A MODEST review

We present an account of the state of the art in the fields explored by the research community invested in 'Modeling and Observing DEnse STellar systems'. For this purpose, we take as a basis the activities of the MODEST-17 conference, which was held at Charles University, Prague, in September 2017. Reviewed topics include recent advances in fundamental stellar dynamics, numerical methods for the solution of the gravitational N-body problem, formation and evolution of young and old star clusters and galactic nuclei, their elusive stellar populations, planetary systems, and exotic compact objects, with timely attention to black holes of different classes of mass and their role as sources of gravitational waves. Such a breadth of topics reflects the growing role played by collisional stellar dynamics in numerous areas of modern astrophysics. Indeed, in the next decade, many revolutionary instruments will enable the derivation of positions and velocities of individual stars in the Milky Way and its satellites and will detect signals from a range of astrophysical sources in different portions of the electromagnetic and gravitational spectrum, with an unprecedented sensitivity. On the one hand, this wealth of data will allow us to address a number of long-standing open questions in star cluster studies; on the other hand, many unexpected properties of these systems will come to light, stimulating further progress of our understanding of their formation and evolution.Comment: 42 pages; accepted for publication in 'Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology'. We are much grateful to the organisers of the MODEST-17 conference (Charles University, Prague, September 2017). We acknowledge the input provided by all MODEST-17 participants, and, more generally, by the members of the MODEST communit

Onset and Saturation of a Non-resonant Internal Mode in NSTX and Implications For AT Modes in ITER

Motivated by experimental observations of apparently triggerless tearing modes, we have performed linear and nonlinear MHD analysis showing that a non-resonant mode with toroidal mode number n = 1 can develop in the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) at moderate normalized βN when the shear is low and the central safety factor q0 is close to but greater than one. This mode, which is related to previously identified ‘infernal’ modes, will saturate and persist, and can develop poloidal mode number m = 2 magnetic islands in agreement with experiments. We have also extended this analysis by performing a free-boundary transport simulation of an entire discharge and showing that, with reasonable assumptions, we can predict the time of mode onset. _________________________________________________

Patient and procedure-related risk factors for adverse events after infrainguinal bypass

Background: Current medical practice urges individual health care facilities and medical professionals to obtain and provide detailed insight in quality of care with the possibility of comparing data between institutions. Adverse event (AE) analysis serves as a mainstay in quality assessment in vascular surgery, but the comparison of A-E data between facilities can be complex. The aim of the present study was to assess independent risk factors for AE occurrence: patient, disease and operation characteristics besides general differences between health care facilities. Methods: All AEs after infrainguinal bypass graft procedures (BGPs) in three health care facilities in the Netherlands were evaluated. AEs were defined identically in the facilities. Results: Of 601 BGPs performed, 662 AEs were registered. Independent predictors of AEs were female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-3.26; P < .01), age 2:60 years (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.34-0.95; P = .03), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification 3-4 (OR, 1.79; 95%, CI, 1.01-3.17; P = .05), comorbidities of ;pulmonary disease(OB, 2.99;95% CI, 1.67-5.34; P < .01)and diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.49;95% CI, 1.58-3.94; P < .01), distal anastomosis level at below knee femoropopliteal BGP (OF, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.26-3.22; P < .01), femorotibial BGP (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.37-4.19; P < .01), and popliteopedal BGP (OF, 92.39; 95% CI, 11.13-766.98; P < .01). One health care facility had significantly fewer AEs than the other two (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.13-0.35; P < .01). Conclusion: Age, gender, comorbidity, and type of surgery are all independent predictors of AE occurrence in vascular surgery. After adjustment for differences in these factors, one health care facility still had lower AE occurrence, which needs to be examined further. (J Vasc Surg 2010;51:622-7.)Analysis and support of clinical decision makin

Patient and procedure-related risk factors for adverse events after infrainguinal bypass

Background: Current medical practice urges individual health care facilities and medical professionals to obtain and provide detailed insight in quality of care with the possibility of comparing data between institutions. Adverse event (AE) analysis serves as a mainstay in quality assessment in vascular surgery, but the comparison of A-E data between facilities can be complex. The aim of the present study was to assess independent risk factors for AE occurrence: patient, disease and operation characteristics besides general differences between health care facilities. Methods: All AEs after infrainguinal bypass graft procedures (BGPs) in three health care facilities in the Netherlands were evaluated. AEs were defined identically in the facilities. Results: Of 601 BGPs performed, 662 AEs were registered. Independent predictors of AEs were female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-3.26; P < .01), age 2:60 years (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.34-0.95; P = .03), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification 3-4 (OR, 1.79; 95%, CI, 1.01-3.17; P = .05), comorbidities of ;pulmonary disease(OB, 2.99;95% CI, 1.67-5.34; P < .01)and diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.49;95% CI, 1.58-3.94; P < .01), distal anastomosis level at below knee femoropopliteal BGP (OF, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.26-3.22; P < .01), femorotibial BGP (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.37-4.19; P < .01), and popliteopedal BGP (OF, 92.39; 95% CI, 11.13-766.98; P < .01). One health care facility had significantly fewer AEs than the other two (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.13-0.35; P < .01). Conclusion: Age, gender, comorbidity, and type of surgery are all independent predictors of AE occurrence in vascular surgery. After adjustment for differences in these factors, one health care facility still had lower AE occurrence, which needs to be examined further. (J Vasc Surg 2010;51:622-7.)Analysis and support of clinical decision makin