Long-range potential fluctuations and 1/f noise in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We present a microscopic theory of the low-frequency voltage noise (known as "1/f" noise) in micrometer-thick films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. This theory traces the noise back to the long-range fluctuations of the Coulomb potential produced by deep defects, thereby predicting the absolute noise intensity as a function of the distribution of defect activation energies. The predictions of this theory are in very good agreement with our own experiments in terms of both the absolute intensity and the temperature dependence of the noise spectra.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, several new parts and one new figure are added, but no conceptual revision

Estimation of influenza and severe acute respiratory illness incidence (Burden) in three provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2012 and 2013 Estimation de l�incidence (charge) de la grippe et de l�infection respiratoire aiguë sévère en République islamique d�Iran pour 2012 et 2013

There are few estimates of influenza burden in the WHO Region for the Eastern Mediterranean. In this study we estimated the burden of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and influenza-associated SARI (F-SARI) in selected provinces of Islamic Republic of Iran, the trends of SARI and confirmed cases of influenza (F-SARI) over 12 months (seasonality), and the age groups most at risk. Using the electronic Iranian influenza surveillance system and data of cases in sentinel hospitals of 3 selected provinces, we estimated the monthly trend (seasonality) of incidence for SARI and F-SARI, overall incidence of SARI and F-SARI and their disaggregation by age with the aid using the Monte Carlo technique. The age groups most at-risk were children aged under 2 years and adults older than 50 years. © 2016, World Health Organization. STI. All rights reserved

30-day morbidity and mortality of sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and one anastomosis gastric bypass: a propensity score-matched analysis of the GENEVA data

Background: There is a paucity of data comparing 30-day morbidity and mortality of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). This study aimed to compare the 30-day safety of SG, RYGB, and OAGB in propensity score-matched cohorts. Materials and methods: This analysis utilised data collected from the GENEVA study which was a multicentre observational cohort study of bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS) in 185 centres across 42 countries between 01/05/2022 and 31/10/2020 during the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 30-day complications were categorised according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. Patients receiving SG, RYGB, or OAGB were propensity-matched according to baseline characteristics and 30-day complications were compared between groups. Results: In total, 6770 patients (SG 3983; OAGB 702; RYGB 2085) were included in this analysis. Prior to matching, RYGB was associated with highest 30-day complication rate (SG 5.8%; OAGB 7.5%; RYGB 8.0% (p = 0.006)). On multivariate regression modelling, Insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolaemia were associated with increased 30-day complications. Being a non-smoker was associated with reduced complication rates. When compared to SG as a reference category, RYGB, but not OAGB, was associated with an increased rate of 30-day complications. A total of 702 pairs of SG and OAGB were propensity score-matched. The complication rate in the SG group was 7.3% (n = 51) as compared to 7.5% (n = 53) in the OAGB group (p = 0.68). Similarly, 2085 pairs of SG and RYGB were propensity score-matched. The complication rate in the SG group was 6.1% (n = 127) as compared to 7.9% (n = 166) in the RYGB group (p = 0.09). And, 702 pairs of OAGB and RYGB were matched. The complication rate in both groups was the same at 7.5 % (n = 53; p = 0.07). Conclusions: This global study found no significant difference in the 30-day morbidity and mortality of SG, RYGB, and OAGB in propensity score-matched cohorts

30-Day morbidity and mortality of bariatric metabolic surgery in adolescence during the COVID-19 pandemic – The GENEVA study

Background: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is an effective treatment for adolescents with severe obesity. Objectives: This study examined the safety of MBS in adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This was a global, multicentre and observational cohort study of MBS performed between May 01, 2020, and October 10,2020, in 68 centres from 24 countries. Data collection included in-hospital and 30-day COVID-19 and surgery-specific morbidity/mortality. Results: One hundred and seventy adolescent patients (mean age: 17.75 ± 1.30 years), mostly females (n = 122, 71.8%), underwent MBS during the study period. The mean pre-operative weight and body mass index were 122.16 ± 15.92 kg and 43.7 ± 7.11 kg/m2, respectively. Although majority of patients had pre-operative testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (n = 146; 85.9%), only 42.4% (n = 72) of the patients were asked to self-isolate pre-operatively. Two patients developed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection post-operatively (1.2%). The overall complication rate was 5.3% (n = 9). There was no mortality in this cohort. Conclusions: MBS in adolescents with obesity is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic when performed within the context of local precautionary procedures (such as pre-operative testing). The 30-day morbidity rates were similar to those reported pre-pandemic. These data will help facilitate the safe re-introduction of MBS services for this group of patients

