Initial State Parton Showers Beyond Leading Order

We derive a new method for initial-state collinear showering in Monte-Carlo event generators which is based on the use of unintegrated parton correlation functions. Combined with a previously derived method for final-state showering, the method solves the problem of treating both the hard scattering and the evolution kernels to be used in arbitrarily non-leading order. Although we only treat collinear showering, so that further extensions are needed for QCD, we have discovered several new results: (1) It is better to generate exact parton kinematics in the hard scattering rather than with the subsequent parton showering, and similarly at each step of the showering. (2) Parton showering is then done conditionally on the exact energy-momentum of the initiating parton. (3) We obtain a factorization for structure functions in terms of parton correlation functions so that parton kinematics can be treated exactly from the beginning. (4) We obtain two factorization properties for parton correlation functions, one in terms of ordinary parton densities and one, suitable for event generation, in terms of parton correlation functions themselves.Comment: 45 page

NLO corrections in MC event generator for angular distribution of Drell-Yan lepton pair production

Using a subtraction method, we derive the formulae suitable for use in Monte-Carlo event generators to give the angular distribution for the gluon-quark induced NLO corrections in Drell-Yan lepton pair production. We also give the corresponding helicity density matrix for W and Z boson production.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure

Masses of composite fermions carrying two and four flux quanta: Differences and similarities

This study provides a theoretical rationalization for the intriguing experimental observation regarding the equality of the normalized masses of composite fermions carrying two and four flux quanta, and also demonstrates that the mass of the latter type of composite fermion has a substantial filling factor dependence in the filling factor range $4/17 > \nu > 1/5$, in agreement with experiment, originating from the relatively strong inter-composite fermion interactions here.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

THEORIZING SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS: LÜ CHENG (1896–1989) AND THE RISE OF A NEW BUDDHIST IDEALISM IN MODERN CHINA

Why did many early twentieth-century Chinese intellectuals celebrate a form of ancient Buddhist idealism—Yogācāra (the school of consciousness-only)— at a time when science, realism, and social Darwinism were gaining sway? Extant scholarship characterizes this revival as a Buddhist science because of its systematic nature and rigorous logic. However, this approach does not explain how Buddhist idealism could be reconciled with scientific realism. To understand this apparent paradox, this dissertation traces the intellectual journey of the renowned advocate of Yogācāra, one of the first Buddhologists of modern China, Lü Cheng (1896-1989). In the 1920s, the young Lü Cheng called for an aesthetic revolution. He then turned to consciousness-only philosophy as the primary resource for renewing society. This dissertation argues that what propelled Lü to turn toward Yogācāra was his quest for a universal moral agency suitable for the scientific world. This study reveals that Buddhist idealism appealed to many modern Chinese intellectuals because of its powerful social critique. In the early twentieth century, “social reality” had become an independent category of intellectual inquiry, freed from the reign of politics and religion. The dominant sociological view defined social reality as objectively existing and subject to scientific study. This sociological view worked in tandem with social Darwinism to depict individuals as passively controlled by natural laws and bereft of moral agency. In order to inject human agency into the realm of the collective, Lü renewed Yogācāra critiques of realism and materialism and redefined social reality as an intersubjective oneness subject to karmic laws. Consciousness-only doctrines proved effective in counterbalancing scientific realism, remedying the ills of capitalist materialism, and redefining social evolution as collective spiritual progress. This study argues that Lü repurposed Buddhist spiritual exercises to build an egalitarian, democratic society. I term this movement of welding soteriological goals with social concerns a “socio-soteriology” in order to emphasize that, for Lü, Buddhist emancipation was supposed to take place through a transformation of society. Beyond the Chinese sphere, Lü’s theorization of Buddhist social consciousness was part of a transnational trend—now discussed under the category of “engaged Buddhism”—of integrating Buddhism and social activism