626 research outputs found
Variational bound on energy dissipation in plane Couette flow
We present numerical solutions to the extended Doering-Constantin variational
principle for upper bounds on the energy dissipation rate in turbulent plane
Couette flow. Using the compound matrix technique in order to reformulate this
principle's spectral constraint, we derive a system of equations that is
amenable to numerical treatment in the entire range from low to asymptotically
high Reynolds numbers. Our variational bound exhibits a minimum at intermediate
Reynolds numbers, and reproduces the Busse bound in the asymptotic regime. As a
consequence of a bifurcation of the minimizing wavenumbers, there exist two
length scales that determine the optimal upper bound: the effective width of
the variational profile's boundary segments, and the extension of their flat
interior part.Comment: 22 pages, RevTeX, 11 postscript figures are available as one
uuencoded .tar.gz file from [email protected]
Selecting a single orientation for millimeter sized graphene sheets
We have used Low Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM) and Photo Emission
Electron Microscopy (PEEM) to study and improve the quality of graphene films
grown on Ir(111) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). CVD at elevated
temperature already yields graphene sheets that are uniform and of monatomic
thickness. Besides domains that are aligned with respect to the substrate,
other rotational variants grow. Cyclic growth exploiting the faster growth and
etch rates of the rotational variants, yields films that are 99 % composed of
aligned domains. Precovering the substrate with a high density of graphene
nuclei prior to CVD yields pure films of aligned domains extending over
millimeters. Such films can be used to prepare cluster-graphene hybrid
materials for catalysis or nanomagnetism and can potentially be combined with
lift-off techniques to yield high-quality, graphene based electronic devices
Dependence of magnetic field generation by thermal convection on the rotation rate: a case study
Dependence of magnetic field generation on the rotation rate is explored by
direct numerical simulation of magnetohydrodynamic convective attractors in a
plane layer of conducting fluid with square periodicity cells for the Taylor
number varied from zero to 2000, for which the convective fluid motion halts
(other parameters of the system are fixed). We observe 5 types of hydrodynamic
(amagnetic) attractors: two families of two-dimensional (i.e. depending on two
spatial variables) rolls parallel to sides of periodicity boxes of different
widths and parallel to the diagonal, travelling waves and three-dimensional
"wavy" rolls. All types of attractors, except for one family of rolls, are
capable of kinematic magnetic field generation. We have found 21 distinct
nonlinear convective MHD attractors (13 steady states and 8 periodic regimes)
and identified bifurcations in which they emerge. In addition, we have observed
a family of periodic, two-frequency quasiperiodic and chaotic regimes, as well
as an incomplete Feigenbaum period doubling sequence of bifurcations of a torus
followed by a chaotic regime and subsequently by a torus with 1/3 of the
cascade frequency. The system is highly symmetric. We have found two novel
global bifurcations reminiscent of the SNIC bifurcation, which are only
possible in the presence of symmetries. The universally accepted paradigm,
whereby an increase of the rotation rate below a certain level is beneficial
for magnetic field generation, while a further increase inhibits it (and halts
the motion of fluid on continuing the increase) remains unaltered, but we
demonstrate that this "large-scale" picture lacks many significant details.Comment: 39 pp., 22 figures (some are low quality), 5 tables. Accepted in
Physica
In situ observation of stress relaxation in epitaxial graphene
Upon cooling, branched line defects develop in epitaxial graphene grown at
high temperature on Pt(111) and Ir(111). Using atomically resolved scanning
tunneling microscopy we demonstrate that these defects are wrinkles in the
graphene layer, i.e. stripes of partially delaminated graphene. With low energy
electron microscopy (LEEM) we investigate the wrinkling phenomenon in situ.
