1,294 research outputs found
Clonal spread of SCCmec type IV methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus between community and hospital
ABSTRACTThe staphylococcal chromosome cassette (SCC)mec types of 382 hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) isolates in Taiwan were analysed over a 7-year period (1999–2005). There was an abrupt increase in SCCmec type IV in HA-MRSA during 2005. The molecular epidemiology of a subset (n = 69) of HA-MRSA isolates with SCCmec types III, IV or V was characterised and compared with that of community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) (n = 26, collected during 2005). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed three major pulsotypes (A, B and C) and 15 minor clones. Pulsotypes B and C, which contained isolates carrying SCCmec types IV and V, respectively, included both CA-MRSA and HA-MRSA isolates. Among 24 toxin genes analysed, five genes had significant differential distribution between CA-MRSA and SCCmec type III HA-MRSA. Furthermore, among SCCmec type IV isolates, the seb gene was detected more commonly in HA-MRSA. Analysis of representative members of the three major pulsotypes by multilocus sequence typing revealed two sequence types (STs), namely ST239 (SCCmec III) and ST59 (SCCmec IV or SCCmec V). This suggests that ST59:SCCmec IV, which is usually community-acquired, has become an important nosocomial pathogen in the hospital studied
CMBR Weak Lensing and HI 21-cm Cross-correlation Angular Power Spectrum
Weak gravitational lensing of the CMBR manifests as a secondary anisotropy in
the temperature maps. The effect, quantified through the shear and convergence
fields imprint the underlying large scale structure (LSS), geometry and
evolution history of the Universe. It is hence perceived to be an important
observational probe of cosmology. De-lensing the CMBR temperature maps is also
crucial for detecting the gravitational wave generated B-modes. Future
observations of redshifted 21-cm radiation from the cosmological neutral
hydrogen (HI) distribution hold the potential of probing the LSS over a large
redshift range. We have investigated the correlation between post-reionization
HI signal and weak lensing convergence field. Assuming that the HI follows the
dark matter distribution, the cross-correlation angular power spectrum at a
multipole \ell is found to be proportional to the cold dark matter power
spectrum evaluated at \ell/r, where r denotes the comoving distance to the
redshift where the HI is located. The amplitude of the ross-correlation depends
on quantities specific to the HI distribution, growth of perturbations and also
the underlying cosmological model. In an ideal ituation, we found that a
statistically significant detection of the cross-correlation signal is
possible. If detected, the cross-correlation signal hold the possibility of a
joint estimation of cosmological parameters and also test various CMBR
de-lensing estimators.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, publishe
Probing semiclassical analogue gravity in Bose--Einstein condensates with widely tunable interactions
Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) have recently been the subject of
considerable study as possible analogue models of general relativity. In
particular it was shown that the propagation of phase perturbations in a BEC
can, under certain conditions, closely mimic the dynamics of scalar quantum
fields in curved spacetimes. In two previous articles [gr-qc/0110036,
gr-qc/0305061] we noted that a varying scattering length in the BEC corresponds
to a varying speed of light in the ``effective metric''. Recent experiments
have indeed achieved a controlled tuning of the scattering length in Rubidium
85. In this article we shall discuss the prospects for the use of this
particular experimental effect to test some of the predictions of semiclassical
quantum gravity, for instance, particle production in an expanding universe. We
stress that these effects are generally much larger than the Hawking radiation
expected from causal horizons, and so there are much better chances for their
detection in the near future.Comment: 18 pages; uses revtex4. V2: Added brief discussion of "Bose-Nova"
phenomenon, and appropriate reference
Localized surface states in HTSC: Alternative mechanism of zero-bias conductance peaks
It is shown that the quasiparticle states localized in the vicinity of
surface imperfections of atomic size can be responsible for the zero-bias
tunneling conductance peaks in high-Tc superconductors. The contribution from
these states can be easily separated from other mechanisms using their
qualitatively different response on an external magnetic field.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages, 2 figs; to be published in PR
Interface effects on the shot noise in normal metal- d-wave superconductor Junctions
The current fluctuation in normal metal / d-wave superconductor junctions are
studied for various orientation of the crystal by taking account of the spatial
variation of the pair potentials. Not only the zero-energy Andreev bound states
(ZES) but also the non-zero energy Andreev bound states influence on the
properties of differential shot noise. At the tunneling limit, the noise power
to current ratio at zero voltage becomes 0, once the ZES are formed at the
interface. Under the presence of a subdominant s-wave component at the
interface which breaks time-reversal symmetry, the ratio becomes 4eComment: 13 pages, 3 figure
Subharmonic gap structure in d-wave superconductors
We present a self-consistent theory of current-voltage characteristics of
d-wave/d-wave contacts at arbitrary transparency. In particular, we address the
open problem of the observation of subharmonic gap structure (SGS) in cuprate
junctions. Our analysis shows that: (i) the SGS is possible in d-wave
superconductors, (ii) the existence of bound states within the gap results in
an even-odd effect in the SGS, (iii) elastic scattering mechanisms, like
impurities or surface roughness, may suppress the SGS, and (iv) in the presence
of a magnetic field the Doppler shift of the Andreev bound states leads to a
very peculiar splitting of the SGS, which is an unambiguous fingerprint of
d-wave superconductivity.Comment: Revtex4, 4 pages, 5 figure
The CMBR ISW and HI 21-cm Cross-correlation Angular Power Spectrum
The late-time growth of large scale structures (LSS) is imprinted in the CMBR
anisotropy through the Integrated Sachs Wolfe (ISW) effect. This is perceived
to be a very important observational probe of dark energy. Future observations
of redshifted 21-cm radiation from the cosmological neutral hydrogen (HI)
distribution hold the potential of probing the LSS over a large redshift range.
