The development of a guideline of care for patients with a Sengstaken-Blakemore Tube insitu in a general Intensive Care Unit using translational change theory

Aims & Objectives - identify and diagnose the current problems associated with patient care with regard to the nursing management of patients with Sengstaken-Blakemore tubes insitu; - Identify current nursing practice currently in place within the ICU and the hospital; identify the method by which the assessment and provision of nursing care is delivered in the ICU

Experimental Studies on Drop Formation at the Tip of Melting Rods

Drop formation at the conical tips of melting rods has been experimentally studied using the transparent wax-alcohol/acetonitrile system. The effects of cone angle, rod diameter, immersion depth, and bath temperature on the detached drop mass have been studied over a wide range, besides recording useful qualitative information based on visual observation. The experimental results suggest that the phenomenon of drop formation at the tip of melting rods has a close parallel with the drop formation at conical tips, at least on a qualitative basis. However, the results could not be quantified owing to difficulties in characterizing the physical properties of the system, despite efforts to minimize them.

Theory For The Anomalous Hall Constant Of Mixed-Valence Systems

We show that the large anomalous Hall constants of mixed-valence and Kondo-lattice systems can be understood in terms of a simple resonant-level Fermi-liquid model. Splitting of a narrow, orbitally unquenched, spin-orbit split, f resonance in a magnetic field leads to strong skew scattering of band electrons. We interpret both the anomalous signs and the strong temperature dependence of Hall mobilities in CeCu2Si2, SmB6, and CePd3 in terms of this theory.

Gauge theory of a group of diffeomorphisms. I. General principles

Any (N+M)-parameter Lie group G with an N-parameter subgroup H can be realized as a global group of diffeomorphisms on an M-dimensional base space B, with representations in terms of transformation laws of fields on B belonging to linear representations of H. The gauged generalization of the global diffeomorphisms consists of general diffeomorphisms (or coordinate transformations) on a base space together with a local action of H on the fields. The particular applications of the scheme to space-time symmetries is discussed in terms of Lagrangians, field equations, currents, and source identities. Journal of Mathematical Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Spiroacetal biosynthesis in insects from diptera to hymenoptera: The Giant Ichneumon wasp Megarhyssa nortoni nortoni Cresson

The volatile components of the mandibular gland secretion generated by the Giant Ichneumon parasitoid wasp Megarhyssa nortoni nortoni Cresson are mainly spiroacetals and methyl ketones, and all have an odd number of carbon atoms. A biosynthetic scheme rationalizing the formation of these diverse components is presented. This scheme is based on the results of incorporation studies using 2H-labeled precursors and [18O]dioxygen. The key steps are postulated to be decarboxylation of β-ketoacid equivalents, β-oxidation (chain shortening), and monooxygenase-mediated hydroxylation leading to a putative ketodiol that cyclizes to spiroacetals. The generality of the role of monooxygenases in spiroacetal formation in insects is considered, and overall, a cohesive, internally consistent theory of spiroacetal generation by insects is presented, against which future hypotheses will have to be compared.

Distribution and eradication of an exotic tephritid fruit fly in Australia: Relevance of invasion theory

Data from the eradication of the incursion of Bactrocera papayae Drew and Hancock (Dipt.: Tephritidae) in Australia (1995-1998) are used to assess the significance of various aspects of invasion theory, including the influence of towns on establishment, influence of propagule pressure on the pattern of establishment, and the existence of source-sink dynamics. Because there were no sentinel traps in place, considerable spread had occurred before the eradication campaign started. The distribution of fly density around the epicentre in the town of Cairns and a transect along the main traffic routes to the north and south fitted a Cauchy model with a tail having the same slope as a power model with an exponent of -2.4 extending to 160 km. The Cauchy model indicated that 50% of the flies on the transect would have occurred within 3.2 km of the epicentre, 90% within 13.2 km, and 99% within 60 km. The two major satellites at Mareeba (35 km from the epicentre in Cairns) and Mossman (65 km) were not used for the transect data and had respectively 15 and 30 times the density predicted by the model. The proportion of traps that caught flies (a measure of site occupancy) fell with distance from the epicentre. B. papayae was trapped consistently on only three of the 16 rainforest transects that were surveyed and these were relatively close to urban areas where eradication efforts were intense. Despite there being no eradication effort in the rainforest, the trends to extinction were similar to those in adjacent areas. The strategy of initially concentrating eradication efforts on the core and major satellites while maintaining a quarantine barrier at the airport and the boundaries of the infested area appears to be the key to the containment and rapid eradication of the incursion.

A theory of process modelling affordances

This thesis studies how conceptual process models - that is, graphical documentations of an organisation's business processes - can enable and constrain the actions of their users. The results from case study and experiment indicate that model design decisions and people's characteristics influence how these opportunities for action are perceived and acted upon in practice.

