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Sample records for diagnosis-related groups

  1. The debate over diagnosis related groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiegel, A D; Kavaler, F

    1985-01-01

    With the advent of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) using Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) as a classification method, the pros and cons of that mechanism have been sharply debated. Grouping the comments into categories related to administration/management, DRG system and quality of care, a review of relevant literature highlights the pertinent attitudes and views of professionals and organizations. Points constantly argued include data utilization, meaningful medical classifications, resource use, gaming, profit centers, patient homogeneity, severity of illness, length of stay, technology limitations and the erosion of standards.

  2. Comparing EU hospital efficiency using diagnosis-related groups

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rhodes, G.; Wiley, M.; Tomas, R.; Casas, M.; Leidl, R.

    1997-01-01

    This article considers the feasibility of comparing the differences in efficiency and price in the provision of hospital products defined on the basis of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Two measures of resource use are compared, the length of stay and the administrative price, both independently

  3. Australian diagnosis related groups: Drivers of complexity adjustment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Terri; Dimitropoulos, Vera; Madden, Richard; Gillett, Steve

    2015-11-01

    In undertaking a major revision to the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Group (ARDRG) classification, we set out to contrast Australia's approach to using data on additional (not principal) diagnoses with major international approaches in splitting base or Adjacent Diagnosis Related Groups (ADRGs). Comparative policy analysis/narrative review of peer-reviewed and grey literature on international approaches to use of additional (secondary) diagnoses in the development of Australian and international DRG systems. European and US approaches to characterise complexity of inpatient care are well-documented, providing useful points of comparison with Australia's. Australia, with good data sources, has continued to refine its national DRG classification using increasingly sophisticated approaches. Hospital funders in Australia and in other systems are often under pressure from provider groups to expand classifications to reflect clinical complexity. DRG development in most healthcare systems reviewed here reflects four critical factors: these socio-political factors, the quality and depth of the coded data available to characterise the mix of cases in a healthcare system, the size of the underlying population, and the intended scope and use of the classification. Australia's relatively small national population has constrained the size of its DRG classifications, and development has been concentrated on inpatient care in public hospitals. Development of casemix classifications in health care is driven by both technical and socio-political factors. Use of additional diagnoses to adjust for patient complexity and cost needs to respond to these in each casemix application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Nursing dependency, diagnosis-related groups, and length of hospital stay

    OpenAIRE

    Halloran, Edward J.; Kiley, Marylou

    1987-01-01

    Most efforts to modify the diagnosis-related group (DRG) case classification system focus on variables related to medical management. In this study, we investigated the separate but related natures of medicine and nursing by examining 1,288 adult medical and surgical patients in an urban teaching hospital. The complexity of medical treatment was measured by use of the DRG relative cost weight. The nursing indicator was derived from a set of nursing diagnoses. We found that the DRG cost weight...

  5. Comparison of alternative weight recalibration methods for diagnosis-related groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogowski, Jeannette Roskamp; Byrne, Daniel J.

    1990-01-01

    In this article, alternative methodologies for recalibration of the diagnosis-related group (DRG) weights are examined. Based on 1984 data, cost and charge-based weights are less congruent than those calculated with 1981 data. Previous studies using 1981 data demonstrated that cost- and charge-based weights were not very different. Charge weights result in higher payments to surgical DRGs and lower payments to medical DRGs, relative to cost weights. At the provider level, charge weights result in higher payments to large urban hospitals and teaching hospitals, relative to cost weights. PMID:10113568

  6. Review of Diagnosis-Related Group-Based Financing of Hospital Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natasa Mihailovic

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Since the 1990s, diagnosis-related group (DRG-based payment systems were gradually introduced in many countries. The main design characteristics of a DRG-based payment system are an exhaustive patient case classification system (ie, the system of diagnosis-related groupings and the payment formula, which is based on the base rate multiplied by a relative cost weight specific for each DRG. Cases within the same DRG code group are expected to undergo similar clinical evolution. Consecutively, they should incur the costs of diagnostics and treatment within a predefined scale. Such predictability was proven in a number of cost-of-illness studies conducted on major prosperity diseases alongside clinical trials on efficiency. This was the case with risky pregnancies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression, alcohol addiction, hepatitis, and cancer. This article presents experience of introduced DRG-based payments in countries of western and eastern Europe, Scandinavia, United States, Canada, and Australia. This article presents the results of few selected reviews and systematic reviews of the following evidence: published reports on health system reforms by World Health Organization, World Bank, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, and Centre for Health Economics University of York. Diverse payment systems have different strengths and weaknesses in relation to the various objectives. The advantages of the DRG payment system are reflected in the increased efficiency and transparency and reduced average length of stay. The disadvantage of DRG is creating financial incentives toward earlier hospital discharges. Occasionally, such polices are not in full accordance with the clinical benefit priorities.

  7. Funding intensive care - approaches in systems using diagnosis-related groups.

    OpenAIRE

    Ettelt, S; Nolte, E

    2010-01-01

    This report reviews approaches to funding intensive care in health systems that use activitybased payment mechanisms based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) to reimburse hospital care. The report aims to inform the current debate about options for funding intensive care services for adults, children and newborns in England. Funding mechanisms reviewed here include those in Australia (Victoria), Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United States (Medicare). Approaches to org...

  8. Diagnosis related group grouping study of senile cataract patients based on E-CHAID algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Ai-Jing; Chang, Wei-Fu; Xin, Zi-Rui; Ling, Hao; Li, Jun-Jie; Dai, Ping-Ping; Deng, Xuan-Tong; Zhang, Lei; Li, Shao-Gang

    2018-01-01

    AIM To figure out the contributed factors of the hospitalization expenses of senile cataract patients (HECP) and build up an area-specified senile cataract diagnosis related group (DRG) of Shanghai thereby formulating the reference range of HECP and providing scientific basis for the fair use and supervision of the health care insurance fund. METHODS The data was collected from the first page of the medical records of 22 097 hospitalized patients from tertiary hospitals in Shanghai from 2010 to 2012 whose major diagnosis were senile cataract. Firstly, we analyzed the influence factors of HECP using univariate and multivariate analysis. DRG grouping was conducted according to the exhaustive Chi-squared automatic interaction detector (E-CHAID) model, using HECP as target variable. Finally we evaluated the grouping results using non-parametric test such as Kruskal-Wallis H test, RIV, CV, etc. RESULTS The 6 DRGs were established as well as criterion of HECP, using age, sex, type of surgery and whether complications/comorbidities occurred as the key variables of classification node of senile cataract cases. CONCLUSION The grouping of senile cataract cases based on E-CHAID algorithm is reasonable. And the criterion of HECP based on DRG can provide a feasible way of management in the fair use and supervision of medical insurance fund. PMID:29487824

  9. Diagnosis related group grouping study of senile cataract patients based on E-CHAID algorithm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Ai-Jing; Chang, Wei-Fu; Xin, Zi-Rui; Ling, Hao; Li, Jun-Jie; Dai, Ping-Ping; Deng, Xuan-Tong; Zhang, Lei; Li, Shao-Gang

    2018-01-01

    To figure out the contributed factors of the hospitalization expenses of senile cataract patients (HECP) and build up an area-specified senile cataract diagnosis related group (DRG) of Shanghai thereby formulating the reference range of HECP and providing scientific basis for the fair use and supervision of the health care insurance fund. The data was collected from the first page of the medical records of 22 097 hospitalized patients from tertiary hospitals in Shanghai from 2010 to 2012 whose major diagnosis were senile cataract. Firstly, we analyzed the influence factors of HECP using univariate and multivariate analysis. DRG grouping was conducted according to the exhaustive Chi-squared automatic interaction detector (E-CHAID) model, using HECP as target variable. Finally we evaluated the grouping results using non-parametric test such as Kruskal-Wallis H test, RIV, CV, etc. The 6 DRGs were established as well as criterion of HECP, using age, sex, type of surgery and whether complications/comorbidities occurred as the key variables of classification node of senile cataract cases. The grouping of senile cataract cases based on E-CHAID algorithm is reasonable. And the criterion of HECP based on DRG can provide a feasible way of management in the fair use and supervision of medical insurance fund.

  10. Diagnosis related group grouping study of senile cataract patients based on E-CHAID algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ai-Jing Luo

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To figure out the contributed factors of the hospitalization expenses of senile cataract patients (HECP and build up an area-specified senile cataract diagnosis related group (DRG of Shanghai thereby formulating the reference range of HECP and providing scientific basis for the fair use and supervision of the health care insurance fund. METHODS: The data was collected from the first page of the medical records of 22 097 hospitalized patients from tertiary hospitals in Shanghai from 2010 to 2012 whose major diagnosis were senile cataract. Firstly, we analyzed the influence factors of HECP using univariate and multivariate analysis. DRG grouping was conducted according to the exhaustive Chi-squared automatic interaction detector (E-CHAID model, using HECP as target variable. Finally we evaluated the grouping results using non-parametric test such as Kruskal-Wallis H test, RIV, CV, etc. RESULTS: The 6 DRGs were established as well as criterion of HECP, using age, sex, type of surgery and whether complications/comorbidities occurred as the key variables of classification node of senile cataract cases. CONCLUSION: The grouping of senile cataract cases based on E-CHAID algorithm is reasonable. And the criterion of HECP based on DRG can provide a feasible way of management in the fair use and supervision of medical insurance fund.

  11. Dental health economics and diagnosis related groups/casemix in Indonesian dentistry

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    Ronnie Rivany

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Dental Health Economics is a branch of transdiciplinary science that refers to the Economic and Public Health science. On the other hand, in other developed countries, Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG’s /Casemix has been used as a basic in creating the same perception between providers, patients and insurance companies in many aspects such as health planning, healthcare financing and quality assurance. Purpose: The objective of this review is to propose a new paradigm of economics to be applied in Indonesian Dentistry. Reviews: The Dental Health Economics should be considered as an important aspect in Indonesian Dentistry, which is used to determine the dental treatment fee based on unit cost, cost containment, and cost recovery rate analysis. Referring to Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Group, health care industry in Indonesia has starting to try a more structured way in grouping disease pattern in order to come up with more precise health care services to their patients. The on going development of Indonesian DRG’s is meant to confirm the disease pattern and partition. Conclusion: The development of Indonesian DRG’s concept, especially the Dental & Oral Disorders, needs a new paradigm, so the practitioners and academics could group and calculate the unit cost from each dental treatment according to the Indonesian DRG version (INA-DRG’s.

  12. Redefining diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) for palliative care - a cross-sectional study in two German centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogl, Matthias; Schildmann, Eva; Leidl, Reiner; Hodiamont, Farina; Kalies, Helen; Maier, Bernd Oliver; Schlemmer, Marcus; Roller, Susanne; Bausewein, Claudia

    2018-04-05

    Hospital costs and cost drivers in palliative care are poorly analysed. It remains unknown whether current German Diagnosis-Related Groups, mainly relying on main diagnosis or procedure, reproduce costs adequately. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse costs and reimbursement for inpatient palliative care and to identify relevant cost drivers. Two-center, standardised micro-costing approach with patient-level cost calculations and analysis of the reimbursement situation for patients receiving palliative care at two German hospitals (7/2012-12/2013). Data were analysed for the total group receiving hospital care covering, but not exclusively, palliative care (group A) and the subgroup receiving palliative care only (group B). Patient and care characteristics predictive of inpatient costs of palliative care were derived by generalised linear models and investigated by classification and regression tree analysis. Between 7/2012 and 12/2013, 2151 patients received care in the two hospitals including, but not exclusively, on the PCUs (group A). In 2013, 784 patients received care on the two PCUs only (group B). Mean total costs per case were € 7392 (SD 7897) (group A) and € 5763 (SD 3664) (group B), mean total reimbursement per case € 5155 (SD 6347) (group A) and € 4278 (SD 2194) (group B). For group A/B on the ward, 58%/67% of the overall costs and 48%/53%, 65%/82% and 64%/72% of costs for nursing, physicians and infrastructure were reimbursed, respectively. Main diagnosis did not significantly influence costs. However, duration of palliative care and total length of stay were (related to the cost calculation method) identified as significant cost drivers. Related to the cost calculation method, total length of stay and duration of palliative care were identified as significant cost drivers. In contrast, main diagnosis did not reflect costs. In addition, results show that reimbursement within the German Diagnosis-Related Groups system does not

  13. Introducing diagnosis-related groups: is the information system ready?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jian, Weiyan; Lu, Ming; Han, Wei; Hu, Mu

    2016-01-01

    Diagnosis-related group (DRG) system is a classification system widely used in health managements, the foundation of which lies in the medical information system. A large effort had been made to improve the quality of discharge data before the introduction of DRGs in Beijing. We extract discharge data from 108 local hospitals spanning 4 years before and after standardization to evaluate the impact of standardization on DRG grouping performance. The data was grouped on an annual basis in accordance with Beijing's local DRG system. Proportion of ungrouped data, coefficient of variation (CV) and reduction in variance (RIV) were used to measure the performance of the DRG system. Both the descriptive and regression analysis indicate a significant reduction in terms of ungrouped data and CV for expenditure, increase of RIV for expenditure and length of stay. However, when there was no intervention, that is, between 2005 and 2006 and between 2008 and 2009, changes in these indicators were all insignificant. Therefore, the standardization of discharge data did improve data quality and consequently enhanced the performance of DRGs. Developing countries with a relatively weak information infrastructure should strengthen their medical information system before the introduction of the DRG system. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Distribution des durées de séjour par Diagnosis Related Group

    OpenAIRE

    Eggli, Yves; Koehn, Véronique; Paccaud, Fred; Moyard M. (Collab.),

    1988-01-01

    Ce cahier fournit les principales informations concernant les durées de séjour et le nombre de sorties observées dans 33 hôpitaux suisses pour l'années 1984. La description des clientèles hospitalières est fondée sur les "Diagnosis Related Groups" (DRG), qui forment une classification de 472 groupes de patients hospitalisés. [Auteurs, p. 1

  15. Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG and Hospital Business Performance Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szynkiewicz Piotr

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this article is to present the possibility of using Diagnosis- Related Groups (DRG in the hospital management process and to analyse the need for business performance management on the part of hospital management staff. The following research methods were used: literature analysis, case studies, and poll analysis. It is not possible to increase the effectiveness of operation of healthcare entities without increasing the importance of IT systems and using DRG more effectively in the management process. Training users in IT and the use of DRGs is important to achieving hospital effectiveness. The increased importance of analyses and planning in a hospital should be reflected in the organisational structure of service providers. Hospital controllers should have a similar role to those present in most companies in other industries.

  16. Appendectomy and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries

    OpenAIRE

    Quentin, Wilm; Scheller-Kreinsen, David; Geissler, Alexander; Busse, Reinhard

    2012-01-01

    Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e., Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their diagnosis-related groups (DRG) systems deal with appendectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of appendicitis treated with a procedure ...

  17. Testing a diagnosis-related group index for skilled nursing facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotterill, Philip G.

    1986-01-01

    Interest in case-mix measures for use in nursing home payment systems has been stimulated by the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for short-term acute-care hospitals. Appropriately matching payment with care needs is important to equitably compensate providers and to encourage them to admit patients who are most in need of nursing home care. The skilled nursing facility (SNF) Medicare benefit covers skilled convalescent or rehabilitative care following a hospital stay. Therefore, it might appear that diagnosis-related groups (DRG's), the basis for patient classification in PPS, could also be used for the Medicare SNF program. In this study, a DRG-based case-mix index (CMI) was developed and tested to determine how well it explains cost differences among SNF's. The results suggest that a DRG-based SNF payment system would be highly problematic. Incentives of this system would appear to discourage placement of patients who require relatively expensive care. PMID:10311674

  18. O desenvolvimento dos "Diagnosis Related Groups"- DRGs. Metodologia de classificação de pacientes hospitalares The development of "Diagnosis Related Groups" - DRGs, a methodology for classifying hospital patients

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    Marina F. Noronha

    1991-06-01

    Full Text Available É descrito o processo de desenvolvimento do sistema de classificação de pacientes internados em hospitais que atendem casos agudos, denominada Diagnosis Relatd Group - DRGs, desenvolvido e difundido por pesquisadores da Universidade de Yale, USA. Esse sistema vem a ser um instrumento que permite a mensuração do produto hospitalar, principalmente sob o ponto de vista gerencial. São apresentadas considerações acerca do que é entendido como produto hospitalar, seguindo nos meandros do desenvolvimento dos primeiros DRGs, até a mais recente revisão do sistema. É descrita sua utilização em alguns países e diversos usos potenciais desse sistema, que abrangem desde o uso para pagamento a instrumento de controle de qualidade.The history of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG's, a system for classifying patients in acute care hospitals, developed by researchers at Yale University, USA, is reviewed. DRGs are an instrument for measuring the hospital product, primarily from a management viewpoint. Starting with a review of the definitions of hospital product, the article follows the course from the first DRGs through the most recent revision, providing a summary of potential and current applications of the system in several countries, which range from payment mechanism to uses in quality control.

  19. Group & Intergroup Relations in Living Human Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-06-01

    organizational diagnosis , the group is itself a living human system. A group may be underbounded, overbounded, or optimally bounded. The state of group...very im- portant to understand and to use in order to conduct organizational diagnosis " using group methods. 2 -43 (Alderfer, 1977b). The group...Boundary Relations and Organizational Diagnosis . In H. Meltzer and F.W. Wickert (eds.) Humanizing Organizational Behavior. Springfield, Illinois: Thomas

  20. [Innovative culture and diagnosis related groups in a high complexity hospital, Colombia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorbanev, Iouri; Agudelo-Londoño, Sandra; Cortes, Ariel; Yepes, Francisco J

    2016-04-01

    Objectives To characterize the perception of Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) as an innovation among physicians, nurses and administrative staff in a hospital in Colombia. Methods A case study of innovative culture in a hospital. Surveys and focus groups were carried out with the medical, nursing and administrative staff. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the perceptions of innovative culture. Comparative analysis was done between professional groups. The results of the focus groups were transcribed and analyzed to deepen the findings of the surveys. Results Significant differences were found in perceptions of the innovative culture. The nursing staff were more enthusiastic than doctors when evaluating the innovative culture and leadership. Physicians felt more autonomy when discussing professional issues. Administrative staff assessed the Hospital's disposition to acquire new medical technologies as higher than that of physicians. The three groups know little about DRG's. Conclusions When implementing a health innovation it is advisable to analyze its effect on the professionals who participate in the implementation. Physicians perceive DRGs as a threat to their professional autonomy, while nurses see it as a pro-innovation force. It is important to involve nursing and administrative staff when implementing this kind of innovation.

  1. Becoming the denigrated other: Group relations perspectives on initial reactions to a bipolar disorder diagnosis

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    Susan G. Goldberg

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The initial reactions to a bipolar disorder diagnosis of research participants in a small, qualitative study consisted of astonishment, dread of being mad, and extremely negative associations. All had prior mental health diagnoses, including episodes of severe depression (all but one and alcoholism (one. All participants reported mental health histories prediagnosis and most had spent years contending with mental health labels, medications, symptoms, and hospitalizations. In addition, most participants were highly educated health professionals, quite familiar with the behaviors that the medical system considered to comprise bipolar disorder. Their negative associations to the initial bipolar disorder diagnosis, therefore, appeared inconsistent with their mental health histories and professional knowledge. This article contextualizes these initial reactions of shock and distress and proposes interpretations of these findings from societal and psychodynamic group relations perspectives. The participants’ initial negative reactions are conceptualized as involving the terror of being transported from the group of normal people into the group of mad or crazy people, i.e., people with mental illnesses, who may constitute a societal denigrated other.

  2. Case mix measures and diagnosis-related groups: opportunities and threats for inpatient dermatology.

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    Hensen, P; Fürstenberg, T; Luger, T A; Steinhoff, M; Roeder, N

    2005-09-01

    The changing healthcare environment world-wide is leading to extensive use of per case payment systems based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG). The aim of this study was to examine the impact of application of different DRG systems used in the German healthcare system. We retrospectively analysed 2334 clinical data sets of inpatients discharged from an academic dermatological inpatient unit in 2003. Data were regarded as providing high coding quality in compliance with the diagnosis and procedure classifications as well as coding standards. The application of the Australian AR-DRG version 4.1, the German G-DRG version 1.0, and the German G-DRG version 2004 was considered in detail. To evaluate more specific aspects, data were broken down into 11 groups based on the principle diagnosis. DRG cost weights and case mix index were used to compare coverage of inpatient dermatological services. Economic impacts were illustrated by case mix volumes and calculation of DRG payments. Case mix index results and the pending prospective revenues vary tremendously from the application of one or another of the DRG systems. The G-DRG version 2004 provides increased levels of case mix index that encourages, in particular, medical dermatology. The AR-DRG version 4.1 and the first German DRG version 1.0 appear to be less suitable to adequately cover inpatient dermatology. The G-DRG version 2004 has been greatly improved, probably due to proceeding calculation standards and DRG adjustments. The future of inpatient dermatology is subject to appropriate depiction of well-established treatment standards.

  3. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Gerli Paat-Ahi; Ain Aaviksoo; Maria Świderek

    2014-01-01

    Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectom...

  4. Diagnosis-Related Groups for Stroke in Europe: Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Peltola, Mikko; Quentin, Wilm

    2013-01-01

    Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich. This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively. Background: Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are increasingly being used for various purposes in many countries. However, there are no studies comparing different DRG systems...

  5. Acute myocardial infarction and diagnosis-related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Rätto, Hanna; Peltola, Mikko; Busse, Reinhard; Häkkinen, Unto

    2013-01-01

    Aims As part of the diagnosis related groups in Europe (EuroDRG) project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) compared how their DRG systems deal with patients admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aims to assist cardiologists and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods and results National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Diagnosis-related group classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify AMI patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 4 DRGs in Estonia and 16 DRGs in France). The most complex DRG is valued 11 times more resource intensive than an index case in Estonia but only 1.38 times more resource intensive than an index case in England. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only €420 in Poland but to €7930 in Ireland. Conclusions Large variation exists in the classification of AMI patients across Europe. Cardiologists and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify AMI patients in order to identify potential scope for improvement and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement. PMID:23364755

  6. Acute myocardial infarction and diagnosis-related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Rätto, Hanna; Peltola, Mikko; Busse, Reinhard; Häkkinen, Unto

    2013-07-01

    As part of the diagnosis related groups in Europe (EuroDRG) project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) compared how their DRG systems deal with patients admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aims to assist cardiologists and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Diagnosis-related group classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify AMI patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 4 DRGs in Estonia and 16 DRGs in France). The most complex DRG is valued 11 times more resource intensive than an index case in Estonia but only 1.38 times more resource intensive than an index case in England. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only €420 in Poland but to €7930 in Ireland. Large variation exists in the classification of AMI patients across Europe. Cardiologists and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify AMI patients in order to identify potential scope for improvement and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  7. Evaluating the efficacy of the current diagnosis-related group reimbursement system for laparoscopic appendectomy at a single institute in Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Yoo, Ri Na; Chung, Chul-Woon; Kim, Jong-Woo

    2014-01-01

    Purpose The diagnosis-related group (DRG) system has been adapted to reduce overall medical costs by grouping and classifying relatively homogenous patients based on similar resource consumption patterns in the treatment. However, despite its wide range of disease manifestation from early inflammation to severe peritonitis, acute appendicitis is included in the DRG system. Responding to a need to assess the DRG system for patients diagnosed with appendicitis, this study evaluates the efficacy...

  8. Early results of pediatric appendicitis after adoption of diagnosis-related group-based payment system in South Korea

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    Moon SB

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Suk-Bae MoonDepartment of Surgery, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South KoreaPurpose: As an alternative to the existing fee-for-service (FFS system, a diagnosis-related group (DRG-based payment system has been suggested. The aim of this study was to investigate the early results of pediatric appendicitis treatment under the DRG system, focusing on health care expenditure and quality of health care services.Patients and methods: The medical records of 60 patients, 30 patients before (FFS group, and 30 patients after adoption of the DRG system (DRG, were reviewed retrospectively.Results: Mean hospital stay was shortened, but the complication and readmission rates did not worsen in the DRG. Overall health care expenditure and self-payment decreased from Korean Won (KRW 2,499,935 and KRW 985,540, respectively, in the FFS group to KRW 2,386,552 and KRW 492,920, respectively, in the DRG. The insurer’s payment increased from KRW 1,514,395 in the FFS group to KRW 1,893,632 in the DRG. For patients in the DRG, calculation by the DRG system yielded greater overall expenditure (KRW 2,020,209 vs KRW 2,386,552 but lower self-payment (KRW 577,803 vs KRW 492,920 than calculation by the FFS system.Conclusion: The DRG system worked well in pediatric patients with acute appendicitis in terms of cost-effectiveness over the short term. The gradual burden on the national health insurance fund should be taken into consideration.Keywords: appendicitis, child, fee-for-service plans, diagnosis-related groups, quality of health care, health care expenditures

  9. [Cardiovascular medicine in the German diagnosis-related group--(G-DRG) system 2005].

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    Fürstenberg, T; Bunzemeier, H; Roeder, N; Reinecke, H

    2005-05-01

    The German diagnosis-related Group (G-DRG) System has recently been published in its third version. From 2005 on, this system will be the definite measure for the budgets of nearly all german hospitals. The preliminary phase with no budget reduction or redistribution being made and in which an inappropriate classification system had no negative impact on reimbursement has, thus, come to an end. At present, many hospitals are struggling in an economic competition about the independence or maintenance of the hospital or several sub-departments. The changes in the classification system with regard to a marked increase in the number of G DRGs, a modified grouping-logic, more properly determined reductions and extra charges for low and high outlier as well as the introduction of further additional charges contribute thereby to a better covering of services and treatments of cardiovascular patients. However, while many of the known problems have been eliminated, there are still weaknesses in the G-DRG System even concerning cardiovascular medicine. The G-DRG System has to be adapted continuously with consultation of the clinical expertise of the respective medical societies. The most important new aspects and changes in the G-DRG System 2005 and the accompanied execution regulations are explained with special view on cardiology.

  10. COMPARISON OF MEDICAL COSTS AND CARE OF APPENDECTOMY PATIENTS BETWEEN FEE-FOR-SERVICE AND SET FEE FOR DIAGNOSIS-RELATED GROUP SYSTEMS IN 20 CHINESE HOSPITALS.

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    Zhang, Yin-hua; He, Guo-ping; Liu, Jing-wei

    2016-09-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosis-related group systems with regard to quality of medical care and cost to appendectomy patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 208 inpatients (from 20 hospitals) who undergone appendectomy in Changsha, China during 2013. Data were obtained from databases of medical insurance information systems directly connected to the hospital information systems. We collected and compared patient ages, length of study, and total medical costs for impatient appendectomies between patients using fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosisrelated group systems. One hundred thirty-three patients used the fee for service system and 75 used the set fee diagnosis related group system. For those using the diagnosis-related group system, the mean length of hospitalization (6.2 days) and mean number of prescribed antimicrobials (2.4) per patient were significantly lower than those of the patients who used the fee-for-service system (7.3 days and 3.0, respectively; p = 0.018; p < 0.05) and were accompanied by lower medical costs and cost of antimicrobials (RMB 2,518 versus RMB 4,484 and RMB476 versus RMB1,108, respectively; p = 0.000, p = 0.000). There were no significant differences in post-surgical complications between the two systems. The diagnosis-related group system had significantly medical costs for appendectomy compared to the fee-for-service system, without sacrificing quality of medical care.

  11. Association of the position of a hospital-acquired condition diagnosis code with changes in medicare severity diagnosis-related group assignment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Tricia; Kane, Jason M; Odwazny, Richard; McNutt, Robert

    2014-11-01

    Incentives to improve quality include paying less for adverse events, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' policy to not pay additionally for events classified as hospital-acquired conditions (HACs). This policy is controversial, as variable coding practices at hospitals may lead to differences in the inclusion and position of HACs in the list of codes used for Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) assignment. Evaluate changes in MS-DRG assignment for patients with an HAC and test the association of the position of an HAC in the list of International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) diagnosis codes with change in MS-DRG assignment. Retrospective analysis of patients discharged from hospital members of the University HealthSystem Consortium's Clinical Data Base between October 2007 and April 2008. Comparisons were made between the MS-DRG assigned when the HAC was not included in the list of ICD-9 diagnosis codes and the MS-DRG that would have been assigned had the HAC code been included in the assignment. Of the 7027 patients with an HAC, 13.8% changed MS-DRG assignment when the HAC was removed. An HAC in the second position versus third position or lower was associated with a 40-fold increase in the likelihood of MS-DRG change. The position of an HAC in the list of diagnosis codes, rather than the presence of an HAC, is associated with a change in MS-DRG assignment. HACs have little effect on reimbursement unless the HAC is in the second position and patients have minor severity of illness. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  12. Examination of changes in pathology tests ordered by Diagnosis-Related Group (DRGs) following CPOE introduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vecellio, Elia; Georgiou, Andrew; Toouli, George; Eigenstetter, Alex; Li, Ling; Wilson, Roger; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2013-01-01

    Electronic test ordering, via the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), which incorporates computerised provider order entry (CPOE), is widely considered as a useful tool to support appropriate pathology test ordering. Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are clinically meaningful categories that allow comparisons in pathology utilisation by patient groups by controlling for many potentially confounding variables. This study used DRG data linked to pathology test data to examine changes in rates of test ordering across four years coinciding with the introduction of an EMR in six hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. This method generated a list of high pathology utilisation DRGs. We investigated patients with a Chest pain DRG to examine whether tests rates changed for specific test groups by hospital emergency department (ED) pre- and post-EMR. There was little change in testing rates between EDs or between time periods pre- and post-EMR. This is a valuable method for monitoring the impact of EMR and clinical decision support on test order rates.

  13. Patient-Centred Multidisciplinary Inpatient Care-Have Diagnosis-Related Groups an Effect on the Doctor-Patient Relationship and Patients' Motivation for Behavioural Change?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romeyke, Tobias; Noehammer, Elisabeth; Ch Scheuer, Hans; Stummer, Harald

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this, the largest survey of patients performed to date, is to analyse the effects of diagnosis related groups (DRGs) on the doctor-patient relationship in the context of interdisciplinary patient-centered care. In addition, it is intended to investigate the possibility of motivating patients to change their behavioural patterns and lifestyle in the context of holistic therapy. Over a period of five years, a continuous survey was performed of hospitalised patients who were exercising their entitlement to interdisciplinary therapy in an acute, inpatient setting. The therapy was evaluated as good to very good both with and without the conditions of the case tariff fee system. Effects of the diagnosis related groups on the quality of the doctor-patient relationship could not be demonstrated (Mann-Whitney U test, p>0,05). A clear trend was evident in the influence on motivation to change behavioural patterns and lifestyle (Fisher's exact test, p=0,000). Studies of the effects of reimbursement systems in the context of interdisciplinary care are still in their infancy, despite the widespread use of diagnosis related groups. The mandatory character implicit in the case tariff fee system, which requires minimum qualitative standards for structural and procedural parameters in the context of providing interdisciplinary patient-centered care, can influence patients' behavioural patterns and lifestyle.

  14. Transfusion practice in Helsinki University Central Hospital: an analysis of diagnosis-related groups (DRG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syrjälä, M T; Kytöniemi, I; Mikkolainen, K; Ranimo, J; Lauharanta, J

    2001-12-01

    Transfusion data combined with data automatically recorded in hospital databases provides an outstanding tool for blood utilization reporting. When the reporting is performed with an online analytical processing (OLAP) tool, real time reporting can be provided to blood subscribers. When this data is combined with a common patient classification system, Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG), it is possible to produce statistical results, that are similar in different institutions and may provide a means for international transfusion bench-marking and cost comparison. We use a DRG classification to describe the transfusion practice in Helsinki University Central Hospital. The key indicators include the percentage of transfused patients, the number of transfused units and costs in different DRG groups, as well as transfusion rates per DRG weighted treatment episodes. Ninety-three per cent of all transfusions could be classified into different DRGs. The largest blood-using DRG group was acute adult leukaemia (DRG 473), which accounted for 10.4% of all transfusion costs. The 13 largest blood consuming DRGs accounted for half the total costs in 1998. Currently, there is a lack of an internationally accepted standardized way to report institutional or national transfusion practices. DRG-based transfusion reporting might serve as a means for transfusion benchmarking and thus aid studies of variations in transfusion practice.

  15. Effects of diagnosis-related group payment system on appendectomy outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae Hyun; Park, Eun-Cheol; Jang, Sung-In; Jang, Suk-Yong; Lee, Sang Ah; Choi, Jae Woo

    2016-12-01

    The voluntary diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system was introduced in 2002. Since July 2013, the Korean government has mandated DRG participation for all hospitals. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mandatory DRG participation on various outcome metrics for appendectomy patients. We collected inpatient DRG data for 280,062 appendectomy patients between 2007 and 2014 using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. We examined patient outcome metrics such as length of stay (LOS), total medical cost, spillover, and readmission rate, according to hospital size. As a result of DRG participation, the average LOS for patients decreased (adjusted ratio: 0.83 [large hospitals], 0.83 [small hospitals]; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82-0.84, 0.82-0.84), the total medical costs of patients increased (adjusted ratio: 1.23 [large hospitals], 1.35 [small hospitals]; 95% CI: 1.22-1.24, 1.34-1.36), the spillover of patients increased (adjusted ratio: 2.10 [large hospitals], 2.30 [small hospitals]; 95% CI: 2.03-2.18, 2.16-2.45), and the readmission rates of appendectomy patients decreased (adjusted ratio: 0.85 [large hospitals], 0.49 [small hospitals]; 95% CI: 0.77-0.94, 0.42-0.57). The mandatory implementation of the DRG payment system in South Korea has led to significant reductions in LOS and readmission rates for appendectomy patients. However, any resulting expansion of outpatient services may result in unnecessary resource usage rather than improving medical quality. Policy makers should consider the various implications reflected by these results when considering DRGs for other diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The development of "Diagnosis Related Groups" - DRGs, a methodology for classifying hospital patients

    OpenAIRE

    Noronha, Marina F.; Veras, Cláudia T.; Leite, Iuri C.; Martins, Monica S.; Braga Neto, Francisco; Silver, Lynn

    1991-01-01

    É descrito o processo de desenvolvimento do sistema de classificação de pacientes internados em hospitais que atendem casos agudos, denominada Diagnosis Relatd Group - DRGs, desenvolvido e difundido por pesquisadores da Universidade de Yale, USA. Esse sistema vem a ser um instrumento que permite a mensuração do produto hospitalar, principalmente sob o ponto de vista gerencial. São apresentadas considerações acerca do que é entendido como produto hospitalar, seguindo nos meandros do desenvolvi...

  17. Do diagnosis-related group-based payments incentivise hospitals to adjust output mix?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Li-Lin

    2015-04-01

    This study investigates whether the diagnosis-related group (DRG)-based payment method motivates hospitals to adjust output mix in order to maximise profits. The hypothesis is that when there is an increase in profitability of a DRG, hospitals will increase the proportion of that DRG (own-price effects) and decrease those of other DRGs (cross-price effects), except in cases where there are scope economies in producing two different DRGs. This conjecture is tested in the context of the case payment scheme (CPS) under Taiwan's National Health Insurance programme over the period of July 1999 to December 2004. To tackle endogeneity of DRG profitability and treatment policy, a fixed-effects three-stage least squares method is applied. The results support the hypothesised own-price and cross-price effects, showing that DRGs which share similar resources appear to be complements rather substitutes. For-profit hospitals do not appear to be more responsive to DRG profitability, possibly because of their institutional characteristics and bonds with local communities. The key conclusion is that DRG-based payments will encourage a type of 'product-range' specialisation, which may improve hospital efficiency in the long run. However, further research is needed on how changes in output mix impact patient access and pay-outs of health insurance. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Provider Summary for the Top 100 Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — A provider level summary of Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) discharges, average charges and average Medicare payments for the Top 100 Diagnosis-Related...

  19. Impact of the Korean Diagnosis-Related Groups payment system on the outcomes of adenotonsillectomy: A single center experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Sang Hyun; Kim, Ji Hoon; Kim, Da Hee; Kim, Jung Min; Byeon, Hyung Kwon; Kim, Won Shik; Koh, Yoon Woo; Kim, Se-Heon; Choi, Eun Chang

    2018-06-01

    To report outcomes with regard to clinical aspects and medical costs of adenotonsillectomy and tonsillectomy at a single institution before and after implementation of the Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) payment system in Korea. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients treated with adenotonsillectomy or tonsillectomy between July 2012 and June 2014. The Korean DRG payment system was applied to seven groups of specific diseases and surgeries including adenotonsillectomy and tonsillectomy from July 2013 at all hospitals in Korea. We divided patients into four groups according whether the fee-for-service (FFS) or DRG payment system was implemented and operation type (FFS-adenotonsillectomy (AT), DRG-AT, FFS-tonsillectomy (T), and DRG-T). A total of 1402 patients were included (485 FFS-AT, 490 DRG-AT, 203 FFS-T, and 223 DRG-T). The total medical cost of the DRG-AT group was significantly lower than that of the FFS-AT group (1191±404 vs. 1110±279 USD, PDRG system for adenotonsillectomy and tonsillectomy reduced medical costs and clinical outcomes were not significantly altered by the adoption of the DRG system. 4. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. [What is the value of pain therapy in the German refined diagnosis-related-groups system?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meissner, W; Thoma, R; Bauer, M

    2006-03-01

    The German refined diagnosis-related-groups (G-DRG) system was introduced on 1st January 2003, initially on a voluntary basis and on 1st January 2004 the use of a G-DRG costing for stationary hospital treatment became obligatory. The possibility of a description of acute and chronic pain therapy in the G-DRG system was initially rudimentary and not logically planned and also a fair allotment of proceeds according to resources was not possible. By further development of the G-DRG system, pain therapeutic treatment could be improved in some areas, but in others it still remains unsatisfactory. This article offers a summary of the underlying systematics of the G-DRG system and consideration of chronic and current pain therapy in the G-DRG system 2006. In addition to information on currently available possibilities of a pain therapeutical coding in conformation with the G-DRG system, the tasks which are still outstanding will be outlined.

  1. Evaluation of the performance of diagnosis-related groups and similar casemix systems: methodological issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, G; Reid, B

    2001-05-01

    With the increasing recognition and application of casemix for managing and financing healthcare resources, the evaluation of alternative versions of systems such as diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) has been afforded high priority by governments and researchers in many countries. Outside the United States, an important issue has been the perceived need to produce local versions, and to establish whether or not these perform more effectively than the US-based classifications. A discussion of casemix evaluation criteria highlights the large number of measures that may be used, the rationale and assumptions underlying each measure, and the problems in interpreting the results. A review of recent evaluation studies from a number of countries indicates that considerable emphasis has been placed on the predictive validity criterion, as measured by the R2 statistic. However, the interpretation of the findings has been affected greatly by the methods used, especially the treatment and definition of outlier cases. Furthermore, the extent to which other evaluation criteria have been addressed has varied widely. In the absence of minimum evaluation standards, it is not possible to draw clear-cut conclusions about the superiority of one version of a casemix system over another, the need for a local adaptation, or the further development of an existing version. Without the evidence provided by properly designed studies, policy-makers and managers may place undue reliance on subjective judgments and the views of the most influential, but not necessarily best informed, healthcare interest groups.

  2. The exploration of medical resources utilization among inguinal hernia repair in Taiwan diagnosis-related groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Hua Yan

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study centered on differences in medical costs, using the Taiwan diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs on medical resource utilization in inguinal hernia repair (IHR in hospitals with different ownership to provide suitable reference information for hospital administrators. Methods The 2010–2011 data for three hospitals under different ownership were extracted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database. A retrospective method was applied to analyze the age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis and surgical procedure code, and the change in financial risk of medical costs in IHR cases after introduction of Tw-DRGs. The study calculated the cost using Tw-DRG payment principles, and compared it with estimated inpatient medical costs calculated using the fee-for-service policy. Results There were 723 IHR cases satisfying the Tw-DRGs criteria. Cost control in the medical care corporation hospital (US$764.2/case was more efficient than that in the public hospital (US$902.7/case or nonprofit proprietary hospital (US$817.1/case surveyed in this study. For IHR, anesthesiologists in the public hospital preferred to use general anesthesia (86%, while those in the two other hospitals tended to administer spinal anesthesia. We also discovered the difference in anesthesia cost was high, at US$80.2/case on average. Conclusions Because the Tw-DRG-based reimbursement system produces varying hospital costs, hospital administrators should establish a financial risk assessment system as early as possible to improve healthcare quality and financial management efficiency. This would then benefit the hospital, patient, and Bureau of National Health Insurance.

  3. The exploration of medical resources utilization among inguinal hernia repair in Taiwan diagnosis-related groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yu-Hua; Kung, Chih-Ming; Chen, Yi

    2017-11-09

    This study centered on differences in medical costs, using the Taiwan diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs) on medical resource utilization in inguinal hernia repair (IHR) in hospitals with different ownership to provide suitable reference information for hospital administrators. The 2010-2011 data for three hospitals under different ownership were extracted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database. A retrospective method was applied to analyze the age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis and surgical procedure code, and the change in financial risk of medical costs in IHR cases after introduction of Tw-DRGs. The study calculated the cost using Tw-DRG payment principles, and compared it with estimated inpatient medical costs calculated using the fee-for-service policy. There were 723 IHR cases satisfying the Tw-DRGs criteria. Cost control in the medical care corporation hospital (US$764.2/case) was more efficient than that in the public hospital (US$902.7/case) or nonprofit proprietary hospital (US$817.1/case) surveyed in this study. For IHR, anesthesiologists in the public hospital preferred to use general anesthesia (86%), while those in the two other hospitals tended to administer spinal anesthesia. We also discovered the difference in anesthesia cost was high, at US$80.2/case on average. Because the Tw-DRG-based reimbursement system produces varying hospital costs, hospital administrators should establish a financial risk assessment system as early as possible to improve healthcare quality and financial management efficiency. This would then benefit the hospital, patient, and Bureau of National Health Insurance.

  4. Appendectomy and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quentin, Wilm; Scheller-Kreinsen, David; Geissler, Alexander; Busse, Reinhard

    2012-02-01

    As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e., Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their diagnosis-related groups (DRG) systems deal with appendectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of appendicitis treated with a procedure of appendectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that together comprised at least 97% of cases. Six standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify appendectomy patients according to different sets of variables (between two and six classification variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two and 11 DRGs). The most complex DRG is valued 5.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in France but only 1.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in Finland. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the most complex case vignette amount to only 1,005 in Poland but to 12,304 in France. Large variations in the classification of appendectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify appendectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG system and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  5. The effect of financing hospital health care providers through updated Diagnosis Related Groups. Case studies: the municipal hospitals in Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emil OLTEANU

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available In our scientific approach we tried to develop a model with which to highlight the effect of financing hospital health care providers using the hospital 's Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG and Mean Relative Values (MRV. The econometric model used is simple linear regression model form. Development of the model was performed by using the EViews 7 to the municipal hospitals in Romania during 2010 - 2012, being considered DRG dependent variable and independent variables: C and MRV. Analyzing in detail the results recorded by providers following simple regression model is observed that there are units which, although recorded low values in the number of patients discharged, they were able to achieve a relatively high VRM or to contract a level of TAC over average of the entire sample.

  6. Lifting the weight of a diagnosis-related groups family change: a comparison between refined and non-refined DRG systems for top-down cost accounting and efficiency indicators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zlotnik, Alexander; Cuchi, Miguel Alfaro; Pérez Pérez, Maria Carmen

    Public healthcare providers in all Spanish Regions - Autonomous Communities (ACs) use All Patients Diagnosis-Related Groups (AP-DRGs) for billing non-insured patients, cost accounting and inpatient efficiency indicators. A national migration to All Patients Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups (APR-DRGs) has been scheduled for 2016. The analysis was performed on 202,912 inpatient care episodes ranging from 2005 to 2010. All episodes were grouped using AP-DRG v25.0 and APR-DRG v24.0. Normalised DRG weight variations for an AP-DRG to APR-DRG migration scenario were calculated and compared. Major differences exist between normalised weights for inpatient episodes depending on the DRGs family used. The usage of the APR-DRG system in Spain without any adjustments, as it was developed in the United States, should be approached with care. In order to avoid reverse incentives and provider financial risks, coding practices should be reviewed and structural differences between DRG families taken into account.

  7. A Sepsis-related Diagnosis Impacts Interventions and Predicts Outcomes for Emergency Patients with Severe Sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mitchell; Watase, Taketo; Jablonowski, Karl D; Gatewood, Medley O; Henning, Daniel J

    2017-10-01

    Many patients meeting criteria for severe sepsis are not given a sepsis-related diagnosis by emergency physicians (EP). This study 1) compares emergency department (ED) interventions and in-hospital outcomes among patients with severe sepsis, based on the presence or absence of sepsis-related diagnosis, and 2) assesses how adverse outcomes relate to three-hour sepsis bundle completion among patients fulfilling severe sepsis criteria but not given a sepsis-related diagnosis. We performed a retrospective cohort study using patients meeting criteria for severe sepsis at two urban, academic tertiary care centers from March 2015 through May 2015. We included all ED patients with the following: 1) the 1992 Consensus definition of severe sepsis, including two or more systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and evidence of organ dysfunction; or 2) physician diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. We excluded patients transferred to or from another hospital and those <18 years old. Patients with an EP-assigned sepsis diagnosis created the "Physician Diagnosis" group; the remaining patients composed the "Consensus Criteria" group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included completed elements of the current three-hour sepsis bundle; non-elective intubation; vasopressor administration; intensive care unit (ICU) admission from the ED; and transfer to the ICU in < 24 hours. We compared proportions of each outcome between groups using the chi-square test, and we also performed a stratified analysis using chi square to assess the association between failure to complete the three-hour bundle and adverse outcomes in each group. Of 418 patients identified with severe sepsis we excluded 54, leaving 364 patients for analysis: 121 "Physician Diagnosis" and 243 "Consensus Criteria." The "Physician Diagnosis" group had a higher in-hospital mortality (12.4% vs 3.3%, P < 0.01) and compliance with the three-hour sepsis bundle (52.1% vs 20.2%, P

  8. Knee replacement and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Siok Swan; Chiarello, Pietro; Quentin, Wilm

    2013-11-01

    Researchers from 11 countries (Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) compared how their Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) systems deal with knee replacement cases. The study aims to assist knee surgeons and national authorities to optimize the grouping algorithm of their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases treated with a procedure of knee replacement. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that together comprised at least 97 % of cases. Five standardized case scenarios were defined and quasi-prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems ascertained. Grouping algorithms for knee replacement vary widely across countries: they classify cases according to different variables (between one and five classification variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between one and five DRGs). Even the most expensive DRGs generally have a cost index below 2.00, implying that grouping algorithms do not adequately account for cases that are more than twice as costly as the index DRG. Quasi-prices for the most complex case vary between euro 4,920 in Estonia and euro 14,081 in Spain. Most European DRG systems were observed to insufficiently consider the most important determinants of resource consumption. Several countries' DRG system might be improved through the introduction of classification variables for revision of knee replacement or for the presence of complications or comorbidities. Ultimately, this would contribute to assuring adequate performance comparisons and fair hospital reimbursement on the basis of DRGs.

  9. Coronary artery bypass grafts and diagnosis related groups: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 10 European countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background The prospective reimbursement of hospitals through the grouping of patients into a finite number of categories (Diagnosis Related Groups, DRGs), is common to many European countries. However, the specific categories used vary greatly across countries, using different characteristics to define group boundaries and thus those characteristics which result in different payments for treatment. In order to assist in the construction and modification of national DRG systems, this study analyses the DRG systems of 10 European countries. Aims To compare the characteristics used to categorise patients receiving a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery into DRGs. Further, to compare the structure into which DRGs are placed and the relative price paid for patients across Europe. Method Patients with a procedure of CABG surgery are analysed from Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Sweden. Diagrammatic algorithms of DRG structures are presented for each country. The price in Euros of seven typical case vignettes, each made up of a set of a hypothetical patient’s characteristics, is also analysed for each country. In order to enable comparisons across countries the simplest case (index vignette) is taken as baseline and relative price levels are calculated for the other six vignettes, each representing patients with different combinations of procedures and comorbidities. Results European DRG payment structures for CABG surgery vary in terms of the number of different DRGs used and the types of distinctions which define patient categorisation. Based on the payments given to hospitals in different countries, the most resource intensive patient, relative to the index vignette, ranges in magnitude from 1.37 in Poland to 2.82 in Ireland. There is also considerable variation in how much different systems pay for particular circumstances, such as the occurrence of catheterisation or presence of comorbidity. Conclusion Past

  10. Trialling diagnosis-related groups classification in the Iranian health system: a case study examining the feasibility of introducing casemix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaffari, S; Doran, C; Wilson, A; Aisbett, C

    2010-05-01

    This paper examines the quality of routinely collected information in an Iranian hospital in a trial of casemix classification. Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRG) were used to classify patient episodes. There were 327 DRGs identified, of which 20% had only 1 case. The grouper program identified invalid records for 4% of total separations. Approximately 4.5% of cases were classified into error DRGs and 3.4% were ungroupable. No complication and comorbidity effects were identified with 93% of total cases. R2 (variance in length of stay explained) was 44% for untrimmed cases, increasing to 63%, 57% and 58% after trimming by L3H3, IQR and 10th-95th percentile methods respectively.

  11. Health-related quality of life in patients with dual diagnosis: clinical correlates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benaiges Irina

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the studies published so far have found an affectation in the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL in both psychiatric and substance use dependence disorders, very few studies have applied HRQOL as an assessment measure in patients suffering both comorbid conditions, or Dual Diagnosis. The aim of the current study was to assess HRQOL in a group of patients with Dual Diagnosis compared to two other non-comorbid groups and to determine what clinical factors are related to HRQOL. Methods Cross-sectional assessment of three experimental groups was made through the Short Form – 36 Item Health Survey (SF-36. The sample consisted of a group with Dual Diagnosis (DD; N = 35, one with Severe Mental Illness alone (SMI; N = 35 and another one with Substance Use Dependence alone (SUD; N = 35. The sample was composed only by males. To assess the clinical correlates of SF-36 HRQOL, lineal regression analyses were carried out. Results The DD group showed lower scores in most of the subscales, and in the mental health domain. The group with SUD showed in general a better state in the HRQOL while the group with SMI held an intermediate position with respect to the other two groups. Daily medication, suicidal attempts and daily number of coffees were significantly associated to HRQOL, especially in the DD group. Conclusions The DD group showed lower self-reported mental health quality of life. Assessment of HRQOL in dual patients allows to identify specific needs in this population, and may help to establish therapeutic goals to improve interventions.

  12. [Costs of appendicitis treatment by diagnosis-related groups in a third-level pediatric hospital].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tlacuilo-Parra, Alberto; Hernández-Hernández, Araceli; Venegas-Dávalos, Martha; Gutiérrez-Hermosillo, Violeta; Guevara-Gutiérrez, Elizabeth; Ambriz-González, Gabriela

    2014-01-01

    Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are widely used in Europe. They allow performing comparisons in hospitals and incurrent hospital payment systems, defining the payment categories. We undertook this study to classify children who underwent appendectomy according to DRGs. Cross-sectional study. Comorbidities, length of hospitalization, histopathologic classification, and DRG classifications were analyzed. We included 313 patients, 62% males, with an average age of 8 ± 3 years; 91% were referred by another hospital and 67% were treated at night. Average length of hospitalization was 4 ± 3 days. There were comorbidities in 8% and surgical complications in 11%. According to histopathology, appendicitis was edematous (11%), suppurative (36%), gangrenous (22%), perforated (29%), and abscessed (2%). At discharge, 97% of the patients were healthy. Total cost for DRG 343 was $10,470,173.00 (Mexican pesos), DRG 342 was $1,227,592.00 and DRG 340 was $511,521.00. The global amount was $12,209,286.00 (Mexican pesos). The unitary cost for treatment of appendectomy for DRG 343 was $37,935.00, for DRG 342 was $49,103.00 and for DRG 340 was $42,626.00 (Mexican pesos). Because 88% of the cases of appendicitis were uncomplicated, this amount of money could be spent to treat these patients in a second-level hospital, using reimbursement 343 without generating additional expenses.

  13. Childbirth and Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellanger, Martine M; Quentin, Wilm; Tan, Siok Swan

    2013-05-01

    The study compares how Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) based hospital payment systems in eleven European countries (Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden) deal with women giving birth in hospitals. It aims to assist gynaecologists and national authorities in optimizing their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify childbirth cases. DRG grouping algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs which account for at least 1% of all childbirth cases in the respective database. Five standardized case vignettes were defined and quasi prices (i.e. administrative prices or tariffs) of hospital deliveries according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems classify childbirth cases according to different sets of variables (between one and eight variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between three and eight DRGs). The most complex DRG is valued 3.5 times more resource intensive than an index case in Ireland but only 1.1 times more resource intensive than an index case in The Netherlands. Comparisons of quasi prices for the vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the most complex case amount to only € 479 in Poland but to € 5532 in Ireland. Differences in the classification of hospital childbirth cases into DRGs raise concerns whether European systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Physicians, hospitals and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify cases to optimize their system and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Development of a claim review and payment model utilizing diagnosis related groups under the Korean health insurance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Y S; Yeom, Y K; Hwang, H

    1993-02-01

    This paper describes the development of a claim review and payment model utilizing the diagnosis related groups (DRGs) for the fee for service-based payment system of the Korean health insurance. The present review process, which examines all claims manually on a case-by-case basis, has been considered to be inefficient, costly, and time-consuming. Differences in case mix among hospitals are controlled in the proposed model using the Korean DRGs. They were developed by modifying the US-DRG system. An empirical test of the model indicated that it can enhance the efficiency as well as the credibility and objectivity of the claim review. Furthermore, it is expected that it can contribute effectively to medical cost containments and to optimal practice pattern of hospitals by establishing a useful mechanism in monitoring the performance of hospitals. However, the performance of this model needs to be upgraded by refining the Korean DRGs which play a key role in the model.

  15. Diagnosis-related groups for stroke in Europe: patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peltola, Mikko; Quentin, Wilm

    2013-01-01

    Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are increasingly being used for various purposes in many countries. However, there are no studies comparing different DRG systems in the care of stroke. As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from 11 countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Spain) compared how their DRG systems deal with stroke patients. The study aims to assist clinicians and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a diagnosis of stroke. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually represent at least 1% of stroke cases. In addition, standardized case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify stroke patients according to different sets of variables (between 1 and 7 classification variables) into diverging numbers of DRGs (between 1 and 10 DRGs). In 6 of the countries more than half of the patients are concentrated within a single DRG. The countries' systems also vary with respect to the evaluation of different kinds of stroke patients. The most complex DRG is considered 3.8 times more resource intensive than an index case in Finland. By contrast, in England, the DRG system does not account for complex cases. Comparisons of quasi prices for the case vignettes show that hypothetical payments for the index case amount to only EUR 907 in Poland but to EUR 7,881 in Ireland. Large variations in the classification of stroke patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables and whether the DRGs adequately reflect differences in the complexity of treating different groups of patients. Learning from other DRG systems may help in improving the national systems. Clinicians and

  16. Hospital payment systems based on diagnosis-related groups: experiences in low- and middle-income countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittenbecher, Friedrich

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Objective This paper provides a comprehensive overview of hospital payment systems based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) in low- and middle-income countries. It also explores design and implementation issues and the related challenges countries face. Methods A literature research for papers on DRG-based payment systems in low- and middle-income countries was conducted in English, French and Spanish through Pubmed, the Pan American Health Organization’s Regional Library of Medicine and Google. Findings Twelve low- and middle-income countries have DRG-based payment systems and another 17 are in the piloting or exploratory stage. Countries have chosen from a wide range of imported and self-developed DRG models and most have adapted such models to their specific contexts. All countries have set expenditure ceilings. In general, systems were piloted before being implemented. The need to meet certain requirements in terms of coding standardization, data availability and information technology made implementation difficult. Private sector providers have not been fully integrated, but most countries have managed to delink hospital financing from public finance budgeting. Conclusion Although more evidence on the impact of DRG-based payment systems is needed, our findings suggest that (i) the greater portion of health-care financing should be public rather than private; (ii) it is advisable to pilot systems first and to establish expenditure ceilings; (iii) countries that import an existing variant of a DRG-based system should be mindful of the need for adaptation; and (iv) countries should promote the cooperation of providers for appropriate data generation and claims management. PMID:24115798

  17. O desenvolvimento dos "Diagnosis Related Groups"- DRGs. Metodologia de classificação de pacientes hospitalares

    OpenAIRE

    Noronha,Marina F.; Veras,Cláudia T.; Leite,Iuri C.; Martins,Monica S.; Braga Neto,Francisco; Silver,Lynn

    1991-01-01

    É descrito o processo de desenvolvimento do sistema de classificação de pacientes internados em hospitais que atendem casos agudos, denominada Diagnosis Relatd Group - DRGs, desenvolvido e difundido por pesquisadores da Universidade de Yale, USA. Esse sistema vem a ser um instrumento que permite a mensuração do produto hospitalar, principalmente sob o ponto de vista gerencial. São apresentadas considerações acerca do que é entendido como produto hospitalar, seguindo nos meandros do desenvolvi...

  18. Public Relations Manager Involvement in Strategic Issue Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauzen, Martha M.

    1995-01-01

    Reports on an exploratory study that seeks to build theoretical understanding of how public relations practitioner involvement in one type of strategic organizational decision making--strategic issue diagnosis--is related to shared values with top management, diagnosis accuracy, strategy pursued, and the power of the public relations function. (TB)

  19. How did market competition affect outpatient utilization under the diagnosis-related group-based payment system?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seung Ju; Park, Eun-Cheol; Kim, Sun Jung; Han, Kyu-Tae; Jang, Sung-In

    2017-06-01

    Although competition is known to affect quality of care, less is known about the effects of competition on outpatient health service utilization under the diagnosis-related group payment system. This study aimed to evaluate these effects and assess differences before and after hospitalization in South Korea. Population-based retrospective observational study. We used two data set including outpatient data and hospitalization data from National Health Claim data from 2011 to 2014. Participants who were admitted to the hospital for hemorrhoidectomy were included. A total of 804 884 hospitalizations were included in our analysis. The outcome variables included the costs associated with outpatient examinations and the number of outpatient visits within 30 days before and after hospitalization. High-competition areas were associated with lower pre-surgery examination costs (rate ratio [RR]: 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.89) and fewer outpatient visits before hospitalization (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99) as well as after hospitalization compared with moderate-competition areas. Our study reveals that outpatient health service utilization is affected by the degree of market competition. Future evaluations of hospital performance should consider external factors such as market structure and hospital location. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  20. Accuracy of the all patient refined diagnosis related groups classification system in congenital heart surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parnell, Aimee S; Shults, Justine; Gaynor, J William; Leonard, Mary B; Dai, Dingwei; Feudtner, Chris

    2014-02-01

    Administrative data are increasingly used to evaluate clinical outcomes and quality of care in pediatric congenital heart surgery (CHS) programs. Several published analyses of large pediatric administrative data sets have relied on the All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG, version 24) diagnostic classification system. The accuracy of this classification system for patients undergoing CHS is unclear. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all 14,098 patients 0 to 5 years of age undergoing any of six selected congenital heart operations, ranging in complexity from isolated closure of a ventricular septal defect to single-ventricle palliation, at 40 tertiary-care pediatric centers in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database between 2007 and 2010. Assigned APR-DRGs (cardiac versus noncardiac) were compared using χ2 or Fisher's exact tests between those patients admitted during the first day of life versus later and between those receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support versus those not. Recursive partitioning was used to assess the greatest determinants of APR-DRG type in the model. Every patient admitted on day 1 of life was assigned to a noncardiac APR-DRG (pDRG (pDRG experienced a significantly increased mortality (pDRG coding has systematic misclassifications, which may result in inaccurate reporting of CHS case volumes and mortality. Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paat-Ahi, Gerli; Aaviksoo, Ain; Swiderek, Maria

    2014-12-01

    As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain) compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardised case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained and compared to an index case. European DRG systems vary widely: they classify cholecystectomy patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two DRGs in Austria and Poland to nine DRGs in England). The most complex DRG is valued at four times more resource intensive than the index case in Ireland but only 1.3 times more resource intensive than the index case in Austria. Large variations in the classification of cholecystectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons, hospital managers and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries' DRG systems classify cholecystectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG systems and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  2. Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs: Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerli Paat-Ahi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background As part of the EuroDRG project, researchers from eleven countries (i.e. Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain compared how their Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG systems deal with cholecystectomy patients. The study aims to assist surgeons and national authorities to optimize their DRG systems. Methods National or regional databases were used to identify hospital cases with a procedure of cholecystectomy. DRG classification algorithms and indicators of resource consumption were compared for those DRGs that individually contained at least 1% of cases. Six standardised case vignettes were defined, and quasi prices according to national DRG-based hospital payment systems were ascertained and compared to an index case. Results European DRG systems vary widely: they classify cholecystectomy patients according to different sets of variables into diverging numbers of DRGs (between two DRGs in Austria and Poland to nine DRGs in England. The most complex DRG is valued at four times more resource intensive than the index case in Ireland but only 1.3 times more resource intensive than the index case in Austria. Conclusion Large variations in the classification of cholecystectomy patients raise concerns whether all systems rely on the most appropriate classification variables. Surgeons, hospital managers and national DRG authorities should consider how other countries’ DRG systems classify cholecystectomy patients in order to optimize their DRG systems and to ensure fair and appropriate reimbursement.

  3. Relative changes in earned income five years after diagnosis with diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cleal, Bryan; Panton, Ulrik Haagen; Willaing, Ingrid

    2017-01-01

    $ 924 (3.03%) among women. The effect was generally largest in the youngest age-group, in lower earners and among men. CONCLUSIONS: The results clearly indicate that a diagnosis of diabetes has a significant impact on earnings. Age and earnings at the time of diagnosis appear to play a moderating role.......,090 people with diabetes were included in the study and matched to 91,090 controls in the general population. The analysis revealed highly significant loss of earnings for people with diabetes when compared with people without diabetes, with an overall relative loss of US $ 3694 (8.01%) among men and US......OBJECTIVE: With previous studies indicating that diabetes affects employment status and lifetime earnings, the aim of this study was to determine the impact on earnings in the immediate period after diagnosis. Recognising that earnings and employment status are dynamic over the life course, we...

  4. Performance evaluation of inpatient service in Beijing: a horizontal comparison with risk adjustment based on Diagnosis Related Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jian, Weiyan; Huang, Yinmin; Hu, Mu; Zhang, Xiumei

    2009-04-30

    The medical performance evaluation, which provides a basis for rational decision-making, is an important part of medical service research. Current progress with health services reform in China is far from satisfactory, without sufficient regulation. To achieve better progress, an effective tool for evaluating medical performance needs to be established. In view of this, this study attempted to develop such a tool appropriate for the Chinese context. Data was collected from the front pages of medical records (FPMR) of all large general public hospitals (21 hospitals) in the third and fourth quarter of 2007. Locally developed Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) were introduced as a tool for risk adjustment and performance evaluation indicators were established: Charge Efficiency Index (CEI), Time Efficiency Index (TEI) and inpatient mortality of low-risk group cases (IMLRG), to reflect respectively work efficiency and medical service quality. Using these indicators, the inpatient services' performance was horizontally compared among hospitals. Case-mix Index (CMI) was used to adjust efficiency indices and then produce adjusted CEI (aCEI) and adjusted TEI (aTEI). Poisson distribution analysis was used to test the statistical significance of the IMLRG differences between different hospitals. Using the aCEI, aTEI and IMLRG scores for the 21 hospitals, Hospital A and C had relatively good overall performance because their medical charges were lower, LOS shorter and IMLRG smaller. The performance of Hospital P and Q was the worst due to their relatively high charge level, long LOS and high IMLRG. Various performance problems also existed in the other hospitals. It is possible to develop an accurate and easy to run performance evaluation system using Case-Mix as the tool for risk adjustment, choosing indicators close to consumers and managers, and utilizing routine report forms as the basic information source. To keep such a system running effectively, it is necessary to

  5. Imaging diagnosis of bronchial asthma and related diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, Fumikazu; Fujimura, Mikihiko; Kimura, Fumiko; Fujimura, Kaori; Hayano, Toshio; Nishii, Noriko; Machida, Haruhiko; Toda, Jo; Saito, Naoko

    2002-01-01

    We describe imaging features of bronchial asthma and related diseases. The practical roles of imaging diagnosis are the evaluation of severity and complications of bronchial asthma and differential diagnosis of diseases showing asthmatic symptoms other than bronchial asthma. (author)

  6. Ethnic group variations in alcohol-related hospital admissions in England: does place matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Eleanor; Laverty, Anthony A; Majeed, Azeem; Millett, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    The health burden of alcohol use is socially and geographically patterned in many countries. Less is known about variations in this burden between ethnic groups and whether this differs across place of residence. National cross-sectional study using hospital admission data in England. Alcohol-related admission rates, where an alcohol-related condition was either the primary diagnosis (considered as the reason for admission) or a comorbidity, were calculated using ethnic group specific rates for English regions. In 2010/11 there were a total of 264,870 alcohol-related admissions in England. Admission rates were higher in the North of England than elsewhere (e.g. for primary diagnosis 161 per 100,000 population in the North vs. 62 per 100,000 in the South). These patterns were not uniform across ethnic groups however. For example, admission rates for alcohol-related comorbidity were four times higher among White Irish in London compared with those in the South of England (306 to 76 per 100,000) and four times higher in Indians living in the Midlands compared with those in the South of England (128 to 29 per 100,000). These patterns were similar for admissions with a comorbid alcohol-related condition. Geographical location may be an important determinant of within and between ethnic group variations in alcohol-related hospital admissions in England. While a number of factors were not examined here, this descriptive analysis suggests that this heterogeneity should be taken into account when planning interventions and services for the prevention and management of alcohol misuse.

  7. Second statement of the working group on electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bacharova, Ljuba; Estes, E Harvey; Bang, Lia E

    2011-01-01

    The Working Group on Electrocardiographic Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, appointed by the Editor of the Journal of Electrocardiology, presents the alternative conceptual model for the ECG diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). It is stressed that ECG is a record of electrica...

  8. International Work Group Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cummings, J.L.; Dubois, B; Molinuevo, J.L.; Scheltens, P.

