The transition after hospitalization is a vulnerable period when adverse events like unplanned readmissions may occur. Unplanned readmissions with patients undergoing chemotherapy that are the result of gaps in communicating the discharge plan may be preventable. Several transitional care interventions have been explored, and one of these is the nurse discharge phone call. This project explored the effect of a nurse-led transitional discharge phone call within 30-days after hospital discharge on unplanned readmission due to chemotherapy among patients in the medical-oncology compared to patients without a nurse-led transitional discharge phone call. A nurse-led transitional discharge phone call was implemented within 48 to 72 hours after discharge from the medical-oncology unit of a hospital in the northeastern region of United States to determine its effectiveness in reducing the number of unplanned readmissions due to chemotherapy. The Donabedian model, the Iowa model of evidence-based practice to promote quality care, the diffusion of innovation theory, and the health belief model served as the theoretical underpinnings of the project. Seven patients undergoing chemotherapy received the discharge phone call, and none were readmitted due to cancer-related complications. The unplanned hospital readmission rate was 0% compared to the 14.17% in 2017. The findings of this project might contribute to positive social change by helping the community of patients on chemotherapy to have a better transition process through acquiring necessary information for their postdischarge care and thus mitigating the possible causes of unplanned hospital readmission.

The U.S. military has downsized since the early 2000s and has plans to continue to decrease their forces. There are negative implications many veterans experience after discharge. Using the transition theory as the framework for this study, the purpose of this between-groups study was to explore the differences in life satisfaction scores between voluntarily- and involuntarily-discharged U.S. service members and the associations between educational attainment, social support, and length of service. The participants were honorable discharged U.S. service members. A total of 182 participants were included in this study; 141 were voluntarily discharged and 41 were involuntarily discharged. The participants were recruited through Walden's participant pool, flyers, and Facebook. The Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a demographic questionnaire were used to identify participants' life satisfaction scores, amount of perceived social support, and personal information. Based on the results of t tests and hierarchical linear regressions, there were no differences in life satisfaction scores between voluntarily and involuntarily discharged service members. Social support and educational attainment were statistically significant predictors of life satisfaction for discharged service members. The positive social change implications of this study include increasing mental health workers' awareness of U.S. service members and the factors that affect life satisfaction after discharge.

Abstract Delivering a preterm baby who is admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit can be an enormous hardship for parents and families, and especially for mothers. The consequences of prematurity alter the parental role, affect their confidence in caring for the baby, and subsequently may impact infant outcomes. Adequately educating mothers of premature babies using an evidence-based practice approach may help them gain the confidence and skills needed to care for their infants. The purpose of this project was to create a tool kit to educate mothers of premature babies about the essential components of caring for their babies, establish content validity of the tool kit among clinical experts, and make recommendations about the use of the tool kit in the neonatal intensive care unit. Polit, Beck, and Owen’s framework was used to establish content validity. Neonatal intensive care nurses who were considered “experts” using Benner’s novice-to-expert theory (n = 7 reviewed the tools which were quantitatively computed and yielded an Item Content Validity Index value range of 0.86 to 1.00, and a Scale Content Validity Index of 0.97, reflecting that the content met the objectives of the toolbox. Positive social change can be realized through use of the tool kit in the neonatal intensive care unit to educate mothers in the care of their preterm babies, thus improving both maternal and infant outcomes.

No description available.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace substances determined by Mass spectrometry has unique advantages which can¡¦t be replaced. For example, the detection limit of common gas sensors are difficult to lower than 1 ppm, and the sensitivity, selectivity, period of use and stability are not ideal. The detection limit of mass spectrometer is general low to 0.01 ppm. Furthermore, all substances in the sample can be simultaneous analysis by mass spectrometer, but single gas sensor measurements cannot. In this study, dielectric barrier discharge plasma is used in environmental mass spectrometry analysis. This study develops an innovative balanced T-shaped dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma generator for generating atmospheric plasma to replace the linear type plasma generator. Through the change of the geometric configuration and the drive phase develop T-shaped dielectric barrier discharge plasma, the balanced design can fully cancel the high potential and noise. The main objective of this study for the more traditional linear electrodes of the study's original novel T-shaped electrodes of different, including mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, and some basic electrical measurements, and by changing the electrode design, voltage, temperature, gas flow, gas flow rate, diameter and other parameters of the dielectric, and compare their differences and to explore the most suitable parameters. The results showed that T-shaped design of the research and development of innovation through the elimination of the exit pressure put EFI flame can indeed significantly reduce sample oxidation and generate fragments of the situation, and thus improve the mass spectrum of readability and debris interference, thus improving the detection limit , especially for some with a benzene ring and long-chain carbon samples. The experimental results confirm that the development of the Institute of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma free system can be prolonged to produce high concentrations of plasma gas as a free source of the mass spectrometry system, and provides more than 107 cm-3 ion concentration. MS-free analysis of the system can be directly on the gas, liquid and solid samples, the test do not need complicated traditional mass spectrometry analysis of the required sample pre-treatment steps, you can get a clear identification of high mass spectrometry signal. In addition to introducing the basic principles and structure of the atmospheric pressure plasma discharge device, and take advantage of many samples test for the different plasma mass spectrometry free system performance verification.

