The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on uptake of influenza vaccine: a UK-wide observational study.

BACKGROUND: In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK National Health Service (NHS) flu vaccination eligibility is extended this season to ~32.4 million (48.8%) of the population. Knowing intended uptake will inform supply and public health messaging to maximise vaccination. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to measure the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on acceptance of flu vaccination in the 2020-21 season, specifically focusing on those previously eligible who routinely decline vaccination and the newly eligible. METHODS: Intention to receive influenza vaccine in 2020-21 was asked of all registrants of the NHS's largest electronic personal health record by online questionnaire on 31st July 2020. Of those who were either newly or previously eligible but had not previously received influenza vaccination, multivariable logistic regression and network diagrams were used to examine reasons to have or decline vaccination. RESULTS: Among 6,641 respondents, 945 (14.2%) were previously eligible but not vaccinated, of whom 536 (56.7%) intended to receive flu vaccination in 2020/21, as did 466 (68.6%) of the newly eligible. Intention to receive the flu vaccine was associated with increased age, index of multiple deprivation (IMD) quintile, and considering oneself at high risk from Covid-19. Among those eligible but intending not to be vaccinated in 2020/21, 164 (30.2%) gave misinformed reasons. 47 (49.9%) of previously unvaccinated healthcare workers would decline vaccination in 2020/21. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, Covid-19 has increased acceptance of flu vaccination in those previously eligible but unvaccinated and motivates substantial uptake in the newly eligible. This study is essential for informing resource planning and the need for effective messaging campaigns to address negative misconceptions, also necessary for Covid-19 vaccination programmes. CLINICALTRIAL: Not applicable

A high-speed single sideband generator using a magnetic tunnel junction spin torque nano-oscillator

An important property of spin-torque nano-oscillators (STNOs) is their ability to produce a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is very critical for communication applications. We here demonstrate a novel single sideband (SSB) modulation phenomenon using a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based STNO, which saves transmission bandwidth and in principle should minimize attenuation for wireless communication. Experimentally, lower single sidebands (LSSBs) have been successfully demonstrated over a wide range of modulation frequency, f m  = 150 MHz-1 GHz. The observed LSSBs are determined by the intrinsic properties of the device, which can be modeled well by a nonlinear frequency and amplitude modulation formulation and reproduced in macrospin simulations. Moreover, our macrospin simulation results show that the range of modulation current and modulation frequency for generating SSBs can be controlled by the field-like torque and biasing conditions

Dislocation-Mediated Melting: The One-Component Plasma Limit

The melting parameter $\Gamma_m$ of a classical one-component plasma is estimated using a relation between melting temperature, density, shear modulus, and crystal coordination number that follows from our model of dislocation-mediated melting. We obtain $\Gamma_m=172\pm 35,$ in good agreement with the results of numerous Monte-Carlo calculations.Comment: 8 pages, LaTe

Assessment of Bronchiectasis Severity: The FACED Score versus The Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI)

Background: Bronchiectasis is a multi-dimensional, chronic inflammatory and heterogeneous lung disorder characterized by unpredictable clinical course and progression. Two multivariable score systems, the FACED score and the BSI, which are composites of multiple variables have been used to assess the severity and prognosis of bronchiectasis. Objectives: (1) To assess the severity of bronchiectasis in patients using two different validated scores, the FACED score and the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI). (2) To identify microbial profile among bronchiectasis patients and its impact on predicting future exacerbation and hospitalization. Methods: A total of 37 patients from June 2019 to November 2019 were enrolled in this prospective study. The FACED score and BSI score of patients were calculated. Severity of bronchiectasis has been defined by both scores and its impact on exacerbation was examined. Results: Mean age of patients was 45.8 ± 12.7 years. We found mild, moderate and severe bronchiectasis in 17 (45.95%), 15 (40.54%) and 5 (13.51%) patients as assessed by FACED scores. Low, intermediate and high BSI scores were found in 7 (18.92%), 9 (24.32%) and 21 (56.76 %) patients respectively. Patients with high BSI score demonstrated more exacerbations during the follow up period as compared to those with high FACED score. Conclusions: The BSI score is superior to predicting the severity of bronchiectasis as compared to the FACED score. It also helps to identify patients at risk of future exacerbations and hospitalization. Further large-scale studies are recommended to substantiate the findings

What role for asbestos in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? Findings from the IPF job exposures case–control study

Background Asbestos has been hypothesised as the cause of the recent global increase in the incidence of ‘idiopathic’ pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Establishing this has important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. The association between occupational asbestos exposure and IPF, and interaction with a common (minor allele frequency of 9% in European populations) genetic variant associated with IPF, MUC5B rs35705950, is unknown. Methods Multicentre, incident case–control study. Cases (n=494) were men diagnosed with IPF at 21 UK hospitals. Controls (n=466) were age-matched men who attended a hospital clinic in the same period. Asbestos exposure was assessed at interview using a validated job exposure matrix and a source-receptor model. The primary outcome was the association between asbestos exposure and IPF, estimated using logistic regression adjusted for age, smoking and centre. Interaction with MUC5B rs35705950 was investigated using a genetic dominant model. Results 327 (66%) cases and 293 (63%) controls ever had a high or medium asbestos exposure risk job; 8% of both cases and controls had cumulative exposure estimates ≥25 fibre ml⁻¹ years. Occupational asbestos exposure was not associated with IPF, adjusted OR 1.1 (95% CI 0.8 to 1.4; p=0.6) and there was no gene–environment interaction (p=0.3). Ever smoking was associated with IPF, OR 1.4 (95% CI 1 to 1.9; p=0.04) and interacted with occupational asbestos exposure, OR 1.9 (95% CI 1 to 3.6; p=0.04). In a further non-specified analysis, when stratifying for genotype there was significant interaction between smoking and work in an exposed job (p<0.01) for carriers of the minor allele of MUC5B rs35705950. Conclusion Occupational asbestos exposure alone, or through interaction with MUC5B rs35705950 genotype, was not associated with IPF. Exposure to asbestos and smoking interact to increase IPF risk in carriers of a common genetic variant, the minor allele of MUC5B rs35705950

The Intracellular Threonine of Amyloid Precursor Protein That Is Essential for Docking of Pin1 Is Dispensable for Developmental Function

Background: Processing of Ab-precursor protein (APP) plays an important role in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathogenesis. Thr residue at amino acid 668 of the APP intracellular domain (AID) is highly conserved. When phosphorylated, this residue generates a binding site for Pin1. The interaction of APP with Pin1 has been involved in AD pathogenesis. Methodology/Principal Findings: To dissect the functions of this sequence in vivo, we created an APP knock-in allele, in which Thr 668 is replaced by an Ala (T 668 A). Doubly deficient APP/APP-like protein 2 (APLP2) mice present postnatal lethality and neuromuscular synapse defects. Previous work has shown that the APP intracellular domain is necessary for preventing early lethality and neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) defects. Crossing the T 668 A allele into the APLP2 knockout background showed that mutation of Thr 668 does not cause a defective phenotype. Notably, the T 668 A mutant APP is able to bind Mint1. Conclusions/Significance: Our results argue against an important role of the Thr 668 residue in the essential function of APP in developmental regulation. Furthermore, they indicate that phosphorylation at this residue is not functionally involved i