Influence of temperature gradients on tunnel junction thermometry below 1 K: cooling and electron-phonon coupling

We have studied thermal gradients in thin Cu and AlMn wires, both experimentally and theoretically. In the experiments, the wires were Joule heated non-uniformly at sub-Kelvin temperatures, and the resulting temperature gradients were measured using normal metal-insulator-superconducting tunnel junctions. The data clearly shows that even in reasonably well conducting thin wires with a short ($\sim 10 \mu$m) non-heated portion, significant temperature differences can form. In most cases, the measurements agree well with a model which includes electron-phonon interaction and electronic thermal conductivity by the Wiedemann-Franz law.Comment: J. Low Temp. Phys. in pres

Eye fluke-induced cataracts in natural fish populations: is there potential for host manipulation?

Manipulation of host phenotype (e.g. behaviour, appearance) is suggested to be a common strategy to enhance transmission in trophically transmitted parasites. However, in many systems, evidence of manipulation comes exclusively from laboratory studies and its occurrence in natural host populations is poorly understood. Here, we examined the potential for host manipulation by Diplostomum eye flukes indirectly by quantifying the physiological effects of parasites on fish. Earlier laboratory studies have shown that Diplostomum infection predisposes fish to predation by birds (definitive hosts of the parasites) by reducing fish vision through cataract formation. However, occurrence of cataracts and the subsequent potential for host manipulation in natural fish populations has remained poorly explored. We studied the occurrence of eye fluke-induced cataracts from 7 common fish species (Gymnocephalus cernuus, Rutilus rutilus, Leuciscus leuciscus, Alburnus alburnus, Osmerus eperlanus, Coregonus lavaretus and Gasterosteus aculeatus) from the Bothnian Bay in the Baltic Sea. We found that the parasite-induced cataracts were common in fish and they also reached high levels which are likely to predispose fish to predation. However, we observed such cataracts only in species with the highest parasite abundances, which suggests that only certain hosts may be strongly affected by the infectio

Cross subclade immunity after one-year booster immunization with MF59®-adjuvanted A/H5N1 influenza vaccine in 6 month to 17 year-old children

Background: Since 2006 when the zoster vaccine was first icensed, one of the most commonly asked questions by patients nd clinicians has been "Should a patient with a history of herpes oster (HZ) receive the vaccine to prevent another episode?". The enefit of vaccinating immunocompetent patients who have had hingles has not been examined. The study assessed the association etween vaccination and the incidence of herpes zoster recurrence mong personswith a recent episode of clinically diagnosed herpes oster. Methods: This is a matched cohort study in Kaiser Permanente outhern California. Study populations were immunocompetent lderly≥ 60 years oldwith a recent episode of herpes zoster. Potenial recurrent HZ cases were identified electronically by ICD-9 code f 053.xx from outpatient, emergency, and inpatient files. Medcal records of electronically identified cases were retrieved and eviewed masked to vaccination status by an infectious disease pecialist using pre-specified review criteria. Incidence of recurent herpes zoster was compared between the vaccinated and the nvaccinated matched cohorts. The hazard ratio associated with accination was adjusted for a propensity score that accounted for otential confounders. Results: There were total 1,036 vaccinated and 5,180 unvacciated members included. Based on the clinically confirmed cases, he incidence of recurrent HZ among age <70 cohort was 0.99 (95% I, 0.02-5.54) and 2.20 (95% CI, 1.10-3.93) per 1,000 person-year

Establishment and interspecific associations in two species of Ichthyocotylurus (Trematoda) parasites in perch (Perca fluviatilis)

Background: Co-infections of multiple parasite species in hosts may lead to interspecific associations and subsequently shape the structure of a parasite community. However, few studies have focused on these associations in highly abundant parasite species or, in particular, investigated how the associations develop with time in hosts exposed to co-infecting parasite species for the first time. We investigated metacercarial establishment and interspecific associations in the trematodes Ichthyocotylurus variegatus and I. pileatus co-infecting three age cohorts of young perch (Perca fluviatilis). Results: We found that the timing of transmission of the two Ichthyocotylurus species was very similar, but they showed differences in metacercarial development essentially so that the metacercariae of I. pileatus became encapsulated faster. Correlations between the abundances of the species were significantly positive after the first summer of host life and also within the main site of infection, the swim bladder. High or low abundances of both parasite species were also more frequent in the same host individuals than expected by chance, independently of host age or size. However, the highest abundances of the species were nevertheless observed in different host individuals and this pattern was consistent in all age cohorts. Conclusions: The results suggest similar temporal patterns of transmission, non-random establishment, and facilitative rather than competitive associations between the parasite species independently of the age of the infracommunities. However, we suggest that spatial differences in exposure are most likely responsible for the segregation of the parasite species observed in the few most heavily infected hosts. Regardless of the underlying mechanism, the result suggests that between-species associations should be interpreted with caution along with detailed examination of the parasite distribution among host individuals.peerReviewe

