|
|
|
A bibliograhpy containing 82 references to technical information on heat pipe technology is presented.
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Appendix A: Literature Review Methodology
A-1 APPENDIX A A-2 Appendix A: Literature Review Methodology Reference Manager Database A Reference Manager 10.0 database for this literature search and review was created to ensure that all of the references from the search strings in Exhibit
Factors associated with dropping out of medical school: a literature review
2010-01-01
 Presenter: Lotte D. O'Neill, MMedEd, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark. Co-authors: Birgitta Wallstedt, MSc, Unit for Educational Development, University of Southern Denmark; Berit Eika, MD, MHPE, MI, PhD, Unit for Medical Education, University of Aarhus; Jan Hartvigsen, PhD, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark.  Title: Factors associated with dropping out of medical school: a literature review.    Background: Considerable resources are spent on medical school selection and the competition for places is usually fierce. Dropping out must therefore be the worst possible performance outcome in medical education. What do we know about factors associated with dropping out of medical school? Summary of work: A systematic critical literature review of the international peer-reviewed research literature on medical education is ongoing. Inclusion criteria are: Study population=medical students, outcome=dropout, follow up period=minimum 1 year, study designs=cohort/case-control/experimental. An experienced research librarian performed a primary search of the databases PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO and Embase in April 2009. Studies are reviewed and quality appraised on 6 domains of potential bias in prognostic type studies, namely: study participation, study attrition, prognostic factor measurement, confounder measurement and account, outcome measurements, and analysis.1 Summary of preliminary results: The primary search resulted in 625 records of which 84 appeared relevant after screening abstracts/titles. Premature results indicate that only a few (pro tem~9) studies use regression type analysis. The majority of studies are simple group comparisons of attrition rates, most with insufficient control of confounding. Very few studies examine school/curriculum related factors associated with attrition. Conclusions: To be presented. Take home messages: To be presented.  Hayden JA, Côté P, Bombardier C. Evaluation of the quality of prognosis studies in systematic reviews. Ann Int Med. 2006;144 (6): 427-37.
Residual stress measurement by successive extension of a slot: A literature review
1997-05-01
This report reviews the technical literature on techniques that employ successive extension of a slot and the resulting deformations to measure residual stress. Such techniques are known variously in the literature as the compliance or crack compliance method, the successive cracking method, the slotting method, and a fracture mechanics based approach. The report introduces the field and describes the basic aspects of these methods. The report then reviews all literature on the theoretical developments of the method. The theory portion first considers forward method solutions including fracture mechanics, finite element, analytical, and body force methods. Then it examines inverse solutions, including incremental inverses and series expansions. Next, the report reviews all experimental applications of slotting methods. Aspects reviewed include the specimen geometry and material, the details of making the slot, the method used to measure deformation, and the theoretical solutions used to solve for stress. Finally, the report makes a brief qualitative comparison between slotting methods and other residual stress measurement methods.
The relation between an adverse psychological and social environment in childhood and the development of adult obesity: a systematic literature review
2009-01-01
The prevalence of obesity is on a global-wide increase, but still the aetiology of adult obesity is poorly understood. It has been shown that overweight children suffer from adverse psychological events, but less is known about the potential effects of adverse psychological factors among normal weight children for later development of obesity. The purpose of this study was to systematically review current literature on associations between psychological factors in childhood and development of obesity in adulthood. A systematic search was conducted in three electronic databases MEDLINE (silverplatter 1977-2008), PsycINFO (1972-2008) and PsycINFO Weekly (week 1 January 2007-week 3 July 2008) to identify studies of interest. Six prospective and two retrospective studies were identified. Psychosocial factors related to adult obesity were lack of childhood care, abuse and childhood anxiety disorders. In addition, depression in adolescence tended to be related to adult obesity but among young girls only. Learning difficulties and scholastic proficiencies below average were also risk factors. The current literature suggests that specific psychosocial factors in childhood may act as determinants for developing obesity in adulthood.
Working Together: A Literature Review of Campus Information Technology Partnerships
2009-01-01
This article reviews the recent literature about the essential but often uneasy alliances made between content experts (archivists and librarians) and technology experts. Differing professional cultures, misunderstandings of one another, limited abilities to envision change, and lack of support from top-level administrators are the most often cited reasons for the persistent difficulty in working together. Failure to collaborate may result in the marginalization or exclusion of content experts from projects where their professional skills are most needed. In spite of these problems, successful models for working together do exist. True collaborations are mutually beneficial, open opportunities for continuing relationships, and involve complex interpersonal connections. They are based on tr...
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Infants - Background & Validation Studies
The dynamic growth and development experienced in infancy is the most rapid of any age. The progression in feeding skills (Exhibit 3.1) marks important developmental milestones that support rapid changes in food habits and nutrient intakes. The frequency of dietary assessment during infancy is an important methodological issue in longitudinal studies, as is the selection of a method validated for the developmental stage of the infant and for the specific research questions.
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Chapter 1: Introduction & Methodology
Title X of The Children?s Health Act of 2000 authorizes the conduct of a large, prospective cohort study of children, the National Children?s Study (NCS), that can offer a comprehensive approach to understanding how the environment, family, and society interact with the genetic constitution of the developing fetus and child. Planning groups, comprised of federal scientists, non-federal organizations with special interest in this project, and other experts defined specific study hypotheses, study design, technology applications, and ethical guidelines.
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Chapter 3: Infants & Toddlers Group
Test weighing validation studies in breastfed infants have focused on modifications of procedures to reduce the maternal burden and disruptions of feeding. Results of three studies (31;81;82) examining whether breast milk intake could be estimated from the product of test 43 weights for one or two feeds in a 24-hour period found the highest correlations between intakes estimated with 24-hour test weighing and estimates calculated from two consecutive test weights in the mid 24-hour period.
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Methodology
This review examines studies conducted mainly in industrialized, developed countries and published in English between 1982 and December 2003 for pregnant or lactating women, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. For school age children and adolescents, our search built on a recent review of the literature through 2000 (1) and focused primarily on literature published since that time.
NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review - Methodology: Search Strings
Skip to Content Cancer Control and Population Sciences Home Applied Research Home Risk Factor Monitoring and Methods Home Dietary Assessment Literature Review: Home About the Literature Review Methodology Review Process Citation Relevancy Criteria Reference
Anal canal duplication: case reviews and summary of the world literature
2009-01-01
Anal canal duplication (ACD) is a rare entity that is difficult to recognize. After the presentation of two patients, a review of the literature found 45 reported patients with ACD. This article presents the largest collection of known patients ACD in the literature. Of the 47 patients, 43 were female. The mean age at presentation was 28 months (range 0â24 years). The majority of the duplications were discovered incidentally (n = 21). Several presented with infectious complications such as epidural abscess with sepsis. Forty-two patients manifested an opening in the midline posterior to the native anus. Eighteen patients had associated anomalies, the majority of which were midline. Thirty-five of the patients underwent successful resection with rare complications. ACDs characteristic...
Subjective Response to Alcohol: A Critical Review of the Literature
2010-01-01
Background: Subjective response to alcohol (SR), which reflects individual differences in sensitivity to the pharmacological effects of alcohol, may be an important endophenotype in understanding genetic influences on drinking behavior and alcohol use disorders (AUDs). SR predicts alcohol use and problems and has been found to differ by a range of established risk factors for the development of AUDs (e.g., family history of alcoholism). The exact pattern of SR associated with increased risk for alcohol problems, however, remains unclear. The Low Level of Response Model (LLR) suggests that high-risk individuals experience decreased sensitivity to the full range of alcohol effects, while the Differentiator Model (DM) asserts that high risks status is associated with increased sensitivity to ...
Literature review on pickling inhibitors and cadmium electroplating processes to minimize hydrogen absorption by ultrahigh strength steels
Genomic damage in children accidentally exposed to ionizing radiation: A review of the literature
2008-01-01
Integrated psychological treatment for substance use and co-morbid anxiety or depression vs. treatment for substance use alone : A systematic review of the published literature
2009-01-01
Background There is a growing consensus in favour of integrated treatment of substance use disorders and co-morbid conditions, such as depression or anxiety. However, up till now no systematic reviews have been published. Methods Based on a systematic search of MedLine and PsychInfo, 10 trials of integrated treatment for depression or anxiety plus substance use disorder were identified. Where possible, meta-analyses were carried out, using random effects models. Results Meta-analyses were carried out for integrated treatment for depression and substance use disorders on a number of outcomes. No meta-analysis could be carried out for integrated treatment for anxiety and substance use disorders, due to multivariate reporting of outcomes in original articles. Integrated treatment for depression and substance abuse produced significant effects on percent days abstinent at follow-up. Differences in retention and symptoms were non-significant, but favoured the experimental condition. For studies of integrated treatment for co-morbid anxiety disorders and substance use disorders, no meta-analysis could be carried out. Several studies of integrated treatment for anxiety and substance use disorders reported that patients assigned to substance use treatment only fared better. Conclusions Psychotherapeutic treatment for co-morbid depression and substance use disorders is a promising approach, but is not sufficiently empirically supported at this point. Psychotherapeutic treatment for co-morbid anxiety and substance use disorders is not empirically supported. There is a need for more trials to replicate the findings from studies of integrated treatment for depression and substance use disorders, and for the development of new treatment options for co-morbid anxiety and substance use disorders.
Quality of systematic reviews in pediatric oncology--a systematic review
2009-01-01
BACKGROUND: To ensure evidence-based decision making in pediatric oncology systematic reviews are necessary. The objective of our study was to evaluate the methodological quality of all currently existing systematic reviews in pediatric oncology. METHODS: We identified eligible systematic reviews through a systematic search of the literature. Data on clinical and methodological characteristics of the included systematic reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the included systematic reviews was assessed using the overview quality assessment questionnaire, a validated 10-item quality assessment tool. We compared the methodological quality of systematic reviews published in regular journals with that of Cochrane systematic reviews. RESULTS: We included 117 systematic reviews, 99 systematic reviews published in regular journals and 18 Cochrane systematic reviews. The average methodological quality of systematic reviews was low for all ten items, but the quality of Cochrane systematic reviews was significantly higher than systematic reviews published in regular journals. On a 1-7 scale, the median overall quality score for all systematic reviews was 2 (range 1-7), with a score of 1 (range 1-7) for systematic reviews in regular journals compared to 6 (range 3-7) in Cochrane systematic reviews (p
... products were found in the medical literature with total ... below.] The IOM has, to date, completed reviews in two ... The first review by this committee focused on a ...
... are the subject of this review, the manufacturing ... in a 1988 paper from the literature reproduced as ... Return to Approval History, Letters, Reviews, and Related ...
... 3. Resources for FDA Apheresis Review Criteria. ... Package Inserts for Reagents and Supplies; Published scientific literature. ... Regulations* used for Apheresis Reviews ...
Review of Adverse Events Associated with Propoxyphene Containing ...
... Strengths and Limitations ? AERS Reviews (1969-2005, 2006-07 ) and Literature Review of Cardiotoxicity ? Overall Summary ...
KINRIX Clinical Review Page - 1 -
... The applicant reviews all reported adverse events on an ... quality of case reports, (4) literature data and ... 5.3 Review Strategy The BLA contains complete clinical ...
Guidance for Industry on FDA Review of Vaccine Labeling ...
... 16 epidemiological information from MMWR, literature references, and ... Vaccines conducted separate reviews regarding the ... Each panel?s review resulted in a ...
Scientific Evaluation and Review Memorandum - Intersol, July 31 ...
... of this submission also included reviews on Chemistry ... The corresponding formal review memos are available on ... has not been clearly established in the literature ...
Review Memo for Pharmacovigilance Planning - Berinert, September ...
... Approval History, Letters, Reviews and Related ... the ICSR processing, medical review, and expedited ... Worldwide scientific literature. Post-authorization studies ...
Guidance for Industry: FDA Review of Vaccine Labeling Requirements ...
... epidemiological information from MMWR, literature references, and ... Vaccines conducted separate reviews regarding the ... Each panel's review resulted in a proposed ...
1980-01-01
This is a cooperative literature survey and review listing publications and reports pertaining to superconducting devices and to theory and experiment related to superconducting devices. Two short reviews of small- and large-scale uses of superconductivity are included in addition to the bibliography.
