pseudophase model by Biais et al. that can analyze only a four-component system, can work with five-component systems, including two partitioning amphiphilic species (e.g., two alcohols or one alcohol and a partitioning cosurfactant species). The self-association of alcohol in the organic phases, which results in a variable alcohol partition coefficient, is considered. Experiments to determine thermodynamic constants (which are entered into the model) are described for four-component systems, including one alcohol. The salinity dependence of these parameters is also studied. Brine/decane/isobutanol/TRS 10–410 as well as brine/nonane/ isopropanol/TRS 10–80 systems are considered. Some computations of pseudophase compositions for the five-component model and for various overall compositions are included. This partitioning model has been included in the chemical-flooding simulator developed at the U. of Texas; the results of this model have been presented in another paper. The model used for the presented in another paper. The model used for the binodal surface that is required to calculate phase compositions from pseudophase compositions is presented in this paper, as well as comparisons with experimental data for both four- and five-component systems. Reservoir simulation results are presented in Ref. 3. Introduction The possibility of reaching very low interfacial tensions (IFT) during the displacement of oil by surfactant solutions has been the subject of intense interest for some time. Because the decrease in IFT can be as much as several orders of magnitude, almost all the contacted oil can be mobilized by this process. However, the recovery rate has proved to be very sensitive to many parameters, and the process has to be designed carefully to achieve a good oil recovery. It is commonly recognized that the phase behavior is one of the most critical features for the phase behavior is one of the most critical features for the design of chemical oil-recovery processes. Many investigators have studied phase behavior of systems with various combinations of brine, oil, surfactants, and cosurfactants. Winsor introduced a very convenient classification of phase behavior for such systems. Type I is a lower-phase microemulsion (surfactant-rich phase) in equilibrium with an oleic phase; Type II is an phase) in equilibrium with an oleic phase; Type II is an upper-phase microemulsion in equilibrium with an aqueous phase, and Type III corresponds to a middle-phase microemulsion in equilibrium with both aqueous lower phase and oleic upper phase. The number of phases and their composition determined IFT's, viscosity, relative permeabilities and other hydrodynamic parameters on permeabilities and other hydrodynamic parameters on which the efficiency of the process is directly dependent. Components present in the reservoir during chemical flooding include water, electrolytes, oil, polymer, and the amphiphilic species surfactant and cosurfactant. From the viewpoint of chemical thermodynamics, the number of chemical species is very large if we consider every species of which oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant are made. Fortunately, some of these species behave collectively, so they can be considered a single pseudocomponent in the phase behavior description, thereby pseudocomponent in the phase behavior description, thereby making the study more tractable. For example, Vinatieri and Fleming considered brine a good pseudocomponent, which means that the ratio of salt to water is about the same in each phase. McQuigg et al.'s experiments yield similar conclusions. Even crude oil has been shown to be a good pseudocomponent with a fairly acceptable accuracy. Dealing with amphiphilic species is far more difficult. In some laboratory studies, surfactant can be a chemically pure component, but for field applications it is usually a complex blend, such as petroleum sulfonates. In the case of petroleum sulfonates, different monosulfonated or polysulfonated species are present with varied carbon polysulfonated species are present with varied carbon tails. Commercial nonionic surfactants, which generally are ethoxylated alcohols, show a broad distribution of ethylene oxide number (EON). In both cases, investigators have shown that these commercially available surfactants do not behave collectively but in some situations partition selectively between the phases. The cosurfactant generally is an alcohol or an ethoxylated alcohol. Although many research programs currently are devoted to the design of alcohol-free systems to avoid some of the drawbacks induced by its presence (lower solubilization parameters, higher IFT's), most of the commonly used systems include alcohol or even a blend of alcohols with different carbon chain lengths and/or branching. SPEJ P. 693
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Levāne-Petrova, Kristīne, Ilze Auziņa, and Kristīne Pokratniece. "Latviešu valodas apguvēju korpusa datu ieguves un apstrādes metodoloģijas izstrāde." Valodu apguve: problēmas un perspektīva : zinātnisko rakstu krājums = Language Acquisition: Problems and Perspective : conference proceedings, no. 16 (May 6, 2020): 299–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.37384/va.2020.16.299.
