We examined the association between influenza vaccination policies at acute care hospitals and influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel for the 2021–22 influenza season. Mandatory vaccination and masking for unvaccinated personnel were associated with increased odds of vaccination. Hospital employees had higher vaccination coverage than licensed independent practitioners.

The dynamic behaviour of helicopter during water impact, considering variations in initial downward velocity and pitching angle, have been investigated numerically and theoretically in the present study. The air-water two-phase flows are simulated by solving unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations enclosed by standard $k - \omega $ turbulence model. A treatment for computational domain in combination with a global dynamic mesh technique is applied to deal with the relative motion between the helicopter and water. Results indicate that the initial downward velocity of helicopter exhibits behaviour similar to that of a V-shaped body impacting on water, as does the initial pitching angle. To extend the theoretical approach for predicting the kinematic parameters during helicopter ditching, a shape factor capturing the combined effect of various attributes and an average deadrise angle for asymmetric wedges are also introduced.

One species-general life history (LH) principle posits that challenging childhood environments are coupled with a fast or faster LH strategy and associated behaviors, while secure and stable childhood environments foster behaviors conducive to a slow or slower LH strategy. This coupling between environments and LH strategies is based on the assumption that individuals’ internal traits and states are independent of their external surroundings. In reality, individuals respond to external environmental conditions in alignment with their intrinsic vitality, encompassing both physical and mental states. The present study investigated attachment as an internal mental state, examining its role in mediating and moderating the association between external environmental adversity and fast LH strategies. A sample of 1169 adolescents (51% girls) from 9 countries was tracked over 10 years, starting from age 8. The results confirm both mediation and moderation and, for moderation, secure attachment nullified and insecure attachment maintained the environment-LH coupling. These findings suggest that attachment could act as an internal regulator, disrupting the contingent coupling between environmental adversity and a faster pace of life, consequently decelerating human LH.

ABSTRACT IMPACT: This work identifies host immune perturbations in sepsis mortality that suggests targets for a precision medicine paradigm in the host response to infection. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To compare the early whole blood transcriptome during sepsis between 30-day survivors and non-survivors in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and to evaluate for pathway enrichment that might explain sepsis lethality. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We enrolled 162 sepsis patients in the first 24 hours of ICU admission, particularly targeting individuals requiring vasopressors. Peripheral whole blood was collected in PAXgene vacutainers. Isolated RNA was analyzed with Affymetrix Human Genome ST 2.0 microarray. Differential gene expression was performed with Bioconductor/R/limma using log2 fold-change +/-0.6 as a threshold for differential expression, and a Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p-value <0.05 to declare significance. Functional gene enrichment was performed using the Gene Ontology (GO) database with PANTHER overrepresentation test (Fisher’s Exact) on all transcripts with adjusted p-value <0.05. Pathways analysis was performed with the Reactome Project using the raw fold change and significance data to identify dysregulated pathways. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: There were 58 non-survivors (36% mortality). We identified 39 genes as differentially expressed between sepsis non-survivors and survivors; 31 were upregulated in non-survivors and 8 had reduced expression. Several of the most overexpressed transcripts are neutrophil-specific, including LCN, MPO, OLF4M4, DEFA3, and DEFA4. A functional gene overrepresentation test further supports this finding, as the most enriched gene ontologies were neutrophil-mediated killing, neutrophil cytotoxicity, neutrophil extravasation, and respiratory burst, all demonstrating higher than 10-fold enrichment and FDR < 0.02. Pathway analysis of the peripheral blood transcriptome was notable for immune response derangement, specifically downregulation of both innate and adaptive immune pathways (FDR < 0.00001). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: We identified increased expression of neutrophil-related genes in sepsis non-survivors, replicating candidates previously identified in pediatric sepsis mortality and ARDS. These immune perturbations in sepsis mortality may represent key targets for eventually employing precision medicine strategies in sepsis.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, debilitating, phenotypically heterogeneous disorder with heritability ranges from 30% to 50%. Compared to other psychiatric disorders, its high prevalence, moderate heritability, and strong polygenicity have posed major challenges for gene-mapping in MDD. Studies of common genetic variation in MDD, driven by large international collaborations such as the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, have confirmed the highly polygenic nature of the disorder and implicated over 100 genetic risk loci to date. Rare copy number variants associated with MDD risk were also recently identified. The goal of this review is to present a broad picture of our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, molecular genetics, and gene–environment interplay in MDD. Insights into the impact of genetic factors on the aetiology of this complex disorder hold great promise for improving clinical care.

