Molecular variation in Leishmania parasites from sandflies species of a zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in northeast of Iran

Background & objectives: In the well-known zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) focus in Turkmen Sahara, border of Iran and Turkmenistan, ZCL has increased among humans in the past five years. The present study was undertaken to incriminate vectors of ZCL in the region, and to find molecular variation in Leishmania parasites. Methods: The sandflies were sampled using CDC light-traps and sticky papers. All the sandflies were identified using morphological characters of the head and abdominal terminalia. DNA was extracted from the dissected thorax and attached anterior abdomen of individual female sandfly. Leishmania detection and identification of sandflies were performed using PCR, digestion of BsuRI restriction enzyme and sequencing of ITS-rDNA gene and also by semi-nested PCR to amplify minicircle kinetoplast (k) DNA of Leishmania. Results: Leishmania infections were detected in 26 out of 206 female sandflies. Of the infected sandflies, 18 were Phlebotomus papatasi while eight were P. caucasicus/P. mongolensis. Two infections of L. turnica were detected, one in P. papatasi and other in P. caucasicus/P. mongolensis and the rest of the sandflies were found infected with L. major. Conclusion: Our finding showed that L. major had low diversity with only one common haplotype (GenBank Access No. EF413075). The novel haplotypes were discovered in L. major (GenBank Access No. KF152937) and in L. turanica (GenBank Access No. EF413079) in low frequency. These Leishmania parasites are circulating to maintain infections in the P. papatasi and P. caucasicus/P. mongolensis in Turkmen Sahara

IHTC14-22229 First and Second Law Analysis of Fluid Flow in the Regenerator of Pulse Tube Refrigerators

ABSTRACT The objective of the present work is to analyze the performance of the regenerator of pulse tube refrigerators. Hydrodynamic and thermal behavior of the regenerator is investigated in this respect. To consider the system performance, a system of conservation equations including two energy equations for the regenerator as a porous media is employed. The present model considers one dimensional periodic unsteady compressible flow in the regenerator. The conservation equations are transformed by implementing the volumetric average scheme. Method of harmonic approximation is employed to derive an analytical solution. To explore the system performance, net energy flow and entropy generation minimization technique is applied in order to calculate the regenerator first and second law efficiencies. The effect of geometry and operating key parameters on the regenerator performance are considered as well

Stability over time of the “hospital effect” on 30-day unplanned readmissions: Evidence from administrative data

Past studies showed that hospital characteristics affect hospital performance in terms of 30-day unplanned readmissions, proving the existence of a “hospital effect”. However, the stability over time of this effect has been under-investigated. This study offers new evidence about the stability over time of the hospital effect on 30-day unplanned readmissions. Using 78,907 heart failure (HF) records collected from 116 hospitals in the Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) over three years (2010-2012), this study analysed hospital performance in terms of 30-day unplanned readmissions. Hospitals with unusually high and low readmission rates were identified through multi-level regression that combined both patient and hospital covariates in each year. Our results confirm that although hospital covariates – and the connected managerial choices – affect the 30-day unplanned readmissions of a specific year, their effect is not stable in the short-term (3 years). This has important implications for pay-for-performance schemes and quality improvement initiatives