Ocean circulation and dynamics on the west Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution September 2007Observations of current velocity, temperature, salinity and pressure from a 2-year moored array deployment and four hydrographic cruises conducted by the United States Southern Ocean GLOBEC program on the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf are used to characterize the ocean circulation and its connection to fresh water and heat fluxes on the shelf. Mean velocities on the shelf are of the order of 5 cm/s or less. Tidal motions are dominated by the M2 and S2 semi-diurnal tides and the O1 and K1 diurnal tides, although the tidal velocities are typically less than 2 cm/s. Near-inertial motions are relatively large, with current velocities as high as 26 cm/s. It is shown that Marguerite Trough, a large bathymetric feature connecting the shelf-break to Marguerite Bay, plays a critical role in determining the circulation. The mean flow is strongly steered in the along-slope direction, and the tidal currents also show increasing current polarization at depth in Marguerite Trough. At timescales of 5 to 20 days, the observations show bottom-intensified motion in Marguerite Trough consistent with bottom-trapped topographic Rossby waves. The subtidal circulation in the trough has a significant wind-driven component in Marguerite Trough, with downwelling-favorable winds forcing cross-shelf flow on the northern side of the trough and along the shore on the outer shelf. Upwelling-favorable winds force roughly the opposite circulation. The cyclonic circulation on the trough helps advect blobs of salty, warm and nutrient-rich water across the shelf. These intrusions are small (≈4 km) and frequent (4 events/month). Also, the Antarctic Peninsula Coastal Current (APCC), a coastal buoyant current which is described for the first time here. The APCC is a seasonal current which is only present during the ice-free season and is forced by freshwater fluxes associated with large glacier melt and precipitation rates in the region.Thanks goes to the agencies who made this thesis possible: the National Science Foundation Office of Polar programs through U.S. Southern Ocean GLOBEC grants OPP 99-10092 and 06-23223, the Chilean government through its Presidential Fellowship program and the Coastal Ocean Institute and the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Ocean Research

Single-atom control of the optoelectronic response in sub-nanometric cavities

By means of ab-initio time dependent density functional theory calculations carried out on an prototypical hybrid plasmonic device (two metallic nanoparticles bridged by a one-atom junction), we demonstrate the strong interplay between photoinduced excitation of localized surface plasmons and electron transport through the single atom. Such an interplay is remarkably sensitive to the atomic orbitals of the junction. Therefore, we show the possibility of a twofold tuning (plasmonic response and photoinduced current across the juntion) just by changing a single atom in the device.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

A coupled problem of heat and mass transfer applied to porous textile media surrounding the human foot

There have been many attempts in the literature to model human thermoregulation systems in order to predict central temperature and other heat stress indicators (see [3, 9], among many others). These models depend on a wide range of variables, including individual characteristics, surrounding textile and environmental factors. The main objective of this work is to formulate a stable, realistic and versatile 2-D mathematical model describing the heat transfer of the human foot (bare foot and foot surrounded by textile materials). The novelty, but also the difficulty , lies on the theoretical multiphysics that models the textile as a porous media, involving energy transport but also mass transport of liquid water, water vapour and gas, including evaporation phenomena. The numerical solution to the global problem involves a segregated algorithm and fixed point techniques for the nonlinearities jointly with finite elements spatial discretizations. Implementation has been performed through commercial software COMSOL TM Multiphysics

The enzymes LSD1 and Set1A cooperate with the viral protein HBx to establish an active hepatitis B viral chromatin state

Indexación: Web of ScienceWith about 350 million people chronically infected around the world hepatitis B is a major health problem. Template for progeny HBV synthesis is the viral genome, organized as a minichromosome (cccDNA) inside the hepatocyte nucleus. How viral cccDNA gene expression is regulated by its chromatin structure; more importantly, how the modulation of this structure impacts on viral gene expression remains elusive. Here, we found that the enzyme SetDB1 contributes to setting up a repressed cccDNA chromatin state. This repressive state is activated by the histone lysine demethylase-1 (LSD1). Consistently, inhibiting or reducing LSD1 levels led to repression of viral gene expression. This correlates with the transcriptionally repressive mark H3K9 methylation and reduction on the activating marks H3 acetylation and H3K4 methylation on viral promoters. Investigating the importance of viral proteins we found that LSD1 recruitment to viral promoters was dependent on the viral transactivator protein HBx. Moreover, the histone methyltransferase Set1A and HBx are simultaneously bound to the core promoter, and Set1A expression correlates with cccDNA H3K4 methylation. Our results shed light on the mechanisms of HBV regulation mediated by the cccDNA chromatin structure, offering new therapeutic targets to develop drugs for the treatment of chronically infected HBV patients.http://www.nature.com/articles/srep2590

