Experimental realization of transverse mode conversion using optically induced transient long-period gratings

We present the experimental realization of transverse mode conversion in an optical fiber via an optically induced long-period grating. The transient gratings are generated by femtosecond laser pulses, exploiting the Kerr effect to translate intensity patterns emerging from multimode interference into a spatial refractive index modulation. Since these modulations exist only while the pump beam is present, they can be used for optical switching of transverse modes. As only a localized part of the grating was written at a time and the probe beam was co-propagating with the pump beam the required pulse energies could be reduced to 120\,nJ which is about a factor of 600 lower than in previous quasi-continuous-wave experiments. Accompanying numerical simulations allow a better understanding of the involved effects and show excellent agreement to the experimental results

Magnetic phase diagram and transport properties of FeGe_2

We have used resistivity measurements to study the magnetic phase diagram of the itinerant antiferromagnet FeGe_2 in the temperature range from 0.3->300 K in magnetic fields up to 16 T. In contrast to theoretical predictions, the incommensurate spin density wave phase is found to be stable at least up to 16 T, with an estimated critical field \mu _0H_c of ~ 30 T. We have also studied the low temperature magnetoresistance in the [100], [110], and [001] directions. The transverse magnetoresistance is well described by a power law for magnetic fields above 1 T with no saturation observed at high fields. We discuss our results in terms of the magnetic structure and the calculated electronic bandstructure of FeGe_2. We have also observed, for the first time in this compound, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in the transverse magnetoresistance with a frequency of 190 +- 10 T for a magnetic field along [001].Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX, 7 postscript figures, to appear in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Chronic Kidney Disease in Chile: Analysis of the present and future burden of the disease in the Chilean adult population

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a leading public health problem, with substantial health and economic implications for the healthcare system and patients in Chile. I analysed the current prevalence of CKD in Chile, and estimated the future health and economic burden of the disease, at both population and individual level. Methods: First, I analysed two nationally representative Chilean Health Surveys. Secondly, I developed a dynamic stock and flow model to simulate the progression of CKD at a population level. Thirdly, I adapted the Schlackow and colleagues’ CKD-cardiovascular disease (CVD) model using Chilean data to estimate the impact of CKD at the individual level. All the models were developed and adapted using representative Chilean data and adopted the perspective of the Chilean public healthcare system. Results: Overall, 3.2% of adults aged 18+ had reduced kidney function. 15.4% of adults aged 40+ years had CKD Stages 1-5, including the 9.6% of adults at CKD Stages 1-2. By the year 2050, there is an expected increase in cases of CKD, from 452,198 to 710,377. Direct costs would increase from 227.7M GBP in 2020 to 786.2M GBP in 2050, especially due to the rise in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) cases. A reduction in the proportion of fast progressors would decrease the number of individuals worsening to stages 5 and ESKD, thus reducing the total costs of CKD. At an individual level, on average, an adult aged 64 in ESKD has 4.2 fewer life-years and 3.2 fewer quality-adjusted life-years compared with an individual in CKD stage 3b at baseline. Conclusions: Chilean guidelines should consider the high percentage of adults at early CKD stages. There is a need to develop effective preventive and treatment plans to reduce prevalence and delay the progression of CKD and thus the burden and costs of the disease in Chile

The effect of the regular solution model in the condensation of protoplanetary dust

We utilize a chemical equilibrium code in order to study the condensation process which occurs in protoplanetary discs during the formation of the first solids. The model specifically focuses on the thermodynamic behaviour on the solid species assuming the regular solution model. For each solution, we establish the relationship between the activity of the species, the composition and the temperature using experimental data from the literature. We then apply the Gibbs free energy minimization method and study the resulting condensation sequence for a range of temperatures and pressures within a protoplanetary disc. Our results using the regular solution model show that grains condense over a large temperature range and therefore throughout a large portion of the disc. In the high temperature region (T > 1400 K) Ca-Al compounds dominate and the formation of corundum is sensitive to the pressure. The mid-temperature region is dominated by Fe(s) and silicates such as Mg2SiO4 and MgSiO3 . The chemistry of forsterite and enstatite are strictly related, and our simulations show a sequence of forsterite-enstatite-forsterite with decreasing temperature. In the low temperature regions (T < 600 K) a range of iron compounds and sulfides form. We also run simulations using the ideal solution model and see clear differences in the resulting condensation sequences with changing solution model In particular, we find that the turning point in which forsterite replaces enstatite in the low temperature region is sensitive to the solution model. Our results show that the ideal solution model is often a poor approximation to experimental data at most temperatures important in protoplanetary discs. We find some important differences in the resulting condensation sequences when using the regular solution model, and suggest that this model should provide a more realistic condensation sequence.Comment: MNRAS: Accepted 2011 February 16. Received 2011 February 14; in original form 2010 July 2

