Purpose: Congenital cerebral arteriovenous malformations (CAVMs) such as vein of Galen malformations are a rare cause of high output cardiac failure in infants. The objectives of this study were to ...evaluate the baseline characteristics and outcomes of CAVMs in infant hospitalizations using a large statewide population-based inpatient database. Methods: Authors conducted a retrospective analysis of the Texas Public Use Inpatient Data File from 1/1999-12/2016. All discharges less than one year of age with the diagnosis of CAVM were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Primary admission data were included, and subsequent admissions were excluded. If the birth admission was followed by transfer to a Texas tertiary care facility within 48 hours, the birth admission was excluded. Birth prevalence of CAVM was estimated based on primary admission data divided by the number of live births over the same period from Texas vital statistics data. Diagnoses of heart failure (HF), pulmonary hypertension (PH), and congenital heart disease (CHD), as well as endovascular embolization and mechanical ventilation (MV) were queried. Univariate and multivariate analyses for mortality were performed using logistic regression, excluding those discharged to hospice (n=4). Subanalysis was performed examining associations between embolization and mortality in the subset of hospitalizations with a heart failure diagnosis. Results: A total of 371 hospitalizations with CAVMs were identified over the 18-year study period, including 326 primary hospitalizations. Estimated prevalence of CAVM was 4.7/100,000 or 1/21,277 live births. Mortality during primary admission was 15.6%. CHD (31.3%), HF (21.8%) and PH (16.6%) were common. The proportion with CHD other than atrial septal defect/patent foramen ovale/patent ductus arteriosus was 11%. Mechanical ventilation was used in 31%, and 20% underwent vascular embolization. Median length of stay was 7 days (IQR 2-20), and median total charges were $60,778 (IQR $24,645.64-$161,120.91). Variables associated with mortality by univariate analysis were HF (mortality 37.1%, OR 5.37, CI 2.84-10.14, p<0.0001), PH (mortality 35.8%, OR 4.14, CI 2.11-8.1, p<0.0001) and MV (36%, OR 7.45, CI 3.84-14.47, p<0.0001). Non-Hispanic Blacks had higher mortality compared to non-Hispanic whites (mortality 24.4% vs 10.7%, OR 2.71, CI 1.08-6.76, p=0.033). In multivariate analysis, variables that remained associated with mortality were Non-Hispanic Black race (OR 3.15, CI 1.11-8.90, p=0.030), HF (OR 4.26, CI 1.92-9.48, p<0.0001) and MV (OR 6.14, CI 3.04-12.47, p<0.0001). There was no association between embolization procedures and mortality in univariate analysis. When limiting to the HF cohort (n=71), embolization was also not associated with mortality. Conclusion: Infants with CAVMs such as vein of Galen malformations have a high risk of mortality during their initial hospitalization. HF and MV were associated with increased mortality, as was Black race. More research should be aimed at which patients may have survival benefit from embolization.
This theoretical paper addresses the cognitive functions via which quiet and in general pleasurable sounds promote and annoying sounds impede health. The article comprises a literature analysis and ...an interpretation of how the bidirectional influence of appraising the environment and the feelings of the perceiver can be understood in terms of core affect and motivation. This conceptual basis allows the formulation of a detailed cognitive model describing how sonic content, related to indicators of safety and danger, either allows full freedom over mind-states or forces the activation of a vigilance function with associated arousal. The model leads to a number of detailed predictions that can be used to provide existing soundscape approaches with a solid cognitive science foundation that may lead to novel approaches to soundscape design. These will take into account that louder sounds typically contribute to distal situational awareness while subtle environmental sounds provide proximal situational awareness. The role of safety indicators, mediated by proximal situational awareness and subtle sounds, should become more important in future soundscape research.
CologneAMS is a new centre for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) at the University of Cologne. It has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to improve the experimental conditions ...especially for those German scientists that apply the AMS technique for their geologic, environmental, nuclear chemical, and nuclear astrophysical research. The new AMS-device has been built by High Voltage Engineering Europe (HVEE) and has been installed in the existing accelerator area of the Institute of Nuclear Physics. The AMS-facility is designed for the spectrometry of 10Be, 14C, 26Al, 36Cl, 41Ca, 129I in and heavy ions up to 236U and 244Pu. The central part of the AMS-facility is a 6MV Tandetron™ accelerator. Downstream of the high energy mass spectrometer an additional switching magnet is used as a further filter element which supplies also additional ports for future extensions of the detector systems. The current status of CologneAMS and the results of the first test measurements will be presented.
Reduced transition probabilities have been extracted between excited, yrast states in the N=Z+2 nucleus 94Pd. The transitions of interest were observed following decays of the Iπ=14+, Ex=2129-keV ...isomeric state, which was populated following the projectile fragmentation of a 124Xe primary beam at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung accelerator facility as part of FAIR Phase-0. Experimental information regarding the reduced E2 transition strengths for the decays of the yrast 8+ and 6+ states was determined following isomer-delayed Eγ1−Eγ2−△T2,1 coincidence method, using the LaBr3(Ce)-based FATIMA fast-timing coincidence gamma-ray array, which allowed direct determination of lifetimes of states in 94Pd using the Generalized Centroid Difference (GCD) method. The experimental value for the half-life of the yrast 8+ state of 755(106) ps results in a reduced transition probability of B(E2:8→+6+) = 205−25+34 e2fm4, which enables a precise verification of shell-model calculations for this unique system, lying directly between the N=Z line and the N=50 neutron shell closure. The determined B(E2) value provides an insight into the purity of (g9/2)n configurations in competition with admixtures from excitations between the (lower) N=3pf and (higher) N=4gds orbitals for the first time. The results indicate weak collectivity expected for near-zero quadrupole deformation and an increasing importance of the T=0 proton-neutron interaction at N=48.
