Pulsar Bound on the Photon Electric Charge Reexamined

If photons had a small electric charge $Q_\gamma$ their path in the galactic magnetic field would be curved, leading to a time delay between photons of different frequency from a distant source. Cocconi's previous application of this argument led to a limit which is too restrictive by a factor of about 200; the corrected bound is Q_\gamma/e\lapprox10^{-29}.Comment: 3 pages, LaTe

Inconsistencies in the MIT bag model of hadrons

It is shown that what is commonly referred to as the MIT `bag' model of hadrons is thermodynamically wrong: The adiabatic conditions between pressure and temperature, and between pressure and volume imply the third, an adiabatic relation between temperature and volume. Consequently, the bag model is destitute of any predictive power since it reduces to a single adiabatic state. The virial theorems proposed by the MIT group are shown to be the result of the normal power density of states of a non-degenerate gas and not the exponential density of states of the Hagedorn mass spectrum. A number of other elementary misconceptions and inaccuracies are also pointed out.Comment: 9 page

Neutrinos: the Key to UHE Cosmic Rays

Observations of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECR) do not uniquely determine both the injection spectrum and the evolution model for UHECR sources - primarily because interactions during propagation obscure the early Universe from direct observation. Detection of neutrinos produced in those same interactions, coupled with UHECR results, would provide a full description of UHECR source properties.Comment: three pages, three figures. corrected typo

Predicting Lung Deposition of Extrafine Inhaled Corticosteroid-Containing Fixed Combinations in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Functional Respiratory Imaging: An in Silico Study

Background: Functional respiratory imaging (FRI) is a computational fluid dynamics-based technique using three-dimensional models of human lungs and formulation profiles to simulate aerosol deposition. Methods: FRI was used to evaluate lung deposition of extrafine beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP)/formoterol fumarate (FF)/glycopyrronium bromide (GB) and extrafine BDP/FF delivered through pressurized metered dose inhalers and to compare results with reference gamma scintigraphy data. FRI combined high-resolution computed tomography scans of 20 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second 42% predicted) with in silico computational flow simulations, and incorporated drug delivery parameters to calculate aerosol airway deposition. Inhalation was simulated using profiles obtained from real-life measurements. Results: Total lung deposition (proportion deposited in intrathoracic region) was similarly high for both products, with mean ± standard deviation (SD) values of 31.0% ± 5.7% and 28.1% ± 5.2% (relative to nominal dose) for BDP/FF/GB and BDP/FF, respectively. Pairwise comparison of the deposition of BDP and FF gave a mean intrathoracic BDP/FF/GB:BDP/FF deposition ratio of 1.10 (p = 0.0405). Mean intrathoracic, central and peripheral deposition ratios for BDP were 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.14), 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89-0.96), and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.15-1.26), respectively, and for FF were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.07-1.15), 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91-0.98), and 1.21 (95% CI: 1.15-1.27), within the bioequivalence range (0.80-1.25) for intrathoracic and central regions, and slightly exceeding the upper boundary in the peripheral region. Mean ± SD central:peripheral deposition (C:P) was 0.48 ± 0.13 for BDP/FF/GB and 0.62 ± 0.17 for BDP/FF, indicating a higher proportion of drug deposition in the small airways than in the large airways. Conclusion: FRI demonstrated similar deposition patterns for extrafine BDP/FF/GB and BDP/FF, with both having a high lung deposition. Moreover, the deposition patterns of BDP and FF were similar in both products. Furthermore, the C:P ratios of both products indicated a high peripheral deposition, supporting small airway targeting and delivery of these two extrafine fixed combinations, with a small difference in ratios potentially due to mass median aerodynamic diameters

Follow-up for breast cancer - the patients' view

Background: International and national guidelines (S3 guideline) for the surveillance of post-treatment breast cancer patients recommend a clinical follow-up including routine history and physical examination and regular mammograms. The practice of a clinical follow-up has been often discussed, but has been proven not to be inferior when compared to an intensified follow-up in randomized trials. Patients and Methods: The present manuscript reports the patients' view on the basis of a survey including 2000 patients with a history of breast cancer. Results: A total of 452 patients (22.6%) answered the questionnaire. The median age was 62 years (range 23-85 years). More than 80% of the patients were disease-free at the time of the survey. The need for surveillance was affirmed by the majority of patients (>95%), and one third stated that there was a need for more technical efforts during follow-up. In contrast to the follow-up guidelines, the results of the present survey indicated that most of the regularly scheduled follow-up visits were expanded using extensive laboratory and imaging procedures. Conclusion: This survey shows that the majority of physicians obviously do not accept the present follow-up guidelines. A new surveillance study investigating the efficacy of an intensified surveillance based on the improved possibilities of modern diagnostics and endocrine, immunotherapeutic, chemotherapeutic and interventional treatment options is warranted

Small scale dynamics of a shearless turbulent/non-turbulent interface in dilute polymer solutions

