Elastic alpha-scattering of 112Sn and 124Sn at astrophysically relevant energies

The cross sections for the elastic scattering reactions {112,124}Sn(a,a){112,124}Sn at energies above and below the Coulomb barrier are presented and compared to predictions for global alpha-nucleus potentials. The high precision of the new data allows a study of the global alpha-nucleus potentials at both the proton and neutron-rich sides of an isotopic chain. In addition, local alpha-nucleus potentials have been extracted for both nuclei, and used to reproduce elastic scattering data at higher energies. Predictions from the capture cross section of the reaction 112Sn(a,g)116Te at astrophysically relevant energies are presented and compared to experimental data.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

How important is the Family? : Alpha nuclear potentials and p-process nucleosynthesis

Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike LicenceIn this work we present the results from the analysis of the experimentally measured angular distributions of the reaction 106Cd(α , α )106 Cd at several different energies around the Coulomb barrier. The difficulties that arise in the study of 106Cd-α -nuclear potential and the so called Family Problem are addressed in this work

A prospective study to evaluate functional results of PHILOS locking plate system in management of proximal humerus fractures in adults

Background: Various management options are available for management of proximal humerus fractures where PHILOS plating is one of them. But data available in literature on its use and efficacy in management of all types of proximal humerus fractures is still dicey. So, we through our study attempted to grow our knowledge regarding its functional results, complication rates, etc. for use in coming future.Methods: 30 patients with proximal humerus fractures classified on the basis of Neer’s classification were included in study who were operated from 2018 to 2020 at our institute. These patients were operated by PHILOS locking plate system with either delto-pectoral or trans-deltoid approach and they are followed up at regular intervals to assess them clinicoradiologicallly and functionally by Neer’s criteria.Results: In our study we found maximum incidence of these fracture between age group of 40-80 years (66.66%) with male to female ratio of 2:1 with 19 patients having left sided and 11 patients having right sided proximal humerus fracture. Complications were found in 11 patients (36.67%). Functional evaluation was carried out using Neer’s criteria at final follow up which came to excellent results in 3, satisfactory in 18, unsatisfactory in 7 and failure in 2 patients. Average time of fracture union was 12.62 weeks.Conclusions: PHILOS locking plate system serves good purpose in management of fractures of proximal humerus but requires trained faculty to do this operation who has detailed knowledge about shoulder anatomy and mechanism of injury to reduce complications associated with this type of modality

Content validation of a new measure of patient-reported barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence, the I-Score: results from a Delphi study

Background Over a third of people living with HIV (PLHIV) have suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Measures of barriers to ART adherence often lack comprehensiveness. To help manage ART adherence barriers in HIV care, we are developing a new patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) of these barriers (the I-Score). Methods We assessed the content validity of 100 items (distinct barriers) to retain only those most relevant to both PLHIV and HIV health/social service providers. A web-based Delphi was conducted in Canada and France, collecting data from December 2018 to October 2019. Items were evaluated on relevance (the combined rated importance and actionability for HIV care of items among both PLHIV and providers); comprehensibility (rated item clarity); comprehensiveness (examined against our conceptual framework); cross-cultural equivalence (based on comparisons by questionnaire language (English, French) and country of residence). Pearson’s chi-square tests were used for comparisons by language, country, gender, and stakeholder group (PLHIV, providers). Results Panelists included 40 PLHIV and 57 providers (66% response rate). Thirty-one items were retained based on consensus thresholds for relevance (minimum: 50% for PLHIV, 60% for providers) and showed good comprehensibility and comprehensiveness, when compared to our conceptual framework (representation of: 6/6 domains, 15/20 subdomains). No significant difference in relevance based on language or country was found among retained items, suggestive of cross-cultural equivalence. Among all 100 items, only 6 significant differences on relevance were observed for gender. For 62 items, the relevance ratings of PLHIV and providers differed significantly, with providers showing greater endorsement of all items but one. Discussion The Delphi led to a much-needed item reduction. Remaining items highlight the panel’s multidimensional priorities for the PROM on ART adherence barriers, with few, if any, differences by language, country, and gender. While the analyses may lack generalizability and power, the sample size is considered adequate for a PROM validation study. Conclusion Retained items showed good content validity. The different patterns of item endorsement observed underscore the utility of engaging multiple stakeholder groups in PROM development for use in clinical practice. The greater endorsement of items by providers versus patients merits further investigation, including the implications of such differentials for measure development.KE is partially supported by a SPOR Mentorship Chair in Innovative Clinical Trials awarded by the CIHR to BL (Grant No. 383427). BL is supported by a career award, LE 250, from the Quebec Ministry of Health for researchers in Family Medicine. The Delphi benefited from methodological expertise and funding from the Quebec SPOR Support Unit -McGill Methodological Developments Platform (Grant No. M006). The Delphi is a subproject of the PROM development study, the I-Score Study, which is supported, in part, by the CIHR HIV Clinical Trials Network (CTN 283) and by a research Grant from the Investigator Initiated Studies Program of Merck Canada Inc. (Grant No. IISP-53538), neither of which had a hand in the design, conduct, or writing up of this work. The opinions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Merck Canada Inc or its affiliates or related companies

Clinical evaluation of Kasisadi Ghrita local application in Parikartika (Fissure-in-ano)