Green marketing, renewables, and free riders: increasing customer demand for a public good
1997-09-01
Retail electricity competition will allow customers to select their own power suppliers and some customers will make purchase decisions based, in part, on their concern for the environment. Green power marketing targets these customers under the assumption that they will pay a premium for ``green`` energy products such as renewable power generation. But renewable energy is not a traditional product because it supplies public goods; for example, a customer supporting renewable energy is unable to capture the environmental benefits that their investment provides to non-participating customers. As with all public goods, there is a risk that few customers will purchase ``green`` power and that many will instead ``free ride`` on others` participation. By free riding, an individual is able to enjoy the benefits of the public good while avoiding payment. This report reviews current green power marketing activities in the electric industry, introduces the extensive academic literature on public goods, free riders, and collective action problems, and explores in detail the implications of this literature for the green marketing of renewable energy. Specifically, the authors highlight the implications of the public goods literature for green power product design and marketing communications strategies. They emphasize four mechanisms that marketers can use to increase customer demand for renewable energy. Though the public goods literature can also contribute insights into the potential rationale for renewable energy policies, they leave most of these implications for future work (see Appendix A for a possible research agenda).
Computertomografi af hjertet
2009-01-01
Noninvasive evaluation of the coronary arteries by multi-detector row computed tomography is a promising new alternative to conventional invasive coronary angiography. This article describes the technical background, methods, limitations and clinical applications and reviews current literature that compares the diagnostic accuracy of multi-detector row computed tomography with that of coronary angiography.
1977-04-01
Topics discussed in this review include sampling methodology, data handling, handling of particulates and aerosols, inorganic and organic gases, biological indicators, source analysis, remote sensing, methods evaluation, standardization, and field studies. This continuation of previous reviews covers the literature from late 1974 to late 1976. The Air Pollution Abstracts was a primary source. About 650 references are listed. (DDA)
The role of combustion products in building-associated illness
1989-10-01
The role of combustion products in building-associated illness is addressed. The authors emphasize carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, wood smoke, and vehicle exhaust. The limited literature available suggests that combustion products, other than tobacco smoke, may be a relatively uncommon cause of building-related problems.54 references.
The relation between negative affect and sexual offending: A critical review
2010-01-01
Contemporaneous theories of the etiology and treatment of sex offenders incorporate the notion that negative affect is causally related to sexually deviant behavior. Specifically, one current theory suggests that sex functions as a mechanism for alleviating negative affect among sex offenders. This paper critically reviews research examining the hypothesis that sex functions as a coping strategy among sex offenders as well as literature suggesting there is a causal relation among negative affect, deviant sexual fantasies, and sexual offending. Due to methodological limitations, the literature in this review does not support a causal relation between negative affect and sexual offending, or the hypothesis that sex functions to alleviate negative affect. Methodological strengths and weakness...
Consumer receptiveness to international retail market entry
2010-01-01
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a suggested framework for improving the understanding of consumer receptiveness to incoming international retailers. The consumer perception of country of origin against consumer receptiveness index (CRI) is proposed as a method to explore the receptiveness of consumers in the host market to incoming international retailers. Design/methodology/approach - This paper reviews the international retailing literature, highlighting the need for specific knowledge regarding consumer receptiveness to incoming international retailers. A method is proposed to explore how consumers in the host market respond to incoming international retail firms. Findings - The literature review indicates that the majority of the extant work investigates the process f...
Patient caries risk assessment
2009-01-01
Risk assessment is an essential component in the decision-making process for the correct prevention and management of dental caries. Multiple risk factors and indicators have been proposed as targets in the assessment of risk of future disease, varying sometimes based on the age group at which they are targeted. Multiple reviews and systematic reviews are available in the literature on this topic. This chapter focusses primarily on results of reviews based on longitudinal studies required to establish the accuracy of caries risk assessment. These findings demonstrate that there is a strong body of evidence to support that caries experience is still, unfortunately, the single best predictor for future caries development. In young children, prediction models which include a variety of risk factors seem to increase the accuracy of the prediction, while the usefulness of additional risk factors for prediction purposes, as measured until now in the literature, is at best questionable in schoolchildren, adolescents and adults. That is not to say these additional factors should not be assessed to help understand the strength of their associations with the disease experience in a particular patient, and aid in the development of an individualized and targeted preventive and management plan.
2010-01-01
The increased focus on interdisciplinarity and collaboration in academia necessitates a re-evaluation of established mentoring practices. This article reviews the literature on traditional and peer mentoring models, explores Communities of Practice (CoP) within learning organizations, and discusses the implementation and evaluation of a CoP at the University of Idaho.
Railway Track Allocation: Models and Methods
2009-01-01
Eciently coordinating the movement of trains on a railway network is a central part of the planning process for a railway company. This paper reviews models and methods that have been proposed in the literature to assist planners in nding train routes. Since the problem of routing trains on a railway network entails allocating the track capacity of the network (or part thereof) over time in a con ict-free manner, all studies that model railway track allocation in some capacity are considered relevant. We hence survey work on the train timetabling, train dispatching, train platforming, and train routing problems, group them by railway network type, and discuss track allocation from a strategic, tactical, and operational level.
Directing Public Interest: Danish Newspaper Science 1900-1903
2009-01-01
 The growing historical literature on science in the written media between 1789 and 1914 has mainly focused on magazines, journals and periodicals. By comparison studies of science in daily newspapers of the nineteenth century have received much less attention. This disparity has also characterised the Danish context where science in nineteenth-century periodicals and popular science journals, unlike science in newspapers, has attracted the attention of historians. In this article we aim to do away with this imbalance by exploring science in three Danish newspapers in the period 1900-1903. The article suggests that newspapers served as key mediators between users and producers of science in Copenhagen at that time. We argue that the significance of newspapers owed less to the scattered articles they carried on scientific topics, and more to the newspapers' important function of directing public interest. By this we mean that newspapers were directing readers' attention to specific science events such as lectures, excursions and celebrations; to scientific literature through adverts and reviews; to new scientific electrical wonder cures of ailments ranging from baldness to arthritis; and to the latest news about communication technologies such as trams and telephones which increasingly became part of everyday life in Copenhagen.
The epidemiology of transverse myelitis
2010-01-01
Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder causing acute spinal cord injury as a result of acute inflammation, often associated with para infectious processes and autoimmune disease. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the geoepidemiology of transverse myelitis and assess its environmental associations. Articles from 1981 to 2009 were reviewed in Pub Med along with potential causes such as autoimmune disease (focusing on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), and Sjogren's), infection, vaccination, and intoxication.
Auxin as compère in plant hormone crosstalk
2009-01-01
The architecture of many hormone perceptions and signalling pathways has been recently well established, together with an awareness that plant hormone responses are the product of networks of interactions involving multiple hormones. As growth is quantitative, so are hormone responses, which underlie a systems approach to development and response. Auxin is arguably one of the best characterised hormones in plant development, and despite many excellent reviews on auxin perception, polar transport, and signal transduction, too little attention has been given to auxin crosstalk. This review, therefore, gives a précis of recent developments in hormone crosstalk involving auxin. For decades, the literature has described the involvement of multiple hormones in particular processes, although the...
Evidence-based prescribing and adherence to antiplatelet therapy--how much difference do they make to patients with atherothrombosis?
2009-01-01
Antiplatelet therapy is vital for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with atherothrombosis (acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease). Numerous international guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations about the optimal use of antiplatelet agents in these disease states. This article reviews the published literature in order to firstly quantify the extent to which guideline recommendations for antiplatelet agents are taken up by prescribing physicians, and the degree to which patients adhere to prescribed treatments. It then goes on to examine the consequences of non-adherence and explores ways in which adherence may be improved from the perspective of both the physician and the patient.
The Fairest Cape of Them All? Cape Town in Cinematic Imagination
2010-01-01
Abstract Work on film and the city is still in its infancy for Africa. To my knowledge, there is little research on the way that film has contributed to promoting the image of African cities. This article aims to help fill this gap. In doing so, it draws on Giuliana Bruno's observations on the close relationship between cinema and mass tourism. The article reviews existing literature on cinema and urban Africa. It then explores ways in which Cape Town was represented on film before the ending of apartheid in 1994 and the subsequent rapid rise of the city as a mass tourist destination, international film location and centre of a local film industry. A number of films about the city have since been made for tourists and sold as DVDs or aired on the likes of the Travel Channel. They predictab...
PTSD and its treatment in people with intellectual disabilities
2010-01-01
Although there is evidence to suggest that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are likely to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), reviews of the evidence base, and the potential consequences of this contention are absent. The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive account of the literature on prevalence, assessment, and treatment of PTSD in people with ID. Some support was found for the notion that people with ID have a predisposition to the development of PTSD. Differences in comparison with the general population may consist of the expression of symptoms, and the interpretation of distressing experiences, as the manifestation of possible PTSD seems to vary with the level of ID. Since reliable and valid instruments for assessing PTSD in this population ...
International business thought: A 50-year footprint
2010-01-01
As international business marks 50years of its establishment as a distinct domain of academic research, discussions on both the major contributions of the field and its future research directions have drawn great interest in the current literature. The arrival at a clear consensus on these issues, however, has been set back by the lack of resolution in the search for a unifying, integrative framework of international business. Drawing on theories of knowledge organisation and on extant reviews of international business research, this paper proposes an emergent international business research framework anchored around four unifying themes expressed as broad international business research questions. A content analysis of 1689 studies in the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS) f...
Source attribution of human salmonellosis and campylobacteriosos using a systematic review of studies of sporadic infections
Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. are widespread and important causes of human illness worldwide. Disease is most frequently associated with foodborne transmission, but other routes of exposure, such as direct contact with live animals and person-to-person transmission, are recognized. Identifying the most important sources of human disease is essential for prioritizing food safety interventions and setting public health goals. Numerous case-control studies of sporadic infections of salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis have been published. These studies investigate a variety of potential risk factors for disease, and often use different methodologies and settings. Systematic reviews (SR) consist of a formal process for literature review focused on a specific research question, and include the identification of relevant literature, quality assessment of relevant studies, summarization or statistical analysis of data, and conclusions. With the objective of identifying the most important risk factors for human sporadic salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis, we performed a SR of case-control studies and meta-analysis of the obtained results. From 1,295 identified references, 132 passed the relevance screening, 73 passed the quality assessment stage, and data was extracted from 72. Of these studies, 34 investigated risk factors for human salmonellosis and 37 focused on campylobacteriosis. Heterogeneity between the studies and possible sources of bias were assessed. Information on exposures of cases and controls, and estimated odds ratios for investigated risk factors were recovered and analyzed with the purpose of assisting attribution of human disease. The most significant results were illustrated using forest plots.
The geoepidemiology of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
2010-01-01
Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) can be detected by functional (lupus anticoagulant) and/or by solid phase assays (anti-cardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoprotein I). Although detectable in 1-5% of asymptomatic apparently healthy subjects, persistent aPL are significantly associated with recurrent arterial/venous thrombosis and with pregnancy morbidity. Such an association is the formal classification tool for the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The prevalence of the syndrome with no associated systemic connective tissue diseases (primary APS) in the general population is still a matter of debate since there are no sound epidemiological studies in the literature so far. aPL display higher prevalence in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis than in other systemic autoimmune d...
Obesity, social inequality and economic rationality : an overview
2008-01-01
This paper reviews the economic literature related to obesity and consumer decisions, pursuing the overall question, whether the current obesity epidemic and its social bias can be viewed as a result of rational consumption behaviour. We address a number of potential explanations based on consumers' utility maximisation behaviour, which all may contribute to explain the ongoing rise in obesity prevalence in many western countries. In addition to standard neoclassical explanations of obesity, we discuss moral hazard aspects, the role of network externalities, self-control problems and habitual behaviour. We include all of these aspects of the individual weight decision in a unified theoretical framework and present existing empirical evidence for each effect. Based on our analysis, we discuss the different economic explanations and give suggestions for future research.
Published versus unpublished dissertations in psycho-oncology intervention research
2010-01-01
Objective: There are conflicting views regarding whether gray literature, including unpublished doctoral dissertations, should be included in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Although publication status frequently is used as a proxy for study quality, some research suggests that dissertations are often of superior quality to published studies. Methods: We examined 107 projects involving doctoral dissertations (42 published, 65 unpublished) that studied psychosocial interventions for cancer patients. Results: Published dissertations were more likely to be supported by research funding but were not more likely than unpublished dissertations to examine specific types of interventions. Across several indices of methodological quality there were minimal differences. Dissertations with sign...