    2013-01-01

    Alzheimer-type biomarker changes are identifiable in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic predementia phases of Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD dementia. The International Work Group (IWG) guidelines for diagnosis identify a unified spectrum of 3 phases. The classic clinical feature that indicates AD

  9. [Diagnosis-related groups as an instrument to develop suitable case-based lump sums in hematology and oncology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thalheimer, Markus

    2011-01-01

    In 2003 a new reimbursement system was established for German hospitals. The approximately 17 million inpatient cases per year are now reimbursed based on a per-case payment regarding diagnoses and procedures, which was developed from an internationally approved system. The aim was a better conformity of costs and efforts in in-patient cases. In the first 2 years after implementation, the German diagnosis-related group (DRG) system was not able to adequately represent the complex structures of treatment in hematological and oncological in-patients. By creating new diagnoses and procedures (International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-10) and Surgical Operations and Procedures Classification System (OPS) catalogues), generating new DRGs and better splitting of existing ones, the hematology and oncology field could be much better described in the following years. The implementation of about 70 'co-payment structures' for new and expensive drugs and procedures in oncology was also crucial. To reimburse innovations, an additional system of co-payments for innovations was established to bridge the time until innovations are represented within the DRG system itself. In summary, hematological and oncological in-patients, including cases with extraordinary costs, are meanwhile well mapped in the German reimbursement system. Any tendencies to rationing could thereby be avoided, as most of the established procedures and costly drugs are adequately represented in the DRG system. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. The trauma registry compared to All Patient Refined Diagnosis Groups (APR-DRG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackworth, Jodi; Askegard-Giesmann, Johanna; Rouse, Thomas; Benneyworth, Brian

    2017-05-01

    Literature has shown there are significant differences between administrative databases and clinical registry data. Our objective was to compare the identification of trauma patients using All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) as compared to the Trauma Registry and estimate the effects of those discrepancies on utilization. Admitted pediatric patients from 1/2012-12/2013 were abstracted from the trauma registry. The patients were linked to corresponding administrative data using the Pediatric Health Information System database at a single children's hospital. APR-DRGs referencing trauma were used to identify trauma patients. We compared variables related to utilization and diagnosis to determine the level of agreement between the two datasets. There were 1942 trauma registry patients and 980 administrative records identified with trauma-specific APR-DRG during the study period. Forty-two percent (816/1942) of registry records had an associated trauma-specific APR-DRG; 69% of registry patients requiring ICU care had trauma APR-DRGs; 73% of registry patients with head injuries had trauma APR-DRGs. Only 21% of registry patients requiring surgical management had associated trauma APR-DRGs, and 12.5% of simple fractures had associated trauma APR-DRGs. APR-DRGs appeared to only capture a fraction of the entire trauma population and it tends to be the more severely ill patients. As a result, the administrative data was not able to accurately answer hospital or operating room utilization as well as specific information on diagnosis categories regarding trauma patients. APR-DRG administrative data should not be used as the only data source for evaluating the needs of a trauma program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The diagnosis value of endothelin, calcitonin gene-related peptide and the ratio in diabetic nephropathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Lusheng; Zhao Xin; Chi Liuying; Yang Xixiu; Mao Hongyu

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the diagnosis value of Endothelin (ET), Calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) and theratio in diabetic nephropathy(DN). Methods: To choose 54 healthy as the control group and 124 patients with diabetes or DN as test group. According to urinary albumin excretion rate (uAER), the test group was divided into three groups, which were diabetes group of normalalbuminmia (group A), early DN (group B) and clinical DN and renal failure group( group C ). Plasma concentration of ET and CGRP were measured with radioimmunossay for those in the Control group and patients with diabetes or DN. Results: The level of ET was significantly higher in diabetic nephropathy than that in the control group (P<0.01), and there was positive correlation between ET and uAER(r=0.591, P<0.01). The plasma level of CGRP was significantly lower in diabetic nephropathy than that in the control group (P<0.01), and there was negative correlation between CGRP and uAER(r-0.389, P<0.05). The level of ET, CGRP and ET/CGRP ratio have evidently changed with the uAER rised. Conclusion: (1)The level of ET, CGRP and type 2 diabetic nephropathy are closely related, and which probably plays a role in the development of DN. (2)ET/CGRP ratio, as a new way for diagnosis, can even more reflecte the seriousness of DN. (3)This experiment provide us a new way for the prevention and treatment of DN with extrinsic CGRP. (authors)

  12. A study on group decision-making based fault multi-symptom-domain consensus diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Yongyong; Chu Fulei; Zhong Binglin

    2001-01-01

    In the field of fault diagnosis for rotating machines, the conventional methods or the neural network based methods are mainly single symptom domain based methods, and the diagnosis accuracy of which is not always satisfactory. In this paper, in order to utilize multiple symptom domains to improve the diagnosis accuracy, an idea of fault multi-symptom-domain consensus diagnosis is developed. From the point of view of the group decision-making, two particular multi-symptom-domain diagnosis strategies are proposed. The proposed strategies use BP (Back-Propagation) neural networks as diagnosis models in various symptom domains, and then combine the outputs of these networks by two combination schemes, which are based on Dempster-Shafer evidence theory and fuzzy integral theory, respectively. Finally, a case study pertaining to the fault diagnosis for rotor-bearing systems is given in detail, and the results show that the proposed diagnosis strategies are feasible and more efficient than conventional stacked-vector methods

  13. [Operative treatment of diabetics with vascular complications : Secondary data analysis of diagnosis-related groups statistics from 2005 to 2014 in Germany].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olm, M; Kühnl, A; Knipfer, E; Salvermoser, M; Eckstein, H-H; Zimmermann, A

    2018-03-27

    In Germany approximately 40,000 amputations per year are performed on patients with diabetes mellitus, often with accompanying vascular complications. The aim of this study was to present the various degrees of severity of the vascular complications and the temporal changes of the treatment options in diabetics with vascular complications in Germany. The microdata of the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) statistics of the Federal Statistical Office were analyzed over the period from 2005 to 2014. All cases were included in which the main or secondary diagnosis of diabetes mellitus with concurrent vascular complications (diabetic angiopathy and peripheral arterial disease) was encrypted. The median age of the 1,811,422 cases was 73 years and 62% were male. While the total number of amputations remained stable over time, there was a 41% reduction in knee-preserving and a 31% reduction in non-knee preserving major amputations with an 18% increase in minor amputations. Revascularization increased by 33% from 36 procedures in 2005 to 48 procedures per 100,000 inhabitants. The increase in revascularization was evident in the area of endovascular therapy alone where there was an increase of 78%. Due to the significant increase in endovascular revascularization measures, there was a significant increase in the proportion of diabetes patients with vascular pathologies in whom revascularization was carried out. As a result, improved limb preservation was achieved despite equally high amputation rates due to increasing minor amputation rates.

  14. Diagnosis-related group (DRG)-based case-mix funding system, a promising alternative for fee for service payment in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Cuirong; Wang, Chao; Shen, Chengwu; Wang, Qian

    2018-05-13

    Fee for services (FFS) is the prevailing method of payment in most Chinese public hospitals. Under this retrospective payment system, medical care providers are paid based on medical services and tend to over-treat to maximize their income, thereby contributing to rising medical costs and uncontrollable health expenditures to a large extent. Payment reform needs to be promptly implemented to move to a prospective payment plan. The diagnosis-related group (DRG)-based case-mix payment system, with its superior efficiency and containment of costs, has garnered increased attention and it represents a promising alternative. This article briefly describes the DRG-based case-mix payment system, it comparatively analyzes differences between FFS and case-mix funding systems, and it describes the implementation of DRGs in China. China's social and economic conditions differ across regions, so establishment of a national payment standard will take time and involve difficulties. No single method of provider payment is perfect. Measures to monitor and minimize the negative ethical implications and unintended effects of a DRG-based case-mix payment system are essential to ensuring the lasting social benefits of payment reform in Chinese public hospitals.

  15. Heterogeneity of European DRG systems and potentials for a common EuroDRG system: Comment on "Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries"

    OpenAIRE

    Geissler, Alexander; Quentin, Wilm; Busse, Reinhard

    2015-01-01

    Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring...

  16. Validation of the All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Group (APR-DRG) Risk of Mortality and Severity of Illness Modifiers as a Measure of Perioperative Risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, Patrick J; Lin, Hung-Mo; Deiner, Stacie G; Levin, Matthew A

    2018-03-22

    The All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Group (APR-DRG) is an inpatient visit classification system that assigns a diagnostic related group, a Risk of Mortality (ROM) subclass and a Severity of Illness (SOI) subclass. While extensively used for cost adjustment, no study has compared the APR-DRG subclass modifiers to the popular Charlson Comorbidity Index as a measure of comorbidity severity in models for perioperative in-hospital mortality. In this study we attempt to validate the use of these subclasses to predict mortality in a cohort of surgical patients. We analyzed all adult (age over 18 years) inpatient non-cardiac surgery at our institution between December 2005 and July 2013. After exclusions, we split the cohort into training and validation sets. We created prediction models of inpatient mortality using the Charlson Comorbidity Index, ROM only, SOI only, and ROM with SOI. Models were compared by receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC curve (AUC), and Brier score. After exclusions, we analyzed 63,681 patient-visits. Overall in-hospital mortality was 1.3%. The median number of ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes was 6 (Q1-Q3 4-10). The median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 0 (Q1-Q3 0-2). When the model was applied to the validation set, the c-statistic for Charlson was 0.865, c-statistic for ROM was 0.975, and for ROM and SOI combined the c-statistic was 0.977. The scaled Brier score for Charlson was 0.044, Brier for ROM only was 0.230, and Brier for ROM and SOI was 0.257. The APR-DRG ROM or SOI subclasses are better predictors than the Charlson Comorbidity Index of in-hospital mortality among surgical patients.

  17. Different communication strategies for disclosing a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooq, Saeed; Johal, Rupinder K; Ziff, Charlotte; Naeem, Farooq

    2017-10-24

    Delivering the diagnosis of a serious illness is an important skill in most fields of medicine, including mental health. Research has found that communication skills can impact on a person's recall and understanding of the diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis. People may feel confused and perplexed when information about their illness is not communicated properly. Sharing information about diagnosis of a serious mental illness is particularly challenging. The nature of mental illness is often difficult to explain since there may be no clear aetiology, and the treatment options and prognosis may vary enormously. In addition, newly diagnosed psychiatric patients, who are actively ill, often may not accept their diagnosis due to lack of insight or stigma attached to the condition. There are several interventions that aim to help clinicians to communicate life changing medical diagnoses to people; however, little is known specifically for delivering a diagnosis of schizophrenia. To evaluate evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for the efficacy of different communication strategies used by clinicians to inform people about the diagnosis and outcome of schizophrenia compared with treatment as usual and to compare efficacy between different communication strategies. On 22 June 2015 and 29 June 2016, we searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Study-Based Register of Trials. We also searched sources of grey literature (e.g., dissertations, theses, clinical reports, evaluations published on websites, clinical guidelines and reports from regulatory agencies). We planned to include all relevant RCTs that included adults with schizophrenia or related disorders, including schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder and delusional disorder. The trials would have investigated the effects of communication strategy or strategies that helped clinicians deliver information specifically about a diagnosis of schizophrenia (which can also include

  18. Systematically evaluating the impact of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) on health care delivery: a matrix of ethical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fourie, Carina; Biller-Andorno, Nikola; Wild, Verina

    2014-04-01

    Swiss hospitals were required to implement a prospective payment system for reimbursement using a diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) classification system by the beginning of 2012. Reforms to a health care system should be assessed for their impact, including their impact on ethically relevant factors. Over a number of years and in a number of countries, questions have been raised in the literature about the ethical implications of the implementation of DRGs. However, despite this, researchers have not attempted to identify the major ethical issues associated with DRGs systematically. To address this gap in the literature, we have developed a matrix for identifying the ethical implications of the implementation of DRGs. It was developed using a literature review, and empirical studies on DRGs, as well as a review and analysis of existing ethics frameworks. The matrix consists of the ethically relevant parameters of health care systems on which DRGs are likely to have an impact; the ethical values underlying these parameters; and examples of specific research questions associated with DRGs to illustrate how the matrix can be applied. While the matrix has been developed in light of the Swiss health care reform, it could be used as a basis for identifying the ethical implications of DRG-based systems worldwide and for highlighting the ethical implications of other kinds of provider payment systems (PPS). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Diagnosis and treatment of participants of support groups for hypersexual disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Els Tierens

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which members of support groups for hypersexual disorder meet the proposed criteria for hypersexual disorder of Kafka, how the diagnosis of hypersexual disorders is made and what treatments are currently given. Methods: In this non-interventional research survey, members of support groups for hypersexual disorder received a questionnaire in which the criteria for hypersexual disorder according to Kafka were included as well as the way the disease was diagnosed and treated. Results: The questionnaire was presented to 32 people but only 10 completed questionnaires were returned. Five of the ten respondents met the criteria of Kafka. For the other five respondents a hypersexual disorder was not confirmed but neither excluded. Only for three respondents the diagnosis was made by a professional healthcare worker. The treatment included – besides the support group in nine cases – also individual psychotherapy. Two respondents took a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI, as recommended in the literature. Conclusions: The members of support groups for sex addiction were difficult to motivate for their participation. The way hypersexual disorders were diagnosed was far from optimal. Only two participants received the recommended medication.

  20. Feature-based morphometry: discovering group-related anatomical patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toews, Matthew; Wells, William; Collins, D Louis; Arbel, Tal

    2010-02-01

    This paper presents feature-based morphometry (FBM), a new fully data-driven technique for discovering patterns of group-related anatomical structure in volumetric imagery. In contrast to most morphometry methods which assume one-to-one correspondence between subjects, FBM explicitly aims to identify distinctive anatomical patterns that may only be present in subsets of subjects, due to disease or anatomical variability. The image is modeled as a collage of generic, localized image features that need not be present in all subjects. Scale-space theory is applied to analyze image features at the characteristic scale of underlying anatomical structures, instead of at arbitrary scales such as global or voxel-level. A probabilistic model describes features in terms of their appearance, geometry, and relationship to subject groups, and is automatically learned from a set of subject images and group labels. Features resulting from learning correspond to group-related anatomical structures that can potentially be used as image biomarkers of disease or as a basis for computer-aided diagnosis. The relationship between features and groups is quantified by the likelihood of feature occurrence within a specific group vs. the rest of the population, and feature significance is quantified in terms of the false discovery rate. Experiments validate FBM clinically in the analysis of normal (NC) and Alzheimer's (AD) brain images using the freely available OASIS database. FBM automatically identifies known structural differences between NC and AD subjects in a fully data-driven fashion, and an equal error classification rate of 0.80 is achieved for subjects aged 60-80 years exhibiting mild AD (CDR=1). Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Diagnosis of climbing related overuse injuries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klauser, A.; Frauscher, F.; Helweg, G.; Nedden, D. zur; Hochholzer, T.; Kramer, J.

    2002-01-01

    Sport climbing shows an enormous increase in participation, evolving to more popularity, including even school sport activity on high standards. Therefore the number of climbing related injuries is increasing and becomes a more frequently encountered medical problem. Typical climbing associated injuries involve predominantly the upper limb. Overuse injuries are the most common climbing related injuries.The clinical examination is the first line investigation, which is often limited especially in the acute phase. However, an exact diagnosis is desireable for therapeutic management. Imaging modalities have shown to be capable for detection of climbing related injuries. An overview about the current use of x-ray, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in different climbing related overuse injuries is presented. (orig.) [de

  2. Does awareness of diagnosis influence health related quality of life in north Indian patients with lung cancer ?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Ashutosh Nath; Singh, Navneet; Gupta, Dheeraj; Behera, Digambar

    2016-05-01

    Several patients with cancer in India are not aware of their diagnosis. We evaluated the impact of awareness of cancer diagnosis on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer. A total of 391 treatment-naïve patients with lung cancer, seen at the Lung Cancer Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in north India, were categorized into those aware of their diagnosis (group A) and those not aware (group B). All patients answered Hindi versions of abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and its lung cancer module, EORTC QLQ-LC13. Various domain scores were computed and compared between the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to determine significance of differences after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Only 117 (29.9%) patients were aware of their diagnosis. Of all, 302 (77.2%) patients had non-small cell lung cancer, and 301 (77.0%) had advanced disease. All HRQL domain scores were similar between the two groups, except that group B patients had significantly poorer median (interquartile range) Physical [39.3 (28.6-50.0) vs 46.4 (28.6-57.1)] and Environment [46.9 (40.6-56.3) vs 53.1 (0.6-65.6)] domain scores of WHOQOL-Bref, and p0 hysical function [60.0 (40.0-73.3) vs 66.7 (46.7-80.0)] and Fatigue [66.7 (55.6-77.8) vs 66.7 (44.4-66.7)] scores of QLQ-C30. After adjusting for gender, age, education, family income, and tumour extent, these differences were not significant. Disclosure of cancer diagnosis, or lack of it, had no significant impact on HRQL in patients with lung cancer after adjustment of potential confounders.

  3. Cost justification of clinical pharmacy services on a general surgery team: focus on diagnosis-related group cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertch, K E; Hatoum, H T; Willett, M S; Witte, K W

    1988-11-01

    We used a novel approach to cost-justify clinical pharmacy services on a general surgery team in nine diagnosis-related group cases. The clinical pharmacist monitored nine patients longitudinally on a general surgery team from admission to discharge and intervened in their therapeutic management. Each recommendation was analyzed for rationale, acceptance, perceived impact on quality and/or cost of patient care, whether self-initiated or solicited, and impact on patient outcome. Types of recommendations and outcomes were categorized by process and outcome measurement criteria. Total cost avoidance per patient was calculated using costs of drug therapy, laboratory tests, and length of stay. Accounting for cost of clinical pharmacy services, net cost avoidance per patient was calculated. The clinical pharmacist made 101 recommendations on nine patients. Physicians accepted 82 percent of the recommendations; 77 percent of the recommendations were self-initiated and 23 percent were solicited. Recommendations had a perceived impact on cost, quality, or both at 13, 31, and 56 percent, respectively. Most recommendations (79 percent) brought patient therapy to a level of conformance with current standards of practice as documented in the medical literature. Recommendations that potentially preserved a major organ function by preventing drug-induced toxicity or the exacerbation of existing problems constituted 16 percent of the total. None of the accepted recommendations adversely affected patient outcome and 23 percent directly resulted in a measurable positive outcome in patient care. A total of four hospital days was potentially saved for two cases. Based on objective outcome criteria, a 1.9-day increase in therapeutic control was documented per patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  4. The 4th Report of the Working Group on ECG diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bacharova, Ljuba; Estes, Harvey E; Schocken, Douglas D

    2016-01-01

    The 4th Report provides a brief review of publications focused on the electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy published during the period of 2010 to 2016 by the members of the Working Group on ECG diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy. The Working Group recommended...... that ECG research and clinical attention be redirected from the estimation of LVM to the identification of electrical remodeling, to better understanding the sequence of events connecting electrical remodeling to outcomes. The need for a re-definition of terms and for a new paradigm is also stressed....

  5. Development of a Real-time PCR test for porcine group A rotavirus diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth C.M. Marconi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Group A Rotavirus (RVA is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in humans and several animal species. A SYBR-Green Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR was developed to diagnose RVA from porcine fecal samples, targeting amplification of a 137-bp fragment of nonstructural protein 5 (NSP5 gene using mRNA of bovine NADH-desidrogenase-5 as exogenous internal control. Sixty-five samples were tested (25 tested positive for conventional PCR and genetic sequencing. The overall agreement (kappa was 0.843, indicating 'very good' concordance between tests, presenting 100% of relative sensitivity (25+ Real Time PCR/25+ Conventional PCR and 87.5% of relative sensitivity (35- Real Time PCR/40- Conventional PCR. The results also demonstrated high intra- and inter-assay reproducibility (coefficient of variation ≤1.42%; thus, this method proved to be a fast and sensitive approach for the diagnosis of RVA in pigs.

  6. Does awareness of diagnosis influence health related quality of life in north Indian patients with lung cancer ?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashutosh Nath Aggarwal

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Several patients with cancer in India are not aware of their diagnosis. We evaluated the impact of awareness of cancer diagnosis on health-related quality of life (HRQL in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer. Methods: A total of 391 treatment-naïve patients with lung cancer, seen at the Lung Cancer Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in north India, were categorized into those aware of their diagnosis (group A and those not aware (group B. All patients answered Hindi versions of abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30, and its lung cancer module, EORTC QLQ-LC13. Various domain scores were computed and compared between the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to determine significance of differences after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Results: Only 117 (29.9% patients were aware of their diagnosis. Of all, 302 (77.2% patients had non-small cell lung cancer, and 301 (77.0% had advanced disease. All HRQL domain scores were similar between the two groups, except that group B patients had significantly poorer median (interquartile range Physical [39.3 (28.6-50.0 vs 46.4 (28.6-57.1] and Environment [46.9 (40.6-56.3 vs 53.1 (0.6-65.6] domain scores of WHOQOL-Bref, and p0 hysical function [60.0 (40.0-73.3 vs 66.7 (46.7-80.0] and Fatigue [66.7 (55.6-77.8 vs 66.7 (44.4-66.7] scores of QLQ-C30. After adjusting for gender, age, education, family income, and tumour extent, these differences were not significant. Interpretation & conclusions: Disclosure of cancer diagnosis, or lack of it, had no significant impact on HRQL in patients with lung cancer after adjustment of potential confounders.

  7. Potential loss of revenue due to errors in clinical coding during the implementation of the Malaysia diagnosis related group (MY-DRG®) Casemix system in a teaching hospital in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafirah, S A; Nur, Amrizal Muhammad; Puteh, Sharifa Ezat Wan; Aljunid, Syed Mohamed

    2018-01-25

    The accuracy of clinical coding is crucial in the assignment of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) codes, especially if the hospital is using Casemix System as a tool for resource allocations and efficiency monitoring. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential loss of income due to an error in clinical coding during the implementation of the Malaysia Diagnosis Related Group (MY-DRG ® ) Casemix System in a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Four hundred and sixty-four (464) coded medical records were selected, re-examined and re-coded by an independent senior coder (ISC). This ISC re-examined and re-coded the error code that was originally entered by the hospital coders. The pre- and post-coding results were compared, and if there was any disagreement, the codes by the ISC were considered the accurate codes. The cases were then re-grouped using a MY-DRG ® grouper to assess and compare the changes in the DRG assignment and the hospital tariff assignment. The outcomes were then verified by a casemix expert. Coding errors were found in 89.4% (415/424) of the selected patient medical records. Coding errors in secondary diagnoses were the highest, at 81.3% (377/464), followed by secondary procedures at 58.2% (270/464), principal procedures of 50.9% (236/464) and primary diagnoses at 49.8% (231/464), respectively. The coding errors resulted in the assignment of different MY-DRG ® codes in 74.0% (307/415) of the cases. From this result, 52.1% (160/307) of the cases had a lower assigned hospital tariff. In total, the potential loss of income due to changes in the assignment of the MY-DRG ® code was RM654,303.91. The quality of coding is a crucial aspect in implementing casemix systems. Intensive re-training and the close monitoring of coder performance in the hospital should be performed to prevent the potential loss of hospital income.

  8. Heterogeneity of European DRG Systems and Potentials for a Common Eurodrg System; Comment on “Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs: Patient Classification and Hospital Reimbursement in 11 European Countries”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Geissler

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring hospital activity vs. paying hospitals, a common DRG system can serve as an international communication basis among health administrators and can reduce the national development efforts as it is demonstrated by the NordDRG consortium.

  9. Diagnosis of Epilepsy and Related Episodic Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Louis, Erik K; Cascino, Gregory D

    2016-02-01

    This review identifies the diverse and variable clinical presentations associated with epilepsy that may create challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Epilepsy has recently been redefined as a disease characterized by one or more seizures with a relatively high recurrence risk (ie, 60% or greater likelihood). The implication of this definition for therapy is that antiepileptic drug therapy may be initiated following a first seizure in certain situations.EEG remains the most commonly used study in the evaluation of people with epilepsy. Routine EEG may assist in diagnosis, classification of seizure type(s), identification of treatment, and monitoring the efficacy of therapy. Video-EEG monitoring permits seizure classification, assessment of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, and evaluation of candidacy for epilepsy surgery. MRI is pivotal in elucidating the etiology of the seizure disorder and in suggesting the localization of seizure onset. This article reviews the new International League Against Epilepsy practical clinical definition for epilepsy and the differential diagnosis of other physiologic paroxysmal spells, including syncope, parasomnias, transient ischemic attacks, and migraine, as well as psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. The initial investigational approaches to new-onset epilepsy are considered, including neuroimaging and neurophysiologic investigations with interictal and ictal video-EEG. Neurologists should maintain a high index of suspicion for epilepsy when children or adults present with a single paroxysmal spell or recurrent episodic events.

  10. Transdiagnostic group CBT vs. standard group CBT for depression, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia/panic disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arnfred, Sidse Marie Hemmingsen; Aharoni, Ruth; Pedersen, Morten Hvenegaard

    2017-01-01

    Background: Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TCBT) manuals delivered in individual format have been reported to be just as effective as traditional diagnosis specific CBT manuals. We have translated and modified the “The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional...... Disorders” (UP-CBT) for group delivery in Mental Health Service (MHS), and shown effects comparable to traditional CBT in a naturalistic study. As the use of one manual instead of several diagnosis-specific manuals could simplify logistics, reduce waiting time, and increase therapist expertise compared...... to diagnosis specific CBT, we aim to test the relative efficacy of group UP-CBT and diagnosis specific group CBT. Methods/design: The study is a partially blinded, pragmatic, non-inferiority, parallel, multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) of UP-CBT vs diagnosis specific CBT for Unipolar Depression...

  11. Heterogeneity of European DRG systems and potentials for a common EuroDRG system Comment on "Cholecystectomy and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs): patient classification and hospital reimbursement in 11 European countries".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geissler, Alexander; Quentin, Wilm; Busse, Reinhard

    2015-03-05

    Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) systems across Europe are very heterogeneous, in particular because of different classification variables and algorithms as well as costing methodologies. But, given the challenge of increasing patient mobility within Europe, health systems are forced to incorporate a common patient classification language in order to compare and identify similar patients e.g. for reimbursement purposes. Beside the national adoption of DRGs for a wide range of purposes (measuring hospital activity vs. paying hospitals), a common DRG system can serve as an international communication basis among health administrators and can reduce the national development efforts as it is demonstrated by the NordDRG consortium. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  12. Work-related stress disorders: variability in clinical expression and pitfalls in psychiatric diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buselli, Rodolfo; Veltri, Antonello; Baldanzi, Sigrid; Bozzi, Silvia; Marino, Riccardo; Chiumiento, Martina; Dell'Osso, Liliana; Cristaudo, Alfonso

    2016-03-24

    Putative occupational stress-related psychiatric disorders are Adjustment Disorders (AD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mood Disorders (MD) are not excluded but are unlikely to be identified as occupational diseases. The differential diagnosis between AD and MD is not easy and is based on strict categorical criteria. The aim of this study  was to explore differences in personality and mood spectrum symptoms among workers investigated for occupational stress suffering from AD or MD. Sixty-two patients with AD and 43 with MD were recruited and evaluated by means of rating scales for psychosocial occupational risk and work-related stress (WHS, CDL, OSQ), for sleep disturbances (PSQI), for personality disorders (SCID-II) and for mood spectrum symptoms (MOODS-SR). The diagnostic groups did not differ for WHS, OSQ and PSQI scores. The duration of exposure to stressful/adversative work situations was significantly higher in the MD group (p=0.03). Positive family psychiatric history (p=0.005), personality disorders (p=0.009) and pathological personality traits (p<0.0001) were significantly more frequent in the MD group. The MOODS-SR questionnaire total score (p=0.019) and the manic component score (p=0.001) but not the depressive score were significantly higher in the MD group. The present study suggests that  positive family psychiatric history, pathological personality traits and  spectrum manic symptoms represent markers of vulnerability and low resilience for workers exposed to occupational stress. These characteristics could weaken the etiological relationship between work-related stress and an initial  major depressive episode when it is under investigation as a possible occupational disease.

  13. [Evaluation of T-SPOT.TB assay in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis within different age groups].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Liping; Jia, Hongyan; Liu, Fei; Gao, Mengqiu; Sun, Huishan; Du, Boping; Sun, Qi; Xing, Aiying; Wei, Rongrong; Zhang, Zongde

    2015-12-01

    To evaluate the value of T-SPOT.TB assay in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis within different age groups. We analyzed 1 518 suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients who were admitted to the Beijing Chest Hospital from November 2012 to February 2014 and had valid T-SPOT.TB tests before anti-tuberculosis therapy. The 599 microbiologically and/or histopathologically-confirmed PTB patients (16-89 years old, 388 males and 211 females) and 235 non-TB patients (14-85 years old, 144 males and 91 females) were enrolled for the analysis of diagnostic performance of T-SPOT.TB, while patients with uncertain diagnosis or diagnosis based on clinical impression (n=684) were excluded from the analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of the T-SPOT.TB were analyzed according to the final diagnosis. Furthermore, the diagnostic performance of T-SPOT.TB assay in the younger patients (14-59 years old) and elderly patients (60-89 years old) were also analyzed respectively. Categorical variables were compared by Pearson's Chi-square test, while continuous variables were compared by the Mann-Whitney U-test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of the T-SPOT.TB in diagnosis of PTB were 90.1% (540/599), 65.5% (154/235), 86.9% (540/621), 72.3% (154/213), 2.61, and 0.15, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB assay were 92.6% (375/405) and 75.6% (99/131), respectively in the younger patients, and 85.0% (165/194), 52.9% (55/104) respectively in the elderly patients. The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB assay in the younger patients were significantly higher than those in the elderly patients (Pspot forming cells in the younger PTB patients were significantly higher than in the elderly PTB patients [300 (126, 666)/10(6) PBMCs vs. 258 (79, 621

  14. Possible Age-Related Progression of Attentional Impairment in ADHD and Its Attenuation by Past Diagnosis and Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Sheetrit, Joseph; Tasker, Hanan; Avnat, Lee; Golubchik, Pavel; Weizman, Abraham; Manor, Iris

    2017-12-01

    The aim of the study is to evaluate attentional impairment in different age groups with ADHD. In all, 58 children, 73 adolescents, and 104 adults with ADHD were evaluated using the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA). Subjects with comorbidities or psychotropic treatment were not included. Considering Response Time Variability (RTV), adults were 10.6 and 4.0 times more likely to be severely impaired (standard score impaired (standard scoreimpaired participants were adults. Age predicted impairment in Attention Performance Index (API), RTV, and d', but not Omissions or Commissions. Past treatment with stimulants predicted less impairment in d', past diagnosis predicted less impairment in RTV, and each predicted less impairment in Omissions and API. Adults had more attentional impairment than children and adolescents. Past diagnosis and treatment were associated with less ADHD-related attentional impairment.

  15. Prenatal Diagnosis of Osteogenesis Imperfecta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özgür Özyüncü

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal dysplasias are a group of diseases with a wide spectrum related to bone and cartilage. Some forms are lethal whereas some forms have milder clinical progression. Prenatal diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias may be possible especially when there is an index case in the family. Ultrasonography plays the central role in prenatal diagnosis and most common sonographic features are angulation of long bones, bending of femur or bowing signin the long bones. We present a case whose follow up for fetal short extremities ended with termination of pregnancy. The differential diagnosis is hard and depend especially on the fetal x-ray. Final diagnosis was lethal type osteogenesis imperfecta.

  16. Colorectal cancer patient's self-efficacy for managing illness-related problems in the first 2 years after diagnosis, results from the ColoREctal Well-being (CREW) study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimmett, Chloe; Haviland, Joanne; Winter, Jane; Calman, Lynn; Din, Amy; Richardson, Alison; Smith, Peter W F; Foster, Claire

    2017-10-01

    There is a growing emphasis on self-management of cancer aftercare. Little is known about patient's self-efficacy (confidence) to manage illness-related problems and how this changes over time. This paper describes the patterns of self-efficacy for managing illness-related problems amongst colorectal cancer patients in the 2 years following diagnosis. In this prospective cohort study, questionnaires were administered at baseline (pre-surgery), 3, 9, 15 and 24 months to 872 colorectal cancer patients. Self-efficacy (confidence to manage illness-related problems), anxiety, social support, affect, socio-demographics, physical symptoms and clinical and treatment characteristics were assessed. Group-based trajectory analysis identified trajectories of self-efficacy up to 24 months and predictors. Four trajectories of self-efficacy were identified: group 1 (very confident) 16.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.7-21.3%), group 2 (confident) 45.6% (95% CI 40.3-51.0%), group 3 (moderately confident) 29.5% (95% CI 25.1-33.8%) and group 4 (low confidence) 8.9% (95% CI 6.4-11.4%). Greater deprivation, domestic status, more co-morbidities, worse fatigue and pain, lower positivity and greater negativity were significantly associated with lower self-efficacy. There was an increase in mean scores for self-efficacy over time for the whole sample, but this did not reach the cut-off for minimally important differences. At 2 years, the lowest level of confidence to manage was for symptoms or health problems. Around 40% of patients had suboptimal levels of confidence to manage illness-related problems with little change from the time of diagnosis across the four groups. Screening for self-efficacy at diagnosis would enable targeted, early intervention which could in turn enhance health-related quality of life.

  17. The discourse of health managers on aspects related to the delay in tuberculosis diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lenilde Duarte de Sa

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the discourse of health managers on aspects related to delay in tuberculosis diagnosis. This was a qualitative research study, conducted with 16 Family Health Unit managers. The empirical data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The analysis was based on the theoretical framework of the French school of discourse analysis. According to the managers’ statements, the delay in tuberculosis diagnosis is related to patient and health service aspects. As for patient aspects, managers report fear, prejudice and lack of information as factors that may promote a delayed diagnosis. Regarding health service aspects, structural problems and lack of professional skills were reported. The discourse of managers should be considered to qualify tuberculosis control actions and to prevent delays in diagnosis.

  18. Group singing and health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abell, Romane V; Baird, Amee D; Chalmers, Kerry A

    2017-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Previous studies have shown that participating in group singing activities can improve quality of life in some patient populations (e.g., people with chronic mental health or neurological conditions). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of group singing on HRQoL for people diagnosed with PD. Eleven participants (mean age 70.6 years) with a formal diagnosis of PD between Hoehn and Yahr Stages I-III were recruited from a community singing group for people with PD, their family and their carers. Participants' perceptions of the effect of group singing on their quality of life were captured in a semistructured interview. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a qualitative methodology, informed data collection and analysis. The IPA analysis revealed 6 categories that characterized the effects of group singing: physical, mood, cognitive functioning, social connectedness, "flow-on" effects, and sense-of-self. All participants reported positive effects across at least 4 of these categories. Three participants reported a negative effect in 1 category (physical, mood, or sense-of-self). The results suggest that group singing improved HRQoL with all participants reporting positive effects regardless of PD stage or symptom severity. Weekly engagement in group singing resulted in multiple benefits for the participants and counteracted some of the negative effects of PD. These findings suggest that group singing "gives back" some of what PD "takes away." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Adolescents and Dual Diagnosis in a Psychiatric Emergency Service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matali, José Luis; Andión, Oscar; Pardo, Marta; Iniesta, Raquel; Serrano, Eduard; San, Luis

    2016-03-02

    In recent years, both the prevalence of drug use and related child and adolescent psychiatric emergencies have risen sharply. There are few studies about the impact on child and adolescent emergency services. This study has a twofold aim. The first is to describe the prevalence of substance use disorders, mental disorders and dual diagnosis (substance use problems plus mental disorder) in adolescents in psychiatric emergency service. The second is to analyze clinical and healthcare differences between patients with dual diagnosis and patients with a mental disorder without substance use disorder.We retrospectively reviewed 4012 discharge forms for emergencies treated at the psychiatric emergency department during the period 2007-2009. We obtained a sample of 1795 visits. This sample was divided into two groups: the dual diagnosis group (n = 477) and the psychiatric disorder group (n = 1318).The dual diagnosis group accounted for 26.5% of psychiatric emergencies analyzed. Compared to the psychiatric disorder group,the dual diagnosis group had significantly more conduct disorders, social problems, involuntariness in the visit, less hospital admissions and less connection with the healthcare network.Adolescents with a dual diagnosis account for a high percentage of visits at child and adolescent psychiatric emergency services. This patient group requires specialized care both at emergency services and in specific units. Accordingly, these units should play a triple role when handling dual diagnosis: detection, brief treatment and referral to a specialised unit.

  20. Do diagnosis-related groups appropriately explain variations in costs and length of stay of hip replacement? A comparative assessment of DRG systems across 10 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geissler, Alexander; Scheller-Kreinsen, David; Quentin, Wilm

    2012-08-01

    This paper assesses the variations in costs and length of stay for hip replacement cases in Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Sweden and examines the ability of national diagnosis-related group (DRG) systems to explain the variation in resource use against a set of patient characteristic and treatment specific variables. In total, 195,810 cases clustered in 712 hospitals were analyzed using OLS fixed effects models for cost data (n=125,698) and negative binominal models for length-of-stay data (n=70,112). The number of DRGs differs widely across the 10 European countries (range: 2-14). Underlying this wide range is a different use of classification variables, especially secondary diagnoses and treatment options are considered to a different extent. In six countries, a standard set of patient characteristics and treatment variables explain the variation in costs or length of stay better than the DRG variables. This raises questions about the adequacy of the countries' DRG system or the lack of specific criteria, which could be used as classification variables. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. First contact diagnosis and management of contact lens-related complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagan, Xavier J; Jhanji, Vishal; Constantinou, Marios; Amirul Islam, F M; Taylor, Hugh R; Vajpayee, Rasik B

    2012-08-01

    To describe the spectrum of contact lens-related problems in cases presenting to a tertiary referral eye hospital. A retrospective case record analysis of 111 eyes of 97 consecutive patients was undertaken over a period of five months at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Contact lens-related complications (CLRC) were classified into microbial keratitis, sterile corneal infiltrates, corneal epitheliopathy and contact lens-related red eye (CLARE). Main parameters examined were nature of the first contact, clinical diagnosis, and management pattern. Forty-two percent of the initial presentations were to health care practitioners (HCPs) other than ophthalmologists. Mean duration from the onset of symptoms to presentation was 6.3 ± 10.9 days. Forty-nine percent (n = 54) of patients had an associated risk factor, most commonly overnight use of contact lenses (n = 14, 13 %). Most common diagnosis at presentation was corneal epitheliopathy (68 %) followed by sterile infiltrates (10 %), CLARE (8 %) and microbial keratitis (6 %). No significant differences were found in the pattern of treatment modalities administered by ophthalmologists and other HCPs. HCPs other than ophthalmologists are the first contact for contact lens-related problems in a significant proportion of patients. These HCPs manage the majority of CLRC by direct treatment or immediate referral.

  2. When are emotions related to group-based appraisals? A comparison between group-based emotions and general group emotions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuppens, Toon; Yzerbyt, Vincent Y

    2014-12-01

    In the literature on emotions in intergroup relations, it is not always clear how exactly emotions are group-related. Here, we distinguish between emotions that involve appraisals of immediate group concerns (i.e., group-based emotions) and emotions that do not. Recently, general group emotions, measured by asking people how they feel "as a group member" but without specifying an object for these emotions, have been conceptualized as reflecting appraisals of group concerns. In contrast, we propose that general group emotions are best seen as emotions about belonging to a group. In two studies, general group emotions were closely related to emotions that are explicitly measured as belonging emotions. Two further studies showed that general group emotions were not related to appraisals of immediate group concerns, whereas group-based emotions were. We argue for more specificity regarding the group-level aspects of emotion that are tapped by emotion measures. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  3. Diagnosis of gluten related disorders: Celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elli, Luca; Branchi, Federica; Tomba, Carolina; Villalta, Danilo; Norsa, Lorenzo; Ferretti, Francesca; Roncoroni, Leda; Bardella, Maria Teresa

    2015-06-21

    Cereal crops and cereal consumption have had a vital role in Mankind's history. In the recent years gluten ingestion has been linked with a range of clinical disorders. Gluten-related disorders have gradually emerged as an epidemiologically relevant phenomenon with an estimated global prevalence around 5%. Celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity represent different gluten-related disorders. Similar clinical manifestations can be observed in these disorders, yet there are peculiar pathogenetic pathways involved in their development. Celiac disease and wheat allergy have been extensively studied, while non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a relatively novel clinical entity, believed to be closely related to other gastrointestinal functional syndromes. The diagnosis of celiac disease and wheat allergy is based on a combination of findings from the patient's clinical history and specific tests, including serology and duodenal biopsies in case of celiac disease, or laboratory and functional assays for wheat allergy. On the other hand, non-celiac gluten sensitivity is still mainly a diagnosis of exclusion, in the absence of clear-cut diagnostic criteria. A multimodal pragmatic approach combining findings from the clinical history, symptoms, serological and histological tests is required in order to reach an accurate diagnosis. A thorough knowledge of the differences and overlap in clinical presentation among gluten-related disorders, and between them and other gastrointestinal disorders, will help clinicians in the process of differential diagnosis.

  4. Diagnosis of eight groups of xeroderma pigmentosum by genetic complementation using recombinant adenovirus vectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, Toshiharu; Okura, Masae; Ishii-Osai, Yasue; Hida, Tokimasa

    2016-10-01

    Because patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) must avoid ultraviolet (UV) light from an early age, an early diagnosis of this disorder is essential. XP is composed of seven genetic complementation groups, XP-A to -G, and a variant type (XP-V). To establish an easy and accurate diagnosis of the eight disease groups, we constructed recombinant adenoviruses that expressed one of the XP cDNA. When fibroblasts derived from patients with XP-A, -B, -C, -D, -F or -G were infected with the adenovirus expressing XPA, XPB, XPC, XPD, XPF or XPG, respectively, and UV-C at 5-20 J/m 2 was irradiated, cell viability was clearly recovered by the corresponding recombinant adenoviruses. In contrast, XP-E and XP-V cells were not significantly sensitive to UV irradiation and were barely complemented by the matched recombinant adenoviruses. However, co-infection of Ad-XPA with Ad-XPE increased survival rate of XP-E cells after UV-C exposure. When XP-V cell strains, including one derived from a Japanese patient, were infected with Ad-XPV, exposed to UV-B and cultured with 1 mmol/L of caffeine, flow cytometry detected a characteristic decrease in the S phase in all the XP-V cell strains. From these results, the eight groups of XP could be differentiated by utilizing a set of recombinant adenoviruses, indicating that our procedure provides a convenient and correct diagnostic method for all the XP groups including XP-E and XP-V. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  5. Speaking the same language: underestimating financial impact when using diagnosis-related group versus ICD-9-based definitions for trauma inclusion criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deppe, Sharon; Truax, Christopher B; Opalek, Judy M; Santanello, Steven A

    2009-04-01

    Hospital accounting methods use diagnosis-related group (DRG) data to identify patients and derive financial analyses and reports. The National Trauma Data Bank and trauma programs identify patients with trauma by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9)-based definitions for inclusion criteria. These differing methods of identifying patients result in economic reports that vary significantly and fail to accurately identify the financial impact of trauma services. Routine financial data were collected for patients admitted to our Trauma Service from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 using two methods of identifying the cases; by trauma DRGs and by trauma registry database inclusion criteria. The resulting data were compared and stratified to define the financial impact on hospital charges, reimbursement, costs, contribution to margin, downstream revenue, and estimated profit or loss. The results also defined the impact on supporting services, market share and total revenue from trauma admissions, return visits, discharged trauma alerts, and consultations. A total of 3,070 patients were identified by the trauma registry as meeting ICD-9 inclusion criteria. Trauma-associated DRGs accounted for 871 of the 3,070 admissions. The DRG-driven data set demonstrated an estimated profit of $800,000 dollars; the ICD-9 data set revealed an estimated 4.8 million dollar profit, increased our market share, and showed substantial revenue generated for other hospital service lines. Trauma DRGs fail to account for most trauma admissions. Financial data derived from DRG definitions significantly underestimate the trauma service line's financial contribution to hospital economics. Accurately identifying patients with trauma based on trauma database inclusion criteria better defines the business of trauma.

  6. INTELLECTUAL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IN RELATION TO TIME OF DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madhava Vijaya Kumar

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Context- Congenital hypothyroidism is an important cause of preventable mental retardation in children. Since, neonatal screening is not done routinely in India, many cases are diagnosed late. Earlier, the diagnosis and initiation of treatment, better will be the outcome. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of time of onset of treatment in intellectual and scholastic performances in children with congenital hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Children were classified into 3 groups. Group 1 were diagnosed and treatment initiated within one month of birth. Group 2, between 1 and 6 months and group 3 after 6 months. General intelligence and IQ were assessed by Malin’s intelligence scale for Indian children. Scholastic performance were evaluated by academic evaluation scale for slow learners and ADHD were diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria. Settings and Design- The study was done in the Paediatric Endocrinology Clinic of Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Department of Paediatrics, Government Medical College, Kozhikode. Study population included children of age group 6-9 years with congenital hypothyroidism. Statistical Methods Used- Statistical analysis was done with SPSS software version 16. The statistical analysis was done by ANOVA test. RESULTS IQ and intellectual outcomes were better in group 1 where treatment was initiated within one month. Similarly, poor academic abilities and increased incidence of ADHD were noted in children in whom diagnosis was made late. CONCLUSION Later the diagnosis more will be the intellectual and scholastic backwardness in children underscoring the importance of universal newborn screening.

  7. Diagnosis of gluten related disorders: Celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elli, Luca; Branchi, Federica; Tomba, Carolina; Villalta, Danilo; Norsa, Lorenzo; Ferretti, Francesca; Roncoroni, Leda; Bardella, Maria Teresa

    2015-01-01

    Cereal crops and cereal consumption have had a vital role in Mankind’s history. In the recent years gluten ingestion has been linked with a range of clinical disorders. Gluten-related disorders have gradually emerged as an epidemiologically relevant phenomenon with an estimated global prevalence around 5%. Celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity represent different gluten-related disorders. Similar clinical manifestations can be observed in these disorders, yet there are peculiar pathogenetic pathways involved in their development. Celiac disease and wheat allergy have been extensively studied, while non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a relatively novel clinical entity, believed to be closely related to other gastrointestinal functional syndromes. The diagnosis of celiac disease and wheat allergy is based on a combination of findings from the patient’s clinical history and specific tests, including serology and duodenal biopsies in case of celiac disease, or laboratory and functional assays for wheat allergy. On the other hand, non-celiac gluten sensitivity is still mainly a diagnosis of exclusion, in the absence of clear-cut diagnostic criteria. A multimodal pragmatic approach combining findings from the clinical history, symptoms, serological and histological tests is required in order to reach an accurate diagnosis. A thorough knowledge of the differences and overlap in clinical presentation among gluten-related disorders, and between them and other gastrointestinal disorders, will help clinicians in the process of differential diagnosis. PMID:26109797

  8. Outcome of a working diagnosis of \\"psychosis\\" in relation to DSM ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Outcome of a working diagnosis of \\"psychosis\\" in relation to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria in a Kenyan in-patient cohort at Mathari hospital, Nairobi. D M Ndetei, L I Khasakhala, F A Ongecha, V Mutiso, D A Kokonya ...

  9. European survey of diagnosis and management of the polycystic ovary syndrome: results of the ESE PCOS Special Interest Group's Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conway, Gerard; Dewailly, Didier; Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia; Escobar-Morreale, Hector F; Franks, Steven; Gambineri, Alessandra; Kelestimur, Fahrettin; Macut, Djuro; Micic, Dragan; Pasquali, Renato; Pfeifer, Marija; Pignatelli, Duarte; Pugeat, Michel; Yildiz, Bulent

    2014-10-01

    There is evidence for differences between endocrinologists and other specialists in their approach to diagnosis and management of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A mailed survey consisting of a simple questionnaire aiming to understand current practice for diagnosis and management of the PCOS by specialists across Europe. The questionnaire consisted of 23 questions grouped to achieve information on i) the general characteristics of the respondents, ii) patients with PCOS seen by endocrinologists, iii) the main diagnostic criteria, iv) biochemical parameters used in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenism, v) long-term concerns, and, finally vi) treatment choices. A total of 357 questionnaires representing 13.3% of the members of European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) were available for final analysis; 93% of the respondents were endocrinologists In relation to the diagnostic criteria, respondents were most likely to select menstrual irregularity as the most frequent criteria used for the diagnosis of PCOS although very high rates were achieved for the use of hirsutism and biochemical hyperandrogenism. It therefore appears that the NIH criteria were followed by the majority of respondents. The most frequent biochemical parameters in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenism were total testosterone or free androgen index. Obesity and type 2 diabetes were regarded as the principal long-term concerns for PCOS. The most common treatments for patients with PCOS were metformin (33%), lifestyle modification (25%), and oral contraceptives (22%). More direct treatments of infertility include clomiphene citrate alone or in combination with metformin, prescribed by 9 and 23%, respectively, whereas only 6% used other methods for induction of ovulation. The survey produced by ESE is a good start for evaluating the perspective in the diagnosis and treatment of PCOS by endocrinologists in Europe. © 2014 European Society of Endocrinology.

  10. Evaluation of an advanced physical diagnosis course using consumer preferences methods: the nominal group technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coker, Joshua; Castiglioni, Analia; Kraemer, Ryan R; Massie, F Stanford; Morris, Jason L; Rodriguez, Martin; Russell, Stephen W; Shaneyfelt, Terrance; Willett, Lisa L; Estrada, Carlos A

    2014-03-01

    Current evaluation tools of medical school courses are limited by the scope of questions asked and may not fully engage the student to think on areas to improve. The authors sought to explore whether a technique to study consumer preferences would elicit specific and prioritized information for course evaluation from medical students. Using the nominal group technique (4 sessions), 12 senior medical students prioritized and weighed expectations and topics learned in a 100-hour advanced physical diagnosis course (4-week course; February 2012). Students weighted their top 3 responses (top = 3, middle = 2 and bottom = 1). Before the course, 12 students identified 23 topics they expected to learn; the top 3 were review sensitivity/specificity and high-yield techniques (percentage of total weight, 18.5%), improving diagnosis (13.8%) and reinforce usual and less well-known techniques (13.8%). After the course, students generated 22 topics learned; the top 3 were practice and reinforce advanced maneuvers (25.4%), gaining confidence (22.5%) and learn the evidence (16.9%). The authors observed no differences in the priority of responses before and after the course (P = 0.07). In a physical diagnosis course, medical students elicited specific and prioritized information using the nominal group technique. The course met student expectations regarding education of the evidence-based physical examination, building skills and confidence on the proper techniques and maneuvers and experiential learning. The novel use for curriculum evaluation may be used to evaluate other courses-especially comprehensive and multicomponent courses.

  11. Lifestyle after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis in Relation to Survival and Recurrence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zutphen, van Moniek; Kampman, Ellen; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Duijnhoven, van Fränzel J.B.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose of Review: This review summarizes the evidence regarding diet, physical activity, smoking, and body composition after colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis in relation to all-cause and CRC-specific mortality and disease recurrence and gives suggestions for future research directions. Recent

  12. When are emotions related to group-based appraisals? : A comparison between group-based emotions and general group emotions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuppens, Toon; Yzerbyt, Vincent Y.

    2014-01-01

    In the literature on emotions in intergroup relations, it is not always clear how exactly emotions are group-related. Here, we distinguish between emotions that involve appraisals of immediate group concerns (i.e., group-based emotions) and emotions that do not. Recently, general group emotions,

  13. Impact of case type, length of stay, institution type, and comorbidities on Medicare diagnosis-related group reimbursement for adult spinal deformity surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunley, Pierce D; Mundis, Gregory M; Fessler, Richard G; Park, Paul; Zavatsky, Joseph M; Uribe, Juan S; Eastlack, Robert K; Chou, Dean; Wang, Michael Y; Anand, Neel; Frank, Kelly A; Stone, Marcus B; Kanter, Adam S; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Mummaneni, Praveen V

    2017-12-01

    OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to educate medical professionals about potential financial impacts of improper diagnosis-related group (DRG) coding in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. METHODS Medicare's Inpatient Prospective Payment System PC Pricer database was used to collect 2015 reimbursement data for ASD procedures from 12 hospitals. Case type, hospital type/location, number of operative levels, proper coding, length of stay, and complications/comorbidities (CCs) were analyzed for effects on reimbursement. DRGs were used to categorize cases into 3 types: 1) anterior or posterior only fusion, 2) anterior fusion with posterior percutaneous fixation with no dorsal fusion, and 3) combined anterior and posterior fixation and fusion. RESULTS Pooling institutions, cases were reimbursed the same for single-level and multilevel ASD surgery. Longer stay, from 3 to 8 days, resulted in an additional $1400 per stay. Posterior fusion was an additional $6588, while CCs increased reimbursement by approximately $13,000. Academic institutions received higher reimbursement than private institutions, i.e., approximately $14,000 (Case Types 1 and 2) and approximately $16,000 (Case Type 3). Urban institutions received higher reimbursement than suburban institutions, i.e., approximately $3000 (Case Types 1 and 2) and approximately $3500 (Case Type 3). Longer stay, from 3 to 8 days, increased reimbursement between $208 and $494 for private institutions and between $1397 and $1879 for academic institutions per stay. CONCLUSIONS Reimbursement is based on many factors not controlled by surgeons or hospitals, but proper DRG coding can significantly impact the financial health of hospitals and availability of quality patient care.

  14. Diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis and associated complications [digest].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vazquez, Michelle N; Sanders, Jennifere E; Wilson, Bryan

    2017-12-21

    Although group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis in children and adolescents, many viral and bacterial infections mimic the symptoms of GAS pharyngitis. Emergency clinicians must recognize the symptomatology of GAS pharyngitis and use appropriate means of diagnosis and treatment to promote good antibiotic stewardship. This issue reviews the signs and symptoms of GAS pharyngitis, as well as associated complications, and provides recommendations for appropriate treatment that focuses on reducing the severity and duration of symptoms, reducing the incidence of nonsuppurative complications, and reducing transmission. [Points & Pearls is a digest of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice].

  15. Analysis of the quality of diagnosis and treatment of primary headache in different social groups of the Ural Region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. R. Lebedeva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to analyze the quality of diagnosis and treatment of primary headache (HA in different social groups of the Ural Region. Patients and methods. The study enrolled 3124 persons who were divided into three groups: 1 1042 students; of them there were 719 women; mean age 20.6 years; range 17–40 years; 2 1075 workers; of them there were 146 women; mean age 40.4 years; range 21–67 years; 3 1007 blood donors; of them there were 484 women; mean age, 34.1 years; range 18–64 years. Semi-structured interviews involving the characteristics of HA and its prior diagnosis and treatment were conducted face-to-face in all those included in the study. HA was diagnosed using the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, beta version. Results and discussion. The following factors decreasing the quality of diagnosis and treatment of HA were identified in all the study groups: 1 low physician visit rates. Despite the high prevalence of all types of primary HA in 3 groups (67%, only 496 (23% out of 2110 participants with HA visited their physician with this problem. Among the patients with HA, physicians were visited most often by 342 (35% out of 968 students, least often by 60 (13% out of 457 workers and by 94 (14% out of 685 donors; 2 inadequate diagnosis of HA. Only 12 and 11.7% of the patients were correctly diagnosed with migraine and tension HA (THA, respectively; 3 the practically complete absence of preventive treatment for HA. The majority of patients used drugs to arrest HA attacks; preventive treatment for migraine was performed in 2 (0.4% and not performed in any of the patients with THA. It is necessary to improve the diagnosis and treatment of primary HA and to elaborate new Russian clinical guidelines for patient management on the basis of international standards. 

  16. Clinical and imaging diagnosis of IgG4-related disease in the head and neck

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Changliang; Liu Bin; Yu Yongqiang

    2013-01-01

    IgG4-related disease in the head and neck is a newly recognized multi-organ system disease characterized by elevated serum IgG4, infiltration of numerous IgG4-positive plasma cells, tissue fibrosis, and dramatic response to corticosteroid treatment. IgG4-related disease of the head and neck has some relative characteristics on CT and MRI, which can provide valuable information for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and are helpful for the clinical treatment, evaluation of therapeutic effects and prediction of prognosis. (authors)

  17. Sports injuries: population based representative data on incidence, diagnosis, sequelae, and high risk groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, S; Seither, B; Tönges, S; Schmitt, H

    2006-04-01

    To generate national representative data on the incidence, diagnosis, severity, and nature of medically treated sports injuries and to identify high risk groups. The first national health survey for the Federal Republic of Germany, conducted in the format of a standardised, written, cross sectional survey in the period October 1997 to March 1999, gathered data on the incidence of accident and injury and information on social demographics, injury related disability/time off work, and injury location/setting. The net sample comprised 7124 people aged 18-79. 3.1% of adult Germans said they sustained a sports injury during the previous year, corresponding to an annual injury rate of 5.6% among those engaging in regular recreational physical activity and ranking sports injuries as the second most common type of accident. About 62% of all sports injuries result in time taken off work. The period of occupational disability is 14 days or less in around two thirds of these cases. The occupational disability rate after occupational and traffic accidents is much higher by comparison. Dislocations, distortions, and/or torn ligaments make up 60% of all sports injuries, followed by fractures (18%), contusions, surface wounds, or open wounds (12%). Three out of four sports injury casualties are male. The incidence declines noticeably in higher age groups. Future injury prevention measures should focus on the high risk group of young male recreational athletes. The data indicate that the fear of damage to health and injury, believed to be significant internal psychological barriers to participation in sports, is largely unwarranted for the female population and/or older age groups. Sporting injuries are a marginal phenomenon among the female population and mobile seniors actively engaged in sports.

  18. The political economy of diagnosis-related groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertoli, Paola; Grembi, Veronica

    2017-10-01

    A well-established political economic literature has shown as multi-level governance affects the inefficiency of public expenditures. Yet, this expectation has not been empirically tested on health expenditures. We provide a political economy interpretation of the variation in the prices of 6 obstetric DRGs using Italy as a case study. Italy offers a unique institutional setting since its 21 regional governments can decide whether to adopt the national DRG system or to adjust/waive it. We investigate whether the composition and characteristics of regional governments do matter for the average DRG level and, if so, why. To address both questions, we first use a panel fixed effects model exploiting the results of 66 elections between 2000 and 2013 (i.e., 294 obs) to estimate the link between DRGs and the composition and characteristics of regional governments. Second, we investigate these results exploiting the implementation of a budget constraint policy through a difference-in-differences framework. The incidence of physicians in the regional government explains the variation of DRGs with low technological intensity, such as normal newborn, but not of those with high technological intensity, as severely premature newborn. We also observe a decrease in the average levels of DRGs after the budget constraint implementation, but the magnitude of this decrease depends primarily on the presence of physicians among politicians and the political alignment between the regional and the national government. To understand which kind of role the relevance of the political components plays (i.e., waste vs. better defined DRGs), we check whether any of the considered political economy variables have a positive impact on the quality of regional obstetric systems finding no effect. These results are a first evidence that a system of standardized prices, such as the DRGs, is not immune to political pressures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Information Entropy and Relative Principal Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoming Xu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In traditional principle component analysis (PCA, because of the neglect of the dimensions influence between different variables in the system, the selected principal components (PCs often fail to be representative. While the relative transformation PCA is able to solve the above problem, it is not easy to calculate the weight for each characteristic variable. In order to solve it, this paper proposes a kind of fault diagnosis method based on information entropy and Relative Principle Component Analysis. Firstly, the algorithm calculates the information entropy for each characteristic variable in the original dataset based on the information gain algorithm. Secondly, it standardizes every variable’s dimension in the dataset. And, then, according to the information entropy, it allocates the weight for each standardized characteristic variable. Finally, it utilizes the relative-principal-components model established for fault diagnosis. Furthermore, the simulation experiments based on Tennessee Eastman process and Wine datasets demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method.

  20. Immunoglobulin G4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis: A not to be missed diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smita Mary Matthai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Immunoglobulin G4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis (IgG4-TIN is a newly recognized clinicopathological entity characterized by a dense interstitial infiltrate of IgG4-positive plasma cells accompanied by fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis causing acute or chronic renal dysfunction amenable to corticosteroid therapy. IgG4-TIN is the dominant manifestation of renal involvement in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD which is a novel, immune-mediated, fibroinflammatory and multiorgan disorder. We describe a case of IgG4-TIN with isolated renal involvement in an elderly male patient with poor response to corticosteroid therapy. The distinctive serological, histopathological, and ultrastructural features of this condition which can facilitate differential diagnosis of TIN are highlighted to emphasize the need for early diagnosis and preservation of kidney function.

  1. Pre-diagnosis employment status and financial circumstances predict cancer-related financial stress and strain among breast and prostate cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, Linda; Timmons, Aileen

    2016-02-01

    Cancer may have a significant financial impact on patients, but the characteristics that predispose patients to cancer-related financial hardship are poorly understood. We investigated factors associated with cancer-related financial stress and strain in breast and prostate cancer survivors in Ireland, which has a complex mixed public-private healthcare system. Postal questionnaires were distributed to 1373 people diagnosed with cancer 3-24 months previously identified from the National Cancer Registry Ireland. Outcomes were cancer-related financial stress (impact of cancer diagnosis on household ability to make ends meet) and financial strain (concerns about household financial situation since cancer diagnosis). Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risks (RR) for factors associated with cancer-related financial stress and strain. Seven hundred forty survivors participated (response rate = 54 %). Of the respondents, 48 % reported cancer-related financial stress and 32 % cancer-related financial strain. Compared to those employed at diagnosis, risk of cancer-related financial stress was significantly lower in those not working (RR = 0.71, 95 % CI 0.58-0.86) or retired (RR = 0.48, 95 % CI 0.34-0.68). It was significantly higher in those who had dependents; experienced financial stress pre-diagnosis; had a mortgage/personal loans; had higher direct medical out-of-pocket costs; and had increased household bills post-diagnosis. For cancer-related financial strain, significant associations were found with dependents, pre-diagnosis employment status and pre-diagnosis financial stress; risk was lower in those with higher direct medical out-of-pocket costs. Cancer-related financial stress and strain are common. Pre-diagnosis employment status and financial circumstances are important predictors of post-diagnosis financial wellbeing. These findings could inform development of tools to identify patients/survivors most in need of financial

  2. Depression, pregnancy-related anxiety and parental-antenatal attachment in couples using preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winter, C; Van Acker, F; Bonduelle, M; Van Berkel, K; Belva, F; Liebaers, I; Nekkebroeck, J

    2016-06-01

    Do preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) couples experience higher levels of stress during pregnancy and the perinatal period compared with couples who conceive spontaneously (SC) or with ICSI? PGD couples did not experience more psychological stress during pregnancy and beyond than ICSI or SC couples. Previous studies have shown that assisted reproduction technology (ART) couples are more prone to pregnancy-related anxieties than SC couples, but display depressed feelings to an equal or lesser extent. However, only one study has focused on a female PGD sample, which may be a more vulnerable group than other ART groups, due to the potentially complex hereditary background, adverse childhood experiences and losses. In that study, PGD women experienced a reduction in state anxiety, and maternal-antenatal attachment did not differ from normative data. Unfortunately, no data exist on pregnancy-related anxiety, depression and parental-antenatal attachment. Valuable information from both parents (e.g.: couples) is also lacking. For this longitudinal prospective study questionnaire, data from 185 women and 157 men (157 couples) were collected between February 2012 until April 2014. Data were analysed using multilevel analysis. The couples conceiving after PGD, ICSI or SC were followed from the first trimester of the pregnancy until the third month post-partum. A total of 60 PGD, 58 ICSI and 69 SC couples were initially recruited by various departments of Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel). At each trimester (T1: 12-14 weeks, T2: 20-22 weeks, T3: 30-32 weeks) of pregnancy, depression (EPDS), pregnancy-related anxieties (PRAQ) and parental-antenatal attachment (M/PAAS) were recorded. At T4 (3 months post-partum), depression (EPDS) was assessed again. In the first trimester (T1) broad socio-demographic data and at T4 perinatal health data of both mother and child were recorded. Differences between conception groups over time were analysed using multilevel

  3. Diagnosis-Related Groups in Hand Surgery – a comparison of six European countries [Fallpauschalen in der Handchirurgie – ein Vergleich von sechs europäischen Ländern

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stahl, Stephane

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available [english]
    Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG is a classification system, which groups patients according to their diagnosis and resource consumption. Common hand surgical diagnoses and procedures were processed using national DRG-groupers of six European countries. The upper thresholds of length of stay (LoS are indicated for every country with the exception of Spain. The mean value in the series was 9.9 days for Germany, 4.5 days for Austria, 10.7 days for Italy, 9.7 days for Sweden and 9.4 days for the United Kingdom (UK. Germany and Austria also have lower thresholds of LoS and the average LoS.Multiple finger replantation presented the highest single case reimbursement in Germany, Austria and the UK (13,825 €, 10,576 € and Scaphoid non-union had the highest single case reimbursement in Italy (2,676 €, flap coverage of wounds in Spain (5,506 € and trapeziometacarpal arthritis in Sweden (5,350 €. The mean values for single case reimbursement were as follows: Germany 3,211 €, Austria 2,821 €, Italy 1,947 €, Spain 3,594 €, Sweden 2,403 € and the UK 3,253 €. Ten out of 19 cases showed the highest reimbursement in Spain, followed by the UK (5 cases, Sweden (2 cases, Germany and Austria (1 case each. Applying the case numbers of our clinic to the reimbursement system of each country, total proceeds would be 2.25 million € in Spain, in Germany as well as the UK, 1.75 million € in Austria, in Sweden and 1.22 million € in Italy. The consequences of international differences in efficiency and reimbursement are hard to assess as they are influenced by multiple factors that are seldom purely market-driven. However, the consideration of international data for benchmarking and refinement of national compensation systems should be a useful instrument. [german]
    Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG bezeichnet ein Klassifikationssystem, welches Patienten anhand ihrer Diagnosen und des Ressourcenverbrauchs einteilt. H

  4. Health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression in the diagnostic phase of suspected cancer, and the influence of diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Ellen Frøsig Moseholm; Rydahl Hansen, Susan; Overgaard, Dorthe

    2016-01-01

    suspected to have cancer based on non-specific symptoms was performed. Participants completed the EORTC-QLQ-C30 quality of life scale, HADS, SOC-13 and self-rated health before and after completing diagnostic evaluations. Intra- and inter-group differences between patients diagnosed with cancer versus......-specific symptoms experience a high prevalence of anxiety and affected quality of life prior to knowledge of the diagnosis. The predictive value of the baseline scores is important when assessing the psychological impact of undergoing diagnostic evaluations for cancer.......Background Undergoing diagnostic evaluation for cancer has been associated with a high prevalence of anxiety and depression and affected health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aims of this study were to assess HRQoL, anxiety, and depression pre- and post-diagnosis in patients undergoing...

  5. Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Advances in Management and Diagnosis

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    Yoshihiro Yonekawa

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Age-related macular degeneration (AMD is the most common cause of irreversible visual impairment in older populations in industrialized nations. AMD is a late-onset deterioration of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium in the central retina caused by various environmental and genetic factors. Great strides in our understanding of AMD pathogenesis have been made in the past several decades, which have translated into revolutionary therapeutic agents in recent years. In this review, we describe the clinical and pathologic features of AMD and present an overview of current diagnosis and treatment strategies.

  6. Revision of the Metallactus kollari species-group with a new diagnosis of the genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sassi, Davide

    2018-04-20

    The genus Metallactus has been controversial since its introduction due to the ambiguous nature of the original diagnosis. This has caused some confusion in the taxonomy of Neotropical Pachybrachina. In this work the morphology of endophallus, which is useful for the characterization of species groups in several groups of Coleoptera, including Cryptocephalinae, has been analyzed. This has proven to be a good resource also in the taxonomic treatment of the species belonging to the genus Metallactus. After a careful survey on most of the species described so far, the endophallus shape in Metallactus turned out to be remarkably distinctive and very promising in the delimitation of species groups. The present work includes: a) a new diagnosis of the genus Metallactus on the basis of the aedeagal anatomy; b) the designation of the type species of the nominal genus; c) the revision of a first species-group of the genus, including the type species, hereinafter called Metallactus kollari species-group. Before this revision, catalogues had been reporting 13 species attributable to this group, in the present work three species have been synonymized and seven have been described as new to science. Therefore, the group includes 17 species. The species described as new are: Metallactus rileyi n. sp., M. bellatrix n. sp., M. longicornis n. sp.; M. londonpridei n. sp., M. regalini n. sp., M. bezoar n. sp., M. guarani n. sp. The new synonymies are as follows: Metallactus albipes Suffrian, 1866 (= M. nigrofasciatus Suffrian, 1866 n. syn.), M. albifrons Suffrian, 1866 (= M. flavofrontalis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.), M. dodecastictus Suffrian, 1866 (= Griburius nigritarsis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.). The lectotypes of all previously described species have been designated. The new synonymies, the name-bearing type fixations and designations and the nomenclatural acts have been critically discussed. An identification key for the species-group is also provided.

  7. Lung Metastases in Neuroblastoma at Initial Diagnosis: A Report from the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    DuBois, Steven G.; London, Wendy B.; Zhang, Yang; Matthay, Katherine K.; Monclair, Tom; Ambros, Peter F.; Cohn, Susan L.; Pearson, Andrew; Diller, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    Background Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial pediatric solid cancer. Lung metastasis is rarely detected in children with newly diagnosed neuroblastoma. We aimed to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcome of patients with lung metastasis at initial diagnosis using a large international database. Procedure The subset of patients from the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group database with INSS stage 4 neuroblastoma and known data regarding lung metastasis at diagnosis was selected for analysis. Clinical and biological characteristics were compared between patients with and without lung metastasis. Survival for patients with and without lung metastasis was estimated by Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazards methods were used to determine the independent prognostic value of lung metastasis at diagnosis. Results Of the 2,808 patients with INSS stage 4 neuroblastoma diagnosed between 1990 and 2002, 100 patients (3.6%) were reported to have lung metastasis at diagnosis. Lung metastasis was more common among patients with MYCN amplified tumors, adrenal primary tumors, or elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (p < 0.02 in each case). Five-year overall survival ± standard error for patients with lung metastasis was 34.5% ± 6.8% compared to 44.7% ± 1.3% for patients without lung metastasis (p=0.0002). However, in multivariable analysis, the presence of lung metastasis was not independently predictive of outcome. Conclusions Lung metastasis at initial diagnosis of neuroblastoma is associated with MYCN amplification and elevated LDH levels. Although lung metastasis at diagnosis was not independently predictive of outcome in this analysis, it remains a useful prognostic marker of unfavorable outcome. PMID:18649370

  8. The group-as-a-whole-object relations model of group psychotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, D; Stukenberg, K W; Saeks, S

    2001-01-01

    The authors review the theoretical basis of group psychotherapy performed at The Menninger Clinic and demonstrate how the theory has been put into practice on two different types of inpatient units. The fundamental elements of the theory and practice used can be traced to object relations theory as originally proposed by Melanie Klein. Her work with individuals was directly applied to working with groups by Ezriel and Bion, who focused on interpreting group tension. More modern approaches have reintegrated working with individual concerns while also attending to the group-as-a-whole. Historically, these principles have been applied to long-term group treatment. The authors apply the concepts from the group-as-a-whole literature to short- and medium-length inpatient groups with open membership. They offer clinical examples of the application of these principles in short-term inpatient settings in groups with open membership.

  9. Delayed diagnosis of sarcoidosis is common in Brazil

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    Mauri Monteiro Rodrigues

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of and the factors related to delayed diagnosis of sarcoidosis in Brazil. METHODS: We evaluated patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of sarcoidosis, using a questionnaire that addressed the following: time since symptom onset and since the first medical visit; and the number and specialty of the physicians visited. We divided the patients by the timeliness of the diagnosis-timely (< 6 months and delayed (≥ 6 months-comparing the two groups in terms of systemic and pulmonary symptoms; extrathoracic involvement; spirometric data; radiological staging; level of education; income; and tuberculosis (diagnosis and treatment. RESULTS: We evaluated 100 patients. The median number of physicians consulted was 3 (range, 1-14. In 11 cases, sarcoidosis was diagnosed at the first visit. In 54, the first physician seen was a general practitioner. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was timely in 41 patients and delayed in 59. The groups did not differ in terms of gender; race; type of health insurance; level of education; income; respiratory/systemic symptoms; extrathoracic involvement; and radiological staging. In the delayed diagnosis group, FVC was lower (80.3 ± 20.4% vs. 90.5 ± 17.1%; p = 0.010, as was FEV1 (77.3 ± 19.9% vs. 86.4 ± 19.5%; p = 0.024, misdiagnosis with and treatment for tuberculosis (≥ 3 months also being more common (24% vs. 7%, p = 0.032, and 20% vs. 0%; p = 0.002, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is often delayed, even when the imaging is suggestive of sarcoidosis. Delayed diagnosis is associated with impaired lung function at the time of diagnosis. Many sarcoidosis patients are misdiagnosed with and treated for tuberculosis.

