Solving the neutrino parameter degeneracy by measuring the T2K off-axis beam in Korea

The T2K neutrino oscillation experiment will start in 2009. In this experiment the center of the neutrino beam from J-PARC at Tokai village will go through underground beneath Super-Kamiokande, reach the sea level east of Korean shore, and an off-axis beam at $0.5^{\circ}$ to $1.0^{\circ}$ can be observed in Korea. We study physics impacts of putting a 100 kt-level Water \cerenkov detector in Korea during the T2K experimental period. For a combination of the $3^{\circ}$ off-axis beam at SK with baseline length L = 295 km and the $0.5^{\circ}$ off-axis beam in the east coast of Korea at L = 1000 km, we find that the neutrino mass hierarchy (the sign of $m^2_{3} - m^2_1$) can be resolved and the CP phase of the MNS unitary matrix can be constrained uniquely at 3-$\sigma$ level when \sin^2 2\theta_{\rm rct} $\ge 0.06$

Analytical study on flood induced seepage under river levees

A common and potentially dangerous phenomenon associated with flooding is seepage under levees and the formation of sand boils. Seepage flow due to hydrostatic head gradients of floods may cause deformation of pervious layers leading to heave, piping and sand boils. Underseepage may also cause irreversible changes in the characteristics of the porous medium. A series of independent flood events may have cumulative effects on pervious layers causing sand boils to grow. Current underseepage analyses for levees are based on steady-state flow. Transient seepage flow due to rapid changes in river head may contribute to cumulative effects and cause critical hydraulic head development under levees and subsequent sand boil formation. This research examined transient effects on hydraulic head development under levees during a flood event. While the research is focused on levees, this study is applicable to any hydraulic structures (e.g., flood walls, dams, and retaining structures) subject to underseepage. An analytical model was developed for one-dimensional transient flow in a confined aquifer under a levee in response to river stage fluctuations. This analytical model was revised by considering leakage out of confined aquifers to simulate the occurrence of sand boils on the landside of levees. Transient flow nets were also constructed using complex variables. The performance of these analytical models was evaluated by comparing with the limited field studies, current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers underseepage analysis methodology for levees, and a finite element program. The effects of possible cumulative deformations on development of exit hydraulic gradients were also evaluated and discussed. Transient flow models performed reasonably well compared with the limited field studies, the Army Corps seepage analysis method and SEEP2D finite element program. Cumulative analysis of underseepage by the transient flow model simulating sand boil formations showed significant increases in exit hydraulic gradients in response to possible cumulative changes in aquifer characteristics

Improving Early Sepsis Identification

Sepsis is a serious complication which is initiated by the body’s extreme response to an infection. If sepsis is not identified and treated promptly, it can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. Accounting for high morbidity and mortality rates in the United States, sepsis has become an area of focus within the healthcare spectrum as it is frequently unrecognized and undertreated. The focus of this project is for the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) students to evaluate the policies and processes in place within a large metropolitan hospital as well as the hospitals ability to recognize and treat sepsis in a timely manner. The hospital was first assessed with the use of the 5 P’s assessment tool: purpose, patients, professionals, processes, and patterns. Once the assessment tool was completed, the students then conducted a root cause analysis, which helped them identify any issues with compliance in completing the sepsis screening tool, contributing factors in the delay of identification and treatment of sepsis, and discrepancies within the hospital sepsis policies and algorithms. The root cause analysis included student-to-nurse observations, retrospective chart reviews, and nursing sepsis surveys. Upon the conclusion of the root cause analysis, the students then assessed their data. The data resulted with the sepsis screening tool being completed within the nurses first three hours on the clock at 42% during the student-to-nurse observation and 72% of the time during the chart audits. The students discovered that this discrepancy could have resulted due to the nurses manually inputting and altering the time they actually conducted the sepsis screening tool within the electronic medical record. The nursing sepsis survey data indicated that 88% of the nurses knew the definition of a positive sepsis screening and that 94% of the nurses were able to identify the correct systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria. Upon analysis the data, the CNL students developed an implementation plan to help improve the hospitals early identification and treatment of sepsis. The plan encompassed the implementation of annual sepsis education session, the implementation of sepsis protocol badge cards, the revised process map, and the unit sepsis champions. Overall, the students were able to develop a full understanding of what the CNL leadership role entails and how it encompasses the competencies that support quality improvement projects