On the Crystal and Magnetic Behavior of ScFe4Al8 Single Crystal

Nuclear and magnetic properties of the ScFe4Al8 single crystal were found to exhibit unparalleled complexity of nuclear and magnetic structures. Our previous neutron measurements revealed presence of two modulation vectors, both along [", ", 0], however with dfferent critical temperatures. Recent experiments forced us to revise our knowledge of the structural ordering in the sample. So far, the crystal structure of this alloy, being of ThMn12-type, has never been questioned

Revisiting properties of CaCoSinO2n+2. Crystal and electronic structure

In a public space there are several reports of materials with general stoichiometry CaCoSinO2n+2. Pyroxene CaCoSi2O6 is probably the best-known representative for n = 2 but not much is known about materials with n = 3 and n = 4. In this study, attempts were carried out to synthesize those phantom materials and it was found that they do not exist as a single phase. A quantitative XRD analysis revealed that their chemical composition is correct but the formula should be written as CaCoSi2O6 + (n-2)SiO2. Similar qualitative conclusions were drawn from investigation of magnetic (DC magnetometry) and electronic properties using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Si K edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Additionally, the DFT ab initio calculations were carried out to obtain electronic signature from band structure of CaCoSi2O6. The apparent influence of the excess of SiO2 on magnetic properties of this “series” can be understood in terms of presence and suppression of secondary phases like Ca2CoSi2O7, which form when the starting materials are not homogenized properly. Addition of surplus SiO2 suppresses their formation leaving clear signature from CaCoSi2O6, which also can be synthesized from stoichiometric mixture using proper techniques

The Greek-Orthodox version of the Brief Religious Coping (B-RCOPE) instrument: psychometric properties in three samples and associations with mental disorders, suicidality, illness perceptions, and quality of life

Background: The B-RCOPE is a brief measure assessing religious coping. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in people with and without long-term conditions (LTCs). Associations between religious coping and mental illness, suicidality, illness perceptions, and quality of life were also investigated. Methods: The B-RCOPE was administered to 351 patients with diabetes, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD), and rheumatic diseases attending either the emergency department (N = 74) or specialty clinics (N = 302) and 127 people without LTCs. Diagnosis of mental disorders was established by the MINI. Associations with depressive symptom severity (PHQ-9), suicidal risk (RASS), illness perceptions (B-IPQ), and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were also investigated. Results: The Greek version of B-RCOPE showed a coherent two-dimensional factor structure with remarkable stability across the three samples corresponding to the positive (PRC) and negative (NRC) religious coping dimensions. Cronbach’s alphas were 0.91–0.96 and 0.77–0.92 for the PRC and NRC dimensions, respectively. Furthermore, NRC was associated with poorer mental health, greater depressive symptom severity and suicidality, and impaired HRQoL. In patients with LTCs, PRC correlated with lower perceived illness timeline, while NRC was associated with greater perceived illness consequences, lower perceived treatment control, greater illness concern, and lower illness comprehensibility. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the Greek-Orthodox B-RCOPE version may reliably assess religious coping. In addition, negative religious coping (i.e., religious struggle) is associated with adverse illness perceptions, and thus may detrimentally impact adaptation to medical illness. These findings deserve replication in prospective studies

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

An efficient approach for predicting the nonlinear vibrations of a beam system subjected to multipoint correlated random excitation

International audienceIn linear vibration studies, the statistical description of multipoint random excitations is sufficient to calculate the vibration response of a structure. For nonlinear vibrations, it is necessary to model each excitation point separately, taking into account the correlation between each excitation point. The objective of this paper is to show how to reduce the number of excitation terms while remaining in a formalism compatible with nonlinear vibration studies. The reduction of the number of stochastic excitation terms can be achieved by Galerkin methods (such as the Karhunen-Loève decomposition). This paper presents an original method which consists of projecting the excitation terms on the eigenmodes of the structure. These two methods are illustrated in the concrete case of a benchmark structure developed by the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), i.e., the mechanical beam system called the CEA-beam benchmark structure, previously studied in Talik et al. (2022), restrained to its first vibration mode and seen as a Duffing oscillator. A random excitation, composed of a consequent number of points of excitation distributed spatially along the structure (more exactly 101 points) and partially correlated, is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. The proposed method makes it possible to reduce the number of random excitation signals to a single modal excitation term

Nonlinear vibrations of a beam with non-ideal boundary conditions and subjected to two correlated or uncorrelated broadband random excitations - experiments, modeling and simulations

International audienceThis study presents experiments and numerical simulations of a beam with non-ideal boundary conditions and subjected to two broadband correlated or uncorrelated random excitations. Modeling of a beam with non-ideal boundary conditions and additional static pretension, as well as the modeling of multipoint correlated or uncorrelated random excitations, are developed. Based on numerical simulations via an extension of the Harmonic Balance Method, comparisons between experiments and numerical simulations are performed for various broadband bi-point correlated random excitations. In order to achieve such an objective, experiments are performed for four types of correlation between the two broadband random excitations: correlated excitations in phase, opposite phase and quadrature phase, and uncorrelated excitations. Experimental results demonstrate that the different configurations of broadband random excitations drastically affect, not only the amplification or attenuation of some symmetric or antisymmetric modes of the beam in the vicinity of their primary resonance, but also the appearance of harmonics and a combination of harmonic components. Good correlations are observed between experiments and numerical simulations, thus validating the proposed modeling and the computational strategy for the prediction of the nonlinear vibrational phenomena of the beam system subjected to two correlated or uncorrelated broadband random excitations. To be noted that the experimental data set including the input and output measurements of the four configurations are provided as supplementary files on Talik et al. [1]