Crew Field Notes: A New Tool for Planetary Surface Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horz, Friedrich; Evans, Cynthia; Eppler, Dean; Gernhardt, Michael; Bluethmann, William; Graf, Jodi; Bleisath, Scott

2011-01-01

The Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) field tests of 2010 focused on the simultaneous operation of two rovers, a historical first. The complexity and data volume of two rovers operating simultaneously presented significant operational challenges for the on-site Mission Control Center, including the real time science support function. The latter was split into two "tactical" back rooms, one for each rover, that supported the real time traverse activities; in addition, a "strategic" science team convened overnight to synthesize the day's findings, and to conduct the strategic forward planning of the next day or days as detailed in [1, 2]. Current DRATS simulations and operations differ dramatically from those of Apollo, including the most evolved Apollo 15-17 missions, due to the advent of digital technologies. Modern digital still and video cameras, combined with the capability for real time transmission of large volumes of data, including multiple video streams, offer the prospect for the ground based science support room(s) in Mission Control to witness all crew activities in unprecedented detail and in real time. It was not uncommon during DRATS 2010 that each tactical science back room simultaneously received some 4-6 video streams from cameras mounted on the rover or the crews' backpacks. Some of the rover cameras are controllable PZT (pan, zoom, tilt) devices that can be operated by the crews (during extensive drives) or remotely by the back room (during EVAs). Typically, a dedicated "expert" and professional geologist in the tactical back room(s) controls, monitors and analyses a single video stream and provides the findings to the team, commonly supported by screen-saved images. It seems obvious, that the real time comprehension and synthesis of the verbal descriptions, extensive imagery, and other information (e.g. navigation data; time lines etc) flowing into the science support room(s) constitute a fundamental challenge to future mission operations: how can one analyze, comprehend and synthesize -in real time- the enormous data volume coming to the ground? Real time understanding of all data is needed for constructive interaction with the surface crews, and it becomes critical for the strategic forward planning process.

[How many patient transfer rooms are necessary for my OR suite? : Effect of the number of OR transfer rooms on waiting times and patient throughput in the OR - analysis by simulation].

PubMed

Messer, C; Zander, A; Arnolds, I V; Nickel, S; Schuster, M

2015-12-01

In most hospitals the operating rooms (OR) are separated from the rest of the hospital by transfer rooms where patients have to pass through for reasons of hygiene. In the OR transfer room patients are placed on the OR table before surgery and returned to the hospital bed after surgery. It could happen that the number of patients who need to pass through a transfer room at a certain point in time exceed the number of available transfer rooms. As a result the transfer rooms become a bottleneck where patients have to wait and which, in turn, may lead to delays in the OR suite. In this study the ability of a discrete event simulation to analyze the effect of the duration of surgery and the number of ORs on the number of OR transfer rooms needed was investigated. This study was based on a discrete event simulation model developed with the simulation software AnyLogic®. The model studied the effects of the number of OR transfer rooms on the processes in an OR suite of a community hospital by varying the number of ORs from one to eight and using different surgical portfolios. Probability distributions for the process duration of induction, surgery and recovery and transfer room processes were calculated on the basis of real data from the community hospital studied. Furthermore, using a generic simulation model the effect of the average duration of surgery on the number of OR transfer rooms needed was examined. The discrete event simulation model enabled the analysis of both quantitative as well as qualitative changes in the OR process and setting. Key performance indicators of the simulation model were patient throughput per day, the probability of waiting and duration of waiting time in front of OR transfer rooms. In the case of a community hospital with 1 transfer room the average proportion of patients waiting before entering the OR was 17.9 % ± 9.7 % with 3 ORs, 37.6 % ± 9.7 % with 5 ORs and 62.9 % ± 9.1 % with 8 ORs. The average waiting time of patients in the setting with 3 ORs was 3.1 ± 2.7 min, with 5 ORs 5.0 ± 5.8 min and with 8 ORs 11.5 ± 12.5 min. Based on this study the community hospital needs a second transfer room starting from 4 ORs so that there is no bottleneck for the subsequent OR processes. The average patient throughput in a setting with 4 ORs increased significantly by 0.3 patients per day when a second transfer room is available. The generic model showed a strong effect of the average duration of surgery on the number of transfer rooms needed. There was no linear correlation between the number of transfer rooms and the number of ORs. The shorter the average duration of surgery, the earlier an additional transfer room is required. Thus, hospitals with shorter duration of surgery and fewer ORs may need the same or more transfer rooms than a hospital with longer duration of surgery and more ORs. However, with respect to an economic analysis, the costs and benefits of installing additional OR transfer rooms need to be calculated using the profit margins of the specific hospital.

High performance humidity sensor and photodetector based on SnSe nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawbake, Amit S.; Jadkar, Sandesh R.; Late, Dattatray J.

2016-10-01

Tin selenide (SnSe) nanorods were synthesized using a one-step solvothermal route and their humidity sensing and photodetection performance at room temperature were investigated. The results depict that SnSe nanorod-based humidity and photosensors have good long-term stability, are highly sensitive and have fast response and recovery times. In the case of the humidity sensor it was observed that the resistance of the films decreased with increasing relative humidity (RH). The humidity sensing behaviors were investigated in the range 11-97% RH at room temperature. A response time of ˜68 s and recovery time of ˜149 s were observed for the humidity sensor. The photosensing behavior showed typical response /recovery times of ˜3 s with highly reproducible behavior.

[Design and Implementation of a Mobile Operating Room Information Management System Based on Electronic Medical Record].

PubMed

Liu, Baozhen; Liu, Zhiguo; Wang, Xianwen

2015-06-01

A mobile operating room information management system with electronic medical record (EMR) is designed to improve work efficiency and to enhance the patient information sharing. In the operating room, this system acquires the information from various medical devices through the Client/Server (C/S) pattern, and automatically generates XML-based EMR. Outside the operating room, this system provides information access service by using the Browser/Server (B/S) pattern. Software test shows that this system can correctly collect medical information from equipment and clearly display the real-time waveform. By achieving surgery records with higher quality and sharing the information among mobile medical units, this system can effectively reduce doctors' workload and promote the information construction of the field hospital.

Delay time between onset of ischemic stroke and hospital arrival.

PubMed

Biller, J; Patrick, J T; Shepard, A; Adams, H P

1993-01-01

Some current experimental protocols for acute ischemic stroke require the initiation of treatment within hours of the onset of stroke symptoms. We prospectively evaluated 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke based on clinical and computed tomography findings. The time between the onset of stroke symptoms and arrival in the emergency room and subsequently on the stroke service was determined. Within 3, 6,12, and 24 h of the onset of stroke symptoms, 16 (53%), 19 (63%), 22 (73%), and 25 (83%) patients had arrived at the emergency room and 0 (0%), 4 (13%), 14 (47%), and 22 (73%) of them on the stroke service, respectively. From the onset of stroke symptoms, the mean arrival time to the emergency room was 24 h (range, 30 min to 144 h) and to the stroke service was 61 h (range, 4-150 h). The mean time between arrival in the emergency room and stroke service was 8.6 h (range, 0-47 h). Even though 53% and 63% of our patients arrived at the emergency room within 3 and 6 h of the onset of stroke symptoms, only 0% and 13% of them arrived on the stroke service within the same time period for the initiation of treatment, respectively. Thus, in order for more patients to qualify for current experimental protocols, they must arrive on the stroke service more quickly or treatment must be initiated in the emergency room. Copyright © 1993. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Ether-based nonflammable electrolyte for room temperature sodium battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Jinkui; Zhang, Zhen; Li, Lifei; Yang, Jian; Xiong, Shenglin; Qian, Yitai

2015-06-01

Safety problem is one of the key points that hinder the development of room temperature sodium batteries. In this paper, four well-known nonflammable organic compounds, Trimethyl Phosphate (TMP), Tri(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phosphite (TFEP), Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP), Methyl nonafluorobuyl Ether (MFE), are investigated as nonflammable solvents in sodium batteries for the first time. Among them, MFE is stable towards sodium metal at room temperature. The electrochemical properties and electrode compatibility of MFE based electrolyte are investigated. Both Prussian blue cathode and carbon nanotube anode show good electrochemical performance retention in this electrolyte. The results suggest that MFE is a promising option as nonflammable electrolyte additive for sodium batteries.

[Time based management in health care system: the chosen aspects].

PubMed

Kobza, Joanna; Syrkiewicz-Świtała, Magdalena

2014-01-01

Time-based management (TBM) is the key element of the whole management process. For many years in health care systems of highly developed countries modern and effective methods of time-based management have been implemented in both primary health care and hospitals (emergency departments and operating rooms). Over the past two decades a systematic review of Polish literature (since 1990) and peer reviewed articles published in international journals based on PubMed/Medline (2001-2011) have been carried out. The collected results indicate that the demographic and health changes in the populations are one of the main challenges facing general practitioners in the nearest future. Time-based management needs new and effective tools and skills, i.e., identification of priorities, well designed planning, delegation of the tasks, proper coordination, and creation of primary care teams that include additional members and human resources management. Proper reimbursement of health services, development of IT in health care system, better collection, storage, processing, analysis and exchange of information and research findings will also be needed. The use of innovative technologies, like telemedicine consultations, provides the possibility of reducing waiting time for diagnosis and treatment and in some cases could be applied in terms of secondary care. To improve the efficiency of operating rooms it is necessary to introduce different solutions, such as operating room coordinator involvement, application of automation to guide decision-making or use of robotic tools to assist surgical procedures. Overcrowded emergency departments have a major detrimental effect on the quality of hospital functions, therefore, efforts should be made to reduce them. Time-based management training among physicians and health care management in Poland, as well as the implementation of practice-based solutions still applied in highly developed countries seem to be necessary.

SU-F-J-44: Development of a Room Laser Based Real-Time Alignment Monitoring System Using An Array of Photodiodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noh, Y; Kim, T; Kang, S

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop a real-time alignment monitoring system (RAMS) to compensate for the limitations of the conventional room laser based alignment system, and to verify the feasibility of the RAMS. Methods: The RAMS was composed of a room laser sensing array (RLSA), an analog-todigital converter, and a control PC. In the RLSA, seven photodiodes (each in 1 mm width) are arranged in a pattern that the RAMS provides alignment in 1 mm resolution. It works based on detecting laser light aligned on one of photodiodes. When misaligned, the laser would match with different photodiode(s) giving signal at unexpected location. Thus,more » how much displaced can be determined. To verify the reproducibility of the system with respect to time as well as repeated set-ups, temporal reproducibility and repeatability test was conducted. The accuracy of the system was tested by obtaining detection signals with varying laser-match positions. Results: The signal of the RAMS was found to be stable with respect to time. The repeatability test resulted in a maximum coefficient of variance of 1.14%, suggesting that the signal of the RAMS was stable over repeated set-ups. In the accuracy test, signals between when the laser was aligned and notaligned with any of sensors could be distinguished by signal intensity. The signals of not-aligned sensors were always below 75% of the signal of the aligned sensor. It was confirmed that the system could detect 1 mm of movement by monitoring the pattern of signals, and could observe the movement of the system in real-time. Conclusion: We developed a room laser based alignment monitoring system. The feasibility test verified that the system is capable of quantitative alignment monitoring in real time. The system is relatively simple, not expensive, and considered to be easily incorporated into conventional room laser systems for real-time alignment monitoring. This research was supported by the Mid-career Researcher Program through NRF funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning of Korea (NRF-2014R1A2A1A10050270) and by the Radiation Technology R&D program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (No. 2013M2A2A7038291)« less

Polyaniline-based optical ammonia detector

DOEpatents

Duan, Yixiang; Jin, Zhe; Su, Yongxuan

2002-01-01

Electronic absorption spectroscopy of a polyaniline film deposited on a polyethylene surface by chemical oxidation of aniline monomer at room temperature was used to quantitatively detect ammonia gas. The present optical ammonia gas detector was found to have a response time of less than 15 s, a regeneration time of less than 2 min. at room temperature, and a detection limit of 1 ppm (v/v) for ammonia, with a linear dynamic range from 180 ppm to 18,000 ppm.

Oxygen quenching in a LAB based liquid scintillator and the nitrogen bubbling model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Hua-Lin; Deng, Jing-Shan; Wang, Nai-Yan

2010-05-01

The oxygen quenching effect in a Linear Alkl Benzene (LAB) based liquid scintillator (LAB as the solvent, 3 g/L 2, 5 diphe-nyloxazole (PPO) as the fluor and 15 mg/L p-bis-(o-methylstyryl)-benzene (bis-MSB) as the λ-shifter) is studied by measuring the light yield as a function of the nitrogen bubbling time. It is shown that the light yield of the fully purged liquid scintillator is increased by 11% at room temperature and the room atmospheric pressure. A simple nitrogen bubbling model is proposed to describe the relationship between the relative light yield (oxygen quenching factor) and the bubbling time.

Potential time savings to radiology department personnel in a PACS-based environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saarinen, Allan O.; Wilson, M. C.; Iverson, Scott C.; Loop, John W.

1990-08-01

A purported benefit of digital imaging and archiving of radiographic procedures is the presumption of time savings to radiologists, radiology technologists, and radiology departmentpersonnel involved with processingfilms and managing theflimfile room. As part of the University of Washington's evaluation of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS)for the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, a study was performed which evaluated the current operationalpractices of the film-based radiology department at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC). Industrial engineering time and motion studies were conducted to document the length of time requiredforfilm processing in various modalities, the proportion of the total exam time usedforfilm processing, the amount of time radiologists spent searchingfor and looking at images, and the amount of time file room personnel spent collating reports, making loans, updatingfilm jacket information, and purging files. This evaluation showed that better than one-half of the tasks in the file room may be eliminated with PACS and radiologists may save easily 10 percent of the time they spend reading films by no longer having to searchforfilms. Radiology technologists may also save as much as 10 percent of their time with PACS, although this estimate is subject to significant patient mix aberrations and measurement error. Given that the UWMC radiology department operates efficiently, similar improvements are forecast for other radiology departments and larger improvements areforecastfor less efficient departments.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic versus robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: comparison of short-term outcomes and cost.

PubMed

Elsamra, Sammy E; Leone, Andrew R; Lasser, Michael S; Thavaseelan, Simone; Golijanin, Dragan; Haleblian, George E; Pareek, Gyan

2013-02-01

Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RALPN) and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) have become standard for the surgical management of small renal masses (SRMs). However, no studies have evaluated the short-term outcomes or cost of RALPN as compared with hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (HALPN) in a standardized fashion. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent HALPN or RALPN from 2006 to 2010 were assessed for patient age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, radiographic tumor size, nephrometry (radius, endo/exophytic, nearness to collecting system, anterior/posterior, lines of polarity [RENAL]) scores, operative and room times, hospital length of stay (LOS), estimated blood loss (EBL), requirement of hilar vessel clamping, warm ischemia time (WIT), pre- and postprocedural creatinine and hemoglobin levels, and complications. Total costs of the procedures were estimated based on operating room component (operative staff time, anesthesia, and supply) and hospital stay cost (room and board, pharmacy). A robotic premium cost, estimated based on the yearly overall cost of the da Vinci S surgical system divided by the annual number of cases, was included in the RALPN cost. Cost figures were obtained from hospital administration and applied to the mean HALPN and RALPN patient. Forty-seven patients underwent HALPN since 2006 and 21 patients underwent RALPN since 2008. ASA, BMI, EBL, tumor size, nephrometry score, positive margin rate, change in creatinine, change in hemoglobin, morphine equivalents used, and complication rate were all similar in both groups (p>0.05). Room time and operative time were significantly shorter for the HALPN cohort (p=0.001) whereas LOS was significantly shorter in the RALPN cohort (p=0.019). Despite the shorter LOS, RALPN was associated with a $1165 increased cost, mainly due to increased operating room time and premium cost of the robot. While early in our experience, RALPN offered no significant advantage in short-term outcomes over HALPN and was associated with an increased cost of over $1150.

Nursing staff's experiences of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room-An interview study.

PubMed

Sundberg, Fredrika; Olausson, Sepideh; Fridh, Isabell; Lindahl, Berit

2017-12-01

It has been known for centuries that environment in healthcare has an impact, but despite this, environment has been overshadowed by technological and medical progress, especially in intensive care. Evidence-based design is a concept concerning integrating knowledge from various research disciplines and its application to healing environments. The aim was to explore the experiences of nursing staff of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room. Interviews were carried out with eight critical care nurses and five assistant nurses and then subjected to qualitative content analysis. The experience of working in an evidence-based designed intensive care unit patient room was that the room stimulates alertness and promotes wellbeing in the nursing staff, fostering their caring activities but also that the interior design of the medical and technical equipment challenges nursing actions. The room explored in this study had been rebuilt in order to create and evaluate a healing environment. This study showed that the new environment had a great impact on the caring staffs' wellbeing and their caring behaviour. At a time when turnover in nurses is high and sick leave is increasing, these findings show the importance of interior design ofintensive care units. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A National Coordinating Center for Prehospital Trauma Research Funding Transfusion Using Stored Fresh Whole Blood

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

bank data base 28-30 5% Analyze blood bank data base 28-33 0% Other Major Tasks: Identification of communities in the UCLA catchment area 1-3 N/A...coagulopathy in real-time is underway. The Blood Bank is working to identify a pool of whole blood donors and incorporating the new product (FWB) in...Blood Bank , emergency Room, Trauma, Operating Room, Intensive Care Unit, etc) to coordinate and streamline standard operating procedures for the

Time Management in the Operating Room: An Analysis of the Dedicated Minimally Invasive Surgery Suite

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Kenneth C.; Machaidze, Zurab

2004-01-01

Background: Dedicated minimally invasive surgery suites are available that contain specialized equipment to facilitate endoscopic surgery. Laparoscopy performed in a general operating room is hampered by the multitude of additional equipment that must be transported into the room. The objective of this study was to compare the preparation times between procedures performed in traditional operating rooms versus dedicated minimally invasive surgery suites to see whether operating room efficiency is improved in the specialized room. Methods: The records of 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures between September 2000 and April 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-three patients underwent surgery in a general operating room and 18 patients in an minimally invasive surgery suite. Nine patients were excluded because of cystoscopic procedures undergone prior to laparoscopy. Various time points were recorded from which various time intervals were derived, such as preanesthesia time, anesthesia induction time, and total preparation time. A 2-tailed, unpaired Student t test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean preanesthesia time was significantly faster in the minimally invasive surgery suite (12.2 minutes) compared with that in the traditional operating room (17.8 minutes) (P=0.013). Mean anesthesia induction time in the minimally invasive surgery suite (47.5 minutes) was similar to time in the traditional operating room (45.7 minutes) (P=0.734). The average total preparation time for the minimally invasive surgery suite (59.6 minutes) was not significantly faster than that in the general operating room (63.5 minutes) (P=0.481). Conclusion: The amount of time that elapses between the patient entering the room and anesthesia induction is statically shorter in a dedicated minimally invasive surgery suite. Laparoscopic surgery is performed more efficiently in a dedicated minimally invasive surgery suite versus a traditional operating room. PMID:15554269

Allocation of surgical procedures to operating rooms.

PubMed

Ozkarahan, I

1995-08-01

Reduction of health care costs is of paramount importance in our time. This paper is a part of the research which proposes an expert hospital decision support system for resource scheduling. The proposed system combines mathematical programming, knowledge base, and database technologies, and what is more, its friendly interface is suitable for any novice user. Operating rooms in hospitals represent big investments and must be utilized efficiently. In this paper, first a mathematical model similar to job shop scheduling models is developed. The model loads surgical cases to operating rooms by maximizing room utilization and minimizing overtime in a multiple operating room setting. Then a prototype expert system which replaces the expertise of the operations research analyst for the model, drives the modelbase, database, and manages the user dialog is developed. Finally, an overview of the sequencing procedures for operations within an operating room is also presented.

The Operating Room of the Future Versus the Future of the Operating Room.

PubMed

Kassam, Amin B; Rovin, Richard A; Walia, Sarika; Chakravarthi, Srikant; Celix, Juanita; Jennings, Jonathan; Khalili, Sammy; Gonen, Lior; Monroy-Sosa, Alejandro; Fukui, Melanie B

2017-06-01

Technological advancement in the operating room is evolving into a dynamic system mirroring that of the aeronautics industry. Through data visualization, information is continuously being captured, collected, and stored on a scalable informatics platform for rapid, intuitive, iterative learning. The authors believe this philosophy (paradigm) will feed into an intelligent informatics domain fully accessible to all and geared toward precision, cell-based therapy in which tissue can be targeted and interrogated in situ. In the future, the operating room will be a venue that facilitates this real-time tissue interrogation, which will guide in situ therapeutics to restore the state of health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative assessment of bio-aerosols contamination in indoor air of University dormitory rooms.

PubMed

Hayleeyesus, Samuel Fekadu; Ejeso, Amanuel; Derseh, Fikirte Aklilu

2015-07-01

The purpose of this study is to provide insight into how students are exposed to indoor bio-aerosols in the dormitory rooms and to figure out the major possible factors that govern the contamination levels. The Bio-aerosols concentration level of indoor air of thirty dormitory rooms of Jimma University was determined by taking 120 samples. Passive air sampling technique; the settle plate method using open Petri-dishes containing different culture media was employed to collect sample twice daily. The range of bio-aerosols contamination detected in the dormitory rooms was 511-9960 CFU/m(3) for bacterial and 531-6568 CFU/m(3) for fungi. Based on the criteria stated by WHO expert group, from the total 120 samples 95 of the samples were above the recommended level. The statistical analysis showed that, occupancy were significantly affected the concentrations of bacteria that were measured in all dormitory rooms at 6:00 am sampling time (p-value=0.000) and also the concentrations of bacteria that were measured in all dormitory rooms were significantly different to each other (p-value=0.013) as of their significance difference in occupancy (p-value=0.000). Moreover, there were a significant different on the contamination level of bacteria at 6:00 am and 7:00 pm sampling time (p=0.015), whereas there is no significant difference for fungi contamination level for two sampling times (p= 0.674). There is excessive bio-aerosols contaminant in indoor air of dormitory rooms of Jimma University and human occupancy produces a marked concentration increase of bacterial contamination levels and most fungi species present into the rooms air of Jimma University dormitory were not human-borne.

Quantitative assessment of bio-aerosols contamination in indoor air of University dormitory rooms

PubMed Central

Hayleeyesus, Samuel Fekadu; Ejeso, Amanuel; Derseh, Fikirte Aklilu

2015-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide insight into how students are exposed to indoor bio-aerosols in the dormitory rooms and to figure out the major possible factors that govern the contamination levels. Methodology The Bio-aerosols concentration level of indoor air of thirty dormitory rooms of Jimma University was determined by taking 120 samples. Passive air sampling technique; the settle plate method using open Petri-dishes containing different culture media was employed to collect sample twice daily. Results The range of bio-aerosols contamination detected in the dormitory rooms was 511–9960 CFU/m3 for bacterial and 531–6568 CFU/m3 for fungi. Based on the criteria stated by WHO expert group, from the total 120 samples 95 of the samples were above the recommended level. The statistical analysis showed that, occupancy were significantly affected the concentrations of bacteria that were measured in all dormitory rooms at 6:00 am sampling time (p-value=0.000) and also the concentrations of bacteria that were measured in all dormitory rooms were significantly different to each other (p-value=0.013) as of their significance difference in occupancy (p-value=0.000). Moreover, there were a significant different on the contamination level of bacteria at 6:00 am and 7:00 pm sampling time (p=0.015), whereas there is no significant difference for fungi contamination level for two sampling times (p= 0.674). Conclusion There is excessive bio-aerosols contaminant in indoor air of dormitory rooms of Jimma University and human occupancy produces a marked concentration increase of bacterial contamination levels and most fungi species present into the rooms air of Jimma University dormitory were not human-borne. PMID:26609289

A Randomized Prospective Study Of The Use Of Ipads In Reducing Anxiety During Cast Room Procedures

PubMed Central

Ko, Justine S.; Whiting, Zachariah; Nguyen, Cynthia; Liu, Raymond W; Gilmore, Allison

2016-01-01

Background Cast room procedures can be a source of anxiety for children. Various techniques, including music therapy, have been evaluated as a way to ease this anxiety. The use of iPads as a form of distraction during cast room procedures has not previously been evaluated and was the purpose of the current study. Methods 146 children and adolescents who underwent cast room procedures during June- August 2015 were randomly assigned to one of three groups: no-iPad, iPad with video, or iPad with game. Patient heart rates were measured using a pulse oximeter in the waiting room, before the procedure, during the procedure, and after the procedure. Mean values for each group were calculated at each time interval and compared both between groups and within groups over time. Results There were no significant differences in baseline (waiting room) heart rate between the no-iPad and iPad groups. When compared with the no-iPad group, there was a trend toward decreased heart rate in the video group (p=0.13) and a significant increase in heart rate in the game group (p=0.026) before the procedure. There were no significant decreases in heart rate within any of the groups when comparing the waiting room heart rates with the during procedure heart rates. There was a significant difference between the no-iPad and video groups (p=0.047) when comparing the change in heart rate from baseline to before the procedure, with a decreased heart rate observed in the video group. Conclusions The results of this study show a significant decrease in heart rate when transitioning from the waiting room to the cast room while watching videos on the iPad. iPad-based video delivery appears to decrease anxiety prior to cast room procedures. iPad-based game play is difficult to assess as elevations in heart rate prior to the procedure are presumed to be related to game play and confound the observed effect it may have on anxiety related to the procedure. PMID:27528849

Advanced visualization platform for surgical operating room coordination: distributed video board system.

PubMed

Hu, Peter F; Xiao, Yan; Ho, Danny; Mackenzie, Colin F; Hu, Hao; Voigt, Roger; Martz, Douglas

2006-06-01

One of the major challenges for day-of-surgery operating room coordination is accurate and timely situation awareness. Distributed and secure real-time status information is key to addressing these challenges. This article reports on the design and implementation of a passive status monitoring system in a 19-room surgical suite of a major academic medical center. Key design requirements considered included integrated real-time operating room status display, access control, security, and network impact. The system used live operating room video images and patient vital signs obtained through monitors to automatically update events and operating room status. Images were presented on a "need-to-know" basis, and access was controlled by identification badge authorization. The system delivered reliable real-time operating room images and status with acceptable network impact. Operating room status was visualized at 4 separate locations and was used continuously by clinicians and operating room service providers to coordinate operating room activities.

Impact of animal-assisted therapy for outpatients with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Marcus, Dawn A; Bernstein, Cheryl D; Constantin, Janet M; Kunkel, Frank A; Breuer, Paula; Hanlon, Raymond B

2013-01-01

Animal-assisted therapy using dogs trained to be calm and provide comfort to strangers has been used as a complementary therapy for a range of medical conditions. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of brief therapy dog visits for fibromyalgia patients attending a tertiary outpatient pain management facility compared with time spent in a waiting room. Open label with waiting room control. Tertiary care, university-based, outpatient pain management clinic. A convenience sample of fibromyalgia patients was obtained through advertisements posted in the clinic. Participants were able to spend clinic waiting time with a certified therapy dog instead of waiting in the outpatient waiting area. When the therapy dog was not available, individuals remained in the waiting area. OUTCOME MEASURES.: Self-reported pain, fatigue, and emotional distress were recorded using 11-point numeric rating scales before and after the therapy dog visit or waiting room time. Data were evaluated from 106 therapy dog visits and 49 waiting room controls, with no significant between-group demographic differences in participants. Average intervention duration was 12 minutes for the therapy dog visit and 17 minutes for the waiting room control. Significant improvements were reported for pain, mood, and other measures of distress among patients after the therapy dog visit, but not the waiting room control. Clinically meaningful pain relief (≥2 points pain severity reduction) occurred in 34% after the therapy dog visit and 4% in the waiting room control. Outcome was not affected by the presence of comorbid anxiety or depression. Brief therapy dog visits may provide a valuable complementary therapy for fibromyalgia outpatients. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Comparison Study: The New Extended Shelf Life Isopropyl Ester PMR Technology versus The Traditional Methyl Ester PMR Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, William B.; Scheiman, Daniel A.; Sivko, Gloria S.

2005-01-01

Polymerization of Monomeric Reactants (PMR) monomer solutions and carbon cloth prepregs of PMR II-50 and VCAP-75 were prepared using both the traditional limited shelf life methanol based PMR approach and a novel extended shelf life isopropanol based PMR approach. The methyl ester and isopropyl ester based PMR monomer solutions and PMR prepregs were aged for up to four years at freezer and room temperatures. The aging products formed were monitored using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The composite processing flow characteristics and volatile contents of the aged prepregs were also correlated versus room temperature storage time. Composite processing cycles were developed and six ply cloth laminates were fabricated with prepregs after various extended room temperature storage times. The composites were then evaluated for glass transition temperature (Tg), thermal decomposition temperature (Td), initial flexural strength (FS) and modulus (FM), long term (1000 hours at 316 C) thermal oxidative stability (TOS), and retention of FS and FM after 1000 hours aging at 316 C. The results for each ester system were comparable. Freezer storage was found to prevent the formation of aging products for both ester systems. Room temperature storage of the novel isopropyl ester system increased PMR monomer solution and PMR prepreg shelf life by at least an order of magnitude while maintaining composite properties.

Perceptually relevant parameters for virtual listening simulation of small room acoustics

PubMed Central

Zahorik, Pavel

2009-01-01

Various physical aspects of room-acoustic simulation techniques have been extensively studied and refined, yet the perceptual attributes of the simulations have received relatively little attention. Here a method of evaluating the perceptual similarity between rooms is described and tested using 15 small-room simulations based on binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) either measured from a real room or estimated using simple geometrical acoustic modeling techniques. Room size and surface absorption properties were varied, along with aspects of the virtual simulation including the use of individualized head-related transfer function (HRTF) measurements for spatial rendering. Although differences between BRIRs were evident in a variety of physical parameters, a multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that when at-the-ear signal levels were held constant, the rooms differed along just two perceptual dimensions: one related to reverberation time (T60) and one related to interaural coherence (IACC). Modeled rooms were found to differ from measured rooms in this perceptual space, but the differences were relatively small and should be easily correctable through adjustment of T60 and IACC in the model outputs. Results further suggest that spatial rendering using individualized HRTFs offers little benefit over nonindividualized HRTF rendering for room simulation applications where source direction is fixed. PMID:19640043

Nitrogen dioxide and respiratory illness in children. Part II: Assessment of exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

PubMed

Lambert, W E; Samet, J M; Hunt, W C; Skipper, B J; Schwab, M; Spengler, J D

1993-06-01

Repeated measurements of nitrogen dioxide were obtained from 1988 to 1991 in the homes of 1,205 infants living in Albuquerque, NM. Passive diffusion samplers were used to obtain a series of two-week integrated measurements from the home of each infant for use in a cohort study of the relation of residential exposure to nitrogen dioxide and respiratory illnesses. Information on stove use and time spent inside the residence was collected at two-week and two-month intervals, respectively. During the winter, in the bedrooms of homes with gas cooking stoves, mean nitrogen dioxide concentrations were 21 parts per billion (ppb); mean concentrations in the living room and kitchen were 29 ppb and 34 ppb, respectively. In homes with electric cooking stoves, the mean bedroom concentration was 7 ppb during the winter. Lower indoor concentrations were observed during the summer in homes with both gas and electric stoves. On average, infants spent approximately 12.3 hours per day in their bedrooms, 7.3 hours in the living rooms, 35 minutes in the kitchens, and 3.8 hours out of their homes. (As a condition of participation, none of the infants spent more than 20 hours per week in day care outside of their homes). The mean time infants spent in the kitchen during cooking was approximately nine minutes per day. We tested whether exposures of infants living in homes with gas stoves could be reasonably estimated by measurements in the bedroom in comparison with time-weighted average concentrations based on time-activity data and simultaneous nitrogen dioxide measurements in the kitchen, living room, and bedroom. In 1,937 two-week intervals from 587 infants, 90% of time-weighted exposure (on the three-level classification used in this study) estimates were in agreement with estimates based on bedroom concentrations alone. The agreement of the time-weighted nitrogen dioxide exposure estimates with the bedroom concentrations is attributed to limited amounts of cooking stove use (the mean was 29 minutes per day), small room-to-room differences in nitrogen dioxide concentrations (the mean kitchen-bedroom difference was 12 ppb), and the relatively large proportion of time that infants spent in their bedrooms.

Stable room temperature magnetocurrent in electrodeposited permeable n-type metal base transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, G. V. O.; Teixeira, H. A.; Mello, S. L. A.; de Araujo, C. I. L.

2018-02-01

We investigated a permeable metal base transistor consisting of a ZnO/NiFe/Si heterostructure. Both ZnO and NiFe layers were grown by electrodeposition techniques, using only adhesive tape masks to define deposition regions. The base permeability can thus be controlled by varying the NiFe deposition time. We report here our best results obtained for the permeable NiFe base close to the electrical percolation threshold, which gives reasonable sensitivity to the device. Magnetocurrent measurements carried out at room temperature show that this permeable metal base transistor is stable and sensitive under applied magnetic fields of low intensities, ˜100 Oe, required for electronics integration.

Design and analysis of a hemi-anechoic chamber at Michigan Technological University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreyer, Jason; Jangale, Ashish; Rao, Mohan D.

2005-09-01

A four-wheel chassis roll dynamometer test facility was installed on the campus of Michigan Technological University (MTU). The chassis dynamometer was enclosed in a soundproof hem-anechoic room in order to conduct noise radiation measurements on test vehicles. All surfaces of the room, except the floor and control room window, were acoustically treated with donated tetrahedral acoustic cones and panels. The acoustic absorption properties of these materials were characterized through reverberation chamber and impedance tube testing, and the effects of air gaps, cone orientation, and cone mounting materials were qualitatively evaluated. The design of the wall, ceiling, and door treatments of the chamber was based on the sound absorption properties of these materials, in addition to spatial constraints and cost considerations. The treated chamber acoustics were predicted based on the amount of acoustic material that could be applied to given chamber dimensions and would still preserve the functionality of the room. These predictions were validated through evaluation of the actual room treatment based on average reverberation time at 100-Hz third-octave band, free sound field characteristic 6-dB reduction in sound pressure level (SPL) per doubling in distance from source, noise reduction at the chamber boundaries, and background SPL Noise Criteria (NC) Rating.

Status quo and current trends of operating room management in Germany.

PubMed

Baumgart, André; Schüpfer, Guido; Welker, Andreas; Bender, Hans-Joachim; Schleppers, Alexander

2010-04-01

Ongoing healthcare reforms in Germany have required strenuous efforts to adapt hospital and operating room organizations to the needs of patients, new technological developments, and social and economic demands. This review addresses the major developments in German operating room management research and current practice. The introduction of the diagnosis-related group system in 2003 has changed the incentive structure of German hospitals to redesign their operating room units. The role of operating room managers has been gradually changing in hospitals in response to the change in the reimbursement system. Operating room managers are today specifically qualified and increasingly externally hired staff. They are more and more empowered with authority to plan and control operating rooms as profit centers. For measuring performance, common perioperative performance indicators are still scarcely implemented in German hospitals. In 2008, a concerted time glossary was established to enable consistent monitoring of operating room performance with generally accepted process indicators. These key performance indicators are a consistent way to make a procedure or case - and also the effectiveness of the operating room management - more transparent. In the presence of increasing financial pressure, a hospital's executives need to empower an independent operating room management function to achieve the hospital's economic goals. Operating room managers need to adopt evidence-based methods also from other scientific fields, for example management science and information technology, to further sustain operating room performance.

It’s our Fault: Immersing Young Learners in Authentic Practices of Seismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilb, D. L.; Moher, T.; Wiley, J.

2009-12-01

The scalable RoomQuake seismology project uses a learning technology framework-embedded phenomena (Moher, 2006)—that simulates seismic phenomena mapped directly onto the physical space of classrooms. This project, aimed at the upper elementary level, situates students as the scientists engaged in an extended investigation designed to discover the spatial, temporal, and intensity distributions of a series of earthquakes. This project emulates earthquake occurrence over a condensed time and spatial span, with students mapping an earthquake fault imagined to be running through their classroom. The students learn: basic seismology terms; ability to identify seismic P- and S-waves; skills associated with trilateration; nomogram/graph reading skills; and the ability to recognize the emergence of a fault based on RoomQuake geometries. From the students’ perspectives, and similar to real-world earthquakes, RoomQuakes occur at unknown times over the course of several weeks. Multiple computers distributed around the perimeter of the classroom serve as simulated seismographs that depict continuous strip-chart seismic recordings. Most of the time the seismograms reflect background noise, but at (apparently) unpredictable times a crescendoing rumble (emanating from a subwoofer) signals a RoomQuake. Hearing this signal, students move to the seismic stations to read the strip charts. Next, the students trilaterate the RoomQuake epicenter by arcing calibrated strings of length proportional to S-P latencies from each seismic station until a common point is identified. Each RoomQuake epicenter is marked by hanging a Styrofoam ball (color-coded by magnitude) from the ceiling. The developing ‘fault’ within the classroom provides an immersive historic record of the RoomQuake’s spatial distribution. Students also maintain a temporal record of events on a large time-line on the wall (recognizing time-related phenomena like aftershocks) and a record of magnitude frequencies on another large wall chart (basis for a simplified version of Gutenberg-Richter). We have used Roomquake in 13 urban and suburban classrooms. We find students develop high levels of proficiency in the interpretation of seismograms and identification of epicenters. Pre-post assessments have yielded significant learning gains with respect to conceptual understandings of the causes and distributions of earthquakes and changes in attitudes self-efficacy.

Spin relaxation dynamics of holes in intrinsic GaAs quantum wells studied by transient circular dichromatic absorption spectroscopy at room temperature.

PubMed

Fang, Shaoyin; Zhu, Ruidan; Lai, Tianshu

2017-03-21

Spin relaxation dynamics of holes in intrinsic GaAs quantum wells is studied using time-resolved circular dichromatic absorption spectroscopy at room temperature. It is found that ultrafast dynamics is dominated by the cooperative contributions of band filling and many-body effects. The relative contribution of the two effects is opposite in strength for electrons and holes. As a result, transient circular dichromatic differential transmission (TCD-DT) with co- and cross-circularly polarized pump and probe presents different strength at several picosecond delay time. Ultrafast spin relaxation dynamics of excited holes is sensitively reflected in TCD-DT with cross-circularly polarized pump and probe. A model, including coherent artifact, thermalization of nonthermal carriers and the cooperative contribution of band filling and many-body effects, is developed, and used to fit TCD-DT with cross-circularly polarized pump and probe. Spin relaxation time of holes is achieved as a function of excited hole density for the first time at room temperature, and increases with hole density, which disagrees with a theoretical prediction based on EY spin relaxation mechanism, implying that EY mechanism may be not dominant hole spin relaxation mechanism at room temperature, but DP mechanism is dominant possibly.

Online estimation of room reverberation time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnam, Rama; Jones, Douglas L.; Wheeler, Bruce C.; Feng, Albert S.

2003-04-01

The reverberation time (RT) is an important parameter for characterizing the quality of an auditory space. Sounds in reverberant environments are subject to coloration. This affects speech intelligibility and sound localization. State-of-the-art signal processing algorithms for hearing aids are expected to have the ability to evaluate the characteristics of the listening environment and turn on an appropriate processing strategy accordingly. Thus, a method for the characterization of room RT based on passively received microphone signals represents an important enabling technology. Current RT estimators, such as Schroeder's method or regression, depend on a controlled sound source, and thus cannot produce an online, blind RT estimate. Here, we describe a method for estimating RT without prior knowledge of sound sources or room geometry. The diffusive tail of reverberation was modeled as an exponentially damped Gaussian white noise process. The time constant of the decay, which provided a measure of the RT, was estimated using a maximum-likelihood procedure. The estimates were obtained continuously, and an order-statistics filter was used to extract the most likely RT from the accumulated estimates. The procedure was illustrated for connected speech. Results obtained for simulated and real room data are in good agreement with the real RT values.

Use of operating room information system data to predict the impact of reducing turnover times on staffing costs.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Abouleish, Amr E; Epstein, Richard H; Whitten, Charles W; Lubarsky, David A

2003-10-01

Potential benefits to reducing turnover times are both quantitative (e.g., complete more cases and reduce staffing costs) and qualitative (e.g., improve professional satisfaction). Analyses have shown the quantitative arguments to be unsound except for reducing staffing costs. We describe a methodology by which each surgical suite can use its own numbers to calculate its individual potential reduction in staffing costs from reducing its turnover times. Calculations estimate optimal allocated operating room (OR) time (based on maximizing OR efficiency) before and after reducing the maximum and average turnover times. At four academic tertiary hospitals, reductions in average turnover times of 3 to 9 min would result in 0.8% to 1.8% reductions in staffing cost. Reductions in average turnover times of 10 to 19 min would result in 2.5% to 4.0% reductions in staffing costs. These reductions in staffing cost are achieved predominantly by reducing allocated OR time, not by reducing the hours that staff work late. Heads of anesthesiology groups often serve on OR committees that are fixated on turnover times. Rather than having to argue based on scientific studies, this methodology provides the ability to show the specific quantitative effects (small decreases in staffing costs and allocated OR time) of reducing turnover time using a surgical suite's own data. Many anesthesiologists work at hospitals where surgeons and/or operating room (OR) committees focus repeatedly on turnover time reduction. We developed a methodology by which the reductions in staffing cost as a result of turnover time reduction can be calculated for each facility using its own data. Staffing cost reductions are generally very small and would be achieved predominantly by reducing allocated OR time to the surgeons.

Virtual reality conditioned place preference using monetary reward

PubMed Central

Childs, Emma; Astur, Robert S.; de Wit, Harriet

2017-01-01

Computerized tasks based on conditioned place preference (CPP) methodology offer the opportunity to study learning mechanisms involved in conditioned reward in humans. In this study, we examined acquisition and extinction of a CPP for virtual environments associated with monetary reward ($). Healthy men and women (N=57) completed a computerized CPP task in which they controlled an avatar within a virtual environment. On day 1, subjects completed 6 conditioning trials in which one room was paired with high $ and another with low $. Acquisition of place conditioning was assessed by measuring the time spent in each room during an exploration test of the virtual environments and using self-reported ratings of room liking and preference. Twenty-four hours later, retention and extinction of CPP were assessed during 4 successive exploration tests of the virtual environments. Participants exhibited a place preference for (spent significantly more time in) the virtual room paired with high $ over the one paired with low $ (p=0.015). They also reported that they preferred the high $ room (p<0.001) and liked it significantly more than the low $ room (p<0.001). However, these preferences were short-lived: 24h later subjects did not exhibit a behavioral or subjective preference for the high $ room. These findings show that individuals exhibit transient behavioral and subjective preferences for a virtual environment paired with monetary reward. Variations on this task may be useful to study mechanisms and brain substrates involved in conditioned reward and to examine the influence of drugs upon appetitive conditioning. PMID:28108321

The research and application of green computer room environmental monitoring system based on internet of things technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wang; Chongchao, Pan; Yikai, Liang; Gang, Li

2017-11-01

With the rapid development of information technology, the scale of data center increases quickly, and the energy consumption of computer room also increases rapidly, among which, energy consumption of air conditioning cooling makes up a large proportion. How to apply new technology to reduce the energy consumption of the computer room becomes an important topic of energy saving in the current research. This paper study internet of things technology, and design a kind of green computer room environmental monitoring system. In the system, we can get the real-time environment data from the application of wireless sensor network technology, which will be showed in a creative way of three-dimensional effect. In the environment monitor, we can get the computer room assets view, temperature cloud view, humidity cloud view, microenvironment view and so on. Thus according to the condition of the microenvironment, we can adjust the air volume, temperature and humidity parameters of the air conditioning for the individual equipment cabinet to realize the precise air conditioning refrigeration. And this can reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning, as a result, the overall energy consumption of the green computer room will reduce greatly. At the same time, we apply this project in the computer center of Weihai, and after a year of test and running, we find that it took a good energy saving effect, which fully verified the effectiveness of this project on the energy conservation of the computer room.

Room temperature, air crystallized perovskite film for high performance solar cells

DOE PAGES

Dubey, Ashish; Kantack, Nicholas; Adhikari, Nirmal; ...

2016-05-31

For the first time, room temperature heating free growth and crystallization of perovskite films in ambient air without the use of thermal annealing is reported. Highly efficient perovskite nanorod-based solar cells were made using ITO/PEDOT:PSS/CH 3NH 3PbI 3 nanorods/PC 60BM/rhodamine/Ag. All the layers except PEDOT:PSS were processed at room temperature thereby eliminating the need for thermal treatment. Perovskite films were spin coated inside a N-2 filled glovebox and immediately were taken outside in air having 40% relative humidity (RH). Exposure to humid air was observed to promote the crystallization process in perovskite films even at room temperature. Perovskite films keptmore » for 5 hours in ambient air showed nanorod-like morphology having high crystallinity, with devices exhibiting the highest PCE of 16.83%, which is much higher than the PCE of 11.94% for traditional thermally annealed perovskite film based devices. Finally, it was concluded that moisture plays an important role in room temperature crystallization of pure perovskite nanorods, showing improved optical and charge transport properties, which resulted in high performance solar cells.« less

Exploring surface cleaning strategies in hospital to prevent contact transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Lei, Hao; Jones, Rachael M; Li, Yuguo

2017-01-18

Cleaning of environmental surfaces in hospitals is important for the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other hospital-acquired infections transmitted by the contact route. Guidance regarding the best approaches for cleaning, however, is limited. In this study, a mathematical model based on ordinary differential equations was constructed to study MRSA concentration dynamics on high-touch and low-touch surfaces, and on the hands and noses of two patients (in two hospitals rooms) and a health care worker in a hypothetical hospital environment. Two cleaning interventions - whole room cleaning and wipe cleaning of touched surfaces - were considered. The performance of the cleaning interventions was indicated by a reduction in MRSA on the nose of a susceptible patient, relative to no intervention. Whole room cleaning just before first patient care activities of the day was more effective than whole room cleaning at other times, but even with 100% efficiency, whole room cleaning only reduced the number of MRSA transmitted to the susceptible patient by 54%. Frequent wipe cleaning of touched surfaces was shown to be more effective that whole room cleaning because surfaces are rapidly re-contaminated with MRSA after cleaning. Wipe cleaning high-touch surfaces was more effective than wipe cleaning low-touch surfaces for the same frequency of cleaning. For low wipe cleaning frequency (≤3 times per hour), high-touch surfaces should be targeted, but for high wipe cleaning frequency (>3 times per hour), cleaning should target high- and low-touch surfaces in proportion to the surface touch frequency. This study reproduces the observations from a field study of room cleaning, which provides support for the validity of our findings. Daily whole room cleaning, even with 100% cleaning efficiency, provides limited reduction in the number of MRSA transmitted to susceptible patients via the contact route; and should be supplemented with frequent targeted cleaning of high-touch surfaces, such as by a wipe or cloth containing disinfectant.

Time-of-flight-assisted Kinect camera-based people detection for intuitive human robot cooperation in the surgical operating room.

PubMed

Beyl, Tim; Nicolai, Philip; Comparetti, Mirko D; Raczkowsky, Jörg; De Momi, Elena; Wörn, Heinz

2016-07-01

Scene supervision is a major tool to make medical robots safer and more intuitive. The paper shows an approach to efficiently use 3D cameras within the surgical operating room to enable for safe human robot interaction and action perception. Additionally the presented approach aims to make 3D camera-based scene supervision more reliable and accurate. A camera system composed of multiple Kinect and time-of-flight cameras has been designed, implemented and calibrated. Calibration and object detection as well as people tracking methods have been designed and evaluated. The camera system shows a good registration accuracy of 0.05 m. The tracking of humans is reliable and accurate and has been evaluated in an experimental setup using operating clothing. The robot detection shows an error of around 0.04 m. The robustness and accuracy of the approach allow for an integration into modern operating room. The data output can be used directly for situation and workflow detection as well as collision avoidance.

Factors determining the smooth flow and the non-operative time in a one-induction room to one-operating room setting

PubMed Central

Mulier, Jan P; De Boeck, Liesje; Meulders, Michel; Beliën, Jeroen; Colpaert, Jan; Sels, Annabel

2015-01-01

Rationale, aims and objectives What factors determine the use of an anaesthesia preparation room and shorten non-operative time? Methods A logistic regression is applied to 18 751 surgery records from AZ Sint-Jan Brugge AV, Belgium, where each operating room has its own anaesthesia preparation room. Surgeries, in which the patient's induction has already started when the preceding patient's surgery has ended, belong to a first group where the preparation room is used as an induction room. Surgeries not fulfilling this property belong to a second group. A logistic regression model tries to predict the probability that a surgery will be classified into a specific group. Non-operative time is calculated as the time between end of the previous surgery and incision of the next surgery. A log-linear regression of this non-operative time is performed. Results It was found that switches in surgeons, being a non-elective surgery as well as the previous surgery being non-elective, increase the probability of being classified into the second group. Only a few surgery types, anaesthesiologists and operating rooms can be found exclusively in one of the two groups. Analysis of variance demonstrates that the first group has significantly lower non-operative times. Switches in surgeons, anaesthesiologists and longer scheduled durations of the previous surgery increases the non-operative time. A switch in both surgeon and anaesthesiologist strengthens this negative effect. Only a few operating rooms and surgery types influence the non-operative time. Conclusion The use of the anaesthesia preparation room shortens the non-operative time and is determined by several human and structural factors. PMID:25496600

The effect of loudness on the reverberance of music: reverberance prediction using loudness models.

PubMed

Lee, Doheon; Cabrera, Densil; Martens, William L

2012-02-01

This study examines the auditory attribute that describes the perceived amount of reverberation, known as "reverberance." Listening experiments were performed using two signals commonly heard in auditoria: excerpts of orchestral music and western classical singing. Listeners adjusted the decay rate of room impulse responses prior to convolution with these signals, so as to match the reverberance of each stimulus to that of a reference stimulus. The analysis examines the hypothesis that reverberance is related to the loudness decay rate of the underlying room impulse response. This hypothesis is tested using computational models of time varying or dynamic loudness, from which parameters analogous to conventional reverberation parameters (early decay time and reverberation time) are derived. The results show that listening level significantly affects reverberance, and that the loudness-based parameters outperform related conventional parameters. Results support the proposed relationship between reverberance and the computationally predicted loudness decay function of sound in rooms. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Governing time in operating rooms.

PubMed

Riley, Robin; Manias, Elizabeth

2006-05-01

This paper examines how time is controlled and governed in operating rooms through interpersonal communication between nurses and doctors. Time is a valuable commodity in organizations with improvements often directed towards maximizing efficiencies. As a consequence, time can be a source of tension and interpersonal conflict as individuals compete for control of its use. The data in this paper emanate from an ethnographic study that explored a range of communication practices in operating room nursing. Participants comprised 11 operating room nurses. Data were collected over two years in three different institutional settings and involved participant observation, interviews and the keeping of a personal diary. A deconstructive analysis of the data was undertaken. Results are discussed in terms of the practices, in which clinicians are engaged in, to govern and control their use of time. The four practices presented in this paper include; questioning judgment and timing, controlling speed, estimating surgeons' use of time and coping with different perceptions of time. Time and speed were hotly contested by nurses. They used their personal knowledge of individual surgeon's habits of time to govern and control practice. Nurses thought about surgeons in terms of time and developed commonly accepted understandings about the length of surgical procedures. They used this knowledge to manage the scheduling of operations in the departments and to control the workflow in individual operating rooms. Knowledge of individual surgeons was a source of power for operating room nurses. Nurses have more power in the operating room than might be imagined but they exercise this power in subtle ways. If operating rooms are to work effectively, the operating room team must understand each others' work better.

The role of 'no-touch' automated room disinfection systems in infection prevention and control.

PubMed

Otter, J A; Yezli, S; Perl, T M; Barbut, F; French, G L

2013-01-01

Surface contamination in hospitals is involved in the transmission of pathogens in a proportion of healthcare-associated infections. Admission to a room previously occupied by a patient colonized or infected with certain nosocomial pathogens increases the risk of acquisition by subsequent occupants; thus, there is a need to improve terminal disinfection of these patient rooms. Conventional disinfection methods may be limited by reliance on the operator to ensure appropriate selection, formulation, distribution and contact time of the agent. These problems can be reduced by the use of 'no-touch' automated room disinfection (NTD) systems. To summarize published data related to NTD systems. Pubmed searches for relevant articles. A number of NTD systems have emerged, which remove or reduce reliance on the operator to ensure distribution, contact time and process repeatability, and aim to improve the level of disinfection and thus mitigate the increased risk from the prior room occupant. Available NTD systems include hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) vapour systems, aerosolized hydrogen peroxide (aHP) and ultraviolet radiation. These systems have important differences in their active agent, delivery mechanism, efficacy, process time and ease of use. Typically, there is a trade-off between time and effectiveness among NTD systems. The choice of NTD system should be influenced by the intended application, the evidence base for effectiveness, practicalities of implementation and cost constraints. NTD systems are gaining acceptance as a useful tool for infection prevention and control. Copyright © 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operating room metrics score card-creating a prototype for individualized feedback.

PubMed

Gabriel, Rodney A; Gimlich, Robert; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; Urman, Richard D

2014-11-01

The balance between reducing costs and inefficiencies with that of patient safety is a challenging problem faced in the operating room suite. An ongoing challenge is the creation of effective strategies that reduce these inefficiencies and provide real-time personalized metrics and electronic feedback to anesthesia practitioners. We created a sample report card structure, utilizing existing informatics systems. This system allows to gather and analyze operating room metrics for each anesthesia provider and offer personalized feedback. To accomplish this task, we identified key metrics that represented time and quality parameters. We collected these data for individual anesthesiologists and compared performance to the overall group average. Data were presented as an electronic score card and made available to individual clinicians on a real-time basis in an effort to provide effective feedback. These metrics included number of cancelled cases, average turnover time, average time to operating room ready and patient in room, number of delayed first case starts, average induction time, average extubation time, average time to recovery room arrival to discharge, performance feedback from other providers, compliance to various protocols, and total anesthetic costs. The concept we propose can easily be generalized to a variety of operating room settings, types of facilities and OR health care professionals. Such a scorecard can be created using content that is important for operating room efficiency, research, and practice improvement for anesthesia providers.

The nursing home as a home: a field study of residents' daily life in the common living rooms.

PubMed

Hauge, Solveig; Kristin, Heggen

2008-02-01

This Norwegian-based study investigates how and to what extent the idea of the nursing home as a home has been realized. For the last two decades, Norway, as other Western Country has had an explicit national policy that nursing homes should become more like homes. The research literature indicates that residents in nursing home seem to lack the opportunities to maintain a private sphere. A field study design was conducted. Data were collected in 1999 in two long-term units in a traditional nursing home by using participant observation and interviewing the residents. A phenomenological hermeneutic analysis strategy was used to get an impression of the residents' everyday life. The residents spend most of their time in the common living room. The common living room has an ambiguous boundary between the public and private spheres, unlike the clear boundaries characterizing a home. The relationship among the residents is fragile, and the residents who can, withdraw from the common living room. Despite having single rooms and more home-like interior decoration, the residents in nursing home still have reduced opportunity to develop a private everyday lifestyle. The long-term unit examined in this research had a forced relationship between the residents, and the residents with best health resources systematically withdraw from the common area to control both where and with whom they wish to spend their time. This study lays the foundation for rethinking daily routines in long-term units in nursing homes. One way to realize the idea of the nursing home as a home could be to define the living room as a clear public area and to give the residents a chance to develop a more private lifestyle by alternating between their private rooms and a public common living room.

Use of computer-assisted drug therapy outside the operating room.

PubMed

Singh, Preet Mohinder; Borle, Anuradha; Goudra, Basavana G

2016-08-01

The number of procedures performed in the out-of-operating room setting under sedation has increased many fold in recent years. Sedation techniques aim to achieve rapid patient turnover through the use of short-acting drugs with minimal residual side-effects (mainly propofol and opioids). Even for common procedures, the practice of sedation delivery varies widely among providers. Computer-based sedation models have the potential to assist sedation providers and offer a more consistent and safer sedation experience for patients. Target-controlled infusions using propofol and other short-acting opioids for sedation have shown promising results in terms of increasing patient safety and allowing for more rapid wake-up times. Target-controlled infusion systems with real-time patient monitoring can titrate drug doses automatically to maintain optimal depth of sedation. The best recent example of this is the propofol-based Sedasys sedation system. Sedasys redefined individualized sedation by the addition of an automated clinical parameter that monitors depth of sedation. However, because of poor adoption and cost issues, it has been recently withdrawn by the manufacturer. Present automated drug delivery systems can assist in the provision of sedation for out-of-operating room procedures but cannot substitute for anesthesia providers. Use of the available technology has the potential to improve patient outcomes, decrease provider workload, and have a long-term economic impact on anesthesia care delivery outside of the operating room.

Proposal for a room-temperature diamond maser

PubMed Central

Jin, Liang; Pfender, Matthias; Aslam, Nabeel; Neumann, Philipp; Yang, Sen; Wrachtrup, Jörg; Liu, Ren-Bao

2015-01-01

The application of masers is limited by its demanding working conditions (high vacuum or low temperature). A room-temperature solid-state maser is highly desirable, but the lifetimes of emitters (electron spins) in solids at room temperature are usually too short (∼ns) for population inversion. Masing from pentacene spins in p-terphenyl crystals, which have a long spin lifetime (∼0.1 ms), has been demonstrated. This maser, however, operates only in the pulsed mode. Here we propose a room-temperature maser based on nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond, which features the longest known solid-state spin lifetime (∼5 ms) at room temperature, high optical pumping efficiency (∼106 s−1) and material stability. Our numerical simulation demonstrates that a maser with a coherence time of approximately minutes is feasible under readily accessible conditions (cavity Q-factor ∼5 × 104, diamond size ∼3 × 3 × 0.5 mm3 and pump power <10 W). A room-temperature diamond maser may facilitate a broad range of microwave technologies. PMID:26394758

Airborne agent concentration analysis

DOEpatents

Gelbard, Fred

2004-02-03

A method and system for inferring airborne contaminant concentrations in rooms without contaminant sensors, based on data collected by contaminant sensors in other rooms of a building, using known airflow interconnectivity data. The method solves a least squares problem that minimizes the difference between measured and predicted contaminant sensor concentrations with respect to an unknown contaminant release time. Solutions are constrained to providing non-negative initial contaminant concentrations in all rooms. The method can be used to identify a near-optimal distribution of sensors within the building, when then number of available sensors is less than the total number of rooms. This is achieved by having a system-sensor matrix that is non-singular, and by selecting that distribution which yields the lowest condition number of all the distributions considered. The method can predict one or more contaminant initial release points from the collected data.

The Aircraft Simulation Role in Improving Flight Safety Through Control Room Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shy, Karla S.; Hageman, Jacob J.; Le, Jeanette H.; Sitz, Joel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center uses its six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) fixed-base simulations for mission control room training to improve flight safety and operations. This concept is applied to numerous flight projects such as the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), the F-15 Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS), the X-38 Actuator Control Test (XACT), and X-43A (Hyper-X). The Dryden 6-DOF simulations are typically used through various stages of a project, from design to ground tests. The roles of these simulations have expanded to support control room training, reinforcing flight safety by building control room staff proficiency. Real-time telemetry, radar, and video data are generated from flight vehicle simulation models. These data are used to drive the control room displays. Nominal static values are used to complete information where appropriate. Audio communication is also an integral part of training sessions. This simulation capability is used to train control room personnel and flight crew for nominal missions and emergency situations. Such training sessions are also opportunities to refine flight cards and control room display pages, exercise emergency procedures, and practice control room setup for the day of flight. This paper describes this technology as it is used in the X-43A and F-15 IFCS and XACT projects.

Using clinical simulation centers to test design interventions: a pilot study of lighting and color modifications.

PubMed

Gray, Whitney Austin; Kesten, Karen S; Hurst, Stephen; Day, Tama Duffy; Anderko, Laura

2012-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to test design interventions such as lighting, color, and spatial color patterning on nurses' stress, alertness, and satisfaction, and to provide an example of how clinical simulation centers can be used to conduct research. The application of evidence-based design research in healthcare settings requires a transdisciplinary approach. Integrating approaches from multiple fields in real-life settings often proves time consuming and experimentally difficult. However, forums for collaboration such as clinical simulation centers may offer a solution. In these settings, identical operating and patient rooms are used to deliver simulated patient care scenarios using automated mannequins. Two identical rooms were modified in the clinical simulation center. Nurses spent 30 minutes in each room performing simulated cardiac resuscitation. Subjective measures of nurses' stress, alertness, and satisfaction were collected and compared between settings and across time using matched-pair t-test analysis. Nurses reported feeling less stressed after exposure to the experimental room than nurses who were exposed to the control room (2.22, p = .03). Scores post-session indicated a significant reduction in stress and an increase in alertness after exposure to the experimental room as compared to the control room, with significance levels below .10. (Change in stress scores: 3.44, p = .069); (change in alertness scores: 3.6, p = .071). This study reinforces the use of validated survey tools to measure stress, alertness, and satisfaction. Results support human-centered design approaches by evaluating the effect on nurses in an experimental setting.

Virtual reality conditioned place preference using monetary reward.

PubMed

Childs, Emma; Astur, Robert S; de Wit, Harriet

2017-03-30

Computerized tasks based on conditioned place preference (CPP) methodology offer the opportunity to study learning mechanisms involved in conditioned reward in humans. In this study, we examined acquisition and extinction of a CPP for virtual environments associated with monetary reward ($). Healthy men and women (N=57) completed a computerized CPP task in which they controlled an avatar within a virtual environment. On day 1, subjects completed 6 conditioning trials in which one room was paired with high $ and another with low $. Acquisition of place conditioning was assessed by measuring the time spent in each room during an exploration test of the virtual environments and using self-reported ratings of room liking and preference. Twenty-four hours later, retention and extinction of CPP were assessed during 4 successive exploration tests of the virtual environments. Participants exhibited a place preference for (spent significantly more time in) the virtual room paired with high $ over the one paired with low $ (p=0.015). They also reported that they preferred the high $ room (p<0.001) and liked it significantly more than the low $ room (p<0.001). However, these preferences were short-lived: 24h later subjects did not exhibit a behavioral or subjective preference for the high $ room. These findings show that individuals exhibit transient behavioral and subjective preferences for a virtual environment paired with monetary reward. Variations on this task may be useful to study mechanisms and brain substrates involved in conditioned reward and to examine the influence of drugs upon appetitive conditioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of ultraviolet irradiation on the ultra-thin HfO{sub 2} based CO gas sensor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karaduman, Irmak; Barin, Özlem; Acar, Selim

2015-11-07

In this work, an effort has been made to fabricate ultrathin HfO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} sample by atomic layer deposition method for the fast detection of CO gas at room temperature. The effect of the operating temperature and the UV light on the gas sensing characteristics has been studied. We investigated the optimum operating temperature for the sample by sensing 25 ppm CO and CO{sub 2} gases from room temperature to 150 °C for 10 °C steps. The maximum response was obtained at 150 °C for both gases in the measurement temperature range. Also, the photoresponse measurements clearly show the effect of UV lightmore » on the sample. At room temperature, sensor showed superior response (14%) for 5 ppm CO gas. The response time of sensor is 6 s to 5 ppm CO gas concentration. The ultrathin HfO{sub 2} based sample shows acceptable gas sensitivity for 5 ppm CO gas at room temperature under UV light irradiation.« less

Estimating Time Physicians and Other Health Care Workers Spend with Patients in an Intensive Care Unit Using a Sensor Network.