Ultrafast broadband optical modulation in indium tin oxide/titanium dioxide 1D photonic crystal

Photonic crystals can integrate plasmonic materials such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) in their structure. Exploiting ITO plasmonic properties, it is possible to tune the photonic band gap of the photonic crystal upon the application of an external stimuli. In this work, we have fabricated a one-dimensional multilayer photonic crystal alternating ITO and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) via radio frequency sputtering and we have triggered its optical response with ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy. Upon photoexcitation, we observe a change in the refractive index of ITO. Such an effect has been used to create a photonic crystal that changes its photonic bandgap in an ultrafast time scale. All optical modulation in the visible region, that can be tuned by designing the photonic crystal, has been demonstrated

Application of Object-Based Industrial Controls for Cryogenics

The first application of the CERN Unified Industrial Control system (UNICOS) has been developed for the 1.8 K refrigerator at point 1.8 in mid-2001. This paper presents the engineering methods used for application development, in order to reach the objectives of maintainability and reusability, in the context of a development done by an external consortium of engineering firms. It will also review the lessons learned during this first development and the improvements planned for the next applications

Dynamic behaviour of AA 2024 under blast loading : experiments and simulations

The dynamic behaviour of AA2024-T3 is investigated. Dynamic tensile tests using a servo-hydraulic and a light weight shock testing machine (LSM) have been performed. The servo-hydraulic test machine proves to be more reliable and reaches higher strain rates. Neither test revealed any strain rate effect of AA2024-T3. Two types of fracture tests were carried out to determine the dynamic crack propagation behaviour of this alloy, using prestressed plates and pressurized barrels, both with the help of explosives. The prestressed plates proved to be not suitable, whereas the barrel tests were quite reliable, allowing to measure the crack speeds. Computer simulations with a user defined, rate dependent cohesive zone model were in agreement with experiments, capturing the rate toughening effect

Clinical impact of a pharmacist-led medication review with follow up for aged polypharmacy patients: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Medication review with follow-up (MRF) is a service where community pharmacists undertake a medication review with monthly follow-up to provide continuing care. The ConSIGUE Program assessed the impact and implementation of MRF for aged polypharmacy patients in Spanish Community Pharmacies. The present paper reports on the clinical impact evaluation phase of ConSIGUE. Objective: The main objective of the study was to measure the effect of MRF on the primary outcome of the number of uncontrolled health problems. Secondary objectives were to analyze the drug-related problems (DRPs) identified as potential causes of ineffective or unsafe medications and the pharmacists’ interventions implemented during MRF provision. Methods: An open-label multi-centered cluster randomized study with comparison group (CG) was carried out in community pharmacies from 4 provinces in Spain during 6 months. The main inclusion criteria were patients over 64 years old, using 5 or more medicines. The intervention group (IG) received the MRF service (advanced medication review-type 3 MR) whereas patients in the CG received usual care. Results: 178 pharmacies recruited 1403 patients (IG= 688 patients; CG= 715 patients). During the 6 months of the study 72 patients were lost to follow up. The adjusted multi-level random effects models showed a significant reduction in the number of uncontrolled health problems over the periods in the IG (-0.72, 95% CI: -0.80, -0.65) and no change in the CG (-0.03, 95%CI: -0.10, 0.04). Main DRPs identified as potential causes of failures of uncontrolled health problems’ treatment were undertreated condition (559 DRPs; 35.81%), lack of treatment adherence (261 DRP; 16.67%) and risk of adverse effects (207 DRPs; 13.53%). Interventions performed by pharmacist to solve DRP mainly included the addition (246 interventions; 14.67%) and change (330 interventions; 19.68%) of a medicine and educational interventions on medicine adherence (231 interventions; 13.78%) and non-pharmacological interventions (369 interventions; 22.01%). Conclusions: This study provides evidence of the impact of community pharmacist on clinical outcomes for aged patients. It suggests that the provision of an MRF in collaboration with general medical practitioners and patients contributes to the improvement of aged polypharmacy patients’ health status and reduces their problems related with the use of medicines.Cinfa Laboratorie

