The introduction of a surgical safety checklist in a tertiary referral obstetric centre

Background: Surgery-related adverse events remain a significant and often under-reported problem. In a recent study, the introduction of a perioperative checklist by the WHO reduced deaths and complications by 46% and 36% respectively. The authors wished to evaluate the introduction of a surgical safety checklist in a busy obstetric tertiary referral centre by assessing staff attitudes, checklist compliance and effects upon patients. Methods: A questionnaire-based assessment was performed on staff working in obstetric theatres before and after the introduction of the surgical safety checklist. Checklist compliance was assessed at 3 months and 1 year. Patients were asked questions relating to the performance of the surgical safety checklist in order to evaluate any anxiety caused. Results: Non-medical staff were significantly more likely than medical staff to feel familiar with other team members both before (p<0.001) and after (

Susceptibility of the Spin 1/2 Heisenberg Antiferromagnetic Chain

Highly accurate results are presented for the susceptibility, $\chi (T)$ of the $s=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain for all temperatures, using the Bethe ansatz and field theory methods. After going through a rounded peak, $\chi (T)$ approaches its asympotic zero-temperature value with infinite slope.Comment: 8 pages and 3 postscript figures appended (uuencoded), Revtex, Report #:UBCTP-94-00

Development and verification of an endogenous PBPK model to inform hydrocortisone replacement dosing in children and adults with cortisol deficiency

The goal of hormone replacement is to mirror physiology. Hydrocortisone granules and modified release formulations are being developed to optimise cortisol replacement in the rare disease of adrenal insufficiency. To facilitate clinical development, we built and verified a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for the endogenous hormone cortisol (hydrocortisone) in healthy adults, and children and adults with adrenal insufficiency. The model predicted immediate-release hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics in adults across the dose range 0.5 to 20 mg, with predicted/observed AUCs within 0.8 to 1.25-fold. The model also tightly predicted pharmacokinetic parameters for modified-release formulations, with AUCs within 0.8 to 1.25-fold after single and multiple dosing. Predicted modified-release formulation pharmacokinetics (PK) in 12 to 18-year olds showed PK to be similar to adults. This hydrocortisone PBPK model is a useful tool to predict adult and paediatric pharmacokinetics of both immediate- and modified-release hydrocortisone formulations, and develop clinical dosing regimens

Inelastic Neutron Scattering from the Spin Ladder Compound (VO)2P2O7

We present results from an inelastic neutron scattering experiment on the candidate Heisenberg spin ladder vanadyl pyrophosphate, (VO)2P2O7. We find evidence for a spin-wave excitation gap of $E_{gap} = 3.7\pm 0.2$ meV, at a band minimum near $Q=0.8 A^{-1}$. This is consistent with expectations for triplet spin waves in (VO)2P2O7 in the spin-ladder model, and is to our knowledge the first confirmation in nature of a Heisenberg antiferromagnetic spin ladder.Comment: 11 pages and 2 figures (available as hard copy or postscript files from the authors, send request to [email protected] or [email protected]), TEX using jnl, reforder and eqnorder, ORNL-CCIP-94-05 / RAL-94-04

Using process algebra to model radiation induced bystander effects

Radiation induced bystander effects are secondary effects caused by the production of chemical signals by cells in response to radiation. We present a Bio-PEPA model which builds on previous modelling work in this field to predict: the surviving fraction of cells in response to radiation, the relative proportion of cell death caused by bystander signalling, the risk of non-lethal damage and the probability of observing bystander signalling for a given dose. This work provides the foundation for modelling bystander effects caused by biologically realistic dose distributions, with implications for cancer therapies

Determinant Representations for Correlation Functions of Spin-1/2 XXX and XXZ Heisenberg Magnets

We consider correlation functions of the spin-\half XXX and XXZ Heisenberg chains in a magnetic field. Starting from the algebraic Bethe Ansatz we derive representations for various correlation functions in terms of determinants of Fredholm integral operators.Comment: 23 pages, TeX, BONN-TH-94-14, revised version: typos correcte

Three-spined stickleback armour predicted by body size, minimum winter temperature and pH

