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  • McDonald posted an update 9 months ago

    Over the last two decades, organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices have seen their efficiency increase, while long-term stability and upscaling have been demonstrated for first-generation modules. Since the maturity level of this technology has now improved, techniques for rapid quality control have become relevant. Imaging techniques such as photo- and electroluminescence have already been used for this purpose. However, defects could only be localized either in the active layer or in interface layers, without being able to distinguish between defects located in the ETL from those within the HTL. Here, we present a simple method to unambiguously discriminate between ETL and HTL defects. Furthermore, we demonstrate the strong impact of HTL thickness on the detected photoluminescence signal. Our approach will help avoid misinterpretations in luminescence experiments and gain an understanding of device failure during processing or aging.Background Visceral artery pseudoaneurysms (VA-PSA) occur in necrotizing pancreatitis; however, little is known about their natural history. This study sought to evaluate the incidence and outcomes of VA-PSA in a large cohort of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. Methods Data for patients with necrotizing pancreatitis who were treated between 2005 and 2017 at Indiana University Health University Hospital and who developed a VA-PSA were reviewed to assess incidence, presentation, treatment and outcomes. Results Twenty-eight of 647 patients with necrotizing pancreatitis (4.3%) developed a VA-PSA between 2005 and 2017. The artery most commonly involved was the splenic artery (36%), followed by the gastroduodenal artery (24%). The most common presenting symptom was bloody drain output (32%), followed by incidental computed tomographic findings (21%). The median time from onset of necrotizing pancreatitis to diagnosis of a VA-PSA was 63.5 days (range 1-957 d). Twenty-five of the 28 patients who developed VA-PSA (89%) were successfully treated with percutaneous angioembolization. Three patients (11%) required surgery 1 patient rebled following embolization and required operative management, and 2 underwent upfront operative management. The mortality rate attributable to hemorrhage from a VA-PSA in the setting of necrotizing pancreatitis was 14% (4 of 28 patients). Conclusion In this study, VA-PSA occurred in 4.3% of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. Percutaneous angioembolization effectively treated most cases; however, mortality from VA-PSA was high (14%). A high degree of clinical suspicion remains critical for early diagnosis of this potentially fatal problem.Background For the management of distal radius fractures, surgical decision-making depends on radiographic measurements of indicators including radial inclination (RI), ulnar variance (UV) and radial tilt (RT). Evaluation of the inter- and intrarater reliability of surgeons’ measurements of these criteria has been limited. Methods Twelve physicians were invited to participate in this study. Anonymously, they measured RI, UV and RT on 30 digitally stored radiographs of distal radius fractures on 3 occasions, each at least 1 week apart, using online measuring tools. After taking the third set of measurements, the participants were given a tutorial by the senior author (G.J.) on a single technique to measure all 3 indicators. The participants then took 3 more sets of measurements using only the technique they had been taught. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to evaluate interrater reliability each week. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the effect of the tutorial, controlling for week of study along with reader (participant) and patient variance. Results The ICCs indicated that the participants’ measurement precision improved promptly after the tutorial, and this improvement was sustained through subsequent readings. The odds of an “accurate” measurement (within 2° of the senior author’s measurements for RI, 1 mm for UV and 4° for RT) was 1.7 times higher for RI, 2.7 times higher for UV and 2.3 times higher for RT after the tutorial; all of these results were statistically significant. Conclusion Surgeons ought to be familiar with a method to reproducibly measure the indicators used in the published guidelines for surgical intervention. The tutorial on a single standardized technique for online measurement of RI, UV and RT in distal radius fractures improved measurement precision.Objectives To implement a project of linked pharmacist-provider new patient visits and then evaluate the impact on the productivity of the provider and pharmacist. Study design A clinical pharmacist was integrated into the workflow at 2 sites (sites A and B) of Henry J. see more Austin Health Center, a federally qualified health center, so that new patients were scheduled to see the pharmacist in a 15-minute encounter immediately before a 15-minute encounter with the primary care provider. Methods Reports generated in the electronic health record were downloaded into Microsoft Excel for statistical analysis. Two-sample 2-tailed t tests assuming unequal variances were used to evaluate changes in the mean number of appointments checked in and canceled before and after the project’s implementation to study provider productivity, the primary study outcome. Descriptive statistics were used to report the pharmacist’s productivity. Results Statistically significant increases in the number of checked-in new patient visits and in all visits of any type were observed at site A; however, these changes were not observed at site B. Conclusions The linked visits between the pharmacist and provider allowed for increased provider productivity at 1 of the sites. Based on these results and provider feedback from both sites, this project was viewed as a positive initiative. Scheduling challenges were a barrier to project success at site B.Objectives This study assessed rates of ambulatory care-sensitive condition (ACSC) admissions within a healthcare system to identify areas for intervention. Study design This was a multiyear cross-sectional study using the data warehouse of Clalit Health Services (Clalit), the largest payer/provider healthcare system in Israel, with complete clinical records for more than 4 million members. All admissions from 2009 to 2014 were included in the study. Discharge diagnoses were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Methods We provide adjusted rates (per 100,000 Clalit population adjusted by age and sex to the 2005 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development population) for all admissions, by discharge diagnoses, for each year. We identify the highest adjusted rates (relative and absolute) by both catchment area and hospital affiliation (Clalit or non-Clalit). Results ACSC-related admissions made up 16.2% of all admissions for the 5 years studied, and the overall rate increased by 26.

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