BackgroundFabry patients have symptoms and signs compatible with autonomic dysfunction. These symptoms and signs are considered to be due to impairment of the peripheral nervous...Full Text Available
Background/AimsFabrydisease is an X-linked recessive and progressive disease caused by α-galactosidase A (α-GaL A) deficiency. We sought to assess the prevalence...Full Text Available
The outcome of patients admitted to intensive care units is known to be influenced by such factors as age, previous health status, severity of disease, and diagnosis. To estimate the outcome of such...Full Text Available
Cerebral atrophy rate is increasingly used as an outcome measure for Alzheimer's disease (AD) trials. We used the Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) dataset to assess if adjusting...Full Text Available
In the last two decades rectal cancer has changed from a surgically managed disease into a multidisciplinary treatment model resulting in considerable improvements in the survival and outcome. This...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: Despite potential significance of fatigue and its underlying components in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, epidemiologic data showing the link are virtually limited....Full Text Available
Lifetime exposure to physical activity is an important construct for evaluating associations between physical activity and diseaseoutcomes, given the long induction periods in many chronic diseases....Full Text Available
Anxiety may cause adverse outcomes through physiologic pathways in patients with cardiac disease. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate anxiety and its correlates in persons with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF). The ...
Background and objectives: The severity of anemia at which to initiate erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) treatment in nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is unclear. Risk of mortality,...Full Text Available
BackgroundResponse shift theory suggests that improvements in health lead patients to change their internal standards and re-assess former health states as worse than initially rated...Full Text Available
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with significant perinatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality, and an increased risk of chronic disease later in adult life....Full Text Available
Background and objectives: The relationship between serum potassium (SK) and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been systematically investigated.Design, setting, participants,...Full Text Available
The relationship between malaria transmission intensity and clinical disease is important for predicting the outcome of control measures that reduce transmission. Comparisons of hospital data...Full Text Available
The refractive error in 15 eyes with threshold retinopathy of prematurity treated with diode laser photocoagulation was compared with 25 eyes with the same disease severity treated by cryotherapy. Myopia...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn cancer research, the association between a gene and clinical outcome suggests the underlying etiology of the disease and consequently can motivate further studies. The...Full Text Available
BackgroundDifferent microarray studies have compiled gene lists for predicting outcomes of a range of treatments and diseases. These have produced gene lists that have little overlap,...Full Text Available
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease with poor survival. The identification of therapeutic targets is essential to improving outcomes. Previous studies found that expression...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: Blacks are over-represented among dialysis patients, but they have better survival rates than whites. It is unclear if the over-representation of blacks on dialysis is due...Full Text Available
Objectives. Ninety-one fetuses with dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (DCM, HCM) and myocarditis were studied. Results. Group 1 “DCM”...Full Text Available
Background:There is a need for simple imaging parameters capable of predicting therapeutic outcome.Methods:This retrospective study analysed 50 patients...Full Text Available
ObjectiveAlthough endoscopic procedures for lumbar disc diseases have improved greatly, the postoperative outcomes for high grade inferior migrated discs are not satisfactory. Because...Full Text Available
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a serious health problem linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. To investigate the biological outcome and therapeutic potential of hepatic fatty acid uptake inhibition,...Full Text Available
Background: Markers of protein-energy wasting (PEW) and inflammation are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are among the strongest predictors of mortality in dialysis patients.Objective:...Full Text Available
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenic disease characterized by a high variability of disease severity and outcome that points to the role of environmental factors and modulating genes that shape the course...Full Text Available
Summary Background Pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus are rare, potentially life-threatening, autoimmune disorders characterized by antibodies to epidermal adhesion molecules. Clinical characteristics are painful chronic erosions of mucous membranes and of the skin. There are only few published studies on the impact of the disease on the health status (HS) of patients with these conditions. Objectives To assess the impact of disease on the HS of patients with pemphigus. Methods Fifty-eight patients enrolled at the Bullous Skin Diseases Unit of IDI-IRCCS in the period January-June 2006 were assessed for their HS using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) questionnaire and for anxiety and depression using the Institute for Personality and Ability Testin...
Fabry Perot interferometry is a method of determining instantaneous velocities of an object in motion. The interferometer system is composed of the Fabry Perot interferometer, a laser, an electronic streak camera, and several focusing lenses. The first tests discussed were done on exploding bridgewire devices. During these tests, several system parameters were changed. These changes did not seem to affect the data, which appeared to be consistent. The second tests performed focused on slapper-type devices. It was determined that sandblasted, vapor-deposited aluminum on the slapper material would be required to yield quality data. Streak camera failure prevented much data from being collected. An effort is being made to replace the current streak camera. After it is replaced, a Fabry Perot and velocity interferometry system for any reflector comparison will be made. The results will be published as the conclusion to this ...
The bandwidth of LIGO-like terrestrial interferometric gravitational wave detectors is set by the pole of the Fabry-Perot cavities within the arms of the Michelson interferometer. This constraint arises because the gain of gravitational wave-induced signal sidebands is limited to frequencies within the linewidth of the cavities. The nature of standard Fabry-Perot cavities is such that one cannot independently adjust for increased gain without suffering a loss of bandwidth. If these quantities could be decoupled, the resulting improvement in bandwidth may lead to viable high frequency detectors. A pair of anti-parallel diffraction gratings within a Fabry-Perot cavity can increase the bandwidth of a LIGO-scale detector by a factor of #approx#1000.
The OASIS Registry started annual collection of longitudinal data on patients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in 1984. This report describes outcome profiles on 1594 HPN patients in seven disease categories. Analysis showed clinical outcome was principally a reflection of the underlying diagnosis. Patients with Crohn's disease, ischemic bowel disease, motility disorders, radiation enteritis, and congenital bowel dysfunction all had a fairly long-term clinical outcome, whereas those with active cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) had a short-term outcome. The long-term group had a 3-year survival rate of 65 to 80%, they averaged 2.6 complications requiring hospitalization per year, and 49% experienced complete rehabilitation. The short-term group had a mean survival of 6 months; they averaged 4.6 complications per year and ...
Purpose We retrospectively analyzed the results of percutaneous nephrolithotomy operations for treatment of staghorn kidney stone disease in elderly patients and compared surgical parameters and outcomes with a control group of young adult patients. Patients and method Between 2002 and 2010, 300 consecutive patients underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy operation for treatment of staghorn kidney stone disease. Forty-five of the patients were older than 65?years and considered to be in elderly group. Thirty-seven of the patients were between the ages 18 and 36?years and considered to be the control group. Surgical parameters and outcomes were compared between groups. Results There were no significant differences between groups for stone area, operation time, difference in hemoglobin levels...
Purpose Elective laparoscopic sigmoid resection (LSR) for symptomatic diverticular disease is supposed to have significant short-term advantages compared to open surgery (open sigmoid resection (OSR)). This opinion is rather based on inferences from trials on colonic resections for malignant diseases or minor laparoscopic surgery. This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare quality of life as well as morbidity and clinical outcome after LSR vs. OSR following a midterm follow-up period. Methods Patients presenting with a symptomatic sigmoid diverticular disease stage II/III (Stock/Hansen) were randomly allocated to LSR or OSR in a prospective multicenter trial. Endpoints included the quality of life assessed with a standardized questionnaire, postoperative mortality, and compl...
Lung transplantation has become an accepted option for many patients with end-stage pulmonary diseases. Anesthesia and surgery following lung transplantation may be required for various diseases that may affect both systemic organs and the transplanted graft. When a patient with a lung transplant undergoes surgery, there is the potential for interference with lung function, depending on the type of intervention and its anatomical site. Accurate preoperative evaluation, an understanding of the physiology of the transplanted lung, proper airway instrumentation, individualized management of intraoperative ventilation, and fluid balance are essential for a positive perioperative outcome.
DescriptionThis new research programme activity on Urban Atmospheric Science will deliver aspects of the NERC strategy: Next Generation Science for Planet Earth. It has been developed as part of the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme. Research in the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme is directed at elucidating key environmental processes that form part of a causal pathway between an environmental hazard and diseaseoutcome, and providing a predictive capability of the risk to human heal [continued...
Highlights of the meeting are briefly summarized in this paper. Most of the papers presented at the meeting dealt with remediation and pollution prevention practices. A major focus of the technical sessions was on the identification of pollution sources. Identification of exposures to specific chemicals with diseaseoutcomes was also discussed. Other papers focused on ecological exposures and their effects on wildlife to identify the presence of contaminants. 4 refs.
Divided into diagnostic and treatment sections, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the most common medical procedures performed in modern clinical settings. Each section presents common names for the procedure; an outline of the disease or injury for which the procedure is performed; a brief review of the anatomical structures and physiological processes that are involved; staffing, equipment, and pre-procedure requirements; a detailed description of the procedure itself; and, a discussion of expected outcomes as well as potential complications. Each chapter includes a summary and
There are no specific diagnostic tests or a gold standard method for measuring disease activity and outcome in spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Many different methods have been developed to assess the signs and symptoms in SpA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of scintigraphy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Bath Ankilosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in the evaluation of disease activity in early axial SpA diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty early MRI-positive axial SpA patients (23 males, 7 females) with a median age of 35 (18?55) years and a median duration of inflammatory low back pain of 24 (8?60) months were included in the study. In the patients with sacroiliitis, the sensitivity, specificity, and pos...
Circadian rhythms affect several processes in the body physiology. This commentary revisits the topic of `metabolic basis of diseases' with a view to shed light on how cellular energy requirements feed-forward to a sequential signaling of hormonal response, blood glucose metabolism, antioxidant activities, and pathophysiology. Attempt is made to explain how diseases that may not appear to be closely related, such as bone metabolism and vasculopathy, have an increase in oxidative damage as a common underlying biochemistry. Importantly, this article identifies oxidative damage as an outcome of sleep disturbance and hypothesize that sleep complaint is not merely one of many resulting symptoms of PTSD, but a core feature that arise from trauma and gives rise to the stress biochemistry, which i...
Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution has increasingly been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The evidence linking this exposure to congenital anomalies is still limited and controversial. This case-control study investigated the association between maternal exposure to ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 ?m (PM(10)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O(3)), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the occurrence of congenital heart disease in the population of Northeast England (1993-2003). Each case and control was assigned weekly average (weeks 3-8 of pregnancy) of pollutant levels measured by the closest monitor to the mother's residential postcode. Using exposure as both continuous and categorical variables, logistic regression models were constructed to quantify the adjusted odds ratios of exposure to air pollutants and the occurrence of each outcome group. ...
A novel method of simultaneous realization of optical carrier-suppression and single-sideband modulation using fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter is presented. In order to enhance transmission performance of radio over fiber links, we use a fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter to filter out one sideband as well as suppress the optical carrier power. The results demonstrate 20.5dB and 14.2dB improvement in the signal noise ratios when 18GHz and 10GHz microwave signals carrying 5Mbit/s quadrature-phase-shift-keyed (QPSK) format data is transmitted over 35 km single mode fiber, respectively.
The aims of this study were to identify risk factors and evaluate the association with clinical outcomes of postoperative cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). Data from 2488 consecutive adult patients were analyzed. Patients were classified as having CSA-AKI based on the risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria using peak postoperative creatinine in the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU). Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for CSA-AKI. CSA-AKI occurred in 584 patients (23.5%). CSA-AKI patients had significantly longer aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times. Furthermore, CSA-AKI patients had higher hospital mortality (5.5% vs 1.5%, PCopyright2...
The optimal management of men with very favorable clinicopathological factors who develop biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) has not been previously reported. Both local and systemic recurrences are unlikely in this cohort. This study examines their management and outcomes. Between October 2000 to March 2010, 1627 men underwent open RP by a single surgeon. In all, 448 (27.5%) met the following criteria for extremely low risk disease: preoperative PSA level <10?ng?ml?1, clinical stage T1c/T2a, Gleason score ?6, estimated cancer volume in the surgical specimen ?5% and no evidence for positive surgical margin. Undetectable PSA was defined as ?0.04?ng?ml?1. BCR was defined as PSA ?0.2?ng?ml...
Background 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) has led to a global increase in severe respiratory illness. Little is known about kidney outcomes and dialytic requirements in critically ill patients infected with pandemic H1N1. Study Design Prospective observational study. Setting & Participants 50 patients with pandemic H1N1 admitted to any of 7 intensive care units in Manitoba, Canada, were prospectively followed. Outcome & Measurements Outcomes were kidney injury and kidney failure defined using RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage disease) criteria or need for dialysis therapy. Results The pandemic H1N1 group was composed of 50 critically ill patients with pandemic H1N1 with severe respiratory syndrome (47 confirmed cases, 3 probable). Kidney injury, kidney failure, a...
Background The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis should be instituted in any patient with cirrhosis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and that oral norfloxacin, intravenous ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone are preferable. However, the antimicrobial spectrum of the first generation of cephalosporins (cefazolin) covers a wide range of bacteria species, including community-acquired strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, but their efficacy as prophylactic antibiotics in cirrhotic patients with acute hemorrhage was seldom warranted in the literature. This study aimed to explore the effects of cefazolin on the outcome of cirrhotic patients with acute variceal hemorrhage after endoscopic interventions. Method...
Choosing a medical device is complex and requires a transparent process based on reason, evidence and assessment of prioritized public health needs. Poor choices lead to inappropriate use or non-use of medical devices and a waste of resources.This report suggests how an agenda to improve access to appropriate medical devices could be devised from applying the crucial 4 components - Availability, Accessibility, Appropriateness, and Affordability, to the 15 global high-burden diseases and some cross-cutting issues. The results of this exercise suggest several areas of research necessary to help
This article describes the design and implementation of an online diabetes self-management intervention for a sample of inner-city African Americans with diabetes. Study participants were randomly assigned to the treatment (26) and control (21) conditions. The results indicate that treatment group participants were more likely to achieve positive outcomes in terms of lowered hemoglobin A1c and body mass index measurements than were control group members. These findings support the development of telehealth interventions to promote effective chronic disease management in medically underserved communities.
Summary This third paper, in a three-part CE series on the preventions of infection in patients with chronic kidney disease, focuses on surveillance and auditing of healthcare-associated infections within the renal care environment. The last decade has seen an increased awareness of the threat to patient safety from healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) and the emergence of multi-drug resistance organisms. Effective HCAI prevention strategies include adequate governance structures, access to expert advice, adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions, minimising the use of invasive medical devices, and surveillance. Surveillance data can be collected using outcome (e.g. infection) and/or process (e.g. hand hygiene compliance audit) measures. Establishing a surveillance program...
BackgroundAlthough benign ampullary tumors are removed endoscopically, due to their potential to progress to malignant disease, the favored treatment for adenocarcinoma is pancreaticoduodenectomy. We reviewed our institutions experience in order to identify which patients were at highest risk of disease progression following surgical resection, as well as evaluate whether localized T1 tumors are best treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 157 patients who presented with an ampullary mass, from 2001 to 2010, and identified 51 with benign adenoma and 106 with adenocarcinoma. ResultsPatients with malignant tumors most often presented with larger tumors and jaundice, which alone was predictive of survival (OR = 67). Forty-five percent of patients with pathologic...
Summary Background:- Cholinesterase inhibitors form the mainstay of treatment for persons with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer-s disease (AD). The rivastigmine patch may increase compliance and the proportion of patients maintaining an efficacious dose compared with oral cholinesterase inhibitors. Objective:- To investigate the proportion of patients who reached and maintained the target rivastigmine patch dose compared with the target rivastigmine capsule dose reported in clinical trials. Methods:- This was a multicentre, 24-week, open-label study in persons with probable AD and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of --10 and --26. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients (ITT population) treated with 9.5-mg/24-h rivastigmine patch for at least 8-weeks at week 24. Secondary ...
In the years 2004 and 2005, Korea became a prospective nation noteworthy in the world through the epochal development of genetic engineering in our country. Obstinate or incurable diseases were expected to be healed in a few years by a Korean geneticist. So many worldwide patients of obstinate or incurable diseases took notice of the research outcomes and organized an aid association to collect supporting funds. World renowned journals such as 'Nature' and 'Science' published Dr. Hwang's theses. A long and distant way remedy to obstinate diseases seemed to be closer at hand so early. However, a stem cell fraud case emerged throughout the world in late 2005, the pride of the Korean people was destroyed. With this as a momentum, voices of self reflection by scientific circles were raised. The purpose of this study is not in finding the truth of the stem cell research but to propose an effective management ...
Purpose: The occurrence of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (ES) in deep soft tissues has been well described, but cases in which this tumor occurs in a primary cutaneous or subcutaneous site have rarely been reported. The superficial variant may be less aggressive than are the more common bony and deep soft tissue counterparts with an apparently favorable outcome. A retrospective review of patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES was conducted to analyze outcome and patterns of failure. Methods and Materials: Between July 1985 and March 1997, 14 patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES were treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The median age at presentation was 16 years (range 7-21 years). Anatomic locations included trunk and pelvis (7), upper or lower extremity (4), and head and neck (3). The median size of the lesion was 3 cm (range, 1-12 cm). Thirteen had definitive surgical resections, and one had biopsy of the mass at the ...
