Women’s views on accepting COVID-19 vaccination during and after pregnancy, and for their babies: A multi-methods study in the UK.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines are advised for pregnant women in the United Kingdom (UK) however COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women is inadequate. Methods: An online survey and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate pregnant women’s views on COVID-19 vaccine acceptability for themselves when pregnant, not pregnant and for their babies. 1,181 women, aged over 16 years, who had been pregnant since 23rd March 2020, were surveyed between 3rd August–11th October 2020. Ten women were interviewed. Results: The majority of women surveyed (81.2%) reported that they would ‘definitely’ or were ‘leaning towards’ accepting a COVID-19 vaccine when not pregnant. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was significantly lower during pregnancy (62.1%, p<0.005) and for their babies (69.9%, p<0.005). Ethnic minority women were twice as likely to reject a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves when not pregnant, pregnant and for their babies compared to women from White ethnic groups (p<0.005). Women from lower-income households, aged under 25-years, and from some geographic regions were more likely to reject a COVID-19 vaccine when not pregnant, pregnant and for their babies. Multivariate analysis revealed that income and ethnicity were the main drivers of the observed age and regional differences. Women unvaccinated against pertussis in pregnancy were over four times more likely to reject COVID-19 vaccines when not pregnant, pregnant and for their babies. Thematic analysis of the survey freetext responses and interviews found safety concerns about COVID-19 vaccines were common though wider mistrust in vaccines was also expressed. Trust in vaccines and the health system were also reasons women gave for accepting COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion: Safety information on COVID-19 vaccines must be clearly communicated to pregnant women to provide reassurance and facilitate informed pregnancy vaccine decisions. Targeted interventions to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake among ethnic minority and lower-income women may be needed

Phase preparation by atom counting of Bose-Einstein condensates in mixed states

We study the build up of quantum coherence between two Bose-Einstein condensates which are initially in mixed states. We consider in detail the two cases where each condensate is initially in a thermal or a Poisson distribution of atom number. Although initially there is no relative phase between the condensates, a sequence of spatial atom detections produces an interference pattern with arbitrary but fixed relative phase. The visibility of this interference pattern is close to one for the Poisson distribution of two condensates with equal counting rates but it becomes a stochastic variable in the thermal case, where the visibility will vary from run to run around an average visibility of $\pi /4.$ In both cases, the variance of the phase distribution is inversely proportional to the number of atom detections in the regime where this number is large compared to one but small compared with the total number of atoms in the condensates.Comment: 9 pages, 6 PostScript figure, submitted to PR

Nonlinear Josephson-type oscillations of a driven, two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

We propose an experiment that would demonstrate nonlinear Josephson-type oscillations in the relative population of a driven, two-component Bose-Einstein condensate. An initial state is prepared in which two condensates exist in a magnetic trap, each in a different hyperfine state, where the initial populations and relative phase between condensates can be controlled within experimental uncertainty. A weak driving field is then applied, which couples the two internal states of the atom and consequently transfers atoms back and forth between condensates. We present a model of this system and investigate the effect of the mean field on the dynamical evolution.Comment: 4 pages, 3 fig

Resonance fluorescence in a band gap material: Direct numerical simulation of non-Markovian evolution

A numerical method of calculating the non-Markovian evolution of a driven atom radiating into a structured continuum is developed. The formal solution for the atomic reduced density matrix is written as a Markovian algorithm by introducing a set of additional, virtual density matrices which follow, to the level of approximation of the algorithm, all the possible trajectories of the photons in the electromagnetic field. The technique is perturbative in the sense that more virtual density matrices are required as the product of the effective memory time and the effective coupling strength become larger. The number of density matrices required is given by $3^{M}$ where $M$ is the number of timesteps per memory time. The technique is applied to the problem of a driven two-level atom radiating close to a photonic band gap and the steady-state correlation function of the atom is calculated.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