2009-01-01
Recently, the use of prosthetic mesh has revolutionized the repair of ventral hernias. However, the occurrence of infection related with the use of this prosthesis remains an important complication, which may result in occurrence of fistula formation of the skin or intestine, sepsis, or reoccurrence of ventral hernia. This report presents two cases where a pedicled musculocutaneous flap using the tensor fascia lata (pedicled TFL flap) was effective as a treatment for an infectious large abdominal hernia, and reviews the previous literature. Two Japanese men aged 61 and 78 years old underwent a ventral hernia repair using Composix Kugel mesh. They both developed a wound infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Conservative therapy was not successful and the defect in the ...
2009-01-01
Background The diagnosis and management of neonatal pneumoperitoneum revolves around necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in most of the published literature. Although NEC remains the major cause of pneumoperitoneum in a neonate, there are several other causes leading to free air in the peritoneal cavity. A number of case reports have appeared describing pneumoperitoneum in a newborn due to rupture of one particular organ, but there have been only few collective reviews on the subject. The present study shares the experience with neonates admitted with a diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum in a pediatric surgical center of a developing country. The various causes of pneumoperitoneum in a newborn, their management and subsequent outcome are described. Materials and methods The study was conducted in t...
Should glycemic index and glycemic load be considered in dietary recommendations?
2008-01-01
High glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) have been proposed to be associated with increased risk of lifestyle diseases. Since protein intake varies little in humans, adherence to the common recommendation to reduce fat intake probably leads to increases in carbohydrate intake, which emphasizes the need to investigate the effects of carbohydrate on diet-related conditions and diseases. This review examines the epidemiological literature linking GI and GL to heart disease, insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity among initially healthy people. The evidence for associations between GI and particularly GL and health among free-living populations is mixed. Only the positive association between GI and development of type 2 diabetes was consistent across cross-sectional and longitudinal studies for both sexes. Low GI/GL may protect against heart disease in women, and cross-sectional studies indicate low GI/GL may reduce high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels in both sexes. Based on the evidence found in this review, it seems premature to include GI/GL in dietary recommendations.
2004-07-01
The Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer in temperate environments (TRS 364) was published in 1994 by the IAEA, in collaboration with the IUR. It was based on a review of available data up to the end of 1992. It is composed of values for empirical transfer parameters commonly used in radiological assessment models. Certain values are based on data which are 20 years old. The availability of literature data inevitably improves with time. The amount of data, however, will vary for each element since data have been compiled due to a variety of reasons, e.g. Chernobyl, waste disposal, or dose reconstruction. A number of good critical reviews have been produced in recent years for some of the transfer parameter values which merit consideration. When addressing transfers through continental ecosystems, TRS 364 is one of the key sources for many models: it is widely used both in the radiation protection and radioecological community. In particular, many radiation protection models need to predict transfer of a large number of radionuclides. This requires information on transfer of many less mobile radionuclides, which do not usually comprise an important component of discharges or dose. Such information is often sparse and difficult to collate. It is thus essential that such information is kept up-to-date and that any relevant recent literature is included, especially considering the paucity of existing data sources. Moreover, since the early nineteen nineties, there has been considerable debate in the scientific community regarding the validity of using empirical approaches for determining transfer factors. For instance, the identification of single values, when considerable variation is observed and can be explained to varying extents, seems a simplification leading to avoidable errors in predictions. This in itself, is a strong argument for revision if the information given is now known to be incorrect, inadequate (given new available information) and incomplete. This effort is a task of the IAEA-EMRAS programme on environmental modelling. (author)
The third phase of the OECD/NEA TDB project: TDB III
2005-07-01
In 2003 with a foreseen duration of four years. The main objective of this new phase is to extend the existing critically reviewed database for elements of relevance in radioactive waste management, paying attention to the needs of the various national programmes. Following the decision by the Project Management Board (integrated by representatives of 16 organisations with responsibilities in radioactive waste management in 12 OECD member countries) the elements contemplated in this new phase are Th, Sn and Fe, with a higher priority being allocated to inorganic species and compounds. In addition to the corresponding review teams for these elements, an additional expert team has been constituted to prepare guidelines for the evaluation of thermodynamic data for solid solutions. As was the case in TDB Phase II, the basic project review methodology remains unaltered in TDB III. The Figure illustrates the relationship between the various TDB bodies, with an International Organisation, the OECD NEA, acting as Project Coordinator and linking the independent scientific teams and the project governing bodies. This organizational paradigm has proven successful with the recent completion of the five Phase II Reviews (Update, Ni, Se, Zr and Organic Ligands). The review and expert team activities were started in 2004 (except for Fe, being started in 2005) following an initiation stage. This preliminary stage was designed in order to tailor the team compositions to the existing literature for each element. The first reviews stemming from TDB III are scheduled to appear in published form in 2007. The successful completion of these objectives will add three further reports to the current series of nine volumes (dealing with the chemical thermodynamics of U, Np, Pu, Am, Tc, Ni, Se, Zr and compounds and complexes of these elements with oxalate, citrate, EDTA and isa). (authors)
Potential priority pollutants in sewage sludge
2008-01-01
Sewage sludge has been used as fertilizer for agricultural land over a long time. This is part of a sustainable practice utilizing and recycling the macronutrients back to land. During the last decades, questions have been raised concerning the risks related to heavy metals and xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) present in the sludge. Application on land used for agriculture is, therefore, not socially acceptable in some countries, e.g., Sweden. In this study, literature reviews showed that 541 XOCs potentially could be present in sewage sludge due to their presence in e.g. construction materials, pharmaceuticals, personal care products etc. 192 compounds have been quantified in sewage sludge, which indicate that, although many XOCs have been measured in sludge, there are potentially a vast number of compounds present that have not been analyzed for yet. In a hazard identification of the quantified compounds using their inherent properties and environmental fate it was shown that 99 XOCs could be classified as being hazardous with regard to the solid phase and 23 were found to be priority pollutants in the subsequent hazard assessment. The final selected priority pollutants can act as indicators when assessing sludge quality. They were compared with European legislations and discussed in regard for pointing out the need for mitigation such as substitution. Furthermore, the potential need for implementation of sludge treatment trains in order to meet the society's needs was addressed.
Assessment of the quality of mini-HTA
2009-01-01
OBJECTIVES: Mini-HTA (health technology assessment) is increasingly being applied in Denmark as an input for decisions on the use of health technologies. Mini-HTA is a form or check list with questions concerning the prerequisites for and consequences of health technologies. At the national level, the National Board of Health uses mini-HTA when hospitals apply for permission to introduce new treatments. Mini-HTA is also compulsory in Danish Regions' annual collection of early warnings. At the local level some hospitals have made mini-HTA compulsory when clinical departments apply for funding for new technologies. The objective of this study is to assess the quality of the information included in mini-HTA used at Danish hospitals and to discuss the consequences of this to decision making. METHODS: The quality of mini-HTA is assessed by use of an INATHA checklist for HTA reports. Data consists of reviews of the quality in fifty-two mini-HTAs produced by Danish hospitals in 2008. RESULTS: The mini-HTAs generally include descriptions of the assessed technology and the comparator, but information about the selection and interpretation of the clinical literature and other data is often missing. The level of evidence for the clinical effects and the main references are generally included. Only 25 percent of the mini-HTAs include a quantitative estimate of the size of the clinical effects. Organizational consequences inside the clinical department is described in 81percent of the cases and 92 percent includes a cost estimate. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the quality of the information in many cases is insufficient. There is a strong need for quality assurance of mini-HTAs to improve the accuracy of the information, however, without harming the timeliness and the limited use of resources in producing the reports.
Human internal and external exposure to PBDEs--a review of levels and sources
2009-01-01
This paper reviews the existing literature on human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), with particular focus on external exposure routes (e.g. dust, diet, and air) and the resulting internal exposure to PBDEs (e.g. breast milk and blood). Being lipophilic and persistent organic compounds, PBDEs accumulate in lipid-rich tissues. Consequently, food items like fish from high trophic levels or lipid-rich oils have been found to contain relatively high concentrations of PBDEs, thus presenting an important exposure pathway to humans. The presence of PBDEs in various products of everyday use may lead to some additional exposure in the home environment. Dust seem to be an aggregate of the indoor source, and the ingestion of dust conveys the highest intake of BDE-209 of all sources, possibly also of other PBDE congeners. The PBDE exposure through dust is significant for toddlers who ingest more dust than adults. Infants are also exposed to PBDEs via breast milk. Internal human exposure has generally been found to be one order of magnitude larger in North America than in Europe and Asia. These differences cannot solely be explained by the dietary intake as meat products are the only food group where some differences has been observed. However, indoor air and dust concentrations have been found to be approximately one order of magnitude higher in North America than in Europe, possibly a result of different fire safety standards. Within Europe, higher PBDE concentrations in dust were found in the UK than in continental Europe. Recent studies have shown that BDE-209 also accumulates in humans. A shift in congener composition from maternal to umbilical cord blood has been observed in several cases. A shift has also been observed for BDE-209, which is present in larger ratios in umbilical cord blood and in particular in placenta than in maternal blood.
... There is ample evidence in the literature to support the ... in clinical trials to assess efficacy was reviewed by Dr ... Roberts in the context of his review of the ...
Antithrombin III for critically ill patients
2008-01-01
Background Critical illness is associated with uncontrolled inflammation and vascular damage which can result in multiple organ failure and death. Antithrombin III ( AT III) is an anticoagulant with anti-inflammatory properties but the efficacy and any harmful effects of AT III supplementation in critically ill patients are unknown. Objectives To assess the benefits and harms of AT III in critically ill patients. Search strategy We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library); MEDLINE; EMBASE; Science Citation Index Expanded; International Web of Science; CINAHL; LILACS; and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (up to November 2006). We contacted authors and manufacturers in the field. Selection criteria We included all randomized clinical trials, irrespective of blinding or language, that compared AT III with no intervention or placebo in critically ill patients. Data collection and analysis Our primary outcome measure was mortality. We each independently abstracted data and resolved any disagreements by discussion. We presented pooled estimates of the intervention effects on dichotomous outcomes as relative risks ( RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We performed subgroup analyses to assess risk of bias, the effect of AT III in different populations (sepsis, trauma, obstetric, and paediatric patients), and the effect of AT III in patients with or without the use of concomitant heparin. We assessed the adequacy of the available number of participants and performed a trial sequential analysis to establish the implications for further research. Main results We included 20 randomized trials with a total of 3458 participants; 13 of these trials had high risk of bias. When we combined all trials, AT III did not statistically significantly reduce overall mortality compared with the control group (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.03; no heterogeneity between trials). A total of 32 subgroup and sensitivity analyses were carried out. Analyses based on risk of bias, different populations, and the role of adjuvant heparin gave insignificant differences. AT III reduced the multiorgan failure score among survivors in an analysis involving very few patients. AT III increased bleeding events ( RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.78). Authors' conclusions AT III cannot be recommended for critically ill patients based on the available evidence. A randomized controlled trial of AT III, without adjuvant heparin, with prespecified inclusion criteria and good bias protection is needed
... sequelae noted in the literature following development of ... Reviewer Response: Upon review of this table ... Response: The sponsor systematically reviewed all adverse ...