  10. Absolute and Relative Socioeconomic Health Inequalities across Age Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Zon, Sander K R; Bültmann, Ute; Mendes de Leon, Carlos F; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

    2015-01-01

    The magnitude of socioeconomic health inequalities differs across age groups. It is less clear whether socioeconomic health inequalities differ across age groups by other factors that are known to affect the relation between socioeconomic position and health, like the indicator of socioeconomic position, the health outcome, gender, and as to whether socioeconomic health inequalities are measured in absolute or in relative terms. The aim is to investigate whether absolute and relative socioeconomic health inequalities differ across age groups by indicator of socioeconomic position, health outcome and gender. The study sample was derived from the baseline measurement of the LifeLines Cohort Study and consisted of 95,432 participants. Socioeconomic position was measured as educational level and household income. Physical and mental health were measured with the RAND-36. Age concerned eleven 5-years age groups. Absolute inequalities were examined by comparing means. Relative inequalities were examined by comparing Gini-coefficients. Analyses were performed for both health outcomes by both educational level and household income. Analyses were performed for all age groups, and stratified by gender. Absolute and relative socioeconomic health inequalities differed across age groups by indicator of socioeconomic position, health outcome, and gender. Absolute inequalities were most pronounced for mental health by household income. They were larger in younger than older age groups. Relative inequalities were most pronounced for physical health by educational level. Gini-coefficients were largest in young age groups and smallest in older age groups. Absolute and relative socioeconomic health inequalities differed cross-sectionally across age groups by indicator of socioeconomic position, health outcome and gender. Researchers should critically consider the implications of choosing a specific age group, in addition to the indicator of socioeconomic position and health outcome

  11. Toward Probabilistic Diagnosis and Understanding of Depression Based on Functional MRI Data Analysis with Logistic Group LASSO.

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    Yu Shimizu

    Full Text Available Diagnosis of psychiatric disorders based on brain imaging data is highly desirable in clinical applications. However, a common problem in applying machine learning algorithms is that the number of imaging data dimensions often greatly exceeds the number of available training samples. Furthermore, interpretability of the learned classifier with respect to brain function and anatomy is an important, but non-trivial issue. We propose the use of logistic regression with a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO to capture the most critical input features. In particular, we consider application of group LASSO to select brain areas relevant to diagnosis. An additional advantage of LASSO is its probabilistic output, which allows evaluation of diagnosis certainty. To verify our approach, we obtained semantic and phonological verbal fluency fMRI data from 31 depression patients and 31 control subjects, and compared the performances of group LASSO (gLASSO, and sparse group LASSO (sgLASSO to those of standard LASSO (sLASSO, Support Vector Machine (SVM, and Random Forest. Over 90% classification accuracy was achieved with gLASSO, sgLASSO, as well as SVM; however, in contrast to SVM, LASSO approaches allow for identification of the most discriminative weights and estimation of prediction reliability. Semantic task data revealed contributions to the classification from left precuneus, left precentral gyrus, left inferior frontal cortex (pars triangularis, and left cerebellum (c rus1. Weights for the phonological task indicated contributions from left inferior frontal operculum, left post central gyrus, left insula, left middle frontal cortex, bilateral middle temporal cortices, bilateral precuneus, left inferior frontal cortex (pars triangularis, and left precentral gyrus. The distribution of normalized odds ratios further showed, that predictions with absolute odds ratios higher than 0.2 could be regarded as certain.

  12. The Poincare group as the symmetry group of canonical general relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beig, R.; Murchadha, N. o

    1986-01-01

    This work reconsiders the formulation, due to Regge and Teitelboim, of the phase space approach to General Relativity in the asymptotically flat context, phrasing it in the language of symplectic geometry. The necessary boundary conditions at spatial infinity are spelled out in detail. Precise meaning is given to the statement that, as a result of these boundary conditions, the Poincare group acts as a symmetry group on the phase space of G.R. This situation is compared with the spi-picture of Ashtekar and Hansen, where a larger asymptotic symmetry group is obtained. (Author)

  13. [Significance of expert-guided groups for relatives in psychiatry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plessen, U; Postzich, M; Wilkmann, M

    1985-03-01

    Psychiatric interest in relatives of patients was concentrated in the past on their pathogenetic and etiological influence on mental illness. The medical paradigma of mental illness did not account for relatives affliction in psychic disturbance of their family member. Against this a community care oriented approach involves relatives into psychiatric care, particularly under the aspects of coping strategies and rehabilitative sources. Practicability and effects of this approach were explored in expert-guided relative groups at the Psychiatric Hospital Gütersloh (FRG). Results indicated that relatives are concerned with a series of problems. Participating in relative groups facilitates coping with these problems. Expert-guided and relative centered groups were found helpful, discharging and encouraging for relatives.

  14. Quantum group and Manin plane related to a coloured braid group representation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basu Mallick, B.

    1993-07-01

    By considering 'coloured' braid group representation we have obtained a quantum group, which reduces to the standards GL q (2) and GL pq (2) cases at some particular limits of the 'colour' parameters. In spite of quite complicated nature, all of these new quantum group relations can be expressed neatly in the Heisenberg-Weyl form, for a nontrivial choice of the basis elements. Furthermore, it is possible to associate invariant Manin planes, parametrized by the 'colour' variables, with such quantum group structure. (author). 26 refs

  15. Association of the severity of diabetes-related complications with stage of breast cancer at diagnosis among elderly women with pre-existing diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alenzi, Ebtihag O; Madhavan, S Suresh; Tan, Xi

    2018-01-01

    This study assessed the association between the severity of diabetes complications using diabetes complications severity index (DCSI) and stage of breast cancer (BC) at diagnosis among elderly women with pre-existing diabetes and incident BC. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data, we identified women with incident BC during 2004-2011 and pre-existing diabetes (N = 7729). Chi-square tests were used to test for group differences in stage of BC at diagnosis. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations between the severity of diabetes complications and stage of BC at diagnosis. Overall, women with a DCSI = 2 and a DCSI ≥ 3 were more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages as compared to those with no diabetes complications. In full adjusted association (after adding BC screening to the analysis model), the severity of diabetes complications was no longer an independent predictor of advanced stages at diagnosis. However, women with a DCSI = 2 were 26% more likely to be diagnosed at stage I (versus stage 0) of BC at diagnosis as compared to those without diabetes complications (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.53). The increased likelihood of having advanced-stage BC at diagnosis associated with severity of diabetes-related complications appears to be mediated by lower rates of breast cancer screening among elderly women with pre-existing diabetes complications. Therefore, reducing disparity in receiving breast cancer screening among elderly women with diabetes may reduce the risk of advanced-stage breast cancer diagnosis.

  16. Socio-demographic factors related to under-diagnosis of childhood asthma in Upper Silesia, Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zejda, Jan E; Farnik, Małgorzata; Smółka, Irena; Lawson, Joshua; Brożek, Grzegorz M

    2017-06-07

    Introduction. The presented study of 4,535 children aged 7-17 years in the Upper Silesian region of Poland yielded 186 cases of previously known asthma, and 44 children with newly diagnosed asthma. The aim of the presented study was to identify non-medical factors that could explain why children with a newly established diagnosis ('undiagnosed asthma') had not been diagnosed in the past. Materials and method. The study was performed according to a case-control design. Parents of the children answered questionnaires on socio-economic status and family-related factors. Statistical determinants of undiagnosed asthma were explored using raw (OR) and logistic odds ratios with their 95% confidence intervals (logOR, 95%CI). Results. Children with undiagnosed asthma were younger compared to the group with previously known asthma (11.3±2.1 vs. 12.6±2.5 years; p=0.0008). Newly diagnosed cases were more frequent in children who had less parental attention (less than 1 hour/day spent by parent with child - OR=4.36; 95%CI: 1.76-10.81) and who were not registered with specialized health care (OR=2.20; 95%CI: 0.95-5.06). Results of logistic regression analysis suggest that under-diagnosis of asthma is related to age below 12 years - logOR = 3.59 (95%CI: 1.28-10.36), distance to a health centre > 5 km - logOR = 3.45 (95%CI: 1.05-11.36), time spent with child Conclusion. Among non-medical determinants of undiagnosed asthma the age of a child plays a major role. Another factors of importance is the large distance between residence and health centre, and low parental attention at home.

  17. Study the Age of Hearing Loss Diagnosis and the Related Factors in a Group of School-Age Children in Baghch-e-Ban School of Hard of Hearing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahnaz Ahmadi

    1996-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Estimation of the age of hearing loss diagnosis in every society is recommended to be compared with standard criteria to establish common dirth in management and rehabilitation. This study was conducted in order to determine the age of hearing loss diagnosis with respect to common criteria in Baghche-Ban school of hard of hearing children in Tehran.Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 445 children in stages 2, 6 and 10 of Baghche-Ban school of hard of hearing participated. the research was performed by means of the three-stages questionaires that children filled with help of their parents.Results: The mean age of detection of hearing loss in both acquired and congenital hearing loss in children was 3.5 year-old. while the age in which hearing loss was doubted was 1.8 year-old. In another word the mean age of hearing loss detection decreased as the hearing loss increases(in moderate- profound hearing loss(P<0.01. Conclusion: among the refrence sources for refering children with hearing loss the least refering was related to physicians. Adversly the mean age of doubting and detection of hearing loss increased in children with family history of hearing loss.(P<0.01. Meanwhile no relationship was detected between the age of diagnosis of hearing loss and the number of deaf members in the family(P<0.02.

  18. Angiogenesis-Related Biomarkers (sFlt-1/PLGF in the Prediction and Diagnosis of Placental Dysfunction: An Approach for Clinical Integration

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    Ignacio Herraiz

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Placental dysfunction is involved in a group of obstetrical conditions including preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and placental abruption. Their timely and accurate recognition is often a challenge since diagnostic criteria are still based on nonspecific signs and symptoms. The discovering of the role of angiogenic-related factors (sFlt-1/PlGF in the underlying pathophysiology of placental dysfunction, taking into account that angiogenesis-related biomarkers are not specific to any particular placental insufficiency-related disease, has marked an important step for improving their early diagnosis and prognosis assessment. However, sFlt-1/PlGF has not been yet established as a part of most guidelines. We will review the current evidence on the clinical utility of sFlt-1/PlGF and propose a new protocol for its clinical integration.

  19. Labor Relations and Social Dialogue: Measurement and Diagnosis Instruments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viorel Lefter

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Social dialogue and tripartism play an important role in promoting and strengthening fundamental principles and rights at work, promoting job creation and expanding social protection. In the context of the severe challenges of globalization, a growing number of developing countries are recognizing the need to faster dialogue, partnership and participatory approaches to decision-making. Thus, social dialogue becomes a prerequisite for efficient corporate governance and means to attain national economic and social objectives and to contribute to poverty reduction policies. We shall propose a diagnosis and analysis system in order to measure and monitor the evolution of the industrial relations and social dialogue.

  20. Attachment theory and group processes: the association between attachment style and group-related representations, goals, memories, and functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rom, Eldad; Mikulincer, Mario

    2003-06-01

    Four studies examined attachment-style differences in group-related cognitions and behaviors. In Studies 1-2, participants completed scales on group-related cognitions and emotions. In Studies 3-4, participants were divided into small groups, and their performance in group tasks as well as the cohesion of their group were assessed. Both attachment anxiety and avoidance in close relationships were associated with negative group-related cognitions and emotions. Anxiety was also related to the pursuit of closeness goals and impaired instrumental performance in group tasks. Avoidance was related to the pursuit of distance goals and deficits in socioemotional and instrumental performance. Group cohesion significantly moderated the effects of attachment anxiety. The discussion emphasizes the relevance of attachment theory within group contexts.

  1. Early diagnosis of myocardial infarction using absolute and relative changes in cardiac troponin concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irfan, Affan; Reichlin, Tobias; Twerenbold, Raphael; Meister, Marc; Moehring, Berit; Wildi, Karin; Bassetti, Stefano; Zellweger, Christa; Gimenez, Maria Rubini; Hoeller, Rebeca; Murray, Karsten; Sou, Seoung Mann; Mueller, Mira; Mosimann, Tamina; Reiter, Miriam; Haaf, Philip; Ziller, Ronny; Freidank, Heike; Osswald, Stefan; Mueller, Christian

    2013-09-01

    Absolute changes in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) seem to have higher diagnostic accuracy in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction compared with relative changes. It is unknown whether the same applies to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assays and whether the combination of absolute and relative change might further increase accuracy. In a prospective, international multicenter study, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) was measured with 3 novel assays (hs-cTnT, Roche Diagnostics Corp, Indianapolis, Ind; hs-cTnI, Beckman Coulter Inc, Brea, Calif; hs-cTnI, Siemens, Munich, Germany) in a blinded fashion at presentation and after 1 and 2 hours in a blinded fashion in 830 unselected patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. The final diagnosis was adjudicated by 2 independent cardiologists. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction was significantly higher for 1- and 2-hour absolute versus relative hs-cTn changes for all 3 assays (P Siemens, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.93-0.99]) were high and provided some benefit compared with the use of absolute change alone for hs-cTnT, but not for the hs-cTnI assays. Reclassification analysis confirmed the superiority of absolute changes versus relative changes. Absolute changes seem to be the preferred metrics for both hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The combination of absolute and relative changes provides a small added value for hs-cTnT, but not for hs-cTnI. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Interventions to improve mental health nurses' skills, attitudes, and knowledge related to people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder: Systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickens, Geoffrey L; Hallett, Nutmeg; Lamont, Emma

    2016-04-01

    There is some evidence that mental health nurses have poor attitudes towards people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and that this might impact negatively on the development of helpful therapeutic relationships. We aimed to collate the current evidence about interventions that have been devised to improve the responses of mental health nurses towards this group of people. Systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses statement. Comprehensive terms were used to search CINAHL, PsycINFO, Medline, Biomedical Reference Collection: Comprehensive, Web of Science, ASSIA, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ProQuest [including Dissertations/Theses], and Google Scholar for relevant studies. Included studies were those that described an intervention whose aim was to improve attitudes towards, knowledge about or responses to people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. The sample described had to include mental health nurses. Information about study characteristics, intervention content and mode of delivery was extracted. Study quality was assessed, and effect sizes of interventions and potential moderators of those interventions were extracted and converted to Cohen's d to aid comparison. The search strategy yielded a total of eight studies, half of which were judged to be methodologically weak with the remaining four studies judged to be of moderate quality. Only one study employed a control group. The largest effect sizes were found for changes related to cognitive attitudes including knowledge; smaller effect sizes were found in relation to changes in affective outcomes. Self-reported behavioural change in the form of increased use of components of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy following training in this treatment was associated with moderate effect sizes. The largest effect sizes were found among those with poorer baseline attitudes and without previous training about borderline

  3. Analysis of Ethnic Group Relations in Living Life

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    Rafael Grady Christianto

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This research uses qualitative method approach. The data is taken through semi structured interviews so that the researcher can get the deepest information from the subject but still use interview and observation guidance. Aims to determine the perspectives between ethnic groups by looking at how the interactions or relationships that occur in everyday activities, the management of conflicts, what activities are usually done together, and the attachment that exists between various ethnic groups in Kelurahan Pengasinan Kota Bekasi to meet Practical needs. The theory used is the group definition theory of Joseph S. Roucek, Major Polak, and Wila Huky, inter-group relations of Kinloch and Stanley Liberson, social interaction theory of Soekanto, Sunarto-majority minority relations theory, Budiman, Suparlan and Edward M Bruner, and the inter-ethnic perspective theory of Setiaman. Social relations itself has a sense of relationship in which there are interactions that occur in society in order to prevent the emergence of conflict. Based on the results of research and discussion that has been done, it can be concluded that, good interaction among ethnic groups is the key in maintaining relationships among ethnic groups. This will affect the survival, social behavior, and perspectives that arise and develop among others.

  4. Measurement of blood pressure for the diagnosis and management of hypertension in different ethnic groups: one size fits all.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Paramjit; Haque, M Sayeed; Martin, Una; Mant, Jonathan; Mohammed, Mohammed A; Heer, Gurdip; Johal, Amanpreet; Kaur, Ramandeep; Schwartz, Claire; Wood, Sally; Greenfield, Sheila M; McManus, Richard J

    2017-02-08

    Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and prevalence varies by ethnic group. The diagnosis and management of blood pressure are informed by guidelines largely based on data from white populations. This study addressed whether accuracy of blood pressure measurement in terms of diagnosis of hypertension varies by ethnicity by comparing two measurement modalities (clinic blood pressure and home monitoring) with a reference standard of ambulatory BP monitoring in three ethnic groups. Cross-sectional population study (June 2010 - December 2012) with patients (40-75 years) of white British, South Asian and African Caribbean background with and without a previous diagnosis of hypertension recruited from 28 primary care practices. The study compared the test performance of clinic BP (using various protocols) and home-monitoring (1 week) with a reference standard of mean daytime ambulatory measurements using a threshold of 140/90 mmHg for clinic and 135/85 mmHg for out of office measurement. A total of 551 participants had complete data of whom 246 were white British, 147 South Asian and 158 African Caribbean. No consistent difference in accuracy of methods of blood pressure measurement was observed between ethnic groups with or without a prior diagnosis of hypertension: for people without hypertension, clinic measurement using three different methodologies had high specificity (75-97%) but variable sensitivity (33-65%) whereas home monitoring had sensitivity of 68-88% and specificity of 64-80%. For people with hypertension, detection of a raised blood pressure using clinic measurements had sensitivities of 34-69% with specificity of 73-92% and home monitoring had sensitivity (81-88%) and specificity (55-65%). For people without hypertension, ABPM remains the choice for diagnosing hypertension compared to the other modes of BP measurement regardless of ethnicity. Differences in accuracy of home monitoring and clinic monitoring (higher sensitivity

  5. Associations and Costs of Parental Symptoms of Psychiatric Distress in a Multi-Diagnosis Group of Children with Special Needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurston, S.; Paul, L.; Loney, P.; Ye, C.; Wong, M.; Browne, G.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Families supporting children with complex needs are significantly more distressed and economically disadvantaged than families of children without disability and delay. What is not known is the associations and costs of parental psychiatric distress within a multi-diagnosis group of special needs children. Methods: In this…

  6. The quality of diagnosis and management of migraine and tension-type headache in three social groups in Russia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebedeva, Elena R; Kobzeva, Natalia R; Gilev, Denis V; Olesen, Jes

    2017-03-01

    Background Three successive editions of the International Classification of Headache Disorders and multiple guideline papers on headache care have described evidence based diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders. It remains unknown, however, to which extent this has improved the diagnosis and management of headache. That was the aim of our study in which we also analysed differences between three social groups in Russia. Methods We studied 1042 students (719 females, 323 males, mean age 20.6, age range 17-40), 1075 workers (146 females, 929 males, mean age 40.4, age range 21-67) and 1007 blood donors (484 females, 523 males, mean age 34.1, age range 18-64). We conducted a semi-structured, validated, face-to-face professional interview. Data on prevalence and associated factors have previously been published. A section of the interview focused on previous diagnosis and treatment, the topic of this paper. Results Only 496 of 2110 participants (23%) with headache in Russia had consulted because of headache. Students consulted more frequently (35%), workers and blood donors less often (13% and 14%). Only 12% of the patients with ICHD-3beta diagnosis of migraine and 11.7% with ICHD-3beta diagnosis of tension-type headache (TTH) had previously been correctly diagnosed. Triptans were used by only 6% of migraine patients. Only 0.4% of migraine patients and no TTH patients had received prophylactic treatment. Conclusion Despite existing guidelines about diagnosis and treatment, both remain poor in Russia. According to the literature this is only slightly better in Europe and America. Dissemination of existing knowledge should have higher priority in the future.

  7. Acute schistosomiasis diagnosis: a new tool for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in a group of travelers recently infected in a new focus of Schistosoma mansoni

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni on early stages of infection is important to prevent late morbidity. A simple, cheap, sensitive and specific assay for routine diagnosis of schistosome infection based on the detection of specific IgG for schistosomula tegument antigens (ELISA-SmTeg was developed by our group. Methods We describe here an acute outbreak involving a travel group of 80 individuals from a non-endemic area of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. These individuals were in contact with a freshwater pool where Biomphalaria glabrata was found. Results obtained from our new methodology were compared to IgG antibody titers against soluble worm antigenic preparation (SWAP by ELISA and, also to parasitological examination, nuclear magnetic resonance and clinical findings. Results ELISA-SmTeg was capable of detecting 64 positive cases among the 80 individuals participating at the survey with a positivity ratio of 80% and a higher sensitivity than ELISA-SWAP that was only sensitive for 56% of positive cases. Besides, a significant correlation was found for the severity of the infection and the specific IgG titers against SmTeg. Conclusions Our data showed that ELISA-SmTeg might serve as the initial diagnostic tool for acute stages of the infection in community-based helminth control programs or for the surveillance of individuals from non-endemic areas.

  8. Using Focus Group Research in Public Relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grunig, Larissa A.

    1990-01-01

    Analyzes a recent instance of focus group research applied to a public relations case (rather than a marketing case). Reviews the advantages and disadvantages of this qualitative method, and describes the case of a county department of mental health relying on focus group research to help plan a program aimed at reducing the stigma of mental…

  9. Exposure of the French population to ionizing radiations related to medical diagnosis procedures in 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-01-01

    This report updates (for 2012) data concerning the exposure of the French population related to diagnosis imagery tests using ionizing radiations. It notably outlines the characteristics of this medical exposure with respect to imagery modality (conventional radiology, scans, diagnosis interventional radiology, and nuclear medicine), to anatomic examined region, to age and to patient gender, and the share of the French population (quantity, age, gender) actually submitted to diagnosis procedures in 2012. The authors report the selection of procedure types, the determination of their frequency, the assessment of associated doses (choice of the efficient dose as indicator, assessment of efficient doses associated with each procedure type), the exposure of the French population in 2012 (general assessment, distribution of procedures and of the collective efficient dose, distribution in terms of age and gender), the characteristics of the actually exposed population. The representativeness of data is discussed, as well as the evolution of diagnosis medical exposure from 2007 to 2012. Data are compared with European and international data

  10. Consistency between referral diagnosis and post-ENMG diagnosis in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komur, M.; Okuyaz, C.; Makharoblidze, K.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the degree of consistency between the referral diagnosis and that based on electroneuromyography. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Paediatric Neurology Laboratory of Mersin University School of Medicine, Turkey, and comprised all electroneuromyographies carried out between January 2005 and December 2010. Demographic data, referral diagnosis and post-procedure diagnosis were recorded for each patient, and were classified into groups. Consistency between the two groups was compared using SPSS 13. Results: Of the total 294 patients, polyneuropathy was the reason for referral in 104 (35.4%), peripheral nerve injury in 54 (18.4%), brachial plexus injury in 52 (17.7%), myopathy in 52 (17.7%), hypotonia in 23 (7.8%), and facial paralysis in 9 (3.0%) patients. There was consistency between the two diagnoses in 179 (60.9%) patients. Conclusion: Electroneuromyography is an uneasy, painful and stressfull procedure for children, and, therefore, it should be recommended only in cases where the result may be beneficial in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of a patient. (author)

  11. Nilpotent groups related to an automorphism 1 Introduction

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    29

    The extension of a nilpotent group has been studied by different authors. .... study absolute normal subgroups of some finite groups. ...... follows from the relations ... To prove H3 is absolute normal we should investigate four following cases.

  12. DSR Theories, Conformal Group and Generalized Commutation Relation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leiva, Carlos

    2006-01-01

    In this paper the relationship of DSR theories and Conformal Group is reviewed. On the other hand, the relation between DSR Magueijo Smolin generators and generalized commutation relations is also shown

  13. Healthcare costs in psoriasis and psoriasis sub-groups over time following psoriasis diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Sawah, Sarah; Foster, Shonda A; Goldblum, Orin M; Malatestinic, William N; Zhu, Baojin; Shi, Nianwen; Song, Xue; Feldman, Steven R

    2017-09-01

    To quantify healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis overall and in psoriasis patient sub-groups, by level of disease severity, presence or absence of psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics. Administrative data from Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Database were used to select adult patients with psoriasis from January 2009 to January 2014. The first psoriasis diagnosis was set as the index date. Patients were required to have ≥6 months of continuous enrollment with medical and pharmacy benefits pre-index and ≥12 months post-index. Patients were followed from index until the earliest of loss to follow-up or study end. All-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy costs were calculated for the overall psoriasis cohort and for the six different psoriasis patient sub-groups: (a) patients with moderate-to-severe disease and mild disease, (b) patients with psoriatic arthritis and those without, and (c) patients on biologics and those who are not. Costs are presented per-patient-per-year (PPPY) and by years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of follow-up, expressed in 2014 US dollars. A total of 108,790 psoriasis patients were selected, with a mean age of 46.0 years (52.7% females). Average follow-up was 962 days. All-cause healthcare costs were $12,523 PPPY. Outpatient pharmacy costs accounted for 38.6% of total costs. All-cause healthcare costs were highest for patients on biologics ($29,832), then for patients with psoriatic arthritis ($23,427) and those with moderate-to-severe disease ($21,481). Overall, all-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy costs presented an upward trend over a 5-year period. Psoriasis is associated with significant economic burden, which increases over time as the disease progresses. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, those with psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics contributes to higher healthcare costs. Psoriasis-related pharmacy expenditure is the largest driver of healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis.

  14. Adopting Thai Diagnosis Related Group for Vietnam Universal Health Coverage: A Case of Ba Vi District Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pham Le Tuan, M.D., Ph.D.

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This studyaimedtoclassifyallhospitaldischargescoveredbyhealthinsurancesystem intodiagnosis relatedgroup (DRG to guideproviderpayment reforms of universalhealth coverage roadmap in Vietnam. Methods: Data from Ba Vi hospital from January to December 2012 were grouped into DRGs by Viet-DRG grouperversion1.0developedbasedon Thai-DRG version5methodologies. ThePearsoncorrelation(r wasused to assess the performance of Viet-DRG grouper as against Thai-DRG grouper. A 5-step trimming of individual inpatientdata to achieve thehighest correlations was performed. Results: Dataof12,220inpatientcases wereanalyzedbybothgroupers,84.4% of totalcases wereclassifiedinto 89 DRGs. Thefive mostcommon DRGs werevaginaldelivery withoutcomplicatingdiagnosis (14500; Respira- tory infection/inflammation, no complication and comorbidity (04520; Otitis media and URI, no complication andcomorbidity(03530; Viral illnessexceptdengue,child,nocomplicationandcomorbidity(18610; Bronchitis and asthma, no complication and comorbidity (04590. The performance of Viet-DRG grouper v1.0 compared with Thai-DRG grouper v5.0for 89 DRGs intermsof relative weights as of 0.4 andlength of stay as of 0.5. Conclusion: Validity of thefirst Viet-DRG was at moderate level compared to Thai-DRG due to the limitation ofdata availability andqualityat thehospital.

  15. Diagnosis and treatment of sarcomas and related tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    The Cancergram focuses on clinical aspects of sarcomas involving soft tissue and bone, and also includes abstracts on related malignant and benign tumors. Soft tissues are considered as all non-epithelial extra-skeletal tissues of the body, with the exception of the reticuloendothelial system, the neuroglia, and visceral and parenchymal organs. Included, therefore, are sarcomas of the vascular system, fatty tissue, muscle tissues, connective tissues, and synovial tissues. Bone tumors included are osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, adamantinoma, chrondroblastoma, Ewing's sarcoma, and other benign and malignant disorders of the bone. This Cancergram excludes disorders of the bone marrow, which are the subjects of separate Cancergrams (see series CT03 for leukemias, and series CT12 for multiple myeloma). The scope includes diagnosis and staging, supportive care, evaluation, and therapy. Selected abstracts concerning epidemiology, etiology and other pre-clinical studies will also be included where they have direct clinical relevance

  16. Assessment of patient's pain-related behavior at physical examination may allow diagnosis of recent osteoporotic vertebral fracture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postacchini, Roberto; Paolino, Michela; Faraglia, Silvia; Cinotti, Gianluca; Postacchini, Franco

    2013-09-01

    Although innumerable studies have analyzed the multiple aspects of osteoporotic vertebral fractures, no study has focused on the clinical features related to spine pain in patients with recent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). To determine whether the assessment of pain-related behavior (P-RB) of patients with osteoporotic VCFs of recent onset may allow the fracture to be strongly suspected, or even diagnosed, at physical examination. Pain-related behavior of elderly patients attending an outpatient spine clinic was evaluated on the basis of six consecutive movements made on the examining table. Fifty-six patients complaining only of lumbar or thoracic pain. The fractured patients (FPs), representing the fracture group (FG), were the 19 who had a recent VCF, whereas the control group (CG) consisted of the remaining 37 patients. Assessment of P-RB was based on six parameters: grimacing, sighing, clenching or blocking eyelids, gaping or strongly tightening the lips, need for help to take positions, and extreme difficulty to turn in the prone position. A score of 1 or a decimal was assigned to each parameter, the final score to each patient being 0 to 6. Three types of injury, acute (I), subacute (II), or chronic (III), were identified on the basis of the time elapsed from the probable occurrence of the fracture. The diagnosis of recent fracture was based on magnetic resonance images. Patients were videotaped during their movements. An examiner, unaware of the clinical history and diagnosis, gave a P-RB score to all patients and indicated whether they had to be placed in FG or CG, and also their presumable type of fracture. Subsequently, a DVD with the videotapes of all patients was given to three independent examiners, not specifically expert of spine conditions, who were asked to make the same evaluations as the first examiner. The mean scores for P-RB given by the first examiner were 4.6 to FG and 0.7 to CG (pPain-related behavior evaluation of

  17. Group as social microcosm: Within-group interpersonal style is congruent with outside group relational tendencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldberg, Simon B; Hoyt, William T

    2015-06-01

    The notion that individuals' interpersonal behaviors in the context of therapy reflects their interpersonal behaviors outside of therapy is a fundamental hypothesis underlying numerous systems of psychotherapy. The social microcosm hypothesis, in particular, claims the interpersonal therapy group becomes a reflection of group members' general tendencies, and can thus be used as information about members' interpersonal functioning as well as an opportunity for learning and behavior change. The current study tested this hypothesis using data drawn from 207 individuals participating in 22 interpersonal process groups. Ratings were made on 2 key interpersonal domains (Dominance and Affiliation) at baseline and at Weeks 2, 5, and 8 of the group. Two-level multilevel models (with participants nested within groups) were used to account for the hierarchical structure, and the social relations model (SRM; Kenny, 1994) was used to estimate peer ratings (target effects in SRM) unconfounded with rater bias. Participants showed consensus at all time points during the interpersonal process groups on one another's levels of dominance and affiliation. In addition, self- and peer ratings were stable across time and correlated with one another. Importantly, self-ratings made prior to group significantly predicted ratings (self- and peer) made within the group, with effect sizes within the medium range. Taken together, these results provide robust support for the social microcosm hypothesis and the conjecture that interpersonal style within-group therapy is reflective of broader interpersonal tendencies. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. Diagnosis Lost: Differences between Children who Had and who Currently Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumberg, Stephen J; Zablotsky, Benjamin; Avila, Rosa M; Colpe, Lisa J; Pringle, Beverly A; Kogan, Michael D

    2016-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses sometimes change due to misdiagnosis, maturation, or treatment. This study uses a probability-based national survey—the Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services—to compare currently diagnosed (n=1420) and previously diagnosed (n=187) children aged 6–17 years based on retrospective parental reports of early concerns about their children’s development, responses to those concerns by doctors and other health care providers, the type of provider who made the first ASD diagnosis, and the ASD subtype diagnoses received (if any). Propensity score matching was used to control for differences between the groups on children’s current level of functioning and other current characteristics that may have been related to diagnosis loss. Approximately 13% of the children ever diagnosed with ASD were estimated to have lost the diagnosis, and parents of 74% of them believe it was changed due to new information. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have parents with early concerns about verbal skills, nonverbal communication, learning, and unusual gestures or movements. They were also less likely to have been referred to and diagnosed by a specialist. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have ever received a diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder or autistic disorder. PMID:26489772

  19. The effects of dutasteride and finasteride on BPH-related hospitalization, surgery and prostate cancer diagnosis: a record-linkage analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cindolo, Luca; Fanizza, Caterina; Romero, Marilena; Pirozzi, Luisella; Autorino, Riccardo; Berardinelli, Francesco; Schips, Luigi

    2013-06-01

    To investigate differences in the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)-related hospitalization, for surgical and non-surgical reasons, and of new prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis between patients using finasteride or dutasteride. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from record linkage of administrative databases (pharmaceutical prescription data, hospital discharge records, Italian population registry). Men aged ≥ 40 years old who had received a prescription for at least 10 packs/year between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2004 were included and followed for 5 years. The association of the outcomes was assessed using a multiple Cox proportional hazard model. Propensity score-matched analysis and a 5-1, greedy 1:1 matching algorithm were performed. 8,132 patients were identified. Overall incidence rates of BPH hospitalization and BPH-related surgery were 21.05 (95 % CI 19.52-22.71) and 20.97 (95 % CI 19.45-22.61) per 1,000 person-years, respectively. In the dutasteride group compared with finasteride group, the incidence rate of both events was statistically significant lower: 16.07 versus 21.76 for BPH hospitalization and 15.91 versus 21.69 for BPH-related surgery. The incidence rate of new PCa was also lower for the dutasteride group [8.34 (95 % CI 5.96-11.68) vs. 10.25 (95 % CI 9.15-11.49)]. Dutasteride was associated with a reduction in BPH-related hospitalizations (HR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.58-0.98 and 0.58-0.98 for surgical and non-surgical reasons). The matched analysis confirmed the risk reduction with dutasteride for BPH-related surgery. These findings suggest that the clinical effects of dutasteride and finasteride might be different. Patients treated with dutasteride seem to be less likely to experience BPH-related hospitalization. Comparative studies are needed to confirm these results.

  20. Individual and peer group normative beliefs about relational aggression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Nicole E; Hill, Laura G

    2010-01-01

    Studies show that children who use relational aggression process social information in unique ways; however, findings have been inconsistent and limited by methodological weaknesses. This short-term longitudinal study examined developmental changes in 245 (49% female; ages 8-13) 3rd through 8th graders' normative beliefs about relational aggression and tested the hypothesis that individual and classroom-level norms predict relational aggression 1 year later. Results showed that the transition to middle school was marked by increased approval of relational aggression, and individual norms predicted future relational aggression. Importantly, a contextual model showed that students in peer groups highly supportive of relational aggression became increasingly aggressive. Findings extend social information processing theories of relational aggression to focus on the role of peer group cognitions.

  1. Conjugacy in relatively extra-large Artin groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arye Juhasz

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Let A be an Artin group with standard generators X={x 1 ,…,x n } , n≥1 and defining graph Γ A . A \\emph{standard parabolic subgroup} of A is a subgroup generated by a subset of X . For elements u and v of A we say (as usual that u is conjugate to v by an element h of A if h −1 uh=v holds in A . Similarly, if K and L are subsets of A then K is conjugate to L by an element h of A if h −1 Kh=L . In this work we consider the conjugacy of elements and standard parabolic subgroups of a certain type of Artin groups. Results in this direction occur in occur in papers by Duncan, Kazachkov, Remeslennikov, Fenn, Dale, Jun, Godelle, Gonzalez-Meneses, Wiest, Paris, Rolfsen, for example. Of particular interest are centralisers of elements, and of standard parabolic subgroups, normalisers of standard parabolic subgroups and commensurators of parabolic subgroups. In this work we consider similar problems in a new class of Artin groups, introduced in the paper "On relatively extralarge Artin groups and their relative asphericity", by Juhasz, where the word problem is solved, among other things. Also, intersections of parabolic subgroups and their conjugates are considered.

  2. Comparison of three methods for gastrointestinal nematode diagnosis determination in grazing dairy cattle in relation to milk production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mejía, M E; Perri, A F; Licoff, N; Miglierina, M M; Cseh, S; Ornstein, A M; Becu-Villalobos, D; Lacau-Mengido, I M

    2011-12-29

    Development of resistance to anthelmintic drugs has motivated the search for diagnostic methods to identify animals for targeted selective treatments. We compared three methods for the diagnosis of nematode infection in relation to milk production in a fully grazing dairy herd of 150 cows in the humid Pampa (Argentina). Animals had feces, blood and milk sampled during the first postpartum month for EPG, pepsinogen and anti-Ostertagia antibody determination, respectively. With the results obtained two groups of cows, divided in high and low parasite burden, were conformed for each method, and milk production was then compared between groups. When cows were separated by the EPG method (EPG=0 (N=106) vs. EPG>0 (N=44)) a difference of nearly 800 l of milk per cow per lactation was found (P 1000) or by anti-Ostertagia (ODR ≤ 0.5 vs. ODR > 0.5) results did not differ. Interestingly, proportion of cows in each group differed between methods (P<0.0001), and the anti-Ostertagia method yielded significantly more cows in the high index group compared to results using the EPG or Pepsinogen method. No correlations were found between parasite indexes determined by the different methods. High parasite burden estimation found may be ascribed to the production system, fully grazing all year round, and to the sampling time, at the beginning of lactation with cows in negative energy balance and depressed immunity. The fact that the cows were born and reared outside, on pasture with continuous nematode larvae exposure, may also account for the results obtained. In conclusion, EPG counting during the first postpartum month may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of production impairment induced by high nematode burden in adult grazing dairy cows. The anthelmintic treatment of only the EPG-positive recently calved cows would improve milk production, while reducing selective pressure on nematode population for the development of resistance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  3. Diagnosis of asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism: proceedings of the Fourth International Workshop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastell, Richard; Brandi, Maria Luisa; Costa, Aline G; D'Amour, Pierre; Shoback, Dolores M; Thakker, Rajesh V

    2014-10-01

    Asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common clinical problem. The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the use of diagnostic tests for this condition in clinical practice. This subgroup was constituted by the Steering Committee to address key questions related to the diagnosis of PHPT. Consensus was established at a closed meeting of the Expert Panel that followed. Each question was addressed by a relevant literature search (on PubMed), and the data were presented for discussion at the group meeting. Consensus was achieved by a group meeting. Statements were prepared by all authors, with comments relating to accuracy from the diagnosis subgroup and by representatives from the participating professional societies. We conclude that: 1) reference ranges should be established for serum PTH in vitamin D-replete healthy individuals; 2) second- and third-generation PTH assays are both helpful in the diagnosis of PHPT; 3) normocalcemic PHPT is a variant of the more common presentation of PHPT with hypercalcemia; 4) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations should be measured and, if vitamin D insufficiency is present, it should be treated as part of any management course; 5) genetic testing has the potential to be useful in the differential diagnosis of familial hyperparathyroidism or hypercalcemia.

  4. A comparison of survival of patients treated for AIDS-related central nervous system lymphoma with and without tissue diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaufmann, Thomas; Nisce, Lourdes Z.; Coleman, Morton

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: This is a retrospective review of the treatment outcome of radiation therapy (RT) in acquired immunedeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with presumed primary central nervous system (CNS) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), with and without tissue verification. Methods and Materials: Twenty-seven patients with AIDS-related CNS NHL were treated between 1986 and 1992. They were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of nine patients with a positive histology for NHL. They were treated with dexamethasone (DXM) and whole brain RT. Group 2 consisted of 18 patients who, because of unique circumstances, were treated without histologic confirmation of NHL. Rapid clinical and/or radiologic response to DXM and whole-brain RT was interpreted as NHL. Results: For group 1, the response rate was 87.5%, mean survival 6.1 months, and median survival 4.5 months. For group 2, the response rate was 72.2%, mean survival 5.2 months, and median survival 4.5 months. The overall response rate was 76.9%, mean survival 5.8 months, and median survival 4.5 months. Conclusions: In instances where a tissue diagnosis cannot be established, a positive response to an empiric trial of DXM and RT to 20 Gy may constitute presumptive evidence of NHL

  5. The relative contribution of patient, provider and organizational influences to the appropriate diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marceau, Lisa; McKinlay, John; Shackelton, Rebecca; Link, Carol

    2011-12-01

    To estimate the relative contribution of patient attributes, provider characteristics and organizational features of the doctors' workplace to the diagnosis and management of diabetes. In a factorial experimental design doctors (n = 192) viewed clinically authentic vignettes of 'patients' presenting with identical signs and symptoms. Doctor subjects were primary care doctors stratified according to gender and level of experience. During an in-person interview scheduled between real patients, doctors were asked how they would diagnosis and manage the vignette 'patients' in clinical practice. This study considered the relative contribution of patient, doctor and organizational factors. Taken together patient attributes explained only 4.4% of the variability in diabetes diagnosis. Doctor factors explained only 2.0%. The vast majority of the explained variance in diabetes diagnosis was due to organizational factors (14.3%). Relative contributions combined (patient, provider, organizational factors) explained only 20% of the total variance. Attempts to reduce health care variations usually focus on the education/activation of patients, or increased training of doctors. Our findings suggest that shifting quality improvement efforts to the area which contributes most to the creation and amplification of variations (organizational influences) may produce better results in terms of reduced variations in health care associated with diabetes. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  6. McIsaac criteria for diagnosis of acute group-A β-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imanuel Y. Malino

    2013-10-01

    Conclusion A McIsaac criteria total score of <4 is favorable for excluding a diagnosis of GABHS pharyngitis. A McIsaac total criteria score of ≥4 requires further examination to confirm a diagnosis of GABHS pharyngitis.

  7. National nostalgia : A group-based emotion that benefits the in-group but hampers intergroup relations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smeekes, A.N.

    2015-01-01

    Social psychological research on nostalgia has mainly considered this emotion at the individual level rather than the group level. The current paper proposes that group-based nostalgia for the nation (i.e., national nostalgia) is likely to be related to a positive in-group orientation and a negative

  8. IgG4-related disease: with emphasis on the biopsy diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis and sclerosing cholangitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Detlefsen, Sönke; Klöppel, Günter

    2018-04-01

    In 2011, chronic fibroinflammatory processes occurring simultaneously or metachronously in various organs and associated with elevated IgG4 serum levels and/or tissue infiltration with IgG4-positive plasma cells have been recognized as manifestations of a systemic disorder called IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). The histologic key findings are lymphoplasmacytic infiltration rich in IgG4-positive plasma cells combined with storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis. Among the organs mainly affected by IgG4-RD are the pancreas and the extrahepatic bile ducts. The pancreatic and biliary alterations have been described under the terms autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and sclerosing cholangitis, respectively. These diseases are currently more precisely called IgG4-related pancreatitis (or type 1 AIP to distinguish it from type 2 AIP that is unrelated to IgG4-RD) and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-related SC). Clinically and grossly, both diseases commonly imitate pancreatic and biliary adenocarcinoma, tumors that are well known for their dismal prognosis. As IgG4-RD responds to steroid treatment, making a resection of a suspected tumor unnecessary, a biopsy is often required to establish the preoperative diagnosis. This review discusses the morphologic spectrum of IgG4-related pancreatitis and IgG4-related SC and focuses on the biopsy relevant histologic features for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of these diseases.

  9. [Changes to diagnosis-related groups in urology in 2007. Urology in the G-DRG-System 2007].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenke, A; Franz, D; Pühse, G; Hertle, L; Roeder, N

    2008-02-01

    The German DRG (dose-related groups) system is updated each year by the institution dealing with the remuneration in hospitals (InEK). Once again, the German Spcoety for Urology has supported the adjustment process in a constructive manner. Analysis of the changes and their implications is highly significant for urology. This article describes and discusses the main changes in the system for the specialty of urology insofar as they concern the structure of the DRG system and the catalogues of diagnoses (ICD) and of procedures (OPS). The 2007 edition of the DRG system leads to numerous changes for urology. There are new OPS codes for partial resection of the kidney, treatment of urinary incontinence and radical resection in the pelvis minor. Additional payment for implantation of a prosthetic penis is divided with reference to the type of prosthesis. At DRG level, new DRG splits are found depending on the PCCL and patient age. Combination operations on the bladder and bowel and on the male genitalia are assigned to newly established DRGs. The changes described enhance the professional accuracy of the representations of urological care provision. New strategies designed to solve problems in representation have been established (e.g. multi-step interventions). Various problems persist, e.g. those of operations on the penis (DRG M03Z) and the need for more finely defined representation of laser treatment in urology. In the short term practicable solutions to the problem of improving the quality of representation are needed.

  10. [Relation of psychological distress after diagnosis of gastric cancer at a cancer screening center with psychological support from public health nurses and family members].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukui, Sakiko; Ozawa, Harumi

    2003-07-01

    The objectives of this study were to examine the degree of psychological distress during the first 6 months after diagnosis of gastric cancer and investigate the relation to psychological support from public health nurses and family members. One hundred and five patients with stomach, colorectal, or esophagus cancer were mailed a questionnaire. They were asked questions concerning the level of shock on the day of diagnosis, at 1-week after the diagnosis, and at 6 months post diagnosis. In addition, their physical and psychological status was assessed at the 6-month time point. They were also asked about perceived psychological support from public health nurses and family members. The relation between psychological distress and such psychological support was then assessed using multiple regression analyses. The levels of shock on the day of diagnosis and after 1-week were both significantly related to the psychological support from public health nurses. Physical and psychological status at 6 months post diagnosis was significantly related to the level of psychological support from the patient's family members. The study revealed that psychological support from public health nurses improves the level of patient psychological distress during the first 1 week after the cancer diagnosis. Psychological support from family members facilitates the physical and psychological adjustment at 6 months post diagnosis. The results indicate that psychological support is important just after cancer diagnosis and for longer term adjustment, pointing to a major role of health care professionals alleviating problems associated with cancer diagnosis.

  11. DIAGNOSIS OF PITCH AND LOAD DEFECTS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2009-01-01

    The invention relates to a method, system and computer readable code for diagnosis of pitch and/or load defects of e.g. wind turbines as well as wind turbines using said diagnosis method and/or comprising said diagnosis system.......The invention relates to a method, system and computer readable code for diagnosis of pitch and/or load defects of e.g. wind turbines as well as wind turbines using said diagnosis method and/or comprising said diagnosis system....

  12. Pancytopenia - (? An obstacle in the diagnosis and outcome of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shruti Raja

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL ranks first among pediatric malignancies. 8-12% of ALL present with pancytopenia and 2% with hypocellular marrow a. Diagnosis of ALL in the background of pancytopenia and aplastic bone marrow is difficult. Aims: This study was aimed to compare the clinicopathologic, genetic, and outcome of paediatric ALL patients with and without pancytopenia. Settings and Design: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Subjects and Methods: The study included all ALL patients presenting with pancytopenia. The control group included equal number of randomly selected patients with ALL without pancytopenia treated during the same period. Ethics committee approved this study. The demographic, laboratory, and treatment-related details were retrieved from the records and entered in an Excel sheet. Statistical Analysis Used: Data was analyzed with Chi-square test with IBM SPSS statistics 16 software. Results: Diagnosis by peripheral smear is significantly lower (P = 0.015 in comparison with the control group. There is no significant difference in diagnosis between the groups by bone marrow aspirate (P = 0.731 and biopsy (P = 0.849. The diagnosis of leukemia is misdiagnosed as hypo cellular/aplastic marrow in 10% of the pancytopenic patients. Flow cytometry yielded the diagnosis in all the pancytopenic patients. Though cytogenetic abnormalities are more common in pancytopenic group, it is not statistically significant (P = 0.106. There is no significant difference in treatment outcome between the groups (P = 0.0827%. Conclusions: Clinical expertise is highly essential to evaluate a case of pancytopenia to diagnose leukemia. Pancytopenia is an obstacle in the diagnosis of ALL without immunophenotyping. There is no significant difference in the outcome between the two groups.

  13. Early diagnosis of myocardial infarction using absolute and relative changes in cardiac troponin concentrations

    OpenAIRE

    Irfan Affan Bin; Reichlin Tobias R.; Twerenbold Raphael; Meister Marc; Moehring Berit; Wildi Karin; Bassetti Stefano; Zellweger Christa; Gimenez Maria Rubini; Hoeller Rebeca; Murray Karsten; Sou SeoungMann; Mueller Mira; Mosimann Tamina; Reiter Miriam

    2013-01-01

    Background: Absolute changes in high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs cTnT) seem to have higher diagnostic accuracy in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction compared with relative changes. It is unknown whether the same applies to high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs cTnI) assays and whether the combination of absolute and relative change might further increase accuracy. Methods: In a prospective international multicenter study high sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs cTn) was ...

  14. Content-Related Interactions in Self-initiated Study Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christian, Karen; Talanquer, Vicente

    2012-09-01

    The central goal of the present exploratory study was to investigate the nature of the content-related interactions in study groups independently organized by college organic chemistry students. We were particularly interested in the identification of the different factors that affected the emergence of opportunities for students to co-construct understanding and engage in higher levels of cognitive processing. Our results are based on the analysis of in situ observations of 34 self-initiated study sessions involving over a 100 students in three academic semesters. The investigation revealed three major types of social regulation processes, teaching, tutoring, and co-construction in the observed study sessions. However, the extent to which students engaged in each of them varied widely from one session to another. This variability was mostly determined by the specific composition of the study groups and the nature of the study tasks in which they were engaged. Decisions about how to organize the study session, the relative content knowledge and conceptual understanding expressed by the participants, as well as the cognitive level of the problems that guided group work had a strong impact on the nature of student interactions. Nevertheless, group talk in the observed study groups was mostly focused on low-level cognitive processes. The results of our work provide insights on how to better support students' productive engagement in study groups.

  15. Group behavioral therapy for adolescents with tic-related and non-tic-related obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Himle, Joseph A; Fischer, Daniel J; Van Etten, Michelle L; Janeck, Amy S; Hanna, Gregory L

    2003-01-01

    Prior research supports the distinction between tic-related and non-tic-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) based on phenomenologic, etiologic, and neurobehavioral data. The present study examines whether response to psychosocial treatment differs in adolescents, depending on the presence of comorbid tics. Nineteen adolescents, 12-17 years of age, participated in 7-week, uncontrolled trial of group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for OCD. Eight of the patients had tic-related and eleven had non-tic-related OCD. The group CBT program included psycho-education, exposure and response prevention, cognitive strategies, and family involvement. Significant improvement was observed for all subjects on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale ratings of obsessions, compulsions, and total OCD symptoms. Outcomes were similar for subjects with tic-related and non-tic-related OCD. These preliminary results suggest that the presence of comorbid tic disorders may not attenuate response to behavioral group treatment among adolescents. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  16. The evolution of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs): from its beginnings in case-mix and resource use theory, to its implementation for payment and now for its current utilization for quality within and outside the hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldfield, Norbert

    2010-01-01

    Policymakers are searching for ways to control health care costs and improve quality. Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) are by far the most important cost control and quality improvement tool that governments and private payers have implemented. This article reviews why DRGs have had this singular success both in the hospital sector and, over the past 10 years, in ambulatory and managed care settings. Last, the author reviews current trends in the development and implementation of tools that have the key ingredients of DRG success: categorical clinical model, separation of the clinical model from payment weights, separate payment adjustments for nonclinical factors, and outlier payments. Virtually all current tools used to manage health care costs and improve quality do not have these characteristics. This failure explains a key reason for the failure, for example, of the Medicare Advantage program to control health care costs. This article concludes with a discussion of future developments for DRG-type models outside the hospital sector.

  17. Cancer Risk in Relatives of Testicular Cancer Patients by Histology Type and Age at Diagnosis: A Joint Study from Five Nordic Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharazmi, Elham; Hemminki, Kari; Pukkala, Eero; Sundquist, Kristina; Tryggvadottir, Laufey; Tretli, Steinar; Olsen, Jörgen H; Fallah, Mahdi

    2015-08-01

    None of the population-based epidemiologic studies to date has had a large enough sample size to show the familial risk of testicular cancer (TC) by age at diagnosis for patients and their relatives or for rare histologic subtypes. To estimate absolute and relative risks of TC in relatives of TC patients by age at diagnosis in patients and their relatives and histological subtypes. In a joint population-based cohort study, 97 402 first-degree relatives of 21 254 TC patients who were diagnosed between 1955 and 2010 in five European countries were followed for cancer incidence. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated using histology-, age-, period-, and country-specific incidence rates as references. Lifetime cumulative risks were also calculated. The lifetime cumulative risk of TC in brothers of a patient with TC was 2.3%, which represents a fourfold increase in risk (SIR 4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6-4.6) compared to the general population. TC in a father increased the risk by up to twofold in his son (95% CI 1.7-2.4; lifetime risk 1.2%) and vice versa. When there were two or more TC patients diagnosed in a family, the lifetime TC risk for relatives was 10-11%. Depending on age at diagnosis, twins had a 9-74% lifetime risk of TC. Family history of most of the histologic subtypes of TC increased the risk of concordant and most discordant subtypes. There was a tendency toward concordant age at diagnosis of TC among relatives. This study provides clinically relevant age-specific cancer risk estimates for relatives of TC patients. Familial TC patients tended to develop TC at an age close to the age at diagnosis of TC among their relatives, which is a novel finding of this study. This joint European population study showed that sons and brothers of testicular cancer patients are at higher risk of developing this cancer at an age close to the age at diagnosis of their relatives. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. 2017 Military Services Gender Relations Focus Groups: Active Duty

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-04-30

    Office of People Analytics Office of People Analytics (OPA) Defense Research, Surveys, and Statistics Center 4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 06E22...Relations (2017 MSGR) Focus Groups among active duty members. This is the third6 administration of gender relations focus groups. This introductory ...Enlisted, Male “It is true statistically , a majority of sexual assaults there is alcohol or drugs. In the military, it’s into the alcohol more than

  19. Diagnosis of antenatal Bartter syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, R; Peres, M; Kesby, G

    2016-01-01

    Bartter syndrome is a rare heterogeneous group of autosomal-recessive salt-losing renal tubular disorders that can present in fetal life (antenatal Bartter syndrome; ABS) as "unexplained" early-onset polyhydramnios, often associated with growth restriction. Prenatal diagnosis of the condition involves assessment of amniotic fluid biochemistry in a setting of polyuric polyhydramnios; with elevated chloride levels considered a consistent and diagnostic finding. Other amniotic fluid biochemical markers have been described, notably increased aldosterone levels, and low total protein levels. NOVEL INSIGHT: Antenatal Bartter syndrome is a heterogeneous group of renal disorders. While certain biochemical features in amniotic fluid might heighten suspicion, final diagnosis can only be made in the postnatal setting. In the setting of unexplained severe polyhydramnios, clinicians should continue to entertain the diagnosis of antenatal Bartter Syndrome and maintain neonatal surveillance, even if amniotic fluid markers do not support the diagnosis.

  20. Robust PLS approach for KPI-related prediction and diagnosis against outliers and missing data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shen; Wang, Guang; Yang, Xu

    2014-07-01

    In practical industrial applications, the key performance indicator (KPI)-related prediction and diagnosis are quite important for the product quality and economic benefits. To meet these requirements, many advanced prediction and monitoring approaches have been developed which can be classified into model-based or data-driven techniques. Among these approaches, partial least squares (PLS) is one of the most popular data-driven methods due to its simplicity and easy implementation in large-scale industrial process. As PLS is totally based on the measured process data, the characteristics of the process data are critical for the success of PLS. Outliers and missing values are two common characteristics of the measured data which can severely affect the effectiveness of PLS. To ensure the applicability of PLS in practical industrial applications, this paper introduces a robust version of PLS to deal with outliers and missing values, simultaneously. The effectiveness of the proposed method is finally demonstrated by the application results of the KPI-related prediction and diagnosis on an industrial benchmark of Tennessee Eastman process.

  1. The neuromuscular differential diagnosis of joint hypermobility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donkervoort, S; Bonnemann, C G; Loeys, B; Jungbluth, H; Voermans, N C

    2015-03-01

    Joint hypermobility is the defining feature of various inherited connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome and various types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and these will generally be the first conditions to be considered by geneticists and pediatricians in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with such findings. However, several congenital and adult-onset inherited myopathies also present with joint hypermobility in the context of often only mild-to-moderate muscle weakness and should, therefore, be included in the differential diagnosis of joint hypermobility. In fact, on the molecular level disorders within both groups represent different ends of the same spectrum of inherited extracellular matrix (ECM) disorders. In this review we will summarize the measures of joint hypermobility, illustrate molecular mechanisms these groups of disorders have in common, and subsequently discuss the clinical features of: 1) the most common connective tissue disorders with myopathic or other neuromuscular features: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome and Loeys-Dietz syndrome; 2) myopathy and connective tissue overlap disorders (muscle extracellular matrix (ECM) disorders), including collagen VI related dystrophies and FKBP14 related kyphoscoliotic type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; and 3) various (congenital) myopathies with prominent joint hypermobility including RYR1- and SEPN1-related myopathy. The aim of this review is to assist clinical geneticists and other clinicians with recognition of these disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. RELATIONAL GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY: THE HEALING OF STRESS, NEGLECT AND TRAUMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard G. Erskine

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This article is the Keynote Address given at the 4th International Integrative Psychotherapy Association Conference, April 17, 2009. In speaking to the conference theme of “Acute Trauma, Cumulative Neglect, and Chronic Stress” the article describes some of the principles of Relational Group Psychotherapy. The theory of methods is based on the concept that the healing of trauma, neglect and stress occurs through a contactful therapeutic relationship. Relational group psychotherapy draws from several developments in group therapy, particularly the cybernetic feedback and other-centered models. It emphasizes the healing power of relationships between group members and the importance of phenomenological inquiry, affective attunement, identification, and relational-needs. The leader’s tasks are to stimulate the flow of contactful dialogue and to teach about human needs and healthy relationships.

  3. Committees and groups related to the EURATOM treaty

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marcus, F.R. [comp.] [Nordic Nuclear Safety Research, Roskilde (Denmark)

    1997-09-01

    The EURATOM Treaty has not been modified since its creation (Rome, 25 March 1957) but has simply been adapted to take account of the fusion of the executive bodies of the three original European Treaties and the enlargement with new Member States. The EURATOM Treaty is in existence simultaneously with the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. No changes in the EURATOM Treaty that influence the practical working conditions were brought about in the 1997 intergovernmental conference. This edition of the survey of groups related to the EURATOM Treaty is an update of earlier versions issued in Danish language. It is sponsored by the Nordic Committee for Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) in conjunction with the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI). The main purpose is to informally provide those circles in the Nordic countries who want to get acquainted with the groups involved in work related to EURATOM with a simplified overview. The present edition is not different from earlier issues in that it contains an outline without the intent to go into details, and without the ambition to be complete. It thus does not represent an official picture of the committees and groups. Nor should it be seen as an organisation chart of related Commission services. The information is mostly based on personal contacts with persons having knowledge from work with the groups in question. The author would be grateful for corrections and suggestions in order to improve the picture given. 15 figs.

  4. Committees and groups related to the EURATOM treaty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marcus, F.R.

    1997-09-01

    The EURATOM Treaty has not been modified since its creation (Rome, 25 March 1957) but has simply been adapted to take account of the fusion of the executive bodies of the three original European Treaties and the enlargement with new Member States. The EURATOM Treaty is in existence simultaneously with the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. No changes in the EURATOM Treaty that influence the practical working conditions were brought about in the 1997 intergovernmental conference. This edition of the survey of groups related to the EURATOM Treaty is an update of earlier versions issued in Danish language. It is sponsored by the Nordic Committee for Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) in conjunction with the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI). The main purpose is to informally provide those circles in the Nordic countries who want to get acquainted with the groups involved in work related to EURATOM with a simplified overview. The present edition is not different from earlier issues in that it contains an outline without the intent to go into details, and without the ambition to be complete. It thus does not represent an official picture of the committees and groups. Nor should it be seen as an organisation chart of related Commission services. The information is mostly based on personal contacts with persons having knowledge from work with the groups in question. The author would be grateful for corrections and suggestions in order to improve the picture given

  5. Definition of ambulatory blood pressure targets for diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in relation to clinic blood pressure: prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Head, Geoffrey A; Mihailidou, Anastasia S; Duggan, Karen A; Beilin, Lawrence J; Berry, Narelle; Brown, Mark A; Bune, Alex J; Cowley, Diane; Chalmers, John P; Howe, Peter R C; Hodgson, Jonathan; Ludbrook, John; Mangoni, Arduino A; McGrath, Barry P; Nelson, Mark R; Sharman, James E; Stowasser, Michael

    2010-04-14

    Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure thresholds have been defined for the diagnosis of mild hypertension but not for its treatment or for other blood pressure thresholds used in the diagnosis of moderate to severe hypertension. We aimed to derive age and sex related ambulatory blood pressure equivalents to clinic blood pressure thresholds for diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. We collated 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure data, recorded with validated devices, from 11 centres across six Australian states (n=8575). We used least product regression to assess the relation between these measurements and clinic blood pressure measured by trained staff and in a smaller cohort by doctors (n=1693). Mean age of participants was 56 years (SD 15) with mean body mass index 28.9 (5.5) and mean clinic systolic/diastolic blood pressure 142/82 mm Hg (19/12); 4626 (54%) were women. Average clinic measurements by trained staff were 6/3 mm Hg higher than daytime ambulatory blood pressure and 10/5 mm Hg higher than 24 hour blood pressure, but 9/7 mm Hg lower than clinic values measured by doctors. Daytime ambulatory equivalents derived from trained staff clinic measurements were 4/3 mm Hg less than the 140/90 mm Hg clinic threshold (lower limit of grade 1 hypertension), 2/2 mm Hg less than the 130/80 mm Hg threshold (target upper limit for patients with associated conditions), and 1/1 mm Hg less than the 125/75 mm Hg threshold. Equivalents were 1/2 mm Hg lower for women and 3/1 mm Hg lower in older people compared with the combined group. Our study provides daytime ambulatory blood pressure thresholds that are slightly lower than equivalent clinic values. Clinic blood pressure measurements taken by doctors were considerably higher than those taken by trained staff and therefore gave inappropriate estimates of ambulatory thresholds. These results provide a framework for the diagnosis and management of hypertension using ambulatory blood pressure values.

  6. 'When psychology and economics meet: Relational goods in training groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Di Caccamo

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The development of the concept of relational goods is an innovation in the economy as opposed to the predominant instrumental logic and the ultimate aim of achieving profit. By facilitating the process of remodeling and reconfiguration the modalities of entering into a relationship, and allowing a new connection between different dimension of one's family, relational and cultural experience, median training groups are a place of choice for developing relational good in different contexts.Keywords: Relational good; Median training group; Social well-being

  7. CT quantitative diagnosis in fatty liver. An experimental study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Hong; Li Binxiang; Zhang Lizhong; Liang Jianfang

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the relation between liver fat content and CT value in animal experiment for the diagnosis and treatment of fatty liver in clinical practice. Materials and methods: Fatty liver model was established in 30 Wistar rats (experimental group), 5 rats was used as the control group. The 5 rats of the control group and 5 rats randomly chosen from experimental group at the first, second, third, and the fourth weekends, were measured for the CT number of total liver. Three pieces of liver specimen from each rats were removed from left, central and right lobes for histologic examination. The ratio of liver fat content to liver volume (Vv value) was measured by microscopic image pattern analyzer. Results: Significant linear negative correlation (r = -0.950, t = 12.90, P<0.001) was found between CT and Vv values. Conclusion: Using CT monitoring, the degree and amount of liver fat could be assessed and liver biopsy obviated in the diagnosis and follow up during treatment of fatty liver

  8. Pathways to dementia diagnosis among South Asian Canadians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCleary, Lynn; Persaud, Malini; Hum, Susan; Pimlott, Nicholas J G; Cohen, Carole A; Koehn, Sharon; Leung, Karen K; Dalziel, William B; Kozak, Jean; Emerson, Victor F; Silvius, James L; Garcia, Linda; Drummond, Neil

    2013-11-01

    Urban centers are increasingly ethnically diverse. However, some visible minorities are less likely than their majority counterparts to seek and receive services and treatment for dementia. This study explored experiences of South Asian Canadians, Canada's largest visible minority group, prior to dementia diagnosis. Six persons with dementia and eight of their family carers described their early perceptions of dementia-related changes, actions taken, including help seeking and diagnosis, and affective responses. Early signs were attributed to aging or personality. Even after cognitive enhancers were prescribed, some respondents continued to believe that the dementia symptoms were 'normal'. Family carers' affective responses may be related to their attributions. Before seeking medical attention, family carers modified physical or social environments because of symptoms. Help seeking was delayed up to four years, even with significant dementia symptoms. Recognition of a health problem was influenced by safety concerns, emergence of new symptoms following trauma, and treatment for other health problems. For some, relatives living outside the home or outside Canada were instrumental in recognizing a problem and convincing family carers and persons with dementia to seek medical attention. The pathway to diagnosis might be easier with outreach to help South Asian immigrants differentiate between normal aging and dementia. Symptom recognition by physicians treating other acute conditions was a portal to dementia services for others. Screening and referral in acute care could result in earlier diagnosis and treatment.

  9. An Efficient Quality-Related Fault Diagnosis Method for Real-Time Multimode Industrial Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaixiang Peng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Focusing on quality-related complex industrial process performance monitoring, a novel multimode process monitoring method is proposed in this paper. Firstly, principal component space clustering is implemented under the guidance of quality variables. Through extraction of model tags, clustering information of original training data can be acquired. Secondly, according to multimode characteristics of process data, the monitoring model integrated Gaussian mixture model with total projection to latent structures is effective after building the covariance description form. The multimode total projection to latent structures (MTPLS model is the foundation of problem solving about quality-related monitoring for multimode processes. Then, a comprehensive statistics index is defined which is based on the posterior probability of the monitored samples belonging to each Gaussian component in the Bayesian theory. After that, a combined index is constructed for process monitoring. Finally, motivated by the application of traditional contribution plot in fault diagnosis, a gradient contribution rate is applied for analyzing the variation of variable contribution rate along samples. Our method can ensure the implementation of online fault monitoring and diagnosis for multimode processes. Performances of the whole proposed scheme are verified in a real industrial, hot strip mill process (HSMP compared with some existing methods.

  10. Courtesy stigma--a focus group study of relatives of schizophrenia patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angermeyer, Matthias C; Schulze, Beate; Dietrich, Sandra

    2003-10-01

    Stigmatization of people with mental illness has been investigated in numerous studies. Little research, however, has been done to explore how relatives of people with schizophrenia perceive and experience stigmatization and how they can fight such stigmatization. Aiming to explore stigma from the perspective of relatives of people with schizophrenia, focus group interviews were conducted with 122 members of advocacy groups from different parts of Germany. Focus group sessions were tape- and video-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were coded using an inductive method, generating categories (domains) from the material. The analysis of focus group data shows that, contrary to previous research findings, discrimination and disadvantages encountered by relatives of schizophrenia patients reach far beyond the spheres of direct social interaction and access to social roles. Our study revealed two additional domains in which relatives encounter stigmatization: structural discrimination and public images of mental illness. Furthermore, psychiatry has been identified as one important source of stigma. Relatives also suggested numerous anti-stigma interventions. These can be grouped into five main categories: communication measures, support for the ill and their relatives, changes in mental health care, education and training, and control and supervision. Based on our findings,ways of how relatives of schizophrenia patients and mental health professionals can fight against stigma are discussed.

  11. Hospitalisations for pelvic inflammatory disease temporally related to a diagnosis of Chlamydia or gonorrhoea: a retrospective cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne Reekie

    Full Text Available The presence and severity of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID symptoms are thought to vary by microbiological etiology but there is limited empirical evidence. We sought to estimate and compare the rates of hospitalisation for PID temporally related to diagnoses of gonorrhoea and chlamydia.All women, aged 15-45 years in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW, with a diagnosis of chlamydia or gonorrhoea between 01/07/2000 and 31/12/2008 were followed by record linkage for up to one year after their chlamydia or gonorrhoea diagnosis for hospitalisations for PID. Standardised incidence ratios compared the incidence of PID hospitalisations to the age-equivalent NSW population.A total of 38,193 women had a chlamydia diagnosis, of which 483 were hospitalised for PID; incidence rate (IR 13.9 per 1000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU (95%CI 12.6-15.1. In contrast, 1015 had a gonorrhoea diagnosis, of which 45 were hospitalised for PID (IR 50.8 per 1000 PYFU, 95%CI 36.0-65.6. The annual incidence of PID hospitalisation temporally related to a chlamydia or gonorrhoea diagnosis was 27.0 (95%CI 24.4-29.8 and 96.6 (95%CI 64.7-138.8 times greater, respectively, than the age-equivalent NSW female population. Younger age, socio-economic disadvantage, having a diagnosis prior to 2005 and having a prior birth were also associated with being hospitalised for PID.Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are both associated with large increases in the risk of PID hospitalisation. Our data suggest the risk of PID hospitalisation is much higher for gonorrhoea than chlamydia; however, further research is needed to confirm this finding.

  12. Point of care testing of phospholipase A2 group IIA for serological diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Nathan J.; Chapman, Robert; Lin, Yiyang; Mmesi, Jonas; Bentham, Andrew; Tyreman, Matthew; Abraham, Sonya; Stevens, Molly M.