Upon temperature cycling we observe hysteresis in the appearance and
disappearance of the wrinkles. Simultaneously with wrinkle formation a change
in bright field imaging intensity of adjacent areas and a shift in the moire
spot positions for micro diffraction of such areas takes place. The stress
relieved by wrinkle formation results from the mismatch in thermal expansion
coefficients of graphene and the substrate. A simple one-dimensional model
taking into account the energies related to strain, delamination and bending of
graphene is in qualitative agreement with our observations.Comment: Supplementary information: S1: Photo electron emission microscopy and
LEEM measurements of rotational domains, STM data of a delaminated bulge
around a dislocation. S2: Movie with increasing brightness upon wrinkle
formation as in figure 4. v2: Major revision including new experimental dat
Mesures visant Ă freiner la hausse des coĂ»ts dans lâassurance obligatoire des soins : rapport du groupe d'experts
La santĂ© est un des ingrĂ©dients fondamentaux du bien-ĂȘtre humain. On peut escompter que lâĂ©lĂ©vation du niveau de vie, la multiplication des maladies chroniques et le risque croissant de multimorbiditĂ© dĂ» Ă lâĂ©volution dĂ©mographique entraĂźnent une hausse des coĂ»ts de la santĂ© imputable Ă plusieurs facteurs. Au total, ces coĂ»ts sont passĂ©s de 37,5 milliards de francs en 1996 Ă 77,8 milliards en 2015, tandis que ceux de l'AOS ont grimpĂ© de 10,8 Ă 27,5 milliards de francs. Notons qu'au cours de cette pĂ©riode en question, lâimportance Ă©conomique a augmentĂ© non seulement en termes absolus mais Ă©galement rapportĂ© au produit intĂ©rieur brut (PIB), indice qui mesure la performance Ă©conomique dâun pays. Alors que les coĂ»ts globaux de la santĂ© reprĂ©sentaient, en 1996, 9,2 % du PIB par annĂ©e, ce pourcentage Ă©tait supĂ©rieur Ă 12 en 2015. En comparaison avec la croissance dĂ©mographique, les coĂ»ts des soins de santĂ© ont Ă©galement augmentĂ© de façon disproportionnĂ©e: la progression des prestations nettes dans lâAOS est en effet de 4 % environ par assurĂ© en moyenne, soit 3,5 % dĂ©duction faite de lâinflation. Certes, les bases de donnĂ©es ne sont pas parfaites, mais le faisceau dâindices pointant une tendance Ă lâaccĂ©lĂ©ration de la hausse des coĂ»ts est incontestable. Pour tenter de la freiner, une intervention politique sâimpose de plus en plus, si bien que les mesures de nature Ă permettre au systĂšme de santĂ© de rester financiĂšrement viable sur la durĂ©e, tant pour les payeurs de primes que les pouvoirs publics, gagnent en importance.
Les mesures envisagées dans le présent rapport visent en particulier à éviter que des prestations médicales inutiles et évitables soient fournies et, partant, à contribuer à freiner la hausse des coûts. (Contexte
O agir econĂŽmico como motor da polĂtica de saĂșde na Alemanha: consequĂȘncias para a prevenção e promoção da saĂșde
Selection effects may account for better outcomes of the German Disease Management Program for type 2 diabetes
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The nationwide German disease management program (DMP) for type 2 diabetes was introduced in 2003. Meanwhile, results from evaluation studies were published, but possible baseline differences between DMP and usual-care patients have not been examined. The objective of our study was therefore to find out if patient characteristics as socio-demographic variables, cardiovascular risk profile or motivation for life style changes influence the chance of being enrolled in the German DMP for type 2 diabetes and may therefore account for outcome differences between DMP and usual-care patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Case control study comparing DMP patients with usual-care patients at baseline and follow up; mean follow-up period of 36 ± 14 months. We used chart review data from 51 GP surgeries. Participants were 586 DMP and 250 usual-care patients with type 2 diabetes randomly selected by chart registry. Data were analysed by multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses. Significance levels were p †0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a better chance for enrolment if patients a) had a lower risk status for diabetes complications, i.e. non-smoking (odds ratio of 1.97, 95% confidence interval of 1.11 to 3.48) and lower systolic blood pressure (1.79 for 120 mmHg vs. 160 mmHg, 1.15 to 2.81); b) had higher activity rates, i.e. were practicing blood glucose self-monitoring (1.67, 1.03 to 2.76) and had been prescribed a diabetes patient education before enrolment (2.32, 1.29 to 4.19) c) were treated with oral medication (2.17, 1.35 to 3.49) and d) had a higher GP-rated motivation for diabetes education (4.55 for high motivation vs. low motivation, 2.21 to 9.36).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>At baseline, future DMP patients had a lower risk for diabetes complications, were treated more intensively and were more active and motivated in managing their disease than usual-care patients. This finding a) points to the problem that the German DMP may not reach the higher risk patients and b) selection bias may impair the assessment of differences in outcome quality between enrolled and usual-care patients. Suggestions for dealing with this bias in evaluation studies are being made.</p
Prevalence, characteristics, and publication of discontinued randomized trials.