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Popularity of learning Latvian as a foreign language is increasing. Latvian as a foreign language is being taught not only in the higher educational institutions of Latvia, but also in more than 20 universities outside Latvia (Šalme 2008; Šalme 2011; Laizāne 2019). Therefore, corpus-based and corpus-driven teaching materials are crucial for the international students that acquire Latvian both in Latvia and abroad. Since September 2018 the project Development of Learner Corpus of Latvian: methods, tools and applications have been carried out. During the project, based on the already existing experience of designing Learner Corpus of Latvian (LaVA), a corpus of students’ essays with different language backgrounds will be created. The newly developed corpus will be publicly available. Although the corpus creation pipeline includes text collection, digitization, and morphological and error annotation; this article will cover just the first phases of the creation of the corpus – the development of a methodology for data collection and digitization. The agreement form with data subject about data inclusion into the corpus and the metadata (gender, age, mother tongue, language proficiency level) collection form were developed. Guidelines for teachers on preferred topics have been prepared. The corpus is built on an integrated multifunctional platform that provides a single interface for uploading, annotating and search. Moreover, the web platform can also be used for storing scanned copies of essays, comparing texts entered by two independent digitizers, correcting texts, and error-annotated texts and making inter-annotator agreement. At least 1000 essays on different topics from students with different language backgrounds are planned to be included in the LaVA corpus. For data collection, multiple universities and language teachers have been contacted and have agreed to support the corpus creation process by providing it with their students’ previously developed assignments. Collected essays with metadata are handwritten; therefore, they need to be digitized for further data processing steps. The digitization is carried out in three steps: 1) scanning of the assignments and essays, 2) metadata input, 3) text rewriting in digital format. Scanned images of the assignments help to validate data correctness if such concern arises. Metadata is entered manually.
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Hsu, Edbert B., Matthew Ma, Fang Yue Lin, Michael J. VanRooyen, and Frederick M. Burkle. "Emergency Medical Assistance Team Response following Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake." Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 17, no. 1 (March 2002): 17–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x00000066.
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AbstractIntroduction:On 21 September, 1999, an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, struck central Taiwan near the town of Chi-Chi. The event resulted in 2,405 deaths and 11,306 injuries. Ad hoc emergency medical assistance teams (EMATs) from Taiwan assumed the responsibility for initiating early assessments and providing medical care.Objective:To determine whether the EMATs served a key role in assisting critically injured patients through the assessment of number and level of hospitals responding, training background, timeliness of response, and acuity of patient encounters.Methods:Local and national health bureaus were contacted to identify hospitals that responded to the disaster. A comprehensive questionnaire was piloted and then, sent to those major medical centers that dispatched EMATs within the first 72 hours following the quake. In-depth interviews also were conducted with team leaders.Results:A total number of 104 hospitals/clinics responded to the disaster, including nine major medical centers and 12 regional hospitals. Each of the major medical centers/regional hospitals that dispatched EMATs during the first 72 hours following the quake were surveyed. Also, 20 individual team leaders were interviewed. Seventy-nine percent of the EMATs from the hospitals responded spontaneously to the scene, while only 21% were dispatched directly by national or local health authorities. Combining the phases of the disaster response, it is estimated that only 7% of EMATs were providing on-site care within the first 12 hours following the earthquake, 17% within <18 hours, and 20% within <24 hours. Thus, 80% of these EMATs required >24 hours to respond to the site. Based on a ED I-IV triage system (Level-I, highest acuity; Level-IV, lowest acuity), the vast majority of patient encounters consisted of Level-III and Level-IV patients. Fewer than 16% of teams encountered >10 Level-I patients, and <28% of teams evaluated >10 Level-II patients.Conclusions:1. The response from EMATs was impressive, but largely uncoordinated in the absence of a pre-existing dispatching mechanism.2. Most of the EMATs required >24 hours to reach the disaster sites, and generally, did not arrive in time to affect the outcome of victims with preventable deaths. Therefore, there is an urgent need to strengthen local prehospital care.3. A central governmental body that ensures better horizontal and vertical integration, and a comprehensive emergency management system is required in order to improve future disaster response and mitigation efforts.
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Mahapatra, Sabita, and Saumya Sharma. "My experience of laptop purchase." Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies 6, no. 2 (May 15, 2016): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/eemcs-04-2015-0060.
