33 research outputs found
Using Light Charged Particles to Probe the Asymmetry Dependence of the Nuclear Caloric Curve
Recently, we observed a clear dependence of the nuclear caloric curve on
neutron-proton asymmetry through examination of fully
reconstructed equilibrated quasi-projectile sources produced in heavy ion
collisions at E/A = 35 MeV. In the present work, we extend our analysis using
multiple light charged particle probes of the temperature. Temperatures are
extracted with five distinct probes using a kinetic thermometer approach.
Additionally, temperatures are extracted using two probes within a chemical
thermometer approach (Albergo method). All seven measurements show a
significant linear dependence of the source temperature on the source
asymmetry. For the kinetic thermometer, the strength of the asymmetry
dependence varies with the probe particle species in a way which is consistent
with an average emission-time ordering.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Novel lipoprotein density profiling in healthy dogs of various breeds, healthy miniature schnauzers, and miniature schnauzers with hyperlipidemia
BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of abnormalities in lipoprotein metabolism in clinical canine medicine, the fact that most previously used methods for lipoprotein profiling are rather laborious and time-consuming has been a major obstacle to the wide clinical application and use of lipoprotein profiling in this species. The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of a continuous lipoprotein density profile (CLPDP) generated within a bismuth sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (NaBiEDTA) density gradient to characterize and compare the lipoprotein profiles of healthy dogs of various breeds, healthy Miniature Schnauzers, and Miniature Schnauzers with primary hypertriacylglycerolemia. A total of 35 healthy dogs of various breeds with serum triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesterol concentrations within their respective reference intervals were selected for use as a reference population. Thirty-one Miniature Schnauzers with serum TAG and cholesterol concentrations within their respective reference intervals and 31 Miniature Schnauzers with hypertriacylglyceridemia were also included in the study. RESULTS: The results suggest that CLPDP using NaBiEDTA provides unique diagnostic information in addition to measurements of serum TAG and cholesterol concentrations and that it is a useful screening method for dogs with suspected lipoprotein metabolism disorders. Using the detailed and continuous density distribution information provided by the CLPDP, important differences in lipoprotein profiles can be detected even among dogs that have serum TAG and cholesterol concentrations within the reference interval. Miniature Schnauzers with serum TAG and cholesterol concentrations within the reference interval had significantly different lipoprotein profiles than dogs of various other breeds. In addition, it was further established that specific lipoprotein fractions are associated with hypertriacylglyceridemia in Miniature Schnauzers. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that density gradient ultracentrifugation using NaBiEDTA is a useful screening method for the study of lipoprotein profiles in dogs. Therefore, this method could potentially be used for diagnostic purposes for the separation of dogs suspected of having lipoprotein abnormalities from healthy dogs
Electronic structure of negative charge transfer CaFeO3 across the metal-insulator transition
We investigated the metal-insulator transition for epitaxial thin films of
the perovskite CaFeO3, a material with a significant oxygen ligand hole
contribution to its electronic structure. We find that biaxial tensile and
compressive strain suppress the metal-insulator transition temperature. By
combining hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, soft X-ray absorption
spectroscopy, and density functional calculations, we resolve the
element-specific changes to the electronic structure across the metal-insulator
transition. We demonstrate that the Fe electron valence undergoes no observable
change between the metallic and insulating states, whereas the O electronic
configuration undergoes significant changes. This strongly supports the
bond-disproportionation model of the metal-insulator transition for CaFeO3 and
highlights the importance of ligand holes in its electronic structure. By
sensitively measuring the ligand hole density, however, we find that it
increases by ~5-10% in the insulating state, which we ascribe to a further
localization of electron charge on the Fe sites. These results provide detailed
insight into the metal-insulator transition of negative charge transfer
compounds and should prove instructive for understanding metal-insulator
transitions in other late transition metal compounds such as the nickelates.Comment: Minor typographic changes mad
Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries
Abstract
Background
Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres.
Methods
This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries.
Results
In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries