A practical method to account for random phase approximation effects on the dynamic scattering of multi-component polymer systems

Investigations of polymer systems that rely on the interpretation of dynamical scattering results as, e.g., the structure factor S(Q, t) of single chains or chain sections may require the inclusion of effects, as described within the framework of the random phase approximation (RPA) for polymers. To do this in practice for the dynamic part of S(Q, t) beyond the initial slope is a challenge. Here, we present a method (and software) that allows a straightforward assessment of dynamical RPA effects and inclusion of these in the process/procedures of model fitting. Examples of applications to the interpretation of neutron spin-echo data multi-component polymer melts are shown.

Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) for Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species Detection in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Assurance Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Five foods types were analyzed by the Assurance EHEC (Escherichia coli 0157:H7) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) culture method. Each sample of each food type at each inoculation level was simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 21 laboratories representing state and federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Samples were inoculated with E. coli 0157:H7, except for one lot of poultry that was naturally contaminated. A total of 1304 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 473 were positive and 818 were negative by both methods. Thirteen samples were positive by BAM but negative by EIA. Because of the study design, it was not possible for the BAM method to produce false-negative or falsepositive results. The Assurance method for detection of E. coli OI57:H7 in selected foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

High-Sensitivity Dry Rehydratable Film Method for Enumeration of Coliforms in Dairy Products: Collaborative Study

A dry-film coliform count plate that is inoculated with 5 mL sample was compared with the Violet Red Bile Agar plate method in a collaborative study by 18 laboratories. Products analyzed were 2% milk, chocolate milk, cream, vanilla ice cream, cottage cheese, and cheese. Collaborators tested blind duplicate uninoculated samples and samples inoculated at low, medium, and high level. Significantly (P< 0.05) higher numbers of coliforms were recovered by the dry-film method from 2% milk samples at the 3 inoculum levels, the chocolate milk at the low- and high-inoculum levels, and the cream at the high-inoculum level. Significantly higher counts were obtained by the agar method for cottage cheese samples at the low-inoculum level. The repeatability standard deviation for the dry-film method was significantly higher for the high-inoculum level chocolate milk sample and the medium-inoculum level cottage cheese. The same statistic was significantly higher for the agar method at all 3 inoculum levels in the 2% milk and the medium-inoculum level cream. The high-sensitivity dry rehydratable film method for enumeration of coliforms in dairy products has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) for Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) 0157:H7 in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Five foods representative of a variety of food products were analyzed by the Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) and the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) culture method for the presence of Escherichia coli 0157: H7. A total of 21 laboratories representing state and federal government agencies, as well as private industry, in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with strains of E. coli 0157:H7, with the exception of one lot of poultry, which was naturally contaminated. During this study, a total of 1377 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 508 were positive and 867 were negative by both methods. Two samples were positive by BAM and negative by VIP. Because of the study design, it was not possible for the BAM method to produce false-negative or false-positive results. The VIP assay for detection of EHEC in selected foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Assurance Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Elective, Non-urgent Procedures and Aesthetic Surgery in the Wake of SARS-COVID-19: Considerations Regarding Safety, Feasibility and Impact on Clinical Management

BACKGROUND

The worldwide spread of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to a near total stop of non-urgent, elective surgeries across all specialties in most affected countries. In the field of aesthetic surgery, the self-imposed moratorium for all aesthetic surgery procedures recommended by most international scientific societies has been adopted by many surgeons worldwide and resulted in a huge socioeconomic impact for most private practices and clinics. An important question still unanswered in most countries is when and how should elective/aesthetic procedures be scheduled again and what kind of organizational changes are necessary to protect patients and healthcare workers when clinics and practices reopen. Defining manageable, evidence-based protocols for testing, surgical/procedural risk mitigation and clinical flow management/contamination management will be paramount for the safety of non-urgent surgical procedures.