This study examined whether cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could prevent the development or worsening of panic-spectrum psychopathology and anxiety symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 41 patients with COPD, who had undergone pulmonary rehabilitation, were randomised to either a four-session CBT intervention condition (n = 21) or a routine care condition (n = 20). Assessments were at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-, 12- and 18-month follow-ups. Primary outcomes were the rates of panic attacks, panic disorder and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, catastrophic cognitions about breathing difficulties, disease-specific quality of life and hospital admission rates. There were no significant differences between the groups on outcome measures at baseline. By the 18-month follow-up assessment, 12 (60%) routine care group ...
Stargardt`s disease (MIM 248200), originally described in 1909, is an autosomal recessive condition of childhood, characterized by a sudden and bilateral loss of central vision. Typically, it has an early onset (7 to 12 years), a rapidly progressive course and a poor final outcome. The central area of the retina (macula) displays pigmentary changes in a ring form with depigmentation and atrophy of the retinal pigmentary epithelium (RPE). Perimacular yellowish spots, termed fundus flavimaculatus, are observed in a high percentage of patients. We have recently reported the genetic mapping of Stargardt`s disease to chromosome 1p13. On the other hand, considering that fundus flavimaculatus (MIM 230100) is another form of fleck fundus disease, with a Stargardt-like retinal aspect but with a late-onset and a more progressive course, we decided to test the hypothesis of allelism between typical Stargardt`s ...
SummaryWe consider the problem of estimating the effect of exposure on multiple continuous outcomes, when the outcomes are measured on different scales and are nested within multiple...Full Text Available
Background and objectives.Thymidylate synthase (TS) expression levels appear to be related to response to 5-fluorouracil-(5-FU)-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Three polymorphisms have been proposed as modulators of TS expression: a tandemly repeated sequence (2R/3R) in the 5? UTR, a SNP (G > C) within the 3R allele and a 6 bp deletion in the 3' UTR.To evaluate the influence of TS expression and polymorphisms on clinical outcome of 5-FU-treated patients we performed a comprehensive genetic analysis on 63 CRC patients.Methods.TS expression levels were analyzed in normal and tumor tissues. TS coding sequence and UTR polymorphisms were investigated on DNA from normal tissue. LOH analysis was performed to determine tumor genotype.Results.A difference in disease-free sur...
This study reports the outcome of real-time ultrasonographic screening tests of a healthy population. The study group consisted of 33 female teachers who were found to have asymptomatic gallstone disease. All cases were followed up to determine the incidence of biliary colic or complications. After a 38-month period of follow-up, seven subjects (21.2%) developed either biliary colic or complication. Study results revealed that the 38-month cumulative probability of the development of biliary colic or complication was 36%. Data shown that development of biliary colic or complications was positively associated with obesity, but no assocition was found with age, number of activities, or duration of contraceptive pill-taking. Having such a high percentage of subjects who developed biliary colic or complications within a relatively short period of time suggests that the silent gallstone is not innocent. PMID:17372404
Purpose To evaluate disease failure patterns and overall survival (OS) of women with triple-negative (TN) breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and to understand the relationship of TN tumors with other prognostic factors. Patients and Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry identified 562 women diagnosed and/or treated with unilateral invasive breast cancer during 2003?2004 at three Emory hospitals. After medical record review, 193 eligible women, with all tumor types, received BCT. Primary endpoints (local, regional, and distant recurrences) and secondary endpoint (OS) were evaluated using chi-square tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Results Of the 193 women, 33 (17.1%) had TN tumors and 160 (82.9%) had non-TN tumors. Patient...
The most advanced frontier of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is represented by the use of an HLA-partially matched relative as donor. In this type of transplantation, donor-derived natural killer (NK) cells, which are alloreactive towardtoward recipient cells, significantly contribute to the eradication of leukemia blasts. Alloreactive NK cells may also kill host dendritic cells and T lymphocytes, thus preventing graft-versus-host disease and graft rejection, respectively. Sophisticated strategies of adoptive infusion of T-cell lines/clones specific for the most life-threatening pathogens (namely cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Aspergillus and Adenovirus) have been envisaged, and successfully tested in a few pilot trials, to protect the recipient in the...
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most lethal form of diffuse lung fibrosis, killing approximately half of those affected within 2-3 years of diagnosis. Until recently, no therapies had been shown to have an impact on disease progression. The Clinical Studies Assessing Pirfenidone (Esbriet) in IPF: Research of Efficacy and Safety Outcomes (CAPACITY) program comprised two almost identical double-blind placebo-controlled studies assessing the effects of pirfenidone on change in forced vital capacity, the primary end point, over a 72-week period. One of these studies was positive, matching in magnitude the benefit seen in two previous positive Japanese studies. The other study did not meet its primary end point but positive trends were consistent in this and a number of secondary end point...
To determine the proportion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving preventive health care according to US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations compared with a community-based population sample, with emphasis on dyslipidemia testing, given the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA patients. Patients with RA (ICD-9 code 714.0 at ?2 office visits with a rheumatologist) and a primary care physician (PCP) at the Geisinger Health System (GHS) were identified through electronic health records. The records were searched back from 3/31/08 for the length of time required to satisfy each outcome measure. Percentages were compared with population testing rates using the Pearson Chi-square test. Eight hundred and thirty-one RA patients were compared to 169,476 subjects...
Coronary angiography has provided an unrivalled appreciation of coronary anatomy fostering a far greater appreciation of the extent of atherosclerotic disease. However, the subjectivity of coronary angiography at determining the extent of plaque has been exposed with IVUS. Indices of coronary physiology have provided valuable adjunctive information as to the physiological importance of specific lesions. Fractional flow reserve is an established method for evaluating the significance of epicardial stenoses. Fractional flow reserve guided percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with improved outcomes when compared to a conventional angiographic guided strategy, particularly in intermediate lesions. The use of coronary physiology in the cath lab represents a new avenue to guide appro...
A multivariate logistic regression model, based upon National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) data for calendar years 1999-2008, was developed to predict the probability that a crash-involved vehicle will contain one or more occupants with serious or incapacitating injuries. These vehicles were defined as containing at least one occupant coded with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of greater than or equal to 15, in planar, non-rollover crash events involving Model Year 2000 and newer cars, light trucks, and vans. The target injury outcome measure was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led National Expert Panel on Field Triage in their recent revision of the Field Triage Decision Scheme (American College of Surgeons, 2006). The ...
Despite the fact that humans are exposed to multiple forms of mercury (elemental, inorganic, and organic), most research on mercury toxicity has focused on methylmercury (MeHg) and on neurotoxic outcomes and mechanisms. Recent work has indicated that the immunotoxic effects of mercury compounds may be significant contributors to human disease as well as mechanistically relevant to other target organ toxicities. In this study, we compared the effects of inorganic Hg (iHg) to organic Hg species (MeHg and ethylmercury, EtHg) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro at sub-cytotoxic concentrations, using methods developed to characterize response of human PBMCs to iHg in vitro. PBMCs were isolated from six volunteer blood donors (three males and three females) and cultured ...
Humans are exposed to chemicals in contaminated groundwaters that are used as sources of drinking water. Chemicals contaminate groundwater resources as a result of waste disposal methods for toxic chemicals, overuse of agricultural chemicals, and leakage of chemicals into the subsurface from buried tanks used to hold fluid chemicals and fuels. In the process, both the solid portions of the subsurface and the groundwaters that flow through these porous structures have become contaminated. Restoring these aquifers and minimizing human exposure to the parent chemicals and their degradation products will require the identification of suitable biomarkers of human exposure; better understandings of how exposure can be related to diseaseoutcome; better understandings of mechanisms of transport of pollutants in the heterogeneous structures of the subsurface; and field testing and evaluation of methods proposed to restore and cleanup contaminated ...
We have developed a flexible radioactive polyurethane patch incorporating {beta}-emitting radionuclide (166Ho) to treat malignant skin lesions. We covered the tumor surface (n=133) with the radioactive patch for 33.58 {+-} 5.33 minutes. Radiation dose delivered was 35 Gy for Bowen's disease (n=78), Kaposi sarcoma (n=25), actinic keratosis (n=5), and 50 Gy for BCC (n=17) and squamous carcinoma (n=8). Complete response was observed in 91.7% after the first therapeutic trial, 96.2% after 2nd and 97.7% after 4th trial with excellent cosmetic outcome for 31.15{+-}13.88 months of follow-up. Radioactive patch therapy is effective for superficial skin cancers that are impractical for surgery.
Purpose: To evaluate the significance of preoperative localization of abnormal parathyroid glands to the surgical outcome in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Material and Methods: Thirty-nine patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were studied preoperatively with US (39 patients), CT (30 patients) and MR imaging (18 patients). The overall diagnostic accuracy for US was 87%, CT 66% and MR 94%. In patients with a single parathyroid adenoma US was the most cost-effective localization technique with a detection rate of 96%. CT had a lower detection rate (78%) but was of particular value for fairly large ectopic adenomas in the root of the neck. MR imaging was a good confirmatory test (93%). In patients with multiple gland disease (primary hyperplasia and multiple adenomas), no single localization study alone was sufficient. Combination of all 3 studies, however, alerted the physician to the presence of disease in ...
Success in improving treatment outcomes in childhood cancer has been achieved almost exclusively through multicenter and multidisciplinary clinical and applied research over several decades. While biologically rational as well as empirical approaches have led to combination chemotherapy and multimodality approaches to therapy, which have given rise to evidence-based practice standards, similar scientific rigor has not always been as evidently applied to modalities utilized to assess initial disease burden and, more important, response to investigational approaches to therapy. As the empirical approach to therapeutic advances has likely maximized its benefit, future progress will require translation of biologic discovery most notably from the areas of genomics and proteomics. Hence, attempts to improve efficacy of therapy will require a parallel effort to minimize collateral damage of future therapeutic approaches, and such a parallel approach ...
The interferometric gravitational wave detector Virgo has successfully completed the first major step of its commissioning. It consists of a Michelson interferometer with 6 m arms with suspended mirrors. The interferometer is tuned to the dark fringe with a recycling mirror on the other port (bright fringe) to form an equivalent 12 m long Fabry-Perot cavity. This setup has allowed us to validate the major technology choices that have been made: passive seismic attenuators, a light source with a long mode cleaner, many analogue and digital servo loops, control software, high speed data acquisition system. A sensitivity of 8 x 10"-"1"7 m Hz"-"1"/"2 at 1 kHz together with a duty cycle of 80% has been attained during a 72 h engineering run. The data analysis allowed us to understand the noise contributions, and several improvements have been carried out while proceeding with the end of the installation of vacuum tubes and the remaining suspensions, and before starting ...
Optical measurement of the Doppler shift of laser backscatter, using a near-IR, visible, or ultraviolet laser, is potentially more robust and field reliable than coherent, heterodyne measurement with an IR laser. The direct measurement of the displacement of Fabry-Perot interference fringes is possible, but entails expensive, technically challenging, imaging detectors. The 'edge technique' permits Doppler shift measurements with relatively simple detectors and detector electronics, and has been implemented with Fabry-Perot etalons and with atomic line filters. Simple analytical models of the fringe imaging and edge detection techniques are presented, permitting ready calculation of the potential performance of either, for various atmospheric conditions and for various lidar hardware configurations. The predictions of the analytical models are confirmed by computer models, which in turn allow more detailed considerations of complicating factors ...
Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) treated with modern radiotherapy techniques with MRI along with optimal chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: The records of all 60 patients with ESFT who received radiation to the primary site between 1990 and 2004 were reviewed. All patients received chemotherapy, including vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide. Radiation was used as the sole modality for local control in 31 patients and was given either before (n = 3) or after surgical resection (n = 26) in the remainder. All patients had MRI and CT scan-based treatment planning, and 43% received intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Radiation doses ranged from 30 Gy to 60 Gy (median, 51 Gy), and 35% received hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Results: Median age was 16 years (range, 2-40 years). Because of selection bias for radiotherapy, the majority of primary tumors were centrally located ...
Purpose: Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignancy. Despite radical resection, survival remains poor, with high rates of local and distant failure. To clarify the role of radiotherapy with chemotherapy, we performed a retrospective analysis of resected patients who had undergone chemoradiotherapy. Methods and Materials: A total of 45 patients (13 with proximal and 32 with distal disease) underwent resection plus radiotherapy (median dose, 50.4 Gy). All but 1 patient received concurrent fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 30 months for all patients and 40 months for survivors. Results: Of the 45 patients, 33 underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, and 12 were treated neoadjuvantly. The 5-year actuarial overall survival, disease-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and locoregional control rates were 33%, 37%, 42%, and 78%, respectively. The median survival was 34 months. No patient died perioperatively. Patient ...
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the recent literature on the prognostic value of biomarkers of liver fibrosis and impaired liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C with or without HIV coinfection. RECENT FINDINGS: A combination of standard blood tests seems to be useful in identifying patients at risk of liver-related complications. Findings from studies investigating the validity of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in HIV-infected liver transplant candidates are conflicting. Two large studies of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients have shown that plasma levels of the fibrosis marker hyaluronic acid are a strong predictor of clinical complications. A smaller study found hyaluronic acid and two other fibrosis tests, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and Fib-4, to be independent predictors of mortality when included in models with the MELD or the Child-Pugh-Turcotte scores. SUMMARY: Although the data are ...
ObjectiveFamily-centered bedside rounds (FCBR) are recommended to improve trainee education, patient outcomes, and family satisfaction. However, bedside teaching...Full Text Available
SUMMARYIncreasingly multiple outcomes are collected in order to characterize treatment effectiveness or to evaluate the impact of large policy initiatives. Often the multiple...Full Text Available
PurposeTo evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cataract surgery in highly myopic Korean subjects.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed...Full Text Available
The authors reviewed the literature on psychological and psychosocial outcomes for individuals undergoing cosmetic surgery, to address whether elective cosmetic procedures improve psychological...Full Text Available
We propose and demonstrate experimentally a singlelongitudinal-mode (SLM) fiber double-ring laser using an Erbium-doped waveguide amplifier (EDWA), polarization controller (PC), and a fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FFP-TF) into the ring cavity. In addition, the output power, side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR), and the stabilities of power and wavelength of the laser also are investigated. (Copyright 2007 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA)
An optical fiber methane sensing system utilizing a super-luminescent diode (SLD) in the 1.33-mm band and a fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FFP-TF) is developed. A two-step reference measuring method, which is based on differential absorption technique, is employed; a reference channel is introduced to eliminate the fluctuation of the illuminant spectrum, and the reference wavelength acquired by tuning the FFP-TF is introduced to eliminate the environmental influence. The two-step reference measuring method has improved the reliability and stability of the system. A minimum detectable methane concentration of 0.3% has been experimentally achieved.
Background and purpose: Local treatment for non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFTs) is controversial. Results achieved in a single institution in patients with ESFT of the humerus are presented. Materials and methods: Patients treated between 1983 and 2000 for ESFT of the humerus were included. The impact of local treatment (surgery, radiotherapy or both) on outcome was assessed. Results: 55 patients: 34 males (62%); 21 females (38%); mean age: 17.9 (range: 3-40). Local treatment: surgery in 27 patients (49%), radiotherapy in 17 (31%) and surgery followed by radiotherapy in 11 (20%). After a mean follow-up of 15 years (range: 7-25 years), 27 patients (49%) remained continuously disease free, 27 (49%) relapsed and one died of chemotherapy toxicity. The local recurrence rate was 13% overall: 18% (3/17) after radiotherapy, 7% (2/27) after surgery and 19% (2/11) after surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (p = ns). On the contrary, ...
The term {open_quotes}hazardous{close_quotes} waste is used primarily in reference to potential hazards to human health and, to a lesser decree, hazards to wildlife and the ecosystem. Many of the chemicals associated with hazardous waste sites are also widely distributed throughout the environment; therefore, the health hazards associated with hazardous waste sites are not different from those associated with general environmental contamination. Until recently, it was generally assumed that cancer was the human disease of greatest concern associated with toxic chemicals. In fact, most governmental regulations related to exposure are designed on the basis of presumed cancer risks. Since the evidence that hazardous chemicals can cause cancer is strong, it is appropriate to be concerned about cancer risk. Recent evidence, however, has triggered a reevaluation of the assumption that only cancer is of concern. New evidence suggests that noncancer endpoints may occur ...
Methods: Systemic irradiation of neuroaxis is an essential part in the management of medulloblastoma, stPNET and intracranial germ cell tumors. The introduction of quality assurance programs in radiooncology assures a precise radiotherapy of target volumes and is a prerequisite to improve survival. Results: Hyperfractionated radiotherapy has the potential of increasing dose to tumor more safely without increasing the risk for late adverse effects. Pilot studies revealed excellent tumor control in medulloblastoma with acceptable acute toxicity and a long-term survival of up to 96%. In medulloblastoma stereotactic radiation techniques reveal an acceptable toxicity and promising results in tumor control in recurrent disease or as primary treatment. They are now part of future treatment protocols in case of persisting residual tumor. Radiotherapy alone in pure germinoma is continuously yielding high cure rates. In secreting germ cell tumors cisplatin containing ...
