Structure of the doublet bands in doubly odd nuclei: The case of 128Cs^{128}Cs

The structure of the $\Delta J = 1$ doublet bands in $^{128}Cs$ is investigated within the framework of the Interacting Vector Boson Fermion Model (IVBFM). A new, purely collective interpretation of these bands is given on the basis of the used boson-fermion dynamical symmetry of the model. The energy levels of the doublet bands as well as the absolute $B(E2)$ and $B(M1)$ transition probabilities between the states of both yrast and yrare bands are described quite well. The observed odd-even staggering of both $B(M1)$ and $B(E2)$ values is reproduced by the introduction of an appropriate interaction term of quadrupole type, which produces such a staggering effect in the transition strengths. The calculations show that the appearance of doublet bands in certain odd-odd nuclei could be a consequence of the realization of a larger dynamical symmetry based on the non-compact supersymmetry group $OSp(2\Omega /12, R)$.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Feasibility of using teleradiology to improve tuberculosis screening and case management in a district hospital in Malawi.

Malawi has one of the world's highest rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (10.6%), and southern Malawi, where Thyolo district is located, bears the highest burden in the country (14.5%). Tuberculosis, common among HIV-infected people, requires radiologic diagnosis, yet Malawi has no radiologists in public service. This hinders rapid and accurate diagnosis and increases morbidity and mortality

Electromagnetic Dipole Strength in Transitional Nuclei

Electromagnetic dipole absorption cross-sections of transitional nuclei with large-amplitude shape fluctuations are calculated in a microscopic way by introducing the concept of Instantaneous Shape Sampling. The concept bases on the slow shape dynamics as compared to the fast dipole vibrations. The elctromagnetic dipole strength is calculated by means of RPA for the instantaneous shapes, the probability of which is obtained by means of IBA. Very good agreement with the experimental absorption cross sections near the nucleon emission threshold is obtained.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Admission Decision-Making in Hospital Emergency Departments: the Role of the Accompanying Person

In resource-stretched emergency departments, people accompanying patients play key roles in patients' care. This article presents analysis of the ways health professionals and accompanying persons talked about admission decisions and caring roles. The authors used ethnographic case study design involving participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 13 patients, 17 accompanying persons and 26 healthcare professionals in four National Health Service hospitals in south-west England. Focused analysis of interactional data revealed that professionals’ standardization of the patient-carer relationship contrasted with accompanying persons' varied connections with patients. Accompanying persons could directly or obliquely express willingness, ambivalence and resistance to supporting patients’ care. The drive to avoid admissions can lead health professionals to deploy conversational skills to enlist accompanying persons for discharge care without exploring the meanings of their particular relations with patients. Taking a relationship-centered approach could improve attention to accompanying persons as co-producers of healthcare and participants in decision-making

Identifying Older People at Risk of Abuse During Routine Screening Practices

To examine the association between various characteristics of community-based older people and a constructed measure of potential elder abuse. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design. SETTING: Public community-based long-term care programs in Michigan. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 60 and older seeking home and community-based services in Michigan between November 1996 and October 1997 (N = 701). MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected using the Minimum Data Set for Home Care (MDS-HC) assessment. The dependent variable is a constructed measure of potential elder abuse reflecting physical and emotional abuse and neglect. Independent variables include demographic characteristics; diagnoses; behavioral measures; and cognitive, physical, and social functioning. RESULTS: Several measures of social support and social function were strongly associated with the signs of a potentially abusive environment: brittle support (odds ratio (OR) = 3.5, 90% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5–8.1), older person feels lonely (OR = 2.4, 90% CI = 1.3–4.5), and older person expresses conflict with family/friends (OR = 2.3, 90% CI = 1.2–4.3). Home care participants' alcohol abuse, psychiatric illness, lack of ease interacting with others, and short-term memory problems were also significantly associated with the signs of potential elder abuse. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the signs of potential elder abuse are associated with a diminishing social network and poor social functioning, although some characteristics of the older person's health are contributing factors. Improved understanding of the link between those characteristics and potential abuse will help healthcare providers, case managers, and others identify older people at high risk of abuse.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65922/1/j.1601-5215.2002.51005.x.pd

Caregiver Attitudes and Hospitalization Risk in Michigan Residents Receiving Home- and Community-Based Care

To study a cohort of participants in home- and community-based services (HCBS) in Michigan to evaluate the relationship between (1) caregiver attitudes and participant characteristics and (2) the risk of hospitalization. SETTING: HCBS programs funded by Medicaid or state/local funds in Michigan. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred twenty-seven individuals eligible for HCBS in Michigan were studied. These HCBS participants were randomly selected clients of all agencies providing publicly funded HCBS in Michigan from November 1996 to October 1997. MEASUREMENTS: Data for this study were collected using the Minimum Data Set for Home Care. Assessments were collected longitudinally, and the baseline (initial admission assessment) and 90-day follow-up assessments were used. Key measures were caregiver attitudes (distress, dissatisfaction, and decreased caregiving ability) and HCBS participant characteristics (cognition, functioning, diseases, symptoms, nutritional status, medications, and disease stability). Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate how these characteristics were associated with the competing risks of hospitalization and death within 90 days of admission to HCBS. RESULTS: We found a strong association between caregiver dissatisfaction (caregiver dissatisfied with the level of care the home care participant was currently receiving) and an increased likelihood of hospitalization. HCBS participant cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain, and flare-up of a chronic condition were also associated with increased hospitalization. Poor food intake and prior hospitalization were associated with hospitalization and death. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, within a cohort of people receiving HCBS who are chronically ill, highly disabled, and at high risk for hospitalization and death, interventions addressing caregiver dissatisfaction, pain control, and medical monitoring should be evaluated for their potential to decrease hospitalization.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65947/1/j.1532-5415.2002.50264.x.pd

On Multistep Bose-Einstein Condensation in Anisotropic Traps

Multistep Bose-Einstein condensation of an ideal Bose gas in anisotropic harmonic atom traps is studied. In the presence of strong anisotropy realized by the different trap frequency in each direction, finite size effect dictates a series of dimensional crossovers into lower-dimensional excitations. Two-step condensation and the dynamical reduction of the effective dimension can appear in three separate steps. When the multistep behavior occurs, the occupation number of atoms excited in each dimension is shown to behave similarly as a function of the temperature.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figures, revised version, to appear in Jour. Phys.

An HST/WFPC2 Snapshot Survey of 2MASS-Selected Red QSOs

Using simple infrared color selection, 2MASS has found a large number of red, previously unidentified, radio-quiet QSOs. Although missed by UV/optical surveys, the 2MASS QSOs have K-band luminosities that are comparable to "classical" QSOs. This suggests the possible discovery of a previously predicted large population of dust-obscured radio-quiet QSOs. We present the results of an imaging survey of 29 2MASS QSOs observed with WFPC2 onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. I-band images, which benefit from the relative faintness of the nuclei at optical wavelengths, are used to characterize the host galaxies, measure the nuclear contribution to the total observed I-band emission, and to survey the surrounding environments. The 2MASS QSOs are found to lie in galaxies with a variety of morphologies, luminosities, and dynamical states, not unlike those hosting radio-quiet PG QSOs. Our analysis suggests that the extraordinary red colors of the 2MASS QSOs are caused by extinction of an otherwise typical QSO spectrum due to dust near the nucleus.Comment: 23 pages including 9 figures and 7 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ, higher resolution HST images at: http://shapley.as.arizona.edu/~amarble/papers/twomq