METHODS

We conducted a MEDLINE/PubMed research for all available publications on COVID-19 and surgery and COVID-19 and anesthesia. Articles and referenced literature describing possible procedural impact factors leading to exacerbation of the clinical evolution of COVID-19-positive patients were identified to perform risk stratification for elective surgery. Based on these impact factors, considerations for patient selection, choice of procedural complexity, duration of procedure, type of anesthesia, etc., are discussed in this article and translated into algorithms for surgical/anesthesia risk management and clinical management. Current recommendations and published protocols on contamination control, avoidance of cross-contamination and procedural patient flow are reviewed. A COVID-19 testing guideline protocol for patients planning to undergo elective aesthetic surgery is presented and recommendations are made regarding adaptation of current patient information/informed consent forms and patient health questionnaires.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 crisis has led to unprecedented challenges in the acute management of the crisis, and the wave only recently seems to flatten out in some countries. The adaptation of surgical and procedural steps for a risk-minimizing management of potential COVID-19-positive patients seeking to undergo elective aesthetic procedures in the wake of that wave will present the next big challenge for the aesthetic surgery community. We propose a clinical algorithm to enhance patient safety in elective surgery in the context of COVID-19 and to minimize cross-contamination between healthcare workers and patients. New evidence-based guidelines regarding surgical risk stratification, testing, and clinical flow management/contamination management are proposed. We believe that only the continuous development and broad implementation of guidelines like the ones proposed in this paper will allow an early reintegration of all aesthetic procedures into the scope of surgical care currently performed and to prepare the elective surgical specialties better for a possible second wave of the pandemic.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Investigating core assumptions of the "American Dream": Historical changes in how adolescents' socioeconomic status, IQ, and GPA are related to key life outcomes in adulthood

The present study examines how historical changes in the U.S. socioeconomic environment in the 20th century may have affected core assumptions of the "American Dream." Specifically, the authors examined whether such changes modulated the extent to which adolescents' intelligence (IQ), their grade point average (GPA), and their parents' socioeconomic status (SES) could predict key life outcomes in adulthood about 20 years later. The data stemmed from two representative U.S. birth cohorts of 15- and 16-year-olds who were born in the early 1960s (N = 3,040) and 1980s (N = 3,524) and who participated in the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY). Cohort differences were analyzed with respect to differences in average relations by means of multiple and logistic regression and for specific points in each outcome distribution by means of quantile regressions. In both cohorts, IQ, GPA, and parental SES predicted important educational, occupational, and health-related life-outcomes about 20 years later. Across historical time, the predictive utility of adolescent IQ and parental SES remained stable for the most part. Yet, the combined effects of social-ecological and socioeconomic changes may have increased the predictive utility (that is, the regression weights) of adolescent GPA for educational, occupational, and health outcomes over time for individuals who were born in the 1980s. Theoretical implications concerning adult development, aging, and late life inequality are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Method Extension Study to Validate Applicability of AOAC Official Method 996.14 Assurance® Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria spp. from Environmental Surfaces: Collaborative Study

Test portions from 3 environmental surface types, representative of typical surfaces found in a food production facility, were analyzed by the Assurance®Listeria Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) culture method for Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. In all cases, naturally contaminated environmental test samples were collected from an actual food production facility by sponge or swab. Test samples from concrete surfaces were collected by both swab and sponge; sponge test samples were collected from rubber surfaces, and swabs were used to sample steel surfaces. Test portions from each surface type were simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 23 collaborators, representing government agencies, as well as private industry in both the United States and Canada, participated in the study. During this study, a total of 550 test portions and controls was analyzed and confirmed, of which 207 were positive and 336 were negative by both methods. Six test portions were positive by culture, but negative by the EIA. Three test portions were negative by culture, but positive by the EIA. Two test portions were negative by EIA and by culture, but confirmed positive when EIA enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agars. The data reported here indicate that the Assurance®Listeria EIA method and the USDA/FSIS culture method are statistically equivalent for detection of L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species from environmental surfaces taken by sponges or swabs.

Method Extension Study to Validate Applicability of AOAC Official Method 997.03 Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP®) for Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria spp. from Environmental Surfaces: Collaborative Study

Test portions from 3 environmental surface types, representative of typical surfaces found in a food production facility, were analyzed by the Visual Immunoprecipitate assay (VIP®) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) culture method for Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. In all cases, naturally contaminated environmental test samples were collected from an actual food production facility by sponge or swab. Test samples from concrete surfaces were collected by both swab and sponge; sponge test samples were collected from rubber surfaces, and swabs were used to sample steel surfaces. Test portions from each surface type were simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 27 laboratories, representing government agencies as well as private industry in both the United States and Canada, participated in the study. During this study, a total of 615 test portions and controls was analyzed and confirmed, of which 227 were positive and 378 were negative by both methods. Nine test portions were positive by culture, but negative by the VIP. Five test portions were negative by culture, but positive by the VIP. Four test portions were negative by VIP and by culture, but confirmed positive when VIP enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agars. The data reported here indicate that the VIP method and the USDA/FSIS culture method are statistically equivalent for detection of L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species from environmental surfaces taken by sponges or swabs.