PubMed

Butler, Rachel; Monsalve, Mauricio; Thomas, Geb W; Herman, Ted; Segre, Alberto M; Polgreen, Philip M; Suneja, Manish

2018-04-09

Time and motion studies have been used to investigate how much time various health care professionals spend with patients as opposed to performing other tasks. However, the majority of such studies are done in outpatient settings, and rely on surveys (which are subject to recall bias) or human observers (which are subject to observation bias). Our goal was to accurately measure the time physicians, nurses, and critical support staff in a medical intensive care unit spend in direct patient contact, using a novel method that does not rely on self-report or human observers. We used a network of stationary and wearable mote-based sensors to electronically record location and contacts among health care workers and patients under their care in a 20-bed intensive care unit for a 10-day period covering both day and night shifts. Location and contact data were used to classify the type of task being performed by health care workers. For physicians, 14.73% (17.96%) of their time in the unit during the day shift (night shift) was spent in patient rooms, compared with 40.63% (30.09%) spent in the physician work room; the remaining 44.64% (51.95%) of their time was spent elsewhere. For nurses, 32.97% (32.85%) of their time on unit was spent in patient rooms, with an additional 11.34% (11.79%) spent just outside patient rooms. They spent 11.58% (13.16%) of their time at the nurses' station and 23.89% (24.34%) elsewhere in the unit. From a patient's perspective, we found that care times, defined as time with at least one health care worker of a designated type in their intensive care unit room, were distributed as follows: 13.11% (9.90%) with physicians, 86.14% (88.15%) with nurses, and 8.14% (7.52%) with critical support staff (eg, respiratory therapists, pharmacists). Physicians, nurses, and critical support staff spend very little of their time in direct patient contact in an intensive care unit setting, similar to reported observations in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Not surprisingly, nurses spend far more time with patients than physicians. Additionally, physicians spend more than twice as much time in the physician work room (where electronic medical record review and documentation occurs) than the time they spend with all of their patients combined. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real behavior in virtual environments: psychology experiments in a simple virtual-reality paradigm using video games.

PubMed

Kozlov, Michail D; Johansen, Mark K

2010-12-01

The purpose of this research was to illustrate the broad usefulness of simple video-game-based virtual environments (VEs) for psychological research on real-world behavior. To this end, this research explored several high-level social phenomena in a simple, inexpensive computer-game environment: the reduced likelihood of helping under time pressure and the bystander effect, which is reduced helping in the presence of bystanders. In the first experiment, participants had to find the exit in a virtual labyrinth under either high or low time pressure. They encountered rooms with and without virtual bystanders, and in each room, a virtual person requested assistance. Participants helped significantly less frequently under time pressure but the presence/absence of a small number of bystanders did not significantly moderate helping. The second experiment increased the number of virtual bystanders, and participants were instructed to imagine that these were real people. Participants helped significantly less in rooms with large numbers of bystanders compared to rooms with no bystanders, thus demonstrating a bystander effect. These results indicate that even sophisticated high-level social behaviors can be observed and experimentally manipulated in simple VEs, thus implying the broad usefulness of this paradigm in psychological research as a good compromise between experimental control and ecological validity.

Association Between Barracks Type and Acute Respiratory Infection in a Gender Integrated Army Basic Combat Training Population

PubMed Central

White, Duvel W.; Feigley, Charles E.; McKeown, Robert E.; Hout, Joseph J.; Hebert, James R.

2015-01-01

Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the leading cause of acute morbidity and lost work time in the United States. Few studies have looked at building design and transmission of ARIs. Objectives This study explores the association of ventilation design, room occupancy numbers, and training week with ARI rates in Army Basic Combat Training barracks. Methods This observational study captured the overall incidence of ARI in a cohort of 16,258 individuals attending basic combat training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Results ARI risk was higher among trainees living in the 60-person room barracks compared with those living in 8-person rooms, which increased rapidly for the first few weeks of training and then declined to baseline. Conclusions Findings support direct contact as primary ARI transmission mode in this study population based on observed lower ARI risk in smaller room barracks and similar risk in large room barracks despite heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system variability. PMID:21882781

Stress profile influences learning approach in a marine fish

PubMed Central

Trompf, Larissa; Williamson, Jane E.; Brown, Culum

2017-01-01

The spatial learning skills of high and low stress juvenile mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) were tested in a dichotomous choice apparatus. Groups of fish were formed based on background blood cortisol levels and required to learn the location of a food reward hidden in one of two compartments. Low stress fish characterised by low background levels of the stress hormone cortisol had higher activity levels and entered both rewarded and unrewarded rooms frequently. Within the first week of exposure, however, their preference for the rewarded room increased, indicative of learning. Fish that had high background levels of cortisol, in contrast, showed low levels of activity but when they chose between the two rooms they chose the rewarded room most often but showed less improvement over time. After 12 days in the apparatus, both low and high stress fish had similar ratios of rewarded vs unrewarded room entrances. Our results suggest that proactive coping styles may increase exposure to novel contexts and thus favour faster learning but at the cost of reduced initial accuracy. PMID:28607840

TeamSTEPPS Improves Operating Room Efficiency and Patient Safety.

PubMed

Weld, Lancaster R; Stringer, Matthew T; Ebertowski, James S; Baumgartner, Timothy S; Kasprenski, Matthew C; Kelley, Jeremy C; Cho, Doug S; Tieva, Erwin A; Novak, Thomas E

2016-09-01

The objective was to evaluate the effect of TeamSTEPPS on operating room efficiency and patient safety. TeamSTEPPS consisted of briefings attended by all health care personnel assigned to the specific operating room to discuss issues unique to each case scheduled for that day. The operative times, on-time start rates, and turnover times of all cases performed by the urology service during the initial year with TeamSTEPPS were compared to the prior year. Patient safety issues identified during postoperative briefings were analyzed. The mean case time was 12.7 minutes less with TeamSTEPPS (P < .001). The on-time first-start rate improved by 21% with TeamSTEPPS (P < .001). The mean room turnover time did not change. Patient safety issues declined from an initial rate of 16% to 6% at midyear and remained stable (P < 0.001). TeamSTEPPS was associated with improved operating room efficiency and diminished patient safety issues in the operating room. © The Author(s) 2015.

Prospective Evaluation of Operating Room Inefficiency.

PubMed

Madni, Tarik D; Imran, Jonathan B; Clark, Audra T; Cunningham, Holly B; Taveras, Luis; Arnoldo, Brett D; Phelan, Herb A; Wolf, Steven E

2018-04-06

Previously, we identified that 60% of our facility's total operative time is nonoperative. We performed a review of our operating room to determine where inefficiencies exist in nonoperative time. Live video of operations performed in a burn operating room from 6/23/17 to 8/16/17 were prospectively reviewed. Preparation (end of induction to procedure start) and turnover (patient out of room to next patient in room) were divided into the following activities: 1) Preparation: remove dressing, position patient, clean patient, drape patient, and 2) Turnover: clean operating room, scrub tray set-up, anesthesia set-up. Ideal preparation time was calculated as the sum of time needed to perform preparation activities consecutively. Ideal turnover time was calculated as the sum of time needed to clean the operating room and to set up either the scrub tray or anesthesia (the larger of the two times as these can be done in parallel). We reviewed 101 consecutive operations. An average of 2.4±0.8 cases/day were performed. Ideal preparation and turnover time were 16.6 and 30.1 minutes, a 38.3% and 32.5% reduction compared to actual times. Attending surgeon presence in the operating room within 10 minutes of a patient's arrival was found to significantly decrease time to incision by 33% (52.7±14.3 minutes down to 35.7±20.4, p<0.0001). A reduction in preparation and turnover time could save $1.02 million and generate $1.76 million in additional revenue annually. Reducing preparation and turnover to ideal times could increase caseload to 4/day, leading to millions of dollars of savings annually.

Development, validation and testing of a nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist.

PubMed

Tsai, Hsiu-Hsin; Tsai, Yun-Fang

2018-01-01

To develop and test the feasibility of an instrument to support patients' nursing home to emergency room transfer. Transfers from a nursing home care facility to an acute care facility such as a hospital emergency room are common. However, the prevalence of an information gap for transferring residents' health data to acute care facility is high. An evidence-based transfer instrument, which could fill this gap, is lacking. Development of a nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist, validation of items using the Delphi method and testing the feasibility and benefits of using the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist. Items were developed based on qualitative data from previous research. Delphi validation, retrospective chart review (baseline data) and a 6-month prospective study design were applied to test the feasibility of using the checklist. Variables for testing the feasibility of the checklist included residents' 30-day readmission rate and length of hospital stay. Development of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist resulted in four main parts: (i) demographic data of the nursing home resident; (ii) critical data for nursing home to emergency room transfer; (iii) contact information and (iv) critical data for emergency room to nursing home transfer. Two rounds of Delphi validation resulted in a mean score (standard deviation) ranging from 4.39 (1.13)-4.98 (.15). Time required to complete the checklist was 3-5 min. Use of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist resulted in a 30-day readmission rate of 13.4%, which was lower than the baseline rate of 15.9%. The nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist was developed for transferring nursing home residents to an emergency room. The instrument was found to be an effective tool for this process. Use of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist for nursing home transfers could fill the information gap that exists when transferring older adults between facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

UV-light-assisted ethanol sensing characteristics of g-C3N4/ZnO composites at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Jiali; Wang, Tao; Wang, Chuang; Liu, Dechen

2018-05-01

A highly efficient UV-light-assisted room temperature sensor based on g-C3N4/ZnO composites were prepared by an in situ precipitation method. The thermostability, composition, structure, and morphology properties of the as-prepared g-C3N4/ZnO composites were characterized by TGA, XRD, FT-IR, TEM, and XPS, respectively. And then, we studied the ethanol (C2H5OH) sensing performance of the g-C3N4/ZnO composites at the room temperature. Compared with pure ZnO and g-C3N4, the gas sensing activity of g-C3N4/ZnO composites was greatly improved at room temperature, for example, the g-C3N4/ZnO-8% composites showed an obvious response of 121-40 ppm C2H5OH at room temperature, which was 60 times higher than the pure ZnO based on the sensors under the same condition. The great enhancement of the C2H5OH sensing properties of composites can be understood by the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers of g-C3N4/ZnO heterogeneous and the UV-light catalytic effect. Finally, a possible mechanism for the gas sensing activity was proposed.

Energy- and wave-based beam-tracing prediction of room-acoustical parameters using different boundary conditions.

PubMed

Yousefzadeh, Behrooz; Hodgson, Murray

2012-09-01

A beam-tracing model was used to study the acoustical responses of three empty, rectangular rooms with different boundary conditions. The model is wave-based (accounting for sound phase) and can be applied to rooms with extended-reaction surfaces that are made of multiple layers of solid, fluid, or poroelastic materials-the acoustical properties of these surfaces are calculated using Biot theory. Three room-acoustical parameters were studied in various room configurations: sound strength, reverberation time, and RApid Speech Transmission Index. The main objective was to investigate the effects of modeling surfaces as either local or extended reaction on predicted values of these three parameters. Moreover, the significance of modeling interference effects was investigated, including the study of sound phase-change on surface reflection. Modeling surfaces as of local or extended reaction was found to be significant for surfaces consisting of multiple layers, specifically when one of the layers is air. For multilayers of solid materials with an air-cavity, this was most significant around their mass-air-mass resonance frequencies. Accounting for interference effects made significant changes in the predicted values of all parameters. Modeling phase change on reflection, on the other hand, was found to be relatively much less significant.

Implications of Perioperative Team Setups for Operating Room Management Decisions.

PubMed

Doll, Dietrich; Kauf, Peter; Wieferich, Katharina; Schiffer, Ralf; Luedi, Markus M

2017-01-01

Team performance has been studied extensively in the perioperative setting, but the managerial impact of interprofessional team performance remains unclear. We hypothesized that the interplay between anesthesiologists and surgeons would affect operating room turnaround times, and teams that worked together over time would become more efficient. We analyzed 13,632 surgical cases at our hospital that involved 64 surgeons and 48 anesthesiologists. We detrended and adjusted the data for potential confounders including age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and surgical list (scheduled cases of specific surgical specialties). The surgical lists were categorized as ear, nose, and throat surgery; trauma surgery; general surgery; and gynecology. We assessed the relationship between turnaround times and assignment of different anesthesiologists to specific surgeons using a Monte Carlo simulation. We found significant differences in team performances among the different surgical lists but no team learning. We constructed managerial decision tables for the assignment of anesthesiologists to specific surgeons at our hospital. We defined a decision algorithm based on these tables. Our analysis indicated that had this algorithm been used in staffing the operating room for the surgical cases represented in our data, median turnaround times would have a reduction potential of 6.8% (95% confidence interval 6.3% to 7.1%). A surgeon is usually predefined for scheduled surgeries (surgical list). Allocation of the right anesthesiologist to a list and to a surgeon can affect the team performance; thus, this assignment has managerial implications regarding the operating room efficiency affecting turnaround times and thus potentially overutilized time of a list at our hospital.

A simulator-based nuclear reactor emergency response training exercise.

PubMed

Waller, Edward; Bereznai, George; Shaw, John; Chaput, Joseph; Lafortune, Jean-Francois

Training offsite emergency response personnel basic awareness of onsite control room operations during nuclear power plant emergency conditions was the primary objective of a week-long workshop conducted on a CANDU® virtual nuclear reactor simulator available at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada. The workshop was designed to examine both normal and abnormal reactor operating conditions, and to observe the conditions in the control room that may have impact on the subsequent offsite emergency response. The workshop was attended by participants from a number of countries encompassing diverse job functions related to nuclear emergency response. Objectives of the workshop were to provide opportunities for participants to act in the roles of control room personnel under different reactor operating scenarios, providing a unique experience for participants to interact with the simulator in real-time, and providing increased awareness of control room operations during accident conditions. The ability to "pause" the simulator during exercises allowed the instructors to evaluate and critique the performance of participants, and to provide context with respect to potential offsite emergency actions. Feedback from the participants highlighted (i) advantages of observing and participating "hands-on" with operational exercises, (ii) their general unfamiliarity with control room operational procedures and arrangements prior to the workshop, (iii) awareness of the vast quantity of detailed control room procedures for both normal and transient conditions, and (iv) appreciation of the increased workload for the operators in the control room during a transient from normal operations. Based upon participant feedback, it was determined that the objectives of the training had been met, and that future workshops should be conducted.

In China, Students in Crowded Dormitories with a Low Ventilation Rate Have More Common Colds: Evidence for Airborne Transmission

PubMed Central

Sun, Yuexia; Wang, Zhigang; Zhang, Yufeng; Sundell, Jan

2011-01-01

Objective To test whether the incidence of common colds among college students in China is associated with ventilation rates and crowdedness in dormitories. Methods In Phase I of the study, a cross-sectional study, 3712 students living in 1569 dorm rooms in 13 buildings responded to a questionnaire about incidence and duration of common colds in the previous 12 months. In Phase II, air temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration were measured for 24 hours in 238 dorm rooms in 13 buildings, during both summer and winter. Out-to indoor air flow rates at night were calculated based on measured CO2 concentrations. Results In Phase I, 10% of college students reported an incidence of more than 6 common colds in the previous 12 months, and 15% reported that each infection usually lasted for more than 2 weeks. Students in 6-person dorm rooms were about 2 times as likely to have an incidence of common colds ≥6 times per year and a duration ≥2 weeks, compared to students in 3-person rooms. In Phase II, 90% of the measured dorm rooms had an out-to indoor air flow rate less than the Chinese standard of 8.3 L/s per person during the heating season. There was a dose-response relationship between out-to indoor air flow rate per person in dorm rooms and the proportion of occupants with annual common cold infections ≥6 times. A mean ventilation rate of 5 L/(s•person) in dorm buildings was associated with 5% of self reported common cold ≥6 times, compared to 35% at 1 L/(s•person). Conclusion Crowded dormitories with low out-to indoor airflow rates are associated with more respiratory infections among college students. PMID:22110607

Human strategies for solving a time-place learning task: the role of counting and following verbal cues.

PubMed

García-Gallardo, Daniel; Aguilar, Francisco; Armenta, Benjamín; Carpio, Claudio

2015-04-01

Two experiments were conducted to assess the emergence of time-place learning in humans. In experiment 1, a computer based software was designed in which participants had to choose to enter one of four rooms in an abandoned house search for a zombie every 3-15s. Zombies could be found in only one of these rooms every trial in 3 min periods during the 12 min sessions. After 4 training sessions, participants were exposed to a probe session in which zombies could be found in any room on every trial. Almost all participants behaved as if they were timing the availability intervals: they anticipated the changes in the location of the zombie and they persisted in their performance patterns during the probe session; however, verbal reports revealed that they were counting the number of trials in each period in order to decide when to switch between rooms. In the second experiment, the task was modified in two ways: counting was made harder by using three different intertrial ranges within each session: 2-6s, 2-11s and 2-16s. Second, labels were displaced during the final session to assess whether participants learned to click on a given place or to follow a set of verbal cues. We found that participants did not notice the label changes suggesting that they learned to click on a given place, and that a win/stay-lose/shift strategy was clearly used to decide when to switch rooms in the second experiment. The implications of verbal behavior when assessing time-place learning with humans and the possible differences in this process between humans and animals are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-driven activity-based costing to identify opportunities for cost reduction in pediatric appendectomy.

PubMed

Yu, Yangyang R; Abbas, Paulette I; Smith, Carolyn M; Carberry, Kathleen E; Ren, Hui; Patel, Binita; Nuchtern, Jed G; Lopez, Monica E

2016-12-01

As reimbursement programs shift to value-based payment models emphasizing quality and efficient healthcare delivery, there exists a need to better understand process management to unearth true costs of patient care. We sought to identify cost-reduction opportunities in simple appendicitis management by applying a time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) methodology to this high-volume surgical condition. Process maps were created using medical record time stamps. Labor capacity cost rates were calculated using national median physician salaries, weighted nurse-patient ratios, and hospital cost data. Consumable costs for supplies, pharmacy, laboratory, and food were derived from the hospital general ledger. Time-driven activity-based costing resulted in precise per-minute calculation of personnel costs. Highest costs were in the operating room ($747.07), hospital floor ($388.20), and emergency department ($296.21). Major contributors to length of stay were emergency department evaluation (270min), operating room availability (395min), and post-operative monitoring (1128min). The TDABC model led to $1712.16 in personnel costs and $1041.23 in consumable costs for a total appendicitis cost of $2753.39. Inefficiencies in healthcare delivery can be identified through TDABC. Triage-based standing delegation orders, advanced practice providers, and same day discharge protocols are proposed cost-reducing interventions to optimize value-based care for simple appendicitis. II. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Architectural acoustics in residences for adults with mental retardation and its relation to perceived homelikeness.

PubMed

Egli, M; Roper, T; Feurer, I; Thompson, T

1999-01-01

Previous investigators examined how architectural features of residences for adults with mental retardation contributed to the visual appearance of homelikeness. Acoustical characteristics of 18 residences for people with mental retardation were examined here. As part of a concurrent study, college undergraduates rated photographs of rooms in each house for their apparent homelikeness. Reverberation times in living and dining rooms were negatively correlated with mean homelikeness ratings. The less homelike rooms had reverberation times that may interfere with speech perception for some people and that were comparable with those found in larger public rooms (e.g., lecture halls). The larger reverberation times in these rooms were the result of insufficient sound absorption by these rooms' furnishings.

An assessment of the quality indicators of operative and non-operative times in a public university hospital.

PubMed

Costa, Altair da Silva; Leão, Luiz Eduardo Villaça; Novais, Maykon Anderson Pires de; Zucchi, Paola

2015-01-01

To assess the operative time indicators in a public university hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using data from operating room database. The sample was obtained from January 2011 to January 2012. The operations performed in sequence in the same operating room, between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, elective or emergency, were included. The procedures with incomplete data in the system were excluded, as well as the operations performed after 5:00 pm or on weekends or holidays. We measured the operative and non-operative time of 8,420 operations. The operative time (mean and standard deviation) of anesthesias and operations were 177.6 ± 110 and 129.8 ± 97.1 minutes, respectively. The total time of the patient in operative room (mean and standard deviation) was 196.8 ± 113.2. The non-operative time, e.g., between the arrival of the patient and the onset of anesthesia was 14.3 ± 17.3 minutes. The time to set the next patient in operating room was 119.8 ± 79.6 minutes. Our total non-operative time was 155 minutes. Delays frequently occurred in our operating room and had a major effect on patient flow and resource utilization. The non-operative time was longer than the operative time. It is possible to increase the operating room capacity by management and training of the professionals involved. The indicators provided a tool to improve operating room efficiency.

Assessment of operative times of multiple surgical specialties in a public university hospital.

PubMed

Costa, Altair da Silva

2017-01-01

To evaluate the indicators duration of anesthesia, operative time and time patients stay in the operating rooms of different surgical specialties at a public university hospital. It was done by a descriptive cross-sectional study based on the operating room database. The following stages were measured: duration of anesthesia, procedure time and patient length of stay in the room of the various specialties. We included surgeries carried out in sequence in the same room, between 7:00 a.m. and 5 p.m., either elective or emergency. We calculated the 80th percentile of the stages, where 80% of procedures were below this value. The study measured 8,337 operations of 12 surgical specialties performed within one year. The overall mean duration of anesthesia of all specialties was 178.12±110.46 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 252 minutes. The mean operative time was 130.45±97.23 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 195 minutes. The mean total time of the patient in the operating room was 197.30±113.71 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 285 minutes. Thus, the variation of the overall mean compared to the 80th percentile was 41% for anesthesia, 49% for surgeries and 44% for operating room time. In average, anesthesia took up 88% of the operating room period, and surgery, 61%. This study identified patterns in the duration of surgery stages. The mean values of the specialties can assist with operating room planning and reduce delays. Avaliar os indicadores de tempo da anestesia, da operação e da permanência do paciente em sala de diversas especialidades do centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário. Foi realizado em estudo descritivo transversal a partir da base de dados do centro cirúrgico e mensuradas as seguintes etapas: duração de anestesia, tempo do procedimento e tempo de permanência do paciente em sala das diversas especialidades. Foram incluídas as operações realizadas em sequência na mesma sala, das 7h às 17h, eletivas ou de urgências. Realizamos o calculo do percentil 80 da duração das etapas, onde 80% dos procedimentos ficaram abaixo deste valor obtido. O estudo incluiu 8.337 operações realizadas no período de 1 ano de 12 especialidades cirúrgicas. A média geral da duração da anestesia de todas as especialidades foi de 178,12±110,46 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 252 minutos. A média do tempo operatório foi 130,45±97,23 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 195 minutos. A média do tempo total do paciente em sala operatória foi de 197,30±113,71 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 285 minutos. A variação da média geral em relação ao percentil 80 foi de 41% na anestesia, 49% nas operações e 44% no tempo de sala. Na média geral, a anestesia ocupou 88% do tempo de sala e a operação, 61%. Este estudo identificou padrões nas durações das etapas das operações. A informação das médias históricas das especialidades pode auxiliar no planejamento do centro cirúrgico e diminuir os atrasos.

Complementing Operating Room Teaching With Video-Based Coaching.

PubMed

Hu, Yue-Yung; Mazer, Laura M; Yule, Steven J; Arriaga, Alexander F; Greenberg, Caprice C; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Gawande, Atul A; Smink, Douglas S

2017-04-01

Surgical expertise demands technical and nontechnical skills. Traditionally, surgical trainees acquired these skills in the operating room; however, operative time for residents has decreased with duty hour restrictions. As in other professions, video analysis may help maximize the learning experience. To develop and evaluate a postoperative video-based coaching intervention for residents. In this mixed methods analysis, 10 senior (postgraduate year 4 and 5) residents were videorecorded operating with an attending surgeon at an academic tertiary care hospital. Each video formed the basis of a 1-hour one-on-one coaching session conducted by the operative attending; although a coaching framework was provided, participants determined the specific content collaboratively. Teaching points were identified in the operating room and the video-based coaching sessions; iterative inductive coding, followed by thematic analysis, was performed. Teaching points made in the operating room were compared with those in the video-based coaching sessions with respect to initiator, content, and teaching technique, adjusting for time. Among 10 cases, surgeons made more teaching points per unit time (63.0 vs 102.7 per hour) while coaching. Teaching in the video-based coaching sessions was more resident centered; attendings were more inquisitive about residents' learning needs (3.30 vs 0.28, P = .04), and residents took more initiative to direct their education (27% [198 of 729 teaching points] vs 17% [331 of 1977 teaching points], P < .001). Surgeons also more frequently validated residents' experiences (8.40 vs 1.81, P < .01), and they tended to ask more questions to promote critical thinking (9.30 vs 3.32, P = .07) and set more learning goals (2.90 vs 0.28, P = .11). More complex topics, including intraoperative decision making (mean, 9.70 vs 2.77 instances per hour, P = .03) and failure to progress (mean, 1.20 vs 0.13 instances per hour, P = .04) were addressed, and they were more thoroughly developed and explored. Excerpts of dialogue are presented to illustrate these findings. Video-based coaching is a novel and feasible modality for supplementing intraoperative learning. Objective evaluation demonstrates that video-based coaching may be particularly useful for teaching higher-level concepts, such as decision making, and for individualizing instruction and feedback to each resident.

Time-driven Activity-based Costing More Accurately Reflects Costs in Arthroplasty Surgery.

PubMed

Akhavan, Sina; Ward, Lorrayne; Bozic, Kevin J

2016-01-01

Cost estimates derived from traditional hospital cost accounting systems have inherent limitations that restrict their usefulness for measuring process and quality improvement. Newer approaches such as time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) may offer more precise estimates of true cost, but to our knowledge, the differences between this TDABC and more traditional approaches have not been explored systematically in arthroplasty surgery. The purposes of this study were to compare the costs associated with (1) primary total hip arthroplasty (THA); (2) primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA); and (3) three surgeons performing these total joint arthroplasties (TJAs) as measured using TDABC versus traditional hospital accounting (TA). Process maps were developed for each phase of care (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) for patients undergoing primary TJA performed by one of three surgeons at a tertiary care medical center. Personnel costs for each phase of care were measured using TDABC based on fully loaded labor rates, including physician compensation. Costs associated with consumables (including implants) were calculated based on direct purchase price. Total costs for 677 primary TJAs were aggregated over 17 months (January 2012 to May 2013) and organized into cost categories (room and board, implant, operating room services, drugs, supplies, other services). Costs derived using TDABC, based on actual time and intensity of resources used, were compared with costs derived using TA techniques based on activity-based costing and indirect costs calculated as a percentage of direct costs from the hospital decision support system. Substantial differences between cost estimates using TDABC and TA were found for primary THA (USD 12,982 TDABC versus USD 23,915 TA), primary TKA (USD 13,661 TDABC versus USD 24,796 TA), and individually across all three surgeons for both (THA: TDABC = 49%-55% of TA total cost; TKA: TDABC = 53%-55% of TA total cost). Cost categories with the most variability between TA and TDABC estimates were operating room services and room and board. Traditional hospital cost accounting systems overestimate the costs associated with many surgical procedures, including primary TJA. TDABC provides a more accurate measure of true resource use associated with TJAs and can be used to identify high-cost/high-variability processes that can be targeted for process/quality improvement. Level III, therapeutic study.

Psychomotor performance measured in a virtual environment correlates with technical skills in the operating room.

PubMed

Kundhal, Pavi S; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2009-03-01

This study was conducted to validate the role of virtual reality computer simulation as an objective method for assessing laparoscopic technical skills. The authors aimed to investigate whether performance in the operating room, assessed using a modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS), correlated with the performance parameters registered by a virtual reality laparoscopic trainer (LapSim). The study enrolled 10 surgical residents (3 females) with a median of 5.5 years (range, 2-6 years) since graduation who had similar limited experience in laparoscopic surgery (median, 5; range, 1-16 laparoscopic cholecystectomies). All the participants performed three repetitions of seven basic skills tasks on the LapSim laparoscopic trainer and one laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the operating room. The operating room procedure was video recorded and blindly assessed by two independent observers using a modified OSATS rating scale. Assessment in the operating room was based on three parameters: time used, error score, and economy of motion score. During the tasks on the LapSim, time, error (tissue damage and millimeters of tissue damage [tasks 2-6], error score [incomplete target areas, badly placed clips, and dropped clips [task 7]), and economy of movement parameters (path length and angular path) were registered. The correlation between time, economy, and error parameters during the simulated tasks and the operating room procedure was statistically assessed using Spearman's test. Significant correlations were demonstrated between the time used to complete the operating room procedure and time used for task 7 (r (s) = 0.74; p = 0.015). The error score demonstrated during the laparoscopic cholecystectomy correlated well with the tissue damage in three of the seven tasks (p < 0.05), the millimeters of tissue damage during two of the tasks, and the error score in task 7 (r (s) = 0.67; p = 0.034). Furthermore, statistically significant correlations were observed between the economy of motion score from the operative procedure and LapSim's economy parameters (path length and angular path in six of the tasks) (p < 0.05). The current study demonstrated significant correlations between operative performance in the operating room (assessed using a well-validated rating scale) and psychomotor performance in virtual environment assessed by a computer simulator. This provides strong evidence for the validity of the simulator system as an objective tool for assessing laparoscopic skills. Virtual reality simulation can be used in practice to assess technical skills relevant for minimally invasive surgery.

Isotropic Elastic Stress Induced Large Temperature Range Liquid Crystal Blue Phase at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Manna, Suman K; Dupont, Laurent; Li, Guoqiang

2016-08-11

A thermodynamically stable blue phase (BP) based on the conventional rod like nematogen is demonstrated for the first time at room temperature by only diluting a chiral-nematic mixture with the help of some nonmesogenic isotropic liquid. It is observed that addition of this isotropic liquid does not only stabilize the BPs at room temperature, but also significantly improves the temperature range (reversible during heating and cooling) of the BPs to the level of more than 28 °C. Apart from that, we have observed its microsecond electro-optic response time and, external electric field induced wavelength tuning, which are the two indispensable requirements for next generation optical devices, photonic displays, lasers, and many more. Here we propose that the isotropic liquid plays two crucial roles simultaneously. On one hand, it reduces the effective elastic moduli (EEM) of the BP mixtures and stabilizes the BPs at room temperature, and on the other hand, it increases the symmetry of the mutual orientation ordering among the neighboring unit cells of the BP. Hence, the resultant mixture becomes better resistive to some microscopic change due to the change in temperature, even over a large range.

The SmartOR: a distributed sensor network to improve operating room efficiency.

PubMed

Huang, Albert Y; Joerger, Guillaume; Fikfak, Vid; Salmon, Remi; Dunkin, Brian J; Bass, Barbara L; Garbey, Marc

2017-09-01

Despite the significant expense of OR time, best practice achieves only 70% efficiency. Compounding this problem is a lack of real-time data. Most current OR utilization programs require manual data entry. Automated systems require installation and maintenance of expensive tracking hardware throughout the institution. This study developed an inexpensive, automated OR utilization system and analyzed data from multiple operating rooms. OR activity was deconstructed into four room states. A sensor network was then developed to automatically capture these states using only three sensors, a local wireless network, and a data capture computer. Two systems were then installed into two ORs, recordings captured 24/7. The SmartOR recorded the following events: any room activity, patient entry/exit time, anesthesia time, laparoscopy time, room turnover time, and time of preoperative patient identification by the surgeon. From November 2014 to December 2015, data on 1003 cases were collected. The mean turnover time was 36 min, and 38% of cases met the institutional goal of ≤30 min. Data analysis also identified outlier cases (>1 SD from mean) in the domains of time from patient entry into the OR to intubation (11% of cases) and time from extubation to patient exiting the OR (11% of cases). Time from surgeon identification of patient to scheduled procedure start time was 11 min (institution bylaws require 20 min before scheduled start time), yet OR teams required 22 min on average to bring a patient into the room after surgeon identification. The SmartOR automatically and reliably captures data on OR room state and, in real time, identifies outlier cases that may be examined closer to improve efficiency. As no manual entry is required, the data are indisputable and allow OR teams to maintain a patient-centric focus.

Equation-based languages – A new paradigm for building energy modeling, simulation and optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wetter, Michael; Bonvini, Marco; Nouidui, Thierry S.

Most of the state-of-the-art building simulation programs implement models in imperative programming languages. This complicates modeling and excludes the use of certain efficient methods for simulation and optimization. In contrast, equation-based modeling languages declare relations among variables, thereby allowing the use of computer algebra to enable much simpler schematic modeling and to generate efficient code for simulation and optimization. We contrast the two approaches in this paper. We explain how such manipulations support new use cases. In the first of two examples, we couple models of the electrical grid, multiple buildings, HVAC systems and controllers to test a controller thatmore » adjusts building room temperatures and PV inverter reactive power to maintain power quality. In the second example, we contrast the computing time for solving an optimal control problem for a room-level model predictive controller with and without symbolic manipulations. As a result, exploiting the equation-based language led to 2, 200 times faster solution« less

Impact of patient-centered medical home assignment on emergency room visits among uninsured patients in a county health system.

PubMed

Roby, Dylan H; Pourat, Nadereh; Pirritano, Matthew J; Vrungos, Shelley M; Dajee, Himmet; Castillo, Dan; Kominski, Gerald F

2010-08-01

The Medical Services Initiative program--a safety net-based system of care--in Orange County included assignment of uninsured, low-income residents to a patient-centered medical home. The medical home provided case management, a team-based approach for treating disease, and increased access to primary and specialty care among other elements of a patient-centered medical home. Providers were paid an enhanced fee and pay-for-performance incentives to ensure delivery of comprehensive treatment. Medical Services Initiative enrollees who were assigned to a medical home for longer time periods were less likely to have any emergency room (ER) visits or multiple ER visits. Switching medical homes three or more times was associated with enrollees being more likely to have any ER visits or multiple ER visits. The findings provide evidence that successful implementation of the patient-centered medical home model in a county-based safety net system is possible and can reduce unnecessary ER use.

Equation-based languages – A new paradigm for building energy modeling, simulation and optimization

DOE PAGES

Wetter, Michael; Bonvini, Marco; Nouidui, Thierry S.

2016-04-01

Most of the state-of-the-art building simulation programs implement models in imperative programming languages. This complicates modeling and excludes the use of certain efficient methods for simulation and optimization. In contrast, equation-based modeling languages declare relations among variables, thereby allowing the use of computer algebra to enable much simpler schematic modeling and to generate efficient code for simulation and optimization. We contrast the two approaches in this paper. We explain how such manipulations support new use cases. In the first of two examples, we couple models of the electrical grid, multiple buildings, HVAC systems and controllers to test a controller thatmore » adjusts building room temperatures and PV inverter reactive power to maintain power quality. In the second example, we contrast the computing time for solving an optimal control problem for a room-level model predictive controller with and without symbolic manipulations. As a result, exploiting the equation-based language led to 2, 200 times faster solution« less

Operating room scheduling using hybrid clustering priority rule and genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoso, Linda Wahyuni; Sinawan, Aisyah Ashrinawati; Wijaya, Andi Rahadiyan; Sudiarso, Andi; Masruroh, Nur Aini; Herliansyah, Muhammad Kusumawan

2017-11-01

Operating room is a bottleneck resource in most hospitals so that operating room scheduling system will influence the whole performance of the hospitals. This research develops a mathematical model of operating room scheduling for elective patients which considers patient priority with limit number of surgeons, operating rooms, and nurse team. Clustering analysis was conducted to the data of surgery durations using hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods. The priority rule of each resulting cluster was determined using Shortest Processing Time method. Genetic Algorithm was used to generate daily operating room schedule which resulted in the lowest values of patient waiting time and nurse overtime. The computational results show that this proposed model reduced patient waiting time by approximately 32.22% and nurse overtime by approximately 32.74% when compared to actual schedule.

Improving Patients Experience in Peadiatric Emergency Waiting Room.

PubMed

Ehrler, Frederic; Siebert, Johan; Wipfli, Rolf; Duret, Cyrille; Gervaix, Alain; Lovis, Christian

2016-01-01

When visiting the emergency department, the perception of the time spent in the waiting room before the beginning of the care, may influence patients' experience. Based on models of service evaluation, highlighting the importance of informing people about their waiting process and their place in the queue, we have developed an innovative information screen aiming at improving perception of time by patients. Following an iterative process, a group of experts including computer scientists, ergonomists and caregivers designed a solution adapted to the pediatric context. The solution includes a screen displaying five lanes representing triage levels. Patients are represented by individual avatars, drawn sequentially in the appropriate line. The interface has been designed using gamification principle, aiming at increasing acceptance, lowering learning curve and improving satisfaction. Questionnaire based evaluation results revealed high satisfaction from the 278 respondents even if the informative content was not always completely clear.

An assessment of the quality indicators of operative and non-operative times in a public university hospital

PubMed Central

Costa, Altair da Silva; Leão, Luiz Eduardo Villaça; de Novais, Maykon Anderson Pires; Zucchi, Paola

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the operative time indicators in a public university hospital. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using data from operating room database. The sample was obtained from January 2011 to January 2012. The operations performed in sequence in the same operating room, between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, elective or emergency, were included. The procedures with incomplete data in the system were excluded, as well as the operations performed after 5:00 pm or on weekends or holidays. Results We measured the operative and non-operative time of 8,420 operations. The operative time (mean and standard deviation) of anesthesias and operations were 177.6±110 and 129.8±97.1 minutes, respectively. The total time of the patient in operative room (mean and standard deviation) was 196.8±113.2. The non-operative time, e.g., between the arrival of the patient and the onset of anesthesia was 14.3±17.3 minutes. The time to set the next patient in operating room was 119.8±79.6 minutes. Our total non-operative time was 155 minutes. Conclusion Delays frequently occurred in our operating room and had a major effect on patient flow and resource utilization. The non-operative time was longer than the operative time. It is possible to increase the operating room capacity by management and training of the professionals involved. The indicators provided a tool to improve operating room efficiency. PMID:26761557

Pre-analytical stability of the plasma proteomes based on the storage temperature

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background This study examined the effect of storage temperature on the protein profile of human plasma. Plasma samples were stored for 13 days at -80°C, -20°C, +4°C and room temperature (20-25°C) prior to proteomic analysis. The proteomic comparisons were based on the differences of mean intensity values of protein spots between fresh plasma samples (named “time zero”) and plasma samples stored at different temperatures. To better understand the thermally induced biochemical changes that may affect plasma proteins during storage we identified proteins with different expressions with respect to the time zero sample. Results Using two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF MS and /or LC-MS/MS 20 protein spots representing 10 proteins were identified with significant differences in abundance when stored at different temperatures. Our results, in agreement with various authors, indicate that during storage for a short period (13 days) at four different temperatures plasma proteins were more affected by degradation processes at +4°C compared to the other temperatures analysed. However, we founded that numerous protein spots (vitamin D binding protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin, serotransferrin, apoplipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein E, haptoglobin and complement factor B) decrease in abundance with increasing temperature up to 4°C, but at room temperature their intensity mean values are similar to those of time zero and -80°C. We hypothesize that these proteins are labile at 4°C, but at the same time they are stable at room temperature (20-25°C). Furthermore we have grouped the proteins based on their different sensitivity to the storage temperature. Spots of serum albumin, fibrinogen gamma chain and haptoglobin are more resistant to the higher temperatures tested, as they have undergone changes in abundance only at room temperature; conversely, other spots of serum albumin, fibrinogen beta chain and serotransferrin are more labile as they have undergone changes in abundance at all temperatures except at -80°C. Conclusions Although there are many studies concerning protein stability of clinical samples during storage these findings may help to provide a better understanding of the changes of proteins induced by storage temperature. PMID:23518135

Use of Lean methodology to improve operating room efficiency in hospitals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Hassanain, Mazen; Zamakhshary, Mohammed; Farhat, Ghada; Al-Badr, Ahmed

2017-04-01

The objective of this study was to assess whether an intervention on process efficiency using the Lean methodology leads to improved utilization of the operating room (OR), as measured by key performance metrics of OR efficiency. A quasi-experimental design was used to test the impact of the intervention by comparing pre-intervention and post-intervention data on five key performance indicators. The ORs of 12 hospitals were selected across regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The participants were patients treated at these hospitals during the study period. The intervention comprised the following: (i) creation of visual dashboards that enable starting the first case on time; (ii) use of computerized surgical list management; (iii) optimization of time allocation; (iv) development of an operating model with policies and procedures for the pre-anesthesia clinic; and (iv) creation of a governance structure with policies and procedures for day surgeries. The following were the main outcome measures: on-time start for the first case, room turnover times, percent of overrun cases, average weekly procedure volume and OR utilization. The hospital exhibited statistically significant improvements in the following performance metrics: on-time start for the first case, room turnover times and percent of overrun cases. A statistically significant difference in OR utilization or average weekly procedure volumes was not detected. The implementation of a Lean-based intervention targeting process efficiency applied in ORs across various KSA hospitals resulted in encouraging results on some metrics at some sites, suggesting that the approach has the potential to produce significant benefit in the future. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abundance and diversity of microbial inhabitants in European spacecraft-associated clean rooms.

PubMed

Stieglmeier, Michaela; Rettberg, Petra; Barczyk, Simon; Bohmeier, Maria; Pukall, Rüdiger; Wirth, Reinhard; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine

2012-06-01

The determination of the microbial load of a spacecraft en route to interesting extraterrestrial environments is mandatory and currently based on the culturable, heat-shock-surviving portion of microbial contaminants. Our study compared these classical bioburden measurements as required by NASA's and ESA's guidelines for the microbial examination of flight hardware, with molecular analysis methods (16S rRNA gene cloning and quantitative PCR) to further develop our understanding of the diversity and abundance of the microbial communities of spacecraft-associated clean rooms. Three samplings of the Herschel Space Observatory and its surrounding clean rooms were performed in two different European facilities. Molecular analyses detected a broad diversity of microbes typically found in the human microbiome with three bacterial genera (Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, and Brevundimonas) common to all three locations. Bioburden measurements revealed a low, but heterogeneous, abundance of spore-forming and other heat-resistant microorganisms. Total cell numbers estimated by quantitative real-time PCR were typically 3 orders of magnitude greater than those determined by viable counts, which indicates a tendency for traditional methods to underestimate the extent of clean room bioburden. Furthermore, the molecular methods allowed the detection of a much broader diversity than traditional culture-based methods.

Scheduling elective surgeries: the tradeoff among bed capacity, waiting patients and operating room utilization using goal programming.

PubMed

Li, Xiangyong; Rafaliya, N; Baki, M Fazle; Chaouch, Ben A

2017-03-01

Scheduling of surgeries in the operating rooms under limited competing resources such as surgical and nursing staff, anesthesiologist, medical equipment, and recovery beds in surgical wards is a complicated process. A well-designed schedule should be concerned with the welfare of the entire system by allocating the available resources in an efficient and effective manner. In this paper, we develop an integer linear programming model in a manner useful for multiple goals for optimally scheduling elective surgeries based on the availability of surgeons and operating rooms over a time horizon. In particular, the model is concerned with the minimization of the following important goals: (1) the anticipated number of patients waiting for service; (2) the underutilization of operating room time; (3) the maximum expected number of patients in the recovery unit; and (4) the expected range (the difference between maximum and minimum expected number) of patients in the recovery unit. We develop two goal programming (GP) models: lexicographic GP model and weighted GP model. The lexicographic GP model schedules operating rooms when various preemptive priority levels are given to these four goals. A numerical study is conducted to illustrate the optimal master-surgery schedule obtained from the models. The numerical results demonstrate that when the available number of surgeons and operating rooms is known without error over the planning horizon, the proposed models can produce good schedules and priority levels and preference weights of four goals affect the resulting schedules. The results quantify the tradeoffs that must take place as the preemptive-weights of the four goals are changed.

Operating room fires in periocular surgery.

PubMed

Connor, Michael A; Menke, Anne M; Vrcek, Ivan; Shore, John W

2018-06-01

A survey of ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeons as well as seven-year data regarding claims made to the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC) is used to discuss operating room fires in periocular surgery. A retrospective review of all closed claim operating room fires submitted to OMIC was performed. A survey soliciting personal experiences with operating room fires was distributed to all American Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. Over the last 2 decades, OMIC managed 7 lawsuits resulting from an operating room fire during periocular surgery. The mean settlement per lawsuit was $145,285 (range $10,000-474,994). All six patients suffered burns to the face, and three required admission to a burn unit. One hundred and sixty-eight surgeons participated in the online survey. Approximately 44% of survey respondents have experienced at least one operating room fire. Supplemental oxygen was administered in 88% of these cases. Most surgical fires reported occurred in a hospital-based operating room (59%) under monitored anesthesia care (79%). Monopolar cautery (41%) and thermal, high-temperature cautery (41%) were most commonly reported as the inciting agents. Almost half of the patients involved in a surgical fire experienced a complication from the fire (48%). Sixty-nine percent of hospital operating rooms and 66% of ambulatory surgery centers maintain an operating room fire prevention policy. An intraoperative fire can be costly for both the patient and the surgeon. Ophthalmic surgeons operate in an oxygen rich and therefore flammable environment. Proactive measures can be undertaken to reduce the incidence of surgical fires periocular surgery; however, a fire can occur at any time and the entire operating room team must be constantly vigilant to prevent and manage operating room fires.

Planning for operating room efficiency and faster anesthesia wake-up time in open major upper abdominal surgery.

PubMed

Lai, Hou-Chuan; Chan, Shun-Ming; Lu, Chueng-He; Wong, Chih-Shung; Cherng, Chen-Hwan; Wu, Zhi-Fu

2017-02-01

Reducing anesthesia-controlled time (ACT) may improve operation room (OR) efficiency result from different anesthetic techniques. However, the information about the difference in ACT between desflurane (DES) anesthesia and propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) techniques for open major upper abdominal surgery under general anesthesia (GA) is not available in the literature.This retrospective study uses our hospital database to analyze the ACT of open major upper abdominal surgery without liver resection after either desflurane/fentanyl-based anesthesia or TIVA via target-controlled infusion with fentanyl/propofol from January 2010 to December 2011. The various time intervals including waiting for anesthesia time, anesthesia time, surgical time, extubation time, exit from OR after extubation, total OR time, and postanesthetic care unit (PACU) stay time and percentage of prolonged extubation (≥15 minutes) were compared between these 2 anesthetic techniques.We included data from 343 patients, with 159 patients receiving TIVA and 184 patients receiving DES. The only significant difference is extubation time, TIVA was faster than the DES group (8.5 ± 3.8 vs 9.4 ± 3.7 minutes; P = 0.04). The factors contributed to prolonged extubation were age, gender, body mass index, DES anesthesia, and anesthesia time.In our hospital, propofol-based TIVA by target-controlled infusion provides faster emergence compared with DES anesthesia; however, it did not improve OR efficiency in open major abdominal surgery. Older, male gender, higher body mass index, DES anesthesia, and lengthy anesthesia time were factors that contribute to extubation time.

A Sugar-Derived Room-Temperature Sodium Sulfur Battery with Long Term Cycling Stability.

PubMed

Carter, Rachel; Oakes, Landon; Douglas, Anna; Muralidharan, Nitin; Cohn, Adam P; Pint, Cary L

2017-03-08

We demonstrate a room-temperature sodium sulfur battery based on a confining microporous carbon template derived from sucrose that delivers a reversible capacity over 700 mAh/g S at 0.1C rates, maintaining 370 mAh/g S at 10 times higher rates of 1C. Cycling at 1C rates reveals retention of over 300 mAh/g S capacity across 1500 cycles with Coulombic efficiency >98% due to microporous sulfur confinement and stability of the sodium metal anode in a glyme-based electrolyte. We show sucrose to be an ideal platform to develop microporous carbon capable of mitigating electrode-electrolyte reactivity and loss of soluble intermediate discharge products. In a manner parallel to the low-cost materials of the traditional sodium beta battery, our work demonstrates the combination of table sugar, sulfur, and sodium, all of which are cheap and earth abundant, for a high-performance stable room-temperature sodium sulfur battery.

Effect of ambient light on the time needed to complete a fetal biophysical profile: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Said, Heather M; Gupta, Shweta; Vricella, Laura K; Wand, Katy; Nguyen, Thinh; Gross, Gilad

2017-10-01

The objective of this study is to determine whether ambient light serves as a fetal stimulus to decrease the amount of time needed to complete a biophysical profile. This is a randomized controlled trial of singleton gestations undergoing a biophysical profile. Patients were randomized to either ambient light or a darkened room. The primary outcome was the time needed to complete the biophysical profile. Secondary outcomes included total and individual component biophysical profile scores and scores less than 8. A subgroup analysis of different maternal body mass indices was also performed. 357 biophysical profile studies were analyzed. 182 studies were performed with ambient light and 175 were performed in a darkened room. There was no difference in the median time needed to complete the biophysical profile based on exposure to ambient light (6.1min in darkened room versus 6.6min with ambient light; P=0.73). No difference was found in total or individual component biophysical profile scores. Subgroup analysis by maternal body mass index did not demonstrate shorter study times with ambient light exposure in women who were normal weight, overweight or obese. Ambient light exposure did not decrease the time needed to complete the biophysical profile. There was no evidence that ambient light altered fetal behavior observed during the biophysical profile. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indoor Modelling from Slam-Based Laser Scanner: Door Detection to Envelope Reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Vilariño, L.; Verbree, E.; Zlatanova, S.; Diakité, A.

2017-09-01

Updated and detailed indoor models are being increasingly demanded for various applications such as emergency management or navigational assistance. The consolidation of new portable and mobile acquisition systems has led to a higher availability of 3D point cloud data from indoors. In this work, we explore the combined use of point clouds and trajectories from SLAM-based laser scanner to automate the reconstruction of building indoors. The methodology starts by door detection, since doors represent transitions from one indoor space to other, which constitutes an initial approach about the global configuration of the point cloud into building rooms. For this purpose, the trajectory is used to create a vertical point cloud profile in which doors are detected as local minimum of vertical distances. As point cloud and trajectory are related by time stamp, this feature is used to subdivide the point cloud into subspaces according to the location of the doors. The correspondence between subspaces and building rooms is not unambiguous. One subspace always corresponds to one room, but one room is not necessarily depicted by just one subspace, for example, in case of a room containing several doors and in which the acquisition is performed in a discontinue way. The labelling problem is formulated as combinatorial approach solved as a minimum energy optimization. Once the point cloud is subdivided into building rooms, envelop (conformed by walls, ceilings and floors) is reconstructed for each space. The connectivity between spaces is included by adding the previously detected doors to the reconstructed model. The methodology is tested in a real case study.

Evaluation of optimum room entry times for radiation therapists after high energy whole pelvic photon treatments.

PubMed

Ho, Lavine; White, Peter; Chan, Edward; Chan, Kim; Ng, Janet; Tam, Timothy

2012-01-01

Linear accelerators operating at or above 10 MV produce neutrons by photonuclear reactions and induce activation in machine components, which are a source of potential exposure for radiation therapists. This study estimated gamma dose contributions to radiation therapists during high energy, whole pelvic, photon beam treatments and determined the optimum room entry times, in terms of safety of radiation therapists. Two types of technique (anterior-posterior opposing and 3-field technique) were studied. An Elekta Precise treatment system, operating up to 18 MV, was investigated. Measurements with an area monitoring device (a Mini 900R radiation monitor) were performed, to calculate gamma dose rates around the radiotherapy facility. Measurements inside the treatment room were performed when the linear accelerator was in use. The doses received by radiation therapists were estimated, and optimum room entry times were determined. The highest gamma dose rates were approximately 7 μSv/h inside the treatment room, while the doses in the control room were close to background (~0 μSv/h) for all techniques. The highest personal dose received by radiation therapists was estimated at 5 mSv/yr. To optimize protection, radiation therapists should wait for up to11 min after beam-off prior to room entry. The potential risks to radiation therapists with standard safety procedures were well below internationally recommended values, but risks could be further decreased by delaying room entry times. Dependent on the technique used, optimum entry times ranged between 7 to 11 min. A balance between moderate treatment times versus reduction in measured equivalent doses should be considered.

"Go Be a Writer": Intra-Activity with Materials, Time and Space in Literacy Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuby, Candace R.; Rucker, Tara Gutshall; Kirchhofer, Jessica M.

2015-01-01

This article is based on research in a United States second-grade classroom during a multimodal literacy workshop. Observing students working with tissue paper, foam board, string, pipe cleaners and other materials, we asked how is intra-activity with materials, time and space influencing literacy learning in Room 203? While the research…

Expanding potential of radiofrequency nurse call systems to measure nursing time in patient rooms.

PubMed

Fahey, Linda; Dunn Lopez, Karen; Storfjell, Judith; Keenan, Gail

2013-05-01

The objective of this study was to determine the utility and feasibility of using data from a nurse call system equipped with radiofrequency identification data (RFID) to measure nursing time spent in patient rooms. Increasing the amount of time nurses spend with hospitalized patients has become a focus after several studies demonstrating that nurses spend most of their time in nondirect care activities rather than delivering patient care. Measurement of nursing time spent in direct care often involves labor-intensive time and motion studies, making frequent or continuous monitoring impractical. Mixed methods were used for this descriptive study. We used 30 days of data from an RFID nurse call system collected on 1 unit in a community hospital to examine nurses time spent in patient rooms. Descriptive statistics were applied to calculate this percentage by role and shift. Data technologists were surveyed to assess how practical the access of data would be in a hospital setting for use in monitoring nursing time spent in patient rooms. The system captured 7393 staff hours. Of that time, 7% did not reflect actual patient care time, so these were eliminated from further analysis. The remaining 6880 hours represented 91% of expected worked time. RNs and nursing assistants spent 33% to 36% of their time in patient rooms, presumably providing direct care. Radiofrequency identification data technology was found to provide feasible and accurate means for capturing and evaluating nursing time spent in patient rooms. Depending on the outcomes per unit, leaders should work with staff to maximize patient care time.

Vision-based overlay of a virtual object into real scene for designing room interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harasaki, Shunsuke; Saito, Hideo

2001-10-01

In this paper, we introduce a geometric registration method for augmented reality (AR) and an application system, interior simulator, in which a virtual (CG) object can be overlaid into a real world space. Interior simulator is developed as an example of an AR application of the proposed method. Using interior simulator, users can visually simulate the location of virtual furniture and articles in the living room so that they can easily design the living room interior without placing real furniture and articles, by viewing from many different locations and orientations in real-time. In our system, two base images of a real world space are captured from two different views for defining a projective coordinate of object 3D space. Then each projective view of a virtual object in the base images are registered interactively. After such coordinate determination, an image sequence of a real world space is captured by hand-held camera with tracking non-metric measured feature points for overlaying a virtual object. Virtual objects can be overlaid onto the image sequence by taking each relationship between the images. With the proposed system, 3D position tracking device, such as magnetic trackers, are not required for the overlay of virtual objects. Experimental results demonstrate that 3D virtual furniture can be overlaid into an image sequence of the scene of a living room nearly at video rate (20 frames per second).

Experience using radio frequency laptops to access the electronic medical record in exam rooms.

PubMed Central

Dworkin, L. A.; Krall, M.; Chin, H.; Robertson, N.; Harris, J.; Hughes, J.

1999-01-01

Kaiser Permanente, Northwest, evaluated the use of laptop computers to access our existing comprehensive Electronic Medical Record in exam rooms via a wireless radiofrequency (RF) network. Eleven of 22 clinicians who were offered the laptops successfully adopted their use in the exam room. These clinicians were able to increase their exam room time with the patient by almost 4 minutes (25%), apparently without lengthening their overall work day. Patient response to exam room computing was overwhelmingly positive. The RF network response time was similar to the hardwired network. Problems cited by some laptop users and many of the eleven non-adopters included battery issues, different equipment layout and function, and inadequate training. IT support needs for the RF laptops were two to four times greater than for hardwired desktops. Addressing the reliability and training issues should increase clinician acceptance, making a successful general roll-out for exam room computing more likely. PMID:10566458

Special ISO Class 6 Cleanroom for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthews, Richard A.; Matthews, Scott A.

2008-01-01

The parameters and restrictions for a horizontal flow ISO Class 6 Clean room to support the assembly of the new LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) were unusual. The project time line was critical. A novel Clean room design was developed and built within the time restraints. This paper describes the design criteria, timing, successful performance, and future benefits of this unique Clean room project.

A procedure for rapid issue of red cells for emergency use.

PubMed

Weiskopf, Richard B; Webb, Mary; Stangle, Deena; Klinbergs, Gunter; Toy, Pearl

2005-04-01

A College of American Pathologists Q-Probe revealed that the median turnaround times for emergency requests for red blood cells from the operating room were 30 minutes to release of cells from the blood bank and 34 minutes to delivery to the operating room. These times may not be adequate to permit the red cells to provide sufficiently rapid delivery of oxygen in massively bleeding patients. To improve the time from emergency request for red cells to delivery to the operating room. A new emergency issue program was implemented for only the operating rooms; emergency issue to all other hospital locations remained unchanged. Six units of group O Rh-negative red blood cells (RBCs) are maintained in the blood bank in a separate basket with transfusion forms containing the unit numbers and expiration dates and a bag with one blood tubing segment from each unit. The times to issue and to delivery to the operating room suite were compared with time to issue of 2 group O Rh-negative RBCs for other hospital locations using the older system during the same time period and with the time to issue of 2 units to all other hospital locations during the preceding 2 years. A university hospital. Time between emergency request for red cells and delivery to the operating room. The time between blood bank notification and arrival in the operating room of the 6 units of RBCs was significantly shorter than the time required to just issue (not including delivery time) 2 units of RBCs to other hospital locations. With the new procedure, 82% of units issued reached the operating room within 2 minutes of request, 91% arrived within 3 minutes, and 100% arrived within 4 minutes. These percentages are significantly higher than those for only issue of blood (without delivery) using the older issuing procedure for all hospital locations during the previous 2 years (37%, 49%, and 66%, respectively; P = .007, .009, and .02, respectively) and for other locations during the same 7-month period (29%, 46%, and 73%, respectively; P = .004, .01, and .09, respectively). Time (mean [95% confidence interval]) from blood bank notification to delivery of RBCs to the operating room suite (2.1 [1.6-2.6] minutes, of which approximately 50-60 seconds is attributable to delivery time) was less than issue times (not including delivery times) using the older issuing procedure for other hospital locations during the same period (4.1 [3.1-5.0] minutes; P = .007). An emergency issue procedure can be used to issue several units of RBCs within 1 minute and have them delivered to the operating room within 2 minutes while maintaining sufficient controls and providing required information to satisfy patient and blood bank requirements.

Containment testing of isolation rooms.

PubMed

Rydock, J P; Eian, P K

2004-07-01

Results from the tracer containment testing of four 'state-of-the-art' airborne infection isolation rooms, in a new hospital, are presented. A testing technician exited an isolation room several minutes after a small quantity of tracer gas was injected over the patient bed in that room. Easily measurable tracer gas concentrations were then found in the anterooms outside the patient rooms and corridor outside the isolation room suites. Containment factors for the isolation rooms and dilution factors in the anterooms and corridor were calculated, based on the measured tracer concentrations. These results indicate the desirability of evidence-based design standards and guidelines for assessing performance of airborne infection isolation rooms. The study also demonstrates that the tracer testing procedure yields comparable results for equivalent isolation room suites, suggesting good reproducibility of the testing method.

Effects of sugammadex on incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade: a randomized, controlled study.

PubMed

Brueckmann, B; Sasaki, N; Grobara, P; Li, M K; Woo, T; de Bie, J; Maktabi, M; Lee, J; Kwo, J; Pino, R; Sabouri, A S; McGovern, F; Staehr-Rye, A K; Eikermann, M

2015-11-01

This study aimed to investigate whether reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex reduced the incidence of residual blockade and facilitated operating room discharge readiness. Adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery received rocuronium, followed by randomized allocation to sugammadex (2 or 4 mg kg(-1)) or usual care (neostigmine/glycopyrrolate, dosing per usual care practice) for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Timing of reversal agent administration was based on the providers' clinical judgement. Primary endpoint was the presence of residual neuromuscular blockade at PACU admission, defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio <0.9, using TOF-Watch® SX. Key secondary endpoint was time between reversal agent administration and operating room discharge-readiness; analysed with analysis of covariance. Of 154 patients randomized, 150 had a TOF value measured at PACU entry. Zero out of 74 sugammadex patients and 33 out of 76 (43.4%) usual care patients had TOF-Watch SX-assessed residual neuromuscular blockade at PACU admission (odds ratio 0.0, 95% CI [0-0.06], P<0.0001). Of these 33 usual care patients, 2 also had clinical evidence of partial paralysis. Time between reversal agent administration and operating room discharge-readiness was shorter for sugammadex vs usual care (14.7 vs. 18.6 min respectively; P=0.02). After abdominal surgery, sugammadex reversal eliminated residual neuromuscular blockade in the PACU, and shortened the time from start of study medication administration to the time the patient was ready for discharge from the operating room. Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT01479764. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Speech-on-speech masking in a front-back dimension and analysis of binaural parameters in rooms using MLS methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aaronson, Neil L.

This dissertation deals with questions important to the problem of human sound source localization in rooms, starting with perceptual studies and moving on to physical measurements made in rooms. In Chapter 1, a perceptual study is performed relevant to a specific phenomenon the effect of speech reflections occurring in the front-back dimension and the ability of humans to segregate that from unreflected speech. Distracters were presented from the same source as the target speech, a loudspeaker directly in front of the listener, and also from a loudspeaker directly behind the listener, delayed relative to the front loudspeaker. Steps were taken to minimize the contributions of binaural difference cues. For all delays within +/-32 ms, a release from informational masking of about 2 dB occurred. This suggested that human listeners are able to segregate speech sources based on spatial cues, even with minimal binaural cues. In moving on to physical measurements in rooms, a method was sought for simultaneous measurement of room characteristics such as impulse response (IR) and reverberation time (RT60), and binaural parameters such as interaural time difference (ITD), interaural level difference (ILD), and the interaural cross-correlation function and coherence. Chapter 2 involves investigations into the usefulness of maximum length sequences (MLS) for these purposes. Comparisons to random telegraph noise (RTN) show that MLS performs better in the measurement of stationary and room transfer functions, IR, and RT60 by an order of magnitude in RMS percent error, even after Wiener filtering and exponential time-domain filtering have improved the accuracy of RTN measurements. Measurements were taken in real rooms in an effort to understand how the reverberant characteristics of rooms affect binaural parameters important to sound source localization. Chapter 3 deals with interaural coherence, a parameter important for localization and perception of auditory source width. MLS were used to measure waveform and envelope coherences in two rooms for various source distances and 0° azimuth through a head-and-torso simulator (KEMAR). A relationship is sought that relates these two types of coherence, since envelope coherence, while an important quantity, is generally less accessible than waveform coherence. A power law relationship is shown to exist between the two that works well within and across bands, for any source distance, and is robust to reverberant conditions of the room. Measurements of ITD, ILD, and coherence in rooms give insight into the way rooms affect these parameters, and in turn, the ability of listeners to localize sounds in rooms. Such measurements, along with room properties, are made and analyzed using MLS methods in Chapter 4. It was found that the pinnae cause incoherence for sound sources incident between 30° and 90°. In human listeners, this does not seem to adversely affect performance in lateralization experiments. The cause of poor coherence in rooms was studied as part of Chapter 4 as well. It was found that rooms affect coherence by introducing variance into the ITD spectra within the bands in which it is measured. A mathematical model to predict the interaural coherence within a band given the standard deviation of the ITD spectrum and the center frequency of the band gives an exponential relationship. This is found to work well in predicting measured coherence given ITD spectrum variance. The pinnae seem to affect the ITD spectrum in a similar way at incident sound angles for which coherence is poor in an anechoic environment.

