340 research outputs found
a prospective âbefore/afterâ cohort study
Objectives Antibiotic resistance has risen dramatically over the past years.
For individual patients, adequate initial antibiotic therapy is essential for
clinical outcome. Computer-assisted decision support systems (CDSSs) are
advocated to support implementation of rational anti-infective treatment
strategies based on guidelines. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-
term effects after implementation of a CDSS. Design This prospective
âbefore/afterâ cohort study was conducted over four observation periods within
5â
years. One preinterventional period (pre) was compared with three
postinterventional periods: directly after intensive implementation efforts
(post1), 2â
years (post2) and 3â
years (post3) after implementation. Setting
Five anaesthesiological-managed intensive care units (ICU) (one
cardiosurgical, one neurosurgical, two interdisciplinary and one intermediate
care) at a university hospital. Participants Adult patients with an ICU stay
of >48â
h were included in the analysis. 1316 patients were included in the
analysis for a total of 12â
965 ICU days. Intervention Implementation of a
CDSS. Outcome measures The primary end point was percentage of days with
guideline adherence during ICU treatment. Secondary end points were
antibiotic-free days and all-cause mortality compared for patients with low
versus high guideline adherence. Main results Adherence to guidelines
increased from 61% prior to implementation to 92% in post1, decreased in post2
to 76% and remained significantly higher compared with baseline in post3, with
71% (p=0.178). Additionally, antibiotic-free days increased over study
periods. At all time periods, mortality for patients with low guideline
adherence was higher with 12.3% versus 8% (p=0.014) and an adjusted OR of 1.56
(95% CI 1.05 to 2.31). Conclusions Implementation of computerised regional
adapted guidelines for antibiotic therapy is paralleled with improved
adherence. Even without further measures, adherence stayed high for a longer
period and was paralleled by reduced antibiotic exposure. Improved guideline
adherence was associated with reduced ICU mortality
Highly site-specific H2 adsorption on vicinal Si(001) surfaces
Experimental and theoretical results for the dissociative adsorption of H_2
on vicinal Si(001) surfaces are presented. Using optical second-harmonic
generation, sticking probabilities at the step sites are found to exceed those
on the terraces by up to six orders of magnitude. Density functional theory
calculations indicate the presence of direct adsorption pathways for
monohydride formation but with a dramatically lowered barrier for step
adsorption due to an efficient rehybridization of dangling orbitals.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. (1998). Other
related publications can be found at
http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/paper.htm
Density-functional study of hydrogen chemisorption on vicinal Si(001) surfaces
Relaxed atomic geometries and chemisorption energies have been calculated for
the dissociative adsorption of molecular hydrogen on vicinal Si(001) surfaces.
We employ density-functional theory, together with a pseudopotential for Si,
and apply the generalized gradient approximation by Perdew and Wang to the
exchange-correlation functional. We find the double-atomic-height rebonded D_B
step, which is known to be stable on the clean surface, to remain stable on
partially hydrogen-covered surfaces. The H atoms preferentially bind to the Si
atoms at the rebonded step edge, with a chemisorption energy difference with
respect to the terrace sites of >sim 0.1 eV. A surface with rebonded single
atomic height S_A and S_B steps gives very similar results. The interaction
between H-Si-Si-H mono-hydride units is shown to be unimportant for the
calculation of the step-edge hydrogen-occupation. Our results confirm the
interpretation and results of the recent H_2 adsorption experiments on vicinal
Si surfaces by Raschke and Hoefer described in the preceding paper.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B. Other related
publications can be found at http://www.rz-berlin.mpg.de/th/paper.htm
Molecular sensitised probe for amino acid recognition within peptide sequences
The combination of low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy with a mass-selective electro-spray ion-beam deposition established the investigation of large biomolecules at nanometer and sub-nanometer scale. Due to complex architecture and conformational freedom, however, the chemical identification of building blocks of these biopolymers often relies on the presence of markers, extensive simulations, or is not possible at all. Here, we present a molecular probe-sensitisation approach addressing the identification of a specific amino acid within different peptides. A selective intermolecular interaction between the sensitiser attached at the tip-apex and the target amino acid on the surface induces an enhanced tunnelling conductance of one specific spectral feature, which can be mapped in spectroscopic imaging. Density functional theory calculations suggest a mechanism that relies on conformational changes of the sensitiser that are accompanied by local charge redistributions in the tunnelling junction, which, in turn, lower the tunnelling barrier at that specific part of the peptide
Levantamento de solos e zoneamento edafoclimĂĄtico de culturas do municĂpio de Marau - RS.