    2016-02-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) was examined as a point of care marker for determining disease activity in rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic (PsA) arthritis. Serum concentration and activity of sPLA2-IIA were measured using in-house antibodies and a novel point of care lateral flow device assay in patients diagnosed with varying severities of RA (n = 30) and PsA (n = 25) and found to correlate strongly with C-reactive protein (CRP). Levels of all markers were elevated in patients with active RA over those with inactive RA as well as both active and inactive PsA, indicating that sPLA2-IIA can be used as an analogue to CRP for RA diagnosis at point of care.Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) was examined as a point of care marker for determining disease activity in rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic (PsA) arthritis. Serum concentration and activity of sPLA2-IIA were measured using in-house antibodies and a novel point of care lateral flow device assay in patients diagnosed with varying severities of RA (n = 30) and PsA (n = 25) and found to correlate strongly with C-reactive protein (CRP). Levels of all markers were elevated in patients with active RA over those with inactive RA as well as both active and inactive PsA, indicating that sPLA2-IIA can be used as an analogue to CRP for RA diagnosis at point of care. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08423g

  13. Absolute and Relative Socioeconomic Health Inequalities across Age Groups

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Zon, Sander K. R.; Bultmann, Ute; de Leon, Carlos F. Mendes; Reijneveld, Sijmen A.

    2015-01-01

    Background The magnitude of socioeconomic health inequalities differs across age groups. It is less clear whether socioeconomic health inequalities differ across age groups by other factors that are known to affect the relation between socioeconomic position and health, like the indicator of

  14. Elementwise Business Diagnosis of Enterprise Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skrynkovskyy Ruslan M.

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The article presents methodological and indicator apparatus for elementwise business diagnosis of enterprise activity directed at achieving such elementwise diagnostic objectives: diagnosis of return on assets; diagnosis of return on equity capital; diagnosis of production profitability; diagnosis of gross profit margin of product sales; diagnosis of operating margin of product sales; diagnosis of net margin of product sales; diagnosis of absolute liquidity; diagnosis of instant liquidity; diagnosis of overall liquidity; diagnosis of coverage; diagnosis of financial independence; diagnosis of equity capital maneuverability; diagnosis of financial leverage; diagnosis of the long-term investment structure; diagnosis of accounts payable turnover; diagnosis of the accounts payable repayment period, diagnosis of receivables turnover; diagnosis of receivables repayment period; diagnosis of assets turnover; diagnosis of inventories turnover; diagnosis of the inventories turnover period; diagnosis of equity capital turnover; diagnosis of fixed assets turnover (return on assets; diagnosis of capital coefficient; diagnosis of the ratio of output value to the materials cost; diagnosis of material consumption; diagnosis of the total production cost; diagnosis of enterprise market share; diagnosis of fixed assets wear; diagnosis of fixed assets renewal; diagnosis of fixed assets retirement; performance diagnosis; diagnosis of labor intensity, diagnosis of the capital-labour ratio; diagnosis of efficiency; diagnosis of conducting the business; diagnosis of business relations; diagnosis of administrative-legal relations; diagnosis of knowledge management. The elementwise diagnostic objectives of the enterprise system of diagnostic objectives are aimed at a narrow highly detailed diagnostics of individual indicators of the enterprise activity, i.e. the evaluation of specific analytical indicators,monitoring (research of their dynamics, comparison of the planned

  15. Clinical study of syringomyelia. Relation of neurological symptoms and imaging diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohga, Ritsu; Konishi, Yoshihiro; Higashi, Yasuto; Kawai, Kingo; Yasuda, Takeshi; Terao, Akira (Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama (Japan))

    1988-12-01

    We discussed the relationship between neurological symptoms and the locations of syringes observed by CT and MRI (imaging diagnosis) in six cases of syringomyelia admitted to our department during the past five years. Neurological symptoms of the upper cervical and thoracic cords were found in six cases and five cases of them had symmetric distribution. Syringes were found in all cases by delayed CT (D-CT) and MRI. Five cases had laterality. The sites in the spinal cord exhibiting severe involvement of neurological symptoms corresponded with the sites of syringes in imaging diagnosis. The main asymmetric lesions of the syringes were located in the posterior horn. They indicated the relationship with the appearance of the neurological symptoms of the lesion. We compared with the width of the longitudinal level from neurological findings and imaging diagnosis. The rostral level of both corresponded in all cases, but the caudal level corresponded in only one case and neurological symptoms were broader than syringes in imaging diagnosis. It was difficult to identify small syringes when there was complicated scoliosis. The diagnosis of typical cases of syringomyelia is mainly based on such neurological symptoms as a bilateral segmental pattern of dissociated sensory impairment in the past, but imaging diagnosis has recently come to be regarded as very important. (J.P.N.).

  16. Patients' perception of DED and its relation with time to diagnosis and quality of life: an international and multilingual survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labetoulle, Marc; Rolando, Maurizio; Baudouin, Christophe; van Setten, Gysbert

    2017-08-01

    To improve understanding of patients' experience and perception of dry eye disease (DED) and its impact on quality of life (QoL). This survey was observational, non-interventional and cross-sectional. The survey was conducted online on 706 patients with DED from five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK). All patients met the following inclusion criteria: 40 years or older with DED diagnosed by a healthcare professional (HCP), not wearing contact lenses and using tear substitutes daily for at least 6 months. The survey (performed in the five native languages) included 9 screening questions (inclusion criteria) and 26 complementary questions about patients' demography, disease history, DED diagnosis, use of relief treatments, perceptions of DED condition and its impact on QoL. Overall, 218 of 706 (31%) patients perceived DED as a 'disease' or even a 'handicap', and 468 of 706 (66%) as a 'discomfort'. High impact of DED on patients' QoL was associated with negative perception, delay in diagnosis, visits to more than one HCP before diagnosis and high frequency of treatment use. This survey also provided us with a list of language-specific keywords that patients used most frequently to spontaneously describe their condition. Findings showed that negative perception of DED, delayed diagnosis and high frequency of treatment use were inter-related, and that all have a negative impact on patients' QoL. The generated language-specific keywords used to describe DED could serve as the basis for a comprehensive QoL questionnaire to be used in clinical settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Employment status and work-related problems of gastrointestinal cancer patients at diagnosis: a cross-sectional study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, A. G. E. M.; Bruinvels, D. J.; Tytgat, K. M. A. J.; Schoorlemmer, A.; Klinkenbijl, J. H. G.; Frings-Dresen, M. H. W.

    2011-01-01

    Objective To assess the employment status of patients with gastrointestinal cancer at diagnosis and to examine work-related problems of employed patients. Design New, consecutive patients were included at the Gastrointestinal Oncology Center Amsterdam, a one-stop, rapid access diagnostic assessment

  18. Lifestyle after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis in Relation to Survival and Recurrence: A Review of the Literature

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zutphen, M. van; Kampman, E.; Giovannucci, E.L.; Duijnhoven, F.J. van

    2017-01-01

    Purpose of Review: This review summarizes the evidence regarding diet, physical activity, smoking, and body composition after colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis in relation to all-cause and CRC-specific mortality and disease recurrence and gives suggestions for future research directions. Recent

  19. Cultural styles, relational schemas, and prejudice against out-groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez-Burks, J; Nisbett, R E; Ybarra, O

    2000-08-01

    Two studies provide evidence that Latins (i.e., Mexicans and Mexican Americans) are guided by a concern with socioemotional aspects of workplace relations to a far greater degree than are Anglo-Americans. The focus on socioemotional considerations results in Latins having a relatively greater preference for workgroups having a strong interpersonal orientation. Preferred relational style had a far greater impact on preferences for workgroups and judgments about their likely success than did the ethnic composition of the workgroups for both Latins and Anglo-Americans. Evidence that the two groups differ markedly in relational schemas comes from examination of suggestions about how group performance could be improved, judgments about whether a focus on socioemotional concerns necessarily entails a reduction in task focus, and recall for socioemotional aspects of workgroup interactions. Implications for the dynamics of intercultural contact are discussed.

  20. [Correlation of hybrid II capture cytologic exam in diagnosis of cervical lesions related to HPV].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saturnino, Ana Conceição Ribeiro Dantas; Diniz, Veruska Cassandra; Sisenando, Herbert Ary Arzabe Anteza Costa Nóbrega; de Souza, Eroisa Maria Conceição Oliveira; de Paiva, Magnus Sérgio Martins; de Brito, Maria Helena Marques Fonseca; Ramos, Eleni Souto Nóbrega

    2005-01-01

    The aim of the present study was confront the results of the cytological examination with hybrid capture II in the diagnosis of induced cervical intraepithelial lesion-HPV, correlating the cytological findings with biomoleculares. The research was carried through in a group of 160 sexually active women who had espontaneamente looked its gynecologists for consultation of routine, having been submitted to the collection of cervicovaginal material for cytology and for examination of hybrid capture II in the Centro de Patologia Clínica and the Hospital e Maternidade Promater, in the city of the Natal-RN. The results had shown to relatively high numbers of positive cases for HPV using hybrid capture II (41.87%) and the cytology (23.75%). The agreement between the two studied methods relatively was raised (59.38%). It was evident also that the viruses with high oncogênico potential had presented found in the compatible cytology with Lesion of low risk (11.88%), followed of Lesion of high risk (NIC II and III); already the viruses with low oncogênico potential were more associates the Lesion of low risk (6.25%), followed of Lesion of high risk. The cytology, exactly with its limitations, is an important method in the detention of attributable patologias to the HPV, emphasizing that the molecular method comes to complement it and to consolidate the cytological findings.

  1. On the relative role of different age groups in influenza epidemics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worby, Colin J; Chaves, Sandra S; Wallinga, Jacco; Lipsitch, Marc; Finelli, Lyn; Goldstein, Edward

    2015-12-01

    The identification of key "driver" groups in influenza epidemics is of much interest for the implementation of effective public health response strategies, including vaccination programs. However, the relative importance of different age groups in propagating epidemics is uncertain. During a communicable disease outbreak, some groups may be disproportionately represented during the outbreak's ascent due to increased susceptibility and/or contact rates. Such groups or subpopulations can be identified by considering the proportion of cases within the subpopulation occurring before (Bp) and after the epidemic peak (Ap) to calculate the subpopulation's relative risk, RR=Bp/Ap. We estimated RR for several subpopulations (age groups) using data on laboratory-confirmed US influenza hospitalizations during epidemics between 2009-2014. Additionally, we simulated various influenza outbreaks in an age-stratified population, relating the RR to the impact of vaccination in each subpopulation on the epidemic's initial effective reproductive number R_e(0). We found that children aged 5-17 had the highest estimates of RR during the five largest influenza A outbreaks, though the relative magnitude of RR in this age group compared to other age groups varied, being highest for the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. For the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 influenza B epidemics, adults aged 18-49, and 0-4 year-olds had the highest estimates of RR respectively. For 83% of simulated epidemics, the group with the highest RR was also the group for which initial distribution of a given quantity of vaccine would result in the largest reduction of R_e(0). In the largest 40% of simulated outbreaks, the group with the highest RR and the largest vaccination impact was children 5-17. While the relative importance of different age groups in propagating influenza outbreaks varies, children aged 5-17 play the leading role during the largest influenza A epidemics. Extra vaccination efforts for this group may contribute

  2. A web-based knowledge management system integrating Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine for relational medical diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera-Hernandez, Maria C; Lai-Yuen, Susana K; Piegl, Les A; Zhang, Xiao

    2016-10-26

    This article presents the design of a web-based knowledge management system as a training and research tool for the exploration of key relationships between Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, in order to facilitate relational medical diagnosis integrating these mainstream healing modalities. The main goal of this system is to facilitate decision-making processes, while developing skills and creating new medical knowledge. Traditional Chinese Medicine can be considered as an ancient relational knowledge-based approach, focusing on balancing interrelated human functions to reach a healthy state. Western Medicine focuses on specialties and body systems and has achieved advanced methods to evaluate the impact of a health disorder on the body functions. Identifying key relationships between Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine opens new approaches for health care practices and can increase the understanding of human medical conditions. Our knowledge management system was designed from initial datasets of symptoms, known diagnosis and treatments, collected from both medicines. The datasets were subjected to process-oriented analysis, hierarchical knowledge representation and relational database interconnection. Web technology was implemented to develop a user-friendly interface, for easy navigation, training and research. Our system was prototyped with a case study on chronic prostatitis. This trial presented the system's capability for users to learn the correlation approach, connecting knowledge in Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine by querying the database, mapping validated medical information, accessing complementary information from official sites, and creating new knowledge as part of the learning process. By addressing the challenging tasks of data acquisition and modeling, organization, storage and transfer, the proposed web-based knowledge management system is presented as a tool for users in medical training and research to explore, learn and

  3. Benign bile duct stenosis: diagnosis and treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia-Medina, J.; Casal, M.; Vieito, X.

    1997-01-01

    The bening injuries of the biliary ducts are relatively little frequent. Exist two groups of injuries: to due to them to a series for responsible pathologies for itself of the such injuries training, and that basically are the sclerosant cholangitis, the chronic pancreatitis and the stenosis of the sfinter of Oddi, and related them to previous surgery. On both groups eitological, the interventional radiology occupies a place in the diagnosis as well as in the treatment, complementing or substituting to the surgery. Due to the greater frequency of the postchirurgical injuries, we have centered us basically in them. We make a review of the current state of the topic and a bibliographical tracking, emphasizing the most relevant projects. We show some clinical cases of our subject-specific experience. (Author) 42 refs

  4. Celiac Disease: Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, Greg; Feighery, Conleth F

    2015-01-01

    Historically the diagnosis of celiac disease has relied upon clinical, serological, and histological evidence. In recent years the use of sensitive serological methods has meant an increase in the diagnosis of celiac disease. The heterogeneous nature of the disorder presents a challenge in the study and diagnosis of the disease with patients varying from subclinical or latent disease to patients with overt symptoms. Furthermore the related gluten-sensitive disease dermatitis herpetiformis, while distinct in some respects, shares clinical and serological features with celiac disease. Here we summarize current best practice for the diagnosis of celiac disease and briefly discuss newer approaches. The advent of next-generation assays for diagnosis and newer clinical protocols may result in more sensitive screening and ultimately the possible replacement of the intestinal biopsy as the gold standard for celiac disease diagnosis.

  5. Frequency of chromosomal aberrations in a group of patients carriers of gonosomopathies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quesada Dorta, Marlen; Bello Alvarez, Daisy; Gonzalez Fernandez, Pedro

    2004-01-01

    This paper was aimed at determining the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in a group of patients carriers of gonosomopathies and at relating in each case the meaning of the different chromosomal aberrations found to the patients' clinical diagnosis. 656 patients with presumptive diagnosis of gonosomopathies from different hospital institutions of the country that were received at the molecular genetics laboratory of Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical and Surgical Hospital from 1982 to 2001, were studied. Of the total of patients with presumptive diagnosis of gonosomopathies, in 32.7 % (215/656) the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the cytogenetic study. The chromosomal study was conducted by using G band techniques. The chromosomal rearrangements found were classified into 4 groups. The group of numerical gonosomopathies showed the highest frequency with 110 patients, accounting for 51 % of the total. It was followed by the group of numerical and structural alterations (mosaics) with 59 patients (27.0), the inversions of sex with 24 patients (12.0), and the group of structural gonosomopathies with 22 patients (10.0) The most common chromosomal aberrations were the numerical gonosomopathies (Turner and Klinefelter's syndrome). The chromosomal study in these patients is a very important diagnostic value indicator for the therapeutical conduct to be followed in every case

  6. Usefulness of gram staining of blood collected from total parenteral nutrition catheter for rapid diagnosis of catheter-related sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moonens, F; el Alami, S; Van Gossum, A; Struelens, M J; Serruys, E

    1994-01-01

    The accuracy of Gram staining of blood drawn from catheters used to administer total parenteral nutrition was compared with paired quantitative blood cultures for the diagnosis of catheter-related sepsis. Gram staining was positive in 11 of 18 episodes of catheter-related sepsis documented by quantitative culture (sensitivity, 61%) but in none of the 5 episodes of fever unrelated to catheter infection. Thus, this procedure enabled the rapid presumptive diagnosis and guidance of antimicrobial therapy for total parenteral nutrition catheter sepsis, with a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 42%. PMID:7521359

  7. Metastatic pattern and DNA ploidy in stage IV breast cancer at initial diagnosis. Relation to response and survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Lena, M; Romero, A; Rabinovich, M; Leone, B; Vallejo, C; Machiavelli, M; Cuevas, M; Rodriguez, R; Lacava, J; Perez, J

    1993-06-01

    Sixty-nine patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) at initial diagnosis were analyzed to verify if metastatic pattern and clinical outcome are related to DNA ploidy determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Characteristics of 55 fully evaluable patients were as follows: median age: 61 years; postmenopausal: 75%; bone-only metastases (BM): 60%; extraosseous-only metastases (EM): 40%. Overall response rates (CR + PR) obtained with different chemotherapies and/or hormonal therapies were 58% and 68% for patients with BM and EM, respectively. Sixty percent of specimens resulted aneuploid, and the mean coefficient of variation of the complete series was 5.1%. In the whole group of patients DNA ploidy of primary tumor did not predict the metastatic pattern and had no influence upon response to treatment, duration of response, time to progression, and overall survival. When analyses were carried out according to metastatic pattern, those patients with BM showed similar results. However, within the group with EM, those with diploid tumors presented a significantly better survival (median 18 vs 13 months, p = .04). FCM-DNA analysis seems to identify a subgroup of patients with poor prognosis constituted by those who had aneuploid primary tumors and metastases to extraosseous sites.

  8. Health Professionals Information for Diagnostics Related Groups (DRGs) with the Use of a Website.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mpizopoulou, Katerina; Mpizopoulou, Zoe; Magita, Andrianna; Mechili, Aggelos E; Diomidous, Marianna; Mantas, John

    2015-01-01

    In recent years the costs of hospital care in developed countries absorbed a high proportion of total health resources. In Greece, after the establishment of the National Health System (NHS), funding for hospitals comes mainly from the state budget, and social insurance, therefore auditing of hospital cost is imperative to ensure their viability, especially at this time when the country is tested by economic crisis. Overtime many factors for the increase of hospital cost have been mentioned, such as the rapid development of medical technology, the low level of organization of the hospital system and the low productivity of human resources. The problem of rising health expenditure over the past decades is a worldwide phenomenon and it has brought about many changes in traditional retrospective methods for financing in the hospital sector, with prospective financial forms that combine patient composition and needs, and the productive activity of hospital need to the rationalization and contain expenditures. The system of Diagnosis Related Groups was a revolutionary success over the past decades and has now achieved worldwide recognition.

  9. MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, CLASSIFICATION, AND EVALUATION OF THE TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA (ALL) IN THE BFM FAMILY COOPERATIVE GROUP

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANDERDOESVANDENBERG, A; BARTRAM, CR; BASSO, G; BENOIT, YCM; BIONDI, A; DEBATIN, KM; HAAS, OA; HARBOTT, J; KAMPS, WA; KOLLER, U; LAMPERT, F; LUDWIG, WD; NIEMEYER, CM; VANWERING, ER

    1992-01-01

    Minimal requirements and their rationale for the diagnosis and the response to treatment in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were defined in the recently instituted "BFM-Family"-Group, in which the German, Austrian, Dutch, Italian, Belgian, French and Hungarian childhood leukemia study

  10. [The significance of a 4,183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Feng; Lifeng, Liu; Haijing, Song; Xianhua, Liu; Hu, Xia

    2015-12-01

    To investigate the predictive value of 4,183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. A prospective controlled study was conducted. Serum samples were drawn from 161 patients with acute coronary'syndrome [ACS, including 46 patients with unstable angina (UA), 23 with acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and 92 with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction], 111 subjects for routine physical examination, including 45 patients with hypertension history, 42 with coronary heart disease, 22 with diabetes, and 54 patients with non-ACS (including pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, aneurysm, arrhythmia, myocarditis, coronary myocardial bridge, pleurisy, pneumothorax pneumomediastinum, rib fracture, reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer, and pancreatitis) to serve as controls. 4 183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein was assessed with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) technology, and myeloperoxidase [MPO, determined by point-of-care testing (POCT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively], high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), heart type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), myoglobin (MYO), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB) were quantitated with biochemical analysis. The power of the biomarkers above for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis for ischemic heart disease were judged by comparison of their sensitivity and specificity. (1) It was showed by one-way ANOVA that 4,183 Da peptide was higher in ACS group than that in control group (relative abundance: 22.05 ± 16.97 vs. 15.52 ± 14.09, P = 0.001), but no difference was found between ACS group and non-ACS group (relative abundance: 22.05 ± 16.97 vs. 19.99 ± 17.63, P = 0.416). (2) The specificity and sensitivity of the 4 183 Da polypeptide and MPO for predicting ACS and UA were compared with the receiver operating

  11. Pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma: Biochemical and genetic diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cano Megías, Marta; Rodriguez Puyol, Diego; Fernández Rodríguez, Loreto; Sención Martinez, Gloria Lisette; Martínez Miguel, Patricia

    Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are tumours derived from neural crest cells, which can be diagnosed by biochemical measurement of metanephrine and methoxytyramine. Advances in genetic research have identified many genes involved in the pathogenesis of these tumours, suggesting that up to 35-45% may have an underlying germline mutation. These genes have a singular transcriptional signature and can be grouped into 2 clusters (or groups): cluster 1 (VHL and SHDx), involved in angiogenesis and hypoxia pathways; and cluster 2 (MEN2 and NF1), linked to the kinase signalling pathway. In turn, these genes are associated with a characteristic biochemical phenotype (noradrenergic and adrenergic), and clinical features (location, biological behaviour, age of presentation, etc.) in a large number of cases. Early diagnosis of these tumours, accompanied by a correct genetic diagnosis, should eventually become a priority to enable better treatment, early detection of complications, proper screening of family members and related tumours, as well as an improvement in the overall prognosis of these patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Individual neuropsychological support and group sessions for relatives to TBI patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Siert, Lars

    TITLE: Individual neuropsychological support and group sessions for relatives to TBI patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe how the neuropsychologist work with early and ongoing individual support and group sessions for relatives to adult TBI patients in the acute and sub acute phase and after discharge...

  13. [Definition of the Diagnosis Osteomyelitis-Osteomyelitis Diagnosis Score (ODS)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, H G K; Tiemann, A H; Braunschweig, R; Diefenbeck, M; Bühler, M; Abitzsch, D; Haustedt, N; Walter, G; Schoop, R; Heppert, V; Hofmann, G O; Glombitza, M; Grimme, C; Gerlach, U-J; Flesch, I

    2011-08-01

    The disease "osteomyelitis" is characterised by different symptoms and parameters. Decisive roles in the development of the disease are played by the causative bacteria, the route of infection and the individual defense mechanisms of the host. The diagnosis is based on different symptoms and findings from the clinical history, clinical symptoms, laboratory results, diagnostic imaging, microbiological and histopathological analyses. While different osteomyelitis classifications have been published, there is to the best of our knowledge no score that gives information how sure the diagnosis "osteomyelitis" is in general. For any scientific study of a disease a valid definition is essential. We have developed a special osteomyelitis diagnosis score for the reliable classification of clinical, laboratory and technical findings. The score is based on five diagnostic procedures: 1) clinical history and risk factors, 2) clinical examination and laboratory results, 3) diagnostic imaging (ultrasound, radiology, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine and hybrid methods), 4) microbiology, and 5) histopathology. Each diagnostic procedure is related to many individual findings, which are weighted by a score system, in order to achieve a relevant value for each assessment. If the sum of the five diagnostic criteria is 18 or more points, the diagnosis of osteomyelitis can be viewed as "safe" (diagnosis class A). Between 8-17 points the diagnosis is "probable" (diagnosis class B). Less than 8 points means that the diagnosis is "possible, but unlikely" (class C diagnosis). Since each parameter can score six points at a maximum, a reliable diagnosis can only be achieved if at least 3 parameters are scored with 6 points. The osteomyelitis diagnosis score should help to avoid the false description of a clinical presentation as "osteomyelitis". A safe diagnosis is essential for the aetiology, treatment and outcome studies of osteomyelitis. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. Anxiety and depression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: does knowledge of cancer diagnosis matter?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roshan Rasool

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Gastrointestinal cancer is the first leading cause of cancer related deaths in men and the second among women in Iran. An investigation was carried out to examine anxiety and depression in this group of patients and to investigate whether the knowledge of cancer diagnosis affect their psychological distress. Methods This was a cross sectional study of anxiety and depression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer attending to the Tehran Cancer Institute. Anxiety and depression was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS. This is a widely used valid questionnaire to measure psychological distress in cancer patients. Demographic and clinical data also were collected to examine anxiety and depression in sub-group of patients especially in those who knew their cancer diagnosis and those who did not. Results In all 142 patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 54.1 (SD = 14.8, 56% were male, 52% did not know their cancer diagnosis, and their diagnosis was related to esophagus (29%, stomach (30%, small intestine (3%, colon (22% and rectum (16%. The mean anxiety score was 7.6 (SD = 4.5 and for the depression this was 8.4 (SD = 3.8. Overall 47.2% and 57% of patients scored high on both anxiety and depression. There were no significant differences between gender, educational level, marital status, cancer site and anxiety and depression scores whereas those who knew their diagnosis showed a significant higher degree of psychological distress [mean (SD anxiety score: knew diagnosis 9.1 (4.2 vs. 6.3 (4.4 did not know diagnosis, P Conclusion Psychological distress was higher in those who knew their cancer diagnosis. It seems that the cultural issues and the way we provide information for cancer patients play important role in their improved or decreased psychological well-being.

  15. An in-depth assessment of a diagnosis-based risk adjustment model based on national health insurance claims: the application of the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Group case-mix system in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Hsien-Yen; Weiner, Jonathan P

    2010-01-18

    Diagnosis-based risk adjustment is becoming an important issue globally as a result of its implications for payment, high-risk predictive modelling and provider performance assessment. The Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI) programme provides universal coverage and maintains a single national computerized claims database, which enables the application of diagnosis-based risk adjustment. However, research regarding risk adjustment is limited. This study aims to examine the performance of the Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG) case-mix system using claims-based diagnosis information from the Taiwanese NHI programme. A random sample of NHI enrollees was selected. Those continuously enrolled in 2002 were included for concurrent analyses (n = 173,234), while those in both 2002 and 2003 were included for prospective analyses (n = 164,562). Health status measures derived from 2002 diagnoses were used to explain the 2002 and 2003 health expenditure. A multivariate linear regression model was adopted after comparing the performance of seven different statistical models. Split-validation was performed in order to avoid overfitting. The performance measures were adjusted R2 and mean absolute prediction error of five types of expenditure at individual level, and predictive ratio of total expenditure at group level. The more comprehensive models performed better when used for explaining resource utilization. Adjusted R2 of total expenditure in concurrent/prospective analyses were 4.2%/4.4% in the demographic model, 15%/10% in the ACGs or ADGs (Aggregated Diagnosis Group) model, and 40%/22% in the models containing EDCs (Expanded Diagnosis Cluster). When predicting expenditure for groups based on expenditure quintiles, all models underpredicted the highest expenditure group and overpredicted the four other groups. For groups based on morbidity burden, the ACGs model had the best performance overall. Given the widespread availability of claims data and the superior explanatory

  16. Using Literature Study Groups to Construct Meaning in an Undergraduate Reading Course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth

    1998-01-01

    Examines the effectiveness of adding a literature-study-group component to an undergraduate reading diagnosis and remediation course for preservice teachers. Group members read nonfiction works related to literacy, periodically meet to discuss the book and their responses, and share with their classmates. The paper explains how to conduct such…

  17. Evaluation of the usefulness and validity of imaging diagnosis for acute abdomen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, Takehiro; Sudo, Yasuhiro

    2007-01-01

    We retrospectively evaluated the usefulness and validity of imaging diagnosis for acute abdomens. Sixty-one patients who had complained of acute abdominal pain upon hospital admittance were and divided into four groups according to the diagnostic imaging modalities that were used: X-ray alone (X-P group, n=11), ultrasonography (US group, n=12), computed tomography (CT group, n=14), and both ultrasonography and CT (US/CT group, n=24). The diagnosis made at the time of admission was also evaluated, and the patients were divided into three groups and analyzed statistically: bowel obstructions (bowel obstruction group, n=20), acute appendicitis or other diseases necessitating a differential diagnosis (appendicitis group, n=35), and perforations of the digestive tract (perforation group, n=6). X-ray and CT examinations were useful for making a diagnosis in the bowel obstruction and perforation groups. Ultrasonography was regarded as important in the appendicitis group. The accuracy of the diagnosis made upon admission was 95.0% in the bowel obstruction group, 88.6 % in the appendicitis group, and 100 % in the perforation group. Although a prospective evaluation is necessary, CT appears to be useful for diagnosing bowel obstructions and perforations of the digestive tract. Although ultrasonography is useful for diagnosing acute appendicitis, CT is recommended in patients in whom a differential diagnosis is difficult to obtain. (author)

  18. Structure of some relative relation modules of finite p-groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamin, M.

    1990-06-01

    Let G be a finite p-group generated by (g i , 1 ≤ i ≤ d), G i the cyclic subgroup generated by g i , E the free product of the G i , 1 ≤ i ≤ d, and S the kernel of the natural epimorphism of E onto G. The largest elementary abelian p-quotient S-circumflex = S/S'S p , regarded as an IF p G-module via conjugation in E, is called a relative relation module of G. If d is the minimum number of generaters for G, the author has proved that S-circumflex is nonprojective and indecomposable. The aim of this paper is to give an alternative proof for the indecomposability of S-circumflex; the proof here is more informative as it deals with Loewy structure and generating sets of S-circumflex and other associated modules. (author). 9 refs

  19. Solidarity through shared disadvantage: Highlighting shared experiences of discrimination improves relations between stigmatized groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortland, Clarissa I; Craig, Maureen A; Shapiro, Jenessa R; Richeson, Jennifer A; Neel, Rebecca; Goldstein, Noah J

    2017-10-01

    Intergroup relations research has largely focused on relations between members of dominant groups and members of disadvantaged groups. The small body of work examining intraminority intergroup relations, or relations between members of different disadvantaged groups, reveals that salient experiences of ingroup discrimination promote positive relations between groups that share a dimension of identity (e.g., 2 different racial minority groups) and negative relations between groups that do not share a dimension of identity (e.g., a racial minority group and a sexual minority group). In the present work, we propose that shared experiences of discrimination between groups that do not share an identity dimension can be used as a lever to facilitate positive intraminority intergroup relations. Five experiments examining relations among 4 different disadvantaged groups supported this hypothesis. Both blatant (Experiments 1 and 3) and subtle (Experiments 2, 3, and 4) connections to shared experiences of discrimination, or inducing a similarity-seeking mindset in the context of discrimination faced by one's ingroup (Experiment 5), increased support for policies benefiting the outgroup (Experiments 1, 2, and 4) and reduced intergroup bias (Experiments 3, 4, and 5). Taken together, these experiments provide converging evidence that highlighting shared experiences of discrimination can improve intergroup outcomes between stigmatized groups across dimensions of social identity. Implications of these findings for intraminority intergroup relations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Diagnosis of IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakazawa, Takahiro; Naitoh, Itaru; Hayashi, Kazuki; Miyabe, Katsuyuki; Simizu, Shuya; Joh, Takashi

    2013-01-01

    IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) is often associated with autoimmune pancreatitis. However, the diffuse cholangiographic abnormalities observed in IgG4-SC may resemble those observed in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and the presence of segmental stenosis suggests cholangiocarcinoma (CC). IgG4-SC responds well to steroid therapy, whereas PSC is only effectively treated with liver transplantation and CC requires surgical intervention. Since IgG4-SC was first described, it has become a third distinct clinical entity of sclerosing cholangitis. The aim of this review was to introduce the diagnostic methods for IgG4-SC. IgG4-SC should be carefully diagnosed based on a combination of characteristic clinical, serological, morphological, and histopathological features after cholangiographic classification and targeting of a disease for differential diagnosis. When intrapancreatic stenosis is detected, pancreatic cancer or CC should be ruled out. If multiple intrahepatic stenoses are evident, PSC should be distinguished on the basis of cholangiographic findings and liver biopsy with IgG4 immunostaining. Associated inflammatory bowel disease is suggestive of PSC. If stenosis is demonstrated in the hepatic hilar region, CC should be discriminated by ultrasonography, intraductal ultrasonography, bile duct biopsy, and a higher cutoff serum IgG4 level of 182 mg/dL. PMID:24282356

  1. Continuous glucose monitoring system and new era of early diagnosis of diabetes in high risk groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf Soliman

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM systems are an emerging technology that allows frequent glucose measurements to monitor glucose trends in real time. Their use as a diagnostic tool is still developing and appears to be promising. Combining intermittent glucose self-monitoring (SGM and CGM combines the benefits of both. Significant improvement in the treatment modalities that may prevent the progress of prediabetes to diabetes have been achieved recently and dictates screening of high risk patients for early diagnosis and management of glycemic abnormalities. The use of CGMS in the diagnosis of early dysglycemia (prediabetes especially in high risk patients appears to be an attractive approach. In this review we searched the literature to investigate the value of using CGMS as a diagnostic tool compared to other known tools, namely oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT and measurement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C in high risk groups. Those categories of patients include adolescents and adults with obesity especially those with family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO, gestational diabetes, cystic fibrosis, thalassemia major, acute coronary syndrome (ACS, and after renal transplantation. It appears that the ability of the CGMS for frequently monitoring (every 5 min glucose changes during real-life settings for 3 to 5 days stretches the chance to detect more glycemic abnormalities during basal and postprandial conditions compared to other short-timed methods.

  2. Cone beam computed tomography for diagnosis of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: evaluation of quantitative and qualitative image parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guggenberger, Roman; Koral, Emrah; Andreisek, Gustav; Zemann, Wolfgang; Jacobsen, Christine; Metzler, Philipp

    2014-01-01

    To assess the diagnostic performance of quantitative and qualitative image parameters in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for diagnosis of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ). A BRONJ (22 patients, mean age 70.0 years) group was age and gender matched to a healthy control group (22 patients, mean age 68.0 years). On CBCT images two independent readers performed quantitative bone density value (BDV) measurements with region and volume-of-interest (ROI and VOI) based approaches and qualitative scoring of BRONJ-associated necrosis, sclerosis and periosteal thickening (1 = not present to 5 = definitely present). Intraoperative and clinical findings served as standard of reference. Interreader agreements and diagnostic performance were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), kappa-statistics and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Twenty-three regions in 22 patients were affected by BRONJ. ICC values for mean BDV VOI and mean BDV ROI were 0.864 and 0.968, respectively (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for mean BDV VOI and mean BDV ROI was 0.58/0.83 with a sensitivity of 57/83 % and specificity of 61/77 % for diagnosis of BRONJ, respectively. Kappa values for presence of necrosis, sclerosis and periosteal thickening were 0.575, 0.617 and 0.885, respectively. AUC values for qualitative parameters ranged between 0.90-0.96 with sensitivity of 96 % and specificities between 79-96 % at respective cutoff scores. BRONJ can be effectively diagnosed with CBCT. Qualitative image parameters yield a higher diagnostic performance than quantitative parameters, and ROI-based attenuation measurements were more accurate than VOI-based measurements. (orig.)

  3. Boundaries of American Identity: Relations between Ethnic Group Prototypicality and Policy Attitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, Que-Lam; Devos, Thierry; Altman, Hannah R.

    2014-01-01

    We sought to document that the extent to which different ethnic groups are perceived as embodying the American identity is more strongly linked to anti-minority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies among majority group members (European Americans) than among minority group members (Asian Americans or Latino/as). Participants rated 13 attributes of the American identity as they pertain to different ethnic groups, and reported their endorsement of policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. We found a relative consensus across ethnic groups regarding defining components of the American identity. However, European Americans were perceived as more prototypical of this American identity than ethnic minorities, especially by European American raters. Moreover, for European Americans but not for ethnic minorities, relative ingroup prototypicality was related to anti-minority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. These findings suggest that for European Americans, perceptions of ethnic group prototypicality fulfill an instrumental function linked to preserving their group interests and limiting the rights afforded to ethnic minorities. PMID:26347578

  4. Boundaries of American Identity: Relations between Ethnic Group Prototypicality and Policy Attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, Que-Lam; Devos, Thierry; Altman, Hannah R

    2015-08-01

    We sought to document that the extent to which different ethnic groups are perceived as embodying the American identity is more strongly linked to anti-minority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies among majority group members (European Americans) than among minority group members (Asian Americans or Latino/as). Participants rated 13 attributes of the American identity as they pertain to different ethnic groups, and reported their endorsement of policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. We found a relative consensus across ethnic groups regarding defining components of the American identity. However, European Americans were perceived as more prototypical of this American identity than ethnic minorities, especially by European American raters. Moreover, for European Americans but not for ethnic minorities, relative ingroup prototypicality was related to anti-minority policy attitudes and acculturation ideologies. These findings suggest that for European Americans, perceptions of ethnic group prototypicality fulfill an instrumental function linked to preserving their group interests and limiting the rights afforded to ethnic minorities.

  5. Smoking habits of relatives of patients with cancer: cancer diagnosis in the family is an important teachable moment for smoking cessation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayran, Mutlu; Kilickap, Saadettin; Elkiran, Tamer; Akbulut, Hakan; Abali, Huseyin; Yuce, Deniz; Kilic, Diclehan; Turhal, Serdar

    2013-01-01

    In this study we aimed to determine the rate and habitual patterns of smoking, intentions of cessation, dependence levels and sociodemographic characteristics of relatives of patients with a diagnosis of cancer. This study was designed by the Turkish Oncology Group, Epidemiology and Prevention Subgroup. The relatives of cancer patients were asked to fill a questionnaire and Fagerstrom test of nicotine dependence. The median ages of those with lower and higher Fagerstrom scores were 40 years and 42 years, respectively. We found no evidence of variation between the two groups for the remaining sociodemographic variables, including the subject's medical status, gender, living in the same house with the patient, their educational status, their family income, closeness to their cancer patients or spending time with them or getting any help or wanting to get some help. Only 2% of the subjects started smoking after cancer was diagnosed in their loved ones and almost 20% of subjects had quit smoking during the previous year. The Fagerstrom score is helpful in determining who would be the most likely to benefit from a cigarette smoking cessation program. Identification of these people with proper screening methods might help us to pinpoint who would benefit most from these programs.

  6. Investigation of relation between operator's mental workload and information flow in accident diagnosis tasks of nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, Chang Hoon; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

    2004-01-01

    In the main control room (MCR) of a nuclear power plant (NPP), there are lots of dynamic information sources for MCR operator's situation awareness. As the human-machine interface in MCR is advanced, operator's information acquisition, information gathering and decision-making is becoming an important part to maintain the effective and safe operation of NPPs. Diagnostic task in complex and huge systems like NPP is the most difficult and mental effort-demanding for operators. This research investigates the relation between operator's mental workload and information flow in accident diagnosis tasks. The amount of information flow is quantified, using information flow model and Conant's model, a kind of information theory. For the mental workload measure, eye blink rate, blink duration, fixation time, number of fixation, and gaze direction are measured during accident diagnosis tasks. Subjective methods such as NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Modified Cooper-Harper (MCH) method are also used in the experiment. It is shown that the operator's mental workload has significant relation to information flow of diagnosis task. It makes possible to predict the mental workload through the quantity of the information flow of a system

  7. Parents’ Concerns as they Relate to Their Child’s Development and Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Megan; Mossey, Jana; Robins, Diana L.

    2016-01-01

    Objective Data from a toddler screening study were used to examine: 1) categories of concerns regarding the development of their child reported by parents prior to diagnostic evaluation, 2) congruence of parent concerns with their child’s later diagnosis, 3) the extent to which parent concern(s) were associated with the therapies their child received and types of specialists consulted, and 4) the association between the number of parental concern categories and clinical measures. Methods Toddlers who screened positive for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during well-child check-ups received a diagnostic evaluation and parents completed a history questionnaire (n=532; 274 ASD, 258 non-ASD). Parents’ concerns about their child’s development, therapy received, and specialists consulted were coded into discrete categories. Results Most parents (>90%) reported concerns about their child’s development. The most common concern in both the ASD and non-ASD groups was speech/communication (78.6%). Significant differences were found between diagnostic groups in the speech/communication, restricted/repetitive behaviors, social, behavioral, and medical concern categories. Parent concerns were associated with therapies received and specialists consulted. The number of concern categories was positively associated with several ASD scores. Conclusions The developmental concerns expressed by parents of undiagnosed toddlers were highly consistent with the diagnosis the child later received. Based in part on their areas of concern, parents made contact with the appropriate professionals and their children received some therapy prior to diagnosis. Finally, parents who reported concerns across different areas endorsed more symptoms during screening. Results emphasize the need for providers to elicit and take seriously parent concerns during the referral and diagnostic processes. PMID:27541581

  8. Opportunities knock: Mediation of peer-relations during meal-time in toddler groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellen Os

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available According to socio-cultural perspectives, adults are seen as mediators of cultural believes, values and practices. Qualitative analyses of teachers’ mediation of peer relations based on video-recordings in 9 toddler-groups indicate that meal-time represents opportunities for teachers to facilitate togetherness and peer-relations between toddlers. The teachers might facilitate sharing, passing food, routinized practices such as singing, and conversations. The results indicate variations between child- and group-oriented approaches, and accomplishing meals in an effective way. The child- and group-oriented approaches are marked by encouragement of toddlers’ initiatives and teachers supporting peer-interactions. Raising teachers’ consciousness about their contributions to children’s development of peer-relations and togetherness in group settings might contribute to enhance reflected practices in working with toddlers in groups.

  9. Group-by Skyline Query Processing in Relational Engines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yiu, Man Lung; Luk, Ming-Hay; Lo, Eric

    2009-01-01

    the missing cost model for the BBS algorithm. Experimental results show that our techniques are able to devise the best query plans for a variety of group-by skyline queries. Our focus is on algorithms that can be directly implemented in today's commercial database systems without the addition of new access......The skyline operator was first proposed in 2001 for retrieving interesting tuples from a dataset. Since then, 100+ skyline-related papers have been published; however, we discovered that one of the most intuitive and practical type of skyline queries, namely, group-by skyline queries remains...

  10. An in-depth assessment of a diagnosis-based risk adjustment model based on national health insurance claims: the application of the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Group case-mix system in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiner Jonathan P

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diagnosis-based risk adjustment is becoming an important issue globally as a result of its implications for payment, high-risk predictive modelling and provider performance assessment. The Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI programme provides universal coverage and maintains a single national computerized claims database, which enables the application of diagnosis-based risk adjustment. However, research regarding risk adjustment is limited. This study aims to examine the performance of the Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG case-mix system using claims-based diagnosis information from the Taiwanese NHI programme. Methods A random sample of NHI enrollees was selected. Those continuously enrolled in 2002 were included for concurrent analyses (n = 173,234, while those in both 2002 and 2003 were included for prospective analyses (n = 164,562. Health status measures derived from 2002 diagnoses were used to explain the 2002 and 2003 health expenditure. A multivariate linear regression model was adopted after comparing the performance of seven different statistical models. Split-validation was performed in order to avoid overfitting. The performance measures were adjusted R2 and mean absolute prediction error of five types of expenditure at individual level, and predictive ratio of total expenditure at group level. Results The more comprehensive models performed better when used for explaining resource utilization. Adjusted R2 of total expenditure in concurrent/prospective analyses were 4.2%/4.4% in the demographic model, 15%/10% in the ACGs or ADGs (Aggregated Diagnosis Group model, and 40%/22% in the models containing EDCs (Expanded Diagnosis Cluster. When predicting expenditure for groups based on expenditure quintiles, all models underpredicted the highest expenditure group and overpredicted the four other groups. For groups based on morbidity burden, the ACGs model had the best performance overall. Conclusions Given the

  11. The Social Relations of a Health Walk Group: An Ethnographic Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Gordon; Pollard, Nick; Allmark, Peter; Machaczek, Kasia; Ramcharan, Paul

    2017-09-01

    It is already well established that regular walks are conducive to health and well-being. This article considers the production of social relations of regular, organized weekly group walks for older people. It is based on an ethnographic study of a Walking for Health group in a rural area of the United Kingdom. Different types of social relations are identified arising from the walk experience. The social relations generated are seen to be shaped by organizational factors that are constitutive of the walks; the resulting culture having implications for the sustainability of the experience. As there appears to be no single uniting theory linking group walk experiences to the production of social relations at this time, the findings are considered against therapeutic landscape, therapeutic mobility, and social capital theorizing. Finally, implications for the continuance of walking schemes for older people and for further research are considered.

  12. [Estimating non work-related sickness leave absences related to a previous occupational injury in Catalonia (Spain)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinero-Ruiz, Emilia; Navarro, Albert; Moriña, David; Albertí-Casas, Constança; Jardí-Lliberia, Josefina; de Montserrat-Nonó, Jaume

    2015-01-01

    To estimate the frequency of non-work sickness absence (ITcc) related to previous occupational injuries with (ATB) or without (ATSB) sick leave. Prospective longitudinal study. Workers with ATB or ATSB notified to the Occupational Accident Registry of Catalonia were selected in the last term of 2009. They were followed-up for six months after returning to work (ATB) or after the accident (ATSB), by sex and occupation. Official labor and health authority registries were used as information sources. An "injury-associated ITcc" was defined when the sick leave occurred in the following six months and within the same diagnosis group. The absolute and relative frequency were calculated according to time elapsed and its duration (cumulated days, measures of central trend and dispersion), by diagnosis group or affected body area, as compared to all of Catalonia. 2,9%of ATB (n=627) had an injury-associated ITcc, with differences by diagnosis, sex and occupation; this was also the case for 2,1% of ATSB (n=496).With the same diagnosis, duration of ITcc was longer among those who had an associated injury, and with respect to all of Catalonia. Some of the under-reporting of occupational pathology corresponds to episodes initially recognized as being work-related. Duration of sickness absence depends not only on diagnosis and clinical course, but also on criteria established by the entities managing the case. This could imply that more complicated injuries are referred to the national health system, resulting in personal, legal, healthcare and economic cost consequences for all involved stakeholders. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

  13. Physicians Mutual Aid Group: A Response to AIDS-Related Burnout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garside, Bruce

    1993-01-01

    Describes origins and functioning of physician's mutual aid group for physicians providing primary care to people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Offers suggestions related to overcoming resistance physicians might have to participating in such a group and reviews modalities that were helpful in facilitating participants' ability…

  14. Anxiety and depression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: does knowledge of cancer diagnosis matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavoli, Azadeh; Mohagheghi, Mohammad Ali; Montazeri, Ali; Roshan, Rasool; Tavoli, Zahra; Omidvari, Sepideh

    2007-07-14

    Gastrointestinal cancer is the first leading cause of cancer related deaths in men and the second among women in Iran. An investigation was carried out to examine anxiety and depression in this group of patients and to investigate whether the knowledge of cancer diagnosis affect their psychological distress. This was a cross sectional study of anxiety and depression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer attending to the Tehran Cancer Institute. Anxiety and depression was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This is a widely used valid questionnaire to measure psychological distress in cancer patients. Demographic and clinical data also were collected to examine anxiety and depression in sub-group of patients especially in those who knew their cancer diagnosis and those who did not. In all 142 patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 54.1 (SD = 14.8), 56% were male, 52% did not know their cancer diagnosis, and their diagnosis was related to esophagus (29%), stomach (30%), small intestine (3%), colon (22%) and rectum (16%). The mean anxiety score was 7.6 (SD = 4.5) and for the depression this was 8.4 (SD = 3.8). Overall 47.2% and 57% of patients scored high on both anxiety and depression. There were no significant differences between gender, educational level, marital status, cancer site and anxiety and depression scores whereas those who knew their diagnosis showed a significant higher degree of psychological distress [mean (SD) anxiety score: knew diagnosis 9.1 (4.2) vs. 6.3 (4.4) did not know diagnosis, P < 0.001; mean (SD) depression score: knew diagnosis 9.1 (4.1) vs. 7.9 (3.6) did not know diagnosis, P = 0.05]. Performing logistic regression analysis while controlling for demographic and clinical variables studied the results indicated that those who knew their cancer diagnosis showed a significant higher risk of anxiety [OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1-6.8] and depression [OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-7.2]. Psychological distress was

  15. Age-related differences in the rate and diagnosis of 30-day readmission after hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirayama, Atsushi; Goto, Tadahiro; Faridi, Mohammad K; Camargo, Carlos A; Hasegawa, Kohei

    2018-01-01

    Background Little is known about the association between age and readmission within 30 days after hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke. Aim To examine the age-related differences in rate and principal reason of 30-day readmissions in patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. Methods In this retrospective, population-based cohort study using State Inpatient Databases from eight US states, we identified all adults hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. We grouped the patients into four age categories: readmission within 30 days of discharge from the index hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke and the principal diagnosis of 30-day readmission. Results We identified 620,788 hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke. The overall 30-day readmission rate was 16.6% with an increase with advanced age. Compared to patients aged readmission rate was significantly higher in age 65-74 years (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.16-1.21), in age 75-84 years (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.27-1.31), and in ≥ 85 years (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.22-1.27; all Preadmission rate association between men and women (P interaction  readmissions were assigned stroke-related conditions or rehabilitation care. Compared to younger adults, older adults were more likely to present with non-stroke-related conditions (46.1% in readmission rate after acute ischemic stroke. Compared with younger adults, older adults were more likely to be readmitted for non-stroke-related conditions.

  16. Attitudes in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Toward Prenatal Diagnosis and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swift, Oscar; Vilar, Enric; Rahman, Belinda; Side, Lucy; Gale, Daniel P

    2016-12-01

    No recommendations currently exist regarding implementation of both prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This study evaluated attitudes in ADPKD patients with either chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages I-IV or end-stage renal failure (ESRF) toward prenatal diagnosis and PGD. Ninety-six ADPKD patients were recruited from an outpatient clinic, wards, and dialysis units. Thirty-eight patients had ESRF and 58 had CKD stages I-IV. Participants were given an information sheet on prenatal diagnosis and PGD and subsequently completed a questionnaire. The median age of participants was 51.5 years. Seventeen percent of ADPKD patients with CKD and 18% of ADPKD patients with ESRF would consider prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy for ADPKD. Fifty percent with CKD would have opted for PGD (or might consider it in the future) were it available and funded by the UK National Health Service, compared to 63% in the ESRF group (p = 0.33). Sixty-nine percent in the CKD group and 68% in the ESRF group believed that PGD should be offered to other patients. There was a spectrum of attitudes among this cohort. A proportion of patients believe that PGD should be made available to prospective parents with this disease. The discrepancy between the low proportion (17% CKD, 18% ESRF) who would consider prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy and the higher number who hypothetically express an intention or wish to access PGD (50% CKD and 63% ESRF) indicates far greater acceptability for diagnostic methods that occur before embryo implantation. It is not known how the development of methods to identify patients whose renal function is likely to decline rapidly and treatments altering the natural history of ADPKD will affect these attitudes.

  17. A novel multiplex PCR discriminates Bacillus anthracis and its genetically related strains from other Bacillus cereus group species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hirohito Ogawa

    Full Text Available Anthrax is an important zoonotic disease worldwide that is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming pathogenic bacterium. A rapid and sensitive method to detect B. anthracis is important for anthrax risk management and control in animal cases to address public health issues. However, it has recently become difficult to identify B. anthracis by using previously reported molecular-based methods because of the emergence of B. cereus, which causes severe extra-intestinal infection, as well as the human pathogenic B. thuringiensis, both of which are genetically related to B. anthracis. The close genetic relation of chromosomal backgrounds has led to complexity of molecular-based diagnosis. In this study, we established a B. anthracis multiplex PCR that can screen for the presence of B. anthracis virulent plasmids and differentiate B. anthracis and its genetically related strains from other B. cereus group species. Six sets of primers targeting a chromosome of B. anthracis and B. anthracis-like strains, two virulent plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2, a bacterial gene, 16S rRNA gene, and a mammalian gene, actin-beta gene, were designed. The multiplex PCR detected approximately 3.0 CFU of B. anthracis DNA per PCR reaction and was sensitive to B. anthracis. The internal control primers also detected all bacterial and mammalian DNAs examined, indicating the practical applicability of this assay as it enables monitoring of appropriate amplification. The assay was also applied for detection of clinical strains genetically related to B. anthracis, which were B. cereus strains isolated from outbreaks of hospital infections in Japan, and field strains isolated in Zambia, and the assay differentiated B. anthracis and its genetically related strains from other B. cereus group strains. Taken together, the results indicate that the newly developed multiplex PCR is a sensitive and practical method for detecting B. anthracis.

  18. Diagnosis of suspected venous thromboembolic disease in pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scarsbrook, A.F.; Evans, A.L.; Owen, A.R.; Gleeson, F.V.

    2006-01-01

    Venous thromboembolic disease is a leading cause of maternal mortality during pregnancy. Early and accurate radiological diagnosis is essential as anticoagulation is not without risk and clinical diagnosis is unreliable. Although the disorder is potentially treatable, unnecessary treatment should be avoided. Most of the diagnostic imaging techniques involve ionizing radiation which exposes both the mother and fetus to finite radiation risks. There is a relative lack of evidence in the literature to guide clinicians and radiologists on the most appropriate method of assessing this group of patients. This article will review the role of imaging of suspected venous thromboembolic disease in pregnant patients, highlight contentious issues such as radiation risk, intravenous contrast use in pregnancy and discuss the published guidelines, as well as suggesting an appropriate imaging algorithm based on the available evidence

  19. [Microbiological diagnosis of HIV infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Bernaldo de Quirós, Juan Carlos; Delgado, Rafael; García, Federico; Eiros, José M; Ortiz de Lejarazu, Raúl

    2007-12-01

    Currently, there are around 150,000 HIV-infected patients in Spain. This number, together with the fact that this disease is now a chronic condition since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, has generated an increasing demand on the clinical microbiology laboratories in our hospitals. This increase has occurred not only in the diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic diseases, but also in tests related to the diagnosis and therapeutic management of HIV infection. To meet this demand, the Sociedad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clinica (Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology) has updated its standard Procedure for the microbiological diagnosis of HIV infection. The main advances related to serological diagnosis, plasma viral load, and detection of resistance to antiretroviral drugs are reviewed in this version of the Procedure.

  20. Circuit- and Diagnosis-Specific DNA Methylation Changes at γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Related Genes in Postmortem Human Hippocampus in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruzicka, W Brad; Subburaju, Sivan; Benes, Francine M

    2015-06-01

    Dysfunction related to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of major psychosis has been well established by the work of multiple groups across several decades, including the widely replicated downregulation of GAD1. Prior gene expression and network analyses within the human hippocampus implicate a broader network of genes, termed the GAD1 regulatory network, in regulation of GAD1 expression. Several genes within this GAD1 regulatory network show diagnosis- and sector-specific expression changes within the circuitry of the hippocampus, influencing abnormal GAD1 expression in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. To investigate the hypothesis that aberrant DNA methylation contributes to circuit- and diagnosis-specific abnormal expression of GAD1 regulatory network genes in psychotic illness. This epigenetic association study targeting GAD1 regulatory network genes was conducted between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2014. Postmortem human hippocampus tissue samples were obtained from 8 patients with schizophrenia, 8 patients with bipolar disorder, and 8 healthy control participants matched for age, sex, postmortem interval, and other potential confounds from the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts. We extracted DNA from laser-microdissected stratum oriens tissue of cornu ammonis 2/3 (CA2/3) and CA1 postmortem human hippocampus, bisulfite modified it, and assessed it with the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina, Inc). The subset of CpG loci associated with GAD1 regulatory network genes was analyzed in R version 3.1.0 software (R Foundation) using the minfi package. Findings were validated using bisulfite pyrosequencing. Methylation levels at 1308 GAD1 regulatory network-associated CpG loci were assessed both as individual sites to identify differentially methylated positions and by sharing information among colocalized probes to identify differentially methylated regions. A total of

  1. DIAGNOSTIC-RELATED GROUPS IN PEDIATRICS AND NEONATOLOGY: PERSPECTIVES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. V. Avksent'eva

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diagnostic-related groups (DRG are being implemented in Russian Federation since 2012 for hospital and day hospital payment. Unification of provider-payment methods and increase of health care efficiency are considered as the main goal of DRG. Presently the 2d version of Russian DRG model is approved by the Federal Fund of mandatory medical insurance, order from 14.11.2013 № 229. Treatment of children is mostly paid for by the same rules as adults’ treatment just now. There are several separate neonatal groups, as well as separate groups for diabetes and acute leukemia in children. The federal DRG model should be used in all regions of Russia, still it’s not final now and has to be improved. For example, number of pediatric groups will be increased. Each DRG has its own weight coefficient for calculating the tariff. The regions in RF can use correction coefficients to adjust the model. Besides regions can extract subgroups from basic DRG on the basis of standard methodology.

  2. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanders, E.A.C.M.

    1982-01-01

    This thesis describes recently developed research methods for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. In Chapter X the use of the CT-scan in the detection of hemispheral or cerebellar lesions is discussed. In chapter XIII the results of the application of all methods to a group of 89 patients with definite, probable or possible multiple sclerosis and to a group of 25 purely optic neuritis patients are presented. With the aid of the CT-scan, hypo- or hyperdense areas in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres were found in 52% of the 114 patients. Most reports ascribe these lesions to demyelinating cerebral plaques. The CT-scan showed no cerebellar or brainstem lesions. The CT-scan is independent of the duration of, and degree of incapacitation due to, the disease and can be helpful in giving a definite diagnosis in an early stage of the disease. The CT-scan will always play an important role for the differential diagnosis. (Auth.)

  3. Application of Serum Hepatic Fibrosis Indices in the Diagnosis of Hepatic Disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Yanting; Wang Taisong; Gu Xin

    2010-01-01

    To investigate the significance of combined detection of laminin (LN), collagen type IV (CIV), hyaluronic acid (HA) and precollagen type III (PCIII) in the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis. The serum levels of LN, CIV, HA and PCIII in 143 patients with hepatic disease and 41 healthy controls were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results showed that the serum levels of LN, CIV, HA and PCIII in patients with hepatic disease were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.01), and the serum levels of those markers were related to the severity of the chronic hepatic disease. The highest serum levels were found in serious chronic hepatitis group and hepatic fibrosis group,and the increase of serum HA and PCIII was most remarkable. Combined detection of LN, CIV, HA and PCIII is a sensitive and reliable method in the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis, but the four serum indices can not be used in differentiating serious chronic hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis. (authors)

  4. Hesitant Probabilistic Multiplicative Preference Relations in Group Decision Making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zia Bashir

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The preference of one alternative over another is a useful way to express the opinion of the decision-maker. In the process of group decision-making, preference relations are used in preference modeling of the alternatives under given criteria. The probability is an important tool to deal with uncertainty and, in many scenarios of decision-making problems, the probabilities of different events affect the decision-making process directly. In order to deal with this issue, the hesitant probabilistic multiplicative preference relation (HPMPR is defined in this paper. Furthermore, consistency of the HPMPR and consensus among decision makers are studied here. In this respect, many algorithms are developed to achieve consistency of HPMPRs, reasonable consensus between decision-makers and a final algorithm is proposed comprehending all other algorithms, presenting a complete decision support model for group decision-making. Lastly, we present a case study with complete illustration of the proposed model and discuss the effects of probabilities on decision-making validating the importance of the introduction of probability in hesitant multiplicative preference relations.

  5. Noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Elaboration on Korean liver cancer study group-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines compared with other guidelines and remaining issues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Jeong Hee; Lee, Jeong Min [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Joong Won [Center for Liver Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be diagnosed based on characteristic findings of arterial-phase enhancement and portal/delayed 'washout' in cirrhotic patients. Several countries and major academic societies have proposed varying specific diagnostic criteria for HCC, largely reflecting the variable HCC prevalence in different regions and ethnic groups, as well as different practice patterns. In 2014, a new version of Korean practice guidelines for management of HCC was released by the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group (KLCSG) and the National Cancer Center (NCC). According to the KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines, if the typical hallmark of HCC (i.e., hypervascularity in the arterial phase with washout in the portal or 3 min-delayed phases) is identified in a nodule ≥ 1 cm in diameter on either dynamic CT, dynamic MRI, or MRI using hepatocyte-specific contrast agent in high-risk groups, a diagnosis of HCC is established. In addition, the KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines provide criteria to diagnose HCC for subcentimeter hepatic nodules according to imaging findings and tumor marker, which has not been addressed in other guidelines such as Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and European Association for the Study of the Liver. In this review, we briefly review the new HCC diagnostic criteria endorsed by the 2014 KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines, in comparison with other recent guidelines; we furthermore address several remaining issues in noninvasive diagnosis of HCC, including prerequisite of sonographic demonstration of nodules, discrepancy between transitional phase and delayed phase, and implementation of ancillary features for HCC diagnosis.

  6. Noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Elaboration on Korean liver cancer study group-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines compared with other guidelines and remaining issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Jeong Hee; Lee, Jeong Min; Park, Joong Won

    2016-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be diagnosed based on characteristic findings of arterial-phase enhancement and portal/delayed 'washout' in cirrhotic patients. Several countries and major academic societies have proposed varying specific diagnostic criteria for HCC, largely reflecting the variable HCC prevalence in different regions and ethnic groups, as well as different practice patterns. In 2014, a new version of Korean practice guidelines for management of HCC was released by the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group (KLCSG) and the National Cancer Center (NCC). According to the KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines, if the typical hallmark of HCC (i.e., hypervascularity in the arterial phase with washout in the portal or 3 min-delayed phases) is identified in a nodule ≥ 1 cm in diameter on either dynamic CT, dynamic MRI, or MRI using hepatocyte-specific contrast agent in high-risk groups, a diagnosis of HCC is established. In addition, the KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines provide criteria to diagnose HCC for subcentimeter hepatic nodules according to imaging findings and tumor marker, which has not been addressed in other guidelines such as Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and European Association for the Study of the Liver. In this review, we briefly review the new HCC diagnostic criteria endorsed by the 2014 KLCSG-NCC Korea practice guidelines, in comparison with other recent guidelines; we furthermore address several remaining issues in noninvasive diagnosis of HCC, including prerequisite of sonographic demonstration of nodules, discrepancy between transitional phase and delayed phase, and implementation of ancillary features for HCC diagnosis

  7. Diagnosis Related Groups for DOD: Background of a Competitive Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-12-01

    reimbursement and allowable increases in reimbur - sable costs per discharge. Responding to the State’s dilemma in meeting the costs of their Medicaid...Prospective Reimbursement Z-- - 19 ABSTRT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) Public Law 99-661 requires that the...Rates of reimbursement for DRGs, are predicated on the isoresource consumption nature of DRGs. The Federal government has established DRGs as the basis

  8. Diagnosis and Management of High Risk Group for Gastric Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Hyuk; Kim, Nayoung

    2015-01-01

    Gastric cancer is associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. To reduce the socioeconomic burden related to gastric cancer, it is very important to identify and manage high risk group for gastric cancer. In this review, we describe the general risk factors for gastric cancer and define high risk group for gastric cancer. We discuss strategies for the effective management of patients for the prevention and early detection of gastric cancer. Atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) are the most significant risk factors for gastric cancer. Therefore, the accurate selection of individuals with AG and IM may be a key strategy for the prevention and/or early detection of gastric cancer. Although endoscopic evaluation using enhanced technologies such as narrow band imaging-magnification, the serum pepsinogen test, Helicobacter pylori serology, and trefoil factor 3 have been evaluated, a gold standard method to accurately select individuals with AG and IM has not emerged. In terms of managing patients at high risk of gastric cancer, it remains uncertain whether H. pylori eradication reverses and/or prevents the progression of AG and IM. Although endoscopic surveillance in high risk patients is expected to be beneficial, further prospective studies in large populations are needed to determine the optimal surveillance interval. PMID:25547086

  9. Relation Entropy and Transferable Entropy Think of Aggregation on Group Decision Making

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHENG Qi-yue; QIU Wan-hua; LIU Xiao-feng

    2002-01-01

    In this paper, aggregation question based on group decision making and a single decision making is studied. The theory of entropy is applied to the sets pair analysis. The system of relation entropy and the transferable entropy notion are put. The character is studied. An potential by the relation entropy and transferable entropy are defined. It is the consistency measure on the group between a single decision making. We gained a new aggregation effective definition on the group misjudge.

  10. Arthroscopy in the diagnosis of chondromalacia patellae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, I J; Bentley, G

    1978-01-01

    Chondromalacia patellae is difficult to diagnosis clinically with accuracy. In order to clarify the relevant symptoms and signs, 78 patients presenting with a clinical diagnosis of chondromalacia were examined by arthroscopy. In 49% of the knees no abnormalities were found. Presenting symptoms were similar in the normal and abnormal groups. Physical signs were more helpful in diagnosis and it is considered that the presence of an effusion, quadriceps wasting, and patello-femoral crepitus are the most important clinical findings in the diagnosis of chondromalacia patellae. The arthroscope is valuable instrument in establishing the diagnosis of chondromalacia patellae especially in the teenage female. Images PMID:749700

  11. Overall and peripheral lung function assessment by spirometry and forced oscillation technique in relation to asthma diagnosis and control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heijkenskjöld Rentzhog, C; Janson, C; Berglund, L; Borres, M P; Nordvall, L; Alving, K; Malinovschi, A

    2017-12-01

    Classic spirometry is effort dependent and of limited value in assessing small airways. Peripheral airway involvement, and relation to poor control, in asthma, has been highlighted recently. Forced oscillation technique (FOT) offers an effort-independent assessment of overall and peripheral lung mechanics. We studied the association between lung function variables, obtained either by spirometry or multifrequency (5, 11 and 19 Hz) FOT, and asthma diagnosis and control. Spirometry measures, resistance at 5 (R5) and 19 Hz (R19), reactance at 5 Hz (X5), resonant frequency (f res ), resistance difference between 5-19 Hz (R5-R19) and Asthma Control Test scores were determined in 234 asthmatic and 60 healthy subjects (aged 13-39 years). We used standardized lung function variables in logistic regression analyses, unadjusted and adjusted for age, height, gender and weight. Lower FEV 1 /FVC (OR [95% CI] 0.47 [0.32, 0.69]) and FEF 50 (0.62 [0.46, 0.85]) per standard deviation increase, and higher R5 (3.31 [1.95, 5.62]) and R19 (2.54 [1.65, 3.91]) were associated with asthma diagnosis. Independent predictive effects of FEV 1 /FVC and R5 or R19, respectively, were found for asthma diagnosis. Lower FEV 1 /FVC and altered peripheral FOT measures (X5, f res and R5-R19) were associated with uncontrolled asthma (P-values < .05). Resistance FOT measures were equally informative as spirometry, related to asthma diagnosis, and, furthermore, offered additive information to FEV 1 /FVC, supporting a complementary role for FOT. Asthma control was related to FOT measures of peripheral airways, suggesting a potential use in identifying such involvement. Further studies are needed to determine a clinical value and relevant reference values in children, for the multifrequency FOT measurements. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Clinical Analysis about Diagnosis and Treatment of 86 Hand Paresthesia Cases Using MPS Theory and Pharmacopuncture Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung-Won Oh

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : Hand paresthesia is common syndrome and the cause is more unknown than known reason. The Purpose of this study were investigated the effects of Myofacial Pain Syndrome theory to make diagnosis and treatment by Pharmacopuncture for the patients of hand paresthesia. Method : This study was carried out to established the clinical criteria of hand parethesia. The patients who had past history of diabeics, neuropathy induced by alcohol or drug were excluded, and 86 patients who had hand paresthesia related with unknown-reason was selected by the interview process. And the effects of Pharmacopuncture theory were analyzed using VAS score before and after treatment. Results and conclusions : 56.9% of unknown-reason patients are positive at diagnosis by MPS theory. While positive group decrease from 62.81±14.27 to 25.28±15.97, negative group decrease from 55.88±10.92 to 48.28±14.01 by VAS scores. Positive group was accordingly more effective than negative group. So diagnosis and treatment for hand numbness patients by MPS theory was useful in clinical.

  13. The role of sense of coherence in group relations training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frans Cilliers

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available This research measured the role that sense of coherence (SOC plays on an individual and group level during group relations training, presented to fifty-eight managers, using Antonovsky’s scale and an semi-structured interview. The individual measuring high on SOC showed more understanding of group dynamics,made more use of own existing resources to cope with anxiety and found the experience challenging and meaningful, than the low measuring individual. On the group level, the split between high and lowled to projective identification: the high SOC individuals contain competence and the low, incompetence.Recommendations for future group relations training are formulated. Opsomming Hierdie navorsing meet die rol wat sin vir koherensie (SOC op individuele en groepvlak tydens groepverhoudinge opleiding speel soos aangebied vir agt-en-vyftig bestuurders, en gemeet met Antonovsky se skaal en ’n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud. Die individuwat hoogmeet op SOC toon’n beter begrip van groepdinamika, maak meer gebruik van eie bestaande hulpbronne om met angs te cope, en vind die ervaringmeer uitdagend en betekenisvol, as die individu wat laag meet. Op groepsvlak lei die verdeling tussen hoog en laag na projektiewe identifikasie: die hoe SOC individue ‘‘behou’’ bevoegdheid en die lae, onbevoegdheid. Aanbevelings vir toekomstige groepsverhoudinge opleiding word geformuleer.

