Von der Welte-Rolle zur parametrisierbaren Wiedergabe auf synthetischen Instrumenten und Midi-fähigen Selbstspielklavieren

Die Aufarbeitung des 1.500 Masterrollen umfassenden Schatzes der Welte-Philharmonie-Orgel geht weiter und ist dank überschaubarer Technik dieses Instrumentes gut handhabbar. Die CD-Reihe The Britannic Organ Vol. 1–12 (Oehms classic) lässt einen Ausschnitt dieser Vielzahl von Rollen wiederaufleben. Die Welte-Mignon-Interpretationsforschung, ausgehend von digitalen Rollendaten, kombiniert mit bei Messungen gewonnen Verhaltensmustern der Dynamikpneumatik, steht am Anfang. Es gibt noch viel zu tun

Die Entwicklung des Musikrollenscanners der Berner Fachhochschule – Aus Musikrollenbildern wird Musik – die elektronische Steuerung der Welte-Philharmonie-Orgel

Thema dieses Beitrags ist der Projektverlauf des Musikrollenscanners der Berner Fachhochschule von der ersten Idee 1999 bis zum produktiven Einsatz 2010 im grossen Stil. Die Konstruktion des Scanners, die Bilderfassung, die softwaretechnische Spurenrekonstruktion, die Konfektionierung der Daten für die Wiedergabe auf bestimmten historischen Instrumenten werden im Detail erklärt und die erzielten Resultate kritisch gewürdigt

Multi-modales Biofeedback System zur Vorbeugung von Stürzen Multi-modal Biofeedback System for the Prevention of Falls

Das Biofeedback des Körperschwankens stellt eine Möglichkeit dar, Patienten mit statischen und dynamischen Gleichgewichtsproblemen alternative Sinnesreize zur Erlangung eines stabilen Gleichgewichts zur Verfügung zu stellen, was zu einer Verbesserung ihrer Lebensqualität führt. Das Biofeedback-System erzeugt mittels am Kopf befestigter Signalwandler auditive, vibro-taktile und vibro-vestibuläre Sinneseindrücke. Die Ergebnisse sowohl an jungen als auch an älteren Probanden ergaben, dass mit Hilfe des Biofeedbacks eine bemerkenswerte 40-60%ige Reduktion des Körperschwankens erzielt werden konnt

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. METHODS: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. FINDINGS: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96-1·28). INTERPRETATION: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

Background: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. Methods: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. Findings: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96–1·28). Interpretation: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Contrabass Clarinet Unlimited : A sensory-dynamic contrabass clarinet

Die Erneuerung und Entwicklung tiefer Blasinstrumente liegen im Trend, und in verschiedenen Bläserfamilien sind in jüngster Zeit neue Instrumente wie Lupophon, Kontraforte oder Tubax entstanden. Auch die Kontrabassklarinette wurde immer wieder verbessert. Nun hat ein Forschungsteam der Berner Fachhochschule ein Funktionsmuster einer grundlegend neuen Kontrabassklarinette entwickelt, die in einem von der Kommission für Technologie und Innovation (KTI) unterstützten Folgeprojekt zum serienreifen Prototypen entwickelt werden soll. Im folgenden stellt das Forschungsteam dieses Funktionsmuster vor und erklärt die Gründe, die zu dieser Neukonstruktion führten.The renewal and development of deep wind instruments are in vogue, and in the various families of wind instruments new instruments recently appeared, such as the luphon, the contraforte, and the tubax. The contrabass clarinet, too, is constantly improved. At present a research team of the Music University of Bern developed a functional model of a fundamentally new contrabass clarinet that should be transformed into a prototype ready for serialization in a daughter project supported by the Commission for Technology and Innovation (KTI). The research team presents the functional model and explains the reasons that led to this new design