Systematic evaluation of observational methods assessing biomechanical exposures at work
2009-01-01
 Systematic evaluation of observational methods assessing biomechanical exposures at work  Esa-Pekka Takala 1, Irmeli Pehkonen 1, Mikael Forsman 2, Gert-Ãke Hansson 3, Svend Erik Mathiassen 4, W. Patrick Neumann 5, Gisela Sjøgaard 6, Kaj Bo Veiersted 7, Rolf Westgaard 8, Jørgen Winkel 9  1 Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki 2 Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 3 Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund, 4 Högskolan i Gävle, Gävle, 5 Ryerson University, Toronto, 6 University of southern Denmark, Odense, 7 National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, 8 Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 9 University of Gothenburg and National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen  The aim of this project was to identify and systematically evaluate observational methods to assess workload on the musculoskeletal system. Searches in the electronic databases and other sources identified 29 observational methods. The methods were evaluated for the aspects related to their reliability and usability for different purposes. The results of evaluation will be found in internet with a tool that helps the user to search for most suitable method by sorting the methods according to the several items evaluated.  Numerous methods have been developed to assess physical workload (biomechanical exposures) in order to identify hazards leading to musculoskeletal disorders, to monitor the effects of ergonomic changes, and for research. No indvidual method is suitable for all purposes. The selection and use of methods has often been based on tradition rather than on a critical evaluation, because actors are generally not aware of methods outside of their own realm of experience.  Aims  The aim of this project was to systematically and critically evaluate observational methods presented in the literature, and to provide recommendations for their use.  METHODS  Search and selection of reference literature   Literature searches were conducted in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, CISDOC, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The searches started with several combinations of the following search terms related to observational methods (OR): observation*, workload, lifting, manual material handling, risk assessment, task analysis, posture, ergonomic, occupational exposure. These terms were combined (AND) with terms related to musculoskeletal system (OR): musculoskeletal, back, neck, extremities. The results were first screened by title and abstract. About 580 potential references were identified, including original scientific reports, reviews and internet sources. Full texts of these references were collated in electronic (or scanned) format for further evaluation. Many original articles referred to methods used only for a specific study and the methods were so scantly described that it was not possible to make an evaluation. We also excluded methods that were not observational, e.g. measurements of postural angles from the video recordings. The final set consisted of 29 observational methods with such a detailed description that an evaluation was feasible.  Development of the framework for evaluation  There is no generally accepted standard way to evaluate methods for the assessment of workload. The structure and contents of the evaluation framework was developed in an iterative manner. Reliability was evaluated with "Concurrent validity" (How well does the method correspond with more valid method/s?) and "Predictive validity" (How well has the risk-estimation of the method been shown to be associated with MSDs or has predicted them?). In addition we evaluated the intra- and inter-observer repeatability. Guidelines for the evaluation were prepared to keep consensus among the evaluators.  Evaluation  Two researchers read the available reports for each method and independently filled in the evaluation forms. After that they discussed and reached consensus of the documentation of information to be written in the forms as basic description and documentation, to be further evaluated for reliability and validity. Based on this documentation and original reports the evaluation was done independently and blinded of each other by at least two of the evaluators. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion between evaluators to establish consensus. According to the protocol a third evaluator was prepared to participate to the discussion if no consensus was found but this option was not needed.  RESULTS  In the following description the methods are classified in three groups according to the main focus of the method (assessment of manual material handling, upper limbs, or a general approach). Development of methods is related to the environment and time as regards to the needs to develop a new method. Thus the new methods have had some additional properties with respect to the previous ones. Therefore the methods are presented in a chronological order. Tables 1 to 4 show the evaluation on correspondence with valid reference, association with MSDs, repeatability between observers (inter-observer repeatability), and who would be the potential users of the method.  Methods to assess manual material handling  We identified eight methods aimed for the assessment of manual material handling (MMH) listed in Table 1.   Table 1 Methods to assess mainly manual material handling Method Correspondence with valid reference Association with MSDs Repeatability between observers Potential users NIOSH Lifting Eq. NA X - O, R Arbouw M - - O ACGIH Lifting TLV M - - O MAC - - M O, W(?) ManTRA - - - O, R(?),W(?) NZ Code for MH - - - O, W(?) Washington state ergonomic rule M X M O, W(?) BackEST ML - M R  Correspondence with valid reference: HM = High to moderate, L= Low, - = No information or conflicting result, NA= Not applicable Association with MSDs: L = Prediction in longitudinal studies, X = Association in cross-sectional studies, - = No information or conflicting result Repeatability between observers: M = High to moderate, L= Low, - = No information or conflicting result Users: W=Workers/ supervisors, O=Occupational safety/health practioners, R=Researchers  The NIOSH Lifting Equation is probably the most referred method to assess MMH, based on biomechanical, physiological and psycho-physiological research. The result of the evaluation is one figure indicating risk. With such an index it is hardly possible to assess validity by comparison with other methods, because no 'golden standard' is available. On the contrary, the NIOSH model has served as a 'golden standard' in comparative studies of Arbouw (in Netherlands), ACGIH Lifting TLV (USA), and Washington state model. MAC (UK), ManTRA (Australia), and New Zealand code are widely used for the assessment of risks in MMH but we did not found formal studies on validity of these methods. The inter-observer repeatability of MAC and the Washington state model has been found to be moderate. BackEST is a method developed for epidemiological research.  Methods to assess workload on upper limbs  Table 2 lists methods for the assessment of workload in upper limbs. HSE upper limb assessment method (UK), Stetson's checklist, Keyserling's Cumulative trauma checklist, Ketola's upper limb expert tool, and the Washington state method are checklist-type methods where each item or risk factor exceeding the criteria used in each method indicates consideration of actions at work place. In RULA weights are given to the observed items and a sum score is calculated to describe the risk. In ACGIH HAL the hand activity and the force used are estimated with visuo-analogue scale (VAS) and the need of actions is defined from nomograms. Strain Index has an approach similar to the NIOSH Lifting Equation and a multiplicative combination of observed items is calculated using weights for the multipliers according to their magnitude observed. OCRA has a similar principle but uses more complicated observation scheme for the input of the index. Most of these methods have been compared with the other methods and have shown moderate correspondence. Strain index and ACGIH HAL have predicted upper limb disorders in prospective studies. RULA, OCRA and the Washington state method have been associated with MSDs in cross-sectional studies.   Table 2         . Methods to assess workload on upper limbs. For explanation of symbols see Table 1. Method Correspondence with valid reference Association with MSDs Repeatability between observers Potential users HSE UL - - - O, W(?) RULA M/L X HM O, R Stetson's checklist - - M R Keyserling's Cumulative trauma checklist M - M O, R Ketola's upper limb expert tool M - M O Strain index M L, X HM O, R ACGIH HAL M L, X HM O, R OCRA M X - O, R Washington state ergonomic rule - X M O, W(?)  General methods to assess workload   Tables 3 and 4 list general observational methods. The methods in table 4 have been developed for computerized input of data; even though software has later been developed for several methods listed in Tables 1-3.   Table 3. General methods to assess workload. For explanation of symbols see Table 1. Method Correspondence with valid reference Association with MSDs Repeatability between observers Potential users OWAS M X M R AET - - - R Posture targeting - - - O, R PLIBEL M(?) - M O PATH M - M O, R REBA - - M O, R(?) LUBA - - - O(?),R(?) QEC M X M O, W, R(?) Washington state ergonomic rule M X M O, W(?)  Table 4. General methods to assess workload, developed for computerized input. For explanation of symbols see Table 1. Method Correspondence with valid reference Association with MSDs Repeatability between observers Potential users ERGAN (Arban) - - - ? HARBO M - M R PEO M X M R TRAC M X M R, O Postural workload evaluation system by Chung - - - R, O(?)  -- page break --  OWAS is the most referred method to observe and code working postures. Other methods like PATH and TRAC have adopted postures developed for OWAS. The time consuming observation scheme and the decision rules based only on frequency distribution of items limit its use outside of research. AET was aimed for general classifying of jobs but it also has items related to biomechanical exposures. Posture targeting is aimed to code postures of body parts and has illustrative output. In LUBA the rating of postures is based on psycho-physiological experiments. Chung's method is a video based extension of LUBA. PLIBEL is an ergonomic checklist for screening of risk factors. REBA is an extension of RULA and gives a single sum score describing risk, although not validated in scientific studies. Validity and usability testing have been essential in the development of QEC that gives separate sum scores for different body parts. PATH and TRAC use observation of work actions in addition to the postures. PEO was developed to measure exactly the duration and frequency of different postures. HARBO was developed parallel with PEO for the observation of postures by position of hands in epidemiologic studies.  DISCUSSION  Systematic observation methods started to appear in the scientific literature some 30 years ago. The first ones, like OWAS for the whole body or RULA for the upper limbs, have been widely used and referred to since their original publication. The sampling of targets for observation (usually work tasks) has been either systematic, so as to get a frequency distribution of postures or actions (OWAS), or has - more often - been focussed merely on "problematic situations". In the nineties, videos and computer software allowed methods to be developed that include assessment of variation of load over time (e.g. PEO, TRAC, PATH). The output of methods has been either descriptive profiles of the observed items, or the observed factors have been combined to an index describing risk (e.g. NIOSH lifting equation, Strain Index, OCRA). In the recent decades, formal studies on reproducibility and validity of the methods have been requested. Differences have then been found between the results obtained by using different observational methods simultaneously to assess the same target. This study limited to references which were available in common electronic databases. We found no simple strategy to combine the search terms to be effective and therefore extensive searches with known names of the methods as well as with the options of "related references" were performed. Still the references were restricted mainly to peer reviewed scientific publications. It is probable that much more methodological development has been done and reported e.g. in the conference proceedings or as academic dissertations. Our references were also restricted on publically available reports and e.g. only the main text-books of ergonomics were available as references. The evaluation was also restricted on methods where observation of worker is an essential part to get information. The number of ergonomic checklists with some observation is much larger than what was included in the analysis. There is no standard way to perform a systematic analysis of methods assessing workload. The assessment of the validity of observational methods is problematic because the definition of a 'golden standard' is difficult. For example the individual postures can be recorded with accurate technical measures. Some methods have been compared with technical measures. Still the correspondence of observations and technical measures has only seldom been high. In some studies the strict cut-off limits for the categories have been used in the analysis. If the real observations are close to these limits, even a small systematic bias of the observers can result to misclassification and poor correspondence. A sensitivity analysis with different cut-off limits of the technical methods should be included in this kind of comparisons.  Internet site of the results  Detailed information of the evaluated methods with full references will be found in www.ttl.fi/workloadexposuremethods The site also includes a tool to sort the methods according to the items used in the evaluation so that the user can select and compare methods for his/her purposes.  Acknowledgments. This study was financially supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers (Project 411040 - 70107)    Â
2009-12-22
A review of the empirical literature on access to scholarly information. This review focuses on surveys of authors, article download and citation analysis.
Direct contact condensers: a literature survey
1977-02-01
A review is given of the literature pertinent to the design of direct contact condensers using water to condense an organic fluid. Both overall performance and fundamental concepts are examined. Recommendations are made regarding the work required to evaluate this concept for use in binary cycles for geothermal power plants.
Human Factors in Training: Space Medical Proficiency Training
... Ames Research Center performed a literature review on medical errors. Work on medical training has been conducted in collaboration with the Medical Training Group at the Johnson Space ...
Psychosocial Characteristics of Optimum Performance in Isolated and Confined Environments (ICE)
... an extensive and exhaustive literature review to identify the following: 1) psychosocial characteristics that predict success in ICE environments; 2) characteristics that are most ...
A survey of statistical network models
2009-12-31
Networks are ubiquitous in science and have become a focal point for discussion in everyday life. Formal statistical models for the analysis of network data have emerged as a major topic of interest in diverse areas of study, and most of these involve a form of graphical representation. Probability models on graphs date back to 1959. Along with empirical studies in social psychology and sociology from the 1960s, these early works generated an active network community and a substantial literature in the 1970s. This effort moved into the statistical literature in the late 1970s and 1980s, and the past decade has seen a burgeoning network literature in statistical physics and computer science. The growth of the World Wide Web and the emergence of online networking communities such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn, and a host of more specialized professional network communities has intensified interest in the study of networks and network data. Our goal in this review is to provide the reader with an entry point to this burgeoning literature. We begin with an overview of the historical development of statistical network modeling and then we introduce a number of examples that have been studied in the network literature. Our subsequent discussion focuses on a number of prominent static and dynamic network models and their interconnections. We emphasize formal model descriptions, and pay special attention to the interpretation of p arameters and their estimation. We end with a description of some open problems and challenges for machine learning and statistics.
The process of consensus on EMF: SAB review of the EPA draft document on EMF and cancer
1992-06-01
The EPA Draft Document on EMF and Cancers grew out of an earlier effort by EPA to track biological effects literature relative to radio-frequency (RF) exposure. Scope of the document was broadened to include extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields prior to an announcement in 1986 that EPA would formally review the whole area of non-ionizing radiation. An extensive survey of the relevant bioeffects and epidemiologic literature was carried out, and writing on the document began in earnest on the document sometime in 1989. In its draft form, the document reviewed the literature on mechanisms of Interaction between electromagnetic fields and biological tissue, EMF epidemiologic studies, supporting evidence for carcinogenicity and research needs. In the early summer of 1990, a draft of the document was reviewed by some 22 individuals within the EPA and other government agencies. It was also sent out for external review to an additional 9 qualified scientists who had worked in the area and were familiar with EMF-related literature in epidemiology, biology, and physics. Many of the comments sent to EPA from this first review, prior to release of the draft for public comment, were strikingly similar to those resulting from the second (public) review process. Thus, it appears that much of the controversy that was later associated with the document could have been avoided had the authors been diligent in following the recommendations of the initial set of reviewers.
The Temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background
2009-11-11
The FIRAS data are independently recalibrated using the WMAP data to obtain a CMB temperature of 2.7260 +/- 0.0013. Measurements of the temperature of the cosmic microwave background are reviewed. The determination from the measurements from the literature is cosmic microwave background temperature of 2.72548 +/- 0.00057 K.
Drying in cyclones -- A review
2000-03-01
This paper presents an overview of the flow, heat and mass transfer characteristics of vortex (or cyclone) dryers. The focus is on the potential of the cyclone configuration for drying of particulates. A selective review is made of the literature pertains to single phase and gas-particle flow in cyclone geometries. Recent data on drying of particulates in cyclone dryers are summarized. 56 refs.
A Survey of Stimulation Methods Used in SSVEP-Based BCIs
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems based on the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) provide higher information throughput and require shorter training than BCI systems using other brain signals. To elicit an SSVEP, a repetitive visual stimulus (RVS) has to be presented to the user. The RVS can be rendered on a computer screen by alternating graphical patterns, or with external light sources able to emit modulated light. The properties of an RVS (e.g., frequency, color) depend on the rendering device and influence the SSVEP characteristics. This affects the BCI information throughput and the levels of user safety and comfort. Literature on SSVEP-based BCIs does not generally provide reasons for the selection of the used rendering devices or RVS properties. In this paper, we review the literature on SSVEP-based BCIs and comprehensively report on the different RVS choices in terms of rendering devices, properties, and their potential influence on BCI performance, user safety and comfort.
2010-03-12
The observation of redshift-dependent coherent orientations of quasar polarisation vectors over cosmological distances in some regions of the sky is reviewed. Based on a good-quality sample of 355 measured quasars, this observation seems to infer the existence of a new effect acting on light propagation on such huge distances. A solution in terms of nearly massless axion-like particles has been proposed in the literature and its current status is discussed.
Conjugacy of real diffeomorphisms. A survey
2009-11-05
Given a group G, the conjugacy problem in G is the problem of giving an effective procedure for determining whether or not two given elements f, g of G are conjugate, i.e. whether there exists h belonging to G with fh = hg. This paper is about the conjugacy problem in the group Diffeo(I) of all diffeomorphisms of an interval I in R. There is much classical work on the subject, solving the conjugacy problem for special classes of maps. Unfortunately, it is also true that many results and arguments known to the experts are difficult to find in the literature, or simply absent. We try to repair these lacunae, by giving a systematic review, and we also include new results about the conjugacy classification in the general case.
Ileocolonic mucormycosis in adult immunocompromised patients: A surgeon’s perspective
2010-03-07
Full Text Available.We report three cases of ileocolic mucormycosis in adult immunocompromised patients presenting as acute abdomen. All patients underwent laparotomy but two of them died from multiorgan failure before the diagnoses were confirmed. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal mucormycosis is rarely suspected, and antemortem diagnosis is made in only 25%-50% of cases. These cases illustrate the difficulty encountered by surgeons in managing acute abdomen in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancy. The management of colonic mucormycosis in the published literature is also reviewed.
Variational principles in modified gravity: Field equations in f(R) gravity
2010-02-04
We consider a detailed review of the variational principles and field equations in the metric formalism of f(R) gravity. First, we give a brief review of the Einstein-Hilbert action, including the Gibbons-York-Hawking boundary term given the lack of discussion in common text in the literature. Next we present in some detail the field equations in f(R) gravity, including the discussion about boundaries, and we compare with the Gibbons-York-Hawking term in General relativity. Here we discuss an additional boundary term similar to a Gibbons-York-Hawking term in General Relativity. The main goal of this paper is to get in a straightforward form the field equations in f(R) theory using elementary variational principles instead of a scalar-tensor approach.
Strategies for differentiating infection in vaccinated animals (DIVA) for foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and avian influenza
2010-01-01
The prophylactic use of vaccines against exotic viral infections in production animals is undertaken exclusively in regions where the disease concerned is endemic. In such areas, the infection pressure is very high and so, to assure optimal protection, the most efficient vaccines are used. However, in areas considered to be free from these diseases and in which there is the possibility of only limited outbreaks, the use of Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) or marker vaccines allows for vaccination while still retaining the possibility of serological surveillance for the presence of infection. This literature review describes the current knowledge on the use of DIVA diagnostic strategies for three important transboundary animal diseases: foot-and-mouth disease in cloven-hoofed animals, classical swine fever in pigs and avian influenza in poultry.
Research Challenges for Enterprise Cloud Computing
2010-01-20
Cloud computing represents a shift away from computing as a product that is purchased, to computing as a service that is delivered to consumers over the internet from large-scale data centers - or "clouds". This paper discusses some of the research challenges for cloud computing from an enterprise or organizational perspective, and puts them in context by reviewing the existing body of literature in cloud computing. Various research challenges relating to the following topics are discussed: the organizational changes brought about by cloud computing; the economic and organizational implications of its utility billing model; the security, legal and privacy issues that cloud computing raises. It is important to highlight these research challenges because cloud computing is not simply about a technological improvement of data centers but a fundamental change in how IT is provisioned and used. This type of research has the potential to influence wider adoption of cloud computing in enterprise, and in the consumer market too.
Quantum field theory with a fundamental length. A general mathematical framework
2009-12-04
We review and develop a mathematical framework for nonlocal quantum field theory with a fundamental length. As an instructive example, we reexamine the normal ordered Gaussian function of a free field and find the primitive analyticity domain of its n-point vacuum expectation values. This domain is smaller than the usual future tube of local QFT, but we prove that in difference variables, it has the same structure of a tube whose base is the (n-1)-fold product of a Lorentz invariant region. It follows that this model satisfies Wightman-type axioms with an exponential high-energy bound which does not depend on n, contrary to the claims in the literature. In our setting, the Wightman generalized functions are defined on test functions analytic in the complex l-neighborhood of the real space, where l is an n-independent constant playing the role of a fundamental length, and the causality condition is formulated with the use of an analogous function space associated with the light cone. In contrast to the scheme proposed in Ref. [11] in terms of ultra-hyperfunctions, the presented theory obviously becomes local as l tends to zero.
Adapting Heuristic Mastermind Strategies to Evolutionary Algorithms
2009-12-15
The art of solving the Mastermind puzzle was initiated by Donald Knuth and is already more than 30 years old; despite that, it still receives much attention in operational research and computer games journals, not to mention the nature-inspired stochastic algorithm literature. In this paper we try to suggest a strategy that will allow nature-inspired algorithms to obtain results as good as those based on exhaustive search strategies; in order to do that, we first review, compare and improve current approaches to solving the puzzle; then we test one of these strategies with an estimation of distribution algorithm. Finally, we try to find a strategy that falls short of being exhaustive, and is then amenable for inclusion in nature inspired algorithms (such as evolutionary or particle swarm algorithms). This paper proves that by the incorporation of local entropy into the fitness function of the evolutionary algorithm it becomes a better player than a random one, and gives a rule of thumb on how to incorporate the best heuristic strategies to evolutionary algorithms without incurring in an excessive computational cost.
Gravitino phenomenology and cosmological implications of supergravity
Gravitino production in the primordial Universe is investigated into details. After briefly reviewing inflation, supersymmetry and supergravity, we first study the scattering of massive W bosons in the thermal bath of particles, during the period of reheating. It is found that the process generates in the cross section terms which eventually lead to unitarity breaking above a certain scale. This happens by virtue of the supergravity vertex. We show that the longitudinal polarizations of the on-shell W become strongly interacting in the high energy limit, and that the inclusion of diagrams with off-shell scalars of the MSSM does not cancel the divergences. Next, we consider the dynamics and the decay into gravitinos of a scalar field S, which starts oscillating in its potential at the end of inflation. We embed S in a model of gauge mediation with metastable vacua, where the hidden sector is of the O'Raifeartaigh type. By demanding that the gravitinos thus produced provide with the observed Cold Dark Matter density, we modify previous results in the literature, and find that it is easy to account for gravitino Dark Matter with an arbitrarily low reheating temperature.
The Grand Ensemble of Subsystems: Applications to Fitting Single-Component Adsorption Data
2009-11-12
In this work, it is reviewed the cell model of adsorption by using the small system grand ensemble method. Under the common assumption that the adsorbate phase is divided into identical and weakly-interacting subsystems, it is suggested that the general multiparametric isotherm that arise from the theory may be used to fit the experimental data of adsorption of gases and vapours on microporous adorbents (type I isotherm), even though these present heterogeneties like pore size distribution. A simplified isotherm that reduces the number of adjustable parameters with respect to the general isotherm is proposed. Both isotherms, due to their relative high accuracy, can be used to estimate thermodynamical properties like isosteric and differential heats of adsorption. Also, a simple method is presented for systems that show an apparent variation in the coverage limit as function of temperature; for several systems, this method reduces the fitting deviations. Finally, several applications to fitting data of adsorption, taken from literature, of some gases on activated carbon, molecular sieving carbon, silica gel, and pillared clays are presented.
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Hemianomalous pulmonary venous drainage with intact atrial septum is a rare congenital anomaly and reports of its surgical repair and the long-term complications related to the correction are only infrequently encountered in the literature. We report the case of a patient with hemianomalous pulmonary venous drainage and intact atrial septum who underwent surgical repair using a pericardial baffle and creation of an “atrial septal defect” aged 15 years. Dyspnoea and recurrent chest infections started 7 months after surgery when he was seen by a respiratory physician without cardiac followup. He presented again aged 28 years with a recurrent pneumonia investigated over 6 weeks and heart pronounced normal from examination and echocardiography. Correct diagnosis was made in Grown Up Congenital Heart (GUCH) clinic stimulating review of data and catheterisation with pulmonary artery angiography which confirmed it. We feel that this case highlights the importance of specialist care and followup for GUCH patients.
Network Structure, Self-Organization and the Growth of International Collaboration in Science
2009-11-24
Using data from co-authorships at the international level in all fields of science in 1990 and 2000, and within six case studies at the sub-field level in 2000, different explanations for the growth of international collaboration in science and technology are explored. We find that few of the explanations within the literature can be supported by a detailed review of the data. To enable further exploration of the role of recognition and rewards as ordering mechanisms within the system, we apply new tools emerging from network science. These enquiries shows that the growth of international co-authorships can be attributed to self-organizing phenomenon based on preferential attachment (searching for recognition and reward) within networks of co-authors. The co-authorship links can be considered as a complex network with sub-dynamics involving features of both competition and cooperation. The analysis suggests that the growth of international collaboration is more likely to emerge from dynamics at the sub-field level operating in all fields of science, albeit under institutional constraints. Implications for the management of global scientific collaborations are explored.
Booms and Busts: the Burstiness of Star Formation in Nearby Dwarf Galaxies
2009-11-23
In this review I summarise recent advances in our understanding of the importance of starburst events to the evolutionary histories of nearby galaxies. Ongoing bursts are easily diagnosed in emission-line surveys, but assessing the timing and intensity of fossil bursts requires more effort, usually demanding color-magnitude diagrams or spectroscopy of individual stars. For ages older than ~1 Gyr, this type of observation is currently limited to the Local Group and its immediate surroundings. However, if the Local Volume is representative of the Universe as a whole, then studies of the age and metallicity distributions of star clusters and resolved stellar populations should give statistical clues as to the frequency and importance of bursts to the histories of galaxies in general. Based on starburst statistics in the literature and synthetic colour-magnitude diagram studies of Local Group galaxies, I attempt to distinguish between systemic starbursts that strongly impact galaxy evolution and stochastic bursts that can appear impressive but are ultimately of little significance on gigayear timescales. As a specific case, it appears as though IC 10, the only starburst galaxy in the Local Group, falls into the latter category and is not fundamentally different from other nearby dwarf irregular galaxies.