Blind estimation of reverberation time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnam, Rama; Jones, Douglas L.; Wheeler, Bruce C.; O'Brien, William D.; Lansing, Charissa R.; Feng, Albert S.

2003-11-01

The reverberation time (RT) is an important parameter for characterizing the quality of an auditory space. Sounds in reverberant environments are subject to coloration. This affects speech intelligibility and sound localization. Many state-of-the-art audio signal processing algorithms, for example in hearing-aids and telephony, are expected to have the ability to characterize the listening environment, and turn on an appropriate processing strategy accordingly. Thus, a method for characterization of room RT based on passively received microphone signals represents an important enabling technology. Current RT estimators, such as Schroeder's method, depend on a controlled sound source, and thus cannot produce an online, blind RT estimate. Here, a method for estimating RT without prior knowledge of sound sources or room geometry is presented. The diffusive tail of reverberation was modeled as an exponentially damped Gaussian white noise process. The time-constant of the decay, which provided a measure of the RT, was estimated using a maximum-likelihood procedure. The estimates were obtained continuously, and an order-statistics filter was used to extract the most likely RT from the accumulated estimates. The procedure was illustrated for connected speech. Results obtained for simulated and real room data are in good agreement with the real RT values.

Noise in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and its effect on high risk newborns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasky, Robert E.; Williams, Amber L.; van Drongelen, Wim; Gray, Lincoln C.

2005-09-01

We conducted sound surveys in a large state of the art NICU with six separate rooms devoted to the sickest babies requiring the most intensive care (Level III) and six rooms devoted to babies requiring special but less intensive care (Level II). Each room was capable of caring for up to 8 babies. Additionally, there were 8 individual Isolation rooms. We used Larson Davis Spark squflg 703+ dosimeters to record 21 week long sound surveys, seven in each type of room. The American Academy of Pediatrics (1997) has recommended that sound levels in NICUs should never exceed 45 dB(A). That recommendation was exceeded 73.6% of the time in Level II, 92.1% of the time in Isolation, and 96.6% of the time in Level III. Sound levels were lowest in the Level II rooms especially for the softest sounds recorded (L90 and L70). Level III rooms were noisiest except for the noisiest decile of sound (L10). Isolation rooms were noisiest at the highest sound levels (probably because of their reverberant construction materials and enclosed space). Autocorrelation functions were calculated identifying periodic components in all three rooms at about 12 and 24 hrs. Periodic variations were very small compared to random sound variations.

Development of real-time motion verification system using in-room optical images for respiratory-gated radiotherapy.

PubMed

Park, Yang-Kyun; Son, Tae-geun; Kim, Hwiyoung; Lee, Jaegi; Sung, Wonmo; Kim, Il Han; Lee, Kunwoo; Bang, Young-bong; Ye, Sung-Joon

2013-09-06

Phase-based respiratory-gated radiotherapy relies on the reproducibility of patient breathing during the treatment. To monitor the positional reproducibility of patient breathing against a 4D CT simulation, we developed a real-time motion verification system (RMVS) using an optical tracking technology. The system in the treatment room was integrated with a real-time position management system. To test the system, an anthropomorphic phantom that was mounted on a motion platform moved on a programmed breathing pattern and then underwent a 4D CT simulation with RPM. The phase-resolved anterior surface lines were extracted from the 4D CT data to constitute 4D reference lines. In the treatment room, three infrared reflective markers were attached on the superior, middle, and inferior parts of the phantom along with the body midline and then RMVS could track those markers using an optical camera system. The real-time phase information extracted from RPM was delivered to RMVS via in-house network software. Thus, the real-time anterior-posterior positions of the markers were simultaneously compared with the 4D reference lines. The technical feasibility of RMVS was evaluated by repeating the above procedure under several scenarios such as ideal case (with identical motion parameters between simulation and treatment), cycle change, baseline shift, displacement change, and breathing type changes (abdominal or chest breathing). The system capability for operating under irregular breathing was also investigated using real patient data. The evaluation results showed that RMVS has a competence to detect phase-matching errors between patient's motion during the treatment and 4D CT simulation. Thus, we concluded that RMVS could be used as an online quality assurance tool for phase-based gating treatments.

Characterization of the fecal microbiota using high-throughput sequencing reveals a stable microbial community during storage.

PubMed

Carroll, Ian M; Ringel-Kulka, Tamar; Siddle, Jennica P; Klaenhammer, Todd R; Ringel, Yehuda

2012-01-01

The handling and treatment of biological samples is critical when characterizing the composition of the intestinal microbiota between different ecological niches or diseases. Specifically, exposure of fecal samples to room temperature or long term storage in deep freezing conditions may alter the composition of the microbiota. Thus, we stored fecal samples at room temperature and monitored the stability of the microbiota over twenty four hours. We also investigated the stability of the microbiota in fecal samples during a six month storage period at -80°C. As the stability of the fecal microbiota may be affected by intestinal disease, we analyzed two healthy controls and two patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We used high-throughput pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the microbiota in fecal samples stored at room temperature or -80°C at six and seven time points, respectively. The composition of microbial communities in IBS patients and healthy controls were determined and compared using the Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) pipeline. The composition of the microbiota in fecal samples stored for different lengths of time at room temperature or -80°C clustered strongly based on the host each sample originated from. Our data demonstrates that fecal samples exposed to room or deep freezing temperatures for up to twenty four hours and six months, respectively, exhibit a microbial composition and diversity that shares more identity with its host of origin than any other sample.

Conductive shield for ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging: Theory and measurements of eddy currents.

PubMed

Zevenhoven, Koos C J; Busch, Sarah; Hatridge, Michael; Oisjöen, Fredrik; Ilmoniemi, Risto J; Clarke, John

2014-03-14

Eddy currents induced by applied magnetic-field pulses have been a common issue in ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging. In particular, a relatively large prepolarizing field-applied before each signal acquisition sequence to increase the signal-induces currents in the walls of the surrounding conductive shielded room. The magnetic-field transient generated by the eddy currents may cause severe image distortions and signal loss, especially with the large prepolarizing coils designed for in vivo imaging. We derive a theory of eddy currents in thin conducting structures and enclosures to provide intuitive understanding and efficient computations. We present detailed measurements of the eddy-current patterns and their time evolution in a previous-generation shielded room. The analysis led to the design and construction of a new shielded room with symmetrically placed 1.6-mm-thick aluminum sheets that were weakly coupled electrically. The currents flowing around the entire room were heavily damped, resulting in a decay time constant of about 6 ms for both the measured and computed field transients. The measured eddy-current vector maps were in excellent agreement with predictions based on the theory, suggesting that both the experimental methods and the theory were successful and could be applied to a wide variety of thin conducting structures.

A Well-Mixed Computational Model for Estimating Room Air Levels of Selected Constituents from E-Vapor Product Use.

PubMed

Rostami, Ali A; Pithawalla, Yezdi B; Liu, Jianmin; Oldham, Michael J; Wagner, Karl A; Frost-Pineda, Kimberly; Sarkar, Mohamadi A

2016-08-16

Concerns have been raised in the literature for the potential of secondhand exposure from e-vapor product (EVP) use. It would be difficult to experimentally determine the impact of various factors on secondhand exposure including, but not limited to, room characteristics (indoor space size, ventilation rate), device specifications (aerosol mass delivery, e-liquid composition), and use behavior (number of users and usage frequency). Therefore, a well-mixed computational model was developed to estimate the indoor levels of constituents from EVPs under a variety of conditions. The model is based on physical and thermodynamic interactions between aerosol, vapor, and air, similar to indoor air models referred to by the Environmental Protection Agency. The model results agree well with measured indoor air levels of nicotine from two sources: smoking machine-generated aerosol and aerosol exhaled from EVP use. Sensitivity analysis indicated that increasing air exchange rate reduces room air level of constituents, as more material is carried away. The effect of the amount of aerosol released into the space due to variability in exhalation was also evaluated. The model can estimate the room air level of constituents as a function of time, which may be used to assess the level of non-user exposure over time.

Conductive shield for ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging: Theory and measurements of eddy currents

PubMed Central

Zevenhoven, Koos C. J.; Busch, Sarah; Hatridge, Michael; Öisjöen, Fredrik; Ilmoniemi, Risto J.; Clarke, John

2014-01-01

Eddy currents induced by applied magnetic-field pulses have been a common issue in ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging. In particular, a relatively large prepolarizing field—applied before each signal acquisition sequence to increase the signal—induces currents in the walls of the surrounding conductive shielded room. The magnetic-field transient generated by the eddy currents may cause severe image distortions and signal loss, especially with the large prepolarizing coils designed for in vivo imaging. We derive a theory of eddy currents in thin conducting structures and enclosures to provide intuitive understanding and efficient computations. We present detailed measurements of the eddy-current patterns and their time evolution in a previous-generation shielded room. The analysis led to the design and construction of a new shielded room with symmetrically placed 1.6-mm-thick aluminum sheets that were weakly coupled electrically. The currents flowing around the entire room were heavily damped, resulting in a decay time constant of about 6 ms for both the measured and computed field transients. The measured eddy-current vector maps were in excellent agreement with predictions based on the theory, suggesting that both the experimental methods and the theory were successful and could be applied to a wide variety of thin conducting structures. PMID:24753629

Effectiveness of a Batteryless and Wireless Wearable Sensor System for Identifying Bed and Chair Exits in Healthy Older People

PubMed Central

Shinmoto Torres, Roberto Luis; Visvanathan, Renuka; Hoskins, Stephen; van den Hengel, Anton; Ranasinghe, Damith C.

2016-01-01

Aging populations are increasing worldwide and strategies to minimize the impact of falls on older people need to be examined. Falls in hospitals are common and current hospital technological implementations use localized sensors on beds and chairs to alert caregivers of unsupervised patient ambulations; however, such systems have high false alarm rates. We investigate the recognition of bed and chair exits in real-time using a wireless wearable sensor worn by healthy older volunteers. Fourteen healthy older participants joined in supervised trials. They wore a batteryless, lightweight and wireless sensor over their attire and performed a set of broadly scripted activities. We developed a movement monitoring approach for the recognition of bed and chair exits based on a machine learning activity predictor. We investigated the effectiveness of our approach in generating bed and chair exit alerts in two possible clinical deployments (Room 1 and Room 2). The system obtained recall results above 93% (Room 2) and 94% (Room 1) for bed and chair exits, respectively. Precision was >78% and 67%, respectively, while F-score was >84% and 77% for bed and chair exits, respectively. This system has potential for real-time monitoring but further research in the final target population of older people is necessary. PMID:27092506

Impact of spinal anesthesia for open pyloromyotomy on operating room time.

PubMed

Kachko, Ludmyla; Simhi, Eliahu; Freud, Enrique; Dlugy, Elena; Katz, Jacob

2009-10-01

When pyloromyotomy for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is performed under general anesthesia, metabolic abnormalities and fluid deficits coupled with residual anesthetics may increase the risk of postoperative apnea, thereby, prolonging operating room time and delaying extubation. Spinal anesthesia has been found to reduce the rate of postoperative apnea in high-risk infants. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of spinal vs general anesthesia on operating room time in infants undergoing open pyloromyotomy. Data for 60 infants who underwent pyloromyotomy under spinal (n = 24) or general (n = 36) anesthesia at a tertiary pediatric medical center were derived from the computerized database. Primary outcome measures were total operating room time, procedure duration, anesthesia release time, wake-up time, and anesthesia control time (anesthesia release plus wake-up). Nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used for statistical analysis, and Levene's test was used to assess the equality of variances in samples; P

Tactical decision making for selective expansion of operating room resources incorporating financial criteria and uncertainty in subspecialties' future workloads.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Ledolter, Johannes; Wachtel, Ruth E

2005-05-01

We considered the allocation of operating room (OR) time at facilities where the strategic decision had been made to increase the number of ORs. Allocation occurs in two stages: a long-term tactical stage followed by short-term operational stage. Tactical decisions, approximately 1 yr in advance, determine what specialized equipment and expertise will be needed. Tactical decisions are based on estimates of future OR workload for each subspecialty or surgeon. We show that groups of surgeons can be excluded from consideration at this tactical stage (e.g., surgeons who need intensive care beds or those with below average contribution margins per OR hour). Lower and upper limits are estimated for the future demand of OR time by the remaining surgeons. Thus, initial OR allocations can be accomplished with only partial information on future OR workload. Once the new ORs open, operational decision-making based on OR efficiency is used to fill the OR time and adjust staffing. Surgeons who were not allocated additional time at the tactical stage are provided increased OR time through operational adjustments based on their actual workload. In a case study from a tertiary hospital, future demand estimates were needed for only 15% of surgeons, illustrating the practicality of these methods for use in tactical OR allocation decisions.

How to Design and Equip a Mentalization-Based Play Therapy Room.

PubMed

Rüth, Ulrich; Holch, Astrid

2018-01-01

Designing and equipping a play therapy room as a differentiated tool in a psychodynamic approach to child psychotherapy is seldom discussed. This article sketches out the equipment and furnishing of a play therapy room to be used for mentalization-based psychodynamic psychotherapy and gives examples of the use of such a room in practice.

77 FR 48552 - Meetings of Humanities Panel

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-14

... room numbers. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisette Voyatzis, Committee Management Officer, 1100...: September 6, 2012. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Room: 415. This meeting will discuss applications for the... Access. 2. Date: September 6, 2012. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Room: 421. This meeting will discuss...

Web-based video monitoring of CT and MRI procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratib, Osman M.; Dahlbom, Magdalena; Kho, Hwa T.; Valentino, Daniel J.; McCoy, J. Michael

2000-05-01

A web-based video transmission of images from CT and MRI consoles was implemented in an Intranet environment for real- time monitoring of ongoing procedures. Images captured from the consoles are compressed to video resolution and broadcasted through a web server. When called upon, the attending radiologists can view these live images on any computer within the secured Intranet network. With adequate compression, these images can be displayed simultaneously in different locations at a rate of 2 to 5 images/sec through standard LAN. The quality of the images being insufficient for diagnostic purposes, our users survey showed that they were suitable for supervising a procedure, positioning the imaging slices and for routine quality checking before completion of a study. The system was implemented at UCLA to monitor 9 CTs and 6 MRIs distributed in 4 buildings. This system significantly improved the radiologists productivity by saving precious time spent in trips between reading rooms and examination rooms. It also improved patient throughput by reducing the waiting time for the radiologists to come to check a study before moving the patient from the scanner.

Economic analysis of linking operating room scheduling and hospital material management information systems for just-in-time inventory control.

PubMed

Epstein, R H; Dexter, F

2000-08-01

Operating room (OR) scheduling information systems can decrease perioperative labor costs. Material management information systems can decrease perioperative inventory costs. We used computer simulation to investigate whether using the OR schedule to trigger purchasing of perioperative supplies is likely to further decrease perioperative inventory costs, as compared with using sophisticated, stand-alone material management inventory control. Although we designed the simulations to favor financially linking the information systems, we found that this strategy would be expected to decrease inventory costs substantively only for items of high price ($1000 each) and volume (>1000 used each year). Because expensive items typically have different models and sizes, each of which is used by a hospital less often than this, for almost all items there will be no benefit to making daily adjustments to the order volume based on booked cases. We conclude that, in a hospital with a sophisticated material management information system, OR managers will probably achieve greater cost reductions from focusing on negotiating less expensive purchase prices for items than on trying to link the OR information system with the hospital's material management information system to achieve just-in-time inventory control. In a hospital with a sophisticated material management information system, operating room managers will probably achieve greater cost reductions from focusing on negotiating less expensive purchase prices for items than on trying to link the operating room information system with the hospital's material management information system to achieve just-in-time inventory control.

Staff Radiation Doses in a Real-Time Display Inside the Angiography Room

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanchez, Roberto, E-mail: rmsanchez.hcsc@salud.madrid.org; Vano, E.; Fernandez, J. M.

MethodsThe evaluation of a new occupational Dose Aware System (DAS) showing staff radiation doses in real time has been carried out in several angiography rooms in our hospital. The system uses electronic solid-state detectors with high-capacity memory storage. Every second, it archives the dose and dose rate measured and is wirelessly linked to a base-station screen mounted close to the diagnostic monitors. An easy transfer of the values to a data sheet permits further analysis of the scatter dose profile measured during the procedure, compares it with patient doses, and seeks to find the most effective actions to reduce operatormore » exposure to radiation.ResultsThe cumulative occupational doses measured per procedure (shoulder-over lead apron) ranged from 0.6 to 350 {mu}Sv when the ceiling-suspended screen was used, and DSA (Digital Subtraction Acquisition) runs were acquired while the personnel left the angiography room. When the suspended screen was not used and radiologists remained inside the angiography room during DSA acquisitions, the dose rates registered at the operator's position reached up to 1-5 mSv/h during fluoroscopy and 12-235 mSv/h during DSA acquisitions. In such case, the cumulative scatter dose could be more than 3 mSv per procedure.ConclusionReal-time display of doses to staff members warns interventionists whenever the scatter dose rates are too high or the radiation protection tools are not being properly used, providing an opportunity to improve personal protection accordingly.« less

'Stroke Room': Diagnosis and Treatment at a Single Location for Rapid Intraarterial Stroke Treatment.

PubMed

Ragoschke-Schumm, Andreas; Yilmaz, Umut; Kostopoulos, Panagiotis; Lesmeister, Martin; Manitz, Matthias; Walter, Silke; Helwig, Stefan; Schwindling, Lenka; Fousse, Mathias; Haass, Anton; Garner, Dominique; Körner, Heiko; Roumia, Safwan; Grunwald, Iris; Nasreldein, Ali; Halmer, Ramona; Liu, Yang; Schlechtriemen, Thomas; Reith, Wolfgang; Fassbender, Klaus

2015-01-01

For patients with acute ischemic stroke, intra-arterial treatment (IAT) is considered to be an effective strategy for removing the obstructing clot. Because outcome crucially depends on time to treatment ('time-is-brain' concept), we assessed the effects of an intervention based on performing all the time-sensitive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures at a single location on the delay before intra-arterial stroke treatment. Consecutive acute stroke patients with large vessel occlusion who obtained IAT were evaluated before and after implementation (April 26, 2010) of an intervention focused on performing all the diagnostic and therapeutic measures at a single site ('stroke room'). After implementation of the intervention, the median intervals between admission and first angiography series were significantly shorter for 174 intervention patients (102 min, interquartile range (IQR) 85-120 min) than for 81 control patients (117 min, IQR 89-150 min; p < 0.05), as were the intervals between admission and clot removal or end of angiography (152 min, IQR 123-185 min vs. 190 min, IQR 163-227 min; p < 0.001). However, no significant differences in clinical outcome were observed. This study shows for the, to our knowledge, first time that for patients with acute ischemic stroke, stroke diagnosis and treatment at a single location ('stroke room') saves crucial time until IAT. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Simulator training to automaticity leads to improved skill transfer compared with traditional proficiency-based training: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Scerbo, Mark W; Montero, Paul N; Acker, Christina E; Smith, Warren D

2012-01-01

We hypothesized that novices will perform better in the operating room after simulator training to automaticity compared with traditional proficiency based training (current standard training paradigm). Simulator-acquired skill translates to the operating room, but the skill transfer is incomplete. Secondary task metrics reflect the ability of trainees to multitask (automaticity) and may improve performance assessment on simulators and skill transfer by indicating when learning is complete. Novices (N = 30) were enrolled in an IRB-approved, blinded, randomized, controlled trial. Participants were randomized into an intervention (n = 20) and a control (n = 10) group. The intervention group practiced on the FLS suturing task until they achieved expert levels of time and errors (proficiency), were tested on a live porcine fundoplication model, continued simulator training until they achieved expert levels on a visual spatial secondary task (automaticity) and were retested on the operating room (OR) model. The control group participated only during testing sessions. Performance scores were compared within and between groups during testing sessions. : Intervention group participants achieved proficiency after 54 ± 14 and automaticity after additional 109 ± 57 repetitions. Participants achieved better scores in the OR after automaticity training [345 (range, 0-537)] compared with after proficiency-based training [220 (range, 0-452; P < 0.001]. Simulator training to automaticity takes more time but is superior to proficiency-based training, as it leads to improved skill acquisition and transfer. Secondary task metrics that reflect trainee automaticity should be implemented during simulator training to improve learning and skill transfer.

Development of simulation-based learning programme for improving adherence to time-out protocol on high-risk invasive procedures outside of operating room.

PubMed

Jeong, Eun Ju; Chung, Hyun Soo; Choi, Jeong Yun; Kim, In Sook; Hong, Seong Hee; Yoo, Kyung Sook; Kim, Mi Kyoung; Won, Mi Yeol; Eum, So Yeon; Cho, Young Soon

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a simulation-based time-out learning programme targeted to nurses participating in high-risk invasive procedures and to figure out the effects of application of the new programme on acceptance of nurses. This study was performed using a simulation-based learning predesign and postdesign to figure out the effects of implementation of this programme. It was targeted to 48 registered nurses working in the general ward and the emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital. Difference between acceptance and performance rates has been figured out by using mean, standard deviation, and Wilcoxon-signed rank test. The perception survey and score sheet have been validated through content validation index, and the reliability of evaluator has been verified by using intraclass correlation coefficient. Results showed high level of acceptance of high-risk invasive procedure (P<.01). Further, improvement was consistent regardless of clinical experience, workplace, or experience in simulation-based learning. The face validity of the programme showed over 4.0 out of 5.0. This simulation-based learning programme was effective in improving the recognition of time-out protocol and has given the participants the opportunity to become proactive in cases of high-risk invasive procedures performed outside of operating room. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Strong, Tough, and Pest Resistant MoSi2-Base Hybrid Composite for Structural Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, M. G.; Nathal, M. V.

1997-01-01

Addition of about 30 to 50 vol % of Si3N4 particulate to MoSi2 improved resistance to low temperature accelerated oxidation by forming a Si2ON2 protective scale and thereby eliminating catastrophic 'pest failure'. The Si3N4 addition also improved the high temperature creep strength by nearly five orders of magnitude, doubled the room temperature toughness and significantly lowered the CTE of the MoSi2 and eliminated matrix cracking in SCS-6 reinforced composites even after thermal cycling. The SCS-6 fiber reinforcement improved the room temperature fracture toughness by seven times and impact resistance by five times. The composite exhibited excellent strength and toughness improvement up to 1400 C. More recently, tape casting was adopted as the preferred processing of MoSi2-base composites for improved fiber spacing, ability to use small diameter fibers, and for lower cost. Good strength and toughness values were also obtained with fine diameter Hi-Nicalon tow fibers. This hybrid composite remains competitive with ceramic matrix composites as a replacement for Ni-base superalloys in aircraft engine applications.

MoSi2-Base Hybrid Composites from Aeroengine Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, Mohan G.

2000-01-01

Addition of about 30 to 50 vol % of Si3N4 particulate to MoSi2 improved low temperature accelerated oxidation resistance by forming a Si2ON2 protective scale and thereby eliminated catastrophic 'pest failure'. The Si3N4 addition also improved the high temperature creep strength by nearly five orders of magnitude, doubled the room temperature toughness, and significantly lowered the CTE of the MoSi2 which eliminated matrix cracking in SCS-6 reinforced composites even after thermal cycling. The SCS-6 fiber reinforcement improved the room temperature fracture toughness by seven times and impact resistance by five times. The composite exhibited this excellent strength and toughness improvement up to 1673 K. More recently, tape casting was adopted as the preferred processing of MoSi2-base composites due to improved fiber spacing, ability to use small diameter fibers, and for lower cost. Good strength and toughness values were also obtained with fine diameter Hi-Nicalon tow fibers. These hybrid composites remain competitive with ceramic matrix composites as a replacement for Ni-base superalloys in aircraft engine applications.

Long-term room temperature preservation of corpse soft tissue: an approach for tissue sample storage

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Disaster victim identification (DVI) represents one of the most difficult challenges in forensic sciences, and subsequent DNA typing is essential. Collected samples for DNA-based human identification are usually stored at low temperature to halt the degradation processes of human remains. We have developed a simple and reliable procedure for soft tissue storage and preservation for DNA extraction. It ensures high quality DNA suitable for PCR-based DNA typing after at least 1 year of room temperature storage. Methods Fragments of human psoas muscle were exposed to three different environmental conditions for diverse time periods at room temperature. Storage conditions included: (a) a preserving medium consisting of solid sodium chloride (salt), (b) no additional substances and (c) garden soil. DNA was extracted with proteinase K/SDS followed by organic solvent treatment and concentration by centrifugal filter devices. Quantification was carried out by real-time PCR using commercial kits. Short tandem repeat (STR) typing profiles were analysed with 'expert software'. Results DNA quantities recovered from samples stored in salt were similar up to the complete storage time and underscored the effectiveness of the preservation method. It was possible to reliably and accurately type different genetic systems including autosomal STRs and mitochondrial and Y-chromosome haplogroups. Autosomal STR typing quality was evaluated by expert software, denoting high quality profiles from DNA samples obtained from corpse tissue stored in salt for up to 365 days. Conclusions The procedure proposed herein is a cost efficient alternative for storage of human remains in challenging environmental areas, such as mass disaster locations, mass graves and exhumations. This technique should be considered as an additional method for sample storage when preservation of DNA integrity is required for PCR-based DNA typing. PMID:21846338

9 CFR 354.241 - Cleaning of rooms and compartments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... compartments. Rooms, compartments, or other parts of the official plant shall be kept clean and in sanitary... light fixtures in the official plant shall be kept clean. (c) All docks and rooms shall be kept clean... rooms should be kept clean at all times. (e) Floors in live rabbit holding rooms shall be cleaned with...

9 CFR 354.241 - Cleaning of rooms and compartments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... compartments. Rooms, compartments, or other parts of the official plant shall be kept clean and in sanitary... light fixtures in the official plant shall be kept clean. (c) All docks and rooms shall be kept clean... rooms should be kept clean at all times. (e) Floors in live rabbit holding rooms shall be cleaned with...

A Discrete Event Simulation Model of Patient Flow in a General Hospital Incorporating Infection Control Policy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

PubMed

Shenoy, Erica S; Lee, Hang; Ryan, Erin E; Hou, Taige; Walensky, Rochelle P; Ware, Winston; Hooper, David C

2018-02-01

Hospitalized patients are assigned to available staffed beds based on patient acuity and services required. In hospitals with double-occupancy rooms, patients must be additionally matched by gender. Patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) must be bedded in single-occupancy rooms or cohorted with other patients with similar MRSA/VRE flags. We developed a discrete event simulation (DES) model of patient flow through an acute care hospital. Patients are matched to beds based on acuity, service, gender, and known MRSA/VRE colonization. Outcomes included time to bed arrival, length of stay, patient-bed acuity mismatches, occupancy, idle beds, acuity-related transfers, rooms with discordant MRSA/VRE colonization, and transmission due to discordant colonization. Observed outcomes were well-approximated by model-generated outcomes for time-to-bed arrival (6.7 v. 6.2 to 6.5 h) and length of stay (3.3 v. 2.9 to 3.0 days), with overlapping 90% coverage intervals. Patient-bed acuity mismatches, where patient acuity exceeded bed acuity and where patient acuity was lower than bed acuity, ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 and 8.6 to 11.1 mismatches per h, respectively. Values for observed occupancy, total idle beds, and acuity-related transfers compared favorably to model-predicted values (91% v. 86% to 87% occupancy, 15.1 v. 14.3 to 15.7 total idle beds, and 27.2 v. 22.6 to 23.7 transfers). Rooms with discordant colonization status and transmission due to discordance were modeled without an observed value for comparison. One-way and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed for idle beds and rooms with discordant colonization. We developed and validated a DES model of patient flow incorporating MRSA/VRE flags. The model allowed for quantification of the substantial impact of MRSA/VRE flags on hospital efficiency and potentially avoidable nosocomial transmission.

Hybrid systems of AlInP microdisks and colloidal CdSe nanocrystals showing whispering-gallery modes at room temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strelow, Christian; Weising, Simon; Bonatz, Dennis

2014-09-01

We report on the realization of hybrid systems composed of passive optical microdisk resonators prepared from epitaxial layer systems and nanocrystal quantum emitters synthesized by colloidal chemistry. The AlInP disk material allows for the operation in the visible range, as probed by CdSe-based nanocrystals. Photoluminescence spectra at room temperature reveal sets of whispering-gallery modes consistent with finite-difference time-domain simulations. In the experiments, a special sample geometry renders it possible to detect resonant optical modes perpendicular to the disk plane.

Aurally-adequate time-frequency analysis for scattered sound in auditoria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norris, Molly K.; Xiang, Ning; Kleiner, Mendel

2005-04-01

The goal of this work was to apply an aurally-adequate time-frequency analysis technique to the analysis of sound scattering effects in auditoria. Time-frequency representations were developed as a motivated effort that takes into account binaural hearing, with a specific implementation of interaural cross-correlation process. A model of the human auditory system was implemented in the MATLAB platform based on two previous models [A. Härmä and K. Palomäki, HUTear, Espoo, Finland; and M. A. Akeroyd, A. Binaural Cross-correlogram Toolbox for MATLAB (2001), University of Sussex, Brighton]. These stages include proper frequency selectivity, the conversion of the mechanical motion of the basilar membrane to neural impulses, and binaural hearing effects. The model was then used in the analysis of room impulse responses with varying scattering characteristics. This paper discusses the analysis results using simulated and measured room impulse responses. [Work supported by the Frank H. and Eva B. Buck Foundation.

Early Extubation in the Operating Room after Congenital Open-Heart Surgery.

PubMed

Fukunishi, Takuma; Oka, Norihiko; Yoshii, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Kensuke; Inoue, Nobuyuki; Horai, Tetsuya; Kitamura, Tadashi; Okamoto, Hirotsugu; Miyaji, Kagami

2018-01-27

Early extubation in the operating room after congenital open-heart surgery is feasible, but extubation in the intensive care unit after the operation remains common practice at many institutions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the adequacy of our early-extubation strategy and exclusion criteria through analysis based on the Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery method (RACHS-1).This retrospective analysis included 359 cases requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (male, 195; female, 164; weight > 3.0 kg; aged 1 month to 18 years). Neonates and preoperatively intubated patients were excluded. Other exclusion criteria included severe preoperative pulmonary hypertension, high-dose catecholamine requirement after cardiopulmonary bypass, delayed sternal closure, laryngomalacia, serious bleeding, and delayed awakening. The early-extubation rates were compared between age groups and RACHS-1 classes.Overall, 83% of cases (298/359) were extubated in the operating room, classified by RACHS-1 categories as follows: 1, 59/59 (100%); 2, 164/200 (84%); 3, 61/78 (78%); and 4-6, 10/22 (45%). The early extubation rate in categories 1-3 (86%, 288/337) was significantly higher than for categories 4-6 (45.5%, 10/22) (P < 0.001). Because they met one of the exclusion criteria, 61 patients (17%) were not extubated in the operating room. Eight patients (2.7%) required re-intubation after early extubation in the operating room, and longer operation time was significantly associated with re-intubation (P < 0.001).Extubation in the operating room after congenital open-heart surgery was feasible based on our criteria, especially for patients in the low RACHS-1 categories, and involves a very low rate of re-intubation.

Sleep location and parent-perceived sleep outcomes in older infants.

PubMed

Mindell, Jodi A; Leichman, Erin S; Walters, Russel M

2017-11-01

Initial studies indicate more independent and consolidated sleep in the first few months in infants who sleep separately. Little is known, however, about the relationship of sleep location (separate room, room-sharing, bed-sharing) with sleep outcomes in older infants (ages 6-12 months). It was expected that those who sleep in a separate room would have better parent-perceived sleep outcomes and more positive sleep health behaviors. Parents of 6236 infants (6-12 months) in the United States (US) and 3798 in an international sample (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, and New Zealand) completed a smartphone app-based expanded version of the validated Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. A total of 37.2% of the infants in the US and 48.4% in the international sample slept in a separate room. In both samples, infants who slept in a separate room as opposed to room-sharing or bed-sharing had parent-perceived sleep outcomes and sleep-related behaviors that reflected earlier bedtimes, shorter time to fall asleep, more nighttime and total sleep, and increased sleep consolidation. They were also more likely to have a consistent bedtime routine and to fall asleep independently, as well as less likely to feed to sleep at bedtime and during the night. In addition, parents of separate room sleepers perceived bedtime to be less difficult and sleep to be better overall. Overall, 6- to 12-month-old infants who slept in a separate room had better reported sleep outcomes and fewer parent-perceived disturbances at bedtime than infants who room-shared with their parents, as well compared to those who slept in their parents' bed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanostructured ZnO Films for Room Temperature Ammonia Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhivya Ponnusamy; Sridharan Madanagurusamy

2014-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been deposited by a reactive dc magnetron sputtering technique onto a thoroughly cleaned glass substrate at room temperature. X-ray diffraction revealed that the deposited film was polycrystalline in nature. The field emission scanning electron micrograph (FE-SEM) showed the uniform formation of a rugby ball-shaped ZnO nanostructure. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed that the film was stoichiometric and the direct band gap of the film, determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy, was 3.29 eV. The ZnO nanostructured film exhibited better sensing towards ammonia (NH3) at room temperature (˜30°C). The fabricated ZnO film based sensor was capable of detecting NH3 at as low as 5 ppm, and its parameters, such as response, selectivity, stability, and response/recovery time, were also investigated.

EPR-based distance measurements at ambient temperature.

PubMed

Krumkacheva, Olesya; Bagryanskaya, Elena

2017-07-01

Pulsed dipolar (PD) EPR spectroscopy is a powerful technique allowing for distance measurements between spin labels in the range of 2.5-10.0nm. It was proposed more than 30years ago, and nowadays is widely used in biophysics and materials science. Until recently, PD EPR experiments were limited to cryogenic temperatures (T<80K). Recently, application of spin labels with long electron spin dephasing time at room temperature such as triarylmethyl radicals and nitroxides with bulky substituents at a position close to radical centers enabled measurements at room temperature and even at physiologically relevant temperatures by PD EPR as well as other approaches based on EPR (e.g., relaxation enhancement; RE). In this paper, we review the features of PD EPR and RE at ambient temperatures, in particular, requirements on electron spin phase memory time, ways of immobilization of biomolecules, the influence of a linker between the spin probe and biomolecule, and future opportunities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

8. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS NORTHEAST CORNER. TELEMETRY ROOM VISIBLE THROUGH WINDOWS IN SOUTH WALL. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

7. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS SOUTHWEST CORNER. NOTE RAISED FLATFORM IN CENTER OF ROOM. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Reading and Television Viewing Habits of American Adults during Time Spent in Waiting Rooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spirn, Sharon L.

In order to determine the reading and television viewing habits of American adults during time spent in waiting rooms, a study observed 100 adults waiting outside the Emergency Treatment Room of John F. Kennedy Hospital in Edison, New Jersey, over a four-week period. Results revealed that more of these adults chose to watch television as an…

Operating room efficiency: benefits of an orthopaedic traumatologist at a level II trauma center.

PubMed

Althausen, Peter L; Kauk, Justin R; Shannon, Steven; Lu, Minggen; O'Mara, Timothy J; Bray, Timothy J

2014-05-01

Fellowship-trained orthopaedic traumatologists are presumably taught skill sets leading to "best practice" outcomes and more efficient use of hospital resources. This should result in more favorable economic opportunities when compared with general orthopaedic surgeons (GOSs) providing similar clinical services. The purpose of our study was to compare the operating room utilization and financial data of traumatologists versus GOSs at a level II trauma center. Retrospective review. Level II community-based trauma hospital. Patients who presented to the emergency room at our institution with fractures and orthopaedic conditions requiring surgical intervention from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2011. Operative fracture fixation by members of our orthopaedic trauma panel, including fellowship and nontrauma fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons. Our institutional database was queried to determine operative times, surgical supply and implant costs, and surgery labor expenses. Patients were stratified according to those treated by our trauma panel's 3 traumatologists and those treated by the 15 GOSs on our trauma panel. These 2 groups were then compared using standard statistical methods. A total of 6449 orthopedic cases were identified and 2076 of these involved fracture care. One thousand one hundred ninety-nine patients were treated by traumatologists and 877 by GOSs. There was no statistical difference detected in American Society of Anesthesiologists score between trauma and nontrauma groups. Overall, the traumatologist group demonstrated significantly decreased procedure times when compared with the GOS group (55.6 vs. 75.8 minutes, P < 0.0001). In 16 of 18 most common procedure types, traumatologists were more efficient. This led to significantly decreased surgical labor costs ($381.4 vs. $484.8; P < 0.0001) and surgical supply and implant costs ($2567 vs. $3003; P < 0.0001). This study demonstrates that in our community-based trauma system, fracture care provided by traumatologists results in improved utilization of hospital-based resources when compared with equivalent services provided by GOSs. Significantly decreased operative times, surgical labor expenses, and supply and implant costs by the fellowship-trained group represent enhanced control of the design, plan, execution, and monitoring of orthopaedic trauma care. Traumatologists can provide leadership recommendations for operating room efficiency in community-based orthopaedic trauma care models. Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Extent of the Disturbed Rock Zone Around a WIPP Disposal Room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrick, C. G.; Park, B. Y.; Holcomb, D. J.

2008-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), located in southeastern New Mexico, is operated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the underground disposal facility for transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste. It is located in a bedded salt formation at a depth of about 650 m. Salt at this depth behaves as a viscous material having an initially lithostatic state of stress. Mining of an opening disturbs the static equilibrium to a degree where fracturing of the rock surrounding a room occurs, changing its mechanical and hydrologic properties. This disturbed rock zone (DRZ) is an important geomechanical feature included in the performance assessment process models used to predict future repository conditions as a part of certification by the EPA as meeting regulatory compliance. Based on ongoing scientific investigations and evaluation of published data since the original certification in 1998, our understanding of the DRZ has continued to progress. Three deformation processes are activated as deviatoric stresses are induced upon excavation of a room in a salt formation: (1) elastic response, (2) inelastic viscoplastic flow, and (3) inelastic- damage induced flow. Damage, the least understood of these processes, is manifested by the time- dependent initiation, growth, coalescence, and healing of microfractures with a deviatoric stress state. Since the ability to model the spatial and temporal changes in salt damage is not available at this time, various means to measure it have been attempted. At the WIPP, for this study, we used sonic velocity measurements obtained over a 12 year period as the principal field method to describe the extent of the DRZ. Predictions of the DRZ extent based on these experimental results are substantiated by permeability measurements and microfracture density analysis from other places in the repository. Extensive laboratory salt creep data demonstrate that damage can be assessed in terms of volumetric strain and principal stresses. Stress states that cause dilatant damage can be defined in terms of the ratio of stress invariants, which allow reasonable models of DRZ evolution and devolution. The change of DRZ extent with time is calculated based on a dilatant damage potential criterion: D = (C · I1) / √J2 where D is the damage potential, I1 is the first invariant of the stress tensor, and J2 is the second invariant of the deviatoric stress tensor. When D < 1, damage is predicted. The proportionality constant C in the damage criterion is determined by comparing the numerical analysis results with the sonic velocity field data obtained in the Room Q access drift of WIPP. The most extensive DRZ exists during early times, within the first ten years after a room is mined. As the creeping salt tries to fill the excavation, back stresses from the waste and gas pressure within the repository resist its deformation and damage to the salt decreases. The maximum extents of the DRZ calculated below and above a room reach approximately 2.25 m and 4.75 m, respectively. The maximum lateral DRZ extent in the side of the room is estimated to be roughly 2 m. Sandia is a multi program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. This research is funded by WIPP programs administered by the Office of Environmental Management (EM) of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Use of an operating microscope during spine surgery is associated with minor increases in operating room times and no increased risk of infection.

PubMed

Basques, Bryce A; Golinvaux, Nicholas S; Bohl, Daniel D; Yacob, Alem; Toy, Jason O; Varthi, Arya G; Grauer, Jonathan N

2014-10-15

Retrospective database review. To evaluate whether microscope use during spine procedures is associated with increased operating room times or increased risk of infection. Operating microscopes are commonly used in spine procedures. It is debated whether the use of an operating microscope increases operating room time or confers increased risk of infection. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, which includes data from more than 370 participating hospitals, was used to identify patients undergoing elective spinal procedures with and without the use of an operating microscope for the years 2011 and 2012. Bivariate and multivariate linear regressions were used to test the association between microscope use and operating room times. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were similarly conducted to test the association between microscope use and infection occurrence within 30 days of surgery. A total of 23,670 elective spine procedures were identified, of which 2226 (9.4%) used an operating microscope. The average patient age was 55.1±14.4 years. The average operative time (incision to closure) was 125.7±82.0 minutes.Microscope use was associated with minor increases in preoperative room time (+2.9 min, P=0.013), operative time (+13.2 min, P<0.001), and total room time (+18.6 min, P<0.001) on multivariate analysis.A total of 328 (1.4%) patients had an infection within 30 days of surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed no significant difference between the microscope and nonmicroscope groups for occurrence of any infection, superficial surgical site infection, deep surgical site infection, organ space infection, or sepsis/septic shock, regardless of surgery type. We did not find operating room times or infection risk to be significant deterrents for use of an operating microscope during spine surgery. 3.

Use of an operating microscope during spine surgery is associated with minor increases in operating room times and no increased risk of infection

PubMed Central

Basques, Bryce A.; Golinvaux, Nicholas S.; Bohl, Daniel D.; Yacob, Alem; Toy, Jason O.; Varthi, Arya G.; Grauer, Jonathan N.

2014-01-01

Study Design Retrospective database review. Objective To evaluate whether microscope use during spine procedures is associated with increased operating room times or increased risk of infection. Summary of Background Data Operating microscopes are commonly used in spine procedures. It is debated whether the use of an operating microscope increases operating room time or confers increased risk of infection. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, which includes data from over 370 participating hospitals, was used to identify patients undergoing elective spinal procedures with and without an operating microscope for the years 2011 and 2012. Bivariate and multivariate linear regressions were used to test the association between microscope use and operating room times. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were similarly conducted to test the association between microscope use and infection occurrence within 30 days of surgery. Results A total of 23,670 elective spine procedures were identified, of which 2,226 (9.4%) used an operating microscope. The average patient age was 55.1 ± 14.4 years. The average operative time (incision to closure) was 125.7 ± 82.0 minutes. Microscope use was associated with minor increases in preoperative room time (+2.9 minutes, p=0.013), operative time (+13.2 minutes, p<0.001), and total room time (+18.6 minutes, p<0.001) on multivariate analysis. A total of 328 (1.4%) patients had an infection within 30 days of surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed no significant difference between the microscope and non-microscope groups for occurrence of any infection, superficial surgical site infection (SSI), deep SSI, organ space infection, or sepsis/septic shock, regardless of surgery type. Conclusions We did not find operating room times or infection risk to be significant deterrents for use of an operating microscope during spine surgery. PMID:25188600

A CBPR partnership increases HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM): outcome findings from a pilot test of the CyBER/testing internet intervention.

PubMed

Rhodes, Scott D; Vissman, Aaron T; Stowers, Jason; Miller, Cindy; McCoy, Thomas P; Hergenrather, Kenneth C; Wilkin, Aimee M; Reece, Michael; Bachmann, Laura H; Ore, Addison; Ross, Michael W; Hendrix, Ellen; Eng, Eugenia

2011-06-01

The Internet has emerged as an important tool for the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership developed and piloted CyBER/testing, a culturally congruent intervention designed to promote HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) within existing Internet chat rooms. Using a quasi-experimental, single-group study design, cross-sectional data were collected from chat room participants, known as "chatters," at pretest (n = 346) and posttest (n = 315). Extant profile data also were collected to describe the demographics of the online population. The intervention significantly increased self-reported HIV testing among chatters overall, increasing rates from 44.5% at pretest to nearly 60% at posttest (p < .001). Furthermore, chatters who reported having both male and female sexual partners had nearly 6 times the odds of reporting HIV testing at posttest. Findings suggest that chat room-based HIV testing intervention may increase testing among MSM who may be difficult to reach in traditional physical spaces.

Moving Sound Source Localization Based on Sequential Subspace Estimation in Actual Room Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuji, Daisuke; Suyama, Kenji

This paper presents a novel method for moving sound source localization and its performance evaluation in actual room environments. The method is based on the MUSIC (MUltiple SIgnal Classification) which is one of the most high resolution localization methods. When using the MUSIC, a computation of eigenvectors of correlation matrix is required for the estimation. It needs often a high computational costs. Especially, in the situation of moving source, it becomes a crucial drawback because the estimation must be conducted at every the observation time. Moreover, since the correlation matrix varies its characteristics due to the spatial-temporal non-stationarity, the matrix have to be estimated using only a few observed samples. It makes the estimation accuracy degraded. In this paper, the PAST (Projection Approximation Subspace Tracking) is applied for sequentially estimating the eigenvectors spanning the subspace. In the PAST, the eigen-decomposition is not required, and therefore it is possible to reduce the computational costs. Several experimental results in the actual room environments are shown to present the superior performance of the proposed method.

Virtual operating room for team training in surgery.

PubMed

Abelson, Jonathan S; Silverman, Elliott; Banfelder, Jason; Naides, Alexandra; Costa, Ricardo; Dakin, Gregory

2015-09-01

We proposed to develop a novel virtual reality (VR) team training system. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of creating a VR operating room to simulate a surgical crisis scenario and evaluate the simulator for construct and face validity. We modified ICE STORM (Integrated Clinical Environment; Systems, Training, Operations, Research, Methods), a VR-based system capable of modeling a variety of health care personnel and environments. ICE STORM was used to simulate a standardized surgical crisis scenario, whereby participants needed to correct 4 elements responsible for loss of laparoscopic visualization. The construct and face validity of the environment were measured. Thirty-three participants completed the VR simulation. Attendings completed the simulation in less time than trainees (271 vs 201 seconds, P = .032). Participants felt the training environment was realistic and had a favorable impression of the simulation. All participants felt the workload of the simulation was low. Creation of a VR-based operating room for team training in surgery is feasible and can afford a realistic team training environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Patient-to-Patient Interaction in Health Facility Waiting Rooms on Their Perception of Health Professionals.

PubMed

Willis, William Kent; Ozturk, Ahmet Ozzie; Chandra, Ashish

2015-01-01

Patients have to wait in waiting rooms prior to seeing the physician. But there are few studies that demonstrate what they are actually doing in the waiting room. This exploratory study was designed to investigate the types of discussions that patients in the waiting room typically engage in with other patients and how the conversations affected their opinion on general reputation of the clinic, injections/blocks as treatment procedures, waiting time, time spent with the caregiver, overall patient satisfaction, and the pain medication usage policy. The study demonstrates that patient interaction in the waiting room has a positive effect on patient opinion of the pain clinic and the caregivers.

54. Room BF14, IDA room, basement level, building 500, looking ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

54. Room BF-14, IDA room, basement level, building 500, looking west - Offutt Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command Headquarters & Command Center, Headquarters Building, 901 SAC Boulevard, Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE

Monitoring proton radiation therapy with in-room PET imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xuping; España, Samuel; Daartz, Juliane; Liebsch, Norbert; Ouyang, Jinsong; Paganetti, Harald; Bortfeld, Thomas R.; El Fakhri, Georges

2011-07-01

We used a mobile positron emission tomography (PET) scanner positioned within the proton therapy treatment room to study the feasibility of proton range verification with an in-room, stand-alone PET system, and compared with off-line equivalent studies. Two subjects with adenoid cystic carcinoma were enrolled into a pilot study in which in-room PET scans were acquired in list-mode after a routine fractionated treatment session. The list-mode PET data were reconstructed with different time schemes to generate in-room short, in-room long and off-line equivalent (by skipping coincidences from the first 15 min during the list-mode reconstruction) PET images for comparison in activity distribution patterns. A phantom study was followed to evaluate the accuracy of range verification for different reconstruction time schemes quantitatively. The in-room PET has a higher sensitivity compared to the off-line modality so that the PET acquisition time can be greatly reduced from 30 to <5 min. Features in deep-site, soft-tissue regions were better retained with in-room short PET acquisitions because of the collection of 15O component and lower biological washout. For soft tissue-equivalent material, the distal fall-off edge of an in-room short acquisition is deeper compared to an off-line equivalent scan, indicating a better coverage of the high-dose end of the beam. In-room PET is a promising low cost, high sensitivity modality for the in vivo verification of proton therapy. Better accuracy in Monte Carlo predictions, especially for biological decay modeling, is necessary.

Compact CH 4 sensor system based on a continuous-wave, low power consumption, room temperature interband cascade laser

DOE PAGES

Dong, Lei; Li, Chunguang; Sanchez, Nancy P.; ...

2016-01-05

A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy-based methane sensor, employing a dense-pattern multi-pass gas cell and a 3.3 µm, CW, DFB, room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL), is reported. The optical integration based on an advanced folded optical path design and an efficient ICL control system with appropriate electrical power management resulted in a CH 4 sensor with a small footprint (32 x 20 x 17 cm 3) and low-power consumption (6 W). Polynomial and least-squares fit algorithms are employed to remove the baseline of the spectral scan and retrieve CH 4 concentrations, respectively. An Allan-Werle deviation analysis shows that themore » measurement precision can reach 1.4 ppb for a 60 s averaging time. Continuous measurements covering a seven-day period were performed to demonstrate the stability and robustness of the reported CH 4 sensor system.« less

Compact CH 4 sensor system based on a continuous-wave, low power consumption, room temperature interband cascade laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, Lei; Li, Chunguang; Sanchez, Nancy P.

A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy-based methane sensor, employing a dense-pattern multi-pass gas cell and a 3.3 µm, CW, DFB, room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL), is reported. The optical integration based on an advanced folded optical path design and an efficient ICL control system with appropriate electrical power management resulted in a CH 4 sensor with a small footprint (32 x 20 x 17 cm 3) and low-power consumption (6 W). Polynomial and least-squares fit algorithms are employed to remove the baseline of the spectral scan and retrieve CH 4 concentrations, respectively. An Allan-Werle deviation analysis shows that themore » measurement precision can reach 1.4 ppb for a 60 s averaging time. Continuous measurements covering a seven-day period were performed to demonstrate the stability and robustness of the reported CH 4 sensor system.« less

[Present status of critical hemorrhage and its management in the operating room].

PubMed

Irita, Kazuo

2014-12-01

Hemorrhage is a major cause of cardiac arrest in the operating room. Many human factors, including surgical procedures, transfusion practices, blood supply, and anesthetic management, are involved in the process that leads to hemorrhage developing into a critical situation. It is desirable for hospital transfusion committees to prepare hospital-based regulations on 'actions to be taken to manage critical hemorrhage', and practice the implementation of these regulations with simulated drills. If intraoperative hemorrhage may become critical, a state of emergency should immediately be declared to the operating room staff, the blood transfusion service staff, and blood bank staff in order to organize a systematic approach to the ongoing problem and keep all responsible staff working outside the operating room informed of events developing in the room. To rapidly deal with critical hemorrhage, not only cooperation between anesthesiologists and surgeons but also linkage of operating rooms with blood transfusion services and a blood bank are important. When time is short, cross-matching tests are omitted, and ABO-identical red blood cells are used. When supplies of ABO-identical red blood cells are not available, ABO-compatible, non-identical red blood cells are used. Because a systematic, not individual, approach is required to prevent and manage critical hemorrhage, whether or not a hospital can establish a procedure to deal with it depends on the overall capability of critical and crisis management of the hospital. (Review).

Uncertainty in a Markov state model with missing states and rates: Application to a room temperature kinetic model obtained using high temperature molecular dynamics.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Abhijit; Bhattacharya, Swati

2015-09-21

Several studies in the past have generated Markov State Models (MSMs), i.e., kinetic models, of biomolecular systems by post-analyzing long standard molecular dynamics (MD) calculations at the temperature of interest and focusing on the maximally ergodic subset of states. Questions related to goodness of these models, namely, importance of the missing states and kinetic pathways, and the time for which the kinetic model is valid, are generally left unanswered. We show that similar questions arise when we generate a room-temperature MSM (denoted MSM-A) for solvated alanine dipeptide using state-constrained MD calculations at higher temperatures and Arrhenius relation — the main advantage of such a procedure being a speed-up of several thousand times over standard MD-based MSM building procedures. Bounds for rate constants calculated using probability theory from state-constrained MD at room temperature help validate MSM-A. However, bounds for pathways possibly missing in MSM-A show that alternate kinetic models exist that produce the same dynamical behaviour at short time scales as MSM-A but diverge later. Even in the worst case scenario, MSM-A is found to be valid longer than the time required to generate it. Concepts introduced here can be straightforwardly extended to other MSM building techniques.

Scheduling Anesthesia Time Reduces Case Cancellations and Improves Operating Room Workflow in a University Hospital Setting.

PubMed

van Veen-Berkx, Elizabeth; van Dijk, Menno V; Cornelisse, Diederich C; Kazemier, Geert; Mokken, Fleur C

2016-08-01

A new method of scheduling anesthesia-controlled time (ACT) was implemented on July 1, 2012 in an academic inpatient operating room (OR) department. This study examined the relationship between this new scheduling method and OR performance. The new method comprised the development of predetermined time frames per anesthetic technique based on historical data of the actual time needed for anesthesia induction and emergence. Seven "anesthesia scheduling packages" (0 to 6) were established. Several options based on the quantity of anesthesia monitoring and the complexity of the patient were differentiated in time within each package. This was a quasi-experimental time-series design. Relevant data were divided into 4 equal periods of time. These time periods were compared with ANOVA with contrast analysis: an intervention, pre-intervention, and post-intervention contrast were tested. All emergency cases were excluded. A total of 34,976 inpatient elective cases performed from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 were included for statistical analyses. The intervention contrast showed a significant decrease (p < 0.001) of 4.5% in the prediction error. The total number of cancellations decreased to 19.9%. The ANOVA with contrast analyses showed no significant differences with respect to under- and over-used OR time and raw use. Unanticipated results derived from this study, allowing for a smoother workflow: eg anesthesia nurses know exactly which medical equipment and devices need to be assembled and tested beforehand, based on the scheduled anesthesia package. Scheduling the 2 major components of a procedure (anesthesia- and surgeon-controlled time) more accurately leads to fewer case cancellations, lower prediction errors, and smoother OR workflow in a university hospital setting. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12. "TAPE ROOM" LOCATED AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MAIN ROOM. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. "TAPE ROOM" LOCATED AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MAIN ROOM. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Instrumentation & Control Building, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

6. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS SOUTHEAST CORNER - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

8. VIEW OF ROOM 101 (ASSEMBLY ROOM) FROM NORTHEAST CORNER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. VIEW OF ROOM 101 (ASSEMBLY ROOM) FROM NORTHEAST CORNER SHOWING FLEXIBLE AIR-CONDITIONING DUCT - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Vehicle Support Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

17. Interior view of vestibule separating locker rooms, changing rooms ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. Interior view of vestibule separating locker rooms, changing rooms and restroom beyond; southwest corner of unoccupied portion; view to northwest. - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Mess & Administration Building, 2279 Risner Drive, Blackhawk, Meade County, SD

Lean management in academic surgery.

PubMed

Collar, Ryan M; Shuman, Andrew G; Feiner, Sandra; McGonegal, Amy K; Heidel, Natalie; Duck, Mary; McLean, Scott A; Billi, John E; Healy, David W; Bradford, Carol R

2012-06-01

Lean is a management system designed to enhance productivity by eliminating waste. Surgical practice offers many opportunities for improving efficiency. Our objective was to determine whether systematic implementation of lean thinking in an academic otolaryngology operating room improves efficiency and profitability and preserves team morale and educational opportunities. In an 18-month prospective quasi-experimental study, a multidisciplinary task force systematically implemented lean thinking within an otolaryngology operating room of an academic health system. Operating room turnover time and turnaround time were measured during a baseline period; an observer-effect period in which workers were made aware that their efficiency was being measured but before implementing lean changes; and an intervention period after redesign principles had been used. The impact on teamwork, morale, and surgical resident education were measured during the baseline and intervention periods through validated surveys. A profit model was applied to estimate the financial implications of the study. There was no difference between the baseline and observer-effect periods of the study for turnover time (p = 0.98) or turnaround time (p = 0.20). During the intervention period, the mean turnover time and turnaround time were significantly shorter than during the baseline period (29 vs 38 minutes; p < 0.001 and 69 vs 89 minutes; p < 0.001, respectively). The composite morale score suggested improved morale after implementation (p = 0.011). Educational metrics were unchanged before and after implementation. The annual opportunity revenue for the involved operating room is $330,000; when extrapolated throughout the operating rooms, lean thinking could create 6,500 hours of capacity annually. Application of lean management techniques to a single operating room and surgical service improved operating room efficiency and morale, sustained resident education, and can provide considerable financial gains when scaled to an entire academic surgical suite. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Handling modern imaging procedures in a high-tech operating room].

PubMed

Hüfner, T; Citak, M; Imrecke, J; Krettek, C; Stübig, T

2012-03-01

Operating rooms are the central unit in the hospital network in trauma centers. In this area, high costs but also high revenues are generated. Modern operating theater concepts as an integrated model have been offered by different companies since the early 2000s. Our hypothesis is that integrative concepts for operating rooms, in addition to improved operating room ergonomics, have the potential for measurable time and cost savings. In our clinic, an integrated operating room concept (I-Suite, Stryker, Duisburg) was implemented after analysis of the problems. In addition to the ceiling-mounted arrangement, the system includes an endoscopy unit, a navigation system, and a voice control system. In the first 6 months (9/2005 to 2/2006), 112 procedures were performed in the integrated operating room: 34 total knee arthroplasties, 12 endoscopic spine surgeries, and 66 inpatient arthroscopic procedures (28 shoulder and 38 knee reconstructions). The analysis showed a daily saving of 22-45 min, corresponding to 15-30% of the daily changeover times, calculated to account for potential savings in the internal cost allocation of 225-450 EUR. A commercial operating room concept was evaluated in a pilot phase in terms of hard data, including time and cost factors. Besides the described effects further savings might be achieved through the effective use of voice control and the benefit of the sterile handle on the navigation camera, since waiting times for an additional nurse are minimized. The time of the procedure of intraoperative imaging is also reduced due to the ceiling-mounted concept, as the C-arm can be moved freely in the operating theater without hindering cables. By these measures and ensuing improved efficiency, the initial high costs for the implementation of the system may be cushioned over time.

25. VIEW OF ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE NEAR NORTHEAST CORNER OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

25. VIEW OF ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE NEAR NORTHEAST CORNER OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM. CONSOLE INCLUDES TELEVISION CONTROL, FACILITIES, AND VEHICLE (MISSILE) POWER PANELS. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN BACKGROUND: MILITARY-TIME CLOCK, BASE OF BUNKER PERISCOPE, AND STAIRS TO ESCAPE TUNNEL. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

One Room Schools in Iowa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruth, Amy, Ed.

1994-01-01

This issue focuses on one-room school houses in Iowa. At one time, almost 14,000 one-room schools dotted Iowa's rural landscape. Articles explore Native American schools of the past and present, segregation of black students, and Amish schools. An article remembering one-room schools describes the early schools from 1830 to 1858, township schools…

7 CFR 58.412 - Coolers or curing rooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Coolers or curing rooms. 58.412 Section 58.412....412 Coolers or curing rooms. Coolers or curing rooms where cheese is held for curing or storage shall... times. The shelves shall be kept clean and dry. This does not preclude the maintenance of suitable...

7 CFR 58.412 - Coolers or curing rooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Coolers or curing rooms. 58.412 Section 58.412....412 Coolers or curing rooms. Coolers or curing rooms where cheese is held for curing or storage shall... times. The shelves shall be kept clean and dry. This does not preclude the maintenance of suitable...

7 CFR 58.412 - Coolers or curing rooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Coolers or curing rooms. 58.412 Section 58.412....412 Coolers or curing rooms. Coolers or curing rooms where cheese is held for curing or storage shall... times. The shelves shall be kept clean and dry. This does not preclude the maintenance of suitable...

7 CFR 58.412 - Coolers or curing rooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Coolers or curing rooms. 58.412 Section 58.412....412 Coolers or curing rooms. Coolers or curing rooms where cheese is held for curing or storage shall... times. The shelves shall be kept clean and dry. This does not preclude the maintenance of suitable...

7 CFR 58.412 - Coolers or curing rooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Coolers or curing rooms. 58.412 Section 58.412....412 Coolers or curing rooms. Coolers or curing rooms where cheese is held for curing or storage shall... times. The shelves shall be kept clean and dry. This does not preclude the maintenance of suitable...

9 CFR 354.241 - Cleaning of rooms and compartments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... skinning room shall be kept clean and free from offensive odors at all times. (g) The walls, floors, and all equipment and utensils used in the killing and skinning room shall be thoroughly washed and cleaned after each day's operation. (h) The floor in the killing and skinning rooms shall be cleaned...

9 CFR 354.241 - Cleaning of rooms and compartments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... skinning room shall be kept clean and free from offensive odors at all times. (g) The walls, floors, and all equipment and utensils used in the killing and skinning room shall be thoroughly washed and cleaned after each day's operation. (h) The floor in the killing and skinning rooms shall be cleaned...

A Highly Reversible Room-Temperature Sodium Metal Anode

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Owing to its low cost and high natural abundance, sodium metal is among the most promising anode materials for energy storage technologies beyond lithium ion batteries. However, room-temperature sodium metal anodes suffer from poor reversibility during long-term plating and stripping, mainly due to formation of nonuniform solid electrolyte interphase as well as dendritic growth of sodium metal. Herein we report for the first time that a simple liquid electrolyte, sodium hexafluorophosphate in glymes (mono-, di-, and tetraglyme), can enable highly reversible and nondendritic plating–stripping of sodium metal anodes at room temperature. High average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.9% were achieved over 300 plating–stripping cycles at 0.5 mA cm–2. The long-term reversibility was found to arise from the formation of a uniform, inorganic solid electrolyte interphase made of sodium oxide and sodium fluoride, which is highly impermeable to electrolyte solvent and conducive to nondendritic growth. As a proof of concept, we also demonstrate a room-temperature sodium–sulfur battery using this class of electrolytes, paving the way for the development of next-generation, sodium-based energy storage technologies. PMID:27163006

A Highly Reversible Room-Temperature Sodium Metal Anode.

