11,590 research outputs found
Mortality post inpatient alcohol detoxification: a descriptive case series
<br>Background: Individuals with alcohol dependence often die prematurely. Scotland in particular has high rates of alcohol misuse compared to the rest of the UK and Europe. Although there is some evidence that rates of alcoholrelated harm and alcohol-related deaths are reducing in Europe, there is little evidence of this trend occurring in Scotland. Inpatient detoxification is an important, but expensive, option in the management of alcohol dependence. Little work has been done with regard possible clinical characteristics associated with mortality post discharge in this cohort of patients.</br>
<br>Methods: Retrospective electronic records were used to identify patients admitted electively for alcohol detoxification into a psychiatric ward in a district general hospital under the care of a single consultant addiction psychiatrist between 1/1/05 and 31/12/07 inclusively. Demographic and clinical factors were recorded. 5-year mortality data was obtained by linkage to the National Records of Scotland.</br>
<br>Results: 25.2% of patients admitted for elective alcohol detoxification died during the 5-year follow up period. 42.9% of deaths (n=12) were due to alcoholic liver disease, one death (3.6%) was of undetermined intent. A higher proportion of the deceased cohort was likely to have continued disulfiram (93% vs. 80%) and acamprosate (81% vs. 60%) than those surviving. There was no statistically significant difference in survival between individuals on medication and those not on medications in our cohort. The average consumption of units of alcohol per week in the deceased cohort was significantly higher than that calculated for the surviving cohort (298.8 units vs. 233.3 units p=0.0137).</br>
<br>Conclusion: Inpatient detoxification was associated with significant mortality at 5-year follow up post- discharge. The majority of deaths were due to liver disease while deaths due to accidents and of undetermined intent were relatively infrequent. Increased education and practical strategies such as âspace and paceâ aimed both at an individual and societal level to reduce alcohol consumption may help to reduce mortality associated with alcohol dependence post inpatient detoxification.</br>
Lutz-Kelker bias in pulsar parallax measurements
Lutz & Kelker showed that parallax measurements are systematically
overestimated because they do not properly account for the larger volume of
space that is sampled at smaller parallax values. We apply their analysis to
neutron stars, incorporating the bias introduced by the intrinsic radio
luminosity function and a realistic Galactic population model for neutron
stars. We estimate the bias for all published neutron star parallax
measurements and find that measurements with less than ~95% certainty, are
likely to be significantly biased. Through inspection of historic parallax
measurements, we confirm the described effects in optical and radio
measurements, as well as in distance estimates based on interstellar dispersion
measures. The potential impact on future tests of relativistic gravity through
pulsar timing and on X-ray--based estimates of neutron star radii is briefly
discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 3 tables, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Induced antiferromagnetism and large magnetoresistances in RuSr2(Nd,Y,Ce)2Cu2O10-d ruthenocuprates
RuSr2(Nd,Y,Ce)2Cu2O10-d ruthenocuprates have been studied by neutron
diffraction, magnetotransport and magnetisation measurements and the electronic
phase diagram is reported. Separate Ru and Cu spin ordering transitions are
observed, with spontaneous Cu antiferromagnetic order for low hole doping
levels p, and a distinct, induced-antiferromagnetic Cu spin phase in the 0.02 <
p < 0.06 pseudogap region. This ordering gives rise to large negative
magnetoresistances which vary systematically with p in the
RuSr2Nd1.8-xY0.2CexCu2O10-d series. A collapse of the magnetoresistance (MR)
and magnetisation in the pre-superconducting region may signify the onset of
superconducting fluctuations.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
Student learning approaches in the UAE: the case for the achieving domain
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this record.The deep versus surface learning approach dichotomy has dominated recent research in student learning approach dimensions. However, the achievement dimension may differ in importance in non-Western and vocational tertiary settings. The aim was to assess how Emirati tertiary students could be characterized in terms of their learning approaches. The study looked into emergent learning factors that may be important in Emirati students. The students were Emirati men in a first year English for academic purposes program at a tertiary college (N=252). The students completed the Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) to determine learning orientation along the deep and surface approach dimensions. A factor analysis was carried out to assess emergent dimensions in the data. The results on the deep and surface dimensions were inconclusive. However, the factor analysis suggested a disposition towards a construct that we characterize as âattainment of satisfaction from learning.â In addition, the factor analysis suggested the possibility of the achieving domain emerging as a separate construct from the surface domain in this context, contrasting with previous research employing the R-SPQ-2F. The results suggest that the deep versus surface learning approach model may not sufficiently represent the complexity of student motivations and strategies in the current context. In addition, student affect tied to outcomes is discussed as an important though perhaps overlooked dimension in non-Western contexts. The implications of the results to future research are considered
Neutrino-Nucleus Cross Section Measurements using Stopped Pions and Low Energy Beta Beams
Two new facilities have recently been proposed to measure low energy
neutrino-nucleus cross sections, the nu-SNS (Spallation Neutron Source) and low
energy beta beams. The former produces neutrinos by pion decay at rest, while
the latter produces neutrinos from the beta decays of accelerated ions. One of
the uses of neutrino-nucleus cross section measurements is for supernova
studies, where typical neutrino energies are 10s of MeV. In this energy range
there are many different components to the nuclear response and this makes the
theoretical interpretation of the results of such an experiment complex.
Although even one measurement on a heavy nucleus such as lead is much
anticipated, more than one data set would be still better. We suggest that this
can be done by breaking the electron spectrum down into the parts produced in
coincidence with one or two neutrons, running a beta beam at more than one
energy, comparing the spectra produced with pions and a beta beam or any
combination of these.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Evidence in Virgo for the Universal Dark Matter Halo
A model is constructed for the mass and dynamics of M87 and the Virgo
Cluster. Existing surface photometry of the galaxy, mass estimates from X-ray
observations of the hot intracluster gas, and the velocity dispersions of
early-type Virgo galaxies, all are used to constrain the run of dark matter
density over radii to 2 Mpc in the cluster. The ``universal'' halo advocated by
Navarro, Frenk, & White provides an excellent description of the combined data,
as does a Hernquist profile. These models are favored over isothermal spheres,
and their central structure is preferred to density cusps either much stronger
or much weaker than r^{-1}. The galaxies and gas in the cluster trace its total
mass distribution, the galaxies' velocity ellipsoid is close to isotropic, and
the gas temperature follows the virial temperature profile of the dark halo.
The virial radius and mass and the intracluster gas fraction of Virgo are
evaluated.Comment: ApJ Letters in pres
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