Mass and Angular Momentum in General Relativity
2010-02-01
We present an introduction to mass and angular momentum in General Relativity. After briefly reviewing energy-momentum for matter fields, first in the flat Minkowski case (Special Relativity) and then in curved spacetimes with or without symmetries, we focus on the discussion of energy-momentum for the gravitational field. We illustrate the difficulties rooted in the Equivalence Principle for defining a local energy-momentum density for the gravitational field. This leads to the understanding of gravitational energy-momentum and angular momentum as non-local observables that make sense, at best, for extended domains of spacetime. After introducing Komar quantities associated with spacetime symmetries, it is shown how total energy-momentum can be unambiguously defined for isolated systems, providing fundamental tests for the internal consistency of General Relativity as well as setting the conceptual basis for the understanding of energy loss by gravitational radiation. Finally, several attempts to formulate quasi-local notions of mass and angular momentum associated with extended but finite spacetime domains are presented, together with some illustrations of the relations between total and quasi-local quantities in the particular context of black hole spacetimes. This article is not intended to be a rigorous and exhaustive review of the subject, but rather an invitation to the topic for non-experts. In this sense we follow esse ntially the expositions in Szabados 2004, Gourgoulhon 2007, Poisson 2004 and Wald 84, and refer the reader interested in further developments to the existing literature, in particular to the excellent and comprehensive review by Szabados (2004).
Strongly Interacting Dynamics beyond the Standard Model on a Spacetime Lattice
2009-11-03
Strong theoretical arguments suggest that the Higgs sector of the Standard Model of the Electroweak interactions is an effective low-energy theory, with a more fundamental theory that is expected to emerge at an energy scale of the order of the TeV. One possibility is that the more fundamental theory be strongly interacting and the Higgs sector be given by the low-energy dynamics of the underlying theory. We review recent works aimed to determining observable quantities by numerical simulations of strongly interacting theories proposed in the literature for explaining the Electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. These investigations are based on Monte Carlo simulations of the theory formulated on a spacetime lattice. We focus on the so-called Minimal Walking Technicolour scenario, a SU(2) gauge theory with two flavours of fermions in the adjoint representation. The emerging picture is that this theory has an infrared fixed point that dominates the large distance physics. We shall discuss the first numerical determinations of quantities of phenomenological interest for this theory and analyse future directions of quantitative studies of strongly interacting beyond the Standard Model theories with Lattice techniques. In particular, we report on a finite size scaling determination of the chiral condensate anomalous dimension $\gamma$, for which we find $0.05 \le \gamma \le 0.25$.
Toward an Effective Field Theory for Cold Compressed Baryonic Matter
2010-02-17
This is an extended version of the note taken by the first author (W.-G.P.) on a lecture given by the second author (M.R.) as a first part of the series on "Hadronic Matter Under Extreme Conditions," the principal theme of the WCU-Hanyang Program. It covers the attempts to go in a framework anchored on effective field theory of QCD from zero density to the nuclear matter density and slightly beyond, with the ultimate goal of arriving at the density relevant to compact stars, including chiral phase transition and quark matter. The focus is on the conceptual aspects rather than detailed "fitting" of the data on the kinds of physics that are being addressed to in radioactive-ion-beam machines in operation as well as in project (such as `KoRIA' in Korea) and will be explored at such forthcoming accelerators as FAIR/GSI. The approach presented here is basically different from the standard ones found in the literature in that the notion of hidden local symmetry -- which underlies the chiral symmetry of the strong interactions -- and its generalization to dual gravity description involving infinite tower of hidden gauge fields are closely relied on.
Title: Does the difference between physically active and couch potato lie in the dopamine system?
Obesity and other inactivity related diseases are increasing at an alarming rate especially in Western societies. Because of this, it is important to understand the regulating mechanisms involved...Full Text Available
Title: Does the difference between physically active and couch potato lie in the dopamine system?
Full Text Available.Obesity and other inactivity related diseases are increasing at an alarming rate especially in Western societies. Because of this, it is important to understand the regulating mechanisms involved in physical activity behavior. Much research has been done in regard to the psychological determinants of physical activity behavior; however, little is known about the underlying genetic and biological factors that may contribute to regulation of this complex trait. It is true that a significant portion of any trait is regulated by genetic and biological factors. In the case of voluntary physical activity behavior, these regulating mechanisms appear to be concentrated in the central nervous system. In particular, the dopamine system has been shown to regulate motor movement, as well as motivation and reward behavior. The pattern of regulation of voluntary physical activity by the dopamine system is yet to be fully elucidated. This review will summarize what is known about the dopamine system and regulation of physical activity, and will present a hypothesis of how this signaling pathway is mechanistically involved in regulating voluntary physical activity behavior. Future research in this area will aid in developing personalized strategies to prevent inactivity related diseases.
2010-03-09
Full Text Available.BackgroundThe prevention of head injuries in alpine activities has focused on helmets. However, no systematic review has examined the effect of helmets on head and neck injuries among skiers and snowboarders.MethodsWe searched electronic databases, conference proceedings and reference lists using a combination of the key words “head injury or head trauma,” “helmet” and “skiing or snowboarding.” We included studies that used a control group; compared skiers or snowboarders with and without helmets; and measured at least one objectively quantified outcome (e.g., head injury, and neck or cervical injury).ResultsWe included 10 case–control, 1 case–control/case-crossover and 1 cohort study in our analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) indicated that skiers and snowboarders with a helmet were significantly less likely than those without a helmet to have a head injury (OR 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.79). The result was similar for studies that used controls without an injury (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.36–0.92), those that used controls with an injury other than a head or neck injury (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52–0.80) and studies that included children under the age of 13 years (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.27–0.59). Helmets were not associated with an increased risk of neck injury (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.72–1.09).InterpretationOur findings show that helmets reduce the risk of head injury among skiers and snowboarders with no evidence of an increased risk of neck injury.
2010-03-09
BackgroundThe prevention of head injuries in alpine activities has focused on helmets. However, no systematic review has examined the effect of helmets on head and neck injuries...Full Text Available
2010-02-19
We report on the first Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) measurements of the so-called "extra-galactic" diffuse gamma-ray emission (EGB). This component of the diffuse gamma-ray emission is generally considered to have an isotropic or nearly isotropic distribution on the sky with diverse contributions discussed in the literature. The derivation of the EGB is based on detailed modelling of the bright foreground diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission (DGE), the detected LAT sources and the solar gamma-ray emission. We find the spectrum of the EGB is consistent with a power law with differential spectral index g = 2.41+/-0.05 and intensity, I(> 100 MeV) = (1.03+/-0.17) 10^-5 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1, where the error is systematics dominated. Our EGB spectrum is featureless, less intense, and softer than that derived from EGRET data.
2009-01-01
The cellular transactivator Brn-3a has previously been shown to be expressed at elevated levels in the cervix of women with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (SCC) and to activate the expression...Full Text Available
2009-01-01
Full Text Available.The cellular transactivator Brn-3a has previously been shown to be expressed at elevated levels in the cervix of women with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (SCC) and to activate the expression of HPV E6 mRNA. In this study, we show that common and rare cervical precancer lesions, including those of adenocarcinoma (AC), which are usually difficult to diagnose using classical procedures, also expressed high levels of Brn-3a and can be diagnosed by measuring the levels of Brn-3a and E6 mRNAs.
Full Text Available.BackgroundA systematic review was conducted for the association between animal feeding operations (AFOs) and the health of individuals living near AFOs.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe review was restricted to studies reporting respiratory, gastrointestinal and mental health outcomes in individuals living near AFOs in North America, European Union, United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. From June to September 2008 searches were conducted in PUBMED, CAB, Web-of-Science, and Agricola with no restrictions. Hand searching of narrative reviews was also used. Two reviewers independently evaluated the role of chance, confounding, information, selection and analytic bias on the study outcome. Nine relevant studies were identified. The studies were heterogeneous with respect to outcomes and exposures assessed. Few studies reported an association between surrogate clinical outcomes and AFO proximity. A negative association was reported when odor was the measure of exposure to AFOs and self-reported disease, the measure of outcome. There was evidence of an association between self-reported disease and proximity to AFO in individuals annoyed by AFO odor.Conclusions/SignificanceThere was inconsistent evidence of a weak association between self-reported disease in people with allergies or familial history of allergies. No consistent dose response relationship between exposure and disease was observable.
BackgroundA systematic review was conducted for the association between animal feeding operations (AFOs) and the health of individuals living near AFOs.Methodology/Principal...Full Text Available
Molecular and morphological evidence unite the hemichordates and echinoderms as the Ambulacraria, but their earliest history remains almost entirely conjectural. This is on account of the morphological...Full Text Available
Full Text Available.Molecular and morphological evidence unite the hemichordates and echinoderms as the Ambulacraria, but their earliest history remains almost entirely conjectural. This is on account of the morphological disparity of the ambulacrarians and a paucity of obvious stem-groups. We describe here a new taxon Herpetogaster collinsi gen. et sp. nov. from the Burgess Shale (Middle Cambrian) Lagerstätte. This soft-bodied vermiform animal has a pair of elongate dendritic oral tentacles, a flexible stolon with an attachment disc, and a re-curved trunk with at least 13 segments that is directed dextrally. A differentiated but un-looped gut is enclosed in a sac suspended by mesenteries. It consists of a short pharynx, a conspicuous lenticular stomach, followed by a narrow intestine sub-equal in length. This new taxon, together with the Lower Cambrian Phlogites and more intriguingly the hitherto enigmatic discoidal eldoniids (Cambrian-Devonian), form a distinctive clade (herein the cambroernids). Although one hypothesis of their relationships would look to the lophotrochozoans (specifically the entoprocts), we suggest that the evidence is more consistent with their being primitive deuterostomes, with specific comparisons being made to the pterobranch hemichordates and pre-radial echinoderms. On this basis some of the earliest ambulacrarians are interpreted as soft-bodied animals with a muscular stalk, and possessing prominent tentacles.
Teaching and Learning Guide for: The Legacies of 2007 - Remapping the Black Presence in Britain
2010-01-01
This guide accompanies the following article: Caroline Bressey, `The Legacies of 2007: Remapping the Black Presence in Britain', Geographical Compass, 3(3), pp. 903-917 (doi: 10.1111/j.1749-8198.2009.00305.x) Author's Introduction The 1807/2007 commemoration of the bicentenary of the Parliamentary Act to abolish the British trans Atlantic slave trade stimulated a large number of academic and community-based projects throughout the UK. The debates over how these commemorations might be formed were intensely discussed by heritage practioners and across academic disciplines. There were no firm conclusions. These debates and the research and new heritage spaces created from them are still being formed. Geographers may engage with these projects from a number of perspectives. Firstly, geographe...
TRAUMATISMO OCULAR CON CUERPO EXTRAÑO INTRAOCULAR A PROPÓSITO DE UN CASO
2009-01-01
Full Text Available
2010-03-07
Full Text Available.AIM: To evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effects of para-aortic nodal dissection (PAND) for advanced gastric cancer.METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies comparing D2 + PAND with D2 lymphadenectomy were identified using a pre-defined search strategy. Five-year overall survival rate, post-operative mortality, and wound degree of surgery between the two operations were compared by using the methods provided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.RESULTS: Four RCTs (1120 patients) and 4 non-randomized studies (901 patients) were identified. Meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference between these two groups in 5-year overall survival rate [risk ratio (RR) 1.04 (95% CI: 0.93-1.16) for RCTs and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.83-1.10) for non-randomized studies] and post-operative mortality [RR 0.99 (95% CI: 0.44-2.24) for RCTs and 2.06 (95% CI: 0.69-6.15) for non-randomized studies]. There was a significant difference between these two groups in wound degree of surgery, operation time was significantly longer [weighted mean difference (WMD) 195.32 min (95% CI: 114.59-276.05) for RCTs and 126.07 min (95% CI: 22.09-230.04) for non-randomized studies] and blood loss was significantly greater [WMD 301 mL (95% CI: 151.55-450.45) for RCTs and 302.86 mL (95% CI: 127.89-477.84) for non-randomized studies] in D2 + PAND.CONCLUSION: D2 + PAND can be performed as safely as standard D2 resection without increasing post-operative mortality but fail to benefit overall survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
2010-03-07
AIM: To evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effects of para-aortic nodal dissection (PAND) for advanced gastric cancer.METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Here we report the case of an 18-year-old woman with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who became pregnant while undergoing treatment with dasatinib. Before pregnancy, she received imatinib mesylate therapy...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Here we report the case of an 18-year-old woman with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who became pregnant while undergoing treatment with dasatinib. Before pregnancy, she received imatinib mesylate therapy but could not tolerate the treatment. The regimen was then changed to dasatinib at a dose of 70 mg b.i.d. While she was in hematological remission and on dasatinib therapy, she became pregnant. The unplanned pregnancy was identified after the patient had experienced four weeks of amenorrhea. Because the patient elected to continue the pregnancy to term, dasatinib was stopped immediately. Meanwhile, CML hematological relapse occurred and then she was treated with interferon-α (IFN-α) (9 million IU/day) throughout the pregnancy without a complete hematological response. She successfully gave birth to a male baby at 33 weeks by cesarean section delivery with no sequelae or malformations. Although this experience is limited to a single patient, it provides a useful contribution for counselling patients inadvertently exposed to dasatinib during pregnancy.