To evaluate the predictive factors for treatment response and prognostic factors affecting survival outcomes after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma. Medical records of forty two patients with histologically confirmed analsquamous cell carcinoma, who had complete CCRT between 1993 and 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Median age was 61.5 years (39-89 years), and median radiotherapy (RT) dose was 50.4 Gy (30.0-64.0 Gy). A total of 36 patients had equal to or less than T2 stage (85.7%). Fourteen patients (33.3%) showed regional nodal metastasis, 36 patients (85.7%) were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus mitomycin, and the remaining patients were treated by 5-FU plus cisplatinum. The median follow--up time was 62 months (2-202 months).The 5-year overall survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, disease-free survival, and colostomy-free survival rates were 86.0%, 71.7%, 71.7%, 78.2%, ...
Several randomized placebo-controlled trials have consistently shown antidyskinetic effects of amantadine in levodopa treated patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, all of these were of short duration and there have been claims that the effect of amantadine on levodopa induced dyskinesias (LID's) wear off after about 9 months of treatment. This randomized placebo-controlled parallel-group study was performed to assess the long-term antidyskinetic effect of amantadine in 32 PD patients, who after having been on stable amantadine therapy for LID over at least one year- were switched in a double blind manner to amantadine or placebo and followed for 3 weeks. Dyskinesia duration and intensity were assessed by UPDRS IV items 32 and 33 as well as by patient's diaries. The primary outcome was the score change of UPDRS IV items 32 + 33 between baseline and 3 weeks after treatment as well as the between treatment group comparison of ...
Purpose: Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy and cost-benefit of contrast enhanced CT (CT) and MRI pre- and post-SPIO-particles in focal hepatic disease with consideration of therapeutic outcome. Results: In 34/52 (65.4%) of the cases the correct diagnosis was primarily stated by CT (sensitivity [se.] 85.2%, specificity [sp.] 44.0%). In additional 10/52 of the cases unenhanced MRI (se. 91.4%, sp. 75.0%) enabled correct diagnoses, and in another 6 cases the diagnosis was established only by SPIO-MRI (se. 100%, sp. 86.7%). Considering the possible therapeutic recommendation arising from each modality, CT would have induced needless therapy costs of 191,042 DM, unenhanced MRI of 171,035 DM, and SPIO-MRI of 7,311 DM. In comparison to the real therapy costs of 221,873 DM, this would have corresponded to an unnecessary increase of therapy costs of 86.1%, 77.1%, and 3.3%, respectively. In two cases (91 hemangioma, 1 regenerative nodule) all ...
We evaluated 190 children with very high-risk leukemia, who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in 2 sequential treatment eras, to determine whether those treated with contemporary protocols had a high risk of relapse or toxic death, and whether non-HLA-identical transplantations yielded poor outcomes. For the recent cohorts, the 5-year overall survival rates were 65% for the 37 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 74% for the 46 with acute myeloid leukemia; these rates compared favorably with those of earlier cohorts (28%, n = 57; and 34%, n = 50, respectively). Improvement in the recent cohorts was observed regardless of donor type (sibling, 70% vs 24%; unrelated, 61% vs 37%; and haploidentical, 88% vs 19%), attributable to less infection (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.12; P = .005), regimen-related toxicity (HR = 0.25; P = .002), and leukemia-related death (HR = 0.40; P = .01). Survival probability was dependent on leukemia status (first ...
National and international organizations have paid particular attention to the use of food irradiation as a method to reduce postharvest food losses, to ensure hygienic quality of foods-especially those of animal origin, and to overcome certain non-tariff barriers to trade for the following reasons: (1) The increasingly strict standards for quality and quarantine in food trade. (2) The increasingly restrictions and prohibitions of fumigants of food for health or environmental reasons. (3) The increasing awareness of foodborne diseases in both advanced and developing countries. (4) The high postharvest losses of foods in developing countries. (5) The increase liberalization of food trade after GATT Uruguay Round, and the need to maintain or increase export of food and agricultural commodities and to be competitive in the world market. Irradiated foods have been commercialized since 1973 when the first potato irradiator was established at the Shihoro Agricultural ...
This dissertation deals with both the theoretical and the technological aspects of monolithic tunable lasers, and the experimental techniques for opto-electronic integration. In the theoretical part, the principles and limitations of wavelength tuning and spectral linewidth reduction in monolithic semiconductor lasers are described, with coupled distributed feedback-Fabry Perot (DFB-FP) lasers and long DFB lasers as examples. Stepwise tuning of wavelength over tens of nanometers and continuous tuning over the range of a mode spacing are shown to be possible. Spatial hole burning is found to affect the spectral linewidth of lasers involving strong active gratings. On the technological side, one of the major issues is the fabrication of flexible gratings. Direct-writing techniques, such as focused ion beam (FIB) implantation and e-beam lithography, provide the resolution, flexibility and accuracy that conventional holographic lithography lacks. The parasitic ...
We fabricate a low noise erbium-doped fiber ring laser that can be continuously tuned over 102nm by insertion of the fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FFP-TF) in the ring cavity with a novel cavity structure and the optimal gain medium length. As an application of this fiber ring laser, we performed the absorption spectroscopy of acetylene (13C2H2) and hydrogen cyanide (H13C14N) and measure the absorption spectra of more than 50 transition lines of these gases with an excellent signal to noise ratio (SNR). The pressure broadening coefficients of four acetylene transition lines are obtained using this fiber ring laser and an external cavity laser diode.
The two most important issues in designing future gravitational wave interferometric detectors are, in our opinion, thermal and optical noise. In this paper we discuss some approaches for reducing these noises. About thermal noise we show a possible cryogenic solution. About optical noise (namely, the combined effect of shot noise and radiation pressure noise) we show that it is possible to apply a recently proposed reduction strategy based on a 'quantum feedback' (Courty et al 2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 083601; Courty et al 2003 Preprint gr-qc/0301068) to a full Fabry-Perot cavity. This can be seen as a further step towards the practical realization of a detector which is able to evade the standard quantum limit.
In this paper, we report an optical fiber sensor for measuring temperature based on bimetallic concept. The sensor is designed by following the basic principle of Fabry-Perot interferometer and theoretical detail of the sensor has been outlined here with a numerical study. An important feature of the proposed sensor is that the fabrication will be done on a commercial multimode optical fiber. The Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based fabrication process could be performed directly on a multimode optical fiber end face which will eliminate the need for adhesive in packaging. The sensor could be fabricated as sensor arrays for micro level applications. The potential application of the proposed optical sensor includes biomedical applications, nano research, microfluidics, and other ME...
We have developed a process for chemical purification of carbon nanotubes for solution-processable thin-film transistors (TFTs) having high mobility. Films of the purified carbon nanotubes fabricated by simple drop coating showed carrier mobilities as high as 164 cm2V?1s?1, normalized transconductances of 0.78 Sm?1, and on/off current ratios of 106. Such high performance requires the preparation of a suspension of micrometer-long and highly purified semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Our purification process includes length and electronic-type selective trapping of SWCNTs using recycling gel filtration with a mixture of surfactants. The results provide an important milestone toward printed high-speed and large-area electronics with roll-to-roll and ink-jet device fabri...
In this paper, we report high-precision absolute distance and vibration measurements performed simultaneously with frequency scanned interferometry using a pair of single mode optical fibers. Absolute distance was determined by counting the interference fringes produced while scanning the laser frequency. A high-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer(F-P) was used to determine frequency changes during scanning. Two multi-distance-measurement analysis techniques were developed to improve distance precision and to extract the amplitude and frequency of vibrations. Under laboratory conditions, a precision of 40 nm was demonstrated for an absolute distance of approximately 0.45 meters using the first analysis technique. The second analysis technique has capability to measure vibration frequencies ranging from 0.1 Hz to 100 Hz with minimal amplitude on few nanometers order without a priori knowledge.
We report the characteristics of visible vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes. Wafers are grown such that the Fabry--Perot resonance wavelength changes with position from 690 to 620 nm, overlapping to varying degrees with the [ital n]=1 and [ital n]=2 quantum well gain peaks at [similar to]670 and 650 nm. Gain guided devices are tested across the entire wafer, and pulsed room temperature lasing is observed from 634.6 to 663.2 nm. Our results suggest that gain contributions from the second quantized state are required to overcome high cavity losses in order to achieve lasing.
Radial sonic crystals (RSC) are fluidlike structures infinitely periodic along the radial direction that verify the Bloch theorem and are possible only if certain specially designed acoustic metamaterials with mass density anisotropy can be engineered (see Torrent and Sanchez-Dehesa 2009 Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 064301). A comprehensive analysis of two-dimensional (2D) RSC shells is reported here. A given shell is in fact a circular slab with a central cavity. These finite crystal structures contain Fabry-Perot-like resonances and modes strongly localized at the central cavity. Semi-analytical expressions are developed to obtain the quality factors of the different resonances, their symmetry features and their excitation properties. The results reported here are completely general and can be extended to equivalent 3D spherical shells and to their photonic counterparts.
A prism spectrometer has been developed to operate in the VUV wavelength range from 120 to 200 nm. It can be used as a pre- disperser in conjunction with a Fabry-Perot based gas refractometer. This instrument has also been used to measure the refractive index of the liquid radiator C/sub 6/F/sub 14/ in various spectral lines. This radiator is used in the RICH detectors of the DELPHI experiment and has been proposed for ALICE, and LHCb experiments. The spectral resolution of the system is improved as the wavelength decreases and the data are consistent with a wavelength accuracy about 0.4 nm at 140 nm. The results for the dispersion curve of the above liquid are presented. (17 refs).
Identification of factors that determine individual patient risk for recurrence and progression in superficial papillary carcinoma of the bladder is a subject of extensive research as it would be a major outcome in patient management. It has been well recognized that traditional prognostic markers as tumor grade and stage are not accurate enough in predicting biological behavior. A large number of markers have been investigated as potential prognostic factors and relatively few can help in predicting outcome. Material and Methods: Forty-nine cases undergoing complete transurethral resection for primary superficial papillary transitional cell carcinoma were subjected to clinicopathologic evaluation as well as immunohistochemical staining for p53, bcl-2, cytokeratin 20 and Ki-67. The CAS-200 image analyzer was used to estimate the Ki-67 labeling index. Results: Recurrence was observed in 19 cases (38.8%) and progression in 7 cases (14.3%) with a ...
To evaluate the role of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) in staging and determining early treatment response to chemotherapy in children with neuroblastoma (NB) and its correlation with the final outcome. Patients and Methods: Seventeen patients of NB with mean age of 51.5 months (age range 2-132 months; 14 males, 3 females) underwent serial "1"8F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET-CT imaging. All 17 patients were for staging before any treatment. Twelve of 17 patients underwent "1"3"1I meta-iodobezylguanidine (MIBG) scan and bone scan. MIBG uptake was seen in the primary lesion in 11/12 patients. MIBG uptake in bones was seen in 3/12 patients. All bone lesions were concordant on MIBG and bone scan. Early response to chemotherapy was evaluated after two cycles using PET-CT. A 30% reduction in longest diameter was taken as cut-off value for response on CT based on the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors criteria. Response on PET-CT was ...
BackgroundWe aimed to compare visual and refractive outcome following phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implant (IOL) and combined one-site phacotrabeculectomy.MethodWe...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo investigate and to quantify the relationship between hospital costs and health outcomes for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Veterans Health Administration...Full Text Available
Objective. Cervical cancer patients who had an abandoned radical hysterectomy were evaluated for preoperative clinical predictors, complication rates, and outcomes. Study...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe link between maternal factors and birth outcomes is well established. Substantial changes in society and medical care over time have influenced women's reproductive...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe optimal treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) is still a matter of debate. This study assessed the outcome of LRRC patients treated with multimodality...Full Text Available
ObjectivesPericardial tamponade after cardiac surgery is difficult to diagnose, thereby rendering timing of rethoracotomy hard. We aimed at identifying factors predicting the outcome...Full Text Available
BackgroundPercutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy is a relatively new technique. Very few studies have reported the clinical outcome of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in terms...Full Text Available
Purpose:The goal of this study was to use two separate databases to evaluate the clinical outcomes and the economic impact of adherence to Level I Pathways, an evidence-based oncology...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo report the outcome of children with life-threatening asthma (LTA) admitted to a university Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).MethodsRetrospective...Full Text Available
The mouth is an obvious portal of entry to the body, and oral health reflects and influences general health and well being. Maternal oral health has significant implications for birth outcomes and infant...Full Text Available
Study Objectives:To evaluate the value of mouth opening during sleep for predicting surgical outcomes after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).Methods:Retrospectively,...Full Text Available
BackgroundObtaining comprehensive health outcomes and health services utilization data on stroke patients has been difficult. This research grew out of a memorandum...Full Text Available
BackgroundControversy exists about how to effectively measure patient reported outcomes in IBS clinical trials. Pain numeric rating scales (NRS) are widely used in...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: The management and outcome of 138 abdominal shotgun wounds were examined over a 5-year period. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: It has been proposed that exploratory laparotomy may be unnecessary...Full Text Available
PurposeTo assess the relationship between low-grade inflammation, measured as basal high sensitivity (hs)-CRP, and IVF outcome.MethodsWe recruited...Full Text Available
Although research demonstrates many negative family outcomes associated with single-parent households, little is known about processes that lead to positive outcomes for these families. Using...Full Text Available
We sought to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction and its effect on clinical outcomes. Employing data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction...Full Text Available
AbstractSevere pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with unfavorable outcomes secondary to injury from activation of the inflammatory cascade, the release of excitotoxic...Full Text Available
Much public health research has been directed to studies of cancer risks due to chemical agents. Recently, increasing attention has been given to adverse reproductive outcomes as another, shorter-term...Full Text Available
Communication problems have been implicated in many safety and quality issues, but tools to examine communication networks and their impact on patient outcomes are only beginning to become available....Full Text Available
AIMSTo evaluate and compare the risk of specific safety outcomes in patients prescribed ibuprofen and paracetamol concomitantly with those in patients prescribed ibuprofen or paracetamol...Full Text Available
Clinical features and treatment outcome were compared in depressed outpatients with and without a history of emotional and physical abuse (EPA), including childhood maltreatment. Patients were...Full Text Available
The question of whether storage of red blood cells (RBCs) alters their capacity to deliver oxygen and affects patient outcomes remains in a state of clinical equipoise. Studies of the changes...Full Text Available
IntroductionVarious multigene predictors of breast cancer clinical outcome have been commercialized, but proved to be prognostic only for hormone receptor (HR) subsets overexpressing...Full Text Available
Pneumatic dilation (PD) is an effective treatment for achalasia cardia. Outcome of PD, however, varies among different studies. Recently, some groups started considering laparoscopic myotomy to be competitive...Full Text Available
... of the utility of the terminal outcomes, ... Other stochastic topics, such as random walks, branching ... find special uses, particularly in queueing theory ...
... commands may be input from a terminal or they ... up the outcomes of the stochastic parameters corre- ... queue of subproblems to be solved, the first ...
Aging is the most significant risk factor for a range of degenerative disease such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders. While the cause of aging and its associated diseases...Full Text Available
Aging is a biological process that affects most cells, organisms and species. Human aging is associated with increased susceptibility to a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease,...Full Text Available
Minimally invasive treatment for small renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can be necessary in selected patients and, anyway, is desirable. In situ ablation techniques, including RFA, have been developed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term local effectiveness of percutaneous US-guided RFA in a small series, as well as mid-term patient outcome. Thirteen patients with a total of 18 tumors (17 small lesions, 35 mm in size or less, and a larger one, 75 mm in size) underwent 19 RFA sessions. Seven patients had a solitary kidney, and three suffered from VHL disease, too. We treated four lesions in a patient with a bilateral tumor. In another patient, three lesions were ablated. Seventeen tumors were RCC; one was a metastasis from lung cancer. Eight lesions were parenchymal, six exophytic, two parenchymal/exophytic, one parenchymal/central and one central. A monopolar RF system with multitined expandable electrode ...
Purpose: To evaluate the importance of surgical margins for local and systemic control of Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFT). Methods and Materials: Between 1979 and 1999, 512 patients with ESFTs entered 4 different adjuvant and neoadjuvant studies performed at a single institution. Of these patients, 335 were treated with surgery alone (196) or surgery followed by radiotherapy at doses of 44.8 Gy (139). We compared their outcome with that of the 177 patients who were locally treated by radiotherapy at 60 Gy. Results: Local control (88.8% vs. 80.2%, p < 0.009) and 5-year disease-free survival (63.8% vs. 47.6%, p < 0.0007) were significantly better in patients treated with surgery and, among them, in those with adequate surgical margins (96.6% vs. 71,7%, p < 0.0008, and 69.6% vs. 46.3%, p < 0.0002). Nonetheless, better results were observed only in extremity tumors. Conclusions: Surgery is better than radiotherapy in cases of ...
From 1946 - 1990, i.e. from shortly after the end of World War II and the rise of the cold war until the German reunification, there had been extensive uranium mining both in Saxony and Thuringia, which formed the southern parts of the former German Democratic Republic. Mining activities started in Saxony in the Ore Mountains (German: Erzgebirge). Mining was conducted by a Soviet, since 1954 by a Soviet- German Incorporated Company named Wismut. It is estimated that about 400,000 persons may have worked in this time period with the company, most of them underground or in uranium ore processing facilities. In the early years, exposure to radiation and dust was particularly high for underground workers. After introduction of several ventilation measures and wet drilling from 1955 onwards, the levels of exposures to the various agents steadily decreased. After German reunification, it was decided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment to save health data that were stored in ...