Equivalence of Assurance® Gold Enzyme Immunoassay for Visual or Instrumental Detection of Motile and Nonmotile Salmonella in All Foods to AOAC Culture Method: Collaborative Study

Six foods representative of a wide variety of processed, dried powder processed, and raw food types were analyzed by the Assurance® Gold Salmonella Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) and AOAC INTERNATIONAL culture method. Paired samples of each food type were simultaneously analyzed; one sample by the Assurance method and one by the AOAC culture method. The results for Assurance method were read visually and instrumentally with a microplate reader. A total of 24 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry, in the United States and Canada, participated in this collaborative study. Food types were inoculated with species of Salmonella with the exception of raw ground chicken, which was naturally contaminated. No statistical differences (p < 0.05) were observed between Assurance Gold Salmonella EIA with either visual or instrumental interpretation and the AOAC culture method for any inoculation level of any food type or naturally contaminated food. The Assurance visual and instrumental options of reading sample reactions produced the same results for 1277 of the 1296 sample and controls analyzed.

Is the global prevalence rate of adult mental illness increasing? Systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The question whether mental illness prevalence rates are increasing is a controversially debated topic. Epidemiological articles and review publications that look into this research issue are often compromised by methodological problems. The present study aimed at using a meta-analysis technique that is usually applied for the analysis of intervention studies to achieve more transparency and statistical precision.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar and reference lists for repeated cross-sectional population studies on prevalence rates of adult mental illness based on ICD- or DSM-based diagnoses, symptom scales and distress scales that used the same methodological approach at least twice in the same geographical region. The study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018090959).

RESULTS

We included 44 samples from 42 publications, representing 1 035 697 primary observations for the first time point and 783 897 primary observations for the second and last time point. Studies were conducted between 1978 and 2015. Controlling for a hierarchical data structure, we found an overall global prevalence increase in odds ratio of 1.179 (95%-CI: 1.065-1.305). A multivariate meta-regression suggested relevant associations with methodological characteristics of included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the prevalence increase in adult mental illness is small, and we assume that this increase is mainly related to demographic changes.

[Adequate anti-infective treatment : Importance of individual dosing and application]

Sepsis-induced changes in pharmacokinetic parameters are a well-known problem in intensive care medicine. Dosing of antibiotics in this setting is therefore challenging. Alterations to the substance-specific kinetics of anti-infective substances have an effect on the distribution and excretion processes in the body. Increased clearance and an increased distribution volume (V_d) and particularly compromized organ function with reduced antibiotic elimination are often encountered in patients with sepsis. Renal replacement treatment, which is frequently used in intensive care medicine, represents a substantial intervention in this system. Current international guidelines recommend individualized dosing strategies and adaptation of doses according to measured serum levels and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters as concepts to optimize anti-infective therapy in the critically ill. Likewise, the recommendation to adjust the administration form of beta-lactam antibiotics to prolonged or continuous infusion can be found increasingly more often in the literature. This article reviews the background of the individual dosing in intensive care patients and their applicability to the clinical routine.

Reduction of Premature Aging Markers After Gastric Bypass Surgery in Morbidly Obese Patients

Background

Obesity is considered to be a major comorbidity. Obese patients suffer from an increased proinflammatory state associated with a premature aging phenotype including increased secretion of senescence-associated secretory proteins (SASP) and reduced telomere length. Micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules that could modify the post-transcriptional process. Several studies have reported associations between miRNAs and metabolic unhealthy conditions.

Aim

To determine if bariatric surgery and the resulting weight loss could reverse the premature aging phenotype.

Methods

We enrolled 58 morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Markers of premature aging including the SASP IL-6, CRP and PAI-1, 7 miRNAs, as well as telomere length and telomere oxidation in mononuclear cells were evaluated.

