Ultra-broadband THz time-domain spectroscopy of common polymers using THz air photonics

D’Angelo F, Mics Z, Bonn M, Turchinovich D. Ultra-broadband THz time-domain spectroscopy of common polymers using THz air photonics. Optics Express. 2014;22(10): 12475

Products and powers of principal symmetric ideals

Principal symmetric ideals were recently introduced by Harada, Seceleanu, and Sega, with a focus on their homological properties. They are ideals generated by the orbit of a single polynomial under permutations of variables in a polynomial ring. In this paper we seek to determine when a product of two principal symmetric ideals is principal symmetric and when all the powers of a principal symmetric ideal are again principal symmetric ideals. We characterize the ideals that have the latter property as being generated by polynomials invariant up to a scalar multiple under permutation of variables. Recognizing principal symmetric ideals is an open question for the purpose of which we produce certain obstructions. We also demonstrate that the Hilbert functions of symmetric monomial ideals are not all given by symmetric monomial ideals, in contrast to the non-symmetric case.Comment: A flaw in the proof of Theorem 3.5 in version 1 = Theorem 3.6 in version 2 was remedie

Infrared and photoelectron spectroscopy study of vapor phase deposited poly (3-hexylthiophene)

Poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was thermally evaporated and deposited in vacuum. Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm that the thin films were indeed P3HT, and showed that in-situ thermal evaporation provides a viable route for contaminant-free surface/interface analysis of P3HT in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments were carried out to examine the frontier orbitals and core energy levels of P3HT thin films vapor deposited in UHV on clean polycrystalline silver (Ag) surfaces. UPS spectra enable the determination of the vacuum shift at the polymer/metal interface, the valence band maximum (VBM), and the energy of the \Pi-band of the overlayer film. The P3HT vacuum level decreased in contrast to that of the underlying Ag as the film thickness increased. XPS and UPS data confirmed the chemical integrity (stoichiometry) of the polymer at high coverage, as well as the shift of the C 1s and S 2p binding energy peaks and the secondary-electron edge with increasing film thickness, indicating that band bending is present at the P3HT/Ag interface and that the measured onset of the valence band is about 0.8 +- 0.05 eV relative to the Fermi level

Parental knowledge of paediatric vaccination

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Vaccination against hepatitis b virus: are Italian medical students sufficiently protected after the public vaccination programme?

The development of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been a major achievement in terms of prevention of HBV infection. For the present study, we analysed the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities.Background: The development of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been a major achievement in terms of prevention of HBV infection. For the present study, we analysed the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities. Methods: A cross-sectional study of undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the Medical School of the Second University of Naples was conducted between September 2012 and December 2014. HBV serum markers were determined and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the level of long-term immunogenicity. Results: Of the 2,932 subjects evaluated, only 33 (1.1 %) declared no history of vaccination. All vaccinated subjects were HBsAg/anti-HBc negative, 459 of which had an anti-HBs titre <10 IU/L. The latter were younger, more likely to be attending a healthcare profession school (i.e., dental hygienists, nursing, paediatric nursing, radiography and midwifery) than a medical school (at either undergraduate or postgraduate level) and more likely to have been vaccinated in infancy. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that assessment of HBV serum markers in workers potentially exposed to hospital infections is useful to identify small numbers of unvaccinated subjects or vaccinated subjects with low antibody titre, all of whom should be referred to a booster series of vaccinations

Fatores associados à adesão à vacinação anti-influenza em idosos não institucionalizados, São Paulo, Brasil

Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi estimar a cobertura vacinal contra a influenza em idosos e identificar os fatores associados à adesão à vacinação. Foi realizado estudo transversal de base populacional, com dados coletados, em 2006, pelo estudo Saúde, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento. A amostra foi composta por 1.399 idosos do Município de São Paulo, Brasil. A associação entre a adesão à vacina e as variáveis independentes foi avaliada por meio da razão de prevalências, estimada pela regressão de Poisson. A vacinação autorreferida foi de 73,8%. No modelo explicativo final, a vacinação contra a gripe foi associada à idade mais elevada, à presença de doenças crônicas e ao atendimento à saúde no ano anterior. Foi observada associação negativa com a internação no ano anterior. Concluiu-se ser necessário incentivar a vacinação de idosos com menos de 70 anos e sem doenças crônicas, assim como orientar os profissionais de saúde para ampliar a cobertura nos grupos com menor participação nas campanhas