Pneumococcal vaccination coverage among children with sickle cell anemia, sickle cell trait, and normal hemoglobin

BackgroundChildren with sickle cell anemia and sickle cell trait are at an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease compared to children with normal hemoglobin. We assessed and compared pneumococcal vaccination status among these three groups.ProcedureChildren with sickle cell anemia and sickle cell trait were identified using Michigan newborn screening records (1997–2014); each child was matched to four children with normal hemoglobin based on age, Medicaid enrollment (at least 1 year from 2012–2014), race, and census tract. Vaccination records were obtained from the state’s immunization system. Pneumococcal vaccine coverage (PCV7 or PCV13 depending on date of administration) was assessed at milestone ages of 3, 5, 7, and 16 months. The proportion of children with vaccine coverage at each milestone was calculated overall and compared among children with sickle cell anemia, sickle cell trait, and normal hemoglobin using chi‐square tests.ResultsThe study population consisted of 355 children with sickle cell anemia, 17,319 with sickle cell trait, and 70,757 with normal hemoglobin. The proportion of children with age‐appropriate pneumococcal vaccination coverage was low at each milestone and generally decreased over time. Children with sickle cell anemia were more likely to be covered compared to children with sickle cell trait or normal hemoglobin.ConclusionsDespite higher pneumococcal vaccination coverage among children with sickle cell anemia, opportunities for improvement exist among all children. Targeted interventions will benefit from mechanisms to identify children with increased risks such as sickle cell anemia or trait to improve pneumococcal vaccination coverage among these groups.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145560/1/pbc27282.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145560/2/pbc27282_am.pd

X-band crab cavities for the CLIC beam delivery system

The CLIC machine incorporates a 20 mrad crossing angle at the IP to aid the extraction of spent beams. In order to recover the luminosity lost through the crossing angle a crab cavity is proposed to rotate the bunches prior to collision. The crab cavity is chosen to have the same frequency as the main linac (11.9942 GHz) as a compromise between size, phase stability requirements and beam loading. It is proposed to use a HE11 mode travelling wave structure as the CLIC crab cavity in order to minimise beam loading and mode separation. The position of the crab cavity close to the final focus enhances the effect of transverse wake-fields so effective wake-field damping is required. A damped detuned structure is proposed to suppress and de-cohere the wake-field hence reducing their effect. Design considerations for the CLIC crab cavity will be discussed as well as the proposed high power testing of these structures at SLAC.Comment: Proceedings of X-Band Structures and Beam Dynamics Workshop (XB08), 44th ICFA beam dynamics workshop, Cockcroft Institute, UK, 1-4 dec. 200

Expression of Class II Cytokine Genes in Children’s Skin

Immune regulation of the skin plays an important role in susceptibility and development of illnesses. The aim of our study was to localise the interleukin (IL)-10 family of cytokines, in children’s skin and to determine possible age-related differences in the expression level. The mRNA expression level of IL10, IL19, IL20, IL22, IL24, IL26, IL28B, IL29 and their receptors IL10RA, IL10RB, IL20RA, IL20RB, IL22RA1, IL22RA2, IL28RA was compared in skin biopsies of children and adults and in childrens’ skin cells by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Immunohistochemistry was performed to confirm the qRT-PCR findings. We found age-related differences in the expression of IL10RB, IL20, IL20RA, IL22RA1, IL22RA2, IL26 and IL28RA genes. Cell type-dependent expression of IL10 family cytokines was apparent in the skin. In addition to previously known differences in systemic immunological response of adults and children, the present results reveal differences in immune profile of adult and juvenile skin

The benefits of improved technologies in agricultural aviation

The results are present for a study of the economic benefits attributed to a variety of potential technological improvements in agricultural aviation. Part 1 gives a general description of the ag-air industry and discusses the information used in the data base to estimate the potential benefits from technological improvements. Part 2 presents the benefit estimates and provides a quantitative basis for the estimates in each area study. Part 3 is a bibliography of references relating to this study

Making a Net Zero Society - Follow the Social Science. Summary report

The Economic and Social Research Council-funded ACCESS network drew together an independent task force of experts to consider the role of social science in UK net zero policy. The task force, which ran for one year between 2023-2024, reviewed a range of social science perspectives, analysed examples of government net zero plans and built understanding from case studies of societal change. We now call upon government to make more consistent and effective use of social science in delivering UK net zero ambitions. Our work shows the huge opportunities, and wide range of benefits, that can be delivered through sustained action to reduce demand for energy. To achieve net zero we need actors from across society to be engaged. Actors that work at the mid-level, between scales, silos and sectors, are especially important. Engaging citizens in meaningful debate about change and generating positive visions of a net zero future will also be essential. We recommend that government establish a Net Zero Social Science Advisory Committee in the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)Leverhulme Trus

Nonclassical correlations in damped quantum solitons

Using cumulant expansion in Gaussian approximation, the internal quantum statistics of damped soliton-like pulses in Kerr media are studied numerically, considering both narrow and finite bandwidth spectral pulse components. It is shown that the sub-Poissonian statistics can be enhanced, under certain circumstances, by absorption, which damps out some destructive interferences. Further, it is shown that both the photon-number correlation and the correlation of the photon-number variance between different pulse components can be highly nonclassical even for an absorbing fiber. Optimum frequency windows are determined in order to realize strong nonclassical behavior, which offers novel possibilities of using solitons in optical fibers as a source of nonclassically correlated light beams.Comment: 15 pages, 11 PS figures (color

Alternative approach to electromagnetic field quantization in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media

A simple approach is proposed for the quantization of the electromagnetic field in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media. Given the dielectric function and nonlinear susceptibilities, the Hamiltonian of the electromagnetic field is determined completely by this quantization method. From Heisenberg's equations we derive Maxwell's equations for the field operators. When the nonlinearity goes to zero, this quantization method returns to the generalized canonical quantization procedure for linear inhomogeneous media [Phys. Rev. A, 43, 467, 1991]. The explicit Hamiltonians for the second-order and third-order nonlinear quasi-steady-state processes are obtained based on this quantization procedure.Comment: Corrections in references and introductio