1,591 research outputs found
Sero-prevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B virus infection among health care workers in a tertiary hospital in Uganda.
No full textBACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health challenge. Prevalence of current hepatitis B virus infection in the general population in Uganda is about 10%. Health care workers (HCW) have an extra risk of getting infected from their workplace and yet they are not routinely vaccinated against HBV infection. This study aimed at estimating prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and associated risk factors among health care workers in a tertiary hospital in Uganda. METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross sectional survey conducted in Mulago, a national referral and teaching hospital in Uganda among health care workers in 2003. A proportionate to size random sample was drawn per health care worker category. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors. ELISA was used to test sera for HBsAg, anti-HBs and total anti-HBc. Descriptive and logistic regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 370 participants, the sero-prevalence of current hepatitis B virus infection was 8.1%; while prevalence of life time exposure to hepatitis B virus infection was 48.1%. Prevalence of needle stick injuries and exposure to mucous membranes was 67.8% and 41.0% respectively. Cuts were also common with 31.7% of doctors reporting a cut in a period of one year preceding the survey. Consistent use of gloves was reported by 55.4% of respondents. The laboratory technicians (18.0% of respondents) were the least likely to consistently use gloves. Only 6.2% of respondents were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus infection and 48.9% were susceptible and could potentially be protected through vaccination. Longer duration in service was associated with a lower risk of current infection (OR = 0.13; p value = 0.048). Being a nursing assistant (OR = 17.78; p value = 0.007) or a laboratory technician (OR = 12.23; p value = 0.009) were associated with a higher risk of current hepatitis B virus infection. Laboratory technicians (OR = 3.99; p value = 0.023) and individuals with no training in infection prevention in last five years (OR = 1.85; p value = 0.015) were more likely to have been exposed to hepatitis B virus infection before. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of current and life time exposure to hepatitis B virus infection was high. Exposure to potentially infectious body fluids was high and yet only a small percentage of HCW were vaccinated. There is need to vaccinate all health care workers as a matter of policy and ensure a safer work environment
1EFFECTS OF FLUNIXIN MEGLUMINE ON PYREXIA, PRODUCTION AND BIOENERGETIC VARIABLES IN POSTPARTURIENT DAIRY COWS By
No full textRights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author
Parametric Down-Conversion of X Rays into the Optical Regime
No full textWe report the observation of parametrically down-converted x-ray signal photons at photon energies that correspond to idler photons at optical wavelengths. The count-rate dependence on the angles of the input beam and of the detector and on the slit sizes agrees with theory within the experimental uncertainties. The nonlinear susceptibility, which we calculated from the measured efficiencies, is comparable to the nonlinear susceptibility evaluated from the measurements of x-ray and optical wave mixing. The results of the present Letter advance the development of a spectroscopy method for probing valence-electron charges and the microscopic optical response of crystals with atomic-scale resolution
Efficient learning with partially observed attributes
No full textWe describe and analyze efficient algorithms for learning a linear predictor from examples when the learner can only view a few attributes of each training example. This is the case, for instance, in medical research, where each patient participating in the experiment is only willing to go through a small number of tests. Our analysis bounds the number of additional examples sufficient to compen-sate for the lack of full information on each training example. We demonstrate the efficiency of our algorithms by showing that when running on digit recognition data, they obtain a high prediction accuracy even when the learner gets to see only four pixels of each image. Copyright 2010 by the author(s)/owner(s)
Measurement of branching fractions for B → χc1(2)K (K*) at Belle
No full textWe have measured the branching fractions for the exclusive decay modes B→χc1(2)K(K*) using a 140 fb-1 data sample collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e +e- collider. The measured branching fractions for B +→χc1K+, B0→χ c1K0, B0→χc1K* 0 and B+→χc1K*+ decay modes are (4.5±0.2±0.5)×10-4, (3.5±0.3±0.5)×10-4, (3.1±0.3±0.7) ×10-4 and (4.1±0.6±0.9)×10-4, respectively, where the first error is statistical and the second error is systematic. We do not observe statistically significant signals for the B→χc2K(K*) decay modes and set upper limits at the 90% confidence level. We also study the helicity distribution for B→χc1K* decay mode and show that the longitudinal polarization component is dominant. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.LPH
New results in rho(0) meson physics
No full textWe compare the predictions of a range of existing models based on the Vector Meson Dominance hypothesis with data on e+e- → π+π- and e+e- → μ+μ- cross-sections and the phase and near-threshold behavior of the timelike pion form factor, with the aim of determining which (if any) of these models is capable of providing an accurate representation of the full range of experimental data. We find that, of the models considered, only that proposed by Bando et al. is able to consistently account for all information, provided one allows its parameter a to vary from the usual value of 2 to 2.4. Our fit with this model gives a point-like coupling γπ+π- of magnitude ≃ -e/6, while the common formulation of VMD excludes such a term. The resulting values for the ρ mass and π+π- and e+e- partial widths as well as the branching ratio for the decay w → π+π- obtained within the context of this model are consistent with previous results.M. Benayoun, S. Eidelman, K. Maltman, H.B. O'Connell, B. Shwartz, A.G. William
Hadronic Cross Section Measurements at Belle and perspectives for BELLE-II
No full textLarge data amount, about 1 ab−1 of integrated luminosity, collected in experiments with the Belle detector provided a good possibilities for precise measurements of the hadronic cross sections in e+e− annihilation. Main results obtained in this field with the Belle detector as well as perspectives of the new experiments with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider is discussed in this report
- …