DRD4 genotype predicts longevity in mouse and human

Longevity is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The brain's dopamine system may be particularly relevant, since it modulates traits (e.g., sensitivity to reward, incentive motivation, sustained effort) that impact behavioral responses to the environment. In particular, the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) has been shown to moderate the impact of environments on behavior and health. We tested the hypothesis that the DRD4 gene influences longevity and that its impact is mediated through environmental effects. Surviving participants of a 30-year-old population-based health survey (N = 310; age range, 90-109 years; the 90+ Study) were genotyped/resequenced at the DRD4 gene and compared with a European ancestry-matched younger population (N = 2902; age range, 7-45 years). We found that the oldest-old population had a 66% increase in individuals carrying the DRD4 7R allele relative to the younger sample (p = 3.5 × 10(-9)), and that this genotype was strongly correlated with increased levels of physical activity. Consistent with these results, DRD4 knock-out mice, when compared with wild-type and heterozygous mice, displayed a 7-9.7% decrease in lifespan, reduced spontaneous locomotor activity, and no lifespan increase when reared in an enriched environment. These results support the hypothesis that DRD4 gene variants contribute to longevity in humans and in mice, and suggest that this effect is mediated by shaping behavioral responses to the environment.Fil: Grady, Deborah L.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Thanos, Panayotis K.. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Laboratory of Neuroimaging; Estados Unidos. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados Unidos. Stony Brook University. Department of Psychology; Estados UnidosFil: Corrada, Maria M.. University of California. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Barnett Jr., Jeffrey C.. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Ciobanu, Valentina. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Shustarovich, Diana. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Napoli, Anthony. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Moyzis, Alexandra G.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Grandy, David. Oregon Health Sciences University. Physiology and Pharmacology; Estados UnidosFil: Rubinstein, Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Wang, Gene-Jack. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Kawas, Claudia H.. University of California. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Chen, Chuansheng. University of California. Department of Psychology and Social Behavior; Estados UnidosFil: Dong, Qi. Beijing Normal University. National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; ChinaFil: Wang, Eric. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados Unidos. Aria Diagnostics Inc.; Estados Unidos. University of California. Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics; Estados UnidosFil: Volkow, Nora D.. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Laboratory of Neuroimaging; Estados Unidos. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados Unidos. National Institute on Drug Abuse; Estados UnidosFil: Moyzis, Robert K.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados Unidos. Beijing Normal University. National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; China. University of California. Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics; Estados Unido

1970: Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures - Full Text

THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE Being the Abilene Christian College Annual Bible Lectures 1970 Published by ABILENE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE BOOK STORE ACC Station Abilene, Texas 7960

Atom laser coherence and its control via feedback

We present a quantum-mechanical treatment of the coherence properties of a single-mode atom laser. Specifically, we focus on the quantum phase noise of the atomic field as expressed by the first-order coherence function, for which we derive analytical expressions in various regimes. The decay of this function is characterized by the coherence time, or its reciprocal, the linewidth. A crucial contributor to the linewidth is the collisional interaction of the atoms. We find four distinct regimes for the linewidth with increasing interaction strength. These range from the standard laser linewidth, through quadratic and linear regimes, to another constant regime due to quantum revivals of the coherence function. The laser output is only coherent (Bose degenerate) up to the linear regime. However, we show that application of a quantum nondemolition measurement and feedback scheme will increase, by many orders of magnitude, the range of interaction strengths for which it remains coherent.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, revtex

Understanding how education/support groups help lone mothers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lone-mother led families are at increased risk of psychosocial disadvantage, social isolation and mental health morbidity. Community-based programs are more accessible for families seeking assistance. We examine the experiences of eight lone mothers participating in a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a community-based education/support group program using mixed methods.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A purposeful sample of eight mothers participating in the intervention arm of an RCT of community-based support/education groups was selected for the qualitative study. Individual interviews asked mothers about themselves and their relationships with their children before and after the group. Interviews were taped, transcribed and content analysis was used to code and interpret the data. Quantitative data collected in the RCT were used to describe these mothers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mothers participating in the RCT and qualitative study experienced multiple difficulties, including financial and mood problems. These mothers reported that before participating in the group, they had shared experiences of social isolation, stigma, a sense of failure, poor relationships with their children and difficulties with financial management. After the group, mothers identified improved self-esteem, support from other mothers, improved parenting skills and improved communication with their children as outcomes of group participation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The qualitative data revealed mothers' perceptions of specific areas that improved by participating in the group. The utility of complementary information provided by qualitative and quantitative methods in understanding program impact, as well as the need for broader assistance is noted.</p

Association of Accelerometry-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Events in Mobility-Limited Older Adults: The LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) Study.

