Hospitalizations for acetaminophen overdose: a Canadian population-based study from 1995 to 2004

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acetaminophen overdose (AO) is the most common cause of acute liver failure. We examined temporal trends and sociodemographic risk factors for AO in a large Canadian health region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>1,543 patients hospitalized for AO in the Calgary Health Region (population ~1.1 million) between 1995 and 2004 were identified using administrative data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The age/sex-adjusted hospitalization rate decreased by 41% from 19.6 per 100,000 population in 1995 to 12.1 per 100,000 in 2004 (<it>P </it>< 0.0005). This decline was greater in females than males (46% vs. 29%). Whereas rates fell 46% in individuals under 50 years, a 50% increase was seen in those ≥ 50 years. Hospitalization rates for intentional overdoses fell from 16.6 per 100,000 in 1995 to 8.6 per 100,000 in 2004 (2004 vs. 1995: rate ratio [RR] 0.49; <it>P </it>< 0.0005). Accidental overdoses decreased between 1995 and 2002, but increased to above baseline levels by 2004 (2004 vs. 1995: RR 1.24;<it>P </it>< 0.0005). Risk factors for AO included female sex (RR 2.19; <it>P </it>< 0.0005), Aboriginal status (RR 4.04; <it>P </it>< 0.0005), and receipt of social assistance (RR 5.15; <it>P </it>< 0.0005).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hospitalization rates for AO, particularly intentional ingestions, have fallen in our Canadian health region between 1995 and 2004. Young patients, especially females, Aboriginals, and recipients of social assistance, are at highest risk.</p

Electronically tunable conductivity of a nanoporous Au–Fe alloy

A change of the DC electrical conductivity of a nanoporous Au0.75Fe0.25 alloy was observed when surface charge was induced on the nanomaterial by making it a working electrode in an electrochemical cell. Simultaneous voltammetry and conductivity measurements over several voltage cycles in the range −0.4 to +0.7 V showed a reversible change in conductivity of 1.3%. The variation of conductivity with induced charge is interpreted in terms of the Sommerfeld model for metallic conduction

Reversible Zustandsaenderungen in nanoskaligen Metall-Hydriden

The properties of nanostructured materials differ significantly from those of coarse grained materials. For materials of smaller grain sizes, the overall properties are strongly influenced by the interfaces. It is shown, that this is not only due to the large volume fraction of the grain boundary region, but also to a long range elastic interaction between grain boundaries and crystallites which shift the thermodynamic equilibrium in the crystallites. Nanocrystalline palladium is examined as a model system and it is shown that due to the excess hydrogen concentration in the grain boundaries an interface stress leads to a pressure in the crystal grains causing quantitative changes in the phase diagram. A theory of chemo-elastic equilibrium presented here explains the experimentally observed narrowing of the miscibility gap and a shift of the critical point. X-ray diffraction, dilatometric and volumetric measurements are performed. Adsorption isotherms of hydrogen in the grain boundaries are determined experimentally. For the first time, the hydrogen distribution on grain boundaries and the crystallites are derived. Interface stress and stretch are also determined experimentally. Calorimetric studies indicate a broadening of the energy site distribution in the grain boundaries and clustering of hydrogen at the transition to the hydride-phase. Analysis of the pair distribution function confirm hydrogen enrichment in an ordered layer at the interface. The layer thickness is estimated with several methods. The results presented here can be applied to related systems such as thin films, multilayers and metal-hydrides for hydrogen storage applications. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: ZA 5141(6790) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

A neutron-scattering investigation of the magnetic structure and magnetic excitations in nanocrystalline Tb

The magnetic structure and magnetic excitations in nanocrystalline Tb have been investigated by neutron diffraction and neutron spectroscopy. This is a report on the long-range magnetic order and the magnetic excitations in a nanocrystalline elemental rare earth. Refinement of the neutron-diffraction data reveals an average magnetic structure of each crystallite which contains a significant out-of-plane component to the magnetic moment as well as a suppression of the high-temperature antiferromagnetic phase observed for coarse-grained Tb. The inelastic-neutron-scattering measurements reveal the presence of a magnetic excitation of approximately 10 meV at 2.5 K. The excitation energy decreases with increasing temperature. The origins of this excitation are discussed with particular reference to the magnetic modes at the zone center observed for single-crystal Tb

A neutron-scattering investigation of the magnetic structure and magnetic excitations in nanocrystalline Tb

The magnetic structure and magnetic excitations in nanocrystalline Tb have been investigated by neutron diffraction and neutron spectroscopy. This is a report on the long-range magnetic order and the magnetic excitations in a nanocrystalline elemental rare earth. Refinement of the neutron-diffraction data reveals an “average” magnetic structure of each crystallite which contains a significant out-of-plane component to the magnetic moment as well as a suppression of the high-temperature antiferromagnetic phase observed for coarse-grained Tb. The inelastic-neutron-scattering measurements reveal the presence of a magnetic excitation of approximately 10 meV at 2.5 K. The excitation energy decreases with increasing temperature. The origins of this excitation are discussed with particular reference to the magnetic modes at the zone center observed for single-crystal Tb