Reversible control of the electronic density of states at the Fermi level of Ca3Co4O9+δ misfit-layered oxide single crystals through O+/H+ plasma exposure

Misfit-layered Ca3Co4O9 crystals were grown and characterized via XRD, SEM, and photo-emission spectroscopy (PES). The evolution of the intensity at the Fermi level (E F) with varying oxygen content was studied by PES. Oxygen species were successfully introduced and removed through O+ and H+ microwave-plasma (2.45GHz, 2-5mbar) treatments, respectively. A 5min O+ plasma exposure was observed to result into a drastic enhancement in the E F intensity, demonstrating the influence of oxygen content to the charge carrier population in layered cobalt-oxide material

Ethnicity predicts perceptions of smoking and smoking cessation among veterans

The objective of this study was to determine if race/ethnicity predicts motivation to quit smoking and preferences for cessation services among smokers serviced by a primarily psychiatric Veterans Affairs hospital. A self‐administered survey was given to a convenience sample of smokers ( n = 146) at the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were calculated to determine the association between race/ethnicity and motivation to quit smoking. Forty‐two per cent of the sample was non‐White. Non‐White patients smoked significantly less cigarettes per day as compared with White patients ( P = 0.002). In the multivariate analyses, compared with Whites, non‐Whites had 3.5 times greater odds of thinking that quitting smoking was extremely/very important to health ( P = 0.01), 4.0 times greater odds of thinking of quitting using tobacco products in the next 30 days ( P = 0.004) and 3.4 times greater odds of being interested in receiving smoking cessation services ( P = 0.007). Yet, non‐White patients were less likely to be interested in intensive nurse counselling and cessation medications. As the number of non‐Whites continues to increase in the military, novel strategies may be needed to capitalize on the high motivation to quit smoking and preference for non‐traditional interventions among non‐White smokers treated in Veterans Affairs hospitals.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90416/1/j.1365-2850.2011.01757.x.pd

Post‐discharge tobacco cessation rates among hospitalized US veterans with and without diabetes

Aims  Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular complications among patients with diabetes. Hospitalization has been shown to enhance cessation rates. The purpose of this study was to compare 6‐month post‐hospitalization tobacco cessation rates among US veterans with and without diabetes. Methods  This was a longitudinal study among inpatient veterans who used tobacco in the past month ( n  = 496). Patients were recruited and surveyed from three Midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals during an acute‐care hospitalization. They were also asked to complete a follow‐up survey 6 months post‐discharge. Bivariate‐ and multivariable‐adjusted analyses were conducted to determine differences in tobacco cessation rates between patients with and without a diagnosis of diabetes. Results  The mean age of patients was 55.2 years and 62% were white. Twenty‐nine per cent had co‐morbid diabetes. A total of 18.8% of patients with diabetes reported tobacco cessation at 6 months compared with 10.9% of those without diabetes ( P  = 0.02). Cotinine‐verified cessation rates were 12.5 vs. 7.4% in the groups with and without diabetes, respectively ( P  = 0.07). Controlling for psychiatric co‐morbidities, depressive symptoms, age, self‐rated health and nicotine dependence, the multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression showed that patients with diabetes had three times higher odds of 6‐month cotinine‐verified tobacco cessation as compared with those without diabetes (odds ratio 3.17, P  = 0.005). Conclusions  Post‐hospitalization rates of smoking cessation are high among those with diabetes. Intensive tobacco cessation programmes may increase these cessation rates further.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92145/1/j.1464-5491.2012.03635.x.pd

Prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Karnal district, Haryana state, India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little work has been done on the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in north India. This paper reports the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in Karnal district of Haryana state, India.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>Prevalence of type 1 diabetes was assessed by a hospital-based registry and by analysis of data contributed by chemists and other physicians.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall prevalence of type 1 diabetes in Karnal district is 10.20/100,000 population, with a higher prevalence in urban (26.6/100,000) as compared to rural areas (4.27/100,000). Karnal city, with a population of 222017, has a relatively high prevalence of type 1 diabetes (31.9/100,000). The prevalence in men is higher (11.56/100,000) than in women (8.6/100,000).</p> <p>In the 5 to 16 years age group, the prevalence is 22.22/100,000, while in the 0-5 years age group, prevalence is 3.82/100,000.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This report highlights the urban-rural and male-female gradient in the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in Karnal, north India.</p