1,848 research outputs found
Inpatient costs, mortality and 30-day re-admission in patients with central-line-associated bloodstream infections
AbstractPrevious work has suggested that central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is associated with increased costs and risk of mortality; however, no studies have looked at both total and variable costs, and information on outcomes outside of the intensive-care unit (ICU) is sparse. The aim of this study was to determine the excess in-hospital mortality and costs attributable to CLABSI in ICU and non-ICU patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort and cost-of-illness study from the hospital perspective of 398 patients at a tertiary-care academic medical centre from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010. All CLABSI patients and a simple random sample drawn from a list of all central lines inserted during the study period were included. Generalized linear models with log link and gamma distribution were used to model costs as a function of CLABSI and important covariates. Costs were adjusted to 2010 US dollars by use of the personal consumption expenditures for medical care index. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Among both ICU and non-ICU patients, adjusted variable costs for patients with CLABSI were c. $32 000 (2010 US dollars) higher on average than for patients without CLABSI. After we controlled for severity of illness and other healthcare-associated infections, CLABSI was associated with a 2.27-fold (95% CI 1.15–4.46) increased risk of mortality. Other healthcare-associated infections were also significantly associated with greater costs and mortality. Overall, CLABSI was associated with significantly higher adjusted in-hospital mortality and total and variable costs than those for patients without CLABSI
Vortex Lattice Melting into Disentangled Liquid Followed by the 3D-2D Decoupling Transition in YBa_2Cu_4O_8 Single Crystals
A sharp resistance drop associated with vortex lattice melting was observed
in high quality YBa_2Cu_4O_8 single crystals. The melting line is well
described well by the anisotropic GL theory. Two thermally activated flux flow
regions, which were separated by a crossover line B_cr=1406.5(1-T/T_c)/T
(T_c=79.0 K, B_cr in T), were observed in the vortex liquid phase. Activation
energy for each region was obtained and the corresponding dissipation mechanism
was discussed. Our results suggest that the vortex lattice in YBa_2Cu_4O_8
single crystal melts into disentangled liquid, which then undergoes a 3D-2D
decoupling transition.Comment: 5 pages, 4 eps figures, RevTex (Latex2.09
The IUCF Cooler Project
This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY 87-1440
Superconducting Coherence and the Helicity Modulus in Vortex Line Models
We show how commonly used models for vortex lines in three dimensional
superconductors can be modified to include k=0 excitations. We construct a
formula for the k=0 helicity modulus in terms of fluctuations in the projected
area of vortex loops. This gives a convenient criterion for the presence of
superconducting coherence. We also present Monte Carlo simulations of a
continuum vortex line model for the melting of the Abrikosov vortex lattice in
pure YBCO.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 2 eps figures included using eps
Flux-line entanglement as the mechanism of melting transition in high-temperature superconductors in a magnetic field
The mechanism of the flux-line-lattice (FLL) melting in anisotropic high-T_c
superconductors in is clarified by Monte Carlo
simulations of the 3D frustrated XY model. The percentage of entangled flux
lines abruptly changes at the melting temperature T_m, while no sharp change
can be found in the number and size distribution of vortex loops around T_m.
Therefore, the origin of this melting transition is the entanglement of flux
lines. Scaling behaviors of physical quantities are consistent with the above
mechanism of the FLL melting. The Lindemann number is also evaluated without
any phenomenological arguments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 Postscript figures, RevTeX; changed content and figures,
Phys. Rev. B Rapid Commun. in pres
Electron transport in a quasi-one dimensional channel on suspended helium films
Quasi-one dimensional electron systems have been created using a suspended
helium film on a structured substrate. The electron mobility along the channel
is calculated by taking into account the essential scattering processes of
electrons by helium atoms in the vapor phase, ripplons, and surface defects of
the film substrate. It is shown that the last scattering mechanism may dominate
the electron mobility in the low temperature limit changing drastically the
temperature dependence of the mobility in comparison with that controlled by
the electron-ripplon scattering.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Faculty Retraining: A Strategic Response to Changing Resources and Technology
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66742/2/10.1177_009155218301100201.pd
Modeling DNA Structure, Elasticity and Deformations at the Base-pair Level
We present a generic model for DNA at the base-pair level. We use a variant
of the Gay-Berne potential to represent the stacking energy between neighboring
base-pairs. The sugar-phosphate backbones are taken into account by semi-rigid
harmonic springs with a non-zero spring length. The competition of these two
interactions and the introduction of a simple geometrical constraint leads to a
stacked right-handed B-DNA-like conformation. The mapping of the presented
model to the Marko-Siggia and the Stack-of-Plates model enables us to optimize
the free model parameters so as to reproduce the experimentally known
observables such as persistence lengths, mean and mean squared base-pair step
parameters. For the optimized model parameters we measured the critical force
where the transition from B- to S-DNA occurs to be approximately . We
observe an overstretched S-DNA conformation with highly inclined bases that
partially preserves the stacking of successive base-pairs.Comment: 15 pages, 25 figures. submitted to PR
Sediment flux at selected coastal sites: proposed time series measurment by particle traps
Particle flux in the ocean reflects ongoing biological and geological processes operating under the influence of the local environment. Estimation of this particle flux through sediment trap deployment is constrained by sampler accuracy, particle preservation, and swimmer distortion. Interpretation of specific particle flux is further constrained by indeterminate particle dispersion and the absence of a clear understanding of the sedimentary consequences of ecosystem activity. Nevertheless, the continuous and integrative properties of the particle trap measure, along with the logistic advantage of a long-term moored sampler, provide a set of strategic advantages that appear analogous to those underlying conventional oceanographic survey programs. Emboldened by this perception, several stations along the coast of Southern California and Mexico have been targeted as coastal ocean flux sites (COFS)
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