BACKGROUND:Data are sparse regarding the value of physical activity (PA) surveillance among older adults-particularly among those with mobility limitations. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between objectively measured daily PA and the incidence of cardiovascular events among older adults in the LIFE (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders) study. METHODS AND RESULTS:Cardiovascular events were adjudicated based on medical records review, and cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for in the analysis. Home-based activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometers at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months postrandomization to either a physical activity or health education intervention. LIFE study participants (n=1590; age 78.9±5.2 [SD] years; 67.2% women) at baseline had an 11% lower incidence of experiencing a subsequent cardiovascular event per 500&nbsp;steps taken per day based on activity data (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.96; P=0.001). At baseline, every 30&nbsp;minutes spent performing activities ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (hazard ratio, 0.75; confidence interval, 0.65-0.89 [P=0.001]) were also associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Throughout follow-up (6, 12, and 24&nbsp;months), both the number of steps per day (per 500&nbsp;steps; hazard ratio, 0.90, confidence interval, 0.85-0.96 [P=0.001]) and duration of activity ≥500&nbsp;counts per minute (per 30&nbsp;minutes; hazard ratio, 0.76; confidence interval, 0.63-0.90 [P=0.002]) were significantly associated with lower cardiovascular event rates. CONCLUSIONS:Objective measurements of physical activity via accelerometry were associated with cardiovascular events among older adults with limited mobility (summary score &gt;10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery) both using baseline and longitudinal data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01072500

Risk factors and vectors for SARS-CoV-2 household transmission: a prospective, longitudinal cohort study

Background Despite circumstantial evidence for aerosol and fomite spread of SARS-CoV-2, empirical data linking either pathway with transmission are scarce. Here we aimed to assess whether the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on frequently-touched surfaces and residents' hands was a predictor of SARS-CoV-2 household transmission. Methods In this longitudinal cohort study, during the pre-alpha (September to December, 2020) and alpha (B.1.1.7; December, 2020, to April, 2021) SARS-CoV-2 variant waves, we prospectively recruited contacts from households exposed to newly diagnosed COVID-19 primary cases, in London, UK. To maximally capture transmission events, contacts were recruited regardless of symptom status and serially tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR on upper respiratory tract (URT) samples and, in a subcohort, by serial serology. Contacts' hands, primary cases' hands, and frequently-touched surface-samples from communal areas were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. SARS-CoV-2 URT isolates from 25 primary case-contact pairs underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Findings From Aug 1, 2020, until March 31, 2021, 620 contacts of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected primary cases were recruited. 414 household contacts (from 279 households) with available serial URT PCR results were analysed in the full household contacts' cohort, and of those, 134 contacts with available longitudinal serology data and not vaccinated pre-enrolment were analysed in the serology subcohort. Household infection rate was 28·4% (95% CI 20·8–37·5) for pre-alpha-exposed contacts and 51·8% (42·5–61·0) for alpha-exposed contacts (p=0·0047). Primary cases' URT RNA viral load did not correlate with transmission, but was associated with detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on their hands (p=0·031). SARS-CoV-2 detected on primary cases' hands, in turn, predicted contacts' risk of infection (adjusted relative risk [aRR]=1·70 [95% CI 1·24–2·31]), as did SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence on household surfaces (aRR=1·66 [1·09–2·55]) and contacts' hands (aRR=2·06 [1·57–2·69]). In six contacts with an initial negative URT PCR result, hand-swab (n=3) and household surface-swab (n=3) PCR positivity preceded URT PCR positivity. WGS corroborated household transmission. Interpretation Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on primary cases' and contacts' hands and on frequently-touched household surfaces associates with transmission, identifying these as potential vectors for spread in households. Funding National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Medical Research Council