Phase--coherence Effects in Antidot Lattices: A Semiclassical Approach to Bulk Conductivity

We derive semiclassical expressions for the Kubo conductivity tensor. Within our approach the oscillatory parts of the diagonal and Hall conductivity are given as sums over contributions from classical periodic orbits in close relation to Gutzwiller's trace formula for the density of states. Taking into account the effects of weak disorder and temperature we reproduce recently observed anomalous phase coherence oscillations in the conductivity of large antidot arrays.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures available under request, RevTe

Cellular and population plasticity of helper CD4(+) T cell responses

Vertebrates are constantly exposed to pathogens, and the adaptive immunity has most likely evolved to control and clear such infectious agents. CD4(+) T cells are the major players in the adaptive immune response to pathogens. Following recognition of pathogen-derived antigens naïve CD4(+) T cells differentiate into effectors which then control pathogen replication either directly by killing pathogen-infected cells or by assisting with generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) or pathogen-specific antibodies. Pathogen-specific effector CD4(+) T cells are highly heterogeneous in terms of cytokines they produce. Three major subtypes of effector CD4(+) T cells have been identified: T-helper 1 (Th1) cells producing IFN-γ and TNF-α, Th2 cells producing IL-4 and IL-10, and Th17 cells producing IL-17. How this heterogeneity is maintained and what regulates changes in effector T cell composition during chronic infections remains poorly understood. In this review we discuss recent advances in our understanding of CD4(+) T cell differentiation in response to microbial infections. We propose that a change in the phenotype of pathogen-specific effector CD4(+) T cells during chronic infections, for example, from Th1 to Th2 response as observed in Mycobactrium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection of ruminants, can be achieved by conversion of T cells from one effector subset to another (cellular plasticity) or due to differences in kinetics (differentiation, proliferation, death) of different effector T cell subsets (population plasticity). We also shortly review mathematical models aimed at describing CD4(+) T cell differentiation and outline areas for future experimental and theoretical research. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2013.0020

Study of role of vitamin C in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common non-communicable diseases in the present millennium which has become a global public health problem. The treatment of type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2 DM) often is initiated with monotherapy of oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs), which often do not decrease the plasma sugar levels effectively and consistently that will reduce short term and long-term complications associated with T2 DM. Hence the current study is aimed to determine the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation with standard OADs on glycemic control.Methods: This study consisted of 120 T2 DM patients with 80 males and 40 females with a mean age of 50.88 yrs were divided into four groups with equal number of males and females in each group depending upon the OADs they received in solo or with vitamin C for 12 weeks. After the written consent, a detail clinical history, clinical examination, biochemical investigations including fasting plasma sugar (FPS), post prandial plasma sugar (PPS), glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1c), serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, chest X-ray PA view and standard ECG were done. Repeat FPS, PPS and HBA1c were done after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of study.Results: After 12 weeks of study FBS, PPS and HBA1c decreased significantly (p<0.01) in study groups (Metformin and teneligliptin with vitamin C) as compared to control groups (OADs without vitamin C). Vitamin C supplementation with OADs found to be effective, well tolerated and devoid of any side effects.Conclusions: OADs are effective and affordable hypoglycemic agents with vitamin C supplementation

The Impact of Opioid Prescribing Limits on Drug Usage in South Carolina: A Novel Geospatial and Time Series Data Analysis

Background: To curb the opioid epidemic, legislation regulating the amount of opioid prescriptions covered by Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act Medical Assistance Program) came into effect in May 2018 in South Carolina. Methods: We employ a classification system based on distance and disparity between dispensers, prescribers, and patients and conduct an ARIMA analysis on each class and without any class to examine the effect of the legislation on opioid prescriptions, considering secular trends and autocorrelation. The study also compares trends in benzodiazepine prescriptions as a control. Results: The proposed classification system clusters each transaction into 16 groups based on the location of the stakeholders. These categories were found to have different prescription volume levels, with the highest group averaging 96.50 in daily MME (95% CI [63.43, 99.57]) and the lowest 37.78 (95% CI [37.38,38.18]). The ARIMA models show a decrease in overall prescription volume from 53.68 (95% CI [53.33,54.02]) to 51.09 (95% CI [50.74,51.44]) and varying impact across the different classes. Conclusion: Policy was effective in reducing opioid prescription volume overall. However, the volume of prescriptions filled where the prescribing doctor is located more than 1000 miles away from the patient went up, hinting at the possibility of doctor shopping.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 4 table

Utilizing Three Years of Epidemiological Data from Medical Missions in Cambodia to Shape the Mobile Medical Clinic Formulary

Objective: The purpose of this project was to gather epidemiological data on common diseases and medications dispensed during medical mission teams to Cambodia to shape the mobile medical clinic formulary. Methods: Data for patients seen during week-long, mobile, medical clinics was collected in Cambodia during Septembers 2012 to 2014. Patient’s gender, age, weight, blood pressure, glucose, pertinent laboratory values, diagnoses, and medications dispensed were collected. Blood pressure and glucose were measured in patients 18 years and above. Data collected onto paper intake forms were transferred onto spreadsheets without patient identifying information and analyzed for aggregate means, common diseases, and most dispensed medications. This project received institutional review board approval. Results: A total of 1,015 patients were seen over three years. Women made up 61.4% and the mean age was 41.8 years. The most common diagnosis was gastrointestinal disorders (22.9%), which included gastroesophageal reflux disease and intestinal parasites. Next, 20.1% of patients had hypertension (BP\u3e140/90), 18.0% had presbyopia, 15.4% had back and joint pain, followed by 8.8% with headache, including migraines. Approximately 8.4% of patients had hyperglycemia (RPG \u3e140 mg/dl). Top five medications dispensed were acetaminophen, omeprazole, multivitamin, ibuprofen and metformin. For hypertension, amlodipine and lisinopril were dispensed. Conclusion: Cambodia lacks systematic public health collection of epidemiological data for prevalence of diseases. Hence, investigators collected and analyzed information from week-long mobile medical clinics over three years. Proton-pump inhibitors and H. pylori lab tests are recommended for gastrointestinal disorders. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are recommended for pain. Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are recommended over diuretics since patients are already dehydrated. Metformin is recommended for diabetes. Vitamins and supplements are recommended for malnourished patients. Hemoglobin machine and urine test strips are suggested. This information should help future teams decide what medications and laboratory tests are most beneficial on medical teams in Cambodia

The Iowa Homemaker vol.2, no.5-6

Table of Contents Your Child Between the Bottle and School Age by Belle Lowe, page 1 Buy Your Hat From Your Grocery Savings by Blanche Ingersoll, page 2 Has Hosiery Become Your Hobby? by Mildred B. Elder, page 3 Pottery Making as a Community Work by Paul E. Cox, page 4 Fall Forecast for Children’s Frocks by Helen Paschal, page 5 “Ye Hatte Shoppe” As a Summer’s Occupation by Ruth Wilson, page 6 Will Courtesy Count in Your Child’s Career? by Eda Lord Murphy, page 7 Who’s There and Where by Jeanette Beyer, page 10 Card File Your Foreign Terms by Eleanor Murphy, page 10 Rival the Orient With Sealing Wax by Opal Wind, page 11 “Back to Natur”-ing With a Camp Kit by Helen T. Peterson, page 12 The Art of Outcasting Flies by Dorothy Morris, page 1