Nurse prescribing of medicines in 13 European countries

Background: Nurse prescribing of medicines is increasing worldwide, but there is limited research in Europe. The objective of this study was to analyse which countries in Europe have adopted laws on nurse prescribing. Methods: Cross-country comparative analysis of reforms on nurse prescribing, based on an expert survey (TaskShift2Nurses Survey) and an OECD study. Country experts provided country-specific information, which was complemented with the peer-reviewed and grey literature. The analysis was based on policy and thematic analyses. Results: In Europe, as of 2019, a total of 13 countries have adopted laws on nurse prescribing, of which 12 apply nationwide (Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom (UK)) and one regionally, to the Canton Vaud (Switzerland). Eight countries adopted laws since 2010. The extent of prescribing rights ranged from nearly all medicines within nurses’ specialisations (Ireland for nurse prescribers, Netherlands for nurse specialists, UK for independent nurse prescribers) to a limited set of medicines (Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden). All countries have regulatory and minimum educational requirements in place to ensure patient safety; the majority require some form of physician oversight. Conclusions: The role of nurses has expanded in Europe over the last decade, as demonstrated by the adoption of new laws on prescribing rights.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel - 201

Cluster induced quenching of galaxies in the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 traced by enhanced metallicities inside half R200

(Abridged) We explore the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 with KMOS spectroscopy of Halpha and [NII] covering a region that corresponds to about one virial radius. Using published spectroscopic redshifts of 108 galaxies in and around the cluster we computed the location of galaxies in the projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into a virialized region of objects accreted longer ago (roughly inside half R200) and a region of infalling galaxies. We measured oxygen abundances for ten cluster galaxies with detected [NII] lines in the individual galaxy spectra and compared the MZR of the galaxies inside half R200 with the infalling galaxies and a field sample at similar redshifts. We find that the oxygen abundances of individual z~1.5 star-forming cluster galaxies inside half R200 are comparable, at the respective stellar mass, to the higher local SDSS metallicity values. We find that the [NII]/Halpha line ratios inside half R200 are higher by 0.2 dex and that the resultant metallicities of the galaxies in the inner part of the cluster are higher by about 0.1 dex, at a given mass, than the metallicities of infalling galaxies and of field galaxies at z~1.5. The enhanced metallicities of cluster galaxies at z~1.5 inside half R200 indicate that the density of the ICM in this massive cluster becomes high enough toward the cluster center such that the ram pressure exceeds the restoring pressure of the hot gas reservoir of cluster galaxies. This can remove the gas reservoir initiating quenching; although the galaxies continue to form stars, albeit at slightly lower rates, using the available cold gas in the disk which is not stripped.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Unfolding and unzipping of single-stranded DNA by stretching

We present a theoretical study of single-stranded DNA under stretching. Within the proposed framework, the effects of basepairing on the mechanical response of the molecule can be studied in combination with an arbitrary underlying model of chain elasticity. In a generic case, we show that the stretching curve of ssDNA exhibits two distinct features: the second-order "unfolding" phase transition, and a sharp crossover, reminiscent of the first-order "unzipping" transition in dsDNA. We apply the theory to the particular cases of Worm-like Chain (WLC) and Freely-Joint Chain (FJC) models, and discuss the universal and model--dependent features of the mechanical response of ssDNA. In particular, we show that variation of the width of the unzipping crossover with interaction strength is very sensitive to the energetics of hairpin loops. This opens a new way of testing the elastic properties of ssDNA.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, substantially revised versio

Spin pumping in strongly coupled magnon-photon systems

We experimentally investigate magnon-polaritons, arising in ferrimagnetic resonance experiments in a microwave cavity with a tuneable quality factor. To his end, we simultaneously measure the electrically detected spin pumping signal and microwave reflection (the ferrimagnetic resonance signal) of a yttrium iron garnet (YIG) / platinum (Pt) bilayer in the microwave cavity. The coupling strength of the fundamental magnetic resonance mode and the cavity is determined from the microwave reflection data. All features of the magnetic resonance spectra predicted by first principle calculations and an input-output formalism agree with our experimental observations. By changing the decay rate of the cavity at constant magnon-photon coupling rate, we experimentally tune in and out of the strong coupling regime and successfully model the corresponding change of the spin pumping signal. Furthermore, we observe the coupling and spin pumping of several spin wave modes and provide a quantitative analysis of their coupling rates to the cavity.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

The Effect of Focusing and Caustics on Exit Phenomena in Systems Lacking Detailed Balance

We study the trajectories followed by a particle subjected to weak noise when escaping from the domain of attraction of a stable fixed point. If detailed balance is absent, a _focus_ may occur along the most probable exit path, leading to a breakdown of symmetry (if present). The exit trajectory bifurcates, and the exit location distribution may become `skewed' (non-Gaussian). The weak-noise asymptotics of the mean escape time are strongly affected. Our methods extend to the study of skewed exit location distributions in stochastic models without symmetry.Comment: REVTEX macros (latest version). Two accompanying PS figures, one of which is large (over 600K unpacked