Household transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Alberta, Canada.

Proven or presumptive multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia was diagnosed simultaneously in three married couples in Alberta, Canada. The pair of isolates from each couple had identical antibiotic resistance profiles, serotypes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. One or more of these cases could have been prevented by S. pneumoniae vaccine

İbn Haldûn’un siyaset teorisi’nin islami kökeni

Bu çalışma, H.A.R. Gibb'in “The Islamic Background of Ibn Khaldun’s Political Theory”, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies 7/1 (1933), 23-31 künyeli makalenin tercümesidir.Von Kremer’in çalışması ve konunun önemine dikkat çeken farklı ülkelerden araştırmacıların birkaç kısa makalesini saymazsak, de Slane’in Mukaddime çevirisini takip eden elli yılda, Dr. Taha Hüseyin’in bu konuda ilk müstakil çalışmayı yayımladığı 1917 yılına kadar Mukaddime hakkında herhangi bir çalışmanın olmadığı göz önünde bulundurulduğunda son üç yıl içerisinde İbn Haldûn’un bu eserinin merkeze alındığı dört farklı çalışmanın olması son derece şaşırtıcıdır. Önceki makalelerin çoğu gibi Taha Hüseyin’in bu çalışması da temelde İbn Haldûn’un tarih teorisinin sosyolojik yönleriyle ilgilenmekteydi. Söz konusu ilgi, 1917’den beri yayımlanan üç ya da dört makalenin biri hariç hepsinde baskındır. En son çalışmalarda mezkûr sosyal yöne ağırlık verilmesine rağmen, bu incelemelerin bir bütün olarak daha geniş bir alanı kapsadığı söylenebilir. Dr. Gaston Bouthoul gerçekten de İbn Haldûn’un “Sosyal Felsefesi” başlığı içerisinde kendini sınırlandırmaktadır. Ancak yazısının özellikle de ilk otuz sayfasında bu sınırları aşarak tarihçi İbn Haldûn’un kişiliği ve entelektüel görünümü hususunda ufuk açıcı analizlerde bulunmuştur. Prof. Schmidt’in tezi5 ise daha çok alan incelemesi mahiyetinde olup, bu çalışmasında İbn Haldûn’un eserinin (Mukaddime) farklı yönleri üzerinde duran daha önceki araştırmacıların görüşlerini derleyip incelemiş ancak kendisine ait herhangi bir sentez ortaya koyma- mıştır. Son olarak Dr. Kamil Ayad ve Erwin Rosenthal’in Almanca olarak yayımladıkları eserler, münhasıran Mukaddime’nin tarihsel düşüncesine yöneliktir ve özellikle de ikincisi hususi olarak İbn Haldûn’un siyaset teorisini8 ele alan ilk müstakil çalışmadır. Bu iki kitap plan itibariyle önemli derecede farklıdır. Dr. Ayad, İslami kül- tür ve entelektüel gelişiminin genel eğilimleri noktasında kapsamlı ve felsefi giriş yaptıktan sonra İbn Haldûn’un tarihsel metodu analizinde dakik bir inceleme ve gözlem isabetliliği sergilemiş ve çalışmasını İbn Haldûn’un sosyal teorisini ana hatlarıyla inceleyerek neticelendirmiştir. Diğer taraftan Dr. Rosenthal ise, İbn Haldûn’un bizzat kendisini ifade etmesine izin vererek, kendi çalışmasını, “metinle sıkı bir bağ kurup, sınırlı tarihsel yorumla birlikte onun devlet teorisini analiz ettiği Mukaddime adlı eserin en önemli pasajlarının mümkün olduğunca en isabetli çevirisi yoluyla İbn Haldûn’un devlet düşüncesini resmettiği ve bu kaynağa dayanarak tarihçiyi takdim ettiği mütevazı bir teşebbüs olarak” tasvir etmiştir

Volatile Composition and Outgassing in C/2018 Y1 (IWAMOTO): Extending Detection Limits for High-Resolution IR Cometary Spectroscopy at the NASA-IRTF

We used iSHELL, the powerful high-resolution ( /~ 40,000) cross-dispersed IR spectrograph at the NASA-IRTF to measure the native ice composition and outgassing of moderately bright, long-period comet C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto) (hereafter Y1) within weeks of its discovery. We measured production rates for H2O, and production rates and abundance ratios relative to H2O for eight trace molecules, including the most complete measure of cometary CH4 achieved to date. Compared with mean abundances measured among comets, our study revealed enriched CH3OH and C2H6 yet depleted CO and C2H2, perhaps indicating highly efficient H- atom addition on interstellar grains prior to their incorporation into the nucleus. The combined high spectral resolving power and broad spectral coverage of iSHELL allowed characterizing cometary composition using only three instrument settings, and its long-slit coverage allowed comparing the spatial distributions of molecular emissions and dust continuum

Temporal and Spatial Aspects of Gas Release During the 2010 Apparition of Comet 103P/Hartley-2