PubMed

Seh, Zhi Wei; Sun, Jie; Sun, Yongming; Cui, Yi

2015-11-25

Owing to its low cost and high natural abundance, sodium metal is among the most promising anode materials for energy storage technologies beyond lithium ion batteries. However, room-temperature sodium metal anodes suffer from poor reversibility during long-term plating and stripping, mainly due to formation of nonuniform solid electrolyte interphase as well as dendritic growth of sodium metal. Herein we report for the first time that a simple liquid electrolyte, sodium hexafluorophosphate in glymes (mono-, di-, and tetraglyme), can enable highly reversible and nondendritic plating-stripping of sodium metal anodes at room temperature. High average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.9% were achieved over 300 plating-stripping cycles at 0.5 mA cm(-2). The long-term reversibility was found to arise from the formation of a uniform, inorganic solid electrolyte interphase made of sodium oxide and sodium fluoride, which is highly impermeable to electrolyte solvent and conducive to nondendritic growth. As a proof of concept, we also demonstrate a room-temperature sodium-sulfur battery using this class of electrolytes, paving the way for the development of next-generation, sodium-based energy storage technologies.

Overutilization and underutilization of operating rooms - insights from behavioral health care operations management.

PubMed

Fügener, Andreas; Schiffels, Sebastian; Kolisch, Rainer

2017-03-01

The planning of surgery durations is crucial for efficient usage of operating theaters. Both planning too long and too short durations for surgeries lead to undesirable consequences, e.g. idle time, overtime, or rescheduling of surgeries. We define these consequences as operating room inefficiency. The overall objective of planning surgery durations is to minimize expected operating room inefficiency, since surgery durations are stochastic. While most health care studies assume economically rational behavior of decision makers, experimental studies have shown that decision makers often do not act according to economic incentives. Based on insights from health care operations management, medical decision making, behavioral operations management, as well as empirical observations, we derive hypotheses that surgeons' behavior deviates from economically rational behavior. To investigate this, we undertake an experimental study where experienced surgeons are asked to plan surgeries with uncertain durations. We discover systematic deviations from optimal decision making and offer behavioral explanations for the observed biases. Our research provides new insights to tackle a major problem in hospitals, i.e. low operating room utilization going along with staff overtime.

Laterally Coupled Distributed-Feedback GaSb-Based Diode Lasers for Atmospheric Gas Detection at 2 Microns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Ryan M.; Frez, Clifford; Ksendzov, Alexander; Franz, Kale J.; Bagheri, Mahmood; Forouhar, Siamak

2012-01-01

We demonstrate single-mode laterally coupled distributed-feedback diode lasers at 2.05 microns employing low-loss etched gratings. Single-facet CW output exceeds 50 mW near room temperature with linewidth below 1 MHz over 10-ms observation times

47 CFR 76.2000 - Exclusive access to multiple dwelling units generally.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... time share units, academic campuses and dormitories, military bases, hotels, rooming houses, prisons..., Receiver-generated, Responsibility 76.617 Isolation, Terminal 76.5 J-L Leakage measurements, Signal 76.601... noise 76.5 T Technical standards 76.605 Terminal isolation 76.5 Terminal, Subscriber 76.5 Tests...

47 CFR 76.2000 - Exclusive access to multiple dwelling units generally.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... time share units, academic campuses and dormitories, military bases, hotels, rooming houses, prisons..., Receiver-generated, Responsibility 76.617 Isolation, Terminal 76.5 J-L Leakage measurements, Signal 76.601... noise 76.5 T Technical standards 76.605 Terminal isolation 76.5 Terminal, Subscriber 76.5 Tests...

Using Web-based Information To Facilitate Inclusion Practices in Rural Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lock, Robin H.

2001-01-01

Texas Tech University offers online courses in special education for graduate credit or inservice education. This approach addresses the problems of time, distance, resources, and expertise experienced by rural educators. Unenrolled practitioners not interested in returning to school can access chat rooms and threaded discussions to get support…

Determination of secondhand smoke leakage from the smoking room of an Internet café.

PubMed

Kim, Hyejin; Lee, Kiyoung; An, Jaehoon; Won, Sungho

2017-10-01

Although Internet cafes have been designated as nonsmoking areas in Korea, smoke-free legislation has allowed the installation of indoor smoking rooms. The purposes of this study were to determine secondhand smoke (SHS) leakage from an Internet café smoking room and to identify factors associated with SHS leakage. PM 2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) mass concentrations were measured simultaneously both inside and outside the door to the smoking room. During each measurement, a field technician observed how long the smoking room door was opened and closed, the direction of door opening, and the number of smokers. A multivariate linear regression model was used to identify the causality of SHS leakage from the smoking room. A time series of PM 2.5 concentrations both inside and outside the door to the smoking room showed a similar trend. SHS leakage was significantly increased because of factors associated with the direction of the smoking room door being opened, the duration of how long the smoking room door was opened until it was closed, and the average PM 2.5 concentration inside the smoking room when the door was opened. SHS leakage from inside the smoking room to outside the smoking room was evident especially when the smoking room door was opened. Since the smoking room is not effective in preventing SHS exposure, the smoking room should be removed from the facilities to protect citizens from SHS exposure through revision of the current legislation, which permits installation of a smoking room. This paper concerns secondhand smoke (SHS) leakage from indoor smoking room. Unlike previous studies, the authors statistically analyzed the causality of PM 2.5 concentration leakage from a smoking room using time-series analysis. Since the authors selected the most common smoking room, the outcomes could be generalized. The study demonstrated that SHS leakage from smoking room and SHS leakage were clearly associated with door opening. The finding demonstrated ineffectiveness of smoking room to protect citizens and supports removal of indoor smoking room.

Orientation based on nursing diagnoses. Old concepts in today's practice.

PubMed

Anderson, L K; Vincent, N

1991-10-01

Although many operating room orientation programs contain content necessary to meet accrediting guidelines, very few tie the nursing process to the content. Our orientation is structured within a nursing framework (ie, Dr Gordon's "Eleven Functional Health Patterns") and emphasizes nursing diagnoses, theory, and clinical competencies. Although the new orientation program has been in effect for only two years, we feel the following list reflects the positive outcomes so far: decreased staff turnover (ie, one nurse out of 26 full-time equivalents in 18 months), increased success in recruiting nurses into the operating room (ie, multiple applicants as positions open), new nurses demonstrate comfort with basic perioperative nursing practice with-in six months, and nurses who did not complete new orientation program are requesting all or portions of the content. By using this plan, essential aspects of perioperative practice are consistent with hospital-wide nursing practice, practice standards for the operating room, and accrediting standards.

Long distance spin communication in chemical vapour deposited graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamalakar, M. Venkata; Groenveld, Christiaan; Dankert, André; Dash, Saroj P.

2015-04-01

Graphene is an ideal medium for long-distance spin communication in future spintronic technologies. So far, the prospect is limited by the smaller sizes of exfoliated graphene flakes and lower spin transport properties of large-area chemical vapour-deposited (CVD) graphene. Here we demonstrate a high spintronic performance in CVD graphene on SiO2/Si substrate at room temperature. We show pure spin transport and precession over long channel lengths extending up to 16 μm with a spin lifetime of 1.2 ns and a spin diffusion length ~6 μm at room temperature. These spin parameters are up to six times higher than previous reports and highest at room temperature for any form of pristine graphene on industrial standard SiO2/Si substrates. Our detailed investigation reinforces the observed performance in CVD graphene over wafer scale and opens up new prospects for the development of lateral spin-based memory and logic applications.

Time-motion analysis of clinical nursing documentation during implementation of an electronic operating room management system for ophthalmic surgery.

PubMed

Read-Brown, Sarah; Sanders, David S; Brown, Anna S; Yackel, Thomas R; Choi, Dongseok; Tu, Daniel C; Chiang, Michael F

2013-01-01

Efficiency and quality of documentation are critical in surgical settings because operating rooms are a major source of revenue, and because adverse events may have enormous consequences. Electronic health records (EHRs) have potential to impact surgical volume, quality, and documentation time. Ophthalmology is an ideal domain to examine these issues because procedures are high-throughput and demand efficient documentation. This time-motion study examines nursing documentation during implementation of an EHR operating room management system in an ophthalmology department. Key findings are: (1) EHR nursing documentation time was significantly worse during early implementation, but improved to a level near but slightly worse than paper baseline, (2) Mean documentation time varied significantly among nurses during early implementation, and (3) There was no decrease in operating room turnover time or surgical volume after implementation. These findings have important implications for ambulatory surgery departments planning EHR implementation, and for research in system design.

Time-Motion Analysis of Clinical Nursing Documentation During Implementation of an Electronic Operating Room Management System for Ophthalmic Surgery

PubMed Central

Read-Brown, Sarah; Sanders, David S.; Brown, Anna S.; Yackel, Thomas R.; Choi, Dongseok; Tu, Daniel C.; Chiang, Michael F.

2013-01-01

Efficiency and quality of documentation are critical in surgical settings because operating rooms are a major source of revenue, and because adverse events may have enormous consequences. Electronic health records (EHRs) have potential to impact surgical volume, quality, and documentation time. Ophthalmology is an ideal domain to examine these issues because procedures are high-throughput and demand efficient documentation. This time-motion study examines nursing documentation during implementation of an EHR operating room management system in an ophthalmology department. Key findings are: (1) EHR nursing documentation time was significantly worse during early implementation, but improved to a level near but slightly worse than paper baseline, (2) Mean documentation time varied significantly among nurses during early implementation, and (3) There was no decrease in operating room turnover time or surgical volume after implementation. These findings have important implications for ambulatory surgery departments planning EHR implementation, and for research in system design. PMID:24551402

Three-terminal graphene single-electron transistor fabricated using feedback-controlled electroburning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puczkarski, Paweł; Gehring, Pascal, E-mail: pascal.gehring@materials.ox.ac.uk; Lau, Chit S.

2015-09-28

We report room-temperature Coulomb blockade in a single layer graphene three-terminal single-electron transistor fabricated using feedback-controlled electroburning. The small separation between the side gate electrode and the graphene quantum dot results in a gate coupling up to 3 times larger compared to the value found for the back gate electrode. This allows for an effective tuning between the conductive and Coulomb blocked state using a small side gate voltage of about 1 V. The technique can potentially be used in the future to fabricate all-graphene based room temperature single-electron transistors or three terminal single molecule transistors with enhanced gate coupling.

Cryo-cooling in macromolecular crystallography: advantages, disadvantages and optimization.

PubMed

Juers, Douglas H; Matthews, Brian W

2004-05-01

The flash-cooling of crystals in macromolecular crystallography has become commonplace. The procedure makes it possible to collect data from much smaller specimens than was the case in the past Also, flash-cooled crystals are much less prone to radiation damage than their room-temperature counterparts, allowing data to be accumulated over extended periods of time. Notwithstanding the attractiveness of the technique, it does have potential disadvantages. First, better methods need to be developed to prevent damage to crystals on freezing. There is also a risk that structures determined at low temperature may suggest conclusions based on aspects of the structure that are not necessarily relevant at room temperature.

Planning for patient privacy and hospitability: a must do in oncology care.

PubMed

Easter, James G

2003-01-01

The number one design challenge in the healthcare environment is the patient room. This space is one of the primary functional areas impacting hospital design and, quite often, the place of greatest controversy. This controversy is due to the length of time the patient spends in the room (compared to other areas), the amount of overall space required and the time dedicated to patient room utilization, maintenance, general arrangement and overall efficiency. In addition, there is a growing list of room types to be considered, many are of the ambulatory care, short stay and observation category. Other room types beyond the routine medical/surgical room include Intensive Care, Coronary Care, Surgical Intensive Care, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation and Oncology Care as well as more intensive Bone Marrow Transplantation, for example. Major features of the traditional acute care patient room require the space to be flexible, convertible, expandable and, most importantly, hospitable. For many, many years the patient room was considered a shared space with multiple beds and multiple users. The term semi-private has been used to describe the traditional two-bed and, sometimes 4-bed patient room. This article will address the programmatic elements of an inpatient area, the room and its functional components along with some examples for comparative purposes. For the oncology patient, the development of a family-focused, private room is mandatory. The private room is more flexible, less expensive to operate, safer and environmentally more appealing for the patient, family and staff.

The effects of treatment room lighting color on time perception and emotion.

PubMed

Han, Seulki; Lee, Daehee

2017-07-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived treatment times and emotional reactions under different light colors in the treatment room. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects in this study were 20 healthy young students in their 20s. Under each lighting condition (blue, red, white, and yellow) differentiated by color, each subject laid on a therapeutic bed and underwent ultrasound therapy. Subjects were instructed to press a stopwatch every 1 minute, for a total of 5 times, after therapy started according to their perception of time while the stopwatch's time indicator was blocked. After the experiments, self-administered questionnaires were given to subjects to measure their emotional reactions. [Results] In terms of K-POMS scores, the mood states of depression-dejection, anger-hostility, and confusion-bewilderment were higher scores for blue and red lights compared to yellow light. The mood state of vigor-activity were higher scores for yellow and white lights compared to blue and red lights. [Conclusion] Therefore, it is important to take necessary measures to prevent the negative effects that blue and red light-based therapy can have on patient mood.

Evaluation of Die-Attach Bonding Using High-Frequency Ultrasonic Energy for High-Temperature Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jong-Bum; Aw, Jie-Li; Rhee, Min-Woo

2014-09-01

Room-temperature die-attach bonding using ultrasonic energy was evaluated on Cu/In and Cu/Sn-3Ag metal stacks. The In and Sn-3Ag layers have much lower melting temperatures than the base material (Cu) and can be melted through the heat generated during ultrasonic bonding, forming intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Samples were bonded using different ultrasonic powers, bonding times, and forces and subsequently aged at 300°C for 500 h. After aging, die shear testing was performed and the fracture surfaces were inspected by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the shear strength of Cu/In joints reached an upper plateau after 100 h of thermal aging and remained stable with aging time, whereas that of the Cu/Sn-3Ag joints decreased with increasing aging time. η-Cu7In4 and (Cu,Au)11In9 IMCs were observed at the Cu/In joint, while Cu3Sn and (Ag,Cu)3Sn IMCs were found at the Cu/Sn-3Ag joint after reliability testing. As Cu-based IMCs have high melting temperatures, they are highly suitable for use in high-temperature electronics, but can be formed at room temperature using an ultrasonic approach.

Perceptions on the Impact of a Just-in-Time Room on Trainees and Supervising Physicians in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

PubMed

Thomas, Anita A; Uspal, Neil G; Oron, Assaf P; Klein, Eileen J

2016-12-01

Just-in-time (JIT) training refers to education occurring immediately prior to clinical encounters. An in situ JIT room in a pediatric emergency department (ED) was created for procedural education. We examined trainee self-reported JIT room use, its impact on trainee self-perception of procedural competence/confidence, and the effect its usage has on the need for intervention by supervising physicians during procedures. Cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of residents rotating through the ED and supervising pediatric emergency medicine physicians. Outcomes included JIT room use, trainee procedural confidence, and frequency of supervisor intervention during procedures. Thirty-one of 32 supervising physicians (97%) and 122 of 186 residents (66%) completed the survey, with 71% of trainees reporting improved confidence, and 68% reporting improved procedural skills ( P  < .05, +1.4-point average skills improvement on a 5-point Likert scale). Trainees perceived no difference among supervising physicians intervening in procedures with or without JIT room use ( P  = .30, paired difference -0.0 points). Nearly all supervisors reported improved trainee procedural confidence, and 77% reported improved trainee procedural skills after JIT room use ( P  < .05, paired difference +1.8 points); 58% of supervisors stated they intervene in procedures without trainee JIT room use, compared with 42% with JIT room use ( P  < .05, paired difference -0.4 points). Use of the JIT room led to improved trainee confidence and supervisor reports of less procedural intervention. Although it carries financial and time costs, an in situ JIT room may be important for convenient JIT training.

Perceptions on the Impact of a Just-in-Time Room on Trainees and Supervising Physicians in a Pediatric Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Thomas, Anita A.; Uspal, Neil G.; Oron, Assaf P.; Klein, Eileen J.

2016-01-01

Background  Just-in-time (JIT) training refers to education occurring immediately prior to clinical encounters. An in situ JIT room in a pediatric emergency department (ED) was created for procedural education. Objective  We examined trainee self-reported JIT room use, its impact on trainee self-perception of procedural competence/confidence, and the effect its usage has on the need for intervention by supervising physicians during procedures. Methods  Cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of residents rotating through the ED and supervising pediatric emergency medicine physicians. Outcomes included JIT room use, trainee procedural confidence, and frequency of supervisor intervention during procedures. Results  Thirty-one of 32 supervising physicians (97%) and 122 of 186 residents (66%) completed the survey, with 71% of trainees reporting improved confidence, and 68% reporting improved procedural skills (P < .05, +1.4-point average skills improvement on a 5-point Likert scale). Trainees perceived no difference among supervising physicians intervening in procedures with or without JIT room use (P = .30, paired difference −0.0 points). Nearly all supervisors reported improved trainee procedural confidence, and 77% reported improved trainee procedural skills after JIT room use (P < .05, paired difference +1.8 points); 58% of supervisors stated they intervene in procedures without trainee JIT room use, compared with 42% with JIT room use (P < .05, paired difference −0.4 points). Conclusions  Use of the JIT room led to improved trainee confidence and supervisor reports of less procedural intervention. Although it carries financial and time costs, an in situ JIT room may be important for convenient JIT training. PMID:28018542

Challenges and solutions for realistic room simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Begault, Durand R.

2002-05-01

Virtual room acoustic simulation (auralization) techniques have traditionally focused on answering questions related to speech intelligibility or musical quality, typically in large volumetric spaces. More recently, auralization techniques have been found to be important for the externalization of headphone-reproduced virtual acoustic images. Although externalization can be accomplished using a minimal simulation, data indicate that realistic auralizations need to be responsive to head motion cues for accurate localization. Computational demands increase when providing for the simulation of coupled spaces, small rooms lacking meaningful reverberant decays, or reflective surfaces in outdoor environments. Auditory threshold data for both early reflections and late reverberant energy levels indicate that much of the information captured in acoustical measurements is inaudible, minimizing the intensive computational requirements of real-time auralization systems. Results are presented for early reflection thresholds as a function of azimuth angle, arrival time, and sound-source type, and reverberation thresholds as a function of reverberation time and level within 250-Hz-2-kHz octave bands. Good agreement is found between data obtained in virtual room simulations and those obtained in real rooms, allowing a strategy for minimizing computational requirements of real-time auralization systems.

Time-dependent phase shift of a retrieved pulse in off-resonant electromagnetically-induced-transparency-based light storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynard, M.-A.; Bouchez, R.; Lugani, J.; Bretenaker, F.; Goldfarb, F.; Brion, E.

2015-11-01

We report measurements of the time-dependent phases of the leak and retrieved pulses obtained in electromagnetically-induced-transparency storage experiments with metastable helium vapor at room temperature. In particular, we investigate the influence of the optical detuning at two-photon resonance and provide numerical simulations of the full dynamical Maxwell-Bloch equations, which allow us to account for the experimental results.

Effects of single-family rooms on nurse-parent and nurse-infant interaction in neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Toivonen, Mirka; Lehtonen, Liisa; Löyttyniemi, Eliisa; Axelin, Anna

Single-family rooms in neonatal intensive care unit can provide longer interaction between family and staff. On the other hand, separation in private rooms has been shown detrimental to child development if parents are not present. To examine the effects of single-family rooms on nurse-family, nurse-parent and nurse-infant interaction time in neonatal intensive care unit. A quantitative, comparative, observational study was conducted before and after a move to a neonatal intensive care unit with single-family rooms. A total of 194 observation hours were conducted before the move and 194h after the move. The differences were analyzed using a hierarchical linear mixed model. Nurses working in one neonatal intensive care unit were recruited to study. The duration and number of nurse-parent and nurse-infant interaction episodes were recorded. The nurse-family and the nurse-parent interaction were longer in the unit with single-family rooms compared with the unit before the move (mean 261 vs. 138min per shift, p<0.0001 and 117 vs. 35, p=0.001, respectively). The duration of the nurse-infant interaction did not change after the move. The frequency of the nurse-parent or the nurse-infant interactions did not change between the time periods. Neonatal intensive care unit with single-family rooms supported an increase in nurse-parent interaction time. Importantly, nurse-infant interaction time did not decrease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of time, attendance of medical staff, and resources during interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer : DEGRO-QUIRO trial.

PubMed

Tselis, N; Maurer, U; Popp, W; Sack, H; Zamboglou, N

2014-04-01

The German Society of Radiation Oncology initiated a multicenter trial to evaluate core processes and subprocesses of radiotherapy by prospective evaluation of all important procedures in the most frequent malignancies treated by radiation therapy. The aim of this analysis was to assess the required resources for interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) and low-dose-rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy (BRT) based on actual time measurements regarding allocation of personnel and room occupation needed for specific procedures. Two radiotherapy centers (community hospital of Offenbach am Main and community hospital of Eschweiler) participated in this prospective study. Working time of the different occupational groups and room occupancies for the workflow of prostate BRT were recorded and methodically assessed during a 3-month period. For HDR and LDR BRT, a total of 560 and 92 measurements, respectively, were documented. The time needed for treatment preplanning was median 24 min for HDR (n = 112 measurements) and 6 min for LDR BRT (n = 21). Catheter implantation with intraoperative HDR real-time planning (n = 112), postimplantation HDR treatment planning (n = 112), and remotely controlled HDR afterloading irradiation (n = 112) required median 25, 39, and 50 min, respectively. For LDR real-time planning (n = 39) and LDR treatment postplanning (n = 32), the assessed median duration was 91 and 11 min, respectively. Room occupancy and overall mean medical staff times were 194 and 910 min respectively, for HDR, and 113 and 371 min, respectively, for LDR BRT. In this prospective analysis, the resource requirements for the application of HDR and LDR BRT of prostate cancer were assessed methodically and are presented for first time.

Separate Medication Preparation Rooms Reduce Interruptions and Medication Errors in the Hospital Setting: A Prospective Observational Study.

PubMed

Huckels-Baumgart, Saskia; Baumgart, André; Buschmann, Ute; Schüpfer, Guido; Manser, Tanja

2016-12-21

Interruptions and errors during the medication process are common, but published literature shows no evidence supporting whether separate medication rooms are an effective single intervention in reducing interruptions and errors during medication preparation in hospitals. We tested the hypothesis that the rate of interruptions and reported medication errors would decrease as a result of the introduction of separate medication rooms. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of separate medication rooms on interruptions during medication preparation and on self-reported medication error rates. We performed a preintervention and postintervention study using direct structured observation of nurses during medication preparation and daily structured medication error self-reporting of nurses by questionnaires in 2 wards at a major teaching hospital in Switzerland. A volunteer sample of 42 nurses was observed preparing 1498 medications for 366 patients over 17 hours preintervention and postintervention on both wards. During 122 days, nurses completed 694 reporting sheets containing 208 medication errors. After the introduction of the separate medication room, the mean interruption rate decreased significantly from 51.8 to 30 interruptions per hour (P < 0.01), and the interruption-free preparation time increased significantly from 1.4 to 2.5 minutes (P < 0.05). Overall, the mean medication error rate per day was also significantly reduced after implementation of the separate medication room from 1.3 to 0.9 errors per day (P < 0.05). The present study showed the positive effect of a hospital-based intervention; after the introduction of the separate medication room, the interruption and medication error rates decreased significantly.

[Effects of acaoustic adaptation of classrooms on the quality of verbal communication].

PubMed

Mikulski, Witold

2013-01-01

Voice organ disorders among teachers are caused by excessive voice strain. One of the measures to reduce this strain is to decrease background noise when teaching. Increasing the acoustic absorption of the room is a technical measure for achieving this aim. The absorption level also improves speech intelligibility rated by the following parameters: room reverberation time and speech transmission index (STI). This article presents the effects of acoustic adaptation of classrooms on the quality of verbal communication, aimed at getting the speech intelligibility at the good or excellent level. The article lists the criteria for evaluating classrooms in terms of the quality of verbal communication. The parameters were defined, using the measurement methods according to PN-EN ISO 3382-2:2010 and PN-EN 60268-16:2011. Acoustic adaptations were completed in two classrooms. After completing acoustic adaptations the reverberation time for the frequency of 1 kHz was reduced: in room no. 1 from 1.45 s to 0.44 s and in room no. 2 from 1.03 s to 0.37 s (maximum 0.65 s). At the same time, the speech transmission index increased: in room no. 1 from 0.55 (satisfactory speech intelligibility) to 0.75 (speech intelligibility close to excellent); in room no. 2 from 0.63 (good speech intelligibility) to 0.80 (excellent speech intelligibility). Therefore, it can be stated that prior to completing acoustic adaptations room no. 1 did not comply and room no. 2 barely complied with the criterion (speech transmission index of 0.62). After completing acoustic adaptations both rooms meet the requirements.

Fast Room Temperature Very Low Field-Magnetic Resonance Imaging System Compatible with MagnetoEncephaloGraphy Environment

PubMed Central

Galante, Angelo; Sinibaldi, Raffaele; Conti, Allegra; De Luca, Cinzia; Catallo, Nadia; Sebastiani, Piero; Pizzella, Vittorio; Romani, Gian Luca; Sotgiu, Antonello; Della Penna, Stefania

2015-01-01

In recent years, ultra-low field (ULF)-MRI is being given more and more attention, due to the possibility of integrating ULF-MRI and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) in the same device. Despite the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) reduction, there are several advantages to operating at ULF, including increased tissue contrast, reduced cost and weight of the scanners, the potential to image patients that are not compatible with clinical scanners, and the opportunity to integrate different imaging modalities. The majority of ULF-MRI systems are based, until now, on magnetic field pulsed techniques for increasing SNR, using SQUID based detectors with Larmor frequencies in the kHz range. Although promising results were recently obtained with such systems, it is an open question whether similar SNR and reduced acquisition time can be achieved with simpler devices. In this work a room-temperature, MEG-compatible very-low field (VLF)-MRI device working in the range of several hundred kHz without sample pre-polarization is presented. This preserves many advantages of ULF-MRI, but for equivalent imaging conditions and SNR we achieve reduced imaging time based on preliminary results using phantoms and ex-vivo rabbits heads. PMID:26630172

Measuring quality indicators in the operating room: cleaning and turnover time.

PubMed

Jericó, Marli de Carvalho; Perroca, Márcia Galan; da Penha, Vivian Colombo

2011-01-01

This exploratory-descriptive study was carried out in the Surgical Center Unit of a university hospital aiming to measure time spent with concurrent cleaning performed by the cleaning service and turnover time and also investigated potential associations between cleaning time and the surgery's magnitude and specialty, period of the day and the room's size. The sample consisted of 101 surgeries, computing cleaning time and 60 surgeries, computing turnover time. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze time and Pearson's correlation to study potential correlations. The time spent in concurrent cleaning was 7.1 minutes and turnover time was 35.6 minutes. No association between cleaning time and the other variables was found. These findings can support nurses in the efficient use of resources thereby speeding up the work process in the operating room.

Procedure and information displays in advanced nuclear control rooms: experimental evaluation of an integrated design.

PubMed

Chen, Yue; Gao, Qin; Song, Fei; Li, Zhizhong; Wang, Yufan

2017-08-01

In the main control rooms of nuclear power plants, operators frequently have to switch between procedure displays and system information displays. In this study, we proposed an operation-unit-based integrated design, which combines the two displays to facilitate the synthesis of information. We grouped actions that complete a single goal into operation units and showed these operation units on the displays of system states. In addition, we used different levels of visual salience to highlight the current unit and provided a list of execution history records. A laboratory experiment, with 42 students performing a simulated procedure to deal with unexpected high pressuriser level, was conducted to compare this design against an action-based integrated design and the existing separated-displays design. The results indicate that our operation-unit-based integrated design yields the best performance in terms of time and completion rate and helped more participants to detect unexpected system failures. Practitioner Summary: In current nuclear control rooms, operators frequently have to switch between procedure and system information displays. We developed an integrated design that incorporates procedure information into system displays. A laboratory study showed that the proposed design significantly improved participants' performance and increased the probability of detecting unexpected system failures.

Photoactivated Mixed In-Plane and Edge-Enriched p-Type MoS2 Flake-Based NO2 Sensor Working at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Agrawal, Abhay V; Kumar, Rahul; Venkatesan, Swaminathan; Zakhidov, Alex; Yang, Guang; Bao, Jiming; Kumar, Mahesh; Kumar, Mukesh

2018-05-25

Toxic gases are produced during the burning of fossil fuels. Room temperature (RT) fast detection of toxic gases is still challenging. Recently, MoS 2 transition metal dichalcogenides have sparked great attention in the research community due to their performance in gas sensing applications. However, MoS 2 based gas sensors still suffer from long response and recovery times, especially at RT. Considering this challenge, here, we report photoactivated highly reversible and fast detection of NO 2 sensors at room temperature (RT) by using mixed in-plane and edge-enriched p-MoS 2 flakes (mixed MoS 2 ). The sensor showed fast response with good sensitivity of ∼10.36% for 10 ppm of NO 2 at RT without complete recovery. However, complete recovery was obtained with better sensor performance under UV light illumination at RT. The UV assisted NO 2 sensing showed improved performance in terms of fast response and recovery kinetics with enhanced sensitivity to 10 ppm NO 2 concentration. The sensor performance is also investigated under thermal energy, and a better sensor performance with reduced sensitivity and high selectivity toward NO 2 was observed. A detailed gas sensing mechanism based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations for favorable NO 2 adsorption sites on in-plane and edge-enriched MoS 2 flakes is proposed. This study revealed the role of favorable adsorption sites in MoS 2 flakes for the enhanced interaction of target gases and developed a highly sensitive, reversible, and fast gas sensor for next-generation toxic gases at room temperature.

"Sack Time" pencil drawing on north wall of sack room, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

"Sack Time" pencil drawing on north wall of sack room, northeast corner, facing north. - Camp Tulelake, Shop-Storage Building, West Side of Hill Road, 2 miles South of State Highway 161, Tulelake, Siskiyou County, CA

Prostate implant nomograms for the North American scientific {sup 103}Pd seed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Jay J.; Stevens, Ritchie N

Palladium-103-({sup 103}Pd) seed has been increasingly used in prostate implantation as either definitive or boost therapy because of its shorter half-life and higher initial dose rate. Because a growing number of radiation oncologists prefer real-time implantation in the operating room, it will be helpful if the total activity of the seeds can be determined based on the gland size before the patient is taken to the operating room. Based on our clinic data, nomograms have therefore been developed for one of the widely used {sup 103}Pd seeds, the MED3633 seed, which is produced by North American Scientific, Inc. (NASI). Themore » total activities for implant volume ranging from 15 cc to 55 cc are provided for both seed 'monotherapy' and seed boost.« less

Enhanced and selective ammonia sensing of reduced graphene oxide based chemo resistive sensor at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ramesh; Kaur, Amarjeet

2016-05-01

The reduced graphene oxide thin films were fabricated by using the spin coating method. The reduced graphene oxide samples were characterised by Raman studies to obtain corresponding D and G bands at 1360 and 1590 cm-1 respectively. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectra consists of peak corresponds to sp2 hybridisation of carbon atoms at 1560 cm-1. The reduced graphene oxide based chemoresistive sensor exhibited a p-type semiconductor behaviour in ambient conditions and showed good sensitivity to different concentration of ammonia from 25 ppm to 500 ppm and excellent selectivity at room temperature. The sensor displays selectivity to several hazardous vapours such as methanol, ethanol, acetone and hydrazine hydrate. The sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 9.8 at 25 ppm concentration of ammonia with response time of 163 seconds.

Improving visit cycle time using patient flow analysis in a high-volume inner-city hospital-based ambulatory clinic serving minority New Yorkers.

PubMed

Dhar, Sanjay; Michel, Raquel; Kanna, Balavenkatesh

2011-01-01

Patient waiting time and waiting room congestion are quality indicators that are related to efficiency of ambulatory care systems and patient satisfaction. Our main purpose was to test a program to decrease patient visit cycle time, while maintaining high-quality healthcare in a high-volume inner-city hospital-based clinic in New York City. Use of patient flow analysis and the creation of patient care teams proved useful in identifying areas for improvement, target, and measure effectiveness of interventions. The end result is reduced visit cycle time, improved provider team performance, and sustained patient care outcomes. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Closed-Loop Acoustic Control of Reverberant Room for Satellite Environmental Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janssens, Karl; Bianciardi, Fabio; Sabbatini, Danilo; Debille, Jan; Carrella, Alex

2012-07-01

The full satellite acoustic test is an important milestone in a satellite launch survivability verification campaign. This test is required to verify the satellite’s mechanical design against the high-level acoustic loads induced by the launch vehicle during the atmospheric flight. During the test, the satellite is subjected to a broadband diffuse acoustic field, reproducing the pressure levels observed during launch. The excitation is in most cases provided by a combination of horns for the low frequencies and noise generators for the higher frequencies. Acoustic control tests are commonly performed in reverberant rooms, controlling the sound pressure levels in third octave bands over the specified target spectrum. This paper discusses an automatic feedback control system for acoustic control of large reverberation rooms for satellite environmental testing. The acoustic control system consists of parallel third octave PI (Proportional Integral) feedback controllers that take the reverberation characteristics of the room into consideration. The drive output of the control system is shaped at every control step based on the comparison of the average third octave noise spectrum, measured from a number of microphones in the test room, with the target spectrum. Cross-over filters split the output drive into band- limited signals to feed each of the horns. The control system is realized in several steps. In the first phase, a dynamic process model is developed, including the non-linear characteristics of the horns and the reverberant properties of the room. The model is identified from dynamic experiments using system identification techniques. In the next phase, an adequate control strategy is designed which is capable of reaching the target spectrum in the required time period without overshoots. This control strategy is obtained from model-in-the-loop (MIL) simulations, evaluating the performance of various potential strategies. Finally, the proposed strategy is implemented in real-time and its control performance tested and validated.

Acoustic Calibration of the Exterior Effects Room at the NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faller, Kenneth J., II; Rizzi, Stephen A.; Klos, Jacob; Chapin, William L.; Surucu, Fahri; Aumann, Aric R.

2010-01-01

The Exterior Effects Room (EER) at the NASA Langley Research Center is a 39-seat auditorium built for psychoacoustic studies of aircraft community noise. The original reproduction system employed monaural playback and hence lacked sound localization capability. In an effort to more closely recreate field test conditions, a significant upgrade was undertaken to allow simulation of a three-dimensional audio and visual environment. The 3D audio system consists of 27 mid and high frequency satellite speakers and 4 subwoofers, driven by a real-time audio server running an implementation of Vector Base Amplitude Panning. The audio server is part of a larger simulation system, which controls the audio and visual presentation of recorded and synthesized aircraft flyovers. The focus of this work is on the calibration of the 3D audio system, including gains used in the amplitude panning algorithm, speaker equalization, and absolute gain control. Because the speakers are installed in an irregularly shaped room, the speaker equalization includes time delay and gain compensation due to different mounting distances from the focal point, filtering for color compensation due to different installations (half space, corner, baffled/unbaffled), and cross-over filtering.

The identification of Volatile Organic Compound's emission sources in indoor air of living spaces, offices and laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kultys, Beata

2018-01-01

Indoor air quality is important because people spend most of their time in closed rooms. If volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present at elevated concentrations, they may cause a deterioration in human well-being or health. The identification of indoor emission sources is carried out by comparison indoor and outdoor air composition. The aim of the study was to determinate the concentration of VOCs in indoor air, where there was a risk of elevated levels due to the kind of work type carried out or the users complained about the symptoms of a sick building followed by an appropriate interpretation of the results to determine whether the source of the emission in the tested room occurs. The air from residential, office and laboratory was tested in this study. The identification of emission sources was based on comparison of indoor and outdoor VOCs concentration and their correlation coefficients. The concentration of VOCs in all the rooms were higher or at a similar level to that of the air sampled at the same time outside the building. Human activity, in particular repair works and experiments with organic solvents, has the greatest impact on deterioration of air quality.

The influence of storage time and temperature on the measurement of serum, plasma and urine osmolality.

PubMed

Bezuidenhout, Karla; Rensburg, Megan A; Hudson, Careen L; Essack, Younus; Davids, M Razeen

2016-07-01

Many clinical laboratories require that specimens for serum and urine osmolality determination be processed within 3 h of sampling or need to arrive at the laboratory on ice. This protocol is based on the World Health Organization report on sample storage and stability, but the recommendation lacks good supporting data. We studied the effect of storage temperature and time on osmolality measurements. Blood and urine samples were obtained from 16 patients and 25 healthy volunteers. Baseline serum, plasma and urine osmolality measurements were performed within 30 min. Measurements were then made at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 h on samples stored at 4-8℃ and room temperature. We compared baseline values with subsequent measurements and used difference plots to illustrate changes in osmolality. At 4-8℃, serum and plasma osmolality were stable for up to 36 h. At room temperature, serum and plasma osmolality were very stable for up to 12 h. At 24 and 36 h, changes from baseline osmolality were statistically significant and exceeded the total allowable error of 1.5% but not the reference change value of 4.1%. Urine osmolality was extremely stable at room temperature with a mean change of less than 1 mosmol/kg at 36 h. Serum and plasma samples can be stored at room temperature for up to 36 h before measuring osmolality. Cooling samples to 4-8℃ may be useful when delays in measurement beyond 12 h are anticipated. Urine osmolality is extremely stable for up to 36 h at room temperature. © The Author(s) 2015.

A novel interface for the telementoring of robotic surgery.

PubMed

Shin, Daniel H; Dalag, Leonard; Azhar, Raed A; Santomauro, Michael; Satkunasivam, Raj; Metcalfe, Charles; Dunn, Matthew; Berger, Andre; Djaladat, Hooman; Nguyen, Mike; Desai, Mihir M; Aron, Monish; Gill, Inderbir S; Hung, Andrew J

2015-08-01

To prospectively evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel, second-generation telementoring interface (Connect(™) ; Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for the da Vinci robot. Robotic surgery trainees were mentored during portions of robot-assisted prostatectomy and renal surgery cases. Cases were assigned as traditional in-room mentoring or remote mentoring using Connect. While viewing two-dimensional, real-time video of the surgical field, remote mentors delivered verbal and visual counsel, using two-way audio and telestration (drawing) capabilities. Perioperative and technical data were recorded. Trainee robotic performance was rated using a validated assessment tool by both mentors and trainees. The mentoring interface was rated using a multi-factorial Likert-based survey. The Mann-Whitney and t-tests were used to determine statistical differences. We enrolled 55 mentored surgical cases (29 in-room, 26 remote). Perioperative variables of operative time and blood loss were similar between in-room and remote mentored cases. Robotic skills assessment showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Mentors preferred remote over in-room telestration (P = 0.05); otherwise no significant difference existed in evaluation of the interfaces. Remote cases using wired (vs wireless) connections had lower latency and better data transfer (P = 0.005). Three of 18 (17%) wireless sessions were disrupted; one was converted to wired, one continued after restarting Connect, and the third was aborted. A bipolar injury to the colon occurred during one (3%) in-room mentored case; no intraoperative injuries were reported during remote sessions. In a tightly controlled environment, the Connect interface allows trainee robotic surgeons to be telementored in a safe and effective manner while performing basic surgical techniques. Significant steps remain prior to widespread use of this technology. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Demonstration of Temperature Dependent Energy Migration in Dual-Mode YVO4: Ho3+/Yb3+ Nanocrystals for Low Temperature Thermometry

PubMed Central

Kumar Mahata, Manoj; Koppe, Tristan; Kumar, Kaushal; Hofsäss, Hans; Vetter, Ulrich

2016-01-01

A dual mode rare-earth based vanadate material (YVO4: Ho3+/Yb3+), prepared through ethylene glycol assisted hydrothermal method, demonstrating both downconversion and upconversion, along with systematic investigation of the luminescence spectroscopy within 12–300 K is presented herein. The energy transfer processes have been explored via steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements and explained in terms of rate equation description and temporal evolution below room temperature. The maximum time for energy migration from host to rare earth (Ho3+) increases (0.157 μs to 0.514 μs) with the material’s temperature decreasing from 300 K to 12 K. The mechanism responsible for variation of the transients’ character is discussed through thermalization and non-radiative transitions in the system. More significantly, the temperature of the nanocrystals was determined using not only the thermally equilibrated radiative intra-4f transitions of Ho3+ but also the decay time and rise time of vanadate and Ho3+ energy levels. Our studies show that the material is highly suitable for temperature sensing below room temperature. The maximum relative sensor sensitivity using the rise time of Ho3+ energy level (5F4/5S2) is 1.35% K−1, which is the highest among the known sensitivities for luminescence based thermal probes. PMID:27805060

The operating room of the future: observations and commentary.

PubMed

Satava, Richard M

2003-09-01

The Operating Room of the Future is a construct upon which to develop the next generation of operating environments for the patient, surgeon, and operating team. Analysis of the suite of visions for the Operating Room of the Future reveals a broad set of goals, with a clear overall solution to create a safe environment for high-quality healthcare. The vision, although planned for the future, is based upon iteratively improving and integrating current systems, both technology and process. This must become the Operating Room of Today, which will require the enormous efforts described. An alternative future of the operating room, based upon emergence of disruptive technologies, is also presented.

Impact of the reduction of anaesthesia turnover time on operating room efficiency.

PubMed

Sokolovic, E; Biro, P; Wyss, P; Werthemann, C; Haller, U; Spahn, D; Szucs, T

2002-08-01

We investigated whether an increase in anaesthesia staffing to permit induction of anaesthesia before the previous case had ended ('overlapping') would increase overall efficiency in the operating room. Hitherto, the average duration of operating sessions was too long, thus impeding the timely commencement of physicians' ward duties. The investigation was designed as a prospective, non-randomized, interrupted time-series analysis divided into three phases: (a) a baseline of 3.5 months, (b) a 2.5 month intervention phase, in which anaesthesia staffing was increased by one attending physician and one nurse, and (c) a further 2 months under baseline conditions. Data focussed on process management were collected from operating room staff, anaesthesia personnel and surgeons using a structured questionnaire collected daily during the entire study. Turnover time between consecutive operations decreased from 65 to 52 min per operation (95% CI: 9; 17; P = 0.0001). Operating room occupancy increased from 4:28 to 5:27 h day-1 (95% CI: 50; 68; P = 0.005). The surgeons began their work on the ward 35 min (95% CI: 30; 40) later than before the intervention and their overtime increased from 22:36 to 139:50 h. The time between surgical operations decreased significantly. Increased operating room efficiency owing to overlapping induction of anaesthesia allows more intense scheduling of operations. Thus, physicians and nurses can be released to spend more time with their patients in the ward. Improving the efficiency of the operating room alone is insufficient to improve human resource management at all levels of a surgical clinic.

12 CFR 407.3 - Procedures applicable to regularly scheduled meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

....m. every Thursday in the Board Room (Room 1141) of the Bank's headquarters. In the event that a... practicable time, Provided, That individual items may be added to or deleted from any agenda at any time...

12 CFR 407.3 - Procedures applicable to regularly scheduled meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

....m. every Thursday in the Board Room (Room 1141) of the Bank's headquarters. In the event that a... practicable time, Provided, That individual items may be added to or deleted from any agenda at any time...

Graphene-based room-temperature implementation of a modified Deutsch-Jozsa quantum algorithm.

PubMed

Dragoman, Daniela; Dragoman, Mircea

2015-12-04

We present an implementation of a one-qubit and two-qubit modified Deutsch-Jozsa quantum algorithm based on graphene ballistic devices working at room temperature. The modified Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm decides whether a function, equivalent to the effect of an energy potential distribution on the wave function of ballistic charge carriers, is constant or not, without measuring the output wave function. The function need not be Boolean. Simulations confirm that the algorithm works properly, opening the way toward quantum computing at room temperature based on the same clean-room technologies as those used for fabrication of very-large-scale integrated circuits.

Alcohol based surgical prep solution and the risk of fire in the operating room: a case report

PubMed Central

Batra, Sumit; Gupta, Rajiv

2008-01-01

A few cases of fire in the operating room are reported in the literature. The factors that may initiate these fires are many and include alcohol based surgical prep solutions, electrosurgical equipment, flammable drapes etc. We are reporting a case of fire in the operating room while operating on a patient with burst fracture C6 vertebra with quadriplegia. The cause of the fire was due to incomplete drying of the covering drapes with an alcohol based surgical prep solution. This paper discusses potential preventive measures to minimize the incidence of fire in the operating room. PMID:18439304

Shoe Box Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandifer, Cody

2009-01-01

Students' eyes grow wide with wonder as they get a motor to work or make a bulb light for the first time. As these daunting feats of electrical engineering remind us, teaching electricity is invariably rewarding and worthwhile. In this inquiry-based science project, elementary students work in pairs to design and wire a shoe box "room" that meets…

Large Second-Harmonic Response of C60 Thin Films

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

temperature; the largest value occurred at a nominal temperature of 140’C where X"’ is ten times larger than the room temperature value. 14. SU8 )ECT TERMS 1S...optical chromatography.’ The purity was examined by Raman. IR materials based upon conjugated-carbon- polymers charac- absorption, high-performance liquid

The role of the physical environment in crossing the quality chasm.

PubMed

Henriksen, Kerm; Isaacson, Sandi; Sadler, Blair L; Zimring, Craig M

2007-11-01

Evidence-based design findings are available to help inform hospital decision makers of opportunities for ensuring that quality and safety are designed into new and refurbished facilities. The Institute of Medicine's six quality aims of patient centeredness, safety, effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness, and equity provide an organizing framework for introducing a representative portion of the evidence. Design improvements include single-bed and variable-acuity rooms; electronic access to medical records; greater accommodation for families and visitors; handrails to prevent patient falls; standardization (room layout, equipment, and supplies for improved efficiencies); improved work process flow to reduce delays and wait times; and better assessment of changing demographics, disease conditions, and community needs for appropriately targeted health care services. A recent analysis of the business case suggests that a slight, one-time incremental cost for ensuring safety and quality would be paid back in two to three years in the form of operational savings and increased revenues. Hospitals leaders anticipating new construction projects should take advantage of evidence-based design findings that have the potential of raising the quality of acute care for decades to come.

Accident diagnosis system based on real-time decision tree expert system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolau, Andressa dos S.; Augusto, João P. da S. C.; Schirru, Roberto

2017-06-01

Safety is one of the most studied topics when referring to power stations. For that reason, sensors and alarms develop an important role in environmental and human protection. When abnormal event happens, it triggers a chain of alarms that must be, somehow, checked by the control room operators. In this case, diagnosis support system can help operators to accurately identify the possible root-cause of the problem in short time. In this article, we present a computational model of a generic diagnose support system based on artificial intelligence, that was applied on the dataset of two real power stations: Angra1 Nuclear Power Plant and Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant. The proposed system processes all the information logged in the sequence of events before a shutdown signal using the expert's knowledge inputted into an expert system indicating the chain of events, from the shutdown signal to its root-cause. The results of both applications showed that the support system is a potential tool to help the control room operators identify abnormal events, as accidents and consequently increase the safety.

Spectral purity and tunability of terahertz quantum cascade laser sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation.

PubMed

Consolino, Luigi; Jung, Seungyong; Campa, Annamaria; De Regis, Michele; Pal, Shovon; Kim, Jae Hyun; Fujita, Kazuue; Ito, Akio; Hitaka, Masahiro; Bartalini, Saverio; De Natale, Paolo; Belkin, Mikhail A; Vitiello, Miriam Serena

2017-09-01

Terahertz sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (THz DFG-QCLs) have recently emerged as the first monolithic electrically pumped semiconductor sources capable of operating at room temperature across the 1- to 6-THz range. Despite tremendous progress in power output, which now exceeds 1 mW in pulsed and 10 μW in continuous-wave regimes at room temperature, knowledge of the major figure of merits of these devices for high-precision spectroscopy, such as spectral purity and absolute frequency tunability, is still lacking. By exploiting a metrological grade system comprising a terahertz frequency comb synthesizer, we measure, for the first time, the free-running emission linewidth (LW), the tuning characteristics, and the absolute center frequency of individual emission lines of these sources with an uncertainty of 4 × 10 -10 . The unveiled emission LW (400 kHz at 1-ms integration time) indicates that DFG-QCLs are well suited to operate as local oscillators and to be used for a variety of metrological, spectroscopic, communication, and imaging applications that require narrow-LW THz sources.

Room temperature organic magnets derived from sp3 functionalized graphene.

PubMed

Tuček, Jiří; Holá, Kateřina; Bourlinos, Athanasios B; Błoński, Piotr; Bakandritsos, Aristides; Ugolotti, Juri; Dubecký, Matúš; Karlický, František; Ranc, Václav; Čépe, Klára; Otyepka, Michal; Zbořil, Radek

2017-02-20

Materials based on metallic elements that have d orbitals and exhibit room temperature magnetism have been known for centuries and applied in a huge range of technologies. Development of room temperature carbon magnets containing exclusively sp orbitals is viewed as great challenge in chemistry, physics, spintronics and materials science. Here we describe a series of room temperature organic magnets prepared by a simple and controllable route based on the substitution of fluorine atoms in fluorographene with hydroxyl groups. Depending on the chemical composition (an F/OH ratio) and sp 3 coverage, these new graphene derivatives show room temperature antiferromagnetic ordering, which has never been observed for any sp-based materials. Such 2D magnets undergo a transition to a ferromagnetic state at low temperatures, showing an extraordinarily high magnetic moment. The developed theoretical model addresses the origin of the room temperature magnetism in terms of sp 2 -conjugated diradical motifs embedded in an sp 3 matrix and superexchange interactions via -OH functionalization.

Room temperature organic magnets derived from sp3 functionalized graphene

PubMed Central

Tuček, Jiří; Holá, Kateřina; Bourlinos, Athanasios B.; Błoński, Piotr; Bakandritsos, Aristides; Ugolotti, Juri; Dubecký, Matúš; Karlický, František; Ranc, Václav; Čépe, Klára; Otyepka, Michal; Zbořil, Radek

2017-01-01

Materials based on metallic elements that have d orbitals and exhibit room temperature magnetism have been known for centuries and applied in a huge range of technologies. Development of room temperature carbon magnets containing exclusively sp orbitals is viewed as great challenge in chemistry, physics, spintronics and materials science. Here we describe a series of room temperature organic magnets prepared by a simple and controllable route based on the substitution of fluorine atoms in fluorographene with hydroxyl groups. Depending on the chemical composition (an F/OH ratio) and sp3 coverage, these new graphene derivatives show room temperature antiferromagnetic ordering, which has never been observed for any sp-based materials. Such 2D magnets undergo a transition to a ferromagnetic state at low temperatures, showing an extraordinarily high magnetic moment. The developed theoretical model addresses the origin of the room temperature magnetism in terms of sp2-conjugated diradical motifs embedded in an sp3 matrix and superexchange interactions via –OH functionalization. PMID:28216636

10. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR. Looking into southwest corner. CONTROL ROOM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR. Looking into southwest corner. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING ESCAPE HATCH. Looking north along east wall. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Instrumentation & Control Building, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Enhanced Cleaning and Education to Prevent Transmission of Clostridium difficile in Pediatrics

PubMed Central

Aslam, Anoshé; Melendez, Giselle; Wang, Min; Stell, Frederic; Kelly, Paulette; Killinger, James; Dannaoui, Aimee; Riedman, Scott; Lopez, Ruben; Ackerman, Jill; Chou, Alexander; Wexler, Leonard; Smith, David; Sanchez, Stacy; Robilotti, Elizabeth; Kamboj, Mini; Eagan, Janet

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Transmission of healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA-CDI) has been shown to occur directly or indirectly through a contaminated environment. At a tertiary-care cancer center, HA-CDI rates were higher for pediatric units than for other general oncology units. To address the problem, a multidisciplinary team, including Infection Control, Nursing, and Environmental Services (EVS), was convened and identified refusals and room clutter as barriers to proper cleaning of rooms on the unit. Aim: The aim of this study seeks to reduce HA-CDI in the inpatient pediatrics setting through environmental and educational interventions. Methods In the first phase of the study from February to April 2016, a baseline assessment of prevalent environmental disinfection practices was made among Nursing, EVS, Physicians, and Patient Representatives. Based on this feedback, the following were implemented during Phase 2, from June through October 2016: 1) Unit-wide disinfection with bleach twice a day including common and high traffic areas; 2) Initiation of a “preferred time for cleaning” program to engage families; 3) Enhanced visitor and family education on PPE use; 4) Creation of a communication plan in case of refusal to clean rooms; and 5) Dedicated use of diaper scales. Results During the first phase of the study, the following barriers to cleaning were identified: 1) High refusal rate as cleaning was perceived as inconvenient by families due to timing; 2) Common perception among EVS staff that multiple requests for cleaning the room may appear intrusive to the families; 3) Excessive clutter in the room; 4) Lack of education regarding PPE use; and 5) Shared equipment for diapers. To overcome these barriers, several interventions as outlined in methods were implemented. In Phase 2, there were 0 cases of HA-CDI identified in pediatric patients starting in July through October, 2016. Conclusion Control of CDI on pediatric units poses unique challenges. Engagement of key stakeholders is essential to identify and meet these challenges and to devise effective strategies that will ultimately lead to reduced hospital-based transmission of CDI. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Vibrational spectrum of the K-590 intermediate in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle at room temperature: picosecond time-resolved resonance coherent anti-Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ujj, L.; Jäger, F.; Popp, A.; Atkinson, G. H.

1996-12-01

The vibrational spectrum of the K-590 intermediate, thought to contribute significantly to the energy storage and transduction mechanism in the bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle, is measured at room temperature using picosecond time-resolved resonance coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (PTR/CARS). The room-temperature BR photocycle is initiated by the 3 ps, 570 nm excitation of the ground-state species, BR-570, prepared in both H 2O and D 2O suspensions of BR. PTR/CARS data, recorded 50 ps after BR-570 excitation, at which time only BR-570 and K-590 are present, have an excellent S/N which provides a significantly more detailed view of the K-590 vibrational degrees of freedom than previously available. Two picosecond (6 ps FWHM) laser pulses, ω1 (633.4 nm) and ωS (675-700 nm), are used to record PTR/CARS data via electronic resonance enhancement in both BR-570 and K-590, each of which contains a distinct retinal structure (assigned as 13- rans, 15- anti, 13- cis, respectively). To obtain the vibrational spectrum of K-590 separately, the PTR/CARS spectra from the mixture of isomeric retinals is quantitatively analyzed in terms of third-order susceptibility ( η(3)) relationships. PTR/CARS spectra of K-590 recorded from both H 2O and D 2O suspensions of BR are compared with the analogous vibrational data obtained via spontaneous resonance Raman (RR) scattering at both low (77 K) and room temperature. Analyses of these vibrational spectra identify temperature-dependent effects and changes assignable to the substitution of deuterium at the Schiff-base nitrogen not previously reported.

9 CFR 590.522 - Breaking room operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... room personnel shall wash their hands thoroughly with odorless soap and water each time they enter the... wholesomeness by smelling the shell or the egg meat and by visual examination at the time of breaking. All egg... of shell particles and other foreign material shall be cleaned and sanitized each time it is...

9 CFR 590.522 - Breaking room operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... room personnel shall wash their hands thoroughly with odorless soap and water each time they enter the... wholesomeness by smelling the shell or the egg meat and by visual examination at the time of breaking. All egg... of shell particles and other foreign material shall be cleaned and sanitized each time it is...

9 CFR 590.522 - Breaking room operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... room personnel shall wash their hands thoroughly with odorless soap and water each time they enter the... wholesomeness by smelling the shell or the egg meat and by visual examination at the time of breaking. All egg... of shell particles and other foreign material shall be cleaned and sanitized each time it is...

Operating Room Efficiency: Benefits of an Orthopaedic Traumatologist at a Level II Trauma Center.

PubMed

Althausen, Peter L; Kauk, Justin R; Shannon, Steven; Lu, Minggen; O'Mara, Timothy J; Bray, Timothy J

2016-12-01

Fellowship-trained orthopaedic traumatologists are presumably taught skill sets leading to "best practice" outcomes and more efficient use of hospital resources. This should result in more favorable economic opportunities when compared with general orthopaedic surgeons (GOSs) providing similar clinical services. The purpose of our study was to compare the operating room utilization and financial data of traumatologists versus GOSs at a level II trauma center. Retrospective review. Level II community-based trauma hospital. Patients who presented to the emergency room at our institution with fractures and orthopaedic conditions requiring surgical intervention from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2011. Operative fracture fixation by members of our orthopaedic trauma panel, including fellowship and nontrauma fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons. Our institutional database was queried to determine operative times, surgical supply and implant costs, and surgery labor expenses. Patients were stratified according to those treated by our trauma panel's 3 traumatologists and those treated by the 15 GOSs on our trauma panel. These 2 groups were then compared using standard statistical methods. A total of 6449 orthopedic cases were identified and 2076 of these involved fracture care. One thousand one hundred ninety-nine patients were treated by traumatologists and 877 by GOSs. There was no statistical difference detected in American Society of Anesthesiologists score between trauma and nontrauma groups. Overall, the traumatologist group demonstrated significantly decreased procedure times when compared with the GOS group (55.6 vs. 75.8 minutes, P , 0.0001). In 16 of 18 most common procedure types, traumatologists were more efficient. This led to significantly decreased surgical labor costs ($381.4 vs. $484.8; P < 0.0001) and surgical supply and implant costs ($2567 vs. $3003; P < 0.0001). This study demonstrates that in our communitybased trauma system, fracture care provided by traumatologists results in improved utilization of hospital-based resources when compared with equivalent services provided by GOSs. Significantly decreased operative times, surgical labor expenses, and supply and implant costs by the fellowship-trained group represent enhanced control of the design, plan, execution, and monitoring of orthopaedic trauma care. Traumatologists can provide leadership recommendations for operating room efficiency in community-based orthopaedic trauma care models. Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Room-temperature electron spin relaxation of nitroxides immobilized in trehalose: Effect of substituents adjacent to NO-group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzhelev, Andrey A.; Strizhakov, Rodion K.; Krumkacheva, Olesya A.; Polienko, Yuliya F.; Morozov, Denis A.; Shevelev, Georgiy Yu.; Pyshnyi, Dmitrii V.; Kirilyuk, Igor A.; Fedin, Matvey V.; Bagryanskaya, Elena G.

2016-05-01

Trehalose has been recently promoted as efficient immobilizer of biomolecules for room-temperature EPR studies, including distance measurements between attached nitroxide spin labels. Generally, the structure of nitroxide influences the electron spin relaxation times, being crucial parameters for room-temperature pulse EPR measurements. Therefore, in this work we investigated a series of nitroxides with different substituents adjacent to NO-moiety including spirocyclohexane, spirocyclopentane, tetraethyl and tetramethyl groups. Electron spin relaxation times (T1, Tm) of these radicals immobilized in trehalose were measured at room temperature at X- and Q-bands (9/34 GHz). In addition, a comparison was made with the corresponding relaxation times in nitroxide-labeled DNA immobilized in trehalose. In all cases phase memory times Tm were close to 700 ns and did not essentially depend on structure of substituents. Comparison of temperature dependences of Tm at T = 80-300 K shows that the benefit of spirocyclohexane substituents well-known at medium temperatures (∼100-180 K) becomes negligible at 300 K. Therefore, unless there are specific interactions between spin labels and biomolecules, the room-temperature value of Tm in trehalose is weakly dependent on the structure of substituents adjacent to NO-moiety of nitroxide. The issues of specific interactions and stability of nitroxide labels in biological media might be more important for room temperature pulsed dipolar EPR than differences in intrinsic spin relaxation of radicals.

Workplace lactation support by New Jersey employers following US Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers law.

PubMed

Bai, Yeon K; Gaits, Susan I; Wunderlich, Shahla M

2015-02-01

Returning to an unsupportive work environment has been identified as a major reason for avoidance or early abandonment of breastfeeding among working mothers. This study aimed to examine the nature and extent of accommodations offered to breastfeeding employees among New Jersey employers since the US federal Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers law enactment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to measure current lactation support in the workplace in New Jersey. Using convenience sampling, the survey was sent to managerial personnel in hospitals and nonhospitals. The level of support was assessed on company policy, lactation room, and room amenity. A composite lactation amenity score was calculated based on responses about lactation room amenities. Respondents (N = 51) completed a 22-item online questionnaire during fall 2011. The support level was compared by type of organization: hospital (n = 37) versus nonhospital (n = 14). The amenity score of hospitals was significantly higher than nonhospitals (1.44 vs 0.45, P = .002). The mean amenity score (score = 0.95) for all employers was far below comprehensive (score = 3.0). Compared to nonhospitals, hospitals were more likely to offer lactation rooms (81% vs 36%, P = .003), have their own breastfeeding policy (35.1% vs 7.1%, P = .01), and provide additional breastfeeding support (eg, education classes, resources; P < .05). Employers, regardless of the type of organization, need to improve their current practices and create equity of lactation support in the workplace. © The Author(s) 2014.

Psychotherapy for Depression in Older Veterans Via Telemedicine: Effect on Quality of Life, Satisfaction, Treatment Credibility, and Service Delivery Perception.

PubMed

Egede, Leonard E; Acierno, Ron; Knapp, Rebecca G; Walker, Rebekah J; Payne, Elizabeth H; Frueh, B Christopher

2016-12-01

To analyze the impact of telepsychology and same-room care on functioning, satisfaction, and perception of care based on a noninferiority trial of psychotherapy delivered via telemedicine or same-room care to elderly patients with depression. 241 elderly patients with depression (meeting DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) were randomly assigned to either telemedicine (n = 120) or same-room treatment (n = 121) between April 1, 2007, and July 31, 2011. The primary outcomes included quality of life (36-item Short Form Survey [SF-36]), satisfaction (Charleston Psychiatric Outpatient Satisfaction Scale), treatment credibility, and service delivery perception scores obtained at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months. Comparisons of intervention means were carried out at each time point using independent sample t tests and SAS Procedure MIANALYZE to combine results across the multiply imputed complete data sets. If significant differences were detected for a given outcome within a domain, a Bonferroni correction was applied to determine if significance was maintained. None of the SF-36 scores showed a significant difference between the 2 treatment groups by the end of the study period, with little significance shown throughout the intermediate time points. Similarly, over all time points, there was no statistically significant difference in patient satisfaction or treatment credibility. This study found that telemedicine is a viable alternative modality for providing evidence-based psychotherapy for elderly patients with depression. Results provide evidence that quality of life and satisfaction with care are not adversely influenced by the decision to use a telehealth modality instead of in-person treatment, and, as a result, resources can be devoted to offering services in patients' homes through telemedicine. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00324701. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Evaluation of hand hygiene compliance and associated factors with a radio-frequency-identification-based real-time continuous automated monitoring system.

