Destruction of Superconductivity by Impurities in the Attractive Hubbard Model

We study the effect of U=0 impurities on the superconducting and thermodynamic properties of the attractive Hubbard model on a square lattice. Removal of the interaction on a critical fraction of $f_{\rm crit} \approx 0.30$ of the sites results in the destruction of off-diagonal long range order in the ground state. This critical fraction is roughly independent of filling in the range $0.75 < \rho < 1.00$, although our data suggest that $f_{\rm crit}$ might be somewhat larger below half-filling than at $\rho=1$. We also find that the two peak structure in the specific heat is present at $f$ both below and above the value which destroys long range pairing order. It is expected that the high $T$ peak associated with local pair formation should be robust, but apparently local pairing fluctuations are sufficient to generate a low temperature peak

Association Between Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Myocardial Infarction Among People Living With HIV in the United States.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). Extrahepatic manifestations of HCV, including myocardial infarction (MI), are a topic of active research. MI is classified into types, predominantly atheroembolic type 1 MI (T1MI) and supply-demand mismatch type 2 MI (T2MI). We examined the association between HCV and MI among patients in the Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Network of Integrated Clinical Systems, a US multicenter clinical cohort of PLWH. MIs were centrally adjudicated and categorized by type using the Third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction. We estimated the association between chronic HCV (RNA+) and time to MI while adjusting for demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, clinical characteristics, and history of injecting drug use. Among 23,407 PLWH aged ≥18 years, there were 336 T1MIs and 330 T2MIs during a median of 4.7 years of follow-up between 1998 and 2016. HCV was associated with a 46% greater risk of T2MI (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.97) but not T1MI (aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.87, 95% CI: 0.58, 1.29). In an exploratory cause-specific analysis of T2MI, HCV was associated with a 2-fold greater risk of T2MI attributed to sepsis (aHR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.01, 95% CI: 1.25, 3.24). Extrahepatic manifestations of HCV in this high-risk population are an important area for continued research

Duration of Protection and Age-Dependence of the Effects of the SPf66 Malaria Vaccine in African Children Exposed to Intense Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum

The SPf66 synthetic vaccine is safe and partly efficacious against Plasmodium falciparum malaria among children 1-5 years old. The estimated vaccine efficacy [VE] for all clinical episodes over a period of 18 months after the third dose is 25% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1%-44%; P = .044). The observed temporal variations in efficacy could have been due to chance (likelihood ratio χ2 = 13.8,8 df; P = .086). Efficacy against clinical malaria did not vary significantly with age χ2 = 1.07, 4 df; P = .90). Overall parasite density was 21% lower in vaccine recipients than in the placebo group (95% CI, 0%-38%; P = .044). Further development of SPf66 may require trials to evaluate safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy when administered in the first year of life, together with other vaccines contained in the Expanded Programme of Tmmunization schedul

Stem cells and cancer immunotherapy: Arrowhead’s 2nd annual cancer immunotherapy conference

Investigators from academia and industry gathered on April 4 and 5, 2013, in Washington DC at the Arrowhead’s 2nd Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Conference. Two complementary concepts were discussed: cancer “stem cells” as targets and therapeutic platforms based on stem cells

First Results from the ISO‐IRAS Faint Galaxy Survey

We present the first results from the ISO-IRAS Faint Galaxy Survey (IIFGS), a program designed to obtain ISO observations of the most distant and luminous galaxies in the IRAS Faint Source Survey by filling short gaps in the ISO observing schedule with pairs of 12 μm ISOCAM and 90 μm ISOPHOT observations. As of 1997 October, over 500 sources have been observed, with an ISOCAM detection rate over 80%, covering over 1.25 deg^2 of sky to an 11.5 μm point-source completeness limit of approximately 1.0 mJy (corresponding to a ~10 σ detection sensitivity). Observations are presented for nine sources detected by ISOPHOT and ISOCAM early in the survey for which we have ground-based G- and I-band images and optical spectroscopy. The ground-based data confirm that the IIFGS strategy efficiently detects moderate-redshift (z = 0.11-0.38 for this small sample) strong emission line galaxies with L_(60 μm) ≳ 10^(11) L_☉; one of our sample has L_(60 μm) > 10^(12) L_☉ (H_0 = 75 km s^(-1) Mpc^(-1), Ω = 1). The infrared-optical spectral energy distributions are comparable to those of nearby luminous infrared galaxies, which span the range from pure starburst (e.g., Arp 220) to infrared QSO (Mrk 231). Two of the systems show signs of strong interaction, and four show active galactic nucleus (AGN)-like excitation; one of the AGNs, F15390+6038, which shows a high excitation Seyfert 2 spectrum, has an unusually warm far- to mid-infrared color and may be an obscured QSO. The IIFGS sample is one of the largest and deepest samples of infrared-luminous galaxies available, promising to be a rich sample for studying infrared-luminous galaxies up to z ~ 1 and for understanding the evolution of infrared galaxies and the star formation rate in the universe

The ISO-IRAS Faint Galaxy Survey

The ISO-IRAS Faint Galaxy Survey will obtain comprehensive space- and ground-based observations of the most distant and luminous galaxies in the IRAS Faint Source Survey. ISO observations are obtained by filling short gaps in the ISO observing schedule with pairs of 11.5μm ISOCAM and 90μm ISOPHOT observations. As of the October 1997 date of this Conference, over 500 sources have been observed by ISO with an ISOCAM detection rate exceeding 803. Ground-based spectrophotometry confirms that the IIFGS efficiently detects moderateredshift, strong emission line Luminous Infrared Galaxies. Spectrophotometry is currently available for 67 galaxies with 0.07 < z < 0. 7 and L_(fir) > 10^(11) L_☉. The galaxies are comparable to nearby LIGs, showing HII/Liner excitation; about 10% exhibit strong AGN characteristics. As a part of this survey we will cover over 1.25 square degrees of sky to an 11.5μm limit of approximately l.0mJy, allowing a sensitive estimate of the 11.5μm logN-logS Relationship. Preliminary ll.5μm source counts suggest substantial evolution in the mid-infrared galaxy population

