512 research outputs found
A counterbalanced cross-over study of the effects of visual, auditory and no feedback on performance measures in a simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous research has demonstrated that trained rescuers have difficulties achieving and maintaining the correct depth and rate of chest compressions during both in and out of hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Feedback on rate and depth mitigate decline in performance quality but not completely with the residual performance decline attributed to rescuer fatigue. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of feedback (none, auditory only and visual only) on the quality of CPR and rescuer fatigue.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifteen female volunteers performed 10 minutes of 30:2 CPR in each of three feedback conditions: none, auditory only, and visual only. Visual feedback was displayed continuously in graphic form. Auditory feedback was error correcting and provided by a voice assisted CPR manikin. CPR quality measures were collected using SkillReporter<sup>Ÿ </sup>software. Blood lactate (mmol/dl) and perceived exertion served as indices of fatigue. One-way and two way repeated measures analyses of variance were used with alpha set <it>a priori </it>at 0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Visual feedback yielded a greater percentage of correct compressions (78.1 ± 8.2%) than did auditory (65.4 ± 7.6%) or no feedback (44.5 ± 8.1%). Compression rate with auditory feedback (87.9 ± 0.5 compressions per minute) was less than it was with both visual and no feedback (p < 0.05). CPR performed with no feedback (39.2 ± 0.5 mm) yielded a shallower average depth of compression and a lower percentage (55 ± 8.9%) of compressions within the accepted 38-50 mm range than did auditory or visual feedback (p < 0.05). The duty cycle for auditory feedback (39.4 ± 1.6%) was less than it was with no feedback (p < 0.05). Auditory feedback produced lower lactate concentrations than did visual feedback (p < 0.05) but there were no differences in perceived exertion.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study feedback mitigated the negative effects of fatigue on CPR performance and visual feedback yielded better CPR performance than did no feedback or auditory feedback. The perfect confounding of sensory modality and periodicity of feedback (visual feedback provided continuously and auditory feedback provided to correct error) leaves unanswered the question of optimal form and timing of feedback.</p
Electron capture on iron group nuclei
We present Gamow-Teller strength distributions from shell model Monte Carlo
studies of fp-shell nuclei that may play an important role in the pre-collapse
evolution of supernovae. We then use these strength distributions to calculate
the electron-capture cross sections and rates in the zero-momentum transfer
limit. We also discuss the thermal behavior of the cross sections. We find
large differences in these cross sections and rates when compared to the naive
single-particle estimates. These differences need to be taken into account for
improved modeling of the early stages of type II supernova evolution
Gamow-Teller strength distributions in fp-shell nuclei
We use the shell model Monte Carlo method to calculate complete 0f1p-shell
response functions for Gamow-Teller (GT) operators and obtain the corresponding
strength distributions using a Maximum Entropy technique. The approach is
validated against direct diagonalization for 48Ti. Calculated GT strength
distributions agree well with data from (n,p) and (p,n) reactions for nuclei
with A=48-64. We also calculate the temperature evolution of the GT+
distributions for representative nuclei and find that the GT+ distributions
broaden and the centroids shift to lower energies with increasing temperature
The Role of Electron Captures in Chandrasekhar Mass Models for Type Ia Supernovae
The Chandrasekhar mass model for Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) has received
increasing support from recent comparisons of observations with light curve
predictions and modeling of synthetic spectra. It explains SN Ia events via
thermonuclear explosions of accreting white dwarfs in binary stellar systems,
being caused by central carbon ignition when the white dwarf approaches the
Chandrasekhar mass. As the electron gas in white dwarfs is degenerate,
characterized by high Fermi energies for the high density regions in the
center, electron capture on intermediate mass and Fe-group nuclei plays an
important role in explosive burning. Electron capture affects the central
electron fraction Y_e, which determines the composition of the ejecta from such
explosions. Up to the present, astrophysical tabulations based on shell model
matrix elements were only available for light nuclei in the sd-shell. Recently
new Shell Model Monte Carlo (SMMC) and large-scale shell model diagonalization
calculations have also been performed for pf-shell nuclei. These lead in
general to a reduction of electron capture rates in comparison with previous,
more phenomenological, approaches. Making use of these new shell model based
rates, we present the first results for the composition of Fe-group nuclei
produced in the central regions of SNe Ia and possible changes in the
constraints on model parameters like ignition densities and burning front
speeds.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Ap
Development of an Interpretive Simulation Tool for the Proton Radiography Technique
Proton radiography is a useful diagnostic of high energy density (HED)
plasmas under active theoretical and experimental development. In this paper we
describe a new simulation tool that interacts realistic laser-driven point-like
proton sources with three dimensional electromagnetic fields of arbitrary
strength and structure and synthesizes the associated high resolution proton
radiograph. The present tool's numerical approach captures all relevant physics
effects, including effects related to the formation of caustics.
