7,634 research outputs found
Symmetric and anti-symmetric Landau parameters and magnetic properties of dense quark matter
We calculate the dimensionless Fermi liquid parameters (FLPs),
and , for spin asymmetric dense quark matter.
In general, the FLPs are infrared divergent due to the exchange of massless
gluons. To remove such divergences, the Hard Density Loop (HDL) corrected gluon
propagator is used. The FLPs so determined are then invoked to calculate
magnetic properties such as magnetization and magnetic
susceptibility of spin polarized quark matter. Finally, we investigate
the possibility of magnetic instability by studying the density dependence of
and .Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, abstract and introduction modifified. Published
in Phys. Rev. C. 81, 054906 (2010
Diagnostic issues in abdominal tuberculosis
Objective: To analyze the modes of presentation and diagnostic issues in the management of abdominal tuberculosis at a tertiary care hospital in a developing country, where most of the established diagnostic modalities are available.SETTING: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.Methods: This study is a retrospective review of medical records of all inpatients, diagnosed to have abdominal tuberculosis, from January 1991 to December 1997. The data was collected and particularly analyzed for spectrum of presentation and role of various diagnostic modalities. Of special interest was the sub-group of patients, who after all investigations did not have a firm diagnosis. Following a literature review recommendations have been developed for empiric antituberculous therapy in such patients.Results: A total of 135 patients were diagnosed to have abdominal tuberculosis with a mean age of 34 years and a male to female ratio of 1:2. Ninety-six (71%) patients presented with chronic abdominal symptoms, while 39 (29%) presented as an acute surgical emergency mandating exploratory laparotomy. A tissue-based diagnosis was established in 95 (70.30%) patients, while radiological diagnosis was made in 30 (22.2%) patients. In 10 (7.4%) patients all investigations undertaken could not reveal a final diagnosis; these were treated empirically on the basis of a strong clinical suspicion.CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis can be made confidently in most of the cases. There may be a small group of patients where diagnosis cannot be made despite appropriate investigations and a therapeutic trial of ATT may be considered with close monitoring according to a pre-fixed protocol
Preoperative work up: are the requirements different in a developing country?
In developing countries there is a tendency to advocate routine testing in asymptomatic healthy patients to identify undocumented significant medical conditions. A retrospective review of pre- operative laboratory investigations undertaken in patients attending the General Surgical department was performed. Three hundred and twenty patients case notes were reviewed, patients were selected on the basis of common general surgical procedures. Two hundred and sixteen patients (67.5%) did not have any associated medical illness on history and physical examination. Analysis of laboratory results showed that 42/216 (19.4%) had low hemoglobin. An abnormal chest X-ray was the next common abnormality 11/103 (10.6%). Mild hypokalemia (\u3e 3 mEq/L) was seen in 6/123 (4.8%) and a raised blood sugar level was seen in 1/113 (0.88%) patients. Only one patient with hemoglobin of 4.8 gm/dL needed preoperative intervention, the rest of the abnormalities did not effect the treatment plan or outcome. The results were in general agreement with other studies except for the high proportion of low hemoglobin seen in the female population. It is suggested that a thorough history and physical examination is a reliable and inexpensive preoperative screening tool. Guidelines for pre-operative investigations in American Society of Anesthesiologists Grade I (ASA I) patients are suggested
Time trends in the incidence of clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in the UK 2009-2018: a retrospective cohort study.
