Thermal Stability of Neodymium Aluminates High- κ

Thin films of neodymium aluminate (NdAlOx) have been deposited by liquid injection metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using the bimetallic alkoxide precursor [NdAl(OPri)6(PriOH)]2. The effects of high-temperature postdeposition annealing on NdAlOx thin films are reported. The as-deposited thin films are amorphous in nature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) show, respectively, no crystallization or interdiffusion of metal ions into the substrate after annealing at 950°C. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the thin films exhibited good electrical integrity following annealing. The dielectric permittivity (κ) of the annealed NdAlOx was 12, and a density of interface states at flatband (Dit) of 4.01×1011  cm−2 eV−1 was measured. The deposited NdAlOx thin films are shown to be able to endure high-temperature stress and capable of maintaining excellent dielectric properties

Evaluating the impact of befriending for pregnant asylum seeking and refugee women

NoPregnant asylum-seeking and refugee women are a particularly vulnerable group in society, who may be possibly living alone in poverty in inappropriate accommodation (Dunne, 2007) and experiencing hostile attitudes (Hynes and sale, 2010). They may have poor physical and mental health, placing them at an increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2010). Despite this, they are less likely to attend for timely maternity care. This article discusses the evaluation to date of an ongoing befriending project located in Northern england, targeting pregnant asylum-seeking and refugee women and helping to address difficulties that they may face. Volunteer befrienders, who themselves are asylum-seeking and refugee mothers, receive training to provide support and guidance to clients. Preliminary data suggest that befriending has advantages for both client and volunteer: clients appear to develop a trusting relationship with their befriender which facilitates self-confidence and helps overcome social isolation; and the volunteers feel that they are undertaking a worthwhile role and often move onto paid employment. Befriending may be a useful resource for midwives and ultimately improve pregnancy outcomes for asylum-seeking and refugee women

What lies beneath: exploring links between asylum policy and hate crime in the UK

This paper explores the link between increasing incidents of hate crime and the asylum policy of successive British governments with its central emphasis on deterrence. The constant problematisation of asylum seekers in the media and political discourse ensures that 'anti-immigrant' prejudice becomes mainstr earned as a common-sense response. The victims are not only the asylum seekers hoping for a better life but democratic society itself with its inherent values of pluralism and tolerance debased and destabilised

Targeted hepatitis C antibody testing interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may reduce the risk of liver-related morbidity, by facilitating earlier access to treatment and care. This review investigated the effectiveness of targeted testing interventions on HCV case detection, treatment uptake, and prevention of liver-related morbidity. A literature search identified studies published up to 2013 that compared a targeted HCV testing intervention (targeting individuals or groups at increased risk of HCV) with no targeted intervention, and results were synthesised using meta-analysis. Exposure to a targeted testing intervention, compared to no targeted intervention, was associated with increased cases detected [number of studies (n) = 14; pooled relative risk (RR) 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3, 2.2] and patients commencing therapy (n = 4; RR 3.3, 95 % CI 1.1, 10.0). Practitioner-based interventions increased test uptake and cases detected (n = 12; RR 3.5, 95 % CI 2.5, 4.8; and n = 10; RR 2.2, 95 % CI 1.4, 3.5, respectively), whereas media/information-based interventions were less effective (n = 4; RR 1.5, 95 % CI 0.7, 3.0; and n = 4; RR 1.3, 95 % CI 1.0, 1.6, respectively). This meta-analysis provides for the first time a quantitative assessment of targeted HCV testing interventions, demonstrating that these strategies were effective in diagnosing cases and increasing treatment uptake. Strategies involving practitioner-based interventions yielded the most favourable outcomes. It is recommended that testing should be targeted at and offered to individuals who are part of a population with high HCV prevalence, or who have a history of HCV risk behaviour

UK-Wide Multicenter Evaluation of Second-line Therapies in Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Background & Aims: Thirty-to-forty percent of patients with primary biliary cholangitis inadequately respond to ursodeoxycholic acid. Our aim was to assemble national, real-world data on the effectiveness of obeticholic acid (OCA) as a second-line treatment, alongside non-licensed therapy with fibric acid derivatives (bezafibrate or fenofibrate). Methods: This was a nationwide observational cohort study conducted from August 2017 until June 2021. Results: We accrued data from 457 patients; 349 treated with OCA and 108 with fibric acid derivatives. At baseline/pre-treatment, individuals in the OCA group manifest higher risk features compared with those taking fibric acid derivatives, evidenced by more elevated alkaline phosphatase values, and a larger proportion of individuals with cirrhosis, abnormal bilirubin, prior non-response to ursodeoxycholic acid, and elastography readings >9.6kPa (P <.05 for all). Overall, 259 patients (OCA) and 80 patients (fibric acid derivatives) completed 12 months of second-line therapy, yielding a dropout rate of 25.7% and 25.9%, respectively. At 12 months, the magnitude of alkaline phosphatase reduction was 29.5% and 56.7% in OCA and fibric acid groups (P <.001). Conversely, 55.9% and 36.4% of patients normalized serum alanine transaminase and bilirubin in the OCA group (P <.001). The proportion with normal alanine transaminase or bilirubin values in the fibric acid group was no different at 12 months compared with baseline. Twelve-month biochemical response rates were 70.6% with OCA and 80% under fibric acid treatment (P =.121). Response rates between treatment groups were no different on propensity-score matching or on sub-analysis of high-risk groups defined at baseline. Conclusion: Across the population of patients with primary biliary cholangitis in the United Kingdom, rates of biochemical response and drug discontinuation appear similar under fibric acid and OCA treatment

