Ferromagnetic features on zero-bias conductance peaks in ferromagnet/insulator/superconductor junction

We present a formula for tunneling conductance in ballistic ferromagnet/ferromagnetic insulator/superconductor junctions where the superconducting state has opposite spin pairing symmetry. The formula can involve correctly a ferromagnetism has been induced by effective mass difference between up- and down-spin electrons. Then, this effective mass mismatch ferromagnet and standard Stoner ferromagnet have been employed in this paper. As an application of the formulation, we have studied the tunneling effect for junctions including spin-triplet p-wave superconductor. The conductace spectra show a clear difference between two ferromagnets depending upon the way of normalization of the conductance. Especially, a essential difference is seen in zero-bias conductance peaks reflecting characteristics of each ferromagnets. From obtained results, it will be suggested that the measurements of the tunneling conductance in the junction provide us a useful information about the mechanism of itinerant ferromagnetism in metal.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, references added to the first versio

Larkin-Ovchinnikov state in resonant Fermi gas

We construct the phase diagram of a homogeneous two component Fermi gas with population imbalance under a Feshbach resonance. In particular, we study the physics and stability of the Larkin-Ovchinnikov phase. We show that this phase is stable over a much larger parameter range than what has been previously reported by other authors.Comment: Typos correcte

Transmission of Specific Genotype Streptomycin Resistant Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area in Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>From 2003 through to 2004, an outbreak of tuberculosis was identified at a university campus in Yokohama City, located in the southern part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area (TMA). All <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>(<it>M. tuberculosis</it>) strains detected with regards to this outbreak turned out to be Streptomycin resistant with matched patterns of 14 IS<it>6110 </it>bands of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). The <it>M. tuberculosis </it>bacilli, which had the matched IS<it>6110 </it>band patterns with resistance to Streptomycin to those of bacilli isolated in the outbreak, were also concurrently detected through either the population-based or the hospital-based DNA fingerprinting surveillance of <it>M. tuberculosis </it>either in Shinjuku City or in Kawasaki City respectively.</p> <p>The aim of the present study is to describe the spread of the specific genotype strains of <it>M. tuberculosis </it>in the TMA as observed in the above incident, and to identify the possible transmission routes of the strains among people living in urban settings in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We applied Variable Numbers of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) analysis to all <it>M. tuberculosis </it>isolates which were resistant to Streptomycin with a matched IS<it>6110</it>-RFLP band pattern (M-strains). They were isolated either from cases related to the tuberculosis outbreak that happened at a university, or through DNA fingerprinting surveillance of <it>M. tuberculosis </it>both in Shinjuku City and in Kawasaki City. For VNTR analysis, 12MIRU loci, 4ETR loci, seven loci by Supply, four loci by Murase (QUB15, Mtub24, VNTR2372, VNTR3336) were selected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of a total of 664 isolates collected during the study period, 46 isolates (6.9%) were identified as M-strains. There was a tendency that there was a higher proportion of those patients whose isolates belonged to M4-substrains, with four copies of tandem repeat at the ETR-C locus, to have visited some of the internet-cafés in the TMA than those whose isolates belonged to M5-substrains, with five copies at the ETR-C locus, although statistically not significant (38.1% vs. 10.0%, Exact p = 0.150).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although firm conclusions could not be reached through the present study, it suggested that we have to take into consideration that tuberculosis can be transmitted in congregated facilities like internet cafés where tuberculosis high-risk people and general people share common spaces.</p

Promoting Health Equity in Cities Through Evidence-Based Action

The impact of the urban setting on health and, in particular, health inequities has been widely documented. However, only a few countries have examined their inter- or intra-city health inequalities, and few do so regularly. Information that shows the gaps between cities or within the same city is a crucial requirement to trigger appropriate local actions to promote health equity. To generate relevant evidence and take appropriate actions to tackle health inequities, local authorities need a variety of tools. In order to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of health systems performance, these tools should: (1) adopt a multi-sectoral approach; (2) link evidence to actions; (3) be simple and user-friendly; and (4) be operationally feasible and sustainable. In this paper we have illustrated the use of one such tool, The World Health Organization’s Urban HEART, which guides users through a process to identify health inequities, focusing on health determinants and then developing actions based on the evidence generated. In a time of increasing financial constraints, there is a pressing need to allocate scarce resources more efficiently. Tools are needed to guide policy makers in their planning process to identify best-practice interventions that promote health equity in their cities