Effects of Substrate Temperature on Vacuum Deposited Thin Film of Disperse Red 1 on ITO Glass

Abstract. Highly crystalline thin films of photorefractive Disperse Red 1 (DR 1) molecule have been fabricated on clean substrate of ITO (indium tin oxide) glass by means of physical vapor deposition at various substrate temperatures. In addition to molecular orientation and organization revealed by their XRD and FTIR spectral characteristic and the enhancement of those effects by substrate temperature, further analysis of FTIR spectrum around nitrobenzene absorption band indicates the formation of strong hydrogen bond resulting in a head-tail stacking of the molecules. The deposited films also show systematic reduction of light absorption in the visible region with increasing substrate temperature. This modification of the optical property is clearly favorable for long wavelength photonic applications of DR1 film. Pengaruh Suhu Substrat pada Film Tipis 'Disperse Red 1' yang Dideposisi pada Gelas ITO dalam VakumSari. Dalam eksperimen ini telah berhasil diperoleh melalui proses deposisi vakum sejumlah film tipis bahan fotorefraktif dari molekul "Disperse Red 1" (DR1) dengan krisalinitas tinggi di atas substrat gelas ITO ("indium tin oxide") pada berbagai suhu. Selain efek orientasi dan organisasi molekul yang ditunjukkan oleh karakteristik spectra XRD dan FTIR bersangkutan serta peningkatan efek tersebut dengan suhu substrat, analisis lebih lanjut dari data FTIR di sekitar pita absorpsi nitrobenzene telah mengungkapkan tanda embentukan ikatan hydrogen yang kuat yang menghasilkan susunan "head-tail" yang bertumpuk. Film yang terdeposisi juga memperkihatkan pengurangan absorpsi cahaya secara sistematik di daerah tampak, seiring dengan peningkatan suhu substrat. Perubahan sifat optik ini jelas bermanfaat bagi aplikasi film DR1 untuk devais fotonik dalam daerah gelombang panjang

Study of Nonlinear Periodic Optical System

We give a brief review of some results of our study on one-dimensional shallow nonlinear Bragg grating with nonlinear modulation and deep nonlinear Bragg grating

Sifat Optik Film Disperse Red-1 Yang Dibuat Dengan Metode Efa-pvd

Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkaji efek permukaan substrat ITO dan medan listrik luar dalam mengatur orientasi molekul film DR-1; dan juga mengkaji sifat optik film DR-1 untuk aplikasi divais fotonik. Metode fabrikasi yang digunakan adalah metode EFA-PVD (Electric Field Assisted Physical Vapor Deposition,). Metode tersebut adalah modifikasi dari metodekonvensional PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) yang dilengkapi dengan penambahan medan listrik luar (E) dalam chamber. Film dibuat di atas permukaan substrat ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) dengan deposisi molekul-molekul DR-1 oleh variasi medan listrik luar. Film dianalisis dan dikarakterisasidengan menggunakan spektroskopi SEM, difraksi sinar-X, dan reflektometer. Hasil analisis pengukuran SEM, dan difraksi sinar-X memperlihatkan bahwa molekul-molekul DR-1 tersusun teratur (stacking) tegak lurus permukaan substrat, yang menunjukkan suatu indikasi efek permukaan (surfactant effect) substrat yang kuat dari ikatan hidrogen (hydrogen bonding) molekul DR-1 dengan substrat. Hasil pengukuran sifat optik menunjukkan bahwa dengan peningkatan medan listrik luar, terjadi peningkatan konsentrasi molekul-molekul DR-1 yang terdeposisi teratur paralel (stacking) tegak lurus permukaan substrat yang ditandai dengan peningkatan indeks bias film

Dissemination of Evidence-based Atypical Antipsychotic Information to Nursing Homes

