HE 0435-1223: a wide separation quadruple QSO and gravitational lens

We report the discovery of a new gravitationally lensed QSO, at a redshift z = 1.689, with four QSO components in a cross-shaped arrangement around a bright galaxy. The maximum separation between images is 2.6 arcsec, enabling a reliable decomposition of the system. Three of the QSO components have g = 19.6, while component A is about 0.6 mag brighter. The four components have nearly identical colours, suggesting little if any dust extinction in the foreground galaxy. The lensing galaxy is prominent in the i band, weaker in r and not detected in g. Its spatial profile is that of an elliptical galaxy with a scale length of $\sim$ 12 kpc. Combining the measured colours and a mass model for the lens, we estimate a most likely redshift range of 0.3 < z < 0.4. Predicted time delays between the components are \la 10 days. The QSO shows evidence for variability, with total g band magnitudes of 17.89 and 17.71 for two epochs separated by $\sim 2$ months. However, the relative fluxes of the components did not change, indicating that the variations are intrinsic to the QSO rather than induced by microlensing.Comment: 7 pages, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

Search for cold gas in z>2 damped Lyman-alpha systems: 21-cm and H_2 absorption

(Abridged) We present the results of a systematic GBT and GMRT survey for 21-cm absorption in a sample of 10 DLAs at 2<z_abs<3.4. Analysis of L-band VLBA images of the background QSOs are also presented. We detect 21-cm absorption in only one DLA (at z_abs = 3.1745 towards J1337+3152). Combining our data with the data from the literature (a sample of 28 DLAs) and assuming the measured core fraction at milliarcsecond scale to represent the gas covering factor, we find that the HI gas in DLAs at z> 2 is predominantly constituted by WNM. The detection rate of 21-cm absorption seems to be higher for systems with higher N(HI) or metallicity. However, no clear correlation is found between the integrated 21-cm optical depth (or spin temperature) and either N(HI), metallicity or velocity spread of the low ionization species. There are 13 DLAs in our sample for which high resolution optical spectra covering the expected wavelength range of H_2 absorption are available. We report the detection of H_2 molecules in the z_abs = 3.3871 21-cm absorber towards J0203+1134 (PKS 0201+113). In 8 cases, neither H_2 nor 21-cm absorption are detected. The lack of 21-cm and H_2 absorption in these systems can be explained if most of the HI in these DLAs originate from low density high temperature gas. In one case we have a DLA with 21-cm absorption not showing H_2 absorption. In two cases, both species are detected but do not originate from the same velocity component. In the remaining 2 cases 21-cm absorption is not detected despite the presence of H_2 with evidence for the presence of cold gas. All this is consistent with the idea that the H_2 components seen in DLAs are compact (with sizes of < 15 pc) and contain only a small fraction (i.e typically <10%) of the total N(HI) measured in the DLAs.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Epidemiologie der Verona-Integron-Metallo-ß-Laktamasen (VIM) in Hessen, 2012 – 2016

Carbapeneme sind wichtige Antibiotika für die Behandlung multiresistenter gramnegativer Erreger. Die weltweite Ausbreitung Carbapenemase-produzierender Erreger wird als Bedrohung für die Gesundheitsversorgung angesehen. In Hessen bestand seit Ende 2011 eine Meldepflicht für den Nachweis Carbapenem-resistenter gramnegativer Erreger. Aufgrund der bundesweiten Einführung einer Meldepflicht für Carbapenem-nichtempfindliche Erreger zum 1. Mai 2016 wurde die auf einen Fünfjahreszeitraum befristete hessische Verordnung nicht verlängert. Damit endete die Meldepflicht für Carbapenem-resistente P. aeruginosa zum 31. Dezember 2016. Carbapenemasen werden auf Basis ihrer Aminosäurensequenz in unterschiedliche Gruppen eingeteilt. Verona-Integron-Metallo-ß-Laktamasen (VIM) gehören, wie die New-Delhi-Metallo-ß-Laktamasen (NDM), zur Familie der Metallo-ß-Laktamasen. Im Epidemiologischen Bulletin 49/2017 werden die hessischen Meldedaten zu Carbapenem-resistenten gramnegativen Erregern mit molekularbiologischem Nachweis einer VIM ausgewertet. Das Fazit der Autoren lautet: Verschiedene VIM-Varianten sind in Hessen endemisch. Die Meldepflicht für Carbapenemase-produzierende P. aeruginosa und die Ergebnisse der Ganzgenomsequenzierung waren hilfreich für die Bestätigung bzw. den Ausschluss von Erregerübertragungen. Nur für wenige Patienten mit Nachweis VIM-produzierender Erreger konnte ein wahrscheinlicher Übertragungsweg ermittelt werden

