138 research outputs found
First integrals of Ginzburg-Landau equations and stability criteria for vortex-free state in unconventional superconductors
The first integrals of the Ginzburg-Landau equations for a vortex-free state
of superconductors with different mixed symmetries of the order parameter are
found. The general boundary conditions for the order parameter at the ideal
interface between the superconductor and vacuum are derived. Based on these
integrals and boundary conditions, we analyze the stability criteria for
vortex-free state in unconventional superconductors. The threshold field above
which the Abrikosov vortices can enter the superconductor is found to be higher
or equal to the thermodynamic critical field for all states under study.Comment: 8 pages, pdf file, no figure
From one to Cooper pairs, step by step
We extend the one-pair Cooper configuration towards Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer
(BCS) model of superconductivity by adding one-by-one electron pairs to an
energy layer where a small attraction acts. To do it, we solve Richardson's
equations analytically in the dilute limit of pairs on the one-Cooper pair
scale. We find, through only keeping the first order term in this expansion,
that the correlated pair energy reads as the energy of isolated pairs
within a correction induced by the Pauli exclusion principle which
tends to decrease the average pair binding energy when the pair number
increases. Quite remarkably, extension of this first-order result to the dense
regime gives the BCS condensation energy exactly. This leads us to suggest a
different understanding of the BCS condensation energy with a pair number equal
to the number of pairs feeling the potential and an average pair binding energy
reduced by Pauli blocking to half the single Cooper pair energy - instead of
the more standard but far larger superconducting gap.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure
Pairing and Density Correlations of Stripe Electrons in a Two-Dimensional Antiferromagnet
We study a one-dimensional electron liquid embedded in a 2D antiferromagnetic
insulator, and coupled to it via a weak antiferromagnetic spin exchange
interaction. We argue that this model may qualitatively capture the physics of
a single charge stripe in the cuprates on length- and time scales shorter than
those set by its fluctuation dynamics. Using a local mean-field approach we
identify the low-energy effective theory that describes the electronic spin
sector of the stripe as that of a sine-Gordon model. We determine its phases
via a perturbative renormalization group analysis. For realistic values of the
model parameters we obtain a phase characterized by enhanced spin density and
composite charge density wave correlations, coexisting with subleading triplet
and composite singlet pairing correlations. This result is shown to be
independent of the spatial orientation of the stripe on the square lattice.
Slow transverse fluctuations of the stripes tend to suppress the density
correlations, thus promoting the pairing instabilities. The largest amplitudes
for the composite instabilities appear when the stripe forms an antiphase
domain wall in the antiferromagnet. For twisted spin alignments the amplitudes
decrease and leave room for a new type of composite pairing correlation,
breaking parity but preserving time reversal symmetry.Comment: Revtex, 28 pages incl. 5 figure
Prioritising research areas for antibiotic stewardship programmes in hospitals: a behavioural perspective consensus paper
SCOPE: Antibiotic stewardship programmes (ASPs) are necessary in hospitals to improve the judicious use of antibiotics. While ASPs require complex change of key behaviours on individual, team, organisation and policy levels, evidence from the behavioural sciences is underutilised in antibiotic stewardship studies across the world, including high-income countries (HICs). A consensus procedure was performed to propose research priority areas for optimising effective implementation of ASPs in hospital settings, using a behavioural perspective.
METHODS: A workgroup for behavioural approaches to ASPs was convened in response to the fourth call for leading expert network proposals by the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR). Eighteen clinical and academic specialists in antibiotic stewardship, implementation science and behaviour change from four high-income countries with publicly-funded health care systems (that is Canada, Germany, Norway and the UK), met face-to-face to agree on broad research priority areas using a structured consensus method.
QUESTION ADDRESSED AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The consensus process on the 10 identified research priority areas resulted in recommendations that need urgent scientiïŹc interest and funding to optimise effective implementation of antibiotic stewardship programmes for hospital inpatients in HICs with publicly-funded health care systems. We suggest and detail, behavioural science evidence-guided research efforts in the following areas: 1) Comprehensively identifying barriers and facilitators to implementing antibiotic stewardship programmes and clinical recommendations intended to optimise antibiotic prescribing; 2) Identifying actors ('who') and actions ('what needs to be done') of antibiotic stewardship programmes and clinical teams; 3) Synthesising available evidence to support future research and planning for antibiotic stewardship programmes; 4) Specifying the activities in current antibiotic stewardship programmes with the purpose of defining a 'control group' for comparison with new initiatives; 5) Defining a balanced set of outcomes and measures to evaluate the effects of interventions focused on reducing unnecessary exposure to antibiotics; 6) Conducting robust evaluations of antibiotic stewardship programmes with built-in process evaluations and fidelity assessments; 7) Defining and designing antibiotic stewardship programmes; 8) Establishing the evidence base for impact of antibiotic stewardship programmes on resistance; 9) Investigating the role and impact of government and policy contexts on antibiotic stewardship programmes; and 10) Understanding what matters to patients in antibiotic stewardship programmes in hospitals.