Background: Accumulating evidence demonstrates minimal benefit and increased risk of off-label use of atypical antipsychotic medications for dementia-related behaviors. Optimal strategy for disseminating evidence-based guides to nursing home (NH) stakeholders is unclear. Our objective is to describe the impact of differing dissemination efforts in Connecticut NHs. Methods: Forty-three Connecticut NHs were randomized to one of 3 arms receiving incrementally intensive dissemination strategies of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Comparative Effectiveness Review Summary Guide on the off-label use of atypical antipsychotic drugs, which was included in a toolkit informed by a needs assessment of NHs. All NHs received the paper-based toolkit and notifications regarding the online toolkit. Additionally, Arm 2 received individualized quarterly audit and feedback reports with atypical antipsychotic prescribing rates; Arm 3 received in-person educational visits and audit and feedback reports. Toolkit reach was assessed using interviews with NH leadership and staff. Online toolkit use was assessed using Google analytics. Results: Eighty leaders and 222 direct care staff were interviewed. Leadership and direct care staff in Arm 3 NHs were more likely to be familiar with the toolkit that those in Arm 1 (p=0.008) and Arm 2 (p Conclusions: Intensive dissemination, using multi-pronged approach including academic detailing and direct care staff trainings, appeared to be associated with higher familiarity with paper-based toolkit, but not Internet-based use of the toolkit in the NH setting

Knowledge of and perceived need for evidence-based educational materials about antipsychotic medication safety by nursing home staff

Background: Given the widespread overuse of antipsychotic medications among US nursing home (NH) residents, we sought to identify knowledge of and perceived need for the AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Research Summary Guide (CERSG) “Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs”. Methods: We conducted a baseline needs assessment with 12 NHs participating in a randomized controlled trail evaluating evidence dissemination strategies. Using a mixed method approach, we conducted in-depth assessments of knowledge, attitudes, and practice behavior using telephone interviews with NH leadership (administrators, directors of nursing [DON], and medical directors), and questionnaires with NH leadership, consultant pharmacists and direct care staff. Interviews were transcribed, verbatim responses were coded independently by 2 project staff. The coding scheme was revised after each round until substantial agreement (85%) was reached. Results: Interviews revealed that 70% of medical directors and 46% of DON and administrators believed that antipsychotics decreased agitation and controlled harmful behavior; 50% of medical directors and 7% of DONs & administrators reported knowledge of the increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to atypical antipsychotics. Half of administrators and DONs expressed interest in receiving information for NH staff pertaining to understanding dementia and dementia-related behaviors, 42% believed families would benefit from information about antipsychotic use for dementia-related behaviors. Questionnaire results were similar. When leaders were asked to list any risks associated with antipsychotic use for residents with dementia, only 17% reported death as a possible adverse event; licensed nursing staff (RN and LPNs) reported death 5% of the time. Over half of consultant pharmacists identified that their biggest barrier to improving medication use in challenging NHs was physician resistance to accepting recommendations. Conclusions: The responses of the NH leaders, staff and consultant pharmacists suggest widespread knowledge gaps regarding antipsychotic benefits and risks, and suggest a need for increase evidence dissemination and broad organizational change

A Mixed-Methods Study To Characterize Pharmaceutical Marketing in the Nursing Home Setting: Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics

Background: Despite FDA warnings that atypical antipsychotic medications are associated with an increased risk of death when used to treat behavioral disorders in older adults with dementia, they are prescribed to nearly one-third of older U.S. nursing home (NH) residents. Reasons for their high use in NHs are poorly understood, but may include pharmaceutical marketing efforts in the NH setting. Methods: This study is nested within an ongoing cluster randomized trial to improve the use of atypical antipsychotics in NHs. We analyzed semistructured interviews (n = 36) and surveys (n = 139) of administrators, directors of nursing and medical directors from 62 NHs in Connecticut. Using prescription drug claims from a national long-term care pharmacy, we arrayed study NHs into lowest to highest tertile of atypical antipsychotic use. We tested for differences in the receipt of information or clinical tools from pharmaceutical company representatives (PCRs) to manage dementia-related behaviors by medication use tertiles, adjusting for NH profit status, size, quality (overall, health inspections, staffing) and staffing measures (daily nurse hours per resident). Results: Average baseline use of atypical antipsychotics ranged from 6.6 to 44.3 percent of all residents in the facility. Approximately one-quarter of NH leaders presently receive information on dementia-related behavioral management strategies from PCRs through detailing, in-service training, written or Web-based material or sponsorship as speakers. However, we did not detect statistically significant differences in the receipt of information by level of atypical antipsychotic use, NH characteristics, quality and staffing measures. Conclusions: This first attempt to characterize pharmaceutical marketing within the NH setting did not find differences among reports of marketing efforts with respect to medication use and facility-level characteristics. However, studies across a wider geographic area should continue investigating the possible role of marketing efforts on overall use and choice of atypical antipsychotics in the NH setting

