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Background: There is limited evidence linking type 2 diabetes (T2D) to influenza-related complications.Objectives: To test a set of research questions relating to pandemic influenza vaccination, hospitalization and mortality in people with and without T2D.Methods: In this population-based cohort study, we linked individual-level data from several national registers for all Norwegian residents aged 30 years or more as of January 2009. People with or without T2D at baseline (n = 2 992 228) were followed until December 2013. We used Cox regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs).Results: Pandemic influenza hospitalization was more common in individuals with T2D (aHR = 2.46, 95% CI 2.04-2.98). The mortality hazard ratio associated with hospitalization for pandemic influenza was lower in people with T2D (aHR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.21-2.74) than in those without T2D (aHR = 3.89, 95% CI 3.27-4.62). The same pattern was observed when restricting to 90-day mortality (aHR = 3.89, 95% CI 1.25-12.06 amongst those with T2D and aHR = 10.79, 95% CI 7.23-16.10 amongst those without T2D). The rate of hospitalization for pandemic influenza was 78% lower in those vaccinated compared to nonvaccinated amongst people with T2D (aHR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.11-0.39), whilst the corresponding estimate for those without T2D was 59% lower (aHR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.33-0.52). Mortality was 25% lower in those vaccinated compared to nonvaccinated amongst people with T2D (aHR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.73-0.77), whilst the corresponding estimate for those without T2D was 9% (aHR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.90-0.92).Conclusions: There may have been a lower threshold for pandemic influenza hospitalization for people with T2D, rather than more severe influenza infection. Our combined results support the importance of influenza vaccination amongst people with T2D, especially during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This Norwegian-based study investigates how and to what extent the idea of the nursing home as a home has been realized. Background. For the last two decades, Norway, as other Western Country has had an explicit national policy that nursing homes should become more like homes. The research literature indicates that residents in nursing home seem to lack the opportunities to maintain a private sphere. Design. A field study design was conducted. Methods. Data were collected in 1999 in two long-term units in a traditional nursing home by using participant observation and interviewing the residents. A phenomenological hermeneutic analysis strategy was used to get an impression of the residents' everyday life. Results. The residents spend most of their time in the common living room. The common living room has an ambiguous boundary between the public and private spheres, unlike the clear boundaries characterizing a home. The relationship among the residents is fragile, and the residents who can, withdraw from the common living room. Conclusions. Despite having single rooms and more home-like interior decoration, the residents in nursing home still have reduced opportunity to develop a private everyday lifestyle. The long-term unit examined in this research had a forced relationship between the residents, and the residents with best health resources systematically withdraw from the common area to control both where and with whom they wish to spend their time. Relevance to clinical practice. This study lays the foundation for rethinking daily routines in long-term units in nursing homes. One way to realize the idea of the nursing home as a home could be to define the living room as a clear public area and to give the residents a chance to develop a more private lifestyle by alternating between their private rooms and a public common living room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes are all known to be important organs for the initiation and maintenance of an immune response after vaccination. To investigate the differences and similarities in the humoral and cellular immune responses between these tissues, we vaccinated mice once or twice with the conventional human dose (15 μg HA) of influenza A (H3N2) split virus vaccine and analysed the sera and lymphocytes collected from the different sites. We found that the response of antibody secreting cells (ASC) in the lymph nodes appeared to be more transient than in the spleen, possibly because the influenza-specific IgM ASC in particular might have migrated from the lymph nodes immediately after activation. The serum antibody response was found to initially correspond with the ASC response elicited in the spleen and the lymph nodes, whereas the later serum IgG reflected the ASC response in the bone marrow. Proliferation of influenza-specific CD4+ and CD8+ cells was predominantly observed in the spleen and was associated with higher concentrations of cytokines than in the lymph nodes. The finding of influenza-specific CD8+ cell proliferation in the spleen indicates that a split influenza virus vaccine may stimulate a cytotoxic T-cell response. Our results also showed that the primary response elicited a mixed Th1/Th2 profile, whereas the secondary response was skewed towards a Th2 type. Each of the three tissues had a different immunological pattern, suggesting that in preclinical vaccine studies, there is a case for investigating a range of immunological sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive fluoride (F) in drinking water should be removed, but simple, inexpensive methods of fluoride removal are not readily available. This study examines the F--binding capacity of clay and clayware, especially the effect of the firing temperature on the F--binding process. A series of pots were made from ordinary potter's clay and fired at 500-1000°C. Likewise, small clay bricks were fired and then crushed and sieved. NaF solutions containing 10 mg/1 F- (10 ppm F-) were prepared. Suitable aliquots of the Solutions were poured into clay pots or exposed to powdered clayware. Samples were taken at storage periods of 30 min to 20 days and analyzed for F- by ion-selective electrodes. The rate and capacity of F--binding in the clayware varied with the firing temperature. Clay fired at approximately 600° C was most effective. Temperatures over 700° C caused a decline in F--binding, and pottery fired at 900° C and above seemed unable to remove F-- from water. Pots fired at 500°C or less cracked in water. The findings indicate that clayware, fired at an optimal temperature, may be of practical value for partial defluoridation of drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The time-related, comparative beta-adrenoceptor blocking effect of metoprolol 150 mg twice daily, atenolol 100 mg once daily and pindolol 7.5 mg twice daily on heart rate, blood pressure, work performance, blood lactate, free fatty acids and plasma catecholamines was studied in ten males aged 19-25 years by means of repeated maximal bicycle exercise tests. 2 At steady state several differences in effects were noted among the drugs. These could be explained by differences in beta 1-selectivity, potency of the chosen drug-doses and intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA). 3 This study emphasizes the importance of including strong sympathetic stimuli in any model used for comparing beta-adrenoceptor blockers with and without ISA in order not to underrate the effects of beta-adrenoceptor blockers with ISA. 4 In the chosen doses pindolol was more effective, and atenolol less effective than metoprolol in suppressing heart rate and blood pressure responses to maximal exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented on the topic of influenza vaccines.