In this paper, the generation of relativistic electron mirrors (REM) and the reflection of an ultra-short laser off the mirrors are discussed, applying two-dimension particle-in-cell simulations. REMs with ultra-high acceleration and expanding velocity can be produced from a solid nanofoil illuminated normally by an ultra-intense femtosecond laser pulse with a sharp rising edge. Chirped attosecond pulse can be produced through the reflection of a counter-propagating probe laser off the accelerating REM. In the electron moving frame, the plasma frequency of the REM keeps decreasing due to its rapid expansion. The laser frequency, on the contrary, keeps increasing due to the acceleration of REM and the relativistic Doppler shift from the lab frame to the electron moving frame. Within an ultra-short time interval, the two frequencies will be equal in the electron moving frame, which leads to the resonance between laser and REM. The reflected radiation near this interval and corresponding spectra will be amplified due to the resonance. Through adjusting the arriving time of the probe laser, a certain part of the reflected field could be selectively amplified or depressed, leading to the selective adjustment of the corresponding spectra.

Hydrogen lithography has been used to template phosphine-based surface chemistry to fabricate atomic-scale devices, a process we abbreviate as atomic precision advanced manufacturing (APAM). Here, we use mid-infrared variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (IR-VASE) to characterize single-nanometer thickness phosphorus dopant layers (δ-layers) in silicon made using APAM compatible processes. A large Drude response is directly attributable to the δ-layer and can be used for nondestructive monitoring of the condition of the APAM layer when integrating additional processing steps. The carrier density and mobility extracted from our room temperature IR-VASE measurements are consistent with cryogenic magneto-transport measurements, showing that APAM δ-layers function at room temperature. Finally, the permittivity extracted from these measurements shows that the doping in the APAM δ-layers is so large that their low-frequency in-plane response is reminiscent of a silicide. However, there is no indication of a plasma resonance, likely due to reduced dimensionality and/or low scattering lifetime.

Adolescents have been largely neglected from tuberculosis control efforts. In low- to medium burden settings much of the tuberculosis burden in this age group occurs from school outbreaks. We report on a large tuberculosis outbreak in adolescents from a boarding high school in Jiangsu Province, China. From March to June 2018, a tuberculosis outbreak occurred in a boarding high school. We conducted an outbreak investigation involving clinical diagnostic tests and molecular analysis to determine the outbreak origin. Cases were detected through symptom screening, tuberculin skin testing (TST), chest radiography, sputum smear, solid sputum culture and GeneXpert MTB/RIF. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit-variable-number tandem-repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping and spoligotyping methods were performed on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) isolates to identify the outbreak origin. A total of 845 students and 131 teachers/staff attended a TST screening for tuberculosis infection. The prevalence of elevated tuberculin reactions at ≥5, ≥10 and ≥15 mm was 12.19% (119/976), 6.35% (62/976) and 3.28% (32/976), respectively. Radiographic abnormalities were present in 5.73% (56 of 976) individuals, 40 students and 16 teachers/staff. Of these, 12 students were diagnosed with confirmed tuberculosis. In total, 14 students (two index cases and 12 confirmed cases) were diagnosed and reported in the tuberculosis outbreak, an attack rate of 1.7% (14/847) among students (two index cases and 845 screened students). Results from MIRU-VNTR typing and spoligotyping analyses demonstrated that three M. tuberculosis strains belong to the Beijing family with corresponding MIRU-VNTR alleles. This school-based tuberculosis outbreak among adolescents demonstrates that transmission among individuals in this age group is common and must be prioritised. It suggests that identifying and timely diagnosis of smear-positive cases, especially in the early phase of outbreaks, is the key to preventing further spread among close contacts.

To compare the epidemiologic features (e.g. settings and transmission mode) and patient clinical characteristics associated with outbreaks of different norovirus (Nov) strains, we retrospectively analysed data of Nov outbreaks occurring in Guangzhou, China from 2012 to 2018. The results suggested that outbreaks of Nov GII.2, GII.17 and GII.4 Sydney exhibited different outbreak settings, transmission modes and symptoms. GII.2 outbreaks mainly occurred in kindergartens, elementary and high schools and were transmitted mainly through person-to-person contact. By contrast, GII.4 Sydney outbreaks frequently occurred in colleges and were primarily associated with foodborne transmission. Cases from GII.2 and GII.17 outbreaks reported vomiting more frequently than those from outbreaks associated with GII.4 Sydney.

