3,129 research outputs found
Status of CMS and preparations for first physics
The status of the CMS experiment is described. After a brief review of the
detector design and a short overview of the first 5 years of assembly, the
focus of this presentation will be the parallel activities of completing and
commissioning over the last 2 years and the readiness of CMS for the exciting
prospect of first LHC operation.Comment: ICHEP08, Philadelphia, USA, July 2008. 9 page
NESTING ECOLOGY OF SANDHILL CRANES AT GRAYS LAKE, IDAHO
We examined the nesting ecology of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) at Grays Lake, Idaho during 1997-99 to detennine the effects of nest-site characteristics and land use on crane nest success. These are preliminary results from 3 years of a 4-year study. Crane nests were located in portions of the Grays Lake basin from early May through late June each year (n = 131 in 1997; n = 131 in 1998; n = 143 in 1999). Apparent nest success varied among years (54% in 1997, 71% in 1998, and 53% in 1999; overall average of 59%). We estimate that 10% of nests found in 1999 were renests. Most crane nests were located in baltic rush/spikerush (Juncus balticus/Eleocharis sp.; 46% of nests), semi-wet meadow (19%), and bulrush/cattail (Scirpus sp./Typha sp.; 19%) plant communities; 62% of nests during early May were in:;; 12 cm of water. As indicated by plant community, water depths at nests, and nest isolation rankings, nest success tended to be higher where nests were in relatively deep water (ca. \u3e40 em) and were relatively isolated from access by mammalian predators. Nest success rates during 1997-99 were lower than those recorded in 1950-51 (90%, n = 107; Steel 1952) and 1970-71 (78%, n = 308; Drewien 1973). A variety offactors likely contribute to lower nest success, including changing predator communities over the past 30-40 years. Differences among years in our study may be affected by changing availability of alternate prey. Small mammal populations and crane nest success were the highest in 1998. Water-level management, relating to cranes and other waterbird populations, plant communities, and ecosystem function, is an emerging issue for land managers in the Grays Lake basin
SANDHILL CRANE ABUNDANCE AT GRAYS LAKE, IDAHO
We initiated a study on the breeding ecology of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) in the Grays Lake basin ofIdaho in 1997. Interest in the status of crane populations at Grays Lake is high; consequently, we present preliminary information on estimated size of the population, changes since the 1970s, and potential environmental factors involved. Drewien (1973) counted an average of549 cranes in the spring and estimated 250 nesting pairs in 1970-71. Number of nesting pairs reportedly increased 33% (to 332) by 1982 in response to intensive management, then declined 40-60% by 1996 (Drewien 1997, and Homocker Wildlife Institute, personal communication). During 1998-99, spring counts averaged 736 cranes (34% increase from 1970-71). Among 44 survey units that were searched during both studies, nest densities increased in 27, decreased in 13, and remained unchanged in 4. Nest success declined from 78% in 1970-71 to 59% in 1997-99. We estimated that renesting accounted for 10% of nests in 1999. Fall staging populations were similar between the early 1970s (n = 1313) and late 1990s (n = 1370), but well below peak counts of the 1980s (often \u3e3000). Factors potentially influencing the crane populations at Grays Lake include habitat management, climate (drought), predator populations, manipulation of marsh water levels, agricultural practices, baiting, and disturbance
Outcomes of a Pharmacy-Driven Inpatient Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Transitions of Care (TOC) Management Process
Background: Current data shows 30% of patients hospitalized for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation are readmitted within 30 days. Medication management during transitions of care (TOC) has shown impact on clinical outcomes, however there is insufficient data to suggest how pharmacy TOC services might benefit this patient population. Objective: Evaluate the effects of pharmacy-driven COPD TOC services on hospital re-presentation rates. Methods: A single-center retrospective chart review conducted of patients hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation. A comprehensive admission-to-discharge TOC service was provided by early immersion pharmacy students, advanced immersion pharmacy students, and an attending pharmacist in a layered learning model. The primary outcome was 30-day re-presentation rate. Secondary outcomes were 90-day re-presentation rate, volume of interventions made and description of the service. Results: From 1/1/2019 to 12/31/2019, there were 2422 patients admitted for COPD exacerbation management and 756 patients received at least one intervention from the COPD TOC service. 30% needed a change to inhaler therapy. The provider accepted 57.8% of the recommended changes, and 36% and 33% of eligible patients received an inhaler technique education and bedside delivery of the new inhaler, respectively. Outcomes in the 30-day re-presentation and 90-day censored re-presentation rates for the intervention and control group were 28.5% vs 25.5% (P = .12) and 46.7% vs 42.9%, respectively. Conclusion: This study did not find a significant change in 30-day re-presentation rate with a pharmacy-driven COPD TOC service. It did find that a significant number of patients admitted with COPD exacerbation may need an inhaler change, and demonstrates the utility of this kind of TOC service for identifying and correcting medication-related problems unique to this disease state. There were opportunities for improvement in percent of patients receiving the full intended intervention
Trail Making Test performance contributes to subjective judgment of visual efficiency in older adults
Introduction: The determinant factors that influence self-reported quality of vision have yet to be fully elucidated. This study evaluated a range of contextual information, established psychophysical tests, and in particular, a series of cognitive tests as potentially novel determinant factors. Materials & Methods: Community dwelling adults (aged 50+) recruited to Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, excluding those registered blind, participated in this study (N = 5,021). Self-reports of vision were analysed in relation to visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, ocular pathology, visual (Choice Response Time task; Trail Making Test) and global cognition. Contextual factors such as having visited an optometrist and wearing glasses were also considered. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine univariate and multivariate associations. Results and Discussion: Poor Trail Making Test performance (Odds ratio, OR = 1.36), visual acuity (OR = 1.72) and ocular pathology (OR = 2.25) were determinant factors for poor versus excellent vision in self-reports. Education, wealth, age, depressive symptoms and general cognitive fitness also contributed to determining self-reported vision. Conclusions: Trail Making Test contribution to self-reports may capture higher level visual processing and should be considered when using self-reports to assess vision and its role in cognitive and functional health
Barriers to CPR initiation and continuation during the emergency call relating to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A descriptive cohort study
Aim: To describe the barriers to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) initiation and continuation in emergency calls for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
(OHCA).