Objective: To assess the efficacy, prospects and future of conservative management of beta thalassemia major patients in a developing country. Design: Patients registered at IHBTS were studied over a period of three years. They consented to being managed on moderate transfusion regimen, aiming to maintain a pre-transfusion haemoglobin(Hgb) level of 9.0 plus minus 1.0 g per dL. We studied their transfusion requirements, status for transfusion transmitted infections (TTls), serum ferritin levels and complications developing as a result of iron overload. Subjects: Initially all registered patients were included in this study. Sporadic patients as well as dropouts occurring due to any reason, (patients concurrently seeking treatment at other centres as well, or complying poorly to advised chelation therapy) were excluded from the study. The data presented here conforms to a cohort of 60 regular patients who adhered best to our selection criteria. Main Outcome Measures: ...
Autoreactive cytotoxic CD8 T-cells (CTLs) play a key pathogenic role in the destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells resulting in type 1 diabetes. However, knowledge regarding their targets is limited, restricting the ability to monitor the course of the disease and immune interventions. In a multi-step discovery process to identify novel CTL epitopes in human preproinsulin (PPI), PPI was digested with purified human proteasomes, and resulting COOH-fragments aligned with algorithm-predicted HLA-binding peptides to yield nine potential HLA-A1, -A2, -A3 or -B7-restricted candidates. An UV-exchange method allowed the generation of a repertoire of multimers including low-affinity HLA-binding peptides. These were labeled with quantum dot-fluorochromes and encoded in a combinatorial fashion, allowing parallel and sensitive detection of specific, low-avidity T-cells. Significantly increased frequencies of T-cells against four novel PPI epitopes (PPI(4-13)/B7, ...
Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases encompass a distinct and growing clinical entity of multisystem inflammatory diseases with known genetic defects in the innate immune system. The diseases...Full Text Available
Heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease together cause more than two out of three deaths in the United States annually. These three diseases are largely a result of widespread risk factors...Full Text Available
...Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease-The purpose of Advances Chronic Kidney Disease is to provide in-depth, scholarly review articles about the care and mana ... Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease - Elsevier Home Products User Resources About Us Support & Contact Elsevier Websites Advanced Product ...Search Browse Journals Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease Additional Information Related Publications Editorial Board Journal Online e- Alert Readers ...year: 6 Tips Title This is my tip content Visit Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease Online! The purpose of Advances Chronic Kidney Disease is ...
Purpose: To determine if involved field radiation (IF) is equivalent to standard whole bone radiation (SF) in local tumor control; to establish patterns of failure following treatment; and to determine response, event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival rates from multidisciplinary therapy in Ewing's sarcoma. Methods and Materials: Between 1983 and 1988, 184 children with Ewing's sarcoma were enrolled onto Pediatric Oncology Group 8346 (POG 8346). A total of 178 (97%) met eligibility criteria; 6 had pathology other than Ewing's sarcoma. Induction chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin (adriamycin )(C/A) x 12 weeks was followed by local treatment either surgery or radiation therapy and C/A, dactinomycin, and vincristine for 50 weeks. Resection was advised for patients with small primary tumors if accomplished without functional loss. Forty patients were randomized to receive SF, whole bone radiation to 39.6 Gy plus a 16.2 Gy boost (total 55.8 Gy) or IF to 55.8 Gy, and the ...
ObjectiveWe sought to determine the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement with hemodynamically confirmed severe pulmonary hypertension and aortic stenosis and compare them with the outcomes of patients not undergoing aortic valve replacement and patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with mild-to-moderate pulmonary hypertension. MethodsA total of 317 patients with severe aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 35 mm Hg) was present in 81 patients, of whom 35 (43.2%) underwent surgical aortic valve replacement. We compared the clinical outcomes of these 35 patients with the 46 patient...
The near infrared (NIR) upgrade to the Robert Stobie Spectrograph (RSS) on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), RSS/NIR, extends the spectral coverage of all modes of the visible arm. The RSS/NIR is a low to medium resolution spectrograph with broadband imaging, spectropolarimetric, and Fabry-Perot imaging capabilities. The visible and NIR arms can be used simultaneously to extend spectral coverage from approximately 3200 A to 1.6 um. Both arms utilize high efficiency volume phase holographic gratings via articulating gratings and cameras. The NIR camera is designed around a 2048x2048 HAWAII-2RG detector housed in a cryogenic dewar. The Epps optical design of the camera consists of 6 spherical elements, providing sub-pixel rms image sizes of 7.5 +/- 1.0 um over all wavelengths and field angles. The exact long wavelength cutoff is yet to be determined in a detailed thermal analysis and will depend on the semi-warm instrument cooling scheme. Initial estimates ...
AbstractObjective: This study examined the effectiveness of a telephone-based referral-care management (TBR-CM) intervention on psychiatric health...Full Text Available
Background:Prolonged mechanical ventilation is increasingly common. It is expensive and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our objective is to comprehensively characterize...Full Text Available
Increasing evidence suggests that sex differences exist in the etiology, presentation, treatment, and outcome from stroke. The reasons for these sex disparities are becoming increasingly explored, but...Full Text Available
The visual outcome, histopathology, and electrodiagnostic tests of a man with a malignant melanoma of the choroid who received foveal argon laser photocoagulation prior to enucleatiion are described....Full Text Available
The purpose of this article is to review the literature for clinical presentation, treatment, outcome and complications of using radiotherapy for the treatment of orbital lymphoma. For this, MEDLINE,...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated, in a large, heterogeneous population, the outcome of open cholecystectomy as it is currently practiced. SUMMARY BACKGROUND AND DATA: Although cholecystectomy has been...Full Text Available
Male reproductive proteins (MRPs), associated with sperm and semen, are the moieties responsible for carrying male genes into the next generation. Evolutionary biologists have focused on their...Full Text Available
Our global impact is finally receiving the scientific attention it deserves. The outcome will largely determine the future course of evolution. Human-modified ecosystems are shaped by our activities...Full Text Available
Outcome from trauma, surgery, and a variety of other medical conditions has been shown to be positively affected by providing treatment at facilities experiencing a high volume of patients with those conditions. An electronic literature search was made to identify English-language articles available through March 2011, addressing the effect of patient treatment volume on outcome for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Limited data were identified, with 16 citations included in the current review. Over 60% of hospitals fall into the lowest case-volume quartile. Outcome is influenced by patient volume, with better outcome occurring in high-volume centers treating >60 cases per year. Patients treated at low-volume hospitals are less likely to experience definitive treatment. Furthermore, t...
BackgroundRecent studies have shown associations between size and body proportions at birth and health outcomes throughout the life cycle, but there are few data...Full Text Available
PurposeAlthough the safety and feasibility of partial adrenalectomy in patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome have been established, long-term outcomes have not been examined. In this study we evaluate the recurrence and functional outcomes in a von Hippel-Lindau syndrome cohort treated for pheochromocytoma with partial adrenalectomy with a followup of at least 5 years. Materials and MethodsWe reviewed the records of patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome treated with partial adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma at the National Cancer Institute. Demographic, germline mutation status, surgical indication, oncologic and functional outcome data were collected. Local recurrence was defined as radiographic evidence of recurrent tumor on the ipsilateral side of partial adrenalectomy. Patients ...
PURPOSE: To determine the risk factors and clinical signs of Curvularia keratitis and to evaluate the management and outcome of this corneal phaeohyphomycosis. METHODS: We reviewed clinical and laboratory...Full Text Available
Governments are increasingly concerned to compare the quality and effectiveness of healthcare interventions but find this a complex matter. Crude hospital statistics can be dangerously misleading and...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes and wound complications in coccygectomy with or without subperiosteal resection. This retrospective study included 25 patients who underwent...Full Text Available
Introduction: Generally agreed outcome criteria in psychosis are required to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatment strategies. The aim of this study is to explore clinical recovery...Full Text Available
Background There is some evidence that a patient?s pre-operative condition influences short-term and long-term post-operative outcomes. The aim of the present study is to compare the physiological and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) and modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) models in the prediction of post-operative outcome, both short term and long term, in patients undergoing resection of oesophago-gastric cancer. Patients and Methods Patients who underwent curative resection for oesophago-gastric cancer from January 2005 to May 2009 and who had data to score the POSSUM, P-POSSUM, O-POSSUM and mGPS models were included in the study. Observed morbidity and mortality rates were compared with predicted outcome in different risk groups. Bot...
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of central vein stenosis and occlusion following upper extremity placement of peripherally inserted central venous catheters(PICCs) and venous ports. One hundred fifty-four patients who underwent venography of the ipsilateral central veins prior to initial and subsequent venous access device insertion were retrospectively identified. All follow-up venograms were interpreted at the time of catheter placement by one interventional radiologist over a 5-year period and compared to the findings on initial venography. For patients with central vein abnormalities, hospital and home infusion service records and radiology reports were reviewed to determine catheter dwelltime and potential alternative etiologies of central vein stenosis or occlusion. The effect of catheter caliber and dwell time on development of central vein abnormalities was evaluated. Venography performed prior to initial catheter placement showed that 150 patients had ...
Purpose: Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy and cost-benefit of contrast enhanced CT (CT) and MRI pre- and post-SPIO-particles in focal hepatic disease with consideration of therapeutic outcome. Results: In 34/52 (65.4%) of the cases the correct diagnosis was primarily stated by CT (sensitivity [se.] 85.2%, specificity [sp.] 44.0%). In additional 10/52 of the cases unenhanced MRI (se. 91.4%, sp. 75.0%) enabled correct diagnoses, and in another 6 cases the diagnosis was established only by SPIO-MRI (se. 100%, sp. 86.7%). Considering the possible therapeutic recommendation arising from each modality, CT would have induced needless therapy costs of 191,042 DM, unenhanced MRI of 171,035 DM, and SPIO-MRI of 7,311 DM. In comparison to the real therapy costs of 221,873 DM, this would have corresponded to an unnecessary increase of therapy costs of 86.1%, 77.1%, and 3.3%, respectively. In two cases (91 hemangioma, 1 regenerative nodule) all ...
Full text: Radiotherapy treatment planning (RTP) relies heavily on medical imaging. Until recently, the most important planning tool was the treatment simulator. The kilovoltage radiographic capabilities in a treatment simulator enabled the boundaries of treatment fields to be visualized with respect to bony anatomic landmarks. Perhaps the most important advance in treatment planning in recent years is the ability to visualize the passage of the beams with respect to a more accurate geometrical representation of the tumor and other soft tissue structures. This 'virtual simulation' uses a computer-based representation of a patient to determine the extent of the disease and the location of radiation sensitive normal tissue. Computer tomographic (CT) imaging produces a high-resolution three-dimensional representation of anatomy that can be correlated with other image sets such as magnetic resonance images (MRI) of function. Positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging ...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Although traditionally considered a disease of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, structural and functional changes...Full Text Available
Peripheral vascular diseases (PVD) are referred to as diseases affecting the blood vessels other than the heart and the brain. Interventional endovascular treatment whenever feasible has become the...Full Text Available
Objectives:Copy number variants (CNVs) have been recognized as a source of genetic variation that contributes to disease phenotypes. Alzheimer disease (AD) has high heritability...Full Text Available
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease in humans and is characterized by progressive cyst formation, renal enlargement, and abnormal tubular development....Full Text Available
Background/Aims:Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was previously thought a rare disease among children in Kuwait since most diarrhea cases were attributed to infections....Full Text Available
Infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of autoimmune diseases, and Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) might play a role in the development of autoimmune thyroid disease...Full Text Available
Forty-one Spanish families with polycystic kidney disease 1 (PKD1) were studied for evidence of linkage disequilibrium between the disease locus and six closely linked markers. Four of these loci--three...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia among senile subjects. It has been proposed that AD can be caused...Full Text Available
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence rate of newly diagnosed cases of coeliac disease in Italy. DESIGN: This was a descriptive study of coeliac disease incidence in the period 1990-91. SETTING:...Full Text Available
BackgroundSexual function is impaired in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as compared to normal controls. We examined disease specific determinants of different aspects...Full Text Available
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious, fatal prion disease of deer and elk that continues to emerge in new locations. To explore the means by which prions are transmitted with high efficiency...Full Text Available
One of the modifiable risk factors associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) is hypercholesterolemia. This paper reviews the major plasma lipids and how they relate to coronary heart disease. Among...Full Text Available
Chagas disease, caused by infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of cardiovascular disease. It is increasingly clear that parasite-derived prostaglandins potently modulate...Full Text Available
Enzootic Glassers's disease was investigated to study the epidemiology of the disease strains on a farm where it presented a problem. Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF) analysis technique...Full Text Available
BackgroundPeriodontal disease in diabetic patients presents higher severity and prevalence; and increased severity of ligature-induced periodontal disease has been verified in diabetic...Full Text Available
Aberrant transglutaminase (TG) activity has been implicated in the pathology of numerous diseases including Huntington disease and Alzheimer disease. To fully characterize the role of TGs in...Full Text Available
There is ample historical verification of 46,XX congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients being born with essentially male genitaliawhile outcome information is scant. Prior to glucocorticoid...Full Text Available
Objectives: To report six month outcome in patients undergoing their first pulmonary vein ablation procedure for idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF) at a “non-pioneering”...Full Text Available
Purpose:To study the outcome of in-the-bag implanted square-edge polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lenses (IOL) with and without primary posterior capsulotomy in...Full Text Available
...American Journal of Kidney Diseases-The American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD), the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, is ... American Journal of Kidney Diseases - Elsevier Home Products User Resources About Us Support & Contact Elsevier Websites Advanced Product ...Search Browse Journals American Journal of Kidney Diseases American Journal of Kidney Diseases Official Journal of the National Kidney Foundation Additional Information Related Publications ...Article Tracking for Editors Reviewers Advertisers/Sponsors Advertisers Media Kit Societies National Kidney Foundation ISSN: 0272-6386 Imprint: SAUNDERS Actions Submit ...
BackgroundIncrease in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We...Full Text Available
Contagious diseases are a threat to animal health and productivity, both nationally and at the farm level. This makes implementation of biosecurity measures to prevent their introduction and...Full Text Available
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP) is an interstitial lung disease that develops following repeated exposure to inhaled environmental antigens. The disease is characterized by alveolitis, granuloma formation...Full Text Available
Hypophosphatasia is a congenital disease characterized by deficiency of serum and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase activity. The disease occurs due to mutations in the liver/bone/kidney alkaline...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeveral studies have suggested an association between periodontal disease and prematurity but this finding has not been consistently observed.MethodsCase...Full Text Available
Percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) is a safe and effective tool in the diagnosis and management of renal disease. It is the gold standard for evaluating renal parenchymal disease. It is both useful for...Full Text Available
The identification of individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential for the timely administration of treatment approaches aimed at slowing the onset or progression of the disease....Full Text Available
While the etiology of Parkinson's disease remains largely elusive, there is accumulating evidence suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs prior to the onset of symptoms in Parkinson's disease....Full Text Available
Stabbing paroxysmal pain due to neurological disease can often be controlled by anticonvulsants, whereas steady burning pain is often responsive to tricyclic antidepressants, and to neuroleptics. Overuse...Full Text Available
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease with major morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic management is difficult, due to lack of conclusive data and individual disease...Full Text Available
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disease of global prevalence. The disease is characterized by synovial inflammation leading to cartilage and bone damage. Most of the conventional...Full Text Available
AIM: To search the independent factors determining gastric juice acidity and to investigate the acidity of gastric juices in various benign and malignant upper gastrointestinal diseases.METHODS:...Full Text Available
AIM: To investigate the effects of gallbladder stones on motor functions of the gallbladder and the dynamics of bile flow in asymptomatic gallstone disease.METHODS: Quantitative hepatobiliary...Full Text Available
In contrast to the increasing availability of information pertaining to the care of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from large-scale observational and interventional studies, epidemiological...Full Text Available
BackgroundMultiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy associated with the development of a destructive osteolytic bone disease.ResultsMathematical...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo develop a simple summary risk score for the prediction of Alzheimer disease in elderly persons based on their vascular risk profiles.DesignFull Text Available
We used epidemiologic data for human West Nile virus (WNV) disease in Colorado from 2003 and 2007 to determine 1) the degree to which estimates of vector-borne disease occurrence is influenced by spatial...Full Text Available
Laboratory-based surveillance of Lyme disease in Connecticut during 1984 and 1985 identified 3,098 persons with suspected Lyme disease; 1,149 were defined as cases. Lyme disease incidence in Connecticut...Full Text Available
Background: Recent series describing the clinical presentation, response to therapy, and long-term outcome of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are limited. Aims: To assess the clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Methods: Over a 20-year period, patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome were enrolled in a prospective trial evaluating the efficacy of lansoprazole. Following dose stabilization, patients were followed on a 6-monthly basis with interval history, physical examination, endoscopy with gastric biopsies, gastric acid analysis and laboratory studies. Results: 72 patients (mean age 54+/-12 years, % male 58%, % Caucasian 69%) were prospectively enrolled. The clinical presentation was stereotypical for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Symptoms ...