Effectiveness of a repellent containing DEET and EBAAP for preventing tick bites

OBJECTIVE Topical repellents can provide effective personal protection from tick-borne diseases by preventing the attachment of ticks. The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a commercially available repellent spray containing both N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, previously known as N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), and ethyl-butylacetylaminopropionate (EBAAP) against tick bites in a population at risk in Switzerland under real-life conditions. METHODS The effectiveness of an insect repellent spray containing both DEET and EBAAP was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled field study. The study, requiring simple application of the repellent to exposed skin, was carried out on 276 forestry workers and orienteers under everyday conditions in Switzerland from May to September 1999. We measured total effectiveness of the repellent by the following formula: percentage effectiveness = 100 x (T(P) - T(R))/T(P), where T(P) and T(R) were the average number of ticks per hour spent in wooded areas for the repellent and placebo groups, respectively. RESULTS The average number of tick bites per hour of exposure to wooded areas differed significantly between the placebo (n = 138) and repellent (n = 138) groups, 0.17 vs 0.10 (P < .05). Total repellent effectiveness against tick attachment was 41.1% (95% CI, 2.5-79.6). On the arms, an effectiveness of 66% (95% CI, 17.3-114.7) was observed. No significant difference in the average number of unattached ticks could be found. CONCLUSIONS This study found that an easily applied repellent is moderately effective in reducing the risk of tick bites

Evaluation der Kommunikationsstrategie zur Prävention der saisonalen Grippe: Schlussbericht

Im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Gesundheit (BAG) haben das Institut für Politikwissenschaft und das Institut für Publizistikwissenschaft und Medienforschung(beide Universität Zürich) die „Kommunikationsstrategie zur Prävention der saisonalen Grippe 2008-2012" evaluiert. Die Kommunikationsstrategie zielt einerseits anhand von Informationsinstrumenten wie Plakaten oder Broschüren auf eine direkte Beeinflussung der Endadressaten, die sich zum Selbst- oder Fremdschutz impfen lassen sollen. Andererseits wird eine indirekte Beeinflussung durch Multiplikatoren u.a. Ärztinnen und Ärzte, Massenmedien) angestrebt, welche die BAG-Botschaften den Endadressaten vermitteln sollen. Im Zentrum der Evaluation steht die Frage nach der Wirksamkeit dieser Kommunikationsstrategie bei den anvisierten Zielgruppen, d.h. den Endadressaten und den Multiplikatoren. Die Evaluation hat gezeigt, dass die Ziele der Kommunikationsstrategie gegenüber den Endadressaten (bisher) nicht erreicht wurden: Die Durchimpfung der Risikogruppen, die sich zum Selbstschutz impfen lassen sollen, hat im Zehnjahresvergleich deutlich abgenommen und das Medizinal-und Pflegepersonal sowie die nahen Kontaktpersonen lassen sich ebenfalls nicht im angestrebtem Ausmass zum Fremdschutz impfen. Die Ziele gegenüber den Multiplikatoren wurden hingegen grössten Teils erreicht. Aufgrund der Befunde formuliert die Evaluation Empfehlungen zur Konzipierung der Nachfolgestrategie ab 2012/13

Trunk sway reductions in young and older adults using multi-modal biofeedback

This study investigated whether real-time biofeedback of angular trunk displacement could alter balance performance among healthy older and young adults. Healthy community-dwelling older adults (n=32) and healthy young adults (n=32) were included in the randomized control trial study. The intervention group received combined vibrotactile, auditory and visual biofeedback of angular trunk displacement in real-time during training on a battery of static and dynamic balance tasks and during the subsequent post-training balance re-assessment. The control group received balance training and were re-assessed in the absence of real-time biofeedback of their trunk displacement. The 90% range of angular trunk displacement was calculated for each balance task pre- and post-training. Significant age-related differences were observed independent of the intervention. Biofeedback intervention significantly changed the angular displacement of the trunk for both young and older participants on a number of balance tasks compared to control treatment (40-60% reduction in angular displacement). In some cases, biofeedback influenced balance in older adults, but not younger adults