Results

Patients showed a significant drop of body mass index (BMI; 43.98 ± 3.5 versus 28.02 ± 4.1, p < 0.001). We observed a significant reduction in SASP including a reduction of 55% of plasma IL-6 levels (p = 0 < 0.001), 83% of CRP levels (p = 0.001) and 15% of plasma PAI-1 levels (p < 0.001). Telomere length doubled in the patient cohort (p < 0.001) and was accompanied by a reduction in the telomere oxidation index by 70% (p < 0.001). Telomere length was inversely correlated with telomere oxidation. The aging-associated miRNA miR10a_5p was upregulated significantly (p = 0.039), while the other tested miRNAs showed no difference.

Conclusion

Our data indicate a significant reduction of the proinflammatory SASP after bariatric surgery. We observed an increase in telomere length and reduced oxidative stress at telomeres. miR10a_5p which is downregulated during aging was upregulated after surgery. Overall, bariatric surgery ameliorated the premature aging phenotype.

On the sources and sinks of atmospheric VOCs: an integrated analysis of recent aircraft campaigns over North America

We apply a high-resolution chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem CTM) with updated treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a comprehensive suite of airborne datasets over North America to (i) characterize the VOC budget and (ii) test the ability of current models to capture the distribution and reactivity of atmospheric VOCs over this region. Biogenic emissions dominate the North American VOC budget in the model, accounting for 70 % and 95 % of annually emitted VOC carbon and reactivity, respectively. Based on current inventories anthropogenic emissions have declined to the point where biogenic emissions are the dominant summertime source of VOC reactivity even in most major North American cities. Methane oxidation is a 2x larger source of nonmethane VOCs (via production of formaldehyde and methyl hydroperoxide) over North America in the model than are anthropogenic emissions. However, anthropogenic VOCs account for over half of the ambient VOC loading over the majority of the region owing to their longer aggregate lifetime. Fires can be a significant VOC source episodically but are small on average. In the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the model exhibits skill in capturing observed variability in total VOC abundance (R 2 = 0:36) and reactivity (R 2 = 0:54). The same is not true in the free troposphere (FT), where skill is low and there is a persistent low model bias (~ 60 %), with most (27 of 34) model VOCs underestimated by more than a factor of 2. A comparison of PBL: FT concentration ratios over the southeastern US points to a misrepresentation of PBL ventilation as a contributor to these model FT biases. We also find that a relatively small number of VOCs (acetone, methanol, ethane, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, isoprene C oxidation products, methyl hydroperoxide) drive a large fraction of total ambient VOC reactivity and associated model biases; research to improve understanding of their budgets is thus warranted. A source tracer analysis suggests a current overestimate of biogenic sources for hydroxyacetone, methyl ethyl ketone and glyoxal, an underestimate of biogenic formic acid sources, and an underestimate of peroxyacetic acid production across biogenic and anthropogenic precursors. Future work to improve model representations of vertical transport and to address the VOC biases discussed are needed to advance predictions of ozone and SOA formation.

[Supported Employment in Routine Operation: Evaluation of the Bern Job Coach Placement Program 2005 - 2016]

OBJECTIVE

This study reports on the evaluation of the Bern Job Coach Placement program, a supported employment intervention, in the routine operation.

METHODS

Administrative data of participants from the years 2005 to 2016 were analysed in terms of integration into the general labour market and in terms of achieving a regular job.

RESULTS

46 percent of all participants (N = 420) were able to achieve the primary outcome of being integrated into the general labour market and 33 percent achieved a regular job.

DISCUSSION

The Bern Job Coach Placement program has achieved a high rate of job integration even in routine implementation.

Patient and visitor aggression in healthcare: A survey exploring organisational safety culture and team efficacy

AIMS

This study investigates nurse managers' perception of organisational safety culture and team efficacy in managing patient and visitor aggression , and determines the predictors of team efficacy.

BACKGROUND

Patient and visitor aggression is a serious hazard in healthcare. A positive organisational safety culture regarding patient and visitor aggression enhances the safety and staff efficacy in managing patient and visitor aggression.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey including nurse managers in psychiatric and general hospitals (n = 446) was conducted in Switzerland, Austria and Germany (November 2016-February 2017). Data were analysed descriptively and through binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

The key results are as follows: "Working in a mental health setting" was 3.5 times more likely, "consideration of the physical environment" was four times more likely and a "shared organisational attitude" was twice as likely to predict high team efficacy. In comparison to psychiatric hospitals, general hospital managers perceived organisational safety cultures to be less positive.