PurposeTo evaluate the effect of vitrectomy timing on outcomes for patients with crystalline retained lens fragments receiving vitrectomy 3+ days after cataract surgery. DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of retrospective interventional cases series. MethodsSearches of MEDLINE (English, 1/1/85 through 7/30/2010) and article reference lists. Articles were screened for patients with crystalline retained lens fragments after surgery for age-related cataracts, discussion of vitrectomy timing, and, for the meta-analysis, patient totals for at least 1 outcome and multiple time periods, 10+ patients, and mean follow-up ?3 months. Outcomes included visual acuity, retinal detachment, increased intraocular pressure, intraocular infection/inflammation, cystoid macular edema, and corneal...
PurposeTo conduct a retrospective analysis within a large university teaching hospital, comparing outcomes between patients receiving either radical surgery or radiotherapy as curative treatment for bladder cancer.Patients and MethodsBetween March 1996 and December 2000, 169 patients were treated radically for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Data were collected from patient notes. Statistical analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to compare radiotherapy and surgical outcome data.ResultsThere was no difference in overall, cause-specific, and distant recurrence-free survival at 5 years between the two groups, despite the radiotherapy group being older (median age, 75.3 years vs. 68.2 years). There were 31 local bladder recurrences...
Background Trauma centers are designated to provide systematized multidisciplinary care to injured patients. Effective trauma systems reduce patient mortality by facilitating the treatment of injured patients at appropriately resourced hospitals. Several U.S. studies report reduced mortality among patients admitted directly to a level I trauma center compared with those admitted to hospitals with less resources. It has yet to be shown whether there is an outcome benefit associated with the ?level of hospital? initially treating severely injured trauma patients in Australia. This study was designed to determine whether the level of trauma center providing treatment impacts mortality and/or hospital length of stay. Methods Outcomes were evaluated for severely injured trauma patients with an ...
Objectives The optimal timing of pyeloplasty for children diagnosed with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) after workup for antenatal hydronephrosis is disputed. We sought to examine the potential costs and clinical outcomes of treatment protocols featuring different indications for pediatric pyeloplasty using Markov models. Methods Cost and outcomes analysis using Markov modeling was performed for three treatment algorithms: medical management, immediate pyeloplasty (during the first year of life), and pyeloplasty after no improvement on imaging. The costs were determined from the perspective of the medical institution. The variables tracked during Markov model simulation included age at resolution of UPJO, the proportion of patients with worsened hydronephrosis, the number of pye...
Systematically review risks of an infant being born with low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB) or small for gestational age (SGA) among married and unmarried women. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and bibliographies of identified articles were searched for English language studies. Studies reporting birth outcomes of married and unmarried (single and cohabitant) were included. Two reviewers independently collected data and assessed the quality of the studies for biases in sample selection, exposure assessment, confounder, analytical, outcome assessments, and attrition. Meta-analyses were performed using random effect model for both unadjusted and adjusted data and odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Twenty-one studies of low to moderate risk of bias were inclu...
Abstract Routinely used prognostic factors fail to predict clinical outcome in a significant proportion of breast cancer patients, implying that they can not detect some important biological characteristics. Chromosomal changes have been described in breast carcinomas for many years but their significance is not clear. We compared chromosomal changes with clinico-pathological characteristics and clinical outcome in 203 breast cancer patients with a follow-up of 9-18 years. Combining data from classical cytogenetics and flow cytometry revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 142 cases (70%). Of these, 51 (35.9%) contained two or more cytogenetically abnormal clones. Polyclonality was significantly associated with poor breast-cancer-specific survival (P = 0.03) within 5 years, independent of tu...
Abstract Objective:- This study explored 12-month outcome and its associations to social adjustment-related variables in patients with first-episode non-affective psychosis in Finland and Spain. Methods:- Forty-nine Finnish and 37 Spanish patients were evaluated at admission on various characteristics of social adjustment. Outcome was measured for 68 (79%) patients by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Global Assessment Scale, and Grip on Life. Results:- One-fourth of the patients experienced psychotic symptoms at follow-up. Sixty per-cent of the patients showed good global functioning and Grip on Life. In both patient groups, poor earlier global functioning, weak social network, poor Grip on Life, and psychological dependence on family of origin were associated with poor outcome. In the ...
The aims of this study were to quantify the severity and extent of subclinical interstitial lung disease as depicted on HRCT and to study the relationship between the patterns of lung disease quantified by HRCT and the functional parameters and bronchoalveolar lavage findings in patients with rheumatic diseases. The results confirm that HRCT is a sensitive tool in detecting interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatic diseases with no signs and symptoms of pulmonary involvement. The relationship between the different HRCT patterns and bronchoalveolar lavage cell profiles can identify patients at higher risk of developing irreversible lung fibrosis. A long-term, prospective follow-up study is needed to determine whether these patients will develop over pulmonary disease.
The case is presented of a 64-year-old man who complained on admission of discomfort in the right shoulder at the time of excision of a large section of the axillary skin which contained extra-mammary Paget disease. Shortly thereafter, radiological studies of the humerus and scapula showed obvious malignant disease which proved to be metastatic upon biopsy of the humerus and pathological studies of the excised area of extra-mammary Paget disease in the axillary skin. The patient died twelve months after the diagnosis was established with widespread metastatic disease. The literature on the subject was reviewed and it was demonstrated that metastases to the skeleton from lesions of the skin are relatively rare. This case is exceptional because of the rapid fatal course and the extent of metastatic disease originating in extra-mammary Paget disease of the axillary ...
Effects of soil pH on damping-off of sugar beet by R. solani (AG2-2) and soil suppressiveness against the disease were studied by comparing disease incidences in pasteurized versus non-pasteurized, infested soils. Soil pH was correlated neither to disease incidence in five soils ranging from pH?4.5 to 7.2 nor to indigenous disease suppressiveness, the difference in disease incidences between non-treated soil and its pasteurized counterpart. When an alkaline soil was acidified with H2SO4, disease suppression markedly declined, increasing disease incidence in the non-pasteurized soil. Inversely, disease suppression was enhanced when an acidic soil was neutralized by adding Ca(OH)2. Soil amendment with dried peanut plant residue suppressed the disease in two pasteurized, near-neutral soils, l...
Ascochyta blight causes significant yield loss in pulse crops worldwide. Integrated disease management is essential to take advantage of cultivars with partial resistance to this disease. The most effective practices, established by decades of research, use a combination of disease-free seed, destruction or avoidance of inoculum sources, manipulation of sowing dates, seed and foliar fungicides, and cultivars with improved resistance. An understanding of the pathosystems and the inter-relationship between host, pathogen and the environment is essential to be able to make correct decisions for disease control without compromising the agronomic or economic ideal. For individual pathosystems, some components of the integrated management principles may need to be given greater consideration tha...
BackgroundModern metal-on-metal hip resurfacing implants are being increasingly used for young and active patients, although the long-term outcome and failure mechanisms of these...Full Text Available
ObjectiveWe describe our clinical experiences and outcomes in patients who had thromboembolic complications occurring during endovascular treatment of intracerebral aneurysms with...Full Text Available
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become the standard treatment modality for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, the clinical outcomes in patients with unresectable...Full Text Available
1. We have studied determinants of outcome of 7 day courses of treatment in 77 middle aged and elderly patients, in whom the general practitioner's diagnosis of urinary tract infections had been confirmed...Full Text Available
The functional outcome after stroke is unpredictable; it is not accurately predicted by clinical pictures upon hospital admission. The presence of apoptotic neurons in the ischemic penumbra and perihematoma...Full Text Available
This study describes procedures and outcomes in a functional analysis of problem behavior of 2 public school students. For a 13-year-old honors student, bizarre tacts (labeled as psychotic speech by...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe objective of this paper is to describe the complex mixed-methods design of a study conducted to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes...Full Text Available
Study DesignThis is a retrospective study that was done according to clinical and radiological evaluation.PurposeWe analyzed the clinical and radiological...Full Text Available
A retrospective study is presented of 83 athletes with tendo Achillis pain (TAP) treated conservatively over a 12-year period from 1976 to 1988. Local steroid injections did not contribute to an earlier...Full Text Available
BackgroundPatients’ general tendency to adhere to health care provider-recommended treatments is associated with a number of health outcomes, but whether it influences pain...Full Text Available
BackgroundAdolescents have been identified as a high-risk group for poor adherence to and defaulting from combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) care. However, data on outcomes...Full Text Available
Aim:Report of 125 pediatric patients of empyema thoracis treated by open decortication, highlighting the presentation, delay in referral, operative findings, the response...Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDSolid-pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) are rare pancreatic tumors with malignant potential. Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of patients with...Full Text Available
Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere have been dramatic changes in the approach to screening for aneuploidy over the last 20 years. However, the approach to screening for other complications of pregnancy...Full Text Available
Disorders of mitochondrial fat metabolism lead to sudden death in infants and children. Although survival is possible, the underlying molecular mechanisms which enable this outcome have not yet been...Full Text Available
While research has shown that patients’ beliefs about their pain are related to pain adjustment and treatment outcomes, little is known about the beliefs of their significant others....Full Text Available
Goals of workThe goal of this study was to evaluate, at a population level, the association between specialized palliative care services (SPCS) and short- and long-term caregiver...Full Text Available
BackgroundSymptomatic heterotopic ossification (HO) in multiple trauma patients may lead to follow up surgery, furthermore the long-term outcome can be restricted. Knowledge of the...Full Text Available
ObjectivesTo examine the strength of the volume–outcome relationship among paramedics, a group of providers that has not been previously studied in this context. By identifying...Full Text Available
SummaryRadiotherapy is used commonly in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies. Many patients experience emotional distress prior to the initiation of radiotherapy, during...Full Text Available
Thirty chemicals or substances currently undergoing long-term carcinogenicity bioassays in rodents have been used in a project to further evaluate methods and information that may have the capability...Full Text Available
AimsTo describe nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction, and quality of care in Japanese hospitals, and to determine how these outcomes are associated with work environment...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVEModerately preterm infants (30–34 6/7 weeks’ gestational age) represent the largest population of NICU residents. Whether their clinical...Full Text Available
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pregabalin in painful cervical or lumbosacral radiculopathy treated in Primary Care settings under routine clinical practice. An observational,...Full Text Available
Nineteen of 69 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty required immediate coronary surgery after the procedure. Six of these operations were planned as a result of angioplasty that failed without producing...Full Text Available
Cognitive rehabilitation is an effective intervention for addressing cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia. Previous research has shown that the early application of Cognitive...Full Text Available
Theoretically, the outcome of World War II in Europe hung in the balance as the Allies poured onto the Normandy beachhead. Following the June 6, 1944 invasion, the Allies continue to come ashore, massively building up men and material inside the beachhead...
The identification of predictive biomarkers is at the core of modern toxicology. So far, a number of approaches have been proposed. These rely on statistical inference of toxicity response from either...Full Text Available
IntroductionTerror attacks in Southeast Asia were almost nonexistent until the 2002 Bali bomb blast, considered the deadliest attack in Indonesian history. Further attacks in 2003...Full Text Available
Currently, the outcome of patients with intermediate-and poor-risk germ cell tumors at diagnosis is optimized by the use of risk-appropriate chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy surgical resection of...Full Text Available
This 3-year longitudinal study investigated whether low-wage employment was associated with improved psychological and parenting outcomes in a sample of 178 single mothers who were employed...Full Text Available
BackgroundHigh serum uric acid concentration (hyperuricemia) has been studied for its relationship with multiple adverse health outcomes, such as metabolic syndrome. Intervention...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThis report describes initial activities of the Cancer Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sexual Function domain group (CaPS-SF),...Full Text Available
Electronic personal health records (ePHRs) can potentially maximize access and coordination of health information and improve patient/clinician collaboration, patient self-management, and health outcomes....Full Text Available
BackgroundHealth related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the most important outcomes to measure effectiveness of an intervention, especially for islet transplantation...Full Text Available
ContextResponse Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST (unidimensional)], World Health Organization [WHO (bi-dimensional)] and European Association for Study...Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnant women are more susceptible to severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria, which can lead to poor maternal and fetal outcomes. Few data exist on the...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of a community pharmacist–based home blood pressure (BP) monitoring program.DesignTrial of a high-intensity...Full Text Available
Between 50 and 70% of patients with a terminal illness indicate a preference to remain at home for as long as possible until their death. Nevertheless, a much smaller percentage actually die at home...Full Text Available
The outcome of various osteoprogenitor-cell transplantation protocols was assessed using Col1a1-GFP reporter transgenic mice. The model requires the recipient mice to undergo lethal total body irradiation...Full Text Available
Objective To compile and evaluate the evidence on the effects on health and social outcomes of computer based peer to peer communities and electronic self support groups, used by people...Full Text Available
Abstract Aims: This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with lispro (LP) versus regular insulin (RI) since before pregnancy. Methods: We performed a MEDLINE and EMBASE search. Abstracts (and full articles when appropriate) were reviewed by two independent researchers. Inclusion criteria were patients with T1DM, data on women treated with RI and LP since before pregnancy until delivery in the same article, at least five pregnancies in each group, and information on at least one pregnancy outcome. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle?Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for cohort studies. Results: Outcome data were summarized with Revman version 5.0 (ims.cochrane.org...
The National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize a gene signature for prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients.
BackgroundMany interventions found to be effective in health services research studies fail to translate into meaningful patient care outcomes across multiple contexts. Health services...Full Text Available
Equinovarus of the foot is the most common lower extremity deformity following traumatic brain injury. We evaluated outcomes of the split anterior tibialis tendon transfer (SPLATT) for correction of...Full Text Available
In this letter we report the outcome for the microscopic approach for the semi-magic nuclei /sup 88/Sr and /sup 90/Zr. For comparison, we have also treated the semi-phenomenological version for the Migdal and SDI force.
An application of the renormalized random phase approximation to nuclear structure is presented for the semi-magic nuclei /sup 88/Sr and /sup 90/Zr. It is reported the outcome for the microscopic approach in comparison with the semiphenomenological version for the particle-hole forces.
Inclusion of family members in the assessment of patients with chronic pain can improve outcomes. Family functioning can be assessed in four basic areas: boundaries, power, communication, and intimacy....Full Text Available
The current study investigated relations among ethnic similarity in caregiver-therapist pairs of youth participating in Multisystemic Therapy, therapist adherence, and youth long-term behavioral and criminal outcomes. Participants were 1,979 youth and families treated by 429 therapists across provider organizations in 45 sites. Relations were found, independently, and in the presence of ethnic similarity, between adherence and reductions in youth externalizing and internalizing behavior problems 1-year posttreatment and youth criminal charges 4 years posttreatment. Relations between ethnic similarity and outcomes were found only for reductions in youth externalizing behavior problems and not when adherence was included in the model. Adherence ratings were higher, however, in ethnically similar caregiver-therapist pairs, and evidence was found that this increased adherence predicted slightly better outcomes for youth. ...
Background:This study evaluated the outcomes of patients with complex or persistent thoracobiliary fistulae following penetrating liver trauma, who underwent endoscopic biliary intervention...Full Text Available
IntroductionRadiotherapy outcomes might be further improved by a greater understanding of the individual variations in normal tissue reactions that determine tolerance. Most published...Full Text Available
BackgroundOne-stage implant placement has clinically acceptable treatment outcomes. Among other advantages, it may allow investigation of early wound healing. The...Full Text Available
IntroductionIn critically ill patients the relationship between the storage age of red blood cells (RBCs) transfused and outcomes are controversial. To determine if duration of RBC...Full Text Available
ObjectivesWe undertook a meta-analysis to assess outcomes for drug-eluting (DES) and bare metal stents (BMS) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected...Full Text Available
Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) is a recently developed technique suitable for describing scaling behavior of variability in physiological signals. The purpose of this study is to explore...Full Text Available
AIM: To compare 2 different types of covered esophageal nitinol stents (Ultraflex and Choostent) in terms of efficacy, complications, and long-term outcome.METHODS: A retrospective review of...Full Text Available
Background & objectives: Fatigue is a debilitating symptom experienced by patients undergoing dialysis, but there is only limited information on its prevalence and its association with patient...Full Text Available
PurposeWound infection after an ileostomy reversal is a common problem. To reduce wound-related complications, purse-string skin closure was introduced as an alternative to conventional...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM) for...Full Text Available
Mechanism-based inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 is characterized by NADPH-, time-, and concentration-dependent enzyme inactivation, occurring when some drugs are converted by CYPs to reactive...Full Text Available
ObjectiveDisc herniations at the L1-L2 and L2-L3 levels are different from those at lower levels of the lumbar spine with regard to clinical characteristics and surgical outcome....Full Text Available
BackgroundInadequate platelet inhibition despite aspirin and clopidogrel therapy during and after a percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with an impaired clinical outcome....Full Text Available
Average human behavior in cue combination tasks is well predicted by Bayesian inference models. As this capability is acquired over developmental timescales, the question arises, how it is learned....Full Text Available
IntroductionTransfusion is a common treatment in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Studies in adults suggest that prolonged storage of red blood cell units is associated with...Full Text Available
BackgroundSocial isolation affects a significant proportion of older people and is associated with poor health outcomes. The current evidence base regarding the effectiveness of...Full Text Available
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical problem with significant clinical and economic consequences. A number of studies point to a rising incidence of AKI in the hospital and in the intensive...Full Text Available
IntroductionLaparoscopic distal pancreatectomy has been described for more than a decade now and has been considered technically feasible, safe, and with reproducible outcomes. It...Full Text Available
BackgroundDuring surgery, controlled haemostasis to prevent blood loss is vital for a successful outcome. It can be difficult to ligate vessels located deep in the abdomen. A device...Full Text Available
BackgroundHip surface replacement arthroplasty (SRA) can be an alternative for total hip arthroplasty. The short and long-term outcome of hip surface replacement arthroplasty mainly...Full Text Available
BackgroundHealth-Related Quality of Life assessment is widely used in clinical research, but rarely in clinical practice. Barriers including practical difficulties administering...Full Text Available
Methods: Systemic irradiation of neuroaxis is an essential part in the management of medulloblastoma, stPNET and intracranial germ cell tumors. The introduction of quality assurance programs in radiooncology assures a precise radiotherapy of target volumes and is a prerequisite to improve survival. Results: Hyperfractionated radiotherapy has the potential of increasing dose to tumor more safely without increasing the risk for late adverse effects. Pilot studies revealed excellent tumor control in medulloblastoma with acceptable acute toxicity and a long-term survival of up to 96%. In medulloblastoma stereotactic radiation techniques reveal an acceptable toxicity and promising results in tumor control in recurrent disease or as primary treatment. They are now part of future treatment protocols in case of persisting residual tumor. Radiotherapy alone in pure germinoma is continuously yielding high cure rates. In secreting germ cell tumors cisplatin containing ...