PubMed

Dufour, J-C; Reynier, P; Boudjema, S; Soto Aladro, A; Giorgi, R; Brouqui, P

2017-04-01

Hand hygiene is a major means for preventing healthcare-associated infections. One critical point in understanding poor compliance is the lack of relevant markers used to monitor practices systematically. This study analysed hand hygiene compliance and associated factors with a radio-frequency-identification-based real-time continuous automated monitoring system in an infectious disease ward with 17 single bedrooms. Healthcare workers (HCWs) were tracked while performing routine care over 171 days. A multi-level multi-variate logistics model was used for data analysis. The main outcome measures were hand disinfection before entering the bedroom (outside use) and before entering the patient care zone, defined as the zone surrounding the patient's bed (inside/bedside use). Variables analysed included HCWs' characteristics and behaviour, patients, room layouts, path chains and duration of HCWs' paths. In total, 4629 paths with initial hand hygiene opportunities when entering the patient care zone were selected, of which 763 (16.5%), 285 (6.1%) and 3581 (77.4%) were associated with outside use, inside/bedside use and no use, respectively. Hand hygiene is caregiver-dependent. The shorter the duration of the HCW's path, the worse the bedside hand hygiene. Bedside hand hygiene is improved when one or two extra HCWs are present in the room. Hand hygiene compliance at the bedside, as analysed using the continuous monitoring system, depended upon the HCW's occupation and personal behaviour, number of HCWs, time spent in the room and (potentially) dispenser location. Meal tray distribution was a possible factor in the case of failure to disinfect hands. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and implementation of new control room system in Damavand tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasouli, H.; Zamanian, H.; Gheidi, M.; Kheiri-Fard, M.; Kouhi, A.

2017-07-01

The aim of this paper is design and implementation of an up-to-date control room. The previous control room had a lot of constraints and it was not apposite to the sophisticated diagnostic systems as well as to the modern control and multivariable systems. Although it provided the best output for the considered experiments and implementing offline algorithms among all similar plants, it needed to be developed to provide more capability for complex algorithm mechanisms and this work introduces our efforts in this area. Accordingly, four leading systems were designed and implemented, including real-time control system, online Data Acquisition System (DAS), offline DAS, monitoring and data transmission system. In the control system, three real-time control modules were established based on Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Thanks to them, implementation of the classic and linear and nonlinear intelligent controllers was possible to control the plasma position and its elongation. Also, online DAS was constructed in two modules. Using them, voltages and currents of charge for the capacitor banks and pressure of different parts in vacuum vessel were measured and monitored. Likewise, by real-time processing of the online data, the safety protocol of plant performance was accomplished. In addition, the offline DAS was organized in 13 modules based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This system can be used for gathering all diagnostic, control, and performance data in 156 channels. Data transmission system and storing mechanism in the server was provided by data transmitting network and MDSplus standard protocol. Moreover, monitoring software was designed so that it could display the required plots for physical analyses. Taking everything into account, this new platform can improve the quality and quantity of research activities in plasma physics for Damavand tokamak.

A CBPR Partnership Increases HIV Testing among men who have sex with men (MSM): Outcome Findings from a Pilot Test of the CyBER/testing Internet Intervention

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Scott D.; Vissman, Aaron T.; Stowers, Jason; Miller, Cindy; McCoy, Thomas P.; Hergenrather, Kenneth C.; Wilkin, Aimee M.; Reece, Michael; Bachmann, Laura H.; Ore, Addison; Ross, Michael W.; Hendrix, Ellen; Eng, Eugenia

2012-01-01

The Internet has emerged as an important tool for the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership developed and piloted CyBER/testing, a culturally congruent intervention designed to promote HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) within existing Internet chat rooms. Using a quasi-experimental, single-group study design, cross-sectional data were collected from chat room participants, known as “chatters,” at pretest (n=346) and post-test (n=315). Extant profile data also were collected to describe the demographics of the online population. The intervention significantly increased self-reported HIV testing among chatters overall, increasing rates from 44.5% at pretest to nearly 60% at post-test (p<.001). Furthermore, chatters who reported having both male and female sexual partners had nearly 6 times the odds of reporting HIV testing at post-test. Findings suggest that chat room-based HIV testing intervention may increase testing among MSM who may be difficult to reach in traditional physical spaces. PMID:21393625

Structure of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids on Charged Graphene: An integrated experimental and computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uysal, Ahmet; Zhou, Hua; Lee, Sang Soo; Fenter, Paul; Feng, Guang; Li, Song; Cummings, Peter; Fulvio, Pasquale; Dai, Sheng; McDonough, Jake; Gogotsi, Yury

2014-03-01

Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) with room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) electrolytes and carbon electrodes are promising candidates for energy storage devices with high power density and long cycle life. We studied the potential and time dependent changes in the electric double layer (EDL) structure of an imidazolium-based room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) electrolyte at an epitaxial graphene (EG) surface. We used in situ x-ray reflectivity (XR) to determine the EDL structure at static potentials, during cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potential step measurements. The static potential structures were also investigated with fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Combined XR and MD results show that the EDL structure has alternating anion/cation layers within the first nanometer of the interface. The dynamical response of the EDL to potential steps has a slow component (>10 s) and the RTIL structure shows hysteresis during CV scans. We propose a conceptual model that connects nanoscale interfacial structure to the macroscopic measurements. This material is based upon work supported as part of the Fluid Interface Reactions, Structures and Transport (FIRST) Center, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science (SC), Office of Basic Energy

Accumulation and transport of microbial-size particles in a pressure protected model burn unit: CFD simulations and experimental evidence

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Controlling airborne contamination is of major importance in burn units because of the high susceptibility of burned patients to infections and the unique environmental conditions that can accentuate the infection risk. In particular the required elevated temperatures in the patient room can create thermal convection flows which can transport airborne contaminates throughout the unit. In order to estimate this risk and optimize the design of an intensive care room intended to host severely burned patients, we have relied on a computational fluid dynamic methodology (CFD). Methods The study was carried out in 4 steps: i) patient room design, ii) CFD simulations of patient room design to model air flows throughout the patient room, adjacent anterooms and the corridor, iii) construction of a prototype room and subsequent experimental studies to characterize its performance iv) qualitative comparison of the tendencies between CFD prediction and experimental results. The Electricité De France (EDF) open-source software Code_Saturne® (http://www.code-saturne.org) was used and CFD simulations were conducted with an hexahedral mesh containing about 300 000 computational cells. The computational domain included the treatment room and two anterooms including equipment, staff and patient. Experiments with inert aerosol particles followed by time-resolved particle counting were conducted in the prototype room for comparison with the CFD observations. Results We found that thermal convection can create contaminated zones near the ceiling of the room, which can subsequently lead to contaminate transfer in adjacent rooms. Experimental confirmation of these phenomena agreed well with CFD predictions and showed that particles greater than one micron (i.e. bacterial or fungal spore sizes) can be influenced by these thermally induced flows. When the temperature difference between rooms was 7°C, a significant contamination transfer was observed to enter into the positive pressure room when the access door was opened, while 2°C had little effect. Based on these findings the constructed burn unit was outfitted with supplemental air exhaust ducts over the doors to compensate for the thermal convective flows. Conclusions CFD simulations proved to be a particularly useful tool for the design and optimization of a burn unit treatment room. Our results, which have been confirmed qualitatively by experimental investigation, stressed that airborne transfer of microbial size particles via thermal convection flows are able to bypass the protective overpressure in the patient room, which can represent a potential risk of cross contamination between rooms in protected environments. PMID:21371304

Accumulation and transport of microbial-size particles in a pressure protected model burn unit: CFD simulations and experimental evidence.

PubMed

Beauchêne, Christian; Laudinet, Nicolas; Choukri, Firas; Rousset, Jean-Luc; Benhamadouche, Sofiane; Larbre, Juliette; Chaouat, Marc; Benbunan, Marc; Mimoun, Maurice; Lajonchère, Jean-Patrick; Bergeron, Vance; Derouin, Francis

2011-03-03

Controlling airborne contamination is of major importance in burn units because of the high susceptibility of burned patients to infections and the unique environmental conditions that can accentuate the infection risk. In particular the required elevated temperatures in the patient room can create thermal convection flows which can transport airborne contaminates throughout the unit. In order to estimate this risk and optimize the design of an intensive care room intended to host severely burned patients, we have relied on a computational fluid dynamic methodology (CFD). The study was carried out in 4 steps: i) patient room design, ii) CFD simulations of patient room design to model air flows throughout the patient room, adjacent anterooms and the corridor, iii) construction of a prototype room and subsequent experimental studies to characterize its performance iv) qualitative comparison of the tendencies between CFD prediction and experimental results. The Electricité De France (EDF) open-source software Code_Saturne® (http://www.code-saturne.org) was used and CFD simulations were conducted with an hexahedral mesh containing about 300 000 computational cells. The computational domain included the treatment room and two anterooms including equipment, staff and patient. Experiments with inert aerosol particles followed by time-resolved particle counting were conducted in the prototype room for comparison with the CFD observations. We found that thermal convection can create contaminated zones near the ceiling of the room, which can subsequently lead to contaminate transfer in adjacent rooms. Experimental confirmation of these phenomena agreed well with CFD predictions and showed that particles greater than one micron (i.e. bacterial or fungal spore sizes) can be influenced by these thermally induced flows. When the temperature difference between rooms was 7°C, a significant contamination transfer was observed to enter into the positive pressure room when the access door was opened, while 2°C had little effect. Based on these findings the constructed burn unit was outfitted with supplemental air exhaust ducts over the doors to compensate for the thermal convective flows. CFD simulations proved to be a particularly useful tool for the design and optimization of a burn unit treatment room. Our results, which have been confirmed qualitatively by experimental investigation, stressed that airborne transfer of microbial size particles via thermal convection flows are able to bypass the protective overpressure in the patient room, which can represent a potential risk of cross contamination between rooms in protected environments.

Learning curve evaluation using cumulative summation analysis-a clinical example of pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty.

PubMed

Cundy, Thomas P; Gattas, Nicholas E; White, Alan D; Najmaldin, Azad S

2015-08-01

The cumulative summation (CUSUM) method for learning curve analysis remains under-utilized in the surgical literature in general, and is described in only a small number of publications within the field of pediatric surgery. This study introduces the CUSUM analysis technique and applies it to evaluate the learning curve for pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RP). Clinical data were prospectively recorded for consecutive pediatric RP cases performed by a single-surgeon. CUSUM charts and tests were generated for set-up time, docking time, console time, operating time, total operating room time, and postoperative complications. Conversions and avoidable operating room delay were separately evaluated with respect to case experience. Comparisons between case experience and time-based outcomes were assessed using the Student's t-test and ANOVA for bi-phasic and multi-phasic learning curves respectively. Comparison between case experience and complication frequency was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 90 RP cases were evaluated. The learning curve transitioned beyond the learning phase at cases 10, 15, 42, 57, and 58 for set-up time, docking time, console time, operating time, and total operating room time respectively. All comparisons of mean operating times between the learning phase and subsequent phases were statistically significant (P=<0.001-0.01). No significant difference was observed between case experience and frequency of post-operative complications (P=0.125), although the CUSUM chart demonstrated a directional change in slope for the last 12 cases in which there were high proportions of re-do cases and patients <6 months of age. The CUSUM method has a valuable role for learning curve evaluation and outcome quality monitoring. In applying this statistical technique to the largest reported single surgeon series of pediatric RP, we demonstrate numerous distinctly shaped learning curves and well-defined learning phase transition points. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-Similar Random Process and Chaotic Behavior In Serrated Flow of High Entropy Alloys

PubMed Central

Chen, Shuying; Yu, Liping; Ren, Jingli; Xie, Xie; Li, Xueping; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Guangfeng; Li, Peizhen; Yang, Fuqian; Ren, Yang; Liaw, Peter K.

2016-01-01

The statistical and dynamic analyses of the serrated-flow behavior in the nanoindentation of a high-entropy alloy, Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi, at various holding times and temperatures, are performed to reveal the hidden order associated with the seemingly-irregular intermittent flow. Two distinct types of dynamics are identified in the high-entropy alloy, which are based on the chaotic time-series, approximate entropy, fractal dimension, and Hurst exponent. The dynamic plastic behavior at both room temperature and 200 °C exhibits a positive Lyapunov exponent, suggesting that the underlying dynamics is chaotic. The fractal dimension of the indentation depth increases with the increase of temperature, and there is an inflection at the holding time of 10 s at the same temperature. A large fractal dimension suggests the concurrent nucleation of a large number of slip bands. In particular, for the indentation with the holding time of 10 s at room temperature, the slip process evolves as a self-similar random process with a weak negative correlation similar to a random walk. PMID:27435922

[Operation room management in quality control certification of a mainstream hospital].

PubMed

Leidinger, W; Meierhofer, J N; Schüpfer, G

2006-11-01

We report the results of our study concerning the organisation of operating room (OR) capacity planned 1 year in advance. The use of OR is controlled using 2 global controlling numbers: a) the actual time difference between the expected optimal and previously calculated OR running time and b) the punctuality of starting the first operation in each OR. The focal point of the presented OR management concept is a consensus-oriented decision-making and steering process led by a coordinator who achieves a high degree of acceptance by means of comprehensive transparency. Based on the accepted running time, the optimal productivity of OR's (OP_A(%) can be calculated. In this way an increase of the overall capacity (actual running time) of ORs was from 40% to over 55% was achieved. Nevertheless, enthusiasm and teamwork from all persons involved in the system are vital for success as well as a completely independent operating theatre manager. Using this concept over 90% of the requirements for the new certification catalogue for hospitals in Germany was achieved.

Self-similar random process and chaotic behavior in serrated flow of high entropy alloys

DOE PAGES

Chen, Shuying; Yu, Liping; Ren, Jingli; ...

2016-07-20

Here, the statistical and dynamic analyses of the serrated-flow behavior in the nanoindentation of a high-entropy alloy, Al 0.5CoCrCuFeNi, at various holding times and temperatures, are performed to reveal the hidden order associated with the seemingly-irregular intermittent flow. Two distinct types of dynamics are identified in the high-entropy alloy, which are based on the chaotic time-series, approximate entropy, fractal dimension, and Hurst exponent. The dynamic plastic behavior at both room temperature and 200 °C exhibits a positive Lyapunov exponent, suggesting that the underlying dynamics is chaotic. The fractal dimension of the indentation depth increases with the increase of temperature, andmore » there is an inflection at the holding time of 10 s at the same temperature. A large fractal dimension suggests the concurrent nucleation of a large number of slip bands. In particular, for the indentation with the holding time of 10 s at room temperature, the slip process evolves as a self-similar random process with a weak negative correlation similar to a random walk.« less

Self-Similar Random Process and Chaotic Behavior In Serrated Flow of High Entropy Alloys.

PubMed

Chen, Shuying; Yu, Liping; Ren, Jingli; Xie, Xie; Li, Xueping; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Guangfeng; Li, Peizhen; Yang, Fuqian; Ren, Yang; Liaw, Peter K

2016-07-20

The statistical and dynamic analyses of the serrated-flow behavior in the nanoindentation of a high-entropy alloy, Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi, at various holding times and temperatures, are performed to reveal the hidden order associated with the seemingly-irregular intermittent flow. Two distinct types of dynamics are identified in the high-entropy alloy, which are based on the chaotic time-series, approximate entropy, fractal dimension, and Hurst exponent. The dynamic plastic behavior at both room temperature and 200 °C exhibits a positive Lyapunov exponent, suggesting that the underlying dynamics is chaotic. The fractal dimension of the indentation depth increases with the increase of temperature, and there is an inflection at the holding time of 10 s at the same temperature. A large fractal dimension suggests the concurrent nucleation of a large number of slip bands. In particular, for the indentation with the holding time of 10 s at room temperature, the slip process evolves as a self-similar random process with a weak negative correlation similar to a random walk.

Perinatal nursing education for single-room maternity care: an evaluation of a competency-based model.

PubMed

Janssen, Patricia A; Keen, Lois; Soolsma, Jetty; Seymour, Laurie C; Harris, Susan J; Klein, Michael C; Reime, Birgit

2005-01-01

To evaluate the success of a competency-based nursing orientation programme for a single-room maternity care unit by measuring improvement in self-reported competency after six months. Single-room maternity care has challenged obstetrical nurses to provide comprehensive nursing care during all phases of the in-hospital birth experience. In this model, nurses provide intrapartum, postpartum and newborn care in one room. To date, an evaluation of nursing education for single-room maternity care has not been published. A prospective cohort design comparing self-reported competencies prior to starting work in the single-room maternity care and six months after. Nurses completed a competency-based education programme in which they could select from a menu of learning methods and content areas according to their individual needs. Learning methods included classroom lectures, self-paced learning packages, and preceptorships in the clinical area. Competencies were measured by a standardized perinatal self-efficacy tool and a tool developed by the authors for this study, the Single-Room Maternity Care Competency Tool. A paired analysis was undertaken to take into account the paired (before and after) nature of the design. Scores on the perinatal self-efficacy scale and the single-room maternity care competency tool were improved. These differences were statistically significant. Improvements in perinatal and single-room maternity care-specific competencies suggest that our education programme was successful in preparing nurses for their new role in the single-room maternity care setting. This conclusion is supported by reported increases in nursing and patient satisfaction in the single-room maternity care compared with the traditional labour/delivery and postpartum settings. An education programme tailored to the learning needs of experienced clinical nurses contributes to improvements in nursing competencies and patient care.

Ultralow field NMR spectrometer with an atomic magnetometer near room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guobin; Li, Xiaofeng; Sun, Xianping; Feng, Jiwen; Ye, Chaohui; Zhou, Xin

2013-12-01

We present a Cs atomic magnetometer with a sensitivity of 150 fT/Hz1/2 operating near room temperature. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal of 125 μL tap water was detected at an ultralow magnetic field down to 47 nT, with the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the NMR signal approaching 50 after eight averages. Relaxivity experiments with a Gd(DTPA) contrast agent in zero field were performed, in order to show the magnetometer's ability to measure spin-lattice relaxation time with high accuracy. This demonstrates the feasibility of an ultralow field NMR spectrometer based on a Cs atomic magnetometer, which has a low working temperature, short data acquisition time and high sensitivity. This kind of NMR spectrometer has great potential in applications such as chemical analysis and magnetic relaxometry detection in ultralow or zero fields.

Delivery of drugs from laminar co-extrudates manufactured by a solvent-free process at room temperature.

PubMed

Oliveira, Gonçalo; Wahl, Martin A; Pinto, JoãO F

2014-11-01

This work aims to design and manufacture laminar co-extrudates as a new dosage form for the delivery of drugs. Co-extrudates made of lipid-based materials with a laminar shape were manufactured at room temperature in the absence of solvents and assessed over time for their mechanical properties (bending strength, deformation, stiffness, and elasticity), density, porosity, thermal behavior and main mechanism of drug release. The study has shown that the extrusion force at steady state increased with the extrusion rate and with the number of layers. The bending strength and stiffness of extrudates increased over time. Laminar co-extrudates with higher number of layers presented a decreasing dissolution efficiency of 38.3 ± 0.6%, 23.0 ± 0.2%, and 12.3 ± 0.2%, for mono-, bi-, and trilayer, respectively. After 90 days, the density, the deformation, and elasticity decreased: trilayer extrudates were the denser and the ones to present the lowest ability to deform and the highest elasticity, whereas monolayer extrudates were the less dense presenting the highest ability to deform. Changes were more evident in the first days after manufacture leading to stabilization over time. Laminar (co-)extrudates have been confirmed as an innovative dosage form for tailored delivery of drugs made without solvents at room temperature. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

The costs and quality of operative training for residents in tympanoplasty type I.

PubMed

Wang, Mao-Che; Yu, Eric Chen-Hua; Shiao, An-Suey; Liao, Wen-Huei; Liu, Chia-Yu

2009-05-01

A teaching hospital would incur more operation room costs on training surgical residents. To evaluate the increased operation time and the increased operation room costs of operations performed by surgical residents. As a model we used a very common surgical otology procedure -- tympanoplasty type I. From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004, we included in this study 100 patients who received tympanoplasty type I in Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Fifty-six procedures were performed by a single board-certified surgeon and 44 procedures were performed by residents. We analyzed the operation time and surgical outcomes in these two groups of patients. The operation room cost per minute was obtained by dividing the total operation room expenses by total operation time in the year 2004. The average operation time of residents was 116.47 min, which was significantly longer (p<0.0001) than that of the board-certified surgeon (average 81.07 min). It cost USD $40.36 more for each operation performed by residents in terms of operation room costs. The surgical success rate of residents was 81.82%, which was significantly lower (p=0.016) than that of the board-certified surgeon (96.43%).

Implementation and evaluation of an interprofessional simulation-based education program for undergraduate nursing students in operating room nursing education: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wang, Rongmei; Shi, Nianke; Bai, Jinbing; Zheng, Yaguang; Zhao, Yue

2015-07-09

The present study was designed to implement an interprofessional simulation-based education program for nursing students and evaluate the influence of this program on nursing students' attitudes toward interprofessional education and knowledge about operating room nursing. Nursing students were randomly assigned to either the interprofessional simulation-based education or traditional course group. A before-and-after study of nursing students' attitudes toward the program was conducted using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. Responses to an open-ended question were categorized using thematic content analysis. Nursing students' knowledge about operating room nursing was measured. Nursing students from the interprofessional simulation-based education group showed statistically different responses to four of the nineteen questions in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, reflecting a more positive attitude toward interprofessional learning. This was also supported by thematic content analysis of the open-ended responses. Furthermore, nursing students in the simulation-based education group had a significant improvement in knowledge about operating room nursing. The integrated course with interprofessional education and simulation provided a positive impact on undergraduate nursing students' perceptions toward interprofessional learning and knowledge about operating room nursing. Our study demonstrated that this course may be a valuable elective option for undergraduate nursing students in operating room nursing education.

Final Environmental Assessment: Renovation of Child Development Centers Buildings 3904 and 5510 at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-28

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Magnetic Phase Transition in Spark-Produced Ternary LaFeSi Nanoalloys.

PubMed

Feng, Jicheng; Geutjens, Ruben; Thang, Nguyen V; Li, Junjie; Guo, Xiaoai; Kéri, Albert; Basak, Shibabrata; Galbács, Gábor; Biskos, George; Nirschl, Hermann; Zandbergen, Henny W; Brück, Ekkes; Schmidt-Ott, Andreas

2018-02-21

Using the magnetocaloric effect in nanoparticles holds great potential for efficient refrigeration and energy conversion. The most promising candidate materials for tailoring the Curie temperature to room temperature are rare-earth-based magnetic nanoalloys. However, only few high-nuclearity lanthanide/transition-metal nanoalloys have been produced so far. Here we report, for the first time, the observation of magnetic response in spark-produced LaFeSi nanoalloys. The results suggest that these nanoalloys can be used to exploit the magnetocaloric effect near room temperature; such a finding can lead to the creation of unique multicomponent materials for energy conversion, thus helping toward the realization of a sustainable energy economy.

Study of Smart Campus Development Using Internet of Things Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widya Sari, Marti; Wahyu Ciptadi, Prahenusa; Hafid Hardyanto, R.

2017-04-01

This paper describes the development of smart campus using Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through smart campus, it is possible that a campus is connected via online by the outside entity, so that the teaching approach based on technology can be conducted in real time. This research was conducted in smart education, smart parking and smart room. Observation and literature studies were applied as the research method with the related theme for the sake of system design of smart campus. The result of this research is the design of smart campus system that includes smart education development, smart parking and smart room with the sake of Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta as the case study.

The influence of signal type on the internal auditory representation of a room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teret, Elizabeth

Currently, architectural acousticians make no real distinction between a room impulse response and the auditory system's internal representation of a room. With this lack of a good model for the auditory representation of a room, it is indirectly assumed that our internal representation of a room is independent of the sound source needed to make the room characteristics audible. The extent to which this assumption holds true is examined with perceptual tests. Listeners are presented with various pairs of signals (music, speech, and noise) convolved with synthesized impulse responses of different reverberation times. They are asked to adjust the reverberation of one of the signals to match the other. Analysis of the data show that the source signal significantly influences perceived reverberance. Listeners are less accurate when matching reverberation times of varied signals than they are with identical signals. Additional testing shows that perception of reverberation can be linked to the existence of transients in the signal.

Impact of neonatal intensive care bed configuration on rates of late-onset bacterial sepsis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization

PubMed Central

Julian, Samuel; Burnham, Carey-Ann D.; Sellenriek, Patricia; Shannon, William D.; Hamvas, Aaron; Tarr, Phillip I.; Warner, Barbara B.

2016-01-01

Objectives Infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The association between nursery design and nosocomial infections has not been delineated. We hypothesized that rates of colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), late-onset sepsis, and mortality are reduced in single-patient rooms. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting NICU in a tertiary referral center. Methods Our NICU is organized into single-patient and open-unit rooms. Clinical datasets including bed location and microbiology results were examined over a 29-month period. Differences in outcomes between bed configurations were determined by Chi-square and Cox regression. Patients All NICU patients. Results Among 1823 patients representing 55,166 patient-days, single-patient and open-unit models had similar incidences of MRSA colonization and MRSA colonization-free survival times. Average daily census was associated with MRSA colonization rates only in single-patient rooms (hazard ratio 1.31, p=0.039), while hand hygiene compliance on room entry and exit was associated with lower colonization rates independent of bed configuration (hazard ratios 0.834 and 0.719 per 1% higher compliance, respectively). Late-onset sepsis rates were similar in single-patient and open-unit models as were sepsis-free survival and the combined outcome of sepsis or death. After controlling for demographic, clinical and unit-based variables, multivariate Cox regression demonstrated that bed configuration had no effect on MRSA colonization, late-onset sepsis, or mortality. Conclusions MRSA colonization rate was impacted by hand hygiene compliance, regardless of room configuration, while average daily census only affected infants in single-patient rooms. Single-patient rooms did not reduce the rates of MRSA colonization, late-onset sepsis or death. PMID:26108888

International trauma teleconference: evaluating trauma care and facilitating quality improvement.

PubMed

Parra, Michael W; Castillo, Roberto C; Rodas, Edgar B; Suarez-Becerra, Jose M; Puentes-Manosalva, Fabian E; Wendt, Luke M

2013-09-01

Evaluation, development, and implementation of trauma systems in Latin America are challenging undertakings as no model is currently in place that can be easily replicated throughout the region. The use of teleconferencing has been essential in overcoming other challenges in the medical field and improving medical care. This article describes the use of international videoconferencing in the field of trauma and critical care as a tool to evaluate differences in care based on local resources, as well as facilitating quality improvement and system development in Latin America. In February 2009, the International Trauma and Critical Care Improvement Project was created and held monthly teleconferences between U.S. trauma surgeons and Latin American general surgeons, emergency physicians, and intensivists. In-depth discussions and prospective evaluations of each case presented were conducted by all participants based on resources available. Care rendered was divided in four stages: (1) pre-hospital setting, (2) emergency room or trauma room, (3) operating room, and (4) subsequent postoperative care. Furthermore, the participating institutions completed an electronic survey of trauma resources based on World Health Organization/International Association for Trauma and Surgical Intensive Care guidelines. During a 17-month period, 15 cases in total were presented from a Level I and a Level II U.S. hospital (n=3) and five Latin American hospitals (n=12). Presentations followed the Advanced Trauma Life Support sequence in all U.S. cases but in only 3 of the 12 Latin American cases. The following deficiencies were observed in cases presented from Latin America: pre-hospital communication was nonexistent in all cases; pre-hospital services were absent in 60% of cases presented; lack of trauma team structure was evident in the emergency departments; during the initial evaluation and resuscitation, the Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol was followed one time and the Clinical Randomization of an Antifibrinolytic in Significant Hemorrhage protocol on two occasions; it was determined that imaging resources were adequately used in half of the cases; the initial care was mostly provided by emergency room physicians; and a surgeon, operating room, and intensive care unit were not readily available 83% of the time. The ease of patient flow was cumbersome because of a lack of a structured system for trauma care except for one academic urban center. Adequate trauma resources are present in less than 50% of the time. Multidisciplinary resources, quality improvement programs, protocols, and guidelines were deficient. A well-structured international teleconference can be used as a dynamic window of observation to evaluate and identify deficiencies in trauma care in the Latin American region. These findings can be used to formulate specific recommendations based on local resources. Furthermore, by raising local awareness, leaders could be identified to become the executors of more efficient healthcare policies that can potentially affect trauma care.

Porous Si nanowires for highly selective room-temperature NO2 gas sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Yong Jung; Mirzaei, Ali; Gil Na, Han; Kang, Sung Yong; Choi, Myung Sik; Bang, Jae Hoon; Oum, Wansik; Kim, Sang Sub; Kim, Hyoun Woo

2018-07-01

We report the room-temperature sensing characteristics of Si nanowires (NWs) fabricated from p-Si wafers by a metal-assisted chemical etching method, which is a facile and low-cost method. X-ray diffraction was used to the the study crystallinity and phase formation of Si NWs, and product morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After confirmation of Si NW formation via the SEM and TEM micrographs, sensing tests were carried out at room temperature, and it was found that the Si NW sensor prepared from Si wafers with a resistivity of 0.001–0.003 Ω.cm had the highest response to NO2 gas (Rg/Ra = 1.86 for 50 ppm NO2), with a fast response (15 s) and recovery (30 s) time. Furthermore, the sensor responses to SO2, toluene, benzene, H2, and ethanol were nearly negligible, demonstrating the excellent selectivity to NO2 gas. The gas-sensing mechanism is discussed in detail. The present sensor can operate at room temperature, and is compatible with the microelectronic fabrication process, demonstrating its promise for next-generation Si-based electronics fused with functional chemical sensors.

Porous Si nanowires for highly selective room-temperature NO2 gas sensing.

PubMed

Kwon, Yong Jung; Mirzaei, Ali; Na, Han Gil; Kang, Sung Yong; Choi, Myung Sik; Bang, Jae Hoon; Oum, Wansik; Kim, Sang Sub; Kim, Hyoun Woo

2018-07-20

We report the room-temperature sensing characteristics of Si nanowires (NWs) fabricated from p-Si wafers by a metal-assisted chemical etching method, which is a facile and low-cost method. X-ray diffraction was used to the the study crystallinity and phase formation of Si NWs, and product morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After confirmation of Si NW formation via the SEM and TEM micrographs, sensing tests were carried out at room temperature, and it was found that the Si NW sensor prepared from Si wafers with a resistivity of 0.001-0.003 Ω.cm had the highest response to NO 2 gas (R g /R a  = 1.86 for 50 ppm NO 2 ), with a fast response (15 s) and recovery (30 s) time. Furthermore, the sensor responses to SO 2 , toluene, benzene, H 2 , and ethanol were nearly negligible, demonstrating the excellent selectivity to NO 2 gas. The gas-sensing mechanism is discussed in detail. The present sensor can operate at room temperature, and is compatible with the microelectronic fabrication process, demonstrating its promise for next-generation Si-based electronics fused with functional chemical sensors.

Impacting patient outcomes through design: acuity adaptable care/universal room design.

PubMed

Brown, Katherine Kay; Gallant, Dennis

2006-01-01

To succeed in today's challenging healthcare environment, hospitals must examine their impact on customers--patients and families--staff and physicians. By using competitive facility design and incorporating evidence-based concepts such as the acuity adaptable care delivery model and the universal room, the hospital will realize an impact on patient satisfaction that will enhance market share, on physician satisfaction that will foster loyalty, and on staff satisfaction that will decrease turnover. At the same time, clinical outcomes such as a reduction in mortality and complications and efficiencies such as a reduction in length of stay and minimization of hospital costs through the elimination of transfers can be gained. The results achieved are dependent on the principles used in designing the patient room that should focus on maximizing patient safety and improving healing. This article will review key design elements that support the success of an acuity adaptable unit such as the use of a private room with zones dedicated to patients, families, and staff, healing environment, technology, and decentralized nursing stations that support the success of the acuity adaptable unit. Outcomes of institutions currently utilizing the acuity adaptable concept will be reviewed.

A highly reversible room-temperature sodium metal anode

DOE PAGES

Seh, Zhi Wei; Sun, Jie; Sun, Yongming; ...

2015-11-02

Owing to its low cost and high natural abundance, sodium metal is among the most promising anode materials for energy storage technologies beyond lithium ion batteries. However, room-temperature sodium metal anodes suffer from poor reversibility during long-term plating and stripping, mainly due to formation of nonuniform solid electrolyte interphase as well as dendritic growth of sodium metal. Herein we report for the first time that a simple liquid electrolyte, sodium hexafluorophosphate in glymes (mono-, di-, and tetraglyme), can enable highly reversible and nondendritic plating–stripping of sodium metal anodes at room temperature. High average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.9% were achieved overmore » 300 plating–stripping cycles at 0.5 mA cm –2. In this study, the long-term reversibility was found to arise from the formation of a uniform, inorganic solid electrolyte interphase made of sodium oxide and sodium fluoride, which is highly impermeable to electrolyte solvent and conducive to nondendritic growth. As a proof of concept, we also demonstrate a room-temperature sodium–sulfur battery using this class of electrolytes, paving the way for the development of next-generation, sodium-based energy storage technologies.« less

Spin ensemble-based AC magnetometry using concatenated dynamical decoupling at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farfurnik, D.; Jarmola, A.; Budker, D.; Bar-Gill, N.

2018-01-01

Ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond are widely used as AC magnetometers. While such measurements are usually performed using standard (XY) dynamical decoupling (DD) protocols at room temperature, we study the sensitivities achieved by utilizing various DD protocols, for measuring magnetic AC fields at frequencies in the 10-250 kHz range, at room temperature and 77 K. By performing measurements on an isotopically pure 12C sample, we find that the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill protocol, which is not robust against pulse imperfections, is less efficient for magnetometry than robust XY-based sequences. The concatenation of a standard XY-based protocol may enhance the sensitivities only for measuring high-frequency fields, for which many (> 500) DD pulses are necessary and the robustness against pulse imperfections is critical. Moreover, we show that cooling is effective only for measuring low-frequency fields (˜10 kHz), for which the experiment time approaches T 1 at a small number of applied DD pulses.

Compact CH{sub 4} sensor system based on a continuous-wave, low power consumption, room temperature interband cascade laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, Lei, E-mail: donglei@sxu.edu.cn; State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Institute of Laser Spectroscopy, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006; Li, Chunguang

A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy-based methane sensor, employing a dense-pattern multi-pass gas cell and a 3.3 μm, CW, DFB, room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL), is reported. The optical integration based on an advanced folded optical path design and an efficient ICL control system with appropriate electrical power management resulted in a CH{sub 4} sensor with a small footprint (32 × 20 × 17 cm{sup 3}) and low-power consumption (6 W). Polynomial and least-squares fit algorithms are employed to remove the baseline of the spectral scan and retrieve CH{sub 4} concentrations, respectively. An Allan-Werle deviation analysis shows that the measurement precision can reach 1.4 ppb for amore » 60 s averaging time. Continuous measurements covering a seven-day period were performed to demonstrate the stability and robustness of the reported CH{sub 4} sensor system.« less

Interdisciplinary simulation-based training to improve delivery room communication.

PubMed

Dadiz, Rita; Weinschreider, Joanne; Schriefer, Jan; Arnold, Christine; Greves, Cole D; Crosby, Erin C; Wang, Hongyue; Pressman, Eva K; Guillet, Ronnie

2013-10-01

Poor communication among obstetric and pediatric professionals is associated with adverse perinatal events leading to severe disability and neonatal mortality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary simulation-based training (SBT) program to improve delivery room communication between obstetric and pediatric teams. Obstetric and pediatric teams participated in an SBT annually during 3 academic years, 2008-2011 (Y1-Y3), in a prospective, observational study. Eligible participants (n = 228) included attendings, fellows, house staff, midlevel providers, and nurses involved in delivery room care. Simulations were videotaped and evaluated using a validated 20-item checklist of best communication practices. Checklist scores were compared across years with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Providers were also surveyed annually regarding communication during actual deliveries using a standardized questionnaire. Ratings were analyzed using two-way analysis of covariance. At least 60% of eligible providers participated in 1 or more SBT sessions and completed surveys annually. Checklist scores on communication during SBT improved from Y1 (median, 6; interquartile range, 4) to Y3 (median, 11; interquartile range, 6) (P < 0.001). Survey results showed the perception of improvement over time in interteam communication during actual deliveries by obstetric (P < 0.005) and pediatric (P < 0.0001) providers. The obstetric team also perceived improved provider communication with the family (P < 0.05). Communication during SBT as well as the perception of communication during actual deliveries improved across the study period. The potential of a checklist to standardize delivery room communication and improve patient outcomes merits further investigation.

78 FR 64026 - Arts Advisory Panel Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... closed. Dates: November 14, 2013 in Room 714. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Music (application...:00 p.m. Eastern time. Music (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: November 19, 2013. 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time in room 714. Music (application review): This meeting will be...

1. TERMINAL ROOM, INTERIOR, SHOP LEVEL, SHOWING FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. TERMINAL ROOM, INTERIOR, SHOP LEVEL, SHOWING FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM PIPES AND VALVES AT LEFT. Looking southeast from entrance to terminal room. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A Terminal Room, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Fast 3-T MR-guided transrectal prostate biopsy using an in-room tablet device for needle guide alignment: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Overduin, Christiaan G; Heidkamp, Jan; Rothgang, Eva; Barentsz, Jelle O; de Lange, Frank; Fütterer, Jurgen J

2018-05-22

To assess the feasibility of adding a tablet device inside the scanner room to assist needle-guide alignment during magnetic resonance (MR)-guided transrectal prostate biopsy. Twenty patients with one cancer-suspicious region (CSR) with PI-RADS score ≥ 4 on diagnostic multiparametric MRI were prospectively enrolled. Two orthogonal scan planes of an MR fluoroscopy sequence (~3 images/s) were aligned to the CSR and needle-guide pivoting point. Targeting was achieved by manipulating the needle-guide under MR fluoroscopy feedback on the in-room tablet device. Technical feasibility and targeting success were assessed. Complications and biopsy procedure times were also recorded. Needle-guide alignment with the in-room tablet device was technically successful in all patients and allowed sampling after a single alignment step in 19/20 (95%) CSRs (median size 14 mm, range: 4-45). Biopsy cores contained cancer in 18/20 patients. There were no per-procedural or post-biopsy complications. Using the tablet device, the mean time to first biopsy was 5.8 ± 1.0 min and the mean total procedure time was 23.7 ± 4.1 min. Use of an in-room tablet device to assist needle-guide alignment was feasible and safe during MR-guided transrectal prostate biopsy. Initial experience indicates potential for procedure time reduction. • Performing MR-guided prostate biopsy using an in-room tablet device is feasible. • CSRs could be sampled after a single alignment step in 19/20 patients. • The mean procedure time for biopsy with the tablet device was 23.7 min.

Costs of disposable material in the operating room do not show high correlation with surgical time: Implications for hospital payment.

PubMed

Delo, Caroline; Leclercq, Pol; Martins, Dimitri; Pirson, Magali

2015-08-01

The objectives of this study are to analyze the variation of the surgical time and of disposable costs per surgical procedure and to analyze the association between disposable costs and the surgical time. The registration of data was done in an operating room of a 419 bed general hospital, over a period of three months (n = 1556 surgical procedures). Disposable material per procedure used was recorded through a barcode scanning method. The average cost (standard deviation) of disposable material is €183.66 (€183.44). The mean surgical time (standard deviation) is 96 min (63). Results have shown that the homogeneity of operating time and DM costs was quite good per surgical procedure. The correlation between the surgical time and DM costs is not high (r = 0.65). In a context of Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) based hospital payment, it is important that costs information systems are able to precisely calculate costs per case. Our results show that the correlation between surgical time and costs of disposable materials is not good. Therefore, empirical data or itemized lists should be used instead of surgical time as a cost driver for the allocation of costs of disposable materials to patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the (a)symmetry between the perception of time and space in large-scale environments.

PubMed

Riemer, Martin; Shine, Jonathan P; Wolbers, Thomas

2018-04-23

Cross-dimensional interference between spatial and temporal processing is well documented in humans, but the direction of these interactions remains unclear. The theory of metaphoric structuring states that space is the dominant concept influencing time perception, whereas time has little effect upon the perception of space. In contrast, theories proposing a common neuronal mechanism representing magnitudes argue for a symmetric interaction between space and time perception. Here, we investigated space-time interactions in realistic, large-scale virtual environments. Our results demonstrate a symmetric relationship between the perception of temporal intervals in the supra-second range and room size (experiment 1), but an asymmetric relationship between the perception of travel time and traveled distance (experiment 2). While the perception of time was influenced by the size of virtual rooms and by the distance traveled within these rooms, time itself affected only the perception of room size, but had no influence on the perception of traveled distance. These results are discussed in the context of recent evidence from rodent studies suggesting that subsets of hippocampal place and entorhinal grid cells can simultaneously code for space and time, providing a potential neuronal basis for the interactions between these domains. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of operational decisions on the diffusion of epidemic disease: A system dynamics modeling of the MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea.

PubMed

Shin, Nina; Kwag, Taewoo; Park, Sangwook; Kim, Yon Hui

2017-05-21

We evaluated the nosocomial outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus (CoV) in the Republic of Korea, 2015, from a healthcare operations management perspective. Establishment of healthcare policy in South Korea provides patients' freedom to select and visit multiple hospitals. Current policy enforces hospitals preference for multi-patient rooms to single-patient rooms, to lower financial burden. Existing healthcare systems tragically contributed to 186 MERS outbreak cases, starting from single "index patient" into three generations of secondary infections. By developing a macro-level health system dynamics model, we provide empirical knowledge to examining the case from both operational and financial perspectives. In our simulation, under base infectivity scenario, high emergency room occupancy circumstance contributed to an estimated average of 101 (917%) more infected patients, compared to when in low occupancy circumstance. Economic patient room design showed an estimated 702% increase in the number of infected patients, despite the overall 98% savings in total expected costs compared to optimal room design. This study provides first time, system dynamics model, performance measurements from an operational perspective. Importantly, the intent of this study was to provide evidence to motivate public, private, and government healthcare administrators' recognition of current shortcomings, to optimize performance as a whole system, rather than mere individual aspects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternating current line-filter based on electrochemical capacitor utilizing template-patterned graphene.

PubMed

Wu, Zhenkun; Li, Liyi; Lin, Ziyin; Song, Bo; Li, Zhuo; Moon, Kyoung-Sik; Wong, Ching-Ping; Bai, Shu-Lin

2015-06-17

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) are widely used for alternating current (ac) line-filtering. However, their bulky size is becoming more and more incompatible with the rapid development of portable electronics. Here we report a scalable process to fabricate miniaturized graphene-based ac line-filters on flexible substrates at room temperature. In this work, graphene oxide (GO) is reduced by patterned metal interdigits at room temperature and used directly as the electrode material. The as-fabricated device shows a phase angle of -75.4° at 120 Hz with a specific capacitance of 316 µF/cm(2) and a RC time constant of 0.35 ms. In addition, it retains 97.2% of the initial capacitance after 10000 charge/discharge cycles. These outstanding performance characteristics of our device demonstrate its promising to replace the conventional AECs for ac line filtering.

Enhanced and selective ammonia sensing of reduced graphene oxide based chemo resistive sensor at room temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Ramesh, E-mail: rameshphysicsdu@gmail.com; Kaur, Amarjeet, E-mail: amarkaur@physics.du.ac.in

The reduced graphene oxide thin films were fabricated by using the spin coating method. The reduced graphene oxide samples were characterised by Raman studies to obtain corresponding D and G bands at 1360 and 1590 cm{sup −1} respectively. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectra consists of peak corresponds to sp{sup 2} hybridisation of carbon atoms at 1560 cm{sup −1}. The reduced graphene oxide based chemoresistive sensor exhibited a p-type semiconductor behaviour in ambient conditions and showed good sensitivity to different concentration of ammonia from 25 ppm to 500 ppm and excellent selectivity at room temperature. The sensor displays selectivity to several hazardous vapours such asmore » methanol, ethanol, acetone and hydrazine hydrate. The sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 9.8 at 25 ppm concentration of ammonia with response time of 163 seconds.« less

Maintaining Perioperative Normothermia: Sustaining an Evidence-Based Practice Improvement Project.

PubMed

Levin, Rona F; Wright, Fay; Pecoraro, Kathleen; Kopec, Wendy

2016-02-01

Unintentional perioperative hypothermia has been shown to cause serious patient complications and, thus, to increase health care costs. In 2009, an evidence-based practice improvement project produced a significant decrease in unintentional perioperative hypothermia in colorectal surgical patients through monitoring of OR ambient room temperature. Project leaders engaged all interdisciplinary stakeholders in the original project, which facilitated the sustainability of the intervention method. An important aspect of sustainability is ongoing monitoring and evaluation of a new intervention method. Therefore, continued evaluation of outcomes of the protocol developed in 2009 was scheduled at specific time points after the initial small test of change with colorectal patients. This article focuses on how attention to sustainability factors during implementation of an improvement project led to the sustainability of a protocol for monitoring OR ambient room temperature with all types of surgical patients five years after the initial project. Copyright © 2016 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wind pressure testing of tornado safe room components made from wood

Treesearch

Robert Falk; Deepak Shrestha

2016-01-01

To evaluate the ability of a wood tornado safe room to resist wind pressures produced by a tornado, two safe room com-ponents were tested for wind pressure strength. A tornado safe room ceiling panel and door were static-pressure-tested according to ASTM E 330 using a vacuum test system. Re-sults indicate that the panels had load capacities from 2.4 to 3.5 times that...

22. TIME CLOCK AREA, WITH LUNCH ROOM IN DISTANCE. RAIL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

22. TIME CLOCK AREA, WITH LUNCH ROOM IN DISTANCE. RAIL SPUR FOLDING DOORS ARE HIDDEN BEHIND OFFICE AT PHOTO CENTER. VIEW TO EAST-NORTHEAST. - Ford Motor Company Long Beach Assembly Plant, Assembly Building, 700 Henry Ford Avenue, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA

Annual patient time costs associated with medical care among cancer survivors in the United States.

PubMed

Yabroff, K Robin; Guy, Gery P; Ekwueme, Donatus U; McNeel, Timothy; Rozjabek, Heather M; Dowling, Emily; Li, Chunyu; Virgo, Katherine S

2014-07-01

Although patient time costs are recommended for inclusion in cost-effectiveness analyses, these data are not routinely collected. We used nationally representative data and a medical service-based approach to estimate the annual patient time costs among cancer survivors. We identified adult 6699 cancer survivors and 86,412 individuals without a cancer history ages 18 years or more from 2008-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Service use was categorized as hospitalizations, emergency room use, provider visits, ambulatory surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Service time estimates were applied to frequencies for each service category and the US median wage rate in 2011 was used to value time. We evaluated the association between cancer survivorship and service use frequencies and patient time costs with multivariable regression models, stratified by age group (18-64 and 65+ y). Sensitivity analyses evaluated different approaches for valuing time. Cancer survivors were more likely to have hospitalizations, emergency room visits, ambulatory surgeries, and provider visits in the past year than individuals without a cancer history in adjusted analyses (P<0.05). Annual patient time was higher for cancer survivors than individuals without a cancer history among those aged 18-64 years (30.2 vs. 13.6 h; P<0.001) and 65+ years (55.1 vs. 36.6 h; P<0.001), as were annual patient time costs (18-64 y: $500 vs. $226; P<0.001 and 65+ y: $913 vs. $607; P<0.001). Cancer survivors had greater annual medical service use and patient time costs than individuals without a cancer history. This medical service-based approach for estimating annual time costs can also be applied to other conditions.

Managing risk and expected financial return from selective expansion of operating room capacity: mean-variance analysis of a hospital's portfolio of surgeons.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Ledolter, Johannes

2003-07-01

Surgeons using the same amount of operating room (OR) time differ in their achieved hospital contribution margins (revenue minus variable costs) by >1000%. Thus, to improve the financial return from perioperative facilities, OR strategic decisions should selectively focus additional OR capacity and capital purchasing on a few surgeons or subspecialties. These decisions use estimates of each surgeon's and/or subspecialty's contribution margin per OR hour. The estimates are subject to uncertainty (e.g., from outliers). We account for the uncertainties by using mean-variance portfolio analysis (i.e., quadratic programming). This method characterizes the problem of selectively expanding OR capacity based on the expected financial return and risk of different portfolios of surgeons. The assessment reveals whether the choices, of which surgeons have their OR capacity expanded, are sensitive to the uncertainties in the surgeons' contribution margins per OR hour. Thus, mean-variance analysis reduces the chance of making strategic decisions based on spurious information. We also assess the financial benefit of using mean-variance portfolio analysis when the planned expansion of OR capacity is well diversified over at least several surgeons or subspecialties. Our results show that, in such circumstances, there may be little benefit from further changing the portfolio to reduce its financial risk. Surgeon and subspecialty specific hospital financial data are uncertain, a fact that should be taken into account when making decisions about expanding operating room capacity. We show that mean-variance portfolio analysis can incorporate this uncertainty, thereby guiding operating room management decision-making and reducing the chance of a strategic decision being made based on spurious information.

Teaching Children Science: Hands-On Nature Study in North America, 1890-1930

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohlstedt, Sally Gregory

2010-01-01

In the early twentieth century, a curriculum known as nature study flourished in major city school systems, streetcar suburbs, small towns, and even rural one-room schools. This object-based approach to learning about the natural world marked the first systematic attempt to introduce science into elementary education, and it came at a time when…

Strength validation and fire endurance of glued-laminated timber beams

Treesearch

E. L. Schaffer; C. M. Marx; D. A. Bender; F. E. Woeste

A previous paper presented a reliability-based model to predict the strength of glued-laminated timber beams at both room temperature and during fire exposure. This Monte Carlo simulation procedure generates strength and fire endurance (time-to-failure, TTF) data for glued- laminated beams that allow assessment of mean strength and TTF as well as their variability....

Pretest reference calculation for the overtest for simulated defense high level waste (WIPP) Room B in situ experiment)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, H.S.; Stone, C.M.

A pretest reference calculation for the Overtest for Simulated Defense High-Level Waste (DHLW) or Room B experiment is presented in this report. The overtest is one of several large-scale, in-situ experiments currently under construction near Carlsbad, New Mexico at the site of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Room B, a single isolated room in the underground salt formation, is to be subjected to a thermal load of approximately four times the areal heat output anticipated for a future repository with DHLW. The load will be supplied 3 years by canister heaters placed in the floor. Room B is heavilymore » instrumented for monitoring both temperature increases due to the thermal loading and deformations due to creep of the salt. Data from the experiment are not available at the present time, but the measurements will eventually be compared to the results presented to assess and improve thermal and mechanical modeling capabilities for the WIPP. The thermal/structural model used here represents the state of the art at the present time. A large number of plots are included since an appropriate result is presented for every Room B gauge location. 81 figs., 4 tabs.« less

78 FR 28173 - Availability of Records and Information

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-14

... Public reading room. 612.3 Requirements for making requests. 612.4 Processing requests. 612.5 Timing of... National Science Foundation. Sec. 612.2 Public reading room. (a) The Foundation maintains a public reading... indexes of reading room records. (b) Information about FOIA and Privacy at NSF and copies of frequently...

78 FR 28865 - Request for Comment on the Federal Guidelines for Opioid Treatment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-16

..., Room 7-1044, Rockville, MD 20857. Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received... Federal Register Representative, Division of Pharmacologic Therapies, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044... Representative, Division of Pharmacologic Therapies, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044, Rockville, MD 20850. To...

Experimental study on structural, optoelectronic and room temperature sensing performance of Nickel doped ZnO based ethanol sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudha, M.; Radha, S.; Kirubaveni, S.; Kiruthika, R.; Govindaraj, R.; Santhosh, N.

2018-04-01

Nano crystalline undoped (1Z) Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and 5, 10 and 15 Wt. % (1ZN, 2ZN and 3ZN) of Nickel doped ZnO based sensors were fabricated using the hydrothermal approach on Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis proved the hexagonal Wurtzite structure of ZnO. Parametric variations in terms of dislocation density, bond length, lattice parameters and micro strain with respect to dopant concentration were analysed. The prominent variations in the crystallite size, optical band gap and Photoluminescence peak ratio of devices fabricated was observed. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images showed a change in diameter and density of the nanorods. The effect of the operating temperature, concentration of ethanol and the different doping levels of sensitivity, response and recovery time were investigated. It was inferred that 376% of sensitivity with a very quick response and recovery time of <5 s and 10 s respectively at 150 °C of 3ZN sensor has better performance compared to other three sensors. Also 3ZN sensor showed improved sensitivity of 114%, even at room temperature with response and recovery time of 35 s and 45 s respectively.

Evaluating the effect of distractions in the operating room on clinical decision-making and patient safety.

PubMed

Murji, Ally; Luketic, Lea; Sobel, Mara L; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan Mahan; Leyland, Nicholas; Posner, Glenn

2016-10-01

Answering telephone calls and pagers is common distraction in the operating room. We sought to evaluate the impact of distractions on patient care by (1) assessing the accuracy and safety of responses to clinical questions posed to a surgeon while operating and (2) determining whether pager distractions affect simulation-based surgical performance. We conducted a randomized crossover study of obstetrics and gynecology residents. After studying a patient sign-out list, subjects performed a virtual salpingectomy. They were randomized to a distraction phase followed by quiet phase or vice versa. In the distraction phase, a pager beeped and subjects were asked questions based on the sign-out list. Accuracy of responses and the number of unsafe responses were recorded. In the quiet phase, trainees performed the task uninterrupted. Measures of surgical performance were successful task completion, time to task completion and operative blood loss. The mean score for correct responses to clinical questions during the distracted phase was 80 % (SD ±14 %). Nineteen residents (63 %) made at least 1 unsafe clinical decision while operating on the simulator (range 0-3). Subjects were more likely to successfully complete the surgical task in the allotted time under the quiet compared to distraction condition (OR 11.3, p = 0.03). There was no difference between the conditions in paired analysis for mean time (seconds) to task completion [426 (SD 133) vs. 440 (SD 186), p = 0.61] and mean operative blood loss (mL) [73.14 (SD 106) vs. 112.70 (SD 358), p = 0.47]. Distractions in the operating room may have a profound impact on patient safety on the wards. While multitasking in a simulated setting, the majority of residents made at least one unsafe clinical decision. Pager distractions also hindered surgical residents' ability to complete a simulated laparoscopic task in the allotted time without affecting other variables of surgical performance.

Collection and analysis of NASA clean room air samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, L. S.; Keever, J.

1985-01-01

The environment of the HALOE assembly clean room at NASA Langley Research Center is analyzed to determine the background levels of airborne organic compounds. Sampling is accomplished by pumping the clean room air through absorbing cartridges. For volatile organics, cartridges are thermally desorbed and then analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, compounds are identified by searching the EPA/NIH data base using an interactive operator INCOS computer search algorithm. For semivolatile organics, cartridges are solvent entracted and concentrated extracts are analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detection, compound identification is made by matching gas chromatogram retention times with known standards. The detection limits for the semivolatile organics are; 0.89 ng cu m for dioctylphlhalate (DOP) and 1.6 ng cu m for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). The detection limit for volatile organics ranges from 1 to 50 parts per trillion. Only trace quantities of organics are detected, the DOP levels do not exceed 2.5 ng cu m and the PCB levels do not exceed 454 ng cu m.

133. SOUTH SIDE OF TRANSFORMER ROOM (212), LSB (BLDG. 751), ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

133. SOUTH SIDE OF TRANSFORMER ROOM (212), LSB (BLDG. 751), WITH MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (210) AND LANDLINE INSTRUMENTATION ROOM (206) VISIBLE THROUGH OPEN DOORS. POWER PANEL A, FACING WEST, AT LEFT EDGE OF PHOTOGRAPH. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Allocating operating room block time using historical caseload variability.

PubMed

Hosseini, Narges; Taaffe, Kevin M

2015-12-01

Operating room (OR) allocation and planning is one of the most important strategic decisions that OR managers face. The number of ORs that a hospital opens depends on the number of blocks that are allocated to the surgical groups, services, or individual surgeons, combined with the amount of open posting time (i.e., first come, first serve posting) that the hospital wants to provide. By allocating too few ORs, a hospital may turn away surgery demand whereas opening too many ORs could prove to be a costly decision. The traditional method of determining block frequency and size considers the average historical surgery demand for each group. However, given that there are penalties to the system for having too much or too little OR time allocated to a group, demand variability should play a role in determining the real OR requirement. In this paper we present an algorithm that allocates block time based on this demand variability, specifically accounting for both over-utilized time (time used beyond the block) and under-utilized time (time unused within the block). This algorithm provides a solution to the situation in which total caseload demand can be accommodated by the total OR resource set, in other words not in a capacity-constrained situation. We have found this scenario to be common among several regional healthcare providers with large OR suites and excess capacity. This algorithm could be used to adjust existing blocks or to assign new blocks to surgeons that did not previously have a block. We also have studied the effect of turnover time on the number of ORs that needs to be allocated. Numerical experiments based on real data from a large health-care provider indicate the opportunity to achieve over 2,900 hours of OR time savings through improved block allocations.

Conceptual design of BNCT facility based on the TRR medical room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golshanian, M.; Rajabi, A. A.; Kasesaz, Y.

2017-10-01

This paper presents a conceptual design of the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) facility based on the medical room of Tehran Research Reactor (TRR). The medical room is located behind the east wall of the reactor pool. The designed beam line is an in-pool Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) which is considered between the reactor core and the medical room wall. The final designed BSA can provide 2.96× 109 n/cm2ṡs epithermal neutron flux at the irradiation position with acceptable beam contamination to use as a clinical BNCT.

To provide care and be cared for in a multiple-bed hospital room.

PubMed

Persson, Eva; Määttä, Sylvia

2012-12-01

To illuminate patients' experiences of being cared for and nurses' experiences of caring for patients in a multiple-bed hospital room. Many patients and healthcare personnel seem to prefer single-bed hospital rooms. However, certain advantages of multiple-bed hospital rooms (MBRs) have also been described. Eight men and eight women being cared for in a multiple-bedroom were interviewed, and two focus-group interviews (FGI) with 12 nurses were performed. A qualitative content analysis was used. One theme--Creating a sphere of privacy--and three categories were identified based on the patient interviews. The categories were: Being considerate, Having company and The patients' area. In the FGI, one theme--Integrating individual care with care for all--and two categories emerged: Experiencing a friendly atmosphere and Providing exigent care. Both patients and nurses described the advantages and disadvantages of multiple-bed rooms. The patient culture of taking care of one another and enjoying the company of room-mates were considered positive and gave a sense of security of both patients and nurses. The advantages were slight and could easily become disadvantages if, for example, room-mates were very ill or confused. The patients tried to maintain their privacy and dignity and claimed that there were small problems with room-mates listening to conversations. In contrast, the nurses stressed patient integrity as a main disadvantage and worked to protect the integrity of individual patients. Providing care for all patients simultaneously had the advantage of saving time. The insights gained in the present study could assist nurses in reducing the disadvantages and taking advantage of the positive elements of providing care in MBRs. Health professionals need to be aware of how attitudes towards male and female patients, respectively, could affect care provision. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

24. INTERIOR OF CENTRAL ROOM. BASE POWER PANEL VISIBLE ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

24. INTERIOR OF CENTRAL ROOM. BASE POWER PANEL VISIBLE ON RIGHT WALL OF HALLWAY. - Chollas Heights Naval Radio Transmitting Facility, Transmitter Building, 6410 Zero Road, San Diego, San Diego County, CA

[Modern didactics in surgical education--between demand and reality].

PubMed

Pape-Köhler, C; Chmelik, C; Rose, M; Heiss, M M

2010-12-01

Surgical residency contains an inadequate amount of hands-on training in the operating room and time constraints further make this type of education on the floor unlikely. Due to these deficits in residency training, private surgical courses outside of the established residency programmes are in high demand. Therefore, surgical residents must spend their own resources and time in addition to their residency training in order to receive adequate clinical exposure. Didactic approaches like problem-based learning have begun to influence our modern education. These novel education approaches along with visualisation training, video-based presentations, and multimedia-based training can be useful adjuncts to traditional surgical training. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York.

Efficient synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of some Mannich bases from 2-arylidine-1-thia-4-azaspiro[4.5]decan-3-ones.

PubMed

Hussein, Essam M; Masaret, Ghada S; Khairou, Khalid S

2015-01-01

Thiazolidinone, has been employed in the preparation of different important drugs required for treatment of inflammations, bacterial infections, and hypertension. Mannich bases have been shown to exhibit diverse biological activities, such as antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Spiroheterocycles including thiazolidine moiety have antimicrobial activity. In this study, a novel, rapid, and efficient protocol is developed for the synthesis of various 2-arylidine-1-thia-4-azaspiro[4.5]decan-3-ones using sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (DBSNa) as an inexpensive and readily available reagent in acetic acid at room temperature. High yields, easy work-up, and short reaction times are advantages of this procedure. The synthesized arylidines were undergone Mannich reaction with formaldehyde and secondary amines in absolute ethanol at room temperature to afford the corresponding N-Mannich bases. All prepared Mannich bases were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. Good activity was noted for Mannich bases from 2-arylidine-1-thia-4-azaspiro[4.5]decan-3-ones, with some members recorded higher antimicrobial activity. Graphical abstractSynthesis of Mannich bases of 2-arylidine-1-thia-4-azaspiro[4.5]decan-3-ones.

Evolution of a chemically reacting plume in a ventilated room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conroy, D. T.; Smith, Stefan G. Llewellyn; Caulfield, C. P.

2005-08-01

The dynamics of a second-order chemical reaction in an enclosed space driven by the mixing produced by a turbulent buoyant plume are studied theoretically, numerically and experimentally. An isolated turbulent buoyant plume source is located in an enclosure with a single external opening. Both the source and the opening are located at the bottom of the enclosure. The enclosure is filled with a fluid of a given density with a fixed initial concentration of a chemical. The source supplies a constant volume flux of fluid of different density containing a different chemical of known and constant concentration. These two chemicals undergo a second-order non-reversible reaction, leading to the creation of a third product chemical. For simplicity, we restrict attention to the situation where the reaction process does not affect the density of the fluids involved. Because of the natural constraint of volume conservation, fluid from the enclosure is continually vented. We study the evolution of the various chemical species as they are advected by the developing ventilated filling box process within the room that is driven by the plume dynamics. In particular, we study both the mean and vertical distributions of the chemical species as a function of time within the room. We compare the results of analogue laboratory experiments with theoretical predictions derived from reduced numerical models, and find excellent agreement. Important parameters for the behaviour of the system are associated with the source volume flux and specific momentum flux relative to the source specific buoyancy flux, the ratio of the initial concentrations of the reacting chemical input in the plume and the reacting chemical in the enclosed space, the reaction rate of the chemicals and the aspect ratio of the room. Although the behaviour of the system depends on all these parameters in a non-trivial way, in general the concentration within the room of the chemical input at the isolated source passes through three distinct phases. Initially, as the source fluid flows into the room, the mean concentration of the input chemical increases due to the inflow, with some loss due to the reaction with the chemical initially within the room. After a finite time, the layer of fluid contaminated by the inflow reaches the opening to the exterior at the base of the room. During an ensuing intermediate phase, the rate of increase in the concentration of the input chemical then drops non-trivially, due to the extra sink for the input chemical of the outflow through the opening. During this intermediate stage, the concentration of the input chemical continues to rise, but at a rate that is reduced due to the reaction with the fluid in the room. Ultimately, all the fluid (and hence the chemical) that was originally within the room is lost, both through reaction and outflow through the opening, and the room approaches its final steady state, being filled completely with source fluid.

Objective approach for analysis of noise source characteristics and acoustic conditions in noisy computerized embroidery workrooms.