  14. Structural analysis for Diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Izadi-Zamanabadi, Roozbeh; Blanke, M.

    2001-01-01

    Aiming at design of algorithms for fault diagnosis, structural analysis of systems offers concise yet easy overall analysis. Graph-based matching, which is the essential technique to obtain redundant information for diagnosis, is re-considered in this paper. Matching is re-formulated as a problem...... of relating faults to known parameters and measurements of a system. Using explicit fault modelling, minimal over-determined subsystems are shown to provide necessary redundancy relations from the matching. Details of the method are presented and a realistic example used to clearly describe individual steps...

  15. Structural analysis for diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Izadi-Zamanabadi, Roozbeh; Blanke, M.

    2002-01-01

    Aiming at design of algorithms for fault diagnosis, structural analysis of systems offers concise yet easy overall analysis. Graph-based matching, which is the essential tech-nique to obtain redundant information for diagnosis, is reconsidered in this paper. Matching is reformulated as a problem...... of relating faults to known parameters and measurements of a system. Using explicit fault modelling, minimal overdetermined subsystems are shown to provide necessary redundancy relations from the matching. Details of the method are presented and a realistic example used to clearly describe individual steps....

  16. Coherent states related with SU(N) and SU(N,1) groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gitman, D.M.; Shelepin, A.L.

    1990-01-01

    The basis of coherent state (CS) for symmetric presentations of groups SU(N) and SU(N,1) is plotted, its properties being investigated. Evolution of CS is considered. Relation between CS of groups SU(N) and Glauber is ascertained

  17. Patient's lung cancer diagnosis as a cue for relatives' smoking cessation: evaluating the constructs of the teachable moment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBride, Colleen M; Blocklin, Michelle; Lipkus, Isaac M; Klein, William M P; Brandon, Thomas H

    2017-01-01

    To understand whether patient-reported experiences with lung cancer may create teachable moments (TM) for their relatives as evidenced by shifts in their risk perceptions, affective response, and self-image and in turn, motivation to quit smoking. Patients at a comprehensive cancer center (n = 152) completed a survey within 6 months of lung cancer diagnosis to assess their cancer-related symptoms and openness and enumerated relatives who were smokers. Relative smokers (n = 218) then completed a survey assessing their risk perceptions, affective response, and self-image as a smoker related to the patient's diagnosis (TM mechanisms), and their motivation to quit smoking. Cross-sectional mediation and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the links between patient-reported experiences, and relatives' TM mechanisms, and motivation to quit smoking. Relative-reported affect was a significant mediator of the association between patient-reported symptoms and relative smoker's desire to quit. Relatives' self-image was a significant moderator of the association between patient-reported symptoms and relative smoker's desire to quit, such that patients' reported symptoms were associated with relatives' desire to quit only when the relative smoker reported a generally positive self-image as a smoker. No evidence was found for moderated mediation. However, the link between symptoms and negative affect was moderated by perceptions of risk. Whether smokers experience a family member's lung cancer as a TM is influenced by multiple interrelated cognitive and affective factors that warrant further exploration. Clearer understanding of these factors could inform how to re-invigorate and sustain this motivation to promote concrete actions toward smoking cessation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Benign thyroid disorders, radioiodine therapy and diagnosis related groups (DRGs): aspects of cost/benefit; Benigne Schilddruesenerkrankungen, Radioiodtherapie und Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs): Kosten-Nutzen-Aspekte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dietlein, M.; Schicha, H. [Klinik und Poliklinik fuer Nuklearmedizin der Univ. zu Koeln (Germany)

    2005-06-01

    The increasing prevalence of goiter and thyroid nodules in older patients is accompanied by an increasing frequency of treatment and cost. Cost-effectiveness is given for programs of prophylaxis (primary prevention, e.g. alimentary iodine supplementation), for programs of screening (secondary prevention. e.g. TSH-screening), and for therapeutic strategies to avoid complications of thyroid dysfunction (atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, death for cardiac reasons) and to minimize iatrogenic complications (tertiary prevention). Examples of tertiary prevention are radioiodine-therapy of Graves' disease in patients who have an increased risk of relapse after antithyroid drugs (ATD), radioiodine therapy of ouvert or subclinical hyperthyroidism, and radioiodine therapy of large goiters in older patients or in patients suffering from a relevant co-morbidity. A cost-effectiveness-analysis for different therapeutic strategies of Graves' disease has been published using a lifelong time-horizon. The ablative radioiodine dose-regime is cost-effective as a first line therapy if the risk of relapse after ATD exceeds 60%. Cost-minimization-analysis, comparing resection of goiter and radioiodine, has shown lower cost of radioiodine therapy for toxic multinodular goiter up to 100 ml and for Graves' disease up to 60 ml goiter volume. Medical aspects (volume of goiter, uptake of nodules, regressive goiter, suspicion on malignancy, patients' age, co-morbidity, patients' decision) remain decisive for the choice of treatment. (orig.)

  19. First on-line survey of an international multidisciplinary working group (MightyMedic) on current practice in diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of dyslipidemias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanutti, C; D'Alessandri, G; Petta, A; Harada-Shiba, M; Julius, U; Soran, H; Moriarty, P M; Romeo, S; Drogari, E; Jaeger, B R

    2015-05-01

    The MightyMedic (Multidisciplinary International Group for Hemapheresis TherapY and MEtabolic DIsturbances Contrast) Working Group has been founded in 2013. The leading idea was to establish an international network of interdisciplinary nature aimed at working to cross national borders research projects, clinical trials, educational initiatives (meetings, workshops, summer schools) in the field of metabolic diseases, namely hyperlipidemias, and diabetes, preventive cardiology, and atherosclerosis. Therapeutic apheresis, its indications and techniques, is a parallel field of investigation. The first on-line survey of the Group has been completed in the first half of 2014. The survey included # 24 Centers in Italy, Germany, Greece, UK, Sweden, Japan and USA. Relevant data have been collected on current practice in diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of dyslipidemias. 240 subjects with hyperlipidemia and treated with lipoprotein apheresis have been reported in the survey, but a large percentage of patients (35%) who could benefit from this therapeutic option are still treated by conventional drug approach. Genetic molecular diagnosis is performed in only 33% of patients while Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is included in cardiovascular disease risk assessment in 71% of participating Centers. New detailed investigations and prospective multicenter studies are needed to evaluate changes induced by the impact of updated indications and strategies, as well as new treatment options, targeting standardization of therapeutic and diagnostic approaches. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Multiplex real-time PCR SYBR Green for detection and typing of group III Clostridium botulinum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anniballi, Fabrizio; Auricchio, Bruna; Delibato, Elisabetta; Antonacci, Monia; De Medici, Dario; Fenicia, Lucia

    2012-01-27

    Clostridium botulinum type C and type D belonging to the group III organisms, are mainly responsible for animal botulism outbreaks. Clinical signs alone are often insufficient to make a diagnosis of botulism and a laboratory confirmation is required. Laboratory confirmation can be performed by demonstrating the presence of botulinum neurotoxins in serum, gastrointestinal contents, liver, wound of sick or dead animals, or by demonstrating the presence of C. botulinum in gastrointestinal contents, liver, and wound. Demonstration of spores in gastrointestinal contents or tissue of animals with clinical signs indicative of botulism reinforces the clinical diagnosis. With the aim of detecting and typing C. botulinum group III organisms, a multiplex real-time PCR SYBR Green was developed and in-house validated. Selectivity, limit of detection, relative accuracy, relative specificity, relative sensitivity, and repeatability of the method were investigated. The multiplex real-time PCR SYBR green used showed a 100% selectivity, 100% relative accuracy, 100% relative specificity, 100% relative sensitivity and a limit of detection of 277 and 580 DNA copies for C. botulinum type C and C. botulinum type D, respectively. The method reported here represents a suitable tool for laboratory diagnosis of type C and D botulism and for testing a large number of samples collected during the animal botulism surveillance and prevention activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The nature and correlates of change in depressive symptoms with cancer diagnosis: reaction and adaptation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Infurna, Frank J; Gerstorf, Denis; Ram, Nilam

    2013-06-01

    Major life events trigger change processes in mental health. We examined how depressive symptoms change in conjunction with cancer diagnosis during adulthood and old age, and whether sociodemographic variables, cognitive and health resources, and cancer-specific mortality risks moderate event-related reaction and adaptation. Specifically, we applied multiphase growth models to prospective longitudinal data from 2,848 participants (age at diagnosis: M = 69, SD = 9.91; 46% women) in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who reported receiving a cancer diagnosis while enrolled in the study. On average, individuals experienced a significant increase in depressive symptoms within 2 years of cancer diagnosis, still-elevated levels 2 years postdiagnosis, and smaller increases in depressive symptoms postdiagnosis relative to the increases observed prediagnosis. Better memory and lower cancer-specific mortality risks were protective against increases in depressive symptoms within 2 years of diagnosis and were associated with reporting fewer depressive symptoms 2 years postdiagnosis. Findings suggest that diagnosis-related changes in depressive symptoms are typically characterized by a multiphase pattern, but tremendous between-person differences also emerged within each phase. Follow-up analyses comparing a matched group (N = 2,272) who did not experience cancer provided an additional layer of evidence supporting our inferences. Results indicate that, on average, people adapt and adjust to the challenges accompanying a cancer diagnosis, and illustrate the utility of using natural experiments such as major life events as a paradigm for studying developmental change processes. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  2. Transdiagnostic group CBT vs. standard group CBT for depression, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia/panic disorder: Study protocol for a pragmatic, multicenter non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnfred, Sidse M; Aharoni, Ruth; Hvenegaard, Morten; Poulsen, Stig; Bach, Bo; Arendt, Mikkel; Rosenberg, Nicole K; Reinholt, Nina

    2017-01-23

    Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TCBT) manuals delivered in individual format have been reported to be just as effective as traditional diagnosis specific CBT manuals. We have translated and modified the "The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders" (UP-CBT) for group delivery in Mental Health Service (MHS), and shown effects comparable to traditional CBT in a naturalistic study. As the use of one manual instead of several diagnosis-specific manuals could simplify logistics, reduce waiting time, and increase therapist expertise compared to diagnosis specific CBT, we aim to test the relative efficacy of group UP-CBT and diagnosis specific group CBT. The study is a partially blinded, pragmatic, non-inferiority, parallel, multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) of UP-CBT vs diagnosis specific CBT for Unipolar Depression, Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder. In total, 248 patients are recruited from three regional MHS centers across Denmark and included in two intervention arms. The primary outcome is patient-ratings of well-being (WHO Well-being Index, WHO-5), secondary outcomes include level of depressive and anxious symptoms, personality variables, emotion regulation, reflective functioning, and social adjustment. Assessments are conducted before and after therapy and at 6 months follow-up. Weekly patient-rated outcomes and group evaluations are collected for every session. Outcome assessors, blind to treatment allocation, will perform the observer-based symptom ratings, and fidelity assessors will monitor manual adherence. The current study will be the first RCT investigating the dissemination of the UP in a MHS setting, the UP delivered in groups, and with depressive patients included. Hence the results are expected to add substantially to the evidence base for rational group psychotherapy in MHS. The planned moderator and mediator analyses could spur new hypotheses about mechanisms of change in

  3. Risk markers of all-cause and diagnosis-specific disability pension--a prospective cohort study of individuals sickness absent due to stress-related mental disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ishtiak-Ahmed, Kazi; Perski, Aleksander; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Stress-related mental disorders rank among the leading causes of sickness absence in several European countries. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of all-cause and diagnosis-specific disability pension in sickness absentees with stress-related mental disorders. METHO....... The variation in the effect of risk markers with regard to age and diagnosis of disability pension speaks in favour of the importance of a person-centered approach in treatment and rehabilitation....

  4. Diagnosis of vulvovaginitis: comparison of clinical and microbiological diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esim Buyukbayrak, Esra; Kars, Bulent; Karsidag, Ayse Yasemin Karageyim; Karadeniz, Bernan Ilkay; Kaymaz, Ozge; Gencer, Serap; Pirimoglu, Zehra Meltem; Unal, Orhan; Turan, Mehmet Cem

    2010-11-01

    The purpose of the present study was to compare the current diagnostic clinical and laboratory approaches to women with vulvovaginal discharge complaint. The secondary outcomes were to determine the prevalence of infections in our setting and to look for the relation between vulvovaginal infections and predisposing factors if present. Premenopausal women applying to our gynecology outpatient clinic with vaginal discharge complaint were enrolled prospectively into the study. Each patient evaluated clinically with direct observation of vaginal secretions, wet mount examination, whiff test, vaginal pH testing and chlamydia rapid antigen test. Each patient also evaluated microbiologically with vaginal discharge culture and gram staining. Clinical diagnosis was compared with the microbiological diagnosis (the gold standard). Diagnostic accuracy was measured with sensitivity, specificity, positive (ppv) and negative predictive values (npv). 460 patients were included in the study. 89.8% of patients received a clinical diagnosis whereas only 36% of them had microbiological diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, ppv, npv of clinical diagnosis over microbiological culture results were 95, 13, 38, 82%, respectively. The most commonly encountered microorganisms by culture were Candida species (17.4%) and Gardnerella vaginalis (10.2%). Clinically, the most commonly made diagnoses were mixed infection (34.1%), bacterial vaginosis (32.4%) and fungal infection (14.1%). Symptoms did not predict laboratory results. Predisposing factors (DM, vaginal douching practice, presence of IUD and usage of oral contraceptive pills) were not found to be statistically important influencing factors for vaginal infections. Clinical diagnosis based on combining symptoms with office-based testing improves diagnostic accuracy but is insufficient. The most effective approach also incorporates laboratory testing as an adjunct when a diagnosis is in question or treatment is failing.

  5. Effective acupuncture practice through diagnosis based on distribution of meridian pathways & related syndromes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yemeng; Zheng, Xin; Li, Hui; Zhang, Qunce; Wang, Tianfang

    2011-01-01

    This article discusses the importance of acupuncture practice utilizing diagnosis and distribution of various meridians and connecting channels based on meridian theory. The meridian system is considered as basic anatomy for acupuncture, so the corresponding pathways and related syndromes of different channels should play a key role in differentiation, known as meridian-related pattern differentiation. Since this doctrine originated in ancient times and was not so well developed in later generations, many acupuncturists are not able to utilize it efficiently. The authors survey how this doctrine was weakened during the past century, especially in acupuncture education for foreigners, and how this important method is currently being reinvigorated. This article also lays out the ways this doctrine can be applied clinically and introduces examples of a variety of indications including some difficult cases, such as whiplash injury, intervertebral disc herniation, oculomotor nerve paralysis, and eczema, etc.

  6. Targeted next generation sequencing for molecular diagnosis of Usher syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aparisi, María J; Aller, Elena; Fuster-García, Carla; García-García, Gema; Rodrigo, Regina; Vázquez-Manrique, Rafael P; Blanco-Kelly, Fiona; Ayuso, Carmen; Roux, Anne-Françoise; Jaijo, Teresa; Millán, José M

    2014-11-18

    Usher syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease that associates sensorineural hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosa and, in some cases, vestibular dysfunction. It is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. To date, 10 genes have been associated with the disease, making its molecular diagnosis based on Sanger sequencing, expensive and time-consuming. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to develop a molecular diagnostics method for Usher syndrome, based on targeted next generation sequencing. A custom HaloPlex panel for Illumina platforms was designed to capture all exons of the 10 known causative Usher syndrome genes (MYO7A, USH1C, CDH23, PCDH15, USH1G, CIB2, USH2A, GPR98, DFNB31 and CLRN1), the two Usher syndrome-related genes (HARS and PDZD7) and the two candidate genes VEZT and MYO15A. A cohort of 44 patients suffering from Usher syndrome was selected for this study. This cohort was divided into two groups: a test group of 11 patients with known mutations and another group of 33 patients with unknown mutations. Forty USH patients were successfully sequenced, 8 USH patients from the test group and 32 patients from the group composed of USH patients without genetic diagnosis. We were able to detect biallelic mutations in one USH gene in 22 out of 32 USH patients (68.75%) and to identify 79.7% of the expected mutated alleles. Fifty-three different mutations were detected. These mutations included 21 missense, 8 nonsense, 9 frameshifts, 9 intronic mutations and 6 large rearrangements. Targeted next generation sequencing allowed us to detect both point mutations and large rearrangements in a single experiment, minimizing the economic cost of the study, increasing the detection ratio of the genetic cause of the disease and improving the genetic diagnosis of Usher syndrome patients.

  7. Failure diagnosis and fault tree analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, G.

    1982-07-01

    In this report a methodology of failure diagnosis for complex systems is presented. Systems which can be represented by fault trees are considered. This methodology is based on switching algebra, failure diagnosis of digital circuits and fault tree analysis. Relations between these disciplines are shown. These relations are due to Boolean algebra and Boolean functions used throughout. It will be shown on this basis that techniques of failure diagnosis and fault tree analysis are useful to solve the following problems: 1. describe an efficient search of all failed components if the system is failed. 2. Describe an efficient search of all states which are close to a system failure if the system is still operating. The first technique will improve the availability, the second the reliability and safety. For these problems, the relation to methods of failure diagnosis for combinational circuits is required. Moreover, the techniques are demonstrated for a number of systems which can be represented by fault trees. (orig./RW) [de

  8. The role of dual diagnosis in health-related quality of life among treatment-seeking patients in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daigre, Constanza; Grau-López, Lara; Rodríguez-Cintas, Laia; Ros-Cucurull, Elena; Sorribes-Puertas, Marta; Esculies, Oriol; Bones-Rocha, Katia; Roncero, Carlos

    2017-12-01

    The comorbidity of any substance use disorder and another mental disorder is defined as dual diagnosis. Dual diagnosis is very common and clinical and therapeutic consequences have been described. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) according to clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities in patients with substance dependence. A total of 1276 substance-dependent patients seeking treatment were recruited. HRQoL was evaluated by the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. The SCID-I, SCID-II and Conners' adult ADHD diagnostic interview were used to evaluate dual diagnosis. A visual analogue scale was used to measure craving. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, and correction for multiple tests was conducted. Substance-dependent patients had impaired quality of life, especially in the mental component. SF-36 physical and mental component scores were 47.7 ± 10.9 and 36.1 ± 14.1, respectively. Furthermore, 65% of the patients had dual diagnosis, 51% had an Axis I DSM-IV-TR mental disorder and 35% had some personality disorder. Impaired physical quality of life was independently associated with medical condition, age, being female, depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. Depression disorder, any personality disorder, active consumption last month, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder, suicide attempt were independently associated with worse mental quality of life. These findings emphasize the significance of dual diagnosis in the impairment of HRQoL in substance-dependent patients, particularly with regard to mental component. In addicted patients with low scores on SF-36, psychiatric comorbidity should be evaluated and treated in an integrated approach.

  9. The role of national identity representation in the relation between in-group identification and out-group derogation: Ethnic versus civic representation

    OpenAIRE

    Meeus, Joke; Duriez, Bart; Vanbeselaere, Norbert; Boen, Filip

    2010-01-01

    Two studies investigated whether the content of in-group identity affects the relation between in-group identification and ethnic prejudice. The first study among university students, tested whether national identity representations (i.e. ethnic vs. civic) moderate or mediate the relation between Flemish in-group identification and ethnic prejudice. A moderation hypothesis is supported when those higher in identification who subscribe to a more ethnic representation display higher ethnic prej...

  10. IgG4-related disease with sinonasal involvement: A case series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabhu, Shailesh M; Yadav, Vikas; Irodi, Aparna; Mani, Sunithi; Varghese, Ajoy Mathew

    2014-01-01

    We present the imaging findings in two cases of IgG4-related disease involving the sinonasal region in the pediatric age group. Imaging findings in IgG4-related disease affecting the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses have been rarely reported in literature. The diagnosis is made by a combination of clinical, imaging, and histopathologic findings. Radiologists should be aware of the imaging findings of this condition to ensure early diagnosis and treatment

  11. How does social essentialism affect the development of inter-group relations?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, Marjorie; Leslie, Sarah-Jane; Saunders, Katya; Dunham, Yarrow; Cimpian, Andrei

    2018-01-01

    Psychological essentialism is a pervasive conceptual bias to view categories as reflecting something deep, stable, and informative about their members. Scholars from diverse disciplines have long theorized that psychological essentialism has negative ramifications for inter-group relations, yet little previous empirical work has experimentally tested the social implications of essentialist beliefs. Three studies (N = 127, ages 4.5-6) found that experimentally inducing essentialist beliefs about a novel social category led children to share fewer resources with category members, but did not lead to the out-group dislike that defines social prejudice. These findings indicate that essentialism negatively influences some key components of inter-group relations, but does not lead directly to the development of prejudice. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy and the postpartum period: Iron deficiency anemia working group consensus report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Api, Olus; Breyman, Christian; Çetiner, Mustafa; Demir, Cansun; Ecder, Tevfik

    2015-01-01

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anemia is the most common disease, affecting >1.5 billion people worldwide. Furthermore, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) accounts for 50% of cases of anemia. IDA is common during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and can lead to serious maternal and fetal complications. The aim of this report was to present the experiences of a multidisciplinary expert group, and to establish reference guidelines for the optimal diagnosis and treatment of IDA during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Studies and guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of IDA published in Turkish and international journals were reviewed. Conclusive recommendations were made by an expert panel aiming for a scientific consensus. Measurement of serum ferritin has the highest sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of IDA unless there is a concurrent inflammatory condition. The lower threshold value for hemoglobin (Hb) in pregnant women is anemia. Oral iron therapy is given as the first-line treatment for IDA. Although current data are limited, intravenous (IV) iron therapy is an alternative therapeutic option in patients who do not respond to oral iron therapy, have adverse reactions, do not comply with oral iron treatment, have a very low Hb concentration, and require rapid iron repletion. IV iron preparations can be safely used for the treatment of IDA during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and are more beneficial than oral iron preparations in specific indications. PMID:28913064

  13. Social media in communicating health information: an analysis of Facebook groups related to hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Mamun, Mohammad; Ibrahim, Hamza M; Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury

    2015-01-29

    We studied Facebook groups related to hypertension to characterize their objectives, subject matter, member sizes, geographical boundaries, level of activity, and user-generated content. We performed a systematic search among open Facebook groups using the keywords "hypertension," "high blood pressure," "raised blood pressure," and "blood pressure." We extracted relevant data from each group's content and developed a coding and categorizing scheme for the whole data set. Stepwise logistic regression was used to explore factors independently associated with each group's level of activity. We found 187 hypertension-related Facebook groups containing 8,966 members. The main objective of most (59.9%) Facebook groups was to create hypertension awareness, and 11.2% were created primarily to support patients and caregivers. Among the top-displayed, most recent posts (n = 164), 21.3% were focused on product or service promotion, whereas one-fifth of posts were related to hypertension-awareness information. Each Facebook group's level of activity was independently associated with group size (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.03), presence of "likes" on the most recent wall post (AOR, 3.55, 95% CI, 1.41-8.92), and presence of attached files on the group wall (AOR, 5.01, 95% CI, 1.25-20.1). The primary objective of most of the hypertension-related Facebook groups observed in this study was awareness creation. Compared with the whole Facebook community, the total number of hypertension-related Facebook groups and their users was small and the groups were less active.

  14. Genetic variants in telomerase-related genes are associated with an older age at diagnosis in glioma patients: evidence for distinct pathways of gliomagenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Kyle M; Rice, Terri; Decker, Paul A; Kosel, Matthew L; Kollmeyer, Thomas; Hansen, Helen M; Zheng, Shichun; McCoy, Lucie S; Bracci, Paige M; Anderson, Erik; Hsuang, George; Wiemels, Joe L; Pico, Alexander R; Smirnov, Ivan; Molinaro, Annette M; Tihan, Tarik; Berger, Mitchell S; Chang, Susan M; Prados, Michael D; Lachance, Daniel H; Sicotte, Hugues; Eckel-Passow, Jeanette E; Wiencke, John K; Jenkins, Robert B; Wrensch, Margaret R

    2013-08-01

    Genome-wide association studies have implicated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 7 genes as glioma risk factors, including 2 (TERT, RTEL1) involved in telomerase structure/function. We examined associations of these 7 established glioma risk loci with age at diagnosis among patients with glioma. SNP genotype data were available for 2286 Caucasian glioma patients from the University of California, San Francisco (n = 1434) and the Mayo Clinic (n = 852). Regression analyses were performed to test for associations between "number of risk alleles" and "age at diagnosis," adjusted for sex and study site and stratified by tumor grade/histology where appropriate. Four SNPs were significantly associated with age at diagnosis. Carrying a greater number of risk alleles at rs55705857 (CCDC26) and at rs498872 (PHLDB1) was associated with younger age at diagnosis (P = 1.4 × 10(-22) and P = 9.5 × 10(-7), respectively). These SNPs are stronger risk factors for oligodendroglial tumors, which tend to occur in younger patients, and their association with age at diagnosis varied across tumor subtypes. In contrast, carrying more risk alleles at rs2736100 (TERT) and at rs6010620 (RTEL1) was associated with older age at diagnosis (P = 6.2 × 10(-4) and P = 2.5 × 10(-4), respectively). These SNPs are risk factors for all glioma grades/histologies, and their association with age at diagnosis was consistent across tumor subgroups. Carrying a greater number of risk alleles might be expected to decrease age at diagnosis. However, glioma susceptibility conferred by variation in telomerase-related genes did not follow this pattern. This supports the hypothesis that telomerase-related mechanisms of telomere maintenance are more associated with gliomas that develop later in life than those utilizing telomerase-independent mechanisms (ie, alternative lengthening of telomeres).

  15. Plasma-related matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectrometry by group I and group II matrix-elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, George C.-Y.; Chan, W.-T.

    2003-01-01

    The effects of Na, K, Ca and Ba matrices on the plasma excitation conditions in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were studied. Normalized relative intensity was used to indicate the extent of the plasma-related matrix effects. The group I matrices have no effects on the plasma excitation conditions. In contrast, the group II matrices depress the normalized relative intensities of some spectral lines. Specifically, the Group II matrices have no effects on the normalized relative intensity of atomic lines of low upper energy level (soft lines), but reduce the normalized relative intensity of some ionic lines and atomic lines of high energy level (hard lines). The Group II matrices seem to shift the Saha balance of the analytes only; no shift in the Boltzmann balance was observed experimentally. Moreover, for some ionic lines with sum of ionization and excitation potentials close to the ionization potential of argon (15.75 eV), the matrix effect is smaller than other ionic lines of the same element. The reduced matrix effects may be attributed qualitatively to charge transfer excitation mechanism of these ionic lines. Charge transfer reaction renders ionic emission lines from the quasi-resonant levels similar in characteristics of atomic lines. The contribution of charge transfer relative to excitation by other non-specific excitation mechanisms (via Saha balance and Boltzmann balance) determines the degree of atomic behavior of a quasi-resonant level. A significant conclusion of this study is that plasma-related matrix effect depends strongly on the excitation mechanism of a spectral line. Since, in general, more than one excitation mechanism may contribute to the overall excitation of an emission line, the observed matrix effects reflect the sum of the effects due to individual excitation mechanisms. Excitation mechanisms, in addition to the often-used total excitation energy, should be considered in matrix effect studies

  16. Special relativity and quantum theory: a collection of papers on the Poincari Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noz, M.E.; Kim, Y.S.

    1988-01-01

    When the present form of quantum mechanics was formulated in 1927, the most pressing problem was how to make it consistent with special relativity. This still remains a most important and urgent theoretical problem in physics. The underlying language for both disciplines is group theory, and E.P. Wigner's 1939 paper on the Poincari group laid the foundation for unifying the concepts and algorithms of quantum mechanics and special relativity. This volume comprises forty-five papers, including those by P.A.M. Dirac, R.P. Feynman, S. Weinberg, E.P. Wigner and H. Yukawa, covering representations of the Poincari group, time-energy uncertainty relation, covariant pictures of quantum bound states, Lorentz-Dirac deformation in high-enery physics, gauge degrees of freedom for massless particles, group contractions applied to the large-momentum/zero-mass limit, localization problems, and physical applications of the Lorentz group

  17. Health-related quality of life is a prognostic factor for survival in older patients after colorectal cancer diagnosis: A population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fournier, Evelyne; Jooste, Valérie; Woronoff, Anne-Sophie; Quipourt, Valérie; Bouvier, Anne-Marie; Mercier, Mariette

    2016-01-01

    Studies carried out in the context of clinical trials have shown a relationship between survival and health-related quality of life in colorectal cancer patients. We assessed the prognostic value of health-related quality of life at diagnosis and of its longitudinal evolution on survival in older colorectal cancer patients. All patients aged ≥65 years, diagnosed with new colorectal cancer between 2003 and 2005 and registered in the Digestive Cancer Registry of Burgundy were eligible. Patients were asked to complete the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 at inclusion, three, six and twelve months after. Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the prognostic value of health-related quality of life scores at diagnosis and their deterioration on relative survival. In multivariate analysis, a role functioning dimension lower than median was predictive of lower survival (hazard ratio=3.1, p=0.015). After three and six months of follow-up, patients with greater appetite loss were more likely to die, with hazard ratios of 4.7 (p=0.013) and 3.7 (p=0.002), respectively. Health-related quality of life assessments at diagnosis are independently associated with older colorectal cancer patients' survival. Its preservation should be a major management goal for older cancer patients. Copyright © 2015 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Importance of diagnostic laboratory methods of beta hemolytic streptococcus group A in comparison with clinical findings in the diagnosis of streptococcal sore throat and unnecessary antibacterial therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peiman Eini

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Streptococcus Pyogenes (group A streptococcus, GAS is the most important cause of bacterial pharyngitis in children and adolescents. Acute pharyngitis is one of the most common conditions in all ages but it is most common in children. Over diagnosis of acute pharyngitis represents one of the major causes of antibiotic abuse. The goal of this study is to make an estimate of the frequency of group A streptococcus in sore throat patients in Farshchian hospital emergency department and clinic in Hamadan. Methods: For estimation of the clinical features role in diagnosis of streptococcal sore throat, we took samples of 100 patients with average age of 32.96±29.86 years with sore throat. We took samples from pharynx and used standard methods of bacteriology in order to detect streptococcus. Results: Group A Streptococcus (GAS accounts for 3 percent of all cases of pharyngitis. Clinically, all of the patients had sore throat. The percent breakdowns are as follows: 30% had exudate, 78% had fever, 8% had lymphadenopathy and 7.7 percent of exudative pharyngitis was streptococcal. The cost for unnecessary antibiotic therapy for every single patient who had negative pharynx culture was approximately 32160 Rails. Conclusion: The low frequency of streptococcus pharyngitis in treated patients reveal that diagnosis based on clinical features is not reliable. We recommend use of other diagnostic methods such as Rapid Antigen Detection Tests (RATs. Only reliable and scientific protocols for antibiotic to therapy.

  19. Diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease in diabetic patients with a foot ulcer. A progress report of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaper, N. C.; Andros, G.; Apelqvist, J.; Bakker, K.; Lammer, J.; Lepantalo, M.; Mills, J. L.; Reekers, J.; Shearman, C. P.; Zierler, R. E.; Hinchliffe, R. J.

    2012-01-01

    The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWDGF) has produced in 2011 a guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetes and a foot ulcer. This document, together with a systematic review that provided the background information on

  20. Perception of radiation related risks among three population groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mihai, L.T.; Milu, C.; Voicu, B.; Enachescu, D.

    2003-01-01

    A questionnaire survey was conducted among three groups that mainly differ in socioeconomic status and professional exposure to ionizing radiations. Seventy-seven (26.3%) of the respondents were professionally exposed to radiation, 35 (11.9%) were medical doctors without professional exposure and 177 (68.4%) belonged to the general population group. The level of anxiety toward radiation, expressed as a concernedness index, is significantly lower in people who are professionally exposed to radiation compared to medical doctors and general population (0.81±0.94, 1.42±1.21 and 1.72±1.34 respectively, p < 0.001). In a similar manner, concernedness index values varied with the education status, with lowest values among medical university graduates and highest among public school graduates (p < 0.001). Both university-graduated groups significantly differ from the non-university groups (p < 0.05). Knowledge about radiation and knowledge about emergency plans in nuclear accident/incident were also checked in relation with concernedness, the results confirming the hypothesis that better knowledge associates lower concernedness. The extent to which people accept the civil utilization of nuclear power is also related to concernedness and knowledge, significant associations having been found. The results suggest that a political decision in radiation matter requires a valid analysis of the public's understanding and acceptance. For that reason, it is important that radiological protection authorities develop new plans and materials for communicating with people, in order to improve knowledge upon ionizing radiation, irradiation risks and safety of nuclear energy application for civil purposes. (author)

  1. A Semiparametric Bayesian Approach for Analyzing Longitudinal Data from Multiple Related Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Kiranmoy; Afriyie, Prince; Spirko, Lauren

    2015-11-01

    Often the biological and/or clinical experiments result in longitudinal data from multiple related groups. The analysis of such data is quite challenging due to the fact that groups might have shared information on the mean and/or covariance functions. In this article, we consider a Bayesian semiparametric approach of modeling the mean trajectories for longitudinal response coming from multiple related groups. We consider matrix stick-breaking process priors on the group mean parameters which allows information sharing on the mean trajectories across the groups. Simulation studies are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach compared to the more traditional approaches. We analyze data from a one-year follow-up of nutrition education for hypercholesterolemic children with three different treatments where the children are from different age-groups. Our analysis provides more clinically useful information than the previous analysis of the same dataset. The proposed approach will be a very powerful tool for analyzing data from clinical trials and other medical experiments.

  2. From diagnosis through survivorship: health-care experiences of colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Marcia; McMullen, Carmit K.; Altschuler, Andrea; Mohler, M. Jane; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Herrinton, Lisa J.; Krouse, Robert S.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose The journey from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship can be challenging for colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with permanent ostomies. Memories of both the positive and negative health-care interactions can persist years after the initial diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this paper is to describe the health-care experiences of long-term (>5 years) CRC survivors with ostomies. Methods Thirty-three CRC survivors with ostomies who were members of Kaiser Permanente, an integrated care organization, in Oregon, southwestern Washington and northern California participated in eight focus groups. Discussions from the focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for potential categories and themes. Results Health-care-related themes described CRC survivors’ experiences with diagnosis, treatment decision-making, initial experiences with ostomy, and survivorship. Participants discussed both positive and negative health-care-related experiences, including the need for continued access to trained nurses for ostomy self-care, access to peer support, and resources related to managing persistent, debilitating symptoms. Conclusions Long-term CRC survivors with ostomies have both positive and negative health-care experiences, regardless of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and gender. Long-term support mechanisms and quality survivorship care that CRC survivors with ostomies can access are needed to promote positive adjustments and improved HRQOL. Structured abstract The current literature in CRC survivor-ship suggests that HRQOL concerns can persist years after treatment completion. The coordination of care to manage persistent late- and long-term effects are still lacking for CRC survivors living with an ostomy. Findings from this qualitative analysis will aid in the development of support strategies that foster more positive adjustments for CRC survivors living with an ostomy and support their ongoing ostomy-related needs. PMID:24442998

  3. Uncertainty relations, zero point energy and the linear canonical group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudarshan, E. C. G.

    1993-01-01

    The close relationship between the zero point energy, the uncertainty relations, coherent states, squeezed states, and correlated states for one mode is investigated. This group-theoretic perspective enables the parametrization and identification of their multimode generalization. In particular the generalized Schroedinger-Robertson uncertainty relations are analyzed. An elementary method of determining the canonical structure of the generalized correlated states is presented.

  4. A protocol for a new methodological model for work-related shoulder complex injuries: From diagnosis to rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setuain, Igor; Gonzalez-Izal, Miriam; Paularena, Ainara; Luque, Jose Luis; Andersen, Lars L; Izquierdo, Mikel

    2017-02-07

    Work-related injuries of the shoulder complex represent a challenge for clinicians because of the large variety of clinical entities involved and the broad anatomic structures that can be affected. Furthermore, commonly performed orthopedic tests have demonstrated limited accuracy for diagnosing the injury despite considerable research efforts. The aim of this study protocol is therefore to describe a comprehensive approach integrating both a clinical- and functional status-based pathology and an adapted rehabilitation prescription. A longitudinal cohort study will be performed at the Department of Rehabilitation and Medical Assistance of a mutual insurance society for work-related injury management in Spain (Mutua Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra Spain). Patients will be attended by an occupational physician who specializes in work-related injuries and is part of the project team that will systematically visit all the participants. After the medical diagnosis and any requested supplementary evaluations (i.e., radiological examinations), the patients will be referred to the rehabilitation service. Before the physiotherapeutic rehabilitation program is initiated, the patients will undergo a comprehensive functional screening at the biomechanics laboratory. Using a decision-making scheme, the identified functional deficits will be used to customize the individual rehabilitation plan. The proposed objective criteria-based shoulder diagnosis and rehabilitation model could be a new effective strategy for minimizing the time required to regain functional capacity and recover from symptoms among patients with work-related shoulder injuries. The study protocol has been registered on Clinical Trials.gov as NCT02732002 (April 10 th 2016).

  5. Diagnosis and Management of Iridocorneal Endothelial Syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacchetti, Marta; Mantelli, Flavio; Macchi, Ilaria; Ambrosio, Oriella; Rama, Paolo

    2015-01-01

    The iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome is a rare ocular disorder that includes a group of conditions characterized by structural and proliferative abnormalities of the corneal endothelium, the anterior chamber angle, and the iris. Common clinical features include corneal edema, secondary glaucoma, iris atrophy, and pupillary anomalies, ranging from distortion to polycoria. The main subtypes of this syndrome are the progressive iris atrophy, the Cogan-Reese syndrome, and the Chandler syndrome. ICE syndrome is usually diagnosed in women in the adult age. Clinical history and complete eye examination including tonometry and gonioscopy are necessary to reach a diagnosis. Imaging techniques, such as in vivo confocal microscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy, are used to confirm the diagnosis by revealing the presence of “ICE-cells” on the corneal endothelium and the structural changes of the anterior chamber angle. An early diagnosis is helpful to better manage the most challenging complications such as secondary glaucoma and corneal edema. Treatment of ICE-related glaucoma often requires glaucoma filtering surgery with antifibrotic agents and the use of glaucoma drainage implants should be considered early in the management of these patients. Visual impairment and pain associated with corneal edema can be successfully managed with endothelial keratoplasty. PMID:26451377

  6. Adolescents' perception of peer groups: Psychological, behavioral, and relational determinants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seungyoon; Foote, Jeremy; Wittrock, Zachary; Xu, Siyu; Niu, Li; French, Doran C

    2017-07-01

    Adolescents' social cognitive understanding of their social world is often inaccurate and biased. Focusing on peer groups, this study examines how adolescents' psychological, behavioral, and relational characteristics influence the extent to which they accurately identify their own and others' peer groups. Analyses were conducted with a sample of 1481 seventh- and tenth-grade Chinese students who are embedded with 346 peer groups. Overall, females and older students had more accurate perceptions. In addition, lower self-esteem, higher indegree centrality, and lower betweenness centrality in the friendship network predicted more accurate perception of one's own groups, whereas higher academic performance and lower betweenness centrality in the friendship network predicted more accurate perception of others' groups. Implications for understanding the connection between adolescents' psychological and behavioral traits, social relationships, and social cognition are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Circuit- and Diagnosis-Specific DNA Methylation Changes at γ-Aminobutyric Acid–Related Genes in Postmortem Human Hippocampus in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruzicka, W. Brad; Subburaju, Sivan; Benes, Francine M.

    2017-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Dysfunction related to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)–ergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of major psychosis has been well established by the work of multiple groups across several decades, including the widely replicated downregulation of GAD1. Prior gene expression and network analyses within the human hippocampus implicate a broader network of genes, termed the GAD1 regulatory network, in regulation of GAD1 expression. Several genes within this GAD1 regulatory network show diagnosis- and sector-specific expression changes within the circuitry of the hippocampus, influencing abnormal GAD1 expression in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. OBJECTIVE To investigate the hypothesis that aberrant DNA methylation contributes to circuit- and diagnosis-specific abnormal expression of GAD1 regulatory network genes in psychotic illness. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This epigenetic association study targeting GAD1 regulatory network genes was conducted between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2014. Postmortem human hippocampus tissue samples were obtained from 8patients with schizophrenia, 8 patients with bipolar disorder, and 8 healthy control participants matched for age, sex, postmortem interval, and other potential confounds from the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont,Massachusetts. We extracted DNA from laser-microdissected stratum oriens tissue of cornu ammonis 2/3 (CA2/3) and CA1 postmortem human hippocampus, bisulfite modified it, and assessed it with the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina, Inc). The subset of CpG loci associated with GAD1 regulatory network genes was analyzed in R version 3.1.0 software (R Foundation) using the minfi package. Findings were validated using bisulfite pyrosequencing. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Methylation levels at 1308 GAD1 regulatory network–associated CpG loci were assessed both as individual sites to identify differentially methylated positions and by sharing

  8. The Impact of Merger Status and Relative Representation on Identification with a Merger Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filip Boen

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available This experiment tested to what extent identification with a new merger group is determined by the status of that merger group and by the relative representation of the pre-merger ingroup. One hundred university students were assigned to a team of 'inductive' thinkers, and were later merged with a team of 'deductive' thinkers to form a team of 'analyst' thinkers. The status of the merger group (low, high and the relative representation of the ingroup into the novel merger group (low, high were manipulated. Participants identified more with the merger group in the high than in the low status condition, and they identified more in the high than in the low representation condition. The predicted interaction between relative representation and merger status was not significant. However, relative representation did interact with participants' pre-merger identification: Pre- and post-merger identification were positively related when the ingroup was highly represented, but 'negatively' when the ingroup was lowly represented.

  9. Contemporary risk estimates of three HbA1c variables in relation to heart failure following diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skrtic, Stanko; Cabrera, Claudia; Olsson, Marita; Schnecke, Volker; Lind, Marcus

    2017-03-01

    We evaluated the association between glycaemic control and the risk of heart failure (HF) in a contemporary cohort of persons followed after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Persons with T2D diagnosed between 1998 and 2012 were retrieved from the Clinical Practice Research Data Link in the UK and followed from diagnosis until the event of HF, mortality, drop out from the database due to any other reason, or the end of the study on 1 July 2015. The association between each of three different haemoglobin A 1C (HbA 1c ) metrics and HF was estimated using adjusted proportional hazard models. In the overall cohort (n=94 332), the increased risk for HF per 1% (10 mmol/mol) increase in HbA 1c was 1.15 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.18) for updated mean HbA 1c , and 1.06 (1.04 to 1.07) and 1.06 (1.04 to 1.08) for baseline HbA 1c and updated latest HbA 1c , respectively. When categorised, the hazard risk (HR) for the updated mean HbA 1c in relation to HF became higher than for baseline and updated latest HbA 1c above HbA 1c levels of 9%, but did not differ at lower HbA 1c levels. The updated latest variable showed an increased risk for HbA 1c <6% (42 mmol/mol) of 1.16 (1.07 to 1.25), relative category 6-7%, while the HRs for updated mean and baseline HbA 1c showed no such J-shaped pattern. Hyperglycaemia is still a risk factor for HF in persons with T2D of similar magnitude as in earlier cohorts. Such a relationship exists for current glycaemic levels, at diagnosis and the overall level but the pattern differs for these variables. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  10. Why and how did Israel adopt activity-based hospital payment? The Procedure-Related Group incremental reform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brammli-Greenberg, Shuli; Waitzberg, Ruth; Perman, Vadim; Gamzu, Ronni

    2016-10-01

    Historically, Israel paid its non-profit hospitals on a perdiem (PD) basis. Recently, like other OECD countries, Israel has moved to activity-based payments. While most countries have adopted a diagnostic related group (DRG) payment system, Israel has chosen a Procedure-Related Group (PRG) system. This differs from the DRG system because it classifies patients by procedure rather than diagnosis. In Israel, the PRG system was found to be more feasible given the lack of data and information needed in the DRG classification system. The Ministry of Health (MoH) chose a payment scheme that depends only on inhouse creation of PRG codes and costing, thus avoiding dependence on hospital data. The PRG tariffs are priced by a joint Health and Finance Ministry commission and updated periodically. Moreover, PRGs are believed to achieve the same main efficiency objectives as DRGs: increasing the volume of activity, shortening unnecessary hospitalization days, and reducing the gaps between the costs and prices of activities. The PRG system is being adopted through an incremental reform that started in 2002 and was accelerated in 2010. The Israeli MoH involved the main players in the hospital market in the consolidation of this potentially controversial reform in order to avoid opposition. The reform was implemented incrementally in order to preserve the balance of resource allocation and overall expenditures of the system, thus becoming budget neutral. Yet, as long as gaps remain between marginal costs and prices of procedures, PRGs will not attain all their objectives. Moreover, it is still crucial to refine PRG rates to reflect the severity of cases, in order to tackle incentives for selection of patients within each procedure. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Are work-related stressors associated with diagnosis of more advanced stages of incident breast cancers?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Naja Rod; Stahlberg, Claudia; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine

    2008-01-01

    work pressure (HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.73) nor women with self-reported low influence on work organization (0.98; 0.69, 1.39) or long working hours (0.93; 0.54, 1.58) were at higher risk of breast cancer than women with no such stressors. Women with high work tempo had a slightly higher risk......OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between work-related stressors and breast cancer incidence and prognostic characteristics (estrogen receptor status, grade, lymph node status, size, stage) at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: The 18,932 women included in the Danish Nurse Cohort reported work...... of breast cancer (1.25; 1.02, 1.54) than women with a suitable work tempo, but there was no dose-response effect. There were no clear differences in the prognostic characteristics of breast tumors diagnosed in women with and without work-related stressors. CONCLUSIONS: Work-related stressors do not affect...

  12. Microanalysis in cancer diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tkacheva, G A [Akademiya Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, Moscow. Onkologicheskij Nauchnyj Tsentr

    1984-11-01

    An analysis of the diagnosis accuracy of malignant gastric, rectal, liver and prostatic tumors was performed with relation to the sensitivity and specificity of radioimmunological and immunoenzyme commercial kits of reagents manufactured by different companies and used to determine the concentration of the carcinoembryonic antigen, ..cap alpha..-fetoprotein and acid phosphatase of the prostate. With an increase of the test specificity its diagnostic sensitivity decreases, i.e. the percentage of false-negative results increases. The use of highly specific monoclonal antibodies in serological tests results in a marked decrease of the accuracy of tumor diagnosis. It is necessary to strictly determine indications for the use of the serological and immunodiagnostic kits: for the identification of risk populations, early diagnosis of tumors, differential diagnosis or the monitoring of patients.

  13. Patient characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of non-contact lens related Acanthamoeba keratitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, S; Garg, P; Rao, G N

    2000-10-01

    To review the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and visual outcome in patients with non-contact lens related Acanthamoeba keratitis and compare the findings with reported series of contact lens associated Acanthamoeba keratitis. Medical and microbiology records of 39 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis, at a tertiary eyecare centre in India between January 1996 and June 1998, were analysed retrospectively. A majority of the patients presented with poor visual acuity and large corneal stromal infiltrates (mean size 38.20 (SD 26. 18) mm). A predisposing factor was elicited in 19/39 (48.7%) patients (trauma 15, dirty water splash three, leaf juice one). None of the patients had worn contact lenses. Most patients (26/39 (66. 6%)) came from a low socioeconomic background. Complaint of severe pain was not a significant feature and radial keratoneuritis was seen in 1/39 (2.5%) patients. A ring infiltrate was present in 41.1% of cases. A clinical diagnosis of fungal keratitis was made in 45% of the patients before they were seen by us. However, all patients were diagnosed microbiologically at our institute based on demonstration of Acanthamoeba cysts in corneal scrapings (34/39) and/or culture of Acanthamoeba (34/39). Treatment with biguanides (PHMB, 15/38 (39.4%), PHMB with CHx, 23/38 (60.5%), one patient did not return for treatment) resulted in healing with scar formation in 27 out of 31(87.0%) followed up patients (mean time to healing 106.9 days). Overall visual outcome was poor with no statistical difference between cases diagnosed within 30 days (early) or 30 days after (late) start of symptoms. The visual outcome in cases requiring tissue adhesive (five) and keratoplasty (three) was also poor. This is thought to be the largest series of cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis in non-contact lens wearers. In such cases, the disease is advanced at presentation in most patients, pathognomonic clinical features are often not seen, disease

  14. Close relatives find meaning to cope with cancer diagnosis and treatment of family members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feyh, Janelle M; Levine, Ellen G; Clay, Karine

    2012-12-01

    Pediatric palliative care has recently become a priority in the health care field and is implemented at the time of diagnosis rather than days or weeks before the child's death. Social constructivism theory in which humans generate meaning from their experiences was utilized as a general framework to determine the impact of pediatric palliative care on close relatives. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate a substantive theory that explains how close relatives such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles of a child with cancer experience palliative care. The participants of the study included close relatives of children in palliative care. Semistructured interviews and journaling were used to collect data. Initial, focused, and axial coding procedures were used to manage the data and a content analysis of the textual data was performed. Findings from the data suggested a process of finding meaning which helps close relatives to let go of what they cannot control while holding on to what they can control. Social change implications of this study may include improving health care programming for close relatives utilizing supportive-expressive measures. This programming may promote mental health of the close relatives who will learn to deal with their adjustment difficulties and improve their coping skills.

  15. DSS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL DIAGNOSIS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    FROWEIN, JC; POSTMA, TJBM

    1992-01-01

    Information technology in relation to organizational diagnosis and organizational change is the subject of extensive and increasing discussion. A condition for change is insight into organizational problems. This paper discusses the relation between the concepts ''problem'', ''decision making'' and

  16. Combat-related, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: implications for group-therapy intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makler, S; Sigal, M; Gelkopf, M; Kochba, B B; Horeb, E

    1990-07-01

    The patient with combat-related chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder suffers from a wide spectrum of maladaptive behaviors. This paper delineates the work that has been done with such a population in group therapy. The plan that is proposed takes into account three interrelated sets of factors: factors important for creating an effective working relation; curative factors; and particular themes. Each of these factors is analyzed in the light of the particularities of group work with such a population. Each of the points discussed is based upon the relevant literature, upon the experience of the therapist, and illustrated with examples.

  17. Evaluation of the usefulness of computed tomography on diagnosis and management of acute abdomen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, Takehiro; Yagihashi, Nobuo; Osawa, Tadaharu; Harada, Osamu; Ito, Hiroyuki

    2007-01-01

    We evaluated the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing and managing acute abdomen. Subjects were 91 patients admitted complaining of acute abdominal pain and divided into two groups-those undergoing CT within 24 hours of admission (emergency CT group, n=70), those without CT (Non-CT group, n=21). The emergency CT group was subdivided into those with bowel obstruction (bowel obstruction group, n=29), those with acute appendicitis and other diseases necessitating differential diagnosis (appendicitis group, n=36), those with perforation of the digestive tract (perforation group, n=4), and other disease (n=1). We evaluated the accuracy of admission diagnosis retrospectively in each group. The final diagnosis of the bowel obstruction group was adhesive bowel obstruction in 16, colon cancer in 5, external hernia in 3 and other in 5. That in the appendicitis group was acute appendicitis in 25, colonic diverticulitis in 3, pelvic inflammatory disease in 3, ovarian hemorrhage in 2 and other in 5. The origin of perforation in the perforation group was upper digestive tract in 2 and lower digestive tract in 2. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of admission diagnosis in the emergency CT group was 91.1, 100 and 91.4%, respectively. The accuracy of admission diagnosis was 96.5% in the bowel obstruction group, 88.9% in the appendicitis group and 75.9% in the perforation group. Patients who could not be diagnosed precisely consisted of 6 patients in the emergency CT group. Those who could not be diagnosed precisely included 3 with pericecal abscess, 1 with acute appendicitis, 1 with stercoral perforation of the sigmoid colon and 1 with impacted bezoar in the small intestine. Evaluated retrospectively, 4 patients were able to be diagnosed by CT on admission. In diagnosis of acute abdomen, CT was useful in differential diagnosis of bowel obstruction and acute appendicitis, detection of fine free air, and determine of perforated sites. Emergency CT was thus

  18. The influence of individual, group, and relative self-esteem on outcome for patients undergoing group cognitive-behavioural therapy treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Thomas J; Page, Andrew C; Hooke, Geoff R

    2013-11-01

    Despite a strong association between individual self-esteem and treatment outcome in group cognitive-behavioural therapy (GCBT), no study has investigated how patient outcomes might be influenced by an individual's self-esteem relative to other group members. The study comprised a retrospective examination of patients' data and used a multiple regression analysis to identify predictors of treatment outcome. Patients' pre-treatment self-esteem scores were assessed on a continuum and assigned to be low, medium, or high. Therapy groups were assigned to be either low, balanced or high self-esteem groups based on averaged self-esteem scores of participants. In this study, 3,878 patients who had completed a 10-day intensive cognitive behavioural group therapy programme at a private psychiatric facility were included in the study. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem measure was chosen to assess self-esteem. The three subscales of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were used as the outcome measures. Patient outcomes were influenced by pre-treatment self-esteem scores, such that higher initial self-esteem was associated with better treatment outcomes. Low group self-esteem was predictive of significantly better outcomes for depression, relative to higher self-esteem groups. Additionally, the combined influence of high individual self-esteem and low group self-esteem was associated with significantly enhanced depression improvement. High self-esteem patients perform better on outcome measures following completion of GCBT. Low self-esteem groups show greater improvement in depression symptoms. Similar results for depression are achieved when patients with high self-esteem complete treatment in low self-esteem groups. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  19. Age groups related glioblastoma study based on radiomics approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zeju; Wang, Yuanyuan; Yu, Jinhua; Guo, Yi; Zhang, Qi

    2017-12-01

    Glioblastoma is the most aggressive malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis. Radiomics is a newly emerging and promising technique to reveal the complex relationships between high-throughput medical image features and deep information of disease including pathology, biomarkers and genomics. An approach was developed to investigate the internal relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and the age-related origins of glioblastomas based on a quantitative radiomics method. A fully automatic image segmentation method was applied to segment the tumor regions from three dimensional MRI images. 555 features were then extracted from the image data. By analyzing large numbers of quantitative image features, some predictive and prognostic information could be obtained by the radiomics approach. 96 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma pathologically have been divided into two age groups (age groups (T test, p age difference (T test, p= .006). In conclusion, glioblastoma in different age groups present different radiomics-feature patterns with statistical significance, which indicates that glioblastoma in different age groups should have different pathologic, protein, or genic origins.

  20. General relation between the group delay and dwell time in multicomponent electron systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Feng; Lu, Junqiang

    2016-10-01

    For multicomponent electron scattering states, we derive a general relation between the Wigner group delay and the Bohmian dwell time. It is found that the definition of group delay should account for the phase of the spinor wave functions of propagating modes. The difference between the group delay and dwell time comes from both the interference delay and the decaying modes. For barrier tunneling of helical electrons on a surface of topological insulators, our calculations including the trigonal-warping term show that the decaying modes can contribute greatly to the group delay. The derived relation between the group delay and the dwell time is helpful to unify the two definitions of tunneling time in a quite general situation.

  1. How Does Biological Belief in Race Relate to Our Feelings towards In-Group and Out-Groups?: A Cognitive Dissonance Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tawa, John; Kim, Grace S.

    2011-01-01

    This study considered the effect of belief in race as a biological construct (RACEBIO) and inter-group anxiety (IGA) on in-group racial salience (IGRS) and out-group discomfort (OGD). Participants included 66 racially and ethnically diverse high school boarding students. As hypothesized, RACEBIO was positively related to both IGRS and OGD. In…

  2. Network Fault Diagnosis Using DSM

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jiang Hao; Yan Pu-liu; Chen Xiao; Wu Jing

    2004-01-01

    Difference similitude matrix (DSM) is effective in reducing information system with its higher reduction rate and higher validity. We use DSM method to analyze the fault data of computer networks and obtain the fault diagnosis rules. Through discretizing the relative value of fault data, we get the information system of the fault data. DSM method reduces the information system and gets the diagnosis rules. The simulation with the actual scenario shows that the fault diagnosis based on DSM can obtain few and effective rules.

  3. Study of Aided Diagnosis of Hepatic Carcinoma Based on Artificial Neural Network Combined with Tumor Marker Group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Shanjuan; Feng, Feifei; Wu, Yongjun; Wu, Yiming

    To develop a computer-aided diagnostic scheme by using an artificial neural network (ANN) combined with tumor markers for diagnosis of hepatic carcinoma (HCC) as a clinical assistant method. 140 serum samples (50 malignant, 40 benign and 50 normal) were analyzed for α-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), sialic acid (SA) and calcium (Ca). The five tumor marker values were then used as ANN inputs data. The result of ANN was compared with that of discriminant analysis by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of ANN and discriminant analysis among all samples of the test group was 95.5% and 79.3%, respectively. Analysis of multiple tumor markers based on ANN may be a better choice than the traditional statistical methods for differentiating HCC from benign or normal.

  4. Relations of mindfulness facets with psychological symptoms among individuals with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, or borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Didonna, Fabrizio; Rossi, Roberta; Ferrari, Clarissa; Iani, Luca; Pedrini, Laura; Rossi, Nicoletta; Xodo, Erica; Lanfredi, Mariangela

    2018-03-25

    To explore differences in mindfulness facets among patients with a diagnosis of either obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), major depressive disorder (MDD), or borderline personality disorder (BPD), and healthy controls (HC), and their associations with clinical features. One hundred and fifty-three patients and 50 HC underwent a clinical assessment including measures of mindfulness (Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire - FFMQ), psychopathological symptoms (Symptom Check List-90-R), dissociation (Dissociative Experience Scale), alexithymia (Alexithymia Scale 20), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to assess differences in mindfulness scores and their associations with clinical features. The three diagnostic groups scored lower on all mindfulness facets (apart from FFMQobserving) compared to the HC group. OCD group had a significant higher FFMQ total score (FFMQ-TS) and FFMQacting with awareness compared to the BPD group, and scored higher on FFMQdescribing compared to BPD and MDD groups. The scores in non-judging facet were significantly lower in all the three diagnostic groups compared to the HC group. Interestingly, higher FFMQ-TS was inversely related to all psychological measures, regardless of diagnostic group. Deficits in mindfulness skills were present in all diagnostic groups. Furthermore, we found disease-specific relationships between some mindfulness facets and specific psychological variables. Clinical implications are discussed. The study showed deficits in mindfulness scores in all diagnostic groups compared to a healthy control group. Overall, mindfulness construct has a significantly negative association with indexes of global distress, dissociative symptoms, alexithymia, and depression. Mindfulness-based interventions in clinical settings should take into account different patterns of mindfulness skills and their impact on disease-specific maladaptive

  5. Questioning diagnoses in clinical practice: a thematic analysis of clinical psychologists' accounts of working beyond diagnosis in the United Kingdom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall-James, James; Coles, Steven

    2018-02-08

    The British Psychological Society proposes that clinical psychologists are well placed to move beyond psychiatric diagnoses and develop alternative practices. This study sought to explore what the application of these guiding principles looks like in clinical practice, the challenges faced and possible routes forward. A purpose-designed survey was completed by 305 respondents and a thematic analysis completed. Thematic analysis was used to identify five superordinate themes relating to individuals, relational, others, structures and society, comprising of a total of 21 group themes. The presented group themes highlight an array of approaches to practicing beyond diagnosis and factors that help and hinder such action; from scaffolding change, becoming leaders, relating to the multi-disciplinary team, restructuring services and the processes of change. A key concept was "playing the diagnostic game". "Playing the diagnostic game" enables psychologists to manage an array of tensions and anxieties: conflicts between belief and practice, relationships with colleagues, and dilemmas of position and power. It also potentially limits a concerted questioning of diagnosis and consideration of alternatives. An alternative conceptual framework for non-diagnostic practice is needed to aid the collective efforts of clinical psychologists developing their practice beyond diagnosis, some of which have been highlighted in this study. Until then, ways of mitigating the perceived threats to questioning diagnosis need further exploration, theorising and backing.

  6. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamao, Kenji; Mizuno, Nobumasa; Sawaki, Akira; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Chang, K.J.

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the strategy for improving the poor prognosis of the pancreatic (P) cancer by its early imaging diagnosis followed by resection, based on recent findings on its high risk group. Epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, intraductal papillary-mucious tumor, P cyst, familial history of P cancer, and hereditary P cancer syndrome are involved in the high risk group of P cancer. Imaging diagnosis with CT and/or endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) followed by histological confirmation for resection can be a useful approach to improve the prognosis in those high risk, asymptomatic individuals with abnormal levels of P enzyme and tumor marker, and with US findings of P ductal dilation and cyst. The guideline 2006 for P cancer by Japan Pancreas Society shows the algorithm leading to the final diagnosis for the positive high risk group: firstly, CT and/or MRCP (MR cholangiopancreatography (CP)); or, in case of uncertainty, EUS and/or ERCP (E retrograde CP) and/or PET; and finally, cytological, histological diagnosis. The newer approach proposed recently for the group is: multi detector row (MD)-CT and EUS; then cytodiagnosis guided by ERCP and/or with fine needle aspiration by EUS, also a promising early diagnosis. As well, molecular biological approaches are supposedly useful for the future diagnosis. (R.T.)

  7. Sports-related concussions: diagnosis, complications, and current management strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobbs, Jonathan G; Young, Jacob S; Bailes, Julian E

    2016-04-01

    Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are traumatic events that affect up to 3.8 million athletes per year. The initial diagnosis and management is often instituted on the field of play by coaches, athletic trainers, and team physicians. SRCs are usually transient episodes of neurological dysfunction following a traumatic impact, with most symptoms resolving in 7-10 days; however, a small percentage of patients will suffer protracted symptoms for years after the event and may develop chronic neurodegenerative disease. Rarely, SRCs are associated with complications, such as skull fractures, epidural or subdural hematomas, and edema requiring neurosurgical evaluation. Current standards of care are based on a paradigm of rest and gradual return to play, with decisions driven by subjective and objective information gleaned from a detailed history and physical examination. Advanced imaging techniques such as functional MRI, and detailed understanding of the complex pathophysiological process underlying SRCs and how they affect the athletes acutely and long-term, may change the way physicians treat athletes who suffer a concussion. It is hoped that these advances will allow a more accurate assessment of when an athlete is truly safe to return to play, decreasing the risk of secondary impact injuries, and provide avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting the complex biochemical cascade that results from a traumatic injury to the brain.

  8. Radioimmunoassays and related procedures in the diagnosis of parasitic infections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dessaint, J.P.; Cesbron, J.Y.; Lutsch, C.; Nogueira-Queiroz, J.A.; Capron, A.

    1986-01-01

    Immunological tests for the diagnosis of parasitic infections have long been used, yet the marked variability in seroreactivity of infected patients is still a challenge to immunoparasitologists. In the case of helminth parasites, especially schistosomes and filariae, immunoassays have benefited by numerous advances in the characterization and purification of antigens and by the use of monoclonal antibodies. The identification of functional antigens allows the detection of putative protective (or blocking) antibody responses by competitive RIAs using monoclonal antibodies in schistosomiasis. While progress has been made in the investigation of immunity in man, immunoassays for antibodies do not accurately correlate with parasite load, especially at lower antibody responses or after chemotherapy. Immunoassays for circulating parasite antigens have received much attention in recent years. Immunoradiometric assays and related procedures using infection sera or monoclonal antibodies are now being investigated in field conditions. Cross-reactions among circulating antigens from different parasites can decrease the specificity of such assays, whereas circulating immune complexes can interfere with the test. The recent use of RIAs to measure parasite antigens in the urine of patients with schistosomiasis or filariasis appears a promising approach. (author)

  9. Evaluation of optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis of age related macula degeneration compared with fluorescence angiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fröschl, Barbara

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: In industrialised nations age-related macular degeneration (AMD is the most common cause of blindness and severe visual impairment. AMD is a disease of the retina characterized by the accumulation of metabolic products in the macula. In early stages drusen and pigment disorders occur, in late stages a dry form is distinguished from the exsudative form with choroidal neovascularisation. AMD causes vision disorders such as blurred vision of the central part of the visual field, leading finally to a dark spot. Several therapies are available for the exsudative form, however an exact diagnosis is partially essential. The gold standard for the diagnosis of AMD is fluorescein angiography (FA, an invasive investigation with intravenous application of a dye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT is a more recent non-invasive procedure. Objectives: The aim of this HTA report is to investigate the efficacy and efficiency of OCT compared to FA. Ethical, societal and legal aspects are also considered. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in 34 international databases which yielded 2324 articles. Eight publications were included for assessment, according to predefined selection criteria. Results: The number of studies investigating OCT compared to FA in patients with AMD is presently very limited and the quality of the studies is generally low. The number of investigated patients is below 35 in four publications and in only one publication it is above 100. Moreover in most of the articles very selected patient groups are studied. Economic studies concerning the efficiency of OCT compared to FA cannot be identified. DiscussionEven though the patient groups investigated and the objectives of the studies are very heterogenous, all publications uniformly show that OCT cannot replace FA. However, OCT yields additional diagnostic findings and may verify unclear findings of FA. Therefore the application of OCT in addition to FA is useful in

  10. Diagnosis in the cushing's syndrome revisited

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Marinis, L; Mancini, A; D' Amico, C and others

    1986-01-01

    The diagnostic procedure for the differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome is reported in this paper based on the experience of 23 cases. Inappropiate cortisol secretion was established by an absent cortisol circadian rhythm and absent cortisol suppression after overnight dexamethasone suppression test. The ACTH serum levels were then determined in basal conditions and after insulin-induced hypoglycemia (0.15 U/kg b.w. insulin i.v.). ACTH was low or undetectable in 9 patients, and high or normal-high in 14 patients. In the first group of patients an adrenal trasmission computed tomography (CT) was performed and showd an adrenal adenima in 6 patients, adrenal carcinoma in 2 patients and hyperplasia of residual adrenal gland in 1 patient, who had previously undergone monolateral adrenalectomy. These patients underwent surgical treatment, except the patient with adrenal hyperplasia. In the second group of patients, negative in 4 patients, doubtful in 1 patient. Surgical exploration by transsphenoidal route was performed, and an ACTH-producing adenima removed in all cases. Radicalization with hypophysectomy was necessary in 2 patients, while other 2 patients are under observation for the suspicion of a recurrent pituitary tumor. In all patients adrenal scintiscan was also performed, and confirmed the suspicion pointed out by CT scan. A relatively simple protocol with a functional test (ACTH determination) and a morphological one (computed tomography), can be reliably applied in the differential diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. 62 refs.

  11. Diagnosis in the cushing's syndrome revisited

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Marinis, L.; Mancini, A.; D'Amico, C.

    1986-01-01

    The diagnostic procedure for the differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome is reported in this paper based on the experience of 23 cases. Inappropiate cortisol secretion was established by an absent cortisol circadian rhythm and absent cortisol suppression after overnight dexamethasone suppression test. The ACTH serum levels were then determined in basal conditions and after insulin-induced hypoglycemia (0.15 U/kg b.w. insulin i.v.). ACTH was low or undetectable in 9 patients, and high or normal-high in 14 patients. In the first group of patients an adrenal trasmission computed tomography (CT) was performed and showd an adrenal adenima in 6 patients, adrenal carcinoma in 2 patients and hyperplasia of residual adrenal gland in 1 patient, who had previously undergone monolateral adrenalectomy. These patients underwent surgical treatment, except the patient with adrenal hyperplasia. In the second group of patients, negative in 4 patients, doubtful in 1 patient. Surgical exploration by transsphenoidal route was performed, and an ACTH-producing adenima removed in all cases. Radicalization with hypophysectomy was necessary in 2 patients, while other 2 patients are under observation for the suspicion of a recurrent pituitary tumor. In all patients adrenal scintiscan was also performed, and confirmed the suspicion pointed out by CT scan. A relatively simple protocol with a functional test (ACTH determination) and a morphological one (computed tomography), can be reliably applied in the differential diagnosis of Cushing syndrome

  12. After Early Autism Diagnosis: Changes in Intervention and Parent-Child Interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suma, Katharine; Adamson, Lauren B; Bakeman, Roger; Robins, Diana L; Abrams, Danielle N

    2016-08-01

    This study documents the relation between an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, increases in intervention, and changes in parent-child interaction quality. Information about intervention and observations of interaction were collected before diagnosis and a half year after diagnosis for 79 low-risk toddlers who had screened positive for ASD risk during a well-baby checkup. Children diagnosed with ASD (n = 44) were 2.69 times more likely to increase intervention hours. After ASD diagnosis, the relation between intervention and interaction quality was complex: although increases in intervention and interaction quality were only modestly related, the overall amount of intervention after diagnosis was associated with higher quality interactions. Moreover, lower quality interactions before diagnosis significantly increased the likelihood that intervention would increase post-diagnosis.

  13. Cooperation between mental health professionals and doctors in a Balint-oriented supervision group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keinänen, M

    2001-01-01

    A Balint-oriented supervision group for physicians is described concentrating on the study of the patient-doctor relationship, the recognition and diagnosis of psychiatric problems, and the planning of psychiatric treatment. The group includes five general practitioners, a gynecologist, a dermatologist, a psychiatrist and a psychologist, who have met once a month for an hour over a period of 12 years. Interaction between the physicians and the mental health professionals is illustrated by two clinical examples. The group helps the physician recognize, tolerate and use his countertransference feelings, and facilitates the examination and treatment of patients suffering from psychiatric problems. In Balint-oriented group work, the focus can be moved from physical symptoms to include observation of the patient's emotional life and significant object relations, to the factors that are crucial for his psychological balance. This kind of holistic observation in the examination and treatment of psychiatric problems is as important as appropriate laboratory investigations in the diagnosis and care of physical diseases.

