Bacillary Angiomatosis by Bartonella Quintana in an HIV-Infected Patient

Bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary peliosis are opportunistic infections caused by Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana, which occur in patients with late-stage infection. We report a case of bacillary angiomatosis in an HIV-infected patient with skin, bone, and probably liver involvement, The identification of the agent (B quintana ) was done by polymerase chain reaction in the skin specimen. The patient had complete regression of all lesions after a 6-month regimen of oral erythromycin

COLA II - Radio and Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Nuclear Activity in Galaxies

We present optical spectroscopic observations of 93 galaxies taken from the infra-red selected COLA (Compact Objects in Low Power AGN) sample. The sample spans the range of far-IR luminosities from normal galaxies to LIRGs. Of the galaxies observed, 78 (84%) exhibit emission lines. Using a theoretically-based optical emission-line scheme we classify 15% of the emission-line galaxies as Seyferts, 77% as starbursts, and the rest are either borderline AGN/starburst or show ambiguous characteristics. We find little evidence for an increase in the fraction of AGN in the sample as a function of far-IR luminosity but our sample covers only a small range in infrared luminosity and thus a weak trend may be masked. As a whole the Seyfert galaxies exhibit a small, but significant, radio excess on the radio-FIR correlation compared to the galaxies classified as starbursts. Compact (<0.05'') radio cores are detected in 55% of the Seyfert galaxies, and these galaxies exhibit a significantly larger radio excess than the Seyfert galaxies in which cores were not detected. Our results indicate that there may be two distinct populations of Seyferts, ``radio-excess'' Seyferts, which exhibit extended radio structures and compact radio cores, and ``radio-quiet'' Seyferts, in which the majority of the radio emission can be attributed to star-formation in the host galaxy. No significant difference is seen between the IR and optical spectroscopic properties of Seyferts with and without radio cores. (Abridged)Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ, February 200

Two Galaxy Clusters: A3565 and A3560

We report 102 new redshifts and magnitudes for a sample of galaxies to RF ~ 15.5 mag in a 2.17 deg x 2.17 deg region centered on the galaxy IC 4296, the most luminous member of the A3565 cluster. Up to the limiting magnitude we find 29 cluster members, and measure a velocity dispersion of 228 km/s. The estimated total mass for this system is ~ 3.0 x h**-1 10**13 Msun (where h = H0/100 km/s/Mpc), and its dynamical properties are quite typical of poor clusters presenting X-ray emission. We also find that galaxies with absorption lines are more concentrated towards the center of the cluster, while systems with emission lines are mainly located in the outer parts. The small velocity dispersion of the cluster, coupled to the known presence of an interacting pair of galaxies, and the large extent of the brightest cluster galaxy, could indicate that galaxy formation through mergers may still be underway in this system. The surveyed region also contains galaxies belonging to the Shapley Concentration cluster A3560. Within 30 arc min of the cluster center, we detect 32 galaxies, for which we measure a velocity dispersion of 588 km/s and a mass of ~2 x h**-1 10**14 Msun. However, because our sample is restricted to galaxies brighter than M*, these values should be considered only as rough estimates.Comment: 33 pages, including 6 tables and 9 postscript figures. Uses AAS Latex macros. Postscript file and ASCII versions of Tables 4 and 6 are available at http://www.dan.on.br/other_surveys/a3565.html. Scheduled for September 1999 issue of The Astronomical Journa

On Measuring Condensate Fraction in Superconductors

An analysis of off-diagonal long-range order in superconductors shows that the spin-spin correlation function is significantly influenced by the order if the order parameter is anisotropic on a microscopic scale. Thus, magnetic neutron scattering can provide a direct measurement of the condensate fraction of a superconductor. It is also argued that recent measurements in high temperature superconductors come very close to achieving this goal.Comment: 4 pages, 1 eps figure, RevTex. A new possibility in the underdoped regime is added. Other corrections are mino

Room Temperature Kondo effect in atom-surface scattering: dynamical 1/N approach

The Kondo effect may be observable in some atom-surface scattering experiments, in particular, those involving alkaline-earth atoms. By combining Keldysh techniques with the NCA approximation to solve the time-dependent Newns-Anderson Hamiltonian in the infinite-U limit, Shao, Nordlander and Langreth found an anomalously strong surface-temperature dependence of the outgoing charge state fractions. Here we employ the dynamical 1/N expansion with finite Coulomb interaction U to provide a more realistic description of the scattering process. We test the accuracy of the 1/N expansion in the spinless N = 1 case against the exact independent-particle solution. We then compare results obtained in the infinite-U limit with the NCA approximation and recover qualitative features found previously. Finally, we analyze the realistic situation of Ca atoms with U = 5.8 eV scattered off Cu(001) surfaces. Although the presence of the doubly-ionized Ca species can change the absolute scattered positive Ca yields, the temperature dependence is qualitatively the same as that found in the infinite-U limit. One of the main difficulties that experimentalists face in attempting to detect this effect is that the atomic velocity must be kept small enough to reduce possible kinematic smearing of the metal's Fermi surface.Comment: 15 pages, 10 Postscript figures; references and typos correcte

Modeling resilience and sustainability in ancient agricultural systems

The reasons why people adopt unsustainable agricultural practices, and the ultimate environmental implications of those practices, remain incompletely understood in the present world. Archaeology, however, offers unique datasets on coincident cultural and ecological change, and their social and environmental effects. This article applies concepts derived from ecological resilience thinking to assess the sustainability of agricultural practices as a result of long-term interactions between political, economic, and environmental systems. Using the urban center of Gordion, in central Turkey, as a case study, it is possible to identify mismatched social and ecological processes on temporal, spatial, and organizational scales, which help to resolve thresholds of resilience. Results of this analysis implicate temporal and spatial mismatches as a cause for local environmental degradation, and increasing extralocal economic pressures as an ultimate cause for the adoption of unsustainable land-use practices. This analysis suggests that a research approach that integrates environmental archaeology with a resilience perspective has considerable potential for explicating regional patterns of agricultural change and environmental degradation in the past

Randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a peer delivered self-management intervention to prevent relapse in crisis resolution team users: study protocol

Introduction: Crisis resolution teams (CRTs) provide assessment and intensive home treatment in a crisis, aiming to offer an alternative for people who would otherwise require a psychiatric inpatient admission. They are available in most areas in England. Despite some evidence for their clinical and cost-effectiveness, recurrent concerns are expressed regarding discontinuity with other services and lack of focus on preventing future relapse and readmission to acute care. Currently evidence on how to prevent readmissions to acute care is limited. Self management interventions, involving supporting service users in recognising and managing signs of their own illness and in actively planning their recovery, have some supporting evidence, but have not been tested as a means of preventing readmission to acute care in people leaving community crisis care. We thus proposed the current study to test the effectiveness of such an intervention. We selected peer support workers as the preferred staff to deliver such an intervention, as they are well-placed to model and encourage active and autonomous recovery from mental health problems. Methods and analysis: The CORE (CRT Optimisation and Relapse Prevention) self management trial compares the effectiveness of a peer provided self-management intervention for people leaving CRT care, with treatment as usual supplemented by a booklet on self-management. The planned sample is 440 participants, including 40 participants in an internal pilot. The primary outcome measure is whether participants are readmitted to acute care over 1 year of follow-up following entry to the trial. Secondary outcomes include self-rated recovery at 4 and at 18 months following trial entry, measured using the Questionnaire on the Process of Recovery. Analysis will follow an intention to treatment principle. Random effects logistic regression modelling with adjustment for clustering by peer support worker will be used to test the primary hypothesis

Online monitoring of patient self-reported adverse events in Early Phase Clinical Trials: views from patients, clinicians, and trial staff

Background/aims New classes of cancer drugs bring a range of unknown and undesirable adverse events. Adverse event monitoring is essential in phase I trials to assess toxicity and safety. In phase II, the focus is also on efficacy but robust data on adverse events continue to inform the safety and the adverse event profile. Standard, clinician-led monitoring has been shown to underestimate patients’ symptoms. Hence, patient-reported adverse event monitoring has been argued to complement and improve the information on adverse events in early phase clinical trials. With advances in information technology, real-time patient self-reported adverse events in trials are feasible. This study explored the experiences and procedures for reporting adverse events in early phase trials among patients, clinical staff, and trial staff, and their views on using an electronic patient-reported outcome adverse event system in this setting. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with patients, purposively sampled across ages, gender, and different phases of trials, and with clinical and trial-related staff involved in early phase trials (e.g. consultants, research nurses, hospital-based trial assistants/data managers, trial unit management staff). Interviews explored patient experiences and views on current adverse event reporting processes and electronic patient-reported outcome adverse event reporting. Framework analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. Results Interviewees were from two hospital trusts with early phase portfolios in England and a trial unit, and included sixteen patients, five consultants, four research nurses, five hospital-based trial staff, and two trial unit staff. Interviews identified three key themes (patient experiences, data flow, and views on electronic patient-reported outcome adverse event reporting). Stakeholders emphasised the intensity of trials for patients and the importance of extensive information provision within the uncertainty of early phase trial drugs. Regular face-to-face appointments for patients supplemented by telephone contact aimed to capture any adverse events. Delayed or under-reporting of mild- or low-severity symptoms was evident among patients. Hospital-based staff highlighted the challenges of current data collection including intense timescales, monitoring by trial sponsors, and high workload. Positive views on electronic patient-reported outcome adverse events highlighted that this could provide a more comprehensive and accurate view on the side effects of new drugs. Clinical staff emphasised patient safety and the need for clear responsibilities for monitoring. The need for careful decision-making about data flow and symptom attribution was highlighted; with trial unit staff emphasising the need for clinician review. Conclusion Technology advances mean it is timely to explore the benefits and challenges of electronic patient-reported outcome adverse event reporting. This is a complex area warranting further consideration within the trial community. We have developed an online patient self-reporting tool and a small pilot with early phase trial patients is underway

Charge pairing, superconducting transition and supersymmetry in high-temperature cuprate superconductors

We propose a model for high-T$_{c}$ superconductors, valid for $0\leq\delta\leq\delta_{SC}$, that includes both the spin fluctuations of the Cu$^{++}$ magnetic ions and of the O$^{--}$ doped holes. Spin-charge separation is taken into account with the charge of the doped holes being associated to quantum skyrmion excitations (holons) of the Cu$^{++}$ spin background. The holon effective interaction potential is evaluated as a function of doping, indicating that Cooper pair formation is determined by the competition between the spin fluctuations of the Cu$^{++}$ background and of spins of the O$^{--}$ doped holes (spinons). The superconducting transition occurs when the spinon fluctuations dominate, thereby reversing the sign of the interaction. At this point ($\delta = \delta_{SC}$), the theory is supersymmetric at short distances and, as a consequence, the leading order results are not modified by radiative corrections. The critical doping parameter for the onset of superconductivity at T=0 is obtained and found to be a universal constant determined by the shape of the Fermi surface. Our theoretical values for $\delta_{SC}$ are in good agreement with the experiment for both LSCO and YBCO.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, no figure