Entering and Exiting the Medicare Part D Coverage Gap: Role of Comorbidities and Demographics

Background: Some Medicare Part D enrollees whose drug expenditures exceed a threshold enter a coverage gap with full cost-sharing, increasing their risk for reduced adherence and adverse outcomes. Objective: To examine comorbidities and demographic characteristics associated with gap entry and exit. Design: We linked 2005-2006 pharmacy, outpatient, and inpatient claims to enrollment and Census data. We used logistic regression to estimate associations of 2006 gap entry and exit with 2005 medical comorbidities, demographics, and Census block characteristics. We expressed all results as predicted percentages. PATIENTS: 287,713 patients without gap coverage, continuously enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Part D (MAPD) plan serving eight states. Patients who received a low-income subsidy, could not be geocoded, or had no 2006 drug fills were excluded. Results: Of enrollees, 15.9% entered the gap, 2.6% within the first 180 days; among gap enterers, only 6.7% exited again. Gap entry was significantly associated with female gender and all comorbidities, particularly dementia (39.5% gap entry rate) and diabetes (28.0%). Among dementia patients entering the gap, anti-dementia drugs (donepezil, memantine, rivastigmine, and galantamine) and atypical antipsychoticmedications (risperidone, quetiapine, and olanzapine) together accounted for 40% of pre-gap expenditures. Among diabetic patients, rosiglitazone accounted for 7.2% of pre-gap expenditures. Having dementia was associated with twice the risk of gap exit. Conclusions: Certain chronically ill MAPD enrollees are at high risk of gap entry and exposure to unsubsidized medication costs. Clinically vulnerable populations should be counseled on how to best manage costs through drug substitution or discontinuation of specific, non-essential medications. © 2010 Society of General Internal Medicine

Baculovirus Capsid Display Potentiates OVA Cytotoxic and Innate Immune Responses

Baculoviruses (BV) are DNA viruses that are pathogenic for insects. Although BV infect a range of mammalian cell types, they do not replicate in these cells. Indeed, the potential effects of these insect viruses on the immune responses of mammals are only just beginning to be studied. We show in this paper that a recombinant Autographa californica multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus carrying a fragment of ovalbumin (OVA) on the VP39 capsid protein (BV-OVA) has the capacity to act as an adjuvant and vector of antigens in mice, thereby promoting specific CD4 and cytotoxic T cell responses against OVA. BV also induced in vivo maturation of dendritic cells and the production of inflammatory cytokines, thus promoting innate and adaptive immune responses. The OVA-specific response induced by BV-OVA was strong enough to reject a challenge with OVA-expressing melanoma cells (MO5 cells) and effectively prolonged survival of MO5 bearing mice. All these findings, together with the absence of pre-existing immunity to BV in humans and the lack of viral gene expression in mammalian cells, make BV a candidate for vaccination

Mantle flow in regions of complex tectonics: insights from Indonesia

Indonesia is arguably one of the tectonically most complex regions on Earth today due to its location at the junction of several major tectonic plates and its long history of collision and accretion. It is thus an ideal location to study the interaction between subducting plates and mantle convection. Seismic anisotropy can serve as a diagnostic tool for identifying various subsurface deformational processes, such as mantle flow, for example. Here, we present novel shear wave splitting results across the Indonesian region. Using three different shear phases (local S, SKS, and downgoing S) to improve spatial resolution of anisotropic fabrics allows us to distinguish several deformational features. For example, the block rotation history of Borneo is reflected in coast-parallel fast directions, which we attribute to fossil anisotropy. Furthermore, we are able to unravel the mantle flow pattern in the Sulawesi and Banda region: We detect toroidal flow around the Celebes Sea slab, oblique corner flow in the Banda wedge, and sub-slab mantle flow around the arcuate Banda slab. We present evidence for deep, sub-520 km anisotropy at the Java subduction zone. In the Sumatran backarc, we measure trench-perpendicular fast orientations, which we assume to be due to mantle flow beneath the overriding Eurasian plate. These observations will allow to test ideas of, for example, slab–mantle coupling in subduction regions