MAYA: An active-target detector for binary reactions with exotic beams

International audienceWith recent improvements in the production of radioactive beams in facilities such as SPIRAL at GANIL, a larger area of the nuclear chart is now accessible for experimentation. For these usually low-intensity and low-energy secondary beams, we have developed the new MAYA detector based on the active-target concept. This device allows to use a relatively thick target without loss of resolution by using the detection gas as target material. Dedicated 3D tracking, particle identification, energy loss and range measurements allow complete kinematic reconstruction of reactions taking place inside MAYA

Mass Measurements near N=Z

Abstract After an outline of the physics motivations, that illustrate why we think it is important to measure masses in the region N≈Z, we report on on experiments performed at Ganil. An experiment aimed at measuring the masses of proton-rich nuclei in the mass region A ≈ 60–80 has been performed, using a direct time-of-flight technique in conjunction with SISSI and the SPEG spectrometer at GANIL. The nuclei were produced via the fragmentation of a 78 Kr beam (73 meV/nucleon). A novel technique for the purification of the secondary beams, based on the stripping of the ions and using the α and the SPEG spectrometers, was succesfully checked. It allows for good selectivity without altering the beam quality. Secondary ions of 100 Ag, 100 Cd, 100 In and 100 Sn were produced via the fusion-evaporation reaction 50 Cr + 58 Ni at an energy of 5.1 MeV/nucleon, and were accelerated simultaneously in the second cyclotron of GANIL (CSS2). About 10 counts were observed from the production and acceleration of 100 Sn 22+ . The masses of 100 Cd, 100 In and 100 Sn were measured with respect to 100 Ag using the CSS2 cyclotron, with precisions of 2 × 10 −6 , 3 × 10 −6 and 10 −5 respectively

A misleading urethral smear with polymorphonuclear leucocytes and intracellular diplococci; case report of urethritis caused by Neisseria meningitidis

Dermatology and Venereolog

Quality of Care for Knee Osteoarthritis in Primary Care: A Patient's Perspective

OBJECTIVE: To describe the quality of osteoarthritis care in general practice from a patient's perspective and to identify novel associations between process quality indicators and patient-reported outcome and experience measures. METHODS: For this study, 235 individuals with knee osteoarthritis completed a survey based on both process and outcome indicators. Process indicators were extracted from international guidelines and included the domains: diagnosis, self-management, treatment, and follow-up. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and RAND 36-item Short Form health survey (SF-36) were used to assess patient-reported outcomes. Patient-reported experience with care was evaluated with the European Task Force on Patient Evaluations of General Practice Care (EUROPEP) instrument. A series of multilevel regression analyses were then performed to analyze determinants at the patient level (i.e., age, sex, body mass index, and education) and associations between process and outcome indicators. RESULTS: Overall, low adherence to the process indicators was observed (38%), particularly on informing patients about the importance of weight loss (24% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 19-31]) or referring them for physical therapy (41% [95% CI 33-49]). Patients described their quality of life as moderate, with an overall score of 63% and 35% on the SF-36 and WOMAC surveys, respectively. Regarding the determinants, patients with a higher education level were better informed (odds ratio [OR] 3.4; P = 0.0003). Associations between process and outcome indicators were scarce, with the exception of patient satisfaction with care and use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (OR 2.9; P = 0.0014). CONCLUSION: Patients with knee osteoarthritis receive suboptimal conservative management. They report a moderate quality of life. This study confirms the evidence suggesting that NSAIDs are the backbone of osteoarthritis pain management but also adds evidence from a patient's perspective

Educational outreach visits to improve knee osteoarthritis management in primary care

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