Use of Logistic Regression Model in Surveying Effective Causes of Readmission in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

Background and Objectives: The readmission is admission of a patient in hospital after he/she is discharged in a specific period. The prevalence of readmission in patients with congestive heart failure is more than other chronic diseases, and within 3-6 months after discharge in these patients, it is 10-50%. This study was conducted to determine the socioeconomic factors affecting the readmission of patients with congestive heart failure who were admitted in cardilogy wards of Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Hospitals in 2008.Methods: In this descriptive study, 110 male and female patients with congestive heart failure were selected with quota purposive sampling method, and were divided into two groups based on their admission background in the last 6 months prior to study onset. Data were collected by a questionnaire from the patients and referring to their files, and they were analyzed by deductive statistical tests.Results: 61.8% of patients were readmitted to the hospital during the last 6 months ending to study onset; and economic problems, lifestyle and low income level affected the readmission rate of patients. Conclusion: This study confirms that socioeconomic factors, which some of them are amenable to change, dramatically increase the risk for multiple hospital readmissions among patients with CHF; and it advises that more attention to effective causes of its prevalence are needed

Estudo da curva de crescimento de ovinos Santa Inês Analysis of the growth curve of Santa Ines sheep

Utilizaram-se 7.271 registros de pesos do nascimento aos 196 dias de idade de 952 crias de ovinos Santa Inês, controlados de 1983 a 2000, com os objetivos de verificar, entre os modelos Brody, Von Bertalanffy, Logístico, Gompertz e Richards, aquele que melhor descreve a curva média de crescimento e avaliar a influência de efeitos de ambiente sobre os parâmetros estimados. Os parâmetros foram estimados usando-se o procedimento NLIN do SAS. Para verificar se uma única curva seria adequada para descrever o crescimento de machos e fêmeas, nascidos de partos simples ou duplo, aplicou-se um teste de igualdade de parâmetros de modelos não-lineares. Os cinco modelos ajustaram bem os dados de crescimento, entretanto, maior variação dos resíduos foi verificada para os modelos Brody e Logístico. Com base nos desvios médios absolutos dos resíduos, constatou-se que o modelo Gompertz apresentou ajuste médio ligeiramente superior aos modelos Von Bertalanffy e Richards. Machos e fêmeas, nascidos de partos simples e duplo, apresentaram padrões de crescimento divergentes. Os efeitos de grupos contemporâneos, tipo de nascimento e sexo foram importantes fontes de variação para os parâmetros A e K. A correlação estimada entre os parâmetros A e K foi negativa. Melhorias no manejo alimentar devem ser incrementadas, principalmente quanto ao armazenamento de forragem, visando diminuir os efeitos indiretos do clima, o que poderá refletir em menor variação na forma da curva de crescimento.<br>Records of 7,271 weights of 952 lambs measured from birth up to 196 days of age between 1983 and 2000, available from the Agricultural Research Corporation of Paraiba database, were used to model the average growth curve of Santa Ines sheep. The influence of environmental effects on the estimated parameters of the Brody, Von Bertalanffy, Logistic, Gompertz and Richards functions was evaluated using the NLIN procedure of SAS. The growth curve was well fitted by all models but larger residual variation was obtained by the Brody and Logistic models. According to the absolute average residual error, the Gompertz model showed a better fit than the models Von Bertalanffy and Richards. Growth curves differed for males and females, born from single and twin lambing. Contemporary group, type of birth and sex significantly affected the estimation of parameters A and K. The correlation between parameters A and K was negative. Improvements in feeding management and forage storage may decrease the indirect effects of climate and contribute to reduce variation in the growth curves