3,590 research outputs found
The use of chemoprophylaxis in East African Zebu village cattle exposed to trypanosomiasis in Muhaka, Kenya
A study conducted to assess the efficacy of chemoprophylaxis for the improvement of the health and productivity of East African Zebu village cattle exposed to trypanosomiasis. Examines the cost-effectiveness of the treatment. Includes data on calf pre-weaning health and weight traits, weight traits of calves from 12-18 months of age, calf post-weaning health and weight traits, and breeding cow health and production traits - for the non-prophylactic and prophylactic groups
Determinants of adults' intention to vaccinate against pandemic swine flu
This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Background: Vaccination is one of the cornerstones of controlling an influenza pandemic. To optimise vaccination rates in the general population, ways of identifying determinants that influence decisions to have or not to have a vaccination need to be understood. Therefore, this study aimed to predict intention to have a swine influenza
vaccination in an adult population in the UK. An extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour provided the theoretical framework for the study.
Methods: Three hundred and sixty two adults from the UK, who were not in vaccination priority groups, completed either an online (n = 306) or pen and paper (n = 56) questionnaire. Data were collected from 30th October 2009, just after swine flu vaccination became available in the UK, and concluded on 31st December 2009. The main outcome of interest was future swine flu vaccination intentions.
Results: The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour predicted 60% of adults’ intention to have a swine flu vaccination with attitude, subjective norm, perceived control, anticipating feelings of regret (the impact of missing a vaccination opportunity), intention to have a seasonal vaccine this year, one perceived barrier: “I cannot be bothered to get a swine flu vaccination” and two perceived benefits: “vaccination decreases my chance of getting swine flu or its complications” and “if I get vaccinated for swine flu, I will decrease the frequency of having to consult my doctor,” being significant predictors of intention. Black British were less likely to intend to have a vaccination compared to Asian or White respondents.
Conclusions: Theoretical frameworks which identify determinants that influence decisions to have a pandemic influenza vaccination are useful. The implications of this research are discussed with a view to maximising any future pandemic influenza vaccination uptake using theoretically-driven applications.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund
NuSTAR Observations of Candidate Subparsec Supermassive Black Holes
We present analysis of NuSTAR X-ray observations of three AGN that were
identified as candidate subparsec binary supermassive black hole (SMBH) systems
in the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey based on apparent periodicity in
their optical light curves. Simulations predict that close-separation accreting
SMBH binaries will have different X-ray spectra than single accreting SMBHs. We
previously observed these AGN with Chandra and found no differences between
their low energy X-ray properties and the larger AGN population. However some
models predict differences to be more prominent at energies higher than probed
by Chandra. We find that even at the higher energies probed by NuSTAR, the
spectra of these AGN are indistinguishable from the larger AGN population. This
could rule out models predicting large differences in the X-ray spectra in the
NuSTAR bands. Alternatively, it might mean that these three AGN are not binary
SMBHs
NuSTAR Observations of Candidate Subparsec Binary Supermassive Black Holes
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/We present an analysis of NuSTAR X-ray observations of three active galactic nuclei (AGN) that were identified as candidate subparsec binary supermassive black hole (SMBH) systems in the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey based on apparent periodicity in their optical light curves. Simulations predict that close-separation accreting SMBH binaries will have different X-ray spectra than single accreting SMBHs. We previously observed these AGN with Chandra and found no differences between their low-energy X-ray properties and the larger AGN population. However, some models predict differences to be more prominent at energies higher than probed by Chandra. We find that even at the higher energies probed by NuSTAR, the spectra of these AGN are indistinguishable from the larger AGN population. This could rule out models predicting large differences in the X-ray spectra in the NuSTAR bands. Alternatively, it might mean that these three AGN are not binary SMBHs.Peer reviewe
Numerical simulations of a non-commutative theory: the scalar model on the fuzzy sphere
We address a detailed non-perturbative numerical study of the scalar theory
on the fuzzy sphere. We use a novel algorithm which strongly reduces the
correlation problems in the matrix update process, and allows the investigation
of different regimes of the model in a precise and reliable way. We study the
modes associated to different momenta and the role they play in the ``striped
phase'', pointing out a consistent interpretation which is corroborated by our
data, and which sheds further light on the results obtained in some previous
works. Next, we test a quantitative, non-trivial theoretical prediction for
