Limited asymptomatic carriage of Pneumocystis jiroveci in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

Forty-seven bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from 16 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients were used to test the latency model of Pneumocystis infection in the human host. Identification of DNA sequence polymorphisms at 4 independent loci were used to genotype Pneumocystis jiroveci from the 35 samples that contained detectable P. jiroveci DNA. Eighteen of those 35 samples came from patients who did not have Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) and had confirmed alternative diagnoses. Seven patients had asymptomatic carriage of P. jiroveci over periods of less than or equal to9.5 months after an episode of PCP, and in all 7 cases, a change in genotype from that in the original episode of PCP was observed. The absence of P. jiroveci DNA in one-fourth of the 47 samples and the observed changes in genotype during asymptomatic carriage do not support the latency model of infection. Asymptomatic carriage in HIV-infected patients may play a role in transmission of P. jiroveci and may even supply a reservoir for future infections

Probing the Effects of the Well-mixed Assumption on Viral Infection Dynamics

Viral kinetics have been extensively studied in the past through the use of spatially well-mixed ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the diseased state. However, emerging spatial structures such as localized populations of dead cells might adversely affect the spread of infection, similar to the manner in which a counter-fire can stop a forest fire from spreading. In a previous publication (Beauchemin et al., 2005), a simple 2-D cellular automaton model was introduced and shown to be accurate enough to model an uncomplicated infection with influenza A. Here, this model is used to investigate the effects of relaxing the well-mixed assumption. Particularly, the effects of the initial distribution of infected cells, the regeneration rule for dead epithelial cells, and the proliferation rule for immune cells are explored and shown to have an important impact on the development and outcome of the viral infection in our model.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages, 22 EPS figures, uses document class REVTeX 4, and packages float, graphics, amsmath, and SIunit

Anomalous Gauge Interactions of the Higgs Boson: Precision Constraints and Weak Boson Scatterings

Interaction of Higgs scalar (H) with weak gauge bosons (V=W,Z) is the {\it key} to understand electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) mechanism. New physics effects in the HVV interactions, as predicted by models of compositeness, supersymmetry and extra dimensions, can be formulated as anomalous couplings via a generic effective Lagrangian. We first show that the existing electroweak precision data already impose nontrivial indirect constraints on the anomalous HVV couplings. Then, we systematically study VV --> VV scatterings in the TeV region, via Gold-plated pure leptonic decay modes of the weak bosons. We demonstrate that, even for a light Higgs boson in the mass range 115GeV < m_H < 300GeV, this process can directly probe the anomalous HVV interactions at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 300fb^{-1}, which further supports the ``No-Lose'' theorem for the LHC to uncover the EWSB mechanism. Comparisons with the constraints from measuring the cross section of VH associate production and the Higgs boson decay width are also given.Comment: Version in Phys. Lett. B (v3: minor typos removed, v2,v4: fix Latex top-margin

Three-Dimensional Multi-Relaxation Time (MRT) Lattice-Boltzmann Models for Multiphase Flow

In this paper, three-dimensional (3D) multi-relaxation time (MRT) lattice-Boltzmann (LB) models for multiphase flow are presented. In contrast to the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) model, a widely employed kinetic model, in MRT models the rates of relaxation processes owing to collisions of particle populations may be independently adjusted. As a result, the MRT models offer a significant improvement in numerical stability of the LB method for simulating fluids with lower viscosities. We show through the Chapman-Enskog multiscale analysis that the continuum limit behavior of 3D MRT LB models corresponds to that of the macroscopic dynamical equations for multiphase flow. We extend the 3D MRT LB models developed to represent multiphase flow with reduced compressibility effects. The multiphase models are evaluated by verifying the Laplace-Young relation for static drops and the frequency of oscillations of drops. The results show satisfactory agreement with available data and significant gains in numerical stability.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Journal of Computational Physic

Cost per case or total cost? The potential of prevention of hand injuries in young children – Retrospective and prospective studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health-care costs for hand and forearm injuries in young children are poorly documented. We examined costs in 533 children injured years 1996–2003.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Health-care costs and costs for lost productivity were retrospectively calculated in children from three catchment areas in Sweden. Seven case categories corresponding to alternative prevention strategies were constructed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Over time, diminishing number of ward days reduced the health-care cost per case. Among children, the cost of lost productivity due to parental leave was 14 percent of total cost. Fingertip injuries had low median costs but high total costs due to their frequency. Complex injuries by machine or rifle had high costs per case, and despite a low number of cases, total cost was high. Type of injury, surgery and physiotherapy sessions were associated with variations in health-care cost. Low age and ethnic background had a significant effect on number of ward days.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The costs per hand injury for children were lower compared to adults due to both lower health-care costs and to the fact that parents had comparatively short periods of absence from work. Frequent simple fingertip injuries and rare complex injuries induce high costs for society. Such costs should be related to costs for prevention of these injuries.</p

