Greater than Five-Order-of-Magnitude Postcompression Temporal Contrast Improvement with an Ionization Plasma Grating.

High-intensity lasers require suppression of prepulses and other nonideal temporal structure to avoid target disruption before the arrival of the main pulse. To address this, we demonstrate that ionization gratings act as a controllable optical switch for high-power light with a temporal contrast improvement of at least 3×10^{5} and a switching time less than 500 fs. We also show that a grating system can run for hours at 10 Hz without degradation.

Pituitary Apoplexy With Transition to Acute Hypophysitis in a Patient With Sars-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

COVID-19 is a systemic disease associated with respiratory insufficiency, systemic inflammation, as well as coagulation, neurological, and endocrine disorders. Among them pituitary apoplexy (PA) as well as, more rarely, acute hypophysitis (AH) have been reported. In the present report, we described a case of PA in an 84-year-old man with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, with a previous unknown pituitary adenoma and a possible but not confirmed overlap with transitory AH.

Habits and Routines of Adults in Early Recovery From Substance Use Disorder: Clinical and Research Implications From a Mixed Methodology Exploratory Study.

The purpose of this exploratory, non-experimental mixed methods study was to analyze the habits and routines of adults in early recovery (>3 months) from substance use disorder (SUD). Participants (N = 14) were recruited from an intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) program for substance use disorders. Data collection consisted of a demographic survey, a researcher developed Daily Occupational Questionnaire (DOQ), and follow-up semi-structured interviews with 5 randomly selected participants.

Holographic Plasma Lenses.

A hologram fully encodes a three-dimensional light field by imprinting the interference between the field and a reference beam in a recording medium. Here we show that two collinear pump lasers with different foci overlapped in a gas jet produce a holographic plasma lens capable of focusing or collimating a probe laser at intensities several orders-of-magnitude higher than the limits of a nonionized optic. We outline the theory of these diffractive plasma lenses and present simulations for two plasma mechanisms that allow their construction: spatially varying ionization and ponderomotively driven ion-density fluctuations.

A multi-terawatt two-color beam for high-power field-controlled nonlinear optics.

Two-color laser beams are instrumental in light-field control and enhancement of high-order harmonic, spectral supercontinuum, and terahertz radiation generated in gases, plasmas, and solids. We demonstrate a multi-terawatt two-color beam produced using a relativistic plasma mirror, with 110 mJ at 800 nm and 30 mJ at 400 nm. Both color components have high spatial quality and can be simultaneously focused, provided that the plasma mirror lies within a Rayleigh range of the driving fundamental beam.

Electron-Nanobunch-Width-Dominated Spectral Power Law for Relativistic Harmonic Generation from Ultrathin Foils.

Relativistic high-order harmonic generation from solid-density plasma offers a compact source of coherent ultraviolet and x-ray light. For solid targets much thinner than the laser wavelength, the plasma thickness can be tuned to increase conversion efficiency; a reduction in total charge allows for balancing the laser and plasma driving forces, producing the most effective interaction. Unlike for semi-infinite plasma surfaces, we find that for ultrathin foil targets the dominant factor in the emission spectral shape is the finite width of the electron nanobunches, leading to a power-law exponent of approximately 10/3.

Pain relief after total hip replacement: oral CR oxycodone plus IV paracetamol versus epidural levobupivacaine and sufentanil. A randomized controlled trial.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that pain relief after total hip replacement (THR) can be obtained with a multimodal approach using oral controlled release (CR) oxycodone plus IV paracetamol.

Methods: Two hundred and sixty patients undergoing THR were randomized into two groups. A group of 130 patients (EPI) under epidural anesthesia followed by continuous infusion of levobupivacaine 0.

Goal-directed haemodynamic therapy during elective total hip arthroplasty under regional anaesthesia.

Introduction: Total hip replacement is one of the most commonly performed major orthopaedic operations. Goal-directed therapy (GDT) using haemodynamic monitoring has previously demonstrated outcome benefits in high-risk surgical patients under general anaesthesia. GDT has never been formally assessed during regional anaesthesia.

A qualitative analysis of immunization programs with sustained high coverage, 2000-2005.

Despite record-high immunization coverage nationally, there is considerable variation across state and local immunization programs, which are responsible for the implementation of vaccine recommendations in their jurisdictions. The objectives of this study were to describe activities of state and local immunization programs that sustained high coverage levels across several years and to identify common themes and practical examples for sustaining childhood vaccination coverage rates that could be applied elsewhere. We conducted 95 semi-structured key informant interviews with internal staff members and external partners at the 10 immunization programs with the highest sustained childhood immunization coverage from 2000 to 2005, as measured by the National Immunization Survey.

Qualitative analysis of immunization programs with most improved childhood vaccination coverage from 2001 to 2004.

State and urban immunization programs are responsible for the implementation of comprehensive programs to vaccinate populations within their geographic area. Given the variability in immunization coverage rates between geographic areas, the purpose of this two-phase study was to first identify the state and urban areas that achieved the highest increases in coverage, and then those with the highest sustained coverage, between two designated periods, and to interview key program staff members and their community counterparts to capture their perspectives on what factors may have contributed to increasing and sustaining high rates. In this article, we describe phase 1, in which we visited the seven sites that achieved the largest increases in coverage from 2001 to 2004.