Detection of Resistance Mutations to Antivirals Oseltamivir and Zanamivir in Avian Influenza A Viruses Isolated from Wild Birds

The neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir are the first-line of defense against potentially fatal variants of influenza A pandemic strains. However, if resistant virus strains start to arise easily or at a high frequency, a new anti-influenza strategy will be necessary. This study aimed to investigate if and to what extent NA inhibitor–resistant mutants exist in the wild population of influenza A viruses that inhabit wild birds. NA sequences of all NA subtypes available from 5490 avian, 379 swine and 122 environmental isolates were extracted from NCBI databases. In addition, a dataset containing 230 virus isolates from mallard collected at Ottenby Bird Observatory (Öland, Sweden) was analyzed. Isolated NA RNA fragments from Ottenby were transformed to cDNA by RT-PCR, which was followed by sequencing. The analysis of genotypic profiles for NAs from both data sets in regard to antiviral resistance mutations was performed using bioinformatics tools. All 6221 sequences were scanned for oseltamivir- (I117V, E119V, D198N, I222V, H274Y, R292K, N294S and I314V) and zanamivir-related mutations (V116A, R118K, E119G/A/D, Q136K, D151E, R152K, R224K, E276D, R292K and R371K). Of the sequences from the avian NCBI dataset, 132 (2.4%) carried at least one, or in two cases even two and three, NA inhibitor resistance mutations. Swine and environmental isolates from the same data set had 18 (4.75%) and one (0.82%) mutant, respectively, with at least one mutation. The Ottenby sequences carried at least one mutation in 15 cases (6.52%). Therefore, resistant strains were more frequently found in Ottenby samples than in NCBI data sets. However, it is still uncertain if these mutations are the result of natural variations in the viruses or if they are induced by the selective pressure of xenobiotics (e.g., oseltamivir, zanamivir)

Racial differences in smoking abstinence rates in a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial in the United States

Background: This study evaluates differences in smoking abstinence between white and minority smokers using pharmaceutical aids. Methods: This is an analysis of data from a multi-center, randomized, clinical trial conducted in the United States. Of the 1,684 subjects randomized to one of three medications (nicotine inhaler, bupropion, or a combination of both), 60% were women and 10% were minority races. Results: Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of smoking at 12 weeks were older age (OR = 0.971, p\u3c 0.0001), being married (OR = 0.678, p= 0.0029), using bupropion SR (OR = 0.480, p∈\u3c∈0.0001), and using combination therapy (OR = 0.328, p∈\u3c∈0.0001). Factors associated with an increased likelihood of smoking were higher tobacco dependence scores (OR = 1.244, p \u3c 0.0001), prior quit attempts (OR = 1.812, p=0.004), and being a minority (OR = 1.849, p=0.0083). Compared to white smokers, minority smokers were significantly older at time of study entry (46 vs. 42 years, p\u3c 0.0001), less likely to be married (35% vs. 59%, p\u3c 0.0001), older at smoking initiation (21 vs. 19 years of age, p\u3c 0.0001), and had a lower abstinence rate (16% vs. 26%, p=0.0065). Conclusion: Regardless of the treatment used, minority smokers in the US have lower smoking abstinence after treatment for tobacco dependence. Future research should focus on the improvement in treatment strategies for minority smokers

Immediate chest X-ray for patients at risk of lung cancer presenting in primary care: randomised controlled feasibility trial

Background: Achieving earlier stage diagnosis is one option for improving lung cancer outcomes in the United Kingdom. Patients with lung cancer typically present with symptoms to general practitioners several times before referral or investigation. Methods: We undertook a mixed methods feasibility individually randomised controlled trial (the ELCID trial) to assess the feasibility and inform the design of a definitive, fully powered, UK-wide, Phase III trial of lowering the threshold for urgent investigation of suspected lung cancer. Patients over 60, with a smoking history, presenting with new chest symptoms to primary care, were eligible to be randomised to intervention (urgent chest X-ray) or usual care. Results: The trial design and materials were acceptable to GPs and patients. We randomised 255 patients from 22 practices, although the proportion of eligible patients who participated was lower than expected. Survey responses (89%), and the fidelity of the intervention (82% patients X-rayed within 3 weeks) were good. There was slightly higher anxiety and depression in the control arm in participants aged >75. Three patients (1.2%) were diagnosed with lung cancer. Conclusions: We have demonstrated the feasibility of individually randomising patients at higher risk of lung cancer, to a trial offering urgent investigation or usual care

Grey matter in shadow banking: international organizations and expert strategies in global financial governance

Who controls global policy debates on shadow banking regulation? We show how experts secured control over how issues in shadow banking regulation are treated by examining the policy recommendations of the Bank of International Settlements, the International Monetary Fund and the Financial Stability Board. The evidence suggests that IO experts embedded a bland reformism opposed to both strong and ‘light touch’ regulation at the core of the emerging regulatory regime. Technocrats reinforced each other's expertise, excluded some potential competitors (legal scholars), co-opted others (select Fed and elite academic economists), and deployed measurement, mandate, and status strategies to assert issue control. In the field of shadow banking regulation, academic economists’ influence came from their credibility as arbitrageurs between several professional fields rather than their intellectual output. The findings have important implications for how we study the relationship between IO technocrats and experts from other professional field