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Subject area Marketing/Consumer behaviour. Study level/applicability The case can be used for the postgraduate students and executives in a first-year Marketing Management class for an introductory session on understanding consumer decision in a business-to-consumer context. The case can be also used in a second-year elective course on Consumer Behaviour for the topic on consumer decision-making journey and managing customer experience through service excellence. This case would be most befitting to be used for the first introductory session of 75 minutes to give an overview on consumer behaviour. Case overview The dismal failure of Natasha’s desktop while preparing an important presentation due for submission compels Natasha (the protagonist) to make up her mind to buy a laptop. After consulting her friends and relatives, followed with intense search from different retail stores, Natasha finally decides to buy a Sony laptop from a multi-brand retail outlet with a price discount and freebies. Finally, when Natasha settled down to work on her new laptop on her pending presentation, she confronts some problem. Unable to identify the problem, she contacted the store sales representative to resolve the problem. However, the representative’s ineffectiveness in addressing the problem and promptly delivering the service leaves Natasha in a state of uncertainty and confusion. She seemed to be in a fix and undecided, wondering whether she should immediately rush to the repair centre with her desktop to fix the problem for the time being or she should leave the laptop and wait till the problem gets resolved. Expected learning outcomes The case aims to provide interesting inputs on various phases of consumer decision-making journey and appropriate marketing strategy for each phase. The objective is to make students appreciate how poor after-sales service results in post-purchase dissonance and conflict in the consumer's mind. The case provides an opportunity for students to come up with possible solutions to resolve the post-purchase dissonance and conflict and share their views or ideas of how a seller can create a lasting impression in the mind of the buyer. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing
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Kuhta, P. C., and J. L. Smith. "Scratch responses in normal cats: hindlimb kinematics and muscle synergies." Journal of Neurophysiology 64, no. 6 (December 1, 1990): 1653–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.1990.64.6.1653.
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1. Scratch responses evoked by a tactile stimulus applied to the outer ear canal were characterized in nine adult cats. Chronic electromyographic (EMG) electrodes were surgically implanted in selected flexor and extensor muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints to determine patterns of muscle activity during scratching. In some trials EMG records were synchronized with kinematic data obtained by digitizing high-speed cine film, and in one cat, medial gastrocnemius (MG) tendon forces were recorded along with EMG. For analysis the response was divided into three components: the approach, cyclic, and return periods. Usually scratch responses were initiated with the cat in a sitting position, but in some trials the animal initiated the response from a standing or lying posture. 2. During the approach period the hindlimb ipsilateral to the stimulated ear was lifted diagonally toward the head by a combination of hip and ankle flexion with knee extension. Hindlimb motions during the approach period were associated with sustained EMG activity in hip-flexor, knee-extensor (occasionally), and ankle-flexor muscles. Initial hindlimb motions were typically preceded by head movements toward the hindpaw, and at the end of the approach period, the head was tilted downward with the stimulated pinna lower than the contralateral ear. During the return period movements were basically the reverse of the approach period, with the hindpaw returning to the ground and the head moving away from the hindlimb. 3. During the cyclic period the number of cycles per response varied widely from 1 to 60 cycles with an average of 13 cycles, and cycle frequency ranged from 4 to 8 cycles/s, with a mean of 5.6 cycles/s. During each cycle the paw trajectory followed a fairly circular path, and the cycle was defined by three phases: precontact, contact, and postcontact. On average the contact phase occupied approximately 50% of the cycle and was characterized by extensor muscle activity and extension at the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The hindpaw contacted the pinna or neck at the base of the pinna throughout the contact phase, and paw contact typically resulted in a rostral motion of the head as the hindlimb extended. 4. The postcontact phase constituted approximately 24% of scratch cycle and was usually initiated by the onset of knee flexion. Ankle and then hip flexion followed knee flexion, and flexor muscles were active during the postcontact phase as the paw was withdrawn from the head. The precontact phase constituted approximately 26% of scratch cycle and was initiated by knee joint extension and knee-extensor activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Birznieks, Ingvars, Magnus K. O. Burstedt, Benoni B. Edin, and Roland S. Johansson. "Mechanisms for Force Adjustments to Unpredictable Frictional Changes at Individual Digits During Two-Fingered Manipulation." Journal of Neurophysiology 80, no. 4 (October 1, 1998): 1989–2002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.1998.80.4.1989.
