115 research outputs found
What's the evidence that NICE guidance has been implemented? Results from a national evaluation using time series analysis, audit of patients' notes, and interviews
OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent and pattern of implementation of guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). DESIGN: Interrupted time series analysis, review of case notes, survey, and interviews. SETTING: Acute and primary care trusts in England and Wales. PARTICIPANTS: All primary care prescribing, hospital pharmacies; a random sample of 20 acute trusts, 17 mental health trusts, and 21 primary care trusts; and senior clinicians and managers from five acute trusts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of prescribing and use of procedures and medical devices relative to evidence based guidance. RESULTS: 6308 usable patient audit forms were returned. Implementation of NICE guidance varied by trust and by topic. Prescribing of some taxanes for cancer (P <0.002) and orlistat for obesity (P <0.001) significantly increased in line with guidance. Prescribing of drugs for Alzheimerâs disease and prophylactic extraction of wisdom teeth showed trends consistent with, but not obviously a consequence of, the guidance. Prescribing practice often did not accord with the details of the guidance. No change was apparent in the use of hearing aids, hip prostheses, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, laparoscopic hernia repair, and laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery after NICE guidance had been issued. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of NICE guidance has been variable. Guidance seems more likely to be adopted when there is strong professional support, a stable and convincing evidence base, and no increased or unfunded costs, in organisations that have established good systems for tracking guidance implementation and where the professionals involved are not isolated. Guidance needs to be clear and reflect the clinical context
Analysis of model rotor blade pressures during parallel interaction with twin vortices
This paper presents and provides analysis of unsteady surface pressures measured on a model rotor blade as the blade experienced near parallel blade vortex interaction with a twin vortex system. To provide a basis for analysis, the vortex system was characterized by hot-wire measurements made in the interaction plane but in the absence of the rotor. The unsteady pressure response resulting from a single vortex interaction is then presented to provide a frame of reference for the twin vortex results. A series of twin vortex interaction cases are then presented and analyzed. It is shown that the unsteady blade pressures and forces are very sensitive to the inclination angle and separation distance of the vortex pair. When the vortex cores lie almost parallel to the blade chord, the interaction is characterized by a two-stage response associated with the sequential passage of the two cores. Conversely, when the cores lie on a plane that is almost perpendicular to the blade chord, the response is similar to that of a single vortex interaction. In all cases, the normal force response is consistent with the distribution of vertical velocity in the flow field of the vortex system. The pitching moment response, on the other hand, depends on the localized suction associated with the vortex cores as they traverse the blade chord
Curve crossing in linear potential grids: the quasidegeneracy approximation
The quasidegeneracy approximation [V. A. Yurovsky, A. Ben-Reuven, P. S.
Julienne, and Y. B. Band, J. Phys. B {\bf 32}, 1845 (1999)] is used here to
evaluate transition amplitudes for the problem of curve crossing in linear
potential grids involving two sets of parallel potentials. The approximation
describes phenomena, such as counterintuitive transitions and saturation
(incomplete population transfer), not predictable by the assumption of
independent crossings. Also, a new kind of oscillations due to quantum
interference (different from the well-known St\"uckelberg oscillations) is
disclosed, and its nature discussed. The approximation can find applications in
many fields of physics, where multistate curve crossing problems occur.Comment: LaTeX, 8 pages, 8 PostScript figures, uses REVTeX and psfig,
submitted to Physical Review
Evaluation of the scale, causes and costs of waste medicines. Report of DH funded national project.
