Ground-based intercomparison of two isoprene measurement techniques

International audienceAn informal intercomparison of two isoprene (C5H8) measurement techniques was carried out during Fall of 1998 at a field site located approximately 3 km west of Boulder, Colorado, USA. A new chemical ionization mass spectrometric technique (CIMS) was compared to a well-established gas chromatographic technique (GC). The CIMS technique utilized benzene cation chemistry to ionize isoprene. The isoprene levels measured by the CIMS were often larger than those obtained with the GC. The results indicate that the CIMS technique suffered from an anthropogenic interference associated with air masses from the Denver, CO metropolitan area as well as an additional interference occurring in clean conditions. However, the CIMS technique is also demonstrated to be sensitive and fast. Especially after introduction of a tandem mass spectrometric technique, it is therefore a candidate for isoprene measurements in remote environments near isoprene sources

Status of the emittance transfer experiment emtex

In order to improve the injection efficiency of the round UNILAC heavy ion beam into the asymmetric acceptance of the SIS18 it would be of great advantage to decreasethe horizontal emittance by a so called emittance transferto the vertical plane. In this contribution the present statusof the emittance transfer experiment EMTEX at GSI will be reported. A short introduction about the theoretical background of the technique will be given, while the mainpart is dedicated to the practical solutions setting up a testbeam line at GSI. Finally, the results of a first commissioning beam time will be presented. The scheduled beam time to apply the emittance transfer technique foreseen in spring 2014 had to be shifted to calendar week 26 in 2014, just after this conference as some components have not been delivered in time by the contractor. The results and comparison to the theoretical predictions you may find in later publications

Areas of improvement in the medical care of SMA : evidence from a nationwide patient registry in Germany

Background Management and treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has changed in recent years due to the introduction of novel transformative and potentially curative therapies resulting in the emergence of new disease phenotypes. Yet, little is known about the uptake and impact of these therapies in real-world clinical practice. The objective of this study was to describe current motor function, need of assistive devices, and therapeutic and sup‑ portive interventions provided by the healthcare system, as well as the socioeconomic situation of children and adults with diferent SMA phenotypes in Germany. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study of German patients with genetically confrmed SMA identifed and recruited via a nationwide SMA patient registry (www.sma-register. de) within the TREAT-NMD network. Study data was recorded directly from patient-caregiver pairs through a study questionnaire administered online via a dedicated study website. Results The fnal study cohort consisted of 107 patients with SMA. Of these, 24 were children and 83 adults. In total, about 78% of all participants were taking medication for SMA (predominantly nusinersen and risdiplam). All children with SMA1 were able to sit and 27% of children with SMA2 were able to stand or walk. Impaired upper limb function, scoliosis and bulbar dysfunction were observed more frequently in patients with reduced lower limb performance. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, as well as the use of cough assists were less common than indicated by care guidelines. Family planning and educational and employment status appear to be related to motor skill impairment. Conclusions We show that the natural history of disease has changed in Germany following improvements in SMA care and the introduction of novel therapies. Yet, a non-trivial proportion of patients remain untreated. We also identi‑ fed considerable limitations in rehabilitation and respiratory care, as well as low labour-market participation among adults with SMA, calling for action to improve the current situation