Kjeld Møller Pedersen

Bio: Kjeld Møller Pedersen is an academic researcher from Aalborg University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Second-harmonic generation & Plasmon. The author has an hindex of 30, co-authored 306 publications receiving 4997 citations. Previous affiliations of Kjeld Møller Pedersen include University of Toronto & Aarhus University.

Graphene antidot lattices: designed defects and spin qubits.

Abstract: Antidot lattices, defined on a two-dimensional electron gas at a semiconductor heterostructure, are a well-studied class of man-made structures with intriguing physical properties. We point out that a closely related system, graphene sheets with regularly spaced holes ("antidots"), should display similar phenomenology, but within a much more favorable energy scale, a consequence of the Dirac fermion nature of the states around the Fermi level. Further, by leaving out some of the holes one can create defect states, or pairs of coupled defect states, which can function as hosts for electron spin qubits. We present a detailed study of the energetics of periodic graphene antidot lattices, analyze the level structure of a single defect, calculate the exchange coupling between a pair of spin qubits, and identify possible avenues for further developments.

General Practice and Primary Health Care in Denmark

Abstract: General practice is the corner stone of Danish primary health care. General practitioners (GPs) are similar to family physicians in the United States. On average, all Danes have 6.9 contacts per year with their GP (in-person, telephone, or E-mail consultation). General practice is characterized by 5 key components: (1) a list system, with an average of close to 1600 persons on the list of a typical GP; (2) the GP as gatekeeper and first-line provider in the sense that a referral from a GP is required for most office-based specialists and always for in- and outpatient hospital treatment; (3) an after-hours system staffed by GPs on a rota basis; (4) a mixed capitation and fee-for-service system; and (5) GPs are self-employed, working on contract for the public funder based on a national agreement that details not only services and reimbursement but also opening hours and required postgraduate education. The contract is (re)negotiated every 2 years. General practice is embedded in a universal tax-funded health care system in which GP and hospital services are free at the point of use. The current system has evolved over the past century and has shown an ability to adapt flexibly to new challenges. Practice units are fairly small: close to 2 GPs per unit plus nurses and secretaries. The units are fully computerized, that is, with computer-based patient records and submission of prescriptions digitally to pharmacies etc. Over the past few years a decrease in solo practices has been seen and is expected to accelerate, in part because of the GP age structure, with many GPs retiring and new GPs not wanting to practice alone. This latter workforce trend is pointing toward a new model with employed GPs, particularly in rural areas.

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: Prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries

Abstract: Background As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. Methods We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. Results A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2–7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. Conclusions Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care.

Plasmonic black gold by adiabatic nanofocusing and absorption of light in ultra-sharp convex grooves

Abstract: Plasmonic effects can turn reflective metals into strong absorbers, although this is usually realized within narrow wavelength ranges near resonances. Using arrays of ultra-sharp convex grooves, Sondergaard et al. show that nonresonant absorption can lead to effective broadband light absorption.

Danish EQ-5D population norms

Abstract: Background: The EQ-5D is a widely used generic health-related quality of life instrument that has been used to describe population health and health outcomes in clinical trials and health economic evaluations. Aims: To generate Danish population norms for the EQ-5D index score, stratified by age and gender. Methods: The EQ-5D data from three population health surveys were pooled, thus providing EQ-5D profile data for 15,700 individuals aged 20-79 years. The Danish TTO scoring algorithm was used to weight each respondent's profile data to derive a single index score. Mean values were computed by gender and 10-year age groups, and educational groups. Results: In a random sample from the general Danish population, the mean EQ-5D index score ranged between 0.93 for 20—29 year-olds and 0.83 for 70—79 year-olds. Men had a significantly higher score than women in all age groups. Longer education was associated with higher EQ-5D index score in most age groups. Conclusions: The calculated mean values for the EQ-5D...

Thinking fast and slow.

Abstract: In 1974 an article appeared in Science magazine with the dry-sounding title “Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases” by a pair of psychologists who were not well known outside their discipline of decision theory. In it Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman introduced the world to Prospect Theory, which mapped out how humans actually behave when faced with decisions about gains and losses, in contrast to how economists assumed that people behave. Prospect Theory turned Economics on its head by demonstrating through a series of ingenious experiments that people are much more concerned with losses than they are with gains, and that framing a choice from one perspective or the other will result in decisions that are exactly the opposite of each other, even if the outcomes are monetarily the same. Prospect Theory led cognitive psychology in a new direction that began to uncover other human biases in thinking that are probably not learned but are part of our brain’s wiring.

Structural defects in graphene

Abstract: Graphene is one of the most promising materials in nanotechnology. The electronic and mechanical properties of graphene samples with high perfection of the atomic lattice are outstanding, but structural defects, which may appear during growth or processing, deteriorate the performance of graphene-based devices. However, deviations from perfection can be useful in some applications, as they make it possible to tailor the local properties of graphene and to achieve new functionalities. In this article, the present knowledge about point and line defects in graphene are reviewed. Particular emphasis is put on the unique ability of graphene to reconstruct its lattice around intrinsic defects, leading to interesting effects and potential applications. Extrinsic defects such as foreign atoms which are of equally high importance for designing graphene-based devices with dedicated properties are also discussed.