Purpose: To determine if involved field radiation (IF) is equivalent to standard whole bone radiation (SF) in local tumor control; to establish patterns of failure following treatment; and to determine response, event free (EFS) and overall survival rates from multi-disciplinary therapy in Ewing's Sarcoma (ES). Materials and Methods: Between 1983 and 1988, 184 children with ES were enrolled onto POG 8346. 178 (97%) met eligibility criteria; 6 had non-ES pathology. Induction treatment of Cyclophosphamide/Adriamycin (C/A) x 12 weeks was followed by local treatment either surgery or radiation therapy (XRT) and C/A, Dactinomycin and Vincristine for 50 weeks. Resection was advised for patients with small primary tumors if accomplished without functional loss. 40 patients were randomized to receive SF, whole bone XRT to 39.6 Gy plus a 16.2 Gy boost (total 55.8 Gy) or IF to 55.8 Gy while 84 were assigned to IF XRT. Results: Of 179 eligible patients, 141 (79%) had localized ...
Abstract Background- Vitiligo, characterized by destruction of melanocytes, causes a patchy depigmentation of the skin. It has been hypothesized to have an autoimmune pathogenesis. Autoimmune disorders are more common among women and may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as recurrent abortions, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and pre-eclampsia. Objective- The purpose of this study was to investigate whether patients with vitiligo have increased rates of gestational complications. Methods- A retrospective comparative study was undertaken comparing pregnancy complications of patients with and without vitiligo. The population was composed of all singleton deliveries that occurred at the Soroka University Medical Center in Israel during the years 1988-2006. Women lack...
Hung and Quyen's model (analysis of strategic interactions between players in the game theoretic framework) is first recapitulated. Solutions to the embargo game with the seller acting as the Stackelberg leader in both periods. Then the timing coordination issue is discussed and perfect equilibrium outcomes under different structures of leader-follower in the game are compared. Numerical simulations show that the structure corresponding to alternated leadership from one period to the other yields the perfect equilibrium outcome that is Pareto improving with respect to the structure where the buyer is first mover in both periods and Pareto dominant for some specific values of the parameters embedded in the game.
Strategic management of key accounts has become an important component of many companies' sales efforts. This research introduces a strategic framework of key account performance that integrates theory from relationship marketing, key account management, and customer equity. Using the three drivers of customer equity - value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity - the framework captures both the relational outcomes (relationship commitment and trust) and financial performance outcomes (profitability and share of spend) of strategic decisions made in key account programs. Implications and future research are then discussed.
Anesthetic techniques vary widely in the endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR). Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using local anesthesia. However, the ideal anesthetic technique has not been determined. This study examines whether anesthesic technique influences the outcomes of EVAR. Data regarding demographics, risk factors, procedural characteristics, recovery characteristics, treatment complications, acute ( 0.05, ANOVA). From these results we concluded that EVAR with local anesthesia is a safe and efficacious method that may reduce recovery times and postoperative medical morbidity compared to use of genera1 or spinal/epidural anesthesia.
This report describes the experimental researches on the polarization Characteristics of symmetric GaAs-GaAlAsP double heterojunction lasers, and analyses the mode-competition processes of these lasers. The experiments showed that semiconductor laser is emitted spontaneously and does not indicate optical polarization characteristic when it is biased under the threshold current. When it is biased above the threshold current, the laser for thin active layer of d = 0.15approx.0.40 ..mu..m is generally observed only in fundamental order mode, and TE mode polarization is predominant. At this time, polarization selection is dependent on Fabry-Perot cavity facet (cleaved face) mode reflectivity R/sub 0/. But TM mode is saturated at the threshold, the current applied to the laser above the threshold is used to enhance the TE polarization when the active thickness d is larger than 0.4 ..mu..m, the competition between TE and TM mode, fundamental order an higher order mode ...
Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Genetic factors contribute to host susceptibility and progression to disease, but the genes responsible for disease development are largely unknown. We report here a genome-wide association study for host susceptibility to meningococcal disease using 475 individuals with meningococcal disease (cases) and 4,703 population controls from the UK. We performed, in Western European and South European cohorts (consisting of 968 cases and 1,376 controls), two replication studies for the most significant SNPs. A cluster of complement factor SNPs replicated independently in both cohorts, including SNPs within complement factor H (CFH) (rs1065489 (p.936D
SummaryBackground Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms (PLDS) have included fatigue, headaches, poor concentration and memory, lightheadedness, joint pain, and mood disturbances. Evidence-based guidelines committees disagree over the severity of PLDS. The 2004 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) concluded that PLDS are severe. The 2006 Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines committee concluded that PLDS are nothing more than the "aches and pains of daily living" and an ad hoc International Lyme group concluded that PLDS are "symptoms common in persons who have never had Lyme disease." Hypothesis Clinical trials validate the severity of persistent Lyme disease symptoms. Evaluation of the Hypothesis There are 22 standardized instruments used to measure the...
Borna disease virus (BDV) uses a unique strategy of replication and transcription which takes place in the nucleus, unlike other known, nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA viruses of animal origin....Full Text Available
The sequential events and the inflammatory mediators that characterize disease onset and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) are not well known. In this study, we evaluated the early pathologic events...Full Text Available
BackgroundOne of the more common behavioral manifestations of dementia-related disorders is severe problems with out-of-home mobility. Various efforts have been attempted to attain...Full Text Available
Krabbe disease (KD) is an inherited neurological disorder caused by the deficiency of galactocerebrosidase activity resulting in accumulation of psychosine, which leads to energy depletion,...Full Text Available
The objective of the current research was to examine the association of herd level disease incidence with the return over feed (ROF) (milk income minus feed cost) herd profit index offered through Canwest...Full Text Available
Introduction:Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. It imparts a substantial economic burden on individuals and society. Acute exacerbations...Full Text Available
Virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus ([NDV] also known as avian paramyxovirus type 1) can be discriminated from low-virulence strains by the presence of multiple basic amino acid residues at...Full Text Available
BackgroundThis study focuses on the role of an Internet-based group for people who have an autoimmune liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis. Primary biliary...Full Text Available
BackgroundCharacterizing infectious disease burden in Africa is important for prioritizing and targeting limited resources for curative and preventive services and monitoring the...Full Text Available
BackgroundEpidemiological studies have shown a J- or U-shaped relation between alcohol and type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD). The underlying mechanisms are not clear....Full Text Available
The abundance of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs, the principal vector for the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Old Lyme, Lyme, and East Haddam, Connecticut,...Full Text Available
The mouse is the leading organism for disease research. A rich resource of genetic variation occurs naturally in inbred and special strains owing to spontaneous mutations. However, one can also obtain...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: While many patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have impaired physical and psychologic well-being, less is known about these health domains in patients with advanced...Full Text Available
Sugarcane rusts, brown (caused by Puccinia melanocephala) and orange (caused by P. kuehnii), are agronomically important diseases in Florida. Cultivar resistance is the best means of managing these diseases. Unfortunately, natural infection of brown rust is not always efficient in determining resist...
Objectives: To determine the community based prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the rural population of the district of Rahim Yaar Khan in Pakistan.Subjects...Full Text Available
BackgroundPrevention of Chagas disease depends mainly on control of the insect vectors that transmit infection. Unfortunately, the vectors have been resurgent in some areas. It is...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlthough symptoms of sleepiness and fatigue are common among adults with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), little is known about the prevalence of these symptoms...Full Text Available
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) represent a major public health problem in the country, cause patients enormous suffering, and cost the nation billions of dollars annually. Demographic, sociological,...Full Text Available
Schindler disease is a recently recognized infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy resulting from the deficient activity of the lysosomal hydrolase, alpha-N-acetylgalctosaminidase (alpha-GalNAc). The recent...Full Text Available
Forty-four patients with histologically proven Hodgkin's disease underwent initial treatment with extended-field radiation therapy. Nineteen of these patients also received combination chemotherapy....Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that affects women of all ages. Like all progressive diseases, early and reliable diagnosis is the key for successful treatment and annihilation....Full Text Available
The authors’ objective was to analyze the impact of respiratory impairment on the risk of physical functional limitations among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)....Full Text Available
Clinical and experimental evidence has demonstrated the potential role of probiotics in the prevention or treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Probiotic clones with direct immunomodulatory activity...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of otolaryngologic diseases in Korea.MethodsWe obtained data from the 2008 Korea...Full Text Available
BackgroundConducted as part of the Urologic Diseases in America project whose aim was to quantify the burden of urologic diseases on the American public, this study focuses on Veterans...Full Text Available
Eight recreational parks located in a Lyme disease endemic area of southern New York State were surveyed for the presence of ticks during the summer of 1985 by drag sampling. Ixodes dammini, the primary...Full Text Available
Earlier studies of white London busmen revealed that the ischaemic heart disease experience of conductors is better than that of drivers. Various factors which might be related to this difference have...Full Text Available
Physical activity is associated with reduced risk of several age-related diseases as well as with increased longevity in both rodents and humans. Though these associations are well established, evidence...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with impaired physical activity. However, it is unclear whether the associations of physical activity with mortality are modified...Full Text Available
Diseases of man caused by the virus of herpes simplex fall into two broad categories. The primary disease occurs only once in any individual's life and is caused by transmission of virus from an already...Full Text Available
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus that cost nearly 800 lives. While there have been no recent outbreaks of the disease, the threat...Full Text Available
Organisms in the genus Mycobacterium cause a variety of human diseases. One member of the genus, M. ulcerans, causes a necrotizing skin disease called Buruli ulcer....Full Text Available
Arriving at a firm diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis continues to pose serious problems, particularly when evidence of granulomatous disease outside the nervous system is lacking. The commonest mode of...Full Text Available
BackgroundVariant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) is a prion disease thought to be acquired by the consumption of prion-contaminated beef products. To date, over 200 cases...Full Text Available
Breath analysis is a powerful noninvasive technique for the diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nitric oxide...Full Text Available
Objective:Parkinson disease (PD) may affect the autonomic nervous system and may cause constipation; however, few studies have explored constipation preceding the motor onset of...Full Text Available
In this paper we report a case with primarily unspecific arthralgia after surgical therapy of hallux valgus deformity and consecutive reflex sympathetic dystrophy in which MR led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease. (orig.)
Bone metastasis of primary colorectal cancer is uncommon. When it occurs, it is usually a late manifestation of disease and is indicative of poor prognosis. We describe a patient with multiple metachronous...Full Text Available
Objectives To understand the perspectives of people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as their illness progresses, and of their informal and professional carers,...Full Text Available
Liver fluke disease is a chronic parasitic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts. Infection occurs through ingestion of fluke-infested, fresh-water raw fish. The most well-known species that cause...Full Text Available
BackgroundApolipoprotein E (ApoE), a cholesterol carrier associated with atherosclerosis, is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The low-density lipoprotein receptor...Full Text Available
A yellow-pigmented, gram-negative, gliding bacterium isolated from an industrial water spray air humidification system was implicated as a causative agent in several occurrences of lung disease with...Full Text Available
BackgroundSulfasalazine is a widely used anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and several rheumatological disorders. Although as many as 20% of...Full Text Available
Study objectiveThe study aim was to improve our understanding of the relationships between contextual socioeconomic characteristics and coronary heart disease (CHD)...Full Text Available
Stargardt disease (STGD) is the major form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration. Pyridinium bis-retinoid A2E is a major component of lipofuscin which accumulates in retinal pigment epithelium...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlzheimer's disease, known to be associated with the gradual loss of memory, is characterized by low concentration of acetylcholine in the hippocampus and cortex part of...Full Text Available
The identification and validation of biomarkers for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia are increasingly important. To date, ELISA measurement of β-amyloid(1–42),...Full Text Available
Over 200 mutations in the retina specific member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter super-family (ABCA4) have been associated with a diverse group of human retinal diseases....Full Text Available
We describe here seven cases (from five kindreds) of Anderson's disease, which is characterized by diarrhea, steatorrhea, hypobetalipoproteinemia with low levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids,...Full Text Available
Viruses, and more particularly retroviruses, have been postulated to play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In a search for spumaretrovirus infection markers, we screened a group of...Full Text Available
We have developed a new strategy for immunization of wild rabbit populations against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) that uses recombinant viruses based on a naturally attenuated field...Full Text Available
It is now widely accepted that novel infectious disease can be a leading cause of serious population decline and even outright extinction in some invertebrate and vertebrate groups (e.g., amphibians)....Full Text Available
An association of Hirschsprung disease with polydactyly, unilateral renal agenesis, hypertelorism, and congenital deafness is described in sibs (brother and sister) of consanguineous parents. It is...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe long-term goal of the GKDZI (Genetics of Kidney Disease in Zuni Indians) Study is to identify genes, environmental factors, and genetic-environmental...Full Text Available
Though the genetic background of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke is often polygenetic or multifactorial, it can in some cases result from a monogenic disease, particularly in young adults. Besides...Full Text Available
Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, the third most common mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy. It is an emerging infectious disease that...Full Text Available
Despite the recent success of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in identifying loci consistently associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), a large proportion of the genetic components of...Full Text Available
Most human diseases are related in some way to the loss or gain in gene functions. Regulation of gene expression is a complex process. In addition to genetic mechanisms, epigenetic causes are...Full Text Available
A striking common feature of many autoimmune diseases in humans and experimental animals, despite differences in pathology, is that females are highly susceptible to autoimmune conditions compared to...Full Text Available
Few diseases exemplify the integration of research from bench to bedside as well as neonatal lupus, often referred to as a model of passively acquired autoimmunity. In essence, this disease encompasses...Full Text Available
Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) is a Lyme disease-like infection described in patients in the southeastern and south-central United States, where classic Lyme disease is relatively rare....Full Text Available
Two infants were seen with severe ascites detected before birth, a previously unreported presentation of Niemann-Pick disease type C. In the second infant no diagnostic storage cells were present in...Full Text Available
Objectives. To assess the feasibility of treating musculoskeletal pain in the lower back and/or lower extremities in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) with cranial electrotherapy...Full Text Available
BackgroundExcessive television (TV) viewing might play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to examine the independent...Full Text Available
BackgroundA goal of human genetics is to discover genetic factors that influence individuals' susceptibility to common diseases. Most common diseases are thought to result from the...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE--To develop, test, and validate an algorithm for diagnosing disease in neonates during an over the telephone referral to a specialist cardiac centre. DESIGN--A draft algorithm requiring only...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on clinical parameters and signs anemia of chronic disease in chronic periodontitis patients.Full Text Available
Erythrocyte transketolase activity and the effect of adding thiamine pyrophosphate (% thiamine pyrophosphate effect) were measured in 111 subjects suspected to suffer from Leigh's disease (subacute...Full Text Available
A conference entitled ‘2nd International Berlin Bat Meeting: Bat Biology and Infectious Diseases’ was held between the 19 and 21 of February 2010 in Berlin, Germany. Researchers from...Full Text Available
The effects of dietary monosodium glutamate (MSG) on trans-fatty acid (TFA)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are addressed in an animal model. We used Affymetrix microarray...Full Text Available
Periodontal diseases are infections of the tissues supporting the dentition. Recognition that relatively specific microfloras are associated with distinct clinical forms of periodontal disease has prompted...Full Text Available
Objective:To investigate the combined effect of both pioglitazone and methotrexate on disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis in a biphasic study; experimental and clinical.Methods:Experimentally:...Full Text Available
BackgroundChronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids is a prion disease distinguished by high levels of transmissibility, wherein bodily fluids and excretions are thought to play an...Full Text Available
Many epidemiological evidences have proven the association between smoking and periodontal disease. The causality can be further established by linking findings of traditional epidemiological studies...Full Text Available
Background:We analyzed the effects of a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in patients affected with late onset Stargardt disease (STGD).Methods:DHA...Full Text Available
Since polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregate formation has been implicated as playing an important role in expanded CAG repeat diseases, it is important to understand the biophysics underlying the...Full Text Available
Huntington's disease (HD) is one of several neurodegenerative disorders caused by expansion of CAG repeats in a coding gene. Somatic CAG expansion rates in HD vary between organs, and the greatest instability...Full Text Available
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading cause of diarrhea in travelers to countries where the disease is endemic and causes a major disease burden in the indigenous population,...Full Text Available
Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), an endemic mycobacteriosis of cattle that is caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, is characterized by incoercible diarrhea and fecal shedding of bacteria. The...Full Text Available
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the single most common cause of death in the developed world, responsible for about 1 in every 5 deaths. The morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic importance...Full Text Available
This study examined the genetic basis of hypertension and renal disease in Dahl SS/Mcwi (Dahl Salt-Sensitive) rats using a complete chromosome substitution panel of consomic rats in which each of the...Full Text Available
Characteristics relevant to cardiovascular disease, including anthropometry, arterial blood pressure, serum cholesterol levels, chest radiography and electrocardiography, were investigated in a survey...Full Text Available
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most critical global health issues. With frequent association of viral liver disease, HCC is highly complex, harboring both cancer and chronic liver disease....Full Text Available
This study was designed to identify the causes of the development of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) associated with end stage kidney disease (ESKD). A total of 112 patients with ESKD, 64 on hemodialysis...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn 1988, the SPILI project was established in order to evaluate the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of the inhabitants of Spili, in rural Crete, Greece. The first...Full Text Available
Alterations in basement membrane components, notably proteoglycans, in a rat model of polycystic kidney disease have been investigated. Rats were fed phenol II (2-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl-5-phenyl thiazole)...Full Text Available
Public health activities, especially infectious disease control, depend on effective teamwork. We present the results of a pilot audit questionnaire aimed at assessing the quality of public health services...Full Text Available
To assess the effects of increasing the mineral content of parenteral nutrition solutions on the biochemical and radiological indicators of metabolic bone disease of prematurity 27 neonates who required...Full Text Available
BackgroundSepsis or bacteraemia, however rare, is a significant cause of high mortality and serious complications in children. In previous studies skin disease or skin infections...Full Text Available
Background:Erectile dysfunction in type-2 diabetes may be an independent marker for coronary artery disease. Present study was undertaken to investigate whether type-2 diabetic...Full Text Available
BackgroundMutations of the amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) are found in familial forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and some lead to the elevated production...Full Text Available
The two categories of anti-albumin antibodies (AAA), namely precipitins (AA-P) and agglutinins (AA-Aggl), were investigated in 260 patients with morphologically diagnosed chronic liver diseases (CLD)....Full Text Available
BackgroundWhile some studies have found that anger increases the risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD), others found anger protective. Prior studies did not...Full Text Available
AIM: This paper reviews progression in renal diseases. METHODS: An English language literature search using Medline (1980 January-2001 July) was done to assess research and review articles on progression...Full Text Available
BackgroundWidespread availability of geographic information systems software has facilitated the use of disease mapping in academia, government and private sector. Maps that display...Full Text Available
Background. Erythropoietin deficiency and anemia occur in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and may be treated with Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESAs). The optimal hemoglobin,...Full Text Available
MRI plays an increasingly important role for assessment of patients with chronic liver disease. MRI has numerous advantages, including lack of ionizing radiation and the possibility of performing...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND--Interstitial lung diseases are characterised by the recruitment of mononuclear cells to disease sites where maturation occurs and activation products, including lysozyme (LZM), are released....Full Text Available
BackgroundChronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease are major causes of morbidity and mortality that are seen far more commonly in the aged population. Interestingly, kidney...Full Text Available
BackgroundTraditionally in pediatric HIV, the CD4+ T-lymphocyte percent is used in monitoring disease progression due to the variability in absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte...Full Text Available
A form for the clinical evaluation of bovine digital disease was developed. In this article, each section of the resulting Digit Evaluation Form is discussed and justified. By following the...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and the long-term risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the role of age as a modifier of this association.PARTICIPANTS...Full Text Available
Radiological findings of chest and abdominal wall involvement in Hodgkin's disease are reported. This manifestation was diagnosed in one patient in the primary staging and in two patients during the course of the disease. Typical radiological findings are soft tissue masses in the chest and abdominal wall, in two cases with continous tumor growth of enlarged mediastinal lymphnodes into the anterior chest wall. The axial computed tomography is the best method to evaluate the extent of chest and abdominal wall involvement in Hodgkin's disease.
