Borehole-calibration methods used in cased and uncased test holes to determine moisture profiles in the unsaturated zone, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

The use of drilling and coring methods that minimize the disturbance of formation rock and core has permitted field calibration of neutron-moisture tools in relatively large diameter cased and uncased boreholes at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. For 5.5-inch diameter cased holes, there was reasonable agreement between a field calibration in alluvium-colluvium and a laboratory calibration in a chamber containing silica sand. There was little difference between moisture-content profiles obtained in a neutron-access hole with a hand-held neutron-moisture meter and an automated borehole-logging tool using laboratory-generated calibration curves. Field calibrations utilizing linear regression analyses and as many as 119 data pairs show a good correlation between neutron-moisture counts and volumetric water content for sections of uncased 6-inch diameter boreholes in nonwelded and bedded tuff. Regression coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 0.94. There were only small differences between calibration curves in 4.25- and 6-inch uncased sections of boreholes. Results of analyzing field calibration data to determine the effects of formation density on calibration curves were inconclusive. Further experimental and theoretical work is outlined

Drilling and coring methods that minimize the disturbance of cuttings, core, and rock formation in the unsaturated zone, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

A drilling-and-casing method (Odex 115 system) utilizing air as a drilling fluid was used successfully to drill through various rock types within the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This paper describes this method and the equipment used to rapidly penetrate bouldery alluvial-colluvial deposits, poorly consolidated bedded and nonwelded tuff, and fractured, densely welded tuff to depths of about 130 meters. A comparison of water-content and water-potential data from drill cuttings with similar measurements on rock cores indicates that drill cuttings were only slightly disturbed for several of the rock types penetrated. Coring, sampling, and handling methods were devised to obtain minimally disturbed drive core from bouldery alluvial-colluvial deposits. Bulk-density values obtained from bulk samples dug from nearby trenches were compared to bulk-density values obtained from drive core to determine the effects of drive coring on the porosity of the core. Rotary coring methods utilizing a triple-tube core barrel and air as the drilling fluid were used to obtain core from welded and nonwelded tuff. Results indicate that the disturbance of the water content of the core was minimal. Water-content distributions in alluvium-colluvium were determined before drilling occurred by drive-core methods. After drilling, water-content distributions were determined by nuclear-logging methods. A comparison of the water-content distributions made before and after drilling indicates that Odex 115 drilling minimally disturbs the water content of the formation rock. 10 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs

Reducing potentially preventable complications at the multi hospital level

Contains fulltext : 96269.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: This study describes the continuation of a program to constrain health care costs by limiting inpatient hospital programs among the hospitals of Syracuse, New York. Through a community demonstration project, it identified components of individual hospital programs for reduction of complications and their impact on the frequency and rates of these outcomes. FINDINGS: This study involved the implementation of interventions by three hospitals using the Potentially Preventable Complications System developed by 3M Health Information Systems. The program is noteworthy because it included competing hospitals in the same community working together to reduce adverse patient outcomes and related costs.The study data identified statistically significant reductions in the frequency of high and low volume complications during the three year period at two of the hospitals. At both of these hospitals, aggregate complication rates also declined. At these hospitals, the differences between actual complication rates and severity adjusted complication rates were also reduced.At the third hospital, specific and aggregate complication rates remained the same or increased slightly. Differences between these rates and those of severity adjusted comparison population also remained the same or increased. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study suggested that, in one community health care system, the progress of reducing complications involved different experiences. At two hospitals with relatively higher rates at the beginning of the study, management by administrative and clinical staff outside quality assurance produced significant reductions in complication rates, while at a hospital with lower rates, management by quality assurance staff had little effect on reducing the rate of PPCs

Comparison of (semi-)automatic and manually adjusted measurements of left ventricular function in dual source computed tomography using three different software tools