Atmospheric visibility and PM10 as indicators of new particle formation in an urban environment

It is well-known that new particle formation (NPF) in the atmosphere is inhibited by pre-existing particles in the air that act as condensation sinks to decrease the concentration and, thus, the supersaturation of precursor gases. In this study, we investigate the effects of two parameters - atmospheric visibility, expressed as the particle back-scatter coefficient (BSP), and PM10 particulate mass concentration, on the occurrences of NPF events in an urban environment where the majority of precursor gases originate from motor vehicle and industrial sources. This is the first attempt to derive direct relationships between each of these two parameters and the occurrence of NPF. NPF events were identified from data obtained with a neutral cluster and air ion spectrometer over 245 days within a calendar year. Bayesian logistic regression was used to determine the probability of observing NPF as functions of BSP and PM10. We show that the BSP at 08 h on a given day is a reliable indicator of an NPF event later that day. The posterior median probability of observing an NPF event was greater than 0.5 (95%) when the BSP at 08 h was less than 6.8 Mm-1.

Evaluation of driving ability of the disabled persons in the context of the psychological activity theory

In the future the number of the disabled drivers requiring a special evaluation of their driving ability will increase due to the ageing population, as well as the progress of adaptive technology. This places pressure on the development of the driving evaluation system. Despite quite intensive research there is still no consensus concerning what is the factual situation in a driver evaluation (methodology), which measures should be included in an evaluation (methods), and how an evaluation has to be carried out (practise). In order to find answers to these questions we carried out empirical studies, and simultaneously elaborated upon a conceptual model for driving and a driving evaluation. The findings of empirical studies can be condensed into the following points: 1) A driving ability defined by the on-road driving test is associated with different laboratory measures depending on the study groups. Faults in the laboratory tests predicted faults in the on-road driving test in the novice group, whereas slowness in the laboratory predicted driving faults in the experienced drivers group. 2) The Parkinson study clearly showed that even an experienced clinician cannot reliably accomplish an evaluation of a disabled person’s driving ability without collaboration with other specialists. 3) The main finding of the stroke study was that the use of a multidisciplinary team as a source of information harmonises the specialists’ evaluations. 4) The patient studies demonstrated that the disabled persons themselves, as well as their spouses, are as a rule not reliable evaluators. 5) From the safety point of view, perceptible operations with the control devices are not crucial, but correct mental actions which the driver carries out with the help of the control devices are of greatest importance. 6) Personality factors including higher-order needs and motives, attitudes and a degree of self-awareness, particularly a sense of illness, are decisive when evaluating a disabled person’s driving ability. Personality is also the main source of resources concerning compensations for lower-order physical deficiencies and restrictions. From work with the conceptual model we drew the following methodological conclusions: First, the driver has to be considered as a holistic subject of the activity, as a multilevel hierarchically organised system of an organism, a temperament, an individuality, and a personality where the personality is the leading subsystem from the standpoint of safety. Second, driving as a human form of a sociopractical activity, is also a hierarchically organised dynamic system. Third, in an evaluation of driving ability it is a question of matching these two hierarchically organised structures: a subject of an activity and a proper activity. Fourth, an evaluation has to be person centred but not disease-, function- or method centred. On the basis of our study a multidisciplinary team (practitioner, driving school teacher, psychologist, occupational therapist) is recommended for use in demanding driver evaluations. Primary in a driver’s evaluations is a coherent conceptual model while concrete methods of evaluations may vary. However, the on-road test must always be performed if possible.

Griggs' Folly: An Essay on the Theory, Problems, and Origin of the Adverse Impact Definition of Employment Discrimination and a Recommendation for Reform

This Article examines the adverse impact theory of employment discrimination under Title VII. The author begins by discussing the development of adverse impact in the case law, and by scrutinizing its theoretical underpinnings. He demonstrates that Congress did not intend to mandate adoption of adverse impact theory when it established Title VII. The author then argues that the Courts have exceeded their authority under Title VII by embracing the theory of adverse impact. He concludes that the courts should therefore return to a narrower theory of employment discrimination, namely, a theory based on the legal concept of “intent.”

Resonances, scattering theory, and rigged Hilbert spaces

The problem of decaying states and resonances is examined within the framework of scattering theory in a rigged Hilbert space formalism. The stationary free,''in,'' and ''out'' eigenvectors of formal scattering theory, which have a rigorous setting in rigged Hilbert space, are considered to be analytic functions of the energy eigenvalue. The value of these analytic functions at any point of regularity, real or complex, is an eigenvector with eigenvalue equal to the position of the point. The poles of the eigenvector families give origin to other eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian: the singularities of the ''out'' eigenvector family are the same as those of the continued S matrix, so that resonances are seen as eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian with eigenvalue equal to their location in the complex energy plane. Cauchy theorem then provides for expansions in terms of ''complete'' sets of eigenvectors with complex eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian. Applying such expansions to the survival amplitude of a decaying state, one finds that resonances give discrete contributions with purely exponential time behavior; the background is of course present, but explicitly separated. The resolvent of the Hamiltonian, restricted to the nuclear space appearing in the rigged Hilbert space, can be continued across the absolutely continuous spectrum; the singularities of the continuation are the same as those of the ''out'' eigenvectors. The free, ''in'' and ''out'' eigenvectors with complex eigenvalues and those corresponding to resonances can be approximated by physical vectors in the Hilbert space, as plane waves can. The need for having some further physical information in addition to the specification of the total Hamiltonian is apparent in the proposed framework. The formalism is applied to the Lee–Friedrichs model and to the scattering of a spinless particle by a local central potential. Journal of Mathematical Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Reactivity in the spinel formation reaction in CuO/Al2O3, Fe2O3, Cr2O3 systems

Abstract is not available.