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Birznieks, Ingvars, Magnus K. O. Burstedt, Benoni B. Edin, and Roland S. Johansson. Mechanisms for force adjustments to unpredictable frictional changes at individual digits during two-fingered manipulation. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 1989–2002, 1998. Previous studies on adaptation of fingertip forces to local friction at individual digit–object interfaces largely focused on static phases of manipulative tasks in which humans could rely on anticipatory control based on the friction in previous trials. Here we instead analyze mechanisms underlying this adaptation after unpredictable changes in local friction between consecutive trials. With the tips of the right index and middle fingers or the right and left index fingers, subjects restrained a manipulandum whose horizontal contact surfaces were located side by side. At unpredictable moments a tangential force was applied to the contact surfaces in the distal direction at 16 N/s to a plateau at 4 N. The subjects were free to use any combination of normal and tangential forces at the two fingers, but the sum of the tangential forces had to counterbalance the imposed load. The contact surface of the right index finger was fine-grained sandpaper, whereas that of the cooperating finger was changed between sandpaper and the more slippery rayon. The load increase automatically triggered normal force responses at both fingers. When a finger contacted rayon, subjects allowed slips to occur at this finger during the load force increase instead of elevating the normal force. These slips accounted for a partitioning of the load force between the digits that resulted in an adequate adjustment of the normal:tangential force ratios to the local friction at each digit. This mechanism required a fine control of the normal forces. Although the normal force at the more slippery surface had to be comparatively low to allow slippage, the normal forces applied by the nonslipping digit at the same time had to be high enough to prevent loss of the manipulandum. The frictional changes influenced the normal forces applied before the load ramp as well as the size of the triggered normal force responses similarly at both fingers, that is, with rayon at one contact surface the normal forces increased at both fingers. Thus to independently adapt fingertip forces to the local friction the normal forces were controlled at an interdigital level by using sensory information from both engaged digits. Furthermore, subjects used both short- and long-term anticipatory mechanisms in a manner consistent with the notion that the central nervous system (CNS) entertains internal models of relevant object and task properties during manipulation.
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Gudieva, O. V., D. A. Kambolov, P. K. Korotkov, and V. A. Sozaev. "Contact melting temperature of small-dimensional phases." Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Physics 79, no. 6 (June 2015): 784–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.3103/s106287381506012x.
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Jiang, Qiu Yue, Xiao Rong Gao, Chao Yong Peng, and Jin Long Li. "Application of Water Immersion Ultrasonic Phased Array Technology in Wheel Rim Inspection." Advanced Materials Research 468-471 (February 2012): 733–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.468-471.733.
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Rim is an important part of the wheels. It is often over loaded and has a complicated stress in use. Specially, at high speed circumstances, the quality of the work piece is closely connected. This paper combines the water immersion technology with the ultrasonic phased array technology to wheel detection. It introduces the basic principle, current situation at home and abroad of the water immersion ultrasonic phased array technology, and the comparison with the contacted ultrasonic phased array detection technology. According to the feature of the rim flaws, the methods to detect rim flaws with water immersion ultrasonic phased array technology are analyzed and tested. This system can finish the whole scanning in one time, improve the work efficiency and satisfy the testing requirements.
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Pejović, V., LJ Radonjić, and M. Jančić. "Formation of new phases at nickel-phosphorus contacts." Thin Solid Films 145, no. 2 (December 1986): 213–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0040-6090(86)90370-6.
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Pavasant, P., P. Wongsuchoto, and V. Suksoir. "Mathematical Model for the Prediction of Gas-Liquid Mass Transfer in Airlift Contactors." ASEAN Journal of Chemical Engineering 5, no. 1 (June 1, 2005): 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.22146/ajche.50165.
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A mathematical model was proposed to explain the gas-liquid mass transfer behavior in an airlift contactor (ALC). The model separated the airlift contactor into three sections: riser, gas separator, and downcomer. The riser and downcomer were described using the dispersion model whilst the gas separator was modeled as a .completely mixed tank. All parameters needed for the model were obtained from independent experiments both carried out in this work and reported elsewhere. Simulation results were compared with a number of experimental data obtained from the systems with various geometrical and operational conditions. It was shown that the model could predict the oxygen mass transfer between phases in the ALC with reasonable accuracy. Keywords: Airlift contactor (ALC), dispersion model, mass transfer, mathematical model, and verification.
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Galaktionova, N. E., E. V. Galaktionov, and E. A. Tropp. "Variational problems on the contact of heterogeneous phases." Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Physics 73, no. 10 (October 2009): 1315–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.3103/s1062873809100025.
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Fox, William. "Fluid phases in mutual contact: Some fundamental considerations." Langmuir 9, no. 4 (April 1993): 1164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la00028a050.
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Myśliński, Andrzej, and Konrad Koniarski. "Hybrid level set phase field method for topology optimization of contact problems." Mathematica Bohemica 140, no. 4 (2015): 419–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.21136/mb.2015.144460.
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