To assess the accuracy of (semi-)automatic measurements of left ventricular (LV) functional parameters in cardiac dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) compared to manually adjusted measurements in three different workstations. Forty patients, who underwent cardiac DSCT, were included (31 men, mean age 58 ± 14 years). Multiphase reconstructions were made with ten series at every 10% of the RR-interval. LV function analysis was performed on three different, commercially available workstations. On all three workstations, end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and myocardial mass (MM) were calculated as automatically as possible. With the same DSCT datasets, LV functional parameters were also calculated with as many manual adjustments as needed for accurate assessment for all three software tools. For both semi-automatic as well as manual methods, time needed for evaluation was recorded. Paired t-tests were employed to calculate differences in LV functional parameters. Repeated measurements were performed to determine intra-observer and inter-observer variability. (Semi-)automatic measurements revealed a good correlation with manually adjusted measurements for Vitrea (LVEF r = 0.93, EDV r = 0.94, ESV r = 0.98 and MM r = 0.94) and Aquarius (LVEF r = 0.96, EDV r = 0.94, ESV r = 0.98 and MM r = 0.96). Also, good correlation was obtained for Circulation, except for LVEF (LVEF r = 0.45, EDV r = 0.93, ESV r = 0.92 and MM r = 0.86). However, statistically significant differences were found between (semi-)automatically and manually adjusted measurements for LVEF (P < 0.05) and ESV (P < 0.001) in Vitrea, all LV functional parameters in Circulation (P < 0.001) and EDV, ESV and MM (<0.001) in Aquarius Workstation. (Semi-)automatic measurement of LV functional parameters is feasible, but significant differences were found for at least two different functional parameters in all three workstations. Therefore, expert manual correction is recommended at all times

The consumption of Internet child pornography and violent and sex offending

Background: There is an ongoing debate on whether consumers of child pornography pose a risk for hands-on sex offenses. Up until now, there have been very few studies which have analyzed the association between the consumption of child pornography and the subsequent perpetration of hands-on sex offenses. The aim of this study was to examine the recidivism rates for hands-on and hands-off sex offenses in a sample of child pornography users using a 6 year follow-up design.Methods: The current study population consisted of 231 men, who were subsequently charged with consumption of illegal pornographic material after being detected by a special operation against Internet child pornography, conducted by the Swiss police in 2002. Criminal history, as well as recidivism, was assessed using the criminal records from 2008.Results: 4.8% (n = 11) of the study sample had a prior conviction for a sexual and/or violent offense, 1% (n = 2) for a hands-on sex offense, involving child sexual abuse, 3.3% (n = 8) for a handsoff sex offense and one for a nonsexual violent offense. When applying a broad definition of recidivism, which included ongoing investigations, charges and convictions, 3% (n = 7) of the study sample recidivated with a violent and/or sex offense, 3.9% (n = 9) with a hands-off sex offense and 0.8% (n = 2) with a hands-on sex offense.Conclusion: Consuming child pornography alone is not a risk factor for committing hands-on sex offenses at least not for those subjects who had never committed a hands-on sex offense. The majority of the investigated consumers had no previous convictions for hands-on sex offenses. For those offenders, the prognosis for hands-on sex offenses, as well as for recidivism with child pornography, is favorable

Visually estimated ejection fraction by two dimensional and triplane echocardiography is closely correlated with quantitative ejection fraction by real-time three dimensional echocardiography

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Visual assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is often used in clinical routine despite general recommendations to use quantitative biplane Simpsons (BPS) measurements. Even thou quantitative methods are well validated and from many reasons preferable, the feasibility of visual assessment (eyeballing) is superior. There is to date only sparse data comparing visual EF assessment in comparison to quantitative methods available. The aim of this study was to compare visual EF assessment by two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and triplane echocardiography (TPE) using quantitative real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) as the reference method.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty patients were enrolled in the study. Eyeballing EF was assessed using apical 4-and 2 chamber views and TP mode by two experienced readers blinded to all clinical data. The measurements were compared to quantitative RT3DE.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were an excellent correlation between eyeballing EF by 2D and TP vs 3DE (r = 0.91 and 0.95 respectively) without any significant bias (-0.5 ± 3.7% and -0.2 ± 2.9% respectively). Intraobserver variability was 3.8% for eyeballing 2DE, 3.2% for eyeballing TP and 2.3% for quantitative 3D-EF. Interobserver variability was 7.5% for eyeballing 2D and 8.4% for eyeballing TP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Visual estimation of LVEF both using 2D and TP by an experienced reader correlates well with quantitative EF determined by RT3DE. There is an apparent trend towards a smaller variability using TP in comparison to 2D, this was however not statistically significant.</p

Is there a role of statins in the prevention of aortic biological prostheses degeneration

It has been recently observed that statins might slow the progression of aortic stenosis or sclerosis. Preliminary reports suggested a similar positive effect in reducing the degeneration of aortic valve bioprostheses even though this hypothesis should be further proven and supported by new data. In this review the present evidences of the possible effects of statins in this field are discussed