The objective of this animation is to develop a QTL mapping population for locating and characterizing the genes responsible for resistance to tan spot disease of wheat.
Acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD), also known as acquired renal cystic disease (ARCD,) occurs in patients who are on dialysis for end-stage renal disease. It is generally accepted that ACKD develops as a consequence of sustained uremia and can first manifest even before dialysis is initiated while the patient is still in chronic renal failure. The role of immune suppression, particularly in transplant recipients, in the development of ACKD, is still under investigation. The prevalence of ACKD is directly related to the duration of dialysis and the risk of cancer is directly related to the presence of cysts. Herein we review the current understanding of the pathophysiology and imaging implications of ACKD. (orig.)
In 15 children (in age 2 weeks - 15 years) the computer tomography beside radiological examination was done because of mediastinal diseases. In all cases the computer tomography was valuable. In 4 cases obtained results have changed diagnostic conclusions. The examples are described showing the usefulness of the computer tomography as supplementary diagnostic method in mediastinal diseases in children.
Pneumococcal disease in young children has not been as well characterized in East Africa as it has been in industrialized countries. Although pneumococci are likely to cause substantial mortality...Full Text Available
...INFORMATION Diarrhoeal disease Food safety and foodborne illness Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) Cholera WHO PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES Child and Adolescent Health and Development (...FOS) Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) TECHNICAL INFORMATION Vaccine research: diarrhoeal diseases Cholera Water-related diseases Household water treatment and safe storage WHO Global Salm-Surv ...PUBLICATIONS Diarrhoea: child and adolescent health Diarrhoea: cholera RELATED TOPICS - Child health - Water - Food safety - Cholera - Travel - Breastfeeding ...
... All rickettsial diseases respond to treatment with antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline As of 10 May, the Government of South Africa has reported 186 confirmed cases of RVF in humans, including 18 deaths, in Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Northern Cape Province, Western Cape, and North West Province. RVF is a viral disease that primarily affects animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and camels). The disease can also affect humans. The main mode of transmission of RVF ...
In diabetes complications, CCN-2 (known originally as CTGF) has been implicated in diabetic nephropathy both as a marker and a mediator of disease. This commentary addresses CCN-2 in diabetic nephropathy, in the context of the recent publication of the first human study to inhibit CCN-2 bioactivity in diabetic kidney disease.
With reference to three hypotheses on the causes of forest decline, the manifold uses of forest decline surveys are demonstrated. Hypothesis no. 1: Forest disease from high-voltage transmission lines; hypothesis no. 2: Forest disease as the consequence of damage from micorrhizas; hypothesis no. 3: Radioactivity as the cause of the increased incidence of forest disease. (orig./MG)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of femoral marrow MR imaging as predictor of outcome for hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in beta-thalassemia major. MR imaging of the proximal femur, including T1- and T2-weighted spin echo and short-tau inversion recovery and in-phase and out-of-phase fast field echo images, was prospectively performed in 27 thalassemia major patients being prepared for HSCT. The area of red marrow and its percentage of the proximal femur were measured, and the presence of marrow hemosiderosis was assessed. Age-adjusted multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between red marrow area percentage and marrow hemosiderosis and HSCT outcome. Red area percentage were less in patients with successful (90.25{+-}4.14%) compared to unsuccessful transplants (94.54% {+-}2.93%; p=0.01). Red marrow area percentage correlated positively with duration of symptoms(r=0.428, p=0.026) ...
Abstract Adalimumab is a fully human monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor-a agent that is approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease. It has a good safety profile, injection site reactions being the most common adverse effect. We report a case of a 54-year-old woman with a 30-year history of Crohn's disease who developed achromic patches on the trunk and upper extremities after initiating treatment with adalimumab. Cutaneous biopsy confirmed diagnosis of vitiligo and laboratory testing ruled out thyroid disease. Concomitant occurrence of vitiligo and inflammatory bowel disease, although rare, has been described. A common autoimmune basis could explain this fact. Moreover, multiple cutaneous adverse effects have been described in the literature secondary to biologic treatments, includin...
Previous family and twin studies have indicated that Graves' disease has a heritable component. Family studies have also shown that some autoimmune disease cluster in families and genetic studies have been able to show shared susceptibility genes. In the present nation-wide study we describe familial risk for Graves' disease among parents and offspring, singleton siblings, twins and spouses with regard to age of onset, gender and number and type of affected family members. Additionally familial association of Graves' disease with any of 33 other autoimmune and related conditions was analyzed. The Swedish Multigeneration Register on 0-75-year-old subjects was linked to the Hospital Discharge Register from years 1987-2007. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for individuals ...
We report localization of the human cone transducin (GNAT2) gene using fluorescence in situ hybridization on chromosome 1 in band p13. The recent assignment of a gene for Stargardt disease to the same chromosomal region by linkage analysis prompted us to investigate the possible role of GNAT2 in the pathogenesis of this disease. We investigated 66 unrelated patients for mutations in the coding region of the GNAT2 gene using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) and direct sequencing. No disease-specific mutations were found, indicating that GNAT2 is probably not involved in the pathogenesis of most cases of Stargardt disease. 19 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
KMeyeDB () is a database of human gene mutations that cause eye diseases. We have substantially enriched the amount of data in the database, which now contains information about the mutations of 167 human genes causing eye-related diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, cone-rod dystrophy, night blindness, Oguchi disease, Stargardt disease, macular degeneration, Leber congenital amaurosis, corneal dystrophy, cataract, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and Usher syndrome. KMeyeDB is operated using the database software MutationView, which deals with various characters of mutations, gene structure, protein functional domains, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, as well as clinical data for each case. Users can access the database using an ordinary Internet browser wi...
ALLEYNE G., HANCOCK C. & HUGHES P. (2011) Chronic and non-communicable diseases: a critical challenge for nurses globally. International Nursing Review58, 328-331 Background:- Chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a growing and enormous challenge that faces countries across the world. Low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. Contributory factors:- Three risk factors - tobacco use, poor diet (including excessive alcohol intake) and lack of physical activity - contribute to four major chronic diseases - cardiovascular, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and some cancers, which are responsible for over 50% of deaths worldwide. Potential solutions:- International governmental and non-governmental agencies are becoming increasingly concerned and ...
The main objectives were to evaluate efficacy and acceptability of a developmentally sensitive cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-based school refusal in adolescence. Twenty school-refusing adolescents meeting DSM-IV anxiety disorder criteria participated in a non-randomized trial, together with parents and school staff. Outcome was assessed at post-treatment and 2-month follow-up. Treated adolescents showed significant and maintained improvements across primary outcome variables (school attendance; school-related fear; anxiety), with medium to large effect sizes. Half of the adolescents were free of any anxiety disorder at follow-up. Additional improvements were observed across secondary outcome variables (depression; overall functioning; adolescent and parent self-efficacy). The treatment was rated as acceptable by adolescents, parents, and school staff, which may help explain the very low attrition rate. Social ...
Background: The outcome of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with cardiogenic shock is poor. The aim of this study was to analyse, whether upfront abciximab administration could improve the outcomes of cardiogenic shock. Methods: This multicentre open trial randomized 80 patients with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock expected to undergo primary PCI into group A (routine upfront-pre-procedural-abciximab bolus followed by 12-h abciximab infusion) and group B (standard therapy). The study primary objective was 30-day combined outcome (death/reinfarction/stroke/new severe renal failure). Results: PCI was technically successful in 90% (A) versus 87.5% (B) patients. Abciximab was used in 100% (A) versus 35% (B). The primary endpoint occurred in 17 group A patients (42.5%) and 11 ...
In an era of unprecedented technological advancement and economic expansion, construction practice continues to evolve but construction education has not changed appreciably since the 1990s. This schism has prompted industry, government, and other key constituents to question the relevancy and efficacy of current programs. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Engineering Criteria 2000 and the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) emphasizes outcomes over process, and provides an opportunity for stakeholders to help universities define educational goals and objectives and design a curriculum to meet the desired outcomes. While the need for curriculum modification has been acknowledged, the industry position was amorphous and anecdotal and therefore difficult to address. Qualitative methodologies such as formal surveys and structured interviews can be used to capture and quantify industry expectations of the ...
The loss of #alpha#-globin gene transcriptional activity rarely occurs as an acquired abnormality during the evolution of myeloproliferative disease or preleukemia. To test whether the mutation responsible for the loss of #alpha#-globin gene expression (hemoglobin H disease) in these patients is linked with the #alpha#-globin genes on chromosome 16, the authors transferred chromosome 16 from preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease to mouse erythroleukemia cells and measured the transcriptional activity of the human #alpha#-globin genes. After transfer to mouse erythroleukemia cells, the expression of human #alpha#-globin genes from the peripheral blood or marrow cells of preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease was similar to that of human #alpha#-globin genes transferred to mouse erythroleukemia cells from normal donors. These data showed that factor(s) in the mouse ...
Sonography, subtraction scintigraphy, computed tomography and MRI were compared in 100 patients who had surgery 105 times for hyperparathyroidism (HPT). Surgical and pathological data were available for all operations. A total of 105 MR, 77 CT, 84 sonograms and 70 subtraction scintigrams were performed. The ability of the imaging modalities, individually and in combination, to detect HPT, histology, size, concomitant thyroid disease and location of the diseased glands has been evaluated. For primary HPT, sensitivity ranged from 68% for MRI to 40% for scintigraphy but was much lower for tertiary HPT with all modalities. The ability to identify diseased glands was strongly size dependent for all methods. If patients had had previous neck surgery, the most sensitive methods were MRI and scintigraphy and this also held true for patients with concomitant thyroid disease and ectopically located glands. The ...
In multi-organisational contexts, scenario building has been used to engage stakeholders in a critical discussion on issues of mutual importance, and to gain their support with regards to possible future responses. A review of existing literature suggests that much has been written regarding the process of scenario development and the benefits of the process, but the detailed analysis of scenario building outcomes, which encompass a large number of issues and their complex interconnections, has not been made explicit for studying and enhancing understanding of a complex societal problem. This paper presents a systematic method for analysing such complex outcomes in order to facilitate reflective thinking on important issues within the wider context for policy development. The method was em...
Abstract Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is an immune sensor for gram-positive bacterial cell wall components. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TLR2 gene that impair its function may, therefore, influence the risk and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. In a cohort of 694 liver transplant recipients, we assessed the TLR2 SNP that is translated into an amino acid substitution of arginine for glutamine at position 753 (R753Q), and we found that its presence was associated with the clinical characteristics and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. The proportions of patients with the TLR2 R753Q SNP did not significantly differ between those with gram-positive bacterial infections and those without gram-positive bacterial infections (9.6% versus 9.6%, P = 0.999)....
Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and diabetes mellitus, as well as patients admitted with elevated blood glucose without known diabetes, have impaired outcome. Therefore intensive glucose-lowering therapy with insulin (IGL) has been proposed in diabetic or hyperglycaemic patients and has been shown to improve survival and reduce incidence of adverse events. The current manuscript provides an overview of randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of IGL. Furthermore, systematic glucose?insulin?potassium infusion (GIK) has been studied to improve outcome after AMI. In spite of positive findings in some early studies, GIK did not show any beneficial effects in recent clinical trials and thus this concept has been abandoned. While IGL targeted to achieve normoglycaemi...
Despite advances in polymer and drug technology, the underlying stent platform remains a key determinant of clinical outcome. A clear understanding of stent design and the differences between various stent platforms are of increasing importance for the interventional cardiologist. Reduction in stent strut thickness has been associated with improved stent deliverability, improved procedural outcome, and lower rates of subsequent restenosis. Newer-generation 316L-SS stent designs have enabled reduced strut thickness while retaining radial strength and minimizing recoil, but with significant loss of radiopacity, leading to reduced visibility. Cobalt chromium alloys have enabled a reduction in stent strut thickness to around 80?90 mm while retaining modest radiopacity, but due to higher elasti...
The article draws on interpretive frameworks from diffusion research and social network analysis to explore one particular "travelling reform"--outcomes-based education--that went global. The argument is made that by virtue of studying late adopters of a travelling reform one is examining globalisation. The cases in point for late adoption are Central Asian education systems (in particular Mongolia and Kyrgyz Republic) that borrowed outcomes-based education reforms at a time when the popularity of similar reforms were already in decline in other countries, notably in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The emphasis of this study is on the timing of policy borrowing, and it is suggested that more attention is given to the economics of policy borrowing. (Contains 3 notes.)
