86,665 research outputs found
Palliative Sedation for the Terminally Ill Patient
No full textPalliative sedation (PS) is performed in the terminally ill patient to manage one or more refractory symptoms. Proportional PS, which means that drugs can be titrated to the minimum effective dose, is the form most widely used. From a quarter to a third of all terminally ill patients undergo PS, with a quarter of these requiring continuous deep sedation. The prevalence of PS varies according to the care setting and case mix. The most frequent refractory physical symptoms are delirium and dyspnea, but PS is also considered for existential suffering or psychological distress, which is an extremely difficult and delicate issue to deal with. Active consensus from the patient and advanced care planning is recommended for PS. The decision-making process concerning the continuation or withdrawal of other treatments is not the same as that used for PS. The practice differs totally from euthanasia in its intentions, procedures, and results. The most widely used drugs are midazolam and haloperidol for refractory delirium, but chlorpromazine and other neuroleptics are also effective. In conclusion, some patients experience refractory symptoms during the last hours or days of life and PS is a medical intervention aimed at managing this unbearable suffering. It does not have a detrimental effect on survival
A large deviation approach to super-critical bootstrap percolation on the random graph $G_{n.,p}
No full textWe consider the Erd\"{o}s--R\'{e}nyi random graph and we analyze the simple irreversible epidemic process on the graph, known in the literature as bootstrap percolation.
We give a quantitative version of some results by Janson et al. (2012), providing a fine asymptotic analysis of the final size of active nodes, under a suitable
super-critical regime. More specifically, we establish large deviation principles for the sequence of random variables with explicit rate functions and allowing the scaling function to vary in the widest possible range
Pd–Cu interaction in Pd/Cu-MCM-41 catalysts: Effect of silica source and metal content
No full textPd/Cu-MCM-41 catalysts for the hydrodechlorination of CF3OCFClCF2Cl to CF3OCFCF2 were prepared. Palladium- and copper-containing samples (Pd/Cu = 1 molar ratio) were synthesized by adding Pd2+ and Cu2+ during the formation of MCM-41, and then the slurries were aged by microwave-hydrothermal treatment. The effect of the silica source (silicates or TEOS) and total metal loading (2.4 and 4.0 wt.%) on the chemical–physical properties and catalytic performances was studied. Bimetallic silicate-derived samples show features similar to those of the pristine MCM-41, regardless of the total metal content. Conversely, the long-range order of the mesoporous structure decreases for TEOS-derived catalysts, and large metal contents seem to alter the structure for these materials. During template removal by thermal treatment, palladium and copper are on the surface of MCM-41 particles, forming Pd1−xCuxO solid solutions whose composition is silica source-dependent. The amount of copper in Pd1−xCuxO is greater for TEOS-derived samples. After reduction, both Pd- and Cu-enriched alloys were found by XRD in silicate-derived samples, while XPS measurements indicated that the surface of the catalyst is enriched with copper. XRD and XPS analyses on TEOS samples indicated that the surface Cu/Pd ratio is closer to 1, and fcc PdCu alloys with a high copper content were identified. The composition of metallic particles modifies the selectivity, TEOS-derived catalysts being more selective to the target CF3OCFCF2.Fil: Benito, Patricia Virginia. Università di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Gregori, Manuel. Università di Bologna; Italia. R&D Centre. Solvay Specialty Polymers SpA; ItaliaFil: Andreoli, Sara. Università di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Fornasari, Giuseppe. Università di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Ospitali, Francesca. Università di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Millefanti, Stefano. R&D Centre. Solvay Specialty Polymers SpA; ItaliaFil: Avila, Maria Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica ; ArgentinaFil: Garetto, Teresita Francisca. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones en Catálisis y Petroquímica ; ArgentinaFil: Albonetti, Stefania. Università di Bologna; Itali
Performance Analysis of 802.11 WLANs under Sporadic Traffic
No full textAbstract. We analyze the performance of 802.11 WLANs that employ the Distributed Coordination Function (DCF). We consider contending stations within radio proximity, and investigate the case in which stations operate under nonsaturated conditions. Our modelling technique can be used to study several important issues in 802.11 networks, such as the impact of bursty traffic and the system performance in a multirate environment. The accuracy of the analytical results is verified by simulation with ns-2.
Optimization of scuba diving activities in a Mediterranean marine protected area based on benthic vulnerability assessment
No full textScuba diving has become an increasingly popular recreational activity, involving approximately 6 million active divers worldwide.The high frequency of diving can impact the benthic communities of marine protected areas (MPAs), possibly jeopardizing the beneficial effects of protection.The Portofino MPA, in the Ligurian Sea, is one of the main scuba diving destinations in Europe, with up to 40,000 dives per year concentrated along 6.5 km of coast.The vulnerability of megabenthic (i.e. animals larger than 5 cm) communities to scuba diving impacts was evaluated at four different depths at all MPA diving spots with close attention to the fragility of all observed species, their frequency in the transects and the inclination and type of substrates.The most vulnerable spots lie below 30-m depth and are characterized by complex coralligenous biocoenoses rich in erect, fragile carbonatic species.The results allowed scuba diving management within the MPA to be optimized. Two main responses have already been put in place: (i) the promotion of a mandatory course for 'Underwater Environmental Supervisors' directed at local divemasters, instructors and owners of diving centres; and (ii) the proposal for the application of conservation measures to scuba diving activities
Variations on the Author
No full text“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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