Health insurance is associated with decreased odds for undiagnosed prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in American adults

Over a third of adults in the United States have prediabetes, and many of those with prediabetes will progress to type 2 diabetes within 3–5 years. Health insurance status may factor into a proper diagnosis of prediabetes and diabetes. This study sought to determine the associations between health insurance and undiagnosed prediabetes and diabetes in a national sample of American adults. Publicly available data from 13,029 adults aged 18–64 years from the 2005–2016 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Health insurance type (Medicaid, Private, Other, None) was self-reported. Prediabetes and diabetes status were assessed with measures of self-report, glycohemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, and two-hour glucose. Covariate-adjusted logistic models were used for the analyses. Overall, 5976 (45.8%) participants had undiagnosed prediabetes, while 897 (6.8%) had undiagnosed diabetes. Having health insurance was associated with decreased odds ratios for undiagnosed prediabetes: 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI: 0.79, 0.95)) for private insurance, 0.84 (CI: 0.73, 0.95) for other insurance, and 0.78 (CI: 0.67, 0.90) for Medicaid. Moreover, having private health insurance was associated with 0.82 (CI: 0.67, 0.99) decreased odds for undiagnosed diabetes. Health insurance coverage and screening opportunities for uninsured individuals may reduce prediabetes and diabetes misclassifications

Solution and Solid-State Behavior of Amphiphilic ABA Triblock Copolymers of Poly(acrylic acid-stat-styrene)-block-poly(butyl acrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid-stat-styrene)

A combination of statistical and triblock copolymer properties is explored to produce stable aqueous polymer dispersions suitable for the film formation. In order to perform an extensive structural characterization of the products in the dissolved, dispersed, and solid states, a wide range of symmetrical poly(acrylic acid-stat-styrene)x-block-poly(butyl acrylate)y-block-poly(acrylic acid-stat-styrene)x, poly(AA-st-St)x-b-PBAy-b-poly(AA-st-St)x, (x = 56, 108 and 140, y = 100–750; the AA:St molar ratio is 42:58) triblock copolymers were synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) solution polymerization using a bifunctional symmetrical RAFT agent. It is demonstrated that the amphiphilic statistical outer blocks can provide sufficient stabilization to largely hydrophobic particles in aqueous dispersions. Such a molecular design provides an advantage over copolymers composed only of homoblocks, as a simple variation of the statistical block component ratio provides an efficient way to control the hydrophilicity of the stabilizer block, which ultimately affects the copolymer morphology in solutions and solid films. It was found by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) that the copolymers behaved as dissolved chains in methylethylketone (MEK) but self-assembled in water into stable and well-defined spherical particles that increased in size with the length of the hydrophobic PBA block. These particles possessed an additional particulate surface structure formed by the statistical copolymer stabilizer block, which self-folded through the hydrophobic interactions between the styrene units. SAXS and atomic force microscopy showed that the copolymer films cast from the MEK solutions formed structures predicted by self-consistent field theory for symmetrical triblock copolymers, while the aqueous dispersions formed structural morphologies similar to a close-packed spheres, as would be expected for copolymer particles trapped kinetically due to the restricted movement of the blocks in the initial aqueous dispersion. A strong correlation between the structural morphology and mechanical properties of the films was observed. It was found that the properties of the solvent cast films were highly dependent on the ratios of the hard [poly(AA-st-St)] and soft (PBA) blocks, while the aqueous cast films did not show such a dependence. The continuous phase of hard blocks, always formed in the case of the aqueous cast films, produced films with a higher elastic modulus and a lower extension-to-break in a comparison with the solvent-cast films

Cosmology, Particle Physics and Superfluid 3He

Many direct parallels connect superfluid 3He with the field theories describing the physical vacuum, gauge fields and elementary fermions. Superfluid $^3$He exhibits a variety of topological defects which can be detected with single-defect sensitivity. Modern scenarios of defect-mediated baryogenesis can be simulated by the interaction of the 3He vortices and domain walls with fermionic quasiparticles. Formation of defects in a symmetry-breaking phase transition in the early Universe, which could be responsible for large-scale structure formation and for microwave-background anisotropy, also may be modelled in the laboratory. This is supported by the recent observation of vortex formation in neutron-irradiated 3He-B where the "primordial fireball" is formed in an exothermic nuclear reaction.Comment: Invited talk at LT-21 Conference, 20 pages, 3 figures available at request, compressed ps file of the camera-ready format with 3 figures is at ftp://boojum.hut.fi/pub/publications/lowtemp/LTL-96006.ps.g

Quantum Vacuum Experiments Using High Intensity Lasers

The quantum vacuum constitutes a fascinating medium of study, in particular since near-future laser facilities will be able to probe the nonlinear nature of this vacuum. There has been a large number of proposed tests of the low-energy, high intensity regime of quantum electrodynamics (QED) where the nonlinear aspects of the electromagnetic vacuum comes into play, and we will here give a short description of some of these. Such studies can shed light, not only on the validity of QED, but also on certain aspects of nonperturbative effects, and thus also give insights for quantum field theories in general.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figur

Precambrian non-marine stromatolites in alluvial fan deposits, the Copper Harbor Conglomerate, upper Michigan

Laminated cryptalgal carbonates occur in the Precambrian Copper Harbor Conglomerate of northern Michigan, which was deposited in the Keweenawan Trough, an aborted proto-oceanic rift. This unit is composed of three major facies deposited by braided streams on a large alluvial-fan complex. Coarse clastics were deposited in braided channels, predominantly as longitudinal bars, whereas cross-bedded sandstones were deposited by migrating dunes or linguoid bars. Fine-grained overbank deposits accumulated in abandoned channels. Gypsum moulds and carbonate-filled cracks suggest an arid climate during deposition. Stromatolites interstratified with these clastic facies occur as laterally linked drapes over cobbles, as laterally linked contorted beds in mudstone, as oncolites, and as poorly developed mats in coarse sandstones. Stromatolites also are interbedded with oolitic beds and intraclastic conglomerates. Stromatolitic microstructure consists of alternating detrital and carbonate laminae, and open-space structures. Radial-fibrous calcite fans are superimposed on the laminae. The laminae are interpreted as algal in origin, whereas the origin of the radial fibrous calcite is problematic. The stromatolites are inferred to have grown in lakes which occupied abandoned channels on the fan surface. Standing water on a permeable alluvial fan in an arid climate requires a high water table maintained by high precipitation, or local elevation of the water table, possibly due to the close proximity of a lake. Occurrence of stromatolites in the upper part of the Copper Harbor Conglomerate near the base of the lacustrine Nonesuch Shale suggests that these depositional sites may have been near the Nonesuch Lake.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72022/1/j.1365-3091.1983.tb00713.x.pd

Learning difficulties : a portuguese perspective of a universal issue

In this article we present findings of a study that was conducted with the purpose of deepening the knowledge about the field of learning difficulties in Portugal. Therefore, within these findings we will discuss across several cultural boundaries, themes related with the existence of learning difficulties as a construct, the terminology, the political, social and scientific influences on the field, and the models of identification and of ongoing school support for students. While addressing the above-mentioned themes we will draw attention to the different, yet converging, international understandings of learning difficulties

Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study

A41 Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study In: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2017, 12(Suppl 1): A4