this model, which has been formulated in the literature: The existence of an
eigenvalue sector characterised by a precise probability density, and the
emergence of the phase transition associated with the opening of a gap around
the origin in the eigenvalue distribution. The theoretical predictions are
confirmed by our numerical results. Finally, we propose a possible method to
detect numerically the non-commutative anomaly predicted in a one-loop
perturbative analysis of the model, which is expected to induce a distortion of
the dispersion relation on the fuzzy sphere.Comment: 1+36 pages, 18 figures; v2: 1+55 pages, 38 figures: added the study
of the eigenvalue distribution, added figures, tables and references, typos
corrected; v3: 1+20 pages, 10 eps figures, new results, plots and references
added, technical details about the tests at small matrix size skipped,
version published in JHE
Eight common genetic variants associated with serum dheas levels suggest a key role in ageing mechanisms
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) is the most abundant circulating steroid secreted by adrenal glands-yet its function is unknown. Its serum concentration declines significantly with increasing age, which has led to speculation that a relative DHEAS deficiency may contribute to the development of common age-related diseases or diminished longevity. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association data with 14,846 individuals and identified eight independent common SNPs associated with serum DHEAS concentrations. Genes at or near the identified loci include ZKSCAN5 (rs11761528; p = 3.15×10-36), SULT2A1 (rs2637125; p = 2.61×10-19), ARPC1A (rs740160; p = 1.56×10-16), TRIM4 (rs17277546; p = 4.50×10-11), BMF (rs7181230; p = 5.44×10-11), HHEX (rs2497306; p = 4.64×10-9), BCL2L11 (rs6738028; p = 1.72×10-8), and CYP2C9 (rs2185570; p = 2.29×10-8). These genes are associated with type 2 diabetes, lymphoma, actin filament assembly, drug and xenobiotic metabolism, and zinc finger proteins. Several SNPs were associated with changes in gene expression levels, and the related genes are connected to biological pathways linking DHEAS with ageing. This study provides much needed insight into the function of DHEAS
Energy band diagram of device-grade silicon nanocrystals
This work was supported by the EPSRC (EP/K022237/1) and the Leverhulme International Network (IN-2012-136). SA would like to acknowledge the support of the Ulster University Vice-Chancellor's Research Studentship and CR that of the NI-DEL studentship.Device grade silicon nanocrystals (NCs) are synthesized using an atmospheric-pressure plasma technique. The Si NCs have a small and well defined size of about 2.3 nm. The synthesis system allows for the direct creation of thin films, enabling a range of measurements to be performed and easy implementation of this material in different devices. The chemical stability of the Si NCs is evaluated, showing relatively long-term durability thanks to hydrogen surface terminations. Optical and electrical characterization techniques, including Kelvin probe, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky analysis, are employed to determine the energy band diagram of the Si NCs.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
No Gold Standard Estimation of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Two Molecular Diagnostic Protocols for Trypanosoma brucei spp. in Western Kenya
African animal trypanosomiasis is caused by a range of tsetse transmitted protozoan parasites includingTrypanosoma vivax, Trypanosoma congolense and Trypansoma brucei. In Western Kenya and other parts of East Africa two subspecies of T. brucei, T.b. brucei and the zoonoticT.b. rhodesiense, co-circulate in livestock. A range of polymerase chain reactions (PCR) have been developed as important molecular diagnostic tools for epidemiological investigations of T. brucei s.l. in the animal reservoir and of its zoonotic potential. Quantification of the relative performance of different diagnostic PCRs is essential to ensure comparability of studies. This paper describes an evaluation of two diagnostic test systems for T. brucei using a T. brucei s.l. specific PCR [1] and a single nested PCR targeting the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions of trypanosome ribosomal DNA [2]. A Bayesian formulation of the Hui-Walter latent class model was employed to estimate their test performance in the absence of a gold standard test for detecting T.brucei s.l. infections in ear-vein blood samples from cattle, pig, sheep and goat populations in Western Kenya, stored on Whatman FTA cards. The results indicate that the system employing the T. brucei s.l. specific PCR (Se1 = 0.760) had a higher sensitivity than the ITS-PCR (Se2 = 0.640); both have high specificity (Sp1 = 0.998; Sp2 = 0.997). The true prevalences for livestock populations were estimated (pcattle = 0.091, ppigs = 0.066, pgoats = 0.005, psheep = 0.006), taking into account the uncertainties in the specificity and sensitivity of the two test systems. Implications of test performance include the required survey sample size; due to its higher sensitivity and specificity, the T. brucei s.l. specific PCR requires a consistently smaller sample size than the ITS-PCR for the detection of T. brucei s.l. However the ITS-PCR is able to simultaneously screen samples for other pathogenic trypanosomes and may thus be, overall, a better choice of test in multi-organism studies
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