We report measurements of eight primary volatiles (H2O, HCN, CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, C2H2, H2CO, and NH3) and two product species (OH and NH2) in comet 103P/Hartley-2 using high dispersion infrared spectroscopy. We quantified the long- and short-term behavior of volatile release over a three-month interval that encompassed the comet's close approach to Earth, its perihelion passage, and flyby of the comet by the Deep Impact spacecraft during the EPOXI mission. We present production rates for individual species, their mixing ratios relative to water, and their spatial distributions in the coma on multiple dates. The production rates for water, ethane, HCN, and methanol vary in a manner consistent with independent measures of nucleus rotation, but mixing ratios for HCN, C2H6, & CH3OH are independent of rotational phase. Our results demonstrate that the ensemble average composition of gas released from the nucleus is well defined, and relatively constant over the three-month interval (September 18 through December 17). If individual vents vary in composition, enough diverse vents must be active simultaneously to approximate (in sum) the bulk composition of the nucleus. The released primary volatiles exhibit diverse spatial properties which favor the presence of separate polar and apolar ice phases in the nucleus, establish dust and gas release from icy clumps (and also, directly from the nucleus), and provide insights into the driver for the cyanogen (CN) polar jet. The spatial distributions of C2H6 & HCN along the near-polar jet (UT 19.5 October) and nearly orthogonal to it (UT 22.5 October) are discussed relative to the origin of CN. The ortho-para ratio (OPR) of water was 2.85 \pm 0.20; the lower bound (2.65) defines Tspin > 32 K. These values are consistent with results returned from ISO in 1997.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, to be published in: Astrophysical Journal Letter

The detection of Class I methanol masers towards regions of low-mass star formation

Six young bipolar outflows in regions of low-to-intermediate-mass star formation were observed in the 7_0-6_1A+, 8_0-7_1A+, and 5_{-1}-4_0E methanol lines at 44, 95, and 84 GHz, respectively. Narrow features were detected towards NGC 1333IRAS4A, HH 25MMS, and L1157 B1. Flux densities of the detected lines are no higher than 11 Jy, which is much lower than the flux densities of strong maser lines in regions of high-mass star formation. Analysis shows that most likely the narrow features are masers.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Astronomy Report

Structure, function, and allosteric modulation of NMDA receptors

NMDA-type glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate a Ca(2+)-permeable component of excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS). They are expressed throughout the CNS and play key physiological roles in synaptic function, such as synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. NMDA receptors are also implicated in the pathophysiology of several CNS disorders and more recently have been identified as a locus for disease-associated genomic variation. NMDA receptors exist as a diverse array of subtypes formed by variation in assembly of seven subunits (GluN1, GluN2A-D, and GluN3A-B) into tetrameric receptor complexes. These NMDA receptor subtypes show unique structural features that account for their distinct functional and pharmacological properties allowing precise tuning of their physiological roles. Here, we review the relationship between NMDA receptor structure and function with an emphasis on emerging atomic resolution structures, which begin to explain unique features of this receptor

WHO guidelines on fluid resuscitation in children: missing the FEAST data.

The World Health Organization recommendations on management of common childhood illnesses affect the lives of millions of children admitted to hospital worldwide. Its latest guidelines,1 released in May 2013, continue to recommend rapid fluid resuscitation for septic shock, even though the only large controlled trial of this treatment (Fluid Expansion as a Supportive Treatment (FEAST) found that it increased the risk of death in African children.2 A subsequent systematic review of bolus resuscitation in children with shock resulting from severe infection also did not support its use.3 Failure to take this evidence into account is not consistent with WHO’s commitment to systematically and transparently assess evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) process when producing guidelines and could endanger the lives of children

HbA1c response and hospital admissions following commencement of flash glucose monitoring in adults with type 1 diabetes

Introduction Our aim was to assess the effect of introducing flash monitoring in adults with type 1 diabetes with respect to change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and frequency of hospital admissions.Research design and methods Prospective observational study of adults with type 1 diabetes in our center, in whom a prescription for a flash monitoring sensor was collected. Primary outcome was change in HbA1c between 2016 and after flash monitoring. Rates of hospital admission were compared between the first year after flash monitoring and the corresponding 12-month period 2 years earlier.Results Approximately half of all adults with type 1 diabetes, attending our center, collected prescriptions for flash monitoring sensors (n=2216). Median fall in HbA1c was −1 (−0.1) mmol/mol (%) (p<0.001) and was greatest in those with baseline HbA1c >75 (9.0) mmol/mol (%): −10 (−0.9) mmol/mol (%), p<0.001. 43% of those with a baseline HbA1c >53 mmol/mol (7%) experienced a ≥5 mmol/mol (0.5%) fall in HbA1c. In addition to higher HbA1c, early commencement within 1 month of NHS-funded flash monitoring (p<0.001), and male gender (p=0.013) were associated with a fall in HbA1c of ≥5 (0.5) mmol/mol (%). Socioeconomic deprivation (p=0.009) and collecting fewer than 2 sensors per month (p=0.002) were associated with lack of response. Overall, hospital admissions did not change but an increase in admissions for hypoglycemia was observed (1.1% vs 0.3%, p=0.026).Conclusions Flash monitoring is associated with reduction in HbA1c in individuals with HbA1c >58 mmol/mol. Numerous clinical features are independently associated with HbA1c response. An increase in hypoglycemia admissions occurred following flash monitoring

The challenge of enterprise/innovation: a case study of a modern university

In the prevailing economic and political climate for Higher Education a greater emphasis has been placed on diversifying the funding base. The present study was undertaken between 2012 and 2014 and addressed the implementation of an approach to the transformation of one academic school in a medium-sized modern university in Wales to a more engaged enterprise culture. A multimethod investigation included a bi-lingual (English and Welsh) online survey of academic staff and yielded a 71% response rate (n = 45). The findings informed a series of in-depth interviews (n = 24) with a representative sample of those involved in enterprise work (support staff, managers, senior managers), and those who were not. The results provided the platform for the ‘S4E model’ for effective engagement with enterprise: (1) Strategic significance for Enterprise, (2) Support for Enterprise, (3) Synergy for Enterprise, and (4) Success for Enterprise. The outcomes of the research and the recommendations from it have potential to inform practice in other academic schools within the university and, in a wider context, within other Schools of Education regionally, nationally and internationally. Its original empirical exploration of enterprise within education studies is a significant contribution to that body of knowledge