  14. Factors Related to Women's Childbirth Satisfaction in Physiologic and Routine Childbirth Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafari, Elham; Mohebbi, Parvin; Mazloomzadeh, Saeideh

    2017-01-01

    Women's satisfaction with childbirth is an important measure of the quality of maternity care services. This study aims to address factors related to women's childbirth satisfaction in physiological and routine childbirth groups. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted among 340 women in physiological and routine childbirth groups in 2012. Women were selected through convenience sampling method in the routine group and by census in the physiological group. Data were collected using a 5-part questionnaire composed of demographic and obstetrics details, Mackey's Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale (CSRS), satisfied with birth setting, Labor Agentry Scale (LAS), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), which was completed by interview 24 hours after childbirth. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 18 software using Pearson correlation test, independent t -test, analysis of variance, and linear, multivariate regression model at the significant level of P toward the recent pregnancy ( P = 0.007), and perceived severity of pain ( P = 0.016). However, in the routine group, satisfaction was related only to intentional pregnancy ( P = 0.002). In neither group, satisfaction was related to demographic characteristics, maternal parity, and participation in pregnancy and childbirth classes or maternal feelings toward the onset of childbirth ( P > 0.05). Improved physical structure and setting of birth room, nonmedical pain relief, mothers' involvement in the process of labor, and sense of being in control are associated with mothers' satisfaction.

  15. ESPEN expert group recommendations for action against cancer-related malnutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arends, J; Baracos, V; Bertz, H; Bozzetti, F; Calder, P C; Deutz, N E P; Erickson, N; Laviano, A; Lisanti, M P; Lobo, D N; McMillan, D C; Muscaritoli, M; Ockenga, J; Pirlich, M; Strasser, F; de van der Schueren, M; Van Gossum, A; Vaupel, P; Weimann, A

    2017-10-01

    Patients with cancer are at particularly high risk for malnutrition because both the disease and its treatments threaten their nutritional status. Yet cancer-related nutritional risk is sometimes overlooked or under-treated by clinicians, patients, and their families. The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) recently published evidence-based guidelines for nutritional care in patients with cancer. In further support of these guidelines, an ESPEN oncology expert group met for a Cancer and Nutrition Workshop in Berlin on October 24 and 25, 2016. The group examined the causes and consequences of cancer-related malnutrition, reviewed treatment approaches currently available, and built the rationale and impetus for clinicians involved with care of patients with cancer to take actions that facilitate nutrition support in practice. The content of this position paper is based on presentations and discussions at the Berlin meeting. The expert group emphasized 3 key steps to update nutritional care for people with cancer: (1) screen all patients with cancer for nutritional risk early in the course of their care, regardless of body mass index and weight history; (2) expand nutrition-related assessment practices to include measures of anorexia, body composition, inflammatory biomarkers, resting energy expenditure, and physical function; (3) use multimodal nutritional interventions with individualized plans, including care focused on increasing nutritional intake, lessening inflammation and hypermetabolic stress, and increasing physical activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  16. "Morphology is a witness which doesn't lie": diagnosis by similarity relation and analogical inference in clinical forensic medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rees, Gethin

    2011-09-01

    In this paper, I utilise semi-structured interviews with Forensic Medical Examiners (FMEs) in Scotland in order to investigate their diagnostic work. Drawing upon classic medical sociological work on diagnosis (for instance, the work of Paul Atkinson and Michael Bloor), my understanding of diagnosis is as a subjective, but socially-constructed activity whereby medical practitioners are taught to identify (in this case) injury types, initially by ostension, then also by examination. I then extend the analysis postulated within the classic studies by outlining a mechanistic method for the actual cognitive process of diagnosis, drawn from a sociologically informed reading of the historian of science, Thomas Kuhn. It is argued that diagnosis is achieved by similarity relation (comparing new cases to those previously observed), and analogical reasoning (drawing inferences based on the analogy with previous cases). Given that new cases subtly alter the individual FME's classificatory schema, resulting in potential differences in diagnoses, the FME community are required to conduct much reparative work in order to construct their evidence as consensual and factual, as is required by law. The paper will conclude with some brief comments on the future of forensic medical examinations, particularly concerning the fact/opinion distinction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Mapping patients' experiences from initial symptoms to gout diagnosis: a qualitative exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liddle, Jennifer; Roddy, Edward; Mallen, Christian D; Hider, Samantha L; Prinjha, Suman; Ziebland, Sue; Richardson, Jane C

    2015-09-14

    To explore patients' experiences from initial symptoms to receiving a diagnosis of gout. Data from in-depth semistructured interviews were used to construct themes to describe key features of patients' experiences of gout diagnosis. A maximum variation sample of 43 UK patients with gout (29 men; 14 women; age range 32-87 years) were recruited from general practices, rheumatology clinics, gout support groups and through online advertising. Severe joint pain, combined with no obvious signs of physical trauma or knowledge of injury, caused confusion for patients attempting to interpret their symptoms. Reasons for delayed consultation included self-diagnosis and/or self-medication, reluctance to seek medical attention, and financial/work pressures. Factors potentially contributing to delayed diagnosis after consultation included reported misdiagnosis, attacks in joints other than the first metatarsophalangeal joint, and female gender. The limitations in using serum uric acid (SUA) levels for diagnostic purposes were not always communicated effectively to patients, and led to uncertainty and lack of confidence in the accuracy of the diagnosis. Resistance to the diagnosis occurred in response to patients' beliefs about the causes of gout and characteristics of the people likely to be affected. Diagnosis prompted actions, such as changes in diet, and evidence was found of self-monitoring of SUA levels. This study is the first to report data specifically about patients' pathways to initial consultation and subsequent experiences of gout diagnosis. A more targeted approach to information provision at diagnosis would improve patients' experiences. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  18. Investigation of relation between operator's mental workload and information flow in accident diagnosis tasks of nuclear power plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ha, Chang Hoon; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun [KAIST, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-07-01

    In the main control room (MCR) of a nuclear power plant (NPP), there are lots of dynamic information sources for MCR operator's situation awareness. As the human-machine interface in MCR is advanced, operator's information acquisition, information gathering and decision-making is becoming an important part to maintain the effective and safe operation of NPPs. Diagnostic task in complex and huge systems like NPP is the most difficult and mental effort-demanding for operators. This research investigates the relation between operator's mental workload and information flow in accident diagnosis tasks. The amount of information flow is quantified, using information flow model and Conant's model, a kind of information theory. For the mental workload measure, eye blink rate, blink duration, fixation time, number of fixation, and gaze direction are measured during accident diagnosis tasks. Subjective methods such as NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Modified Cooper-Harper (MCH) method are also used in the experiment. It is shown that the operator's mental workload has significant relation to information flow of diagnosis task. It makes possible to predict the mental workload through the quantity of the information flow of a system.

  19. Number of Heat Wave Deaths by Diagnosis, Sex, Age Groups, and Area, in Slovenia, 2015 vs. 2003

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perčič, Simona; Kukec, Andreja; Cegnar, Tanja; Hojs, Ana

    2018-01-01

    Background: Number of deaths increases during periods of elevated heat. Objectives: To examine whether differences in heat-related deaths between 2003 and 2015 occurred in Slovenia. Materials and Methods: We estimated relative risks for deaths for the observed diagnoses, sex, age, and area, as well as 95% confidence intervals and excess deaths associated with heat waves occurring in 2015 and 2003. For comparison between 2015 and 2003, we calculated relative risks ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Statistically significant in 2015 were the following: age group 75+, all causes of deaths (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.00–1.22); all population, circulatory system diseases (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.01–1.30) and age group 75+, diseases of circulatory system (RR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.34). Statistically significant in 2003 were the following: female, age group 5–74, circulatory system diseases (RR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.08–2.62). Discussion: Comparison between 2015 and 2003, all, circulatory system diseases (RRR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.01–1.55); male, circulatory system diseases (RRR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.41–2.43); all, age group 75+ circulatory system diseases (RRR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.07–1.69); male, age group 75+, circulatory system diseases (RRR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.03–2.25) and female, age group 75+, circulatory system diseases (RRR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.08–1.89). Conclusions: Public health efforts are urgent and should address circulatory system causes and old age groups. PMID:29361792

  20. Current opinion and consensus statement regarding the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients with essential thrombocythemia: a survey of the Spanish Group of Ph-negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (GEMFIN) using the Delphi method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Besses, C; Hernández-Boluda, J C; Pérez Encinas, M; Raya, J M; Hernández-Rivas, J M; Jiménez Velasco, A; Martínez Lopez, J; Vicente, V; Burgaleta, C

    2016-04-01

    The current consensus on the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of essential thrombocythemia (ET) is based on experts' recommendations. However, several aspects of the diagnosis of, prognosis of, and therapy for ET are still controversial. The Delphi method was employed with an expert panel of members of the Spanish Group of Ph-negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms in order to identify the degree of agreement on the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of ET. Nine leading experts selected a total of 41 clinical hematologists with well-known expertise in ET. An electronic questionnaire was used to collect the questions rated in a four-step scale. The questions were grouped into four blocks: diagnosis, risk stratification, goals of therapy, and treatment strategy. After the first round consisting of 80 questions, a second round including 14 additional questions focused on the recommendations advocated by experts of the European LeukemiaNet in 2011 was analyzed. The median and mean values for the first and second rounds were calculated. A summary of the conclusions considered as the most representative of each block of questions is presented. The Delphi method is a powerful instrument to address the current approaches and controversies surrounding ET.

  1. Delay in the Diagnosis of Stable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseinzadeh, Pooya; Iwinski, Henry J; Salava, Jonathon; Oeffinger, Donna

    2017-01-01

    Delays in the diagnosis of stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is common due to the vague symptomatology and the lack of awareness of this entity by healthcare providers. Delays in the diagnosis of this condition can lead to poor outcomes for the patients. This study was designed to identify factors that contributed to delays in the diagnosis or the treatment of patients with SCFE seen at our institution. A retrospective chart review of patients with the diagnosis of a stable SCFE who had undergone screw stabilization between 1989 and 2010 at our hospital was performed. For each patient, demographic data, the date of initial onset of symptoms, the date of the first visit to the medical provider, the type of provider seen initially (orthopaedic surgeon or not), the date of diagnosis of SCFE, the type of physician who made the diagnosis (orthopaedic surgeon or not), and the date of surgery were recorded. For each patient, the presenting symptom was recorded as hip, thigh, or knee pain. The effect of demographic data, presenting symptoms, and the type of initial provider seen on the delay to diagnosis was studied using 2 Cox models. A total of 149 patients with 196 stable SCFE were included. The average time from the first physician visit to diagnosis was 94 days in the group seen by a nonorthopaedic provider compared with an average of 2.9 days in the group seen by an orthopaedist (Pprovider versus 97% in the group seen by orthopaedic surgeons. It took significantly longer to be diagnosed with SCFE in patients who presented with initial knee pain (P=0.0097) compared with those who presented with hip pain at the initial visit. This study shows a significant delay in the diagnosis of SCFE in the United States, particularly in patients seen by nonorthopaedic providers initially. Level III-prognostic.

  2. Group G streptococcal myositis in a patient with myeloproliferative neoplasm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Midha, MD MBS

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available While many cases of streptococcal infection are due to Lancefield groups A and B, there has been a rise in reported cases of infections due to group G streptococcus. We present a case of an individual with a hematologic malignancy who developed myositis secondary to group G streptococcus, with no clearly identifiable source of infection. The patient was managed with antibiotic therapy rather than surgical intervention due to high surgical risk related to severe thrombocytopenia. Targeted antibiotics initiated early in the course of disease may prevent the need for surgical intervention. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to avoid the high morbidity and mortality of life-threatening infections caused by group G streptococcus.

  3. Representation and Use of Knowledge in Automatic Fault Diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brendeford, Tor S.

    1996-01-01

    The report relates activities performed within the ongoing project on Integrated Diagnosis Systems (IDS). A unifying aspect of the activities is representation of knowledge applied in diagnosis. New ways of representing such knowledge can improve the diagnoses, enable reuse, and facilitate consistent integration with other operator support systems. The tasks of the diagnostic process, and the roles of domain knowledge, are discussed in relation to different methods of diagnosis. Two primary methods of diagnosis are recognised in the report, model-based and association-based. Distinct differences of these two methods are identified as focus for integration. A methodology for specifying the design of diagnosis systems is reviewed. This methodology seems to provide a good theoretical basis for understanding problems of fault diagnosis. Qualitative and functional modelling methods are studied by application to a common example domain. The two specific techniques are found to be promising in relation to diagnosis. A software setup for simulated diagnosis is presented. This setup is to be used in the activity on knowledge representation, where a blackboard system is the central module of the setup. Presentations of process domain knowledge show the capabilities of the blackboard architecture and suggest schemes for integrated use of the information. The object-oriented architecture is also shown to serve the needs for presentation of diagnostic reasoning, which is a vital aspect when integrating different diagnosis methods. (author)

  4. Radiographic diagnosis of mechanical obstruction in dogs based on relative small intestinal external diameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finck, Cyrielle; D'Anjou, Marc-André; Alexander, Kate; Specchi, Swan; Beauchamp, Guy

    2014-01-01

    Mechanical obstruction is a frequent cause of acute vomiting in dogs requiring prompt diagnosis to improve patient management and prognosis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare small intestinal radiographic characteristics in dogs with versus without mechanical intestinal obstruction. Fifty dogs with gastrointestinal clinical signs and abdominal radiographs were recruited from hospital record archives and assigned to groups (group 1, obstructive, n = 25; group 2, nonobstructive n = 25). Abdominal radiographs were randomized and independently interpreted by three examiners who were unaware of group status. Intestinal dilation was subjectively scored based on distribution (segmental, regional or diffuse), and severity (absent, mild, moderate or severe). Small intestinal maximal diameter (SImax), L5 vertebral body height, small intestinal minimal diameter (SImin), and an estimated average of small intestinal diameters (SIave) were measured and three ratios were calculated: SImax/L5, SImax/SImin, and SImax/SIave. Segmental dilation was more prevalent in obstructed dogs for all examiners (P ≤ 0.03) and most nonobstructed dogs had no dilation (P ≤ 0.05). All ratios were higher in obstructed dogs (P dogs with SImax/L5 ≤ 1.4, SImax/SImin ≤ 2, and SImax/SIave ≤ 1.3 values are very unlikely to be mechanically obstructed; dogs with SImax/L5 ≥ 2.4, SImax/SImin ≥ 3.4 and SImax/SIave ≥ 1.9 are very likely obstructed, particularly if segmental dilation (less than 25% of the small intestine) is present. Dogs with ratios falling between these thresholds may need further testing unless other signs justify surgical exploration or endoscopy. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

  5. Diagnosis and management of acquired aplastic anemia in childhood. Guidelines from the Marrow Failure Study Group of the Pediatric Haemato-Oncology Italian Association (AIEOP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barone, Angelica; Lucarelli, Annunziata; Onofrillo, Daniela; Verzegnassi, Federico; Bonanomi, Sonia; Cesaro, Simone; Fioredda, Francesca; Iori, Anna Paola; Ladogana, Saverio; Locasciulli, Anna; Longoni, Daniela; Lanciotti, Marina; Macaluso, Alessandra; Mandaglio, Rosalba; Marra, Nicoletta; Martire, Baldo; Maruzzi, Matteo; Menna, Giuseppe; Notarangelo, Lucia Dora; Palazzi, Giovanni; Pillon, Marta; Ramenghi, Ugo; Russo, Giovanna; Svahn, Johanna; Timeus, Fabio; Tucci, Fabio; Cugno, Chiara; Zecca, Marco; Farruggia, Piero; Dufour, Carlo; Saracco, Paola

    2015-06-01

    Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a rare heterogeneous disease characterized by pancytopenia and hypoplastic bone marrow. The incidence is 2-3/million inhabitants/year, in Europe, but higher in East Asia. Survival in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) has markedly improved in the past 2 decades because of advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, immunosuppressive and biologic drugs, and supportive care. In SAA hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from a matched sibling donor (MSD) is the treatment of choice. If a MSD is not available, the options include immunosuppressive therapy (IST) or unrelated donor HSCT. The objective of this guideline is to provide healthcare professionals with clear guidance on the diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with AA. A preliminary, evidence-based document issued by a group of pediatric hematologists was discussed, modified and approved during a series of "Consensus Conferences" according to procedures previously validated by the AIEOP Board. The guidelines highlight the importance of referring pediatric patients with AA to pediatric centers with long experience in diagnosis, differential diagnosis, management, supportive care and follow-up of AA. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Diagnosis of animal diseases using nuclear and related techniques: Developments and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.; McKay, J.A.

    1991-01-01

    Nuclear techniques such as radioimmune precipitation, radioimmunoassay, DNA cloning and amino acid sequencing have led to a greater understanding of protein structure and function, antigenic variation and the immune response to infection. Knowledge gained from the use of this technology has led to the development of improved diagnostic assays. Although radioimmunoassay has been used for animal disease diagnosis for many years, more recently it has been replaced by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ELISA offers advantages in speed of reading and longer reagent shelf life and obviates the use of radiochemicals. This is particularly important in developing countries, which may have no facilities for storage, handling and disposal of radioactive materials. In the case of rinderpest diagnosis, taken as an example, the virus neutralization test was replaced by a simple indirect ELISA for seromonitoring throughout the Pan-African Rinderpest Campaign. In the near future, this will be replaced by a competitive ELISA using a rinderpest specific monoclonal antibody, which will offer significant advantages in sensitivity and specificity. In the future it may be possible to replace the rinderpest antigen with vector expressed proteins or synthetic polypeptides. More recent developments such as the 'amplified' ELISA and the use of fluorogenic and bioluminescent substrates may further improve disease diagnosis. The knowledge gained from the use of modern technology is essential to the development of improved diagnostic assays which in turn will lead to improved disease diagnosis and control. (author). 9 refs

  7. Relations between high and low power groups: the importance of legitimacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hornsey, Matthew J; Spears, Russell; Cremers, Iris; Hogg, Michael A

    2003-02-01

    Using a social identity perspective, two experiments examined the effects of power and the legitimacy of power differentials on intergroup bias. In Experiment 1, 125 math-science students were led to believe that they had high or low representation in a university decision-making body relative to social-science students and that this power position was either legitimate or illegitimate. Power did not have an independent effect on bias; rather, members of both high and low power groups showed more bias when the power hierarchy was illegitimate than when it was legitimate. This effect was replicated in Experiment 2 (N = 105). In addition, Experiment 2 showed that groups located within an unfair power hierarchy expected the superordinate power body to be more discriminatory than did those who had legitimately high or low power. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for group relations. Copyright 2003 Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  8. Age-related hearing loss in dogs : Diagnosis with Brainstem-Evoked Response Audiometry and Treatment with Vibrant Soundbridge Middle Ear Implant.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ter Haar, G.

    2009-01-01

    Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common cause of acquired hearing impairment in dogs. Diagnosis requires objective electrophysiological tests (brainstem evoked response audiometry [BERA]) evaluating the entire audible frequency range in dogs. In our laboratory a method was developed to

  9. The relative incidence of diabetes mellitus in abo/rhesus blood ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A total of 224 diabetics and 221 non-diabetics (control) were involved in this study, to determine the relative incidence of diabetes mellitus in ABO/Rhesus blood group. The current criteria for the diagnosis f diabetes mellitus were applied in differentiating the diabetics from the non-diabetics. Blood group, fasting blood sugar ...

  10. Comparative value of blood and skin samples for diagnosis of spotted fever group rickettsial infection in model animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Michael L; Snellgrove, Alyssa N; Zemtsova, Galina E

    2016-07-01

    The definitive diagnosis of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsioses in humans is challenging due to the retrospective nature and cross reactivity of the serological methods and the absence of reliable and consistent samples for molecular diagnostics. Existing data indicate the transient character of bacteremia in experimentally infected animals. The ability of arthropod vectors to acquire rickettsial infection from the laboratory animals in the absence of systemic infection and known tropism of rickettsial agents to endothelial cells of peripheral blood vessels underline the importance of local infection and consequently the diagnostic potential of skin samples. In order to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of rickettsial DNA detection in blood and skin samples, we compared results of PCR testing in parallel samples collected from model laboratory animals infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia slovaca-like agent at different time points after infection. Skin samples were collected from ears - away from the site of tick placement and without eschars. Overall, testing of skin samples resulted in a higher proportion of positive results than testing of blood samples. Presented data from model animals demonstrates that testing of skin samples from sites of rickettsial proliferation can provide definitive molecular diagnosis of up to 60-70% of tick-borne SFG rickettsial infections during the acute stage of illness. Detection of pathogen DNA in cutaneous samples is a valuable alternative to blood-PCR at least in model animals. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  11. Delay in Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Patients Without Gastrointestinal Complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paez, Marco A; Gramelspacher, Anna Maria; Sinacore, James; Winterfield, Laura; Venu, Mukund

    2017-11-01

    The purpose of our study is to investigate the delay in diagnosis of patients with biopsy-proven celiac disease in those who present with gastrointestinal complaints vs nongastrointestinal complaints at our tertiary care center. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide. Celiac disease can have variable clinical presentations; it can be characterized by predominately gastrointestinal symptoms, or it may present without any gastrointestinal symptoms. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 687 adult patients who carried the diagnosis of celiac disease. Patients included had biopsy-proven celiac disease and were categorized based on presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms prior to their diagnosis. There were 101 patients with biopsy-proven celiac disease that met inclusion criteria. Fifty-two patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and 49 had nongastrointestinal complaints. Results from Mann-Whitney statistical analysis showed a median delay in diagnosis of 2.3 months for the gastrointestinal symptoms group and 42 months for the nongastrointestinal group (P symptoms had abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone, as opposed to 15.5% in the gastrointestinal symptom group (P = .004). Of patients with nongastrointestinal symptoms, 69.4% had anemia, compared with 11.5% of the gastrointestinal symptom group (P symptom group, 68%, were noted to have abnormal bone density scans, compared with 41% in the gastrointestinal symptom group. No sex differences were noted on chi-squared analysis between the 2 groups (P = .997). Although there is growing awareness of celiac disease, the delay in diagnosis for patients without gastrointestinal symptoms remains prolonged, with an average delay of 3.5 years. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Radiologic diagnosis of abestos-ralated lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yoon Kyung; Kim, Jeung Sook; Kim, Yoo Kyung

    2015-01-01

    Asbestos was previously widely used due to its many favorable characteristics, such as durability, flexibility, and inexpensiveness. Asbestos has been prohibited in Korea since 2009, however, asbestos-related diseases remain an important public health issue because of its long latency time. Lung cancer is one of the most harmful asbestos-related diseases and patients with asbestos-related lung cancer receive compensation by law. The diagnosis of asbestos-related diseases is based on a detailed interview regarding the asbestos exposure, in addition to clinical, radiological, pathological, and laboratory data. This review provides a radiologic diagnosis of asbestos-related lung cancer

  13. Radiologic diagnosis of abestos-ralated lung cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yoon Kyung [Dept. of Radiology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jeung Sook [Dept. of Radiology, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yoo Kyung [Dept. of Radiology, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-12-15

    Asbestos was previously widely used due to its many favorable characteristics, such as durability, flexibility, and inexpensiveness. Asbestos has been prohibited in Korea since 2009, however, asbestos-related diseases remain an important public health issue because of its long latency time. Lung cancer is one of the most harmful asbestos-related diseases and patients with asbestos-related lung cancer receive compensation by law. The diagnosis of asbestos-related diseases is based on a detailed interview regarding the asbestos exposure, in addition to clinical, radiological, pathological, and laboratory data. This review provides a radiologic diagnosis of asbestos-related lung cancer.

  14. Diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy and the postpartum period: Iron deficiency anemia working group consensus report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Breyman

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available According to the World Health Organization (WHO, anemia is the most common disease, affecting >1.5 billion people worldwide. Furthermore, iron deficiency anemia (IDA accounts for 50% of cases of anemia. IDA is common during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and can lead to serious maternal and fetal complications. The aim of this report was to present the experiences of a multidisciplinary expert group, and to establish reference guidelines for the optimal diagnosis and treatment of IDA during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Studies and guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of IDA published in Turkish and international journals were reviewed. Conclusive recommendations were made by an expert panel aiming for a scientific consensus. Measurement of serum ferritin has the highest sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of IDA unless there is a concurrent inflammatory condition. The lower threshold value for hemoglobin (Hb in pregnant women is <11 g/dL during the 1st and 3rd trimesters, and <10.5 g/dL during the 2nd trimester. In postpartum period a Hb concentration <10 g/dL indicates clinically significant anemia. Oral iron therapy is given as the first-line treatment for IDA. Although current data are limited, intravenous (IV iron therapy is an alternative therapeutic option in patients who do not respond to oral iron therapy, have adverse reactions, do not comply with oral iron treatment, have a very low Hb concentration, and require rapid iron repletion. IV iron preparations can be safely used for the treatment of IDA during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and are more beneficial than oral iron preparations in specific indications.

  15. Diagnosis change in voice-disordered patients evaluated by primary care and/or otolaryngology: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Seth M; Dinan, Michaela A; Roy, Nelson; Kim, Jaewhan; Courey, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Accurate diagnosis of a voice disorder is an essential first step toward its appropriate treatment. We examined differences in laryngeal diagnosis over time in outpatients evaluated by primary care physicians (PCPs) and/or otolaryngologists. Retrospective analysis of data from a large, national administrative US claims database. Patients with laryngeal disorders based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2008, with at least 2 outpatient visits by a PCP and/or otolaryngologist and continuously enrolled for 12 months were included. The initial and final laryngeal diagnoses were tabulated. Of approximately 55 million individuals, 29,501 met inclusion criteria. More than half the patients in the PCP to otolaryngology group and one-third of the otolaryngology to otolaryngology group had different laryngeal diagnoses over time. Three-fourths of patients with an initial acute laryngitis diagnosis in the PCP to otolaryngology group and half of the otolaryngology to otolaryngology group had a different final laryngeal diagnosis. Of patients with a final laryngeal cancer diagnosis, one-fourth of the otolaryngology to otolaryngology group had an initial diagnosis of nonspecific dysphonia, and one-fifth of the PCP to otolaryngology group had an initial diagnosis of acute laryngitis. Differential diagnosis of voice disorders often evolves over time. The impact on treatment and health care utilization are important areas of future study.

  16. Online Diagnosis for the Capacity Fade Fault of a Parallel-Connected Lithium Ion Battery Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua Zhang

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available In a parallel-connected battery group (PCBG, capacity degradation is usually caused by the inconsistency between a faulty cell and other normal cells, and the inconsistency occurs due to two potential causes: an aging inconsistency fault or a loose contacting fault. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to perform online and real-time capacity fault diagnosis for PCBGs. Firstly, based on the analysis of parameter variation characteristics of a PCBG with different fault causes, it is found that PCBG resistance can be taken as an indicator for both seeking the faulty PCBG and distinguishing the fault causes. On one hand, the faulty PCBG can be identified by comparing the PCBG resistance among PCBGs; on the other hand, two fault causes can be distinguished by comparing the variance of the PCBG resistances. Furthermore, for online applications, a novel recursive-least-squares algorithm with restricted memory and constraint (RLSRMC, in which the constraint is added to eliminate the “imaginary number” phenomena of parameters, is developed and used in PCBG resistance identification. Lastly, fault simulation and validation results demonstrate that the proposed methods have good accuracy and reliability.

  17. Intergroup conflict management strategies as related to perceptions of dual identity and separate groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizman, Aharon; Yinon, Yoel

    2004-04-01

    The authors examined the relations between (a) the perceptions of dual identity and separate groups and (b) intergroup conflict management strategies, in two contexts: the conflict between the secular and religious sectors in Israel and the allocation of resources among organizational subunits. In both contexts, contention (i.e., forcing one's will on the other party) was associated with the perception of separate groups. Only in the organizational context, avoidance (i.e., doing nothing or discontinuing participation in the conflict) was associated with the perception of dual identity. Problem solving (i.e., finding a solution that is acceptable to both parties) was related to the perception of dual identity in the secular-religious context. In the organizational context, this relation appeared only under a low perception of separate groups. Yielding (i.e., satisfying the other party's needs at the expense of one's own) was related to the perception of dual identity in the organizational context. In the secular-religious context, this relation appeared only under a high perception of separate groups. The authors discussed the varying pattern of the associations between (a) the perceptions of dual identity and separate groups and (b) the conflict management strategies in the two contexts in terms of the Dual Concern Model and the perceived feasibility of the strategies.

  18. Two ways related to performance in elite sport: the path of self-confidence and competitive anxiety and the path of group cohesion and group goal-clarity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kjørmo, Odd; Halvari, Hallgeir

    2002-06-01

    A model tested among 136 Norwegian Olympic-level athletes yielded two paths related to performance. The first path indicated that self-confidence, modeled as an antecedent of competitive anxiety, is negatively correlated with anxiety. Competitive anxiety in turn is negatively correlated with performance. The second path indicated that group cohesion is positively correlated with group goal-clarity, which in turn is positively correlated with performance. Competitive anxiety mediates the relation between self-confidence and performance, whereas group goal-clarity mediates the relation between group cohesion and performance. Results from multiple regression analyses supported the model in the total sample and among individual sport athletes organized in training groups (n = 100). Among team sport athletes (n = 36), personality and group measures are more strongly intercorrelated than among individual sport athletes, and the relation with performance is more complex for the former group. The interaction of self-confidence and competitive anxiety is related to performance among team sport athletes.

  19. The effect of injury diagnosis on illness perceptions and expected postconcussion syndrome and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Karen A; Edmed, Shannon L; Kempe, Chloe

    2014-01-01

    To determine if systematic variation of diagnostic terminology (ie, concussion, minor head injury [MHI], mild traumatic brain injury [mTBI]) following a standardized injury description produced different expected symptoms and illness perceptions. We hypothesized that worse outcomes would be expected of mTBI, compared with other diagnoses, and that MHI would be perceived as worse than concussion. 108 volunteers were randomly allocated to conditions in which they read a vignette describing a motor vehicle accident-related mTBI followed by a diagnosis of mTBI (n = 27), MHI (n = 24), concussion (n = 31), or, no diagnosis (n = 26). All groups rated (a) event "undesirability," (b) illness perception, and (c) expected postconcussion syndrome (PCS) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms 6 months after injury. There was a statistically significant group effect on undesirability (mTBI > concussion and MHI), PTSD symptomatology (mTBI and no diagnosis > concussion), and negative illness perception (mTBI and no diagnosis > concussion). In general, diagnostic terminology did not affect anticipated PCS symptoms 6 months after injury, but other outcomes were affected. Given that these diagnostic terms are used interchangeably, this study suggests that changing terminology can influence known contributors to poor mTBI outcome.

  20. Diagnosis Related Groups as a Casemix/Management Tool for Hospice Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson-Hürzeler, R.; Leary, Robert J.; Hill, Claire L.

    1983-01-01

    to control the costs of care, and to remain prepared for changes in reimbursement methodologies, health care organizations are beginning to analyze their casemix and their costs per case of providing care. Increasing importance is thus assigned to the search for valid casemix measures and to the construction of information systems which will support casemix investigations. After two years of information systems development, The Connecticut Hospice has begun its search for casemix measures that are applicable to the care of the dying. In this paper, we present our findings on the application of one casemix measure - the DRG - in the specialized area of nonsurgical care of the terminally ill.

  1. A novel relational regularization feature selection method for joint regression and classification in AD diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaofeng; Suk, Heung-Il; Wang, Li; Lee, Seong-Whan; Shen, Dinggang

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, we focus on joint regression and classification for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and propose a new feature selection method by embedding the relational information inherent in the observations into a sparse multi-task learning framework. Specifically, the relational information includes three kinds of relationships (such as feature-feature relation, response-response relation, and sample-sample relation), for preserving three kinds of the similarity, such as for the features, the response variables, and the samples, respectively. To conduct feature selection, we first formulate the objective function by imposing these three relational characteristics along with an ℓ 2,1 -norm regularization term, and further propose a computationally efficient algorithm to optimize the proposed objective function. With the dimension-reduced data, we train two support vector regression models to predict the clinical scores of ADAS-Cog and MMSE, respectively, and also a support vector classification model to determine the clinical label. We conducted extensive experiments on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Our experimental results showed the efficacy of the proposed method in enhancing the performances of both clinical scores prediction and disease status identification, compared to the state-of-the-art methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Molecular Diagnosis of Phytoplasmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Marzachì

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Phytoplasmas are wall-less prokaryotes associated with diseases in numerous plant species worldwide. In nature they are transmitted by phloem-sucking insects. Yellowing, decline, witches’ broom, leaf curl, floral virescence and phyllody are the most conspicuous symptoms associated with phytoplasmas, although infections are sometimes asymptomatic. Since phytoplasmas cannot be cultured in vitro, molecular techniques are needed for their diagnosis and characterization. The titer of phytoplasma cells in the phloem of infected plants may vary according to the season and the plant species, and it is often very low in woody hosts. Different DNA extraction procedures have therefore been tried out to obtain phytoplasma DNA at a concentration and purity high enough for effective diagnosis. DNA/DNA hybridization methods were reported in the nineties to be appropriate for the detection of phytoplasmas, but at present PCR is considered the most suitable. Universal and group-specific primers have been designed on the rRNA operon of the phytoplasma genome and on plasmid sequences. RFLP analysis of the obtained amplicons has classified these pathogens into major 16Sr RNA groups. Group-specific primers have also been designed on other genomic sequences. PCR is a very sensitive technique, but due to the low titre of phytoplasmas a further increase in sensitivity may be required for accurate diagnosis. This is routinely obtained with a second round of PCR (nested PCR. The drawback of nested PCR is that there is a greater chance of obtaining false positives due to contamination. Many authors have therefore developed protocols based on hybridization (PCR/dot blot or serological approaches (PCR/ELISA to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the direct PCR, reducing the risks due to nested PCR. Real time PCR protocols may also improve the sensitivity and specificity of the direct PCR assay.

  3. Sickness Absence and Disability Pension After Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A 5-Year Nationwide Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvillemo, Pia; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Bränström, Richard; Nilsson, Kerstin; Alexanderson, Kristina

    2017-06-20

    Purpose To explore future diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer compared with women without breast cancer. Also, to examine associations with disease-related and sociodemographic factors among those with breast cancer. Methods Longitudinal register data on 3,547 women living in Sweden (age 20 to 65 years) who were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, and a matched comparison cohort (n = 14,188), were analyzed for the annual prevalence of diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension over 5 years. Logistic regressions were used to explore associations of disease-related and sociodemographic factors with future sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer. Results Immediately after being diagnosed with breast cancer, the proportion of women with sickness absence was high but decreased continuously from the 1st through 5th year after diagnosis (71%, 40%, 30%, 22%, and 19%, respectively). In comparison, the range for women without breast cancer was 17% to 11%, respectively. The higher prevalence of sickness absence after breast cancer was mainly a result of breast cancer diagnosis, not a mental diagnosis, or other somatic diagnoses. Advanced cancer at diagnosis, > 90 days sickness absence before diagnosis, low education, and being born outside Sweden were associated with higher odds ratios for sickness absence and disability pension (odds ratio range, 1.40 to 6.45). Conclusion The level of sickness absence increased substantially in women with breast cancer during the first year after diagnosis and approached the level of breast cancer-free women in the following years; however, even in the first year, most women were not on sickness absence for a substantial time, and even in high-risk groups, many were not on sickness absence or disability pension in the following years. Information about relatively low future sickness absence and disability pension levels can be used by

  4. Disclosure of Diagnosis in Early Recognition of Psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blessing, Andreas; Studer, Anna; Gross, Amelie; Gruss, L Forest; Schneider, Roland; Dammann, Gerhard

    2017-10-01

    There is a debate concerning risks and benefits of early intervention in psychosis, especially concerning diagnosis disclosure. The present study reports preliminary findings on self-reported locus of control and psychological distress after the disclosure of diagnosis in an early recognition center. We compared the ratings of the locus of control and psychological distress before and after communication of diagnosis. The study included individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) (n = 10), schizophrenia (n = 9), and other psychiatric disorders (n = 11). Results indicate greater endorsement of the internal locus of control in individuals with ARMS after communication of diagnosis in contrast to the other groups. Our results suggest that disclosure of diagnosis in an early recognition center leads to a reduction of psychological distress and increased feelings of control over one's health. Persons with ARMS seem to particularly benefit from disclosure of diagnosis as part of early intervention.

  5. Unraveling Executive Functioning in Dual Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duijkers, Judith C L M; Vissers, Constance Th W M; Egger, Jos I M

    2016-01-01

    In mental health, the term dual-diagnosis is used for the co-occurrence of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) with another mental disorder. These co-occurring disorders can have a shared cause, and can cause/intensify each other's expression. Forming a threat to health and society, dual-diagnosis is associated with relapses in addiction-related behavior and a destructive lifestyle. This is due to a persistent failure to control impulses and the maintaining of inadequate self-regulatory behavior in daily life. Thus, several aspects of executive functioning like inhibitory, shifting and updating processes seem impaired in dual-diagnosis. Executive (dys-)function is currently even seen as a shared underlying key component of most mental disorders. However, the number of studies on diverse aspects of executive functioning in dual-diagnosis is limited. In the present review, a systematic overview of various aspects of executive functioning in dual-diagnosis is presented, striving for a prototypical profile of patients with dual-diagnosis. Looking at empirical results, inhibitory and shifting processes appear to be impaired for SUD combined with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or cluster B personality disorders. Studies involving updating process tasks for dual-diagnosis were limited. More research that zooms in to the full diversity of these executive functions is needed in order to strengthen these findings. Detailed insight in the profile of strengths and weaknesses that underlies one's behavior and is related to diagnostic classifications, can lead to tailor-made assessment and indications for treatment, pointing out which aspects need attention and/or training in one's self-regulative abilities.

  6. Osteomyelitis diagnosis by 99mTc radiolabeled aptamers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, S.R.; Ferreira, I.M.; Andrade, A.S.R.; Barros, A.L.B.; Cardoso, V.N.; Diniz, O.F.

    2015-01-01

    Osteomyelitis, which is characterized by progressive inflammatory destruction and new opposition of bone, is still a difficult infection to treat. The clinical diagnosis in late stages is achieved easily, but an early diagnosis is more challenging. Staphylococcus aureus is a common agent found in osteomyelitis and bone prostheses infection. Diagnosis by scintigraphy has advantages because it is a non-invasive procedure and is able to perform an early diagnosis even before anatomic changes. Thus, nuclear medicine could contribute to an accurate diagnosis since specific radiopharmaceuticals were developed. In this study, aptamers selected to Staphylococcus aureus were labeled with 99m Tc and used for bacteria identification in an osteomyelitis experimental model. The aptamers selected to S. aureus were directly labelled with 99m Tc and were evaluated by biodistribution studies. Wistar rats with intraosseous infection in the right paw were used. A random aptamer labelled with 99m Tc was as control. Six animals were used in each group. The aptamers labeled with 99m Tc were able to identify the infection foci caused by S. aureus displaying a target/non-target ratio of 2,23 ± 0,20, after 3 h. The control group presented a target/non-target ratio 1,08 ± 0.23. The results indicated that the radiolabeled aptamers were able to identify specifically the infection foci and they should be further explored for infection diagnosis by scintigraphy. (author)

  7. Lessons learned in the trenches: facilitating exercise adherence among breast cancer survivors in a group setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Laura Q; Vicari, Sandy; Courneya, Kerry S

    2010-01-01

    Improving effectiveness of group exercise counseling for breast cancer survivors is needed. The objective of this study was to describe clinical observations, with research and translation implications, derived during group exercise counseling for breast cancer survivors. While implementing group session components of an effective social cognitive theory-based exercise intervention, observations were made through verbal discussion with study staff, review of participant feedback, and prospective journaling by the group facilitator. The intervention has been implemented 11 times (ie, 63 survivors; 66 group sessions). Thematic consistency, application to intervention goals and design, and implications were reconciled between 2 investigators. Breast cancer diagnosis was a strong source of commonality among group participants. Participant age, time since diagnosis, and expectation for group sessions (eg, group support vs health education) hindered group commonality. Barriers unique to the breast cancer experience were infrequent, but people-pleasing behavior was often identified as a barrier to adherence. Feeling at risk for cancer recurrence was a major concern. Some participants required referral for mental health evaluation for preexisting conditions (eg, depression). Although participants easily understood time management, application of other behavioral modification techniques was more difficult. A breast cancer diagnosis alone is not sufficient for commonality among group members. Teaching time management and positive reframing is essential. Protocols for appropriate mental health referrals are needed. Our observations will assist group facilitators in enhancing group dynamics and addressing obstacles hindering counseling effectiveness. Moreover, our results suggest hypotheses related to enhancing behavior change in a group setting worthy of future study.

  8. Peer group self-identification as a predictor of relational and physical aggression among high school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pokhrel, Pallav; Sussman, Steven; Black, David; Sun, Ping

    2010-05-01

    Adolescent peer group self-identification refers to adolescents' affiliation with reputation-based peer groups such as "Goths" or "Jocks." These groups tend to vary on normative characteristics, including the group members' attitudes and behaviors. This article examined whether adolescents' baseline peer group self-identification predicted their self-reported relational and physical aggression 1 year later. Self-report data were collected from 1614 students from 9 regular and 9 continuation (alternative) high schools in Southern California, at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Subjects' mean baseline age was 15.21 years (SD = 1.18) and 51.6% of the subjects were female. Findings indicated that compared with self-identified "Regular" or "Normal" students, adolescents who identified with high-risk peer groups (eg, "Druggies,"Goths") tended to report higher relational and physical aggression 1 year later, controlling for baseline aggression and demographic variables. In addition, adolescents' self-identification with high-status peer groups (eg, "Jocks,"Populars") was predictive of higher relational aggression 1 year later. Gender and school type (ie, regular vs continuation) were not found to moderate these effects. It appears that peer group self-identification is a salient predictor of physical and relational aggression across gender and school type. Adolescents who identify with high-risk peer groups tend to report higher levels of physical as well as relational aggression in the future. In addition, adolescents who affiliate with elite groups tend to become more relationally aggressive over time. School-based prevention programs targeting aggression may benefit from addressing the impacts of peer group self-identification on adolescents' aggressive behavior.

  9. Relation of ABO Blood Groups to the Plaque Characteristic of Coronary Atherosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xingtao; Zou, Yongpeng; Li, Lulu; Chen, Shuyuan; Hou, Jingbo; Yu, Bo

    2017-01-01

    The ABO blood types related to morphological characteristics of atherosclerosis plaque are not clear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between ABO blood groups and the coronary plaque characteristic. We retrospectively identified the target lesions in 392 acute coronary syndrome patients who underwent optical coherence tomography examination before stenting. Subjects were divided into different groups according to different blood types. The fibrous cap thickness was significantly thicker in O type compared with non-O type (0.075 ± 0.033 mm versus 0.061 ± 0.024, p blood type groups even between O type and non-O type group ( p > 0.05). The plaques of O type blood group were exhibited more stably compared with non-O type blood group. Moreover, the non-O type blood group have more serious coronary artery stenosis than O type blood group.

  10. Estimation of Direct Melanoma-related Costs by Disease Stage and by Phase of Diagnosis and Treatment According to Clinical Guidelines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Buja

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Cutaneous melanoma is a major concern in terms of healthcare systems and economics. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct costs of melanoma by disease stage, phase of diagnosis, and treatment according to the pre-set clinical guidelines drafted by the AIOM (Italian Medical Oncological Association. Based on the AIOM guidelines for malignant cutaneous melanoma, a highly detailed decision-making model was developed describing the patient’s pathway from diagnosis through the subsequent phases of disease staging, surgical and medical treatment, and follow-up. The model associates each phase potentially involving medical procedures with a likelihood measure and a cost, thus enabling an estimation of the expected costs by disease stage and clinical phase of melanoma diagnosis and treatment according to the clinical guidelines. The mean per-patient cost of the whole melanoma pathway (including one year of follow-up ranged from €149 for stage 0 disease to €66,950 for stage IV disease. The costs relating to each phase of the disease’s diagnosis and treatment depended on disease stage. It is essential to calculate the direct costs of managing malignant cutaneous melanoma according to clinical guidelines in order to estimate the economic burden of this disease and to enable policy-makers to allocate appropriate resources.

  11. What is the impact of antenatal diagnosis on long-term outlook?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garel, Laurent [CHU Ste-Justine, Department of Medical Imaging, Montreal (Canada)

    2008-06-15

    Congential malformations result in very significant consequences in paediatrics; more than 20% of infant mortality, more than 30% of paediatric ICU admissions, and one-third of overall admissions in the paediatric age group are linked to congential malformations. Health economics and antenatal diagnosis. Key issues yet to be addressed include: 1. Clarification of the objectives for screening for birth defects: Is it to detect cases or to prevent the birth of affected fetuses? 2. The establishment of the trade-of between resources allocated to screening and those allocated to help families and disabled children. 3. The value of a child born with structural or chromosomal defects compared with miscarriage of a normal fetus following amniocentesis. Apart from the ethical debates related to prenatal screening (variable expertise, rationing of resources, eugenics), the economic evaluations of antenatal diagnosis espouse the hypothesis and value judgment of the health commissioners. Indeed, prenatal screening and antenatal diagnosis carry high political and social stakes that make evidence-based evaluation of their impact more difficult than in any field in medicine. (orig.)

  12. Two experimental tests of relational models of procedural justice: non-instrumental voice and authority group membership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Platow, Michael J; Eggins, Rachael A; Chattopadhyay, Rachana; Brewer, Greg; Hardwick, Lisa; Milsom, Laurin; Brocklebank, Jacinta; Lalor, Thérèse; Martin, Rowena; Quee, Michelle; Vassallo, Sara; Welsh, Jenny

    2013-06-01

    In both a laboratory experiment (in Australia) using university as the basis of group membership, and a scenario experiment (in India) using religion as the basis of group membership, we observe more favourable respect and fairness ratings in response to an in-group authority than an out-group authority who administers non-instrumental voice. Moreover, we observe in our second experiment that reported likelihood of protest (herein called "social-change voice") was relatively high following non-instrumental voice from an out-group authority, but relatively low following non-instrumental voice from an in-group authority. Our findings are consistent with relational models of procedural justice, and extend the work by examining likely use of alternative forms of voice as well as highlighting the relative importance of instrumentality. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

  13. Classification of atrophic mucosal patterns on Blue LASER Imaging for endoscopic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis: A retrospective, observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishikawa, Yoshiyuki; Ikeda, Yoshio; Murakami, Hidehiro; Hori, Shin-Ichiro; Hino, Kaori; Sasaki, Chise; Nishikawa, Megumi

    2018-01-01

    Atrophic gastritis can be classified according to characteristic mucosal patterns observed by Blue LASER Imaging (BLI) in a medium-range to distant view. To facilitate the endoscopic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (HP)-related gastritis, we investigated whether atrophic mucosal patterns correlated with HP infection based on the image interpretations of three endoscopists blinded to clinical features. This study included 441 patients diagnosed as having atrophic gastritis by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Nishikawa Gastrointestinal Clinic between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016. The presence/absence of HP infection was not taken into consideration. Endoscopy was performed using a Fujifilm EG-L580NW scope. Atrophic mucosal patterns observed by BLI were classified into Spotty, Cracked and Mottled. Image interpretation results were that 89, 122 and 228 patients had the Spotty, Cracked and Mottled patterns, respectively, and 2 patients an undetermined pattern. Further analyses were performed on 439 patients, excluding the 2 with undetermined patterns. The numbers of patients testing negative/positive for HP infection in the Spotty, Cracked and Mottled pattern groups were 12/77, 105/17, and 138/90, respectively. The specificity, positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio for endoscopic diagnosis with positive HP infection based on the Spotty pattern were 95.3%, 86.5% and 8.9, respectively. In all patients with the Spotty pattern before HP eradication, the Cracked pattern was observed on subsequent post-eradication endoscopy. The Spotty pattern may represent the presence of HP infection, the Cracked pattern, a post-inflammatory change as seen after HP eradication, and the Mottled pattern, intestinal metaplasia.

  14. Health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease in a European-wide population-based cohort 10 years after diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huppertz-Hauss, Gert; Høivik, Marte Lie; Langholz, Ebbe; Odes, Selwyn; Småstuen, Milada; Stockbrugger, Reinhold; Hoff, Geir; Moum, Bjørn; Bernklev, Tomm

    2015-02-01

    Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) negatively affects the patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Only a few population-based studies have compared the HRQoL of patients with the background population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HRQoL in a European cohort of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease 10 years after diagnosis (European Collaborative study group of Inflammatory Bowel Disease) compared with the national background population in each country and to assess possible country-specific differences. Patients with IBD from 7 European countries were invited to a follow-up visit 10 years after their diagnosis of IBD. We assessed their clinical and demographic data, including the generic HRQoL questionnaire short form health survey-36. Countrywise comparison with the background population was performed with z-scores using the Cohen's effect size index. Seven hundred sixty-nine patients were eligible for the study. We registered statistically significant and clinically relevant decreases in the short form health survey-36 dimensional scores in patients with symptoms at the time of follow-up and for patients reporting sick leave during the previous year or having received disablement pension. In the Netherlands and Norway, there was a moderate difference between the patients with IBD and the background population for the general health dimension. Overall, the HRQoL was not reduced in the IBD cohort compared with the background populations. However, in addition to older age and female gender, current symptoms at follow-up, disablement pension, and sick leave during the previous year were significantly associated with a reduced HRQoL in patients with IBD.

  15. A case of nivolumab-related cholangitis and literature review: how to look for the right tools for a correct diagnosis of this rare immune-related adverse event.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelsomino, Francesco; Vitale, Giovanni; Ardizzoni, Andrea

    2018-02-01

    Anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, used for the treatment of several tumors, can trigger effector T-cells against tumor- and self-antigens, leading to the occurrence of different immune-related adverse events. Among them, liver injuries are rare and usually transient. To date, only four cases of immune-related cholangitis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have been described during nivolumab treatment. Here, we describe laboratory tests, imaging and liver biopsy features that confirm this diagnosis as opposed to other forms of autoimmune liver disease; nevertheless, we also provide evidence of the presence of different clinical-pathological patterns of immune-related cholangitis.

  16. Diagnosis and management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikfarjam, Mehrdad; Wilson, Jeremy S; Smith, Ross C

    2017-08-21

    In 2015, the Australasian Pancreatic Club (APC) published the Australasian guidelines for the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (http://pancreas.org.au/2016/01/pancreatic-exocrine-insufficiency-guidelines). Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) occurs when normal digestion cannot be sustained due to insufficient pancreatic digestive enzyme activity. This may be related to a breakdown, at any point, in the pancreatic digestive chain: pancreatic stimulation; synthesis, release or transportation of pancreatic enzymes; or synchronisation of secretions to mix with ingested food. Main recommendations: The guidelines provide advice on diagnosis and management of PEI, noting the following: A high prevalence of PEI is seen in certain diseases and conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and pancreatic surgery. The main symptoms of PEI are steatorrhoea or diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and weight loss. These symptoms are non-specific and often go undetected and untreated. PEI diagnosis is predominantly based on clinical findings and the presence of underlying disease. The likelihood of PEI in suspected patients has been categorised into three groups: definite, possible and unlikely. If left untreated, PEI may lead to complications related to fat malabsorption and malnutrition, and have an impact on quality of life. Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) remains the mainstay of PEI treatment with the recommended adult initial enzyme dose being 25 000-40 000 units of lipase per meal, titrating up to a maximum of 75 000-80 000 units of lipase per meal. Adjunct acid-suppressing therapy may be useful when patients still experience symptoms of PEI on high dose PERT. Nutritional management by an experienced dietitian is essential. Changes in management as a result of these guidelines: These are the first guidelines to classify PEI as being definite, possible or unlikely, and provide a diagnostic algorithm to

  17. The quality of diagnosis and management of migraine and tension-type headache in three social groups in Russia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lebedeva, Elena R; Kobzeva, Natalia R; Gilev, Denis V

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Three successive editions of the International Classification of Headache Disorders and multiple guideline papers on headache care have described evidence based diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders. It remains unknown, however, to which extent this has improved the diagnosis ...

  18. diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis in Kenyan cattle

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A total of 55 cattle divided into two groups of experimentally (n =30) and naturally ... sensitive than meat inspection in the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis, detecting .... The second group of 15 calves was ... ined for the presence of C. bovis. .... variable and pour ' ..... appropriate intermediate host is dependent on:- the state.

  19. Impression cytology diagnosis of ulcerative eyelid malignancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sen, S; Lyngdoh, A D; Pushker, N; Meel, R; Bajaj, M S; Chawla, B

    2015-02-01

    The utility of impression cytology in ocular diseases has predominantly been restricted to the diagnosis of dry eye, limbal stem cell deficiency and conjunctival neoplasias. Its role in malignant eyelid lesions remains largely unexplored. Although scrape cytology is more popular for cutaneous lesions, impression cytology, being non-traumatic, has an advantage in small and delicate areas such as the eyelid. The present study has been designed to evaluate its role in the diagnosis and management of malignant eyelid lesions. Thirty-two histopathologically proven malignant eyelid lesions diagnosed over a 2-year period, including 13 basal cell carcinomas, 11 sebaceous carcinomas, four squamous cell carcinomas, two malignant melanomas and two poorly differentiated carcinomas, formed the study group. The results of impression cytology were compared with those of histopathology in the study group and with an age- and sex-matched group of benign cases as controls. The sensitivity of impression cytology was 84% (27/32) for the diagnosis of malignancy and 28% (9/32) for categorization of the type of malignancy. Impression cytology is a simple, useful, non-invasive technique for the detection of malignant ulcerative eyelid lesions. It is especially useful as a follow-up technique for the detection of recurrences. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Current approaches on non-invasive prenatal diagnosis: Prenatal genomics, transcriptomics, personalized fetal diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuba Günel

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Recent developments in molecular genetics improved our knowledge on fetal genome and physiology. Novel scientific innovations in prenatal diagnosis have accelerated in the last decade changing our vision immensely. Data obtained from fetal genomic studies brought new insights to fetal medicine and by the advances in fetal DNA and RNA sequencing technology novel treatment strategies has evolved. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis found ground in genetics and the results are widely studied in scientific arena. When Lo and colleges proved fetal genetic material can be extracted from maternal plasma and fetal DNA can be isolated from maternal serum, the gate to many exciting discoveries was open. Microarray technology and advances in sequencing helped fetal diagnosis as well as other areas of medicine. Today it is a very crucial prerequisite for physicians practicing prenatal diagnosis to have a profound knowledge in genetics. Prevailing practical use and application of fetal genomic tests in maternal and fetal medicine mandates obstetricians to update their knowledge in genetics. The purpose of this review is to assist physicians to understand and update their knowledge in fetal genetic testing from maternal blood, individualized prenatal counseling and advancements on the subject by sharing our experiences as İstanbul University Fetal Nucleic Acid Research Group.

  1. Anti-mullerian hormon level and polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahrzad Zadehmodarres

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS is a common endocrinopathy that accompanied with long term complications. The early diagnosis of this syndrome can prevent it. Objective: The aim was to determine the role of anti-mullerian hormon (AMH in PCOS diagnosis and to find cut off level of it. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, 117 women between 20-40 years old were participated in two groups: 60 PCOS women (based on Rotterdam criteria consensus as the case group and 57 normal ovulatory women as the control group. In day 2-4 of cycle, transvaginal sonography was performed and serum hormonal level of AMH, luteinizing hormone (LH, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH, estradiol (E2, testosterone, fasting blood sugar (FBS, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH, and prolactin (PRL were measured in all of participants. For all of them score of hirsutism (base on Freeman-Galloway scoring was determined. Results: There were statistically significant in irregular pattern of menstruation, AMH and FSH level, and presence of hirsutism between two groups. But regarding mean of age, body mass index, plasma level of PRL, TSH, LH, Testosterone, FBS, and E2 differences were not significant. Construction by ROC curve present 3.15 ng/ml as AMH cut off with 70.37% sensitivity and 77.36% specificity in order to PCOS diagnosis. Conclusion: AMH with cut off level of 3.15 ng/ml with sensitivity 70.37% and specificity 77.36% could use for early diagnosis of PCOS patients.

  2. History of stress-related health changes: a cue to pursue a diagnosis of latent primary adrenal insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Toshihide

    2014-01-01

    Routine delays in the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) are well known and conceivably attributable to the absence of cues, other than anti-adrenal autoantibodies, to pursue subclinical PAI. Subclinical PAI is latent unless the afflicted patient encounters stress such as an acute illness, surgery, psychosocial burden, etc. It remains to be demonstrated whether a history of stress-related health changes is a useful cue to pursue a diagnosis of latent PAI. The patients were selected for a history of recurrent symptoms, i.e., gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, or lassitude, aggravated by stress and alleviated by the removal of stress, and signs, i.e., weight loss, hypotension, and hyperpigmentation. As the early morning cortisol levels were low or low-normal and the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were within the reference ranges, provocation tests, i.e., insulin-induced hypoglycemia tests and low-dose (1 μg) corticotropin tests (LDTs), were used to estimate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis status. Patients with the HPA axis dysfunction on two provocation tests were supplemented with physiologic doses of glucocorticoids (GCs). The effects of GC supplementation on stress-related health changes were observed. The ACTH levels after insulin-induced hypoglycemia were higher and the cortisol levels were lower in the patients than in the control subjects. The cortisol levels in the patients were increased less significantly by LDT than those observed in the control subjects. Stress-related health changes ceased to recur and signs, i.e., a low body weight, hypotension, and hyperpigmentation, were ameliorated following GC supplementation. A history of stress-related health changes is useful as a cue to pursue latent PAI in patients with low or low-normal early morning cortisol levels.

  3. Social groups preferences relation to motivations and ability levels of whitewater kayakers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seth Turner; Rod Zwick

    2002-01-01

    Social groups play an important role in many adventure recreation activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the social group preference relation to motives and ability levels of whitewater kayakers. When participants go out on a kayaking trip they are seeking varying degrees of experiences, a major contributor to that experience comes from the members of...

  4. The importance of role distribution in working groups : an evaluation of two different groups working in the same environment based on self-evaluation and observer-reported data by the use of SPGR-Systematizing the Person Group Relation

    OpenAIRE

    Nyheim, Linda

    2007-01-01

    ABSTRACT The present thesis examines personal and group relations. Two groups served as the study context: one group of doctors and one group of nurses. SPGR – Systematizing the Person Group Relation – was used as a framework. SPGR is a theory on how behaviour and relations develop in groups and organizations. The purpose of the study was to investigate typical tendencies in groups to identify the prevailing functions based on the formative SPGR dimensions Nurture, Dependency, Contro...

  5. Health-related quality of life in women with breast cancer in Korea: do sociodemographic characteristics and time since diagnosis make a difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Young Ran; Seo, Kumin

    2010-07-01

    To describe whether levels of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) differ by sociodemographic characteristics and time since breast cancer diagnosis in women in Korea. A descriptive, cross-sectional study of women with breast cancer. An outpatient clinic of one large hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea. A convenience sample of 244 women with breast cancer after mastectomy. Study participants completed sociodemographic characteristics and HRQOL questionnaires. Medical charts were reviewed to determine time since breast cancer diagnosis. Sociodemographic characteristics (age, marital status, employment status, education, monthly household income, and religion), time since diagnosis, and HRQOL. The psychological well-being domain scored the lowest among domains of HRQOL. Women who are younger, married, unemployed, highly educated, or religious, with higher monthly household income or with greater than one year elapsed time since diagnosis, had higher HRQOL. Study findings will be useful to establish priorities in planning nursing interventions to enhance HRQOL in care of women with breast cancer. Nursing interventions can be provided to Korean women with breast cancer who are not religious, who are older, single or widowed, or employed, with lower education level, with lower monthly household income, or with one year or less elapsed time since breast cancer diagnosis.

  6. Loop space representation of quantum general relativity and the group of loops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gambini, R.

    1991-01-01

    The action of the constraints of quantum general relativity on a general state in the loop representation is coded in terms of loop derivatives. These differential operators are related to the infinitesimal generators of the group of loops and generalize the area derivative first considered by Mandelstam. A new sector of solutions of the physical states space of nonperturbative quantum general relativity is found. (orig.)

  7. To Know or Not to Know: Ethical Issues Related to Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niklas Mattsson

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In Alzheimer's disease (AD, pathological processes start in the brain long before clinical dementia. Biomarkers reflecting brain alterations may therefore indicate disease at an early stage, enabling early diagnosis. This raises several ethical questions and the potential benefits of early diagnosis must be weighted against possible disadvantages. Currently, there are few strong arguments favouring early diagnosis, due to the lack of disease modifying therapy. Also, available diagnostic methods risk erroneous classifications, with potentially grave consequences. However, a possible benefit of early diagnosis even without disease modifying therapy is that it may enable early decision making when patients still have full decision competence, avoiding problems of hypothetical consents. It may also help identifying patients with cognitive dysfunction secondary to other diseases that may be responsive to treatment already today.

  8. A Rolling Element Bearing Fault Diagnosis Approach Based on Multifractal Theory and Gray Relation Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingchao; Cao, Yunpeng; Ying, Yulong; Li, Shuying

    2016-01-01

    Bearing failure is one of the dominant causes of failure and breakdowns in rotating machinery, leading to huge economic loss. Aiming at the nonstationary and nonlinear characteristics of bearing vibration signals as well as the complexity of condition-indicating information distribution in the signals, a novel rolling element bearing fault diagnosis method based on multifractal theory and gray relation theory was proposed in the paper. Firstly, a generalized multifractal dimension algorithm was developed to extract the characteristic vectors of fault features from the bearing vibration signals, which can offer more meaningful and distinguishing information reflecting different bearing health status in comparison with conventional single fractal dimension. After feature extraction by multifractal dimensions, an adaptive gray relation algorithm was applied to implement an automated bearing fault pattern recognition. The experimental results show that the proposed method can identify various bearing fault types as well as severities effectively and accurately.

  9. Interpretation of the gamma interferon test for diagnosis of subclinical paratuberculosis in cattle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jungersen, Gregers; Huda, A.; Hansen, J.J.

    2002-01-01

    A group of 252 cattle without clinical signs of paratuberculosis (paraTB) in 10 herds infected with paraTB and a group of 117 cattle in 5 herds without paraTB were selected. Whole-blood samples were stimulated with bovine, avian, and johnin purified protein derivative (PPD) and examined for gamma...... interferon (IFN-gamma) release. For diagnosis of paraTB, satisfactory estimated specificities (95 to 99%) could be obtained by johnin PPD stimulation irrespective of interpretation relative to bovine PPD or no-antigen stimulation alone, but numbers of test positives in the infected herds varied from 64...

  10. Value of combined detection of serum AFP and GP73 in early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GAO Haifeng

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the value of combined detection of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP and Golgi protein-73 (GP73 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and to provide a basis for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC. MethodsA total of 408 patients hospitalized in Baoji Central Hospital from June 2012 to May 2013, as well as healthy persons who had normal test results in physical examination, were included in the study, and their specimens were collected. These patients were classified into HCC group (n=142, chronic hepatitis group (n=156, and liver cirrhosis group (n=110. Serum levels of AFP and GP73 in the three groups were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Comparison of test results between groups was made by analysis of variance, and comparison of rates was made by chi-square test. The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were calculated using MedCalc statistical software. ResultsThe HCC group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the liver cirrhosis group and chronic hepatitis group (P<0.05; the liver cirrhosis group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the chronic hepatitis group (P<0.05. The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were 95.8% and 98.6%, respectively, showing significant differences compared with those of each indicator alone (P<0.05. ConclusionCombined detection of serum AFP and GP73 has high diagnostic value and clinical significance for HCC, and they can be used as indicators for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC.

  11. Decomposing one-relator products of cyclic groups into free products with amalgamation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benyash-Krivets, V V

    1998-01-01

    The problem of the decomposition of one-relator products of cyclics into non-trivial free products with amalgamation is considered. Two theorems are proved, one of which is as follows. Let G= 2n =R m (a,b)=1>, where n≥0, m≥2, and R(a,b) is a cyclically reduced word containing b in the free group on a and b. Then G is a non-trivial free product with amalgamation. One consequence of this theorem is a proof of the conjecture of Fine, Levin, and Rosenberger that each two-generator one-relator group with torsion is a non-trivial free product with amalgamation

  12. Update on Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy: A Consensus Guideline of the Working Group of Ocular Health (Spanish Society of Diabetes and Spanish Vitreous and Retina Society)

    OpenAIRE

    Borja Corcóstegui; Santiago Durán; María Olga González-Albarrán; Cristina Hernández; José María Ruiz-Moreno; Javier Salvador; Patricia Udaondo; Rafael Simó

    2017-01-01

    A group of members of the Spanish Retina and Vitreous Society (SERV) and of the Working Group of Ocular Health of the Spanish Society of Diabetes (SED) updated knowledge regarding the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) based on recent evidence reported in the literature. A synthesis of this consensus forms the basis of the present review, which is intended to inform clinicians on current advances in the field of DR and their clinical applicability to patients with this disea...

  13. Knee osteoarthritis related pain: a narrative review of diagnosis and treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alshami, Ali M.

    2014-01-01

    Background Osteoarthritis is a common progressive joint disease, involving not only the joint lining but also cartilage, ligaments, and bone. For the last ten years, majority of published review articles were not specific to osteoarthritis of the knee, and strength of evidence and clinical guidelines were not appropriately summarized. Objectives To appraise the literature by summarizing the findings of current evidence and clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of knee osteoarthritis pain. Methodology English journal articles that focused on knee osteoarthritis related pain were searched via PubMed (1 January 2002 – 26 August 2012) and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases, using the terms ‘knee’, ‘osteoarthritis’ and ‘pain’. In addition, reference lists from identified articles and related book chapters were included as comprehensive overviews. Results For knee osteoarthritis, the highest diagnostic accuracy can be achieved by presence of pain and five or more clinical or laboratory criteria plus osteophytes. Some inconsistencies in the recommendations and findings were found between the clinical guidelines and systematic reviews. Generally, paracetamol, oral and topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, corticosteroid injections and physical therapy techniques, such as therapeutic exercises, joint manual therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, can help reduce pain and improve function. Patient education programs and weight reduction for overweight patients are important to be considered. Conclusions Some inconsistencies in the recommendations and findings were found between the clinical guidelines and systematic reviews. However, it is likely that a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments is most effective in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. PMID:24899883

  14. 'It's quite hard to grasp the enormity of it': perceived needs of people upon diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radford, S; Carr, M; Hehir, M; Davis, B; Robertson, L; Cockshott, Z; Tipler, S; Hewlett, S

    2008-09-01

    The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) brings rapid pharmacological and multidisciplinary team interventions to address inflammatory processes and symptom management. However, people may also need support on the journey to self-management. The aim of this study was to explore what professional support patients feel they receive upon diagnosis, and what support they feel would be most helpful. Two focus groups comprised patients with at least five years'; disease duration (n = 7), and patients more recently diagnosed (5-18 months, n = 5). The latter had attended at least two appointments in a rheumatology nurse specialist clinic during the previous year, aimed at providing support upon diagnosis. Transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis to identify common issues regarding support needs, which were then grouped into themes. Interviewing and analysis was performed by researchers not involved in clinical care. Four overarching themes emerged. 'Information' was needed about the symptoms of RA, its management and personal outcome, while 'Support' related to emotional needs ('It's quite hard to grasp the enormity of it'). Information and Support overlapped, in that patients wanted someone to talk to, and to be listened to. These two themes were underpinned by issues of service delivery: 'Choice' (patient or professional to talk to, groups, one-to-one) and 'Involvement' (holistic care, partnership), which overlapped in terms of the opportunity to decide when and which interventions to access. People with RA report not only informational, but also emotional support needs at diagnosis. The potential for delivering emotional support to patients around the time of diagnosis warrants further exploration. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Raman spectral feature selection using ant colony optimization for breast cancer diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallahzadeh, Omid; Dehghani-Bidgoli, Zohreh; Assarian, Mohammad

    2018-06-04

    Pathology as a common diagnostic test of cancer is an invasive, time-consuming, and partially subjective method. Therefore, optical techniques, especially Raman spectroscopy, have attracted the attention of cancer diagnosis researchers. However, as Raman spectra contain numerous peaks involved in molecular bounds of the sample, finding the best features related to cancerous changes can improve the accuracy of diagnosis in this method. The present research attempted to improve the power of Raman-based cancer diagnosis by finding the best Raman features using the ACO algorithm. In the present research, 49 spectra were measured from normal, benign, and cancerous breast tissue samples using a 785-nm micro-Raman system. After preprocessing for removal of noise and background fluorescence, the intensity of 12 important Raman bands of the biological samples was extracted as features of each spectrum. Then, the ACO algorithm was applied to find the optimum features for diagnosis. As the results demonstrated, by selecting five features, the classification accuracy of the normal, benign, and cancerous groups increased by 14% and reached 87.7%. ACO feature selection can improve the diagnostic accuracy of Raman-based diagnostic models. In the present study, features corresponding to ν(C-C) αhelix proline, valine (910-940), νs(C-C) skeletal lipids (1110-1130), and δ(CH2)/δ(CH3) proteins (1445-1460) were selected as the best features in cancer diagnosis.