We study the physics of the turbulent/non-turbulent interface (TNTI) of an isolated turbulent region in dilute polymer solutions and Newtonian fluids. We designed an experimental setup of a turbulent patch growing in water/dilute polymer solutions, without mean shear and far from the walls. The observations from the experiments are complemented and expanded by simulations performed using a localised homogeneous forcing to generate the turbulent front and the Finitely Extensible Elastic model with the Peterlin closure model for the polymer stress. The comparison, which shows that when Newtonian and viscoelastic TNTIs are fed by the same energy they behave in similar manner both in the experiments and in the simulations, permits to extend the applicability, on a qualitative basis, of single relaxation time polymer models also to turbulent/non-turbulent interfaces. From the detailed analysis offered by the numerical results, the alterations in the dynamics between strain and vorticity help understanding the mechanics of the polymer action on the TNTI without mean shear. The reduced vorticity stretching and increased vorticity compression terms are found to be due to the modified degrees of alignment between vorticity, polymer conformation tensor, and rate-of-strain tensor eigenvectors observed especially near the interface. These alignments at the smallest scales of the non-Newtonian turbulent flow lead to a reduced production of enstrophy and consequently to a reduced entrainment, which in this problem are seen as reduced advancement of a turbulent region

Absences from work among healthcare workers: are they related to influenza shot adherence?

BACKGROUND: The coverage for influenza vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) is inadequate in many countries despite strong recommendations; is there evidence that influenza vaccination is effective in preventing absenteeism? Aim of the study is to evaluate the influenza vaccination coverage and its effects on absences from work among HCWs of an Italian academic healthcare trust during the 2017-2018 influenza season. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study to identify predictive characteristics for vaccination, and a retrospective cohort study to establish the effect of vaccination on absences among the vaccinated and non-vaccinated cohorts between December 2017 and May 2018. Overall absence rates over the whole observation period and sub-rates over 14-days intervals were calculated; then comparison between the two groups were conducted applying Chi-square test. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage among 4419 HCWs was 14.5%. Age, university degree, medical care area and physician profile were positively associated with vaccine uptake. Globally during influenza season non-vaccinated HCWs lost 2.47/100 person-days of work compared to 1.92/100 person-days of work among vaccinated HCWs (p\u2009<\u20090.001); significant differences in absences rates resulted when focusing on the influenza epidemic peak. CONCLUSIONS: Factors predicting influenza uptake among HCWs were male sex, working within medical care area and being a physician. Absenteeism among HCWs resulted to be negatively correlated with vaccination against influenza. These findings add evidence to the urgent need to implement better influenza vaccination strategies towards HCWs to tackle vaccine hesitancy among professionals

Constraints on the photon charge based on observations of extragalactic sources

Using modern high-resolution observations of extragalactic compact radio sources we obtain an estimate of the upper bound on a photon electric charge at the level $e_{\gamma} \lesssim 3 \cdot 10^{-33}$ of elementary charge (assuming the photon charge to be energy independent). This is three orders of magnitude better than the limit obtained with radio pulsar timing. Also we set a limit on a photon charge in the gamma-ray band (energies about 0.1 MeV). In future the estimate made for extragalactic sources can be significantly improved.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, accepted to Astronomy Letter

A new dedicated clinic for HCWs' counseling and vaccination: experience of an academic hospital

Abstract Issue Despite low healthcare workers (HCWs) vaccination coverage being a risk for hospital outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy is not unusual among HCWs. In Italy vaccinations are strongly recommended for HCWs, but there are few occasions for a dedicated counseling. Aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new vaccination service in the academic hospital of Udine (northern Italy) in tackling vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. Description of the problem Available data on HCWs specific antibody titers revealed that in high-risk units, 25% of HCWs were certainly unprotected for at least 1/6 of the vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs): measles, rubella, mumps, varicella, pertussis, hepatitis B; only varicella coverage reached the herd immunity target. Periodic occupational health visit was the only moment to screen for VPDs protection and suggest vaccination, but the following inconvenient procedure of HCWs contacting the vaccination office outside the hospital, often lead to delays or loss. In order to improve vaccination adherence, since June 2019 a dedicated clinic has been set up inside the hospital, making vaccination counseling and administration available every two weeks, with appointments directly given by the occupational doctor. Results From June 2019 to February 2020, a total of 362 appointments were booked for the dedicated vaccination clinic, 69.7% of which actually took place as 252 HCWs actually accessed the service. Hours dedicated to the service activity were 76 hours, distributed over 19 days. Administered vaccination were 322, including 107 MMR (measles, rubella, mumps), 4 MMRV (MMR+varicella), 20 varicella, 64 hepatitis B, 127 DTPa (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis). Lessons Making the access to vaccination more convenient in term of service location within the hospital and giving the appointment when performing the occupational health visit seems to be helpful in filling the VPDs protection among HCWs gap. Key messages Monitoring immunological status of HCWs and promoting vaccination at occupational health visit would sustain herd immunity protection for susceptible individuals in healthcare settings. The dedicated hospital vaccination clinic and the effective procedure of giving the appointment during the occupational health visit could be helpful in improving HCWs vaccine adherence

Bose-Einstein source of intermittency in hadronic interactions

The multi-particle Bose-Einstein correlations are the source of ''intermittency'' in high energy hadronic collisions. The power-law like increase of factorial moments with decreasing bin size was obtained by complete event weighing technique with gaussian approximation of space-time particle emitting source shape. The value of source size parameter was found to be higher than the common one fitted with the help of the standard Handbury Brown-Twiss procedure.Comment: 12