While both sperm number and quality are now recognized to be important in determining the outcome of sperm competition, very few studies have experimentally assessed the influence of these two parameters simultaneously. We studied the effect of sperm quality and number on competitive fertilization success in an internal-fertilizing fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), which is characterized by high levels of sperm competition. We artificially inseminated virgin females with varying proportion of sperm from two competing males, while holding constant the total number of sperm transferred to the female. Sperm morphology and sperm swimming velocity were also determined prior to insemination. The paternity outcome of sperm competition trials was assessed through molecular analyses of the res...
Summary Background: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in hemorrhagic shock is life saving. However, several clinical trials have shown that blood transfusion in the critically ill patient might be associated with adverse outcomes. Furthermore, an association between prolonged blood storage and adverse effects of RBC transfusion has been postulated. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of blood storage time on resuscitation outcome, in an animal model of hemorrhagic shock. Methods: 20 Wistar rats were phlebotomized in order to induce reversible hemorrhagic shock. Half of them were resuscitated with blood stored for a short period of time (4 days), and the other ones were resuscitated with blood stored for a prolonged time (14 days). Blood samples for hemoglobin, pH, lactate, bicarb...
Abstract Introduction.- Sling erosion/extrusion is a complication after suburethral sling insertion for female stress urinary incontinence that occurs in approximately 6% of patients. Symptoms may include vaginal discharge, infections, postcoital bleeding, and alterations of the sexual function. Little is known about the effect of sling erosion on the sexual function of the male partner. Aim.- The aim of this study was to determine male sexual function in partners of women who had undergone sling insertion for stress urinary incontinence and who developed sling erosion postoperatively. Main Outcome Measures.- Main outcome measures were the Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory (BMSFI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Methods.- Male partners of patients who presented with sling erosion ...
Complex numbers are an intrinsic part of the mathematical formalism of quantum theory and are perhaps its most characteristic feature. In this article, we show that the complex nature of the quantum formalism can be derived directly from the assumption that a pair of real numbers is associated with each sequence of measurement outcomes, with the probability of this sequence being a real-valued function of this number pair. By making use of elementary symmetry conditions, and without assuming that these real number pairs have any other algebraic structure, we show that these pairs must be manipulated according to the rules of complex arithmetic. We demonstrate that these complex numbers combine according to Feynman's sum and product rules, with the modulus-squared yielding the probability of a sequence of outcomes.
The aim of this study is to clarify the relation among developmental outcome, nutritional state during the neonatal period, maturational electroencephalographic changes. Thirteen extremely low birth weight infants who completed 6- or 9-year follow-up were a subject of this study. Undernutrition was defined as enteral feeding below 100mL/kg/day at 3weeks of age. Dysmature patterns were defined as the persistence of EEG patterns 2weeks or more immature for post-conceptional age. IQ was examined at 6 and 9years of age. Body height and weight, and head circumference at 6years of age were stratified by the percentile grades. Full and verbal IQ was significantly lower in infants with undernutrition than those with normal nutrition. Among infants with undernutrition, those with persistent dysmatu...
Summary Many important moral decisions, particularly at the policy level, require the evaluation of choices involving outcomes of variable magnitude and probability. Many economic decisions involve the same problem. It is not known whether and to what extent these structurally isomorphic decisions rely on common neural mechanisms. Subjects undergoing fMRI evaluated the moral acceptability of sacrificing a single life to save a larger group of variable size and probability of dying without action. Paralleling research on economic decision making, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum were specifically sensitive to the "expected moral value" of actions, i.e., the expected number of lives lost/saved. Likewise, the right anterior insula was specifically sensitive to outcome p...
Abstract:- Two motorcycle riders lost control of their vehicle, fell, and hit a guardrail, which acted as a blade and led to a rapid, fatal outcome. In one case, the high velocity of the body at the time of the impact resulted in complete detachment of the trunk. Reconstruction of the accident dynamics enabled the guardrail post to be identified as the means of injury in both cases. The two accidents occurred over a short period of time, highlighting a dangerous phenomenon that in less severe cases is presumably associated with different degrees of survivor disability. The accidents deserve mention, because a different design of the impact surface of the guardrail post might have prevented the lethal outcome. There is an urgent need for legislators to pass regulations that modify crash bar...
There are 2 models of male adjustment of sperm investment in the ejaculate in relation to sperm competition. The "risk model" predicts that as "risk" of sperm competition increases, sperm investment also increases. This prediction has been supported in many species, including mammals. The "intensity model" involves the number of competing males copulating with the same female and predicts that males will allocate the highest sperm investment at low sperm competition intensity (SCI) and then decreasing sperm investments as SCI increases. Two alternative outcomes are that sperm investment is unaffected by SCI and that sperm investment increases as SCI increases. There are studies supporting all 3 possible outcomes in relation to SCI but no data on mammals. The present paper presents the firs...
BACKGROUND: Controversy exists as to whether patients with thick (Breslow depth >4 mm), clinically lymph node-negative melanoma require sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. The authors examined the impact of SLN biopsy on prognosis and outcome in this patient population. METHODS: A review of the authors institutional review board-approved melanoma database identified 293 patients with T4 melanoma who underwent surgical excision between 1998 and 2007. Patient demographics, histologic features, and outcome were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Of 227 T4 patients who had an SLN biopsy, 107 (47%) were positive. The strongest predictors of a positive SLN included angiolymphatic invasion, satellitosis, or ulceration of the primary tumor. Patients with a T4 melanoma and a negative SLN had a significa...
Equinovarus of the foot is the most common lower extremity deformity following traumatic brain injury. We evaluated outcomes of the split anterior tibialis tendon transfer (SPLATT) for correction of equinovarus in 47 patients with hemiplegic traumatic brain injury and specifically studied differences in outcomes with two tendon fixation techniques. Seventeen patients constituting Group I underwent fixation with one technique and 30 constituting Group II had another technique. Patients in both groups had appropriate procedures based on dynamic electromyography and gait analyses. Both groups were demographically comparable. All 47 feet were corrected to plantigrade position. Thirty-six of 47 patients became brace-free at final followup. There was a notable decrease in the use of ambulatory a...
Purpose In literature, few papers compare different hemostatic devices in laparoscopic adrenalectomy. This sequential cohort study analyzes the outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy performed by different hemostatic instruments, to evaluate if any of them has any advantage over the other and as secondary endpoints, the impact of body mass index (BMI) and tumor size on the indication, and the outcome of laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Methods Forty-six patients, aged 54.6???46?years, underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy over 5?years. Mean BMI was 27???4.8?kg/m2. Twenty-four patients had a left tumor, and 22 had a right one. Patients were divided into two groups according to the hemostatic device: Ultracision was used in 26 patients, and Ligasure was used in 20. Groups were well matched for his...
BackgroundAlthough self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) insertion is widely used for relief of malignant colorectal obstructions, the immediate technical and clinical failure rates of SEMSs and the associated risk factors remain largely unknown. ObjectiveTo identify rates and factors predictive of technical and clinical failure of SEMSs when their use is attempted for the decompression of malignant colorectal obstruction. DesignRetrospective chart review. SettingA tertiary-care academic medical center in South Korea. PatientsThis study involved a total of 412 patients with malignant colorectal obstruction in whom SEMS insertion was attempted. InterventionPlacement of colonic SEMSs. Main Outcome MeasurementsTechnical success and immediate and long-term clinical success rates. ResultsTechnical...
ObjectiveInjury is the leading cause of death among American youth, killing more 11-year-olds than all other causes combined. Children with symptoms of externalizing behavior disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (CD) may have increased risk. Our aims were to determine: (1) whether increasing symptoms of ADHD and CD associate positively with injuries among a community sample of fifth graders; and (2) whether symptoms of ADHD and CD have a multiplicative rather than additive association with injuries among the sample. MethodsData were collected from 4745 fifth graders and their primary caregivers participating in Healthy Passages, a multisite, community-based study of pediatric health risk behaviors and health outcomes. The primary outcome wa...
Background Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been around since the 1990s. A novel surgical approach known as laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) has been developed to reduce the port-related morbidities and improve the cosmetic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery, including totally extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the LESS TEP technique for inguinal hernia repair and compare the outcomes with the standard TEP approach. Methods Between January and May 2009, 54 consecutive healthy patients (48 men and 6 women) underwent LESS TEP inguinal hernia repair at our institute. All procedures were performed using our homemade single port for simultaneous passage of the laparoscope and instruments. The p...
In the spring of 2009, the Romanian government has proposed a restructuring of the national power generation sector segment that is still owned by the state. As most of the power generation capacity is still state-owned, this restructuring will dramatically alter the competitive landscape of this sector. This paper is analyzing the rationale and principles of the restructuring as stated by government documents and officials, the assessment methodology and criteria proposed by the government, as well as the proposed final outcome of the restructuring initiative. Based on this critical assessment and the early results of the restructuring's implementation, we are able to make recommendations that can be considered for a revised restructuring approach. - Research highlights: #-># Power generation sector restructuring is proposed in 2009 by the Romanian government. #-># We assess the objectives, methodology and proposed outcome of the ...
A Zinc/Air Battery Review and Strategic Planning Meeting was held in 1993. One outcome of the meeting was recognition of the need for a report on the current status of the technology. This report contains contributions from many of the attendees at the above meeting and expresses their views on where the technology is today and what could/should be done to improve its performance.
Ventricular septal defect after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a complication associated with poor outcome in the absence of intervention. We report a case of successful TEE guided transcatheter closure of a post myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular septal defect (VSD) with an Amplatzer occluder in a 79 years old male with cardiogenic shock.
Motivation is given for a technique to more thoroughly test semiconductor equipment control systems. A description is given of a simulator-based control system testing technique. Potential benefits that could be realized by using this technique in the semiconductor industry as well as benefits documented by using this technique in other industries are described. Specific requirements for using the technique in the semiconductor industry are outlined. A summary of a survey of nine commercial simulation systems is given. Finally, the outcome of the survey is compared with the requirements for using the technique.
We reported a relevant activity of the combination between sorafenib and octreotide long-acting release (LAR) in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. In this work, we have studied if oxidative...Full Text Available
Perspectives from industry, academe, and the NRC are brought together in this report and used to develop a logical framework that links management and organization factors and safety in nuclear power plant performance. The framework focuses on intermediate outcomes which can be predicted by organizational and management factors, and which are subsequently linked to safety. The intermediate outcomes are efficiency, compliance, quality, and innovation. The organization and management factors can be classified in terms of environment, context, organizational governance, organizational design, and emergent processes. Initial empirical analyses were conducted on a limited set of hypotheses derived from the framework. One set of hypotheses concerned the relationships between one of the intermediate outcome variables, efficiency, as measured by critical hours and outage rate, and safety, as measured by 5 NRC indicators. Results of ...
To assess which specific morphologic features, enhancement patterns, or pharmacokinetic parameters on breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) could predict a false-negative outcome of Proton...Full Text Available
AimsThe prevalence and importance of liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in a large contemporary cohort of heart failure patients have not been systematically evaluated.Full Text Available
Experiences with weight stigma negatively impact both psychological outcomes (e.g., body dissatisfaction, depression) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., dieting, exercise). However, not everyone is equally affected by experiences with weight stigma. This study examined whether internalized societal attitudes about weight moderated the impact of weight stigma. Adult participants (n = 111) completed measures of experiences with weight stigma, as well as two indexes of internalized societal attitudes (the moderators): Internalized anti-fat attitudes and internalization of societal standards of attractiveness. Psychological outcomes included self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimic symptoms; behavioral outcomes included avoidance of exercise and self-reported exercise behavior. Weight stigma was positively correlated with body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimic symptoms, ...
... (restricted)] 2009, Volume 39, Issue 5 523-529 Parents, peers, or school inputs: Which components of school outcomes are capitalized into house value? by Brasington, David M. & Haurin, Donald R. [Downloadable! (restricted)] 530-541 Trade liberalisation and agglomeration with firm heterogeneity: Forward and backward linkages by Okubo, Toshihiro [Downloadable! (restricted)] 542-552 Alternative measures of homeownership gaps across segregated ...
...Older Siblings by Adriaan R Soetevent & Peter Kooreman 392-415 Vocational Training and Gender: Wages and Occupational Mobility among Young Workers by Bernd Fitzenberger & Astrid Kunze 416-438 Gender Role Attitudes and the Labour-market Outcomes of Women across OECD Countries by Nicole M Fortin 439-461 Gender, Time Use, and Public Policy over ...
BackgroundSelf-management of asthma may improve asthma outcomes. The Internet has been suggested as a tool for the monitoring and self-management of asthma....Full Text Available
SummaryThe report describes successful management of 10 women in 2nd and 3rd pregnancy trimesters with EchiTab IgG antivenom after carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) envenoming. All...Full Text Available
The efficacy of a heat inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine, containing 3 micrograms hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), was studied in a high risk group of 800 susceptible homosexual men by a randomised...Full Text Available
In order to implement effective safety regulations on aging management for reactor facilities etc., the information on important technology issues, the latest technical knowledge including evaluation technology, test and research outcomes, related codes and standards, regulation information, operation experiences such as accidents and trouble, etc. with respect to aging-induced deterioration in and outside Japan and in other industries, were collected, organized and evaluated. (author)
This study prospectively assessed the outcome of 134 cemented titanium stems and serum ion levels. The stems were polished (0.1 μm Ra) with circular cross section. At the end point,...Full Text Available
Background:Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) can occur in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In the Gulf Registry of acute coronary events (Gulf RACE), we identified...Full Text Available
DNA isolation procedures significantly influence the outcome of PCR-based detection of human pathogens. Unlike clinical samples, DNA isolation from food samples such as fresh and fresh-cut produce has remained a formidable task and has hampered the sensitivity and accuracy of molecular methods. We...
We performed a randomized trial to compare IVF outcomes in 54 poor responder patients undergoing a microdose leuprolide acetate (LA) protocol or a GnRH antagonist protocol incorporating a luteal phase E2 patch and GnRH antagonist in the preceding menstrual cycle. Cancellation rates, number of oocytes retrieved, clinical pregnancy rates (PR), and ongoing PRs were similar between the two groups.
Delirium occurs in up to 65% of older hip fracture patients. Developing delirium in hospital has been associated with a variety of adverse outcomes. Trials have shown that multi-component preventive...Full Text Available
We consider the problem of rotation in a homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. Studying the Wheeler-De Witt equation corresponding to this minisuperspace, and adopting a particular choice of the factor ordering, we are able to find a particular solution which is strongly peaked about isotropy. This result confirms all the previous investigations in this field, and suggests the conclusion that the machian nature of our universe is the natural, i.e. most likely, outcome of the Planck epoch. (orig.).
We consider the problem of rotation in a homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. Studying the Wheeler-De Witt equation corresponding to this minisuperspace, and adopting a particular choice of the factor ordering, we are able to find a particular solution which is strongly peaked about isotropy. This result confirms all the previous investigations in this field, and suggests the conclusion that the machian nature of our universe is the natural, i.e. most likely, outcome of the Planck epoch. (orig.).
As a consequence of the expanded use of long term hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatments and extended life spans, complications of end-stage renal disease and dialysis treatments are being encountered with increasing frequency in these patients. Computed tomography can accurately depict many of the potential complications of end-stage renal disease on dialysis. This article presents the abdominal CT findings of 429 end-stage renal disease patients who are on either hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis treatment.
A number of herbal drugs are used in the Unani (Greco-Arab) System of Medicine for cardiovascular diseases. The herbs were analyzed by flame AAS and ICP-AES to determine if their therapeutic actions can be associated with the elements present in them. Cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, lead and zinc were some of the elements which play various roles in cardiovascular affections. An effort was made to correlate the role of these elements in cardiac diseases. (Auth.). 2 tabs., 32 refs.
An overview of current concepts on neuroinflammation and on the dialogue between neurons and non-neuronal cells in three important infections of the central nervous systems (rabies, cerebral malaria, and human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness) is here presented. Large numbers of cases affected by these diseases are currently reported. In the context of an issue dedicated to Camillo Golgi, historical notes on seminal discoveries on these diseases are also presented. Neuroinflammation is currently closely associated with pathogenetic mechanisms of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroinflammatory signaling in brain infections is instead relatively neglected in the neuroscience community, despite the fact that the above infections provide paradigmatic examples of alterations o...
We report the cranial CT and MRI findings in three children with Lyme disease (neuroborreliosis). The neuroimaging findings in children have been rarely reported. We found cranial MRI far superior to cranial CT. Ring-enhancing lesions have been described in acute disseminating encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis but not in neuroborreliosis. Although other infectious and inflammatory diseases cannot be excluded, Lyme disease should be included in the differential diagnosis and put forward as being the most likely diagnosis in the appropriate clinical setting. Gadopentetate dimeglumine is helpful in assessing the response to antibiotic treatment. (orig.)
We report here the imaging findings of a rare case of a lethal form of Gorham disease in a young female patient. Multimodality imaging findings over 13 year-follow-up demonstrated progressive wide spread skeletal and soft tissue abnormalities with permeative osteolysis, pathological fractures and severe skeletal deformities. Unusual extensive osseous and soft tissue pneumatosis was illustrated on cross-sectional studies. The progressive nature of this form of Gorham disease and the subsequent complications eventually culminated in patient's death. (orig.)