CONCLUSIONS

A positive organisational safety culture leads to the perception that teams are more effective at managing patient and visitor aggression.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Consideration of the physical environment and a positive shared organisational attitude regarding patient and visitor aggression are crucial for high team efficacy. General hospitals could benefit from approaches utilized in psychiatry to enhance staff efficacy in managing patient and visitor aggression.

Effectiveness of supported employment in non-trial routine implementation: systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

While supported employment (SE) programs for people with mental illness have demonstrated their superiority in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses, little is known about the effectiveness of non-trial routine programs. The primary objective of this study was to estimate a pooled competitive employment rate of non-trial SE programs by means of a meta-analysis. A secondary objective was to compare this result to competitive employment rates of SE programs in RCTs, prevocational training programs in RCTs and in routine implementation.

METHODS

A systematic review and a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions were conducted. Quality assessment was provided. Moderator analyses by subgroup comparisons were conducted.

RESULTS

Results from 28 samples were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled competitive employment rate for SE routine programs was 0.43 (95% CI 0.37-0.50). The pooled competitive employment rates for comparison conditions were: SE programs in RCTs: 0.50 (95% CI 0.43-0.56); prevocational programs in RCTs: 0.22 (95% CI 0.16-0.28); prevocational programs in routine programs: 0.17 (95% CI 0.11-0.23). SE routine studies conducted prior to 2008 showed a significantly higher competitive employment rate.

CONCLUSION

SE routine programs lose only little effectiveness compared to SE programs from RCTs but are much more successful in reintegrating participants into the competitive labor market than prevocational programs. Labor market conditions have to be taken into account when evaluating SE programs.

J-NSE-Phoenix, a neutron spin-echo spectrometer with optimized superconducting precession coils at the MLZ in Garching

A novel set of superconducting main precession coils has been built and installed in the Jülich-neutron spin-echo (J-NSE) spectrometer at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching. These unique new coils comprise a field-integral optimizing field shape, fringe field compensation, and high stability. They yield an enhancement of a factor of 2.5 in the intrinsic field-integral homogeneity, i.e., the resolution. The coil concept has been developed for the ESSENSE instrument proposal for the European Spallation Source. We report on the construction of and on the first results from the new superconducting neutron spin-echo spectrometer at the MLZ in Garching where the coils are the main part of a refurbishment of the J-NSE spectrometer after twenty years of operation.

Direct Assessment of Tube Dilation in Entangled Polymers

A key ingredient within theories focusing on the rheology of entangled polymers is the way how the topological constraints of an entangled chain are lifted by unconstrained segments, i.e., how the constraining tube is dilated. This important question has been addressed by directly measuring the tube diameter d at the scale of the tube by neutron spin echo spectroscopy. The tube diameter d and plateau modulus G_{N}^{0} of highly entangled polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains of volume fraction c that are diluted by low molecular PEO show a concentration dependence d∝c^{a/2} and G_{N}^{0}∝c^{1+a} with an exponent a close to 4/3. This result allows the clear discrimination between different theoretical models that predict 4/3 or other values between 1 and 2 and provides an important ingredient to tube model theories.

Atmospheric implications of large C2-C5 alkane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas industry

Emissions of C₂-C₅ alkanes from the U.S. oil and gas sector have changed rapidly over the last decade. We use a nested GEOS-Chem simulation driven by updated 2011NEI emissions with aircraft, surface and column observations to 1) examine spatial patterns in the emissions and observed atmospheric abundances of C₂-C₅ alkanes over the U.S., and 2) estimate the contribution of emissions from the U.S. oil and gas industry to these patterns. The oil and gas sector in the updated 2011NEI contributes over 80% of the total U.S. emissions of ethane (C₂H₆) and propane (C₃H₈), and emissions of these species are largest in the central U.S. Observed mixing ratios of C₂-C₅ alkanes show enhancements over the central U.S. below 2 km. A nested GEOS-Chem simulation underpredicts observed C₃H₈ mixing ratios in the boundary layer over several U.S. regions and the relative underprediction is not consistent, suggesting C₃H₈ emissions should receive more attention moving forward. Our decision to consider only C₄-C₅ alkane emissions as a single lumped species produces a geographic distribution similar to observations. Due to the increasing importance of oil and gas emissions in the U.S., we recommend continued support of existing long-term measurements of C₂-C₅ alkanes. We suggest additional monitoring of C₂-C₅ alkanes downwind of northeastern Colorado, Wyoming and western North Dakota to capture changes in these regions. The atmospheric chemistry modeling community should also evaluate whether chemical mechanisms that lump larger alkanes are sufficient to understand air quality issues in regions with large emissions of these species.