Polynomial Generalizations of Knot Colorings

In the field of knot theory, knot invariants are properties preserved across all embeddings and projections of the same knot. Fox n-coloring is a classical knot invariant which associates to each knot projection a system of linear equations. We generalize Fox’s n-coloring by using two, not necessarily distinct, polynomials over a field F, which we say form a (g,f)F coloring. We introduce a sufficient condition, called strong, for a pair of polynomials to form a&nbsp; (g,f)F coloring. We confirm a family of pairs of linear polynomials each of which form a (g,f)F coloring. We prove that there are no strong pairs containing an irreducible quadratic polynomial over a field F not of characteristic two. Furthermore, we find a method to produce polynomials with unbounded degree that form colorings over suitable fields

Numerical methods for nonlinear partial differential equations of fractional order

In this article, we implement relatively new analytical techniques, the variational iteration method and the Adomian decomposition method, for solving nonlinear partial differential equations of fractional order. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. The two methods in applied mathematics can be used as alternative methods for obtaining analytic and approximate solutions for different types of fractional differential equations. In these schemes, the solution takes the form of a convergent series with easily computable components. Numerical results show that the two approaches are easy to implement and accurate when applied to partial differential equations of fractional order

Pseudohexagonal Nb2O5 Anodes for Fast-Charging Potassium-Ion Batteries

High-rate batteries will play a vital role in future energy storage systems, yet while good progress is being made in the development of high-rate lithium-ion batteries, there is less progress with post-lithium-ion chemistry. In this study, we demonstrate that pseudohexagonal Nb2O5(TT-Nb2O5) can offer a high specific capacity (179 mAh g-1 ∼ 0.3C), good lifetime, and an excellent rate performance (72 mAh g-1 at ∼15C) in potassium-ion batteries (KIBs), when it is composited with a highly conductive carbon framework; this is the first reported investigation of TT-Nb2O5 for KIBs. Specifically, multiwalled carbon nanotubes are strongly tethered to Nb2O5 via glucose-derived carbon (Nb2O5@CNT) by a one-step hydrothermal method, which results in highly conductive and porous needle-like structures. This work therefore offers a route for the scalable production of a viable KIB anode material and hence improves the feasibility of fast-charging KIBs for future applications

Information Literacy Reimagined. Deep Learning Practice

UNESCO 2030 (UNESCO, 2015) sustainable development goal 4 highlights the need for inclusive educational practices in order to dismantle the present exclusionary practices in education. These goals are designed to ensure that by 2030, benchmarks are met requiring all children with diverse socio- economic, race and gender backgrounds receive an equitable and quality education. To meet the needs for inclusive educational practices two areas in education are under consideration: teacher training and curriculum development and implementation. This presentation will highlight the work by two professors working with their students to promote an inclusive social justice education and curricula framework. Specifically, the presenters will share their experience of empowering their pre-service and in-service teachers to develop their abilities to conceptualize the principles of culturally relevant/responsive/sustaining curriculum and pedagogy and critically evaluate, develop, and implement such principles in teaching, learning, assessment and evaluation practices in school

Local perspectives on weirs in the Upper Nepean

The Independent Expert Panel of the HawkesburyâNepean River Management Forum commissioned the Institute for Sustainable Futures to conduct research into the values held by river users and community members in relation to the weirs on the Upper Nepean River and concerns they would have with any change to the current situation. The weirs at the centre of this research are Bergins, Thurns, Sharpes and Brownlow Hill. The research questions guiding the project are: What is the nature of the social and economic relationship between people and weirs at a local level In what ways would people want to participate in decisions about the weirs and river management Local people were asked about how they use the weirs, what value they see the weirs having for their community, culture and industry and what concerns there may be about potential changes. The research aims to help the Expert Panel and the Forum make appropriate decisions about potential retention, modification or removal of the weirs and the fishways associated with them. A further aim is to facilitate public participation in the decision-making process. Within any community, there are different individuals and groups with diverse interests and experiences. These differences might result in multiple perspectives between and within groups. To differentiate some of these perspectives, the broader community was divided into four sectors: general public, community groups, identifiable water users such as irrigators and recreational users and Indigenous groups. The general public participants emphasised the aesthetic and leisure value of the river. They appear to identify very strongly with the river, with participants interpreting the existence of the weirs as integral to both the riverâs survival and the ongoing economic survival of the region. The findings indicate that this group view the weirs as an integral part of the river and the river as an integral part of the Camden community