Neste livro, apresentam-se os resultados de um projeto patrocinado pelo MinistĂ©rio da Cidadania, incluindo a Secretaria Especial de Desenvolvimento Social, Secretaria Nacional de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional, Secretaria Nacional de InclusĂŁo Social e Produtiva Rural, Departamento de Estruturação de Equipamentos PĂșblicos para Promoção da Alimentação SaudĂĄvel e Coordenação Geral de Apoio Ă Agricultura Urbana e Periurbana, e executado pela Embrapa Clima Temperado, em colaboração com o Departamento de Solos da Faculdade de Agronomia Eliseu Maciel da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, objetivando desenvolver o zoneamento edafoclimĂĄtico de 26 culturas agrĂcolas (ameixeira, arroz irrigado, aveia, batata-doce, batata-inglesa, cana-de-açĂșcar, canola, cucurbitĂĄceas, erva-mate, ervilha, eucalipto, grĂŁo-de-bico, girassol, lentilha, hortaliças, lĂșpulo, mandioca, milho, nogueira-pecĂŁ, oliveira, pereira, pessegueiro, soja, sorgo, trigo e videira).bitstream/item/224111/1/Levantamento-de-Solos-e-Zoneamento-Edafoclimatico-de-Culturas-do-Municipio-de-Marau-JUN-2021.pd
Acute kidney disease and renal recovery : consensus report of the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) 16 Workgroup
Consensus definitions have been reached for both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and these definitions are now routinely used in research and clinical practice. The KDIGO guideline defines AKI as an abrupt decrease in kidney function occurring over 7 days or less, whereas CKD is defined by the persistence of kidney disease for a period of > 90 days. AKI and CKD are increasingly recognized as related entities and in some instances probably represent a continuum of the disease process. For patients in whom pathophysiologic processes are ongoing, the term acute kidney disease (AKD) has been proposed to define the course of disease after AKI; however, definitions of AKD and strategies for the management of patients with AKD are not currently available. In this consensus statement, the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) proposes definitions, staging criteria for AKD, and strategies for the management of affected patients. We also make recommendations for areas of future research, which aim to improve understanding of the underlying processes and improve outcomes for patients with AKD
Immediate Outcome Indicators in Perioperative Care: A Controlled Intervention Study on Quality Improvement in Hospitals in Tanzania.
Outcome assessment is the standard for evaluating the quality of health services worldwide. In this study, outcome has been divided into immediate and final outcome. Aim was to compare an intervention hospital with a Continuous Quality Improvement approach to a control group using benchmark assessments of immediate outcome indicators in surgical care. Results were compared to final outcome indicators. Surgical care quality in six hospitals in Tanzania was assessed from 2006-2011, using the Hospital Performance Assessment Tool. Independent observers assessed structural, process and outcome quality using checklists based on evidence-based guidelines. The number of surgical key procedures over the benchmark of 80% was compared between the intervention hospital and the control group. Results were compared to Case Fatality Rates. In the intervention hospital, in 2006, two of nine key procedures reached the benchmark, one in 2009, and four in 2011. In the control group, one of nine key procedures reached the benchmark in 2006, one in 2009, and none in 2011. Case Fatality Rate for all in-patients in the intervention hospital was 5.5% (nâ=â12,530) in 2006, 3.5% (nâ=â21,114) in 2009 and 4.6% (nâ=â18,840) in 2011. In the control group it was 3.1% (nâ=â17,827) in 2006, 4.2% (nâ=â13,632) in 2009 and 3.8% (nâ=â17,059) in 2011. Results demonstrated that quality assurance improved performance levels in both groups. After the introduction of Continuous Quality Improvement, performance levels improved further in the intervention hospital while quality in the district hospital did not. Immediate outcome indicators appeared to be a better steering tool for quality improvement compared to final outcome indicators. Immediate outcome indicators revealed a need for improvement in pre- and postoperative care. Quality assurance programs based on immediate outcome indicators can be effective if embedded in Continuous Quality Improvement. Nevertheless, final outcome indicators cannot be neglected
Severe male infertility after failed ICSI treatment-a phenomenological study of men's experiences
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Male-factor infertility underlies approximately 30% of infertility in couples seeking treatment; of which 10% is due to azoospermia. The development of assisted reproductive technology (ART), enabling the use of epididymal or testicular sperm for fertilization of the partner's oocytes, has made biological fatherhood possible for men with obstructive azoospermia. There is limited knowledge of men's experience of their own infertility. The aim of this study was to describe men's experiences of obstructive azoospermia infertility.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eight men with obstructive azoospermia, who had terminated Swedish public health system ART treatment two years previously without subsequent childbirth, were interviewed using a descriptive phenomenological method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The essence of the phenomenon is expressed with a metaphor: climbing a mountain step by step with the aim of reaching the top, i.e. having a child and thus a family with a child. Four constituents are included (1) inadequacy followed by a feeling of redress (2) marginalisation, (3) chivalry (4) extension of life and starting a family as driving forces.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Knowledge of men's experiences of their own infertility is important as a supporting measure to increase the quality of care of infertile couples. By adopting this facet of gender perspective in fertility treatment guidelines, care can hopefully be optimized.</p
The HiSCORE Project
A central question of Astroparticle Physics, the origin of cosmic rays, still remains unsolved. HiSCORE (Hundred*i Square-km Cosmic ORigin Explorer) is a concept for a large-area wide-angle non-imaging air shower detector, addressing this question by searching for cosmic ray pevatrons in the energy range from 10TeV to few PeV and cosmic rays in the energy range above 100TeV. In the framework of the Tunka-HiSCORE project, first prototypes have been deployed on the site of the Tunka-133 experiment, where we plan to install an engineering array covering an area of the order of 1km2. On the same site, also imaging and particle detectors are planned, potentially allowing a future hybrid detector system. Here we present the HiSCORE detector principle, its potential for cosmic ray origin search and the status of ongoing activities in the framework of the Tunka-HiSCORE experiment
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