Double Beta Decay: Historical Review of 75 Years of Research
Main achievements during 75 years of research on double beta decay have been
reviewed. The existing experimental data have been presented and the
capabilities of the next-generation detectors have been demonstrated.Comment: 25 pages, typos adde
Two mini-Neptunes Transiting the Adolescent K-star HIP 113103 Confirmed with TESS and CHEOPS
We report the discovery of two mini-Neptunes in near 2:1 resonance orbits
( d for HIP 113103 b and d for HIP 113103 c) around
the adolescent K-star HIP 113103 (TIC 121490076). The planet system was first
identified from the TESS mission, and was confirmed via additional photometric
and spectroscopic observations, including a 17.5 hour observation for the
transits of both planets using ESA CHEOPS. We place min and
min limits on the absence of transit timing variations over the three year
photometric baseline, allowing further constraints on the orbital
eccentricities of the system beyond that available from the photometric transit
duration alone. With a planetary radius of
, HIP 113103 b resides within the
radius gap, and this might provide invaluable information on the formation
disparities between super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. Given the larger radius
for HIP 113103 c, and close proximity
of both planets to HIP 113103, it is likely that HIP 113103 b might have lost
(or is still losing) its primordial atmosphere. We therefore present simulated
atmospheric transmission spectra of both planets using JWST, HST, and Twinkle.
It demonstrates a potential metallicity difference (due to differences in their
evolution) would be a challenge to detect if the atmospheres are in chemical
equilibrium. As one of the brightest multi sub-Neptune planet systems suitable
for atmosphere follow up, HIP 113103 b and HIP 113103 c could provide insight
on planetary evolution for the sub-Neptune K-star population.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices
of the Royal Astronomical Societ
Follow-up after curative treatment for colorectal cancer: longitudinal evaluation of patient initiated follow-up in the first 12 months
Purpose: To compare patient-triggered follow-up (PTFU) for curatively treated colorectal cancer against traditional outpatient follow-up (OPFU).
Methods: Questionnaires were mailed at four time points over one-year post-treatment to two prospectively-recruited cohorts: A, patients entering follow-up and receiving OPFU pre-implementation of PTFU; B, patients entering follow-up (FU) and receiving either OPFU (B1) or PTFU (B2) post-implementation of PTFU. Bi-variate tests were used to compare patient characteristics and outcomes eight months after entering follow-up (generic and cancer-specific quality of life (QoL), satisfaction). Regression analysis explored associations between follow-up model and outcomes. Resource implications and costs of models were compared.
Results: Patients in Cohort B1 were significantly more likely to have received chemotherapy (p<0.001), radiotherapy (p<0.05), and reported poorer QoL (p=0.001). Having a longstanding co-morbid condition was the most important determinant of QoL (p<0.001); model of care was not significant. Patients were satisfied with their follow-up care regardless of model. Health service costs were higher in PTFU over the first year.
Conclusions: PTFU is acceptable to patients with colorectal cancer and can be considered to be a realistic alternative to OPFU for clinically suitable patients. The initial costs are higher due to provision of a self-management (SM) programme and remote surveillance. Further research is needed to establish long-term outcomes and costs
Family and healthcare professionalsâ perceptions of a pilot hospice at home programme for children: a qualitative study
Two mini-Neptunes transiting the adolescent K-star HIP 113103 confirmed with TESS and CHEOPS
We report the discovery of two mini-Neptunes in near 2:1 resonance orbits (P = 7.610303 d for HIP 113103 b and P = 14.245651 d for HIP 113103 c ) around the adolescent K-star HIP 113103 (TIC 121490076 ). The planet system was first identified from the TESS mission, and was confirmed via additional photometric and spectroscopic observations, including a âŒ17.5 hour observation for the transits of both planets using ESA CHEOPS . We place â€4.5 min and â€2.5 min limits on the absence of transit timing variations over the three year photometric baseline, allowing further constraints on the orbital eccentricities of the system beyond that available from the photometric transit duration alone. With a planetary radius of Rp = Râ, HIP 113103 b resides within the radius gap, and this might provide invaluable information on the formation disparities between super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. Given the larger radius Rp = Râ for HIP 113103 c , and close proximity of both planets to HIP 113103 , it is likely that HIP 113103 b might have lost (or is still losing) its primordial atmosphere. We therefore present simulated atmospheric transmission spectra of both planets using JWST , HST , and Twinkle . It demonstrates a potential metallicity difference (due to differences in their evolution) would be a challenge to detect if the atmospheres are in chemical equilibrium. As one of the brightest multi sub-Neptune planet systems suitable for atmosphere follow up, HIP 113103 b and HIP 113103 c could provide insight on planetary evolution for the sub-Neptune K-star population
The influence of capability considerations on the outsourcing decision: the case of a manufacturing company
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