Electromagnetic fields can be imported from PIC or hydrodynamic codes in a
streamlined fashion, and a library of electromagnetic field `primitives' is
also provided. This latter capability allows users to add a primitive, modify
the field strength, rotate a primitive, and so on, while quickly generating a
high resolution radiograph at each step. In this way, our tool enables the user
to deconstruct features in a radiograph and interpret them in connection to
specific underlying electromagnetic field elements. We show an example
application of the tool in connection to experimental observations of the
Weibel instability in counterstreaming plasmas, using particles
generated from a realistic laser-driven point-like proton source, imaging
fields which cover volumes of mm. Insights derived from this
application show that the tool can support understanding of HED plasmas.Comment: Figures and tables related to the Appendix are included in the
published journal articl
Missing and Quenched Gamow Teller Strength
Gamow-Teller strength functions in full spaces are calculated with
sufficient accuracy to ensure that all the states in the resonance region have
been populated. Many of the resulting peaks are weak enough to become
unobservable. The quenching factor necessary to bring into agreement the low
lying observed states with shell model predictions is shown to be due to
nuclear correlations. To within experimental uncertainties it is the same that
is found in one particle transfer and (e,e') reactions. Perfect consistency
between the observed peaks and the calculation is
achieved by assuming an observation threshold of 0.75\% of the total strength,
a value that seems typical in several experimentsComment: 11 pages, 6 figures avalaible upon request, RevTeX, FTUAM-94/0
Standard Neutrino Spectrum from B-8 Decay
We present a systematic evaluation of the shape of the neutrino energy
spectrum produced by beta-decay of B. We place special emphasis on
determining the range of uncertainties permitted by existing laboratory data
and theoretical ingredients (such as forbidden and radiative corrections). We
review and compare the available experimental data on the
BBe decay chain. We analyze the theoretical and
experimental uncertainties quantitatively. We give a numerical representation
of the best-fit (standard-model) neutrino spectrum, as well as two extreme
deviations from the standard spectrum that represent the total (experimental
and theoretical) effective deviations. Solar neutrino experiments
that are currently being developed will be able to measure the shape of the
B neutrino spectrum above about 5 MeV. An observed distortion of the B
solar neutrino spectrum outside the range given in the present work could be
considered as evidence, at an effective significance level greater than three
standard deviations, for physics beyond the standard electroweak model. We use
the most recent available experimental data on the Gamow--Teller strengths in
the system to calculate the B neutrino absorption cross section on
chlorine: ~cm (
errors). The chlorine cross section is also given as a function of the neutrino
energy. The B neutrino absorption cross section in gallium is cm ( errors).Comment: Revised version, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Practical solution to the Monte Carlo sign problem: Realistic calculations of 54Fe
We present a practical solution to the "sign problem" in the auxiliary field
Monte Carlo approach to the nuclear shell model. The method is based on
extrapolation from a continuous family of problem-free Hamiltonians. To
demonstrate the resultant ability to treat large shell-model problems, we
present results for 54Fe in the full fp-shell basis using the Brown-Richter
interaction. We find the Gamow-Teller beta^+ strength to be quenched by 58%
relative to the single-particle estimate, in better agreement with experiment
than previous estimates based on truncated bases.Comment: 11 pages + 2 figures (not included
Ground and excited states Gamow-Teller strength distributions of iron isotopes and associated capture rates for core-collapse simulations
This paper reports on the microscopic calculation of ground and excited
states Gamow-Teller (GT) strength distributions, both in the electron capture
and electron decay direction, for Fe. The associated electron and
positron capture rates for these isotopes of iron are also calculated in
stellar matter. These calculations were recently introduced and this paper is a
follow-up which discusses in detail the GT strength distributions and stellar
capture rates of key iron isotopes. The calculations are performed within the
framework of the proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation
(pn-QRPA) theory. The pn-QRPA theory allows a microscopic
\textit{state-by-state} calculation of GT strength functions and stellar
capture rates which greatly increases the reliability of the results. For the
first time experimental deformation of nuclei are taken into account. In the
core of massive stars isotopes of iron, Fe, are considered to be
key players in decreasing the electron-to-baryon ratio () mainly via
electron capture on these nuclide. The structure of the presupernova star is
altered both by the changes in and the entropy of the core material.
Results are encouraging and are compared against measurements (where possible)
and other calculations. The calculated electron capture rates are in overall
good agreement with the shell model results. During the presupernova evolution
of massive stars, from oxygen shell burning stages till around end of
convective core silicon burning, the calculated electron capture rates on
Fe are around three times bigger than the corresponding shell model
rates. The calculated positron capture rates, however, are suppressed by two to
five orders of magnitude.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 10 table
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