IMPORTANCE: The discontinuation of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) raises ethical concerns and often wastes scarce research resources. The epidemiology of discontinued RCTs, however, remains unclear.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, characteristics, and publication history of discontinued RCTs and to investigate factors associated with RCT discontinuation due to poor recruitment and with nonpublication.
DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort of RCTs based on archived protocols approved by 6 research ethics committees in Switzerland, Germany, and Canada between 2000 and 2003. We recorded trial characteristics and planned recruitment from included protocols. Last follow-up of RCTs was April 27, 2013.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Completion status, reported reasons for discontinuation, and publication status of RCTs as determined by correspondence with the research ethics committees, literature searches, and investigator surveys.
RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 11.6 years (range, 8.8-12.6 years), 253 of 1017 included RCTs were discontinued (24.9% [95% CI, 22.3%-27.6%]). Only 96 of 253 discontinuations (37.9% [95% CI, 32.0%-44.3%]) were reported to ethics committees. The most frequent reason for discontinuation was poor recruitment (101/1017; 9.9% [95% CI, 8.2%-12.0%]). In multivariable analysis, industry sponsorship vs investigator sponsorship (8.4% vs 26.5%; odds ratio [OR], 0.25 [95% CI, 0.15-0.43]; Pâ<â.001) and a larger planned sample size in increments of 100 (-0.7%; OR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.92-1.00]; Pâ=â.04) were associated with lower rates of discontinuation due to poor recruitment. Discontinued trials were more likely to remain unpublished than completed trials (55.1% vs 33.6%; OR, 3.19 [95% CI, 2.29-4.43]; Pâ<â.001).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this sample of trials based on RCT protocols from 6 research ethics committees, discontinuation was common, with poor recruitment being the most frequently reported reason. Greater efforts are needed to ensure the reporting of trial discontinuation to research ethics committees and the publication of results of discontinued trials
Multimorbidity Patterns in the Elderly: A New Approach of Disease Clustering Identifies Complex Interrelations between Chronic Conditions
Objective: Multimorbidity is a common problem in the elderly that is significantly associated with higher mortality, increased disability and functional decline. Information about interactions of chronic diseases can help to facilitate diagnosis, amend prevention and enhance the patients â quality of life. The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge of specific processes of multimorbidity in an unselected elderly population by identifying patterns of statistically significantly associated comorbidity. Methods: Multimorbidity patterns were identified by exploratory tetrachoric factor analysis based on claims data of 63,104 males and 86,176 females in the age group 65+. Analyses were based on 46 diagnosis groups incorporating all ICD-10 diagnoses of chronic diseases with a prevalence $ 1%. Both genders were analyzed separately. Persons were assigned to multimorbidity patterns if they had at least three diagnosis groups with a factor loading of 0.25 on the corresponding pattern. Results: Three multimorbidity patterns were found: 1) cardiovascular/metabolic disorders [prevalence female: 30%; male: 39%], 2) anxiety/depression/somatoform disorders and pain [34%; 22%], and 3) neuropsychiatric disorders [6%; 0.8%]. The sampling adequacy was meritorious (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure: 0.85 and 0.84, respectively) and the factors explained a large part of the variance (cumulative percent: 78 % and 75%, respectively). The patterns were largely age-dependent an
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