Positioning soundscape research and management Andringa, Tjeerd C; Weber, Miriam; Payne, Sarah R ...
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America,
10/2013, Letnik:
134, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This paper is an outcome of a workshop that addressed the question how soundscape research can improve its impact on the local level. It addresses a number of topics by complementing existing ...approaches and practices with possible future approaches and practices. The paper starts with an analysis of the role of sound annoyance and suboptimal soundscapes on the lives of individuals and concludes that a good soundscape, or more generally a good sensescape, is at the same time pleasant as well as conducive for the adoption of healthy habits. To maintain or improve sensescape quality, urban planning needs improved design tools that allow for a more holistic optimization and an active role of the local stakeholders. Associated with this is a gradual development from government to governance in which optimization of the soundscape at a local (administrative or geographic) level is directly influenced by the users of spaces. The paper concludes that soundscape research can have a greater impact by helping urban planners design for health and pleasant experiences as well as developing tools for improved citizen involvement in local optimization.
Single ventricle patients eligible for Fontan completion undergo pre-Fontan catheterization for hemodynamic and anatomic assessment prior to surgery. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may be used to ...evaluate pre-Fontan anatomy, physiology, and collateral burden. We describe our center's outcomes in patients undergoing pre-Fontan catheterization combined with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. A retrospective review of patients undergoing pre-Fontan catheterization from 10/2018 to 04/2022 at Texas Children's Hospital was performed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and catheterization (combined group) and those who underwent catheterization only (catheterization only group). There were 37 patients in the combined group and 40 in the catheterization only group. Both groups were similar in age and weight. Patients undergoing combined procedures received less contrast, and experienced less in-lab time, fluoroscopy time and catheterization procedure time. Median radiation exposure was lower in the combined procedure group but was not statistically significant. Intubation and total anesthesia times were higher in the combined procedure group. Patients undergoing a combined procedure were less likely to have collateral occlusion performed than in the catheterization only group. Bypass time, intensive care unit length of stay, and chest tube duration were similar in both groups at the time of Fontan completion. Combined pre-Fontan assessment decreases catheterization procedure and fluoroscopy time associated with cardiac catheterization at the expense of longer anesthetic times, and results in similar Fontan outcomes compared to when cardiac catheterization alone is utilized.
Response of the FAst TIMing Array (FATIMA) for DESPEC at FAIR Phase-0 Chishti, M.M.R.; Jazrawi, S.; Shearman, R. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
11/2023, Letnik:
1056
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The Monte-Carlo simulated response for γ-ray detection of the FAst TIMing Array (FATIMA) for exploitation within the DEcay SPECtroscopy (DESPEC) experimental system at the FAIR Phase-0 facility at ...Darmstadt, Germany is presented. In this configuration, FATIMA consisted of 36 LaBr3(Ce) detectors surrounding the AIDA, position-sensitive charged-particle active stopper. The decay of the Iπ=8+ isomer-fed decay cascade in 96Pd, measured in the first DESPEC experiment at the FAIR-0 facility was used to validate the simulations. The experimental data yielded in-situ full-energy peak efficiency values for FATIMA of 11.2(11)%, 6.8(7)%, 3.8(4)% and 2.1(4)% at 106, 325, 684 and 1415 keV respectively, consistent with the values derived from the simulated response.
A novel method for direct electronic “fast-timing” lifetime measurements of nuclear excited states via γ–γ coincidences using an array equipped with N∈N equally shaped very fast high-resolution ...LaBr3(Ce) scintillator detectors is presented. Analogous to the mirror symmetric centroid difference method, the generalized centroid difference method provides two independent “start” and “stop” time spectra obtained by a superposition of the N(N−1)γ–γ time difference spectra of the N detector fast-timing system. The two fast-timing array time spectra correspond to a forward and reverse gating of a specific γ–γ cascade. Provided that the energy response and the electronic time pick-off of the detectors are almost equal, a mean prompt response difference between start and stop events is calibrated and used as a single correction for lifetime determination. These combined fast-timing arrays mean γ–γ time-walk characteristics can be determined for 40keV<Eγ<1.3MeV with an accuracy less than 5ps using a 152Eu γ-ray source. Due to reduction and cancellation of many possible systematic errors, the lifetime determination limit of the method over the total dynamic range is mainly determined by the statistics. The setup of an N=4 detector fast-timing array delivered an absolute time resolving power of 3ps for 10000 γ–γ events per total fast timing array start and stop time spectrum. The new method is tested over the total dynamic range by the measurements of known picosecond lifetimes in standard γ-ray sources.
The first implementation of the AGATA spectrometer consisting of five triple germanium detector clusters has been installed at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN. This setup has two major goals, ...the first one is to validate the
γ
-
tracking
concept and the second is to perform an experimental physics program using the stable beams delivered by the Tandem–PIAVE-ALPI accelerator complex. A large variety of physics topics will be addressed during this campaign, aiming to investigate both neutron and proton-rich nuclei. The setup has been designed to be coupled with the large-acceptance magnetic-spectrometer PRISMA. Therefore, the in-beam prompt
γ
rays detected with AGATA will be measured in coincidence with the products of multinucleon-transfer and deep-inelastic reactions measured by PRISMA. Moreover, the setup is versatile enough to host ancillary detectors, including the heavy-ion detector DANTE, the
γ
-
ray
detector array HELENA, the Cologne plunger for lifetime measurements and the Si-pad telescope TRACE. In this paper the design, characteristics and performance figures of the setup will be described.
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