Bis(benzo-15-crown-5-κ5 O)strontium bis­(triiodide)

The title compound, [Sr(C14H20O5)2](I3)2, obtained by slow evaporation of an ethanol/dichloro­methane solution (1:1) of SrCl2, benzo-15-crown-5 and I2, is built of sandwich-like [Sr(benzo-15-crown-5)2]2+ cations and isolated linear I3 − anions which are arranged in alternating layers parallel to (010). The triiodide anions are located in general positions, whereas the cations are located on centres of inversion

results of a mixed methods pilot study

Background ‘Kneipp Therapy’ (KT) is a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) that includes a combination of hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, physical activities, and healthy eating. Since 2007, some nursing homes for older adults in Germany began to integrate CAM in the form of KT in care. The study investigated how KT is used in daily routine care and explored the health status of residents and caregivers involved in KT. Methods We performed a cross-sectional pilot study with a mixed methods approach that collected both quantitative and qualitative data in four German nursing homes in 2011. Assessments in the quantitative component included the Quality of Life in Dementia (QUALIDEM), the Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), the Barthel-Index for residents and the Work Ability Index (WAI) and SF-12 for caregivers. The qualitative component addressed the residents’ and caregivers’ subjectively experienced changes after integration of KT. It was conceptualized as an ethnographic rapid appraisal by conducting participant observation and semi-structured interviews in two of the four nursing homes. Results The quantitative component included 64 residents (53 female, 83.2 ± 8.1 years (mean and SD)) and 29 caregivers (all female, 42.0 ± 11.7 years). Residents were multimorbid (8 ± 3 diagnoses), and activities of daily living were restricted (Barthel-Index 60.6 ± 24.4). The caregivers’ results indicated good work ability (WAI 37.4 ± 5.1), health related quality of life was superior to the German sample (SF-12 physical CSS 49.2 ± 8.0; mental CSS 54.1 ± 6.6). Among both caregivers and residents, 89% considered KT to be positive for well-being. The qualitative analysis showed that caregivers perceived emotional and functional benefits from more content and calmer residents, a larger variety in basic care practices, and a more self-determined scope of action. Residents reported gains in attention and caring, and recognition of their lay knowledge. Conclusion Residents showed typical characteristics of nursing home inhabitants. Caregivers demonstrated good work ability. Both reported to have benefits from KT. The results provide a good basis for future projects, e.g. controlled studies to evaluate the effects of CAM in nursing homes

Neue Poly(inter)halogenide mit Kronenether-stabilisierten Kationen

Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Synthese und Charakterisierung neuer Polyhalogenide. Während Polyiodidverbindungen ein bereits gut untersuchtes Forschungsgebiet darstellen, sind im Bereich der Polyhalogenide nur wenige Kristallstrukturen bekannt. Komplexe Kronenetherkationen haben sich bislang als geeignet erwiesen, Polyiodidanionen im Festkörper zu stabilisieren. Folglich wurde mit Benzo-15-Krone-5, Benzo-18-Krone-6, Dibenzo-18-Krone-6 und Dibenzo-24-Krone-8 als Liganden für Alkali-, Erdalkali-, Seltenerd-, Ammonium- sowie Oxoniumkationen gearbeitet. Im Bereich der Seltenerd-Kronenetherkationen mit Polyhalogenidanionen konnten sieben neue Verbindungen dargestellt werden, in denen das Seltenerdkation jeweils eine Koordinationszahl von neun aufweist. Je nach Lösungsmittel und Gegenion entstehen Monomere wie in [LaI(DB18K6)(Dme)](I5)2, oder hydroxidverbrückte Dimere, wie sie beispielsweise in [Eu2(OH)2(B18K6)2(CH3CN)2](I3)4 zu beobachten sind. Durch Umsetzung des Dibenzo-24-Krone-8-Liganden mit Iodmonochlorid sowie der Reaktion von Benzo-15-Krone-5-Molekülen mit YI3, Iod und HI konnte die Iodierung an vicinalen Positionen der aromatischen Ringe der Makrozyklen erreicht werden. Mit Hilfe komplexer Kronenetherkationen gelang es, die bislang ersten Oktainterhalogenidanionen in den Kristallstrukturen von [Sr(B15K5)2]I3,77Cl4,23, [NH4(B15K5)2]2I4,24Br3,76 und [NH4(B15K5)2]2I6,67Br1,33 zu stabilisieren. Diese Anionen weisen, wie auch für Polyiodidanionen zu erwarten, eine Z-förmige Gestalt auf und liegen weitgehend isoliert in den Kristallstrukturen vor. Auch das Heptainterhalogenidanion in [H5O2(I4DB24K8)]2(I1,74Cl1,26)2(I2)4 entspricht in seiner Form den Heptaiodidanionen. Im Gegensatz dazu beinhaltet [H5O2(I2B15K5)2]Cl(I2)4 ein völlig neuartiges anionisches Strukturmotiv in Form eines Chloridanions, das von vier Iodmolekülen planar in Kreuzform umgeben ist. Insgesamt konnten 35 neue Kristallstrukturen bestimmt werden. Dabei entstanden 14 Triodide, fünf Interhalogenide, vier Pentaiodide, zwei Hepataiodide und eine Heptainterhalogenidverbindung sowie ein Oktaiodid und drei Oktainterhalogenide. Des Weiteren konnten [Mg(H2O)2(B15K5)3]I5(I8)1/2 und [Lu(H2O)3(DB18K6)(Thf)6]4(I3)2(I5)6(I8)(I12) als gemischt-anionische Verbindungen, sowie der Co-Kristall DB24K8∙I2 und [H5O2(DB24K8)]2[Pd2I6(I2)] dargestellt und strukturell charakterisiert werden. Von ausgewählten Verbindungen wurden Raman- und FIR-Spektren aufgenommen