We have investigated the possibility of detecting the ISW through
cross-correlations between the CMBR anisotropies and redshifted 21-cm
observations. Assuming that the HI traces the dark matter, we find that the
ISW-HI cross-correlation angular power spectrum at an angular multipole l is
proportional to the dark matter power spectrum evaluated at the comoving wave
number l/r, where r is the comoving distance to the redshift from which the HI
signal originated. The amplitude of the cross-correlation signal depends on
parameters related to the HI distribution and the growth of cosmological
perturbations. However the cross-correlation is extremely weak as compared to
the CMBR anisotropies and the predicted HI signal. As a consequence the
cross-correlation signal is smaller than the cosmic variance, and a
statistically significant detection is not very likely.Comment: 13 pages, 4 eps figures, submitte
The SELF Trial: A self-efficacy based behavioral intervention trial for weight loss maintenance.
The SELF Trial examined the effect of adding individual self‐efficacy (SE) enhancement sessions to standard behavioral weight loss treatment (SBT). Participants were randomly assigned to SBT or SBT plus SE sessions (SBT+SE). Outcome measures were weight loss maintenance, quality of life, intervention adherence, and self‐efficacy at 12 and 18 months. The sample (N = 130) was female (83.08%) with a mean (SD) body mass index of 33.15 (4.11) kg m2. There was a significant time effect for percent weight change (P = 0.002) yet no significant group or group‐by‐time effects. The weight loss for the SBT+SE group was 8.38% (7.48) at 12 months and 8.00% (7.87) at 18 months, with no significant difference between the two time points (P = 0.06). However, weight loss for the SBT group was 6.95% (6.67) at 12 months and 5.96% (7.35) at 18 months, which was significantly different between the two time points (P = 0.005), indicating that the SBT group had significant weight regain. Both groups achieved clinically significant weight loss. The group receiving an intervention targeting enhanced self‐efficacy had greater weight loss maintenance whereas the SBT group demonstrated significant weight regain possibly related to the greater attention provided to the SBT+SE group
Excess energy of an ultracold Fermi gas in a trapped geometry
We have analytically explored finite size and interparticle interaction
corrections to the average energy of a harmonically trapped Fermi gas below and
above the Fermi temperature, and have obtained a better fitting for the excess
energy reported by DeMarco and Jin [Science , 1703 (1999)]. We
have presented a perturbative calculation within a mean field approximation.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; Accepted in European Physical Journal
Quasiclassical description of transport through superconducting contacts
We present a theoretical study of transport properties through
superconducting contacts based on a new formulation of boundary conditions that
mimics interfaces for the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity. These
boundary conditions are based on a description of an interface in terms of a
simple Hamiltonian. We show how this Hamiltonian description is incorporated
into quasiclassical theory via a T-matrix equation by integrating out
irrelevant energy scales right at the onset. The resulting boundary conditions
reproduce results obtained by conventional quasiclassical boundary conditions,
or by boundary conditions based on the scattering approach. This formalism is
well suited for the analysis of magnetically active interfaces as well as for
calculating time-dependent properties such as the current-voltage
characteristics or as current fluctuations in junctions with arbitrary
transmission and bias voltage. This approach is illustrated with the
calculation of Josephson currents through a variety of superconducting
junctions ranging from conventional to d-wave superconductors, and to the
analysis of supercurrent through a ferromagnetic nanoparticle. The calculation
of the current-voltage characteristics and of noise is applied to the case of a
contact between two d-wave superconductors. In particular, we discuss the use
of shot noise for the measurement of charge transferred in a multiple Andreev
reflection in d-wave superconductors
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