Social parasitism in mammals with particular reference to neotropical primates
2005-06-01
Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Sleep apnea is clinically recognized as a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by recurrent apnea and/or hypopnea. Its prevalence ranges from 4% to 24%. It has been implicated as an independent...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Sleep apnea is clinically recognized as a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by recurrent apnea and/or hypopnea. Its prevalence ranges from 4% to 24%. It has been implicated as an independent risk factor for several conditions such as hypertension, stroke, arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction. Recently data has been emerging which suggests an independent association of obstructive sleep apnea with several components of the metabolic syndrome, particularly insulin resistance and abnormalities in lipid metabolism. We hereby review the salient features of the association between sleep and diabetes.
2010-03-15
Full Text Available.Dextran-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have widespread biomedical applications. The superparamagnetic behavior, specifically regulated size, and smooth morphology are crucial requirements for essentially all of these applications. Presented herein is an innovative double-coating strategy that would allow for a size-controlled synthesis of MNPs. Small monocrystalline iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) were first synthesized, which served as the source of superparamagnetic properties. These MIONs were then treated in an acetate buffer containing biocompatible dextran polymer. Under such an environment, the colloidal MIONs would be quickly agglomerated by the acetate ions, and the formed coalescent body of MION would then be stabilized simultaneously by coating with dextran. By regulating the MION or dextran concentration as well as the thermal incubation time, the sizes of these first formed nanoparticles (termed 1st-NPs) could be readily controlled. A second dextran coating step was further applied to smoothen the 1st-NPs in attaining a final product (termed 2nd-NPs). The 2nd-NPs exhibited robustly storage stability due to the additional coating shell. Results successfully confirmed the plausibility of this approach, as these MNPs displayed not only a smooth outline and a narrow size distribution, but also the essential superparamagnetic behavior and a significantly prolonged stability upon storage.
2010-03-15
Dextran-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have widespread biomedical applications. The superparamagnetic behavior, specifically regulated size, and smooth morphology are crucial...Full Text Available
Shift Work, Jet Lag, and Female Reproduction
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Circadian rhythms and “clock gene” expression are involved in successful reproductive cycles, mating, and pregnancy. Alterations or disruptions of biological rhythms, as commonly occurs in shift work, jet lag, sleep deprivation, or clock gene knock out models, are linked to significant disruptions in reproductive function. These impairments include altered hormonal secretion patterns, reduced conception rates, increased miscarriage rates and an increased risk of breast cancer. Female health may be particularly susceptible to the impact of desynchronizing work schedules as perturbed hormonal rhythms can further influence the expression patterns of clock genes. Estrogen modifies clock gene expression in the uterus, ovaries, and suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the primary circadian clock mechanism. Further work investigating clock genes, light exposure, ovarian hormones, and reproductive function will be critical for indentifying how these factors interact to impact health and susceptibility to disease.
Shift Work, Jet Lag, and Female Reproduction
2010-01-01
Circadian rhythms and “clock gene” expression are involved in successful reproductive cycles, mating, and pregnancy. Alterations or disruptions of biological rhythms, as commonly occurs...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Hemianomalous pulmonary venous drainage with intact atrial septum is a rare congenital anomaly and reports of its surgical repair and the long-term complications related to the correction are only infrequently...Full Text Available
Random Convex Hulls and Extreme Value Statistics
2009-12-04
In this paper we study the statistical properties of convex hulls of $N$ random points in a plane chosen according to a given distribution. The points may be chosen independently or they may be correlated. After a non-exhaustive survey of the somewhat sporadic literature and diverse methods used in the random convex hull problem, we present a unifying approach, based on the notion of support function of a closed curve and the associated Cauchy's formulae, that allows us to compute exactly the mean perimeter and the mean area enclosed by the convex polygon both in case of independent as well as correlated points. Our method demonstrates a beautiful link between the random convex hull problem and the subject of extreme value statistics. As an example of correlated points, we study here in detail the case when the points represent the vertices of $n$ independent random walks. In the continuum time limit this reduces to $n$ independent planar Brownian trajectories for which we compute exactly, for all $n$, the mean perimeter and the mean area of their global convex hull. Our results have relevant applications in ecology in estimating the home range of a herd of animals. Some of these results were announced recently in a short communication [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 103}, 140602 (2009)].
RR Lyrae and Type II Cepheid Variables Adhere to a Common Distance Relation
2009-12-16
Preliminary evidence is presented reaffirming that SX Phe, RR Lyrae, and Type II Cepheid variables may be characterized by a common Wesenheit period-magnitude relation, to first order. Reliable distance estimates to RR Lyrae variables and Type II Cepheids are ascertained from a single VI-based reddening-free relation derived recently from OGLE photometry of LMC Type II Cepheids. Distances are computed to RR Lyrae (d~260 pc), and variables of its class in the galaxies IC 1613, M33, Fornax dSph, LMC, SMC, and the globular clusters M3, M15, M54, omega Cen, NGC 6441, and M92. The results are consistent with literature estimates, and in the particular cases of the SMC, M33, and IC 1613, the distances agree with that inferred from classical Cepheids to within the uncertainties: no corrections were applied to account for differences in metallicity. Moreover, no significant correlation was observed between the distances computed to RR Lyrae variables in omega Cen and their metallicity, despite a considerable spread in abundance across the sample. In sum, concerns regarding a sizeable metallicity effect are allayed when employing VI-based reddening-free Cepheid and RR Lyrae relations.
Pulmonary vasodilator testing and use of calcium channel blockers in pulmonary arterial hypertension
2010-01-01
Summary Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) encompasses a number of diseases responsible for a specific set of hemodynamic findings during right heart catheterization. During initial workup, pulmonary vasodilator testing is performed. A positive acute pulmonary vasodilator test predicts better survival and response to calcium channel blocker (CCB) therapy. There is lack of consensus on the preferred agent for determining acute pulmonary vasoreactivity. The ACCP guidelines and the 4th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension support the use of intravenous epoprostenol or nitric oxide (NO) as the preferred agents for pulmonary vasodilator testing. A decrease in the mean pulmonary artery pressure by at least 10 mmHg to reach an absolute value of 40 mmHg or less without a decrease in cardia...
Protocolo de atención del recién nacido febril sin signos de focalización
1997-01-01
Full Text Available
Pharmacological treatment of burning mouth syndrome: A review and update
2007-08-01
Full Text Available
MM Algorithms for Minimizing Nonsmoothly Penalized Objective Functions
2010-01-27
In this paper, we propose a general class of algorithms for optimizing an extensive variety of nonsmoothly penalized objective functions that satisfy certain regularity conditions. The proposed framework utilizes the majorization-minimization (MM) algorithm as its core optimization engine. The resulting algorithms rely on iterated soft-thresholding, implemented componentwise, allowing for fast, stable updating that avoids the need for any high-dimensional matrix inversion. We establish a local convergence theory for this class of algorithms under weaker assumptions than previously considered in the statistical literature. We also demonstrate the exceptional effectiveness of new acceleration methods, originally proposed for the EM algorithm, in this class of problems. Simulation results and a microarray data example are provided to demonstrate the algorithm's capabilities and versatility.
Linfocito T y su papel en la enfermedad periodontal: Revisión de la literatura
2008-06-01
Full Text Available
La oclusión como factor etiopatológico en los trastornos temporomandibulares
2007-06-01
Full Text Available
La educación superior en México desde la mirada de la revista Perfiles Educativos
2008-01-01
Full Text Available
La Discusión académica sobre los experimentos de los agricultores una síntesis
2008-03-01
Full Text Available
2010-01-01
In this paper, we study a single-product inventory system which involves a supplier, a retailer, and differentiated customers. The supplier provides products to the retailer which in turn sells products to its customers. The supplier is unreliable and is subject to random disruptions. The retailer adopts a periodic-review inventory policy, under which the retailer reviews its inventory position every a fixed period of time and decides whether a replenishment is needed or not. Partial backordering is applied when a stockout occurs. That is, under the situations of stockouts, customers can choose either to backorder products or to abandon the purchase. Customers are segmented into two classes according to their backordering probabilities. The customer class with high backordering probability...
Ileocolonic mucormycosis in adult immunocompromised patients: A surgeon’s perspective
2010-03-07
We report three cases of ileocolic mucormycosis in adult immunocompromised patients presenting as acute abdomen. All patients underwent laparotomy but two of them died from multiorgan failure before...Full Text Available
1995-09-01
This document is a transcript of an interview of Dr. John Randolph Tottler by representatives of the US DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments. Dr. Tottler was selected for this interview because of his career with the Atomic Energy Commission Division of Biology and Medicine (DBM), particularly as its director from 1967 to 1972. After a short biographical sketch Dr. Tottler discusses his remembrances on a wide range topics including nucleic acid and leukemia research at Oak Ridge, AEC biochemistry training in South America, DBM`s research focus on radiation effects, early leadership of DBM, relations with the US Public Health Service, controversies on low-level radiation, iodine from fallout, on John Gofman, and Project Plowshare, funding for AEC Research Programs and for international research, testicular irradiation of prisoners in Washington State and Oregon, Plutonium injections, ethics of government radiation research, and opinions of public misperceptions about radiation and cancer.
1995-06-01
This report is a transcript of an interview of William J. Blair by representatives of the US DOE Office of Human Radiation Experiments. Dr. Blair was selected for this interview because of of his participation in the University of Rochester Atomic Energy Project and for his radiological inhalation research at Hanford Site. After a brief biographical sketch Dr. Blair discusses his remembrances on a wide rage of topics. Discussions include his graduate studies at Rochester University, use of human subjects at Rochester, his inhalation studies, his limited involvement with human studies, differing biological effects of plutonium 238 and 239, emissions from proposed nuclear-propelled aircraft, cancer research, cleanup at Nevada Test Site and Marshall Islands, impact of Langham studies to understand Plutonium exposure, and AEC controversies and colleagues.
Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop with Rough Surfaces, a Literature Survey
1964-05-15
This literature survey deals with changes in heat transfer coefficient and friction factor with varying nature and degree of roughness. Experimental data cover mainly the turbulent flow region for both air and water as flow mediums. Semiempirical analysis about changes in heat transfer coefficient due to roughness has been included. An example of how to use these data to design a heat exchanger surface is also cited. The extreme case of large fins has not been considered. Available literature between 1933 - 1963 has been covered.