Consenso multidisciplinario sobre el uso de inhibidores de SGLT-2 (iSGLT-2) en la práctica clínica chilena mediante metodología GRADE (Resumen Ejecutivo)

El consenso chileno sobre el uso de inhibidores de SGLT-2 (iSGLT-2) en la práctica clínica, elaborado conjuntamente por las sociedades Chilenas de Cardiología, Diabetes, Medicina Familiar y Nefrología, recomienda fuertemente el uso de estos fármacos en personas con insuficiencia cardíaca y fracción de eyección reducida, diabetes mellitus tipo 2 para prevención de eventos cardiovasculares y evitar la progresión de enfermedad renal crónica. En insuficiencia cardíaca con fracción de eyección conservada o levemente reducida, y enfermedad renal crónica sin diabetes, el consenso sugiere el uso de iSGLT-2. Se destaca la importancia de combinar iSGLT-2 con IECAs o ARA-II en enfermedad renal crónica, y se recomienda su uso en reemplazo de sulfonilureas como segunda línea para control glicémico en diabetes tipo 2. El consenso enfatiza la necesidad de estrategias para optimizar el diagnóstico, mejorar la adherencia y educar sobre los beneficios más allá del control glicémico. Se discuten consideraciones de seguridad y costo-efectividad para una implementación priorizada según la evidencia. El documento resalta la importancia de la colaboración multidisciplinaria y la generación de evidencia local para aprovechar al máximo el potencial de estos fármacos en el manejo de condiciones cardiometabólicas complejas en Chil

Projection of the health and economic impacts of Chronic kidney disease in the Chilean population

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a leading public health problem, with substantial burden and economic implications for healthcare systems, mainly due to renal replacement treatment (RRT) for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The aim of this study is to develop a multistate predictive model to estimate the future burden of CKD in Chile, given the high and rising RRT rates, population ageing, and prevalence of comorbidities contributing to CKD. // Methods: A dynamic stock and flow model was developed to simulate CKD progression in the Chilean population aged 40 years and older, up to the year 2041, adopting the perspective of the Chilean public healthcare system. The model included six states replicating progression of CKD, which was assumed in 1-year cycles and was categorised as slow, medium or fast progression, based on the underlying conditions. We simulated two different treatment scenarios. Only direct costs of treatment were included, and a 3% per year discount rate was applied after the first year. We calibrated the model based on international evidence; the exploration of uncertainty (95% credibility intervals) was undertaken with probabilistic sensitivity analysis. // Results: By the year 2041, there is an expected increase in cases of CKD stages 3a to ESKD, ceteris paribus, from 442,265 (95% UI 441,808–442,722) in 2021 to 735,513 (734,455–736,570) individuals. Direct costs of CKD stages 3a to ESKD would rise from 322.4M GBP (321.7–323.1) in 2021 to 1,038.6M GBP (1,035.5–1,041.8) in 2041. A reduction in the progression rates of the disease by the inclusion of SGLT2 inhibitors and pre-dialysis treatment would decrease the number of individuals worsening to stages 5 and ESKD, thus reducing the total costs of CKD by 214.6M GBP in 2041 to 824.0M GBP (822.7–825.3). // Conclusions: This model can be a useful tool for healthcare planning, with development of preventive or treatment plans to reduce and delay the progression of the disease and thus the anticipated increase in the healthcare costs of CKD