Assessment, revisions and updates of our priority-setting exercise should be considered, at intervals of 2 years. To propose research priority areas in low- and medium income countries (LIMCs), the methodology reported here could be applied
Industry/University Collaboration at the University of Michigan-Dearborn: A Focus on Relevant Technology
https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154106/1/kampfner1998.pd
High efficient electrical stimulation of hippocampal slices with vertically aligned carbon nanofiber microbrush array
Long-term neuroprostheses for functional electrical stimulation must efficiently stimulate tissue without electrolyzing water and raising the extracellular pH to toxic levels. Comparison of the stimulation efficiency of tungsten wire electrodes (W wires), platinum microelectrode arrays (PtMEA), as-grown vertically aligned carbon nanofiber microbrush arrays (VACNF MBAs), and polypyrrole coated (PPy-coated) VACNF MBAs in eliciting field potentials in the hippocampus slice indicates that, at low stimulating voltages that preclude the electrolysis of water, only the PPy-coated VACNF MBA is able to stimulate the CA3 to CA1 pathway. Unlike the W wires, PtMEA, as-grown VACNF MBA, and the PPy-coated VACNF MBA elicit only excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). Furthermore, the PPy-coated VACNF MBA evokes somatic action potentials in addition to EPSPs. These results highlight the PPy-coated VACNFâs advantages in lower electrode impedance, ability to stimulate tissue through a biocompatible chloride flux, and stable vertical alignment in liquid that enables access to spatially confined regions of neuronal cells
Impact of EU regulatory label changes for diclofenac in people with cardiovascular disease in four countries:interrupted time series regression analysis
Objective: Due to cardiovascular safety concerns, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended new contraindications and changes to product information for diclofenac across Europe in 2013. This study aims to measure their impact among targeted populations. Method: Quarterly interrupted time series regression (ITS) analyses of diclofenac initiation among cohorts with contraindications (congestive cardiac failure [CHF], ischaemic heart disease [IHD], peripheral arterial disease [PAD], cerebrovascular disease [CVD]) and cautions (hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes) from Denmark, the Netherlands, England and Scotland. Results: The regulatory action was associated with significant immediate absolute reductions in diclofenac initiation in all countries for IHD (Denmark â0.08%, 95%CI â0.13, â0.03; England â0.09%, 95%CI â0.13 to â0.06%; the Netherlands â1.84%, 95%CI â2.51 to â1.17%; Scotland â0.34%, 95%CI â0.38 to â0.30%), PAD and hyperlipidaemia, the Netherlands, England and Scotland for hypertension and diabetes, and England and Scotland for CHF and CVD. Post-intervention there was a significant negative trend in diclofenac initiation in the Netherlands for IHD (â0.12%, 95%CI â0.19 to â0.04), PAD (â0.13%, 95%CI â0.22 to â0.05), hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes, and in Scotland for CHF (â0.01%, 95%CI â0.02 to â0.007%), IHD (â0.017, 95%CI â0.02, â0.01%), PAD and hypertension. In England, diclofenac initiation rates fell less steeply. In Denmark changes were more strongly associated with the earlier EMA 2012 regulatory action. Conclusion: Although significant reductions in diclofenac initiation occurred, patients with contraindications continued to be prescribed diclofenac, the extent of which varied by country and target condition. Understanding reasons for such variation may help to guide the design or dissemination of future safety warnings
Functional Annotation of ESR1 Gene Fusions in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) detects estrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1) fusion transcripts in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, but their role in disease pathogenesis remains unclear. We examined multiple ESR1 fusions and found that two, both identified in advanced endocrine treatment-resistant disease, encoded stable and functional fusion proteins. In both examples, ESR1-e6>YAP1 and ESR1-e6>PCDH11X, ESR1 exons 1â6 were fused in frame to C-terminal sequences from the partner gene. Functional properties include estrogen-independent growth, constitutive expression of ER target genes, and anti-estrogen resistance. Both fusions activate a metastasis-associated transcriptional program, induce cellular motility, and promote the development of lung metastasis. ESR1-e6>YAP1- and ESR1-e6>PCDH11X-induced growth remained sensitive to a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) naturally expressing the ESR1-e6>YAP1 fusion was also responsive. Transcriptionally active ESR1 fusions therefore trigger both endocrine therapy resistance and metastatic progression, explaining the association with fatal disease progression, although CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment is predicted to be effective. Lei et al. show that transcriptionally active estrogen receptor gene (ESR1) fusions identified from late-stage, treatment-refractory estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer drive pan-endocrine therapy resistance and metastatic progression. Growth of breast tumors driven by ESR1 fusions at primary and metastatic sties can be suppressed with a CDK4/6 inhibitor
Variants in the fetal genome near pro-inflammatory cytokine genes on 2q13 associate with gestational duration
The duration of pregnancy is influenced by fetal and maternal genetic and non-genetic factors. Here we report a fetal genome-wide association meta-analysis of gestational duration, and early preterm, preterm, and postterm birth in 84,689 infants. One locus on chromosome 2q13 is associated with gestational duration; the association is replicated in 9,291 additional infants (combined P= 3.96 x 10(-14)). Analysis of 15,588 mother-child pairs shows that the association is driven by fetal rather than maternal genotype. Functional experiments show that the lead SNP, rs7594852, alters the binding of the HIC1 transcriptional repressor. Genes at the locus include several interleukin 1 family members with roles in pro-inflammatory pathways that are central to the process of parturition. Further understanding of the underlying mechanisms will be of great public health importance, since giving birth either before or after the window of term gestation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality
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