The performance of outlets under constant head is investigated in this study. Behavior of single outlet is analyzed / subsequently effect of multiple outlets on a single outlet is examined. Parameters taken into account are constant head of water, orifice shape, orifice length, number of open outlets and discharge. The outlet type, which is examined, can be classified as a short tube orifice. Two different orifice diameters and tube lengths are used. Outlets had the diameter, 6.00 and 10.35mm. The ratio of orifice length to diameter (l/d) was 5 and 8. Number of outlets is 5, which are opened in several combinations. A dimensional analysis shows that discharge coefficient, Cd is a function of diameter-length ratio and the Reynolds Number. In this study, high Reynolds Number (2300&lt / Re&lt / 18600) range is examined and the results are compared with the available data in the literature. Furthermore, performance of the group outlets is investigated.

This thesis is on the topic of investigation of the characteristics of DC Glow Discharge plasmas. Emphasis is given on characterizing the plasma electron density. The methods of generating and detecting THz pulses are described. THz transmission spectroscopy and plasma emission spectroscopy is examined. Transmission spectrum is taken for Air, gaseous Nitrogen and Argon plasmas. Moreover, emission spectrum of Air, N2 and Ar plasma analysis were done respectively. It was found that the transmission of terahertz pulses through nitrogen plasma was considerably affected compared to that of the argon plasma. Initially Drude model theory of electron conduction is employed to analyze the plasma density.

A validation study was performed on a capacitively coupled argon discharge to determine the most suitable models for chemistry and electron transport. Chemical reaction rate and electron transport models choices include equilibrium or non-equilibrium electron EDFs. Experimental studies performed by our collaborative partners in the Colorado School of Mines. Conditions for the studies are 138, 315, and 618 mTorr where the cycle averaged power varied at 20, 50, and 80 Watts in which the voltage supply was driven at 13.56 MHz. Simulations were performed using pressures and voltage used in experiments. The most accurate case was for 138 mTorr at 50 Watts using a non-Maxwellian EDF based chemistry (called Bolsig+ chemistry) and a constant electron momentum transfer cross section of 20 Angstroms which was computed from Boeuf’s paper; this model accurately modeled power deposition to within 2.6%. Furthermore, species number densities, electron temperature, and sheath thicknesses are obtained. Using Bolsig+ chemistry resulted in 20,000K higher electron temperatures than using Arrhenius chemistry rates. Results indicate that power deposition occurs due to electrons gaining energy from the sheath which in turn bombard neutral species producing metastable argon. / text

This dissertation examines recurrent patterns in the interaction between psychiatric patients and the systems of knowledge and power that constitute them as patients. These patterns are traced both in the historical migmti::m of patients into and out of the asylum, and in the language used by doctors and patients to account for such migration. Transcripts of interviews with patients and case notes written by doctors are subjected to new forms of quantitative analysis and this is used together with qualitative interpretation to reveal the ways in which disciplinary power operates through confession and surveillance to constitute psychiatric subjects in the tension between freedom and incarceration. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) is a promising research field with several trending applications. Even though the phenomenon was first observed centuries ago, there is very little research until the middle 20th century, as the mechanisms behind it were very poorly understood. To this date, the majority of research is based on the development of empirical models and the presentation of laboratory experiments. This work begins with an extensive literature review on the phenomenon, clarifying conflicts between researchers throughout the history and listing the findings of the latest research. The literature review reveals that there are very few mathematical models describing even the most important parameters of the EHD fluid flow and most are either empirical or greatly simplified. As such, practical mathematical models for the assessment of all primary performance characteristics describing EHD fluid accelerators (Voltage Potential, Electric Field Intensity, Corona Discharge Current and Fluid Velocity) were developed and are begin presented in this work. These cover all configurations where the emitter faces a plane or another identical electrode and has a cylindrical surface. For configurations where the emitter faces a plane or another identical electrode and has a spherical surface, Corona Discharge Current and Fluid Velocity models have been presented as well. Laboratory experiments and computer simulations were performed and are being thoroughly presented in Chapter 4, verifying the accuracy and usability of the developed mathematical models. The laboratory experiments were performed using two of the most popular EHD electrode configurations - wire-plane and needle-grid. Finally, the findings of this research are being summarized in the conclusion, alongside with suggestions for future research. The step-by-step development of the equipotential lines mathematical model is presented in Appendix A. Appendix B covers the mathematical proof that the proposed field lines model is accurate and that the arcs are perpendicular to the surface of the electrodes and to all of the equipotential lines.