Background: Parikartika is characterized by sharp cutting pain in anal regionIn Parikartika, Teevrashoola, bleeding is seen, similarly severe pain and slimy blood discharge are seen in Fissure-inano. Objective: To assess the efficiency of Kasisadi Ghruta local application in the management of fissure-in-ano. Methods: The patient having classical signs and symptoms of Parikartika (fissure in ano) having Age group 20 to 60 years were recruited for the study. Trial group was treated with Kasisadi Ghruta twice a day local application for 28 days. Results: Average relief observed was 62.5% in most of symptoms. Kasisadi Ghruta is having Shothahara, Vedanasthapana and Ropana properties due to which it helps in healing of fissure in ano. Conclusion: Kasisadi Ghruta local application is having better results in fissure-in-ano

Using quality improvement to accelerate highly active antiretroviral treatment coverage in South Africa

IntroductionThe authors report on a health systems strengthening intervention using quality improvement (QI) methods at the subdistrict level to accelerate highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) initiation in South Africa.MethodsUsing a phased scale-up design between August 2006 and November 2009, 14 primary healthcare clinics, one community health centre, one district hospital and one tertiary hospital in a subdistrict were recruited into a ‘learning network’ using QI methods to facilitate cross-facility learning/mentorship/support. Clinic teams consisting of nurses, counsellors, clerks and/or doctors set collective and individual performance targets, analysed their care systems using ‘real-time’ data feedback, and designed/implemented a set of simple changes to improve HIV testing and HAART initiation rates across the region.Data analysisPrimary clinic data were used to measure HAART initiation rates (primary outcome) and HIV testing (secondary outcome). We analysed data variation/trends using an interrupted time series design. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine trends in HAART initiation during the intervention phases.ResultsClinics in the learning network increased HIV testing by 301.8% from 891/month (SD=94.2) to 3580/month (SD=327.7) (p<0.0001). Monthly HAART initiations increased by 185.5% from 179/month (SD=17.22) to 511/month (SD=44.93) (p<0.0001). During the pilot (phase I), the monthly rate of HAART initiations increased by 3.6 patients. In the prototype collaborative (phase II), there was no acceleration in the rate of increase (3.3/month, p=0.92). Significant acceleration was observed in the rate of increase during the QI scale up (phase III) (10.1/month, p<0.001). The proportion of estimated need for HAART met in the region increased from 35.8% to 72.4% at a time of rapid population growth.ConclusionA QI approach, using learning networks to teach simple data-driven methods for addressing system failures, with increased training and resource inputs, can assist districts to quickly reach universal coverage targets

Thermal effects on atomic friction

We model friction acting on the tip of an atomic force microscope as it is dragged across a surface at non-zero temperatures. We find that stick-slip motion occurs and that the average frictional force follows $|\ln v|^{2/3}$, where $v$ is the tip velocity. This compares well to recent experimental work (Gnecco et al, PRL 84, 1172), permitting the quantitative extraction of all microscopic parameters. We calculate the scaled form of the average frictional force's dependence on both temperature and tip speed as well as the form of the friction-force distribution function.Comment: Accepted for publication, Physical Review Letter

Concepts of Work: from Traditional Social-Labor Ideas to Modern Effects of Digital Transformation

Objective: technology and digitalization play a converse role in these two fields of study of criminal sciences. On the one hand, they are used by agencies of criminal justice system in order to control, manage and prevent crime and criminals. On the other hand, criminals enjoy technology in carrying out their plans to commit crime. Thus, from the criminal sciences’ perspective, technology may be used or misused, and this is an interesting topic, and at the same time, an important research area for criminologists.Methods: the present article seeks to provide a descriptive-analytical discussion about digitalization of criminology and criminal justice in the light of modern technologies, internet and cyberspace. It introduces new areas and sub-disciplines including administrative criminology based upon actuarial justice and risk management/assessment theory, cyber criminology and cyber victimology, as two sub-disciplines of the new century, and algorithmic or computational criminology, as one of the latest area in criminal sciences, which all are influenced by digitalization and technology.Results: authors concluded that due to the digitalization atypical work emerges but legislator defines the scope of work regulated by law and that makes atypical work relationship becomes a typical work relationship. At the same time some areas fall into the gray zone. To fix that legislator should provide an interpretation that will not become empty in a year or two due to technological changes.Scientific novelty: the applicability of technology and digitalization in criminology and criminal justice has widely increased and developed, specifically since the beginning of the third millennium.Practical significance: digitalization and Technology has become increasingly important to criminology and criminal justice at both the theory and practice within the sphere of social and criminal sciences. The nature and types of crime and criminals, and also the methods and mechanisms of control and preventing them in the light of requirements of criminal policy and criminal justice are highly dependent upon technology and digitalization

A Pulsed-air Model of Blue Whale B Call Vocalizations

Blue whale sound production has been thought to occur by Helmholtz resonance via air flowing from the lungs into the upper respiratory spaces. This implies that the frequency of blue whale vocalizations might be directly proportional to the size of their sound-producing organs. Here we present a sound production mechanism where the fundamental and overtone frequencies of blue whale B calls can be well modeled using a series of short-duration (\u3c1 \u3es) wavelets. We propose that the likely source of these wavelets are pneumatic pulses caused by opening and closing of respiratory valves during air recirculation between the lungs and laryngeal sac. This vocal production model is similar to those proposed for humpback whales, where valve open/closure and vocal fold oscillation is passively driven by airflow between the lungs and upper respiratory spaces, and implies call frequencies could be actively changed by the animal to center fundamental tones at different frequency bands during the call series