INTRODUCTION: To describe recent trends in the incidence of clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in people seen in UK general practice. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using IQVIA Medical Research Data looking at people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes through primary care registers in the UK between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. RESULTS: A cohort of 426 717 people were clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 418 656 people met the criteria for a diagnosis of pre-diabetes in that time period. The incidence of clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes per 1000 person years at risk (PYAR) in men decreased from a peak of 5.06 per 1000 PYAR (95% CI 4.97 to 5.15) in 2013 to 3.56 per 1000 PYAR (95% CI 3.46 to 3.66) by 2018. For women, the incidence of clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes per 1000 PYAR decreased from 4.45 (95% CI 4.37 to 4.54) in 2013 to 2.85 (2.76 to 2.93) in 2018. The incidence rate of pre-diabetes tripled by the end of the same study period in men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2009 and 2018, the incidence rate of new clinical diagnoses of type 2 diabetes recorded in a UK primary care database decreased by a third from its peak in 2013-2014, while the incidence of pre-diabetes has tripled. The implications of this on timely treatment, complication rates and mortality need further longer term exploration
Cardiovascular outcomes of type 2 diabetic patients treated with DPP‑4 inhibitors versus sulphonylureas as add-on to metformin in clinical practice
DPP-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) and sulphonylureas remain the most widely prescribed add-on treatments after metformin. However, there is limited evidence from clinical practice comparing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients prescribed these treatments, particularly among those without prior history of MACE and from vulnerable population groups. Using electronic health records from UK primary care, we undertook a retrospective cohort study with people diagnosed type-2 diabetes mellitus, comparing incidence of MACE (myocardial infarction, stroke, major cardiovascular surgery, unstable angina) and all-cause mortality among those prescribed DPP-4i versus sulphonylureas as add-on to metformin. We stratified analysis by history of MACE, age, social deprivation and comorbidities and adjusted for HbA1c, weight, smoking-status, comorbidities and medications. We identified 17,570 patients prescribed sulphonylureas and 6,267 prescribed DPP-4i between 2008–2017. Of these, 16.3% had pre-existing MACE. Primary incidence of MACE was similar in patients prescribed DPP-4i and sulphonylureas (10.3 vs 8.5 events per 1000 person-years; adjusted Hazard Ratio (adjHR): 0.94; 95%CI 0.80–1.14). For those with pre-existing MACE, rates for recurrence were higher overall, but similar between the two groups (21.8 vs 17.2 events per 1000 person-years; adjHR: 0.93; 95%CI 0.69–1.24). For those aged over 75 and with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 there was a protective effect for DPP-I, warranting further investigation. Patients initiating a DPP-4i had similar risk of cardiovascular outcomes to those initiating a sulphonylurea. This indicates the choice should be based on safety and cost, not cardiovascular prognosis, when deciding between a DPP-4i or sulphonylurea as add-on to metformin
Mn induced modifications of Ga 3d photoemission from (Ga, Mn)As: evidence for long range effects
Using synchrotron based photoemission, we have investigated the Mn-induced
changes in Ga 3d core level spectra from as-grown . Although Mn is located in Ga substitutional sites, and does
therefore not have any Ga nearest neighbours, the impact of Mn on the Ga core
level spectra is pronounced even at Mn concentrations in the range of 0.5%. The
analysis shows that each Mn atom affects a volume corresponding to a sphere
with around 1.4 nm diameter.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review B, Brief Repor
Non-uniqueness of the Dirac theory in a curved spacetime
We summarize a recent work on the subject title. The Dirac equation in a
curved spacetime depends on a field of coefficients (essentially the Dirac
matrices), for which a continuum of different choices are possible. We study
the conditions under which a change of the coefficient fields leads to an
equivalent Hamiltonian operator H, or to an equivalent energy operator E. In
this paper, we focus on the standard version of the gravitational Dirac
equation, but the non-uniqueness applies also to our alternative versions. We
find that the changes which lead to an equivalent operator H, or respectively
to an equivalent operator E, are determined by initial data, or respectively
have to make some point-dependent antihermitian matrix vanish. Thus, the vast
majority of the possible coefficient changes lead neither to an equivalent
operator H, nor to an equivalent operator E, whence a lack of uniqueness. We
show that even the Dirac energy spectrum is not unique.Comment: 13 pages (standard 12pt article format). Text of a talk given at the
1st Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity, Kolymbari
(Greece), Sept. 14-18, 200
Magnetization hysteresis and time decay measurements in FeSeTe : Evidence for fluctuation in mean free path induced pinning
We present results of magnetic measurements relating to vortex phase diagram
in a single crystal of FeSeTe which displays second
magnetization peak anomaly for . The possible role of the
crystalline anisotropy on vortex pinning is explored via magnetic torque
magnetometry. We present evidence in favor of pinning related to spatial
variations of the charge carrier mean free path leading to small bundle vortex
pinning by randomly distributed (weak) pinning centers for both
and . This is further corroborated using magnetization data for in a single crystal of FeSeTe. Dynamical
response across second magnetization peak (SMP) anomaly in
FeSeTe has been compared with that across the well researched
phenomenon of peak effect (PE) in a single crystal of CeRu.Comment: 11 figures, provided additional data in another sample, added Fig.
Comparison of History Effects in Magnetization in Weakly pinned Crystals of high- and low-T Superconductors
A comparison of the history effects in weakly pinned single crystals of a
high YBaCuO (for H c) and a low
CaRhSn, which show anomalous variations in critical current
density are presented via tracings of the minor magnetization
hysteresis loops using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The sample histories
focussed are, (i) the field cooled (FC), (ii) the zero field cooled (ZFC) and
(iii) an isothermal reversal of field from the normal state. An understanding
of the results in terms of the modulation in the plastic deformation of the
elastic vortex solid and supercooling across order-disorder transition is
sought.Comment: Presented in IWCC-200
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