Nurse prescribing of medicines in 13 European countries

Background: Nurse prescribing of medicines is increasing worldwide, but there is limited research in Europe. The objective of this study was to analyse which countries in Europe have adopted laws on nurse prescribing. Methods: Cross-country comparative analysis of reforms on nurse prescribing, based on an expert survey (TaskShift2Nurses Survey) and an OECD study. Country experts provided country-specific information, which was complemented with the peer-reviewed and grey literature. The analysis was based on policy and thematic analyses. Results: In Europe, as of 2019, a total of 13 countries have adopted laws on nurse prescribing, of which 12 apply nationwide (Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom (UK)) and one regionally, to the Canton Vaud (Switzerland). Eight countries adopted laws since 2010. The extent of prescribing rights ranged from nearly all medicines within nurses’ specialisations (Ireland for nurse prescribers, Netherlands for nurse specialists, UK for independent nurse prescribers) to a limited set of medicines (Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden). All countries have regulatory and minimum educational requirements in place to ensure patient safety; the majority require some form of physician oversight. Conclusions: The role of nurses has expanded in Europe over the last decade, as demonstrated by the adoption of new laws on prescribing rights.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel - 201

Cluster induced quenching of galaxies in the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 traced by enhanced metallicities inside half R200

(Abridged) We explore the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 with KMOS spectroscopy of Halpha and [NII] covering a region that corresponds to about one virial radius. Using published spectroscopic redshifts of 108 galaxies in and around the cluster we computed the location of galaxies in the projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into a virialized region of objects accreted longer ago (roughly inside half R200) and a region of infalling galaxies. We measured oxygen abundances for ten cluster galaxies with detected [NII] lines in the individual galaxy spectra and compared the MZR of the galaxies inside half R200 with the infalling galaxies and a field sample at similar redshifts. We find that the oxygen abundances of individual z~1.5 star-forming cluster galaxies inside half R200 are comparable, at the respective stellar mass, to the higher local SDSS metallicity values. We find that the [NII]/Halpha line ratios inside half R200 are higher by 0.2 dex and that the resultant metallicities of the galaxies in the inner part of the cluster are higher by about 0.1 dex, at a given mass, than the metallicities of infalling galaxies and of field galaxies at z~1.5. The enhanced metallicities of cluster galaxies at z~1.5 inside half R200 indicate that the density of the ICM in this massive cluster becomes high enough toward the cluster center such that the ram pressure exceeds the restoring pressure of the hot gas reservoir of cluster galaxies. This can remove the gas reservoir initiating quenching; although the galaxies continue to form stars, albeit at slightly lower rates, using the available cold gas in the disk which is not stripped.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

CMS dashboard task monitoring: A user-centric monitoring view

We are now in a phase change of the CMS experiment where people are turning more intensely to physics analysis and away from construction. This brings a lot of challenging issues with respect to monitoring of the user analysis. The physicists must be able to monitor the execution status, application and grid-level messages of their tasks that may run at any site within the CMS Virtual Organisation. The CMS Dashboard Task Monitoring project provides this information towards individual analysis users by collecting and exposing a user-centric set of information regarding submitted tasks including reason of failure, distribution by site and over time, consumed time and efficiency. The development was user-driven with physicists invited to test the prototype in order to assemble further requirements and identify weaknesses with the application

Unfolding and unzipping of single-stranded DNA by stretching

We present a theoretical study of single-stranded DNA under stretching. Within the proposed framework, the effects of basepairing on the mechanical response of the molecule can be studied in combination with an arbitrary underlying model of chain elasticity. In a generic case, we show that the stretching curve of ssDNA exhibits two distinct features: the second-order "unfolding" phase transition, and a sharp crossover, reminiscent of the first-order "unzipping" transition in dsDNA. We apply the theory to the particular cases of Worm-like Chain (WLC) and Freely-Joint Chain (FJC) models, and discuss the universal and model--dependent features of the mechanical response of ssDNA. In particular, we show that variation of the width of the unzipping crossover with interaction strength is very sensitive to the energetics of hairpin loops. This opens a new way of testing the elastic properties of ssDNA.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, substantially revised versio

Determination of the optimal age to vaccinate against dengue using a tetravalent dengue vaccine in Brazil

Dengue is endemic in most of the subtropics and tropics with half of the world's population at risk of acquiring an infection. For decades only mosquito control could aid with disease prevention. However, in December 2015 the first dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, became available.;In this thesis a single-serotype transmission model considering the effect of vaccination is derived. Three different assumptions regarding the biting rate are made. Initially, a constant biting rate is assumed to determine the optimal vaccination age for Brazil. For a more accurate description of the dynamics, mosquito biting rate data is used later on to determine an age-dependent rate.;Lastly, instead of determining the force of infection from the biting rate, agedependent serological data is used to estimate both of these functions. The description of the human population dynamics is also improved upon by using a step-death function rather than a constant death rate.;In order to reduce the burden of dengue, the optimal vaccination age is defined to minimise the lifetime expected risk of hospitalisation or lethality. For both risk functions several theories and uncertainties surrounding the disease outcome and the effect of vaccination are studied. The impact of antibody dependent enhancement and permanent cross-immunity on the vaccination age is determined. Additionally, a vaccine-induced increase is incorporated for the risk of hospitalisation. All possible serotype combinations are considered.;The results of this work demonstrate that the optimal vaccination age depends on how the biting rate and force of infection are defined. A variety of different optimal ages for immunisation are found. These vary with the assumptions relating to serotype cross-reactions and depend particularly on whether a vaccine-induced risk is considered. Consequently, a better understanding of the disease and the effect of the vaccine is paramount for finding an accurate optimal age for dengue immunisation.Dengue is endemic in most of the subtropics and tropics with half of the world's population at risk of acquiring an infection. For decades only mosquito control could aid with disease prevention. However, in December 2015 the first dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, became available.;In this thesis a single-serotype transmission model considering the effect of vaccination is derived. Three different assumptions regarding the biting rate are made. Initially, a constant biting rate is assumed to determine the optimal vaccination age for Brazil. For a more accurate description of the dynamics, mosquito biting rate data is used later on to determine an age-dependent rate.;Lastly, instead of determining the force of infection from the biting rate, agedependent serological data is used to estimate both of these functions. The description of the human population dynamics is also improved upon by using a step-death function rather than a constant death rate.;In order to reduce the burden of dengue, the optimal vaccination age is defined to minimise the lifetime expected risk of hospitalisation or lethality. For both risk functions several theories and uncertainties surrounding the disease outcome and the effect of vaccination are studied. The impact of antibody dependent enhancement and permanent cross-immunity on the vaccination age is determined. Additionally, a vaccine-induced increase is incorporated for the risk of hospitalisation. All possible serotype combinations are considered.;The results of this work demonstrate that the optimal vaccination age depends on how the biting rate and force of infection are defined. A variety of different optimal ages for immunisation are found. These vary with the assumptions relating to serotype cross-reactions and depend particularly on whether a vaccine-induced risk is considered. Consequently, a better understanding of the disease and the effect of the vaccine is paramount for finding an accurate optimal age for dengue immunisation