  16. EVALUATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN RELATION TO ULTRASONOGRAPHIC FINDING IN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragan Lončar

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The implantation of the fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity leads to the development of ectopic pregnancy. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is 1/100 births. The most common place of ectopic implantation of the fertilized ovum is the oviduct (98% with predilection for the ampullar part of the Fallopian tube. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive importance of beta-hCG and progesterone concentration compared to ultrasonographic finding in the ectopic pregnancy diagnosis.We examined 24 patients with ectopic pregnancies which we divided according to the days of amenorrhea into two groups: the first group with the total of 28 patients from 16–42 days and another group of 8 patients with amenorrhea longer than 42 days. The control group was comprised of 20 patients with vital intrauterine pregnancy, gestational age of 42-52 days. Blood samples for quantitative determination of hormones were collected on three occasions after 48 hours in the forenoon time in the examined and control group of pregnant women. Ultrasonographic examinations of all pregnant women were carried out immediately after blood sampling, with the trans-vaginal approach using "make loop" option, and measurements with an accuracy of 0.1 mm.Mean values for beta-hCG range from 698-1774 mlU/ml in the first group of pregnant women, and in the second group of 1896 mlU/ml to 4410 mlU/ml with a statistically significant difference compared to the values in the control group (p <0.001. The concentration of progesterone in the first group of women ranging from 41-70 nmol/l, and in the second group of 76-94 nmol/l which is also the statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p<0.002. We have shown that ultrasonographic finding with its parameters reliably predicts the values of biochemical parameters both in normal intrauterine pregnancy and in the case of ectopic pregnancy.Embryo viability and implantation place condition the values of

  17. Computer assisted diagnosis of benign bone tumours

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samardziski, M.; Zafiroski, G.; Janevska, V.; Miladinova, D.; Popeska, Z.

    2004-01-01

    Background. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) of benign bone tumours (BBT) and their histological type. Patients and method. Altogether 120 patients were included in two groups. The retrospective group comprised 68 patients in whom the histological type of BBT was known prior to computer analysis. The prospective group comprised 52 patients in whom the histological type of BBT was unknown prior to computer analysis. Computer program was efficient and easy to use. Results. Average percent of histological type confirmed with CAD in the retrospective and prospective groups was 72.06% and 76.92%, respectively. Histological confirmation of CAD in specific BBT was 91.42% for enchondroma, 96.15% for osteoid-osteoma, and 98.08% for osteochondroma. Significantly lower percentage of CAD confirmation of fibroma, chondromixoid fibroma, osteoclastoma, desmoplastic fibroma and osteobalstoma due to their adverse biological character or complex anatomic localization is understandable. Conclusions. The results speak in favour of the assumption that computer assisted diagnosis of bone tumours program may improve the diagnostic accuracy of the examiner. (author)

  18. Analysis of operators' diagnosis tasks based on cognitive process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Yong; Zhang Li

    2012-01-01

    Diagnosis tasks in nuclear power plants characterized as high-dynamic uncertainties are complex reasoning tasks. Diagnosis errors are the main causes for the error of commission. Firstly, based on mental model theory and perception/action cycle theory, a cognitive model for analyzing operators' diagnosis tasks is proposed. Then, the model is used to investigate a trip event which occurred at crystal river nuclear power plant. The application demonstrates typical cognitive bias and mistakes which operators may make when performing diagnosis tasks. They mainly include the strong confirmation tendency, difficulty to produce complete hypothesis sets, group mindset, non-systematic errors in hypothesis testing, and etc. (authors)

  19. Early diagnosis of sub-clinical stage of diabetic retinopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-Hui Xu

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the early diagnosis of sub-clinic stage of diabetic retinopathy.METHODS: This was cross sectional study,multifocal retina electroretinogram(mf-ERG, contrast sensitivity(CSand central retinal artery color Doppler examination were recorded from 30 cases(30 eyesmatched control subjects, 35 cases(35 eyeswith type 2 diabetes mellitus(DMwithout diabetic retinopathy(NDRand 38 cases(38 eyeswith non-prolifera tive diabetic retinopathy(NPDR. One-way ANOVA and SNK-q test were used for data analysis.RESULTS: P1 response density of NDR patients were found decrease, N1 implicit time were delayed. Which were related with the degree of retinopathy(PPPP>0.05, The differences between normal group, NDR group and NPDR group were found statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: mf-ERG and CS are sensitive indexes for early evaluation of visual function in patients with diabetes mellitus, with development of the disease, CRA blood flow also appears to decline.

  20. A Fuzzy Method for Medical Diagnosis of Headache

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Jeong-Yong; Mun, Kill-Sung; Kim, Young-Hyun; Oh, Sun-Young; Han, Beom-Soo

    In this note we propose a fuzzy diagnosis of headache. The method is based on the relations between symptoms and diseases. For this purpose, we suggest a new diagnosis measure using the occurrence information of patient's symptoms and develop an improved interview chart with fuzzy degrees assigned according to the relation among symptoms and three labels of headache. The proposed method is illustrated by two examples.

  1. Screening and preventive diagnosis with radiological imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reiser, M.F. [University Hospitals - Grosshadern and Innenstadt (Germany). Dept. of Clinical Radiology; Kaick, G. van [Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg (Germany); Fink, C.; Schoenberg, S.O. (eds.) [Univ. Hospital Mannheim (Germany). Dept. of Clinical Radiology

    2008-07-01

    Continuous technical developments have improved the potential of organ-based radiological diagnostics and have now also led to the use of dedicated whole-body examinations in the field of screening and preventive diagnosis. This book aims to provide clinicians with a broad understanding of screening and preventive diagnosis using radiological imaging. The first part of the book is dedicated to the fundamentals of screening and preventive diagnosis, and comprises chapters on epidemiology and pathology, technical and organizational aspects of radiological screening, legal and ethical issues, and cost-benefit analysis. The second part of the book discusses in depth the most important practical examples of radiological screening and surveillance, both for unselected populations and for individual risk groups. (orig.)

  2. Screening and preventive diagnosis with radiological imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reiser, M.F.; Fink, C.; Schoenberg, S.O.

    2008-01-01

    Continuous technical developments have improved the potential of organ-based radiological diagnostics and have now also led to the use of dedicated whole-body examinations in the field of screening and preventive diagnosis. This book aims to provide clinicians with a broad understanding of screening and preventive diagnosis using radiological imaging. The first part of the book is dedicated to the fundamentals of screening and preventive diagnosis, and comprises chapters on epidemiology and pathology, technical and organizational aspects of radiological screening, legal and ethical issues, and cost-benefit analysis. The second part of the book discusses in depth the most important practical examples of radiological screening and surveillance, both for unselected populations and for individual risk groups. (orig.)

  3. Impact of the discovery of crude oil on inter-group relations between ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Impact of the discovery of crude oil on inter-group relations between Isoko and her immediate neighbours in the western Niger Delta of Nigeria. ... The article shows that the discovery of crude oil petroleum in the western Niger Delta marked a watershed in the history of intergroup relations in the area. Keywords: Discovery ...

  4. Trouble with ataxia: A longitudinal qualitative study of the diagnosis and medical management of a group of rare, progressive neurological conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ealing, John; Greenfield, Julie; Kingston, Helen; Sanders, Caroline; Payne, Katherine

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: An exploratory investigation of diagnosis and management in progressive ataxias: rare neurological conditions usually affecting balance, mobility and speech. Methods: A longitudinal qualitative study into the experiences of people with ataxia and neurologists. Thematic analysis and follow-up interviews were used to determine diagnosis and management issues over time. Results: People with ataxia recruited via two hospital departments and Ataxia UK were interviewed at baseline (n = 38) and 12-month follow-up (n = 31). Eight consultant neurologists were interviewed once. Patient accounts were diverse, but many expressed frustration at having an incurable condition and dissatisfaction with service outcomes. At follow-up, there was variation in their contact and satisfaction with helping agencies. Service issues regarding continuity of care and the primary/secondary care interface were evident. Neurologists’ accounts also varied. One-half reported that there is nothing that can be done, and one-half favoured specialist referral to increase the likelihood of finding an underlying aetiology within budget constraints. Conclusions: Diagnostic uncertainties existing at baseline remained for patients at follow-up interviews, although some had learned to deal with the uncertainties brought by the diagnosis of a largely untreatable condition. Care pathways only seemed to operate in the case of defined conditions, such as Friedreich’s Ataxia, the most commonly inherited cause. The findings point to a need to develop the evidence base to inform the relative utility of diagnostic procedures in the context of finite resources for patient care and support. PMID:26770684

  5. Active fault diagnosis in closed-loop uncertain systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Niemann, Hans Henrik

    2006-01-01

    Fault diagnosis of parametric faults in closed-loop uncertain systems by using an auxiliary input vector is considered in this paper, i.e. active fault diagnosis (AFD). The active fault diagnosis is based directly on the socalled fault signature matrix, related to the YJBK (Youla, Jabr, Bongiorno...... and Kucera) parameterization. Conditions are given for exact detection and isolation of parametric faults in closed-loop uncertain systems....

  6. 75 FR 66125 - Federal Land Managers' Air Quality Related Values Work Group (FLAG)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-27

    ... pollutants that could affect the health and status of resources in areas managed by the three agencies... Work Group (FLAG) AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of final... Public Comments document. The Federal Land Managers' Air Quality Related Values Work Group (FLAG) was...

  7. Vital Signs: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing and Diagnosis Delays - United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dailey, Andre F; Hoots, Brooke E; Hall, H Irene; Song, Ruiguang; Hayes, Demorah; Fulton, Paul; Prejean, Joseph; Hernandez, Angela L; Koenig, Linda J; Valleroy, Linda A

    2017-12-01

    Persons unaware of their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection account for approximately 40% of ongoing transmissions in the United States. Persons are unaware of their infection because of delayed HIV diagnoses that represent substantial missed opportunities to improve health outcomes and prevent HIV transmission. Data from CDC's National HIV Surveillance System were used to estimate, among persons with HIV infection diagnosed in 2015, the median interval (and range) from infection to diagnosis (diagnosis delay), based on the first CD4 test after HIV diagnosis and a CD4 depletion model indicating disease progression and, among persons living with HIV in 2015, the percentage with undiagnosed infection. Data from CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance were analyzed to determine the percentage of persons at increased risk for HIV infection who had tested in the past 12 months and who had missed opportunities for testing. An estimated 15% of persons living with HIV in 2015 were unaware of their infection. Among the 39,720 persons with HIV infection diagnosed in 2015, the estimated median diagnosis delay was 3.0 years (interquartile range = 0.7-7.8 years); diagnosis delay varied by race/ethnicity (from 2.2 years among whites to 4.2 years among Asians) and transmission category (from 2.0 years among females who inject drugs to 4.9 years among heterosexual males). Among persons interviewed through National HIV Behavioral Surveillance, 71% of men who have sex with men, 58% of persons who inject drugs, and 41% of heterosexual persons at increased risk for HIV infection reported testing in the past 12 months. In each risk group, at least two thirds of persons who did not have an HIV test had seen a health care provider in the past year. Delayed HIV diagnoses continue to be substantial for some population groups and prevent early entry to care to improve health outcomes and reduce HIV transmission to others. Health care providers and others providing HIV testing

  8. The importance of illness duration, age at diagnosis and the year of diagnosis for labour participation chances of people with chronic illness: results of a nationwide panel-study in The Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rijken, Mieke; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Schippers, Joop; Groenewegen, Peter P

    2013-09-04

    Compared to participation rates among general populations, participation of people with chronic illness in the labour market lags behind. This is undesirable, both from the perspective of individuals' well-being as from a macro-economic perspective for western countries where concerns exist about labour supply and sustainability of social security in the near future. To help develop successful policy measures to prevent early drop-out and support reintegration, we aimed to gain insight into the role of three age related characteristics that may relate to labour participation chances of people with chronic illness: the duration of their illness, how old they were when the chronic disease was diagnosed and the historical year in which the diagnosis was established. We analyzed data of one (first) measurement of several cohorts of people diagnosed with a somatic chronic disease, who (had) participated in the Dutch 'National Panel of people with Chronic illness or Disability' since 1998 (N = 4634 in total). Multi-level logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate random effects of the age at diagnosis and the year of diagnosis and fixed effects of illness duration on labour participation, while correcting for the effects of socio-demographic and disease characteristics and socio-economic indicators. A significant part of the variation in labour participation among people with chronic illness relates to the age they had when they were diagnosed. Furthermore, a longer illness duration is significantly associated with a lower chance of being economically active. This is more the case for men than for women. Labour participation of cancer survivors depends on the phase of the illness they find themselves in. No evidence was found that the year in which the diagnosis was established matters for employment chances later in life. Age at diagnosis and illness duration relate to chronically ill people's chances to participate in the labour market, but how and how

  9. Medical image diagnosis of liver cancer using artificial intelligence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, Tadashi; Ueno, Junji; Takao, Shoichiro

    2010-01-01

    A revised Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH)-type neural network algorithm using artificial intelligence technology for medical image diagnosis is proposed and is applied to medical image diagnosis of liver cancer. In this algorithm, the knowledge base for medical image diagnosis are used for organizing the neural network architecture for medical image diagnosis. Furthermore, the revised GMDH-type neural network algorithm has a feedback loop and can identify the characteristics of the medical images accurately using feedback loop calculations. The optimum neural network architecture fitting the complexity of the medical images is automatically organized so as to minimize the prediction error criterion defined as Prediction Sum of Squares (PSS). It is shown that the revised GMDH-type neural network can be easily applied to the medical image diagnosis. (author)

  10. Prenatal diagnosis of lissencephaly: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cerovac Nataša

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Lissencephaly (“smooth brain” forms a major group of brain malformations due to abnormal neuronal migration. It can cause severe intellectual and motor disability and epilepsy in children. The prenatal diagnosis of this malformation is rare. Case report. We presented a case of the prenatal diagnosis of lissencephaly. A 30-year old pregnant woman was reffered to the hospital at the week 35 of gestation for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI after an ultrasound examination demonstrated fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly. Fetal MRI of the brain showed “smooth”, agyrya cortex. The female infant was born at term with birth weight of 2,500 g and Apgar score 8, showing global developmental delay. Postnatal ultrasound and MRI confirmed classical lissencephaly. She is now 8 years old and has spastic quadriparesis, mental retardation and epilepsy. Conclusion. Confirmation of the ultrasound diagnosis with MRI is desirable for the prenatal diagnosis of lissencephaly.

  11. [Value of specific 16S rDNA fragment of algae in diagnosis of drowning: an experiment with rabbits].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Peng; Xu, Qu-Yi; Chen, Ling; Liu, Chao; Zhao, Jian; Wang, Yu-Zhong; Yu, Zheng-Liang; Hu, Sun-Lin; Wang, Hui-Jun

    2015-08-01

    To establish a method for amplifying specific 16S rDNA fragment of algae related with drowning and test its value in drowning diagnosis. Thirty-five rabbits were randomly divided into 3 the drowning group (n=15), postmortem water immersion group (n=15, subjected to air embolism before seawater immersion), and control group(n=5, with air embolism only). Twenty samples of the liver tissues from human corpses found in water were also used, including 14 diatom-positive and 6 diatom-negative samples identified by microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy (MD-VF-Auto SEM). Seven known species of algae served as the control algae (Melosira sp, Nitzschia sp, Synedra sp, Navicula sp, Microcystis sp, Cyclotella meneghiniana, and Chlorella sp). The total DNA was extracted from the tissues and algae to amplify the specific fragment of algae followed by 8% polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis and sliver-staining. In the drowning group, algae was detected in the lungs (100%), liver (86%), and kidney (86%); algae was detected in the lungs in 2 rabbits in the postmortem group (13%) and none in the control group. The positivity rates of algae were significantly higher in the drowning group than in the postmortem group (Palgae, including sample that had been identified as diatom-negative by MD-VF-Auto SEM. All the 7 control algae samples yielded positive results in PCR. The PCR-based method has a high sensitivity in algae detection for drowning diagnosis and allows simultaneous detection of multiple algae species related with drowning.

  12. Osteomyelitis diagnosis by {sup 99m}Tc radiolabeled aptamers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, S.R.; Ferreira, I.M.; Andrade, A.S.R., E-mail: sararoberta7@hotmail.com, E-mail: imendesf@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: antero@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Barros, A.L.B.; Cardoso, V.N.; Diniz, O.F., E-mail: brancodebarros@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: valbertcardoso@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: simoneodilia@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Faculdade de Farmacia. Departamento de Analises Clinicas e Toxicologicas

    2015-07-01

    Osteomyelitis, which is characterized by progressive inflammatory destruction and new opposition of bone, is still a difficult infection to treat. The clinical diagnosis in late stages is achieved easily, but an early diagnosis is more challenging. Staphylococcus aureus is a common agent found in osteomyelitis and bone prostheses infection. Diagnosis by scintigraphy has advantages because it is a non-invasive procedure and is able to perform an early diagnosis even before anatomic changes. Thus, nuclear medicine could contribute to an accurate diagnosis since specific radiopharmaceuticals were developed. In this study, aptamers selected to Staphylococcus aureus were labeled with {sup 99m}Tc and used for bacteria identification in an osteomyelitis experimental model. The aptamers selected to S. aureus were directly labelled with {sup 99m}Tc and were evaluated by biodistribution studies. Wistar rats with intraosseous infection in the right paw were used. A random aptamer labelled with {sup 99m}Tc was as control. Six animals were used in each group. The aptamers labeled with {sup 99m}Tc were able to identify the infection foci caused by S. aureus displaying a target/non-target ratio of 2,23 ± 0,20, after 3 h. The control group presented a target/non-target ratio 1,08 ± 0.23. The results indicated that the radiolabeled aptamers were able to identify specifically the infection foci and they should be further explored for infection diagnosis by scintigraphy. (author)

  13. Imaging diagnosis of the articular cartilage disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Sirun; Zhu Tianyuan; Huang Li; Leng Xiaoming

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis among the chronic osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic cartilage lesions on the plain films and MR images. Methods: Eighty-nine cases, including 115 joints, underwent plain film and MRI examination, and enhanced MRI scan was performed on 32 of them, including 44 joints. MRI scan sequences consisted of T 1 WI, T 2 WI + PDWI, STIR, and 3D FS SPGR. There were 90 knee joints in this group and each of the articular cartilage was divided into four parts: patella, femoral medial condyle, femoral lateral condyle, and tibia facet on MR images. The cartilage disorders were classified according to the outerbridge method. In addition, 61 cases including 75 joints were observed as a control group on the plain films and MR images. Results: 115 cartilage lesions were found on MR images, in which thinness of the cartilage (58 cases, 50.4%), bone changes under the cartilage (22 cases, 19.7%), medullar edema (22 cases, 19.7%), and synovial hyperplasia (52 cases, 45.2%) were seen. The patella cartilage was the most likely affected part (81/90, 90%). So the patellar cartilage lesions were divided as group 1 (grade I-II) and group 2 (grade III-IV) on MR images, which were compared with the plain film signs. The narrowing of the joint space and saccules under the articular surface were statistically significant with each other, and χ 2 values were 9.349 and 9.885, respectively (P=0.002). Conclusion: No constant signs could be seen on the plain films with grade I-II cartilage disorders. While the narrowing joint space and saccules under the joint surface could be seen on them with grade III-IV cartilage disorders, which were mainly correlated with the cartilage disorders and bone changes under the articular cartilages. A combination of the plain films and MR images is the best imaging method for examining the joints and joint cartilages. Enhanced MRI scan is very helpful on the diagnosis and differential

  14. Early-stage [123I]β-CIT SPECT and long-term clinical follow-up in patients with an initial diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoffers, Diederick; Booij, Jan; Bosscher, Lisette; Winogrodzka, Ania; Wolters, Erik C.; Berendse, Henk W.

    2005-01-01

    Previous studies using dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to try and distinguish between patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS) have mainly focussed on patients with an already established clinical diagnosis of several years' duration. Differences in the pattern of striatal involvement between IPD and APS have been found in only few studies. We hypothesized that distinguishing SPECT features might be most pronounced at an early disease stage, and the purpose of the present study was to investigate this hypothesis. The study included 72 patients with an initial clinical diagnosis of IPD, supported by decreased striatal [ 123 I]β-CIT binding on baseline SPECT. In ten patients, the diagnosis was changed to APS over a mean follow-up period of 62 months. We retrospectively compared the patterns of striatal involvement on the baseline SPECT scans between the group of patients (re)diagnosed with APS and the remaining 62 patients in whom a diagnosis of IPD was maintained. In the group of patients with APS, baseline [ 123 I]β-CIT binding in both caudate nuclei was lower than in the group of patients with IPD. In addition, putamen to caudate binding ratios were higher in the group of APS patients. In spite of these differences, individual binding values showed considerable overlap between the groups. [ 123 I]β-CIT SPECT scanning in early-stage, untreated parkinsonian patients revealed a relative sparing of the caudate nucleus in patients with IPD as compared to patients later (re)diagnosed with APS. Nevertheless, the pattern of striatal involvement appears to have little predictive value for a later re-diagnosis of APS in individual cases. (orig.)

  15. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and culture in the diagnosis of invasive group B streptococcal disease in infants: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, M; Cafferkey, M; Corcoran, S; Foran, A; Hapnes, N; LeBlanc, D; McGuinness, C; Nusgen, U; O'Sullivan, N; Cunney, R; Drew, R

    2015-12-01

    Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of invasive disease in infants. Accurate and rapid diagnosis is crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the dltR gene was utilised for the direct detection of GBS DNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from infants at an Irish maternity hospital. A retrospective review of laboratory and patient records during the period 2011-2013 was performed in order to evaluate PCR and culture for the diagnosis of invasive GBS disease. A total of 3570 blood and 189 CSF samples from 3510 infants had corresponding culture and PCR results. Culture and PCR exhibited concordance in 3526 GBS-negative samples and 13 (25%) GBS-positive samples (n = 53). Six (11%) and 34 (64%) GBS-positive samples were positive only in culture or PCR, respectively. Culture and PCR identified more GBS-positive infants (n = 47) than PCR (n = 43) or culture (n = 16) alone. Using culture as the reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for PCR on blood samples were 71.4%, 99.2%, 25% and 99.9%, and for CSF samples, they were 60%, 97.8%, 42.9% and 98.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and positive predictive values were improved (blood: 84.6% and 55%; CSF: 77.8% and 100%, respectively) when maternal risk factors and other laboratory test results were considered. The findings in this study recommend the use of direct GBS real-time PCR for the diagnosis of GBS infection in infants with a clinical suspicion of invasive disease and as a complement to culture, but should be interpreted in the light of other laboratory and clinical findings.

  16. Considerations related to the Analysis of the Financial Balance of the Trading Company Interlink Group SRL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anton C.

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of the financial balance in the company’s activity implies the amortization of the resources with the needs, reflected as the functional balance sheet. The information transmitted by means of the accounting balance sheet as a synthesis document, is processed and grouped so that the view on the company appears from the functional point of view and the functional presentation of the balance sheet highlights financial, structural aspects that best respond to the requirements of the company managers. According to the functional point of view, the company is the economic entity whose essential objective is the production of goods and services, its activity implying the exertion of the production, trade, investments and financing functions. The paper aims at establishing a financial diagnosis allowing the appreciation of the conditions in which financial balance is made for the continuity of INTERLINK GROUP SRL company’s activity and attaining the proposed intend.

  17. Early diagnosis and treatmente of hydronephrosis in childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kokorkin A.D.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate early and late results of the diagnosis and treatment of children with congenital hydronephrosis. Materials and methods. Conducted diagnosis and treatment of 47 children with hydronephrosis. Comparing the immediate and long6term outcomes in the two groups: primary (n=22 and control (n=25. In the study group vice diagnosed prenatally was exposed using ultrasound diagnostics and MRI. In the control group exhibited diagnosed after hospital survey for recurrent pyelonephritis. Results and discussion. All children performed surgery on the methodology of Andersen—Hines. Duration of external drainage of the urinary tract in the control group was 14–15 days in core — 7–8 days. In 9% of the children performing morphological situation demanded organo6blowing operation. In the late postoperative period in comparison groups differed significantly in the number of recurrent pyelonephritis background of sustained reductions in dilation of the urinary tract and the growth layer parenchymal kidney operated respectively 88% and 75% of the operated patients. Conclusions. Early verification of congenital hydronephrosis affects the outcomes of vice and to prevent deformation of the kidney function and save it. Late diagnosis on the background of persistent urinary tract infections in 9% of cases leads to organo-blowing operation. Persistent infection of the urinary tract is dependent on the timing of postoperative drainage of the kidney. The optimal duration of drainage 7–8 days. Prenatally diagnosed vice number of recurrences of urinary tract infections in the late postoperative period was 8%, and 87% of renal morphometric parameters were approaching the age norm.

  18. Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Bone: Radiological Pattern and the Potential Role of CBCT in Early Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Olutayo

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To systematize the clinico-radiological symptoms and course of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of jaw bone and to evaluate the diagnostic potential of various radiological techniques to detect mild osteonecrosis in each stage of the disease.Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 22 patients previously diagnosed with extraoral malignant disease. Diagnosis was based on a clinical examination in conjunction to digital panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT. Two dentomaxillofacial radiologists reviewed all images.Results: Twenty patients showed mandibular involvement clinically, while two others had a maxillary involvement. Four stages of the disease were proposed based on the clinico-radiological findings. Subclinical cortical and lamina dura thickening was detected with only three-dimensional CBCT and periapical images, while ulceration and cortical bone thickening was detected only by three-dimensional CBCT. Mixed sclerotic, lytic bone destruction involving alveolar and basal bone with or without encroachment on the mandibular canal, pathological mandibular fractures were detected by two-dimensional panoramic and three-dimensional CBCT images. Other findings are non healing extraction sockets, periapical radiolucencies, osteolysis, sequestra, oroantral fistula, and periosteal new bone formation.Conclusions: The present study showed that bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of jaw bone occurs in four distinct clinico-radiological stages. For mild cases, panoramic image diagnosis was much less obvious, whereas cone beam computed tomography was able to fully characterise the bony lesions and describe their extent and involvement of neighbouring structures in all cases. Thus cone beam computed tomography might better contribute to the prevention of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of jaw bone as well to the disease management.

  19. Clinical diagnosis versus autopsy diagnosis in head trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Velnic Andreea-Alexandra

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The correct and complete diagnosis is essential for the adequate care and the favourable clinical evolution of the patients with head trauma. Purpose: To identify the error rate in the clinical diagnosis of head injuries as shown in comparison with the autopsy diagnosis and to identify the most common sources of error. Material and method: We performed a retrospective study based on data from the medical files and the autopsy reports of patients with head trauma who died in the hospital and underwent forensic autopsy. We collected: demographic data, clinical and laboratory data and autopsy findings. To quantify the concordance rate between the clinical diagnosis of death and the autopsy diagnosis we used a 4 classes classification, which ranged from 100% concordance (C1 to total discordance (C4 and two classes of partial discordance: C2 (partial discordance in favour of the clinical diagnosis- missing injuries in the autopsy reports and C3 (partial discordance in favor of the necroptic diagnosis- missing injuries in the medical files. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 20.0. Results: We analyzed 194 cases of death due to head injuries. We found a total concordance between the clinical death diagnosis and autopsy diagnosis in 30.4% of cases and at least one discrepancy in 69.6% of cases. Increasing the duration of hospitalization directly correlates with the amount of the imaging investigations and these in turn correlates with an increased rate of diagnosis concordance. Among the patients with stage 3 coma who associated a spinal cord injury, we found a partial diagnosis discordance in 50% of cases and a total discordance in 50% of cases, possibly due to the need for conducting emergency imaging investigation and the need for surgical treatment. In cases with partial and total discordant diagnosis, at least one lesion was omitted in 45.1% of the cases. The most commonly omitted injuries in C2 cases were subdural hematoma, intracerebral

  20. Bridges or Barriers? Conceptualization of the Role of Multiple Identity Gateway Groups in Intergroup Relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aharon Levy

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The modern era of globalization has been accompanied by a massive growth in interconnections between groups, and has led to the sharing of multiple identities by individuals and groups. Following these developments, research has focused on the issue of multiple identities, and has shed important light on how individuals who hold these complex forms of identity feel and behave, and on the reactions they elicit from members of other groups. However, the potential of groups with such multiple identities (e.g., biracials, immigrants, etc. to affect the intergroup relations between the groups that represent the respective sources of the different identities (e.g., Blacks and Whites, country of origin and country of residence, etc. has not been examined to date. Accordingly, in this paper, we first systematically explore the potential of groups in which people identify with multiple social categories, or groups that are perceived as such by others, to play a role in intergroup dynamics. Next, we offer a theoretical framework outlining what functions groups of people with shared multiple identities may serve (as bridges or barriers by proposing how their presence may facilitate or deteriorate intergroup relations. Finally, we present recent empirical research examining how groups of people with shared multiple identities can act as gateways and bridge the cleft between two separate groups that represent the respective sources of their different identities, and discuss the theoretical and practical implications for the field of intergroup relations.

  1. Group therapy for selective mutism - a parents' and children's treatment group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharkey, Louise; Mc Nicholas, Fiona; Barry, Edwina; Begley, Maire; Ahern, Sinead

    2008-12-01

    To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of group therapy for children with selective mutism and their parents. Five children (mean age 6.1 years) with a diagnosis of selective mutism were administered group therapy over an 8-week period. Parents simultaneously attended a second group, aimed at providing education and advice on managing selective mutism in everyday situations, and in the school environment. At post-treatment, all children increased their level of confident speaking in school, clinic and community settings. Parents indicated a reduction in their own anxiety levels, from pre- to post-treatment on self-rating scales. Findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of group therapy for children with selective mutism and their parents.

  2. failures diagnosis. Theory and practice for industrial systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zwingelstein, G.

    1995-01-01

    Failure diagnosis methods represent appreciable tools for the maintenance and the improvement of availability and safety in complex industrial installations. The industrial diagnosis can be assimilated to a deterministic causality relation between the cause and the effect. This book describes the methodology associated to the resolution of the diagnosis problem applied to complex industrial system failures, and evaluates the principles of the main diagnosis methods. The introduction presents the terminology and norms used in the industry to situate the diagnosis context in the possession cost of a product. After a formulation of the diagnosis in the form of the resolution of inverse problems, the author gives details about the inductive and deductive methods and about internal and external diagnosis methods. Each method is illustrated with examples taken in the industry with recommendations about their operating limitations. Finally, a guideline summarizes the principal criteria for the selection of an industrial diagnosis method according to the available informations. (J.S.). 168 refs., 294 figs., 22 tabs., 1 annexe

  3. Religious Groups and Their Influence on Interstate Relations (The Case of U.S.-Israel Relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Istomin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The impact of interest groups on foreign policy of the state up until today has not received substantial attention in the theory of international relations. In particular, activities of the entities shaped by the common religious affiliation of their members lack assessment in the academic literature. Meanwhile, their mobilization in the recent decades became significant aspect of political life both in developing and developed countries. The activity of religious groups in the United States forced deep transformation of the national political landscape, as they desire to affect not only internal debate, but external policies as well. Among other issues attention of such social and political bodies is also focused on the situation in the middle East. Their proactive standing facilitated advancement of the partnership between the United States and Israel, including growth of American diplomatic and military aid to Tel-Aviv. The supporters of such policy include not only small, but well organized Jewish community, but also representatives of the conservative Evangelical Protestants, which constitute the most numerous religious group in the U.S. Despite the fact that leaders of both group often use theological reasons to justify their support for Israel, the real motivation of the most regular members is primarily humanitarian and pragmatic. The diversity of the Pro-Israeli groups promotes bipartisan support of cooperation between the two countries, and enabled creation of both Democratic and Republican lobby on this issue. However the growing criticism of the current policy of Tel-Aviv on behalf of some of the adherents of American-Israeli cooperation leads to the erosion of impact of these groups.

  4. School-related risk factors for drunkenness among adolescents: risk factors differ between socio-economic groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Anette; Holstein, Bjørn E; Due, Pernille

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: To examine, separately for boys and girls, whether socio-economic differences in drunkenness exist in adolescence, whether the level of exposure to school-related risk factors differ between socio-economic groups, and whether the relative contribution of school-related risk factors......) was measured by parental occupation. RESULTS: Among girls, exposures to school-related risk factors were more prevalent in lower socio-economic groups. Poor school satisfaction was associated with drunkenness among girls from high SEP, odds ratio (OR) = 2.98 (0.73-12.16). Among boys from high SEP autonomy...

  5. Features of Chronic Bronchitis in Different Age Groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galina L. Ignatova

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Lung diseases are assuming greater relevance and importance today. Chronic bronchitis is a self-nosology, which may precede the development of COPD, the importance of which can hardly be overestimated. The main problem in this disease is caused by late diagnosis and treatment due to the delay by patients in seeking medical help. The aim of the work was to study the distribution and exposure to tobacco smoke, especially chronic bronchitis, depending on various factors, including age. Methods: We examined 1779 persons, including 855 men and 924 women. The mean age of the population was 35.83±8.3 years. We conducted surveys and spirometry. The outcome was assessed after a bronchodilation test was performed with salbutamol 400 mcg. We performed all statistical analysis using software package Statistica 10. Results: We identified chronic bronchitis in 9.2% of the cases in the group of younger individuals and in 14.9% of the cases in the group of older individuals, during the active detection of chronic bronchitis using questionnaires. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was slightly higher among the younger (39.5% than the older persons (33.6%; the frequency of smoking in a group of chronic bronchitis was reliably higher. Also, in this group, the performance spirometry reliably decreased. Conclusions: Outpatient survey is an effective method of identifying chronic bronchitis. Smoking is a major risk factor in the group of young respondents and the prevalence of smoking is inversely related to the education level of the respondents, regardless of age. As the decline in the Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1 and FEV1/FVC is the main criterion diagnosis of COPD, it revealed significant declines in the FEV1 of the younger smoking individuals, which may help to predict the development of COPD in the older age group.

  6. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis by fluorescence in situ hybridization of reciprocal and Robertsonian translocations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chun-Kai; Wu, Dennis; Yu, Hsing-Tse; Lin, Chieh-Yu; Wang, Mei-Li; Yeh, Hsin-Yi; Huang, Hong-Yuan; Wang, Hsin-Shin; Soong, Yung-Kuei; Lee, Chyi-Long

    2014-03-01

    The presence of reciprocal and Robertsonian chromosomal rearrangement is often related to recurrent miscarriage. Using preimplantation genetic diagnosis, the abortion rate can be decreased. Cases treated at our center were reviewed. A retrospective analysis for either Robertsonian or reciprocal translocations was performed on all completed cycles of preimplantation genetic diagnosis at our center since the first reported case in 2004 until the end of 2010. Day 3 embryo biopsies were carried out, and the biopsied cell was checked by fluorescent in situ hybridization using relevant informative probes. Embryos with a normal or balanced translocation karyotype were transferred on Day 4. Thirty-eight preimplantation genetic diagnosis cycles involving 17 couples were completed. A total of 450 (82.6%) of the total oocytes were MII oocytes, and 158 (60.0%) of the two-pronuclei embryos were biopsied. In 41.4% of the fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses, the results were either normal or balanced. Embryos were transferred back after 21 cycles. Three babies were born from Robertsonian translocation carriers and another two from reciprocal translocation carriers. The miscarriage rate was 0%. Among the reciprocal translocation group, the live delivery rate was 8.3% per ovum pick-up cycle and 18.2% per embryo transfer cycle. Among the Robertsonian translocation group, the live delivery rate was 14.3% per ovum pick-up cycle and 20.0% per embryo transfer cycle. There is a trend whereby the outcome for Robertsonian translocation group carriers is better than that for reciprocal translocation group carriers. Aneuploidy screening may possibly be added in order to improve the outcome, especially for individuals with an advanced maternal age. The emergence of an array-based technology should help improve this type of analysis. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. A mathematical model for stratification of LADA risk groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana Mikhailovna Tikhonova

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To stratify risk groups via discriminant analysis based on the most clinically relevant indications of LADA onset derived from medical history. Materials and Methods. Present study included 141 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM of whom 65 had preliminary diagnosis of LADA, 40 patients were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and 36 ? with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM. Discriminant analysis was performed to evaluate the differences between the clinical onsets in study groups. Results. Aside from torpid onset with early evidence for insulin resistance, clinical characteristics of LADA included diagnosis during random examination, progressive loss of body mass, hyperglycemia greater than 14 mmol/L at the diagnosis and, possibly, ketonuria without history of acute ketoacidosis. Conclusion. Discriminant analysis is beneficial in stratifying risk groups for the development of LADA.

  8. Reflections on imaging diagnosis of sella masses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez Yero, Jose Arturo; Jorge Gonzalez, Raquel

    2005-01-01

    Some reflections were made on imaging diagnosis of sella masses, specifying some characteristics of the main sella masses and their appearance in magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose was to call the attention on this important issue on the basis that modern imaging advances offer very useful distinctive elements in the diagnosis of a group of masses located in the sella turcica region. The paper underlined details of signal intensity in pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, Rathkes pouch cysts, hypophyseal hyperplasia and the so-called empty sella syndrome, among other causes of anatomical changes in sella region. It was concluded that magnetic resonance imaging would be the ideal method for a better diagnosis of sella masses, but if this technique was not available, then contrast-enhanced tomography would be useful in under 2 mm views. The importance of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, endocrinologists, imaging specialists, neurosurgeons and anatomy pathologists to reach more accurate diagnosis and better therapeutic results was stressed

  9. 38 CFR 3.374 - Effect of diagnosis of active tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... active tuberculosis. 3.374 Section 3.374 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS... Considerations Relative to Specific Diseases § 3.374 Effect of diagnosis of active tuberculosis. (a) Service diagnosis. Service department diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis will be accepted unless a board of...

  10. The impacts of racial group membership on people's distributive justice: an event-related potential study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan; Tang, Yi-Yuan; Deng, Yuqin

    2014-04-16

    How individuals and societies distribute benefits has long been studied by psychologists and sociologists. Previous work has highlighted the importance of social identity on people's justice concerns. However, it is not entirely clear how racial in-group/out-group relationship affects the brain activity in distributive justice. In this study, event-related potentials were recorded while participants made their decisions about donation allocation. Behavioral results showed that racial in-group factor affected participants' decisions on justice consideration. Participants were more likely to make relatively equity decisions when racial in-group factor was congruent with equity compared with the corresponding incongruent condition. Moreover, this incongruent condition took longer response times than congruent condition. Meanwhile, less equity decisions were made when efficiency was larger in the opposite side to equity than it was equal between the two options. Scalp event-related potential analyses revealed that greater P300 and late positive potential amplitudes were elicited by the incongruent condition compared with the congruent condition. These findings suggest that the decision-making of distributive justice could be modulated by racial group membership, and greater attentional resources or cognitive efforts are required when racial in-group factor and equity conflict with each other.

  11. Intergroup Discrimination in Positive and Negative Outcome Allocations: Impact of Stimulus Valence, Relative Group Status, and Relative Group Size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otten, Sabine; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Three studies investigated the determination of social discrimination by the valence of stimuli that are allocated between groups. The studies were based on either the minimal group paradigm or a more reality-based laboratory intergroup setting, with stimulus valence, group status, and group size as factors and with pull scores on Tajfel matrices…

  12. Rhabdomyolysis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Patrick A.; Helmstetter, John A.; Kaye, Adam M.; Kaye, Alan David

    2015-01-01

    Background Rhabdomyolysis is a complex medical condition involving the rapid dissolution of damaged or injured skeletal muscle. Methods This review focuses on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, causes, presentation, diagnosis, complications, management, and anesthetic considerations related to rhabdomyolysis. Results Any form of muscle damage––and by extension any entity that causes muscle damage––can initiate rhabdomyolysis. One of the most important treatment goals when rhabdomyolysis is suspected is avoiding acute kidney injury. Conclusion All clinicians should be aware of common causes, diagnosis, and treatment options. PMID:25829882

  13. The Role of mf-ERG in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Electrophysiological Features of AMD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moschos, Marilita M; Nitoda, Eirini

    2018-01-01

    Age-related macular cegeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual dysfunction worldwide, affecting 9-25% of individuals between 65 and 75 years old. We have reviewed the published articles investigating the role of multifocal electroretinogram (mf-ERG) in the diagnosis and treatment of AMD. Visual evoked potentials have revealed decreased amplitudes and higher latencies in patients with AMD, while the degeneration of photoreceptors and abnormalities of retinal pigment epithelium can be identified by electro-oculogram recordings. Moreover, ERG can detect the functional abnormalities observed in AMD and evaluate each therapeutic approach. The record of local electrophysiological responses coming from different retinal areas can be accurately performed by mfERG. The accuracy of mfERG in detecting the degeneration of photoreceptors, as well the disturbances of macular function, could be useful both in the early diagnosis of AMD and the assessment of treatment efficacy.

  14. Bronchoscopic Lung Cryobiopsy Increases Diagnostic Confidence in the Multidisciplinary Diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomassetti, Sara; Wells, Athol U; Costabel, Ulrich; Cavazza, Alberto; Colby, Thomas V; Rossi, Giulio; Sverzellati, Nicola; Carloni, Angelo; Carretta, Elisa; Buccioli, Matteo; Tantalocco, Paola; Ravaglia, Claudia; Gurioli, Christian; Dubini, Alessandra; Piciucchi, Sara; Ryu, Jay H; Poletti, Venerino

    2016-04-01

    Surgical lung biopsy is often required for a confident multidisciplinary diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Alternative, less-invasive biopsy methods, such as bronchoscopic lung cryobiopsy (BLC), are highly desirable. To address the impact of BLC on diagnostic confidence in the multidisciplinary diagnosis of IPF. In this cross-sectional study we selected 117 patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease without a typical usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on high-resolution computed tomography. All cases underwent lung biopsies: 58 were BLC, and 59 were surgical lung biopsy (SLB). Two clinicians, two radiologists, and two pathologists sequentially reviewed clinical-radiologic findings and biopsy results, recording at each step in the process their diagnostic impressions and confidence levels. We observed a major increase in diagnostic confidence after the addition of BLC, similar to SLB (from 29 to 63%, P = 0.0003 and from 30 to 65%, P = 0.0016 of high confidence IPF diagnosis, in the BLC group and SLB group, respectively). The overall interobserver agreement in IPF diagnosis was similar for both approaches (BLC overall kappa, 0.96; SLB overall kappa, 0.93). IPF was the most frequent diagnosis (50 and 39% in the BLC and SLB group, respectively; P = 0.23). After the addition of histopathologic information, 17% of cases in the BLC group and 19% of cases in the SLB group, mostly idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, were reclassified as IPF. BLC is a new biopsy method that has a meaningful impact on diagnostic confidence in the multidisciplinary diagnosis of interstitial lung disease and may prove useful in the diagnosis of IPF. This study provides a robust rationale for future studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of BLC compared with SLB.

  15. Renormalization group and relations between scattering amplitudes in a theory with different mass scales

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulov, A.V.; Skalozub, V.V.

    2000-01-01

    In the Yukawa model with two different mass scales the renormalization group equation is used to obtain relations between scattering amplitudes at low energies. Considering fermion-fermion scattering as an example, a basic one-loop renormalization group relation is derived which gives possibility to reduce the problem to the scattering of light particles on the external field substituting a heavy virtual state. Applications of the results to problem of searching new physics beyond the Standard Model are discussed [ru

  16. Diagnosis in the Enterprise Management System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skrynkovskyy Ruslan M.

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the article is to define the role and place of the diagnosis management system in the structure of the task system of the enterprise diagnosis. There suggested the essence of the concept of «diagnosis of the enterprise», which is understood as the process of identification, analysis and evaluation of the enterprise state and trends in its changes (changes of the state on the basis of relevant business indicators in order to develop recommendations on the elimination of problematic points and weaknesses in the functioning of the enterprise to ensure a qualitatively new level of its development and formation of prospects with consideration to the consequences of violation of the legislation in the field of economics and enterprise management and law (legal responsibility for the violation of the labor law, tax law, law on protection of economic competition, law on trade secret, etc.. It was found that the diagnosis in the system of enterprise management: 1 is a structural component (or a partial diagnosis task in a group of private diagnosis tasks in the system of diagnosis task of the enterprise activity; 2 as a sub-function of the control function (as a general function of management includes such components as: assessment (identification of key features, characteristics, parameters (indexes, indicators, properties; analysis (a thorough study of the structure, dynamics, trends, etc.; identification (involves determination of deviations of parameters from the criteria and/or standards, formulation of diagnosis. Prospects for further research in this direction are the development of methods for quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of the management system with the purpose of its introducing in practical activities of enterprises, namely in the processes of decision-making.

  17. Diagnosis of Mood Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seligman, Linda; Moore, Bonita Marcus

    1995-01-01

    Provides an overview of mood disorders according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (fourth edition) criteria and other relevant information. Differential diagnosis is facilitated through discussion of differences and similarities among mental disorders, age and gender-related patterns of mood disorders, and useful diagnostic tools. (Author)

  18. soil groups relative susceptibility to erosion in parts of south-eastern

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr Obe

    erosion by water determined based on the amount of soil lost during the various runs. Based on ... knowledge of the many factors of soil erosion .... Table 4: Relative erodibility levels of soil groups in lmo and Abia States under 'wet' conditions. Moderately Erodible. Highly Erodible. Very Highly Erodible. 1. Type Dystropepts.

  19. Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butani, Yogita; Weintraub, Jane A; Barker, Judith C

    2008-09-15

    The purpose of this study was to assess information available in the dental literature on oral health-related cultural beliefs. In the US, as elsewhere, many racial/ethnic minority groups shoulder a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Cultural beliefs, values and practices are often implicated as causes of oral health disparities, yet little is known about the breadth or adequacy of literature about cultural issues that could support these assertions. Hence, this rigorous assessment was conducted of work published in English on cultural beliefs and values in relation to oral health status and dental practice. Four racial/ethnic groups in the US (African-American, Chinese, Filipino and Hispanic/Latino) were chosen as exemplar populations. The dental literature published in English for the period 1980-2006 noted in the electronic database PUBMED was searched, using keywords and MeSH headings in different combinations for each racial/ethnic group to identify eligible articles. To be eligible the title and abstract when available had to describe the oral health-related cultural knowledge or orientation of the populations studied. Overall, the majority of the literature on racial/ethnic groups was epidemiologic in nature, mainly demonstrating disparities in oral health rather than the oral beliefs or practices of these groups. A total of 60 relevant articles were found: 16 for African-American, 30 for Chinese, 2 for Filipino and 12 for Hispanic/Latino populations. Data on beliefs and practices from these studies has been abstracted, compiled and assessed. Few research-based studies were located. Articles lacked adequate identification of groups studied, used limited methods and had poor conceptual base. The scant information available from the published dental and medical literature provides at best a rudimentary framework of oral health related ideas and beliefs for specific populations.

  20. Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barker Judith C

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to assess information available in the dental literature on oral health-related cultural beliefs. In the US, as elsewhere, many racial/ethnic minority groups shoulder a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Cultural beliefs, values and practices are often implicated as causes of oral health disparities, yet little is known about the breadth or adequacy of literature about cultural issues that could support these assertions. Hence, this rigorous assessment was conducted of work published in English on cultural beliefs and values in relation to oral health status and dental practice. Four racial/ethnic groups in the US (African-American, Chinese, Filipino and Hispanic/Latino were chosen as exemplar populations. Methods The dental literature published in English for the period 1980–2006 noted in the electronic database PUBMED was searched, using keywords and MeSH headings in different combinations for each racial/ethnic group to identify eligible articles. To be eligible the title and abstract when available had to describe the oral health-related cultural knowledge or orientation of the populations studied. Results Overall, the majority of the literature on racial/ethnic groups was epidemiologic in nature, mainly demonstrating disparities in oral health rather than the oral beliefs or practices of these groups. A total of 60 relevant articles were found: 16 for African-American, 30 for Chinese, 2 for Filipino and 12 for Hispanic/Latino populations. Data on beliefs and practices from these studies has been abstracted, compiled and assessed. Few research-based studies were located. Articles lacked adequate identification of groups studied, used limited methods and had poor conceptual base. Conclusion The scant information available from the published dental and medical literature provides at best a rudimentary framework of oral health related ideas and beliefs for specific populations.

  1. 76 FR 44491 - Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers: Rules Relating to Internal Claims and Appeals...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-26

    ... 37208) entitled, ``Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers: Rules Relating to Internal Claims..., ``Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Issuers: Rules Relating to Internal Claims and Appeals and... external review processes for group health plans and health insurance issuers offering coverage in the...

  2. Socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer survival: relation to stage at diagnosis, treatment and race

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Xue

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have documented lower breast cancer survival among women with lower socioeconomic status (SES in the United States. In this study, I examined the extent to which socioeconomic disparity in breast cancer survival was explained by stage at diagnosis, treatment, race and rural/urban residence using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER data. Methods Women diagnosed with breast cancer during 1998-2002 in the 13 SEER cancer registry areas were followed-up to the end of 2005. The association between an area-based measure of SES and cause-specific five-year survival was estimated using Cox regression models. Six models were used to assess the extent to which SES differences in survival were explained by clinical and demographical factors. The base model estimated the hazard ratio (HR by SES only and then additional adjustments were made sequentially for: 1 age and year of diagnosis; 2 stage at diagnosis; 3 first course treatment; 4 race; and 5 rural/urban residence. Results An inverse association was found between SES and risk of dying from breast cancer (p Conclusion Stage at diagnosis, first course treatment and race explained most of the socioeconomic disparity in breast cancer survival. Targeted interventions to increase breast cancer screening and treatment coverage in patients with lower SES could reduce much of socioeconomic disparity.

  3. Diagnosis of human visceral pentastomiasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis Tappe

    Full Text Available Visceral pentastomiasis in humans is caused by the larval stages (nymphs of the arthropod-related tongue worms Linguatula serrata, Armillifer armillatus, A. moniliformis, A. grandis, and Porocephalus crotali. The majority of cases has been reported from Africa, Malaysia, and the Middle East, where visceral pentastomiasis may be an incidental finding in autopsies, and less often from China and Latin America. In Europe and North America, the disease is only rarely encountered in immigrants and long-term travelers, and the parasitic lesions may be confused with malignancies, leading to a delay in the correct diagnosis. Since clinical symptoms are variable and serological tests are not readily available, the diagnosis often relies on histopathological examinations. This laboratory symposium focuses on the diagnosis of this unusual parasitic disease and presents its risk factors and epidemiology.

  4. SENSORS FAULT DIAGNOSIS ALGORITHM DESIGN OF A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej ORAVEC

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the sensors fault diagnosis system design for the hydraulic system, which is based on the group of the three fault estimation filters. These filters are used for estimation of the system states and sensors fault magnitude. Also, this article briefly stated the hydraulic system state control design with integrator, which is important assumption for the fault diagnosis system design. The sensors fault diagnosis system is implemented into the Matlab/Simulink environment and it is verified using the controlled hydraulic system simulation model. Verification of the designed fault diagnosis system is realized by series of experiments, which simulates sensors faults. The results of the experiments are briefly presented in the last part of this article.

  5. Time from pre-eclampsia diagnosis to delivery affects future health prospects of children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hollegaard, Birgitte; Lykke, Jacob Alexander; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan

    2017-01-01

    to either mild or severe pre-eclampsia up to 30 years after birth and related disease risks to duration of exposure, i.e. the time from diagnosis to delivery. Methodology: We did a registry-based retrospective cohort study in Denmark covering the years 1979-2009, using the separate diagnoses of mild...... and severe pre-eclampsia and the duration of exposure as predictor variables for specific and overall risks of later disease. We analysed 3 537 525 diagnoses for 14 disease groups, accumulated by 758 524 singleton children, after subdividing deliveries in six gestational age categories, partialing out......-eclampsia were of similar magnitude as those associated with severe pre-eclampsia. Apart from this overall trend in number of diagnoses incurred across disease groups, hazard ratios for several disorders also increased with the duration of exposure, including disorders related to the metabolic syndrome...

  6. [Are schizophrenic patients being told their diagnosis today in France?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villani, M; Kovess-Masféty, V

    2017-04-01

    in other environments. Several studies have shown that patients knowing their diagnosis were likely to develop a better compliance and a stronger therapeutic alliance with their doctor. No aggravation of symptoms, suicidal risk or anxiety has been linked to the diagnosis disclosure. On the contrary, the relief of being able to put some words on symptoms, better recognize them and anticipate them, and be part of a group of patients sharing the same symptomatology has been described by patients. Furthermore, disclosing a schizophrenia diagnosis can be essential to the psychotherapeutic project, in the sense that it places the patient into an active role towards the disease and the care plan. Last but not least, the relatives can benefit from the disclosure as well and build a partnership with health professionals about medical care. Existing recommendations: in the French context, apart from individual recommendations produced by a few authors in the literature, there are no official specific recommendations about how to disclose a difficult diagnosis in the psychiatric field; only recommendations concerning severe chronic somatic disease are available. The complexity of the schizophrenia diagnosis disclosure has led some researchers - especially in North America and Australia - to adapt and use in the context of schizophrenia protocols, recommendations and even communication skills training programs that have been developed in oncology or in the field of severe chronic somatic disease. For the situation to evolve in France, tools able to measure patients' consent - including consent to hear the bad news - ability could be used. The question of how much information and what kind of information the patients really wish should therefore be explored in deep. Also, we have seen that schizophrenia representations should be modified in the general public understanding as well as in the professional environment. Families should be more included in the reflection about

  7. Establishment of a serum IgG4 cut-off value for the differential diagnosis of IgG4-related disease in Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ping; Chen, Hua; Deng, Chuiwen; Wu, Ziyan; Lin, Wei; Zeng, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Fengchun; Li, Yongzhe

    2016-07-01

    This study was performed to better know diagnosis associated with serum IgG4 concentration, and to explore the possibility for development of a serum IgG4 for IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in Chinese populations. We studied retrospectively 497 IgG4 serum subclass measurements from Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the four-year period, including 242 IgG4-RD, 130 other diseases and 125 healthy individuals. Serum IgG4 concentrations were significantly higher in IgG4-RD than in other pathologies (1662.9 ± 3760.9 mg/L, p IgG4 level between other pathologies group and healthy individuals (p = 0.075). Among the 242 IgG4-RD patients analyzed, serum IgG4 concentrations were normal in 46 patients (19.0%). We found 32 patients (24.6%) with elevated serum IgG4 levels among the 130 patients who suffered from other pathologies. There were seven (5.6%) with serum IgG4 over 1350 mg/L in healthy individuals. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the optimal sensitivity and specificity were 80.0% and 88.2%, respectively, at the concentration of 1575 mg/L for Chinese patients. Our study demonstrated that serum IgG4 elevation was not specific of IgG4-RD. Further studies are needed to define the sensibility and specificity of IgG4 values for the diagnosis of IgG4-RD.

  8. Cognitive and Affective Uses of a Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Facebook Support Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Kimberly K

    2014-09-01

    There are currently many disease-specific groups on Facebook in which patients may take an active part (Greene, Choudhry, Kilabuk, & Shrank, 2011). Although uses and gratifications of patient-disease groups have begun to be identified for chronic diseases, rare diseases have been omitted, even though they collectively affect roughly 30 million people in the United States and 350 million people worldwide. This study is a content analysis of one Facebook rare disease patient group, the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) Awareness group. All wall posts were recorded and content analyzed for cognitive and affective categories and subcategories between October 9, 2011 (date of site origin), and May 1, 2012. Analysis of cognitive needs indicated TOS patients used the site more to share information about their own TOS symptoms and journey with diagnosis than to seek information. Analysis of affective needs found patients were more likely to use the site to give support and encouragement to others than to express concerns and complaints. The complaints they did express were primarily related to their frustration with the general medical community's perceived inability to diagnose and understand their disease or to question a specific doctor's diagnosis/recommendation. Results point to needs specific to TOS patients that uses and gratifications research can help clarify.

  9. Recent developments in building diagnosis techniques

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    This book presents a collection of recent research on building diagnosis techniques related to construction pathology, hygrothermal behavior and durability, and diagnostic techniques. It highlights recent advances and new developments in the field of building physics, building anomalies in materials and components, new techniques for improved energy efficiency analysis, and diagnosis techniques such as infrared thermography. This book will be of interest to a wide readership of professionals, scientists, students, practitioners, and lecturers.

  10. Effect of comorbidity on relative survival following hospitalisation for fall-related hip fracture in older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hindmarsh, Diane; Loh, Ming; Finch, Caroline F; Hayen, Andrew; Close, Jacqueline C T

    2014-09-01

    To assess the effect of comorbidity on relative survival after hip fracture. Relative survival analysis was undertaken in 16 838 fall-related hip fracture hospitalisations in New South Wales, Australia. Comorbidity was measured on the basis of additional diagnosis codes on the same hospital separation as the hip fracture using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Interval-specific relative survival and relative excess risk of death were calculated. Comorbidity was more frequently documented in men than women across the age groups. Survival decreased with increasing age and increasing comorbidity, but the relative impact of comorbidity was greater in the younger-old age group (65-74 years). The excess mortality in men was not accounted for by age or comorbidities. This study demonstrates an association between increasing comorbidity and death particularly in the first 3 months post hip fracture. It also highlights a relative excess risk of death in men after hip fracture after adjusting for age and comorbidity. © 2012 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing © 2012 ACOTA.

  11. Prospective, longitudinal assessment of quality of life in children from diagnosis to 3 months off treatment for standard risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Results of Children's Oncology Group study AALL0331.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Hannah-Rose; Lu, Xiaomin; Myers, Regina M; Sung, Lillian; Balsamo, Lyn M; Carroll, William L; Raetz, Elizabeth; Loh, Mignon L; Mattano, Leonard A; Winick, Naomi J; Devidas, Meenakshi; Hunger, Stephen P; Maloney, Kelly; Kadan-Lottick, Nina S

    2016-01-15

    Standard risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (SR-ALL) has high cure rates, but requires 2-3 years of therapy. We aimed to (i) prospectively evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during and after SR-ALL therapy, and (ii) identify associated predictors. Parents of 160 SR-ALL patients enrolled on Children's Oncology Group (COG) therapeutic trial AALL0331 at 31 sites completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales (physical, emotional and social functioning) and Family Assessment Device-General Functioning (FAD-GF) at 1, 6 and 12 months after diagnosis, and 3 months post-therapy. Mean PedsQL scores in physical, emotional and social functioning were impaired 1 month after diagnosis but steadily improved. Three months post-therapy, impaired physical and social functioning was observed in 27.8 and 25.8% of patients, respectively. In repeated-measures analysis, problematic family functioning predicted emotional (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.03-3.34) and social (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.21-3.27) impairment. Larger household size was associated with social impairment (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.45). Adverse neurological event(s) during therapy predicted post-therapy physical (OR = 5.17, 95% CI 1.61-16.63) and social (OR = 8.17, 95% CI 1.19-56.16) impairment. HRQOL 1 month after diagnosis was not predictive of HRQOL 3 months after therapy completion. In conclusion, children with SR-ALL experience considerable impairment in HRQOL at the end of induction, but rapidly improve. However, many still experience physical and social impairment 3 months post-therapy, suggesting a role for continued family and physical functioning support. Longer follow-up is needed to determine if post-therapy deficits change over time. © 2015 UICC.

  12. Adolescents' Motivation for Reading: Group Differences and Relation to Standardized Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolters, Christopher A.; Denton, Carolyn A.; York, Mary J.; Francis, David J.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to extend the research on adolescents' motivation for reading by examining important group differences and the relation of motivation to standardized achievement. Adolescents (N = 406) ranging from grade 7 to grade 12 completed a self-report survey that assessed 13 different aspects of their reading motivation…

  13. Etiology, diagnosis, and clinical management of vulvodynia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadownik LA

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Leslie A Sadownik University of British Columbia, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vancouver, BC, Canada Abstract: Chronic vulvar pain or discomfort for which no obvious etiology can be found, ie, vulvodynia, can affect up to 16% of women. It may affect girls and women across all age groups and ethnicities. Vulvodynia is a significant burden to society, the health care system, the affected woman, and her intimate partner. The etiology is multifactorial and may involve local injury or inflammation, and peripheral and or central sensitization of the nervous system. An approach to the diagnosis and management of a woman presenting with chronic vulvar pain should address the biological, psychological, and social/interpersonal factors that contribute to her illness. The gynecologist has a key role in excluding other causes for vulvar pain, screening for psychosexual and pelvic floor dysfunction, and collaborating with other health care providers to manage a woman's pain. An important component of treatment is patient education regarding the pathogenesis of the pain and the negative impact of experiencing pain on a woman's overall quality of life. An individualized, holistic, and often multidisciplinary approach is needed to effectively manage the woman's pain and pain-related distress. Keywords: vulvodynia, diagnosis, treatment, etiology, sexual pain disorder, dyspareunia, vestibulodynia, assessment, treatment, multidisciplinary

  14. Risk markers of all-cause and diagnosis-specific disability pension--a prospective cohort study of individuals sickness absent due to stress-related mental disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishtiak-Ahmed, Kazi; Perski, Aleksander; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor

    2014-08-07

    Stress-related mental disorders rank among the leading causes of sickness absence in several European countries. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of all-cause and diagnosis-specific disability pension in sickness absentees with stress-related mental disorders. A cohort of 36304 non-retired individuals aged 16-64 years at 31.12.2004 with at-least one sickness absence spell due to stress-related mental disorders (SRMD) initiated in 2005 in Sweden was followed-up with regard to disability pension (2006-2010) by linkage of registers. Uni- and multivariate Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% Confidence Intervals, CI, were estimated using Cox regression for several risk markers. During the follow-up period, 2735 individuals (7.5%) were granted a disability pension, predominantly due to mental diagnoses (n = 2004, 73.3%). In the multivariate analyses, female sex, age exceeding 35 years, low educational level, being born in a country outside EU25 and Northern Europe, residing outside big cities, living alone, having had a long duration of the first spell due to SRMD (>90 days); mental disorders necessitating frequent specialised health care as well as comorbid somatic disorders were found to be predictive of granting disability pension. Some different patterns emerged for risk factors related to diagnosis-specific disability pension and for younger and older individuals. Several predictors could be identified as risk markers for disability pension. The variation in the effect of risk markers with regard to age and diagnosis of disability pension speaks in favour of the importance of a person-centered approach in treatment and rehabilitation.

  15. Dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorder and injury in adults recently released from prison: a prospective cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesse T Young, MPH

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Background: People with mental illness and substance use disorder are over-represented in prisons. Injury-related mortality is elevated in people released from prison, and both mental illness and substance use disorder are risk factors for injury. Effective care coordination during the transition between criminal justice and community service providers improves health outcomes for people released from prison. However, the health outcomes and support needs of people with dual diagnosis (co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder released from prison are poorly understood. Here we aim to examine the association between dual diagnosis and non-fatal injury in adults released from prison. Methods: Pre-release interview data collected between Aug 1, 2008, and July 31, 2010, from a representative sample of sentenced adults (≥18 years in Queensland, Australia, were linked, retrospectively and prospectively, to person-level, state-wide emergency department and hospital records. We identified dual diagnoses from inpatient, emergency department, and prison medical records. We modelled the association between mental health status and all injury resulting in hospital contact by fitting a multivariate Cox regression, adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and criminogenic covariates, and replacing missing covariate data by multiple imputation. Findings: In 1307 adults released from prison, there were 2056 person-years of follow-up (median 495 days, IQR 163–958. The crude injury rates were 996 (95% CI 893–1112 per 1000 person-years for the dual diagnosis group, 538 (441–657 per 1000 person-years for the mental illness only group, 413 (354–482 per 1000 person-years for the substance use disorder only group, and 275 (247–307 per 1000 person-years for the no mental disorder group. After adjusting for model covariates, the dual diagnosis (adjusted hazard rate ratio 3·27, 95% CI 2·30–4·64; p<0·0001 and mental illness only (1

  16. Dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorder and injury in adults recently released from prison: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Jesse T; Heffernan, Ed; Borschmann, Rohan; Ogloff, James R P; Spittal, Matthew J; Kouyoumdjian, Fiona G; Preen, David B; Butler, Amanda; Brophy, Lisa; Crilly, Julia; Kinner, Stuart A

    2018-05-01

    People with mental illness and substance use disorder are over-represented in prisons. Injury-related mortality is elevated in people released from prison, and both mental illness and substance use disorder are risk factors for injury. Effective care coordination during the transition between criminal justice and community service providers improves health outcomes for people released from prison. However, the health outcomes and support needs of people with dual diagnosis (co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder) released from prison are poorly understood. Here we aim to examine the association between dual diagnosis and non-fatal injury in adults released from prison. Pre-release interview data collected between Aug 1, 2008, and July 31, 2010, from a representative sample of sentenced adults (≥18 years) in Queensland, Australia, were linked, retrospectively and prospectively, to person-level, state-wide emergency department and hospital records. We identified dual diagnoses from inpatient, emergency department, and prison medical records. We modelled the association between mental health status and all injury resulting in hospital contact by fitting a multivariate Cox regression, adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and criminogenic covariates, and replacing missing covariate data by multiple imputation. In 1307 adults released from prison, there were 2056 person-years of follow-up (median 495 days, IQR 163-958). The crude injury rates were 996 (95% CI 893-1112) per 1000 person-years for the dual diagnosis group, 538 (441-657) per 1000 person-years for the mental illness only group, 413 (354-482) per 1000 person-years for the substance use disorder only group, and 275 (247-307) per 1000 person-years for the no mental disorder group. After adjusting for model covariates, the dual diagnosis (adjusted hazard rate ratio 3·27, 95% CI 2·30-4·64; pmental illness only (1·87, 1·19-2·95; p=0·0071) groups were at increased risk of injury after

  17. Combining macula clinical signs and patient characteristics for age-related macular degeneration diagnosis: a machine learning approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraccaro, Paolo; Nicolo, Massimo; Bonetto, Monica; Giacomini, Mauro; Weller, Peter; Traverso, Carlo Enrico; Prosperi, Mattia; OSullivan, Dympna

    2015-01-27

    To investigate machine learning methods, ranging from simpler interpretable techniques to complex (non-linear) "black-box" approaches, for automated diagnosis of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Data from healthy subjects and patients diagnosed with AMD or other retinal diseases were collected during routine visits via an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Patients' attributes included demographics and, for each eye, presence/absence of major AMD-related clinical signs (soft drusen, retinal pigment epitelium, defects/pigment mottling, depigmentation area, subretinal haemorrhage, subretinal fluid, macula thickness, macular scar, subretinal fibrosis). Interpretable techniques known as white box methods including logistic regression and decision trees as well as less interpreitable techniques known as black box methods, such as support vector machines (SVM), random forests and AdaBoost, were used to develop models (trained and validated on unseen data) to diagnose AMD. The gold standard was confirmed diagnosis of AMD by physicians. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) were used to assess performance. Study population included 487 patients (912 eyes). In terms of AUC, random forests, logistic regression and adaboost showed a mean performance of (0.92), followed by SVM and decision trees (0.90). All machine learning models identified soft drusen and age as the most discriminating variables in clinicians' decision pathways to diagnose AMD. Both black-box and white box methods performed well in identifying diagnoses of AMD and their decision pathways. Machine learning models developed through the proposed approach, relying on clinical signs identified by retinal specialists, could be embedded into EHR to provide physicians with real time (interpretable) support.

  18. The effectiveness of therapeutic group and behavior for illogical belief and quality of peoples life related

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Dastjani, F

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This research with purpose of impression of recognition–manner group iatrical is done on change to invertebrate extinct beliefs and person`s life quality related to amphetamine. Method: thus have inspected 127 reference diseased to matters abusing iatrical centers of Arak city with questionnaire help of Jonz invertebrate extinguish (with 0.71 cronbakh alpha of persons to high marks and life quality questionnaire (with 0.7 cronbakh alpha of persons to low marks. Then selected 30 diseased as situations possessing and holding and they reset to random replacing in two groups of examination and control (15 bodies in every group. So the method of recognition–manner group iatrical applied on examination group and the end again both groups have assessment with mentioned questionnaires. Obtained information of questionnaires, have been analysis through multi-parameter covariance analysis test. The obtains shown to difference of marks and scours of recognition–manner group iatrical is meaning in comparison to control group on reducing invertebrate extinct beliefs and increasing of person’s life quality related to amphetamine. The results of the research shown that recognition–manner group iatrical is effective to management to parameters of invertebrate extinct beliefs and person’ life quality related to amphetamine.