PubMed

Aliabadi, Mohsen; Golmohammadi, Rostam; Mansoorizadeh, Muharram

2014-03-01

It is highly important to analyze the acoustic properties of workrooms in order to identify best noise control measures from the standpoint of noise exposure limits. Due to the fact that sound pressure is dependent upon environments, it cannot be a suitable parameter for determining the share of workroom acoustic characteristics in producing noise pollution. This paper aims to empirically analyze noise source characteristics and acoustic properties of noisy embroidery workrooms based on special parameters. In this regard, reverberation time as the special room acoustic parameter in 30 workrooms was measured based on ISO 3382-2. Sound power quantity of embroidery machines was also determined based on ISO 9614-3. Multiple linear regression was employed for predicting reverberation time based on acoustic features of the workrooms using MATLAB software. The results showed that the measured reverberation times in most of the workrooms were approximately within the ranges recommended by ISO 11690-1. Similarity between reverberation time values calculated by the Sabine formula and measured values was relatively poor (R (2) = 0.39). This can be due to the inaccurate estimation of the acoustic influence of furniture and formula preconditions. Therefore, this value cannot be considered representative of an actual acoustic room. However, the prediction performance of the regression method with root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.23 s and R (2) = 0.69 is relatively acceptable. Because the sound power of the embroidery machines was relatively high, these sources get the highest priority when it comes to applying noise controls. Finally, an objective approach for the determination of the share of workroom acoustic characteristics in producing noise could facilitate the identification of cost-effective noise controls.

Effects of revised consultation room design on patient-physician communication.

PubMed

Ajiboye, Folaranmi; Dong, Fanglong; Moore, Justin; Kallail, K James; Baughman, Allison

2015-01-01

To evaluate the impact of a revised consultation room design on patient-physician interaction in an outpatient setting. The growth of ambulatory medical care makes outpatient facilities the primary point of health care contact for many Americans. However, the outpatient consultation room design remains largely unchanged, despite its increased use and the adoption of technology-mediated information sharing in clinical encounter. A randomized controlled trial used a postvisit questionnaire to assess six domains of interest (satisfaction with the visit and the consultation room, mutual respect, patient trust in the physician, communication quality, people-room interaction, and interpersonal-room interaction) in two different room designs (a traditional room and an experimental room in which a pedestal table had replaced the examination table). Interpersonal-room interaction was enhanced in the experimental consultation room when compared to the traditional consultation room (p = .0038). Participants in the experimental consultation room had better access to the computer screen, increased provider information sharing, and more time engaging providers in conversation about information on the monitor. Changing the layout of a consultation room has the potential to improve interpersonal communication through better information sharing. Clinicians who are interested in maximizing the benefits of their clinical encounter should consider changing the layout of their consultation room, especially the positioning of the computer screen. © The Author(s) 2014.

Prepare to protect: Operating and maintaining a tornado safe room.

PubMed

Herseth, Andrew; Goldsmith-Grinspoon, Jennifer; Scott, Pataya

2017-06-01

Operating and maintaining a tornado safe room can be critical to the effective continuity of business operations because a firm's most valuable asset is its people. This paper describes aspects of operations and maintenance (O&M) for existing tornado safe rooms as well as a few planning and design aspects that affect the ultimate operation of a safe room for situations where a safe room is planned, but not yet constructed. The information is based on several Federal Emergency Management Agency safe room publications that provide guidance on emergency management and operations, as well as the design and construction of tornado safe rooms.

Improving operating room safety

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Despite the introduction of the Universal Protocol, patient safety in surgery remains a daily challenge in the operating room. This present study describes one community health system's efforts to improve operating room safety through human factors training and ultimately the development of a surgical checklist. Using a combination of formal training, local studies documenting operating room safety issues and peer to peer mentoring we were able to substantially change the culture of our operating room. Our efforts have prepared us for successfully implementing a standardized checklist to improve operating room safety throughout our entire system. Based on these findings we recommend a multimodal approach to improving operating room safety. PMID:19930577

Neutron absorbing room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber compositions

DOEpatents

Zoch, Harold L.

1979-11-27

A neutron absorbing composition comprising a one-component room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber composition or a two-component room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber composition in which the composition contains from 25 to 300 parts by weight based on the base silanol or vinyl containing diorganopolysiloxane polymer of a boron compound or boron powder as the neutron absorbing ingredient. An especially useful boron compound in this application is boron carbide.

Novel Nanocomposite Structures as Active and Passive Barrier Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

during the course of this ARO-funded project. The development of a novel polymer material based on a diol-functionalized room-temperature ionic liquid ...material based on a diol-functionalized room- temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) monomer led to fabrication of membranes, which were tested for their...stimulant vapor. Technical Report A polymerizable room-temperature ionic liquid (4, Figure 1) was chosen as the starting material for making poly(RTIL

Effect of volatile compounds on excimer laser power delivery.

PubMed

Van Horn, Stewart D; Hovanesian, John A; Maloney, Robert K

2002-01-01

To determine whether vapors from perfume, hairspray, oil-based paint, or water-based paint affect excimer laser beam power delivery at the corneal surface. We measured the power delivery of an Apex Plus laser before, during, and after exposure to vapors from the following volatile compounds: three types of perfume, hair spray, an oil-based paint, and a water-based paint. A digital calorimeter was used to measure the steady-state beam power of the laser during laser discharge at the corneal plane. Multiple trials were run with each compound, and the change in laser energy over time was examined to determine if any of the compounds caused degradation of the laser optics. The presence of a volatile compound in the room caused no change in mean laser energy in comparison to before and after the compound was present. However, perfumes caused a progressive decline in laser beam power throughout the trials. Controlling for this progressive decline, there was no significant difference from perfume to perfume. None of the compounds tested caused a decline in laser beam power while present in the room. However, the presence of any perfume caused a deterioration in beam power over time, suggesting a degradation of the laser optics for all perfumes. Laser centers should consider advising their patients and staff to not wear perfumes in the laser suite.

Optimization of reading conditions for flat panel displays.

PubMed

Thomas, J A; Chakrabarti, K; Kaczmarek, R V; Maslennikov, A; Mitchell, C A; Romanyukha, A

2006-06-01

Task Group 18 (TG 18) of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine has developed guidelines for Assessment of Display Performance for Medical Imaging Systems. In this document, a method for determination of the maximum room lighting for displays is suggested. It is based on luminance measurements of a black target displayed on each display device at different room illuminance levels. Linear extrapolation of the above luminance measurements vs. room illuminance allows one to determine diffuse and specular reflection coefficients. TG 18 guidelines have established recommended maximum room lighting. It is based on the characterization of the display by its minimum and maximum luminance and the description of room by diffuse and specular coefficients. We carried out these luminance measurements for three selected displays to determine their optimum viewing conditions: one cathode ray tube and two flat panels. We found some problems with the application of the TG 18 guidelines to optimize viewing conditions for IBM T221 flat panels. Introduction of the requirement for minimum room illuminance allows a more accurate determination of the optimal viewing conditions (maximum and minimum room illuminance) for IBM flat panels. It also addresses the possible loss of contrast in medical images on flat panel displays because of the effect of nonlinearity in the dependence of luminance on room illuminance at low room lighting.

Are we fully utilizing the functionalities of modern operating room ventilators?

PubMed

Liu, Shujie; Kacmarek, Robert M; Oto, Jun

2017-12-01

The modern operating room ventilators have become very sophisticated and many of their features are comparable with those of an ICU ventilator. To fully utilize the functionality of modern operating room ventilators, it is important for clinicians to understand in depth the working principle of these ventilators and their functionalities. Piston ventilators have the advantages of delivering accurate tidal volume and certain flow compensation functions. Turbine ventilators have great ability of flow compensation. Ventilation modes are mainly volume-based or pressure-based. Pressure-based ventilation modes provide better leak compensation than volume-based. The integration of advanced flow generation systems and ventilation modes of the modern operating room ventilators enables clinicians to provide both invasive and noninvasive ventilation in perioperative settings. Ventilator waveforms can be used for intraoperative neuromonitoring during cervical spine surgery. The increase in number of new features of modern operating room ventilators clearly creates the opportunity for clinicians to optimize ventilatory care. However, improving the quality of ventilator care relies on a complete understanding and correct use of these new features. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COAN/A47.

Real-time Internet connections: implications for surgical decision making in laparoscopy.

PubMed

Broderick, T J; Harnett, B M; Doarn, C R; Rodas, E B; Merrell, R C

2001-08-01

To determine whether a low-bandwidth Internet connection can provide adequate image quality to support remote real-time surgical consultation. Telemedicine has been used to support care at a distance through the use of expensive equipment and broadband communication links. In the past, the operating room has been an isolated environment that has been relatively inaccessible for real-time consultation. Recent technological advances have permitted videoconferencing over low-bandwidth, inexpensive Internet connections. If these connections are shown to provide adequate video quality for surgical applications, low-bandwidth telemedicine will open the operating room environment to remote real-time surgical consultation. Surgeons performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Ecuador or the Dominican Republic shared real-time laparoscopic images with a panel of surgeons at the parent university through a dial-up Internet account. The connection permitted video and audio teleconferencing to support real-time consultation as well as the transmission of real-time images and store-and-forward images for observation by the consultant panel. A total of six live consultations were analyzed. In addition, paired local and remote images were "grabbed" from the video feed during these laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Nine of these paired images were then placed into a Web-based tool designed to evaluate the effect of transmission on image quality. The authors showed for the first time the ability to identify critical anatomic structures in laparoscopy over a low-bandwidth connection via the Internet. The consultant panel of surgeons correctly remotely identified biliary and arterial anatomy during six laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Within the Web-based questionnaire, 15 surgeons could not blindly distinguish the quality of local and remote laparoscopic images. Low-bandwidth, Internet-based telemedicine is inexpensive, effective, and almost ubiquitous. Use of these inexpensive, portable technologies will allow sharing of surgical procedures and decisions regardless of location. Internet telemedicine consistently supported real-time intraoperative consultation in laparoscopic surgery. The implications are broad with respect to quality improvement and diffusion of knowledge as well as for basic consultation.

Microenvironments in swine farrowing rooms: the thermal, lighting and acoustic environments of sows and piglets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The present research hypothesized that the thermal, lighting and acoustic environments in commercial swine farrowing rooms vary over time and among crates. The study was conducted in 27 replicates in two commercial farrowing rooms in North Central Indiana, each equipped with 60 farrowing crates. Tem...

JOBS. A Partnership between Education and Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Sandra; And Others

This packet contains 15 lessons developed in a workplace basic skills project for the metal casting industry established jointly by Central Alabama Community College and Robinson Foundry, Inc. The lessons cover the following topics: (1) green sand schedule; (2) the core room; (3) the core room (continued); (4) figuring time; (5) the cleaning room;…

Bend strengths of reaction bonded silicon nitride prepared from dry attrition milled silicon powder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbell, T. P.; Glasgow, T. K.

1979-01-01

Dry attrition milled silicon powder was compacted, sintered in helium, and reaction bonded in nitrogen-4 volume percent hydrogen. Bend strengths of bars with as-nitrided surfaces averaged as high as 210 MPa at room temperature and 220 MPa at 1400 C. Bars prepared from the milled powder were stronger than those prepared from as-received powder at both room temperature and at 1400 C. Room temperature strength decreased with increased milling time and 1400 C strength increased with increased milling time.

Potential human exposure to halogenated flame-retardants in elevated surface dust and floor dust in an academic environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allgood, Jaime M.; Jimah, Tamara

Most households and workplaces all over the world possess furnishings and electronics, all of which contain potentially toxic flame retardant chemicals to prevent fire hazards. Indoor dust is a recognized repository of these types of chemicals including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and non-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (non-PBDEs). However, no previous U.S. studies have differentiated concentrations from elevated surface dust (ESD) and floor dust (FD) within and across microenvironments. We address this information gap by measuring twenty-two flame-retardant chemicals in dust on elevated surfaces (ESD; n=10) and floors (FD; n=10) from rooms on a California campus that contain various concentrations of electronicmore » products. We hypothesized a difference in chemical concentrations in ESD and FD. Secondarily, we examined whether or not this difference persisted: (a) across the studied microenvironments and (b) in rooms with various concentrations of electronics. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the ESD was statistically significantly higher than FD for BDE-47 (p=0.01), BDE-99 (p=0.01), BDE-100 (p=0.01), BDE-153 (p=0.02), BDE-154 (p=0.02), and 3 non-PBDEs including EH-TBB (p=0.02), BEH-TEBP (p=0.05), and TDCIPP (p=0.03). These results suggest different levels and kinds of exposures to flame-retardant chemicals for individuals spending time in the sampled locations depending on the position of accumulated dust. Therefore, further research is needed to estimate human exposure to flame retardant chemicals based on how much time and where in the room individuals spend their time. Such sub-location estimates will likely differ from assessments that assume continuous unidimensional exposure, with implications for improved understanding of potential health impacts of flame retardant chemicals. - Highlights: • Brominated flame retardants used in electronic products accumulate in room dust • Various chemical moieties of flame retardants leach differently into room dust • Flame retardant concentrations in dust differ in elevated surfaces compared to floors.« less

Improving operating room first start efficiency - value of both checklist and a pre-operative facilitator.

PubMed

Panni, M K; Shah, S J; Chavarro, C; Rawl, M; Wojnarwsky, P K; Panni, J K

2013-10-01

There are multiple components leading to improved operating room efficiency. We undertook a project focusing on first case starts; accounting for each delay component on a global basis. Our hypothesis was there would be a reduction in first start delays after we implemented strategies to address the issues identified through this accounting process. An orange sheet checklist was implemented, with specific items that needed to be clear prior to roll back to the operating room (OR), and an OR facilitator was employed to intervene whenever there were any missing items needed for a specific patient. We present the data from this quality improvement project over an 18-month period. Initially, 10.07 (± 0.73) delayed first starts occurred per day but declined steadily over time to a low of 4.95 (± 0.38) per day after 6 months (-49.2 %, P < 0.001). By the end of the project, the most common reasons for delay still included late surgical attending (19%), schedule changes (14%) as well as 'other reasons' (13%), but with an overall reduction per day of each. Total anaesthesia delay initially totalled 11% of the first start delays, but was negligible (< 1%) at the project's completion. While we have a challenging operating room environment based on our patient population, multiple trainees in both the surgery and anaesthesiology teams: an orange sheet - pre-operative checklist in addition to a dedicated pre-operative facilitator; allowed us to make a substantial improvement in our first start on time starts. © 2013 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interior of display area (room 101), looking south towards TV ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Interior of display area (room 101), looking south towards TV control panel room (room 139) at far left corner. The stairway leads to the commander's quarters and the senior battle viewing bridge at top right. Control and communication consoles at the right - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Direct synthesis of BiCuChO-type oxychalcogenides by mechanical alloying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pele, Vincent; Barreteau, Celine; CNRS, Orsay F-91405

2013-07-15

We report on the direct synthesis of BiCuChO based materials by mechanical alloying (Ch=Se, Te). We show that contrary to the synthesis paths used in the previous reports dealing with this family of materials, which use costly annealings in closed silica tubes under controlled atmosphere, this new synthesis route enables the synthesis of pure phase materials at room temperature under air, with reasonable milling time. This synthesis procedure is easily scalable for large scale applications. - Highlights: • Phase pure BiCuSeO doped and undoped prepared by mechanical alloying. • Synthesis performed under air at room temperature. • Electrical properties similarmore » to that of samples synthesized by a classical path.« less

Atomistic structures of nano-engineered SiC and radiation-induced amorphization resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imada, Kenta; Ishimaru, Manabu; Sato, Kazuhisa; Xue, Haizhou; Zhang, Yanwen; Shannon, Steven; Weber, William J.

2015-10-01

Nano-engineered 3C-SiC thin films, which possess columnar structures with high-density stacking faults and twins, were irradiated with 2 MeV Si ions at cryogenic and room temperatures. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations in combination with Monte Carlo simulations based on the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter code, it was found that their amorphization resistance is six times greater than bulk crystalline SiC at room temperature. High-angle bright-field images taken by spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed that the distortion of atomic configurations is localized near the stacking faults. The resultant strain field probably contributes to the enhancement of radiation tolerance of this material.

Room-temperature ionic liquids: slow dynamics, viscosity, and the red edge effect.

PubMed

Hu, Zhonghan; Margulis, Claudio J

2007-11-01

Ionic liquids (ILs) have recently attracted significant attention from academic and industrial sources. This is because, while their vapor pressures are negligible, many of them are liquids at room temperature and can dissolve a wide range of polar and nonpolar organic and inorganic molecules. In this Account, we discuss the progress of our laboratory in understanding the dynamics, spectroscopy, and fluid dynamics of selected imidazolium-based ILs using computational and analytical tools that we have recently developed. Our results indicate that the red edge effect, the non-Newtonian behavior, and the existence of locally heterogeneous environments on a time scale relevant to chemical and photochemical reactivity are closely linked to the viscosity and highly structured character of these liquids.

Room acoustics for the aged.

PubMed

Plomp, R; Duquesnoy, A J

1980-12-01

This article deals with the combined effects of noise and reverberation on the speech-reception threshold for sentences. It is based on a series of current investigations on: (1) the modulation-transfer function as a measure of speech intelligibility in rooms, (2) the applicability of this concept to hearing-impaired persons, and (3) hearing loss for speech in quiet and in noise as a function of age. It is shown that, generally, in auditoria, classrooms, etc. the reverberation time T, acceptable for normal-hearing listeners, has to be reduced to (0.75)DT in order to be acceptable for elderly subjects with a hearing loss of D dB for speech in noise; for listening conditions as in lounges, restaurants, etc. the corresponding value is (0.82)DT.

Ambient stable quantitative PCR reagents for the detection of Yersinia pestis.

PubMed

Qu, Shi; Shi, Qinghai; Zhou, Lei; Guo, Zhaobiao; Zhou, Dongsheng; Zhai, Junhui; Yang, Ruifu

2010-03-09

Although assays for detecting Yersinia pestis using TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR have been developed for years, little is reported on room-temperature-stable PCR reagents, which will be invaluable for field epidemic surveillance, immediate response to public health emergencies, counter-bioterrorism investigation, etc. In this work, a set of real-time PCR reagents for rapid detection of Y. pestis was developed with extraordinary stability at 37 degrees C. TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays were developed using the primers and probes targeting the 3a sequence in the chromosome and the F1 antigen gene caf1 in the plasmid pMT1of Y. pestis, respectively. Then, carbohydrate mixtures were added to the PCR reagents, which were later vacuum-dried for stability evaluation. The vacuum-dried reagents were stable at 37 degrees C for at least 49 days for a lower concentration of template DNA (10 copies/microl), and up to 79 days for higher concentrations (> or =10(2) copies/microl). The reagents were used subsequently to detect soil samples spiked with Y. pestis vaccine strain EV76, and 5x10(4) CFU per gram of soil could be detected by both 3a- and caf1-based PCR reagents. In addition, a simple and efficient method for soil sample processing is presented here. The vacuum-dried reagents for real-time PCR maintain accuracy and reproducibility for at least 49 days at 37 degrees C, indicating that they can be easily transported at room temperature for field application if the machine for performing real-time PCR is available. This dry reagent is of great significance for routine plague surveillance.

Ambient Stable Quantitative PCR Reagents for the Detection of Yersinia pestis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Lei; Guo, Zhaobiao; Zhou, Dongsheng; Zhai, Junhui; Yang, Ruifu

2010-01-01

Background Although assays for detecting Yersinia pestis using TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR have been developed for years, little is reported on room-temperature-stable PCR reagents, which will be invaluable for field epidemic surveillance, immediate response to public health emergencies, counter-bioterrorism investigation, etc. In this work, a set of real-time PCR reagents for rapid detection of Y. pestis was developed with extraordinary stability at 37°C. Methods/Principal Findings TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays were developed using the primers and probes targeting the 3a sequence in the chromosome and the F1 antigen gene caf1 in the plasmid pMT1of Y. pestis, respectively. Then, carbohydrate mixtures were added to the PCR reagents, which were later vacuum-dried for stability evaluation. The vacuum-dried reagents were stable at 37°C for at least 49 days for a lower concentration of template DNA (10 copies/µl), and up to 79 days for higher concentrations (≥102 copies/µl). The reagents were used subsequently to detect soil samples spiked with Y. pestis vaccine strain EV76, and 5×104 CFU per gram of soil could be detected by both 3a- and caf1-based PCR reagents. In addition, a simple and efficient method for soil sample processing is presented here. Conclusions/Significance The vacuum-dried reagents for real-time PCR maintain accuracy and reproducibility for at least 49 days at 37°C, indicating that they can be easily transported at room temperature for field application if the machine for performing real-time PCR is available. This dry reagent is of great significance for routine plague surveillance. PMID:20231881

Monitoring universal protocol compliance through real-time clandestine observation by medical students results in performance improvement.

PubMed

Logan, Catherine A; Cressey, Brienne D; Wu, Roger Y; Janicki, Adam J; Chen, Cyril X; Bolourchi, Meena L; Hodnett, Jessica L; Stratigis, John D; Mackey, William C; Fairchild, David G

2012-01-01

To measure universal protocol compliance through real-time, clandestine observation by medical students compared with chart audit reviews, and to enable medical students the opportunity to become conscious of the importance of medical errors and safety initiatives. With endorsement from Tufts Medical Center's (TMC's) Chief Medical Officer and Surgeon-in-Chief, 8 medical students performed clandestine observation audits of 98 cases from April to August 2009. A compliance checklist was based on TMC's presurgical checklist. Our initial results led to interventions to improve our universal protocol procedures, including modifications to the operating room white board and presurgical checklist, and specific feedback to surgical departments. One year later, 6 medical students performed observations of 100 cases from June to August 2010. Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, which is an academic medical center and the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. An operating room coordinator placed the medical students into 1 of our 25 operating rooms with students entering under the premise of observing the anesthesiologist for clinical education. The observations were performed Monday to Friday between 7 am and 4 pm. Although observations were not randomized, no single service or type of surgery was targeted for observation. A broad range of departments was observed. In 8.2% of cases, the surgical site was unmarked. A Time Out occurred in 89.7% of cases. The entire surgical team was attentive during the time out in 82% of cases. The presurgical checklist was incomplete before incision in 13 cases. Images were displayed in 82% of cases. The operating room "white board" was filled out completely in 49% of cases. Team introductions occurred in 13 cases. One year later, compliance increased in all Universal Protocol dimensions. Direct, real-time observation by medical students provides an accurate and granular assessment of compliance with specific components of the universal protocol and engages medical students in the quality improvement process, raises their awareness of the gravity of medical errors, and ensures appreciation of the importance of quality and safety initiatives. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on Incompatibility of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Evidence from Formula Network, Chemical Space, and Metabolism Room

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Wu, Hong-Ying; Jin, Jin; Yu, Guang-Yun; He, Xin; Wang, Hao; Shen, Xiu; Zhou, Ze-Wei; Liu, Pei-Xun; Fan, Sai-Jun

2013-01-01

A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula network including 362 TCM formulas was built by using complex network methodologies. The properties of this network were analyzed including network diameter, average distance, clustering coefficient, and average degree. Meanwhile, we built a TCM chemical space and a TCM metabolism room under the theory of chemical space. The properties of chemical space and metabolism room were calculated and analyzed. The properties of the medicine pairs in “eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors,” an ancient rule for TCM incompatibility, were studied based on the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The results showed that the properties of these incompatible medicine pairs are different from those of the other TCM based on the analysis of the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The lines of evidence derived from our work demonstrated that the ancient rule of TCM incompatibility, “eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors,” is probably scientifically based. PMID:24369478

"Wild Beasts" Roam the Art Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Virginia P.

2012-01-01

Fauvism is a style of painting based on the use of intensely vivid colors that were not natural to the faces, landscapes and objects being painted. It was how artists expressed themselves during the first decade of the 20th century, and lasted only a short time. The artists were called "les Fauves," which means "the wild beasts." In this article,…

80. FOUR VIDEO MONITORS LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH WALL OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

80. FOUR VIDEO MONITORS LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH WALL OF SLC-3E CONTROL ROOM. (TWO VIDEOTEK MONITORS ON LEFT (EAST) ARE COLOR; OTHERS ARE BLACK AND WHITE.) DIGITAL COUNTDOWN, HOLD, AND GREENWHICH MEAN TIME CLOCKS LOCATED ABOVE MONITORS 4 AND 5. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Cost analysis of objective resident cataract surgery assessments.

PubMed

Nandigam, Kiran; Soh, Jonathan; Gensheimer, William G; Ghazi, Ahmed; Khalifa, Yousuf M

2015-05-01

To compare 8 ophthalmology resident surgical training tools to determine which is most cost effective. University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA. Retrospective evaluation of technology. A cost-analysis model was created to compile all relevant costs in running each tool in a medium-sized ophthalmology program. Quantitative cost estimates were obtained based on cost of tools, cost of time in evaluations, and supply and maintenance costs. For wet laboratory simulation, Eyesi was the least expensive cataract surgery simulation method; however, it is only capable of evaluating simulated cataract surgery rehearsal and requires supplementation with other evaluative methods for operating room performance and for noncataract wet lab training and evaluation. The most expensive training tool was the Eye Surgical Skills Assessment Test (ESSAT). The 2 most affordable methods for resident evaluation in operating room performance were the Objective Assessment of Skills in Intraocular Surgery (OASIS) and Global Rating Assessment of Skills in Intraocular Surgery (GRASIS). Cost-based analysis of ophthalmology resident surgical training tools are needed so residency programs can implement tools that are valid, reliable, objective, and cost effective. There is no perfect training system at this time. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An INS/WiFi Indoor Localization System Based on the Weighted Least Squares.

PubMed

Chen, Jian; Ou, Gang; Peng, Ao; Zheng, Lingxiang; Shi, Jianghong

2018-05-07

For smartphone indoor localization, an INS/WiFi hybrid localization system is proposed in this paper. Acceleration and angular velocity are used to estimate step lengths and headings. The problem with INS is that positioning errors grow with time. Using radio signal strength as a fingerprint is a widely used technology. The main problem with fingerprint matching is mismatching due to noise. Taking into account the different shortcomings and advantages, inertial sensors and WiFi from smartphones are integrated into indoor positioning. For a hybrid localization system, pre-processing techniques are used to enhance the WiFi signal quality. An inertial navigation system limits the range of WiFi matching. A Multi-dimensional Dynamic Time Warping (MDTW) is proposed to calculate the distance between the measured signals and the fingerprint in the database. A MDTW-based weighted least squares (WLS) is proposed for fusing multiple fingerprint localization results to improve positioning accuracy and robustness. Using four modes (calling, dangling, handheld and pocket), we carried out walking experiments in a corridor, a study room and a library stack room. Experimental results show that average localization accuracy for the hybrid system is about 2.03 m.

An INS/WiFi Indoor Localization System Based on the Weighted Least Squares

PubMed Central

Chen, Jian; Ou, Gang; Zheng, Lingxiang; Shi, Jianghong

2018-01-01

For smartphone indoor localization, an INS/WiFi hybrid localization system is proposed in this paper. Acceleration and angular velocity are used to estimate step lengths and headings. The problem with INS is that positioning errors grow with time. Using radio signal strength as a fingerprint is a widely used technology. The main problem with fingerprint matching is mismatching due to noise. Taking into account the different shortcomings and advantages, inertial sensors and WiFi from smartphones are integrated into indoor positioning. For a hybrid localization system, pre-processing techniques are used to enhance the WiFi signal quality. An inertial navigation system limits the range of WiFi matching. A Multi-dimensional Dynamic Time Warping (MDTW) is proposed to calculate the distance between the measured signals and the fingerprint in the database. A MDTW-based weighted least squares (WLS) is proposed for fusing multiple fingerprint localization results to improve positioning accuracy and robustness. Using four modes (calling, dangling, handheld and pocket), we carried out walking experiments in a corridor, a study room and a library stack room. Experimental results show that average localization accuracy for the hybrid system is about 2.03 m. PMID:29735960

Energy efficient model based algorithm for control of building HVAC systems.

PubMed

Kirubakaran, V; Sahu, Chinmay; Radhakrishnan, T K; Sivakumaran, N

2015-11-01

Energy efficient designs are receiving increasing attention in various fields of engineering. Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control system designs involve improved energy usage with an acceptable relaxation in thermal comfort. In this paper, real time data from a building HVAC system provided by BuildingLAB is considered. A resistor-capacitor (RC) framework for representing thermal dynamics of the building is estimated using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. With objective costs as thermal comfort (deviation of room temperature from required temperature) and energy measure (Ecm) explicit MPC design for this building model is executed based on its state space representation of the supply water temperature (input)/room temperature (output) dynamics. The controllers are subjected to servo tracking and external disturbance (ambient temperature) is provided from the real time data during closed loop control. The control strategies are ported on a PIC32mx series microcontroller platform. The building model is implemented in MATLAB and hardware in loop (HIL) testing of the strategies is executed over a USB port. Results indicate that compared to traditional proportional integral (PI) controllers, the explicit MPC's improve both energy efficiency and thermal comfort significantly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectral purity and tunability of terahertz quantum cascade laser sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation

PubMed Central

Consolino, Luigi; Jung, Seungyong; Campa, Annamaria; De Regis, Michele; Pal, Shovon; Kim, Jae Hyun; Fujita, Kazuue; Ito, Akio; Hitaka, Masahiro; Bartalini, Saverio; De Natale, Paolo; Belkin, Mikhail A.; Vitiello, Miriam Serena

2017-01-01

Terahertz sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (THz DFG-QCLs) have recently emerged as the first monolithic electrically pumped semiconductor sources capable of operating at room temperature across the 1- to 6-THz range. Despite tremendous progress in power output, which now exceeds 1 mW in pulsed and 10 μW in continuous-wave regimes at room temperature, knowledge of the major figure of merits of these devices for high-precision spectroscopy, such as spectral purity and absolute frequency tunability, is still lacking. By exploiting a metrological grade system comprising a terahertz frequency comb synthesizer, we measure, for the first time, the free-running emission linewidth (LW), the tuning characteristics, and the absolute center frequency of individual emission lines of these sources with an uncertainty of 4 × 10−10. The unveiled emission LW (400 kHz at 1-ms integration time) indicates that DFG-QCLs are well suited to operate as local oscillators and to be used for a variety of metrological, spectroscopic, communication, and imaging applications that require narrow-LW THz sources. PMID:28879235

Selfishness- and Selflessness-based models of pedestrian room evacuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Xiao; Ma, Liang; Ma, Yaofei; Yang, Chen; Ji, Hang

2016-04-01

Some pedestrian evacuation studies have employed game strategy to deal with moving conflicts involving two or three pedestrians. However, most of these have simply presented game strategies for pedestrians without analyzing the reasons why they choose to defect or cooperate. We believe that selfish and selfless behaviors are two main factors that should be considered in evacuation. In addition to these behaviors, human emotions such as sympathy and behaviors such as vying were also taken into account to investigate their impacts on pedestrians' strategies. Moreover, an essential objective factor, the building design factor of door width was tested and analyzed. Experimental results showed that the sense of self leads to more defectors and a longer evacuation time. However, sympathy does some good, leading to more cooperators and a shorter evacuation time. Moreover, the exit door width is an essential factor of the evacuation efficiency. When the width was less than 6 cells in a rectangular room with a size greater than 50 × 50, the evacuation time greatly decreased when the width increased. However, this effect was less obvious when the width increased.

A simplified heat transfer model for predicting temperature change inside food package kept in cold room.

PubMed

Raval, A H; Solanki, S C; Yadav, Rajvir

2013-04-01

A simple analytical heat flow model for a closed rectangular food package containing fruits or vegetables is proposed for predicting time temperature distribution during transient cooling in a controlled environment cold room. It is based on the assumption of only conductive heat transfer inside a closed food package with effective thermal properties, and convective and radiative heat transfer at the outside of the package. The effective thermal conductivity of the food package is determined by evaluating its effective thermal resistance to heat conduction in the packages. Food packages both as an infinite slab and a finite slab have been investigated. The finite slab solution has been obtained as the product of three infinite slab solutions describe in ASHRAE guide and data book. Time temperature variation has been determined and is presented graphically. The cooling rate and the half cooling time were also obtained. These predicted values, are compared with the experimentally measured values for both the finite and infinite closed packages containing oranges. An excellent agreement between them validated the simple proposed model.

Trapped as a Group, Escape as a Team: Applying Gamification to Incorporate Team-building Skills Through an 'Escape Room' Experience.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao Chi; Lee, Hyunjoo; Rodriguez, Carlos; Rudner, Joshua; Chan, Teresa M; Papanagnou, Dimitrios

2018-03-02

Teamwork, a skill critical for quality patient care, is recognized as a core competency by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). To date, there is no consensus on how to effectively teach these skills in a forum that engages learners, immerses members in life-like activities, and builds both trust and rapport. Recreational 'Escape Rooms' have gained popularity in creating a life-like environment that rewards players for working together, solving puzzles, and completing successions of mind-bending tasks in order to effectively 'escape the room' in the time allotted. In this regard, escape rooms share many parallels with the multitasking and teamwork that is essential for a successful emergency department (ED) shift. A pilot group of nine emergency medicine (EM) residents and one senior EM faculty member underwent a commercial escape room as part of a team-building exercise in January 2018. The escape room required participants to practice teamwork, communication, task delegation, and critical thinking to tackle waves of increasingly complex puzzles, ranging from hidden objects, physical object assembly (i.e., jigsaw puzzles), and symbol matching. Activities required members to recognize and utilize the collective experiences, skills, knowledge base, and physical abilities of the group. After the game, players underwent a structured 'game-master' debriefing facilitated by an employee of the commercial escape room; this was followed by a post-event survey facilitated by a faculty member, which focused on participants' feelings, experiences, and problem-solving techniques. Escape rooms afford learners the opportunity to engage in an activity that rewards teamwork and effective leadership through experiences that directly link to specific ACGME milestones and educational learning theories. EM participants were engaged in the activity and felt that the escape room reproduced an environment analogous to the ED. The debriefing that followed the activity provided a satisfactory conclusion to the experience; but learners preferred a more organized debriefing format that provided them with constructive and specific feedback on their performance.

Impact of NICU design on environmental noise.

PubMed

Szymczak, Stacy E; Shellhaas, Renée A

2014-04-01

For neonates requiring intensive care, the optimal sound environment is uncertain. Minimal disruptions from medical staff create quieter environments for sleep, but limit language exposure necessary for proper language development. There are two models of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs): open-bay, in which 6-to-10 infants are cared for in a single large room; and single-room, in which neonates are housed in private, individual hospital rooms. We compared the acoustic environments in the two NICU models. We extracted the audio tracks from video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring studies from neonates in an open-bay NICU and compared the acoustic environment to that recorded from neonates in a new single-room NICU. From each NICU, 18 term infants were studied (total N=36; mean gestational age 39.3±1.9 weeks). Neither z-scores of the sound level variance (0.088±0.03 vs. 0.083±0.03, p=0.7), nor percent time with peak sound variance (above 2 standard deviations; 3.6% vs. 3.8%, p=0.6) were different. However, time below 0.05 standard deviations was higher in the single-room NICU (76% vs. 70%, p=0.02). We provide objective evidence that single-room NICUs have equal sound peaks and overall noise level variability compared with open-bay units, but the former may offer significantly more time at lower noise levels.

Quality assurance for patients with head injuries admitted to a regional trauma unit.

PubMed

Schwartz, M L; Sharkey, P W; Andersen, J A

1991-07-01

The efficacy of trauma systems in reducing preventable deaths has been established but the methods of auditing care are still evolving. Various "audit filters" to identify which patients' charts should be reviewed have been proposed. An analysis of all patients admitted to the Regional Trauma Unit (RTU) over a 19-month period was conducted. Of 729 patients, 135 were identified as having suffered a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (TICH). On review, neither delay in transfer from the emergency room to the operating room nor increasing time from the incident to the operating room correlated with increasing mortality. In contrast to delay, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission correlated well with outcome. The charts of patients with anomalous outcomes based on admission GCS score were reviewed, and two possibly preventable deaths were identified. There were 48 patients with TICH who had no operations but there were no deaths attributable to a missed operation. There were 76 patients for whom the GCS score at the referring hospital and the GCS score on admission to the RTU were available. Seven of 19 patients who worsened on transfer declined because of significant pulmonary injuries. Anomalous outcomes based on admission GCS score and declining GCS scores are recommended as quality assurance filters.

Dampness and Moisture Problems in Norwegian Homes

PubMed Central

Becher, Rune; Høie, Anja Hortemo; Bakke, Jan Vilhelm; Holøs, Sverre Bjørn; Øvrevik, Johan

2017-01-01

The occurrence of dampness and mold in the indoor environment is associated with respiratory-related disease outcomes. Thus, it is pertinent to know the magnitude of such indoor environment problems to be able to estimate the potential health impact in the population. In the present study, the moisture damage in 10,112 Norwegian dwellings was recorded based on building inspection reports. The levels of moisture damage were graded based on a condition class (CC), where CC0 is immaculate and CC1 acceptable (actions not required), while CC2 and CC3 indicate increased levels of damage that requires action. Of the 10,112 dwellings investigated, 3125 had verified moisture or mold damage. This amounts to 31% of the surveyed dwellings. Of these, 27% had CC2 as the worst grade, whereas 4% had CC3 as the worst grade level. The room types and building structures most prone to moisture damage were (in rank order) crawl spaces, basements, un-insulated attics, cooling rooms, and bathrooms. The high proportion of homes with moisture damage indicate a possible risk for respiratory diseases in a relatively large number of individuals, even if only the more extensive moisture damages and those located in rooms where occupants spend the majority of their time would have a significant influence on adverse health effects. PMID:29039816

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to identify infected patients in the emergency room.

PubMed

Jaimes, Fabián; Garcés, Jenny; Cuervo, Jorge; Ramírez, Federico; Ramírez, Jorge; Vargas, Andrea; Quintero, Claudia; Ochoa, Jorge; Tandioy, Fabio; Zapata, Láder; Estrada, Juan; Yepes, Maria; Leal, Hiulber

2003-08-01

Evaluation of the usefulness of criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) compared with the final diagnosis of infection in patients admitted to the emergency room of two university-based hospitals. Longitudinal cohort study. Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paul and Hospital General de Medellín, Medellín, Colombia. PATIENTS. Seven hundred thirty-four patients with suspected infection as main diagnosis for admittance into the emergency room. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios (LR) of SIRS criteria at admission were determined using, as gold standards, the diagnosis at the time of discharge based on clinical history and evolution, and microbiological confirmation of infection. SIRS criteria were met by 503 patients (68.5%); the discharge diagnosis of infection was found in 657 (89.4%) and 276 (37%) had microbiological confirmation. SIRS criteria exhibited a sensitivity of 69%, specificity of 35%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 90%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 12% and positive LR of 1.06. There were no differences between the two gold standards. The finding of two or more SIRS criteria was of little usefulness for diagnosis of infection. It is necessary to work with new criteria and probably with biological markers, in order to obtain a simple, precise and operative definition of the sepsis phenomenon.

14. Interior view of vestibule separating rehabilitation space, testing room, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. Interior view of vestibule separating rehabilitation space, testing room, and corridor to workout room looking into corridor; near center of occupied portion; view to southeast. - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Mess & Administration Building, 2279 Risner Drive, Blackhawk, Meade County, SD

Directive sources in acoustic discrete-time domain simulations based on directivity diagrams.

PubMed

Escolano, José; López, José J; Pueo, Basilio

2007-06-01

Discrete-time domain methods provide a simple and flexible way to solve initial boundary value problems. With regard to the sources in such methods, only monopoles or dipoles can be considered. However, in many problems such as room acoustics, the radiation of realistic sources is directional-dependent and their directivity patterns have a clear influence on the total sound field. In this letter, a method to synthesize the directivity of sources is proposed, especially in cases where the knowledge is only based on discrete values of the directivity diagram. Some examples have been carried out in order to show the behavior and accuracy of the proposed method.

Relationship Between Auditory Context and Visual Distance Perception: Effect of Musical Expertise in the Ability to Translate Reverberation Cues Into Room-Size Perception.

PubMed

Etchemendy, Pablo E; Spiousas, Ignacio; Vergara, Ramiro

2018-01-01

In a recently published work by our group [ Scientific Reports, 7, 7189 (2017)], we performed experiments of visual distance perception in two dark rooms with extremely different reverberation times: one anechoic ( T ∼ 0.12 s) and the other reverberant ( T ∼ 4 s). The perceived distance of the targets was systematically greater in the reverberant room when contrasted to the anechoic chamber. Participants also provided auditorily perceived room-size ratings which were greater for the reverberant room. Our hypothesis was that distance estimates are affected by room size, resulting in farther responses for the room perceived larger. Of much importance to the task was the subjects' ability to infer room size from reverberation. In this article, we report a postanalysis showing that participants having musical expertise were better able to extract and translate reverberation cues into room-size information than nonmusicians. However, the degree to which musical expertise affects visual distance estimates remains unclear.

A Case Study of Upper-Room UVGI in Densely-Occupied Elementary Classrooms by Real-Time Fluorescent Bioaerosol Measurements.

PubMed

Su, Chunxiao; Lau, Josephine; Yu, Fang

2017-01-08

Recently, the requirement to continuously collect bioaerosol samples using shorter response times has called for the use of real-time detection. The decreased cost of this technology makes it available for a wider application than military use, and makes it accessible to pharmaceutical and academic research. In this case study, real-time bioaerosol monitors (RBMs) were applied in elementary school classrooms-a densely occupied environment-along with upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) devices. The classrooms were separated into a UVGI group and a non-UVGI control group. Fluorescent bioaerosol counts (FBCs) were monitored on 20 visiting days over a four-month period. The classroom with upper-room UVGI showed significantly lower concentrations of fine size (<3 μm) and total FBCs than the control classroom during 13 of the 20 visiting days. The results of the study indicate that the upper-room UVGI could be effective in reducing FBCs in the school environment, and RBMs may be applicable in reflecting the transient conditions of the classrooms due to the dynamic activity levels of the students and teachers.

112. VIEW OF SOUTH SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

112. VIEW OF SOUTH SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (110), LSB (BLDG. 770). VEHICLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ROOM (111) AND PNEUMATIC SUPPLY PANEL VISIBLE AT SOUTH END OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (110). PAYLOAD CABLE DISTRIBUTION BOX ON LEFT OF PHOTO, FACING WEST. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 West, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

116. VIEW OF NORTH SIDE OF LANDLINE INSTRUMENTATION ROOM (206), ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

116. VIEW OF NORTH SIDE OF LANDLINE INSTRUMENTATION ROOM (206), LSB (BLDG. 751), WITH CABINETS ON EAST SIDE OF ROOM FACING WEST. THE ROW OF CABINETS ON EAST SIDE OF ROOM INCLUDES LEFT TO RIGHT: CABLE DISTRIBUTION UNITS, AUTOPILOT CONTROLS, AND POWER DISTRIBUTION UNITS. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

113. VIEW OF NORTH SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

113. VIEW OF NORTH SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (110), LSB (BLDG. 770). QUALITY ASSURANCE ROOM (106A) ON RIGHT SIDE OF PHOTO; CABLE TRAYS OVERHEAD AT TOP; STAIRS TO LSB (BLDG. 770) ADDITION (ROOMS 117 THROUGH 120) IN CENTER OF PHOTO. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 West, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

West wall, display area (room 101), view 1 of 4: ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

West wall, display area (room 101), view 1 of 4: southwest corner, showing stairs to commander's quarters and viewing bridge, windows to controller's room (room 102), south end of control consoles, and holes in pedestal floor for computer equipment cables (tape drive I/O?) - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

75 FR 22769 - Sunshine Act Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

.... ACTION: Notice of Virtual Public Forum for EAC Standards Board. Date and Time: Monday, May 17, 2010, 9 a.m. EDT through Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 9 p.m. EDT. Place: EAC Standards Board Virtual Meeting Room at... Standards Board Virtual Meeting Room. The virtual meeting room will open on Monday, May 17, 2010, at 9 a.m...

This Is the Door... A Cumulative Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Judy

2007-01-01

At one time, the Caldwell High School Library at Caldwell Exempted Village Schools in Caldwell, Ohio, had two sections--the main room with the shelves, circulation desk, and tables and chairs, and an adjoining room with student desks. There was a wide opening to the back room, and glass partitions in the upper half of the wall separating the two…

76 FR 10429 - Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-24

.... Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140...: Bring comments to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at....regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground...

Successful strategies for improving operating room efficiency at academic institutions.

PubMed

Overdyk, F J; Harvey, S C; Fishman, R L; Shippey, F

1998-04-01

In this prospective study, we evaluated the etiology of operating room (OR) delays in an academic institution, examined the impact of multidisciplinary strategies to improve OR efficiency, and established OR timing benchmarks for use in future OR efficiency studies. OR times and delay etiologies were collected for 94 cases during the initial phase of the study. Timing data and delay etiologies were analyzed, and 2 wk of multidisciplinary OR efficiency awareness education was conducted for the nursing, surgical, and anesthesia staff. After the education period, timing data were collected from 1787 cases, and monthly reports listing individual case delays and timing data were sent to the Chiefs of Service. For the first case of the day, patient in room, anesthesia ready, surgical preparation start, and procedure start time were significantly earlier (P < 0.01) in the posteducation period compared with the preeducation period, and the procedure start time for the first case of the day occurred, on average, 22 min earlier than all other procedures. For all cases combined, turnover time decreased, on average, by 16 min. Unavailability of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and residents decreased significantly (P < 0.05) as causes of OR delays. Anesthesia induction times were consistently longer for the vascular and cardiothoracic services, whereas surgical preparation time was increased for the neurosurgical and orthopedic services (P < 0.05). Identification of the etiology of OR inefficiency, combined with multidisciplinary awareness training and personal accountability, can improve OR efficiency. The time savings realized are probably most cost-effective when combined with more flexible OR staffing and improved OR scheduling. We achieved significant improvements in operating room efficiency by analyzing operating room data on causes of delays, devising strategies for minimizing the most common delays, and subsequently measuring delay data. Personal accountability, streamlining of procedures, interdisciplinary team work, and accurate data collection were all important contributors to improved efficiency.

[Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) in the emergency room. Is it suitable as an SOP?].

PubMed

Shafizadeh, S; Tjardes, T; Steinhausen, E; Balke, M; Paffrath, T; Bouillon, B; Bäthis, H

2010-08-01

There is clinical evidence that a standardized management of trauma patients in the emergency room improves outcome. ATLS is a training course that teaches a systematic approach to the trauma patient in the emergency room. The aims are a rapid and accurate assessment of the patient's physiologic status, treatment according to priorities, and making decisions on whether the local resources are sufficient for adequate definitive treatment of the patient or if transfer to a trauma center is necessary. Above all it is important to prevent secondary injury, to realize timing as a relevant factor in the initial treatment, and to assure a high standard of care. A standard operating procedure (SOP) exactly regulates the approach to trauma patients and determines the responsibilities of the involved faculties. An SOP moreover incorporates the organizational structure in the treatment of trauma patients as well as the necessary technical equipment and staff requirements. To optimize process and result quality, priorities are in the fields of medical fundamentals of trauma care, education, and fault management. SOPs and training courses increase the process and result quality in the treatment of the trauma patient in the emergency room. These programs should be based on the special demands of the physiology of the trauma as well as the structural specifics of the hospital. ATLS does not equal an SOP but it qualifies as a standardized concept for management of trauma patients in the emergency room.

Bio-Kil, a nano-based disinfectant, reduces environmental bacterial burden and multidrug-resistant organisms in intensive care units.

PubMed

Lee, Wen-Sen; Hsieh, Tai-Chin; Shiau, Justine C; Ou, Tsong-Yih; Chen, Fu-Lun; Liu, Yu-Hsin; Yen, Muh-Yong; Hsueh, Po-Ren

2017-10-01

This prospective before-after study was intended to investigate the effect of Bio-Kil on reducing environmental bacterial burden and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) at the Municipal Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan in 2014. Four rooms in the medical and surgical ICUs were investigated and designated as study rooms (n = 2) or control rooms (n = 2). Routine disinfection was performed during the pre-intervention period in both room types. Bio-Kil was applied to the fomites and surroundings of the study rooms during the intervention period. Total bacterial burden and proportion of colonization of fomites and surroundings by multidrug-resistance organisms (MDROs) were determined before and after the intervention. The demographic characteristics, underlying conditions, and clinical outcomes of patients were analyzed. After application of Bio-Kil, the bacterial burden declined in both groups, although the reduction was greater in the study rooms as compared with the control rooms (p = 0.001). During the pre-intervention period, 16 patients were admitted to control rooms and 18 patients to study rooms. After the intervention, 22 patients were admitted to control rooms and 21 patients to study rooms. The number of cases of new-onset sepsis declined in the intervention group (from 33% to 23.8%), but increased in the control group (from 25% to 40.9%); however, there was no significant difference in incidence of new-onset sepsis between the study and control rooms after intervention. Application of Bio-Kil reduced the environmental bacterial burden and MDROs in ICUs. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this nanotechnology-based disinfectant in reducing HAIs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

PFP Emergency Lighting Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BUSCH, M.S.

2000-02-02

NFPA 101, section 5-9 mandates that, where required by building classification, all designated emergency egress routes be provided with adequate emergency lighting in the event of a normal lighting outage. Emergency lighting is to be arranged so that egress routes are illuminated to an average of 1.0 footcandle with a minimum at any point of 0.1 footcandle, as measured at floor level. These levels are permitted to drop to 60% of their original value over the required 90 minute emergency lighting duration after a power outage. The Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) has two designations for battery powered egress lights ''Emergencymore » Lights'' are those battery powered lights required by NFPA 101 to provide lighting along officially designated egress routes in those buildings meeting the correct occupancy requirements. Emergency Lights are maintained on a monthly basis by procedure ZSR-12N-001. ''Backup Lights'' are battery powered lights not required by NFPA, but installed in areas where additional light may be needed. The Backup Light locations were identified by PFP Safety and Engineering based on several factors. (1) General occupancy and type of work in the area. Areas occupied briefly during a shiftly surveillance do not require backup lighting while a room occupied fairly frequently or for significant lengths of time will need one or two Backup lights to provide general illumination of the egress points. (2) Complexity of the egress routes. Office spaces with a standard hallway/room configuration will not require Backup Lights while a large room with several subdivisions or irregularly placed rooms, doors, and equipment will require Backup Lights to make egress safer. (3) Reasonable balance between the safety benefits of additional lighting and the man-hours/exposure required for periodic light maintenance. In some plant areas such as building 236-Z, the additional maintenance time and risk of contamination do not warrant having Backup Lights installed in all rooms. Sufficient light for egress is provided by existing lights located in the hallways.« less

Post mortem Survival of Gallibacterium anatis in a Laying Hen Experimental Infection Model.

PubMed

Wang, Chong; Pors, Susanne Elisabeth; Bojesen, Anders Miki

2018-06-01

To assess the survival of Gallibacterium anatis in dead laying hens, 21-wk-old laying hens were injected intraperitoneally with 0.5 ml brain hearth infusion broth containing 10 8 colony-forming units (CFU) of G. anatis 12656-12 liver ( n = 16), Escherichia coli ST141 ( n = 16), or a mix of G. anatis 12656-12 liver and E. coli ST141 ( n = 16), respectively. Birds were euthanatized 24 hr post injection. From each group eight dead birds were kept at 4 C and eight at room temperature. Swab samples were taken at different time points post euthanatization and streaked on blood agar plates. From the birds kept at 4 C, G. anatis was reisolated from the G. anatis and the G. anatis- E. coli co-injected groups at least 12 days post euthanization. From birds kept at room temperature, G. anatis was reisolated up to 2 days post euthanatization. When using the gyrB-based G. anatis-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR), G. anatis was detected within at least 5 days, and up to 5 days post euthanatization, from birds kept at room temperature and 4 C, respectively. Escherichia coli was reisolated from all the time points independent of how the birds were kept. No difference was observed between the reisolation rates for G. anatis or E. coli when comparing similar detection methods. For birds kept at 4 C, bacterial cultivation was a more sensitive method for detecting G. anatis ( P < 0.05), whereas for birds kept at room temperature, the G. anatis-specific qPCR outperformed bacterial culture ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, we demonstrated that G. anatis has a poorer survival rate than does E. coli in dead chickens kept at room temperature. That finding may affect the overall diagnostic sensitivity and lead to underdiagnosis of G. anatis in a normal production setting.

Can efficient supply management in the operating room save millions?

PubMed

Park, Kyung W; Dickerson, Cheryl

2009-04-01

Supply expenses occupy an ever-increasing portion of the expense budget in today's increasingly technologically complex operating rooms. Yet, little has been studied and published in the anesthesia literature. This review attempts to bring the topic of supply management to anesthesiologists, who play a significant role in operating room management. Little investigative work has been performed on supply management. Anecdotal reports suggest the benefits of a perpetual inventory system over a periodic inventory system. A perpetual inventory system uses utilization data to update inventory on hand continually and this information is linked to purchasing and restocking, whereas a periodic inventory system counts inventory at some regular intervals (such as annually) and uses average utilization to set par levels. On the basis of application of operational management concepts, ways of taking advantage of a perpetual inventory system to achieve savings in supply expenses are outlined. These include linking the operating room scheduling and supply order system, distributor-driven just-in-time delivery of case carts, continual updating of preference lists based on utilization patterns, increasing inventory turnovers, standardizing surgical practices, and vendor consignment of high unit-cost items such as implants. In addition, Lean principles of visual management and elimination of eight wastes may be applicable to supply management.

86. VIEW OF AUTOPILOT ROOM LOOKING WEST FROM CENTER OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

86. VIEW OF AUTOPILOT ROOM LOOKING WEST FROM CENTER OF ROOM. IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER FOR SLC-3W AUTOPILOT FUNCTIONS IN SOUTHWEST CORNER (LEFT). - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Transactive control of fast-acting demand response based on thermostatic loads in real-time retail electricity markets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Behboodi, Sahand; Chassin, David P.; Djilali, Ned

Coordinated operation of distributed thermostatic loads such as heat pumps and air conditioners can reduce energy costs and prevents grid congestion, while maintaining room temperatures in the comfort range set by consumers. This paper furthers efforts towards enabling thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) to participate in real-time retail electricity markets under a transactive control paradigm. An agent-based approach is used to develop an effective and low complexity demand response control scheme for TCLs. The proposed scheme adjusts aggregated thermostatic loads according to real-time grid conditions under both heating and cooling modes. Here, a case study is presented showing the method reducesmore » consumer electricity costs by over 10% compared to uncoordinated operation.« less

Transactive control of fast-acting demand response based on thermostatic loads in real-time retail electricity markets

DOE PAGES

Behboodi, Sahand; Chassin, David P.; Djilali, Ned; ...

2017-07-29

Coordinated operation of distributed thermostatic loads such as heat pumps and air conditioners can reduce energy costs and prevents grid congestion, while maintaining room temperatures in the comfort range set by consumers. This paper furthers efforts towards enabling thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) to participate in real-time retail electricity markets under a transactive control paradigm. An agent-based approach is used to develop an effective and low complexity demand response control scheme for TCLs. The proposed scheme adjusts aggregated thermostatic loads according to real-time grid conditions under both heating and cooling modes. Here, a case study is presented showing the method reducesmore » consumer electricity costs by over 10% compared to uncoordinated operation.« less

Application of Dilute Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Technology for Continuous Room Decontamination of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms: Negative Results from A Preliminary Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Rutala, William A; Kanamori, Hajime; Gergen, Maria; Sickbert-Bennett, Emily; Anderson, Deverick; Sexton, Daniel; Weber, David J

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Healthcare room environmental surfaces can be frequently and continuously contaminated with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) that can persist in the environment for a prolonged time. Here, we used a dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas system for continuous room decontamination and experimentally examined the germicidal efficacy of the new technology against MDROs. Methods DHP units were installed in ceilings of a model room and the hallway in front of the room. We tested three test organisms; methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and MDR-Acinetobacter baumannii. An estimated 100–500 CFU for each test organism was inoculated and spread separately on each Formica sheet then exposed to DHP gas released into the room air. Triplicate samples were collected at times 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 24, and 48 hours. Following incubation, the colony forming units (CFU) of the test organisms on each Rodac plate were counted. Two separate experimental trials were performed for all time points. Statistical significance between intervention and control groups at each time point was determined by the Wilcoxon test, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were no statistical differences in survival between DHP intervention and control groups except data at very few time points for each organism (i.e., for MRSA in Figure 1, P = 0.0063 at 24 hours; for VRE in Figure 2, P = 0.0163 at 1 hour, P = 0.0163 at 3 hours; for MDR-Acinetobacter in in Figure 3, P = 0.0369 at 24 hours). The survival curves between both groups for each organism intersected at around 24 hours. The DHP units maintained a germicidal concentration (<0.3ppm for all runs) that was inadequate, despite attempts to control factors that could interfere with the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration. Conclusion Our preliminary study using DHP demonstrated inactivity against MDROs on room surfaces, likely because we were unable to generate a sufficient germicidal level under our test conditions with the particular DHP units. Additional technologic modifications would be required to maintain stable and effective DHP level for continuous room decontamination in patient rooms. Disclosures D. Sexton, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. UpToDate: Collaborator, Royalty Recipient. D. J. Weber, PDI: Consultant, Consulting fee.

Storage stability and composition changes of three cold-pressed nut oils under refrigeration and room temperature conditions.

PubMed

Rabadán, Adrián; Álvarez-Ortí, Manuel; Pardo, José Emilio; Alvarruiz, Andrés

2018-09-01

Chemical composition and stability parameters of three cold-pressed nut oils (almond, walnut and pistachio) were monitored for up to 16 months of storage at 5 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C and room temperature. Freshly pressed pistachio oil had lower peroxide value than almond oil and higher induction period than almond and walnut oils, indicating a higher stability. The peroxide values increased faster at room temperature than at lower temperatures during the storage time, and the highest increase was for pistachio oil stored at room temperature exposed to daylight. The induction period decreased for all three nut oils during the storage time, regardless of the storage conditions. Pistachio oil remained the most stable oil at the end of the storage time, followed by almond oil. The percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased slightly throughout the storage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dedicated operating room for emergency surgery generates more utilization, less overtime, and less cancellations.

PubMed

van Veen-Berkx, Elizabeth; Elkhuizen, Sylvia G; Kuijper, Bart; Kazemier, Geert

2016-01-01

Two approaches prevail for reserving operating room (OR) capacity for emergency surgery: (1) dedicated emergency ORs and (2) evenly allocating capacity to all elective ORs, thereby creating a virtual emergency team. Previous studies contradict which approach leads to the best performance in OR utilization. Quasi-experimental controlled time-series design with empirical data from 3 university medical centers. Four different time periods were compared with analysis of variance with contrasts. Performance was measured based on 467,522 surgical cases. After closing the dedicated emergency OR, utilization slightly increased; overtime also increased. This was in contrast to earlier simulated results. The 2 control centers, maintaining a dedicated emergency OR, showed a higher increase in utilization and a decrease in overtime, along with a smaller ratio of case cancellations because of emergency surgery. This study shows that in daily practice a dedicated emergency OR is the preferred approach in performance terms regarding utilization, overtime, and case cancellations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7. CONTROL AND EQUIPMENT ROOM INTERIOR. Looking to southwest corner ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. CONTROL AND EQUIPMENT ROOM INTERIOR. Looking to southwest corner and entrance to cable tunnel. - Edwards Air Force Base, South Base Sled Track, Firing Control Blockhouse, South of Sled Track at east end, Lancaster, Los Angeles County, CA

45. Communication equipment room, cable air dryer on left, motorola ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

45. Communication equipment room, cable air dryer on left, motorola base station (vhf) at right, looking southwest - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Delta Flight, Launch Control Facility, County Road CS23A, North of Exit 127, Interior, Jackson County, SD

KSC-2014-2302

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-2304

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-2303

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

5. INSTRUMENT ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING BACKS OF CONSOLE LOCKERS. Looking ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. INSTRUMENT ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING BACKS OF CONSOLE LOCKERS. Looking northeast to firing control room passageway. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Firing Control Building, Test Area 1-100, northeast end of Test Area 1-100 Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

5. METAL SHOP ROOM (AREA 108 ON PLAN CA236R36). Looking ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. METAL SHOP ROOM (AREA 108 ON PLAN CA-236-R-36). Looking northeast. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A Terminal Room, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

4. NORTH END OF TERMINAL ROOM, SHOP LEVEL SHOWING SPIRAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. NORTH END OF TERMINAL ROOM, SHOP LEVEL SHOWING SPIRAL STAIR TO CABLE RACK. Looking north. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A Terminal Room, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

2. TERMINAL ROOM, SHOP LEVEL INTERIOR, SHOWING MEZZANINE LEVEL CABLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. TERMINAL ROOM, SHOP LEVEL INTERIOR, SHOWING MEZZANINE LEVEL CABLE RACK AT UPPER RIGHT. Looking north. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A Terminal Room, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

FRAMEWORK AND APPLICATION FOR MODELING CONTROL ROOM CREW PERFORMANCE AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald L Boring; David I Gertman; Tuan Q Tran

2008-09-01

This paper summarizes an emerging project regarding the utilization of high-fidelity MIDAS simulations for visualizing and modeling control room crew performance at nuclear power plants. The key envisioned uses for MIDAS-based control room simulations are: (i) the estimation of human error associated with advanced control room equipment and configurations, (ii) the investigative determination of contributory cognitive factors for risk significant scenarios involving control room operating crews, and (iii) the certification of reduced staffing levels in advanced control rooms. It is proposed that MIDAS serves as a key component for the effective modeling of cognition, elements of situation awareness, and riskmore » associated with human performance in next generation control rooms.« less

78 FR 49550 - Meetings of Humanities Panel

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

... Division of Education Programs. 2. Date: September 09, 2013. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Room: 421. This... Initiatives at Tribal Colleges and Universities grant program, submitted to the Division of Education Programs... Division of Education Programs. 6. Date: September 12, 2013. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Room: 421. This...

Point clouds segmentation as base for as-built BIM creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macher, H.; Landes, T.; Grussenmeyer, P.

2015-08-01

In this paper, a three steps segmentation approach is proposed in order to create 3D models from point clouds acquired by TLS inside buildings. The three scales of segmentation are floors, rooms and planes composing the rooms. First, floor segmentation is performed based on analysis of point distribution along Z axis. Then, for each floor, room segmentation is achieved considering a slice of point cloud at ceiling level. Finally, planes are segmented for each room, and planes corresponding to ceilings and floors are identified. Results of each step are analysed and potential improvements are proposed. Based on segmented point clouds, the creation of as-built BIM is considered in a future work section. Not only the classification of planes into several categories is proposed, but the potential use of point clouds acquired outside buildings is also considered.

Applying a Wearable Voice-Activated Computer to Instructional Applications in Clean Room Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, Corey A.; Lupisella, Mark L.

2004-01-01

The use of wearable computing technology in restrictive environments related to space applications offers promise in a number of domains. The clean room environment is one such domain in which hands-free, heads-up, wearable computing is particularly attractive for education and training because of the nature of clean room work We have developed and tested a Wearable Voice-Activated Computing (WEVAC) system based on clean room applications. Results of this initial proof-of-concept work indicate that there is a strong potential for WEVAC to enhance clean room activities.

75 FR 32837 - Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-09

... Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. Fax... Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue... at any time or to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at...