Effectiveness of Transitional Interventions in Improving Patient Outcomes and Service Use After Discharge From Psychiatric Inpatient Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The transition from psychiatric hospital to community is often hindered by challenges that influence community adjustment and continuity of care. Transitional interventions with bridging components are provided prior to discharge and continue beyond inpatient care. They provide continuity of care and may be effective in preventing readmission. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of transitional interventions with predischarge and postdischarge components in reducing readmissions and improving health-related or social outcomes of patients discharged from psychiatric hospitals. Methods: We conducted a systematic review by searching electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Psyndex) and included randomized, nonrandomized, and one-group study designs. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting data on readmission rates. Other study designs were synthesized qualitatively. Results: After screening 2,673 publications, 16 studies (10 RCTs, three quasi-experimental, and three cohort studies) were included and nine RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. The tested interventions included components from case management, psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy, and peer support. All studies with significant improvements in at least one outcome provided elements of case management, most frequently in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoeducation. Readmission rates during follow-up ranged between 13% and 63% in intervention groups and 19% and 69% in control groups. Overall, we found an odds ratio of 0.76 (95% confidence interval = 0.55-1.05) for readmission due to transitional interventions. Heterogeneity was low at only 31% (p = 0.17) and the funnel plot indicated no obvious publication biases. Conclusions: We observed that transitional interventions with bridging components were no more effective in reducing readmission than treatment as usual; however, these results are based on limited evidence. Therefore, additional high-quality research is required to conclude the effectiveness of transitional interventions. Nevertheless, transitional interventions with bridging components are preferred by service users and could be an alternative to strategies regularly employed.

Evaluation of later morphologic alterations in renal artery wall and renal nerves in response to catheter-based renal denervation in sheep: comparison of the single-point and multiple-point ablation catheters

This study evaluated the subacute morphologic alterations in renal artery wall and renal nerves in response to catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) in sheep and also compared the efficiency of single-point and multiple-point ablation catheters. Effect of each ablation catheter approved for the clinical use (Symplicity Flex(TM), Medtronic, Inc., or EnligHTN(TM), St. Jude Medical, INC.) was compared to intact contralateral renal artery in 12 sheep by histopathology and immunohistochemistry evaluation after a 10-day period post-RDN procedure. The safety was verified by extensive evaluation of kidney morphology. Vascular wall lesions and nerve injuries were more pronounced in those animals treated with multi-point EnligHTN catheter when compared with animals treated with single-point Symplicity Flex catheter. However, neither RDN procedure led to complete renal nerve ablation. Both systems, tested in the present study, provided only incomplete renal nerve ablation in sheep. Moreover, no appreciable progression of the nerve disintegration in subacute phase post-RDN procedure was observed. This study further supports the notion that the effectiveness remains fully dependent on anatomical inter-individual variability of the sympathetic nerve plexus accompanying the renal artery. Therefore, new systems providing deeper penetrance to targeted perivascular structure would be more efficient.

Inscribing diffraction gratings in bulk silicon with nanosecond laser pulses

Diffraction gratings are transversally inscribed in the bulk of monolithic crystalline silicon with infrared nanosecond laser pulses. Nanoscale material analyses of the modifications composing the gratings show that they rely on laser-induced stress associated with a positive refractive index change as confirmed with phase-shift interferometry. Characterizations of the optical properties of the gratings, including the diffraction angles and the efficiency of the different orders, are carried out. The refractive index change obtained from these measurements is in good agreement with the phase-shift measurements. Finally, we show that the grating diffraction efficiency depends strongly on the laser writing speed.

Preference for Independent Housing of Persons with Mental Disorders: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Choice of housing has become an important political and therapeutic goal for psychiatric rehabilitation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of proportions of studies on preference for independent housing. A subgroup analysis compared studies with homeless and non-homeless consumers. The meta-analysis included 8 studies with 3134 consumers. The overall proportion of consumers who had expressed a preference for living independently was 0.84. There were only marginal differences between studies with homeless and non-homeless consumers. In a given service planning area, the rate of independent housing settings should exceed the rate of more institutionalized settings by a wide margin.