  19. High yield of culture-based diagnosis in a TB-endemic setting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Demers, Anne-Marie; Verver, Suzanne; Boulle, Andrew; Warren, Robin; van Helden, Paul; Behr, Marcel A.; Coetzee, David

    2012-01-01

    Background: In most of the world, microbiologic diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is limited to microscopy. Recent guidelines recommend culture-based diagnosis where feasible. Methods: In order to evaluate the relative and absolute incremental diagnostic yield of culture-based diagnosis in a

  20. Work and diet-related risk factors of cardiovascular diseases: comparison of two occupational groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartung, Danielle; Stadeler, Martina; Grieshaber, Romano; Keller, Sylvia; Jahreis, Gerhard

    2010-03-22

    Although work related risk factors associated with Cardiovascular Diseases (CD) have been well researched, there is no detailed knowledge regarding disparate occupational groups each with a different risk exposition. Therefore, two occupational groups (chefs and office workers) were compared with a focus on nutritional and psychosocial factors. Two groups of subjects were tested for work and diet-related risks of CD (45 chefs and 48 office workers). The groups matched both for gender (male) and age (30 to 45 years). The study included a medical check-up, bioelectrical impedance analysis as well as an evaluation of questionnaires on health, nutritional behaviour and coping capacity. In addition, volunteers were required to compile a 7-day-dietary-record and collect their urine 24 h prior to their check-up. Blood samples drawn were analysed for glucose and lipid metabolism, homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid; C-reactive protein, uric acid, red blood cell fatty acids, plant sterols, antioxidative capacity and oxidative stress. On average, the chefs showed one risk factor more compared to the office workers. The most frequent risk factors in both groups included overweight/obesity (chef group [CG]: 62.2%; office group [OG]: 58.3%) and elevated TC (CG: 62.2%; OG: 43.8%]. Moreover, although the chefs often had higher CRP-concentrations (40.0%), more office workers suffered from hypertension (37.5%).Chefs showed significant higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids and oleic acid, whereas docosahexaenoic acid, Omega-6- and trans fatty acids were found more frequently in the red blood cell membranes of office workers. While there were no significant differences in analysed plant sterols between the two occupational groups, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine was significantly increased in office workers.Concerning the work-related psychosocial factors, the chefs were characterised by a stronger subjective importance of work, a greater degree of professional

  1. The effect of presenteeism-related health conditions on employee work engagement levels: A comparison between groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leon T. de Beer

    2014-10-01

    Research purpose: The primary objective of this study was to determine the differences in work engagement levels based on groups of presenteeism-related conditions in employees. Motivation for the study: Awareness of the impact of presenteeism-related conditions on work engagement levels can aid in the crafting of interventions to assist employees who suffer from these conditions, which in turn can boost work engagement levels. Research design, approach and method: Cross-sectional data was collected from an availability sample of employees in the manufacturing sector (N = 3387. Main findings: The results of the multi-group structural equation modelling revealed significant mean differences in work engagement levels between the groups. Practical significance tests revealed significant differences between all the groups. The largest difference was between the group who suffered from no presenteeism-related conditions and the group who suffered from all three conditions included in this study concurrently. Practical/managerial implications: Organisational stakeholders are encouraged to take note of the effects that presenteeism-related health conditions have on work engagement and to consider relevant strategies and interventions to address and alleviate symptoms in order to tend to employee health and obviate the effect on productivity. Contribution: This study found that there were clear practical differences between employees who suffer from the presenteeism-related conditions and those who suffer from none of the conditions. Furthermore, there was also a clear difference when comparing the ‘no condition’ group to a general random sample in which employees might experience some symptoms but not comorbidity.

  2. Training improves interobserver reliability for the diagnosis of scaphoid fracture displacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buijze, Geert A; Guitton, Thierry G; van Dijk, C Niek; Ring, David

    2012-07-01

    The diagnosis of displacement in scaphoid fractures is notorious for poor interobserver reliability. We tested whether training can improve interobserver reliability and sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of scaphoid fracture displacement on radiographs and CT scans. Sixty-four orthopaedic surgeons rated a set of radiographs and CT scans of 10 displaced and 10 nondisplaced scaphoid fractures for the presence of displacement, using a web-based rating application. Before rating, observers were randomized to a training group (34 observers) and a nontraining group (30 observers). The training group received an online training module before the rating session, and the nontraining group did not. Interobserver reliability for training and nontraining was assessed by Siegel's multirater kappa and the Z-test was used to test for significance. There was a small, but significant difference in the interobserver reliability for displacement ratings in favor of the training group compared with the nontraining group. Ratings of radiographs and CT scans combined resulted in moderate agreement for both groups. The average sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing displacement of scaphoid fractures were, respectively, 83%, 85%, and 84% for the nontraining group and 87%, 86%, and 87% for the training group. Assuming a 5% prevalence of fracture displacement, the positive predictive value was 0.23 in the nontraining group and 0.25 in the training group. The negative predictive value was 0.99 in both groups. Our results suggest training can improve interobserver reliability and sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of scaphoid fracture displacement, but the improvements are slight. These findings are encouraging for future research regarding interobserver variation and how to reduce it further.

  3. Challenges to diagnosis of HIV-associated wasting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotler, Donald

    2004-12-01

    There is a wide variability in the clinical presentation of the protein energy malnutrition often characterized as wasting in patients infected with HIV. Moreover, the clinical presentation has evolved over time. Initially, protein energy malnutrition was characterized by profound weight loss and depletion of body cell mass (BCM). Recently, unrelated concurrent metabolic abnormalities, such as lipodystrophy, may complicate the diagnosis of HIV wasting. Although measures of BCM are relatively accurate for the diagnosis of HIV wasting, the optimal tools for assessing BCM are not necessarily available to the clinician. From the practical standpoint, HIV wasting may be a self-evident diagnosis in advanced stages, but effective interpretation of the early signs of HIV wasting requires familiarity with other complications included in the differential diagnosis.

  4. Family adjustment across cultural groups in autistic spectrum disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobar, Sandra L

    2014-01-01

    This pilot ethnomethodological study examined perceptions of parents/caregivers of children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders concerning actions, norms, understandings, and assumptions related to adjustment to this chronic illness. The sample included 14 caregivers (75% Hispanic of various ethnic groups). Maximum variation sampling was used to compare participants on variables that were inductively derived via constant comparative methods of analysis. The following action categories emerged: "Seeking Diagnosis," "Engaging in Routines to Control behavior," "Finding Therapies (Types of Therapies)," "Finding School Accommodations," "Educating Others," "Rising to Challenges," and "Finding the Role of Spiritual and Religious Belief."

  5. An Intergroup Perspective on Group Dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-10-01

    literature Identifying parallel processes and for detailed studies documenting the phenomena). Page 59 An organizational diagnosis team had assigned its...Relations and Organizational Diagnosis . In H. Meltzer and W. R. Nord (Eds.). Making Organizations Humane and Productive. New York, New York: Wiley, 1981, pp

  6. Oral health and related factors in a group of children with cystic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Oral health and related factors in a group of children with cystic fibrosis in Istanbul, Turkey. ... presented as a marker of wound healing and bleeding tendency of oral cavity. ... Caries experience, oral hygiene, and dental erosion were assessed.

  7. Extending Ansoff’s Strategic Diagnosis Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Kipley

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Given the complex and disruptive open-ended dynamics in the current dynamic global environment, senior management recognizes the need for a formalized, consistent, and comprehensive framework to analyze the firm’s strategic posture. Modern assessment tools, such as H. Igor Ansoff’s seminal contributions to strategic diagnosis, primarily focused on identifying and enhancing the firm’s strategic performance potential through the analysis of the industry’s environmental turbulence level relative to the firm’s aggressiveness and responsiveness of capability. Other epistemic modeling techniques envisage Porter’s generic strategic positions, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT, and Resource-Based View as useful methodologies to aid in the planning process. All are complex and involve multiple managerial perspectives. Over the last two decades, attempts have been made to comprehensively classify the firm’s future competitive position. Most of these proposals utilized matrices to depict the position, such as the Boston Consulting Group, point positioning, and dispersed positioning. The GE/McKinsey later enhanced this typology by expanding to 3 × 3, contributing to management’s deeper understanding of the firm’s position. Both types of assessments, Ansoff’s strategic diagnosis and positional matrices, are invaluable strategic tools for firms. However, it could be argued that these positional analyses singularly reflect a blind spot in modeling the firm’s future strategic performance potential, as neither considers the interactions of the other. This article is conceptual and takes a different approach from earlier methodologies. Although conceptual, the article aims to present a robust model combining Ansoff’s strategic diagnosis with elements of the performance matrices to provide the management with an enriched capability to evaluate the firm’s current and future performance position.

  8. Diagnosis and management of testicular cancer the European point of view

    CERN Document Server

    Krege, Susanne

    2015-01-01

    This book presents the views of leading European experts on the diagnosis and management of testicular cancer, with coverage of current hot topics in the field. It opens by providing an overview of the recommendations in the most recent consensus paper from the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group, which is based on interdisciplinary cooperation among urologists, medical oncologists, radio-oncologists, pathologists, and basic scientists. The remainder of the book focuses on areas of controversy in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of testicular cancer. In each case the evidence base is discussed and results from the most recent studies are reviewed, drawing attention to new findings that might alter treatment recommendations. The treatment-related chapters cover a broad range of issues, including the best approach in patients with poor-prognosis and recurrent disease and those with long-term toxicities. Relevant aspects of survivorship care are also addressed. The book will help clinicians and prac...

  9. [ERG diagnosis and differential diagnosis: results of examination over 6 years].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stemeyer, G; Stähli, P

    1996-05-01

    This study reviews the patient material first from the point of view of referral diagnosis. Secondly, we focus on difficulties in selective differential diagnoses. 1501 patients underwent electroretinographic (ERG) testing from 1989 to 1994, amounting to 1815 ERG recordings, including follow-up examinations. The technique applied is full-field, single flash ERG with selective stimulation of the rod- and of the cone-systems. In 3.8% (57 cases) the ERG was performed under general anesthesia in outpatients. Tapetoretinal degenerations, toxic retinal side effects, inflammatory disease and ocular trauma represented, in this order, the major groups of referral diagnoses aside from unclear visual loss. The documentation or the exclusion of tapetoretinal degeneration represented the largest share (57%) of the application of the diagnostic procedure. 171 cases of isolated retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and 33 cases of syndromic RP were identified. Frequent and rare diagnostic entities and their differential diagnoses within this group are discussed. Inevitably, a number of diagnostic decisions remain problematic, in particular at the first examination. These diagnostic difficulties are addressed also and include the differentiation between RP sine pigmento and congenital amaurosis Leber in infants, RP with macular involvement vs. cone-rod degeneration, unilateral RP vs. postinflammatory conditions, and progressive cone dystrophy vs. achromatopsia, cone-rod degeneration or Stargardt's disease. Frequent and meaningful indications for ERG recording and difficult diagnostic decisions arise from this review of a relatively large group of patients. A number of diagnoses can hardly, if not at all be established without ERG testing. These include retinal cause of visual loss in infants, congenital amaurosis Leber, RP sine pigmento, early stages of RP, carrier status in XL RP and in choroideremia, progressive cone dystrophy, toxic retinopathy without fundus changes, retinal involvement

  10. Effect of delayed diagnosis on disease course and management of Churg-Strauss syndrome: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokołowska, Barbara; Szczeklik, Wojciech; Mastalerz, Lucyna; Kuczia, Paweł; Wodkowski, Michał; Stodółkiewicz, Edyta; Macioł, Karolina; Musiał, Jacek

    2013-03-01

    Delayed diagnosis in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is largely attributed to the variable and nonspecific presentation of the disease's initial symptoms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of delayed diagnosis on the course of CSS. We conducted a retrospective study of 30 CSS patients followed up in our department. In each patient, we assessed the delay in CSS diagnosis (the time when patients already fulfilled four out of six of the American College of Rheumatology criteria and the diagnosis was not yet established), the disease activity at the time of diagnosis, and organ involvement during CSS course. A median value of 2 weeks was chosen as the cutoff point after which the diagnosis was considered as delayed. Sixteen patients were diagnosed before (group 1) and 14 patients after this cutoff point (group 2). In group 2, we found a higher Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score at the moment of diagnosis (20.4 vs 25.1, p < 0.05) and a more severe disease course, resulting in more frequent hospitalization rates (0.64 vs 2.26/year, p < 0.00001), higher corticosteroids dose requirements (5.87 vs 11.57 mg/day converted to methylprednisolone, p < 0.0001), and additional immunosuppressive therapy administration (56.2 vs 92.8 %, p < 0.05) to maintain disease remission. All six perinuclear pattern of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibobodies (pANCA)-positive patients (20 %) were found in group 1. Concluding, the delay in diagnosis of CSS of more than 2 weeks was found to be associated with a disease course that was more severe. The presence of the pANCA antibodies may occasionally facilitate establishment of the diagnosis.

  11. Under-diagnosis of alcohol-related problems and depression in a family practice in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yamada Kenshi

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aim The aim of this survey was to assess the accuracy of a family physician's diagnosis of depression and alcoholism. Methods Consecutive new adult patients attending a family practice in Japan between April 2004 and August 2006 were enrolled. Excluded were those with dementia or visual disturbance, and emergency cases. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding their complaints and socio-demographics. A research nurse conducted the Japanese version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (J-MINI in the interview room. The doctor independently performed usual practice and recorded his own clinical diagnoses. A researcher listed the clinical diagnoses and complaints, including J-MINI or clinically-diagnosed alcoholism and depression, using the International Classifications for Primary Care, Second Edition (ICPC-2 and calculated kappa statistics between the J-MINI and clinical diagnoses. Results Of the 120 adult first-visit patients attending the clinics, 112 patients consented to participate in the survey and were enrolled. Fifty-one subjects were male and 61 female, and the average age was 40.7 ± 13.2 years. Eight alcohol-related disorders and five major depressions were diagnosed using the J-MINI, whereas no cases of alcoholism and eight depressions were diagnosed by the physician. Clinically overlooked patients tended to have acute illnesses like a common cold. Concordance between the clinical and research diagnosis was achieved only for three episodes of Major depression, resulting in a kappa statistic of 0.43. Conclusion Although almost half of the major depressions were identified, all alcoholism was missed. A mental health screening instrument might be beneficial in family practice, especially to detect alcoholism.

  12. A multi-method evaluation of a training course on dual diagnosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Rani, S

    2012-08-01

    A training course on dual diagnosis was developed within the Irish forensic mental health service, to bridge the gap in the lack of training on dual diagnosis in Ireland. The course was designed for service providers within mental health and addiction services. Twenty participants involving nursing, social work, police and social welfare disciplines attended the first training course. A mixed methodology research design was adapted to describe participants\\' evaluation of the training course. Data were collected using multiple methods: pre- and post-test, daily evaluation and focus group interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using the spss Version 16.0 and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings from the pre- and post-test suggest an increase in participants\\' knowledge of dual diagnosis and an increase in confidence in conducting groups. Daily evaluation indicates that the course content largely met participants\\' needs. Finally, three themes emerged from the focus group interview: increased confidence, the training course\\/teaching methods and personal\\/organizational challenges. This study implies that service providers within mental health and addiction services benefit from inter-professional, needs and skills based courses incorporating a variety of teaching methods. The way forward for future dual diagnosis training course developments would be working in partnership with service users and carers.

  13. Association of adiponectin, interleukin (IL)-1ra, inducible protein 10, IL-6 and number of islet autoantibodies with progression patterns of type 1 diabetes the first year after diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaas, A; Pfleger, Claudia Christina; Hansen, Lene

    2010-01-01

    The progression of type 1 diabetes after diagnosis is poorly understood. Our aim was to assess the relation of disease progression of juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes, determined by preserved beta cell function the first year after diagnosis, with systemic cytokine concentrations and number...... patients (P = 0·03 and P = 0·006). IL-1ra, IP-10 and IL-6 did not differ between the groups at any time-point. The number of autoantibodies differed significantly between the groups at 1 month (P = 0·04), where rapid progressers had the largest number. There was no difference between the groups in human...

  14. The time of diagnosis impacts surgical management but not the outcome of patients with gallbladder Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Löhe F

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Only 50% of gallbladder cancers (GBC are recognized before operation and the remaining tumors are diagnosed during surgery or afterwards by the pathologist. These situations may demand substantial modifications of the proceeding during surgery as well as the need for reoperation in some cases. Therefore, the time of diagnosis may strongly influence the surgical management of GBC and the prognosis of the patients. Methods Records and follow-up of 152 patients with gallbladder carcinoma who underwent surgery between 1980 and 2004 were examined according to the time of diagnosis, TNM staging system, surgical procedures, morbidity and predictors of survival. There were 76 patients with preoperative diagnosis of GBC (50%; group1, 44 patients with intraoperative diagnosis (29%; group 2 and 32 patients (21%; group 3 with postoperatively incidental finding of GBC. In all cases radical resection of the GBC was intended, except in 5 patients from group 1. Surgical procedures comprised from simple cholecystectomy to multivisceral resections. Results Overall 5-year survival rate was 7% with a significantly better median survival in group 3 (53.2 month, when compared to only 6.1 month (group 2 and 5.4 month (group 1, respectively. Findings at operation forced significant modifications of the surgical strategy in 85%. Complete resection of GBC was achieved in 38% of the patients. Stage- dependent survival was comparable between the groups following R0 resection. Tumor stage, in particular the nodal status and radicality of the procedure, but not the time of diagnosis were the most powerful predictors of outcome. Conclusions Complete tumor resection may provide long-term survival even in locally advanced GBC. Although the time of diagnosis of GBC causes significant changes of the intended procedures during and after surgery, it has no influence on the prognosis provided that radical (R0 resection was accomplished.

  15. Concussion diagnosis and management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Aneetinder; Tator, Charles H.; Carson, James D.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Objective To assess the knowledge of, attitudes toward, and learning needs for concussion diagnosis and management among family medicine residents. Design E-mail survey. Setting University of Toronto in Ontario. Participants Family medicine residents (N = 348). Main outcome measures To describe relationships between awareness of concussion management and lifestyle, education background, and residency placement, t tests and 2 tests were used as appropriate. Linear regression was used to compare self-reported concussion knowledge with knowledge scores. Thematic analysis was used to interpret answers to the qualitative question asking residents to describe challenges they foresee physicians facing when diagnosing and managing concussion. Results The residents who responded (n = 73, response rate 21%) correctly answered an average of 5.2 questions out of 9 (58%) regarding the diagnosis and management of concussion. Postgraduate year, sex, personal history of concussion, and clinical exposure to concussion were not significant factors in predicting the number of correct answers. Several misconceptions and knowledge gaps were revealed. Of residents who responded, 71% did not recognize chronic traumatic encephalopathy and only 63% recognized second-impact syndrome as consequences of repetitive concussions. Moreover, 32% of residents did not think that every individual with a concussion should see a physician as part of management. Knowledge scores did not predict self-reported concussion knowledge. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes related to the challenges of concussion diagnosis and management: the nonspecificity and vagueness of symptoms, lack of formal diagnostic criteria, patient compliance with management, and counseling patients with respect to return to play, work, or learning. Conclusion We found substantial gaps in knowledge surrounding concussion diagnosis and management among family medicine residents. This lack of knowledge should be addressed at

  16. Water quality diagnosis system for power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igarashi, Hiroo; Fukumoto, Toshihiko

    1991-01-01

    An AI diagnose system for the water quality control of a BWR type reactor is divided into a general diagnosing section for generally classifying the water quality conditions of the plant depending on a causal relation between the symptom of the water quality abnormality and its causes, generally diagnosing the position and the cause of the abnormality and ranking the items considered to be the cause, and a detail diagnosing section for a further diagnosis based on the result of the diagnosis in the former section. The general diagnosing section provides a plurality of threshold values showing the extent of the abnormality depending on the cause to the causal relation between the causes and the forecast events previously formed depending on the data of process sensors in the plant. Since the diagnosis for the abnormality and normality is given not only as an ON or OFF mode but also as the extent thereof, it can enter the detailed diagnosis in the most plausible order, based on a plurality of estimated causes, to enable to find the case and take a counter-measure in an early stage. (N.H.)

  17. New and chronic use of hypnotics after diagnosis with early breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lærke Toftegård; Suppli, Nis Frederik Palm; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To determine use and investigate factors associated with use of hypnotics the first year after a diagnosis with breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective registry based cohort study linking clinical data from the Danish Breast Cancer Group with the National Prescription Drug...... Database and other health and administrative registries. We included 26 082 women diagnosed with early breast cancer as first time primary cancer during 1996-2006. Use of hypnotics was measured as redeemed prescriptions in the first year after diagnosis of early breast cancer. Prior use of hypnotics.......21-1.42)] and use of antidepressants the year before breast cancer diagnosis [HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.85-2.10)]. CONCLUSION: This study detected a group of patients at great risk for initiating and increasing use of hypnotics and preventive and prophylactic mechanism should be investigated and initiated when this group...

  18. Constructing a Measurement Method of Differences in Group Preferences Based on Relative Entropy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiyu Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the research and data analysis of the differences involved in group preferences, conventional statistical methods cannot reflect the integrity and preferences of human minds; in particular, it is difficult to exclude humans’ irrational factors. This paper introduces a preference amount model based on relative entropy theory. A related expansion is made based on the characteristics of the questionnaire data, and we also construct the parameters to measure differences in the data distribution of different groups on the whole. In this paper, this parameter is called the center distance, and it effectively reflects the preferences of human minds. Using the survey data of securities market participants as an example, this paper analyzes differences in market participants’ attitudes toward the effectiveness of securities regulation. Based on this method, differences between groups that were overlooked by analysis of variance are found, and certain aspects obscured by general data characteristics are also found.

  19. Diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the community hospital: validity and usefulness of sonography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jeong Min; Lee, Mi Suk; Yoon, Young Gun; Ym, Seong Hee; Han, Hyeun Young

    1999-01-01

    To compare the accuracy of initial clinical diagnosis with that of ultrasonography (US) in diagnosing appendicitis and to determine its effect on the care of patients in a community hospital. One hundred and fifty patients with suspected appendicitis were prospectively examined with US. Prior to this, they had been divided into three groups on the basis of clinical judgement regarding diagnosis and their treatment plan ; Group 1 : high suspicion (probability > 75%)-urgent surgery indicated ; Group 2 : equivocal (probability 25-75%)-in hospital for observation, Group 3 : very unlikely (probability < 25%)-discharge without further testing. In order to determine the validity of these groupings, we calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of sonographic examination, and the likelihood ratios of initial clinical diagnosis. US revealed a sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 90%, positive predictive value of 95%, negative predictive value of 85% and overall accuracy of 91%. The initial clinical impression showed a sensitivity of 70%, specificity of 82%, positive predictive value of 89%, negative predictive value of 58%, and overall accuracy of 74%. Among 79 patients in the high clinical risk category(Group 1), the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US were 96%, 89%, and 95%, respectively. Among 71 patients in the low- and intermediate- clinical categories(Groups 2 and 3), the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US were 83%, 90%, and 87%. The likelihood ratios were 3.9 in Group 1, 0.52 in Group 2, and 0.15 in Group 3. In 32 of 150 patients(21%), the findings of US led to changes in the proposed management plan. The overall accuracy of US in the diagnosis of appendicitis was statistically superior to that of the clinician's initial impression(p < 0.05). In addition, US played an important role in making decisions regarding the treatment plan

  20. [Is the diagnosis 'depression' still useful?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terluin, Berend; Oud, Marian J T

    2012-01-01

    The DSM diagnosis of depression is based solely on the presence of symptoms, without taking into account the context in which these symptoms have occurred. For this reason, the DSM diagnosis does not distinguish between sadness as a normal reaction to a painful loss and pathologically depressive reactions that are disproportionate to personal life events and circumstances. According to a group of mental health expert general practitioners, a true depressive disorder is characterized by a depression that has acquired a life of its own and is hard to control. This depression is severe, and is recognized by the patient as alien to his or her character. Loss of the ability to experience pleasure in ordinary things (anhedonia) and thoughts about death as an alternative for the torment experienced are often present. We recommend the diagnosis of depression be reserved for clearly pathologically depressive reactions that are also recognized as such by the patient.

  1. Trajectories of disposable income among people of working ages diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: a nationwide register-based cohort study in Sweden 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis with a population-based reference group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murley, Chantelle; Mogard, Olof; Wiberg, Michael; Alexanderson, Kristina; Karampampa, Korinna; Friberg, Emilie; Tinghög, Petter

    2018-05-09

    To describe how disposable income (DI) and three main components changed, and analyse whether DI development differed from working-aged people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to a reference group from 7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis in Sweden. Population-based cohort study, 12-year follow-up (7 years before to 4 years after diagnosis). Swedish working-age population with microdata linked from two nationwide registers. Residents diagnosed with MS in 2009 aged 25-59 years (n=785), and references without MS (n=7847) randomly selected with stratified matching (sex, age, education and country of birth). DI was defined as the annual after tax sum of incomes (earnings and benefits) to measure individual economic welfare. Three main components of DI were analysed as annual sums: earnings, sickness absence benefits and disability pension benefits. We found no differences in mean annual DI between people with and without MS by independent t-tests (p values between 0.15 and 0.96). Differences were found for all studied components of DI from diagnosis year by independent t-tests, for example, in the final study year (2013): earnings (-64 867 Swedish Krona (SEK); 95% CI-79 203 to -50 528); sickness absence benefits (13 330 SEK; 95% CI 10 042 to 16 500); and disability pension benefits (21 360 SEK; 95% CI 17 380 to 25 350). A generalised estimating equation evaluated DI trajectory development between people with and without MS to find both trajectories developed in parallel, both before (-4039 SEK; 95% CI -10 536 to 2458) and after (-781 SEK; 95% CI -6988 to 5360) diagnosis. The key finding of parallel DI trajectory development between working-aged MS and references suggests minimal economic impact within the first 4 years of diagnosis. The Swedish welfare system was responsive to the observed reductions in earnings around MS diagnosis through balancing DI with morbidity-related benefits. Future decreases in economic welfare may be experienced as the

  2. Stimulating high impact HIV-related cardiovascular research: recommendations from a multidisciplinary NHLBI Working Group on HIV-related heart, lung, and blood disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Monica R; Cook, Nakela; Wong, Renee; Hsue, Priscilla; Ridker, Paul; Currier, Judith; Shurin, Susan

    2015-02-24

    The clinical challenges confronting patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have shifted from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illnesses to chronic diseases, such as coronary artery disease, chronic lung disease, and chronic anemia. With the growing burden of HIV-related heart, lung, and blood (HLB) disease, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recognizes it must stimulate and support HIV-related HLB research. Because HIV offers a natural, accelerated model of common pathological processes, such as inflammation, HIV-related HLB research may yield important breakthroughs for all patients with HLB disease. This paper summarizes the cardiovascular recommendations of an NHLBI Working Group, Advancing HIV/AIDS Research in Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases, charged with identifying scientific priorities in HIV-related HLB disease and developing recommendations to promote multidisciplinary collaboration among HIV and HLB investigators. The working group included multidisciplinary sessions, as well as HLB breakout sessions for discussion of disease-specific issues, with common themes about scientific priorities and strategies to stimulate HLB research emerging in all 3 groups. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. New technologies in diagnosis of preinvasive cervical lesions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. P. Aminodova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Results of efficiency assessment of different diagnosis for preinvasive cervical lesions are represented in the article. During investigation the retrospective analysis of 353 patient histories of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (primary and recurrent, who have been observed in Ivanovskiy regional oncological dispensary from 2002 to 2011, was performed. The accuracy rates of diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia for one or several methods including cytological study, colposcopy and fluorescence cystoscopy were compared. Fluorescence diagnosis was performed with drug fotoditazin (LLC «VETA-GRAND», marketing authorisation №LS 001246 at dose of 1,0 mg/kg body weight. The final diagnosis was determined by results of histological study. The accuracy of cytological study accounted for 67,5–80,7%. Using colposcopy the exact diagnosis was determined in 67,9–74,4% of cases. Combination of cytological study with colposcopy improved the accuracy of diagnosis up to 82.1–88.9%. The superior results were for concurrent use of cytological study with colposcopy and fluorescence diagnosis – in such case the diagnosis was correct in 92,0–96,7% of patients. The analysis of results showed that using all methods of diagnosis the accuracy of diagnosis for recurrent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was lower than for primary lesions. The decrease of diagnosis accuracy is probably related to previous diagnosis and therapeutic manipulations on cervix. Thus, multimodal diagnosis investigation with methods of fluorescence spectroscopy allows to improve accuracy of diagnosis for preinvasive cervical lesions. 

  4. Computational Intelligence in Early Diabetes Diagnosis: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankaracharya; Odedra, Devang; Samanta, Subir; Vidyarthi, Ambarish S.

    2010-01-01

    The development of an effective diabetes diagnosis system by taking advantage of computational intelligence is regarded as a primary goal nowadays. Many approaches based on artificial network and machine learning algorithms have been developed and tested against diabetes datasets, which were mostly related to individuals of Pima Indian origin. Yet, despite high accuracies of up to 99% in predicting the correct diabetes diagnosis, none of these approaches have reached clinical application so far. One reason for this failure may be that diabetologists or clinical investigators are sparsely informed about, or trained in the use of, computational diagnosis tools. Therefore, this article aims at sketching out an outline of the wide range of options, recent developments, and potentials in machine learning algorithms as diabetes diagnosis tools. One focus is on supervised and unsupervised methods, which have made significant impacts in the detection and diagnosis of diabetes at primary and advanced stages. Particular attention is paid to algorithms that show promise in improving diabetes diagnosis. A key advance has been the development of a more in-depth understanding and theoretical analysis of critical issues related to algorithmic construction and learning theory. These include trade-offs for maximizing generalization performance, use of physically realistic constraints, and incorporation of prior knowledge and uncertainty. The review presents and explains the most accurate algorithms, and discusses advantages and pitfalls of methodologies. This should provide a good resource for researchers from all backgrounds interested in computational intelligence-based diabetes diagnosis methods, and allows them to extend their knowledge into this kind of research. PMID:21713313

  5. Computational intelligence in early diabetes diagnosis: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankaracharya; Odedra, Devang; Samanta, Subir; Vidyarthi, Ambarish S

    2010-01-01

    The development of an effective diabetes diagnosis system by taking advantage of computational intelligence is regarded as a primary goal nowadays. Many approaches based on artificial network and machine learning algorithms have been developed and tested against diabetes datasets, which were mostly related to individuals of Pima Indian origin. Yet, despite high accuracies of up to 99% in predicting the correct diabetes diagnosis, none of these approaches have reached clinical application so far. One reason for this failure may be that diabetologists or clinical investigators are sparsely informed about, or trained in the use of, computational diagnosis tools. Therefore, this article aims at sketching out an outline of the wide range of options, recent developments, and potentials in machine learning algorithms as diabetes diagnosis tools. One focus is on supervised and unsupervised methods, which have made significant impacts in the detection and diagnosis of diabetes at primary and advanced stages. Particular attention is paid to algorithms that show promise in improving diabetes diagnosis. A key advance has been the development of a more in-depth understanding and theoretical analysis of critical issues related to algorithmic construction and learning theory. These include trade-offs for maximizing generalization performance, use of physically realistic constraints, and incorporation of prior knowledge and uncertainty. The review presents and explains the most accurate algorithms, and discusses advantages and pitfalls of methodologies. This should provide a good resource for researchers from all backgrounds interested in computational intelligence-based diabetes diagnosis methods, and allows them to extend their knowledge into this kind of research.

  6. Congenital anomalies: Impact of prenatal diagnosis on mode of delivery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Dempsey, M A

    2010-03-01

    An important aspect of prenatal diagnosis is the avoidance of emergency caesarean delivery (CD) where the abnormality is considered lethal and the infant will not survive. A consecutive cohort of 211,163 women delivered of infants weighing 500 grams or more in three tertiary referral centers from 01\\/95 to 12\\/04, was analyzed for perinatal death attributed to congenital malformations. In the group that died in the neonatal period, the emergency CD rate was significantly lower where anomaly was detected versus undetected (17.5% versus 31%). Further, in contrast to undiagnosed anomalies, the indication for emergency CD was more often maternal in the diagnosed group (42% versus 19%, p=0.019). When a diagnosis of lethal congenital anomaly has been made in the prenatal period, the reduction in the emergency CD rate by almost half in this study supports a pivotal role for prenatal diagnosis in optimizing maternal care.

  7. Diagnosis of ventricular drainage-related bacterial meningitis by broad-range real-time polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Deutch, Susanna; Dahlberg, Daniel; Hedegaard, Jesper

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare a broad-range real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic strategy with culture to evaluate additional effects on the etiological diagnosis and the quantification of the bacterial load during the course of ventricular drainage-related bacterial meningitis (VR......-BM). METHODS: We applied a PCR that targeted conserved regions of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with external ventricular drainage or a ventriculoperitoneal shunt during the course of VR-BM. We compared the PCR results with CSF cultures. A total...... of 350 routine CSF samples were consecutively collected from 86 patients. The CSF deoxyribonucleic acid was automatically purified and subjected to PCR. Amplicons from the PCR samples that were positive for VR-BM were subsequently deoxyribonucleic acid sequenced for final identification. Clinical data...

  8. ABO blood groups and malaria related clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deepa; Alwar, Vanamala A; Rameshkumar, Karuna; Ross, Cecil

    2011-03-01

    The study was undertaken to correlate the blood groups and clinical presentations in malaria patients and to understand the differential host susceptibility in malaria. From October 2007 to September 2008, malaria positive patients' samples were evaluated in this study. Hemoglobin, total leukocyte count, and platelet count of each patient were done on an automated cell counter. After determining the blood groups, malarial species and the severity of clinical course were correlated. A total of 100 patients were included in the study, of which 63 cases were positive for Plasmodium falciparum and 37 cases were positive for P. vivax infection and 11 patients had mixed infection. The results of the blood groups showed 22 - 'A' group, 42 - 'B' group, 35 - 'O' group and 1 was 'AB' group. When the clinical courses between different groups were compared using the following parameters for severe infection--a parasitic load of >10/1000 RBCs, severe anemia with hemoglobin 101°F and other organ involvement, it was observed that 'O' group had an advantage over other the groups. The difference in rosetting ability between red blood cells of different 'ABO' blood groups with a diminished rosetting potential in blood group 'O' red blood cells was due to the differential host susceptibility. 'O' group had an advantage over the other three blood groups. Based on literature and the results of this study, the diminished rosetting potential in blood group 'O' red blood cells is suggested as the basis for the differential host susceptibility.

  9. Control Algorithms Along Relative Equilibria of Underactuated Lagrangian Systems on Lie Groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordkvist, Nikolaj; Bullo, F.

    2008-01-01

    We present novel algorithms to control underactuated mechanical systems. For a class of invariant systems on Lie groups, we design iterative small-amplitude control forces to accelerate along, decelerate along, and stabilize relative equilibria. The technical approach is based upon a perturbation...

  10. Control algorithms along relative equilibria of underactuated Lagrangian systems on Lie groups

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordkvist, Nikolaj; Bullo, Francesco

    2007-01-01

    We present novel algorithms to control underactuated mechanical systems. For a class of invariant systems on Lie groups, we design iterative small-amplitude control forces to accelerate along, decelerate along, and stabilize relative equilibria. The technical approach is based upon a perturbation...

  11. Exploring a Relational Cultural Group Trainee Model for Master's Level Counseling Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Brenda S.; Harper, Irene; Korcuska, James

    2018-01-01

    We explored students' experiences of a graduate level group course infused with components of the Relational Cultural Theory (RCT). During the didactic and experiential aspects of 2 semester-long group courses, the faculty instructors and students focused on creating an environment of safety, connection, and empowerment. The instructor and…

  12. Abnormal expression of blood group-related antigens in uterine endometrial cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukazaki, K; Sakayori, M; Arai, H; Yamaoka, K; Kurihara, S; Nozawa, S

    1991-08-01

    The expression of A, B, and H group antigens, Lewis group antigens (Lewis(a), Lewis(b), Lewis(x), and Lewis(y)), and Lc4 and nLc4 antigens, the precursor antigens of both groups, was examined immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies in 9 normal endometria, 6 endometrial hyperplasias, and 31 endometrial cancers. 1) A, B and/or H antigens were detected in endometrial cancers at an incidence of 51.6%, while no distinct localization of these antigens was observed in normal endometria. H antigen, the precursor of A and B antigens, was particularly frequently detected in endometrial cancers. 2) An increased rate of expression of Lewis group antigens, particularly Lewis(b) antigen, was observed in endometrial cancers compared with its expression in normal endometria. 3) Lc4 and nLc4 antigens were detected in endometrial cancers at rates of 41.9% and 38.7%, respectively, these expressions being increased compared with those in normal endometria. 4) These results suggest that a highly abnormal expression of blood group-related antigens in endometrial cancers occurs not only at the level of A, B, and H antigens and Lewis group antigens, but also at the level of their precursor Lc4 and nLc4 antigens. 5) Lewis(a), Lewis(b), and Lc4 antigens, built on the type-1 chain, are more specific to endometrial cancers than their respective positional isomers, Lewis(x), Lewis(y), and nLc4 antigens, built on the type-2 chain.

  13. Nursing diagnosis Noncompliance to treatment in men with hypertension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Talliton Uchôa de Araújo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective : to identify the frequency of occurrence of nursing diagnosis Noncompliance of treatment in men with high blood pressure, its defining characteristics, and related factors. Methods : a Cross-sectional study involving 44 men with hypertension by applying a validated instrument for identification of nursing diagnosis. Results : the diagnosis frequency of occurrence was 56.8%, the most present defining characteristics were the inadequate management of nonpharmacological treatment (p=0.000 and adherence failure of indicative behavior (p=0.000. The most common related factors were deficient knowledge for the monitor of the non- drug treatment regimen (p=0.000 and insufficient teaching ability of health staff (p=0.002. Conclusion : it was found a high frequency of diagnosis in men and the data point to the need for training of health professionals for the development of skills in promoting adherence of men to the treatment of hypertension.

  14. National legal system in relation to vulnerable population groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sjeničić Marta

    2015-01-01

    coordinated solution to the problem. In the field of palliative care of terminally ill persons, a solution is on the way to be reached through the Strategy for Palliative Care, by reorganizing the health system. The health system as it is cannot fulfill the needs of persons requiring palliative care. Coextensive systems enable establishing hospices as charity organizations in the non-governmental sector, mainly financed from donations. They represent a support to the health system in taking care of terminally ill patients. For now, our legal system does now allow non-governmental organizations to engage in health activities, although there were initiatives in that direction. To some extent, national regulations offer a basis for treatment of patients with rare illnesses, but without specifying their rights to a diagnosis or treatment and without more detailed regulations on the allocation of funds directed towards diagnosing rare illnesses and treatment of the ill. A lack of legal and financial prerequisites makes them subject to discrimination. The very fact that a large number of these patients are children makes them twice as endangered category of population. The legal system has recently started dealing with a regulation that would support persons suffering from rare illnesses, but the implementation of these provisions has still not completely become a reality. The Law on Health Care and Insurance defines children and women in their reproductive period as an especially vulnerable group. The Law on Rights to Healthcare for Children, Pregnant Women and Women on Maternity Leave, has recently been brought. The Law has been brought with an aim of ensuring rights to health care and transportation costs benefits for children, pregnant women and mothers during maternity leave, regardless of the basis on which they have health insurance. The reason for bringing such a law is noble, but the form of the legal act, which was supposed to realize the set goal, was overemphasized and

  15. Factors influencing diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women

    OpenAIRE

    Maghous, A.; Rais, F.; Ahid, S.; Benhmidou, N.; Bellahamou, K.; Loughlimi, H.; Marnouche, E.; Elmajjaoui, S.; Elkacemi, H.; Kebdani, T.; Benjaafar, N.

    2016-01-01

    Background Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer in symptomatic women of 3?months or more is associated with advanced stage and low survival. We conducted this study to learn more about the extent and reasons behind diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women. Methods A group of patients with advanced breast cancer were interviewed at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat during the period from February to December 2014. Diagnosis delay was devised into patient delay a...

  16. Bone scan in diagnosis of infectious osteoarthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marandian, M.H.; Mortazavi, H.; Behvad, A.; Haghigat, H.; Lessani, M.; Youssefian, B.

    1979-01-01

    Bone scan with Technetium 99m is harmless method of evaluation of skeletal lesions. It is safe in pediatrics age group and it can be used in early diagnosis of infectious osteoarthritis. Bone scan differentiate osteomyelitis from cellulitis, and also it may help in diagnosis of subclinical involvement of rheumatoid arthritis, benign and malignant bone tumors, stress fractures and periostitis. We report results of bone scan in 30 pediatrics patients as follow: osteomyelitis 9 cases, cellulitis 4 cases, infectious arthritis 7 cases, tuberculous osteoarthritis 2 cases, rheumatoid arthritis 2 cases, and other different diseases 9 cases [fr

  17. Clinical diagnosis and treatment of olfactory meningioma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xiangdong; Wang Zhong; Zhang Shiming; Zhu Fengqing; Zhou Dai; Hui Guozhen

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To analyze the clinical diagnosis and treatment of olfactory meningioma. Methods: In this group 17 olfactory meningiomas were operated, and the clinical presentations and the surgery results were obtained. Results: The symptoms of psychiatrical disorder, visual disturbances and eclipse at presentation was higher. In 16 cases the grade of resection was Simpson II, 1 case Simpson III, most of the cases had a good recovery. Conclusion: Attention should be paid to the early symptom at presentation such as psychiatrical disorder to obtain an early diagnosis. Microsurgery is useful in the treatment of olfactory meningioma. (authors)

  18. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group's fully operationalised DSM-IV dementia computerized diagnostic algorithm, compared with the 10/66 dementia algorithm and a clinician diagnosis: a population validation study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishnamoorthy ES

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The criterion for dementia implicit in DSM-IV is widely used in research but not fully operationalised. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group sought to do this using assessments from their one phase dementia diagnostic research interview, and to validate the resulting algorithm in a population-based study in Cuba. Methods The criterion was operationalised as a computerised algorithm, applying clinical principles, based upon the 10/66 cognitive tests, clinical interview and informant reports; the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia, the CERAD 10 word list learning and animal naming tests, the Geriatric Mental State, and the History and Aetiology Schedule – Dementia Diagnosis and Subtype. This was validated in Cuba against a local clinician DSM-IV diagnosis and the 10/66 dementia diagnosis (originally calibrated probabilistically against clinician DSM-IV diagnoses in the 10/66 pilot study. Results The DSM-IV sub-criteria were plausibly distributed among clinically diagnosed dementia cases and controls. The clinician diagnoses agreed better with 10/66 dementia diagnosis than with the more conservative computerized DSM-IV algorithm. The DSM-IV algorithm was particularly likely to miss less severe dementia cases. Those with a 10/66 dementia diagnosis who did not meet the DSM-IV criterion were less cognitively and functionally impaired compared with the DSMIV confirmed cases, but still grossly impaired compared with those free of dementia. Conclusion The DSM-IV criterion, strictly applied, defines a narrow category of unambiguous dementia characterized by marked impairment. It may be specific but incompletely sensitive to clinically relevant cases. The 10/66 dementia diagnosis defines a broader category that may be more sensitive, identifying genuine cases beyond those defined by our DSM-IV algorithm, with relevance to the estimation of the population burden of this disorder.

  19. Assessing stakeholder opinion on relations between cancer patient groups and pharmaceutical companies in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leto di Priolo, Susanna; Fehervary, Andras; Riggins, Phil; Redmond, Kathy

    2012-01-01

    The relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and cancer patient groups has been the subject of much scrutiny and skepticism, and some high-profile negative media coverage has focused attention on some of the problematic aspects of the relationship. Both the pharmaceutical industry and cancer patient groups have made an effort in recent years to improve the transparency and openness of their relations, specifically with regard to the financial support offered by pharmaceutical companies to patient groups. The objectives of this survey were to benchmark perceptions held by different stakeholder groups about current relationships between cancer patient groups and pharmaceutical companies in Europe, and to explore opinions about ways in which partnerships between patient groups and pharmaceutical companies could evolve to the benefit of cancer patients. The survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire that contained a combination of matrix, scaled, and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was developed based on a literature search and the findings from ten in-depth interviews conducted with policy makers and advocates working at an EU level. Telephone interviews were carried out using a structured questionnaire with a convenience sample of 161 policy makers, cancer healthcare group representatives, and cancer patient group leaders from France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. The interviews took place in the relevant language of the country. The current relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and cancer patient groups in Europe is generally viewed as positive, but it is also viewed as being unequal, not transparent enough, and not sufficiently patient-centric. There is broad agreement that cancer patient groups can help companies identify unmet needs and contribute to the development of innovative medicines; however, there is some concern about cancer patients

  20. Guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

    OpenAIRE

    M. Rossini; G. Rini; R. Nuti; S. Minisola; S. Migliaccio; C. Mereu; L. Masi; C. Marcocci; E. Mannarino; G. Luisetto; G.C. Isaia; S. Gonnelli; S. Giannini; B. Frediani; E. Fiore

    2011-01-01

    The guidelines for the osteoporosis management were first drafted by a working group and then critically evaluated by the board of SIOMMMS. The most relevant points are: Definition: Osteoporosis is defined as a quantitative and qualitative deterioration of bone tissue leading to increased risk of fracture. Postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis are defined as primitive. Diagnosis: The cornerstone for the diagnosis of osteoporosis is the measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) by DXA (dual-e...

  1. Validation of consensus panel diagnosis in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabel, Matthew J; Foster, Norman L; Heidebrink, Judith L; Higdon, Roger; Aizenstein, Howard J; Arnold, Steven E; Barbas, Nancy R; Boeve, Bradley F; Burke, James R; Clark, Christopher M; Dekosky, Steven T; Farlow, Martin R; Jagust, William J; Kawas, Claudia H; Koeppe, Robert A; Leverenz, James B; Lipton, Anne M; Peskind, Elaine R; Turner, R Scott; Womack, Kyle B; Zamrini, Edward Y

    2010-12-01

    The clinical diagnosis of dementing diseases largely depends on the subjective interpretation of patient symptoms. Consensus panels are frequently used in research to determine diagnoses when definitive pathologic findings are unavailable. Nevertheless, research on group decision making indicates that many factors can adversely affect panel performance. To determine conditions that improve consensus panel diagnosis. Comparison of neuropathologic diagnoses with individual and consensus panel diagnoses based on clinical scenarios only, fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography images only, and scenarios plus images. Expert and trainee individual and consensus panel deliberations using a modified Delphi method in a pilot research study of the diagnostic utility of fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography. Forty-five patients with pathologically confirmed Alzheimer disease or frontotemporal dementia. Statistical measures of diagnostic accuracy, agreement, and confidence for individual raters and panelists before and after consensus deliberations. The consensus protocol using trainees and experts surpassed the accuracy of individual expert diagnoses when clinical information elicited diverse judgments. In these situations, consensus was 3.5 times more likely to produce positive rather than negative changes in the accuracy and diagnostic certainty of individual panelists. A rule that forced group consensus was at least as accurate as majority and unanimity rules. Using a modified Delphi protocol to arrive at a consensus diagnosis is a reasonable substitute for pathologic information. This protocol improves diagnostic accuracy and certainty when panelist judgments differ and is easily adapted to other research and clinical settings while avoiding the potential pitfalls of group decision making.

  2. Diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux in children. Comparison between oesophageal pH and barium examinations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Khawari, Hanaa A. [Department of Radiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait University (Kuwait); Sinan, T.S. [Department of Radiology, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait University (Kuwait); Seymour, Helen [Department of Radiology, St George' s Hospital, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT (United Kingdom)

    2002-11-01

    Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is a common disorder encountered during childhood. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent serious complications. There are several methods for the diagnosis of GOR, with variable opinions regarding which one is the most sensitive and specific. Objective. This is a retrospective study comparing 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring and barium examinations in the diagnosis of GOR in children. Patients and methods. All children referred with signs and/or symptoms of GOR from January to December 1996 at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK, were included in the study. The recorded results (presence or absence of reflux) of barium examinations and 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring studies performed on 169 children were retrospectively reviewed and compared. Results. One-third of patients were below 1 year of age. In all age groups, oesophageal pH probe studies showed a high detection rate (83%) and low incidence of false-negative results (7%) compared to barium examinations, which showed a lower detection rate (43%) and higher incidence of false-negative results (48%). Most GOR-related anatomical abnormalities diagnosed by barium examinations were identified in infants below 1 year of age. Conclusions. We believe that 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring should be used as the first line of investigation for the diagnosis of GOR in all children regardless of the age group. Barium examinations can be reserved for patients below 1 year of age, those going for surgery and those with negative oesophageal pH monitoring results but strong clinical suspicion of GOR. (orig.)

  3. The utility of preoperative acth/cortisol ratio for the diagnosis and prognosis of cushing's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alev Selek

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Cushing's syndrome (CS is a rare disease having diagnostic difficulties. Many diagnostic tests have been defined but none of these are diagnostic alone. Determination of the cause is another problem which sometimes requires more sophisticated and invasive procedures. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the utility of pretreatment plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH/cortisol ratios in patients with confirmed endogenous CS for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CS. Materials and Methods: This retrospective evaluation included 145 patients with the diagnosis of CS, 119 patients with Cushing's disease (CD, and 26 patients with ACTH-independent CS (AICS, in a university hospital. Furthermore, 114 individuals in whom CS diagnosis was excluded with at least one negative screening test were enrolled to the study as control group. The clinical, laboratory, imaging, postsurgical pathologic records and also clinical follow-up data of all patients were evaluated. Results: The median basal ACTH/cortisol ratio of the patients with CD was significantly higher than AICS and controls. A cutoff ACTH/cortisol ratio >2.5 was found to be diagnostic for CD with 82% specificity and 63% sensitivity. Among CD group, patients with recurrent disease had higher preoperative ACTH levels and ACTH/cortisol ratio than patients with sustained remission. Furthermore, these patients had more invasive, atypical, and larger tumors. Conclusion: An ACTH/cortisol ratio >2.5 would be beneficial to diagnose CD together with other diagnostic tests. It is a simple test with no additional cost. Higher ratios might be related with larger, invasive, and atypical adenoma and also might be helpful to predict recurrence.

  4. Patho-TB test for the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roya Alavi-Naini

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available

    • BACKGROUND: Despite recent technologic improvements in identifying mycobacterium tuberculosis, we are still facing problems in rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis. The objective of this study is to determine the diagnostic value of a new rapid screening test (Patho-TB™ for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
    • METHODS: Between September 2006 to August 2007, 178 patients were enrolled in the study who were finally classified into two groups; a group of documented pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 67 and a group of non-tuberculous pulmonary infection (n = 111. Patho-TB™ test, Ziehl-Neelsen staining and culture were done on all specimens.
    • RESULTS: Of all, 43 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were sputum smear positive for acid fast bacilli and the rest were smear negative. Mean age of the patients was 59.8 ± 16.1 years and 44% of them were men. The results of Patho- TB™ test were positive in 40 of smear positive and 20 of smear negative tuberculous patients and 33 cases of nontuberculous control group. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of Patho- TB™ test were estimated 89.5%, 70.2%, 64.5%, 91.7% and 77.5%, respectively.
    • CONCLUSIONS: According to the present study it would be suggested that Patho-TB™ test could be a rapid and inexpensive method for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, given by its high sensitivity and negative predictive value. Concerning the high number of false positive results, using a confirmatory diagnostic procedure is mandatory.
    • KEYWORDS: Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Rapid Diagnosis, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Antigens, Iran

  5. Fuzzy Logic Approach to Diagnosis of Feedwater Heater Performance Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Yeon Kwan; Kim, Hyeon Min; Heo, Gyun Young; Sang, Seok Yoon

    2014-01-01

    Since failure in, damage to, and performance degradation of power generation components in operation under harsh environment of high pressure and high temperature may cause both economic and human loss at power plants, highly reliable operation and control of these components are necessary. Therefore, a systematic method of diagnosing the condition of these components in its early stages is required. There have been many researches related to the diagnosis of these components, but our group developed an approach using a regression model and diagnosis table, specializing in diagnosis relating to thermal efficiency degradation of power plant. However, there was a difficulty in applying the method using the regression model to power plants with different operating conditions because the model was sensitive to value. In case of the method that uses diagnosis table, it was difficult to find the level at which each performance degradation factor had an effect on the components. Therefore, fuzzy logic was introduced in order to diagnose performance degradation using both qualitative and quantitative results obtained from the components' operation data. The model makes performance degradation assessment using various performance degradation variables according to the input rule constructed based on fuzzy logic. The purpose of the model is to help the operator diagnose performance degradation of components of power plants. This paper makes an analysis of power plant feedwater heater by using fuzzy logic. Feedwater heater is one of the core components that regulate life-cycle of a power plant. Performance degradation has a direct effect on power generation efficiency. It is not easy to observe performance degradation of feedwater heater. However, on the other hand, troubles such as tube leakage may bring simultaneous damage to the tube bundle and therefore it is the object of concern in economic aspect. This study explains the process of diagnosing and verifying typical

  6. Fuzzy Logic Approach to Diagnosis of Feedwater Heater Performance Degradation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Yeon Kwan; Kim, Hyeon Min; Heo, Gyun Young [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Sang, Seok Yoon [Engineering and Technical Center, Korea Hydro, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-08-15

    Since failure in, damage to, and performance degradation of power generation components in operation under harsh environment of high pressure and high temperature may cause both economic and human loss at power plants, highly reliable operation and control of these components are necessary. Therefore, a systematic method of diagnosing the condition of these components in its early stages is required. There have been many researches related to the diagnosis of these components, but our group developed an approach using a regression model and diagnosis table, specializing in diagnosis relating to thermal efficiency degradation of power plant. However, there was a difficulty in applying the method using the regression model to power plants with different operating conditions because the model was sensitive to value. In case of the method that uses diagnosis table, it was difficult to find the level at which each performance degradation factor had an effect on the components. Therefore, fuzzy logic was introduced in order to diagnose performance degradation using both qualitative and quantitative results obtained from the components' operation data. The model makes performance degradation assessment using various performance degradation variables according to the input rule constructed based on fuzzy logic. The purpose of the model is to help the operator diagnose performance degradation of components of power plants. This paper makes an analysis of power plant feedwater heater by using fuzzy logic. Feedwater heater is one of the core components that regulate life-cycle of a power plant. Performance degradation has a direct effect on power generation efficiency. It is not easy to observe performance degradation of feedwater heater. However, on the other hand, troubles such as tube leakage may bring simultaneous damage to the tube bundle and therefore it is the object of concern in economic aspect. This study explains the process of diagnosing and verifying typical

  7. Two-step Raman spectroscopy method for tumor diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakharov, V. P.; Bratchenko, I. A.; Kozlov, S. V.; Moryatov, A. A.; Myakinin, O. O.; Artemyev, D. N.

    2014-05-01

    Two-step Raman spectroscopy phase method was proposed for differential diagnosis of malignant tumor in skin and lung tissue. It includes detection of malignant tumor in healthy tissue on first step with identification of concrete cancer type on the second step. Proposed phase method analyze spectral intensity alteration in 1300-1340 and 1640-1680 cm-1 Raman bands in relation to the intensity of the 1450 cm-1 band on first step, and relative differences between RS intensities for tumor area and healthy skin closely adjacent to the lesion on the second step. It was tested more than 40 ex vivo samples of lung tissue and more than 50 in vivo skin tumors. Linear Discriminant Analysis, Quadratic Discriminant Analysis and Support Vector Machine were used for tumors type classification on phase planes. It is shown that two-step phase method allows to reach 88.9% sensitivity and 87.8% specificity for malignant melanoma diagnosis (skin cancer); 100% sensitivity and 81.5% specificity for adenocarcinoma diagnosis (lung cancer); 90.9% sensitivity and 77.8% specificity for squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis (lung cancer).

  8. Diagnosis and treatment of radioactive poisoning. Proceedings of the scientific meeting on the diagnosis and treatment of radioactive poisoning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1963-01-01

    The increasing use of atomic energy generated by nuclear fission is necessarily accompanied by the production of large quantities of radioactive isotopes. This, together with the growing use of radioactive materials in many fields, has given added importance to practical considerations of how best to deal with accidents - should they occur - involving radioactive contamination of individuals. Such considerations require knowledge of the metabolic behaviour of various radionuclides in man and of methods of increasing their elimination from the body. Information of this type is limited, and it is therefore essential to make maximum use of those data which, are available. Analyses of earlier accidents are one important source of such data; another is experience gained from the medical administration of radioisotopes for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency jointly sponsored a scientific meeting on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Radioactive Poisoning, in Vienna from 15 to 18 October 1962. The aim of the meeting, which followed an earlier one (The Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Radiation Injury) sponsored by the two organizations in 1960 on another aspect of radiation protection, was to review the present state of knowledge on the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of persons who have accidentally incorporated radioactive materials. It brought together three groups of persons: those experienced in various methods of diagnosis and treatment of patients who have been exposed (occupationally or accidentally) to radioactive material; those engaged in the clinical administration of radionuclides and the study of their behaviour in man; and those working on related problems with experimental animals. In view of the great interest of many of the topics discussed at the meeting, it was felt desirable that the information presented in the papers and brought out in the ensuing discussions should be

  9. Guidelines for cytopathologic diagnosis of epithelioid and mixed type malignant mesothelioma. Complementary statement from the International Mesothelioma Interest Group, also endorsed by the International Academy of Cytology and the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hjerpe, Anders; Ascoli, Valeria; Bedrossian, Carlos; Boon, Mathilde; Creaney, Jenette; Davidson, Ben; Dejmek, Annika; Dobra, Katalin; Fassina, Ambrogio; Field, Andrew; Firat, Pinar; Kamei, Toshiaki; Kobayashi, Tadao; Michael, Claire W.; Önder, Sevgen; Segal, Amanda; Vielh, Philippe

    2015-01-01

    To provide practical guidelines for the cytopathologic diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM). Cytopathologists involved in the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG) and the International Academy of Cytology (IAC), who have an interest in the field contributed to this update. Reference material includes peer-reviewed publications and textbooks. This article is the result of discussions during and after the IMIG 2012 conference in Boston, followed by thorough discussions during the 2013 IAC meeting in Paris. Additional contributions have been obtained from cytopathologists and scientists, who could not attend these meetings, with final discussions and input during the IMIG 2014 conference in cape town. During the previous IMIG biennial meetings, thorough discussions have resulted in published guidelines for the pathologic diagnosis of MM. However, previous recommendations have stated that the diagnosis of MM should be based on histological material only.[12] Accumulating evidence now indicates that the cytological diagnosis of MM supported by ancillary techniques is as reliable as that based on histopathology, although the sensitivity with cytology may be somewhat lower.[345] Recognizing that noninvasive diagnostic modalities benefit both the patient and the health system, future recommendations should include cytology as an accepted method for the diagnosis of this malignancy.[67] The article describes the consensus of opinions of the authors on how cytology together with ancillary testing can be used to establish a reliable diagnosis of MM. PMID:26681974

  10. Diagnosis of polycystic ovary disease in obese women with a 24-hour hormone profile after buserelin stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagag, P; Ben-Shlomo, A; Herzianu, I; Weiss, M

    2000-03-01

    To evaluate the 24-hour hormone response to GnRH agonist stimulation in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary disease (PCOD) in obese women. Forty-three obese PCOD patients and 23 controls were randomized to 1 mg buserelin (BSRL) stimulation (PCOD group P-1, n = 31; control group C-1, n = 12) or 0.1 mg (PCOD group P-0.1, n = 12; control group C-0.1, n = 11). Whereas following 1 mg BSRL administration, serum levels of 17 hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), delta 4 androstenedione, estradiol (E2) and luteinizing hormone increment (delta LH) as well as the delta LH/delta follicle stimulating hormone ratio were all higher in group P-1 than in group C-1 (P PCOD. The hormone response to BSRL administration is related to obesity, not to insulin resistance.

  11. The diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias: a multidisciplinary approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mortier, Geert R.

    2001-01-01

    Skeletal dysplasias are heritable connective tissue disorders affecting skeletal morphogenesis and development. They represent a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders with more than 200 different entities being delineated to date. Because of this diversity, the diagnosis of a skeletal dysplasia is usually based on a combination of clinical, radiographic, morphologic, and, in some instances, biochemical and molecular studies. Tremendous advances have been made in the elucidation of the genetic defect of several of these conditions over the past 10 years. This progress has provided us with more insights into the genes controlling normal skeletal development. It also has opened new diagnostic perspectives. For several disorders, identification of the causal gene allows us now to confirm with a molecular test the diagnosis postulated on the basis of clinical, radiographic and/or morphologic studies. It also enables us to establish the diagnosis early in pregnancy. An accurate diagnosis is not only important for proper management of the affected individual but also the cornerstone for adequate genetic counseling

  12. The diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias: a multidisciplinary approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mortier, Geert R. E-mail: geert.mortier@rug.ac.be

    2001-12-01

    Skeletal dysplasias are heritable connective tissue disorders affecting skeletal morphogenesis and development. They represent a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders with more than 200 different entities being delineated to date. Because of this diversity, the diagnosis of a skeletal dysplasia is usually based on a combination of clinical, radiographic, morphologic, and, in some instances, biochemical and molecular studies. Tremendous advances have been made in the elucidation of the genetic defect of several of these conditions over the past 10 years. This progress has provided us with more insights into the genes controlling normal skeletal development. It also has opened new diagnostic perspectives. For several disorders, identification of the causal gene allows us now to confirm with a molecular test the diagnosis postulated on the basis of clinical, radiographic and/or morphologic studies. It also enables us to establish the diagnosis early in pregnancy. An accurate diagnosis is not only important for proper management of the affected individual but also the cornerstone for adequate genetic counseling.

  13. European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Consensus Guidelines on Screening, Diagnosis, and Management of Congenital Hypothyroidism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Léger, Juliane; Olivieri, Antonella; Donaldson, Malcolm; Torresani, Toni; Krude, Heiko; van Vliet, Guy; Polak, Michel

    2014-01-01

    Objective: The aim was to formulate practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Evidence: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify key articles relating to the screening, diagnosis, and management of CH. The evidence-based guidelines were developed with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, describing both the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. In the absence of sufficient evidence, conclusions were based on expert opinion. Consensus Process: Thirty-two participants drawn from the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and five other major scientific societies in the field of pediatric endocrinology were allocated to working groups with assigned topics and specific questions. Each group searched the literature, evaluated the evidence, and developed a draft document. These papers were debated and finalized by each group before presentation to the full assembly for further discussion and agreement. Recommendations: The recommendations include: worldwide neonatal screening, approaches to assess the cause (including genotyping) and the severity of the disorder, the immediate initiation of appropriate L-T4 supplementation and frequent monitoring to ensure dose adjustments to keep thyroid hormone levels in the target ranges, a trial of treatment in patients suspected of transient CH, regular assessments of developmental and neurosensory functions, consulting health professionals as appropriate, and education about CH. The harmonization of diagnosis, management, and routine health surveillance would not only optimize patient outcomes, but should also facilitate epidemiological studies of the disorder. Individuals with CH require monitoring throughout their lives, particularly during early childhood and pregnancy. PMID:24446653

  14. Harmonizing the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome--focusing on abdominal obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Valter; Stanton, Kenneth R; Grande, Antonio José

    2013-04-01

    In 2009, important health organizations met to construct a Joint Scientific Statement (JSS) intended to harmonize the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome worldwide. The JSS aimed to unify the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome, particularly in relation to whether to include abdominal obesity as a criterion of diagnosis. A large part of the JSS is devoted to discussing the diagnosis of abdominal obesity. More specifically, 9 of the 16 papers focused on abdominal obesity. Continuing this emphasis, we discuss the harmonization of the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome worldwide, specifically focusing on the need to improve the diagnosis of abdominal obesity.

  15. Factors associated with post-diagnosis pregnancies in women living with HIV in the south of Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Barcellos Teixeira

    Full Text Available To analyze the factors associated with the occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of infection by HIV.Cross-sectional study with women of a reproductive age living with HIV/AIDS cared for in the public services of the city of Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil. The data was analyzed from a comparison between two groups: women with and women without pregnancies after the diagnosis of HIV. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the reasons of prevalence (RP.The occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of HIV is associated with a lower level of education (RP adjusted = 1.31; IC95%: 1.03-1.66, non-use of condoms in the first sexual intercourse (RP = 1.32; IC95%: 1.02-1.70, being 20 years old or less when diagnosed with HIV (RP = 3.48; IC95%: 2.02-6.01, and experience of violence related to the diagnosis of HIV (RP = 1.28; IC95%: 1.06-1.56.The occurrence of pregnancies after the diagnosis of infection by HIV does not indicate the exercise of the reproductive rights of the women living with HIV/AIDS because these pregnancies occurred in contexts of great vulnerability.

  16. From diagnosis to health: a cross-cultural interview study with immigrants from Somalia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallin, Anne-Marie; Ahlström, Gerd

    2010-06-01

    Being diagnosed as having a chronic disease gives rise to emotions. Beliefs about health are culturally constructed and affect people's decisions regarding treatment. No studies have been reported that focus on the health beliefs of immigrants of Somalian origin with diabetes and how these people experiences the diagnosis. Therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate how immigrants from Somalia living in Sweden experienced receiving the diagnosis and describe their beliefs about health. The sample consisted of 19 adults with diabetes born in Somalia and now living in Sweden who were interviewed with the aid of an interpreter. The interviews were subjected to qualitative content analysis. From the analysis of what the participants said about their experiences of the diagnosis there emerged three themes: 'Existential brooding', 'Avoiding the diagnosis' and 'Accepting what is fated'. Three themes also emerged from the analysis of what they said about beliefs about health: 'Health as absence of disease', 'Health as general well-being' and 'Fated by a higher power'. A major finding was that women when they communicated their experiences regarding the diagnosis and health beliefs made more use of supernatural beliefs than men did. The participants, irrespective of gender, did not immediately respond with shock or other strong emotion when they received the diagnosis. The study provides health-care staff with knowledge concerning a minority group's experiences of being diagnosed as having diabetes and their beliefs about health. The findings indicate that men and women differ in how they experiences the diagnosis and how they described their health beliefs. The quality improvement of health education and nursing for patients with diabetes calls for consideration of the variation of beliefs related to cultural background and gender.

  17. eHealth, Participatory Medicine, and Ethical Care: A Focus Group Study of Patients' and Health Care Providers' Use of Health-Related Internet Information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, Anne; Leese, Jenny; Adam, Paul; McDonald, Michael; Li, Linda C; Kerr, Sheila; Backman, Catherine L

    2015-06-22

    The rapid explosion in online digital health resources is seen as transformational, accelerating the shift from traditionally passive patients to patients as partners and altering the patient-health care professional (HCP) relationship. Patients with chronic conditions are increasingly engaged, enabled, and empowered to be partners in their care and encouraged to take responsibility for managing their conditions with HCP support. In this paper, we focus on patients' and HCPs' use of health-related Internet information and how it influences the patient-HCP relationship. In particular, we examine the challenges emerging in medical encounters as roles and relationships shift and apply a conceptual framework of relational ethics to examine explicit and nuanced ethical dimensions emerging in patient-HCP interactions as both parties make increased use of health-related Internet information. We purposively sampled patients and HCPs in British Columbia, Canada, to participate in focus groups. To be eligible, patients self-reported a diagnosis of arthritis and at least one other chronic health condition; HCPs reported a caseload with >25% of patients with arthritis and multimorbidity. We used a semistructured, but flexible, discussion guide. All discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Elements of grounded theory guided our constant comparison thematic analytic approach. Analysis was iterative. A relational ethics conceptual lens was applied to the data. We recruited 32 participants (18 patients, 14 HCPs). They attended seven focus groups: four with patients and three with rehabilitation professionals and physicians. Predominant themes to emerge were how use of health-related Internet information fostered (1) changing roles, (2) patient-HCP partnerships, and (3) tensions and burdens for patients and HCPs. Relational aspects such as mutual trust, uncertainty, and vulnerability are illuminated in patient-HCP interactions around health-related Internet information

  18. A Multi-Model Approach for System Diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Niemann, Hans Henrik; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Bækgaard, Mikkel Ask Buur

    2007-01-01

    A multi-model approach for system diagnosis is presented in this paper. The relation with fault diagnosis as well as performance validation is considered. The approach is based on testing a number of pre-described models and find which one is the best. It is based on an active approach......,i.e. an auxiliary input to the system is applied. The multi-model approach is applied on a wind turbine system....

  19. BRAIN DEATH DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calixto Machado

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Brain death (BD diagnosis should be established based on the following set of principles, i.e. excluding major confusing factors, identifying the cause of coma, determining irreversibility, and precisely testing brainstem reflexes at all levels of the brainstem. Nonetheless, most criteria for BD diagnosis do not mention that this is not the only way of diagnosing death. The Cuban Commission for the Determination of Death has emphasized the aforesaid three possible situations for diagnosing death: a outside intensive care environment (without life support physicians apply the cardio-circulatory and respiratory criteria; b in forensic medicine circumstances, physicians utilize cadaveric signs (they do not even need a stethoscope; c in the intensive care environment (with life support when cardiorespiratory arrest occurs physicians utilize the cardio-circulatory and respiratory criteria. This methodology of diagnosing death, based on finding any of the death signs, is not related to the concept that there are different types of death. The irreversible loss of cardio-circulatory and respiratory functions can only cause death when ischemia and anoxia are prolonged enough to produce an irreversible destruction of the brain. The sign of irreversible loss of brain functions, that is to say BD diagnosis, is fully reviewed.

  20. HYPERCORTISOLISM: CLASSIFICATION, PATHOGENESIS, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS. DIAGNOSIS OF ENDOGENOUS HYPERCORTISOLISM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikonova L. V.

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The relevance of the study of Cushing's syndrome with different etiology as well as the states of hypercorticism, which is not associated with endogenous hypercortisolism, is due to the difficulty of the diagnosis of this disease. Accurate knowledge of the classification criteria for the diagnosis of hypercorticism enables subsequently to establish the correct diagnosis and to administer the appropriate treatment. It was found that the cause of hypercorticism can be endogenous and exogenous factors. There is a particular group of patients requiring screening for hypercorticism using special diagnostic tests. Only a clear understanding of etiopathogenesis of hypercorticism and its clinical manifestations by the specialist, the correct interpretation of diagnostic results make it possible to establish the diagnosis, to administer the appropriate treatment and significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients of this profile and improve their quality of life.