Gruppesupervision af læger på onkologisk afdeling
2009-01-01
Læger i et moderne sundhedsvæsen stÃ¥r over for tiltagende komplekse problemstillinger, hvor de er nødt til at forholde sig refleksivt til deres profession. At arbejde med meget syge mennesker kan være særligt belastende, nÃ¥r personalet kan identificere sig med patienterne. SÃ¥ledes foreligger der dokumentation for, at hver tredje læge i onkologien har psykiske problemer som følge af sit arbejde (Graham & Ramirez, 2002). Artiklen redegør for nogle af onkologiske lægers arbejdsmæssige belastninger i krydsfeltet mellem komplekse arbejdsÂopgaver, som de ofte ikke er udrustet til at hÃ¥ndtere, deres generelle arbejdsmæssige betingelser og deres faglige kultur. Dernæst beskrives supervision som en bÃ¥de specifik og kompleks interventionspraksis, der i dag har vundet stor udbredelse i den livslange læring pÃ¥ forskelligartede arbejdssteder. Supervision er en intervention, der er velegnet til at kvalificere og udvikle medarbejderes kompetencer, til at skabe forandring og mestring af praksis samt til at opnÃ¥ forstÃ¥else af den gensidige indvirkning mellem personlighedsmæssige forhold og arbejdsfunktion. Supervision kan sÃ¥ledes ses som en metode til at undgÃ¥ eller begrænse arbejdsmiljømæssige belastningsreaktioner, idet de nævnte forhold udgør en mange-facetteret fremmelse af copingstrategier. Kort gennemgÃ¥s empiriske fund inden for dette omrÃ¥de. Artiklens sidste del fokuserer pÃ¥ (a) de konkrete vanskeligheder, der har været i forbindelse med etablering af en supervisionsgruppe for læger pÃ¥ onkologisk afdeling, (b) lægernes oplevelser af supervisionens gavnlige indvirkning pÃ¥ deres kompetencer, selvforstÃ¥else og trivsel, og (c) de observerede fordele ved gruppesupervision. Undervejs inddrages en række kliniske vignetter. Idet den ene af forfatterne er afdelingens supervisor, er der metodemæssigt tale om en deltagerobservation.
Geoepidemiology and autoimmune manifestations of lymphoproliferative disorders
2010-01-01
The pathogenesis of lymphoproliferative disorders represents an underlying dysfunction in lymphocyte development and homeostasis. This typically manifests with the accumulation of lymphocytes in the bone marrow, peripheral blood or lymph nodes and spleen. It has been hypothesized that the mechanism for elimination of dysfunctional and autoreactive lymphocytes is defective and contributes to the pathogenesis of these disorders. Based on this hypothesis, it would not be surprising to find an increased incidence of autoimmune manifestations that are associated with these disorders. Autoimmune paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are often the result of a dysfunctional immune response, which is related to an underlying malignant process. While all the PNS that are associated with lymphoproliferative...
Estrategias de los médicos para hacer frente a la crisis de la profesión
2005-06-01
Full Text Available
Effect of feeding regimens on circadian rhythms: Implications for aging and longevity
Increased longevity and improved health can be achieved in mammals by two feeding regimens, caloric restriction (CR), which limits...Full Text Available
Effect of feeding regimens on circadian rhythms: Implications for aging and longevity
Full Text Available. Increased longevity and improved health can be achieved in mammals by two feeding regimens, caloric restriction (CR), which limits the amount of daily calorie intake, and intermittent fasting (IF), which allows the food to be availablead libitum every other day. The precise mechanisms mediating these beneficial effects are still unresolved. Resetting the circadian clock is another intervention that can lead to increased life span and well being, while clock disruption is associated with aging and morbidity. Currently, a large body of evidence links circadian rhythms with metabolism and feeding regimens. In particular, CR, and possibly also IF, can entrain the master clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the brain hypothalamus. These findings raise the hypothesis that the beneficial effects exerted by these feeding regimens could be mediated, at least in part, through resetting of the circadian clock, thus leading to synchrony in metabolism and physiology. This hypothesis is reinforced by a transgenic mouse model showing spontaneously reduced eating alongside robust circadian rhythms and increased life span. This review will summarize recent findings concerning the relationships between feeding regimens, circadian rhythms, and metabolism with implications for ageing attenuation and life span extension.
Full Text Available.BackgroundThere is conclusive evidence from observational data and three randomized controlled trials that circumcised men have a significantly lower risk of becoming infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The aim of this study was to systematically review economic evaluations on adult male circumcision (AMC) for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men.Methods and FindingsStudies were identified from the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane Library (Wiley's internet version), NHS EED and DARE Office of Health Economics HEED. The searches were conducted in November 2009. The Drummond 10-point checklist was used for methodological critique of the economic evaluations. Cost data were inflated and converted to 2008 US dollars (US$). Of 264 identified papers, only five met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The studies were published between 2006 and 2009. Most of the studies were carried out from the perspective of government healthcare payer. The time horizon ranged from 10 to 20 years. All studies reported that AMC is cost-effective. The reported cost per HIV infection averted ranged from US$174 to US$2808. The key driver of the cost-effectiveness models was circumcision efficacy.ConclusionsAll published economic evaluations offered the same conclusion that AMC is cost-effective and potentially cost-saving for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men. On these grounds, AMC may be seen as a promising new form of strategy for prevention of HIV and should be implemented in conjunction with other evidence-based prevention methods.
BackgroundThere is conclusive evidence from observational data and three randomized controlled trials that circumcised men have a significantly lower risk of becoming infected with...Full Text Available
Diverticulosis yeyunal: una causa infrecuente de hemorragia digestiva. Caso clínico
2000-10-01
Full Text Available
Distracción osteogénica del reborde alveolar: revisión de la literatura
2004-10-01
Full Text Available
Costo efectividad de dos alternativas de tratamiento de la estenosis mitral
2004-01-01
Full Text Available
Construção, Adaptação e Validação da Escala de Auto‑Eficácia Académica (EAEA)
2006-01-01
Full Text Available
2010-03-09
Full Text Available.BackgroundThere is controversy about which children with minor head injury need to undergo computed tomography (CT). We aimed to develop a highly sensitive clinical decision rule for the use of CT in children with minor head injury.MethodsFor this multicentre cohort study, we enrolled consecutive children with blunt head trauma presenting with a score of 13–15 on the Glasgow Coma Scale and loss of consciousness, amnesia, disorientation, persistent vomiting or irritability. For each child, staff in the emergency department completed a standardized assessment form before any CT. The main outcomes were need for neurologic intervention and presence of brain injury as determined by CT. We developed a decision rule by using recursive partitioning to combine variables that were both reliable and strongly associated with the outcome measures and thus to find the best combinations of predictor variables that were highly sensitive for detecting the outcome measures with maximal specificity.ResultsAmong the 3866 patients enrolled (mean age 9.2 years), 95 (2.5%) had a score of 13 on the Glasgow Coma Scale, 282 (7.3%) had a score of 14, and 3489 (90.2%) had a score of 15. CT revealed that 159 (4.1%) had a brain injury, and 24 (0.6%) underwent neurologic intervention. We derived a decision rule for CT of the head consisting of four high-risk factors (failure to reach score of 15 on the Glasgow coma scale within two hours, suspicion of open skull fracture, worsening headache and irritability) and three additional medium-risk factors (large, boggy hematoma of the scalp; signs of basal skull fracture; dangerous mechanism of injury). The high-risk factors were 100.0% sensitive (95% CI 86.2%–100.0%) for predicting the need for neurologic intervention and would require that 30.2% of patients undergo CT. The medium-risk factors resulted in 98.1% sensitivity (95% CI 94.6%–99.4%) for the prediction of brain injury by CT and would require that 52.0% of patients undergo CT.InterpretationThe decision rule developed in this study identifies children at two levels of risk. Once the decision rule has been prospectively validated, it has the potential to standardize and improve the use of CT for children with minor head injury.
2010-03-09
BackgroundThere is controversy about which children with minor head injury need to undergo computed tomography (CT). We aimed to develop a highly sensitive clinical decision rule...Full Text Available
Aquaculture Information Package
1998-01-01
This package of information is intended to provide background to developers of geothermal aquaculture projects. The material is divided into eight sections and includes information on market and price information for typical species, aquaculture water quality issues, typical species culture information, pond heat loss calculations, an aquaculture glossary, regional and university aquaculture offices and state aquaculture permit requirements.
Adaptive and aberrant reward prediction signals in the human brain
2010-04-01
Full Text Available.AbstractTheories of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia hypothesize a role for aberrant reinforcement signaling driven by dysregulated dopamine transmission. Recently, we provided evidence of aberrant reward learning in symptomatic, but not asymptomatic patients with schizophrenia, using a novel paradigm, the Salience Attribution Test (SAT). The SAT is a probabilistic reward learning game that employs cues that vary across task-relevant and task-irrelevant dimensions; it provides behavioral indices of adaptive and aberrant reward learning. As an initial step prior to future clinical studies, here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural basis of adaptive and aberrant reward learning during the SAT in healthy volunteers. As expected, cues associated with high relative to low reward probabilities elicited robust hemodynamic responses in a network of structures previously implicated in motivational salience; the midbrain, in the vicinity of the ventral tegmental area, and regions targeted by its dopaminergic projections, i.e. medial dorsal thalamus, ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Responses in the medial dorsal thalamus and polar PFC were strongly correlated with the degree of adaptive reward learning across participants. Finally, and most importantly, differential dorsolateral PFC and middle temporal gyrus (MTG) responses to cues with identical reward probabilities were very strongly correlated with the degree of aberrant reward learning. Participants who showed greater aberrant learning exhibited greater dorsolateral PFC responses, and reduced MTG responses, to cues erroneously inferred to be less strongly associated with reward. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for different theories of associative learning.
Adaptive and aberrant reward prediction signals in the human brain
2010-04-01
AbstractTheories of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia hypothesize a role for aberrant reinforcement signaling driven by dysregulated dopamine transmission. Recently, we provided...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Background Accurate grading of dermatologic adverse events (AE) due to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors (EGFRIs) is necessary for drug toxicity determinations, interagent comparisons, and supportive care trials. The most widely used severity grading scale, the National Cancer Instituteâs Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 (NCI-CTCAE v4.0), was not designed specifically for this class of agents and may result in underreporting and poor grading of distinctive adverse events. We believe a class-specific grading scale is needed to help standardize assessment and improve reporting of EGFRI-associated dermatologic AEs. Methods The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Skin Toxicity Study Group conducted an international multidi...
A Survey of Stimulation Methods Used in SSVEP-Based BCIs
2010-01-01
Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems based on the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) provide higher information throughput and require shorter training than BCI systems using other brain...Full Text Available
A PubMed-Wide Associational Study of Infectious Diseases
Full Text Available.BackgroundComputational discovery is playing an ever-greater role in supporting the processes of knowledge synthesis. A significant proportion of the more than 18 million manuscripts indexed in the PubMed database describe infectious disease syndromes and various infectious agents. This study is the first attempt to integrate online repositories of text-based publications and microbial genome databases in order to explore the dynamics of relationships between pathogens and infectious diseases.Methodology/Principal FindingsHerein we demonstrate how the knowledge space of infectious diseases can be computationally represented and quantified, and tracked over time. The knowledge space is explored by mapping of the infectious disease literature, looking at dynamics of literature deposition, zooming in from pathogen to genome level and searching for new associations. Syndromic signatures for different pathogens can be created to enable a new and clinically focussed reclassification of the microbial world. Examples of syndrome and pathogen networks illustrate how multilevel network representations of the relationships between infectious syndromes, pathogens and pathogen genomes can illuminate unexpected biological similarities in disease pathogenesis and epidemiology.Conclusions/SignificanceThis new approach based on text and data mining can support the discovery of previously hidden associations between diseases and microbial pathogens, clinically relevant reclassification of pathogenic microorganisms and accelerate the translational research enterprise.
A PubMed-Wide Associational Study of Infectious Diseases
BackgroundComputational discovery is playing an ever-greater role in supporting the processes of knowledge synthesis. A significant proportion of the more than 18 million manuscripts...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Solitary small bowel metastasis secondary to lung cancer is very uncommon. In this report, we present a patient with NSCLC and a metachronous solitary metastasis of the jejunum. She is alive without...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Full Text Available.Solitary small bowel metastasis secondary to lung cancer is very uncommon. In this report, we present a patient with NSCLC and a metachronous solitary metastasis of the jejunum. She is alive without evidence of disease and doing well four years after palliative surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report describing a prolonged survival in a patient with a symptomatic solitary small bowel metastasis treated with palliative surgery, chemo- and radiotherapy instead of complete surgical resection.
Literature survey of blast and fire effects of nuclear weapons on urban areas
1982-06-01
The American literature of the past 30 years on fire and blast effects of nuclear weapons on urban areas has been surveyed. The relevant work is briefly sketched and areas where information is apparently lacking are noted. This report is intended to provide the basis for suggesting research priorities in the fire and blast effects area for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is also intended to provide entry into the literature for researchers. over 850 references are given.
Website Policies and Important Links Comments
 |
 |
 |
WorldWideScience.org is maintained by the
U.S. Department of Energy's
Office of Scientific and Technical Information as the Operating Agent
for the WorldWideScience Alliance.