Longtitudinal electron beam diagnostics via upconversion of THz to visible radiation

Longitudinal electro-optic electron bunch diagnostics has been successfully applied at several accelerators. The electro-optic effect can be seen as an upconversion of the Coulomb field of the relativistic electron bunch (THz radiation) to the visible spectral range, where a variety of standard diagnostic tools are available. Standard techniques to characterise femtosecond optical laser pulses (auto- and cross-correlators) have led to the schemes that can measure electron bunch profiles with femtosecond resolution. These techniques require, however, well synchronized femtosecond laser pulses, in order to obtain the desired temporal resolution. Currently, we are exploring other electro-optic variants which require less advanced laser systems and will be more amenable to beam based longitudinal feedback applications. The first results of one such new scheme will be presented in this paper

Evaluation of an adaptive implementation program for cognitive adaptation training for people with severe mental ilness:A cluster-randomized controlled trial

Introduction Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) is a psychosocial intervention focusing on reducing the impact of cognitive disorders on daily functioning in people with severe mental illness (SMI). Similar to many evidence based practices (EBP), implementation of CAT in routine care lags behind, despite the established effectiveness of the intervention. This so called ‘science-to-service gap’ is a widespread problem in mental health care. We developed an innovative implementation program to facilitate implementation of CAT and similar interventions in routine care. Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation program and to determine factors that impede or facilitate the implementation process. Methods We conducted a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial comparing the implementation program to a single training program in four mental health institutions (a total of 21 rehabilitation teams) in The Netherlands. Focus groups, semistructured interviews and questionnaires were used at multiple levels of service delivery (service user, professional, team, organization). Assessments took place before, during and after implementation and at follow-up, adding up to a total duration of 14 months. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Results Data collection is complete and analyses on the effectiveness of the implementation program are ongoing. Preliminary analyses show that team climate (p<.008) and organizational climate (p<.043) significantly predict the attitudes of mental health providers toward EBP. Conclusions This implementation research may provide important information about the implementation of psychosocial interventions in practice and may result in a program that is useful for Cognitive Adaptation Training, and possibly for psychosocial interventions in general

REFLEX, a social-cognitive group treatment to improve insight in schizophrenia:Study protocol of a multi-center RCT

BACKGROUND: Insight is impaired in a majority of people with schizophrenia. Impaired insight is associated with poorer outcomes of the disorder. Based on existing literature, we developed a model that explains which processes may possibly play a role in impaired insight. This model was the starting point of the development of REFLEX: a brief psychosocial intervention to improve insight in schizophrenia. REFLEX is a 12-sessions group training, consisting of three modules of four sessions each. Modules in this intervention are: "coping with stigma", "you and your personal narrative", and "you in the present". METHODS/DESIGN: REFLEX is currently evaluated in a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Eight mental health institutions in the Netherlands participate in this evaluation. Patients are randomly assigned to either REFLEX or an active control condition, existing of cognitive remediation exercises in a group. In a subgroup of patients, fMRI scans are made before and after training in order to assess potential haemodynamic changes associated with the effects of the training. DISCUSSION: REFLEX is one of the few interventions aiming specifically to improving insight in schizophrenia and has potential value for improving insight. Targeting insight in schizophrenia is a complex task, that comes with several methodological issues. These issues are addressed in the discussion of this paper. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN5024753

The pattern of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and its modulating agents IL-1 receptor antagonist and IL-1 soluble receptor type II in acute meningococcal infections

Contains fulltext : 4930.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

The partially asymmetric zero range process with quenched disorder

We consider the one-dimensional partially asymmetric zero range process where the hopping rates as well as the easy direction of hopping are random variables. For this type of disorder there is a condensation phenomena in the thermodynamic limit: the particles typically occupy one single site and the fraction of particles outside the condensate is vanishing. We use extreme value statistics and an asymptotically exact strong disorder renormalization group method to explore the properties of the steady state. In a finite system of $L$ sites the current vanishes as $J \sim L^{-z}$, where the dynamical exponent, $z$, is exactly calculated. For $0<z<1$ the transport is realized by $N_a \sim L^{1-z}$ active particles, which move with a constant velocity, whereas for $z>1$ the transport is due to the anomalous diffusion of a single Brownian particle. Inactive particles are localized at a second special site and their number in rare realizations is macroscopic. The average density profile of inactive particles has a width of, $\xi \sim \delta^{-2}$, in terms of the asymmetry parameter, $\delta$. In addition to this, we have investigated the approach to the steady state of the system through a coarsening process and found that the size of the condensate grows as $n_L \sim t^{1/(1+z)}$ for large times. For the unbiased model $z$ is formally infinite and the coarsening is logarithmically slow.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Electro-optic techniques for longitudinal electron bunch diagnostics

Electro-optic techniques are becoming increasingly important in ultrafast electron bunch longitudinal diagnostics and have been successfully implemented at various accelerator laboratories. The longitudinal bunch shape is directly obtained from a single-shot, non-intrusive measurement of the temporal electric field profile of the bunch. Further- more, the same electro-optic techniques can be used to measure the temporal profile of terahertz / far-infrared opti- cal pulses generated by a CTR screen, at a bending magnet (CSR), or by an FEL. This contribution summarizes the re- sults obtained at FELIX and FLASH