Evaluation von Patienten mit entzündlich-rheumatischen Erkrankungen unter Immunsuppressiva und ihrer Haltung zur Medikation im zeitlichen Verlauf der Covid-19 Pandemie

Seit 11.03.2020 spricht die WHO von einer Coronavirus Pandemie. Verursacht wird die Coronaviruserkrankung (COVID-19) durch das SARS-CoV-2 Virus. Die Erkrankung manifestiert sich als Infektion der Atemwege mit den Leitsymptomen Fieber und Husten. Bei 81% Patienten ist der Verlauf mild, 14% erkranken schwer und 5% der Patienten kritisch [1]. Das erste Auftreten wurde im Dezember 2019 in der Millionen-Stadt Wuhan in der Provinz Hubei (China) dokumentiert. Am 07.04.2020 meldet die Johns-Hopkins-Universität bereits 1.348.628 bestätigte, die Weltumspannende Infektionsfälle. Die Letalität liegt zu diesem Zeitpunkt der Pandemie bei 5,6% (n= 74.834 an Covid-19 Verstorbene). Zu diesem Zeitpunkt ist bereits klar, dass das Vorhandensein und die Zahl von Komorbiditäten (wie Diabetes mellitus, arterielle Hypertonie und koronare Herzerkrankungen) mitentscheidend ist für das Outcome der Patienten [2]. Handlungsempfehlungen basierend auf evidenzbasierten Daten für Patienten mit entzündlich- rheumatischen Erkrankungen oder die Bedeutung sowie der Einfluss einer dauerhaften immunsuppressiven oder immunmodulierenden Therapie liegen (bislang) nicht vor. Unter dem Aspekt der unklaren Bedeutung und bisher „nur“ vorliegenden Expertenempfehlungen zur Immunsystem- beeinflussenden Therapie führten wir bei unseren Patienten eine Umfrage zur Patientenmeinung über Basistherapien (DMARDs) durch

Factors associated with differences in perceived health among German long-term unemployed

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Unemployment is associated with reduced physical and psychological well-being. Perceived health is an important factor influencing health outcomes as well as successful returns to work. This study aims to determine the extent to which perceived health correlates with mental health, various health risk characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics in a setting-selected sample of long-term unemployed persons.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using SF-12, 365 long-term unemployed persons were assessed for self-perceived health and various socio-demographic and health characteristics. Perceived health data of the sample was compared to the German SF-12 reference population. Bivariate analyses and multiple linear regression models were applied to identify those variables significantly associated with perceived health.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study population reported poorer perceived health compared with the general population. Analyses showed that perceived mental health was significantly worse in women, among persons with heightened depression and anxiety scores, and in participants reporting reduced levels of physical activity. Perceived physical health was significantly lower among older persons, participants with a higher BMI, and participants with heightened depression and anxiety scores. Both mental and physical health were worse among the unemployed assigned to an employment center as compared to those engaged in the secondary labor market. In total, 36% of the variance in the SF-12 mental score and 20% of the variance in the SF-12 physical score were explained by the factors included in the final multiple linear regression models.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Perceived health among a select group of long-term unemployed is reduced to a clinically relevant extent compared to the general population. The preliminary findings underline an association between mental health and perceived health. Negative self-perceptions of health were also associated with the labor market setting and some of the socio-demographic and health behavior variables. Further research is needed to determine risk factors leading to reduced perceived health in the unemployed. The strong association between mental health and perceived health suggests interventions targeting mental health are urgently needed to positively influence perceived health, a key determinant of individuals’ chances to successfully return to work.</p