Observation of the Self-Modulation Instability via Time-Resolved Measurements

Self-modulation of an electron beam in a plasma has been observed. The propagation of a long (several plasma wavelengths) electron bunch in an overdense plasma resulted in the production of multiple bunches via the self-modulation instability. Using a combination of a radio-frequency deflector and a dipole spectrometer, the time and energy structure of the self-modulated beam was measured. The longitudinal phase space measurement showed the modulation of a long electron bunch into three bunches with an approximately 200  keV/c amplitude momentum modulation. Demonstrating this effect is a breakthrough for proton-driven plasma accelerator schemes aiming to utilize the same physical effect.

A Note on the Ammonia and Glutamine Content of the Cerebrospinal Fluid

Tashiro (1922) showed that the isolated frog nerve liberates ammonia on stimulation, and Richter and Dawson (1948) have recently found that ammonia is liberated on stimulation by the brain. Ammonia is very toxic to the brain, on which it has an irritant action; but the brain may be protected to some extent by the enzyme system described by Krebs (1935), which can detoxicate ammonia by combination with glutamic acid to form glutamine. Sapirstein (1943) obtained evidence that this system is active in vivo by showing that glutamic acid increases the resistance of animals to convulsions produced by injecting ammonium chloride. The toxic action of ammonia on the brain is also of interest in connection with the view that it may be concerned in certain forms of epilepsy (Harris, 1945). This view is supported by the observations of Price, Waelsch and Putnam (1943) on the inhibitory action of glutamic acid on petit mal attacks.

The first evaluation of formaldehyde column observations by improved Pandora spectrometers during the KORUS-AQ field study

The Korea-United States Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ) conducted during May-June 2016 offered the first opportunity to evaluate direct-sun observations of formaldehyde (HCHO) total column densities with improved Pandora spectrometer instruments. The measurements highlighted in this work were conducted both in the Seoul megacity area at the Olympic Park site (37.5232° N, 27.1260° E; 26 ma.s.l.) and at a nearby rural site downwind of the city at the Mount Taehwa research forest site (37.3123° N, 127.3106° E; 160ma.s.l.). Evaluation of these measurements was made possible by concurrent ground-based in situ observations of HCHO at both sites as well as overflight by the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. The flights provided in situ measurements of HCHO to characterize its vertical distribution in the lower troposphere (0-5km). Diurnal variation in HCHO total column densities followed the same pattern at both sites, with the minimum daily values typically observed between 6:00 and 7:00 local time, gradually increasing to a maximum between 13:00 and 17:00 before decreasing into the evening. Pandora vertical column densities were compared with those derived from the DC-8 HCHO in situ measured profiles augmented with in situ surface concentrations below the lowest altitude of the DC-8 in proximity to the ground sites. A comparison between 49 column densities measured by Pandora vs. aircraft-integrated in situ data showed that Pandora values were larger by 16% with a constant offset of 0.22DU (Dobson units; R 2 = 0.68). Pandora HCHO columns were also compared with columns calculated from the surface in situ measurements over Olympic Park by assuming a well-mixed lower atmosphere up to a ceilometer-measured mixed-layer height (MLH) and various assumptions about the small residual HCHO amounts in the free troposphere up to the tropopause. The best comparison (slope = 1.03±0.03; intercept = 0.29±0.02DU; and R 2 = 0.78±0.02) was achieved assuming equal mixing within ceilometer-measured MLH combined with an exponential profile shape. These results suggest that diurnal changes in HCHO surface concentrations can be reasonably estimated from the Pandora total column and information on the mixed-layer height. More work is needed to understand the bias in the intercept and the slope relative to columns derived from the in situ aircraft and surface measurements.

[Limitations of Routine Assessment and Presentation of Trends of Patient Assaults in Psychiatric Hospitals]

Objective Contribution to the analysis of patient assault routine data from psychiatric wards over a period of 10 years. Methods A recently published time series of violent incidents reported an increase over 8 years. The entire series including subsequent 1.5 years is re-analyzed regarding influencing factors and trend lines. Results The number of incidents fluctuates at a low level. A non-linear trend appears appropriate. Conclusions Assessment of routine data is important, should be standardized and consider influences and limitations.

