230 research outputs found
Entanglement witnesses and geometry of entanglement of two--qutrit states
We construct entanglement witnesses with regard to the geometric structure of
the Hilbert--Schmidt space and investigate the geometry of entanglement. In
particular, for a two--parameter family of two--qutrit states that are part of
the magic simplex we calculate the Hilbert--Schmidt measure of entanglement. We
present a method to detect bound entanglement which is illustrated for a
three--parameter family of states. In this way we discover new regions of bound
entangled states. Furthermore we outline how to use our method to distinguish
entangled from separable states.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure
The economics of desertification, land degradation, and drought: Toward an integrated global assessment
cost of inaction, desertification, drought, Economics, Land degradation, prevention of land degradation,
The Economics of Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought; Toward an Integrated Global Assessment
Land degradation has not been comprehensively addressed at the global level or in developing countries. A suitable economic framework that could guide investments and institutional action is lacking. This study aims to overcome this deficiency and to provide a framework for a global assessment based on a consideration of the costs of action versus inaction regarding desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Most of the studies on the costs of land degradation (mainly limited to soil erosion) give cost estimates of less than 1 percent up to about 10 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) for various countries worldwide. But the indirect costs of DLDD on the economy (national income), as well as their socioeconomic consequences (particularly poverty impacts), must be accounted for, too. Despite the numerous challenges, a global assessment of the costs of action and inaction against DLDD is possible, urgent, and necessary. This study provides a framework for such a global assessment and provides insights from some related country studies.Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
Individualised nutritional support in medical inpatients: a practical guideline
Malnutrition has been defined as a “state resulting from
lack of uptake or intake of nutrition, leading to altered
body composition and body cell mass, as well as to diminished physical and mental function and impaired clinical outcome from disease.” Particularly for the multimorbid
medical inpatient, there are multiple research studies linking malnutrition to adverse clinical outcomes independent
of type of acute and chronic illnesses. Importantly, recent
trials have shown that malnutrition is indeed a modifiable
risk factor with specific individualised nutritional support interventions started at hospital admission having positive
effects on the risk of complications, mortality, functional
outcomes, rehospitalisation and quality of life. Understanding the optimal use of nutritional support in patients
with acute illness is complex – as timing, route of delivery,
and the amount and type of nutrients can all affect patient
outcome. The aim of this narrative review is to provide a
practical guideline for pragmatic and evidence-based assessment and treatment of medical inpatients at nutritional
risk. We thereby focus on screening, patient assessment,
definition of individual nutritional goals and nutritional support interventions that help patients to reach these goals.
Keywords: nutrition, malnutrition, nutritional suppor
Acute Hemodynamic Responses to Supplemental Oxygen and Their Prognostic Implications in Pulmonary Hypertension
Publisher Correction: The biochemical subtype is a predictor for cognitive function in glutaric aciduria type 1: a national prospective follow-up study
Handgrip Strength Values Depend on Tumor Entity and Predict 180-Day Mortality in Malnourished Cancer Patients.
BACKGROUND
Cancer-related malnutrition is a prevalent condition associated with a loss of muscle mass and impaired functional status, leading to immunodeficiency, impaired quality of life and adverse clinical outcomes. Handgrip strength (HGS) is a practical measure to assess muscle strength in individual patients during clinical practice. However, HGS reference values refer to populations of healthy people, and population-specific values, such as those in the population of cancer patients, still need to be defined.
METHODS
Within a secondary analysis of a previous randomized controlled nutritional trial focusing on hospitalized cancer patients at risk for malnutrition, we investigated sex-specific HGS values stratified by age and tumor entity. Additionally, we examined the association between HGS and 180-day all-cause mortality.
RESULTS
We included data from 628 cancer patients, which were collected from eight hospitals in Switzerland. Depending on the age of patients, HGS varied among female patients from 7 kg to 26 kg and among male patients from 20.5 kg to 44 kg. An incremental decrease in handgrip strength by 10 kg resulted in a 50% increase in 180-day all-cause mortality (odds ratio 1.52 (95%CI 1.19 to 1.94), p = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Our data provide evidence of the prognostic implications of HGS measurement in cancer patients and validate the prognostic value of handgrip strength in regard to long-term mortality. In addition, our results provide expected HGS values in the population of hospitalized malnourished cancer patients, which may allow better interpretation of values in individual patients
Load distribution on intervertebral cages with and without posterior instrumentation
BACKGROUND CONTEXT
Posterior and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF, TLIF) are well-established procedures for spinal fusion. However, little is known about load sharing between cage, dorsal construct, and biological tissue within the instrumented lumbar spine.
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to quantify the forces acting on cages under axial compression force with and without posterior instrumentation.
STUDY DESIGN
Biomechanical cadaveric study.
METHODS
Ten lumbar spinal segments were tested under uniaxial compression using load cell instrumented intervertebral cages. The force was increased in 100N increments to 1000N or a force greater than 500N on one load cell. Each specimen was tested after unilateral PLIF (uPLIF), bilateral PLIF (bPLIF) and TLIF each with/without posterior instrumentation. Dorsal instrumentation was performed with 55N of compression per side.
RESULTS
Cage insertion resulted in median cage preloads of 16N, 29N and 35N for uPLIF, bPLIF, and TLIF. The addition of compressed dorsal instrumentation increased the median preload to 224N, 328N, and 317N, respectively. With posterior instrumentation, the percentage of the external load acting on the intervertebral cage was less than 25% at 100N (uPLIF: 14.2%; bPLIF: 16%; TLIF: 11%), less than 45% at 500N (uPLIF: 31.8%; bPLIF: 41.1%; TLIF: 37.9%) and less than 50% at 1000N (uPLIF: 40.3%; bPLIF: 49.7%; TLIF: 43.4%). Without posterior instrumentation, the percentage of external load on the cages was significantly higher with values above 50% at 100N (uPLIF: 55.6%; bPLIF: 75.5%; TLIF: 66.8%), 500N (uPLIF: 71.7%; bPLIF: 79.2%; TLIF: 65.4%), and 1000N external load (uPLIF: 73%; bPLIF: 80.5%; TLIF: 66.1%). For absolute loads, preloads and external loads must be added together.
CONCLUSIONS
Without posterior instrumentation, the intervertebral cages absorb more than 50% of the axial load and the load distribution is largely independent of the loading amplitude. With posterior instrumentation, the external load acting on the cages is significantly lower and the load distribution becomes load amplitude dependent, with a higher proportion of the load transferred by the cages at high loads. The bPLIF cages tend to absorb more force than the other two cage configurations.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Cage instrumentation allows some of the compression force to be transmitted through the cage to the screws below, better distributing and reducing the overall force on the pedicle screws at the end of the construct and on the rods
Characterizing entanglement with geometric entanglement witnesses
We show how to detect entangled, bound entangled, and separable bipartite
quantum states of arbitrary dimension and mixedness using geometric
entanglement witnesses. These witnesses are constructed using properties of the
Hilbert-Schmidt geometry and can be shifted along parameterized lines. The
involved conditions are simplified using Bloch decompositions of operators and
states. As an example we determine the three different types of states for a
family of two-qutrit states that is part of the "magic simplex", i.e. the set
of Bell-state mixtures of arbitrary dimension.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, some typos and notational errors corrected. To
be published in J. Phys. A: Math. Theo
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