Zircon commonly occurs as one of important accessory HFSE-bearing minerals in A-type granite. A detailed electron microprobe study was carried out on zircon from the Laoshan complex, Eastern China, which is composed of I- and A-type granites. Zircon from the I-type rocks is relatively poor in trace elements (HfO2<2 wt.%, UO2, ThO2 and Y2O3 <1 wt.%), but that from the A-type rocks is richer in Hf, U, Th and Y. Hafnian zircon with a HfO2 content of up to 12.37 wt.% was found in the arfvedsonite granite, which is considered the most evolved facies in the A-type suite. Enrichment in Hf is generally observed at the rims of zircon crystals relative to the cores. The Hf enrichment in zircon, and the association of exotic REE- and HFSE-bearing minerals are linked to hydrothermal activity, suggesting that during the last stage of crystallization of the A-type magma, fluids enriched in REE, HFSE, F−, CO32− and PO43− were released.

Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by roundworm parasites such as Brugia malayi that spread via a mosquito vector. In vitro culture of these parasites provides controlled conditions to understand parasite biology and provides a cheaper way to screen potential micro- and macrofilaricides. Published studies have used a wide array of approaches and metrics regarding in vitro cultures of B. malayi; as a result, drawing comparisons and identifying the reasons why inability to reproduce outcomes are difficult. This study sought to determine conditions that ensure reproducible outcomes and used evaluation metrics that are easily measured and can be automated to ensure objectivity. We found culturing B. malayi third-stage larvae (L3) in endothelial basal media supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum and 75 µm ascorbic acid in a temperature- and humidity-controlled incubator produced better survival and molting rates as well as longer and more motile parasites than previously reported. The benefit of ascorbic acid seemed to be unique to L3 parasites, as the addition of ascorbic acid to adult parasites had no significant impact on survival or motility. The methods reported in this study will help in designing experiments for both parasite behaviour studies and drug screening applications for disease eradication.

The Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), the inner 450 pc of our Galaxy, is an exceptional region where the volume and column densities, gas temperatures, velocity dispersions, etc. are much higher than in the Galactic plane. It has been suggested that the formation of stars and clusters in this area is related to the orbital dynamics of the gas. The complex kinematic structure of the molecular gas was revealed by spectral line observations. However, these results are limited to the line-of-sight-velocities. To fully understand the motions of the gas within the CMZ, we have to know its location in 6D space (3D location + 3D motion). Recent orbital models have tried to explain the inflow of gas towards and its kinematics within this region. With parallax and proper motion measurements of masers in the CMZ we can discriminate among these models and constrain how our Galactic Center is fed with gas.

Vortex-induced vibration (VIV) is an important physical phenomenon as one design a riser or a cylindrical structure in ocean. As the riser or the cylindrical structure is adjacent to a seabed, the boundary effect on VIV is not fully understood yet. The direct-forcing immersed boundary (DFIB) method is used to investigate a two-degree-of-freedom VIV of a flexible supported circular cylinder adjacent to a plane boundary in this study. Furthermore, the effect of the VIV of cylinder on skin friction of the plane boundary is investigated. The effects of varying reduced velocity and gap ratio on VIV are discussed. Only a single vortex street is found when the cylinder is close to plane boundary. Hydrodynamic coefficients of the freely vibrating cylinder are analyzed in time and spectral domains. Furthermore, nearly round oval-shaped motion is observed as the so-called lock-in phenomenon occurs. The skin friction of the plane boundary is predicted by the DFIB model. Results show that the vibrating cylinder in the boundary layer flow can reduce the friction effectively. This proposed DFIB model can be useful for the investigation of VIV of the structures under the plane boundary effect even for a small gap between the cylinder and the boundary.

The transient impact hypothesis was extended, and the oblique collision model was established by considering the tangential slip. In order to solve this problem, the oblique-impact equations for cam-follower were transformed into a linear complementarity problem. Impulsive control method was employed to control or anti-control the nonlinear responses. The simulation results show that the cam-follower system performs very complex nonlinear characteristics, such as period, quasi-period and chaos responses. Using the impulsive control method, the nonlinear responses of the cam-follower system can be controlled to P(n, n) and P(∞, n) or anti-controlled to chaos.