Is resistin a link between highly active antiretroviral therapy and fat redistribution in HIV-infected children?

Objectives: To assess the features of fat redistribution, detected by clinical and ultrasound (US) methods, and the presence of metabolic disorders in HIV-infected children undergoing antiretroviral therapy. To evaluate if serum levels of resistin, a hormone produced only by visceral adipose tissue, are a marker of fat redistribution in these patients.

Design And Methods: Forty-five consecutive symptomatic HIV-infected children were considered for inclusion in the study.

Relationships between State Health Departments and medical professional organizations regarding immunizations.

Objective: To assess relationships between State Health Department (SHD) immunization programs and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

Methods: Surveys were distributed to SHD immunization managers and AAP and AAFP chapter/district heads.

Results: Most AAP and AAFP respondents reported contact with the SHD (73% and 62%, respectively).

Status of quality improvement activities to improve immunization practices and delivery: findings from the immunization quality improvement symposium, October 2003.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a symposium on 22-23 October 2003 to bring together investigators and stakeholders working to apply the quality improvement (QI) approaches to immunization delivery in individual medical practices. The goal was to identify effective program components and further development of model programs. A call for projects was widely disseminated; of 61 submissions received, eight projects were selected.

Adolescents' knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding hepatitis B: Insights and implications for programs targeting vaccine-preventable diseases.

Purpose: To gain a better understanding of adolescents' knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding hepatitis B.

Method: Three types of data were collected as part of this investigation: (a) 45 in-depth individual interviews with staff from 20 adolescent health, sexually transmitted disease (STD), and family planning clinics; (b) 96 individual interviews with adolescents and young adults; and (c) questionnaires completed by 17,063 adolescents and young adults. All instruments focused on one or more of the following five topics: (a) knowledge about vaccines; (b) knowledge about hepatitis B; (c) barriers to vaccine acceptance, and ways to overcome these barriers; (d) benefits of the vaccine acceptance, and ways to enhance these benefits; and (e) eight hepatitis B risk factors.

Impact of the thimerosal controversy on hepatitis B vaccine coverage of infants born to women of unknown hepatitis B surface antigen status in Michigan.

Objective: Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants, and the series may be started during the delivery admission. For infants who are born either to women who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or to women whose HBsAg status is unknown, vaccination should be started within 12 hours of birth to prevent perinatal and early childhood hepatitis B virus infection. Because of concerns about mercury exposures from vaccines that contain thimerosal, the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended in July 1999 that the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine be deferred until 2-6 months of age but only for infants who are born to HBsAg-negative women.

Epiphrenic diverticulum: clinical and radiographic findings in 27 patients.

The purpose of our study was to reassess the clinical and radiographic findings in patients with epiphrenic diverticula. A search of our radiology files revealed 27 patients with epiphrenic diverticula within 10 cm of the gastroesophageal junction. Medical records and radiographic reports and images were reviewed to determine the clinical and radiographic findings.

The obstetrician-gynecologist's role in adult immunization.

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) account for significant morbidities and mortalities in the United States on an annual basis. Despite generally successful childhood vaccine programs, adults remain underimmunized against a variety of common VPDs. Lack of both physician and patient awareness contribute to this deficiency.

The obstetrician-gynecologist's role in vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization.

Objective: To assess by survey the immunization role currently played obstetrician-gynecologists in the state of Michigan.

Methods: Masked questionnaires requesting demographic, knowledge-based, practice, and attitudinal data were sent to 850 ACOG-registered fellows.

Results: Three hundred sixty-five physicians responded, 313 of whom were in active practice.

Structure/function analyses of recombinant variants of human factor Xa: factor Xa incorporation into prothrombinase on the thrombin-activated platelet surface is not mimicked by synthetic phospholipid vesicles.

This report describes the expression, purification, and characterization of a series of recombinant factor Xa variants bearing aspartate substitutions for each of the glutamate residues which normally undergo gamma-carboxylation. Factor X was expressed in human embryonic kidney cells and purified from conditioned media by immunoaffinity and hydroxylapatite chromatography. Factor X was activated with Russell's viper venom factor X activator, and single-chain unactivated factor X was removed from activated factor X by size-exclusion chromatography.

Strategies for teaching research: a survey of baccalaureate programs.

The purpose of this study was to survey educators in National League for Nursing-accredited baccalaureate programs regarding placement and teaching strategies for nursing research and assignments used to integrate research throughout the curriculum. The 25-item survey instrument was sent to 100 randomly selected deans and directors of schools, 67 of whom responded. Demographic and descriptive data are reported.

Influenza vaccine use among an elderly population in a community intervention.

A community intervention program was carried out to promote influenza immunization among an elderly population, as part of a demonstration established to estimate the value of including influenza immunization as a Medicare-covered benefit. Potential recipients were informed of reasons for receiving vaccine and its availability at no cost, and physicians and others administering it were provided with educational materials and cost reimbursement. Data collected for annual evaluations of influenza vaccine effectiveness were used to evaluate the impact of the community intervention program on influenza immunization status and to determine the effects of age, gender, chronic health conditions, and smoking status on the likelihood of immunization.