Methods: We analysed 295 consecutive emergency calls relating to OHCA over a four-month period (1 January – 30 April 2021). Calls included
were paramedic-confirmed, non-traumatic, non-EMS-witnessed OHCA, where the caller was with the patient. Calls were listened to in full and coded
in terms of barriers to CPR initiation and continuation, and patient and caller characteristics.
Results: Overall, CPR was performed in 69% of calls and, in 85% of these, callers continued performing CPR until EMS arrival. Nearly all callers
(99%) experienced barriers to CPR initiation and/or continuation during the call. The barriers identified were classified into eight categories: reluc tance, appropriateness, emotion, bystander physical ability, patient access, leaving the scene, communication failure, caller actions and call-taker
instructions. Of these, bystander physical ability was the most prevalent barrier to both CPR initiation and continuation, occurring in 191 (65%) calls,
followed by communication failure which occurred in 160 (54%) calls. Callers stopping or interrupting CPR performance due to being fatigued was
lower than expected (n = 54, 26% of callers who performed CPR). Barriers to CPR initiation that related to bystander physical ability, caller actions,
communication failure, emotion, leaving the scene, patient access, procedural barriers, and reluctance were mostly overcome by the caller (i.e., CPR
was performed).
Conclusion: Barriers to CPR initiation and continuation were commonly experienced by callers, however they were frequently overcome. Future
research should investigate the strategies that were successful
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Surgical site peptidylarginine deaminase 4 (PAD4), a biomarker of NETosis, correlates with insulin resistance in total joint arthroplasty patients: A preliminary report.
While obesity and insulin resistance are known risk factors for wound complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), the biologic causes remain to be elucidated. Recently, neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis) was identified as a mediator of delayed wound healing in insulin resistant states. Herein, we explored the relationship between obesity, insulin resistance and biomarkers of NET formation in TJA subjects. We enrolled 14 obese (body mass index [BMI]≥30 kg/m2), and 15 lean (BMI<30 kg/m2) subjects undergoing primary knee or hip TJA. On the day of surgery, skeletal muscle proximal to the operated joint and plasma were collected. Protein abundance of NETosis biomarkers, peptidylarginine deaminase 4 (PAD4) and neutrophil elastase (NE) were assessed in skeletal muscle by immunoblotting and metabolic parameters (glucose, insulin, triglycerides, free fatty acids) and cell-free double-stranded DNA (cf-dsDNA) were assessed in plasma and were correlated with obesity and insulin resistance (as measured by the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance). When comparing lean and obese subjects, there were no significant differences in plasma cf-dsDNA or skeletal muscle NE or PAD4 abundance. In contrast, skeletal muscle PAD4 abundance, but not NE or plasma cf-dsDNA, was positively correlated with insulin resistance. Compared to insulin sensitive subjects, insulin resistant TJA subjects have higher expression of PAD4 at the surgical site and therefore may have higher rates of NET formation, which may lead to delayed surgical site wound healing
A Letter of Intent to Install a milli-charged Particle Detector at LHC P5
In this LOI we propose a dedicated experiment that would detect
"milli-charged" particles produced by pp collisions at LHC Point 5. The
experiment would be installed during LS2 in the vestigial drainage gallery
above UXC and would not interfere with CMS operations. With 300 fb of
integrated luminosity, sensitivity to a particle with charge
can be achieved for masses of GeV,
and charge for masses of GeV,
greatly extending the parameter space explored for particles with small charge
and masses above 100 MeV.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure
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