PRM93 Assesing parameter importance in health economics models. Can we make it faster?

Pla general del monument en commemoració de la visita del rei Alfons XIII i la reina Victòria Eugènia. Marbre blanc. Parc del Laberint d'Horta. 1908. Inaugurat 197

FESS extraction of nasal foreign body in an adult patient – clinical case presentation

Представяме клиничен случай на чуждо тяло в носа при пациент на 48 години. По анамнестични данни чуждото тяло е копче, поставено в детска възраст в дясната ноздра. Диагностика и лечение. Преки и косвени разходи от ненавременната диагностика и лечение.------------------------We present a case of nasal foreign body in an adult patient (48 years old) with a history of childhood insertion of a button in the right nostril. Management. Direct and indirect costs of diagnosis and treatment

Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy – Our Experience

Objectives: The aim of this study is to present our experience with endoscopic management of chronic obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct.Matherials and methods: Retrospective analysis of the patients with chronic stenosis and obstruction of nasolacrimal product managed with endoscopic DCR. Patients’ demographics, management techniques, complications and outcomes, patient satisfaction are reported.Results: A total of 11 patients with stenosis or obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct were treated in our clinic. All patients were managed with endoscopic DCR. 8 of the patients were female and 3 – male. 9 of the patients had unilateral complaints and 2 – bilateral. The results showed patency of the operated nasolacrimal ducts in the absence of recurrence to date. There was one case of postoperative epistaxis. Other postoperative complications were not observed.Conclusions: Our experience shows that endoscopic management of chronic obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct is safe and effective, and this is in line with data reported by other authors

Broadband Records of Earthquakes in Deep Gold Mines and a Comparison with Results from SAFOD, California

For one week during September 2007, we deployed a temporary network of field recorders and accelerometers at four sites within two deep, seismically active mines. The ground-motion data, recorded at 200 samples/sec, are well suited to determining source and ground-motion parameters for the mining-induced earthquakes within and adjacent to our network. Four earthquakes with magnitudes close to 2 were recorded with high signal/noise at all four sites. Analysis of seismic moments and peak velocities, in conjunction with the results of laboratory stick-slip friction experiments, were used to estimate source processes that are key to understanding source physics and to assessing underground seismic hazard. The maximum displacements on the rupture surfaces can be estimated from the parameter Rv, where v is the peak ground velocity at a given recording site, and R is the hypocentral distance. For each earthquake, the maximum slip and seismic moment can be combined with results from laboratory friction experiments to estimate the maximum slip rate within the rupture zone. Analysis of the four M 2 earthquakes recorded during our deployment and one of special interest recorded by the in-mine seismic network in 2004 revealed maximum slips ranging from 4 to 27 mm and maximum slip rates from 1.1 to 6:3 m=sec. Applying the same analyses to an M 2.1 earthquake within a cluster of repeating earthquakes near the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth site, California, yielded similar results for maximum slip and slip rate, 14 mm and 4:0 m=sec

Baloon sinuplasty – first implementation in Bulgaria

Here we present the first two patients that were treated with baloon sinuplasty in Bulgaria. Review of the indications, benefits, risks, feasibility and efficacy of baloon sinuplasty. Chronic sinusitis – description and management alternatives.----------------------------------------В настоящото съобщение-обзор ние представяме първите двама пациенти, оперирани в България с използване на метода на балонната синупластика. Разгледани са индикациите, ползите, рисковете, приложимостта и ефикасността на този метод. Описание на заболяването хроничен синузит и алтернативите за лечение

Investigating the effect of the defrost cycles of air-source heat pumps on their electricity demand in buildings

With the goal to reach net zero carbon emission, countries around the world are expected to switch from fossil fuel to more eco-friendly alternatives. This suggests that heating, transport, and energy sectors will be more dependent on electricity. Heat pump technology is expected to be the most common and clean technology to be used for heating in buildings due to its Coefficient of Performance. Air-source heat pumps are the most common type due to their ease of installation. This paper investigates how different climates around the world would affect the air-source heat pump electricity consumption and its defrost cycles; and hence the potential overall effect on the grid. A novel heat pump simulation model has been developed to understand the behaviour of the heat pump in cold weather scenarios. An experimental validation has been implemented to ensure the accuracy of the simulation model. Global case studies of cities from around the world including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, Vancouver, Ruse, Moscow, Reykjavik, Harbin and Nottingham are selected to assess the defrost cycles of air source heat pumps. The innovation of this research is in the in-depth investigation of heat pump defrost cycles. Electrifying the heating sector is expected to increase electricity consumption significantly, especially in cold weather. A detailed case study of the UK is presented with heat pumps and the examination of the impact this would have on the electricity grid is presented. Heating demands for buildings in cold weather was also simulated to calculate the required heating demand. The results show that the wide implementation of heat pumps in the UK, for example, would increase the total daily demand of electricity by approximately 144% relative to the present level of grid energy demand. In addition, the average daily energy consumption would increase by roughly 106% over the cold season. The findings are critical, and the novel methodology is applicable to many countries on global level in relation to the future effect of heat pumps on the grid and predicting the power demand needed by the additional heat pumps based on geographical location, u-values of building elements, and heating demand. It is crucial for a household to improve the insulation of their dwelling as this could considerably reduce the power demand by the heat pump and therefore the overall electricity consumption. This paper aims to inform future technology developers and policy makers regarding the expected effect of heat pump technology on the grid and the possible sudden peaks in demand

Surfactant-mediated and morphology-controlled nanostructured LiFePO4/carbon composite as a promising cathode material for Li-ion batteries

The synthesis of morphology-controlled carbon-coated nanostructured LiFePO4 (LFP/Carbon) cathode materials by surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method using block copolymers is reported. The resulting nanocrystalline high surface area materials were coated with carbon and designated as LFP/C123 and LFP/C311. All the materials were systematically characterized by various analytical, spectroscopic and imaging techniques. The reverse structure of the surfactant Pluronic® 31R1 (PPO-PEO-PPO) in comparison to Pluronic® P123 (PEO-PPO-PEO) played a vital role in controlling the particle size and morphology which in turn ameliorate the electrochemical performance in terms of reversible specific capacity (163 mAhg 1 and 140 mAhg 1 at 0.1 C for LFP/C311 and LFP/ C123, respectively). In addition, LFP/C311 demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance including lower charge transfer resistance (146.3 Ω) and excellent cycling stability (95% capacity retention at 1 C after 100 cycles) and high rate capability (163.2 mAhg 1 at 0.1 C; 147.1 mAhg 1 at 1 C). The better performance of the former is attributed to LFP nanoparticles (< 50 nm) with a specific spindle-shaped morphology. Further, we have also evaluated the electrode performance with the use of both PVDF and CMC binders employed for the electrode fabrication