An examination of intentions of recommending fitness centers by user members

The goal of this study was to examine what experiences members have with fitness centers that influence their intentions for recommendation. After item generation and content validity, as well as a pilot test, a survey was conducted among members of five different clubs (n=1750). The questionnaire included measures of service quality attributes, accessibility, well-being in life, well-being in a club, and intentions to recommend a fitness center. Results using a structural equation model provide evidence that only service quality attributes and well-being in a club have positive effect on intentions of users to recommend it. Well-being in life has a negative effect on the intentions for recommendation, while accessibility shows no predictive effect. These findings suggest implications for the management of a club, such as the need to create a pleasant environment and to provide a personalized service directed towards the members’ goals in order to improve well-being in a club and contribute to increase the intentions to recommend the fitness centers to others.O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar como as experiências de usuários de centros de atividade física interferem nas intenções em recomendar serviços. Depois de gerar itens e validar o conteúdo, aplicou-se um pré-teste, o questionário final foi aplicado a sócios de cinco clubes de fitness (n=1.750). O questionário incluiu atributos da qualidade do serviço, acessibilidade, bem-estar na vida, bem-estar no clube e intenção de recomendar. O modelo de equações estruturais mostrou que apenas os atributos da qualidade do serviço e bem-estar no clube têm um efeito positivo sobre as intenções de recomendar. O bem-estar na vida tem um efeito negativo sobre as intenções para recomendar, enquanto que a acessibilidade não mostra nenhum efeito preditivo. Estas conclusões sugerem a necessidade de criar um ambiente agradável nos clubes e de oferecer um serviço personalizado para os objetivos dos sócios, a fim de melhorar o bem-estar no clube e contribuir para a intenção de recomendar o ginásio. Palavras-chave: intenção de recomendar, atributos da qualSin financiación0.191 SJR (2014) Q3, posición 172/231 Health (social science), 1027/1811 Medicine (miscellaneous); Q4, 112/128 Sports scienceUE

Gut Homing Receptors on CD8 T Cells Are Retinoic Acid Dependent and Not Maintained by Liver Dendritic or Stellate Cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lymphocytes primed by intestinal dendritic cells (DC) express the gut-homing receptors CCR9 and α4β7, which recognize CCL25 and mucosal addressin cell-adhesion molecule-1 in the intestine promoting the development of regional immunity. In mice, imprinting of CCR9 and α4β7 is dependent on retinoic acid during T-cell activation. Tissue specificity is lost in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease, when ectopic expression of mucosal addressin cell-adhesion molecule-1 and CCL25 in the liver promotes recruitment of CCR9+α4β7+ T cells to the liver. We investigated the processes that control enterohepatic T-cell migration and whether the ability to imprint CCR9 and α4β7 is restricted to intestinal DCs or can under some circumstances be acquired by hepatic DCs in diseases such as PSC. METHODS: Human and murine DCs from gut, liver, or portal lymph nodes and hepatic stellate cells were used to activate CD8 T cells. Imprinting of CCR9 and α4β7 and functional migration responses were determined. Crossover activation protocols assessed plasticity of gut homing. RESULTS: Activation by gut DCs imprinted high levels of functional CCR9 and α4β7 on naïve CD8 T cells, whereas hepatic DCs and stellate cells proved inferior. Imprinting was RA dependent and demonstrated plasticity. CONCLUSIONS: Imprinting and plasticity of gut-homing human CD8 T cells requires primary activation or reactivation by gut DCs and is retinoic acid dependent. The inability of liver DCs to imprint gut tropism implies that α4β7+CCR9+ T cell that infiltrate the liver in PSC are primed in the gut

Lipopolysaccharide Diversity Evolving in Helicobacter pylori Communities through Genetic Modifications in Fucosyltransferases

Helicobacter pylori persistently colonizes the gastric mucosa of half the human population. It is one of the most genetically diverse bacterial organisms and subvariants are continuously emerging within an H. pylori population. In this study we characterized a number of single-colony isolates from H. pylori communities in various environmental settings, namely persistent human gastric infection, in vitro bacterial subcultures on agar medium, and experimental in vivo infection in mice. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen chain revealed considerable phenotypic diversity between individual cells in the studied bacterial communities, as demonstrated by size variable O-antigen chains and different levels of Lewis glycosylation. Absence of high-molecular-weight O-antigen chains was notable in a number of experimentally passaged isolates in vitro and in vivo. This phenotype was not evident in bacteria obtained from a human gastric biopsy, where all cells expressed high-molecular-weight O-antigen chains, which thus may be the preferred phenotype for H. pylori colonizing human gastric mucosa. Genotypic variability was monitored in the two genes encoding α1,3-fucosyltransferases, futA and futB, that are involved in Lewis antigen expression. Genetic modifications that could be attributable to recombination events within and between the two genes were commonly detected and created a diversity, which together with phase variation, contributed to divergent LPS expression. Our data suggest that the surrounding environment imposes a selective pressure on H. pylori to express certain LPS phenotypes. Thus, the milieu in a host will select for bacterial variants with particular characteristics that facilitate adaptation and survival in the gastric mucosa of that individual, and will shape the bacterial community structure

Towards an Intelligent Tutor for Mathematical Proofs

Computer-supported learning is an increasingly important form of study since it allows for independent learning and individualized instruction. In this paper, we discuss a novel approach to developing an intelligent tutoring system for teaching textbook-style mathematical proofs. We characterize the particularities of the domain and discuss common ITS design models. Our approach is motivated by phenomena found in a corpus of tutorial dialogs that were collected in a Wizard-of-Oz experiment. We show how an intelligent tutor for textbook-style mathematical proofs can be built on top of an adapted assertion-level proof assistant by reusing representations and proof search strategies originally developed for automated and interactive theorem proving. The resulting prototype was successfully evaluated on a corpus of tutorial dialogs and yields good results.Comment: In Proceedings THedu'11, arXiv:1202.453