36 CFR 1254.86 - May I use a personal paper-to-paper copier at the National Archives at College Park?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... use personal paper-to-paper copying equipment in the Textual Research Room (Room 2000). Requests must be made in writing to the chief of the Research Support Branch (NWCC2), National Archives and Records... copying projects in the research room at one time, with Federal agencies given priority over other users...

76 FR 45648 - Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-29

... Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. Fax... comments to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New... at any time or to the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at...

78 FR 47829 - Notice of Open Meetings To Prepare 2013 Annual Report to Congress

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-06

...) with the enactment of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act... Room Locations (Eastern Daylight Time): Wednesday, August 7, 2013 (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)--Room 231 Thursday and Friday, September 12-13, 2013 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)--Room 231 Tuesday and Wednesday...

The Mini Dark Room from Holywell High

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Frank

2011-01-01

The mini dark room from Holywell High School costs nothing to make and has a construction time of 10 min. In spite of progress, or perhaps because of it, light experiments often have to be performed without blackout. Put this idea into practice and each pupil can have a dark room--and best of all, it's free. In this article, the author describes…

Superplasticizer Addition to Carbon Fly Ash Geopolymers Activated at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Carabba, Lorenza; Manzi, Stefania; Bignozzi, Maria Chiara

2016-07-18

Present concerns about global warming due to the greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere have pushed the cement industry to research alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer binder may constitute a possible breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials: understanding the effectiveness and the influences of superplasticizers on geopolymer systems is one of the essential requirements for its large-scale implementation. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using commercially available chemical admixtures designed for OPC concrete, to improve fresh properties of fly ash-based geopolymers and mortars. A special emphasis is laid upon evaluating their influence on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the hardened material realized under room-temperature curing conditions. Results indicate that the addition of a polycarboxylic ether-based superplasticizer, in the amount of 1.0 wt. % by mass of fly ash, promotes an improvement in workability without compromising the final strength of the hardened material. Moreover, the addition of the polycarboxylic ether- and acrylic-based superplasticizers induces a refinement in the pore structure of hardened mortar leading to a longer water saturation time.

Superplasticizer Addition to Carbon Fly Ash Geopolymers Activated at Room Temperature

PubMed Central

Carabba, Lorenza; Manzi, Stefania; Bignozzi, Maria Chiara

2016-01-01

Present concerns about global warming due to the greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere have pushed the cement industry to research alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer binder may constitute a possible breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials: understanding the effectiveness and the influences of superplasticizers on geopolymer systems is one of the essential requirements for its large-scale implementation. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using commercially available chemical admixtures designed for OPC concrete, to improve fresh properties of fly ash-based geopolymers and mortars. A special emphasis is laid upon evaluating their influence on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the hardened material realized under room-temperature curing conditions. Results indicate that the addition of a polycarboxylic ether-based superplasticizer, in the amount of 1.0 wt. % by mass of fly ash, promotes an improvement in workability without compromising the final strength of the hardened material. Moreover, the addition of the polycarboxylic ether- and acrylic-based superplasticizers induces a refinement in the pore structure of hardened mortar leading to a longer water saturation time. PMID:28773707

Visual Positioning Indoors: Human Eyes vs. Smartphone Cameras

PubMed Central

Wu, Dewen; Chen, Ruizhi; Chen, Liang

2017-01-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and their related applications are now developing at a rapid pace. Indoor positioning will be one of the core technologies that enable AI applications because people spend 80% of their time indoors. Humans can locate themselves related to a visually well-defined object, e.g., a door, based on their visual observations. Can a smartphone camera do a similar job when it points to an object? In this paper, a visual positioning solution was developed based on a single image captured from a smartphone camera pointing to a well-defined object. The smartphone camera simulates the process of human eyes for the purpose of relatively locating themselves against a well-defined object. Extensive experiments were conducted with five types of smartphones on three different indoor settings, including a meeting room, a library, and a reading room. Experimental results shown that the average positioning accuracy of the solution based on five smartphone cameras is 30.6 cm, while that for the human-observed solution with 300 samples from 10 different people is 73.1 cm. PMID:29144420

Visual Positioning Indoors: Human Eyes vs. Smartphone Cameras.

PubMed

Wu, Dewen; Chen, Ruizhi; Chen, Liang

2017-11-16

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and their related applications are now developing at a rapid pace. Indoor positioning will be one of the core technologies that enable AI applications because people spend 80% of their time indoors. Humans can locate themselves related to a visually well-defined object, e.g., a door, based on their visual observations. Can a smartphone camera do a similar job when it points to an object? In this paper, a visual positioning solution was developed based on a single image captured from a smartphone camera pointing to a well-defined object. The smartphone camera simulates the process of human eyes for the purpose of relatively locating themselves against a well-defined object. Extensive experiments were conducted with five types of smartphones on three different indoor settings, including a meeting room, a library, and a reading room. Experimental results shown that the average positioning accuracy of the solution based on five smartphone cameras is 30.6 cm, while that for the human-observed solution with 300 samples from 10 different people is 73.1 cm.

Surgical team turnover and operative time: An evaluation of operating room efficiency during pulmonary resection.

PubMed

Azzi, Alain Joe; Shah, Karan; Seely, Andrew; Villeneuve, James Patrick; Sundaresan, Sudhir R; Shamji, Farid M; Maziak, Donna E; Gilbert, Sebastien

2016-05-01

Health care resources are costly and should be used judiciously and efficiently. Predicting the duration of surgical procedures is key to optimizing operating room resources. Our objective was to identify factors influencing operative time, particularly surgical team turnover. We performed a single-institution, retrospective review of lobectomy operations. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of different factors on surgical time (skin-to-skin) and total procedure time. Staff turnover within the nursing component of the surgical team was defined as the number of instances any nurse had to leave the operating room over the total number of nurses involved in the operation. A total of 235 lobectomies were performed by 5 surgeons, most commonly for lung cancer (95%). On multivariate analysis, percent forced expiratory volume in 1 second, surgical approach, and lesion size had a significant effect on surgical time. Nursing turnover was associated with a significant increase in surgical time (53.7 minutes; 95% confidence interval, 6.4-101; P = .026) and total procedure time (83.2 minutes; 95% confidence interval, 30.1-136.2; P = .002). Active management of surgical team turnover may be an opportunity to improve operating room efficiency when the surgical team is engaged in a major pulmonary resection. Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do windows or natural views affect outcomes or costs among patients in ICUs?

PubMed

Kohn, Rachel; Harhay, Michael O; Cooney, Elizabeth; Small, Dylan S; Halpern, Scott D

2013-07-01

To determine whether potential exposure to natural light via windows or to more pleasing views through windows affects outcomes or costs among critically ill patients. Retrospective cohort study. An academic hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Six thousand one hundred thirty-eight patients admitted to a 24-bed medical ICU and 6,631 patients admitted to a 24-bed surgical ICU from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2010. Assignment to medical ICU rooms with vs. without windows and to surgical ICU rooms with natural vs. industrial views based on bed availability. In primary analyses adjusting for patient characteristics, medical ICU patients admitted to rooms with (n = 4,093) versus without (n = 2,243) windows did not differ in rates of ICU (p = 0.25) or in-hospital (p = 0.94) mortality, ICU readmissions (p = 0.37), or delirium (p = 0.56). Surgical ICU patients admitted to rooms with natural (n = 3,072) versus industrial (n = 3,588) views experienced slightly shorter ICU lengths of stay and slightly lower variable costs. Instrumental variable analyses based on initial bed assignment and exposure time did not show any differences in any outcomes in either the medical ICU or surgical ICU cohorts, and none of the differences noted in primary analyses remained statistically significant when adjusting for multiple comparisons. In a prespecified subgroup analysis among patients with ICU length of stay greater than 72 hours, MICU windows were associated with reduced ICU (p = 0.02) and hospital mortality (p = 0.04); these results did not meet criteria for significance after adjustment for multiple comparisons. ICU rooms with windows or natural views do not improve outcomes or reduce costs of in-hospital care for general populations of medical and surgical ICU patients. Future work is needed to determine whether targeting light from windows directly toward patients influences outcomes and to explore these effects in patients at high risk for adverse outcomes.

Feasibility of touch-less control of operating room lights.

PubMed

Hartmann, Florian; Schlaefer, Alexander

2013-03-01

Today's highly technical operating rooms lead to fairly complex surgical workflows where the surgeon has to interact with a number of devices, including the operating room light. Hence, ideally, the surgeon could direct the light without major disruption of his work. We studied whether a gesture tracking-based control of an automated operating room light is feasible. So far, there has been little research on control approaches for operating lights. We have implemented an exemplary setup to mimic an automated light controlled by a gesture tracking system. The setup includes a articulated arm to position the light source and an off-the-shelf RGBD camera to detect the user interaction. We assessed the tracking performance using a robot-mounted hand phantom and ran a number of tests with 18 volunteers to evaluate the potential of touch-less light control. All test persons were comfortable with using the gesture-based system and quickly learned how to move a light spot on flat surface. The hand tracking error is direction-dependent and in the range of several centimeters, with a standard deviation of less than 1 mm and up to 3.5 mm orthogonal and parallel to the finger orientation, respectively. However, the subjects had no problems following even more complex paths with a width of less than 10 cm. The average speed was 0.15 m/s, and even initially slow subjects improved over time. Gestures to initiate control can be performed in approximately 2 s. Two-thirds of the subjects considered gesture control to be simple, and a majority considered it to be rather efficient. Implementation of an automated operating room light and touch-less control using an RGBD camera for gesture tracking is feasible. The remaining tracking error does not affect smooth control, and the use of the system is intuitive even for inexperienced users.

Concentrations of methoxyflurane and nitrous oxide in veterinary operating rooms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, G.S.; Byland, R.R.

1982-02-01

The surgical rooms of 14 private veterinary practices were monitored to determined methoxyflurane (MOF) concentrations during surgical procedure under routine working conditions. The average room volume for these 14 rooms was 29 m3. The average MOF value for all rooms was 2.3 ppm, with a range of 0.7 to 7.4 ppm. Four of the 14 rooms exceeded the maximum recommended concentration of 2 ppm. Six rooms which had 6 or more air changes/hr averaged 1.1 ppm, whereas 8 rooms with less than 6 measurable air changes/hr averaged 3.2 ppm. Operating rooms that had oxygen flows of more than 1,000 cm3/minmore » averaged 4.4 ppm, whereas those with flows of less than 1,000 cm3/min averaged 1.5 ppm. The average time spent during a surgical procedure using MOF, for all 14 facilities, was 2 hours. Nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) concentrations were determined in 4 veterinary surgical rooms. The average N/sub 2/O concentration for 3 rooms without waste anesthetic gas scavenging was 138 ppm. Concentration of N/sub 2/O in the waste anesthetic gas-scavenged surgical room was 14 ppm, which was below the maximum recommended concentration of 25 ppm.« less

Rapid Measurement of Room Temperature Ionic Liquid Electrochemical Gas Sensor using Transient Double Potential Amperometry

PubMed Central

Wan, Hao; Yin, Heyu; Mason, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

Intense study on gas sensors has been conducted to implement fast gas sensing with high sensitivity, reliability and long lifetime. This paper presents a rapid amperometric method for gas sensing based on a room temperature ionic liquid electrochemical gas sensor. To implement a miniaturized sensor with a fast response time, a three electrode system with gold interdigitated electrodes was fabricated by photolithography on a porous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate that greatly enhances gas diffusion. Furthermore, based on the reversible reaction of oxygen, a new transient double potential amperometry (DPA) was explored for electrochemical analysis to decrease the measurement time and reverse reaction by-products that could cause current drift. Parameters in transient DPA including oxidation potential, oxidation period, reduction period and sample point were investigated to study their influence on the performance of the sensor. Oxygen measurement could be accomplished in 4 s, and the sensor presented a sensitivity of 0.2863 μA/[%O2] and a linearity of 0.9943 when tested in air samples with different oxygen concentrations. Repeatability and long-term stability were also investigated, and the sensor was shown to exhibit good reliability. In comparison to conventional constant potential amperometry, transient DPA was shown to reduce relative standard deviation by 63.2%. With transient DPA, the sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, measurement time and current drift characteristics demonstrated by the presented gas sensor are promising for acute exposure applications. PMID:28603384

Rapid Measurement of Room Temperature Ionic Liquid Electrochemical Gas Sensor using Transient Double Potential Amperometry.

PubMed

Wan, Hao; Yin, Heyu; Mason, Andrew J

2017-04-01

Intense study on gas sensors has been conducted to implement fast gas sensing with high sensitivity, reliability and long lifetime. This paper presents a rapid amperometric method for gas sensing based on a room temperature ionic liquid electrochemical gas sensor. To implement a miniaturized sensor with a fast response time, a three electrode system with gold interdigitated electrodes was fabricated by photolithography on a porous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate that greatly enhances gas diffusion. Furthermore, based on the reversible reaction of oxygen, a new transient double potential amperometry (DPA) was explored for electrochemical analysis to decrease the measurement time and reverse reaction by-products that could cause current drift. Parameters in transient DPA including oxidation potential, oxidation period, reduction period and sample point were investigated to study their influence on the performance of the sensor. Oxygen measurement could be accomplished in 4 s, and the sensor presented a sensitivity of 0.2863 μA/[%O 2 ] and a linearity of 0.9943 when tested in air samples with different oxygen concentrations. Repeatability and long-term stability were also investigated, and the sensor was shown to exhibit good reliability. In comparison to conventional constant potential amperometry, transient DPA was shown to reduce relative standard deviation by 63.2%. With transient DPA, the sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, measurement time and current drift characteristics demonstrated by the presented gas sensor are promising for acute exposure applications.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atutov, S. N., E-mail: atutovsn@mail.ru; Plekhanov, A. I.

We present the results of a systematic study of Knudsen’s flow of Rb atoms in cylindrical capillary cells coated with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) compound. The purpose of the investigation is to determine the characterization of the coating in terms of the sticking probability and sticking time of Rb on the two types of coating of high and medium viscosities. We report the measurement of the sticking probability of a Rb atom to the coating equal to 4.3 × 10{sup −5}, which corresponds to the number of bounces 2.3 × 10{sup 4} at room temperature. These parameters are the same formore » the two kinds of PDMS used. We find that at room temperature, the respective sticking times for high-viscosity and medium-viscosity PDMS are 22 ± 3 μs and 49 ± 6 μs. These sticking times are about million times larger than the sticking time derived from the surface Rb atom adsorption energy and temperature of the coating. A tentative explanation of this surprising result is proposed based on the bulk diffusion of the atoms that collide with the surface and penetrate inside the coating. The results can be important in many resonance cell experiments, such as the efficient magnetooptical trapping of rare elements or radioactive isotopes and in experiments on the light-induced drift effect.« less

Octave-Band Thresholds for Modeled Reverberant Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Wenzel, Elizabeth M.; Tran, Laura L.; Anderson, Mark R.; Trejo, Leonard J. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

Auditory thresholds for 10 subjects were obtained for speech stimuli reverberation. The reverberation was produced and manipulated by 3-D audio modeling based on an actual room. The independent variables were octave-band-filtering (bypassed, 0.25 - 2.0 kHz Fc) and reverberation time (0.2- 1.1 sec). An ANOVA revealed significant effects (threshold range: -19 to -35 dB re 60 dB SRL).

Youth Voice, Civic Engagement and Failure in Participatory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Kevin J.; Greene, Stuart; McKenna, Maria K.

2017-01-01

In this article, we tell the story of a changing urban landscape through the eyes of the youth we work with in an ongoing after-school program and community-based research project rooted in Photovoice methodology. In particular, we focus on the work that, over the 6 years of our time with youth, has "ended up on the cutting room floor"…

A Labor and Delivery Patient Classification System Based on Direct Nursing Care Time

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-01

physician 2409 Internal or external monitoring--uterine contraction/ fetal heart tones 2410 Manual contraction assessment 2411 Pitocin induction...assisting physician 2412 Fetal heart tones, manual 2413 Fetal heart tones, doppler 2414 Fetal scalp sampling, assisting physician 241E Routine delivery room... heart tones, ultrasonic transducer 2437 Monitoring fetal heart tones, ultrasonic transducer and uterine contraction, tocotransducer 69 Appendix B: List

123. UMBILICAL MAST PUMP ROOM (209), LSB (BLDG. 751). PUMP ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

123. UMBILICAL MAST PUMP ROOM (209), LSB (BLDG. 751). PUMP ON LEFT; HYDRAULIC CONTROL PANEL FOR UMBILICAL MAST AND TRENCH DOORS IN CENTER OF ROOM, FACING WEST. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

FACILITY 89. INTERIOR OF ENTRY AND STAIR, WITH DINING ROOM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

FACILITY 89. INTERIOR OF ENTRY AND STAIR, WITH DINING ROOM TO LEFT, AS SEEN FROM LIVING ROOM. VIEW FACING SOUTHEAST. - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Naval Housing Area Makalapa, Junior Officers' Quarters Type K, Makin Place, & Halawa, Makalapa, & Midway Drives, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

A Web-Based Operating Room Management Educational Tool.

PubMed

Tsai, Mitchell H; Haddad, Daniel J; Friend, Alexander F; Bender, S Patrick; Davidson, Melissa L

2016-08-01

In 2010, our department instituted a nonclinical, administrative rotation in operating room management for anesthesiology residents. Subsequently, we mandated the rotation for all senior anesthesiology residents in 2013. In 2014, under the auspices of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, we developed a web-based module covering the basics of finance, accounting, and operating room management. A multiple-choice test was given to residents at the beginning and end of the rotation, and we compared the mean scores between residents who took the traditional course and residents who took the web-based module. We found no significant difference between the groups of residents, suggesting that the web-based module is as effective as traditional didactics.

Leveraging Electronic Tablets for General Pediatric Care

PubMed Central

McKee, S.; Dugan, T.M.; Downs, S.M.

2015-01-01

Summary Background We have previously shown that a scan-able paper based interface linked to a computerized clinical decision support system (CDSS) can effectively screen patients in pediatric waiting rooms and support the physician using evidence based care guidelines at the time of clinical encounter. However, the use of scan-able paper based interface has many inherent limitations including lacking real time communication with the CDSS and being prone to human and system errors. An electronic tablet based user interface can not only overcome these limitations, but may also support advanced functionality for clinical and research use. However, use of such devices for pediatric care is not well studied in clinical settings. Objective In this pilot study, we enhance our pediatric CDSS with an electronic tablet based user interface and evaluate it for usability as well as for changes in patient questionnaire completion rates. Methods Child Health Improvement through Computers Leveraging Electronic Tablets or CHICLET is an electronic tablet based user interface. It is developed to augment the existing scan-able paper interface to our CDSS. For the purposes of this study, we deployed CHICLET in one outpatient pediatric clinic. Usability factors for CHICLET were evaluated via caregiver and staff surveys. Results When compared to the scan-able paper based interface, we observed an 18% increase or 30% relative increase in question completion rates using CHICLET. This difference was statistically significant. Caregivers and staff survey results were positive for using CHICLET in clinical environment. Conclusions Electronic tablets are a viable interface for capturing patient self-report in pediatric waiting rooms. We further hypothesize that the use of electronic tablet based interfaces will drive advances in computerized clinical decision support and create opportunities for patient engagement. PMID:25848409

Auditory environmental context affects visual distance perception.

PubMed

Etchemendy, Pablo E; Abregú, Ezequiel; Calcagno, Esteban R; Eguia, Manuel C; Vechiatti, Nilda; Iasi, Federico; Vergara, Ramiro O

2017-08-03

In this article, we show that visual distance perception (VDP) is influenced by the auditory environmental context through reverberation-related cues. We performed two VDP experiments in two dark rooms with extremely different reverberation times: an anechoic chamber and a reverberant room. Subjects assigned to the reverberant room perceived the targets farther than subjects assigned to the anechoic chamber. Also, we found a positive correlation between the maximum perceived distance and the auditorily perceived room size. We next performed a second experiment in which the same subjects of Experiment 1 were interchanged between rooms. We found that subjects preserved the responses from the previous experiment provided they were compatible with the present perception of the environment; if not, perceived distance was biased towards the auditorily perceived boundaries of the room. Results of both experiments show that the auditory environment can influence VDP, presumably through reverberation cues related to the perception of room size.

Atomistic structures of nano-engineered SiC and radiation-induced amorphization resistance

DOE PAGES

Imada, Kenta; Ishimaru, Manabu; Sato, Kazuhisa; ...

2015-06-18

In this paper, nano-engineered 3C–SiC thin films, which possess columnar structures with high-density stacking faults and twins, were irradiated with 2 MeV Si ions at cryogenic and room temperatures. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations in combination with Monte Carlo simulations based on the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter code, it was found that their amorphization resistance is six times greater than bulk crystalline SiC at room temperature. High-angle bright-field images taken by spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed that the distortion of atomic configurations is localized near the stacking faults. Finally, the resultant strain fieldmore » probably contributes to the enhancement of radiation tolerance of this material.« less

Surface segregation in binary mixtures of imidazolium-based ionic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souda, Ryutaro

2010-09-01

Surface composition of binary mixtures of room-temperature ionic liquids has been investigated using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry at room temperature over a wide composition range. The imidazolium cations with longer aliphatic groups tend to segregate to the surface, and a bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion (Tf 2N -) is enriched at the surface relative to hexafluorophosphate (PF 6-). The surface of an equimolar mixture of Li[Tf 2N] and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF 6]) has a nominal composition of [bmim][Tf 2N] because of surface segregation and ligand exchange. The surface segregation of cations and anions is likely to result from alignment of specific ligand-exchanged molecules at the topmost surface layer to exclude more hydrophobic part of the molecules.

Room-temperature processed films of colloidal carved rod-shaped nanocrystals of reduced tungsten oxide as interlayers for perovskite solar cells.

PubMed

Masi, Sofia; Mastria, Rosanna; Scarfiello, Riccardo; Carallo, Sonia; Nobile, Concetta; Gambino, Salvatore; Sibillano, Teresa; Giannini, Cinzia; Colella, Silvia; Listorti, Andrea; Cozzoli, P Davide; Rizzo, Aurora

2018-04-25

Thanks to their high stability, good optoelectronic and extraordinary electrochromic properties, tungsten oxides are among the most valuable yet underexploited materials for energy conversion applications. Herein, colloidal one-dimensional carved nanocrystals of reduced tungsten trioxide (WO3-x) are successfully integrated, for the first time, as a hole-transporting layer (HTL) into CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells with a planar inverted device architecture. Importantly, the use of such preformed nanocrystals guarantees the facile solution-cast-only deposition of a homogeneous WO3-x thin film at room temperature, allowing achievement of the highest power conversion efficiency ever reported for perovskite solar cells incorporating raw and un-doped tungsten oxide based HTL.

Safety in the operating theatre--a transition to systems-based care.

PubMed

Weiser, Thomas G; Porter, Michael P; Maier, Ronald V

2013-03-01

All surgeons want the best, safest care for their patients, but providing this requires the complex coordination of multiple disciplines to ensure that all elements of care are timely, appropriate, and well organized. Quality-improvement initiatives are beginning to lead to improvements in the quality of care and coordination amongst teams in the operating room. As the population ages and patients present with more complex disease pathology, the demands for efficient systematization will increase. Although evidence suggests that postoperative mortality rates are declining, there is substantial room for improvement. Multiple quality metrics are used as surrogates for safe care, but surgical teams--including surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses--must think beyond these simple interventions if they are to effectively communicate and coordinate in the face of increasing demands.

Desktop-based computer-assisted orthopedic training system for spinal surgery.

PubMed

Rambani, Rohit; Ward, James; Viant, Warren

2014-01-01

Simulation and surgical training has moved on since its inception during the end of the last century. The trainees are getting more exposed to computers and laboratory training in different subspecialties. More needs to be done in orthopedic simulation in spinal surgery. To develop a training system for pedicle screw fixation and validate its effectiveness in a cohort of junior orthopedic trainees. Fully simulated computer-navigated training system is used to train junior orthopedic trainees perform pedicle screw insertion in the lumbar spine. Real patient computed tomography scans are used to produce the real-time fluoroscopic images of the lumbar spine. The training system was developed to simulate pedicle screw insertion in the lumbar spine. A total of 12 orthopedic senior house officers performed pedicle screw insertion in the lumbar spine before and after the training on training system. The results were assessed based on the scoring system, which included the amount of time taken, accuracy of pedicle screw insertion, and the number of exposures requested to complete the procedure. The result shows a significant improvement in amount of time taken, accuracy of fixation, and the number of exposures after the training on simulator system. This was statistically significant using paired Student t test (p < 0.05). Fully simulated computer-navigated training system is an efficient training tool for young orthopedic trainees. This system can be used to augment training in the operating room, and trainees acquire their skills in the comfort of their study room or in the training room in the hospital. The system has the potential to be used in various other orthopedic procedures for learning of technical skills in a manner aimed at ensuring a smooth escalation in task complexity leading to the better performance of procedures in the operating theater. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A knowledge-based flight status monitor for real-time application in digital avionics systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, E. L.; Disbrow, J. D.; Butler, G. F.

1989-01-01

The Dryden Flight Research Facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) is the principal NASA facility for the flight testing and evaluation of new and complex avionics systems. To aid in the interpretation of system health and status data, a knowledge-based flight status monitor was designed. The monitor was designed to use fault indicators from the onboard system which are telemetered to the ground and processed by a rule-based model of the aircraft failure management system to give timely advice and recommendations in the mission control room. One of the important constraints on the flight status monitor is the need to operate in real time, and to pursue this aspect, a joint research activity between NASA Ames-Dryden and the Royal Aerospace Establishment (RAE) on real-time knowledge-based systems was established. Under this agreement, the original LISP knowledge base for the flight status monitor was reimplemented using the intelligent knowledge-based system toolkit, MUSE, which was developed under RAE sponsorship. Details of the flight status monitor and the MUSE implementation are presented.

A Multi-Period Optimization Model for Service Providers Using Online Reservation Systems: An Application to Hotels.

PubMed

Xu, Ming; Jiao, Yan; Li, Xiaoming; Cao, Qingfeng; Wang, Xiaoyang

2015-01-01

This paper presents a multi-period optimization model for high margin and zero salvage products in online distribution channels with classifying customers based on number of products required. Taking hotel customers as an example, one is regular customers who reserve rooms for one day, and the other is long term stay (LTS) customers who reserve rooms for a number of days. LTS may guarantee a specific amount of demand and generate opportunity income for a certain number of periods, meanwhile with risk of punishment incurred by overselling. By developing an operational optimization model and exploring the effects of parameters on optimal decisions, we suggest that service providers should make decisions based on the types of customers, number of products required, and duration of multi-period to reduce the loss of reputation and obtain more profit; at the same time, multi-period buying customers should buy products early. Finally, the paper conducts a numerical experiment, and the results are consistent with prevailing situations.

A Multi-Period Optimization Model for Service Providers Using Online Reservation Systems: An Application to Hotels

PubMed Central

Xu, Ming; Jiao, Yan; Li, Xiaoming; Cao, Qingfeng; Wang, Xiaoyang

2015-01-01

This paper presents a multi-period optimization model for high margin and zero salvage products in online distribution channels with classifying customers based on number of products required. Taking hotel customers as an example, one is regular customers who reserve rooms for one day, and the other is long term stay (LTS) customers who reserve rooms for a number of days. LTS may guarantee a specific amount of demand and generate opportunity income for a certain number of periods, meanwhile with risk of punishment incurred by overselling. By developing an operational optimization model and exploring the effects of parameters on optimal decisions, we suggest that service providers should make decisions based on the types of customers, number of products required, and duration of multi-period to reduce the loss of reputation and obtain more profit; at the same time, multi-period buying customers should buy products early. Finally, the paper conducts a numerical experiment, and the results are consistent with prevailing situations. PMID:26147663

Broadly tunable terahertz generation in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers.

PubMed

Vijayraghavan, Karun; Jiang, Yifan; Jang, Min; Jiang, Aiting; Choutagunta, Karthik; Vizbaras, Augustinas; Demmerle, Frederic; Boehm, Gerhard; Amann, Markus C; Belkin, Mikhail A

2013-01-01

Room temperature, broadly tunable, electrically pumped semiconductor sources in the terahertz spectral range, similar in operation simplicity to diode lasers, are highly desired for applications. An emerging technology in this area are sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation in dual-wavelength mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Here we report terahertz quantum cascade laser sources based on an optimized non-collinear Cherenkov difference-frequency generation scheme that demonstrates dramatic improvements in performance. Devices emitting at 4 THz display a mid-infrared-to-terahertz conversion efficiency in excess of 0.6 mW W(-2) and provide nearly 0.12 mW of peak power output. Devices emitting at 2 and 3 THz fabricated on the same chip display 0.09 and 0.4 mW W(-2) conversion efficiencies at room temperature, respectively. High terahertz-generation efficiency and relaxed phase-matching conditions offered by the Cherenkov scheme allowed us to demonstrate, for the first time, an external-cavity terahertz quantum cascade laser source tunable between 1.70 and 5.25 THz.

Rydberg atoms in hollow-core photonic crystal fibres.

PubMed

Epple, G; Kleinbach, K S; Euser, T G; Joly, N Y; Pfau, T; Russell, P St J; Löw, R

2014-06-19

The exceptionally large polarizability of highly excited Rydberg atoms-six orders of magnitude higher than ground-state atoms--makes them of great interest in fields such as quantum optics, quantum computing, quantum simulation and metrology. However, if they are to be used routinely in applications, a major requirement is their integration into technically feasible, miniaturized devices. Here we show that a Rydberg medium based on room temperature caesium vapour can be confined in broadband-guiding kagome-style hollow-core photonic crystal fibres. Three-photon spectroscopy performed on a caesium-filled fibre detects Rydberg states up to a principal quantum number of n=40. Besides small energy-level shifts we observe narrow lines confirming the coherence of the Rydberg excitation. Using different Rydberg states and core diameters we study the influence of confinement within the fibre core after different exposure times. Understanding these effects is essential for the successful future development of novel applications based on integrated room temperature Rydberg systems.

Microwave SQUID Multiplexing of Metallic Magnetic Calorimeters: Status of Multiplexer Performance and Room-Temperature Readout Electronics Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegner, M.; Karcher, N.; Krömer, O.; Richter, D.; Ahrens, F.; Sander, O.; Kempf, S.; Weber, M.; Enss, C.

2018-02-01

To our present best knowledge, microwave SQUID multiplexing (μ MUXing) is the most suitable technique for reading out large-scale low-temperature microcalorimeter arrays that consist of hundreds or thousands of individual pixels which require a large readout bandwidth per pixel. For this reason, the present readout strategy for metallic magnetic calorimeter (MMC) arrays combining an intrinsic fast signal rise time, an excellent energy resolution, a large energy dynamic range, a quantum efficiency close to 100% as well as a highly linear detector response is based on μ MUXing. Within this paper, we summarize the state of the art in MMC μ MUXing and discuss the most recent results. This particularly includes the discussion of the performance of a 64-pixel detector array with integrated, on-chip microwave SQUID multiplexer, the progress in flux ramp modulation of MMCs as well as the status of the development of a software-defined radio-based room-temperature electronics which is specifically optimized for MMC readout.

Room-Temperature Fabricated Thin-Film Transistors Based on Compounds with Lanthanum and Main Family Element Boron.

PubMed

Xiao, Peng; Huang, Junhua; Dong, Ting; Xie, Jianing; Yuan, Jian; Luo, Dongxiang; Liu, Baiquan

2018-06-06

For the first time, compounds with lanthanum from the main family element Boron (LaB x ) were investigated as an active layer for thin-film transistors (TFTs). Detailed studies showed that the room-temperature fabricated LaB x thin film was in the crystalline state with a relatively narrow optical band gap of 2.28 eV. The atom ration of La/B was related to the working pressure during the sputtering process and the atom ration of La/B increased with the increase of the working pressure, which will result in the freer electrons in the LaB x thin film. LaB x -TFT without any intentionally annealing steps exhibited a saturation mobility of 0.44 cm²·V −1 ·s −1 , which is a subthreshold swing ( SS ) of 0.26 V/decade and a I on / I off ratio larger than 10⁴. The room-temperature process is attractive for its compatibility with almost all kinds of flexible substrates and the LaB x semiconductor may be a new choice for the channel materials in TFTs.

Self-transducing silicon nanowire electromechanical systems at room temperature.

PubMed

He, Rongrui; Feng, X L; Roukes, M L; Yang, Peidong

2008-06-01

Electronic readout of the motions of genuinely nanoscale mechanical devices at room temperature imposes an important challenge for the integration and application of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Here, we report the first experiments on piezoresistively transduced very high frequency Si nanowire (SiNW) resonators with on-chip electronic actuation at room temperature. We have demonstrated that, for very thin (~90 nm down to ~30 nm) SiNWs, their time-varying strain can be exploited for self-transducing the devices' resonant motions at frequencies as high as approximately 100 MHz. The strain of wire elongation, which is only second-order in doubly clamped structures, enables efficient displacement transducer because of the enhanced piezoresistance effect in these SiNWs. This intrinsically integrated transducer is uniquely suited for a class of very thin wires and beams where metallization and multilayer complex patterning on devices become impractical. The 30 nm thin SiNW NEMS offer exceptional mass sensitivities in the subzeptogram range. This demonstration makes it promising to advance toward NEMS sensors based on ultrathin and even molecular-scale SiNWs, and their monolithic integration with microelectronics on the same chip.

A highly sensitive room temperature H2S gas sensor based on SnO2 multi-tube arrays bio-templated from insect bristles.

PubMed

Tian, Junlong; Pan, Feng; Xue, Ruiyang; Zhang, Wang; Fang, Xiaotian; Liu, Qinglei; Wang, Yuhua; Zhang, Zhijian; Zhang, Di

2015-05-07

A tin oxide multi-tube array (SMTA) with a parallel effect was fabricated through a simple and promising method combining chemosynthesis and biomimetic techniques; a biomimetic template was derived from the bristles on the wings of the Alpine Black Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio maackii). SnO2 tubes are hollow and porous structures with micro-pores regularly distributed on the wall. The morphology, the delicate microstructure and the crystal structure of this SMTA were characterized by super resolution digital microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The SMTA exhibits a high sensitivity to H2S gas at room temperature. It also exhibits a short response/recovery time, with an average value of 14/30 s at 5 ppm. In particular, heating is not required for the SMTA in the gas sensitivity measurement process. On the basis of these results, SMTA is proposed as a suitable new material for the design and fabrication of room-temperature H2S gas sensors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seh, Zhi Wei; Sun, Jie; Sun, Yongming

Owing to its low cost and high natural abundance, sodium metal is among the most promising anode materials for energy storage technologies beyond lithium ion batteries. However, room-temperature sodium metal anodes suffer from poor reversibility during long-term plating and stripping, mainly due to formation of nonuniform solid electrolyte interphase as well as dendritic growth of sodium metal. Herein we report for the first time that a simple liquid electrolyte, sodium hexafluorophosphate in glymes (mono-, di-, and tetraglyme), can enable highly reversible and nondendritic plating–stripping of sodium metal anodes at room temperature. High average Coulombic efficiencies of 99.9% were achieved overmore » 300 plating–stripping cycles at 0.5 mA cm –2. In this study, the long-term reversibility was found to arise from the formation of a uniform, inorganic solid electrolyte interphase made of sodium oxide and sodium fluoride, which is highly impermeable to electrolyte solvent and conducive to nondendritic growth. As a proof of concept, we also demonstrate a room-temperature sodium–sulfur battery using this class of electrolytes, paving the way for the development of next-generation, sodium-based energy storage technologies.« less

Polyaniline-Cadmium Ferrite Nanostructured Composite for Room-Temperature Liquefied Petroleum Gas Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotresh, S.; Ravikiran, Y. T.; Tiwari, S. K.; Vijaya Kumari, S. C.

2017-08-01

We introduce polyaniline-cadmium ferrite (PANI-CdFe2O4) nanostructured composite as a room-temperature-operable liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensor. The structure of PANI and the composite prepared by chemical polymerization was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Comparative XRD and FT-IR analysis confirmed CdFe2O4 embedded in PANI matrix with mutual interfacial interaction. The nanostructure of the composite was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. A simple LPG sensor operable at room temperature, exclusively based on spin-coated PANI-CdFe2O4 nanocomposite, was fabricated with maximum sensing response of 50.83% at 1000 ppm LPG. The response and recovery time of the sensor were 50 s and 110 s, respectively, and it was stable over a period of 1 month with slight degradation of 4%. The sensing mechanism is discussed on the basis of the p- n heterojunction barrier formed at the interface of PANI and CdFe2O4.

Integrating medical devices in the operating room using service-oriented architectures.

PubMed

Ibach, Bastian; Benzko, Julia; Schlichting, Stefan; Zimolong, Andreas; Radermacher, Klaus

2012-08-01

Abstract With the increasing documentation requirements and communication capabilities of medical devices in the operating room, the integration and modular networking of these devices have become more and more important. Commercial integrated operating room systems are mainly proprietary developments using usually proprietary communication standards and interfaces, which reduce the possibility of integrating devices from different vendors. To overcome these limitations, there is a need for an open standardized architecture that is based on standard protocols and interfaces enabling the integration of devices from different vendors based on heterogeneous software and hardware components. Starting with an analysis of the requirements for device integration in the operating room and the techniques used for integrating devices in other industrial domains, a new concept for an integration architecture for the operating room based on the paradigm of a service-oriented architecture is developed. Standardized communication protocols and interface descriptions are used. As risk management is an important factor in the field of medical engineering, a risk analysis of the developed concept has been carried out and the first prototypes have been implemented.

An application of corelap algoritm to improve the utilization space of the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, A. C.; Budiman, I.; Mardhatillah, A.; Tarigan, U. P.; Jawira, A.

2018-04-01

The high demand of the room due to the increasing number of students requires the addition of the room The limited number of rooms, the price of land and the cost of building expensive infrastructure requires effective and efficient use of the space. The facility layout redesign is done using the Computerized Relationship Planning (CORELAP) algorithm based on total closeness rating (TCR). By calculating the square distance between the departments based on the coordinates of the central point of the department. The distance obtained is multiplied by the material current from the From-to chart matrix. The analysis is done by comparing the total distance between the initial layout and the proposed layout and then viewing the activities performed in each room. The results of CORELAP algorithm processing gives an increase of room usage efficiency equal to 14, 98% from previous activity.

Clean room survey and assessment, volume 5, appendix H

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The scope of this task is to perform a comparative analysis of the various Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS) options for different growth scenarios. The Space Station Freedom ECLSS design and existing ground-based clean room facilities are used as a baseline for comparison. Specifically addressed here are the ground based clean room facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Given here is an evaluation of the facilities, equipment, technologies, and procedures used to maintain specified environments in typical aerospace industrial areas. Twenty-five specific clean rooms are evaluated. The objectives were to collect, compare, and catalog data for each specified facility in the areas of engineering and design, construction materials, work stations, contamination control, particulate elimination, entry systems, and instrumentation, and to make recommendations concerning enhancements required to assure an efficient and orderly evolution of MSFC clean room environmental control facilities.

Tablet coating by injection molding technology - Optimization of coating formulation attributes and coating process parameters.

PubMed

Desai, Parind M; Puri, Vibha; Brancazio, David; Halkude, Bhakti S; Hartman, Jeremy E; Wahane, Aniket V; Martinez, Alexander R; Jensen, Keith D; Harinath, Eranda; Braatz, Richard D; Chun, Jung-Hoon; Trout, Bernhardt L

2018-01-01

We developed and evaluated a solvent-free injection molding (IM) coating technology that could be suitable for continuous manufacturing via incorporation with IM tableting. Coating formulations (coating polymers and plasticizers) were prepared using hot-melt extrusion and screened via stress-strain analysis employing a universal testing machine. Selected coating formulations were studied for their melt flow characteristics. Tablets were coated using a vertical injection molding unit. Process parameters like softening temperature, injection pressure, and cooling temperature played a very important role in IM coating processing. IM coating employing polyethylene oxide (PEO) based formulations required sufficient room humidity (>30% RH) to avoid immediate cracks, whereas other formulations were insensitive to the room humidity. Tested formulations based on Eudrajit E PO and Kollicoat IR had unsuitable mechanical properties. Three coating formulations based on hydroxypropyl pea starch, PEO 1,000,000 and Opadry had favorable mechanical (<700MPa Young's modulus, >35% elongation, >95×10 4 J/m 3 toughness) and melt flow (>0.4g/min) characteristics, that rendered acceptable IM coats. These three formulations increased the dissolution time by 10, 15 and 35min, respectively (75% drug release), compared to the uncoated tablets (15min). Coated tablets stored in several environmental conditions remained stable to cracking for the evaluated 8-week time period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The keys to CERN conference rooms - Managing local collaboration facilities in large organisations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, T.; Domaracky, M.; Duran, G.; Fernandes, J.; Ferreira, P.; Gonzalez Lopez, J. B.; Jouberjean, F.; Lavrut, L.; Tarocco, N.

2014-06-01

For a long time HEP has been ahead of the curve in its usage of remote collaboration tools, like videoconference and webcast, while the local CERN collaboration facilities were somewhat behind the expected quality standards for various reasons. This time is now over with the creation by the CERN IT department in 2012 of an integrated conference room service which provides guidance and installation services for new rooms (either equipped for videoconference or not), as well as maintenance and local support. Managing now nearly half of the 246 meeting rooms available on the CERN sites, this service has been built to cope with the management of all CERN rooms with limited human resources. This has been made possible by the intensive use of professional software to manage and monitor all the room equipment, maintenance and activity. This paper focuses on presenting these packages, either off-the-shelf commercial products (asset and maintenance management tool, remote audio-visual equipment monitoring systems, local automation devices, new generation touch screen interfaces for interacting with the room) when available or locally developed integration and operational layers (generic audio-visual control and monitoring framework) and how they help overcoming the challenges presented by such a service. The aim is to minimise local human interventions while preserving the highest service quality and placing the end user back in the centre of this collaboration platform.

Nasally-Administered Oxytocin Has Limited Effects on Owner-Directed Attachment Behavior in Pet Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)

PubMed Central

Thielke, Lauren E.; Rosenlicht, Giovanna; Saturn, Sarina R.; Udell, Monique A. R.

2017-01-01

The present study explored the effects of intranasal oxytocin, a naturally occurring hormone, on the behavior of pet dogs during an attachment test. Each dog participated in two testing sessions. On one visit saline was administered nasally, and on another, oxytocin was administered nasally. For half of the dogs (n = 20), solutions were administered with a Mucosal Atomization Device (MAD) and for half of the dogs (n = 20), solutions were administered using a nasal spray bottle. Condition order was counterbalanced and a double-blind methodology was employed. Following a 30-min wait period after administration of solutions, dog-owner pairs participated in the Secure Base Test, a short attachment test consisting of three 2-min phases: (1) Baseline- the owner was present, dogs were able to freely explore the testing room (2) Alone- dogs were left alone in the testing room (3) Return- owners re-entered the room and were reunited with their dog. In each phase the dog was evaluated for contact seeking, exploration, and avoidance behaviors. Although, oxytocin administration was expected to increase owner-directed proximity and contact seeking behavior, this effect was not observed. In fact, in the baseline phase, dogs spent significantly more time seeking the proximity of their owners when they received saline than when they received OT (p < 0.05). Sex differences were also assessed for the behavioral variables of interest in the Secure Base Test, and results indicated that OT did not affect dogs' behavior in the alone phase, but when saline was administered, females spent significantly more time in contact with the door than males in the alone phase (p < 0.05). Overall, the effects of nasally administered oxytocin on attachment related behavior appeared to be limited or inconsistent for this pet dog population. PMID:29033879

Spin Coherence at the Nanoscale: Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Epstein, Arthur J.

2013-09-10

Breakthrough results were achieved during the reporting period in the areas of organic spintronics. (A) For the first time the giant magnetic resistance (GMR) was observed in spin valve with an organic spacer. Thus we demonstrated the ability of organic semiconductors to transport spin in GMR devices using rubrene as a prototype for organic semiconductors. (B) We discovered the electrical bistability and spin valve effect in a ferromagnet /organic semiconductor/ ferromagnet heterojunction. The mechanism of switching between conducting phases and its potential applications were suggested. (C) The ability of V(TCNE)x to inject spin into organic semiconductors such as rubrene wasmore » demonstrated for the first time. The mechanisms of spin injection and transport from and into organic magnets as well through organic semiconductors were elucidated. (D) In collaboration with the group of OSU Prof. Johnston-Halperin we reported the successful extraction of spin polarized current from a thin film of the organic-based room temperature ferrimagnetic semiconductor V[TCNE]x and its subsequent injection into a GaAs/AlGaAs light-emitting diode (LED). Thus all basic steps for fabrication of room temperature, light weight, flexible all organic spintronic devices were successfully performed. (E) A new synthesis/processing route for preparation of V(TCNE)x enabling control of interface and film thicknesses at the nanoscale was developed at OSU. Preliminary results show these films are higher quality and what is extremely important they are substantially more air stable than earlier prepared V(TCNE)x. In sum the breakthrough results we achieved in the past two years form the basis of a promising new technology, Multifunctional Flexible Organic-based Spintronics (MFOBS). MFOBS technology enables us fabrication of full function flexible spintronic devices that operate at room temperature.« less

Pretest reference calculation for the 18-W/m/sup 2/ Mockup for Defense High-Level Waste (WIPP Room A in situ experiment)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, H.S.; Stone, C.M.

A pretest reference calculation for the 18-W/m/sup 2/ Mockup for Defense High-Level Waste (DHLW) or Room A experiment is presented in this report. The mockup is one of several large scale in situ experiments currently under construction near Carlsbad, New Mexico, at the site of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The 18-W/m/sup 2/ test is an in situ experiment developed to simulate closely the Reference Repository Conditions (RRC) for DHLW in salt. The test consists of three long, parallel rooms (A1, A2, A3) which are heated by canister heaters placed in the floor of each room. These heaters producemore » thermal loading which simulates an areal heat output of 18-W/m/sup 2/ for Room A2, which is the focus of the experiment. This load will be supplied for a period of three years. Rooms A1, A2, and A3 are heavily instrumented for monitoring both temperature increases due to the thermal loading and deformations due to creep of the salt. Data from the experiment are not available at the present time, but the measurements for Room A2 will eventually be compared to the results for Room A2 presented here to assess and improve thermal and mechanical modeling capabilities for the WIPP. The thermal/structural model used here represents the state-of-the-art at the present time. A large number of plots are included since an appropriate result is presented for every Room A2 gauge location. 55 refs., 70 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Fire safety in the operating room.

PubMed

Rinder, Christine Stowe

2008-12-01

Elimination of flammable anesthetic gases has had little effect on operating-room fires except to change their etiology. Electrocautery and lasers, in an oxygen-enriched environment, can ignite even the most fire-resistant materials, including the patient, and the fire triad possibilities in the operating room are nearly limitless. This review will: identify operating room contents capable of acting as ignition/oxidizer/fuel sources, highlight operating room items that are uniquely potent fire triad contributors, and operating room identify settings where fire risk is enhanced by proximity of triad components in time or space. Anesthesiologists are cognizant of the risk of airway surgery fires due to laser ignition of the endotracheal tube and/or its contents. Recently, however, head/neck surgery under monitored anesthesia care has emerged as a high-risk setting for operating room fires; burn injuries represent 20% of monitored anesthesia care-related malpractice claims, 95% of which involved head/neck surgery. Operating room fires are infrequent but catastrophic. Operating room fire prevention depends on: (a)understanding how fire triad elements interact to create a fire, (b) recognizing how standard operating-room equipment, materials, and supplemental oxygen can become one of those elements, and (c) vigilance for circumstances that bring fire triad elements into close proximity.

36 CFR 1254.84 - How may I use a debit card for copiers in the Washington, DC, area?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...'s Office is closed or at any other time during the hours research rooms are open as cited in part... machines located in the research rooms. Inserting the debit card into a card reader connected to the copier... add value to your card using the vending machine in the research room or at the Cashier's Office. We...

36 CFR 1254.84 - How may I use a debit card for copiers in the Washington, DC, area?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...'s Office is closed or at any other time during the hours research rooms are open as cited in part... machines located in the research rooms. Inserting the debit card into a card reader connected to the copier... add value to your card using the vending machine in the research room or at the Cashier's Office. We...

Fracture Sustainability Pressure, Temperature, Differential Pressure, and Aperture Closure Data

DOE Data Explorer

Tim Kneafsey

2016-09-30

In these data sets, the experiment time, actual date and time, room temperature, sample temperature, upstream and downstream pressures (measured independently), corrected differential pressure (measured independently and corrected for offset and room temperature) indication of aperture closure by linear variable differential transformer are presented. An indication of the sample is in the file name and in the first line of data.

Focusing, Sustaining, and Switching Attention

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-12

selective attention . Aim 2. Effects on non-spatial features. We measured whether selective attention to an ongoing target improves with time when...talk]. Shinn-Cunningham BG (2013). "Spatial hearing in rooms: Effects on selective auditory attention and sound localization," Neuroscience for...hypothesis that room reverberation interferes with selective attention , 2) whether selective attention to an ongoing target improves with time when

A Preliminary Study of College Room-Bound Male Students: Concept Exploration and Instrument Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Chien; Wu, Huan-Chueh; Wang, Mei-Hung

2011-01-01

From time to time, cases of over-dependence on the Internet have been observed on college campuses. Some students, especially male students, remain connected to the Internet as long as they are awake. In Chinese, the emerging term (chai-nan) is used to describe this kind of young man, meaning "room-bound male," who seldom leaves his…

Baffling or Baffled: Improve Your Acoustics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdoo, Frank B.

1981-01-01

Presents techniques for evaluating the acoustics (reverberation time, and standing waves and resonance phenomena) of a band performance room. Gives instructions for building and placing inexpensive baffles (free-standing, portable sound barriers) to correct room defects. (SJL)

Solid-phase synthesis of oligo-2-pyrimidinone-2'-deoxyribonucleotides and oligo-2-pyrimidinone-2'-deoxyriboside methylphosphonates.

PubMed Central

Zhou, Y; Ts'o, P O

1996-01-01

A synthetic method was developed for the synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides and oligodeoxyribonucleoside methylphosphonates comprised exclusively of the fluorescent 2-pyrimidinone base for the first time. The method utilized the solid-phase 2-cyanoethylphosphoramidite and methylphosphonamidite chemistry for internucleotide couplings and a baselabile oxalyl linkage to anchor the oligomers onto the CPG support. Cleavage of the oligomers from the support was effected by a short treatment of the support with 5% ammonium hydroxide in methanol at room temperature, without any degradation of the base-sensitive 2-pyrimidinone residues or the base-sensitive methylphosphonate backbone. PMID:8758991

Sound levels in modern rodent housing rooms are an uncontrolled environmental variable with fluctuations mainly due to human activities

PubMed Central

Lauer, Amanda M.; May, Bradford J.; Hao, Ziwei Judy; Watson, Julie

2009-01-01

Noise in animal housing facilities is an environmental variable that can affect hearing, behavior and physiology in mice. The authors measured sound levels in two rodent housing rooms (room 1 and room 2) during several periods of 24 h. Room 1, which was subject to heavy personnel traffic, contained ventilated racks and static cages that housed large numbers of mice. Room 2 was accessed by only a few staff members and contained only static cages that housed fewer mice. In both rooms, background sound levels were about 80 dB, and transient noises caused sound levels to temporarily rise 30–40 dB above the baseline level; such peaks occurred frequently during work hours (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM) and infrequently during non-work hours. Noise peaks during work hours in room 1 occurred about two times as often as in room 2 (P = 0.01). Use of changing stations located in the rooms caused background noise to increase by about 10 dB. Loud noise and noise variability were attributed mainly to personnel activity. Attempts to reduce noise should concentrate on controlling sounds produced by in-room activities and experimenter traffic; this may reduce the variability of research outcomes and improve animal welfare. PMID:19384312

Room temperature single-photon detectors for high bit rate quantum key distribution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comandar, L. C.; Patel, K. A.; Engineering Department, Cambridge University, 9 J J Thomson Ave., Cambridge CB3 0FA

We report room temperature operation of telecom wavelength single-photon detectors for high bit rate quantum key distribution (QKD). Room temperature operation is achieved using InGaAs avalanche photodiodes integrated with electronics based on the self-differencing technique that increases avalanche discrimination sensitivity. Despite using room temperature detectors, we demonstrate QKD with record secure bit rates over a range of fiber lengths (e.g., 1.26 Mbit/s over 50 km). Furthermore, our results indicate that operating the detectors at room temperature increases the secure bit rate for short distances.

132. WEST SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (210), LSB ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

132. WEST SIDE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOM (210), LSB (BLDG. 751), QUALITY CONTROL BOARD ON LEFT. SOUTH SIDE OF TRANSFORMER ROOM (212) ON RIGHT SIDE OF PHOTOGRAPH, THROUGH OPEN DOORS. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

51. VIEW OF LORAL ADS 100A COMPUTERS LOCATED CENTRALLY ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

51. VIEW OF LORAL ADS 100A COMPUTERS LOCATED CENTRALLY ON NORTH WALL OF TELEMETRY ROOM (ROOM 106). SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM IS VISIBLE IN BACKGROUND THROUGH WINDOW IN NORTH WALL. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

14. VIEW OF WEST WALL OF CLEAN ROOM (102) SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. VIEW OF WEST WALL OF CLEAN ROOM (102) SHOWING VIEWING WINDOWS IN WEST FALSE PARTION WALL, WEST WALL OF CLEAN ROOM (102), AND ROLLS OF PLASTIC WRAP FOR COVERING CLEANED FAIRING ASSEMBLY - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Vehicle Support Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

TOILET ROOM IN THE PROJECTION BOOTH. NOTE THE HEXAGONAL FLOOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

TOILET ROOM IN THE PROJECTION BOOTH. NOTE THE HEXAGONAL FLOOR TILES WITH ACCENTED BORDER AND GLAZED WALL TILES, ALL OF WHICH WERE ORIGINAL/ TYPICAL IN TOILET ROOMS IN THIS FACILITY VIEW FACING NORTHWEST - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Theater, Hornet Avenue between Enterprise & Pokomoke Streets, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Interior. Looking from balance room to the front entrance. Chemicals ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Interior. Looking from balance room to the front entrance. Chemicals related to Edison's experiments on the extraction of latex for rubber from the goldenrod plant. Room is set up based on reconstruction research done in 1972. - Thomas A. Edison Laboratories, Building No. 2, Main Street & Lakeside Avenue, West Orange, Essex County, NJ

New theory on the reverberation of rooms. [considering sound wave travel time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pujolle, J.

1974-01-01

The inadequacy of the various theories which have been proposed for finding the reverberation time of rooms can be explained by an attempt to examine what might occur at a listening point when image sources of determined acoustic power are added to the actual source. The number and locations of the image sources are stipulated. The intensity of sound at the listening point can be calculated by means of approximations whose conditions for validity are given. This leads to the proposal of a new expression for the reverberation time, yielding results which fall between those obtained through use of the Eyring and Millington formulae; these results are made to depend on the shape of the room by means of a new definition of the mean free path.

The time course of location-avoidance learning in fear of spiders.

PubMed

Rinck, Mike; Koene, Marieke; Telli, Sibel; Moerman-van den Brink, Wiltine; Verhoeven, Barbara; Becker, Eni S

2016-01-01

Two experiments were designed to study the time course of avoidance learning in spider fearfuls (SFs) under controlled experimental conditions. To achieve this, we employed an immersive virtual environment (IVE): While walking freely through a virtual art museum to search for specific paintings, the participants were exposed to virtual spiders. Unbeknown to the participants, only two of four museum rooms contained spiders, allowing for avoidance learning. Indeed, the more SF the participants were, the faster they learned to avoid the rooms that contained spiders (Experiment. 1), and within the first six trials, high fearfuls already developed a preference for starting their search task in rooms without spiders (Experiment 2). These results illustrate the time course of avoidance learning in SFs, and they speak to the usefulness of IVEs in fundamental anxiety research.

44. Communication equipment room, cable air dryer on left, motorola ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

44. Communication equipment room, cable air dryer on left, motorola base station (vhf) in center, telephone repeater group at right, looking west - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Delta Flight, Launch Control Facility, County Road CS23A, North of Exit 127, Interior, Jackson County, SD

Pretest parametric calculations for the heated pillar experiment in the WIPP In-Situ Experimental Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Branstetter, L.J.

Results are presented for a pretest parametric study of several configurations and heat loads for the heated pillar experiment (Room H) in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) In Situ Experimental Area. The purpose of this study is to serve as a basis for selection of a final experiment geometry and heat load. The experiment consists of a pillar of undisturbed rock salt surrounded by an excavated annular room. The pillar surface is covered by a blanket heat source which is externally insulated. A total of five thermal and ten structural calculations are described in a four to five yearmore » experimental time frame. Results are presented which include relevant temperature-time histories, deformations, rock salt stress component and effective stress profiles, and maximum stresses in anhydrite layers which are in close proximity to the room. Also included are predicted contours of a conservative post-processed measure of potential salt failure. Observed displacement histories are seen to be highly dependent on pillar and room height, but insensitive to other geometrical variations. The use of a tensile cutoff across slidelines is seen to produce more accurate predictions of anhydrite maximum stress, but to have little effect on rock salt stresses. The potential for salt failure is seen to be small in each case for the time frame of interest, and is only seen at longer times in the center of the room floor.« less

Tritium, deuterium, and helium permeation through EPDM O-rings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swansiger, W.A.

1992-03-01

This paper discusses tritium permeabilities determined at room temperature, 1.0 MPa (150 psia) tritium for three 23.4 cm diameter EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) O-rings using a full-scale mock-up of the Al-SX shipping container seal geometry. The AL-SX container is being developed by Sandia National Laboratories for shipping tritium reservoirs. To determine the tritium permeation rate as a function of temperature, a 50.8 mm diameter EPDM O-ring was tested from room temperature to 150{degrees}C at a pressure of 1.0 MPa. Additional permeation measurements were made under the following test conditions: deuterium and helium-4 at room temperature and a pressure of 1.0 MPamore » using the full-scale AL-SX fixture, tritium from 0.1 MPa to 1.0 MPa at 142{degrees}C using the 50.8 mm fixture, and deuterium form room temperature to 150{degrees}C at a pressure of 1.0 MPa using the three full-scale O-rings showed the average room temperature, 1.0 MPa steady state tritium permeation rate to be about 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} Pa-liter/sec (7.6 {times} 10{sup {minus}5} torr-liter/sec or 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} std cc/sec), well within the allowable limit of 7.1 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} Pa-liter/sec for tritium release form the AL-SX container.« less

A novel method for room temperature distribution and conservation of RNA and DNA reference materials for guaranteeing performance of molecular diagnostics in onco-hematology: A GBMHM study.

PubMed

Cayuela, Jean-Michel; Mauté, Carole; Fabre, Anne-Lise; Nibourel, Olivier; Dulucq, Stéphanie; Delabesse, Eric; Villarèse, Patrick; Hayette, Sandrine; Mozziconacci, Marie-Joelle; Macintyre, Elizabeth

2015-10-01

Performance of methods used for molecular diagnostics must be closely controlled by regular analysis of internal quality controls. However, conditioning, shipping and long lasting storage of nucleic acid controls remain problematic. Therefore, we evaluated the minicapsule-based innovative process developed by Imagene (Evry, France) for implementing DNA and RNA controls designed for clonality assessment of lymphoproliferations and BCR-ABL1 mRNA quantification, respectively. DNA samples were extracted from 12 cell lines selected for giving specific amplifications with most BIOMED-2 PCR tubes. RNA samples were extracted from 8 cell line mixtures expressing various BCR-ABL1 transcript levels. DNA and RNA were encapsulated by Imagene and shipped at room temperature to participating laboratories. Biologists were asked to report quality data of recovered nucleic acids as well as PCR results. Encapsulated nucleic acids samples were easily and efficiently recovered from minicapsules. The expected rearrangements at immunoglobulin, T-cell receptor and BCL2 loci were detected in DNA samples by all laboratories. Quality of RNA was consistent between laboratories and met the criteria requested for quantification of BCR-ABL1 transcripts. Expression levels measured by the 5 laboratories were within ±2 fold interval from the corresponding pre-encapsulation reference value. Moreover aging studies of encapsulated RNA simulating up to 100 years storage at room temperature show no bias in quantitative outcome. Therefore, Imagene minicapsules are suitable for storage and distribution at room temperature of genetic material designed for proficiency control of molecular diagnostic methods based on end point or real-time quantitative PCR. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High efficiency endocrine operation protocol: From design to implementation.

PubMed

Mascarella, Marco A; Lahrichi, Nadia; Cloutier, Fabienne; Kleiman, Simcha; Payne, Richard J; Rosenberg, Lawrence

2016-10-01

We developed a high efficiency endocrine operative protocol based on a mathematical programming approach, process reengineering, and value-stream mapping to increase the number of operations completed per day without increasing operating room time at a tertiary-care, academic center. Using this protocol, a case-control study of 72 patients undergoing endocrine operation during high efficiency days were age, sex, and procedure-matched to 72 patients undergoing operation during standard days. The demographic profile, operative times, and perioperative complications were noted. The average number of cases per 8-hour workday in the high efficiency and standard operating rooms were 7 and 5, respectively. Mean procedure times in both groups were similar. The turnaround time (mean ± standard deviation) in the high efficiency group was 8.5 (±2.7) minutes as compared with 15.4 (±4.9) minutes in the standard group (P < .001). Transient postoperative hypocalcemia was 6.9% (5/72) and 8.3% (6/72) for the high efficiency and standard groups, respectively (P = .99). In this study, patients undergoing high efficiency endocrine operation had similar procedure times and perioperative complications compared with the standard group. The proposed high efficiency protocol seems to better utilize operative time and decrease the backlog of patients waiting for endocrine operation in a country with a universal national health care program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Localization of sound in rooms. V. Binaural coherence and human sensitivity to interaural time differences in noise

PubMed Central

Rakerd, Brad; Hartmann, William M.

