Analysis of the variability of nursing care by pathology in a sample of nine Belgian hospitals

info:eu-repo/semantics/published27th Patient Classification Systems International (PCSI) Working Conference, Montreal, Canada, October 201

The Low-Level Control System for the CERN PS Multi-Turn Extraction Kickers

To reduce the beam losses when preparing high intensity proton beam for the CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso (CNGS) facility, a new Multi-Turn extraction (MTE) scheme has been implemented in the PS, to replace the present Continuous Transfer (CT) to the SPS. Industrial off-the-shelf components have been used for the low-level part of the MTE kicker control system. National Instruments PXI systems are used to control the high voltage pulse generators and a SIEMENS programmable logic controller (PLC) handles the centralised oil cooling and gas insulation sub-system

Advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of Pay-for-Quality programs in Belgium

Advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of the introduction of ‘Pay for Quality’ programmes in Belgiu

160 MeV H−H^- Injection into the CERN PSB

The H- beam from the proposed LINAC4 will be injected into the four existing rings of the PS Booster at 160 MeV. A substantial upgrade of the injection region is required, including the modification of the beam distribution system and the construction of a new H- injection system. This paper discusses beam dynamics and hardware requirements and presents the results of optimisation studies of the injection process for different beam characteristics and scenarios. The resulting conceptual design of the injection region is presented, together with the main hardware modifications and performance specifications

The ENDOCARE questionnaire (ECQ): a valid and reliable instrument to measure the patient-centeredness of endometriosis care in Europe

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is prevalent and women need high-quality care, which should be patient-centered. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable patient-centeredness questionnaire, based on a defined concept of patient-centered endometriosis care (PCEC). METHODS: A literature review, focus groups (FGs) with patients and an expert panel defined PCEC with 10 dimensions. The ENDOCARE questionnaire (ECQ) was developed. FGs resulted in 43 specific statements covering the 10 dimensions of PCEC, for which the ECQ measured 'importance' and 'performance'. Medical and demographic questions and an open question were added. The Dutch ECQ questionnaire was piloted and reciprocally translated into English and Italian. Patients with endometriosis from Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and the UK were invited to complete the ECQ online. Item analysis, inter-item analysis and confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and reliability analysis were performed. The theory-driven dimensions were adapted. RESULTS: The ECQ was completed by 541 patients. Based on item analysis, five statements were deleted. Factor analysis was performed on 322 questionnaires (only from respondents with a partner). Insights from the data-driven EFA suggested adaptations of the theory-driven dimensions. The reliability statistics of 9/10 adapted theory-driven dimensions were satisfactory and the root mean square error of approximation was good. CONCLUSIONS: This study resulted in a valid and reliable instrument to measure PCEC. For data presentation, the adapted theory-driven dimensions of PCEC are preferred over the data-driven factors. The ECQ may serve to benchmark patient-centeredness, conduct cross-cultural European research and set targets for improvement

Hypoxia-induced modulation of apoptosis and BCL-2 family proteins in different cancer cell types

Hypoxia plays an important role in the resistance of tumour cells to chemotherapy. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this process are not well understood. Moreover, according to the cell lines, hypoxia differently influences cell death. The study of the effects of hypoxia on the apoptosis induced by 5 chemotherapeutic drugs in 7 cancer cell types showed that hypoxia generally inhibited the drug-induced apoptosis. In most cases, the effect of hypoxia was the same for all the drugs in one cell type. The expression profile of 93 genes involved in apoptosis as well as the protein level of BCL-2 family proteins were then investigated. In HepG2 cells that are strongly protected against cell death by hypoxia, hypoxia decreased the abundance of nearly all the pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins while none of them are decreased in A549 cells that are not protected against cell death by hypoxia. In HepG2 cells, hypoxia decreased NOXA and BAD abundance and modified the electrophoretic mobility of BIM(EL). BIM and NOXA are important mediators of etoposide-induced cell death in HepG2 cells and the hypoxia-induced modification of these proteins abundance or post-translational modifications partly account for chemoresistance. Finally, the modulation of the abundance and/or of the post-translational modifications of most proteins of the BCL-2 family by hypoxia involves p53-dependent and -independent pathways and is cell type-dependent. A better understanding of these cell-to-cell variations is crucial in order to overcome hypoxia-induced resistance and to ameliorate cancer therapy

IONS FOR LHC: STATUS OF THE INJECTOR CHAIN

The LHC will, in addition to proton runs, be operated with Pb ions and provide collisions at energies of 5.5 TeV per nucleon pair, i.e. more than 1.1 PeV per event, to experiments. The transformation of CERN's ion injector complex (Linac3-LEIR-PS-SPS) to allow collision of ions in LHC in 2008 is well under way. The status of these modifications and the latest results of commissioning will be presented. The remaining challenges are reviewed

Acceleration of lead ions in the CERN PS booster and the CERN PS

The new CERN Heavy Ion Accelerating Facility also requires besides a new Linac substantial modifications of existing accelerators. They are imposed by the low speed and the low intensity of the ion beam and, crucially at low energy, by the short lifetime of the partially stripped ions due to charge exchange with the atoms of the residual gas. The upgraded vacuum system hits the limits of a non-bakeable machine and consequently the acceleration had to be sped up by all means. In the Booster this led to injection and RF capture on a fast-rising magnet cycle and a new digital RF beam control system. Beam current transformers had to be replaced by new, heavily shielded ones. Other modifications include a new staircase magnet to distribute ions over the four Booster rings, lengthening of septa and kicker pulses, plus new, bakeable extraction septa and an energy stabilizing RF loop on the flat top in the CPS, and a stripper in the transfer line to the SPS

First Results for the Beam Commissioning of the CERN Multi-Turn Extraction

The Multi-Turn Extraction (MTE), a new type of extraction based on beam trapping inside stable islands in horizontal phase space, has been commissioned during the 2008 run of the CERN Proton Synchrotron. Both singleand multi-bunch beams with a total intensity up to 1.4 1013 protons have been extracted with efficiencies up to 98%. Furthermore, injection tests in the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron were performed, with the beam then accelerated and extracted to produce neutrinos for the CERN Neutrino-to-Gran Sasso experiments. The results of the extensive measurement campaign are presented and discussed in detail