Sobrepeso y obesidad en el personal de enfermería de los servicios de internación del Hospital Central

Este trabajo se llevó a cabo en las Unidades de Internación del Hospital Central, Provincia de Mendoza, Argentina en el año 2018. Es importante cuidar al que cuida, por esto se consideró de importancia verificar el estado de los enfermeros en el Hospital Central y el valor presentado en cada uno de los enfermeros en cuanto al sobrepeso y la obesidad. De igual manera se identificaron complicaciones posibles y futuras del sobrepeso y la obesidad. Objetivos: Comprobar la presencia de sobrepeso y obesidad; y además de ello, hallar vínculos de estas problemáticas relacionadas a otros factores de vida de cada individuo. Método: Se realizó un estudio del tipo cuantitativo descriptivo, de carácter transversal. En cuanto al universo y muestra, éstas fueron las áreas de servicio de internación del Hospital Central de la Provincia de Mendoza, Argentina; a un total de 90 enfermeros, de los cuales resultaron 72 mujeres y 18 hombres encuestados y medidos. Resultados: A la población de muestra se le dio una clasificación tomada de base según la (OMS) Organización Mundial de la Salud sobre el índice de masa corporal, resultaron de los 90 enfermeros de población de muestra lo siguiente: (22,22%) en normopeso; el (34,44%) en sobrepeso; el (43,33%) en obesidad. Otros parámetros analizados y relacionados al sobrepeso y obesidad, como: estrés (60%); fumadores (48,89%); actividad física (60%); el (76 %) no están satisfechos y con baja estima en cuanto a ellos mismos. Conclusiones: El personal de muestra poblacional evidencia encontrarse en mayor medida dentro de los rangos de obesidad, seguido por el sobrepeso. Un poco más de la mitad de los enfermeros han tomado conciencia de su estado corporal. Recomendaciones: Algo muy beneficioso sería un programa de actividad física y nutrición con horarios accesibles para cada turno laboral. El Hospital cuenta con un gimnasio en el quinto piso para el personal.Fil: Sivila F., Katherina S..Fil: Varas M., Priscila G.

Evaluating an implementation programme for medication review with follow-up in community pharmacy using a hybrid effectiveness study design: translating evidence into practice.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate an implementation programme of a community pharmacy medication review with follow-up (MRF) service using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study design, and to compare the clinical and humanistic outcomes with those in a previously conducted cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT). SETTING: Community pharmacies in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 135 community pharmacies and 222 pharmacists providing MRF to polymedicated patients aged 65 or over. INTERVENTION: The intervention was an implementation programme for the MRF service. A national level group was established, mirrored with a provincial level group. A series of interventions were defined (1) to engage pharmacy owners with the implementation model and (2) to provide training to pharmacists consisting of clinical case studies, process of MRF, communication skills and data collection methods and (3) practice change facilitators. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes for the implementation programme were progress, reach, fidelity and integration. The secondary outcomes were number of medications, non-controlled health problems, emergency visits, hospitalisations and health-related quality of life, which were compared with a previous 6-month cluster RCT. RESULTS: 55% of pharmacies reached the implementation phase and 35.6% remained in the testing phase at 12 months. A reach of 89.3% (n=844) was achieved. Fidelity average score was 8.45 (min: 6.2, max: 9.3) out of 10. The integration mean score was 3.39 (SD: 0.72) out of 5. MRF service outcomes were similar to the cluster RCT study; however, the magnitude of the outcomes was delayed. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of pharmacy services is a complex multifactorial process, conditioned by numerous implementation factors. In the absence of remuneration, the implementation of the MRF service is a slow process, taking at least 12 months to complete. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CGFTRA-2017-01