Impact of a Mental Health Nursing Training-Programme on the Perceived Recovery-Orientation of Patients and Nurses on Acute Psychiatric Wards: Results of a Pilot Study

In mental health nursing, recovery-orientation is regarded as a best practice approach for patient care. To assess the effect of an intervention utilising a recovery-oriented approach in acute practice, a controlled pilot trial was conducted. On intervention wards, mental health nurses received special training. Recovery Self-Assessment Scale was used to assess the effects of the training. No statistically significant effects were found, between the experimental conditions. Reasons for this result may be methodological, practical or due an intervention that was not powerful enough. Recovery-oriented intervention studies in mental health nursing should be conducted with caution.

Independent housing and support for people with severe mental illness: systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically explore the outcomes of Independent Housing and Support (IHS) for people with severe mental disorders when compared to other residential settings.

METHOD

Systematic review of Randomised and Non-Randomised Controlled Trials of publications that analyse the outcomes of living in independent settings versus institutionalised accommodation. Risk of bias assessment was adapted from the Cochrane Collaboration's ACROBAT-Tool. The analysis was conducted separately for publications with homeless and non-homeless people.

RESULTS

Twenty-four publications from studies with homeless people and eight publications from studies with non-homeless people were included. Risk of bias was much lower in studies with the homeless. No RCT was found in the sample of publications with the non-homeless. Overall, results from Independent Housing and Support-settings are not inferior to results from institutionalised settings.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that Independent Housing and Support-settings provide at least similar outcomes than residential care. We propose that clients' preferences should determine the choice of housing setting.

Polymer Chain Conformation and Dynamical Confinement in a Model One-Component Nanocomposite

We report a neutron-scattering investigation on the structure and dynamics of a single-component nanocomposite based on SiO_{2} particles that were grafted with polyisoprene chains at the entanglement limit. By skillful labeling, we access both the monomer density in the corona as well as the conformation of the grafted chains. While the corona profile follows a r^{-1} power law, the conformation of a grafted chain is identical to that of a chain in a reference melt, implying a high mutual penetration of the coronas from different particles. The brush crowding leads to topological confinement of the chain dynamics: (i) At local scales, the segmental dynamics is unchanged compared to the reference melt, while (ii) at the scale of the chain, the dynamics appears to be slowed down; (iii) by performing a mode analysis in terms of end-fixed Rouse chains, the slower dynamics is tracked to topological confinement within the cone spanned by the adjacent grafts; (iv) by adding 50% matrix chains, the topological confinement sensed by the grafted chain is lifted partially and the apparent chain motion is accelerated. We observe a crossover from pure Rouse motion at short times to topological confined motion beyond the time when the segmental mean squared displacement has reached the distance to the next graft.

Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome are at High Risk Prior to the Event and Lipid Management is Underachieved Pre- and Post- Hospitalization

BACKGROUND

Current European Guidelines suggest the use of cardiovascular risk categories and also recommend using high-intensity statins for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

OBJECTIVE

We examined the risk of ACS patients prior to the event, as well as the overall use and intensity of statins.

METHODS

We enrolled 687 ACS patients (mean age 63 years, 78% males). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels upon admission were used to assess attainment of LDL-C targets. Patients were categorized as very high, high, moderate and low risk based on their prior to admission cardiovascular (CV) risk. We examined statin use and dosage intensity among patients discharged from the hospital. Patients were followed for a median period of 189 days.

RESULTS

The majority of the patients (n=371, 54%) were at very high CV risk prior to admission, while 101 patients were at high risk (15%), 147 (21%) moderate risk and 68 (10%) low risk. Interestingly, LDL-C target attainment decreased as the risk increased (p<0.001). The majority (96%) of patients received statins at discharge; however, most of them (60.4%) received low/moderate intensity statins and just 35.9% received the suggested by the Guidelines high-intensity dose of statins. At follow-up, the rate of patients at high-intensity dose of statins remained similar (34.8%); 6% received no statins at all at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

According to our study, the majority of ACS patients are already at high risk prior to their admission. Further, LDL-C targets are underachieved prior to the event and high-intensity statins are underutilized in ACS patients at, and post-discharge.