Ion structure in warm dense matter: benchmarking solutions of hypernetted-chain equations by first-principle simulations

We investigate the microscopic structure of strongly coupled ions in warm dense matter using ab initio simulations and hypernetted chain (HNC) equations. We demonstrate that an approximate treatment of quantum effects by weak pseudopotentials fails to describe the highly degenerate electrons in warm dense matter correctly. However, one-component HNC calculations for the ions agree well with first-principles simulations if a linearly screened Coulomb potential is used. These HNC results can be further improved by adding a short-range repulsion that accounts for bound electrons. Examples are given for recently studied light elements, lithium and beryllium, and for aluminum where the extra short-range repulsion is essential

Comparing cost-sharing practices for pharmaceuticals and health care services among four central European countries

The paper reviews the existing cost-sharing practices in four Central European countries namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia focusing on patient co-payments for pharmaceuticals and services covered by the social health insurance. The aim is to examine the role of cost-sharing arrangements and to evaluate them in terms of efficiency, equity and public acceptance to support policy making on patient payments in Central Europe. Our results suggest that the share of out-of-pocket payments in total health care expenditure is relatively high (24–27%) in the countries examined. The main driver of these payments is the expenditure on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, which share exceeds 70% of the household expenditure on health care. The four countries use similar cost-sharing techniques for pharmaceuticals, however there are differences concerning the measure of exemption mechanisms for vulnerable social groups. Patient payment policies for health care services covered by the social health insurance are also converging. All the four countries apply co-payments for dental care, some hotel services or in the case of free choice of physician. Also the countries (except for Poland) tried to extend co-payments for physician services and hospital care. However, their introduction met strong political opposition and unpopularity among public

Tillering Studies on Oats: IV. Effect of Rate and Date of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application

Nitrogen applied to oat fields has many morphological and physiological effects on the plants. Increased grain yields have been reported by Nelson et al. (5), Pritchett, (6) and many others; increased overall top growth was reported by Gericke (3); and increased nitrogen content of the grain has been found by Wiggans and Frey (7), Brieba (1), and others. In a greenhouse experiment Gericke (3) found that a delay in applying nitrogen to oats in a low fertility soil increased the number of heads per plant. An application equal to 80 pounds per acre at seeding produced approximately 1.5 heads per plant, while an equal application 90 days later (6 to 7 leaves) resulted in over 3.0 heads per plant. Since, with a given seeding rate of oats, the numbers of tillers produced per plant is a component of yield, it is important to know the effect of different cultural practices on this character. This paper reports the effects of rate and date of nitrogen application on tillering

Integration of education for sustainability in the preschool curriculum: A comparative study between the two latest Swedish curricula

The aim of this study is to provide a content analysis of the new Swedish preschool curriculum in comparison with the previous preceding curriculum to investigate how sustainability and education for sustainability (EfS) have been described, and whether there have been any changes in terms of the scope of their inclusion in the new curriculum. The study adopts a holistic view of sustainability, meaning that the environmental dimension, social dimension, and economic dimension, along with a pluralistic and transformative view of EfS, form the analytical framework. Using content analysis, the frequency of explicit and implicit descriptive words for sustainability and EfS in both curricula were investigated. A contextual analysis was also conducted that involved an interpretation of the meaning of the implicit words. Two main findings could be identified in the new curriculum in comparison to the previous curriculum. The first was that the term sustainability is now used from an explicit and holistic perspective that includes all three dimensions. The second was that the new curriculum provides guidance as to how to incorporate EfS where such words as investigating, participation, collaborate and develop are used. Together with the context in which these words appear, a picture forms of a pluralistic teaching tradition in preschool curricula. Overall, the analysis provides a picture of change in the Swedish preschool curriculum that is in line with the intentions of international policy and research relating to a need for increased focus on sustainability and EfS

The pitfalls of electronic health orders: Development of an enhanced institutional protocol after a preventable patient death

BACKGROUND: Continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) is a long-standing treatment used in the setting of gross hematuria and other acute bladder issues. Its use has traditionally been reserved for patients under direct urologic care, but with the constraints of modern large-hospital healthcare, many patients have CBI administered by providers unfamiliar with its use and potential complications. FINDINGS: There were 136 CBI orders placed in 2013 by non-urologic providers. The biggest hazard found in our analysis was the requirement for entering a rate of irrigation administration. Nurses with no experience with CBI viewed this order as an indication to administer via an infusion pump, which can easily exceed the mechanical integrity of the bladder and increase the risk of bladder perforation. Our panel also found that due to lack of experience by nurses and non-urologic providers, that signs and symptoms of CBI dysfunction were not common knowledge. Also we found that non-urologic providers were unfamiliar with administration and dosing of medications for CBI patients to help with the intrinsic discomfort with CBI administration. CONCLUSIONS: In our revised order set we found that removing the requirement for an infusion rate, along with placing warnings in the CPOE, helped staff better understand this possible complication. We created a best practice alert in our CPOE to strongly recommend the urology service be consulted. Communication text boxes were added to the order set to help staff be aware of the signs and symptoms of CBI dysfunction, along with a guide for trouble shooting

A Literature Review of Current Treatments for the Hypermobility Subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare pharmacologic intervention, neurocognitive therapy, physical therapy, and orthotics in treating the hypermobility subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and determine which has the most positive effect on symptoms. Introduction: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is an inheritable connective tissue disorder which results from a genetic mutation that alters the body’s ability to produce collagen. The most common subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is hEDS, which leads to hypermobility and hyperextensibility and can cause frequent joint dislocations. Methods: A review of literature was performed to compare each treatment based on reported results. The types of studies reviewed include systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, review articles, cross sectional studies, and longitudinal studies. This study includes patients diagnosed with hEDS. Results: Data was analyzed from different studies and presented using various figures and tables to compare the effectiveness of each treatment modality. Discussion: Pain medications such as opioids and NSAIDs are the most commonly used treatment option, but they carry the risk of addiction and other side effects. Use of orthotics was the most successful treatment option in alleviating symptoms of hEDS. Conclusion: Pharmacologic intervention, neurocognitive therapy, physical therapy, and orthotics each have their own benefits in treating hEDS. Therefore, a combination of each therapy should be used to ensure the greatest positive effect on the symptoms of hEDS. Future research should focus on more direct comparisons of each treatment method to identify which modality consistently yields the best results