2010-01-01

Binaural recordings of noise in rooms were used to determine the relationship between binaural coherence and the effectiveness of the interaural time difference (ITD) as a cue for human sound localization. Experiments showed a strong, monotonic relationship between the coherence and a listener’s ability to discriminate values of ITD. The relationship was found to be independent of other, widely varying acoustical properties of the rooms. However, the relationship varied dramatically with noise band center frequency. The ability to discriminate small ITD changes was greatest for a mid-frequency band. To achieve sensitivity comparable to mid-band, the binaural coherence had to be much larger at high frequency, where waveform ITD cues are imperceptible, and also at low frequency, where the binaural coherence in a room is necessarily large. Rivalry experiments with opposing interaural level differences (ILDs) found that the trading ratio between ITD and ILD increasingly favored the ILD as coherence decreased, suggesting that the perceptual weight of the ITD is decreased by increased reflections in rooms. PMID:21110600

Epidemic of measles following the nationwide mass immunization campaign

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A prolonged measles epidemic occurred in Wenzhou City, China after a nationwide measles mass immunization campaign (MMIC) in 2010. We conducted an investigation to identify factors contributing to this epidemic and to provide evidence-based recommendations for measles elimination strategies in China. Methods Measles was diagnosed using the national standard case-definitions. We estimated the population vaccination coverage based on the proportion of measles patients that had been vaccinated. In a case–control investigation, all measles patients who received treatment in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College (Hospital S) during November 1 to December 31, 2010 served as cases; controls were randomly selected among all other patients who received treatment in Hospital S during the same time period, frequency matched by month of hospital visit. We reviewed medical records of case- and control-patients to compare their exposure history at Hospital S and to its intravenous rehydration room (IV room) during the incubation period (7–21 days before their illness onset). Results The attack rate of measles in Wenzhou City was 3.3/100,000 during September 1, 2010 to January 11, 2011. Children aged 8-11 m had the highest attack rate (171/100,000) of all age groups. In children not age-eligible for the MMIC but should have been routinely vaccinated after the MMIC, the vaccination rate was only 52%. In the case–control investigation, 60% (25/42) of case-patients compared with 21% (35/168) of control-patients had visited Hospital S (adjusted ORM-H = 5.5, 95% CI = 2.7–11). Among unvaccinated children who had received treatment in Hospital S, 84% (21/25) of case-patients compared 38% (11/29) of control-patients had visited the IV room (adjusted ORM-H = 9.2, 95% CI = 1.5–59). Conclusion Relaxed routine measles vaccination among children after the MMIC was the main factor responsible for this epidemic. Exposure in the IV room at Hospital S facilitated the epidemic. To reach the goal of measles elimination, the Chinese public health authorities should make greater efforts to improve timely routine measles vaccination, and to reduce nosocomial transmission. PMID:23506461

Epidemic of measles following the nationwide mass immunization campaign.

PubMed

Gao, Jie; Chen, Enfu; Wang, Zhigang; Shen, Jichuan; He, Hanqing; Ma, Huilai; Zeng, Guang; Zhu, Bao-Ping

2013-03-18

A prolonged measles epidemic occurred in Wenzhou City, China after a nationwide measles mass immunization campaign (MMIC) in 2010. We conducted an investigation to identify factors contributing to this epidemic and to provide evidence-based recommendations for measles elimination strategies in China. Measles was diagnosed using the national standard case-definitions. We estimated the population vaccination coverage based on the proportion of measles patients that had been vaccinated. In a case-control investigation, all measles patients who received treatment in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College (Hospital S) during November 1 to December 31, 2010 served as cases; controls were randomly selected among all other patients who received treatment in Hospital S during the same time period, frequency matched by month of hospital visit. We reviewed medical records of case- and control-patients to compare their exposure history at Hospital S and to its intravenous rehydration room (IV room) during the incubation period (7-21 days before their illness onset). The attack rate of measles in Wenzhou City was 3.3/100,000 during September 1, 2010 to January 11, 2011. Children aged 8-11 m had the highest attack rate (171/100,000) of all age groups. In children not age-eligible for the MMIC but should have been routinely vaccinated after the MMIC, the vaccination rate was only 52%. In the case-control investigation, 60% (25/42) of case-patients compared with 21% (35/168) of control-patients had visited Hospital S (adjusted ORM-H = 5.5, 95% CI = 2.7-11). Among unvaccinated children who had received treatment in Hospital S, 84% (21/25) of case-patients compared 38% (11/29) of control-patients had visited the IV room (adjusted ORM-H = 9.2, 95% CI = 1.5-59). Relaxed routine measles vaccination among children after the MMIC was the main factor responsible for this epidemic. Exposure in the IV room at Hospital S facilitated the epidemic. To reach the goal of measles elimination, the Chinese public health authorities should make greater efforts to improve timely routine measles vaccination, and to reduce nosocomial transmission.

78 FR 54646 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-05

... FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting August 29, 2013. TIME AND DATE: 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 19, 2013. PLACE: The Richard V. Backley Hearing Room, Room 511N, 1331 Pennsylvania [[Page 54647

Improved algorithms and methods for room sound-field prediction by acoustical radiosity in arbitrary polyhedral rooms.

PubMed

Nosal, Eva-Marie; Hodgson, Murray; Ashdown, Ian

2004-08-01

This paper explores acoustical (or time-dependent) radiosity--a geometrical-acoustics sound-field prediction method that assumes diffuse surface reflection. The literature of acoustical radiosity is briefly reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed. A discrete form of the integral equation that results from meshing the enclosure boundaries into patches is presented and used in a discrete-time algorithm. Furthermore, an averaging technique is used to reduce computational requirements. To generalize to nonrectangular rooms, a spherical-triangle method is proposed as a means of evaluating the integrals over solid angles that appear in the discrete form of the integral equation. The evaluation of form factors, which also appear in the numerical solution, is discussed for rectangular and nonrectangular rooms. This algorithm and associated methods are validated by comparison of the steady-state predictions for a spherical enclosure to analytical solutions.

Improved algorithms and methods for room sound-field prediction by acoustical radiosity in arbitrary polyhedral rooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nosal, Eva-Marie; Hodgson, Murray; Ashdown, Ian

2004-08-01

This paper explores acoustical (or time-dependent) radiosity-a geometrical-acoustics sound-field prediction method that assumes diffuse surface reflection. The literature of acoustical radiosity is briefly reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed. A discrete form of the integral equation that results from meshing the enclosure boundaries into patches is presented and used in a discrete-time algorithm. Furthermore, an averaging technique is used to reduce computational requirements. To generalize to nonrectangular rooms, a spherical-triangle method is proposed as a means of evaluating the integrals over solid angles that appear in the discrete form of the integral equation. The evaluation of form factors, which also appear in the numerical solution, is discussed for rectangular and nonrectangular rooms. This algorithm and associated methods are validated by comparison of the steady-state predictions for a spherical enclosure to analytical solutions.

Full immersion simulation: validation of a distributed simulation environment for technical and non-technical skills training in Urology.

PubMed

Brewin, James; Tang, Jessica; Dasgupta, Prokar; Khan, Muhammad S; Ahmed, Kamran; Bello, Fernando; Kneebone, Roger; Jaye, Peter

2015-07-01

To evaluate the face, content and construct validity of the distributed simulation (DS) environment for technical and non-technical skills training in endourology. To evaluate the educational impact of DS for urology training. DS offers a portable, low-cost simulated operating room environment that can be set up in any open space. A prospective mixed methods design using established validation methodology was conducted in this simulated environment with 10 experienced and 10 trainee urologists. All participants performed a simulated prostate resection in the DS environment. Outcome measures included surveys to evaluate the DS, as well as comparative analyses of experienced and trainee urologist's performance using real-time and 'blinded' video analysis and validated performance metrics. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to compare differences between groups. The DS environment demonstrated face, content and construct validity for both non-technical and technical skills. Kirkpatrick level 1 evidence for the educational impact of the DS environment was shown. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of simulated operating room training on real operating room performance. This study has shown the validity of the DS environment for non-technical, as well as technical skills training. DS-based simulation appears to be a valuable addition to traditional classroom-based simulation training. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High-Density 16S Microarray and Clone Library-Based Microbial Community Composition of the Phoenix Spacecraft Assembly Clean Room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaishampayan, Parag; Osman, Shariff; Andersen, Gary; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2010-06-01

The bacterial diversity and comparative community structure of a clean room used for assembling the Phoenix spacecraft was characterized throughout the spacecraft assembly process by using 16S rRNA gene cloning/sequencing and DNA microarray (PhyloChip) technologies. Samples were collected from several locations of the clean room at three time points: before Phoenix's arrival (PHX-B), during hardware assembly (PHX-D), and after the spacecraft was removed for launch (PHX-A). Bacterial diversity comprised of all major bacterial phyla of PHX-B was found to be statistically different from PHX-D and PHX-A samples. Due to stringent cleaning and decontamination protocols during assembly, PHX-D bacterial diversity was dramatically reduced when compared to PHX-B and PHX-A samples. Comparative community analysis based on PhyloChip results revealed similar overall trends as were seen in clone libraries, but the high-density phylogenetic microarray detected larger diversity in all sampling events. The decrease in community complexity in PHX-D compared to PHX-B, and the subsequent recurrence of these organisms in PHX-A, speaks to the effectiveness of NASA cleaning protocols. However, the persistence of a subset of bacterial signatures throughout all spacecraft assembly phases underscores the need for continued refinement of sterilization technologies and the implementation of safeguards that monitor and inventory microbial contaminants.

High-density 16S microarray and clone library-based microbial community composition of the Phoenix spacecraft assembly clean room.

PubMed

Vaishampayan, Parag; Osman, Shariff; Andersen, Gary; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2010-06-01

The bacterial diversity and comparative community structure of a clean room used for assembling the Phoenix spacecraft was characterized throughout the spacecraft assembly process by using 16S rRNA gene cloning/sequencing and DNA microarray (PhyloChip) technologies. Samples were collected from several locations of the clean room at three time points: before Phoenix's arrival (PHX-B), during hardware assembly (PHX-D), and after the spacecraft was removed for launch (PHX-A). Bacterial diversity comprised of all major bacterial phyla of PHX-B was found to be statistically different from PHX-D and PHX-A samples. Due to stringent cleaning and decontamination protocols during assembly, PHX-D bacterial diversity was dramatically reduced when compared to PHX-B and PHX-A samples. Comparative community analysis based on PhyloChip results revealed similar overall trends as were seen in clone libraries, but the high-density phylogenetic microarray detected larger diversity in all sampling events. The decrease in community complexity in PHX-D compared to PHX-B, and the subsequent recurrence of these organisms in PHX-A, speaks to the effectiveness of NASA cleaning protocols. However, the persistence of a subset of bacterial signatures throughout all spacecraft assembly phases underscores the need for continued refinement of sterilization technologies and the implementation of safeguards that monitor and inventory microbial contaminants.

Current status of personnel and infrastructure resources for infection prevention and control programs in the Republic of Korea: A national survey.

PubMed

Yoon, Young Kyung; Lee, Sung Eun; Seo, Beom Sam; Kim, Hyeon Jeong; Kim, Jong Hun; Yang, Kyung Sook; Kim, Min Ja; Sohn, Jang Wook

2016-11-01

There is significant variability in personnel and infrastructural resources for infection prevention and control (IPC) among health care institutions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current status of individual hospital-based IPC programs in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A multicenter cross-sectional survey of 100 hospitals participating in the national surveillance programs for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in the ROK was conducted in September 2015. The survey consisted of 140 standardized Web-based questionnaires. The survey response rate was 41.0%. The responding hospitals are largely organized with multibed rooms, with an insufficient numbers of single rooms. Employment status of infection specialists and hand hygiene resources were better in larger hospitals. The responding hospitals had 1 full-time infection control nurse per 400.3 ± 154.1 beds, with wide variations in training and experience. Facilities have great diversity in their approach to preventing MDROs. There appeared to be no difference in supplies consumption and protocols for IPC among the hospitals, stratified according to size. A greater availability of specialist personnel, single rooms, and a comprehensive IPC program, with the support of a policy-oriented management, is necessary to achieve effective IPC. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Room temperature electrical spin injection into GaAs by an oxide spin injector

PubMed Central

Bhat, Shwetha G.; Kumar, P. S. Anil

2014-01-01

Spin injection, manipulation and detection are the integral parts of spintronics devices and have attracted tremendous attention in the last decade. It is necessary to judiciously choose the right combination of materials to have compatibility with the existing semiconductor technology. Conventional metallic magnets were the first choice for injecting spins into semiconductors in the past. So far there is no success in using a magnetic oxide material for spin injection, which is very important for the development of oxide based spintronics devices. Here we demonstrate the electrical spin injection from an oxide magnetic material Fe3O4, into GaAs with the help of tunnel barrier MgO at room temperature using 3-terminal Hanle measurement technique. A spin relaxation time τ ~ 0.9 ns for n-GaAs at 300 K is observed along with expected temperature dependence of τ. Spin injection using Fe3O4/MgO system is further established by injecting spins into p-GaAs and a τ of ~0.32 ns is obtained at 300 K. Enhancement of spin injection efficiency is seen with barrier thickness. In the field of spin injection and detection, our work using an oxide magnetic material establishes a good platform for the development of room temperature oxide based spintronics devices. PMID:24998440

Calculation of airborne radioactivity in a Technegas lung ventilation unit.

PubMed

López Medina, A; Miñano, J A; Terrón, J A; Bullejos, J A; Guerrero, R; Arroyo, T; Ramírez, A; Llamas, J M

1999-12-01

Airborne contamination by 99Tcm has been monitored in the Nuclear Medicine Department in our hospital to assess the risk of internal contamination to occupational workers exposed to Technegas studies. An air sampler fitted with a membrane filter was used. The optimum time for air absorption for obtaining the maximum activity in the filter was calculated. Maximum activity in the membrane filter ensures minimum uncertainty, which is especially important when low-level activities are being measured. The optimum time depends on air absorption velocity, room volume and filter efficiency for isotope collection. It tends to 1/lambda (lambda = disintegration constant for 99Tcm) for large volume and low velocity. Room activity with the air pump switched on was related to filter activity, and its variation with time was studied. Free activity in air for each study was approximately 7 x 10(-4) the activity used, and the effective half-life of the isotope in the room was 13.9 min (decay and diffusion). For a typical study (630 MBq), the effective dose to staff was 0.01 microSv when in the room for 10 min.

Low-Temperature Photochemically Activated Amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc Oxide for Highly Stable Room-Temperature Gas Sensors.

PubMed

Jaisutti, Rawat; Kim, Jaeyoung; Park, Sung Kyu; Kim, Yong-Hoon

2016-08-10

We report on highly stable amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) gas sensors for ultraviolet (UV)-activated room-temperature detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The IGZO sensors fabricated by a low-temperature photochemical activation process and exhibiting two orders higher photocurrent compared to conventional zinc oxide sensors, allowed high gas sensitivity against various VOCs even at room temperature. From a systematic analysis, it was found that by increasing the UV intensity, the gas sensitivity, response time, and recovery behavior of an IGZO sensor were strongly enhanced. In particular, under an UV intensity of 30 mW cm(-2), the IGZO sensor exhibited gas sensitivity, response time and recovery time of 37%, 37 and 53 s, respectively, against 750 ppm concentration of acetone gas. Moreover, the IGZO gas sensor had an excellent long-term stability showing around 6% variation in gas sensitivity over 70 days. These results strongly support a conclusion that a low-temperature solution-processed amorphous IGZO film can serve as a good candidate for room-temperature VOCs sensors for emerging wearable electronics.

8. INTERIOR, CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION ROOM. Looking southwest toward entrance ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. INTERIOR, CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION ROOM. Looking southwest toward entrance and inner blast door. - Edwards Air Force Base, South Base Sled Track, Firing & Control Blockhouse for 10,000-foot Track, South of Sled Track at midpoint of 20,000-foot track, Lancaster, Los Angeles County, CA

View of equipment building and tower base, looking southeast. Door ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View of equipment building and tower base, looking southeast. Door opens to radio room, and hood covers the engine room outlet. Vertical pipe with cap above roof is fuel tank vent. - Western Union Telegraph Company, Jennerstown Relay, Laurel Summit Road off U.S. 30, Laughlintown, Westmoreland County, PA

Negative differential resistance in GaN nanocrystals above room temperature.

PubMed

Chitara, Basant; Ivan Jebakumar, D S; Rao, C N R; Krupanidhi, S B

2009-10-07

Negative differential resistance (NDR) has been observed for the first time above room temperature in gallium nitride nanocrystals synthesized by a simple chemical route. Current-voltage characteristics have been used to investigate this effect through a metal-semiconductor-metal (M-S-M) configuration on SiO2. The NDR effect is reversible and reproducible through many cycles. The threshold voltage is approximately 7 V above room temperature.

36 CFR § 1254.84 - How may I use a debit card for copiers in the Washington, DC, area?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...'s Office is closed or at any other time during the hours research rooms are open as cited in part... machines located in the research rooms. Inserting the debit card into a card reader connected to the copier... add value to your card using the vending machine in the research room or at the Cashier's Office. We...

Nanosecond time-resolved characterization of a pentacene-based room-temperature MASER

PubMed Central

Salvadori, Enrico; Breeze, Jonathan D.; Tan, Ke-Jie; Sathian, Juna; Richards, Benjamin; Fung, Mei Wai; Wolfowicz, Gary; Oxborrow, Mark; Alford, Neil McN.; Kay, Christopher W. M.

2017-01-01

The performance of a room temperature, zero-field MASER operating at 1.45 GHz has been examined. Nanosecond laser pulses, which are essentially instantaneous on the timescale of the spin dynamics, allow the visible-to-microwave conversion efficiency and temporal response of the MASER to be measured as a function of excitation energy. It is observed that the timing and amplitude of the MASER output pulse are correlated with the laser excitation energy: at higher laser energy, the microwave pulses have larger amplitude and appear after shorter delay than those recorded at lower laser energy. Seeding experiments demonstrate that the output variation may be stabilized by an external source and establish the minimum seeding power required. The dynamics of the MASER emission may be modeled by a pair of first order, non-linear differential equations, derived from the Lotka-Volterra model (Predator-Prey), where by the microwave mode of the resonator is the predator and the spin polarization in the triplet state of pentacene is the prey. Simulations allowed the Einstein coefficient of stimulated emission, the spin-lattice relaxation and the number of triplets contributing to the MASER emission to be estimated. These are essential parameters for the rational improvement of a MASER based on a spin-polarized triplet molecule. PMID:28169331

One-step Synthesis of Ordered Pd@TiO2 Nanofibers Array Film as Outstanding NH3 Gas Sensor at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Wu, Hongyuan; Huang, Haitao; Zhou, Jiao; Hong, Dahai; Ikram, Muhammad; Rehman, Afrasiab Ur; Li, Li; Shi, Keying

2017-11-07

The one dimensional (1D) ordered porous Pd@TiO 2 nanofibers (NFs) array film have been fabricated via a facile one-step synthesis of the electrospinning approach. The Pd@TiO 2 NFs (PTND3) contained Pd (2.0 wt %) and C, N element (16.2 wt %) display high dispersion of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) on TiO 2 NFs. Adding Pd meshed with C, N element to TiO 2 based NFs might contribute to generation of Lewis acid sites and Brønsted acid sites, which have been recently shown to enhance NH 3 adsorption-desorption ability; Pd NPs could increase the quantity of adsorbed O 2 on the surface of TiO 2 based NFs, and accelerated the O 2 molecule-ion conversion rate, enhanced the ability of electron transmission. The response time of PTND3 sensor towards 100 ppm NH 3 is only 3 s at room temperature (RT). Meantime, the response and response time of the PTND3 to the NH 3 is 1 and 14s even at the concentration of 100 ppb. Therefore, the ordered Pd@TiO 2 NFs array NH 3 sensor display great potential for practical applications.

Monitoring, Tracking, and Recording Pancreas-Related Health Issues in Real Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrysikos, Theofilos; Zisi, Iliana; Katsini, Christina; Raptis, George E.; Kotsopoulos, Stavros

2017-11-01

The monitoring of pancreas-related health issues in real-time and outside the medical room is a challenge in the wide e-health domain. This paper introduces WHEAMO, a novel e-health platform which employs medical implants (biosensors), which function as antennas, planted in the pancreas. WHEAMO uses wireless in-body propagation to track, monitor, and record critical parameters, such as glucose. The signal reaches the skin and then it is propagated in an indoor environment (e.g., medical room) over to a terminal equipped with adaptive, user-configurable, and intelligent mechanisms which provide personalized recommendations to varying WHEAMO users (e.g., medical personnel, health care workers, patients). The personalized nature of the provided recommendations is based on patients unique characteristics via a sophisticated knowledge-base. The fundamentals of in-body and on-body wireless propagation and channel characterization have been studied in a series of published works. Researchers have tested both electric-field (dipole) and magnetic-field (patch, loop) antennas. Another important aspect concerns the frequency band in which the signal propagation will occur. Among the frequencies that have gathered scientific and academic interest are the Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band at 402-405 MHz, the 900 MHz channel and the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band at 2.45 GHz.

Immersive virtual reality used as a platform for perioperative training for surgical residents.

PubMed

Witzke, D B; Hoskins, J D; Mastrangelo, M J; Witzke, W O; Chu, U B; Pande, S; Park, A E

2001-01-01

Perioperative preparations such as operating room setup, patient and equipment positioning, and operating port placement are essential to operative success in minimally invasive surgery. We developed an immersive virtual reality-based training system (REMIS) to provide residents (and other health professionals) with training and evaluation in these perioperative skills. Our program uses the qualities of immersive VR that are available today for inclusion in an ongoing training curriculum for surgical residents. The current application consists of a primary platform for patient positioning for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Having completed this module we can create many different simulated problems for other procedures. As a part of the simulation, we have devised a computer-driven real-time data collection system to help us in evaluating trainees and providing feedback during the simulation. The REMIS program trains and evaluates surgical residents and obviates the need to use expensive operating room and surgeon time. It also allows residents to train based on their schedule and does not put patients at increased risk. The method is standardized, allows for repetition if needed, evaluates individual performance, provides the possible complications of incorrect choices, provides training in 3-D environment, and has the capability of being used for various scenarios and professions.

Operating Room Fires and Surgical Skin Preparation.

PubMed

Jones, Edward L; Overbey, Douglas M; Chapman, Brandon C; Jones, Teresa S; Hilton, Sarah A; Moore, John T; Robinson, Thomas N

2017-07-01

Operating room fires are "never events" that remain an under-reported source of devastating complications. One common set-up that promotes fires is the use of surgical skin preparations combined with electrosurgery and oxygen. Limited data exist examining the incidence of fires and surgical skin preparations. A standardized, ex vivo model was created with a 15 × 15 cm section of clipped porcine skin. An electrosurgical "Bovie" pencil was activated for 2 seconds on 30 Watts coagulation mode in 21% oxygen (room air), both immediately and 3 minutes after skin preparation application. Skin preparations with and without alcohol were tested, and were applied with and without pooling. Alcohol-based skin preparations included 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, 74% IPA with 0.7% iodine povacrylex, and plain 70% IPA. No fires occurred with nonalcohol-based preparations (p < 0.001 vs alcohol-based preparations). Alcohol-based preparations caused flash flames at 0 minutes in 22% (13 of 60) and at 3 minutes in 10% (6 of 60) of tests. When examining pooling of alcohol-based preparations, fires occurred in 38% (23 of 60) at 0 minutes and 27% (16 of 60) at 3 minutes. Alcohol-based skin preparations fuel operating room fires in common clinical scenarios. Following manufacturer guidelines and allowing 3 minutes for drying, surgical fires were still created in 1 in 10 cases without pooling and more than one-quarter of cases with pooling. Surgeons can decrease the risk of an operating room fire by using nonalcohol-based skin preparations or avoiding pooling of the preparation solution. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Construct and face validity of the American College of Surgeons/Association of Program Directors in Surgery laparoscopic troubleshooting team training exercise.

PubMed

Arain, Nabeel A; Hogg, Deborah C; Gala, Rajiv B; Bhoja, Ravi; Tesfay, Seifu T; Webb, Erin M; Scott, Daniel J

2012-01-01

Our aim was to develop an objective scoring system and evaluate construct and face validity for a laparoscopic troubleshooting team training exercise. Surgery and gynecology novices (n = 14) and experts (n = 10) participated. Assessments included the following: time-out, scenario decision making (SDM) score (based on essential treatments rendered and completion time), operating room communication assessment (investigator developed), line operations safety audits (teamwork), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (workload). Significant differences were detected for SDM scores for scenarios 1 (192 vs 278; P = .01) and 3 (129 vs 225; P = .004), operating room communication assessment (67 vs 91; P = .002), and line operations safety audits (58 vs 87; P = .001), but not for time-out (46 vs 51) or scenario 2 SDM score (301 vs 322). Workload was similar for both groups and face validity (8.8 on a 10-point scale) was strongly supported. Objective decision-making scoring for 2 of 3 scenarios and communication and teamwork ratings showed construct validity. Face validity and participant feedback were excellent. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel poly(dimethylsiloxane) bonding strategy via room temperature "chemical gluing".

PubMed

Lee, Nae Yoon; Chung, Bong Hyun

2009-04-09

Here we propose a new scheme for bonding poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), namely, a "chemical gluing", at room temperature by anchoring chemical functionalities on the surfaces of PDMS. Aminosilane and epoxysilane are anchored separately on the surfaces of two PDMS substrates, the reaction of which are well-known to form a strong amine-epoxy bond, therefore acting as a chemical glue. The bonding is performed for 1 h at room temperature without employing heat. We characterize the surface properties and composition by contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and fluorescence measurement to confirm the formation of surface functionalities and investigate the adhesion strength by means of pulling, tearing, and leakage tests. As confirmed by the above-mentioned analyses and tests, PDMS surfaces were successfully modified with amine and epoxy functionalities, and a bonding based on the amine-epoxy chemical gluing was successfully realized within 1 h at room temperature. The bonding was sufficiently robust to tolerate intense introduction of liquid whose per minute injection volume was almost 2000 times larger than the total internal volume of the microchannel used. In addition to the bonding of PDMS-PDMS homogeneous assembly, the bonding of the PDMS-poly(ethylene terephthalate) heterogeneous assembly was also examined. We also investigate the potential use of the multifunctionalized walls inside the microchannel, generated as a consequence of the chemical gluing, as a platform for the targeted immobilization.

"It's heavenly to be alone!": a room of one's own as a health-promoting resource for women. Results from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Forssén, Annika S K; Carlstedt, Gunilla

2006-01-01

This paper describes strategies developed by women to handle lack of time for themselves, and lack of freedom, in private life. The paper reports on one self-assessed health resource identified in a larger qualitative study on women's paid and unpaid work and health/sickness. Twenty strategically selected women were interviewed, elderly women being chosen to obtain a lifetime perspective. The interviews were audio-taped and analysed according to a phenomenological approach. Expectations had been placed on the interviewees as women: to give care, always to be available for other family members, to adjust to their husbands. Many of them recalled seeking privacy ("a room of one's own") to avoid constant demands and interruptions, and as a refuge from partner domination. This was a conscious health-promoting strategy on their part. A room of one's own did not necessarily mean a physical room, but the right to -- and the possibility of -- a life of one's own. Forms of privacy included gainful employment, a separate bedroom, own social engagements. Family life still demands more from women than from men, putting many women under constant time pressure and without time for themselves. In heterosexual relationships, women frequently feel controlled. Prevailing norms for married women and mothers, causing blame and feelings of guilt, remain obstacles to women wanting "a room of their own". The health resource of having such a room, and strategies for creating one, should be given attention in medical research and practice -- not least in primary care.

KSC-2014-1969

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Three rows of upper level management consoles are all that remain in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2014-1970

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Three rows of upper level management consoles are all that remain in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

West wall, display area (room 101), view 4 of 4: ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

West wall, display area (room 101), view 4 of 4: northwest corner, with D.M. logistics office below (room 137), and D.O./D.D.O. offices above. Lower stairs lead to entry shown in view 13 - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Room Use for Group Instruction in Regularly Scheduled Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phay, John E.; McCary, Arthur D.

A method by which accurate accounting by computer might be made of apace and room use by regularly scheduled classes in institutions of higher learning is furnished. Based on well-defined terms, a master room schedule and a master course schedule are prepared on computer cards. This information is then compared with the reported individual room…

Energy efficient room temperature synthesis of cardanol-based novolac resin using acoustic cavitation.

PubMed

Jadhav, Nilesh L; Sastry, Sai Krishna C; Pinjari, Dipak V

2018-04-01

The present study deals with synthesis of cardanol-cased novolac (CBN) resin by the condensation reaction between cardanol and formaldehyde using acoustic cavitation. It is a step-growth polymerization which occurs in the presence of an acid catalyst such as adipic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid. CBN was also synthesised by a conventional method for the sake of comparison of techniques. The effect of molar ratio, effect of catalyst, effect of different catalyst and effect of power on the conversion to CBN has been studied. The synthesised CBN was characterized using the Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The reaction was monitored by the Acid value, free formaldehyde content and viscosity of the synthesised product. The reaction time required for the conventionally synthesised CBN was 5 h (300 min) with 120 °C as an operating temperature while sonochemically the time reduced to 30 min at room temperature. The amount of time and energy saved can be quantified. Ultrasound facilitated synthesis was found to be an energy efficient and time-saving method for the synthesis of novolac resin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and Proof-of-Concept Use of a Circular PMMA Platform with 16-Well Sample Capacity for Microwave-Accelerated Bioassays.

PubMed

Mohammed, Muzaffer; Aslan, Kadir

2013-01-01

We demonstrate the design and the proof-of-concept use of a new, circular poly(methyl methacrylate)-based bioassay platform (PMMA platform), which affords for the rapid processing of 16 samples at once. The circular PMMA platform (5 cm in diameter) was coated with a silver nanoparticle film to accelerate the bioassay steps by microwave heating. A model colorimetric bioassay for biotinylated albumin (using streptavidin-labeled horse radish peroxidase) was performed on the PMMA platform coated with and without silver nanoparticles (a control experiment), and at room temperature and using microwave heating. It was shown that the simulated temperature profile of the PMMA platform during microwave heating were comparable to the real-time temperature profile during actual microwave heating of the constructed PMMA platform in a commercial microwave oven. The model colorimetric bioassay for biotinylated albumin was successfully completed in ~2 min (total assay time) using microwave heating, as compared to 90 min at room temperature (total assay time), which indicates a ~45-fold decrease in assay time. Our PMMA platform design afforded for significant reduction in non-specific interactions and low background signal as compared to non-silvered PMMA surfaces when employed in a microwave-accelerated bioassay carried out in a conventional microwave cavity.

Event-based knowledge elicitation of operating room management decision-making using scenarios adapted from information systems data

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background No systematic process has previously been described for a needs assessment that identifies the operating room (OR) management decisions made by the anesthesiologists and nurse managers at a facility that do not maximize the efficiency of use of OR time. We evaluated whether event-based knowledge elicitation can be used practically for rapid assessment of OR management decision-making at facilities, whether scenarios can be adapted automatically from information systems data, and the usefulness of the approach. Methods A process of event-based knowledge elicitation was developed to assess OR management decision-making that may reduce the efficiency of use of OR time. Hypothetical scenarios addressing every OR management decision influencing OR efficiency were created from published examples. Scenarios are adapted, so that cues about conditions are accurate and appropriate for each facility (e.g., if OR 1 is used as an example in a scenario, the listed procedure is a type of procedure performed at the facility in OR 1). Adaptation is performed automatically using the facility's OR information system or anesthesia information management system (AIMS) data for most scenarios (43 of 45). Performing the needs assessment takes approximately 1 hour of local managers' time while they decide if their decisions are consistent with the described scenarios. A table of contents of the indexed scenarios is created automatically, providing a simple version of problem solving using case-based reasoning. For example, a new OR manager wanting to know the best way to decide whether to move a case can look in the chapter on "Moving Cases on the Day of Surgery" to find a scenario that describes the situation being encountered. Results Scenarios have been adapted and used at 22 hospitals. Few changes in decisions were needed to increase the efficiency of use of OR time. The few changes were heterogeneous among hospitals, showing the usefulness of individualized assessments. Conclusions Our technical advance is the development and use of automated event-based knowledge elicitation to identify suboptimal OR management decisions that decrease the efficiency of use of OR time. The adapted scenarios can be used in future decision-making. PMID:21214905

Event-based knowledge elicitation of operating room management decision-making using scenarios adapted from information systems data.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Wachtel, Ruth E; Epstein, Richard H

2011-01-07

No systematic process has previously been described for a needs assessment that identifies the operating room (OR) management decisions made by the anesthesiologists and nurse managers at a facility that do not maximize the efficiency of use of OR time. We evaluated whether event-based knowledge elicitation can be used practically for rapid assessment of OR management decision-making at facilities, whether scenarios can be adapted automatically from information systems data, and the usefulness of the approach. A process of event-based knowledge elicitation was developed to assess OR management decision-making that may reduce the efficiency of use of OR time. Hypothetical scenarios addressing every OR management decision influencing OR efficiency were created from published examples. Scenarios are adapted, so that cues about conditions are accurate and appropriate for each facility (e.g., if OR 1 is used as an example in a scenario, the listed procedure is a type of procedure performed at the facility in OR 1). Adaptation is performed automatically using the facility's OR information system or anesthesia information management system (AIMS) data for most scenarios (43 of 45). Performing the needs assessment takes approximately 1 hour of local managers' time while they decide if their decisions are consistent with the described scenarios. A table of contents of the indexed scenarios is created automatically, providing a simple version of problem solving using case-based reasoning. For example, a new OR manager wanting to know the best way to decide whether to move a case can look in the chapter on "Moving Cases on the Day of Surgery" to find a scenario that describes the situation being encountered. Scenarios have been adapted and used at 22 hospitals. Few changes in decisions were needed to increase the efficiency of use of OR time. The few changes were heterogeneous among hospitals, showing the usefulness of individualized assessments. Our technical advance is the development and use of automated event-based knowledge elicitation to identify suboptimal OR management decisions that decrease the efficiency of use of OR time. The adapted scenarios can be used in future decision-making.

Real-Time Internet Connections: Implications for Surgical Decision Making in Laparoscopy

PubMed Central

Broderick, Timothy J.; Harnett, Brett M.; Doarn, Charles R.; Rodas, Edgar B.; Merrell, Ronald C.

2001-01-01

Objective To determine whether a low-bandwidth Internet connection can provide adequate image quality to support remote real-time surgical consultation. Summary Background Data Telemedicine has been used to support care at a distance through the use of expensive equipment and broadband communication links. In the past, the operating room has been an isolated environment that has been relatively inaccessible for real-time consultation. Recent technological advances have permitted videoconferencing over low-bandwidth, inexpensive Internet connections. If these connections are shown to provide adequate video quality for surgical applications, low-bandwidth telemedicine will open the operating room environment to remote real-time surgical consultation. Methods Surgeons performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Ecuador or the Dominican Republic shared real-time laparoscopic images with a panel of surgeons at the parent university through a dial-up Internet account. The connection permitted video and audio teleconferencing to support real-time consultation as well as the transmission of real-time images and store-and-forward images for observation by the consultant panel. A total of six live consultations were analyzed. In addition, paired local and remote images were “grabbed” from the video feed during these laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Nine of these paired images were then placed into a Web-based tool designed to evaluate the effect of transmission on image quality. Results The authors showed for the first time the ability to identify critical anatomic structures in laparoscopy over a low-bandwidth connection via the Internet. The consultant panel of surgeons correctly remotely identified biliary and arterial anatomy during six laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Within the Web-based questionnaire, 15 surgeons could not blindly distinguish the quality of local and remote laparoscopic images. Conclusions Low-bandwidth, Internet-based telemedicine is inexpensive, effective, and almost ubiquitous. Use of these inexpensive, portable technologies will allow sharing of surgical procedures and decisions regardless of location. Internet telemedicine consistently supported real-time intraoperative consultation in laparoscopic surgery. The implications are broad with respect to quality improvement and diffusion of knowledge as well as for basic consultation. PMID:11505061

[Factors on internet game addiction among adolescents].

PubMed

Park, Hyun Sook; Kwon, Yun Hee; Park, Kyung-Min

2007-08-01

The purpose of this study was to explore factors related to internet game addiction for adolescents. This study was a cross-sectional survey, and data was collected through self-report questionnaires. Data was analyzed using the SPSS program. In logistic regression analysis, the risk of being addicted to internet games was 2.22 times higher in males than females. Adolescents with low and middle academic performance also had a higher risk(2.08 times and 2.54 times) to become addicted to internet games. For the location of the computer, the risk of becoming addicted to internet games were .01 times lower in the living room or brother or sisters' room than in their own room. The risk of becoming addicted to internet games was 1.18 times higher in the higher usage time of internet games. The risk of becoming addicted to internet games was .49 times lower in the more accepting and autonomic parents' rearing attitude and .02 times lower in the high self-efficacy group than the low group. The result of this study suggests that there are noticeable relationships between internet game addiction and gender, academic performance, location of computer, usage time of internet games, parents' rearing attitude, and self efficacy.

Optimization of fluorescent imaging in the operating room through pulsed acquisition and gating to ambient background cycling

PubMed Central

Sexton, Kristian J.; Zhao, Yan; Davis, Scott C.; Jiang, Shudong; Pogue, Brian W.

2017-01-01

The design of fluorescence imaging instruments for surgical guidance is rapidly evolving, and a key issue is to efficiently capture signals with high ambient room lighting. Here, we introduce a novel time-gated approach to fluorescence imaging synchronizing acquisition to the 120 Hz light of the room, with pulsed LED excitation and gated ICCD detection. It is shown that under bright ambient room light this technique allows for the detection of physiologically relevant nanomolar fluorophore concentrations, and in particular reduces the light fluctuations present from the room lights, making low concentration measurements more reliable. This is particularly relevant for the light bands near 700nm that are more dominated by ambient lights. PMID:28663895

[Implementation of modern operating room management -- experiences made at an university hospital].

PubMed

Hensel, M; Wauer, H; Bloch, A; Volk, T; Kox, W J; Spies, C

2005-07-01

Caused by structural changes in health care the general need for cost control is evident for all hospitals. As operating room is one of the most cost-intensive sectors in a hospital, optimisation of workflow processes in this area is of particular interest for health care providers. While modern operating room management is established in several clinics yet, others are less prepared for economic challenges. Therefore, the operating room statute of the Charité university hospital useful for other hospitals to develop an own concept is presented. In addition, experiences made with implementation of new management structures are described and results obtained over the last 5 years are reported. Whereas the total number of operation procedures increased by 15 %, the operating room utilization increased more markedly in terms of time and cases. Summarizing the results, central operating room management has been proved to be an effective tool to increase the efficiency of workflow processes in the operating room.

Short term storage stability at room temperature of two different platelet-rich plasma preparations from equine donors and potential impact on growth factor concentrations.

PubMed

Hauschild, Gregor; Geburek, Florian; Gosheger, Georg; Eveslage, Maria; Serrano, Daniela; Streitbürger, Arne; Johannlükens, Sara; Menzel, Dirk; Mischke, Reinhard

2017-01-05

The increasing interest in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) based therapies is as yet accompanied by inconsistent information regarding nearly all aspects of handling and application. Among these storage stability of processed platelet-rich products may be the basis for a more flexible application mode. The objective of this study was (1) to estimate the storage stability of growth factors platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) in both, a single-step softspin centrifugation-based pure-PRP (P-PRP, ACP®), and a gravity filtration system-based leukocyte-rich-PRP (L-PRP, E-PET), over a six hours time span after preparation at room temperature and (2) to identify possible factors influencing these growth factor concentrations in an equine model. Growth factor concentrations remained stable over the entire investigation period in L-PRP as well as P-PRP preparations revealing a mean of 3569 pg/ml PDGF-BB for E-PET and means of 1276 pg/ml PDGF-BB and 5086 pg/ml TGF-ß1 for ACP®. Pearson correlations yielded no significant impact of whole blood platelet (PLT), white blood cell (WBC) and red blood cell (RBC) counts on resulting cytokine values. In case of ACP® no significant dependencies between PLT, WBC and RBC counts of the processed platelet-rich product and resulting cytokine content occurred with exception of TGF-ß1 concentrations showing a strong correlation with the WBC content. PDGF-BB content of E-PET preparations showed a strong positive correlation with PLT and a strong negative with WBC of these preparations but not with RBC. L-PRP ad modum E-PET and P-PRP ad modum ACP® are applicable over at least a six hours time span at room temperature without loss of growth factor content. Based on the results of this study factors influencing the resulting growth factor concentrations still remain questionable. Additional studies implicating a further standardization of preparation protocols are necessary to identify consistent impact on cytokine content after PRP processing.

Improving operating room turnover time: a systems based approach.

PubMed

Bhatt, Ankeet S; Carlson, Grant W; Deckers, Peter J

2014-12-01

Operating room (OR) turnover time (TT) has a broad and significant impact on hospital administrators, providers, staff and patients. Our objective was to identify current problems in TT management and implement a consistent, reproducible process to reduce average TT and process variability. Initial observations of TT were made to document the existing process at a 511 bed, 24 OR, academic medical center. Three control groups, including one consisting of Orthopedic and Vascular Surgery, were used to limit potential confounders such as case acuity/duration and equipment needs. A redesigned process based on observed issues, focusing on a horizontally structured, systems-based approach has three major interventions: developing consistent criteria for OR readiness, utilizing parallel processing for patient and room readiness, and enhancing perioperative communication. Process redesign was implemented in Orthopedics and Vascular Surgery. Comparisons of mean and standard deviation of TT were made using an independent 2-tailed t-test. Using all surgical specialties as controls (n = 237), mean TT (hh:mm:ss) was reduced by 0:20:48 min (95 % CI, 0:10:46-0:30:50), from 0:44:23 to 0:23:25, a 46.9 % reduction. Standard deviation of TT was reduced by 0:10:32 min, from 0:16:24 to 0:05:52 and frequency of TT≥30 min was reduced from 72.5to 11.7 %. P < 0.001 for each. Using Vascular and Orthopedic surgical specialties as controls (n = 13), mean TT was reduced by 0:15:16 min (95 % CI, 0:07:18-0:23:14), from 0:38:51 to 0:23:35, a 39.4 % reduction. Standard deviation of TT reduced by 0:08:47, from 0:14:39 to 0:05:52 and frequency of TT≥30 min reduced from 69.2 to 11.7 %. P < 0.001 for each. Reductions in mean TT present major efficiency, quality improvement, and cost-reduction opportunities. An OR redesign process focusing on parallel processing and enhanced communication resulted in greater than 35 % reduction in TT. A systems-based focus should drive OR TT design.

Office-based Management of Recurrent Respiratory Papilloma.

PubMed

Motz, Kevin M; Hillel, Alexander T

2016-06-01

This review will highlight the indications and benefits of office-based therapy for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) and discuss the utilization of photo-dynamic lasers and adjuvant medical therapy in office-based settings. Office-based management of RRP allows for more timely interventions, is preferred by the majority of patients, and negates the risk of general anesthesia. Current literature argues for the utilization of KTP laser over CO 2 laser for office-based treatment of RRP. Medical therapies for RRP are limited, but agents such as bevacizumab are promising and have been shown to reduce disease burden. Medical therapies that can induce disease remission are still needed. Office-based procedures save time and healthcare expenses compared to like procedures in the operating room. However, the increased frequency for office-based procedures predicts similar overall healthcare costs for office-based and OR laser excision of RRP. Office-based management of RRP is a feasible and well-tolerated strategy in appropriately selected patients with adequate local anesthesia.

Team Training in the Perioperative Arena: A Methodology for Implementation and Auditing Behavior.

PubMed

Rhee, Amanda J; Valentin-Salgado, Yessenia; Eshak, David; Feldman, David; Kischak, Pat; Reich, David L; LoPachin, Vicki; Brodman, Michael

Preventable medical errors in the operating room are most often caused by ineffective communication and suboptimal team dynamics. TeamSTEPPS is a government-funded, evidence-based program that provides tools and education to improve teamwork in medicine. The study hospital implemented TeamSTEPPS in the operating room and merged the program with a surgical safety checklist. Audits were performed to collect both quantitative and qualitative information on time out (brief) and debrief conversations, using a standardized audit tool. A total of 1610 audits over 6 months were performed by live auditors. Performance was sustained at desired levels or improved for all qualitative metrics using χ 2 and linear regression analyses. Additionally, the absolute number of wrong site/side/person surgery and unintentionally retained foreign body counts decreased after TeamSTEPPS implementation.

Room-temperature serial crystallography using a kinetically optimized microfluidic device for protein crystallization and on-chip X-ray diffraction

PubMed Central

Heymann, Michael; Opthalage, Achini; Wierman, Jennifer L.; Akella, Sathish; Szebenyi, Doletha M. E.; Gruner, Sol M.; Fraden, Seth

2014-01-01

An emulsion-based serial crystallographic technology has been developed, in which nanolitre-sized droplets of protein solution are encapsulated in oil and stabilized by surfactant. Once the first crystal in a drop is nucleated, the small volume generates a negative feedback mechanism that lowers the supersaturation. This mechanism is exploited to produce one crystal per drop. Diffraction data are measured, one crystal at a time, from a series of room-temperature crystals stored on an X-ray semi-transparent microfluidic chip, and a 93% complete data set is obtained by merging single diffraction frames taken from different unoriented crystals. As proof of concept, the structure of glucose isomerase was solved to 2.1 Å, demonstrating the feasibility of high-throughput serial X-ray crystallography using synchrotron radiation. PMID:25295176

Temporal variation of VOC emission from solvent and water based wood stains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Gennaro, Gianluigi; Loiotile, Annamaria Demarinis; Fracchiolla, Roberta; Palmisani, Jolanda; Saracino, Maria Rosaria; Tutino, Maria

2015-08-01

Solvent- and water-based wood stains were monitored using a small test emission chamber in order to characterize their emission profiles in terms of Total and individual VOCs. The study of concentration-time profiles of individual VOCs enabled to identify the compounds emitted at higher concentration for each type of stain, to examine their decay curve and finally to estimate the concentration in a reference room. The solvent-based wood stain was characterized by the highest Total VOCs emission level (5.7 mg/m3) that decreased over time more slowly than those related to water-based ones. The same finding was observed for the main detected compounds: Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes, Styrene, alpha-Pinene and Camphene. On the other hand, the highest level of Limonene was emitted by a water-based wood stain. However, the concentration-time profile showed that water-based product was characterized by a remarkable reduction of the time of maximum and minimum emission: Limonene concentration reached the minimum concentration in about half the time compared to the solvent-based product. According to AgBB evaluation scheme, only one of the investigated water-based wood stains can be classified as a low-emitting product whose use may not determine any potential adverse effect on human health.

A model to create an efficient and equitable admission policy for patients arriving to the cardiothoracic ICU.

PubMed

Yang, Muer; Fry, Michael J; Raikhelkar, Jayashree; Chin, Cynthia; Anyanwu, Anelechi; Brand, Jordan; Scurlock, Corey

2013-02-01

To develop queuing and simulation-based models to understand the relationship between ICU bed availability and operating room schedule to maximize the use of critical care resources and minimize case cancellation while providing equity to patients and surgeons. Retrospective analysis of 6-month unit admission data from a cohort of cardiothoracic surgical patients, to create queuing and simulation-based models of ICU bed flow. Three different admission policies (current admission policy, shortest-processing-time policy, and a dynamic policy) were then analyzed using simulation models, representing 10 yr worth of potential admissions. Important output data consisted of the "average waiting time," a proxy for unit efficiency, and the "maximum waiting time," a surrogate for patient equity. A cardiothoracic surgical ICU in a tertiary center in New York, NY. Six hundred thirty consecutive cardiothoracic surgical patients admitted to the cardiothoracic surgical ICU. None. Although the shortest-processing-time admission policy performs best in terms of unit efficiency (0.4612 days), it did so at expense of patient equity prolonging surgical waiting time by as much as 21 days. The current policy gives the greatest equity but causes inefficiency in unit bed-flow (0.5033 days). The dynamic policy performs at a level (0.4997 days) 8.3% below that of the shortest-processing-time in average waiting time; however, it balances this with greater patient equity (maximum waiting time could be shortened by 4 days compared to the current policy). Queuing theory and computer simulation can be used to model case flow through a cardiothoracic operating room and ICU. A dynamic admission policy that looks at current waiting time and expected ICU length of stay allows for increased equity between patients with only minimum losses of efficiency. This dynamic admission policy would seem to be a superior in maximizing case-flow. These results may be generalized to other surgical ICUs.

Prevention of 3 "never events" in the operating room: fires, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery.

PubMed

Zahiri, Hamid R; Stromberg, Jeffrey; Skupsky, Hadas; Knepp, Erin K; Folstein, Matthew; Silverman, Ronald; Singh, Devinder

2011-03-01

This study sought to identify and provide preventative recommendations for potentially devastating safety violations in the operating room. A Medline database search from 1950 to current using the terms patient safety and operating room was conducted. All topics identified were reviewed. Three patient safety violations with potential for immediate and devastating outcomes were selected for discussion using evidence-based literature. The search identified 2851 articles, 807 of which were directly related to patient safety in the operating room. Topics addressed by these 807 included infectious complications (26%), fires (11%), communication/teamwork (6%), retained foreign objects (3%), safety checklists (1%), and wrong-site surgery (1%). Fires, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery were selected for discussion. Although fire, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery should be "never events" in the operating room, they continue to persist as 3 common patient safety violations. This study provides the epidemiology, common etiologies, and evidence-based preventative recommendations for each.

Room acoustics analysis using circular arrays: an experimental study based on sound field plane-wave decomposition.

PubMed

Torres, Ana M; Lopez, Jose J; Pueo, Basilio; Cobos, Maximo

2013-04-01

Plane-wave decomposition (PWD) methods using microphone arrays have been shown to be a very useful tool within the applied acoustics community for their multiple applications in room acoustics analysis and synthesis. While many theoretical aspects of PWD have been previously addressed in the literature, the practical advantages of the PWD method to assess the acoustic behavior of real rooms have been barely explored so far. In this paper, the PWD method is employed to analyze the sound field inside a selected set of real rooms having a well-defined purpose. To this end, a circular microphone array is used to capture and process a number of impulse responses at different spatial positions, providing angle-dependent data for both direct and reflected wavefronts. The detection of reflected plane waves is performed by means of image processing techniques applied over the raw array response data and over the PWD data, showing the usefulness of image-processing-based methods for room acoustics analysis.

Floor Covering and Surface Identification for Assistive Mobile Robotic Real-Time Room Localization Application

PubMed Central

Gillham, Michael; Howells, Gareth; Spurgeon, Sarah; McElroy, Ben

2013-01-01

Assistive robotic applications require systems capable of interaction in the human world, a workspace which is highly dynamic and not always predictable. Mobile assistive devices face the additional and complex problem of when and if intervention should occur; therefore before any trajectory assistance is given, the robotic device must know where it is in real-time, without unnecessary disruption or delay to the user requirements. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel robust method for determining room identification from floor features in a real-time computational frame for autonomous and assistive robotics in the human environment. We utilize two inexpensive sensors: an optical mouse sensor for straightforward and rapid, texture or pattern sampling, and a four color photodiode light sensor for fast color determination. We show how data relating floor texture and color obtained from typical dynamic human environments, using these two sensors, compares favorably with data obtained from a standard webcam. We show that suitable data can be extracted from these two sensors at a rate 16 times faster than a standard webcam, and that these data are in a form which can be rapidly processed using readily available classification techniques, suitable for real-time system application. We achieved a 95% correct classification accuracy identifying 133 rooms' flooring from 35 classes, suitable for fast coarse global room localization application, boundary crossing detection, and additionally some degree of surface type identification. PMID:24351647

Floor covering and surface identification for assistive mobile robotic real-time room localization application.

PubMed

Gillham, Michael; Howells, Gareth; Spurgeon, Sarah; McElroy, Ben

2013-12-17

Assistive robotic applications require systems capable of interaction in the human world, a workspace which is highly dynamic and not always predictable. Mobile assistive devices face the additional and complex problem of when and if intervention should occur; therefore before any trajectory assistance is given, the robotic device must know where it is in real-time, without unnecessary disruption or delay to the user requirements. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel robust method for determining room identification from floor features in a real-time computational frame for autonomous and assistive robotics in the human environment. We utilize two inexpensive sensors: an optical mouse sensor for straightforward and rapid, texture or pattern sampling, and a four color photodiode light sensor for fast color determination. We show how data relating floor texture and color obtained from typical dynamic human environments, using these two sensors, compares favorably with data obtained from a standard webcam. We show that suitable data can be extracted from these two sensors at a rate 16 times faster than a standard webcam, and that these data are in a form which can be rapidly processed using readily available classification techniques, suitable for real-time system application. We achieved a 95% correct classification accuracy identifying 133 rooms' flooring from 35 classes, suitable for fast coarse global room localization application, boundary crossing detection, and additionally some degree of surface type identification.

Durable improvements in efficiency, safety, and satisfaction in the operating room.

PubMed

Heslin, Martin J; Doster, Barbara E; Daily, Sandra L; Waldrum, Michael R; Boudreaux, Arthur M; Smith, A Blair; Peters, Glenn; Ragan, Debbie B; Buchalter, Scott; Bland, Kirby I; Rue, Loring W

2008-05-01

Enhanced productivity and efficiency in the operating room must be balanced with patient safety and staff satisfaction. In December 2004, transition to an expanded replacement hospital resulted in mandatory overtime, unpredictable work hours, and poor morale among operating room (OR) staff. A staff-retention crisis resulted, which threatened the viability of the OR and the institution. We report the changes implemented to efficiently deliver safe patient care in a supportive environment for surgeons and OR staff. University of Alabama at Birmingham University Hospital OR data were evaluated for fiscal year 2004 and compared with fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Case volumes, number of operational ORs, and on-time case starts were evaluated. OR adverse events were tabulated. Percentage of registered nurse hires and staff departures served as a proxy for staff satisfaction. Short, intermediate, and longterm strategies were implemented by an engaged OR management committee with the guidance of surgical, anesthesia, and hospital leadership. These included new block time release policies; use of traveling nurses until new staff could be hired and trained; and incentive-based, voluntary, employee-scheduled overtime. Mandatory nursing education time was blocked weekly. Enforcement of the National Patient Safety Goals were implemented and adjudicated with a "surgeon-of-the-day" system providing backup for nurse management. We demonstrated an increase in operations per year, on-time starts, and registered nurse hires in fiscal years 2005 and 2006. During this same time, we were able to markedly decrease the number of adverse events, admitting delays, and staff departures. Change is difficult to accept but essential when vital clinical activities are impaired and at risk. To maintain important clinical environments like the OR in an academic center, we developed and implemented effective, data-driven changes. This allowed us to retain critical human resources and restore a supportive environment for the patients, the doctors, and the staff.

C-arm positioning using virtual fluoroscopy for image-guided surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Silva, T.; Punnoose, J.; Uneri, A.; Goerres, J.; Jacobson, M.; Ketcha, M. D.; Manbachi, A.; Vogt, S.; Kleinszig, G.; Khanna, A. J.; Wolinsky, J.-P.; Osgood, G.; Siewerdsen, J. H.

2017-03-01

Introduction: Fluoroscopically guided procedures often involve repeated acquisitions for C-arm positioning at the cost of radiation exposure and time in the operating room. A virtual fluoroscopy system is reported with the potential of reducing dose and time spent in C-arm positioning, utilizing three key advances: robust 3D-2D registration to a preoperative CT; real-time forward projection on GPU; and a motorized mobile C-arm with encoder feedback on C-arm orientation. Method: Geometric calibration of the C-arm was performed offline in two rotational directions (orbit α, orbit β). Patient registration was performed using image-based 3D-2D registration with an initially acquired radiograph of the patient. This approach for patient registration eliminated the requirement for external tracking devices inside the operating room, allowing virtual fluoroscopy using commonly available systems in fluoroscopically guided procedures within standard surgical workflow. Geometric accuracy was evaluated in terms of projection distance error (PDE) in anatomical fiducials. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the utility of virtual fluoroscopy to aid C-arm positioning in image guided surgery, assessing potential improvements in time, dose, and agreement between the virtual and desired view. Results: The overall geometric accuracy of DRRs in comparison to the actual radiographs at various C-arm positions was PDE (mean ± std) = 1.6 ± 1.1 mm. The conventional approach required on average 8.0 ± 4.5 radiographs spent "fluoro hunting" to obtain the desired view. Positioning accuracy improved from 2.6o ± 2.3o (in α) and 4.1o ± 5.1o (in β) in the conventional approach to 1.5o ± 1.3o and 1.8o ± 1.7o, respectively, with the virtual fluoroscopy approach. Conclusion: Virtual fluoroscopy could improve accuracy of C-arm positioning and save time and radiation dose in the operating room. Such a system could be valuable to training of fluoroscopy technicians as well as intraoperative use in fluoroscopically guided procedures.

A Photoactivated Gas Detector for Toluene Sensing at Room Temperature Based on New Coral-Like ZnO Nanostructure Arrays

PubMed Central

Yeh, Li-Ko; Luo, Jie-Chun; Chen, Min-Chun; Wu, Chih-Hung; Chen, Jian-Zhang; Cheng, I-Chun; Hsu, Cheng-Che; Tian, Wei-Cheng

2016-01-01

A photoactivated gas detector operated at room temperature was microfabricated using a simple hydrothermal method. We report that the photoactivated gas detector can detect toluene using a UV illumination of 2 μW/cm2. By ultraviolet (UV) illumination, gas detectors sense toluene at room temperature without heating. A significant enhancement of detector sensitivity is achieved because of the high surface-area-to-volume ratio of the morphology of the coral-like ZnO nanorods arrays (NRAs) and the increased number of photo-induced oxygen ions under UV illumination. The corresponding sensitivity (ΔR/R0) of the detector based on coral-like ZnO NRAs is enhanced by approximately 1022% compared to that of thin-film detectors. The proposed detector greatly extends the dynamic range of detection of metal-oxide-based detectors for gas sensing applications. We report the first-ever detection of toluene with a novel coral-like NRAs gas detector at room temperature. A sensing mechanism model is also proposed to explain the sensing responses of gas detectors based on coral-like ZnO NRAs. PMID:27809222

A Photoactivated Gas Detector for Toluene Sensing at Room Temperature Based on New Coral-Like ZnO Nanostructure Arrays.

PubMed

Yeh, Li-Ko; Luo, Jie-Chun; Chen, Min-Chun; Wu, Chih-Hung; Chen, Jian-Zhang; Cheng, I-Chun; Hsu, Cheng-Che; Tian, Wei-Cheng

2016-10-31

A photoactivated gas detector operated at room temperature was microfabricated using a simple hydrothermal method. We report that the photoactivated gas detector can detect toluene using a UV illumination of 2 μW/cm². By ultraviolet (UV) illumination, gas detectors sense toluene at room temperature without heating. A significant enhancement of detector sensitivity is achieved because of the high surface-area-to-volume ratio of the morphology of the coral-like ZnO nanorods arrays (NRAs) and the increased number of photo-induced oxygen ions under UV illumination. The corresponding sensitivity (ΔR/R₀) of the detector based on coral-like ZnO NRAs is enhanced by approximately 1022% compared to that of thin-film detectors. The proposed detector greatly extends the dynamic range of detection of metal-oxide-based detectors for gas sensing applications. We report the first-ever detection of toluene with a novel coral-like NRAs gas detector at room temperature. A sensing mechanism model is also proposed to explain the sensing responses of gas detectors based on coral-like ZnO NRAs.

Room temperature CO and H2 sensing with carbon nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kim, Daegyu; Pikhitsa, Peter V; Yang, Hongjoo; Choi, Mansoo

2011-12-02

We report on a shell-shaped carbon nanoparticle (SCNP)-based gas sensor that reversibly detects reducing gas molecules such as CO and H(2) at room temperature both in air and inert atmosphere. Crystalline SCNPs were synthesized by laser-assisted reactions in pure acetylene gas flow, chemically treated to obtain well-dispersed SCNPs and then patterned on a substrate by the ion-induced focusing method. Our chemically functionalized SCNP-based gas sensor works for low concentrations of CO and H(2) at room temperature even without Pd or Pt catalysts commonly used for splitting H(2) molecules into reactive H atoms, while metal oxide gas sensors and bare carbon-nanotube-based gas sensors for sensing CO and H(2) molecules can operate only at elevated temperatures. A pristine SCNP-based gas sensor was also examined to prove the role of functional groups formed on the surface of functionalized SCNPs. A pristine SCNP gas sensor showed no response to reducing gases at room temperature but a significant response at elevated temperature, indicating a different sensing mechanism from a chemically functionalized SCNP sensor.

Use of linear programming to estimate impact of changes in a hospital's operating room time allocation on perioperative variable costs.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Blake, John T; Penning, Donald H; Sloan, Brian; Chung, Patricia; Lubarsky, David A

2002-03-01

Administrators at hospitals with a fixed annual budget may want to focus surgical services on priority areas to ensure its community receives the best health services possible. However, many hospitals lack the detailed managerial accounting data needed to ensure that such a change does not increase operating costs. The authors used a detailed hospital cost database to investigate by how much a change in allocations of operating room (OR) time among surgeons can increase perioperative variable costs. The authors obtained financial data for all patients who underwent outpatient or same-day admit surgery during a year. Linear programming was used to determine by how much changing the mix of surgeons can increase total variable costs while maintaining the same total hours of OR time for elective cases. Changing OR allocations among surgeons without changing total OR hours allocated will likely increase perioperative variable costs by less than 34%. If, in addition, intensive care unit hours for elective surgical cases are not increased, hospital ward occupancy is capped, and implant use is tracked and capped, perioperative costs will likely increase by less than 10%. These four variables predict 97% of the variance in total variable costs. The authors showed that changing OR allocations among surgeons without changing total OR hours allocated can increase hospital perioperative variable costs by up to approximately one third. Thus, at hospitals with fixed or nearly fixed annual budgets, allocating OR time based on an OR-based statistic such as utilization can adversely affect the hospital financially. The OR manager can reduce the potential increase in costs by considering not just OR time, but also the resulting use of hospital beds and implants.

Indoor air quality analysis based on Hadoop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuo, Wang; Yunhua, Sun; Song, Tian; Liang, Yu; Weihong, Cui

2014-03-01

The air of the office environment is our research object. The data of temperature, humidity, concentrations of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and ammonia are collected peer one to eight seconds by the sensor monitoring system. And all the data are stored in the Hbase database of Hadoop platform. With the help of HBase feature of column-oriented store and versioned (automatically add the time column), the time-series data sets are bulit based on the primary key Row-key and timestamp. The parallel computing programming model MapReduce is used to process millions of data collected by sensors. By analysing the changing trend of parameters' value at different time of the same day and at the same time of various dates, the impact of human factor and other factors on the room microenvironment is achieved according to the liquidity of the office staff. Moreover, the effective way to improve indoor air quality is proposed in the end of this paper.

Batch Fabrication of Ultrasensitive Carbon Nanotube Hydrogen Sensors with Sub-ppm Detection Limit.

PubMed

Xiao, Mengmeng; Liang, Shibo; Han, Jie; Zhong, Donglai; Liu, Jingxia; Zhang, Zhiyong; Peng, Lianmao

2018-04-27

Carbon nanotube (CNT) has been considered as an ideal channel material for building highly sensitive gas sensors. However, the reported H 2 sensors based on CNT always suffered from the low sensitivity or low production. We developed the technology to massively fabricate ultra-highly sensitive H 2 sensors based on solution derived CNT network through comprehensive optimization of the CNT material, device structure, and fabrication process. In the H 2 sensors, high semiconducting purity solution-derived CNT film sorted by poly[9-(1-octylonoyl)-9 H-carbazole-2,7-diyl](PCz) is used as the main channel, which is decorated with Pd nanoparticles as functionalization for capturing H 2 . Meanwhile, Ti contacts are used to form a Schottky barrier for enhancing transferred charge-induced resistance change, and then a response of resistance change by 3 orders of magnitude is achieved at room temperature under the concentration of ∼311 ppm with a very fast response time of approximately 7 s and a detection limit of 890 ppb, which is the highest response to date for CNT H 2 sensors and the very first time to show the sub-ppm detection for H 2 at room temperature. Furthermore, the detection limit concentration can be improved to 89 ppb at 100 °C. The batch fabrication of CNT film H 2 sensors with ultra-high sensitivity and high uniformity is ready to promote CNT devices to application for the first time in some specialized field.