Which diagrams and when? Health workers' choice and usage of different diagram types for service improvement

Diagrammatic representations, such as process mapping and care pathways, have been often used for service evaluation and improvement in healthcare. While a broad range of diagrammatic representations exist, their application in healthcare has been very limited. There is a lack of understanding about how and which diagrams could be usable and useful to health workers. In this study, ten mental health workers were asked to discuss positive and negative issues around their service delivery using one or two diagrams of their choice out of seven different diagrams representing their service: care pathway diagram; organisation diagram; communication diagram; service blueprint; patient state transition diagram; free form diagram; geographic map. Their interactions with diagrams were video-taped for analysis. The patient state transition diagram was the most popular choice in spite of relatively low previous familiarity. The overall findings provided insight into a better use of diagrams in healthcare. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Compact Reconfigurable Binary-Decision-Diagram Logic Circuit on a GaAs Nanowire Network

We describe a reconfigurable binary-decision-diagram logic circuit based on Shannon's expansion of Boolean logic function and its graphical representation on a semiconductor nanowire network. The circuit is reconfigured by using programmable switches that electrically connect and disconnect a small number of branches. This circuit has a compact structure with a small number of devices compared with the conventional look-up table architecture. A variable Boolean logic circuit was fabricated on an etched GaAs nanowire network having hexagonal topology with Schottky wrap gates and SiN-based programmable switches, and its correct logic operation together with dynamic reconfiguration was demonstrated.

Phase Diagram of [Amim]Cl plus Salt Aqueous Biphasic Systems and Its Application for [Amim]Cl Recovery

In this study, binodal curves and tie line data of [Amim]Cl + salt (K3PO4, K2HPO4, K2CO3) + water aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) were measured and correlated satisfactorily with the Merchuk equation and Othmer-Tobias and Bancroft equations, respectively. [Amim]Cl could be recovered from aqueous solutions using the ABS, and the recovery efficiency could reach 96.80%. The recovery efficiency was influenced by the concentrations of the salts and their Homeister series: K3PO4 > K2HPO4 > K2CO3. Our method provides a new and effective route for the recovery of hydrophilic IL using [Amim]Cl + salt + water ABS from aqueous solutions.

Study of morphology and phase diagram of the H-shaped (AC)B(CA) ternary block copolymers using self-consistent field theory

By using a combinatorial screening method based on the self-consistent field theory (SCFT) for polymer systems, the micro-phase morphologies of the H-shaped (AC)B(CA) ternary block copolymer system are studied in three-dimensional (3D) space. By systematically varying the volume fractions of the components A, B, and C, six triangle phase diagrams of this H-shaped (AC)B(CA) ternary block copolymer system with equal interaction energies among the three components are constructed from the weaker segregation regime to the strong segregation regime, In this study, thirteen 3D micro-phase morphologies for this H-shaped ternary block copolymer system are identified to be stable and seven 3D microphase morphologies are found to be metastable.

Phase diagram data for several salt plus salt aqueous biphasic systems at 298.15 K

Phase diagrams corresponding to aqueous biphasic systems of salt (the organic ionic liquid of salts [C(4)mim]Cl, [C(6)mim]Cl, and [C(8)mim]Cl) + salt (K3PO4, K2CO3) + water were determined at 298.15 K. The binodal curve was fitted to the Merchuk equation. Tie lines assigned from mass phase ratios according to the lever arm rule were satisfactorily described using the Othmer-Tobias and Bancroft equations.

Comparing the morphology and phase diagram of H-shaped ABC block copolymers and linear ABC block copolymers

By using a combinatorial screening method based on the self-consistent field theory (SCFT) for polymers, we have investigated the morphology of H-shaped ABC block copolymers (A(2)BC(2)) and compared them with those of the linear ABC block copolymers. By changing the ratios of the volume fractions of two A arms and two C arms, one can obtain block copolymers with different architectures ranging from linear block copolymer to H-shaped block copolymer. By systematically varying the volume fractions of block A, B, and C, the triangle phase diagrams of the H-shaped ABC block copolymer with equal interactions among the three species are constructed. In this study, we find four different morphologies ( lamellar phase ( LAM), hexagonal lattice phase ( HEX), core-shell hexagonal lattice phase (CSH), and two interpenetrating tetragonal lattice (TET2)). Furthermore, the order-order transitions driven by architectural change are discussed.

STUDY ON FUSIBILITY DIAGRAMS CONTAINING LICL AND PHASE-DIAGRAM OF LICL-KCL-LIF TERNARY BY DIRECT CHLORINATION

In order to avoid the hygroscopicity of LiCl specimem, the method of directly chlorinating Li_2CO_3 with NH_4Cl was successfully introducing into the thermal analysis of the system containing LiCl. The three fusibility diagram of LiCl-KCl, LiClNaCl, LiCl-LiF were determined using the method. The results are in agreement wish the values reported in the literature, and phase diagram of LiCl-KCl-LiF ternary system was constructed based on these results. Temperature of the ternary eutectic, composed of 57.3mol％...

Shaping Inputs to Reduce Vibration: A Vector Diagram Approach

This paper describes a method for limiting vibration in flexible systems by shaping the system inputs. Unlike most previous attempts at input shaping, this method does not require an extensive system model or lengthy numerical computation; only knowledge of the system natural frequency and damping ratio are required. The effectiveness of this method when there are errors in the system model is explored and quantified. An algorithm is presented which, given an upper bound on acceptable residual vibration amplitude, determines a shaping strategy that is insensitive to errors in the estimated natural frequency. A procedure for shaping inputs to systems with input constraints is outlined. The shaping method is evaluated by dynamic simulations and hardware experiments.