Spin fluctuations in CuGeO3_3 probed by light scattering

We have measured temperature dependence of low-frequency Raman spectra in CuGeO$_3$, and have observed the quasi-elastic scattering in the $(c,c)$ polarization above the spin-Peierls transition temperature. We attribute it to the fluctuations of energy density in the spin system. The magnetic specific heat and an inverse of the magnetic correlation length can be derived from the quasi-elastic scattering. The inverse of the magnetic correlation length is proportional to $(T-T_{SP})^{1/2}$ at high temperatures. We compare the specific heat with a competing-$J$ model. This model cannot explain quantitatively both the specific heat and the magnetic susceptibility with the same parameters. The origin of this discrepancy is discussed.Comment: 17 pages, REVTeX, 5 Postscript figures; in press in PR

Association of severe hypertension with pneumonia in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke

Pneumonia is one of the most frequent complications in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke. Although severe hypertension is often observed in the early phase of acute stroke, there are few studies of acute hypertension as a factor influencing the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) in elderly subjects with acute ischemic stroke. To assess the association of acute phase blood-pressure elevation with the incidence of SAP, we compared 10 elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke complicated with severe hypertension (⩾200/120 mm Hg) with 43 patients with moderate hypertension (160–199/100–119 mm Hg), as well as with 65 control normotensive or mildly hypertensive (<160/100 mm Hg) controls on admission. Data were collected on known risk factors, type of ischemic stroke and underlying chronic conditions. The significance of differences in risk factors was analyzed using univariate and multivariate comparisons of 38 SAP cases and others, 8 SAP death cases and others, and 28 patients with poor outcome associated with in-hospital death or artificial feeding at discharge and others. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the relative risk estimates for SAP, SAP death and poor outcome were 2.83 (95% confidence interval 1.14–7.05), 5.20 (1.01–26.8) and 6.84 (1.32–35.4), respectively, for severe hypertension relative to normotensive or mildly hypertensive controls. We conclude that severe hypertension on admission is an independent predictive factor for SAP in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke

Estimating the Global Clinical Burden of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in 2007

Simon Hay and colleagues derive contemporary estimates of the global clinical burden of Plasmodium falciparum malaria (the deadliest form of malaria) using cartography-based techniques

Control of nanostructures generated in epoxy matrices blended with PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA triblock copolymers

Stability of nanostructures of epoxy/acrylic triblock copolymer blends was studied.PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA triblock copolymers (acrylic BCPs) having several compositions on the ratio of the block chains and the molecular weight were initially prepared and were blended with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy thermosets. The blends were cured using phenol novolac with tri phenyl phosphine (TPP) as the catalyst. Several nanostructures, such as spheres, cylinders, curved lamellae, were observed in the cured blends. The nanostructures were controlled by the molecular weight of the immiscible PnBA-block chain and the ratio of the PnBA in the blends. Moreover, the effect of the gel time to the nanostructures was examined by altering the trace amount of the TPP in the blends. The types of the nanostructures were almost kept irrespective of the gel time of the blends when the composition of the blends was maintained. This suggested the stability of the nanostructures of the epoxy/acrylic BCP blends made via the self-assembly mechanism, therefore a phase diagram of the cured blends was proposed

The combination of high bacterial count and positive biofilm formation is associated with the inflammation of pressure ulcers

Mao Kunimitsu,1 Gojiro Nakagami,1,2 Aya Kitamura,1 Yuko Mugita,1 Kaname Akamata,3 Sanae Sasaki,4 Chieko Hayashi,4 Yukie Mori,1 Hiromi Sanada1,2 1Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 2Global Nursing Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 3Department of Dermatology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 4Department of Nursing, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Objective: Evaluating the bacterial bioburden of pressure ulcers through bacterial count and pathogenicity is important but is currently difficult to perform in the clinical setting. In order to address this problem, we proposed two methods: 1) measurement of bacterial count using a quantitative device and 2) detection of biofilm formation by wound blotting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the bacterial bioburden, assessed by combining these two methods, and the presence of wound inflammation.Patients and methods: The participants of this cross-sectional study were patients aged &gt;20years with category II, III, IV, or unstageable pressure ulcers examined during a routine round in an interdisciplinary pressure ulcer team between July 2014 and April 2018. Relevant clinical information, including bacterial count, biofilm formation, and presence of inflammation, was collected from the pressure ulcer round record. The relationship between the bacterial bioburden and the presence of inflammation was analyzed using multilevel logistic regression analysis.Results: We included 273 samples obtained from 98 patients. High bacterial count was significantly associated with wound inflammation (P=0.009) and positive biofilm formation tended to be associated with wound inflammation (P=0.076). In terms of combining these parameters, high bacterial count and positive biofilm formation were significantly associated with wound inflammation (OR: 4.61, 95% CI: 1.37&ndash;15.46, P=0.013).Conclusion: Assessment using both bacterial count and biofilm detection parameters may provide more accurate evaluation of the bacterial bioburden of the wound and contribute to appropriate wound care. Keywords: wound infection, wound assessment, critical colonization, wound blotting, thermograph