Similar phenotypes evolve under equivalent environmental conditions through parallel evolution. Because they have repeatedly invaded and adapted to new freshwater environments, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) offers a powerful system for understanding the agents of selection in nature that drive parallel evolution. Here we examine the ecological and environmental variables responsible for morphological variation in three-spined stickleback populations across its European range. We collected fish from 85 populations, encompassing much of the European latitudinal range of the species and including lowland rivers and lakes, coastal lagoons, and moorland ponds. We measured biotic and environmental variables at all sites along with morphological traits for 2,358 individuals. Using an information theory approach, we identified body size, minimum average winter temperature and pH as primary predictors of stickleback armour evolution, challenging current hypotheses for stickleback morphological diversification and demonstrating the fundamental role played by body size and scaling in mediating responses to selection. Stickleback lateral plate phenotype represents a potentially powerful tool for monitoring change in climate variables across the northern temperate region

Magnetization steps in a diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain: Theory and experiments on TMMC:Cd

A theory for the equilibrium low-temperature magnetization M of a diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain is presented. The magnetization curve, M versus B, is calculated using the exact contributions of finite chains with 1 to 5 spins, and the "rise and ramp approximation" for longer chains. Some non-equilibrium effects that occur in a rapidly changing B, are also considered. Specific non-equilibrium models based on earlier treatments of the phonon bottleneck, and of spin flips associated with cross relaxation and with level crossings, are discussed. Magnetization data on powders of TMMC diluted with cadmium [i.e., (CH_3)_4NMn_xCd_(1-x)Cl_3, with 0.16<=x<=0.50 were measured at 0.55 K in 18 T superconducting magnets. The field B_1 at the first MST from pairs is used to determine the NN exchange constant, J, which changes from -5.9 K to -6.5 K as x increases from 0.16 to 0.50. The magnetization curves obtained in the superconducting magnets are compared with simulations based on the equilibrium theory. Data for the differential susceptibility, dM/dB, were taken in pulsed magnetic fields (7.4 ms duration) up to 50 T, with the powder samples in a 1.5 K liquid-helium bath. Non-equilibrium effects, which became more severe as x decreased, were observed. The non-equilibrium effects are tentatively interpreted using the "Inadequate Heat Flow Scenario," or to cross-relaxation, and crossings of energy levels, including those of excited states.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figure

Employer requirements and COVID-19 vaccination and attitudes among healthcare personnel in the U.S.: Findings from National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module, August – September 2021

Introduction: Employer vaccination requirements have been used to increase vaccination uptake among healthcare personnel (HCP). In summer 2021, HCP were the group most likely to have employer requirements for COVID-19 vaccinations as healthcare facilities led the implementation of such requirements. This study examined the association between employer requirements and HCP's COVID-19 vaccination status and attitudes about the vaccine. Methods: Participants were a national representative sample of United States (US) adults who completed the National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module (NIS-ACM) during August–September 2021. Respondents were asked about COVID-19 vaccination and intent, requirements for vaccination, place of work, attitudes surrounding vaccinations, and sociodemographic variables. This analysis focused on HCP respondents. We first calculated the weighted proportion reporting COVID-19 vaccination for HCP by sociodemographic variables. Then we computed unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios for vaccination coverage and key indicators on vaccine attitudes, comparing HCP based on individual self-report of vaccination requirements. Results: Of 12,875 HCP respondents, 41.5% reported COVID-19 vaccination employer requirements. Among HCP with vaccination requirements, 90.5% had been vaccinated against COVID-19, as compared to 73.3% of HCP without vaccination requirements—a pattern consistent across sociodemographic groups. Notably, the greatest differences in uptake between HCP with and without employee requirements were seen in sociodemographic subgroups with the lowest vaccination uptake, e.g., HCP aged 18–29 years, HCP with high school or less education, HCP living below poverty, and uninsured HCP. In every sociodemographic subgroup examined, vaccine uptake was more equitable among HCP with vaccination requirements than in HCP without. Finally, HCP with vaccination requirements were also more likely to express confidence in the vaccine's safety (68.3% vs. 60.1%) and importance (89.6% vs 79.6%). Conclusion: In a large national US sample, employer requirements were associated with higher and more equitable HCP vaccination uptake across all sociodemographic groups examined. Our findings suggest that employer requirements can contribute to improving COVID-19 vaccination coverage, similar to patterns seen for other vaccines

Observation of exclusive DVCS in polarized electron beam asymmetry measurements

We report the first results of the beam spin asymmetry measured in the reaction e + p -> e + p + gamma at a beam energy of 4.25 GeV. A large asymmetry with a sin(phi) modulation is observed, as predicted for the interference term of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering and the Bethe-Heitler process. The amplitude of this modulation is alpha = 0.202 +/- 0.028. In leading-order and leading-twist pQCD, the alpha is directly proportional to the imaginary part of the DVCS amplitude.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure